300 Days of Sunshine

As the weather gets warmer, I have the urge to freshen up my house and make space for spring!  There are few things that cause me more anxiety than clutter.  I can't stand junk on top of tables, I loathe a cluttered entryway, and miscellaneous crap around the house just makes me want to scream sometimes.  I am always seeking strategies for getting rid of crap, preventing the accumulation of more stuff, and more effectively organizing the things we have.  I believe that I am happier when I have less clutter and more space.  A couple weeks ago I completed the daunting task of reorganizing my  baking pantry, and now I feel empowered to accomplish anything! Here are a few of my goals for Spring Cleaning this year: 1) Get rid of stuff It is such a good feeling to clean out closets and drawers and take a car load of stuff to the thrift store.  My priorities are to purge clothes that don't bring me joy, books I don't plan to read again, decoration...

Happy Easter!  We were blessed with a warm and sunny weekend in Santa Fe.  I took Ady and Kua to the park on my day off and went for a long, solo training run on Saturday morning.  We celebrated Easter with baskets of goodies and a family dinner at home.  I made Coconut Cake, one of my all-time favorite desserts (recipe below) and we opened a bottle of Gruet Blanc de Noirs after the toddler went to bed. This past week I have been reminded that the highlight of my day is often the thing that is totally unexpected, and that the moments that stick with me are those moments of connection that force me to pause in the unfolding chaos of the day.  Braiding a patient's hair after she got out of bed for the first time in the intensive care unit.  Listening to my toddler babble and practice her new words in the back seat while we're stuck in traffic.  Meeting a new friend while out on my run, despite my tendency toward running alone.  Observing the buddi...

Happy Spring!  Today, the phases of day and night are in balance (almost).  I went to a refreshing yoga class on Sunday night that incorporated lots of soothing moon salutations and projecting the heart skyward to welcome the equinox.  Spring is a time for rebirth and fresh starts.  The first few months of 2018 were hectic and challenging for me with professional commitments, conflict resolution, home responsibilities, parenting a vibrant and busy toddler, making plans and filling in the calendar for the year, and trying to juggle it all.  During this season, I am shifting gears.  I'm on a journey of happiness, gratitude, joy and self-actualization. I'm about halfway into my training program for my upcoming Half Marathon, so I'm starting to ramp up my mileage.  The other day on my sunny morning run, I was reflecting on the concept of beauty.  Why is it that many people find the same images - sunsets, mountains, rivers, landscapes, f...

Little Leprechaun!  Spring is in the air... as evidenced by the fact that the whole family is suffering from allergies and colds.  Our schedules this week seem to revolve around hand washing, eye drops, nasal spray, sanitizing, doing laundry, and going to bed early.  Alas, we will survive.  On a brighter note, I have started making plans for some spring gardening projects.  I hope to revamp our front yard and explore the art of xeriscaping in New Mexico.  However, I have learned from experience that we can experience snow and frost up until Mother's Day weekend here in Santa Fe, so I'm not planting anything for a couple more months. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I tried a new recipe for mint chocolate brownies!  I shared them with my coworkers and my book club.   If you like Thin Mints, you will love these brownies!       Mint Chocolate Brownies From Sally's Baking Addiction blog:  Classic Mint ...

I just returned from the Combined Sections Meeting (CSM), the annual conference of the American Physical Therapy Association.  Over 17,000 physical therapists from around the country (and some from other countries as well) attended the conference, which featured programming from 18 of the subspecialty practices in physical therapy.  I am most involved in the Academy of Acute Care Physical Therapy as well as the Education Section, and I dabble in Neurology, Geriatrics, and Health Policy/Administration.  I always return from this conference feeling inspired and motivated after learning from the experts in the industry, discussing the goals and ambitions of our practice, and meeting the present-day heroes in the profession.  Every year I return to work with a long list of ideas to implement in clinical practice, leadership, and clinical education.  This year I was especially intrigued about the technological innovations that are changing the way we practice healthc...

A few tidbits about life lately... 1.  I love the Olympics!  I feel so inspired that athletes and leaders from almost 100 different nations can come together and compete in an international arena, despite terrible conflicts,  perpetual disagreements, and the worsening divide in our world.  On the Olympic playing field, everyone is equal; we are all global citizens yearning for harmony.  The opening ceremonies were a beautiful representation of South Korea's culture.  I loved the animal symbols, representing the idea that all living beings come from the same energy source.  I also loved the duality and juxtaposition of ancient symbols and traditions with tech savvy innovations, which also highlights the celebration of South Korea's culture, past and present.  I'm really excited to watch figure skating (as always) and skiing, and I can't wait to cheer on my new favorite athlete, Maame Biney, an energetic 17-year-old speed skater!  Go USA...

Punxsutawney Phil hath spoken, and we have six more weeks of winter to look forward to, which sounds pretty unbelievable here in Santa Fe where we have had 50 degree afternoons lately.   Even though the sun is shining in New Mexico and the skies have been breathtakingly beautiful, with vibrant stripes of orange and blue in the evening sky, I actually feel somewhat depressed about the lack of snow.  I'm someone who really enjoys and craves living in a place with four distinct seasons and the adventures and traditions that come with each time of the year.  I look forward to the transition of one season to the next and I enjoy winter because of its contrast to summer.  I'm still holding out hope for some late season snow!   On the plus side, the sunny afternoons have allowed for some warm-weather walks, jogs, and bike rides.  We  got to test out our new bike seat for Ady a few weeks ago!  I was terrified, but she loved it! Ady's first b...