Do you want some cheese with that WHINE?

My sister in law is tending to her garden and the princesses are adding to the scenery

I think my kids are overstimulated with so much excitement, fun, intensity, which are all good stuff, but it is non stop, and they are exhausted and super whiny, and I don't speak whine.  It really gets to me, I try to stay calm and tell them to use their words, and then the three of them, yes even my calm angel baby, want something at the same time, and I just want to run in the other direction.

It is very interesting with RV's, there are so many logistics, for instance, my brothers lot where we are is slightly downhill and also inclines to the left.  I really felt it last night, we have the slides open, which widen our living space, and it felt like I was going to roll of the bed, all the toys cars were rolling left under the couch.  So today we figured out the hydrolics and the wheels are literally lifted off the ground and I feel steady.  It is interesting to me how sensitive I am to balance, in general it has been very important in every area of my life, and now that I am a Yoga teacher for over ten years, it is in my core, and when I talk about core, I also mean physical core.  As in Pilates, I teach a class that is all about activating the core, so when the RV was off balance I couldn't rest because my core was automatically working, nuts.

So my baby was fussy, I just went into the RV to put him for a nap, and now get some quiet time to write. My kids were extra whiny, fussy, fighting, crying, you name it, they were doing it.  Now my mom just called me from inside the house and she said since I left they are all like angels.  When I am there its like a fight for my attention, but when I am away, they give love to everyone and are happy and play nicely.  Fabulous, last year we didn't hang out in the RV because we weren't plugged in and I was so annoyed and exhausted, I never had a moment to myself.  My baby was also four months at the time, and I was nursing a lot, so I had to be around.  What a difference to just close the door in a comfortable in an air conditioned bug free space, wow, amazing what is important and invaluable to us at different points in our lives.

Overall its amazing, we leave tomorrow for Florida, making stops in a few places to visit friends before arriving in Miami.  Everything keeps changing, but luckily it really is working out exactly as it should.

Feeling Grateful,
Feeling Peaceful,
Thank you for letting me express myself, let it all out, and sympathise,
I really appreciate all of your comments about how you relate,
It literally helps keep me sane,
I need you as much as you need me,
Coach Yulia

The boys couldn't get enough of each other, and their personalities complement each other, never a fight, just cooperation, respect, and creativity, they have such a fun outside area, non stop adventure

The Saga Continues

We are having a wonderful time, the kids are together non stop, Matisyahu is getting more confident and taking more steps.  Of course a few glitches here and there, but the cool thing is that everyone puts their heads together and figures it out.  When we came with the RV last year, it was not too hot, so we just stayed at my brother's house, he had a spot that fit our 40 foot RV, and overall we were OK.  We were not plugged in, sure it was a bit stuffy, at the end of the week the sewer odor was faintly around, and we never hung out in there during the day, only to sleep at night.

This year my brother asked an electrician, and he said we could plug into the washer and dryer outlets, but they were on the other side of the house, we did not have a thick chord, and figured out last minute the plug we had was outdated.  Before I got married I knew that I wanted to find someone that was a nice mix of my father and my brother, and I did :)  My father is very macho and intense, and my brother is fun and wacky, my husband is intense and wacky - just right for me.  What they all have in common is they are good at figuring out things, especially mechanical connection kind of things, so when their three brains are together, there is never a problem that cannot be fixed.

So the solution was, since my husband is a professional trucker, he backed in the 34 foot RV down their long driveway so it could be next to the plugs.  Here is a view from the RV, I am standing on the stairway to the door.  My brother and father went to get a new adapter, and now we have air conditioning, which is a must in the humid places we are going, plus there are mosquito's and other bugs all over the place.  Today my baby was taking a long afternoon nap, and I had a chance to relax in the RV and organize, have some quiet, while all the kids played in my brothers house.

We will be here tomorrow and leave Monday morning, so excited for the rest of our trip.

Enjoy your weekend,
Shavua Tov,
Coach Yulia

We weathered the continuous storm

Looking back, everything led us to where we need to be, but we were tested,

non stop obstacles, you name it, it stood in our way. We just kept dealing with it and

low and behold (what does that mean anyway?) We made it, we are here, YAY!

We were supposed to have left 10 days ago, it was supposed to be a six week trip, and this was supposed to be our final days in Atlanta.  Honestly everything is just as it should be, the kids are having a blast, and we are happy to have arrived.  The original person that we rented our RV from decided he didn't like our arrangement and just pulled out last minute, I was honestly in shock, I always look at the positive, and there was no positive in this situation.  So I told my husband to tell that RV rental guy he has to deal with wife, I was very upset, and he had to accommodate us somehow.  Luckily my husband found a private owner for half the price, so we could just walk away, not say anything, and let the original guy have no renter and his horrible, unprofessional business.

 

Now our six week trip was cut short, many destinations were cut, and the places we were going to, our time of stay in each place was drastically cut.  We had to wait for the new RV because it was already rented.  On a good note while all this was happening, my husband was able to arrange a car dolly so we could bring a car, and we rented out our SUV because we were leaving town and were going to bring our smaller car on the road.  Since we were leaving for a shorter period of time, we decided not to rent our apartment, nobody wanted it for the whole time, and a shorter period would have not worked for us at all.

 

So finally we get the RV, we attach the car dolly, and figure out that our smaller car is too low for the car dolly, and our SUV was rented and in Vegas - OY VEY!  Lucky for us the guys who rented our car were on the way back and were cool with switching cars, its just delayed us getting on the road once again.  We get on the road late Tuesday evening, and just decided to go with the flow and drive as long as we could with no pressure.  Wednesday morning everything was fine when we woke up, but when we stopped to refuel, our car dolly malfunctioned and luckily we were at the right place at the right time to fix it, a few hundred dollars later, but Thank God, because we were told that in the state of Arizona if your tires are over 4 years old and blow on the road, the insurance doesn't cover it.

