Things I'm Loving Friday LVI

I'm really glad I picked the last week of (my) summer to start writing again. I'm not sure what has gotten into me, but maybe I'll pop in a time or two over these next couple of months when inspiration hits me. Or when I have a free moment and something I want to share. But let's just focus on the fact that I'm getting a post out today. Another roundup of some Things I'm Loving lately, so without further ado, enjoy!

I Skeptically Tried Practicing Gratitude

If you have been around for awhile, then you know how much of a sucker I am for articles like this. If you start losing yourself on Instagram, you'll see a lot of posts with captions that include the word "grateful". And I totally understand that that word can elicit eye rolls from many. But I totally believe in the gratitude thing. There's a lot of negativity around us. And it's really easy to find things to complain about. But by consciously focusing on just five specific things to be grateful for each day, that's a game changer in my opinion. When I'm having "one of those days", I have to remind myself that every day may not be great, but that there's something great in every day. A little gratitude can go a long, long way, and I'm hoping to pick the habit back up at the start of the new school year.

11/22/63 by Stephen King

And with my 11th book of the summer, I present to you this monster written by Stephen King. This book had been on my list forever, but I was a little intimidated by the sheer length of it. I was an English major in college, and I am an English teacher, but I avoided reading a book because I thought it was too long. So, okay. Anyway, I borrowed this book from a friend and let it sit on my bedside table for a week or so before grabbing it as I was heading out the door for the airport on my way to Chicago. And guys, if you haven't read it yet, do yourself a favor and READ IT! I'm incredibly fascinated by the Kennedy family, and this book ultimately deals with trying to travel back in time to try and stop the JFK assassination. But more than that it deals with the idea of love and the butterfly effect and history and dancing and sappiness and do-overs and what ifs and some truly extraordinary characters. Once I really got into it I absolutely could not put it down, and though it is only my second Stephen King book, I see there being more in my future. 

Off-the-Shoulder/Cold Shoulder Tops

Sometimes I'm super on board with the big summer trend. Other times I'm not. This summer I'm 100% on board and then some. I absolutely love the off the shoulder trend that is taking over the Instagram world. Living in Houston (and honestly anywhere), summer months call for as little clothing as possible. But is still appropriate. Tank tops are always a go-to, but I'll be the first to admit that my arms are not my favorite part of my body. I'll rock shorts in the middle of December, but this off-the-shoulder and/or cold shoulder trend allows me to stay cool while not having to feel self-conscious about my upper body. It's a win-win! My favorite OTS top is this one -- only $35 from Nordstrom and it comes in so many fun summer colors! And I recently purchased a couple of OTS dresses from Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale and I can't wait for them to come in.

Dairy-Free Cupcakes
This really only helps my Chicago readers (do I even have any of you guys?), but this cupcake tasted so good that I think it's worth posting about. While on the Signature Dishes tour through Bobby's Bike Hike (which, if you are ever in Chicago, I highly recommend you do this tour -- we had a blast), we stopped for deep dish pizza, cupcakes, Chicago dogs, and beer. I was thrilled when we walked into this cute little bakery – Swirlz – and saw that there were multiple dairy-free options. For those who have a gluten intolerance, there are also gluten-free options available! I opted for the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and even after telling myself I would only eat half, I ate every last crumb. And I think that's more important than the fact that the cupcake tasted delicious is the fact that I allowed myself to eat it. The entire thing. I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I let myself eat an actual dessert that wasn't a cop-out like one scoop of sorbet or a bowl of fruit or something. And you would think I would understand this by age 25, but as it turns out, I didn't gain five pounds, it didn't affect how I performed during my half marathon, and while it's not something I am going to indulge in every single day, it was a sweet reminder that I can allow myself a treat every now and again.

Bitmoji
I know I'm incredibly behind the times here. But to be fair, I knew about Bitmoji as it was becoming popular, I just never acted on it. And the reason I finally created my Lizzie McGuire voice is because I saw other educators using Bitmoji in various Google forms, and I wanted to do the same. I'm definitely thinking of having my students create theirs so it can be used throughout the school year, but for now I'm enjoying communicating with my friends solely through Bitmoji expressions. 

