Start of Spring Break Survey Sunday

So I'm getting to the point where it's getting hard to find surveys again. But I love my Survey Sunday tradition (and it guarantees me at least one post each week), so I am going to do my best to keep it going. This is kind of a long one, and it is very random, but sometimes that's a welcome relief from all of the fitness and food surveys I tend to gravitate towards.

I've had one great start to my spring break, as I went to the rodeo with three of my good high school friends - Sam, Seth, and Dylan - yesterday to see Billy Currington, and I can honestly say that we had a great time. From me almost not making it onto the MetroRail to waiting in line after line after line to walking around the Livestock Show to Fletcher's Corny Dogs to the excellent people watching, I couldn't have asked for a better afternoon. And Billy Currington did not let us down, either. He played all of the classics, and we were making our way back through the crowd by 7:00pm.

Shout out to those three for letting a girl tag along with them on their rodeo outing. Y'all sure provide lots of laughter and fun!

And I'm quickly posting this before Amira and I head out to check out a new Houston hot spot - Tout Suite - for brunch, before heading down to Galveston to ride bikes on the beach, and hang out there for the afternoon. I'm hoping the sun will come out and stay out, but an overcast day at the beach can be just as fun as a sunny one.

1. Were you named after anyone? I was not. My parents named me Kelli because my mom "never met a Kelli she didn't like." Truly. I understand that, because I already have a list of names that are off-limits for my future children. I'll let you guys take a guess as to why that is.

2. Do you like your handwriting? Most of the time. If I'm not writing too fast, I think I have pretty handwriting. As one of my students pointed out, I'm defying the bad handwriting lefty stereotype. If I'm in a hurry, however, it can look just as sloppy as my dad's. No offense, of course.

3. What is your favorite lunch meat? I actually really love roast beef. I don't have it often, but when I do, it reminds me of my childhood and the roast beef sandwich phase I went through from time to time.

4. Do you have kids? I have about 100 kids. Kidding, but sometimes I do feel like a mom to my students!

5. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Never ever.

6. Do you still have your tonsils? I've never had surgery, meaning I've still got my tonsils. Though I always wanted to get them taken out as a kid because it meant ice cream for every meal. Heck, I'd still get them taken out, because it would mean frozen yogurt or smoothies for every meal. 

7. Would you bungee jump? I used to think I would never scuba dive. And I've always said I would never bungee jump. But now that I've signed on to get my scuba certification, I'm willing to bet you could talk me into bungee jumping.  

8. What is your favorite cereal? I don't really eat much cereal, except for oats, but I used to have an absolute obsession with all kinds of Cheerios. Apple Cinnamon and Honey Nut were my go-to's, but I was open to any and all Cheerios.

9. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? No, but I do untie them before putting them on. Fun fact, I started doing that in elementary school whenever my PE teachers told me it was better for my feet. How or why, I couldn't tell you. But I like to think that I get the perfect fit each time I retie them.

10. Do you think you are strong? Are we talking physically strong or emotionally strong? I consider myself pretty emotionally strong, but physically strong, well, that's debatable.

11. What is your favorite ice cream? Obviously I can't eat real ice cream, but I'll answer this according to what I used to eat. Chocolate or mint chocolate chip won out every. single. time.

Does gelato count?

12. What is the first thing you notice about other people? I think I notice their height, for whatever reason, and the expression on their face. Do they more happy, or more irritated? I hope I look approachable when people look at me, because that is certainly my first impression of other people. And of course that impression can be changed once I actually meet and get to know a person.

13. Red or pink? Red and pink are two of my very favorite colors, but pink has to get the nod on this one.

14. What is your least favorite thing about yourself? Oh man, this is an interesting question. I think how much pressure I put on myself. In all aspects of my life. Whether it was my grades in high school, my performance on the volleyball court, where I got a job, how fast I run a race, keeping up with friends, or what have you, I have set the standard pretty high for myself, and I always want to be sure that I meet it. 

15. Any tattoos?  I have no desire to ever get a tattoo. It's too permanent, and there's nothing I'm willing to permanently ink onto my body, that I know I'll still love in 20 years when I hopefully have a husband and children. 

16. Do you have any hobbies? I'd call this blog a hobby. I'd call running a hobby. Same with reading and baking and all of the other things I do for my enjoyment. 

17. What color shoes are you wearing? White and blue. The white may be leaning more toward gray, as these shoes have not been washed in a while. Whoops!

18. What was the last thing you ate? Before my swim I ate a little bit of my banana-oatmeal-almond butter muffin dough, as I was starving when I woke up, and I knew my swim would not have lasted very long if I didn't have something in my stomach.

