Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving to any of the readers that I might have left after yet another long hiatus from the f&f scene. But to say that this first semester has been crazy would be an understatement. I don’t know that I have ever been more ready for a break, and I know that I am not alone in that. Don’t get me wrong, this semester has been full of so many good things, but man, I feel like I have been running 100 miles per hour this entire first semester, yet I’m barely managing to stay half a step ahead of all that needs to get done. But I’m confident that this break – and the fact that I put school work aside after a full Monday of grading expository essays – is going to leave me feeling refreshed, refocused, and recharged to tackle the remaining four weeks of school with my freshmen.

Anyway, Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday because it’s such a great reminder that I truly have so much to be thankful for. It comes at a time when I am tired and worn out and definitely not outwardly expressing my daily gratitude, and probably doing more complaining than anything, so Thanksgiving allows me to put my complaints to the side and reflect on just how much good there is in each day.

This year's thankful board

So, here goes another year of what I’m thankful for. I’ll try and encompass everything that’s been going on in my life since my last post, without giving a play-by-play of what’s been going on in my life since my last post.

It goes without saying that I am thankful for my parents. They are my rocks, and I’m not sure how I would have made it to this point without them. First, they so generously agree to watch my sweet pup throughout volleyball season, as my long hours away from home during those few months just wouldn’t be fair. They answer my every phone call, and they calm me down when I start losing my cool. Which, let’s be real, happened quite a few times this semester. In fact, when I called them feeling completely overwhelmed with everything I had on my plate, wondering how I was possibly going to cross everything off my never-ending to-do list without sacrificing too much sleep, they swooped in to help without even a moment’s hesitation. My dad did all my grocery shopping so that I would have a fully stocked fridge for the week ahead. He took a bulging basket of dirty laundry back home to my mom, who happily did all of it and delivered it back to me the very next day. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is. And though they don’t necessarily understand what goes into all the running that I do, they always, always ask me how each run went.

Part of the reason I could never leave Houston is because I love having them just 20 minutes down the road. It’s always nice to know that I can always take the Westpark Tollway home, and probably be treated to dinner at Hungry’s.

I’m thankful for my incredible friends, who I haven’t seen as much as I maybe would have liked because right now, I’m hyper focused on this whole running thing. That they know my personality and that when I focus on some task or goal, I tend do whatever it takes to achieve it. That I’ve had to say “No” to a number of things along the way. And that’s hard for me, not because I particularly care about missing out on something, but because I don’t want my friends to think that I don’t care about them. But they still show up and they still call on me and they make sure to tell me I’m doing a good job. And I probably don’t tell them enough just how much they mean to me, but I’ll never stop being thankful for their listening ears and the endless laughter they provide.

 

 

This year, I am especially thankful for the city I call home. The city that I grew up in and that I share with millions of truly incredible people who were more than willing to lend a helping hand. A city that was absolutely devastated by 51 inches of rain, but that fought back with resilience and love, proving to the rest of the country and to the world that it is very possible to put aside any differences we may have and lend a helping hand. I wrote a lot about my thoughts on Harvey here, but I’ll always hold onto the fact that we are #HoustonStrong, and we showed everyone that you can never count out Houston, which brings me to my next point –


I am thankful for the unifying power of sports. I’m 100% talking about the Houston Astros, because this year, our hometown heroes absolutely #EarnedHistory. And it could not have happened at a better time. The Astros gave so many in this city something to hold onto; something to put their hope in. I know that I was brought to tears multiple times when interviews of the players after games focused very little on themselves, but instead harped on the idea that they were playing to bring happiness to the people of their city. I mean, they had photos of the devastation Harvey caused taped to the inside of their lockers so that they never lost sight of what was truly important. How can you not root for a team like that? And after living through the Lastros and the Diasastros era, this World Series victory was everything we could have hoped for and more. The games were purely fun to watch, though every minute was stressful, and it has been amazing to see the lifted spirits of my fellow Houstonians.

Throwback to 2010 and the red and black

I am thankful for pep talks and second chances and fall weather and surprise double rainbows and First Friday and harmless pranks and my fellow English teacher who stops by my room EVERY morning without fail with a “How’s it going, Pickles?” and stays for a few minutes just to chat. For group chats and the means to travel and opportunities to learn and grow each day.

I am thankful for meaningful conversations and handwritten notes and encouraging words and people who invest in me and who take the time to pull me aside and make sure that the smile I’m wearing is authentic, and not one that I’m simply hiding behind.

 

I am thankful for people who encourage me to dream big and chase goals and stretch myself in every area of my life. For library chats and donated pencils and Harry Potter marathons and dairy-free chocolate, because what would a day be like without it?

