Things I'm Loving Friday LV

Happy Friday! Whew, this is my first full week at work in two weeks thanks to my brother's Aggie Ring Day and Good Friday, and I am wiped out! Add in the fact that I graded 48 character transformation essays in a 24-hour period, as well as did quite a bit of work for our Romeo and Juliet unit, I am more than ready to wind down and relax in order to get ready for yet another full week. It's like I think the spring semester is going to be a lot more chill than the fall because I'm without the busyness (word?) of volleyball season and STAAR is officially in my rearview mirror, but that's never actually the case. When will I learn? Anyway, I've officially began reading Romeo and Juliet in two of my classes, and while I'm always super nervous to start, I quickly remember why I love teaching Shakespeare. Besides, my students get a kick out of all the sex and drug references that are made throughout the play.

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But for now, enjoy another round of Things I'm Loving Friday!

Eating Disorders and Running
I listened to this podcast on one of my early morning walks with Mack, and it held my attention the entire time. And I think I've mentioned before that I'm not much of a podcast person. But this one focused on a topic that is near and dear to me: running, and it also focused on another topic that maybe isn't so easy to talk about: eating disorders and disordered eating. While I've never had an official eating disorder, I've definitely had my fair share of food and exercise struggles. Who hasn't, right? In this podcast, a couple of Runner's World employees, as well as a former NCAA All-American runner at Michigan State sit down and open up about their own personal experiences with disordered eating, as well as its prevalence within the sport. It's something I struggle with every single day -- I am such an active person, running and walking many miles every single day. And I know enough to know that if I want to be the best runner that I can be, I have to fuel my body. The fear of weight gain is always there, but ultimately my desire to reach my highest potential is greater. This is a fantastic listen for ANY athlete who may struggle with this same sort of issue.

Hilly 10K followed by Blue Bell ice cream

Find the Good -- Heather Lende
A poster for this book caught my eye while leaving the University of Washington bookstore over spring break, so I made a mental note to check it out once I got back to where I was staying and could put a little bit of juice back into my phone. This book is small, but it's full of meaningful messages. The author is an obituary writer in a small town in Alaska, which, after reading this book, I find to be a super interesting job. We know how easy it is to harp on the negatives -- the news is full of it, and sometimes life just doesn't quite go our way. I know I'm one to complain a little bit too often at times, but this book stopped me in my tracks. We are all writing our obituaries every single day, and we have the chance to change our story and find the good in anything that may be thrown our way. A quick, uplifting, wisdom-filled read that leaves you feeling as bright as the book's cover.

Thirteen Reasons Why -- Jay Asher
Because I'm around high schoolers every single day of my life, this show has been all I've heard about for the past week or so. I mean, my students are obsessed with this Netflix original series. And while I can't vouch for the television series, I will talk about the book. I actually read it for the first time when I was in high school, and I can honestly remember not really loving it as much as I did the second time around. I think I didn't get as much out of it when I was a high school student because, as ashamed as I am to admit the fact that I was stuck inside my own little bubble of happiness, I didn't actually think that was something that could happen where I lived. Which is silly and naive, but you better believe I found it to be incredibly powerful as a high school teacher. While I have no doubt that the show is a little bit cheesy, I think it's the storyline that really packs the punch. What may seem harmless and funny to you may actually have a huge - negative - impact on another person. And those things can pile up. Unfortunately these feelings and emotions that Hannah Baker, the main character in the book and show, are all too real to so many teenagers, and it's so important to step back and think about the impact -- either positive or negative -- your words or actions may have.

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Jordan Hasay
This girl is my new hero. She is a 25-year-old first time marathon runner who was the third (first American) female finisher at the 2017 Boston Marathon with a time of 2:23. I mean, WHAT! That is absolutely unreal to me, and after doing a little bit of stalking (okay, a solid hour after school on Wednesday -- I have no shame here), she seems like the most humble, hard-working, down-to-earth, speed demon of a young lady who was made to run the marathon. Not even three weeks before Boston, she raced her way to a 1:07 half marathon finish in Prague, and she did all of this just five months after losing her mother unexpectedly. She gave a very emotional post-race interview, and I am excited to watch her running career continue to take off.

