Things I'm Loving Friday XLIX

Happy FriYAY! It's a cold one down here in Houston, so I can only assume that it's even chillier in other parts of the state and country. But it’s been a hot minute since I have posted a Things I’m Loving Friday, but I’m committed to making this blog a regular part of my routine again, so here it goes!

Powerbeats2 Wireless In-Ear Headphones

I finally bit the bullet and solved my headphone problem. I figured if I’m going to get serious about one day (hopefully in the near-ish future) qualifying for the Boston Marathon, then I had better get the gear that will help make it possible. Not that there’s anything wrong with the headphones that I currently use, but on my longer, faster runs, they sometimes fall out of my ears. And then there are the days when I just don’t know what to do with the length of the wires. You would think after five solid years of running I would have it figured out, but these wireless headphones are the answer to all my problems. It took me a little while to get used to over-the-ear headphones, but they stay on while I’m running, and in my opinion, the sound quality is excellent. As silly as it sounds, every second counts when it comes to qualifying for Boston, and I would hate for it to come down to a headphone malfunction.

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Longhorn Coaches

I’ll admit that I’m bragging a little bit with this one. It was the start of 3^rd period yesterday, and our head football coach popped his head into my classroom just as I was explaining to my class what we were going to be doing that day, telling me to step outside for a minute because he had a surprise for me. My jaw dropped when I was greeted by two HUGE men wearing burnt orange Longhorn warm-ups. I quickly figured out that it was Oscar Giles and Michael Huff, who are football coaches at the University of Texas, and they were visiting Bellaire to, I assume, take a look at some of our football players. 

And I love to think that some of our students’ college football dreams could be coming true. It puts a smile on my face that is equivalent to the one I’m wearing as I got to put my horns up alongside two coaches who will hopefully help bring the winning tradition back to Longhorn football. I truly couldn’t stop smiling the entire rest of the day knowing that the people I work with not only knew how much it would mean to me to get to meet them, but that these two coaches took the time to shake my hand and thank me for the work that I’m doing. Hook ‘em horns!

Adidas Superstar

Guys, this pair of shoes was the best purchase I ever could have made. I bought them on such a whim – I saw someone at school wearing a pair of black and white Adidas Superstars, and it reminded me of the stylish orange and white pair I had back in the day. I did a quick search to see if there was anything in the red and white realm, because school spirit, obviously, and ever since I got them in the mail sometime around mid-October, I wear them to school at least once a week. They’re comfortable and stylish. I say this because I always get compliments from my students whenever I wear them. And when your students compliment you on your shoe choice, you know you’re rockin’ it.

Harry Potter and the Sacred Text

Podcasts are the new “it” thing these days. And I’ll admit that I’m jumping on board. My school next-door neighbor told me about this podcast, and being the Harry Potter lover that I am, I knew I had to check it out. I was driving from my apartment to the Memorial area in rush-hour traffic just this last week, and I had more than enough time to finish the first episode (?). And I absolutely loved it. I’m already a huge fan of Harry Potter, and one college summer I wrote an entire blog post about how much the Harry Potter series means to me, and how it’s more than just a “wizarding world.” It’s chock full of valuable lessons, and this podcast decodes the text in such a way that makes it meaningful to our own lives. Each episode explores a central theme, and even after listening to just one episode over the topic of commitment, I’m hooked.

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Nine Easy Ways to Fit Mindfulness Into Your Daily Life

I don’t know if it’s just me, and I hope it’s not just me, but it’s so easy for me to get bogged down in my daily to-do list and all that I have to juggle. I feel as though the second my alarm clock goes off, I jump out of bed and my mind starts going. I think about all of the tasks that I need to complete that day and I rarely take time to appreciate the little things that are all around me. I’m so guilty of pulling out my phone while waiting in line at the grocery store instead of striking up a conversation with those around me. Granted, not everyone may want to have a conversation while in line at the grocery store, but you get what I’m saying. I can’t remember the last time – aside from Thanksgiving – I ate something without staring at a television, computer or phone screen. I was actually walking up the stairs to my classroom just this morning thinking about how so many of my students don’t know how to be alone with their thoughts, and then I had the haunting realization that maybe I don’t know how to be alone with my thoughts, either. So my goal going into the end of 2016 and the start of 2017 is to practice mindfulness.

And on that note, I'm off to enjoy a wild Friday night babysitting for some kids down the street from my parents house. I'm not complaining, because a night of Hungry's and watching Elf is surely in my future. And after a go-go-go week, I'll take a relaxed Friday night in. Hopefully I can stay awake longer than the kids!

