20-Minute Arms & Abs

Happy Saturday! And Merry Christmas Eve! I'm just popping in to share a quick workout with you guys. It has been a L O N G time since I have shared a workout on the blog, but because that's the reason I started this blog in the first place, I decided to do just that this morning. Friday is typically one of my two days off from running, but I decided to work off some of the Christmas sweets by getting in a quick sweat session and working muscles that I don't often work. This is a great workout to do if you are short on time, but want to feel it in the morning.

I woke up this morning most definitely feeling the work I put in yesterday. But a little bit of that probably has to do with the fact that I haven't done any isolated upper body and ab work in quite some time.

And in case you are unfamiliar with any of these exercises, here are a couple quick links for you -

• Knee crunches
• Tricep kickbacks
• Sumo squats
• Lying chest fly
• Straight-leg crunch

And I'm off to get in an easy five-miler before meeting two of my oldest friends for lunch. I hope your Christmas Eve is a festive one!

Sunday Fitness Survey

Happy Sunday! I know this post is coming at you late, but because I didn't have to spend my Sunday grading papers, planning for the upcoming week, or prepping food, I spent it doing some Christmas shopping in the Village, and lounging on my couch finishing book number three of the week. This is the first time I've opened my computer since recording grades on Friday morning, so I'm feeling pretty good. But it is Sunday, and I did make a promise to keep up with my weekly survey post, and I'm going to stick to that promise. Especially since I fully intended to do a Things I'm Loving Friday post, and then opted for the two-hour post-first semester nap. What can I say?

All grades are DONE!

1. What’s your favorite type of exercise?

Running. With the training plan I’m on, that’s really the only exercise I have time to do. And it has always been my favorite type of exercise, but I’m hoping to squeeze in a couple of Body Pump classes and leisurely neighborhood bike rides over this two-week holiday break.

2. What’s your biggest personal exercise pet peeve?

I’m going to go ahead and copy what the person before me wrote and say when my ponytail comes loose. I used to wear my hair in a bun when I did any type of exercise because I hated the feeling of my sweaty hair touching my neck. But lately I’ll get maybe half a mile into a run and I’m having to stop and fix my hair because it has come loose. I have since fixed the problem by quickly pulling my hair back into a French braid, but there is no time for hair to be an obstacle.

 

Almost always with a headband

3. What’s your biggest gym pet peeve?

People who use the equipment so blatantly incorrectly. And I most definitely don’t know how to use every piece of equipment in the gym, but I am pretty good about observing other people and/or looking things up so that I don’t embarrass and/or injure myself. I think this incorrect use is most common when two people are working out together, and the conversation is more important than the workout. Which is fine. But there’s likely a coffee shop in the area.

4. How many days a week do you workout?

I run five days a week. I guess I theoretically could do something those other two days, but I walk my dog multiple times a day, and I typically use those two days to see friends or catch up on any grading on which I may have fallen behind. Besides, after a tough speed or tempo run, my body craves a bit of a break.

5. What’s one exercise you love to hate?

Burpees and jumping lunges. I haven’t done either of those exercises in forever, but man, they absolutely kill me. But in the best way.

6. What is one form of exercise you wish you loved but don’t?

Yoga. I know it would benefit me to get into a good stretching regimen, but one, I can’t ever seem to get the breathing down, and two, I am always so self-conscious about how absolutely inflexible I am. Which is probably a pride thing. But I think the fact that I’m so bad at yoga actually adds stress as opposed to relieving it. Plus, I like to sweat when I workout.

7. Do you prefer to workout alone, with a friend, or in a group?

When it comes to running, alone. I can’t carry on a conversation when I run, and I use my runs as my (much-needed) “me” time. That being said, I L O V E group exercise classes. I still miss my high school gym and Felipe’s killer classes. Felipe had me doing exercises that I most definitely wouldn’t do on my own. Same with Body Pump. I love the idea of weight training, but doing it in a group that is led by someone who has a routine down pat makes it so much more enjoyable.

