Bootcamp Circuit Workout

Happy Monday! I'm just popping in to share a workout with you guys. Yesterday afternoon I headed up the road to the gym and completed two rounds of the following workout. I based it off of this workout created by Julie over at Peanut Butter Fingers (Random note: When I was typing 'Julie,' I totally typed Juliet first. I think you guys know what I've been reading lately), but I changed up quite a few of the exercises, which you might recognize from this workout that I posted just last week.

This workout could certainly be completed just one time through if you're looking to get in and out of the gym quickly, but still get in a good workout, but two times through will leave your arms and legs feeling like jello the next day. In case you're wondering what I'm feeling like today. As I've mentioned before, I tend to be lean more toward long cardio and endurance sessions, but I know these are beneficial, in more ways than one. I'm putting myself through my own personal bootcamp class. It's not one that I would do if the gym was very crowded, because I took up quite a bit of space with all of the equipment I used, but I'm sure you could contain it if need be. I just chose to make use of the space I had available to me.

And here are links to a few of the exercises:

• Kettlebell Swings
• Skaters
• Pulsing Squats
• Side-to-side burpees
• Donkey Kicks
• Alternating Box Jump

Those pulsing squats had my number. My walk to the third-floor this morning was a struggle. But hey, it can only go up from there. Have a great one!

Name Your Favorite

And I'm back with another round of Survey Sunday. Once again, I apologize for skipping over last week's, but the beautiful weather kept me away from my computer. And I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing.

But, let's get back on schedule, shall we? This survey asks me to 

Name Your Favorite…

Person – Because today is Mother’s Day, I’m going to have to go with my mom on this one. And because I’ve already given her a lengthy post highlighting only some of her incredible qualities, and I know she doesn’t want another one, I’ll just say that I’m more than thankful for all that she has done, does do, and will continue to do for me. I surely could not have made it through this first year of working without her going above and beyond to help me get it all done. And keep my sanity. Because that last one was questionable.

Color – On Wednesdays we wear pink.

Food – This question always gets me. But I think I’m going to have to go with dark chocolate. Can woman subsist on dark chocolate alone?

Smell – I love the smell of summer nights. I love the smell of Anthro’s Volcano candle. I love the smell of homemade chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven, and I could go on and on and on.

Book – This question is another toughy. Redeeeming Love, Harry Potter, East of Eden, Love Does – I could go on for days and days. If you ever need a book recommendation, you know where to find me.

Movie – Remember the Titans is one of my all-time favorites, as is The Breakfast Club. Boyhood is a more recent fav, and I absolutely recommend you give it a watch.

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Time of day – Morning. I am far more productive in the morning than I am at any other time of day. I’ve mentioned before that I shut down right around 3:00pm, which is why I have to get to work at 6:30am so that I can get some work done.

Day of the week – Friday. Call me crazy, but I enjoy going to work. I love getting to see my students and my co-workers, and I also love that everyone’s spirits are a little higher due to the upcoming weekend. Because who doesn’t need a break by the time Friday rolls around?

Thing to do when bored – Go for a bike ride, read, or bake.

Drink – Water will always be my number one. But I’m not one to turn down a mimosa or a glass of white wine.

TV show – Lately I have caught a few episodes of Friday Night Lights, and it reminded me why I binge-watched that show in the first place. Coach and Tami Taylor forever!

Fruit – Cuties. They’re cute (obviously), delicious, nutritious, and portable. What’s not to like?

Vegetable – I never thought I would say this, but I really love Brussels sprouts.

Store – Anthropologie. Yesterday everything in the store was 20% off (shout out to moms for making this one possible), and you know I took advantage of it.

Clothed in Anthropologie, and she is poor in the days to come

Workout – Running. Though my runs have been hot and humid lately. Here we go!

Quote  – I love love love a good quote. In fact, I have been cutting out quotes that I plan on hanging up in my (fingers crossed) classroom for next year. Because I don’t have a favorite, I’ll just give you the last one I pinned.

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Boy’s name  – Ross or Ryan.

Girl’s name – Reagan or Rylie. You know this English teacher is all about that alliteration.