 

We get on the way, and end up sleeping at a wonderful Walmart parking lot for the night, it is free for trucks and RV's.  Before we went to sleep that night our fridge stopped working, we took 15 frozen chickens, luckily the freezer was OK.  The owner talked us through how to reboot it, but it has not cooled down at all, even now.  It has been crazy hot, yesterday in Arkansas it was 107, and then we were really weathering the storm when we were on an edge of what my husband is sure was a tornado.  The winds were insane, Thank God my husband is an experienced and professional driver, lightning and thunder, and then slow traffic.  To top it off we took a wrong turn, and my husband had to stop to sleep for a while.  All in all it worked out perfectly, we got to Atlanta just as the kids were arriving from camp, and now ready to relax, enjoy, and have fun.

 

May all the curves, surprises, obstacles, and insanity be DONE

AMEN

Shabbat Shalom,

Coach Yulia

Our Living Room

Believe it or not this is our RV living room, and it came with cubbies and all, I got it all organized for the kids, brought just enough train tracks that would fit, they picked the books, so far all the entertainment is working

This is our home for the month, and in this picture it really looks like a living room, it is actually perfect for kids.  The RV we had last year had two couches that became beds and then a kitchen and table, in some ways it was great. However this year it is really a perfect RV for three kids.  We didn't know at first what to do with Matisyahu, he does not sleep, in a crib, but we didn't want something too high, especially while driving, we wouldn't want him to roll off.  My wonderful neighbor gave me the bottom mattress of her pack and play, which I thought would be perfect, as you see in the picture above there is the perfect space for it.  When I put it down, my baby just thought it was part of play, he wasn't into it, and I think he has gotten used to a bed, so anything besides a bed, he is ready to go, go, go.  So The kitchen table turns into a bed which is perfect for Ziona Sofia. The best part is the couch becomes two kids beds very comfortably.

So overall my 99 cent store purchases have been right on the money, whenever the kids get restless, I pull out another new, fun project.  We hopefully will be arriving to my family in Atlanta as soon as possible, they keep asking for their cousins, but we feel no pressure, so far we all feel good, sleeping good, and trying to stay patient with the kids.  I would love for all of them to take a nap at the same time, yesterday the baby took the longest morning nap, Eli Tzvi took a long afternoon nap, and Ziona Sofia didn't sleep at all, and passed out around 6pm for the night - I will take what I can get.  Now everyone is occupied so I have a moment to write. 

The most challenging thing is when everybody wants everything at the same time and they want it NOW!  The kids ask over and over, and I am just running around, I could never be a stewardess, I would go nuts.  When I worked on cruise ships, for the first year I worked at the front desk, also known as the complaint department. OMG - people are so mean, and they are happy to have an official place to let it all out, and they are probably thinking, this is what you get paid for, my bed is too small, and I could never say because your tush is too big.  I couldn't cry, I couldn't swear, I remember me and my fellow pursers would let off some steam literally jumping up and down on our beds and screaming, and of course with some drinks and hanging out in the different ports we went to.  Sometimes just relaxing on the beach. or getting a fun tour on a boat or to historic sites.

I just keep reminding myself, these are all good problems,
I also know my self, and I love being serviced :)
Hair, makeup, nails, massage, you name it, I enjoy it,
Serving on the other hand,
Only when there is an energy exchange,
Thank God I love what I do,
It literally feeds my energy, my soul, my life, my balance,
Thank You to all of my family, friends, and clients for your beautiful energy,
Coach Yulia

This is the kitchen table that converts into the bed you see all three kids on above

Like Father, Like Son

This picture was taken on last years RV road trip, Matisyahu was four months old, and already in training.  My husband and his father drove trucks together, so he is passing down his trade :)

This year our baby was already on his own, and these were his thoughts:

I am ready to hit the road

Am I really ready?

OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Have a Great Summer Everybody

 

Overall everything is great, thanks to Sam's great friend that is always helping us out and watching our place and car while we are gone.  He is also an electronics genius, figured out our DVD and VCR, yes VCR, we have some kids movies from the old ages.  He also made us aware that our iPhones have a hot spot, so I can get wifi from anywhere, and I am excited that I just figured it out, and am typing now, while we are checking out our RV and car, making sure everything is alright, baby is sleeping, so far the projects I got from the 99 cent are working.  Here and there we have some tantrums, but I bust out with a new fun toy or game, and they are distracted.

When we finally left yesterday evening, I was just exhausted, it was around 6:30pm, the kids were tired, but not sleeping, baby is just starting to walk, so he doesn't want to stay still even for a second.  I was loading all day, while my husband was running around making sure we had our last minute necessities, getting the RV and car just right so we have a safe trip.

Once the kids were asleep, I had to organize some things, then just fell asleep for a little while, then tried to keep my husband company late into the night.  Thank God we were able to get decent sleep, and now are on the way.

This whole adventure keeps on getting hiccups, but there is nothing stopping us.  It might frustrate us, but we will persevere.  This is not easy, it is not relaxing, and sometimes not even fun, but it is a great adventure and a great memory.  I also get to see family and friends that I haven't seen in a while, so I am excited and it is all worth it.

Life is not easy,
You still gotta live it,
and find the gems, highs, and everlasting happy times that you relive in your mind,
Coach Yulia

On The Road Again - ALMOST

Here it is my friends, five feet shorter than last year, but laid out quite nicely.  Not as much storage room, we are a little spoiled, two slides so this whole side that you see pulls out and makes the living area bigger while parked, where you see the square outlines.

We got everything ready and were ready to leave this morning, but our Nissan Altima was too low for our car dolly.  We have another car that would have worked but we rented it out because we were already supposed to be out of town.  Oh these good problems that we have, so we are trying to figure out how to still take a car, in Miami and in New York we are going to need it, the RV is our stationary home once we go visit all these places.

I even posted on my Facebook page to swap cars with someone for a month, anyone out there? I am open to anything, I am sure it will all work out, if we have to we will go without a car and rent a car where we need it.

Today will be all about loading it up with everything we need, clothes, food, supplies, and most importantly toys and projects for the kids.