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Uh Oh -- Junior Doctor
If you are not familiar with the Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify, go make yourself familiar with it. Spotify is one of the best investments I have made (okay, maybe that my parents make but that's because I signed up for it when I was still on their paycheck, shhh), and while the weekly playlist can either be hit or miss, occasionally I find a song that I just jam to on repeat. It doesn't matter if I'm on the way to school, doing my weekly meal prep, cleaning, or running, I can listen to it over and over without getting sick of it. This is one of those songs. It's just so incredibly catchy, and I find myself cranking the volume every time this one comes up on shuffle. Or every time I put it on repeat. But I digress. It's upbeat, energetic, and has that cheesy "happy first love vibe" to it. It's definitely not a new song, but I find some of my favorite music discoveries are actually rediscoveries.

Momentum Motivate Wraps
If you haven't noticed by now, I am such a sucker for cheesy quotes. I know many will roll their eyes, but I take many of them to heart. So, when I saw on my Instagram explore page (it's getting semi-creepy how much social media knows us) an avid runner showing off one of these bracelets featuring one of my favorite quotes, I thought it was fate when I saw it at my local Fleet Feet just a few weeks later. It feels just like a ponytail holder, but it gives me that little bit of added motivation when I look down and see it during a run. This is one of my go-to in-my-head quotes these days, as I have set my sights on the 2019 Boston Marathon. And half the battle is believing that I can do it. These wraps are made for active people (therefore, they can handle sweat), and they come in many colors and sayings. Guarantee you'll find one that fits your personality and mindset.

And with that, I'm off to school for what will hopefully be a fantastic Friday. Have a great one!

Things I'm Loving Friday L

Happy FRIDAY! Can you believe there are only TWO days until Christmas (if you celebrate Christmas, that is)? And if you celebrate Hanukkah, it's even closer. Time is absolutely flying, and I'll admit that while I don't have all of my Christmas shopping done yet, and I certainly don't have all my wrapping (aka stick the present in a Christmas bag and add some decorative tissue paper) and card-writing done, I'm almost there. And I plan on getting it totally finished today. I did some major gift-giving last week when I was delivering baked goods to all my teacher friends, and baking out the wazoo for my students because that's the deal I have with them -- every semester when final exams roll around, I'll reward their hard work with baked goods. They particularly enjoyed the slutty brownies.

But as much as I enjoyed baking for my students, I have more than enjoyed this break. I am batting 1,000 when it comes to naps, and I have already finished reading four books. I've caught up with friends, I've run quite a few miles, and I have spent some quality time with my precious pup. And now, it's time for another round of Things I'm Loving Friday.

Daring Greatly
I read Brené Brown's Rising Strong this past summer, and I have listened to a few of her TED talks, and I fell in love with her outlook and perspective on how we live our day-to-day lives. I was a little out of order, but I picked up Daring Greatly at Brazos Bookstore while doing some birthday shopping for my dad, and I finished it three days. Embracing vulnerability is what this one is all about, and she talks a lot about the difference between guilt and shame. I found so many points that are applicable in the classroom, and I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to live a wholehearted life.

Chocolate Pretzel Bites
If you're looking for an easy, last-minute, aesthetically pleasing and also tasty treat to bring to your family Christmas, look no further than these chocolate pretzel bites. You'll probably spend more time arranging the pretzels and unwrapping the Hershey's Kisses than you will putting on the M&M finishing touch. All you need are a bag of window pane pretzels, Hershey's Kisses (or Hugs or holiday-themed Kisses), and holiday-themed M&M's. The beauty of this dessert is that it's customizable to any holiday. You unwrap a Hershey's Kiss, place it on top of the pretzel, and stick it in the oven heated to 350 degrees for two to three minutes, or until the Kisses begin to melt. As soon as you take them out of the oven, press down with an M&M so that the chocolate covers the pretzel. And that's it! They make a nice appearance, and you can make a lot of them in a small amount of time. And the best part is, all there is to clean up are the Hershey's Kisses wrappers. I'll take it. 