Meal of the day – I love breaking the fast. And the possibilities are endless.

Season – Spring or summer, but I also love fall. And I don’t dislike winter, but I really dislike layers.

Dessert – Frozen yogurt, of course!

Lifehack – What a fun question! I actually have an entire book of LifeHacks, so this is a tough question for me. As someone who loves to bake, and who is surprisingly horrible at cutting things neatly, it was nice to learn that (unscented) dental floss will cut soft solids perfectly.

And on that note, I'm out. Be sure to give a mom-like figure a call today, as they are truly the real MVPs.

Things I'm Loving Friday XXXIII

The weeks go by fast, even if the days sometimes go by slow. Which I haven't really found to be the case, but sometimes I'll think back on something and say, "That happened this morning?" And yesterday I woke up with my alarm thinking surely it was Friday. I think the crazy school schedule had me a little bit out of sync. Anyway, TODAY is really Friday, so let's get going with another round of Things I'm Loving.

Houston Wall Art
How about them Rockets? After a dismal performance on Monday night, and what started out as such on Wednesday, the Rockets woke up and tied up the series with the Clippers at one game apiece. We're playing tonight in Los Angeles, and I'm hoping we can come back home with at least one more win. And you guys already know that Austin is known for its cool wall art, but Houston isn't too far behind in that respect. While heading to breakfast with a friend this past weekend, I drove past this one-of-a-kind wall, decorated with Houston favorites James Harden and Dwight Howard, who I hope will lead the Rockets to our first championship in 20 years. Fear the Beard is all I have to say.

Teacher Appreciation Week
Did you know that this week is Teacher Appreciation Week? And Bellaire is taking good care of us, because every morning as I walk in the front office to sign in, I see something new in my box. We have received a free Chick-Fil-A salad from the Meyerland Chick-Fil-A, a free box combo from Raising Cane's, a Bellaire lanyard (that won't replace my Texas lanyard, sorry), and a flash drive. But the real payoff for me came when I had a random, unexpected conversation with a student that I had last semester. He was walking through the halls and he decided to come say hi. I really enjoyed having him in class, and I learned that he is wise beyond his years as he talked about how he's stood up to his friends who choose to make poor choices, and how he realizes that his parents have given up a lot for him, and the only repayment they ask is for him to do well in school. The conversation nearly brought me to proud tears, as conversations like that are what make everything worth it.

Hill Training
Houston isn't known for its hills, and for that, I am grateful. Most of the time. Except for when I need a little hill training now and again (read: Austin Half Marathon). And while the Houston half and the Woodlands full are not going to feature too many hills, hill training still has numerous benefits. Hill training utilizes the entire body, helps you run faster on flat ground, and you'll develop some killer calves, among other things. So, the other night I headed just up the road to my high school and set out to run the dreaded hill. Well, it was dreaded when I was in high school, and our volleyball coach made some of us very acquainted with that hill when we chose to leave school a little bit early one day. But the other night, it was pretty peaceful up there, and I got to think about a million different things as I was running up and down and up and down.

Scratch World Map
Remember those errands I ran a couple of days ago? While I fully intended to purchase things for other people, I did end up buying a couple of things for myself. Though I should add that I made it out of Anthropologie without making a single purchase. I say this because during my retirement meeting, the first thought that came to my mind when we were going over my funds was that I wouldn't be able to shop at Anthropologie anymore. I guess I still have some growing up to do. Anyway, I found the coolest map while perusing Paper Source. It has you scratch off the places in the world you have been, logging your travels in a fun and colorful way. I think this will only further my desire to travel the world, as some of the places my fellow teachers are traveling this summer already has my mind racing with places I never even had on my radar.

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Foxy Strawberries
I learn a lot from my fellow teachers. How to discipline students, how to input grades, and how to better teach a lesson. All important things. And then sometimes I learn which strawberries I should be buying at the store. I'm not kidding you when I say that there was probably a three-minute conversation about how much better Foxy Strawberries are than Driscoll Strawberries. Apparently Driscoll strawberries are kind of bland, as noted by several teachers at different points in the conversation. So when I found myself at the grocery store on Wednesday, I made sure to purchase a pint of strawberries. And I'm sure you know which brand I chose.