8. Do you match your workout clothing to your shoes?

… No. Though I do love buying athletic shoes.

9. What’s your biggest fitness triumph?

Man, before I started this running training program that I’m currently on, I would have definitely said completing the Chevron Houston Marathon. But I think being able to stick to this training plan and be able to physically track the progress I have made. When I first started, at the end of July, I would shudder at the thought of an 8:00 min/mile pace. Now I’m frustrated when I run a mile above an 8:00 min/mile pace. And I still have my not-so-great days, but it’s moreso what I’ve accomplished mentally. I’ve proved to myself that physically, I can do it. So when I’m told to run four miles at a sub-7:15 min/mile pace, I know that I can do it. And as not exciting as this may sound, running a 7:02 min/mile pace at the Bellaire 5K in November was a huge bump to my confidence.

10. What’s one of your fitness goals this year?

Because the year is almost over, I’m going to go with my first big goal of 2017, and that is running the Aramco Houston Half Marathon in under 1:45. Does putting it in writing make it real?

2015 Goals

And with that, I’m off to open up another book and call it an early night. I’m hoping to get all of my Christmas shopping and card-writing DONE before Wednesday, so here’s to making the beginning of this week a productive one. Have a great one!

Things I'm Loving Friday XLVI

Happy FRIDAY! We don't have summer school on Friday, and we had Monday off for the Fourth of July, so I'm sitting pretty at only three days of work this week. I was waking up at the crack of dawn so that I could walk Mack before leaving him alone in the apartment for almost eight hours, in the hopes that he would be worn out and just lounge on the couch with his favorite toys. He did great, despite my initial concerns, and he only chewed up a couple of paper towels and empty toilet paper rolls. Not bad for a puppy! Anyway, it was nice to wake up without an alarm this morning, though my internal body clock (and my energetic puppy) didn't let me sleep in much past 6:30am. Which is fine with me. I don't want to get into too much of a habit of sleeping in, and I've got lots to check off the to-do list. The earlier I start getting after it, the better!

Body Pump
I talked a lot about Body Pump when I was living in Austin because the gym closest to my house had an excellent Body Pump instructor. I fell in love with the class because I'm not often motivated to do any strength training on my own, but with this class, I work my entire body in one hour. I moved recently, thus, ending the long-standing Kelli-MAC relationship, and I now live minutes away from a gym that has multiple Body Pump classes a day, thus contributing to my recent decision to pick the Body Pump habit back up. Though I make the effort to go at least twice weekly, the squat and lunge tracks never stop being killers.

(Source)

My last day at the MAC - also known as my second home

Museum of Fine Arts
If you are a Houston resident, or if you happen to be visiting, you have to experience the Kusama Universe Exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts. I'll be the first to admit that I am not the biggest museum goer, nor am I the biggest art enthusiast. In fact, my favorite part of the annual elementary school MFAH field trip was rolling down the hill at Miller Outdoor Theater after eating lunch. But I had heard nothing but good things about this exhibit, so I had to check it out. It's colorful, it's ethereal, it's abstract, and just overall visually pleasing. It's a very peaceful, almost trippy experience, and I found it to be more than worth the wait. It's here until mid-September, so be sure and check it out! And an insider's tip for you guys: Reserve your tickets online prior to going. It's very possible that it will be sold out if you just show up hoping to catch a glimpse.

Love is Calling

Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity

7 Reasons You Should Travel Solo
I resonated with this article on such a deep level. As most of you know - and I really am going to do some kind of recap - I recently spent three weeks traveling solo through Argentina. And I was telling someone at school just the other day that I'm not sure I'll ever take a big trip like that with another person again. That might be taking it to extremes, as I love traveling with my family and friends, but as I am such a people-pleaser, it was so nice to be able to do what I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it. I got to do everything that I wanted to do while I was in Argentina, and that was because I only had to answer to myself. I am also a very quick and timely person, and when I'm ready to go, I'm really ready to go. Give me a time, and I can 99% guarantee I won't be late. I didn't have to wait on anyone, I didn't have to worry about running late anywhere, which, if you know me, is a huge pet peeve of mine. I got to walk everywhere, I met so many new people along the way, and I got to spend time with my own thoughts, and learn how to handle situations on my own. I believe everyone should travel alone at some point in his or her life. And it doesn't have to be out of the country! A quick solo trip to a city down the road should do the trick.