19. What are you listening to right now? "Cinderella" by Colton Avery. Check him out - he's good.

20. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? I like this question. It really made me think. I'd probably be a neutral color, like gray or black, because just like those crayons can go with just about anything, I can go along with just about any situation. I may not like it, but you would never know that. And if we're going off of color personalities, it would have to be yellow. I like to think I'm a pretty cheerful person to be around.

21. Favorite smells? Volcano, Volcano, Volcano. This candle is an Anthropologie classic, and it was a staple at The Clubhouse. I also love the smell of freshly baked bread, cookies, and finally, barbeque. Because you can't live in Texas and not live for that glorious smell.

Cooper's

22. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? Gram called me the other night to wish me a happy spring break, and to tell me to take it easy, but also to have fun this week, so that I can go back to school feeling both relaxed and refreshed. And because I know she's reading this - Hi, Gram!

23. Mountain hideaway or beach house? Can I have both? I do love the beach, but I think I'm going to have to go with mountain hideaway on this one. The cool mountain air, and of course, the view. What could be better than waking up and enjoying a slow morning on your porch with that as the backdrop?

Believe it or not, I took this photo while on Wilderness. Yeah, I know.

24. Favorite sport to watch? I truly love to watch all sports, but basketball is definitely the most fast-paced, making it the most exciting to watch. I also know the most about basketball, in terms of rules, so I'm not such an annoying person to watch it with. While I know the basics of football, there are some rules that I just don't understand, and there are too many whistles and timeouts taken in football games.

But this was a perfect football moment (Source)

25. Hair color? It's a very light brown. I know I'm lucky because many hairdressers are surprised that this is my natural hair color. I have very natural highlights in my hair, and I am so excited for spring and summer because they really become evident. 

26. Eye colors? My eyes are the same light brown color of my hair. I used to wish I had a more exciting blue or green, but the brown definitely matches my darker skin tone. 

27. Do you wear contacts? I sure don't. I've got that 20/20 vision. Two of the *older* teachers at school told me that "this too shall pass" when I was bragging on my perfect vision one day in the lounge.

Real or fake?

28. Scary movies or happy endings? I'm a total happy-ending sap. I'll take cheesy over scary any day of the week.

29. Last movie you watched? Boyhood. And I absolutely recommend it to everyone. It's a must-watch.

30. What color shirt are you wearing? Black. With a red and black sweater. Cheerful.

31. Summer or winter? S U M M E R. All day, every day. Yes, it gets hot hot hot here in Texas. And it doesn't rain a whole lot. But the sun is out a majority of the time, the days feel longer, and sandals, bathing suits, and tanktops are more than acceptable attire.

32. Computer or television? Honestly, I could definitely go without the television. I don't have any shows that I regularly tune in to, rather, I'll watch TV if it's there, or I'll have it on in the background while I'm working. My computer, on the other hand? I'll admit it. I probably couldn't live without it. 

33. What book are you reading right now? Donald Miller's A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. When I finish that, I'm going to start The Girl on the Train. I saw it just last weekend while at Barnes & Noble, and I think it's going to be an up-and-comer, so I have to read it before it gets big! You know how some people know about up-and-coming bands before everyone else? That's me, but with books as opposed to music.

34. What color is your house? We have a "red" brick house. Of course, the bricks aren't literally red. But what's most unique about our house, and something I was always quick to point out to others when I was a kid, is the fact that we have one green and one yellow brick on the front of our house. I always joked that if I lost my memory and forgot my address, I would always be able to find my way home because of those bricks. Because I'm sure the fact that we have a yellow and a green brick on our house would stick with me, right?

35. What color is your car? Black. After having a black car, I think I will always gravitate toward either black, navy, or charcoal gray. It's much easier to take care of, and I think they look very sleek.

Check in with y'all soon!

First Run Back

Happy Hump Day! Sweeter words have never been spoken. Just kidding, even sweeter words will be spoken at 3:15pm on Friday afternoon. I think you guys all know what I'm saying. Sorry to those of you who don't get a spring break. If that's not reason enough to become a teacher (or go back to school?), I don't know what is.

And I was a little bit more tired than usual today because last night I saw Tim McGraw at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. And though I didn't get home until around 11:40pm or so, I don't regret one minute. Tim put on an INCREDIBLE show, and the atmosphere at the Houston Rodeo is like no other. To be fair, I've never been to any other rodeo, but there's just something about the Houston Rodeo, because you can tell that all of those performers are just so excited and so honored to be performing on that stage. Typically in front of a sold-out crowd.