Maze Dog Bowl

This one was an absolute game changer for Mack. And I actually learned about while on one of my dog-sitting assignments this summer. One of the dogs I stayed with was a Doberman, and they tend to scarf down their food in about four seconds flat. That's typically not very good for a pup's digestion, so his owner showed me her way of slowing the giant down - a Maze Bowl. My beagle is also one to just scarf down his food, cleaning his bowl in less than 30 seconds, but this particular bowl causes him to to take minutes to eat his mere half a cup of food (he's also on a slight diet, so I'm pretty sure he's always hungry). He has to actually work for his food, so I like to think that he's enjoying it a little bit more this way. These bowls come in different sizes depending on the size of your dog, and it is probably the best $9 I've spent in a while.

Have a great Friday, everyone! Make sure and do something fun and summery this weekend -- fingers crossed for sunshine here in Houston so I can get some last-minute work on my summer tan. Priorities!

Healthy Banana Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

This bread is technically vegan, but I am the least vegan person out there, so I decided to keep that one out of the post title. Anyway, happy Tuesday! It's the first day back at school for many, and I'm really looking forward to a great semester. The spring semester is always a bit longer than the fall, and it definitely feels a lot longer because we go ten weeks without any real break. And these ten weeks are going to be pedal to the medal, because one week after spring break we have the dreaded anticipated STAAR test. Not ideal, but you gotta do what you gotta do. It also feels a lot more calm, because I don't have the daily demands of volleyball (though I did get suckered into coaching club volleyball, more on that to come), so I have a little bit more free time. Just a little bit. But I'll take any extra time with the pup that I can get.

Speaking of, I had my first real "mom moment" the other day. Mack is a 19-week old puppy, and he's also a beagle (duh). Beagles are the absolute best, but they're also absolute lunatics. Mack's nose gets him into more trouble, and he doesn't always come when we call him. It was time for him to attend puppy classes, but with my crazy school and coaching schedule, there was no way for me to consistently attend puppy classes with him. The most viable option was sending him to a board-and-train obedience school for a couple of weeks, but my heart absolutely broke while saying goodbye to him. It didn't help that just about an hour after he'd left, I got a call from the trainer saying he had a very swollen nose and face. My thoughts are that he got bitten by ants when we was sticking his nose in the grass just minutes before he was picked up, but it made me want to drive down and take him right back home. However, I know it will be good for him (and me), and I also have no doubt that Mack wanted all of the attention to be on him. I miss him more than I can even put into words, but these next couple of weeks will fly by. I just know it.

Mack and me

And now onto the reason for today's post: healthy banana bread! I don't know many people who don't enjoy a warm piece of banana bread, but it can often be loaded with calories. This one is low on the calories and sugar, but high on taste and health points. You're even sneaking in some veggies so, bam! Take that New Year's resolutions.

I actually based this recipe off of this recipe from Vegan Heaven, though I changed a couple of ingredients here and there. 

Healthy Banana Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 tablespoon honey (or agave, if you want to be totally vegan)
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 4 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup zucchini, grated (about 1 medium zucchini)
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (plus a little more, because I'm me)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup almond milk

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees 
2. Prepare your quinoa according to the directions on the box
3. Combine the rest of the ingredients into a large bowl and stir together
4. Once ready, stir in the quinoa
5. Liberally grease a bread pan and pour in the batter
6. Cook for 60 minutes, and allow to cool before removing from the pan
7. Enjoy!

Breakfast? Dessert? Snack? I'll let you be the judge. But with only 12 days until the Chevron Houston Marathon, I'm making every effort to incorporate a few more carbohydrates into my daily diet. And thankfully, it's both a healthy and a delicious one!

Pinkberry Happy Hour

Hello, hello, fitnessandfroyo followers! How are things going on y’all’s end? I’m savoring every last moment of my last week of “freedom,” but earlier today I did something not-so-smart. I decided to tackle my 40-minute recovery run, as prescribed by Houston Fit, at 1:30 in the afternoon. In Houston, Texas. On what felt like a 100+ degree day. Let’s just put it this way. I lasted precisely 29 minutes before giving in and calling it a day. But let me explain my thought process to you guys before you go thinking I’m fully crazy. My thought process was that it’s a recovery run, which means I won’t be running at my fastest pace, so therefore the heat won’t even be noticeable. Ha, yeah. I tried to find as much shade as possible while I was running, but I eventually had to call it quits and walk myself the rest of the way home. Which might have been just as worse, but I figured it was better that I keep moving, instead of stopping to rest and letting the heat just attack me. It was kind of a rough afternoon, but I then hit the pool and swam a few laps in lieu of the recovery run that I didn’t quite finish, and I felt so much better. And I learned that just because I have afternoons off, doesn’t mean I should cross a run off of my to-do list at that time. It’s certainly worth getting up early to squeeze in a run before it gets too unbearably hot, rather than feel like passing out in the heat of the day.