11:11, Make a Wish

Happy Sunday! This post is coming a little later than usual, but that's because I got to spend a most wonderful weekend in Austin, and I'm just now sitting down to complete my usual Survey Sunday. And before we get started on that, I'll share a few of my favorite Austin moments. On Friday, I drove straight to my freshman and sophomore year dorm - Scottish Rite Dormitory. It has a couple nicknames, but I'll save them for another post. I got to visit with Emily and Jessica and my favorite maintenance guys - Joseph and Robert - while remembering with fondness all of the tours I gave and the phone calls I answered. And the pranks I pulled, but again, that's a post for another time.

It was so good to see them, and to hear that life is good at the SRD. Some of my sweetest college memories were made at this palace, and I met some of my very best friends while living here. I'm putting my future daughters' names on this list the minute they are born.

Naturally Mack and I had to make a visit to campus - we were on a hunt for his namesake, the one and only Mack Brown, but we had no luck. But I think Mack enjoyed it all the same.

My Longhorn pup

We walked Town Lake, ate at some of my favorite Austin hot spots, walked up and down South Congress, and slept like rocks before starting all over again the next day. We enjoyed an early morning walk, got our veggies in with smoothies from JuiceLand, made a visit to Anthropologie (heads up, teachers - there's a 15% discount on your entire purchase for the next two months with a valid teacher ID!), and ate lunch at the most charming sandwich shop tucked away in the back of a Hyde Park neighborhood with two of my former YoungLife girls. It was hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that they are going to be SENIORS in high school, as I met them when they were just 8th graders. How time flies, but I'm so proud of the young ladies they have become, and I can't wait to see all of the incredible things they accomplish in the coming years. Shout out to social media for making that possible! After a few more stops at my favorite Austin spots, it was time to hit the road again. A short, but really sweet, visit to my home away from home.

Avenue B Grocery

And now, it's time for our regularly scheduled Survey Sunday. Though this one is a little bit different. You give 11 random facts about yourself - this was much easier said than done - and then you answer 11 random questions. I love learning things about other people, so I never feel too self-centered when I share these surveys about myself. Happy reading!

1. I ate my first hamburger at the age of 10. Seriously. My mom was freaked about mad cow disease, and took every precaution necessary to prevent me from getting it. She would even go so far as to tell other parents that “I don’t eat hamburgers” whenever I spent the night out. Now, I’m a hamburger fanatic. Gotta make up for lost time!

2. I’m not a big fan of concerts. I love music, but I really don’t enjoy attending concerts. I think it’s a combination of the crowds, the length of the concert (they always go on far too long, in my opinion), and I don’t typically know enough of an artist’s songs to make attending a concert worth it. I love things like ACL and the rodeo, where shows last about 45 minutes – my concert sweet spot.

Rodeo 2015

Rodeo 2014

3. I have never had a cup of coffee. Seriously. I worry that even one cup of coffee would LITERALLY have me bouncing off the walls, as I’m already enthusiastic enough in the mornings without it.

4. For as much as I love health and fitness, I’m pretty pitiful when it comes to stretching. In fact, I can’t even touch my toes. This is why I should do yoga.

5. I loathe talking on the phone. I would so much rather text than talk on the phone. I’m sure this can be chalked up to my introverted tendencies, but I think it also has to do with the fact that talking on the phone tends to be such a complicated process. Press this number followed by this number followed by this string of 10 numbers, or I’m forced to wait for 20 minutes before talking to an actual person.

Jeff - on my right - is really good about regular phone calls to catch up

6. Though I am genuinely super eager to give help to other people when asked, I’m really bad at asking for help. I hate the thought of possibly inconveniencing anyone, which is why I will try and do everything on my own before asking for help. Typically, if I ask for help, I’m super desperate. I’m working on this.

7. I can’t parallel park to save my life – shout out to Driver’s Ed in a Box – but I’m pretty dynamite when it comes to backing into parking spots. And I was good at this even before I had a back-up camera.

8. When I was younger, I really wanted to be an astronaut. I was obsessed with all things stars and space. I was super excited about my Astronomy class in college, and it ended up being one of my least favorite classes throughout my entire college career. Go figure. That being said, I’m still interested in all things space.

9. One of the first things I notice about people is what arm they wear their watch on. Because I’m left-handed, I’m quick to notice any fellow lefties.

10. I love a good pun.

11. In fourth grade I was eliminated from the finals of the school spelling bee on the word “museum.” I happen to pronounce it “mu-zam”, and I spelled it as though it has an “a” in it. I’m actually a really good speller, though this word still haunts me.