I went to the rodeo with Amira, who hadn't been since our senior year of high school. It's not her fault - she went to LSU for college, and they had a late spring break that didn't ever allow her to get home when the rodeo was taking place. We changed that last night, though. Amira got to Bellaire just before 4:30pm, and we made our way over to the West Loop Park & Ride. The Park & Ride is such a great deal. Instead of paying $15+ for parking, walking a mile, and sitting in traffic for an hour, we paid $4 for a two-way bus ticket that dropped us off just steps away from the carnival. And about the carnival. Typically I stay away from traveling carnivals. And that's exactly what the rodeo is. But because it's the rodeo, I tend to make an exception. And I seem to lose my sanity. Because after riding the tame and kid-friendly Euroslide, Amira and I stepped up our game a little bit and got on a ride that goes by the name of "Insanity."

Yeah, that's about all you need to know. I was ready to get two feet back on the ground after that one! After finding our balance, we made our way into the stadium, grabbed some food and water, and settled into our seats for one amazing show. Tim sang almost all of my favorites, and I swear, that man just gets better looking with age. And what's great is that I ran into some familiar faces. One of my volleyball teammates from high school, and three of my fifth-grade teachers, one of whom also taught me in second grade. I think I made them feel a little bit old, but all three of them looked great, and it sure was good to see them, and to see that they still get together from time to time. Anyway, today was a little bit of a struggle, but it was a lot worth it. The rodeo is my absolute favorite time of year, after all!

(Source)

Workout

Guys, I'm so bad. I told myself that even though my shin was feeling loads better, that I would wait until this weekend to go for a run. That would have been nearly three weeks, and I would have listened to the doctor's orders. But I was standing in the kitchen making my lunch for tomorrow when I was hit with this idea - maybe I should go for a run. I tested out a jog through the downstairs of our house and it didn't hurt, so I decided to give it a go, vowing to take Ibuprofen and ice down my shin right when I got home. Which I did, don't you worry.  Anyway, today, on March 11th, 2015, I went for my first run in two-and-a-half weeks. And it was glorious. And I felt it in my shin, yes, but it was only a twinge. And I also told myself that I would absolutely call it quits if the pain was anything above a 2. Honestly, I'd say it was a light 1, so I gave myself the okay to complete the 5.2 miles I normally run.

I was a little bit more winded than I usually am, I will admit. But it has been 16 days with absolutely no running. It will take me a couple of days to get back into tip-top running shape, but oh it felt so GOOD to be back in the running game. And I'm not completely out of my mind. I'm going to take it slow, as I'm not planning to run again until Saturday at the earliest. It was just reassuring to know that I haven't lost my running mojo. After all, I've got a half marathon in just over two weeks, so I just had to get going sooner rather than later. I'm already banking on my shin being a little bit sore tomorrow, but I regret nothing.

Have a GREAT rest of your Wednesday. I'm stuck playing a little bit of catch-up today after yesterday's rodeo escapade, but again, I regret nothing.

Things I'm Loving Friday

You would think that a week of no real commitments, no school, and essentially no work to do would allow me to post regularly on this thing. That is clearly NOT the case, as I have enjoyed just lounging around and really not doing much of anything. I have felt a little bit guilty about neglecting this little blog, so I promise to post every day for the rest of spring break (quite the commitment, I know).

Anyway, to prevent myself from doing a long-winded catch-up post, here is another rendition of "Things I'm Loving Friday."

• Friends and Fro-Yo

One of the greatest things about being home is getting to see some of my high school friends. It's gotten more and more difficult over the years to see many of them on a regular basis, just due to being in different cities and having different breaks, so when Lindsay, who goes to Rice University, said she was free on Monday night for dessert, I jumped on the opportunity to see her. While I devoured my $8.00 frozen yogurt, she enjoyed two very unique ice cream flavors from The Chocolate Bar. Good food, and even better company.

• Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz is one of my childhood favorites. I grew up watching the movie, and when my high school did the musical, I fell in love all over again. So when I saw that the Wizard of Oz would be performing at the Hobby Center through Theatre Under the Stars, or TUTS, I knew I was going to have to go. I put on my red heels, and Dylan and I were in our seats just as the lights were going down. Perfect timing! I thought the cast did a great job, and Toto really stole the show.

• New Restaurants

Before the Wizard of Oz, and because we were all dressed up, we of course had to go to a fancy-ish dinner. We decided to try a new-to-us and a new-to-City Centre restaurant - Season's 52 - and I cannot say enough good things about it. We started off with the (dairy-free) chicken and pesto flatbread and edamame, and we both agreed that the Japanese green tea salt that came with the edamame really stole the show. For our entrees, we both ordered something with salmon (because Dylan is conquering his fear of seafood), and they were both fabulous. Season's 52 gets two thumbs up from this girl!