Anyone in the area want to come and take a look you are welcome,
Wish us luck,
Send anyone our way that has a SUV sitting around,
OY VEY,
Coach Yulia

If the shoe fits

Summer is here and I absolute love sandals, no socks required, its the easiest shoe for me and for kids.  Growing up in miami, that is always my preference, I wear open shoes as much as I can.  So we go to this cool discount shoe store and overall have been very lucky, they have good brands for over half the price, its called DB shoes, they are all over the place now, but the biggest one is in a shopping center at Hollywood Blvd and Western, just east of Hollywood itself.  So my husband bought Eli Tzvi really great sandals, I like the toe area closed because my kids are accident prone, always running, and always getting boo boo's.  He maybe wore it for a week, and it broke on one side, they were a great price, so we just threw them away and went to get another, things happen, kids, right? WRONG! He probably has had these new ones a little over a week, and yesterday it broke in the same exact spot, I couldn't believe it.  Lesson learned, with those shoes anyway, overall my experience has been great, for all the kids, and great heels for myself, and all types of shoes for my husband from house slippers to dress up shoes.

Luckily yesterday we were at a mall, so I found a store with the perfect sandals for him.  I guess with kids they outgrow them fast and they run them into the ground, and that is just how it is, but I want them to wear the shoes out, not the shoe to break on its own, in the same spot, twice - UGH!

I have a wonderful friend who is in love with shoes, so she took my dauhter shoe shopping and I was happy that she got her these.  They are to play and wear around the house shoes.  She has a great pair of sandals, sneakers, and dress up shoes.  The funny thing is these are a few sizes too big, but the other sizes were way too small, so I figured she will have them for a while, it has a little heel as well, so she loves stomping all over the house.  Having an older brother, she was more into cars and trains, and just recently went all princess on me because of her little girlfriends in school.  It was to my benefit because I told her once she learned to go to the potty that is when I would get her princess underwear.  She is the decision maker, she was ready and just did it.

For the baby I got the cutest little sandals, he is still perfecting his walk, so I am letting him learn on bare feet, but if we are outside, especially on concrete, I put it on.  He is yum, he took the most steps ever yesterday, probably 10! YAY.

RV arrives this afternoon,
Ready to Pack It,
and get out of dodge,
Coach Yulia

Kids Are Running Wild

Eli Tzvi 8 months

OMG! They say kids need structure and routine, hanging out is just not their thing, unless they are staring at the TV or Computer like a deer in headlights.  Interesting that I use the word deer, that is the meaning of Eli Tzvi's second name, he is named after my grandfather on my mother's side, and means a swift deer, that is his athletic/physical side.


His first name Eli, which is spelled עלי, in Hebrew, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli_(Bible).  He was named after my father in laws brother who had a similar name, but was killed while fighting in the Israeli army at the age of 18.  So we wanted to honor him, but gave a slightly different name, and what is symbolic about my son's name is in history he was the teacher of Samuel, and my husbands name is Samuel.  Our children are our teachers, I just have to keep reminding myself that, trying to stay calm, trying to be a good example - OY!

Matisyahu 8 months

So there is non stop fighting, running, yelling, screaming, biting, licking, oh yes, all this crazy stuff just happened this morning.  I am getting the last part of the house ready, God Willing we get our RV tomorrow, and I am ready to load it.  I just put them to watch a show, and have a moment to write, baby is sleeping, once he is awake, I will take them all out to play.

Anyone is welcome to come take a look tomorrow afternoon, the RV will be our home for five weeks.  It is five feet smaller than the one we had last year, so I am going to stay super organized, keep the kids busy, and just enjoy the road.  Hopefully while on the road they will feel like napping like last year, and hopefully all at the same time :)



So the pictures above are of my boys at the same age, everyone is telling me that the baby looks like his older brother, I guess you can tell all the kids are siblings, but one is light, one is dark, different genes I think, what do you think?

It is all good that we have a calm day today in a way, because starting tomorrow it will be non stop, so all we can do is our best.

Stay Tuned,
Coach Yulia

The Three Bears

My oldest Eli Tzvi is loving the book Goldilocks and The Three Bears, 

when he likes a book, he asks me to read it over and over again.  It is so amazing, since he was three or even younger, he would say it word for word along with me, 

total photographic memory, also for movies, shows, blows my mind.

Eli Tzvi is cautious, not always jumping into things, but he went right for it last Sunday, I think this picture shows he is still cautious, but I was so proud he did it, taking risks, trying new things, I love encouraging independence

So we are a few days away from our RV trip, and he tells me that he wants the large bed, his sister should have the medium bed, and the baby should have the small bed.  Today he was talking about ladders, he should have the large and so on.  He sleeps in a bunk bed on top, the baby is below, and my girl is in a loft bed across them, it is a large room. When we were thinking what kind of bed to get her, I wanted her to have a ladder too, it is not as high as Eli Tzvi's,he feels the biggest.  The funny thing is they both swing like monkeys from his ladder to the bottom bunk, my girl has no fear, Thank God, she is a tough cookie, she is the boss, no one will ever mess with her.

My son is getting a haircut at my hairdressers studio, she has a few dogs,and Pinky is her favorite, she is great with animals, Eli Tzvi is cautious, but little by little getting more open to the furry world.

We had a wonderful Shabbat, some friends over last night, a great day with friends today, now I feel like I want to get things done, finish before we take off.  I keep thinking that my wild kids will be enjoying the road, movies, all the projects I got spending over $40 at the 99 cent store.  My baby however is just learning to walk, and this calm, happy little man may be the one that I will have to supervise non stop.

Feeling blessed for the things I have to deal with,
Excited for our adventure,
Excited for everything happening as it should,
I Truly Trust,
Keeps Me Sane,
Happy Weekend,
Shavua Tov,
Coach Yulia

Yummy Boy

Hindsight

It is just amazing what we would have missed if we had left last Friday like originally planned.  I am running into so many people this week who are all asking "you are still here?"  I think in everything in life, including birth, it is important to have a plan, but allow for life to happen, and then rearrange and flow in the moment.

Last Friday and Saturday we were invited to dinner and lunch for Shabbat with good friends, it was wonderful, last Sunday there was a huge free event for the Jewish community in honor of Father's Day, and it was amazing, pony rides, unlimited food, balloons, icees, bounce house, even burger eating contests for all ages - off the hook.  Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday the kids got to finish their last days of school with their class, and I got so much done, every closet is cleaned out, our kitchen and bathroom are ready, our office is clean and organized.  It's as if it was meant to happen this way, because honestly I was so not ready and exhausted last Friday, it was a really amazing yet non stop that whole week. To top it all off my husband figured out how to tow our car along with the RV, long story, but quite amazing, and it was all figured out this week, if we left early, we would have been stuck without a car. Thank God For It All.

