Ten Questions

Happy Sunday! I'm enjoying my one day of freedom, as the majority of yesterday was spent down in Alvin for a volleyball tournament. It was well worth it though, because after losing a close first match to Friendswood, my girls bounced back, dug deep, and won every other match they played, giving them the title of Consolation Champs. I was especially pumped about beating Clear Creek, as that's the team that knocked us out of the playoffs my junior year, and we came back from a 13-25 game one loss to then stave off five match points to force a game three. Game three was a little too close for comfort, but I could not be more proud of the way these girls played. I love being their coach!

Where is your favorite place to vacation? 

I absolutely love San Francisco. Both times I've visited it's been so hard for me to leave. And I think that's true of California in general. San Francisco gives you the best of all worlds - it's absolutely beautiful, the weather is more than pleasant, there's an endless amount of things to do and see, it's a very active city, the food is top notch, and though it's uber expensive, it's an absolutely wonderful city.

Yoga:  Is it for you?  If not, what do you do to relax the mind and stretch? 

I wish it was for me. I really, really do. But it's just not. And I know that I need to be better about stretching, especially when my hip flexors tighten up on me, or I tell people (truthfully) that I can't even tough my toes. And while I definitely need something to relax my mind, I'm not sure that yoga is it for me. I think too much about the breathing aspect, and how silly I look attempting to do the poses, so it's not what I would consider relaxation. I know foam rolling is not synonymous with stretching, but I do that on a fairly regular basis, so until I get better about incorporating stretching into my running regimen, we're going to go with that.

What is your go-to meal of the week?  
Besides my usual salad for lunch, I love chopping up a bunch of different veggies, throwing them into a pan, and topping them with protein of some kind - chicken, pork, shrimp - anything goes. I then throw it in the oven, and I've got dinner for a week. And, of course, my scrambled egg whites and spinach have yet to get old.

What is your favorite Christmas cookie? 

Oh, I love this question! You guys know that I love baking, and that my KitchenAid is one of my favorite kitchen items. And because Christmas will be here before we know it, this is an important question. I love making peanut butter blossoms, and they are so, so easy to make. And they're appreciated by everyone. Unless of course there's a peanut butter allergy. I also love making gingerbread men, but one, the smell of molasses is enough to make my eyes water, and I've got to take some lessons on how to correctly use a rolling pin.

What is the biggest thing you have learned from blogging?  
I have learned so much from blogging! I've learned that people love vulnerability. Sure, they love reading about a so-called perfect life, but more than that they love to know that they are not alone. I know I love reading about the real struggles and the real challenges that real people face. To know that other people have off days and bad workouts and failed recipes. That the Internet is not somewhere that requires me to put on a face, because that can be dangerous for all parties. That other bloggers are some of the coolest people around town.

The best book you have recently read?  
I wish I could say that I've opened up a book in the past month. But I just haven't. I have a whole slew of books that I want to read, but the reality is that when I get some free time, it's probably not going to be spent reading. Which is sad. But true. Over the summer I did read quite a few books, and the one that stands out to me the most is The Book Thief. An absolutely incredible read, and when I find the time, I'm even going to watch the movie. Bold statement, I know.

Favorite TV show or movie? 
Boy Meets World. I never get tired of that show. And Full House is another show I never get tired of. It's just good quality television. 

What is your biggest fitness goal (this can be something that you won’t do for a while, just something you want to accomplish someday!) 
My biggest fitness goal is probably to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the rest of my life, but to not become a slave to it. To understand that days get busy, but that if it's important enough to me, I'll make time for it. To not workout just so I can fit into my favorite pair of jeans, but because it makes me feel good. I want to continue to push myself to be the best that I can, and never get complacent. There is always another mountain to climb and conquer.

What is your favorite holiday?  
I love Thanksgiving. I'll be honest, I love having a few days off of school. I love getting up on Thanksgiving morning to run a 10K, something I've made part of my Thanksgiving routine. I love coming home to help my family in the kitchen (mainly with the dessert), eating as much turkey as can fit into my stomach, and then a little bit more, and then parking myself on the couch to watch some Longhorn football. And a holiday that centers around thankfulness? Yeah, I can get behind that.

What inspired you to start blogging?  
I discovered Julie's blog, and I loved that her outlook on life, her love for working out, and her passion for trying new recipes matched mine very closely. I wanted to put my love for writing to good use, and a blog seemed to be the best way to do just that. I absolutely love this blog, and it brings me so much joy. Food and fitness is obviously a huge passion of mine, and I love sharing that in such a fun way.

And I'm off to watch the Miss America pageant. It has always been my guilty pleasure!