Lemongrass Salmon Salad

Cedar Plank Salmon

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Round two of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo happened on Wednesday night. For Valentine's Day Dylan got me two tickets to Jake Owen, so we traded in our nice clothes for some western attire, and we battled traffic on the way to Reliant Stadium. We once again timed our arrival pretty perfectly, arriving with just enough time to eat dinner, and make our way up to our seats to watch the barrel racing, chuck wagon races, bull riding, calf scramble, and my favorite, mutton bustin'. Jake Owen put on a great show, and this was the first time I had ever seen a performer just walk out to the stage instead of taking a car.

• Funnel Cake, Ferris Wheels, and Bumper Cars

We made the most of our time at the rodeo by hitting the carnival after the concert. We made a beeline for the funnel cake, because Dylan had never had one before, and it's been years since I've had one, and ate that before taking it back a couple years and demolishing some kids on the bumper cars. I made us ride the ferris wheel, because I love the aerial view you get of the entire carnival, and we rounded out the night by winning a sock monkey that is easily four feet tall.

• Hammocks and Sunsets

I had a little bit of time to kill before meeting Lindsay for frozen yogurt, so I took my hammock and a new book and set up shop at Hermann Park. I was afforded this beautiful view, and it made me appreciate where I'm from all the more.

And on that note, I'm off to watch some Texas basketball with my mom. I'm headed back to Austin tomorrow morning, so I'll see you guys from the ATX!

45-Minute Treadmill Workout

Happy Sunday from my couch in Houston! I got done with school at 4:10pm on Friday, and I was in my car by 4:13pm. I didn't head straight to Houston, as I wanted to wait out some of the traffic (ha!), but I was on the road by 6:15pm, and after some traffic leaving Austin, and a quick stop at Buc-ee's, I was pulling into my driveway by 9:15pm.

I spent most of yesterday in downtown Houston, as Gayle and I went to our 11th straight rodeo performance together. It has been about 9 months since we had spent any sort of extended time together, so it was such a treat to get to catch up on our semesters while continuing one of our favorite traditions.

We even managed to beat the rain home!

Today was kind of a gloomy day in Houston, so I spent most of the day relaxing and reading. One of my students said her goal is to read at least eight books this break, so I am trying to read at least two or three!

(Source)

I don't have much to share with you guys right now, but I did complete a new treadmill workout before school on Friday morning. I adapted it from, guess who, Peanut Butter Fingers, and it was another good one - alternating walking and running so that you never get bored.

I'll check back in with y'all tomorrow. Enjoy your evening!

Houston Rodeo

Happy Monday! And a happy first day of class to many of my college friends. While many of my friends were probably nervous about the start of another semester, I was simply gearing up for week two at Westwood High School. I had a hard time falling asleep last night, and I think that was due to the fact that I took a very late afternoon nap. Oops!

Workout

In addition to not being able to fall asleep, I also woke up multiple times throughout the night - I just never fell into a very deep sleep. Therefore, I woke up just before my alarm was scheduled to go off, and I quickly changed and got to the gym with plenty of time to complete my 45-minute treadmill workout.

It felt good to start off my week with a good run, and I left the gym just before 7am, giving myself plenty of time to shower and get ready for school.

Breakfast

Another day, another predictable breakfast of scrambled egg whites and spinach,

sliced strawberries,

and a small Honeycrisp apple. Delish!

Lunch

So far, my excitement over coming up with new lunches hasn't really panned out, as I have found myself eating close to the same exact lunch every day. That might be because I want to use up all of my food before it goes bad (so as not to be wasteful - my mom would be proud), and because I seem to have found a winning lunch combo. Today I enjoyed a spring mix salad with grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, mini dill pickles, green olives, and La Madeline balsamic vinaigrette,

with a side of either hummus and carrots and celery, or a mint chocolate chip Chobani Bites.

I take other snacks with me to eat throughout the day that range from a couple of cuties to my banana-oatmeal-almond butter muffins. Can't beat it!

Houston Rodeo

Normally the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo releases four performers in November, as a little teaser for the release of the rest of the lineup in January. This year, however, they opted to release all of their performers on the same date - January 12. I was really excited for that date until I realized the lineup wouldn't be released until 11:59pm, a time when I would be long asleep. I will admit that the lineup was the first thing I checked this morning when I woke up, and my heart broke a little bit when I saw that Brad Paisley would be opening the 2014 rodeo season on a day (Tuesday) that is just not going to work with my schedule. My heart broke even more when I saw that Eli Young Band is performing the very next night, but I felt a little bit better when I saw that I could potentially attend performances by Jake Owen, Keith Urban, Hunter Hayes, and Zac Brown Band.

