Japan

My oldest woke up at 4am, my daughter 5am, baby at 6am, he walked to our bed even earlier.  We played puppet show,

they love the pelican and the flamingo, my son's pelican was saying "go to pbskids.org" he hears it all the time on TV

In yesterday's blog I wrote about all the places I travelled, and I realized last night I forgot to mention Japan.  The main reason is because all the travels I wrote about were long ago in my high school, college, and my cruise ship years.  Japan was more recent, and a fun story, I love to travel and one day hope to see Australia, Africa, South America, and I would love to go to India.  I also was so excited to go to Asia and I got a chance right before I got married.  One of my girlfriends had already planned a trip, and me and two other friends had airlines miles, so the four of us went together to Japan.

We were mostly in Tokyo, and it was perfect to have the four of us, somehow we managed to see everything we wanted to see by pairing off.  Sometimes two of us wanted one thing, and then another two of us would want something else.  I was most excited to be there in January for the Sumo Wrestling tournament, it was so cool.  We got to sit really close to see the amateurs, then came a bit later to a full stadium to see the heavy hitters, and one of them was not even Asian, amazing strength, focus and control.  There was a cafeteria where you could eat what they eat, and it ended up being like a healthy chicken and vegetable soup.

We went to Kyoto by train for a couple of days, that is where the Geisha quarter it, it was more like being in the country as opposed to the big city feel of Tokyo.  What amazed me most is that in America we know Japan not only for the sushi but for their technology, and I assumed I could get by with my English, and maybe Russian and a bit of Spanish, NOPE!  All the signs were only in Japanese, I do not even know how we caught the train to Kyoto, by sheer luck.  We were headed to a restaurant and pointed to a tour book so the taxi driver would know where to go, it was closed.  He mumbled something in Japanese, I sat in the front, the other three girls in the back, I had no idea what he said, but with a straight face I told the girls that he said it burned down, they were shocked I understood him.  We ended up going to another place that was serving RAW HORSE and RAW CHICKEN, no thanks, I had the rice.  I remember I saw a food cart with Turkish kabobs in a pita, and it made me so happy.

Out of All my travels as a country I absolutely loved Italy, it just has so much oomph!  In their manner of speaking, their food and gelato, and their beauty.  We lived there for a month when we emigrated from Russia, I was seven and don't remember, but my mom said I was reading the Italian signs like I had lived there in another life.  My favorite place that I have traveled to is Santorini, Greece, the whole town is at the top of the mountain.  We came by ship, so the only way to go up was to walk, cable car, or donkey, of course I took the donkey.

I have been to Israel a number of times, once in a high school semester program, another time on the cruise ship I worked.  We were supposed to go to Egypt too, but there was a kidnapping of Americans, so we stayed overnight in Israel, and I got to spend time with my family.  I went with my parents a year before I got married in 2006 for my aunt's 70th birthday, it was a blast to see the whole country, took a bus by myself to Eilat to join relatives there.  Then I went with my husband when my daughter was two months to meet his family, and so he could meet mine.  We were so lucky that they didn't have the car we ordered and got a minivan instead.  God Willing we will go back again soon.

Such great memories,
Such great adventures,
I hope to do more once my kids are older,
I really want to see Hawaii,
Hopefully that is next on the list,
Coach Yulia

He is the King, and I am the Queen

I recently posted an article about tips for a successful marriage, just click this link,
http://eighthrising.wordpress.com/2013/10/28/10-marriage-tips-every-wife-needs-to-hear/.

I love the saying that a good relationships is two independent people that choose to be together.  Is it easy? No.  I always say easy would be boring, and I love that the article talks about over communication and no negative words, good stuff.  Then children come in the picture and its a whole new dynamic, buttons are pushed, our nice demeanor with our friends and coworkers turns into that side that we never show anyone.  We are human, to err is human, and its OK to be you.  Be You! God Willing you feel comfortable being you, and expressing you.  I tell my husband he is stuck with me, we will go through it all together, I love to deal with what is thrown at me, I like to look at solutions, not always easy, when emotions arise, but on the other side is growth, understanding, and the connection that originally brought you together.