Which is why the next part of my day came at the perfect time. But let me back up a little bit. Elle and Ashley, who work together at ETBFit, reached out to me about the possibility of covering Pinkberry’s Summer Happy Hour on my blog. And while I immediately jumped at the opportunity – free frozen yogurt? Yes, please. – a few weeks of working volleyball camps, coupled with a few out-of-town trips, left me unable to make it over to Pinkberry until today. The last week of Summer Happy Hour. Which is a huge bummer because happy hour is one heck of a deal. You get half off any medium or large Pinkberry between the hours of 5 and 7pm. Which means a medium Pinkberry with toppings is a mere $3.22. Just try and beat that.

(Source)

(Source)

Pinkberry is easily my favorite frozen yogurt establishment, though I know some people dock some points for the pure fact that it’s not self-serve. That doesn’t bother me, in fact, it’s probably for the best that someone else is in control of how much frozen yogurt I consume. Anyway, Pinkberry has the most limited flavor selection of all of Houston’s frozen yogurt establishments, but in my opinion, they’re the best. It’s clearly quality over quantity here at Pinkberry. And, the flavors rotate. They’re seasonal, if you will. Think Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. Of course, they have their staples, such as: original – the perfect combination of sweet and tart, and chocolate hazelnut – one of my personal favorites, but the rest of the flavors rotate. Many of them are tart and fruity, but there will always be a sweet flavor or two.

Apparently they cater weddings. Just saying. (Source)

But this post is about two of their summer flavors: Blueberry and Strawberry Margarita. Which I’m sure taste just fine by themselves, but together, they are nothing short of a dream. And you guys know that I have high frozen yogurt standards. Strawberry Margarita is an alcohol-free fruity, citrus flavor made with real strawberries and lime juice. I personally didn’t do this, but you can choose to add Pinkberry’s triple berry sugar salt topping for a fun margarita-like experience. I didn’t taste the lime, but it also wasn’t straight strawberry. There was a little something extra to it, which certainly made it reminiscent of a strawberry margarita. Blueberry is a fresh and fruity flavor made with real blueberries, and they taste just like summer should. Tart and fruity with the perfect hint of sweet. I could actually see hints of real blueberries, which makes it an instant summer favorite. Strawberry margarita was more tangy and tart, while the blueberry flavor had a hint of sweet to it, which is what pairs the two flavors together so well.

(Source)

Top with fruit – strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries were my fruit of choice – or something a little more indulgent – chocolate chips would be my first pick – for the most refreshing summer treat. I know I can speak for all of Texas when I say this, but the idea of eating anything that requires heating is almost unfathomable; therefore, the colder, the better.

So do yourself a favor – get out of the sun, decide to treat yourself, and head on over to a participating Pinkberry this week to take advantage of their unbeatable happy hour. I’ll take half off frozen yogurt over half off alcoholic drinks any day of the week. And while you’re there, take advantage of these limited-time flavors, cooling off with a refreshing cup of blueberry, strawberry margarita, or a combination of the two. That last one is especially recommended.

Things I'm Loving Friday XXXIX

Here we are - another Friday! This week seemed to fly, but that's probably because I had little things to do each evening of this week. Volleyball consumed Monday through Wednesday, but last night I attended my first Astros game of the 2015 season. The Astros have created quite a bit of noise this year, and at one point, were the hottest team in baseball. If you knew what we have been dealing with in Houston these past .. many .. years, you would understand why this is such a big deal. It was on my summer list to attend a game, and what's better than attending a game against those all-too-famous New York Yankees? We had a wonderful time at the game, and we even got the victory. And I am officially a Jose Altuve fan. He may be small, but he is mighty!

But now, it's time for another round of Things I'm Loving Friday!

Niko Niko's
Houston's #1 Greek restaurant, and a place I'm almost embarrassed that I had never been to before. I'd heard of it, I'd put it on my to-eat list, and yet, until last Friday, I had never taken the plunge. Hanna and I were long overdue for a Trouble Twin date, so when she suggested Niko Niko's, after being inspired by the many people who are exploring Greece this summer, I was all in. And in true Kelli form, I could not decide what I wanted. I knew I had to get a pita sandwich in some way, shape, or form, because Niko Niko's is known for its pita bread. But did I want to go with the famous gyro? Chicken? Pork? Niko Niko's is prepared for people like me - offering a menu item called the Hat Trick Combo, which features a mini gyro, a mini chicken kebab sandwich, and a mini pork sandwich. The best of all worlds, and I ate every last bite. The pita was the star of the show, and while I loved each pita sandwich, I think the gyro takes the cake.