 

 

I couldn’t do a thankful post without talking about the fact that I definitely don’t take having a healthy body for granted. Most days these days are run days, and I can always be thankful for legs that continue to allow me to run. I cherish the well-executed runs that leave me feeling on top of the world and that all the hard work and sacrifice is so worth it, and I’m thankful for the failed runs that humble me and remind me that I can always work harder and smarter. Running has taught me discipline and focus and how to push myself and a whole lot about expectations and goals. I truly love this sport – the reminder to dig deep and the “me time” it provides, and I’m thankful for all that it has given me over the years – especially this last year and a half. I’m thankful for those who believe in me when I don’t believe in myself, and for a coach who shows absolutely no mercy when it comes to this seemingly crazy training plan, but also makes sure to tell me that I’m doing a good job every once in a while. I’ll continue to run as long as I love doing it, and I hope to never take it for granted that I can.

 

 

Chasing big goals, and being rewarded with an even bigger medal

I’m thankful for my job that, most of the time, doesn’t feel like a job. Whenever I tell people that I teach freshmen, they give me this look and say something along the lines of, “You’re so brave.” And that might be true, but I also know that I’ve got what I consider to be the best role anyone could have. I get to start out each day with a plan, never knowing what wrench is going to be thrown into it. Because there’s always going to be one. I get to stand among 128 students each day, talking about reading and writing and real-world issues, trying to help light the fire that’s already inside all of them. I get to listen to their stories, believe in, encourage, and challenge them, and hopefully be a bright spot in at least one of their days. Because they are definitely bright spots in mine. They make me laugh no matter what kind of day I’m having, and they truly mean the world to me. I get to stand outside my door each passing period and greet all of my current and former students, remembering that my crazy freshmen will one day mature. And though I’ll groan and grumble about having 128 essays to give feedback to, I’m thankful that they’re turning their work in.

 

 

 

And my job wouldn't be my job without the people I have around me. I work with some pretty stellar people who encourage me and push me and help me and ask the hard questions and want the best for our students. And I couldn't ask for much more than that.

 

 

 

I’m thankful that I get to wear multiple hats within Bellaire High School – that of a teacher and a coach. Volleyball has always meant so much to me, and I’ll never take for granted the sport that gives me infinitely more as a coach than it gave me as a player. And it gave me a lot as a player. Every year, when I get really overwhelmed with teaching and coaching and … adulting … I am reminded how much of a privilege coaching is. Sure, I get to help these girls improve their volleyball skills – and trust me, it’s amazing the progress each one of them makes from day one of freshmen camp to our final game – but even more than that I can help foster an environment of teamwork and hard work and inclusivity and positivity and focus and energy and determination and drive and encouragement. Every year I’m blown away by what these girls bring to the table, and my work day just wouldn’t be complete without them.

 

 

I’m thankful for neighbors, who, when you send out a post about desperately needing a bookshelf for your classroom (because this is the current situation),

 

 

more than come through. I’m thankful to be a Texas Longhorn (we’re going bowling, heck yeah!), for sunshine, for car insurance, that I can hold myself to a stand of grace and not perfection, for Wednesday phone calls with Gram, and that my brother nailed down a job in Houston post-graduation.

 

 

Finally, I’m thankful for who I consider to be the cutest dog in the world. My little Mack brings a tremendous amount of joy to my life, and I really don’t know what we did to deserve dogs. He has never met a dog or a person he doesn’t like, he brings a smile to the face of every person he passes on the street, and he is always down for a long walk through the neighborhood. He makes himself comfortable all up in my personal space, he begs for food like I don’t ever feed him, and he adds endless love and excitement to each day. He brings a smile to my face when I need it the most, and I’m a better person for being the owner of this floppy-eared nutcase.

 

 

 

And hopefully, I’ll continue to be thankful every other day of the year, too. I’ve found myself doing quite a bit of complaining lately, so I am determined to finish out this year with a “get to” mentality as opposed to a “have to” mentality. The mindset we bring to the table is half the battle, and expressing gratitude is such a little thing that can go such a long way.

 

 

I hope you and your loved ones have a fabulous Thanksgiving! I’m going to power down and enjoy time with my family and friends, and though this year we’re gathering around a table in a house hit by Harvey, I think I’ve got more to be thankful for than ever. And I can’t end this post without telling my readers how thankful I am that you guys still read my posts, as they tend to be few and far between these days. I love pressing pause on the chaos around me and sitting down to write, and the encouragement I get from the people who read f&f are the real MVPs.

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!