The Olympic Trials
I am obsessed with the Olympics. Every four years, my life shuts down and everything I do revolves around what Olympic event is taking place that morning, afternoon, or evening. And while I love the actual Olympics because it brings a few weeks of unity to such a typically broken world, the trials are so much fun to watch because you get to watch these athletes' dreams come true. Most of them have been working for this moment from a very young age, and I know it was not without sacrifices along the way. And then you have athletes like Michael Phelps, who is just an absolute phenom.

Kassidy Cook and Abby Johnston - both from Texas! ( Source)

Simone Biles - guaranteed to stick! (Source)

Michael Phelps - the greatest Olympian of all time (Source)

Fruit
I love eating fruit year-round, but I absolutely devour it in the summer. It's juicy, it's refreshing, it's healthy, and it's delicious. I cannot get enough. Cuties, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, canteloupe, plumcots - you name it, I'll eat it. And while obtaining fruit is not quite as easy as it was in Argentina, where you could walk to the next corner and be faced with a beautiful display of all the fruit you could ever want, I find myself making multiple trips to the grocery store each week so that I can replenish my supply.

And I can't end this post without mentioning my heavy heart for the events that have taken place in this country this past week. It seems as though every morning we wake up and there's a new #hashtag taking over the social media world, and I'm just so sick of it. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around such senseless violence, and my heart breaks for those whose family members were taken from them too soon. And I've read so many beautiful words regarding these acts, but I want to end with some great words shared by Houston author Brené Brown:

I woke up this morning looking for someone to blame. Someone to hate. Someone who I could make the single target of my fear about the officers killed in Dallas and what happened to Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. It was such a desperate feeling to want to discharge the uncertainty and scarcity. Then it dawned on me that this is the exact drive that fueled what's happening right now.

Instead of feeling hurt we act out our hurt. Rather than acknowledging our pain, we inflict it on others. Neither hate nor blame will lead to the justice and peace that we all want - it will only move us further apart. But we can't forget that hate and blame are seductive. Anger is easier than grief. Blame is easier than real accountability. When we choose instant relief in the form of rage, we're in many ways choosing permanent grief for the world.

Things I'm Loving Friday XLV

And now that I've officially decided that I'm back on my blogging game, I am pulling one of my fitnessandfroyo traditions way out of vault - Things I'm Loving Friday, which is where I share with my faithful readers (seriously, you have to be really faithful if you're still following me at this point) some of the things I'm currently loving.

The Five-Minute Journal
I bought this in a moment of weakness while perusing Paper Source in Highland Village. Note to self: Never go to Paper Source (or Target, for that matter) without a purpose. But I don't think this purchase was necessarily a bad one. In fact, I know it wasn't. And I love writing and journaling, but sometimes it's hard to find the time to really sit down and commit myself to it. Which is where the five-minute part comes in. And I love that it allows me to set goals, celebrate the big and small in every day, and give myself daily affirmation -- something I'm not entirely comfortable doing. Life gets busy, but we all have five minutes to put toward our overall happiness and mindset.

Hopdoddy Burger Bar
I know that I have previously posted about the deliciousness that is Hopdoddy. However, this time I got to enjoy my favorite burger without having to drive all the way to Austin. Though I did still have to wait in an epic line. But I digress. Hopdoddy officially opened its Houston doors in the hoity toity (and I say that in the nicest way possible) River Oaks District at the very end of May, and my brother and I built up our appetites while waiting in the hour+ long line, only to leave with happy hearts and happy stomachs. I don't know what it is, but I think the fresh ingredients and careful attention to every single burger has something to do with it. And for all my vegetarian friends out there - there is always a veggie option on the menu. And I hear the spiked milkshakes are to die for.