Hat Trick Combo

Fat Cat Creamery
What is dinner without dessert, right? And what is summer without ice cream? So when you put the two together, you've got yourself a winning combo. Especially when the ice cream in question came from a shop that made this list of The 33 Best Ice Cream Shops in America. What I like about this hole-in-the-wall creamery is the unique flavors - some vegan, some alcohol-infused - that aren't too out of the ordinary. I went with a scoop of the Chai Tea Coconut, which is dairy-free, though the dairy-free Pina Colada was calling my name, too. Hanna went with the Whiskey Butter Pecan and Coffee combination, and we enjoyed our ice cream while sitting outside on the porch catching up on life on a most beautiful Texas evening. 

Common Bond
Another beloved Houston establishment. Which became evident to me upon walking in the doors and seeing not one open seat in sight. Luckily, Amira and I were stopping in for only a sweet treat or two, but I vowed to come back to enjoy an actual meal, because everything looked delicious. And not only did the food make a nice appearance, but the restaurant's decor and atmosphere did as well. Big windows letting in natural light, and long tables that may have you sitting next to someone you don't necessarily know. Making new friends is a good thing. The star of the show, however, was the showcase of pastries, cookies, and all things sweet. I opted for a bag of granola for myself, that I have enjoyed over the course of this week with almond milk and dairy-free chocolate chunks, and a package of different-flavored macarons for my family. My mom raved about the lemon, but the salted caramel has consistently been given five stars. Evidently their croissants are some of the best around, but unfortunately for me, I've just never liked the things. But when all is said and done, Common Bond certainly did not disappoint, and I will be making a return sooner rather than later.

99 Things All Yuccies Love
This article is it. A friend posted it to Facebook while I was in Cozumel and it had be cracking up laughing in my bed. Then Amira and I were later discussing how we're not quite hipsters, but we're really not yuppies, and the term that best describes us would be yuccies. Young Urban Creatives who want to be "successful like yuppies and creative like hipsters." I can't even list the numbers that resonate with me, because it's really almost all of them. The dollar section at Target is my demise. Half marathons are my thing. The words "guac" and "margs" are a part of my vocabulary - I'm all about the abbrevs. Taylor Swift is my girl. I haven't used a real alarm clock in years. And my selfie stick was almost as worthwhile an investment as my GoPro was. Love us or hate us but we're all around you.

Selfie stick in action

Jordan Spieth
I'll admit that I'm not the world's biggest golf fan. Sure, my dad signed me up for golf lessons at the age of four - the same age Spieth was when he received his first golf club - but it is one of the few sports I never really got into. I really enjoy Top Golf, but that's about all I've got. But you'd have to be living under a rock to not have heard Spieth's name - he not only won the 2015 Master's, but he just won the 2015 US Open as well. A former Longhorn and only 21 years old, he seems to know what's up. His family is extremely important to him, and he credits much of his success to his younger sister, Ellie, who has a neurological disorder that puts her on the Autism spectrum. You can't help but root for the guy who has so clearly remained focused on what's really important in life, realizing that not everyone gets the opportunities that he's had. He has worked hard and he has remained humble, and for that, we'll light the Tower.

(Source)

theSkimm
I'm years late to this one. Years. But in my defense, it's not as if I didn't know about it. I did. I just chose to ignore it. But just the other day I took the plunge and subscribed to theSkimm. What's great about theSkimm is that it allows you to do just that - skim - while still staying up on everything that's going on around the world. So what is it, exactly? It's an email newsletter that delivers the news in a conversational way. The founders - Danielle Weisberg and Carly Zakin - sort through the daily news and the headlines and construct a newsletter targeted toward millennials - women, in particular. It is delivered to your inbox every morning around 6am, and it allows readers to be in the know about pretty much all current events in a way that very much fits our generation. You won't spend more than five minutes reading, but you'll walk away feeling as though you can confidently contribute to the intellectual and important conversations your co-workers are having. Want to experience it for yourself? Sign up here.

(Source)

And that's all I've got for you guys. But check back later because my plan is to share a delicious breakfast recipe with you guys. If not today, tomorrow for certain!