Thursday and today we had a chance to play date with favorite friends, and I got to go last night to a Challa making class, I had to run home because the baby was crying, so they insisted I take the Challa dough home, so I decided to make it a project with my kids today, so excited.

Eli Tzvi just got home from his play date, he had a blast, Ziona Sofia is still at hers,
Big Brother is showing Little Brother what to do, excited for the rest of my day because it is all about ME!

I actually got so many errands done the last few days, I was a little nuts running around today, but everything is DONE!  All that is left is my hair and nails - and ohh I definitely have energy for that :)

Happy Weekend,
Shabbat Shalom,
Coach Yulia

Play Dates Rock

We went over to a good friends house and had a blast, it is just such a lifesaver.  They were all so busy having fun, I had a chance to just hang out with the parents who are my good friends.  Whenever kids go to a different house, the toys are new, everything is fun, they really never want to go home.  So now we are home, baby fell asleep, I thought the kids fell asleep, but no they are already either fighting, demanding food, running yelling, oh yes, the joy of no school.  I have play dates lined up for tomorrow with kids they have been wanting to play with for a while but there wasn't time when school was on, so its all as it should be.

The RV is a moving adventure, last year the kids had a blast, I juts went to the 99 cent store and spend $40 on construction paper, projects, games, coloring books, even a USA puzzle, we are going to create a journal  along the way, a client gave me this great idea, I am actually excited to be creative.  I think I got inspired by working at my children's school and seeing all the teachers do such amazing projects and seeing what my kids brought home.  I had another great idea, some of those projects are just a piece of paper with a few things on it, we can use those projects in our journal, so I am taking everything with me, you can call it recycling.

On one hand I wish we were already on our adventure, but since it all got changed, I have been able to do so many things, see so many people, and really get the house in order.  Feels good that when we come back it will be rid of everything we do not need or use anymore.

I got deep into the closets, and have an allergy to cleaning LOL, I was sneezing, eyes watery, stuffed up, its just really not for me :) Thank You God for giving me exactly what I needed.

I overall feel calm, and I know everything will work out, as it always does.

Enjoy your summer everyone,
Coach Yulia

Bye Bye School

Life is change, life is learning and growing, life is moving on to next stages.  I wonder how little kids really feel about that, are they DONE with school, or have they really enjoyed the routine of it all and their friends and then it just ends?  I felt a little sadness that it all ends today, the kids have had such a wonderful year and have really grown physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritual.  I suppose that is the lesson in life and one of the reasons for school, even college, it is to show yourself that you can start and finish something.  I am excited both of my kids are going to the same school next year, Eli Tzvi will learn how to read and write Hebrew, and he will have a graduation from preschool, isn't that the cutest thing ever??!!

Last year the kids went to another school that they loved, and they still remember their friends and teachers, it is so amazing to me that they are so little but they form bonds and memories, it is really amazing.  We have been so blessed, and I Thank God everyday that along with my husband I married this special, vibrant, diverse, caring, giving, sharing, learning, and I could go on and on.

We are getting our place ready, we will have tenants while we are on our trip, and it feel so good to go through everything, out with the old, and not necessarily in with the new.  I really do not want more stuff, I just want to clear, I really feel content.

Had a wonderful meeting with a new Doula client yesterday, I really feel like it just flows from me, I feel that it completes the puzzle of my services, I feel so blessed to support women in this miracle that our bodies know how to do, but we have to focus on getting the mind out of the way.

I am going DEEP, ready?

So another amazing Doula and I in our community were talking, and she was telling me when an animal is giving birth and they see a lion, they stop giving birth, run to a safe place and continue with their birth.

When a human is in labor, she does not need to see the lion, SHE ONLY NEEDS TO IMAGINE THE LION, our mind is very powerful, if we learn that there is no way to completely get away from the pain, we learn all the tools and support that can get us through it.  The best part is when there is an unmedicated birth, you literally feel like yourself again right after, sure you are healing, but you can walk, nurse, and no side effects.

I find this very powerful and it makes me think of the Garden of Eden story, when the snake convinced Eve to eat the Apple from the Tree of Knowledge, and she gave it to Adam.

So because of her sin, women would have to feel her childbearing pains, and it made me realize that it is because of knowledge we have this fear of pain, animals don't they just do it, our body knows what to do.  However unlike animals we are upright, so the baby does have a journey to go through, and for that journey I definitely needed support and my Doula was exactly what I needed.

Women Feel Your Power,
We Are Miracles,
Embrace Your Strength,
Support Each Other,
We Can Do It Together!
Coach Yulia

He loves walking with the chair, he loves sitting on a chair, Matisyahu is almost 15 months!

Minuses and Pluses

I had to put the minuses first because when you have a challenge the best thing to do is to figure it out and most of the time there is a plus on the other side.  Change is good, conflict is good, breakdowns are good, it is all God's way for us to experience this world and grow, growth is good, moving forward is good.  When you experience something unsavory it makes you appreciate when you finally get to where you always wanted to be.  When you meet the right person, you realize how wonderful they are and how wonderful you fit together, and everything else you have been through proves it over and over again.

Last year my husband had an idea, he wanted to get an RV and surprise my parents in Atlanta.  Without hesitation I said LETS DO IT!  I am a big adventurer, I have travelled a lot and it really feeds my soul.  My husband has mostly seen the country in his trucking days with his father, so he just really likes the road, not necessarily the travel.  Especially with young kids when you go on a plane, you have to deal with them on a plane, plus carry all the extra luggage, car seats, strollers, it is just a lot.  My husband likes to hang at home, and I like to take the kids out.  So when the opportunity was presented to me, I jumped on it, and it was amazing, the kids had a wonderful time.

This year we were more bold, we decided to do cross country visit everyone, decided to take six weeks, finally found a decent deal, and then a day before we were supposed to pick it up, the RV place decided it wanted to charge us more, even though we gave a deposit, even though we registered on their website.