Anthropologie Golden Monogram Mug
I was (secretly) super bummed last semester when a student reached over my desk and accidentally shattered my golden "K" mug. It wasn't that it was worth a lot of money -- I got it for only $8, but I knew that because it was limited edition, I wouldn't be able to replace it. I don't drink coffee or tea, but I like to use mugs to hold my various pens, pencils, and 

highlighters, which is why it sat on my desk at school. So when I saw the email from Anthropologie that announced the return of these limited editions mugs, I jumped right on it and got myself a new one. TBD if I am going to bring it to school with me.

Josh Groban's 'O Holy Night'
Hands down my favorite Christmas song of all time. There were days when I listened to this song on repeat the entire drive to school. His voice is magical, and it's somewhat fitting that my favorite line of the entire song is "a thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices." I think we can all agree that 2016 has left us a little weary, and we'll take any ounce of hope that we can get going into 2017.

Cherry Glacier Gatorade Frost
I was never a big Gatorade drinker growing up. I really only started drinking it within these last couple of years because I'm the world's saltiest sweater, and I needed something to replenish the electrolytes I was losing while running. And I was always really grateful that yellow Gatorade is what is on the majority of race courses, because I thought that was the only flavor I liked. Rewind to a few months ago when the JV girls gave the freshmen girls a "Beat Lamar" basket, and in it was this Cherry Glacier Gatorade Frost. I put it in my refrigerator, not giving it a second thought until I came home from an exceptionally tough Sunday run and this was the only thing in the fridge. It was love at first gulp, and now it's my go-to flavor when stocking up on Gatorade. It sure has come in handy in these 70-degree December temps.

Define: Bounce

So, my last post saw me mentioning that I was hoping to do something this Christmas break besides just run, and though I have mainly stuck to running and walking my dog, I decided to give the Define studio just a ten-minute walk away a chance. The first class is free, and I wanted something that would be both low-impact - my shins have taken a beating - and fun. I contemplated taking a Body Pump class, but I knew that would leave me feeling so sore that my Thursday tempo run would suffer. I checked the Define website, and saw that there was a bounce class happening Wednesday morning, and for those of you who know me, you know that I love a good trampoline session. I was a little nervous when I got to the studio and I was told that this class was all about staying with the rhythm of the music because I've got very little rhythm. I ended up absolutely loving the class - the 45 minutes absolutely flew by, and my entire body got a workout. It may be low-impact, but it's seriously high in intensity, and FUN!

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The Stretch Factor
The only downside I see to this place is that it's a little bit of a drive for me, as it is located in Katy, Texas. It's easy enough for me to hop on the Westpark Tollway all the way there, and it's also an excuse for me to stop by my parents' house, as they live smack dab in the middle. This place, which just recently opened its doors, was introduced to me by a teacher at school. He's the same one who is kicking my butt with this running plan he has me on, but he promised me that this place is the real deal. And after just my introductory session, I was hooked. I practically floated off the table. Seriously. I'm notoriously bad about stretching, and I definitely don't place enough emphasis on it even though I know I should. The Stretch Factor is 30 minutes (or an hour) of personalized stretching that I could absolutely not achieve on my own. They focus on your individual needs as an athlete and a human being, and target areas that will help you to maximize your performance and get the most out of your life. I've chatted with both Ryan S. and Ryan T., and they have been nothing but helpful and knowledgeable. Because I am running with more focus and more intensity, I see this as another step in the run and recovery process. Anyone can benefit from a visit to The Stretch Factor, so take advantage of that free 30-minute consultation!

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And on that note, I'm off to get some stuff done around the apartment. It's a wet morning here in Houston, so it's perfect for crossing a few things off the to-do list. Have a great one!

Things I'm Loving Friday XLVIII

Happy Friday! Today is my last real Friday of freedom, if you will, as volleyball starts Monday, and inservice the following Monday. So what will I be doing on my last Friday of freedom, you ask? Well, I'll likely be driving circles around Houston as I try and cross every last thing off of my to-do list. Once volleyball and inservice come around, I don't have a whole lot of time for extracurricular activities. After all, I've got practice and meetings and classroom set-up. Last year I was consistently the last car in the parking lot. And while that will probably be the case this year as well, at least I can go home and pass out on the couch.