Here is a great video about parenting:

http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=27663&alias=parenting-pains-of-modern-society#.UoMN4ZZ7iSk.facebook

Everything that we have been through in our lives makes us who we are today.  A friend recently posted some fun facts about herself and challenged whoever wanted to play to post facts about themselves.  I have to put my thinking cap on to list mine, but I loved reading about hers.

 

Diana De LaTorre

4 Random Things about me:

1. I worked as a Nanny for many years in Los Feliz. Everyday, for about a year I would bring an entire meal and some coffee to a homeless man who waited at the Los Feliz exit off the 5 freeway. He always said thank you and smiled at me. He liked my moms beef and potato burritos. I never got out of the car, and the food exchange was very quick. One day, he just wasn't there. I don't worry about him, because I know he was happy to get those meals and our little friendship.

2. I used to work in the daycare center at Paramount Pictures. At the time Cheers was filmed there, and Norm and Cliff were always very nice men....

3. I am named after both of my grandmas. Digna and Ana.
I always thought it was because my mom liked Greek mythology. This is cooler!

4. I used to get tonsillitis a lot when I was a kid. My grandma used to me watch me on those days when I was sick. And my dad would pick me up from her house in his Arrowhead Water Semibtruck and take me on his "runs" to get water from the mountain springs. He used to let me talk on the CB and honk the horn to other truckers. Some of my greatest memories.

5. Aneiko, I make up my own rules...lol) I took my sleeping baby brother out of his crib and hid him from my parents and pretended not to know where he was. I've gotten over my disdain for him now.

The way this works, you like my status, and I will give you a number and then you do the same. Or you could be a rule breaker like me and do more or less or none.

 

She challenged me to write seven, OY!  I usually do not play, but I really enjoyed reading about her, and thought I would dig deep and find some fun, random facts about me.

 

1. I was born Yulia in Moscow, Russia. At 7 years old in America I became Julie in my Driver's License, High School Diploma, and my Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management.  I moved to LA at 27 years old, called all my credit cards and told them they spelled my name wrong, showed my passport to the LA DMV, and was reborn as Yulia.

 

2. I love to travel, in high school I had a semester in Israel, and in college a semester in Prague, which at that time was Czechoslovakia.  I worked on Norwegian Cruise Line for three years, saw most of the Caribbean, Western, Eastern, and Scandinavian Europe.  I went to Costa Rica with a few special friends from my ship life, it was so intense, we had a jeep and drove all around the country.

 

3.  My father got married at 33, so I decided I wouldn't even think about it until I was 33 and lived an adventurous vagabond lifestyle where I told everyone my minor in college was International Relations.  I actually started to study it, but realized it would be in politics with suits, and quickly switched to tourism and hospitality so I can still travel, use my Russian, and have fun.  At 33 I opened myself to meeting someone, and married at 34.

 

4.  The last ship I was on was brand new we were in Germany for one month getting it ready, the maiden voyage sailed to Quebec City, where it ran aground and so did my cruising career.  Until they decided what to do I partied in Montreal, met some fun people that made me realize there are Jews of all types out there, and when I asked God for a crazy Jew, he delivered, my husband is one of a kind and just right for me :)  When I got off ships it was either NY or LA, I lived in Miami at the time, I couldn't handle the cold, so I put all my stuff in my car and drove to LA with no plan, Thank God I found Yoga and met my husband, I always listen to my gut.

 

5.  My mother is writing her memoirs and I am so amazed at my family history.  My relatives were in the heart of the Holocaust running from Ukraine.  My parents suffered Anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union, not to mention nothing to eat.  My mother had a lot of milk when she gave birth to me, I was a bad eater, so my mom pumped her milk for another baby.  My father got a bomb slipped under his car in Russia before we immigrated.  When we were ready to leave, I was seven years old and they checked my doll for jewelry or anything else I was hiding.  My mom was a musician, so she was allowed to take her piano, other than that we could take only a few belongings, and only $135 per family, yes you read it right.  Thank God for the American Jews that gave me the life that I live today. I heard we were traded for grain.

