Things I'm Loving Friday XIV

FRIDAY! The sweetest day of the week for so many, and I am no exception to that rule. Though I certainly have nothing to complain about when I get home from school in no time at all. Just after pulling into my driveway yesterday afternoon, I laced up my running shoes and headed out to the bayou for a 7ish mile run. I told my mom that if I wasn't home in two hours, to send out an ambulance. Thankfully I didn't need one, and though it was a little on the warm side, it was an absolutely beautiful day for a run along my long-neglected bayou. Houston half, I'm coming for ya! And Dylan reprimanded me for leaving the gym without cooling down the other day, so I would like it to be known that I walked the remainder (about 7 minutes) of the way home. I know I should, but sometimes I just don't want to take the time to do it. Which will likely come back to bite me in the butt one of these days!

I then felt energized, and decided to put off any work that I may have to do in favor of running a few errands. Hey, they're important too, right? Anyway, I ended up half hour of errands with a stop at Salata in City Centre. I got my usual spring mix salad mixed with tomatoes, olives, alfalfa sprouts, chickpeas, celery, green bell peppers, and herb marinated grilled chicken, and topped with a scoop of herb lime vinaigrette. It hit the spot!

Things I'm Loving

It sure has been awhile since we have seen this little Friday feature on the blog.  But because I’m back on my blogging game, I decided to bring back some of my favorite features. So, here’s where I’ll share some of my recent favorites with you guys.

Chobani Oats

I’m a very sporadic yogurt eater. I’ll go on a yogurt kick, and eat it every single day, and then I won’t eat it again for a year. I often have a hard time finding a flavor that I actually enjoy eating, so it ends up going to waste. I was at the store one day when I saw the new Chobani Oats yogurt, and I decided to check it out because I thought the addition of the steel cut oats might help with the texture. From that day forward, I was hooked. My favorite flavors are the Blueberry and Apple Cinnamon. Y U M!

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Snoopygrams

I don’t know how I found this Instagram page, but I am sure glad I did. I grew up with the Peanuts gang, and seeing daily posts and inspiration from Charlie and his crew never fails to bring a smile to my face.

KitchenAid Stand Mixer

I realize that I graduated college just over five months ago, but I just couldn’t decide what I wanted from my parents for graduation. At first I wanted a GoPro, but I was promptly laughed at for that decision, so I decided that a quality stand mixer would be my best investment. We had one at our house in Austin these past two years and it makes baking so much easier. I decided on the crisp red color, and it has been put to great use ever since it made its first appearance in my house.

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BOOMCHICKAPOP SeaSalt Popcorn

I have had this popcorn before, but lately I cannot get enough. I love the crunch, and coming in at only 35 calories a cup, it’s a snack that can’t be beat. Though just try and stop at one cup! Mixing the salty of the popcorn with the sweet of chocolate is a combination that somehow manages to sneak its way into my every day.

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1989

On Wednesday I asked my students if they had purchased the new Taylor Swift album, and they all looked back at me like I was crazy. I guess I grew up with Taylor Swift, so the release of a new album still brings me some excitement (yes, I went out and bought a copy on Tuesday evening, and jammed to it all the way home. I will admit that it’s not my favorite of her albums, but I have no doubt that it will grow on me the more that I listen to it.

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This Sweet Story
If reading this story doesn't make you reach for the tissues, something must be wrong with you. Just kidding, but it definitely brought a few tears to my eyes. It sounds like something out of a Nicholas Sparks book, except it's real life. I also have such a soft spot in my heart for the elderly, so I was a lost cause from the get-go.

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And lest I forget, Happy Halloween! Though I love to dress up (and nothing can beat our gorilla/banana costume from last year), 

Halloween has never been one of my favorite holidays, especially because I got into a car accident one Halloween and ended up on the side of the road wearing a Halloween-themed sweater vest. Anyway, my students will probably already be bouncing off of the walls today, but I’m bringing them candy anyway. I’m playing a BINGO review game for our Odyssey exam in all of my classes, so a little more energy can’t hurt them, right? I'll hype them up on candy and then pass them off to the next teacher!

And after school I plan on getting in my car, stopping at Berripop Frozen Yogurt (there’s one by Bellaire!) to get a pint to take home with me, curling up with a blanket and a movie, and not moving from my spot on the couch. This will be my first Friday night without either a volleyball game or anyone coming in town (which don’t get me wrong, makes me happier than anything), but I’m going to relax and try not to fall asleep too early. My students would be disappointed to hear of my plans, but I have no doubt that I'll be happy as a clam.

Have a safe and happy Halloween, whatever it is that you may be doing. And be sure to enjoy your weekend – it should be a beautiful one!

And finally, I cannot end this post without a huge congratulations to my high school principal (the high school I attended, not the one at which I work), Christopher Juntti, for his recent promotion. He will now be the Executive Director of Operations for the Spring Branch Independent School District, and I have no doubt that he will do great things at that position. I knew it was only a matter of time before he was snatched up from Stratford, and he made Stratford America what it is today. But once a Spartan, always a Spartan!