But first, a workout. And before that, a blog post. Here are some things I'm loving lately, with a little bit of a twist. 

for taste: 18 Nutrient-Rich Power Foods
Calling all athletes! If you're not sure what foods you should be eating, this article is the one for you. From endurance training to illness prevention, many of these foods are easy to incorporate into your weekly recipes. And though I probably won't be making sardines a part of my daily diet, you already know dark chocolate is something I eat on the daily. Along with honey and flax seeds, and I'm obviously a sucker for sweet potato fries. 

Chocolate + cinnamon

for inspiration: Simone Biles
Don't feel like working out? Take one look at Simone Biles and maybe you'll think again. This girl is the real deal, and I could not be more excited to watch her bring home (literally, she's from Spring!) the gold at the Olympics. But she hasn't met such success by simply sitting on her couch and watching episode after episode of The Middle. She has found success by putting in hours upon hours of work at the gym. And okay, we might not be able to flip and tumble quite like she does, and seeing as I can't even do one pull-up, I'm definitely not going to be climbing ropes legless anytime soon. But this is all the motivation I need to complete my dreaded tempo run.

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for a laugh: Bored Teachers: A Year in the Life of a Teacher
I'll let this video speak for itself. Teachers in August are wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, and by May, I consider a day that I've taken attendance to be a good day. Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration. But the reason teachers get summer vacation? We need it in order to keep our sanity and recharge for the year ahead. Teaching is a job that requires you to be "on" at all times, so we need a few days where we're allowed to be "off." And if that means drinking wine out of a glass the size of a horse, so be it.

for the body: Five-Minute Expert Guide to Running in Humid Weather
It's hot and humid here in Houston, and I know we're not the only ones experiencing that combination. But that doesn't mean you have to call it quits on the outdoor workouts. You just have to be smart about it. That means not running the heat of the afternoon, staying hydrated before, during, and after the run, and don't stress too much about your time. The higher the temp, the higher your minute per mile. And that's okay. And most importantly, know when to take your workout inside. Or else you'll end up begging the valet guys at Hungry's for a water bottle. Not that I'm speaking from experience or anything.

for the ears: Rise Up by Andra Day
This isn't a brand new song, but I just recently became obsessed. If this isn't the ultimate feel-better anthem, I don't know what is. Maybe you've had one of those days - kind of like me yesterday - or you're fed up with all the bad news you hear on the news day after day after day, and you need a pick-me-up. This is my new go-to. I know I'll need it many a time as I attempt to tackle the most hardcore running schedule I've ever been given. But I'll rise up over any tough training days.

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for the mind: 31 Life Lessons They Didn't Teach You in School
You guys know I'm a teacher. And it's in my job description to teach the cardinal rules of reading and writing. But it's also my unofficial job to make sure that my students leave my classroom with lessons they can carry with them for years and years to come. And though the title of this article deals with things you don't learn in school, I think each and every one of the items on this list is something I can teach my kids using literature as my pipeline. My favorite? Never underestimate the value of a handwritten note. Especially in this age of technology.

And with that, I'm off. I've got another jam-packed day today, and I'm hoping to crawl into bed at a somewhat decent hour tonight. Ciao! 

Things I'm Loving Friday XLVII

Happy Friday! I hope you guys have enjoyed a wonderful week. It has been hot, hot, hot here in Houston, but that hasn't stopped me from running, walking the pup, walking with Sarah around Rice, laying by the pool, and enjoying this last little bit of time off. Actually, volleyball unofficially starts tonight with the first day of our freshman volleyball camp, where we start teaching the incoming freshman the Bellaire Volleyball Way. I always look forward to getting a look at my future players, and I've got my fingers crossed for a good turnout. And a setter!

Dog days of summer

But before I get going on all that I hope to accomplish today before heading up to school, let's take a minute for our regularly scheduled events.