 

6.  I was lucky to have good genes and was overall active in my life but never an athlete.  My mother never put me into dance or gymnastics because she knew it would be very competitive, and that I would feel suffocated not to do things my way.  As a child I wanted everyone to follow what I did, and I would get upset if they didn't.  After cruise ships I used to do Jazzercise to get in shape, and I did Atkins to lose 20 pounds.  I realized that tourism and hospitality was a service industry where people were mostly complaining, and I couldn't say go away or cry, I didn't want to hear it anymore.  When I moved to LA a month later I found a job in sales at 24 Hour Fitness, and met my Yoga teacher there and knew that was going to be what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,  I have been there for 13 years

 

7.  Back to my topic He is the King and I am the Queen, that my philosophy of a healthy, peaceful home.  Marriage and Children is my newest adventure, and for the first time in my life, I am committed for life, and that is my biggest challenge ever.  Everywhere else once it didn't suit me, once I was done, I jumped off, and went on to the next adventure.  This is an inward adventure of growth, and I am ready to face it, deal, grow, thrive, and strive to be a supportive, loving wife, and an example of health, happiness, success,and fun for my children.

 

 

Just for fun,

Write down what is fabulous about you,

Feel Good In Your Skin,

You Are Unique,

There is no one else with your light and your message,

Show us your talent and gifts,

Let us grow and learn from your passion,

Coach Yulia

 

 

 

 

 

Full of Fuel/Out of Gas

I went to bed at 9pm last night, that was the best 3 hours of sleep ever...until my baby woke up at midnight, crying, I took him to our bed, he was tossing, turning, and making noises.  I actually feel quite refereshed and awake, I am going to try to go to bed by 10pm if I am not working, it makes such a difference for me.  I just came back from the most amazing mommy and me, Babyccino, it is all over town, but I go to the one at my kids school, Gan Chabad, at 9:15am on Tuesdays, Matisyahu has a blast, and so do I.  It is as much for the mommy's as it is for the kids.  Usually they are geared towards kids, maybe half an hour, and not much variety.  Menucha Levy changes the theme every week, brings all kinds of fun projects in that theme, has coffee and muffins for the mommies, and all kinds of fun songs, davening, and toys for the kids, brilliant!

I am running off to a private client, full of fuel, will finish this off later this afternoon.

My last sentence was writing around 11:15am, I ran out of the house to my client that is around the corner at 11:30am, and then...

I RAN OUT OF GAS.

When I was single, I was always running around just like I am today, and sometimes would push off putting gas in my car, and ran out a few times.  Now that I am married, my husband likes to put the gas, and he always likes it to be on empty, and wait for the gas prices to drop.  I wasn't going far so he told me I should make it, and this is the first time since we got married that I didn't make it.  I just turned from La Cienega onto Olympic going west, and I felt the car slowing down, once I realized it, I was lucky to be able to pull into a street, but stopped in the middle of the street.  I was looking for some big, strong men to push the car into a parking spot, it was 10:55am and my class was at 11am.  I let my client know what happened and that I would keep her posted. 

A nice lady tried to give me an orange juice container to put gas in at the gas station around the corner, I was thinking there might be a chemical reaction with the plastic, no thanks.  Then I saw a tall, young man walking out of his place, and I asked him to help, and was wondering if he knew of anyone else that could help, he felt he could do it on his own, I have an SUV.  Luckily another man drove by saw that we needed help, they both got me into a parking spot.  I was ready to run a few blocks to my client, but then an angel came.  A man with a huge truck offered to get gas, he had a container, he offered to pay for it, put it in, I told him I had a class, I told him I had to go, he said he will do it for me no problem, God Bless Him.  I told my husband to keep it at quarter tank from now on.