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Wild Child
I've always been a big-time Kenny Chesney fan. His songs are just so good for the soul, and I can't help but sing along anytime one comes on the radio. And lately, I have been obsessed with one of his more recent songs, sung with Grace Potter. He specifically mentions that many songs sung about women tend to objectify them, but this one focuses more on the free spirit, and women who are so in love with the life they live. Tell me how a song gets better than that.

And on that note, I'm off to the Kopy Kingdom, as per usual! Happy Friday!

Chocolate for Breakfast

Didn't I tell you I'd be back? This is what getting home before the start of traffic does to you - it makes you feel as though you have all the time in the world. Because yesterday I worked out, ran errands, blogged, baked, and even did a little bit of schoolwork. And I still went to bed at my normal hour. It's the little things that put some extra pep in your step.

Anyway, I'll be brief, as there's always something else to cross off of my to-do list, but first, I'll let you in on a little secret. I don't go a day without chocolate. I know, I know. But it's such a sweet spot in my day that I just can't deprive myself of it. Besides, you can't be good all the time. And besides, dark chocolate is healthy, right? Not right? Oh well, I'll continue to eat it anyway.

And while I obviously believe in a little bit of chocolate every day, I firmly believe in eating chocolate for breakfast. I so remember waking up on Saturday mornings, wandering downstairs, grabbing a spoon, taking out a carton of (chocolate) ice cream from the freezer, and having at it. I typically got reprimanded for it later, but I have no regrets. Maybe that wasn't the best way to start my day, but chocolate can absolutely be a part of a balanced and healthy breakfast. Just take a look at this Almond Joy Granola, inspired by The Minimalist Baker. Actually, I pretty much copied her recipe exactly, except I added in even more coconut with my favorite Blue Diamond Toasted Coconut Almonds, and I snuck some Chia seeds in there as well. An extra punch of health, right?

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp Organic Coconut Palm Sugar
• 3 tbsp Chia seeds
• 1 cup almonds
• 1/3 cup honey (or agave, if you want to keep it vegan)
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks, chopped (+ a little bit more)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 340 degrees
2. Combine the oats, shredded coconut, sugar, almonds, and Chia seeds in a large mixing bowl
3. Over medium-low heat, mix honey, almond butter, and coconut oil until melted
4. Pour over the dry mixture, mixing well
5. Spread evenly onto a foil-lined baking sheet, and cook for 20-25 minutes, taking it out of the oven and stirring it halfway through
6. When cooled, toss in the chocolate and ENJOY!

Evidently this should last about 2-3 weeks when stored in an airtight container, if you have a great amount of self-control than I.

30-Minute Circuit Workout

Happy Hump Day! I apologize for my extended absence, and my lack of a Survey Sunday, but things are getting busy, busy, busy at school. I say that, but today I was pretty much just another body taking up space within an already t00-crowded school. Sure, I was a reader for the STAAR Biology test today, and I continued to monitor until 9:15am, but after that, I can't say that I offered many contributions to the day. 

While yesterday we were on a post-STAAR odd schedule, and I had class back-t0-back-to-back-t0-back, today was an even schedule, and the only "class" I had was volleyball. I unsurprisingly got a lot of random work done today, and I took a break to collect and return the tests, but I arrived home feeling good about all that I accomplished. I've planned out my final weeks, I've created most of the worksheets and activities I want my students to complete, and I've almost got my final exams printed off and sent to the copy room. S U C C E S S. And because I don't have a sixth period, I jetted out of school a little bit early today, and I got home, and got in a good workout, before I would have even gotten home had left at my normal time. So, let's talk workouts, shall we?

This particular circuit is one that I would consider to be of the total-body variety. I was sweaty and tired and worked out in a way that I haven't been in a while. It's no secret that I'm a big-time fan of endurance cardio-type exercise, but it's good to mix things up every once in a while. I tried to alternate one minute of cardio with one minute of strength training, because you know I still have to get my daily cardio fix!