Things I'm Loving XXXV

Happy FRIDAY! This Friday is a little bit happier than usual, as it is my LAST Friday of my very first year of teaching. And what's better is that we are giving final exams today, and my only final exam of the day is over at 10:00am. While I still have to scan and enter grades, I'll be home well before I normally would. So I really have no room to complain. And I really have no room to complain, as today is my last day with my seventh period class. While I really do love those students, that class has most definitely tested my patience throughout the course of this semester. Miss Tomlinson learned how to get tough quick. But before I dance my way out of school in happiness, let's get going on our 35th edition of Things I'm Loving Friday.


Brownie Cookies
Also known as the Brookie. Mrs. Watson, if you're reading this, this one goes out to you. I told my students that I would bake them something on the day of their final, and as I mentioned above, today is seventh period's time to shine. I wanted to keep things simple, because these kids really don't want anything exotic, and I decided on the best of both worlds - the brownie cookie. Now, I have dabbled with the Brookie on many occasions, but I have always made them in brownie form. This time I made them in cookie form, and I'm going to go ahead and say that these are going to be a hit. You just can't go wrong with this combo.

An ode to seventh period

Monsters University
Okay, I'll admit it. If you would have walked into my classroom this week, you would believe the stereotype that "teachers don't really do anything." Is that a stereotype anymore? Anyway, while I have made sure to go over every single part of the final exam review, in both reading and in English, I will also say that I have put in Monsters University for my students' viewing pleasure. With an altered schedule this week, I've had some of my classes for two hours some days, and some days I don't see some classes, and to be honest, how else am I supposed to keep high school freshmen entertained for two hours without showing a movie? And this was the most attentive I've seen some of them in a while. But their expressions and giggles throughout the length of the movie were absolutely priceless, and it reminded me that they're still just little kids. My heart was full. And I myself enjoyed the movie along with them.

The Egg and I
Continuing on with my Teacher of the Year acts, yesterday was sixth period's turn to be in session for two hours. And throughout this semester I've set up shop in the English department lounge with another teacher who has a floater in his room that period. Yesterday we decided to take advantage of our two-and-a-half hour lunch break by getting away from school for a little bit and taking a trip to The Egg and I. Though I have one just minutes away from where I live, I hadn't been there in months, and I more than enjoyed my Chicken Apple Sausage Scramble. Great food, and some great company. So, Mr. Olsen, if you're reading this, thanks for being a mentor-type to this rookie teacher. You really made me feel a part of the Bellaire family, and I am so very appreciative.

Mother always told you to eat a good breakfast

What to Do When Your Life Doesn't Go as Planned
I really loved this article. As I think back to a year ago when I graduated college, I was wide-eyed and full of excitement and ready to dive into the whole real world thing. I graduated with high honors, I had a rockin' job, a great boyfriend, and about 100 other things going my way. And then I moved home and started working and it was hard. I was about as miserable as one could be, but I pasted a smile on my face and said, "It's great; I love it" when asked about my job. It wasn't great, and I didn't love it. And Dylan and I were navigating the long-distance waters, and things started getting choppy. And that was hard. What was supposed to be an exciting time in my life had me longing for everything I had left in the past. Nothing was going as planned. But somewhere around the first of the year, I let go of all expectations and simply enjoyed the moment that I was in. I let my current season shape me, and I practiced being and living in the moment. I chose to be grateful for each day, and ultimately, I chose to trust the One who holds my future.

Now when asked, I really do love my job

Healthy Breakfasts
It's no secret around here that I'm a big time breakfast lover. It's my absolute favorite meal of the day. And while I still love my scrambled egg whites and spinach, it's nice to mix things up every now and again. And contrary to popular belief, healthy breakfast doesn't have to be boring. I know many people love it, but I just can't do oatmeal. It's something about the texture. But there's more to a healthy breakfast than oatmeal. In fact, this article highlights 28 healthy and delicious breakfast recipes. And a lot of these recipes are really pretty easy. And they're just begging you to add your own personal twist.

And that's all I've got, because I've got a final to administer. Catch y'all later!

The Perfect Break: Part One

Hello hello, my faithful followers! If you have been following me on any forms of social media, you’re probably sick of all things San Francisco. But it was a most perfect weekend in one of my favorite cities with some of the best girls that I know. And if you’re ready to brave this lengthy post, I’ll tell you all about it.