And for the 11 questions -

1. Coffee or tea?

As you guys read above, I have never actually had a cup of coffee. And I’m not a huge fan of tea, either, despite my best efforts to become a tea drinker. I have found one flavor of tea that I really love – Cheers to You Cranberry Celebration – and I restock my supply at the Nutcracker Market every year.

2. What is your favorite meal of the day?

I LOVE breakfast. One hundred percent my favorite meal of the day. From yogurt to pancakes to frittatas to waffles to chocolate zucchini muffins and so much more, you just can’t beat it. And there is truly nothing that can bring me down on First Friday.

3. What is your favorite place that you’ve traveled to and why?

SHOOT. What a tough question! I’ve traveled to some pretty incredible places. San Francisco holds some of my very favorite memories – a long weekend with my mom + a half marathon, a long weekend with four of my very best friends – and it’s just an incredibly beautiful city. I lived in Barcelona for almost two months, so that city will always hold a very special place in my heart. I fell in love with London on a short weekend trip from Barcelona, and my Argentina trip this summer was an absolute dream. I can find something great to say about every place I’ve traveled, but I’ll quit before your eyes glaze over.

Recoleta Cemetery

4. Which blogger(s) do you most admire?

Julie over at Peanut Butter Fingers was the blog that inspired mine. I so admire her outlook on life, and the way she balances a healthy lifestyle with her family, friends, and her energetic dog. Just reading her blog taught me that calorie counting really isn’t necessary – it’s more about how you feel. That exercise should be something you enjoy doing, and that it doesn’t look the same for every person. And that it’s okay to indulge every once in a while, and these are all principles that I seek to apply to my own healthy living journey.

5. When did you start blogging and why?

I started blogging at the very beginning of my sophomore year of college – so September 2011. I had an obsession with reading healthy living blogs, and because I also strive to live a healthy, balanced life, I decided to combine my love of fitness with my love of writing (and my love of frozen yogurt). Thus, fitnessandfroyo was born!

6. What is the last book you read?

I recently finished When Breath Becomes Air, and I absolutely loved it. I had to go back and reread many parts of it, simply because I didn’t know a lot of the medical terms, but it was a really great read. I’m currently reading Stephen King’s The Shining, and I’m loving it. What that says about me, I don’t know, but it has officially sucked me in.

7. If you could meet anyone (past or present) who would it be and why?

I’m going to copy the person who filled this out before me and go with an Olympian. Past, present, future – you name it. I’m absolutely obsessed with the Olympics. I would love to sit down with Michael Phelps, Kerri Walsh, Shawn Johnson, any track and field athlete – but I would love to sit down with any of them and talk about their dedication to their sport. These athletes have given so much, and many of them are only recognized for it once every four years, and I would love to pick their brains.

8. Are you a morning or night person?

I am without a doubt a morning person. I wake up ready to attack the day, almost every day, and I’ve never been one of those people who says, “Don’t talk to me until at least 10am.” When I’m up, I’m up, and I’ve found that my brain is sharpest, and I’m far more productive in the mornings. Plus, I’m typically in bed by 10pm – something my friends have teased me about for years!

9. For April Fools’ Day, have you ever pulled a prank and what was your best one?

I can’t remember a specific April Fools’ Day prank, but I have pulled quite a few pranks in my day – Sarah Diamond being my best fellow prankster. We have quite the story about leaving fruit outside one of our dormmates’ doors while in Barcelona, though no one else seems to think it’s quite as funny as we do. I’m going to start early when it comes to April Fools’ Day this year – something that will get my coworkers, but that won’t get me fired.

10. What was your latest blog post about and where do you get inspiration?

My latest blog post was another episode of Things I’m Loving Friday, and this one focused on advice articles, if you will. Actually, many of them focused on the teaching profession, which is obviously something I hold very near and dear to my heart. My inspiration comes from my own life – the things I do, the articles I read, the places I see – and has transformed from something focused solely on fitness and healthy eating into a blog that follows my daily (or weekly … or monthly) life.

The greatest thing about teaching

11. What is the number one thing on your bucket list?

Okay, this changes quite often, as I have quite the bucket list. Much of it is centered on traveling, and experiencing things in these places that I maybe can’t experience in Texas. For example, canyoning in Switzerland. However, after a recent conversation with a running expert has left me thinking about really getting serious about qualifying to run the Boston Marathon within these next couple of years. The Boston Marathon is probably the equivalent of my Olympics – definitely in reach, but something that I’ll have to work extremely hard to achieve. 

And with that, I'm off to shower and call it a night!