Here's how it worked. I completed each exercise for one minute before (almost) immediately moving onto the next one. Surprisingly, many of the minutes passed quickly, except for the shuffling and the skaters minutes. But the skaters became less horrible once I started actually doing them correctly, in that I started going for distance rather than speed. That's when I started feeling it in the backs of my legs and glutes! On the pushups minute, I did 30 seconds of regular pushups, and then finished out the minute with 30 seconds of tricep pushups. I completed significantly fewer tricep pushups, but hey, you gotta start somewhere! And let me save you a little bit of time by explaining what equipment you will need.

• Jump rope
• Barbell (for jumping over with the burpees, and for the chest press)
• Medicine ball (for Russian Twists)
• Mat
• Dumbbells (your preferred bicep curls weight, and maybe one lighter set, as a minute is a long time)
• Box

Once I completed each exercise one time through, I set myself back up and went through it once more. I took time to get water and catch my breath, but then I was back at it! And as I mentioned earlier, I was a sweaty mess by the end of it. But even one of the trainers at the gym told me I had quite the circuit going, so I'll take that compliment and run with it! We'll see how I feel tomorrow, but I'm already anticipating a nice, easy swim to be in the books.

Have a great one, and check back tomorrow for another post. I promise this time!

Boston Dreaming

Remember when I thought things would slow down after the STAAR test? I'm not sure what I was on, but it seems as though things have picked up the pace. But that could be because finals are right around the corner, and I'm realizing just how much I have to do between now and then so that my students are adequately prepared to take it. Anyway, I am actually not going to talk about school in this post. What I meant by bringing that up is that I have been off my blogging game lately. It's getting harder and harder for me to squeeze in a weekday post, which is why I have yet to get back to you guys on the exciting fitnessandfroyo news I promised you in this post. So, let's first talk weather. The weather in Texas has been absolutely wonderful this week. I'm in full-on sandal mode these days, but when I walked out the door to go to school this week, the words "Oh, it's chilly out here!" surprisingly escaped my mouth. I mean, come on, it's May in Texas. And while I truly don't mind the heat, I'll take temperatures in the high 60's any day of the week.

Which leads me to the next item on the agenda - running. Before I get into the good stuff, I ran a race this morning! As a faithful Texas Ex, whenever I received an email about the 2015 Lone Star Stampede happening at the Houston Co-op, I immediately signed up. I always love a good 10K - it's easily my favorite distance - and the money raised goes towards scholarships for students attending UT. I can get on board with that. So, I woke up later than I do on a school day and hopped on I-10, which led me to 610, which led me to Uptown Park. I easily found the (free!) parking, and met my friend Cheyney in front of the Co-op before the race began.

As I mentioned above, the weather has been an absolute delight all week. This morning was not a disappointment, and I'd venture to say that the 55 degree temperatures at the start of the race were just about perfect. I started off fast - really fast - as my first mile came in at 7:22. Actually, the first four miles were under 8:00, and the last two came in at just over 8:00/mile. Certainly one of my fastest 10K races.

And as for the race itself, I had an absolute blast out there. I loved being among a sea of fellow Longhorns, many of them sporting burnt orange, and I saw quite a few familiar faces along the way. A perfect morning for a run through a beautiful Houston neighborhood.

And while we're on the subject of running, let's talk marathons. Some of you probably saw my Instagram post earlier this week, which talked of my recent marathon registration, and you knew what the exciting news was that I had to talk about. If you didn't see it - surprise! I registered to run a marathon. Yep. When I was much, much younger, and we still had a desktop computer, I remember sitting down and creating a Bucket List - things I want to do before I kick the bucket. Fingers crossed that I have a while before that one happens! And while some of the items on this list were somewhat silly - getting my driver's license and attending my high school prom, for example - some of them were a bit loftier. Travel to all 50 states. Skydive. Run a marathon. I haven't yet finished the first, I have crossed off the second, and earlier this week, I made the first move in crossing off the third. I signed up for my first full marathon. 

I know, I know. I'm crazy. That thought most definitely crossed my mind as I was reaching for my debit card to pay the entrance fee to this race. Which, by the way, was far cheaper than the entrance fee to running the Houston HALF Marathon. It pays to run a smaller race. So, let's move on toward the logistics, shall we?