Our flight took off on Friday morning at 6am from Bush Intercontinental Airport, which meant arriving to the airport at about 4:30am. I woke up around 3:15am, giving myself about five hours of sleep, but I soon realized that my three travel companions really never went to sleep. Whoops, I guess I’m the lame one. But I managed to sleep most of what was a fairly uneventful flight, besides the turbulence at the beginning, and the UH student who had never been on an airplane before and was traveling to San Francisco for an interview. He was rather comical. But we made it to San Francisco right on time, claimed our baggage, ordered an Uber, picked up the key to Mary Ellen’s apartment, dropped Lindsay off at work – trooper – and made our way to Mary Ellen’s precious apartment in the trendy Marina district. Taylor, Amira, and I had a couple of hours to kill before we were scheduled to meet Mary Ellen at the Ferry Building for our Urban Hiking Tour, so we ate brunch at Squat andGobble, which reminded me very much of my breakfast at Honey Honey a couple of years back, before walking, yes, walking, to the Ferry Building from where we were. It was a solid three miles. And then we had a five-mile hike through the city. We actually ended up walking 14.3 miles on Friday, but let’s start from the beginning, shall we?

Squat and Gobble. Y’all. This place was just wonderful. It was precious, it was delicious, it was reasonably priced, and it absolutely hit the spot. We all went back and forth on what to order before finally deciding on something, but my NorCal omelet – egg whites with xxx was just wonderful. Paired with a side salad and whole wheat toast and jam, my stomach was more than satisfied. We all commented on just how good our food was, and maybe that was because we were out of our minds hungry, but Squat and Gobble is just one of those places that has it all. No matter how picky someone is, what dietary restrictions someone has, or if you’re in the mood for breakfast for dinner, you’ll find something that will please your pallet. A great start to what would be a most perfect trip.

We then decided to walk to the Ferry Building, and though it was a very lengthy walk (sorry, guys), we saw so much along the way. Shops and mini parks, and one-of-a-kind food establishments, and we were nearly late to meet Mary Ellen! We finally made our way to the Ferry Building, and man oh man, that place is a dream. Taylor and Amira stopped for coffee at the famous BlueBottle, while I pulled myself away from the roasted nuts and the plethora of ice cream shops.

Mary Ellen took a half day at work and met us for our UrbanHiking Tour that would take us to the top of Twin Peaks and everywhere in between. We took the Muni to Castro, and met two others at the Castro Theater. Quick side note – one of our fellow hikers, Emily – was also a high school freshmen reading and English teacher who loves to bake and has a dream of opening a bakery one day. Talk about a small world. Anyway, our hike took us through the Castro neighborhood, up and up and up to the top of Twin Peaks and Tank Hill, and we even got the opportunity to be kids again and slide down the Seward Street Slides. Another fun fact for you guys – San Francisco has 220 parks and mini parks, and I think that’s one of the things that I love about the city. So much green! We learned about the Eucalyptus trees planted by Adolph Sutro, and most of all, the views we were awarded were just incredible. Pictures don’t do it justice. And even though my calves were screaming at me as a result of those uphill climbs, I would absolutely recommend this hike to anyone visiting San Francisco, or to anyone who calls San Francisco home. It takes you places you probably wouldn’t discover on your own, and you will learn quite a bit of interesting history along the way. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and fun and made everything really come alive. For someone who disliked history classes most of all, I thoroughly enjoyed all of the history I got this weekend. Maybe it would have appealed to me more had I been in the place about which I was learning? So, yeah, Stratford, get on that one!

Tank Hill

Our feet were aching, and our backs were tired, so we felt as though we more than deserved two scoops of the famous Bi-Rite Ice Cream. We braved the outside-the-door line for some unique-flavored ice cream that reminded me of Austin’s Lick, and my friends humored me by saving at least one scoop for a GoPro photo in Dolores Park. More on the GoPro to come, but I’ll just go ahead and call that one of my best investments. Bold statement, but it made getting group photos so easy. Anyway, we devoured our ice cream – mine Vegan Coconut Chocolate and Orange Raspberry Sorbet topped with sprinkles – while enjoying the sunshine and people watching at Dolores Park.