Pikos
Guys, I am obsessed with Pikos. From tops to dresses, I can't seem to get enough of them. They're such a staple in my closet - in any closet - and I just love how versatile they are. You can dress them up by adding a piece of statement jewelry and fun shoes, or you can dress them down by wearing a Piko dress and Keds. They're comfortable, they come in every color imaginable, and I wear something Piko at least once a week. I may or may not have just ordered four new dresses. Judge away.

Spotify Discover Weekly
If you don't have Spotify, you need to get Spotify. $10/month, and all the music your heart desires. I love Spotify because not only does it allow me to easily access my favorite songs, it also lets me discover new music based on the songs that I already love. Discover Weekly is a feature that creates and delivers a two-hour playlist every Monday morning. It's unique in that it combines the kind of music that you typically listen to with what's popular with other listeners, allowing you to discover new music that you might not have discovered otherwise. I absolutely love this feature, as I have added quite a few new songs to my repertoire.

And then sometimes you get great throwbacks like this one

Teacher Bumper Numbers
Do not watch this video if you are in a place where it would be frowned upon for you to burst out laughing. Maybe it made me laugh so hard because I'm both a runner and a teacher, and I can identify with this quick clip on so many levels, but I think this will make even the non-teachers laugh. Gerry Brooks is a principal in Lexington who claims to spread humor in the world of education. And that he does. I'm also very fond of his PLC video. Professional learning community, or places ladies converse? Because we all need a Friday laugh.

That time I convinced my PLC to go bowling

Veggie-Stuffed Sandwiches
I will admit that I have been extra lazy when it has come to cooking this week. Nothing has jumped out at me as something I really want to make, and when I have so many great restaurants within biking distance. Lately, I've been loving sandwiches that are chock full of veggies. And chicken, because a girl needs her protein, but I can't get enough of the Garden Sammie with Chicken from Local Foods and the Roasted Vegetable Sandwich (with added chicken) from La Madeleine. Protein, carbs, and health all stuffed into one delicious, toasted sandwich.

Veggies for days

Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mega Chunks
It's no secret that I love all things chocolate. But I have to be careful that I don't upset my lactose intolerance. Luckily, Enjoy Life products cater specifically to dairy-free people such as myself. These chocolate chunks are said to be great for baking, but I prefer to enjoy them mixed in with my favorite Chobani yogurt. They are free of any additives, and they actually taste like chocolate, so I don't feel like I'm sacrificing the delicious taste for the sake of my digestive system.

I've nixed the granola and go all chocolate chunks

And that's all I've got. I've got quite the to-do list to tackle today, so I'm over and out. Have a great start to your weekend!

Game of Fives

Happy Survey Sunday! Survey Sunday is easily one of my favorite weekly fitnessandfroyo traditions, as hard as it can be to find new surveys each week. But I found this one through a quick search of Julie's blog, and I couldn't help but give it a go.

Enjoy, and may you learn something new about the girl behind the blog.

Five Places I’m Dying to Visit

• Alaska – Ever since I saw The Proposal, I’m eagerly anticipating a trip to a state where summertime daylight rarely ends.
• Italy – I’ve got some Italian in me, and everything I’ve seen and read about Italy just seems so picturesque.

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• Peru – Machu Picchu is calling my name.
• Pacific Northwest – When I’m 25 and can rent a car, I would love to spend a few weeks driving through Yosemite, up through Oregon and Washington, and over to Montana and Idaho.
• Chile – My trip to Argentina developed a love in me for all things South America. My uncle has spent some time in the country, and everything I’ve heard of it has been nothing short of amazing.

Five Foods I Eat Every Day

• Eggs, or egg whites

• Chocolate
• Cooked oats
• Pickles (seriously)
• Yogurt

Five Talents I Wish I Had

• Calligraphy - Perhaps I can find a class to take?
• Dancing

My attempt at learning to tango

• Singing, or anything musical
• Photography
• Tennis (more on this to come)

I may not have many tennis skills, but I've got the tennis skirt down

Five Healthy Food Bloggers I Wish Would Cook For Me Every Day

• Julie from Peanut Butter Fingers
• Monica from Run Eat Repeat
• Gina from SkinnyTaste
• Katie from Chocolate Covered Katie
• Gina from Fitnessista

Five Instagram Accounts I Love

• Anthropologie – So aesthetically pleasing.
• 365ThingsAustin – Nostalgia for one incredible city.
• BakerByNature – Serious baking goals.
• RachMansfield – Everyone’s favorite sweet treats turned healthy.
• Betches – Wildly inappropriate most of the time, but wickedly funny.