My client wanted an hour session instead of half hour.  One of my Herbalife Business partners decided to take her business to the Next Level and get her 50% discount and become a supervisor, it will be my first business partner since I started four years ago, she is so inspirational.  Women from my community are ordering the Herbalife Kosher Parve shake for their meals and post workout because its yummy.  A Prenatal Yoga client told her friend who is not pregnant at the moment to come to my Prenatal Class and I just talked to her, and she will be coming to my regular class that she will enjoy and benefit from immensely.

Thank God for my purpose,
Thank God for my community,
Thank God for my family,
Thank God that I can enjoy it, recharge, and keep plugging people in,
Let's Be Healthy Together,
Coach Yulia

Fluctuations/Celebrations

The kids had a blast yesterday at the Friendship Circle event, so many fun activities, shows, and friends.  Today I had a lot of activities planned, and moment by moment my schedule kept changing, which I actually do not mind at all.  As long as I could get things done, and be accessible with my smart phone, and reschedule and schedule, I am happy.  I really like to be reachable, and it is so weird in our high technology world where we cannot get instant gratification either on the Internet or by text, Facebook, or phone.

The mind spirals into how to fill those minutes, what may have happened, what to do if it doesn't work out.  Luckily all is good, I squeezed things in, dropped things off, threw in a workout with a friend, and now home writing about my adventures before I have to go get the kids from school.

We are going straight to a Brit Mila, a circumcision ceremony, I am so excited.  One of my prenatal Yoga clients and good friends had a beautiful baby boy, and told me because of our classes together, it helped her have an amazing birth experience, Thank God.

I am a little tired, my body is trying to stay strong through our cold mornings and nights, and hot days.  Also from lack of sleep due to baby, my weak spot is my throat, and its so dry outside too, my lips, scalp, and skin are feeling it.

Drank my amazing Herbalife Green Tea Concentrate, it is so powerful for the immune system with all the antioxidants, also burns 80 calories per cup, and is a great natural energy with no drop.  I just came back from my power walk and workout at the park with a friend of mine, we are committed to it because it makes us feel good.  Even though my throat is a bit scratchy and I am tired, I figured fresh air, sun, getting my blood flowing by raising my heart rate, and some great girl talk is just what I needed.

After the celebration this evening I am treating myself to an early bed time, ahhhh looking forward.  In my calendar I have to go to bed at 10pm daily, it doesn't always happen, but I recently read that every hour of sleep you get before midnight, is like getting double for that hour.  Especially since it is getting dark early it is throwing our systems off.

Happy Day,
Happy Night,
Be Happy My Friends,
Coach Yulia

My Identity

My kids wake up everyday at 6am, my nights have been sleepless because my baby, the weather has been hot and cold.
Yesterday I felt my sore throat, started drinking my Kosher Herbalife Green Tea Concentrate, I feel great, drink hot or cold.
 I am your Community Herbalife Coach, please ask me for more information about Health, Wellness, and Nutrition. 

This weekend are two huge memorials, and I have been reading articles and seeing posts on Facebook, and it is really touching me deep inside about how our veterans are treated in America, and how Jewish people are treated all over the world.  The Jewish Journal this week has some amazing articles about Kristallnacht, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristallnacht.  The theme in all of the articles is that people survived and thrived.  This amazing victim of the Holocaust became part of the U.S.A. Allied forcers and went back to fight and liberate Jews from the horrors of World War II. http://www.jewishjournal.com/lifestyle/article/kristallnacht_witness_joined_allied_forces_against_Germany.  If you pick one up or go online, it is pages 18, 19, 20, and 21, blew my mind!  One of them talks about the star of Fiddler on the Roof, he was just honored in Austria, where he was born.  His family fled to Israel after the Nazi's annexed Austria in 1938, they were strong Zionists.http://www.jewishjournal.com/world/article/austria_to_honor_bikel