I was so upset, there is no way this place was going to ruin my summer, my kids summer, there was no other option for alternate plans in my book.  My husband started looking around and found a private owner, private owners like truckers, they like families, and they mostly want to cover their monthly payment, unlike RV rental places that charge an arm and a leg for people taking long weekends.  We got a much better deal, but the minus is our trip will be totally different, but now the plus just happened.

Originally we were going to go to visit family and friends in Atlanta and Miami, then go to the Northeast, through Niagara Falls and into Michigan, where I have a friend, and will be one of the states that my husband has never been to, he has been to 48.  So now we can knock off the final state that he can see without air/sea, Montana, Yellowstone, he had the idea this morning, and I am super excited.  Not sure if it is set in STONE (pun intended) but the option is amazing, this makes it all worth the adventure.  We will have to skip the Northeast completely and then finish off in Denver like we originally planned before coming back home.

So it is not what we originally envisioned, but it will be its own amazing adventure.  I am focusing on being present and seeing the good in all of this.  Sad to miss seeing some good friends and family, but our travels are just beginning!

Roll with the punches,
What does that mean?

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

roll with the punches

Fig. to absorb the force of a blow, as in boxing. You have to learn to roll with the punches. Accept what is dealt to you. Paul could never roll with the punches. He always had to get even.

roll with the punches(American & Australian) to be able to deal well with difficulties or criticism The poor woman has been jeered at and threatened with her life, but she just rolls with the punches.

roll with the punches

to adjust to difficult events as they happen roll with it She had to perform shortly after her brother died, but she rolled with the punches and put on a great show.

Etymology: based on boxing, from the literal meaning roll with the punches (step back or to one side as you are being hit), so that you do not receive the full force of the attack

You Gotta Roll With It Baby,

Coach Yulia

MEOW

This blog is not about cats, although my daughter does like to pretend she is a kitty sometimes.  I actually prefer dogs, they give love, cats just own your place and want to be served.  Honestly I cannot imagine having any pets, before having kids taking care of me was a full time job.  I do not have the time or energy for another being, not to mention cleaning pee and poop and remembering to feed them when I would sometimes forget to feed myself.  We did have a dog when I was a kid, someone was moving away, we got her, she was cute, but my parents took care of her.  I do have a fondness for bulldogs, they are so ugly that they are cute! I figure one day I will have a mansion and a butler who will care for boo boo the dog and I can just pet him and play around laughing with him.

ANYWAY, the reason this blog is called MEOW, is because of my baby Matisyahu, if you say his name really fast in Hebrew, Matityahu, it really sounds like meow, and my daughter all day is saying, meow, meow, meow.

Yesterday we spent all afternoon at an Awesome Even thrown by Western Kosher market, wow, unlimited food, rides, ran into so many people, my son rode this train by himself probably 10 times,
 they are eating icees, I got sunburned on the back of my neck thanks to my hairstyle

On another note, last night my baby woke up because his pacifier fell out of his mouth, I was in such a deep fabulous sleep, and then someones car alarm was going off, I couldn't fall asleep, eventually I brought the baby to our bed, alarm finally stopped after about five rounds of stop and go probably five minutes long.  Then my daughter starts whining, and I have my go to solution "do you want to sleep on the couch?" The answer is always yes, I transfer her and go back to sleep.  Thank God I haven't ran into the dilemma of both of them waking up and wanting the couch, or maybe yes I did once and I put Eli Tzvi from his top bunk next to Matisyahu on the bottom bunk which is a full bed, and all was well.  I think I am actually falling back into pretty deep sleep after all these episodes because I wake up dreaming, there is hope for sleep once you are a parent :)

Modern technology is only good when it works, for example car alarms.  It is good to have go to solutions to the everyday kids stuff that comes on all the time on a regular basis.

Cleaning out my closet for tenants, feels good to get rid of stuff.

All good problems,

RV will be 35 feet instead of 40 feet,

So we will be a little uncomfortable,

What can you do,

Life Goes On,

Met a fabulous new client on my Hot Mama Power Walk today, so excited to support her in her pregnancy,

School for the kids finishes Wednesday,

It was such an amazing year,

They have grown so much, learned so much,

24/7 with the kids coming up,

THE JOY!

Coach Yulia

So my husband met us later, it was father's day so he enjoyed some time to himself and he joined us just as the final burger eating contest was coming up, he got inspired by the burgers, they donned hats, bibs, and handkerchiefs,
he didn't win but his belly was happy

HUGS - Happy Father's Day

Happy Birthday to my cousin Roman, he lives in Boston, and that is my amazing 97 year old Babushka Anna, this was in 1999, it was my final year of working on cruise ships, and we sailed into Boston, MA for a visit. 

Notice my ankle, I twisted it wearing sneakers running down a flight of stairs on the ship, the next day I had a walking tour of Scotland, so I found the nearest pharmacy and bough the ankle brace in Edinburgh. 

Thank God my kids sleep good, everyone wakes up refreshed and overall happy.  I was telling them this morning how wonderful sleep is and to notice how good they feel, and when it's time to go to sleep at night to know how good they will feel in the morning.  So the baby woke up last night, and I didn't want to wake up the kids so I took him to our bed, of course he fell right back asleep, but totally woke up my husband, but he had an early day anyway.  So I heard Eli Tzvi waking up and now the kids know not to come to my room and wake me so they go and hang on the couch in the living room if I am still asleep.  The baby was waking up too, so I told Eli Tzvi to come to my room, and the cutest thing happened.  Matisyahu reached out wanting to give him a hug, and they hugged.  It was so sweet, and Eli Tzvi told him to do it again, and he did - YUM! That is what parenthood is all about, it is those moments that get you through EVERYTHING.

My kids are so blessed to have my husband as their father, he is very straightforward, very real, nurturing, yes intense at times, but I think it is healthier to be the real you than to hold things in.  All we can do is keep learning, from each other, from our children, from our friends, family, and community.