Five Things I Wear (Almost) Every Day

• Tennis shoes

The only shoes I wore in Argentina

• Grandma slippers
• Padded running socks – Thorlo and Lululemon are my favorites.
• Headband – Typically Lululemon, but I don’t discriminate.

• Shark Watch – I’ve got quite the impressive watch tan line. While I usually trade in the sports watch in favor of a more … “professional” watch that I wear to school, I don’t think I took this watch off one time while in Argentina. It was a permanent fixture.

Five Songs I Listen To On Repeat

• In Your Arms by Nico & Vinz
• Moving Forward by Colony House
• North Carolina by Little Chief
• Work From Home by Fifth Harmony
• Work This Body by Walk the Moon

Five Beauty Products I Use Every Day

• EOS Lip Balm – I put this stuff on obsessively. And it comes in so many fun flavors. All of which I have probably tried.
• Dermablend Powder – Smooth coverage, definitely not cakey, and gets the job done.
• Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser – Okay, I might be guilty of skipping a day or two or three here and there, but this random find is my favorite of any face wash I’ve ever tried.

But this face mask was fun to do

• Benefit They’re Real! Mascara – Mascara and eyeshadow is about as much make-up as I will apply on a regular basis, and now that I’ve tried this particular product, there’s no going back to drugstore mascara.
• Marc Jacobs' "Daisy" Perfume - A sweet-smelling fragrance that works for any occasion.

Five Movies I Can Watch On Repeat

• Harry Potter (All you have to do is say “marathon weekend” and I know what my weekend plans are.)
• She’s the Man
• Mean Girls
• Remember the Titans
• The Breakfast Club

Five Books On My Current Reading List

• The Shining by Stephen King
• 1984 by George Orwell
• Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
• Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
• The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison

And I'll do all of my reading here, thanks

Five Random Things I Ate Yesterday

• Nothin’ But Granola Cookies
• Watermelon (I can’t get enough these days!)
• Garden Sammie + Chicken from Local Foods (This is two days in a row, people)
• Orchard Valley Harvest Dark Chocolate Blueberries
• Grapes

And with that, I'm off to get in my final long run before next weekend's trail race. My first, and I'm starting with 13 miles in the middle of a Texas July. Call me crazy, and be on the lookout for a recipe post (or two!) as well as a product review coming in the very near future.

Lately I've Been

Hello, hello! I hope you guys are enjoying a long weekend - if you get one! - and appreciate the fact that you don't have to go to work or school tomorrow. While I'm simply administering finals this last week (and by that, I mean reading, surfing the web, and making sure my kids remain somewhat under control), I'm always grateful for a long weekend. I'm going to be spending much of my Memorial Day in the kitchen, baking sweet treats for my teacher friends, but that won't stop me from thinking of the men and women who have made, and who continue to make, the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Anyway, I saw this survey over on Julie's blog, and I decided it would make for the perfect Survey Sunday. I managed to find a few more surveys, so this tradition will continue on for at least a few more weeks! Then I'll have to start getting creative. 

Lately I've Been ...

Making: Granola. I’ve pinned a handful of granola recipes, and I just can’t get enough of it lately. Now that I’ve been making my own, store-bought granola just isn’t doing it for me.

Cooking: I haven’t been doing much cooking lately, I’ll admit. I’ve actually been eating out quite a bit more than I usually do, but I’ve been looking into some different recipes using quinoa, and I’m itching for summer to be here so that I can give them a try. Heck, I might even try one of them this upcoming week. What else am I supposed to do when I get home from work at 11:00am?

Drinking: Water. Always water. I have to laugh because in between every class period I run over to the English lounge to refill my water bottle (and go to the bathroom, as a direct result of drinking so much water). I don’t know what I’m going to do without that cold, endless supply of water this summer!