Our legs were pretty much shot by this point, and we were miles away from where we needed to be, so we Ubered back to Mary Ellen’s apartment where we showered, lounged, and met Lindsay and her work friend Kerry for dinner at The Chubby Noodle. Lindsay was a trooper and ended up having to work last-minute all of Friday (and even Saturday morning!) at the Bank of America San Francisco office. At least she didn’t have to use any vacation days? Positive thinking! Anyway, we had 7:45pm dinner reservations and I’m sure glad that we did because this place was hoppin’! This restaurant is family-style, so we split the Spicy Garlic Noodles, the Tuna Poke (my first time trying raw fish!), and the Korean Pork Tacos (my favorite!). We entertained the idea of going out afterward, but our tired bodies convinced us otherwise. We trekked back to Mary Ellen’s apartment, set up the air mattress, talked for a little bit, and then fell asleep fairly quickly, and we didn’t wake up for quite some time the following morning. Except for our worker-bee, Lindsay, who left the apartment just after 5:00am so that she could get some work in before our bike adventure. She is a rock star, and now I’ve written enough already. Saturday and Sunday’s wrap up to come!

Have a great one!

Things I'm Loving Friday XXVIII

Happy Good Friday! I hope you are lucky enough to have today off of work, because I know that I am going to thoroughly enjoy it. This week was crazy enough, as we only had two "normal" days of school, and on Tuesday, I'll admit that I put on a movie for my kiddos. It was related to what we are doing, kind of. But after spending five hours taking a STAAR test the day before, I felt as though they deserved a day off. What's better is that this was the first of three four-day weeks for me. A holiday, and then a long-long weekend vacation. I'll take it.

And I'm hoping to both be productive, and have a restful day today. Because I will have a sub two out of the next six school days, I do have a little bit of work to do in preparation for he sub. Often times it's more work to prepare for a sub than it is to just go to work, but I have no qualms about enjoying one of the most beautiful cities in America while leaving detailed instructions for a sub. I just don't.

But enough about that. Let's move on to our regularly scheduled events - Things I'm Loving Friday. 

Life is______. 
I've read another one of Judah Smith's books, Jesus is______," and I absolutely loved it. His writing style is so me - he's funny, he's relatable, and he's real. He understands and admits that no one is perfect, and that we are hardwired to make mistakes. He doesn't give us a laundry list of rules to follow, rather, he offers tips on how to live life to the fullest. Life s ______. is a good read for absolutely anyone, and a good reminder of just how much we are loved.

Easter-Themed M&M's
You can always count on M&M's to get into the holiday spirit, and I'm the sucker that buys the special holiday-themed M&M's every single holiday. Because it's almost guaranteed that they will make an appearance on my Instagram. This time? I'm planning on making a Mini-M&M Layer Cake. I say mini because I bought the cutest four-inch springform pans, and instead of decorating the outside of the cake with Cadbury Creme Eggs like the creator of this recipe, I am going to use these Easter-themed M&M's. Because they're more in demand in my house, anyway.

26 Things No One Tells You About Running
This article from Run, Selfie, Repeat hits the nail on the head. I've said it before but if you think running is cheap therapy? Don't sign up for any races. I, along with Sarah, am probably the world's fastest walker, and am convinced that we should be competing at Rio in 2016. Even if it's (literally) freezing outside, I still sweat like it's over 100. And while my friends, nor you guys, probably care how much or how far I run, I wouldn't trade this form of exercise for anything else. And I'm so glad to be back in the running game. 

Dropout Nation
I showed this documentary to my students the Tuesday after STAAR, because after six months of essays, short answer responses, and reading practice, I think a one-day break is sufficient, right? And I didn't just put on any old movie. One of my co-workers told me about this documentary, focused on what used to be called the "Dropout Factory," and I made sure to watch it over spring break. Surprise! This Dropout Factory is actually Sharpstown High School, a high school located very close to Bellaire. This documentary chronicles the lives of four Sharpstown students, and the teachers who are fighting that daily battle to get these students to graduate. You can watch it for free on PBS.org, and I highly recommend it if you find yourself with two additional hours. 

(Source)

25 Healthy Snacks for Runners
If you're a long-time runner, you probably have your snack routine down. If you're new to running, this article was written just for you. And heck, even if you've been running for years, maybe this article will bring a little variety to your daily snackage. I'm not one for chocolate milk or cottage cheese, but they're perfect post-run treats. You'll find lots of protein on this list, as active people often need a little bit more than the daily recommendation. I'm personally excited to try the English muffin pizzas (sans dairy cheese, of course), and I'm still looking for ways to exceed my already-too low daily calcium requirement.

(Source)

Have a great GOOD Friday! Here's to a weekend of crawfish, basketball, family, friends, (hopefully) some sunshine, and most of all, a celebration of the resurrection of our sweet Savior. 