(Source)

I love the rodeo season - the country music (of course), the questionable (and pricey) carnival rides, the Goode Co. Barbecue and footlong corn dogs (such healthy choices, right?), and it's truly just around the corner. And I certainly can't be mad about that!

Until Next Time

It's hard to believe that I am on the latter half of the spring semester of my junior year of college. I am heading back to Austin in just a few hours, and as much as I love Austin, I am not sure how ready I am for these next seven weeks filled with papers, tests, and projects. My plan is to take it one day at a time and to just embrace my final semester as a regular college student, as my final two semesters will be seeing a lot of "teacher Kelli," so, that's something to look forward to?

Anyway, I had a wonderful week in Houston with my family, and though I only crossed an embarrassing two things off of my Spring Break To-Do List, I'd still say it was a successful one. I got some good sleep, did a bit of shopping, explored some new areas of Houston,

continued a ten-year Houston Rodeo tradition,

enjoyed food from my all-time favorite restaurants,

Hungry's

Ruggles Green

and got to spend time some much-needed time with my family.

I'd say that's enough to motivate me for these next couple of crazy months. Plus, I have lots of exciting things coming up - my dad is coming to Austin for business, so not only do I get to hang out with him, but I also get a free lunch out of it, and that gets two thumbs up! We have Young Life Placement Night, which is always an incredible night, it's my room-roommate's 21st birthday, Easter, the Blue Bell Fun Run in Brenham, and much more! The weeks after spring break always fly, and I know I will find myself wondering where the time has gone.

Until then, I'll just enjoy the ride!

So, until next time Houston, and I'll see y'all from Austin!

Biking and Baking

Who hasn't seen the 2013 Houston Rodeo lineup? At first, I was very disappointed with the realization that Brad Paisley won't be at the rodeo for the first time in like, ever, but I quickly got over it when I realized how great the lineup is over my spring break. Jake Owen, Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, George Strait? Sign me up! My best friend and I have been going to the rodeo since we were in sixth grade, so this will make our tenth year, and the year when both of us will be 21. I'd say that's pretty special. We haven't decided who we are going to see yet, but we can't really go wrong with any of them. I can't wait!

Gayle and I at Brad Paisley 2012

After perusing the rodeo lineup and doing some lounging, I hit the MAC for my new go-to exercise: stationary biking. It's not my everyday workout of choice, but at least I can do it without too much pain, and I can read at the same time. It's a win-win. Today's bike adventure took me up Mt. Kilimanjaro for 30 minutes, followed by a five-minute cool-down. My toe is hurting a bit more than it did yesterday so I wasn't pushing myself quite as hard as I would have liked, but I'm already breaking the "doctor's" orders by exercising at all. Oops. I just can't sit still!

After my bike ride, I set out to do an upper body workout. I based it off of this workout by PBFingers, but I changed it up as well. I only rested 30 seconds between each exercise, which at the beginning you don't need, but toward the end, those 30 seconds fly by. I completed three rounds of the circuit.

I think it was a great arm workout, and on that last superset, I had to lower the weight used on my rows down to 8 pound dumbbells. I'd say that's a sign of a good workout, wouldn't you?

Lunch

I made a quick trip to the grocery store to get a few ingredients for a few new Pinterest recipes, so by the time I hobbled in and out of there, I was ready for some lunch. I had plans to meet a friend at La Madeleine the other night, and I guess because we didn't end up going, I had their grilled chicken salad on mine. I am typically not someone who orders salads from restaurants, but La Madeleine's wild fielde salad with grilled chicken and balsamic vinaigrette is my very favorite salad.

I snacked on some sea salt and pepper cashews as well as some grapes while setting out to complete the next item on my list: baking. I had a box of brownie mix left over from my baking business, and I wanted to do something with that other than jut regular old brownies. My family much prefers cookies to brownies, so I decided to whip up these brownie mix cookies. They were extremely easy to make, and they actually smell like brownies.

I also had a bag of Hershey's Kisses to get rid of, so I also whipped up some peanut butter blossoms - the cookies that have proven themselves to be a favorite in my family. These were a little bigger than I usually make them, but this dough was a little bit more moist than it usually is, making it hard to shape it into little balls. I don't think I will hear too many complaints about that, though.

I also have a new recipe in the oven as we speak. I can't take credit for it, I saw it on Pinterest, but it looks promising and I am hoping it turns out like it looks in the pictures. Not that my Pinterest creations ever look anything like the original, but it's worth a shot, right? I'll be back with the results of those later! For now, I have a few errands to run!