Turn Up with Ally

if you’ve seen my stories recently, you may already know that a few weeks ago, I was dealing with an infection that got out of hand. difficulty breathing, painful restriction of motion — it hurt to lift my arms, to stretch, to dance, jump and then to breathe. face down on a yoga mat became excruciating.

the medical team and I discussed what may have caused the infection. unfortunately, there was no singular, definitive answer but we talked at length about my workout routine and time spent in my too-tight, sweaty clothes post workout, running errands after classes. the working theory is that I may have exacerbated a preexisting issue with my habits, not to mention rewearing a sports bra out of desperation on laundry day 🫣

since then, I’ve intentionally pulled the pieces I’ve spent too long squeezing into and set them aside for donation. they are still in good condition and I’ve been hesitant to purchase new items - so much so that I’ve been wearing things 1-2 sizes too small. between the sweat & the friction, I really wasn’t helping myself OR PRACTICING QUALITY SELF CARE.

there’s being budget conscious & prioritizing essentials and then there’s stubbornness and avoidance. since healing and getting the all clear, I’ve invested in these new high impact bras. better fit, better straps, better ventilation. I’ll be testing them out for myself but sharing so you know what’s worth the investment before spending, too.

my hero
is nearly there. in her 8th month and still teaching multiple classes a week.

years ago, I attended a retreat and danced to Rihanna’s “Desperado” outside, in the florida heat under a brutal sun. and yet, it was such a vibe. later, I attended a training where this routine was repeated again and again and again and I thought the reps might end me. for the longest time, digging deep for this routine during difficult classes meant thinking back to times when I danced it under more difficult conditions. after today? sis is THE inspo.

I’ve missed classes the last couple weeks due to my back injury flaring up, taking the necessary time to recover before subbing classes for her when she goes on leave. dancing with her today, still seeing her in her element and leading — so powerful.

I still remember the kid with the basketball under her shirt, goofing with me while I was home for the summer and pregnant myself 🥹

*I know not everyone has the opportunity to experience this —
maintaining exercise during pregnancy or even pregnancy itself. I wasn’t teaching during my last pregnancy but I was taking classes and my HR was too high for classes to be sustainable. I had to stop very early. I know I’m not alone in that & every experience is unique and personal. so, to be clear, the power isn’t in just continuing to teach, it’s something I’m in awe of anytime you’re listening to and honoring your body, regardless of your journey.

last year I decided to start setting aside a little bit from each paycheck to fund a Christmas account. in years past, we outlined a budget but this was a more intentional effort to be prepared.

for us, this season also includes two birthdays — my partner, day of and our daughter the day after. my sister is expecting early 2026 and we have a baby shower coming up in a few weeks and we’ll be throwing our daughter’s sweet 16 soon. so this fund was a game changer these past few weeks. it’s no secret that groceries are more expensive than ever so having this already set aside “lessened the blow” of holiday shopping, to some degree.

this account has been slow to fund but a nonnegotiable when budgeting and paying bills each month. while participating in the major boycotts, we’ve gone nearly exclusive with small business & b corp gift purchases this year. some incredibly unique finds, some custom-made.

we usually use the holiday cardboard boxes and recycle them after but with kids, they’re single use — they tear right thru them. this year, we switched to bags so we can use & reuse multiple times. hoping to encourage the kids to pick up some sustainability practices in between all the wrapping, gift giving and opening this season.

got everything set out by the tree & of course, rewatching the new holiday classic . R was really struggling to get to sleep and was quite anxious so partner & I turned that off so we could get him settled and to sleep. took hours so I didn’t get back to my rewatch. that’s okay, it’s just on loop these days anyway 🇨🇦🏒🥅

happy holidays from me & mine
… and happy cottage day to all those who celebrate 😉