I was reading that after Kristallnacht, the rest of the world basically looked the other way, and many historians say this was the beginning of the Holocaust.  There was a young Jewish boy that lived in Paris, he fired a weapon into the German Embassy, and the crazy part of it all is that nobody cared, and he was given over to Germany, he stood up for the Jewish people and is a hero.
http://www.jewishjournal.com/world/article/herschel_grynszpan_the_boy_avenger

Here are a few more articles that were really interesting, informative, and touching,

http://www.jewishjournal.com/world/article/75_years_after_kristallnacht_time_to_toughen_up_and_reclaim_our_memory

http://www.jewishjournal.com/opinion/article/whats_in_a_name_the_false_narrative_of_kristallnacht

What is my identity?

I am Jewish first
A Woman Second
An American Third
A Russian-Jewish Immigrant Fourth

In Russia, Judaism was my nationality, In America it's my religion, we all have to find who we are to ourselves.  I feel so connected to my ancestors and my roots and to God, life is such a blessing.

Let us NEVER FORGET,
and Treat our Veterans and Survivors with Respect, and learn from them,
http://www.jewishjournal.com/obituaries/article/sophie_zeidman_hamburger_survivor_94
Coach Yulia
(The article below I couldn't find online, I scanned it, so powerful for Veteran relations, he is a hero)


 

My Brain is Bursting

It was just an amazing day!  My husband took the kids to the synagogue, but instead of sleeping, I hopped around saying hello to my friends, and made a few good connections.  I am so blessed that my life and business are one, I love to meet new people, I love to be friendly, and I am so grateful that my husband supports me to do what I gotta do.  I have so much to say, but I will save it for tomorrow, because...

 

 

I am about to throw a sexy dress on and go out with a wonderful girlfriend, Thank you husband.  We all need "ME" time, and whatever that is for you, DO IT!  No excuses, squeeze it in, no matter what.  I remember in my single life when I was going to college and bartending late, I don't know when I actually slept, but sometimes getting yourself out and staying out a bit later than usual resets me in some way.  Not all the time, but I am definitely a bit tired, but as soon as I get dressed and picked up, I will be "on" and ready to enjoy myself.

 

Tomorrow is a full day of fun with the kids, tonight is my recharge.

 

(This is random, but I just posted on my facebook the most amazing thing I learned about pomegranates, check it out, http://lifehacker.com/5895852/deseed-a-pomegranate-in-10-seconds-using-a-wooden-spoon)

 

Shavua Tov,

Enjoy the rest of your weekend,

Woo Hoo!

Friendship Circle

Join me and my kids on Sunday afternoon for an amazing cause and tons of family fun, http://www.walk4friendshipla.com/Static/Event-Info

I am so excited that in our community there is always so much celebration and support going on all the time.  I am looking forward to a nice relaxing day of rest, it starts super early today because of the time change, observant Jews everywhere will be home turning the world off just after 4pm, so nice.  Tomorrow there are celebrations at the synagogue, looking forward to mingling and delicious food, as well as spiritually uplifting lessons.  Then I have a date with one of my girlfriends on Saturday night, excited to dress up and have fun together.

Just took an amazing Yoga class with my 81 year old teacher, feel so good, taking my kids with me to get my hair done and theirs.  I am getting color and flat iron, my son is getting a short stylish cut that can grow in nicely until it is too long and time to cut again.  My daughter at 3 1/2 is getting her first trim, her hair is gorgeous blonde goldilocks, and my husband washes and brushes it daily.  It is a nice style that is out of her face, but my hairdresser told me the ends are getting dry, so here we go.

I have the best hair girl in town, we go to her house, she has cute doggies, and my kids enjoy watching some cartoons.

Last night I actually got some deep sleep, although baby woke us up at 5am, I feel pretty good, and Thank God this is a day of pleasure, pampering, and taking care of "me!" It's not selfish, its self care.

Have a Great Weekend,
Shabbat Shalom,
Coach Yulia

I gotta get my roots did, and he is not getting his haircut until 3, so excited to see how it grows