Greek for me, and Buffalo Bill for Daniel

Soul Cycle
I took my first Soul Cycle class while visiting my cousin in New York City last summer, and I don't know how much I actually enjoyed it. To start, it was my first cycling class in close to a year. And then you have to factor in the fact that I was taking this class with a bunch of glamorous New Yorkers (who apparently don't work) who take this class on a daily basis. And their legs were moving SO FAST. I thought I was in shape. But I can't deny that it was an addictive party-on-a-bike, calorie-burning, total-body workout. And just like Hopdoddy, it has finally arrived in Houston.  Now I'm just trying to figure out how I can possibly afford to take these classes on a semi-regular basis. Help a teacher out, will ya?

Acai Bowls
Some of you were probably rolling your eyes at the mention of Soul Cycle. I'm falling into the latest trend, right? Well, acai bowls are right on up there with Soul Cycle. But I don't even care how "basic" this makes me because acai bowls are dang tasty, healthy, filling, and refreshing on a hot summer's day. What is an acai bowl, you ask? It's basically a smoothie in a bowl. And acai is actually a berry popular in South America, but its health benefits - and great taste - have intrigued the rest of the world. Acai bowls are plentiful here in Houston, but they will cost you a pretty penny. And you can certainly make them from the comfort of your own home, but getting the right consistency is absolutely key. My favorite acai bowl spots? Tout Suite and Sustain Juicery.

A Man Called Ove
I can't remember if I wrote about this, but I set a 2016 reading goal for myself: 25 books. And impressively enough, I'm over halfway there. Which is great, because we're officially halfway done with 2016 (how?), and my pace is sure to slow once volleyball season hits. And while I've surprisingly loved every book that I've read this summer, I absolutely devoured this one. I mean, I was quietly wiping away tears on a bus in Argentina as I finished. It's an absolutely beautiful novel, and one of my favorite quotes was one that stopped me in my tracks, and made me realize just how precious our time with other people really is.

“...all people at root are time optimists. We always think there's enough time to do things with other people. Time to say things to them. And then something happens and then we stand there holding on to words like 'if'.”

And that's that. I hope you guys have a most wonderful holiday weekend planned. I love celebrating the Fourth of July, and while I usually find myself somewhere other than Houston, I'm more than content staying close to home - hanging with my family, friends, pup, and maybe trying out a couple of new recipes. Stay tuned!

July 4th, 2015 -- Town Lake

10 Rounds Workout

Happy Monday! I don't know about you, but it's C O L D down here in Houston. We're talking nearly freezing temps here, and for us Houstonians, that's mighty chilly. I'm not complaining, though, as the colder it is on marathon day, the better. Which, by the way, we are currently sitting at the SIX DAY mark for. Not that I'm freaking out or anything.

But, I digress. I'm just checking in briefly to share a workout with you - one that I can't take all the credit for. Julie - yes, my favorite blogger over at Peanut Butter Fingers - posted a very similar workout to Instagram over the Christmas holidays. The other day I found myself with just enough time to sneak in a half hour workout before meeting Sarah for dinner. Well, that's not entirely true. I had more time than that, but the rain coming down in thick sheets shut down my original idea of running the hill at Hermann Park. So, to the gym it was!

At first, I thought this workout wasn't going to be tough enough for me. But five rounds in, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to power through the next five. Well, of course I finished the workout, and by the end of it, I was a sweaty mess. All of the exercises are fairly well-known, except for the first and the last. Bosu ball burpees look like this - 

(Source)

except for when lifting the bosu ball over my head, I did it more from a squat position. Criss cross with half tuck jump is simply where you criss cross your feet - right behind left and left behind right, and then do a half tuck jump. Which means you only bring your knees up to about your hips, as opposed to all the way to your chest. Be sure and land softly - you don't want unnecessary pressure on your knees!