My father was and is the best role model, he is the do as I do example, he is smart, handsome, giving, and real.  He is a mechanical engineer by trade, and he can fix almost everything, and if he comes upon something new, he will figure out how to fix that too by asking, reading, and just doing.  That is one of the most important lessons he taught my brother and I, always ask questions, even if it is a little embarrassing, better to feel a little foolish, but learn more in the long run.


He works out every day, he watches what he eats, he is still one of the most handsome men I know, all of my girlfriends are in awe :)  That is another important lesson, take care of yourself, look good, feel good, it will affect and inspire everyone around you.

Thank You Papachka for my exotic looks, my sense of direction, my I can do anything outlook on life, and my free spirit, I love you.

Yulichka

Counting Down the Minutes

So Sweet When They Are Sleeping - She Always Says She's Sleeping Beauty

God bless the energy of my children, but OY VEY, I am just counting down the minutes until bedtime EVERY DAY, and I am not exaggerating.  I am thoroughly exhausted, drained, spent, I really have nothing left even a few hours with just me and my kids.

We had a fun but non stop Shabbat, had a wonderful dinner with friends last night.  Because sundown is so late, we do not start eating until 9pm or later, we did not get home until after midnight.  The only one of us who had a good nap was the baby, we all went right to sleep once we walked home.  I know everyone was exhausted because the kids and the whole household did not wake up until 8AM! That is late in our house, the kids usually jump out of bed running and teeming with energy every morning around 6am.

So we slowly got ready and headed to synagouge together, we were invited to lunch and by the time we got there which was around 2pm, my husband decided to have a "me" day, which he does for me all the time on Shabbat.  I love it once everyone is ready, he takes all the kids and I get to have a quiet house and a great nap.  So it was his turn, and it was perfect for me, there were a lot of amazing people and great conversations, and the kids were busy with friends, and it was absolutely delicious.

We got home around 4:30pm, and I literally kept glancing at the watch, just whining, complaining, over silly things, that are probably a big deal to the kids, but I had very little patience for it.  This was a fun weekend, but definitely not my most relaxing Shabbat.  The baby figured out that his baby bottle and the top of the baby bottle came apart, so he was excited to play with it.  It is a glass bottle, but with a rubber cover, www.lifefactory.com, he has thrown it hard and it has not broken, however if the cover is not on the top of the glass could break.  So I was just standing by, NOT RELAXING, then my daughter kept on being the instigator to everyone else crying - I could not wait until 6pm to start the bed time preparations.

My oldest son cannot understand why it is still light outside, he says IT'S MORNING, so I try to explain how in the summer time the sun goes down later.  I think maybe that is why they wake up so early because they feel the light coming in their room, but then again, today they slept deep for two hours more - THE JOY OF PARENTHOOD :)

So while I am attempting to relax once they are all in their beds, my oldest comes out and says he is not tired and then proceeds to trip over a table, I get him some ice and tell him he is tired or else he wouldn't have done that, and tell him to go to bed.  The my baby lets out a yelp and I run to quiet him down, and it startles and wakes up my daughter who was the first to fall asleep, THANK GOD, while I was calming the baby, she just turned over and fell back asleep.

24/7 together in an RV for a month - hmmmmmmmmm - as I tell everyone definitely not relaxing, but I am excited.  I know for sure it will be an adventure, especially now with the baby almost walking, he may be the most active one.  My oldest likes to watch the road and my daughter likes to eat and watch movies, the baby is just on the move.  Last year he was 4 months, ate and slept when we drove 17 hours a day, got to Atlanta, GA in a couple of days.  This year we are taking it slow, going with the flow, enjoying the go go go.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend,
Shavua Tov,
Coach Yulia

It's So Quiet

I am all alone - WOO HOO!  I tell you when I am alone, I just feel peace, my husband just took the kids to school and is taking the baby for a check up, God Bless Him, so I could go and do my Yoga class with my teacher.  It is really my only totally me time once a week, everything else is also giving, this is purely receiving.  I just made my breakfast shake with the ingredients you see below, I already drank it down as I was uploading the picture.  The best part is I feel totally satisfied until lunch, however I do healthy snacks in between meals, like fruit, nuts, Herbalife Citrus Lemon Protein Bar - YUM.  What is also awesome is that I do not feel too full to do my Yoga class in half an hour, because it easily digests, and also all the nutrients that I need for my Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) absorb right away.

I am just excited about everything right now, and actually calm, because the whole week has been super non stop with awesomeness.  I have been a speaker at a women's event, I had to get everything together for my new website, I had my prenatal and regular Yoga classes, as well as being a mom :) you know how that is parents, being a mom is also a full time job, THANK GOD.  It makes me laugh because the kids are in school for 9am-4pm, and now on our RV trip we are going to be together 24/7 - GOD HELP US.  It's all good, I have a lot of fun planned, and we are going to see so many family and friends, its going to be amazing.

We had to cut it a bit shorter, cut out a few stops, we are leaving a week later, but overall once the final preparations were made,it really works out, and everything is flowing, so I just feel calm, like everything is in its place.  So excited this Shabbat we are invited tonight to wonderful friends we haven't spent time with in a while, and tomorrow we are going to one of the most amazing families in our community that has been such a support system to us, and are always there in important and challenging times.  

The bottom line of the message today is just to feel grateful for every little detail in your life.  Even the challenges point us in an even better direction.  It is all for learning, growing, and hopefully trying our best to control our emotions and reactions, I am still working on that one - yes I know I am a Yoga teacher, but deep inside is an adventurous, free spirit, that loves balance, and doesn't like to get messed with, nope, you don't want to push my buttons, we all have that wild side that we keep at bay.  We are human after all - love who you are, there is no one like you, you are unique, feel blessed with what you have, be present to every morsel of life.

