Heading to The Netherlands

I am heading to The Netherlands on Thursday to spend two wonderful weeks with my family, visiting my inlaws. My husband has been out of the country for a month for work so we are looking forward to time together. Visiting my husband's family, for me is about enjoying the simple things; his mom picks up fresh bread at the bakery every morning for breakfast, steaming pots of tea, biking to the store, soup every night for dinner and reconnecting with family. I'm also hoping to take a yoga class or two in his home town and look forward to a class in Dutch!

My classes at High Street Yoga will be canceled for the next two weeks, 7/28, 7/29, 8/4 and 8/5 and will resume again on 8/11 and 8/12.

Bedankt (thanks in dutch) and Namaste'

Press Release from the Times Herald

Check Out the Press Release for a side business I'm in, A Wedding in a Box, promoting yoga and massage to brides!


By GARY PULEO
Times Herald Staff

UPPER MERION — You could say that five designing women were thinking outside the box when they came up with the idea of packaging their talents inside a box.

Specifically, “A Wedding in a Box.”

The friends’ services and products — custom jewelry, honeymoon planning, photography, makeup consulting and yoga/massage — don’t literally come packed in a box, of course.

But for the time and frustration the one-stop shopping can save, the concept itself might seem like it’s gift-wrapped and tied with a bow to a detail-oriented bride-to-be.

“It all has to do with branding,” said Carrie Grabowicz, the jewelry crafter of the group.

“We do give out a jewelry-size bracelet type box that has our cards inside explaining all about our services. So everyone sort of can remember us as ‘those box people.’ The idea just makes it all easier for brides, with everything in one place, neatly packaged up for you.”

The idea for A Wedding in a Box evolved from the successful businesses of the five women, who found that the synergy of collaborating ultimately enhanced the experience for the entire bridal party, Grabowicz noted.

“Brides can benefit from our combined expertise. We combine our talents and treat brides the way they should be treated, with custom and personal touches that are top notch.”

The partnership helps each of the A Wedding in a Box businesses grow independently as well, she added.

“We’re all separate entities and function separately,” Grabowicz said. “ But ‘A Wedding in a Box’ is a way to have five people promoting you, working together and trying to offer you the best.”

Should photographer Melia Rios-Lazo’s display at The Court at King of Prussia, promoting her own business, Priceless Moments, drum up some new clients for her, it could well bring some of those wedding dollars to the other partners’ endeavors as well.

“Everything we offer can also be purchased a la carte,” Grabowicz pointed out. “So people aren’t obligated to take everything we offer.”

With Hammi Jammi Jewelry, Grabowicz creates brooches and other pieces of “wearable art” from sterling silver, copper and even domino tiles.

“My company name comes from a name I gave my kids when they’re acting goofy,” she said, laughing. “I customize everything according to what the bride wants, like earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Many brides tend to wear pearls, but sometimes they may want something a little more bold, like a ruby color.”

The jewelry items can be for the bride herself, or for the bridesmaids to wear the day of the wedding, Grabowicz said.

Squaring off “A Wedding in a Box” enticements are stress-relieving yoga and massage by therapist Barbara Kosciewicz, who tends to both “the bodies and minds of the wedding party,” makeup and skin care attention by Clare Herkendaal of Arbonne and honeymoon possibilities offered by CruiseOne’s Danielle Weber.

Though most of the women live in Pottstown, they are all “very mobile” and available to present a mini bridal show throughout the area, Grabowicz said.

“A bride and her attendants can have a massage, try on make-up, enjoy a high fashion photography session, learn about honeymoon destinations, try on some one-of-a-kind jewelry ... while enjoying camaraderie with friends — and some chocolate.”

Interview with Carrie, Yogi and High Street Yoga Student

How long have you been practicing yoga and how did you get started?

I went to a MOMS night out and that was the first time I did yoga and was hooked. That was almost 3 years ago.


How have you seen yoga make a difference in your life off of the mat?

Namaste really made an impact on me. I feel like there is such an interconnectedness in the world that people forget to acknowledge. We are all part of the human race and should try to remember that. Everyone has different struggles to deal with, but we need to remember that we are more alike than different.


For me there was an immediate emotional component to the practice of yoga. Did you feel an emotional shift?

I especially like the mind-body connection with yoga practice. I feel more centered and able to take on the daily tasks in my life.


What are your favorite poses?

I really like pigeon pose. I am pretty flexible so I feel very comfortable in many of the poses that we do.


You are busy in your life as a mom, wife, small business owner, how do you fit yoga into your daily/weekly life?

I really try to incorporate the breathe aspect into my daily life. My kids really push me to my limits and I try to take alot of breathes before I over react.



You practiced yoga through your entire pregnancy, how do you feel yoga helped throughout the pregnancy and during labor and delivery?

Wow, I am a HUGE advocate of yoga during pregnancy. Your body changes and becomes more flexible when you are pregnant and I think that it helped keep my hips open and helped with breathing during labor.



What advice do you have for a beginer that is worried that they may not be doing yoga 'right?'

Just do it!!!! Barb is very good at tailoring the poses to your special needs. She also tends to give different variations of the asanas to make everyone feel capable. I also laugh at myself alot...laughter is good for the soul too !

Inhale, Exhale

The physical practice of yoga is Asana. However Asana is only part of a larger philosophy. Yoga philosophy teaches transformative possibilities, awareness and presence. The question is, can you take the awareness from the yoga mat, to daily life? I think so.

Today I was glancing through the book A Year of Living your Yoga; Daily Practices to Shape Your Life by Judith Hanson Lasater. The book is designed to support your yoga practice off the mat one day at a time over the course of a year. A teaching or aphorism is presented each day with suggestions of how to incorporate Yoga philosophy into daily life.

I have three young active boys and this evening we headed to the local H.S for an evening of tennis and fun. Parenting is a continuous process, a journey, sometimes a struggle. My youngest son likes to do things ‘perfectly.’ At age 4 he taught himself to read. Last summer, he insisted he didn’t need swim lessons, and after watching his brothers he taught himself to swim. I should have been more mindful of this while heading to the court. He felt highly frustrated that he couldn’t play tennis the first time he tried. His frustration increased. I tried every parenting technique I could think of. At a loss, I asked him to sit with me on the bench. Suddenly it came to me, Inhale, Exhale, my daily aphorism for today. “You will experience at least one stressful moment today. When you do, remember to inhale and to exhale. Breathing will slow you down, so you will be more likely to make the choices you enjoy in your life.” So I did, I just sat and inhaled and exhaled. After several minutes we felt calmer and I felt more able to work with him. Paying attention to the small things, the circumstances and the awareness of each moment is the core of yoga practice and is the core of graceful parenting. I’m thankful for the reminder.

Inhale, Exhale, How have you used this in your daily life?