Keeping My Word

Happy Saturday! Our weathermen didn't let us down, because the sun has certainly returned, and in full force. It is shaping up to be a beautiful day, which is a nice reprieve from the gloomy weather we have seen these past couple of days. It's still a little bit chilly, but you won't hear me complaining, as it is really the perfect weather for a run. But we'll get to that in a minute.

Yesterday I was pretty quick to leave school (but let's be honest, I usually am), but instead of heading straight home, I headed over to the Museum District to check out The Dan Flavin Installation at Richmond Hall, as part of The Menil Collection. I'm almost embarrassed that I thought this was a limited-time exhibit (nope, it's been at this very location since 1996), but it did me over there! I'll be the first to admit that I am not one for art. I'm no good at art, and even The Louvre didn't do much to impress me. I know, I know. But I was inspired to stop by when I saw it featured on 365 Things Houston. And while I can't necessarily say that I saw the art in this grocery-store turned room-with-fluorescent lights, it was colorful and fun and has an oddly calming effect. I can see how it could be a very reflective space for some people, but I'm probably missing a lot of the deeper meaning behind it. But at least I felt cultured, you know?

(Source)

I hit a little bit of traffic on my way home, but I managed to make it home before traffic started getting really bad. I made a quick pit-stop at HEB to get a couple of ingredients necessary to make these Black and White Baked Doughnuts, recipe courtesy of Joy the Baker. I came across this recipe while reading a BuzzFeed article (ugh, this confession happens far too often), and though I actually don't like doughnuts in the least, I wanted to try my hand at them, because they could be a fun and aesthetically-pleasing treat to give to other people. 

I ordered a Wilton Nonstick 6-Cavity Donut Pan (honestly, best $10 I have spent in a while) from Amazon, and I was thrilled to learn that it would be delivered on Friday. What's better than baking after a long (but short) week at school?

I have to admit that I was a little bit nervous about one thing: browning butter. I have seen other recipes that call for brown butter and passed them up because it seemed like too many added steps. But I'm not sure why I had that idea in my head, as browning butter is actually pretty easy. Because butter can go from brown to black real quick (ha), I have a couple of recommendations.

• Brown your butter in a light-bottomed pan. This way you will be able to keep your eye on the color of the butter.
• Stir, stir, and keep stirring. Browning butter takes but a few minutes, so I would just focus on that rather than trying to tend to other tasks at the same time. This advice coming from the queen of multi-tasking.

And now that I have successfully learned how to brown butter, I can't wait to try other brown butter recipes! Another thing to be remembered about these doughnuts is that they are baked instead of fried. Meaning they will taste a bit different. But you can take solace in the fact that they're a little bit healthier than a doughnut from Shipley's, right?

And the wheels are already churning with other potential doughnut recipes. You may be seeing them pop up on the blog pretty frequently. You have been warned!

The doughnuts were probably the most exciting part of my evening, and that was perfectly okay with me. I went to sleep not long after 10:30pm, and my body clock must really be on that eight hours a night timeline, as I was up and at 'em at 6:45am. I made myself stay in bed for a little while longer, before deciding it was time to make good on my eight-mile run promise. Like I said, it was a little bit chilly, but it was the p-e-r-f-e-c-t running weather.

I ran just over eight miles through my neighborhood, which resulted in quite a bit of looping around and backtracking, but I did it, and I felt great. No IT band tightness, and though I ran it a little bit slower than my usual pace (maybe this note from my principal isn't always true), 

I am still glad that I got out there and crushed those eight miles. All I need is a little bit of hill work, and Austin here I come!

After some breakfast and a shower, I crawled back into bed with the intention of grading my student's short answer responses that I had intentionally put off to the weekend. I remember writing (and struggling with) these short answer response questions when I was in school and taking the TAKS test, so it is no surprise to me that my students struggle with them, too. They are making progress, though, as slow as it may be, and that's about all that I can ask for. We are going to be giving them at least one short answer response a week, and probably two as the test gets closer, so I'm hoping they will start to become second nature. Anyway, working from bed is never a good idea. Not only did I get extremely distracted, but I ended up taking a two-and-a-half hour nap. Whoops! I then decided that it was too pretty of a day to spend inside grading, and I needed to go somewhere without wifi, that I loaded up my backpack and hopped on my bike over to Wilchester Elementary school, where I sat myself down and finished that grading.

It was a little bit windy, which is always tricky, but it's amazing what a little bit of sunshine can do for your motivation. And now I'm hoping to get a little bit more school work done, so that I can fully enjoy what I hope will be some more beautiful weather tomorrow!