This day is just getting better and better,

and it all rolls into Shabbat,

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (Happy Sigh)

Have a Great Weekend,

Shabbat Shalom

Sticky Oatmeal

It is so much fun to watch our babies do everyday things, and of course as parents no one is as cute, unique, and smart as our own children - right?  So sometimes I let him get super dirty with food, other times I feed him, but lately I have been putting the food on the spoon, giving him the spoon, and letting him eat it himself off of the spoon.  The best part is that oatmeal is sticky, so it stays on the spoon until he eats it, and doesn't fall on him or the floor.  Since I give it to him fresh off of the stove with raisins and honey, we always blow on it before giving it to him.  Now whenever there is something hot, he always blows on it first and its the cutest thing ever.  If you watch the video closely, there is a couple of blows right after one minute and one at the very end, it's only a couple of minutes of cuteness, enjoy :)

We had a little of a hullabaloo yesterday, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hullabaloo, all of our plans slightly shifted and all is well, and today I feel overall peaceful.  I am happy my kids will stay until school is finished, and I have some more time to really get everything ready before, during, and after our trip.  I am excited I am going to be able to do one more week of my private classes, other than that I am going to use the time to get the house completely ready and ourselves ready for our trip.

I love being busy, and I love being non stop, but it's so nice to get your living space, papers, and everyone's things organized, afterwards it really feels like your brain can relax. 

On my way to get the best pedicure ever :)

Enjoy this gorgeous day,

Coach Yulia 

Something Prickly

We are still figuring out exactly when to leave for our adventure, and in the meantime I am trying to wrap things up with my classes and clients.  My children's school ends next week and we are considering staying until they finish.  On one hand I am so ready to just go, but on the other hand there is still so much to get done.

I have had another amazing non stop day, got to rest up a little bit in the afternoon, and just finished about half an hour ago.  I am happy to get away but I am going to miss my classes, I always feel so good afterwards, I need my students as much as they need me.  What will I do for recharge and energy exchange on my trip? HMMMMMMMMMMM something to ponder.

I am exhausted, but cannot go to sleep just yet.  Right after one of my classes I must have rubbed up against something cactus like, I started feeling something prickly rubbing against my upper thigh, and when I touched it, the little pokey things went right into my fingers.  It is not a horrible pain, but it is annoying and uncomfortable.  I had to deal with it during my last class, and now have my pants off, and ready to jump in the shower, hopefully to was all the prickly somethings away.

The picture below is my tired face, sometimes people ask if I am OK when I am tired, and I just tell them that I cannot hide when I am tired, I cannot fake smile through it, I can just be in it.  Hopefully it will send me in to the most peaceful rejuvenating sleep :)

Good Night Everybody,
Coach Yulia

I kept on pusing it off

OOPS! Don't push until tomorrow what you can do today LOL, I can say lesson learned but with all of our non stop lives we can only do our best, do you notice the hair - got it done for the event and for our trip this Friday

Woke up at 5am yesterday, dropped kids at school, had a couple of appointments, luckily my husband was with the baby all day.  Went to work until 4pm at my kids school, came home to drop them off then ran off to my evening class.  Once I got home I had to prepare for my talk at an amazing event I as honored to be a part of last night.  I had written a lot of different things down but ultimately I had to feel the crowd, feel the moment, and just let things flow, and luckily that is just how it went.

The event started at 8:30pm, there were a lot of amazing speakers, I had asked to be last and didn't end up starting until after 10pm.  There were probably about 30 women total, but by the time I went up it was late, twenty stayed, and I was impressed.  Everyone gave such amazing information, and I wanted to finish it off with a bang.  It was also a special day celebrating the Rebbe and when his soul left this world, so I ran through my thoughts about loving yourself, taking care of yourself, and finding yourself, then got everyone in a circle singing and dancing just like the night called for, a true fabrengen! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farbrengen

One of the girls asked for a ride home, I don't even know what time I walked in the door and went directly to bed.  I had planned to write the blog when I got home, but my brain was DONE.

I apologize to my wonderful readers who enjoy it daily, sometimes I am not super human and super woman :) and that is OK.

Today's blog coming soon.

Coach Yulia

Prenatal Yoga Brings Women Together

I am so excited to be living in a world where pregnant mommies are taking the time to take care of themselves.  I know for myself, Prenatal Yoga felt so good physically, but even more so it was being around other pregnant women, and being able to share openly.  In my regular Yoga classes, we are quiet and just sharing energy.  In my Prenatal Yoga, we do not stop talking, women need to talk, and the best part is the learning from each other.  First time moms love to listen to moms that have already been through it to try wrap their mind around everything.  Moms who are having children for the second, third, fourth, etc.  in our community, many people have a minimum of 5 :) Oh yes the moms with multiple kids need mommy time, and also new baby time.  With older kids, we are forced to be present 100% to the non stop and energy of our kids.  Prenatal Yoga allows the mommies with kids at home to just say, its all about me and the new life inside of me, it is not selfish, it is self care.

My family is leaving town for six weeks on a cross country road trip visiting friends and family that we have not seen in a long time, and some have not met my baby, Matisyahu. This week you can find me at:

Tuesday June 11 at 8:30pm - Women's Event at SOLA, Unveiling the Powerful You, I will be talking about the importance of recharging ourselves, and taking care of mama, who else will recharge you if not you? - click the link for info,

https://www.facebook.com/events/136366999897615/

Wednesday June 12 at 7:30pm - Prenatal Yoga at Tania Jedian's Studio, please contact me to RSVP and for address, coachyulia@gmail.com or call/text 323.377.0707, or just FB message me.

Please come and share your energy,
Although I am so excited about my adventure,
I will miss my friends and my community,
Happy Summer,
Coach Yulia

That's Eli Tzvi 18 months, and Ziona Sofia is in my belly almost ready to come into the world

COMMUNITY

When I think of the word community, I automatically think of taking care of each other, celebrating together, and supporting one another.  When I was single I had a wonderful group of friends, and we were each other's family, and it was right for me then.  Now that I have children, I feel so blessed that along with marrying my husband, I married our wonderful Jewish community.  It is a very big concept in Judaism, gatherings, prayers, and celebrations require at least 10 men.  Even when I teach Yoga classes, I really enjoy when it is a large class of everyone focusing, feeling good, and sharing energy.  I found a good description of the Jewish view on community, and also on finding your other half.