The Perfect 10

Happy Sunday! These last few weeks of summer are absolutely flying by! We wrapped up our last day of freshman volleyball camp yesterday, and I'm getting really excited about this upcoming season. It's always fun to see what I'm going to have to work with, and just like my first two years, I think I'm going to have a really great group. Go Cards! I got home around 3:00 yesterday afternoon, and spent a majority of the rest of the day reading, getting a foot massage, and walking the pup until he couldn't walk anymore. A tired puppy is a happy puppy, right? So, I wasn't super productive yesterday, and I'm hoping to pick up the slack a bit today. But first, Survey Sunday!

1. Is there a sport you'd love to try, but haven't yet? What is it and why?

TENNIS! Okay, I've tried tennis, but I've never had any formal instruction with the sport, and I would love to really learn. I feel as though it's a sport that can be played for many, many years, and I have a tennis court in the middle of my neighborhood that I would love to put to good use. Additionally, I have been so inspired by the Olympic divers that I wish I had grown up learning how to flip and twist off of a 3-meter board.

(Source)

2. Where did you go on your last holiday?

Argentina. Blog posts to come - I promise! It's on my "Last Week of Freedom" To-Do List.

3. Who inspires you the most?

Oh man, I love this question. There are so many people who inspire me. My parents, and the way they have raised and endlessly supported two great (in my opinion) kids while working full-time and still finding time for the things that they enjoy. The people I work with, and the way that they never settle for anything less than the very best for their students. Athletes, and the things they sacrifice to be the very best they can be. So many "ordinary" people inspire me each and every day, and these people push me to become better than I was yesterday.

4. Why do you blog?

I believe I've answered this question a couple of times, and I feel like it changes a little bit each time. I blog for many reasons. One, because I truly love writing. I've always loved writing, ever since I was a little kid. And I have a passion for health and fitness that, after reading so many other health and fitness blogs, I wanted to share with others. And while this blog has transformed from being solely workout- and recipe-focused to being more of an online diary of my life, I love to think that what I have to say can impact just one person on any given day. I hope to bring excitement to something that people typically see as a chore, and most of all, it's my own creative outlet. I enjoy it, and apparently people enjoy reading it, so I'll keep on keepin' on!

5. What's number one on your bucket list?

I've got quite the bucket list. And I know how lucky I am to have already been able to cross so many items off of my bucket list. But a couple of the major items on my list are qualifying for the Boston Marathon and visiting every state in the United States, as well as visiting every one of the seven continents. So far, I've hit three. But running and traveling are two of my very favorite things, so I'm sure it comes as no surprise that those two categories are what top my ultimate to-do list. 

6. What's your happiest memory?

The day I brought Mack home has to be right up there as one of the happiest days of my life. This little puppy has changed my life for the better, and I cherish every single moment I get to spend with him. He makes me life exponentially more chaotic, but he is such a tangible example of unconditional love. And I wouldn't trade our three-times-a-day walks for anything in the world. He might. But I sure wouldn't.

7. If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be?

What a question! Right now, because we are less than TWO WEEKS away from the start of the 2016 Olympics (if you haven't noticed yet, I'm obsessed with the Olympics), I would probably want to live the life of an Olympic athlete, just to experience what a day of training (and eating) looks like in their shoes. I love a challenge, and I love being pushed to the limit, and I feel as though this be extremely eye-opening. Either that, or I would love to spend a day being Mack. I so wish I knew what he does while I'm gone. 

8. Road or trail?

ROAD, 110%. Okay, this isn't really fair. I have only had one experience with a trail race, and it was 13 miles in Texas in the middle of July. And that combination just doesn't add up. But because road races are what is going to get me to Boston, and road is far more prevalent near where I live, I'll take pavement any day of the week. 

9. What's your dream job?

To be honest, and I have said this before, I've got my dream job. I love working with high school-aged students, and I truly love getting up and going to work each day. As I say this, I'm currently stressing about the fact that inservice begins in just about two weeks, but I think it's just the anticipation of everything starting up and going full speed ahead again. Once I'm in it, I love it. If I wasn't teaching, I would probably want to do something either in the fitness world, or I would love to open up my own bakery. 

10. What was your favorite race or event?

I loved the Chevron Houston Marathon, in which I participated January 2016. I loved the Aramco Houston Half Marathon as well, and I look forward to my second go around in 2017. The Austin half will forever hold a special place in my heart, as it was my first, and the one I've completed the highest number of times. And though the hills were killer, San Francisco will certainly be a race to remember. I guess I didn't do such a great job of answering this question!

Finishing my FIRST full marathon!

And that's all I've got. I've got 6 miles and lots of errands on my to-do list today, so I'm off to conquer them all. Have a fabulous and restful Sunday!