My First Pro Football Game!

I've been to many sporting events in my lifetime. From professional baseball to pretty much every college sport, I've seen a lot of exciting events.

But one sport I had never seen live? Professional football. Sure, I've been to some big college games, like Army vs. Navy. But I am a Ravens fan, living in Baltimore city, and I had still never been to a Ravens game before....until yesterday.

I'll make a long story short, but basically Sean and I went through hell and high water (and a lot of $$$) to be able to attend yesterday's sold-out match-up against the Dallas Cowboys.

But boy, oh boy, was it worth it. We had so much fun tailgating with friends, and with my parents (who had never been to a Ravens game either!), who ended up snagging last minute tickets from friends. It was so much fun.

Sean and I arrived a little before 10:00 a.m. to tailgate with some friends. Then we walked over to my parents' tailgate, where some more shenanigans ensued. The game started at 1:00 p.m., and Sean and I headed in a little before kickoff--which we actually ended up missing because of security lines and bathroom lines.

Once we got to our seats, we stayed there pretty much the entire time, besides a little break to get some buffalo chicken bites. The game was a nail-biter, to say the least! The Ravens barely scraped together a win and the final score was 31-29, but hey! A win is a win, right?

I am so glad I got to experience my first ever Ravens game, and so thankful to this guy for making it all happen:

Have you ever been to a professional football game? Who is your "home" team?

*Edited to add: I have not forgotten about the October Yoga Challenge! I know my update will be a bit late this week, but I still have a post planned on how the challenge is doing and expect to have it published by Friday. Sean and I are in the process of moving, so as you can imagine things have been crazy

October Yoga Challenge Recap: Week 1

Last week, I posted about the October Yoga Challenge I decided to join when Courtney mentioned it on her blog in this post. Read more about it and grab a button for your blog!

Basically, my goal is to spice up my fall workout routine with 3 yoga sessions per week. There are no rules for this challenge--I don't want to put too much pressure on myself because I am moving in a week, have alot of family and personal stuff going on, and am just all-around busy at work and in my home life. But yoga is a great way to work our bodies and calm our minds, so I decided to give this challenge a go.

This week, I ended up only completing 2 yoga sessions at home. But you know what I realized? That is okay. I did the first one after a really stressful day at work last week. I got home and was about to plop on the couch with a snack (or a drink!) and zone out in front of the TV, but instead, I mustered up the energy to throw on my yoga pants, unroll my mat, and just...do it.

And you know what? It felt amazing. Not only did it feel great to stretch and move my body after sitting at my desk all day, but by the end of 30 minutes of posing, breathing, and stretching I felt rejuvenated. Calm. Happy.

I did the same thing a few days later with a routine I found in my latest copy of Yoga Journal (which I highly recommend--lots of great at-home practices and inspirational articles), and it felt fantastic.

This week I learned that exercise, particularly yoga, is about way more than just keeping in shape physically. A yoga practice is a great way to keep our minds focused and aware. It is a wonderful outlet for me and I am so glad I decided to join this challenge!

Check out Courtney's weekly recap here.

Happy Monday, friends! Today has been the craziest work day I have had in awhile...I'm sensing more yoga in my future ;-)

Have you joined the challenge yet?

Change. Embrace It.

Not sure if anyone follows the blog Not Salmon, by Karen Salmansohn, but it is filled with inspirational phrases, photos, and quotes to brighten each and every day. I highly recommend it.

This one really caught my eye:

Not only does it fit the "autumn" theme and the coming of the new month of October, but it rings very true to me. The world is constantly changing, you and I are constantly changing, and everyone around us is constantly changing. Change is scary, but it can also be a good thing.

This image is also a great accent to the October Yoga Challenge I am participating in with Courtney. To me, the challenge is not only about evolving physically, but also mentally. Yoga is very much a mental and spiritual experience, which is why it is called a "practice". I intend to do a follow-up on Friday about a few things I have noticed thus far (last night was my first yoga session of the month!), most of which are mental rather than physical.

But more of that on Friday. For now, think about the changes you have made in your life, and the changes you have yet to make. Some may be positive, some negative. But no matter what, accepting--and embracing--change is when the beauty can come in.

What changes have you made so far this year?

What changes would you like to make by the time 2013 rolls around? (3 months remaining--go make it happen!)

October Yoga Challenge

So, around this time of year, my "fitness" routine (if you can even call it that) gets a little stale.

You know, the weather is getting cooler, the days are getting shorter, and my life inevitably gets busier. There just don't seem to be enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do. Working out before work is tough, and after work it is sometimes already dark to do anything outside, and since I don't have a gym membership (gotta save those dolla bills!), my options are limited.

Ok, I know...excuses, excuses.

Well, when I popped on over to Courtney's blog this morning, it was as if she read my mind. Courtney (the incredible blogger behind Sweet Tooth, Sweet Life) is spicing up her fall fitness routine with an October Yoga Challenge, and we're all invited to join.

Courtney's goal is to incorporate a yoga sequence into her routine at least 3 days per week, no matter how intense or how long. I have decided that 3 times a week sounds like a reasonable, attainable goal, and I am going to join along. However, if you want to join, your goal can be 5 times a week, 1 day a week, etc. As long as we are getting our bodies moving and enjoying the calming and cleansing aspects of yoga, that's all that matters!

Courtney will be doing a recap every Friday (beginning this Friday, Oct. 7th!) on her blog, with the opportunity for other bloggers to link up their recap posts as well. So, every Friday from now on, expect a short recap on Hot Coco(a) and also on my Twitter page about how my Yoga Challenge is going. Hope ya don't mind ;-)

If you want to join in on the challenge, or get more info, check out the snazzy new button on the right side of my blog. Or go to Courtney's page to get one of your own!

Here's to a month of fitness, fun, support, and encouragement!

Namaste.