Early on in the book of Genesis, we are told that "it is not good for man to be alone." In context, this quote certainly refers to the importance of couples and partnership in Judaism, and Judaism's desire for every human to find his or her life partner. However, even if the intent of the quote was different (and its other meaning remains relevant and true), the quote also points to the importance of human beings surrounding themselves with a community of others.- http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/the-jewish-thinker/the-importance-of-community-in-sorrow-and-in-joy-1.432093

I also enjoy seeing happy couples all around me, that really connected on many levels and have the same vision for their future.  The world out there has its statistics, but I feel blessed to be living proof as well as my friends all over the world and in my current community, that happiness, peace, and happy relationships exist.  This is not to say it is not challenging, and there is no such thing as perfect.  It is just choosing to look at what we have, choosing to feel blessed to be present, and choosing to stay happy even amidst chaos.

I was single until 34 years old, luckily I felt hopeful, especially after seeing many of my strong and beautiful girlfriends find husbands that accepted them for who they are, were not intimidated, and supported them every step of the way.  So powerful! So to all of you single, wonderful friends out there, believe that there is someone out there looking for you.  We are all unique and want different things, there is somebody for everybody.  Once the children arrive, everyone bands together to support, celebrate, and thrive.

BLESSED,
Coach Yulia

What a great day at a fun birthday party, my kids go to school with their kids, so much fun!

Anise

So there is an awesome salad that we make every week, some people call it Fennel, some people call it Anise, so I thought I would look it up, check below for the interesting details.  My husband cuts it into bite size pieces and adds olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and paprika - YUM!

Are fennel and anise the same thing?

Although they share a similar taste profile—reminiscent of black licorice—fennel and anise are two different plants. The botanical name of anise is Pimpinella anisum while the botanical name of fennel is Foeniculum vulgare. Both anise and fennel belong to the Apiaceae family.

In addition to the fact that they share a similar flavor, what often creates confusion among these two plants/foods is that fennel is often referred to as anise. Since the whole plant (bulb, stalks, fronds) of fennel is consumed while it is usually just the seeds from the anise plant that are eaten, if you see a vegetable-like plant called "anise," chances are that it is actually fennel.

There is one further complication to the anise and fennel story. Historically, several different plants have been referred to as "anise." One version of anise you may also be familiar with is star anise (also called Chinese anise). This form of anise gets its name from the eight-pointed star that forms a pod for its seeds. The seeds from star anise provide a very similar flavor to the Pimpinella plant described above, and they are commonly consumed in China and other parts of Asia where the tree that produces them commonly grows. Star anise has its own scientific name (Illicum verum) and unlike fennel and anise, it is not a part of the Apiaceae family but rather the Illiciaceae family.

So the reason I am writing about this, is we had a good friend over for Shabbat dinner yesterday, and he asked about the salad and I said anise, and my daughter says "I AM A NIECE, AND MY UNCLE IS MICHA.  Here is a great picture of him helping his friend chop and load firewood.  A big congratulations to my favorite brother in law for his new position as the Director of Rooms in Mammoth Lakes, CA at the http://www.thesierranevadaresort.com/

So we had a wonderful Shabbat, there was a Brit Mila, circumcision ceremony that I stopped by to wish Mazal Tov, and felt so blessed that I did.  I was able to make the mom have a moment of peace while I ran around a bit and got the people she needed.  I was grateful to God for giving me the gift of being in the right place at the right time, and responding to my gut to be of service.  All of these ceremonies are beautiful, meaningful, and special, but for the mom it is a bit overwhelming, usually eight days after the baby is born.  Emotions, Hormones, Sleep Deprived, and just dealing with everything going on, it made me really tune into how women need women, we get each other, we need to support each other, stay strong for each other, because life will keep happening, which is a good thing.  My amazing community does exactly this and I feel so blessed to be a part of the support, and was completely supported during my pregnancies, birth, and even now with my children - Thank God.

We were invited for lunch with a wonderful family, our kids go to school together, we had a great time and a delicious meal.  My husband went to see a friend, I fell asleep with the baby and the kids played very nicely. Then we woke up and the Cheerio Disaster was upon us.  While relaxing in the kids room with the baby, they were laughing and screaming, running all over, my son told me there is a mess, but I thought whatever, I will clean it let them get tired!  So the last straw was when they started throwing cheerios into their own room.  It was already close to bed time, so I put my "oh no you didn't" face on and told them they had to go to sleep immediately.  I was explaining to them that they not only wasted food and trashed the living room, but once they started to bring food into their own room, I WAS DONE.  They went to bed because tomorrow we have a lot of fun planned, and I told them they have to listen if they want to enjoy the day with me tomorrow.  The picture below gives you an idea of how much cheerios were sacrificed, and they really were in every nook and cranny - OY VEY.

May we only have these problems,
Enjoy the rest of your weekend,
Shavua Tov,
Coach Yulia

One week away from our trip - remembering my Father in Law

Tuvia Edelshtain, my father in law, passed away November of last year.  I knew him for five years,he was the first person I met from my husband's family and we instantly bonded.  As you see in this picture he was a sea man in his 20's for the Israeli Army.  He is a war hero, and has travelled quite extensively.  I worked on cruise ships for 3 years, and love the sea and travel.  I loved to hear his stories, and would loved to have known him then, as a young, strong, healthy soldier.  He met my mother in law when he was injured in a hospital in Israel, she was his nurse.









His health was back and forth once we met, and the pictures you see below capture him at his healthiest.  He really took care of me during my pregnancy and helped cook for the babies, he was a wonderful cook.  He was born in Romania, and knows some of the Slavic dishes that I grew up with.  He spoke seven languages, to his kids in Hebrew and to me in Russian.  The rest were Spanish, Yiddish, English, Italian, and Portuguese.

Tuvia and family moved to Los Angeles from Israel, and eventually my husband and his father moved to New York and had a trucking business, the big trucks, the semi's, cross country.

Tuvia is on my mind as we are one week away from take off to our RV cross country road trip.  He always talked about travelling, he would of given us his blessing, or maybe even came along for the ride.  Because of him my husband has this skill, it is like nostalgia for my husband to drive these big machines.  Since his passing he has also blessed us in many other ways.  We will be thinking of him on the road and talking about him on the road.  He was a very special person, and I feel so grateful that I got to know him even for a little bit.

Shabbat Shalom,
Coach Yulia

Saba and Eli Tzvi at 2 months old

Saba, Yehoyada, and little Ziona Sofia at 8 months