The Race: The Woodlands Marathon

• When I first decided that I really and truly wanted to start training for a marathon, my first thought was to change my Houston half registration into a full. And then I realized that had me training throughout the entire volleyball season, and let's be real, there's no way I will be running more than even 6 miles during volleyball season, and the training plans I have looked at call for a couple of 10 mile weekday runs. Sorry, but that's just not going to happen. Volleyball is the extracurricular priority in the fall. But, I did know that I wanted to run my race before it got too hot outside. Which brings me to my next point.

Race Date: Saturday, March 5th, 2016

• The weather in Texas is very fickle, to use one of last week's vocabulary words, so there's really no telling what the weather will be like on race day. I've got my fingers crossed for temperatures no higher than 60 degrees, but realistically I've got to be prepared for anything. I really didn't want to travel for my first marathon, as I have read horror stories about the change in routine throwing people off their running game, so I knew I was going to stay in the state. Houston happens too early in the year, and Austin has too many hills, but a flat Woodlands course in the beginning of March seemed just right.

Training Plan: Hal Higdon's Marathon Novice Training Plan

• I haven't solidified this one yet. Which I think is acceptable, seeing as I still have about ten months before race day. I have, however, looked into some different race plans. The one that seems to be the most popular is Hal Higdon's Novice Training Plan. I can't decide whether I'm going to go with Novice 1 or Novice 2, but I think his is the winner. It's 18 weeks long, and typically the midweek distances are equivalent to the weekend long run. I shudder to think of the day I venture out and run 20 miles, but I'm leaning towards finding a running group to join. I know Houston is full of them, and not only will it make those long runs easier (or so I hear), but I'm sure to meet some top notch people along the way.

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But this training plan is where it's going to get tricky for me. I know I've talked on the blog before about how hard it is for me to truly take a rest day. Even on the days I intend to be rest days, I often end up doing something. However, I've read enough and I've heard enough to know that I have to take these rest days seriously. I can't only run, and what's even more important is that I make sure I am adequately fueling my body. I learned firsthand what it's like to run a long distance without enough food and water in my body, and it was not a fun experience. While I can't eat whatever I want - I've read that one over and over again, too - I also can't deprive myself of what my body needs and craves. Overall, I think this will be really good for me - both physically and mentally. I know that I have to rest in order to be successful, so unless I want to crash and burn the way my English classes did when I had them attempt to act out Shakespeare, I had better take those days seriously.

I have mentioned to a couple of teachers at school that I signed up for a marathon. Almost all of their first responses went something like this, "Oh, that requires a lot of discipline!" But then they followed it up with something encouraging, ie, telling me that I seem to be a very disciplined person. And I am. The reason I was so successful in the classroom is not because I'm naturally smart. It's because I knew the amount work that I would have to put in to it to get the results I wanted. It was the same thing with volleyball. Sure, some of it was athleticism. But it was repetition after repetition that allowed me to play at the level I played. So I'm not too worried about the discipline aspect of this. I know there will be times that I have to say no. I know this is going to be a lifestyle. But a girl can only run so many half marathons before she starts to crave a new challenge. And what better time to do it than when I'm young, right?

And I have a lofty goal for this first marathon of mine. I desperately want to run Boston one day, and I would love to knock it out with this first marathon. I know it's not a good idea for first-time marathon runners to have a goal time in mind, as the biggest goal should be to finish. And mine is, I promise. But I'm too competitive a person to not give myself something to aim for. I've got a lot of work to do, but that's never stopped me in the past. Obviously, Boston is the high goal for so many runners. And it's one that not everyone meets. In fact, for the age group I'm in, only 7.9 percent of marathoners - male or female - qualify to run Boston. So, while odds aren't necessarily in my favor, when have I ever let that discourage me? Getting a job at Bellaire my first year out of college was a longshot, but here I am, surviving each day (barely, some days). And I remember very vividly what happened on Marathon Monday in 2013. It shook me to my core and affected me more than I ever would have thought it would, because running means something different and special and personal to each individual runner, and to qualify for Boston the highest honor, and I couldn't believe that someone would try and take the joy and accomplishment away from so many. Ever since that day I knew I wanted to run Boston one day. Because I can run, and there are so many out there who can't. Because I'm not one to back down from a challenge, and I've learned that no dream is too big. Because I'll have to rely on strength that is not my own to get through this one, but I wouldn't want it any other way.