If you're in the market for a great workout but you're pressed for time, give this one a try. I promise it will work you harder than you think it will. Enjoy the rest of your Monday!

20 Questions

Happy Sunday! Whew, we have officially made it through the first week of the new year. And that deserves a pat on the back. I don't know about you, but getting through that first week back after two weeks off is always a little bit tough. Especially when your building has no heat and partial power. But hey, no complaints from this girl. Actually, I complained about the cold a little bit, but my room quickly warmed up when 37 freshmen got settled in my room. That's right. 37. Every single desk in my room is filled, but I actually love having a full class. Though ask me if I still feel that way when I've got 60+ essays left to grade.

Moving on. Can you guys believe that we are ONE WEEK out from the 2016 Houston Marathon? I can't, and I was a little hesitant to even look forward to it after experiencing some pretty horrible foot pain this past week. My foot is still tender, but I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to be in pain on Sunday no matter what happens, so I have decided to run through it. If something really drastic happens between now and then, I'll re-evaluate, but my 8-mile run last night wasn't painful enough for me to even think about throwing in the towel on these past 26 weeks of training.

But now, as usual, here's a little survey for your Sunday reading enjoyment.

What is your road trip essential snack?
Cuties are my go-to road trip snack. I typically find myself as the driver of such road trips, and cuties are easy to eat while driving. I also love snacking on my No Bake Energy Bites. Those things can be dangerous!

You’ve been handed two free round-trip tickets. Who are you taking and where are you going?
Man oh man. There are so many places I want to go. I would probably take Cheyney with me to the Maldives because we made a promise to one another that we would one day dive there. Though there are about 100 different places (and this is not even an exaggeration) that I would like to visit.

What was your high school jam?
Party in the USA – Miley Cyrus. This brings back so many senior year memories.

It's fine; judge me.

Would you rather have a perfect butt, or a flawless face?
Flawless face.

What shows are you ashamed to admit are on your DVR?
I don’t have DVR, but last night I watched The Middle for about three straight hours. It was glorious.

What’s your ringtone?
Just one of the default iPhone ringtones. When I had a flip phone (blast from the past), I used to love updating my ringtone to my favorite song of the moment.

What was your first car, and did you name it?
A 1992 Lexus. Yes, this means the car was born the same year I was. And I personally didn’t name it, but my friend Laura named it Doug. Doug and I made a pretty good pair, if I do say so myself.

Do you have any siblings, and if so, where are you in the birth order?
One younger brother.

What would you request for your last supper?
WHAT, this is so hard! Honestly, probably something from Hungry’s. Because old habits die hard.

Have you ever been hospitalized, and if so, what for?
I haven’t! And I hope it stays that way for a while.

How tall are you? Do you wish you were taller, shorter…or are you just right?
5’5”, and while I wished I was taller throughout my volleyball days, I remain pretty content with my height. It’s definitely an average height, though I do find that I am shorter than many of my students.

Do you prefer to DIY or hire it out?
I wish I could DIY better than I actually can, but it typically turns out to be more trouble than it’s worth. At least for me, anyway. And is it just me, or is it more often than not more expensive to do-it-yourself?

What do you eat for breakfast?
Scrambled egg whites with spinach, mushrooms, and salsa. Followed up with Chobani Coconut Yogurt, homemade granola, and chocolate chunk mix-ins, of course.

What would you do for a living if you didn’t need money?
Honestly, I really love my job. And here’s some more honesty for you – it’s not like I’m in it for the money. I would probably continue to teach as long as I still loved waking up in the morning to go to school, and then I would step down and do something with writing.

Finish this sentence: Every room needs…
a blanket.

How frequently do you wash your hair? Do you have any hair secrets or tricks?
I feel like every time I open the Internet, I see yet another article that advises me against washing my hair every day. But if I don’t wash my hair for 36+ hours, my hair gets unreasonably greasy. So much so that I can’t stand to look at it, and I haven’t quite mastered the art of dry shampoo. So, long story short, every night.