Things I'm Loving Friday XXIX + Product Review

Happy Friday from the Houston airport! I am just getting ready to board the plane that will take me to San Francisco, but I just couldn't neglect my blog today, because I certainly won't be posting anytime tomorrow.

Frank Body Scrub
I'm not one to impulse buy beauty products. I tend to stick with what I know and what I like and not stray much from them. That's why this Australia-made, coffee-based scrub was a purchase that was a little out of the ordinary for me. And though I just received it in the mail, and have only given it one try, I'm obsessed. I have this cute scar from a rollerblading incident, and I'm hoping that this scrub will do the trick. And hey, clear skin is never a bad perk. While it was a little different for an impatient person for myself to wait ten-ish minutes for it to dry, my skin felt smooth after just the one use. I'm feeling a long-term relationship with this one!

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Life Hacks
This was a total impulse buy a couple of weeks ago during an innocent visit to Paper Source. I am such a sucker for things like this. But this one wasn't such a bad buy. In fact, it offers simple, actually applicable solutions to everyday problems. Tired of banging your thumb while using a hammer? Use a clothespin to alleviate that issue. Want to ensure that you get the best carton of ice cream? Press on the top of the container. If it's solid, it's been properly stored. If it can be pushed down, it's been thawed and refrozen. With thousands of tips just like this one, this book is a fun, easy read that will likely teach you something along the way.

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Love and Sunshine 
I was at Bath and Body Works stocking up on a few of my favorite wallflower scents when I noticed a display at the center of the store that read "Love and Sunshine." A sucker for all things sunshine, I went to check it out. Upon spraying this scent, I knew I was going to be making an additional purchase. It's light and subtle, it's sweet (but not too sweet), and it smells just as you think love and sunshine would smell -  lemony and floral with a hint of strawberry. The perfect scent for these spring and summer months.

Strong and Smart
Texas has already been Strong, but now we're Smart, too. But we already knew that. But all kidding aside, Texas Basketball just hired themselves a new basketball coach - Shaka Smart, the former VCU Basketball coach. And though I'm not so sure about the way Rick Barnes was let go, I am absolutely thrilled about the future of Texas sports. If Charlie Strong can find us a quarterback, we're good to go on the football front. Our basketball team has more than enough talent, and I think Shaka Smart is ready to bring the team to its full potential. Now all we need to do is hire a baseball coach with the last name of Sexy. I promise I didn't make that one up.

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Dr. Praeger's Veggie Burgers
When xxx reached out to me about trying out these veggie burgers, I immediately said yes. I love a good veggie burger, though they're just not something I think to buy and cook up myself. I'm not sure why, as all you really have to do is turn on the oven. I was sent the Super Greens Veggie Burgers, which are both gluten-free and dairy-free, so they were right up my alley. But I didn't stop there. I found a recipe for cauliflower bread, so I whipped that up to use as the buns. Double the veggies, double the fun, right? But seriously, I absolutely recommend these burgers. It's all the healthy ingredients of your favorite salad - quinoa, kale, and collard greens, to name just a few of the trendy super foods found within - thrown together into something that may be a little more exciting to eat. The flavor was fresh, and while I topped my burger with mustard, I think a variety of sauces would work well with it. I've tried a couple of frozen veggie burger brands, and I'm going to have to give the nod to Dr. Praeger's on this one!

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Do You Believe in Magic?
We search high and low for hidden magic - Prince Charming, fairy dust, and a wand that can cast spells just like Harry Potter's. But what we often times forget is that there is beauty and magic all around us, all the time. And this article states this idea perfectly. It's short, sweet, and simple, but so very powerful. It can sometimes be hard to see the beauty in the common, everyday things and events, simply because that's what we see and do every day. Waking up. Catching the sunrise. A lone flower on the side of the road. Reality is just as magical as the imaginary, and every day may not be extraordinary, but there something extraordinary can be found in every day.

Fuller House
In the spirit of San Francisco, I revisited this reminiscent Painted Ladies picture, and not much later did I learn that Netflix is allegedly releasing a Full House reunion series, focusing on besties DJ Tanner and Kimmy Gibler. While I know these spin-offs aren't ever as good as the original, I have high hopes for this one. I've said before that I grew up with the Tanner family and the life lessons that Danny sent our way. Heck, I still watch Full House when I get the chance! Though I didn't jump on the Girl Meets World bandwagon, this reunion series seems to have a different feel. I have my fingers crossed that this announcement was no April Fool's joke, and here's to catching a glimpse of Uncle Jesse and the rest of the Tanner crew this time around!

And I'll see YOU guys from San Francisco! Ready or not, the golden girls are coming!