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Things I'm Loving Friday XXXII

And here we are, on the very first day of May. How we got here, I will never know. After today, there are F O U R school weeks left until I can officially say I have completed my first year of teaching. And it won't be four normal weeks, either. Next week we have a couple of days of STAAR testing, AP testing will be going on for the next three weeks, and the last week of school is, of course, dedicated to finals. So I guess I'll hang on for the ride, because it's sure to go by quick!

Live Lokai Bracelet
I can't take credit for this one. All the credit goes to my friend Amira. And while I'm here, let me take a moment to say that she gets all the credit for the "swimming in wine" portion of my Instagram caption a couple of weeks ago. So, now that I've gotten that out of my system, let me talk about just how cool this bracelet is. The white bead holds water from Mt. Everest, the highest point on Earth. The black bead contains mud from The Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. We all experience the good times, when we feel on top of world. The white bead reminds us to stay humble. And on the opposite end, there are always going to be difficult moments. But the black bead reminds us to remain hopeful in our lowest moments. I absolutely love that, and have worn my bracelet every day since receiving it in the mail.

Women's Go Dry Racerback Tank
I don't think Old Navy gets nearly enough credit. Sure, sometimes you walk out of there completely empty-handed, but most of the time I walk out of there excited about a great deal I just found. And this past Saturday did not disappoint. I was in a shopping mood, because I headed down the road to Memorial City Mall - a rarity for me, especially on a Saturday. And before going into the actual mall, I stopped in at Old Navy, because I've been extremely successful here in the colored pants department. And though I didn't find any colored pants, I did walk into a huge sale on workout apparel. Because I need more of that. But these flowy racerback tops will be perfect for my hot summer runs, and besides, I got them for only $8 apiece.

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Cyprus Sandals
I had spotted these sandals while shopping at City Centre a month or so ago. But because I already had a nice pair of brown sandals, I passed on them. Even though I really liked them. I found myself at City Centre once again this past weekend, and popped into J. Crew when I saw a sign advertising 30% off the entire store. For whatever reason, their clothes are rarely a hit with me, but maybe they had a flowy skirt or dress that would be fun for summer. I didn't find either of those things, but I did find these same sandals. And this time in white! Which was perfect because I've been in the market for a pair of white sandals, but I've had a hard time purchasing any because white gets so dirty so quickly. But 30% off was calling my name, and though I had to size up one size, I foresee these sandals getting plenty of wear.

Zoe's Kitchen Quinoa Salad
This is one of those restaurants that I absolutely love, but often end up neglecting. Located within Town and Country, it often finds itself in City Centre's shadow. But just last weekend I was catching some rays after a swim at the MAC, and I found myself hungry for something healthy, but my usual weekend meal of Salata just didn't appeal to me. And though Hungry's is right down the street, that wasn't what I wanted, either. Instead, I headed in the opposite direction toward Zoe's Kitchen, and settled in with their new quinoa salad - sans feta, plus salmon. I don't know what their salmon kebabs are seasoned with, but it left me vowing to make Zoe's Kitchen one of my go-to restaurants.

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23 Misconceptions About Teachers
This article. I realized a couple of weeks back that I spend a lot of time talking about my job. About my students. About my co-workers. And I think I talk about it so much because there are so many misconceptions out there about teachers. Granted, there are misconceptions about every job, but some of these ring entirely too true. I do have many hats to put on, I do have to be 'on' at (almost) all hours of the day, I do get frustrated when people say my job is easy, or that I'm only doing it for the time off. Though it's certainly an added perk. Teaching wasn't a backup plan, and I think it's the best profession out there for me. Each day is filled with new challenges, laughs, and facepalm moments, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

One of those facepalm moments

Make it a great start to May - one of the busiest and craziest, but also happiest, months of the year!