Will you leave the house without makeup?
Absolutely. I will probably throw on a little powder, but I 100% guaranteed will not put on makeup if I am just out and about running errands.

Last book you read?
Wild by Cheryl Strayed. 5/5 recommend this book. I absolutely devoured it, and it’s one of the best books I’ve read this year. Okay, that was lame, but it’s definitely one of my new favorites.

 

(Source)

What are you listening to?
FOOTBALL. And even though my Texans got absolutely manhandled yesterday, there is not a whole lot that I love more than sitting down and watching football on the weekend.

Last Movie you watched?
Ugh, is it bad that I don’t even know this? I actually want to watch the movie Wild (who doesn’t love Reese Witherspoon?), but I sadly couldn’t tell you the last movie I watched. Remedying this ASAP.

Where did you go on your last holiday?
New York City! Read about my experience here.

And I'm off to enjoy a relaxing swim. I love post-long run days, because it means I get to take it easy on my body. Adios!

10-20-30-40

Happy MONDAY! I don't know about you guys, but I am LOVING that I still have one more week before I'm thrown back into the craziness of a new school semester. I understand that many of you guys probably don't have that luxury, but even Huffington Post says that teachers need a break. I love this article because I tend to get a little defensive when people point out how much time off teachers enjoy, but our job truly isn't sustainable for 12 consecutive months. Honestly, I'm sure there are quite a few jobs out there that aren't sustainable for 12 consecutive months, but hey, there are certain perks to working with children.

Without breaks, they would definitely meet my wrath

Anyway, I'm going to get off of my soapbox now, and share with you guys a quick warm-down workout that I completed yesterday.

It's pretty self-explanatory. I headed up the road to the MAC for a Sunday afternoon swim, but before I left, I made my way upstairs for a quick, total-body warm-down. It probably took me little more than 15 minutes, but it was 15 minutes well spent. I simply completed one set, gave myself 30 seconds of rest, and moved right on into the next set. Easy as pie, and something that could easily be incorporated into your everyday fitness routine. Hint hint: New Year's Resolutions are comin' in hot.

Alright, now that I've put that bug in your ear, I'm off to walk the pup and apartment shop with Nat. Adios!

Seasonal Showdown Survey

Happy Sunday! How about those FOUR posts that I had this week? Fitness & fro-yo is getting back in the game, huh? I may also get something else posted today, seeing as I don't plan on leaving my couch for the remainder of the day. Why, you ask? Well, I woke up at 4:10am, drove out to Sugar Land, ran 18.6 miles in the pouring down rain, and now, here I am. Okay, let me back up a little bit.

I signed up for this race as the third in the Houston Marathon Warm-Up Series - the first being the Houston Half Marathon in October that got rained out, the HMSA Classical 25K that I ran the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and the Fort Bend Kia 30K that I completed this morning. I was a little nervous because the weather down here in Texas has been pretty typical of Texas, but this past week has featured high temperatures with high humidity. Not ideal running weather. This morning started out at 75 degrees, so I suited up in my shirt and shorts, and made my way to the Land of Sugar. For the first five or so miles of my run, it was hot and humid, but not too unbearable. I was actually rather enjoying myself, and then the rain started coming down. I actually really enjoy running in the rain, so I was kind of looking forward to the rain cooling me down a little bit.

But then I hit mile six, and I actually looked around to see where the cold air was coming from. The temperature had suddenly dropped about 20 degrees, and the rain was only getting harder. And the wind was picking up speed, and I could do nothing but laugh at the hilarity of the situation I was currently in. I had asked for rain, and rain I got! Ask and you shall receive, right? The rain was pretty steady for the next 10 or so miles, and then it calmed down to a mist. But by that time not one inch on my body was dry, and I was way past being bothered by my soggy socks. The last two miles were tough, because I had already completed three (and a half) loops of the same course, I was hungry, I was soaking wet and cold, but I was determined to keep running. It was slow, but I never stopped. And I'll call that a successful run. The Chevron Houston Marathon is next on my list, and while I know it's going to be tough, I mean really tough, I am so excited. Five weeks from today and I'll be crossing something big off of my bucket list.