Reading: I plan on covering this more on my next Things I’m Loving Friday post, but All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. I absolutely devoured this book, and I gave it five stars on Goodreads.

 

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Wanting: I’m going to steal Julie’s answer on this one – another good book to read. None of the books on my Summer Reading List are speaking to me right now, and I think I might tackle The Book Thief, a book I’ve been meaning to read for a couple of years now, but just haven’t managed to open.

Looking: Forward to my trip to Cozumel with Cheyney! As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve never been to Mexico, and I’ve certainly never been scuba diving. And with all of this rainy and gloomy weather we’ve been experiencing, I’m more than ready to see a little sunshine.

 

We'll shed our skates for flippers

Playing: Music off of my Spotify “Fun Music” playlist. Which is basically just a collection of all the songs I have on Spotify. Summer goal – organize my music into more specific playlists.

Wasting: Space at school. Seriously. These last two weeks of school have honestly been a whole lot of nothing. Don’t get me wrong – I finished up Romeo and Juliet with my students, and they got to tell me about how dumb they found the two cheeseballs, and I reviewed for the final exam, but as I mentioned on Friday, I’ve also been putting in a movie here and there. You know it’s the end of the year when you walk up and down the hall and almost every classroom is dark with students watching a movie.

Wishing: The Rockets would get their act together and actually win a game (or two or three or FOUR).

Enjoying: Fountain of Health Hummus. With the recent Sabra recall, I was forced to abandon my usual brand of hummus in favor of a new-to-me brand. Luckily, this one fits the bill, and I might even like it better. It's perfect when paired with my go-to after-school snack of carrots and celery.

Waiting: For SUMMER! It’s been a long time coming. But I’m so thankful for a job that still gives me one!

 

Nothing better than summer sunsets

Liking: Hill training. Call me crazy, but there’s something special about seeing things from a little bit higher up than usual.

Wondering: How in the world I’m going to train for a marathon. Please – send tips, tricks, advice, and encouragement my way!

Loving: The quinoa and salmon combination. I’ve had it three times in the past week and I’m not even close to tired of it.

Hoping: To plan an Austin trip soon. Just the other day I got a random craving for about four different Austin restaurants. And I realized it’s been far too long since I’ve visited one of my favorite cities.

Needing: A massage. After my first year in the real world, I don’t even want to know how tense my shoulders must be.

Wearing: Nike shorts, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes. Classic Kelli outfit.

Following: Though Monday was the finale, I must admit that I was following the most recent season of Dancing With the Stars. I was bummed when Nastia was eliminated prior to the finale (I have an Olympic gymnastics obsession), but the final three were all extremely talented. I was talking television shows with a co-worker, and when I brought that one up he asked me, “What, are you 80?” Okay, okay.

 

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Noticing: Just how bad the potholes are in Houston. If you are not a Houston resident, this does not pertain to you, but shoot, some of our major streets are a huge issue.

Knowing: That I work with some of the best people. As this school year comes to a close, I realize that I really couldn’t have survived my first year without them.

Thinking: That as much as my seventh period disappoints me, and as horrible as they act toward me sometimes, I act about ten times worse toward Jesus, and still I’m given grace upon grace. Though I said goodbye to my seventh period on Friday (praises!), I hope to carry that reminder with me into the start of the next school year. So many of these kids just need a little bit of love. Tough love, but still love.

Feeling: Relieved. We received an email with our students’ STAAR results on Friday, and I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw. It is comforting to know that maybe, just maybe, I’m getting through to some of them! It makes all the hard work and stress worth it.

Bookmarking: I don’t really bookmark many sites, but I’ll let you guys in on what I’ve been pinning lately. A whole lot of cookie recipes, and quite a few waffle recipes. And actually, a few teacher ideas are sprinkled in here and there.

Opening: Email after email after email. Lately, both my school and my personal inboxes have been flooded. Granted, many of the emails I’ve received on my personal account are trash, and many of the emails I’ve received on my school account are fun banter with other teachers, but I’m struggling to keep up!

Fitnessandfroyo out. Enjoy your Sunday!