Started this guy a little bit late, whoops!

And now that you know I'm a crazy person, here's a little seasonal showdown this or that for your rainy reading enjoyment.

Smoothies or juices?

Smoothies, for sure. I've never been a fan of juices, but I will never turn down a good smoothie. In fact, I used to drink a smoothie before every high school volleyball game. My favorite smoothie establishment - Juiceland - is getting ready to open in Houston and I CANNOT WAIT!

Grilled veggies or salads?

This is a tough one! I think I'm going to go with salads, though, because I can always add grilled veggies to it? I take a salad to school almost every day, so the salad is going to take the cake.

Corn on the cob vs sweet potato fries?

SWEET POTATO FRIES. They are hands down my guilty pleasure. I could honestly eat a good batch of sweet potato fries every other day without getting sick of them. In fact, I indulged in some yesterday at Grub Burger Bar.

Burgers or dogs?

Burgers. I've never been a huge fan of hotdogs, and burgers offer so much variety. There are regular beef burgers, veggie burgers, turkey burgers, salmon burgers. chicken burgers, bison burgers, and the list goes on. Needless to say, I'm a big burger fan.

Baseball or soccer?

Honestly, I think I'm going to have to go with soccer. I used to be a huge fan of baseball, and I still enjoy it, but soccer is far more exciting. I love watching the World Cup, and though I don't watch much of the sport, I get into it when it's on.

But what is summer without baseball?

Walking or biking?

Oh man! I love both, but I guess I'll go with biking. It's obviously a faster mode of transportation than walking is, and it's also such a fabulous workout. There is nothing that I love more than a morning bike ride through my neighborhood. Then again, my most favorite part of my days have to be walks with Mack. And walks with Sarah is one of my favorite suite 1 traditions.

Beach or trails?

I love the beach, I really do, but I'm going to go with trails. I would pick the mountains over the beach any day of the week - I much prefer hiking to laying on the beach. Though I won't ever turn down a competitive game of sand volleyball.

After hiking many, many trails

Ice cream or fresh fruit?

Well, seeing as I'm lactose intolerant, I'm going to go with fresh fruit. Which I would probably choose anyway. Summer in one image has to be a large bowl of fresh watermelon.

Sun bathing or swimming?

Swimming, all the way. I love being tan, but I hate the act of tanning. It's just so boring! And I can't read, because the book will block some part of my body, and then I start sweating, and it's been about 7 minutes at this point. You guys know that I love to swim, and though I get myself a cute one-piece tan, I'd much rather tan while I swim.

Tulips or daffodils?

I absolutely love tulips, so this one was easy.

Farmers markets or garage sales?

Farmers markets. We actually were never allowed to have garage sales in my neighborhood growing up, so they were always kind of a foreign concept to me. Besides, what's better than a Saturday morning farmers market? They're far more than just fruits and vegetables, and I need to start making them a more regular part of my schedule.

Sneakers or sandals?

This is such a tough question! I love my Chacos, and they have served me well throughout the past six years, but I still think I'm going to have to go with sneakers (tennis shoes). They're comfortable, practical, and you're always ready for some activity.

But then sometimes you end up wearing Chacos with a skirt

Flower garden or veggie garden?

Veggie garden, for sure. I would actually love to have a vegetable garden one day, and be able to eat what I produce. Once I move to a house, I'm definitely going to try out my green thumb. I'm definitely a veggie garden n00b, but hey, everyone has to start somewhere!

And that's all I've got. But before I go, can I just leave you all with a Hook 'em Horns? Texas Basketball defeated #3 UNC yesterday afternoon, and Texas Volleyball is taking yet another trip to the Final Four after a THRILLING victory over Florida last night. I went to sleep after game one, but I woke up at 10:30 to a hungry puppy, and I got to watch the last five points. 'Twas a good day for Longhorn fans!