Late WIAW

Monday Borrowed this cow-print dress from my mom. Good cut, weird pattern.

Finally got my CPR card!

Used my Starbucks Groupon to get through the day.

Looked in my rear view mirror and saw my car?! Trippy.

Tuesday Pineapple in bed. It was still dark when I started working on my last assignment this morning.

Got up and made oatmeal protein pancakes for breakfast.

I proceeded to go to work, go to job #3, ate soup, and broke for a glorious, sweaty yoga practice.

I came home and almost wrapped up the last assignment. I just have a summary to finish in the morning. Sadly, it's not quite my last assignment. I have another, shorter paper to write. I guess I'll have to do a little work on vacation.

Now for the good news:

• The district is being super cooperative! I'm resigning my position in May and taking on a long-term sub position the next day. While I declined before, a long-term substitute position is beneficial: I'm at one site, I work in special education/stay with my kids, and I'm teaching history. She has a tough course load though.
• I leave for vacation tomorrow! I threw clothes, toiletries, etc in/on top of my bag as I walked by it today.

What are you excited about?

MIMM: San Francisco Part 1

Spring break came early for me. I left for San Francisco on Wednesday. This is part 1 of my recap - Wednesday and Thursday in Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco.

David met me at the airport then we proceeded to a couple of bars, the Ruby Room and Merchant's Saloon in Oakland.

Ruby Room was a dark dive bar where I had a couple of dark and stormys.

I made a couple of friends at Merchant's Saloon.

Thursday, we headed to the Ferry Building. Dreamy.

Fancy Pepple's donuts

We shared a grilled cheese with turkey from Cowgirl Creamery. It soaked up all the alcohol.

The F-Train

Love the inside!

I love sea lions!

Pier 39 of Fisherman's Wharf where I had a seafood cocktail and tried David's clam chowder.

Great overcast day

David faking out birds

On our walk to Berkeley Bowl West, a dreamy local health market

David made albondigas soup. I helped make meatballs.

David went to a rave, but I was still hungover and stayed home instead. I played with David's roommates' workout stuff.

Have you been to Fisherman's Wharf or the Ferry Building?

MIMM: Sandwiches

Field trip Friday: the students get doughnuts...

And I eat protein pancakes.

I didn't pack enough food/we're out of food. I stopped by Avocado Cafe for a turkey sandwich. I ate half and saved the other half for my next shift... except my shift got cut so my sandwich, delicious as it was, was thrown out. :(

I'm on a sandwich kick. The hardest thing for me to buy: bread. I chose this for it's smaller size so I can have a perfectly sized sandwich.

My sandwich: soy cheddar, avocado, tomato, turkey, lettuce, & mustard.

I got my whole family into sandwiches. Cousin Catherine went to Jersey Mike's.

We also got some frozen yogurt on the way. Mine is the brown one with peanut butter and carob chips!

My mom wanted a hot sandwich from Mr. Pickles'.

Then I bought a new bra.

Not lululemon. It's a brand I love (kyodan) from Marshall's!

Off today.

Headed to CrossFit. Sundays are packed. A few of the guys come in to do an extra WOD. While getting a jump rope, I was mesmerized by their back muscles as they synchronously did pull ups shirtless. Don't you love that description? It was dreamy.

I partnered up to help count reps. My partner went first and knocked out 140 wall balls in 12 minutes. Only 3 people even got to jump ropes on 13.3 of the CrossFit Open WOD. I was a tad bit above average with the girls - I got 97 wall balls. Wall balls are killer! I couldn't get into a rhythm; the ball kept hitting me in the face or I would catch it incorrectly.

I ate a sandwich, napped, attempted work, had dinner of 1/2 sweet potato & cottage cheese, and watched "Girls." The show is growing on me.

One [tough] assignment and 3 more days of work till vacation! I bought a dress for going out and tried a couple more on today. Good news: I wear small dresses and I have bruises on my legs - hardcore!

When's your next trip?
What are your favorite sandwiches?

High Five Friday: Spring!

High Five for a 3rd job?! Sure, this doesn't look exciting, but it's not bad and pays well. My 3 jobs are completely different - education, retail, and for now, office work. I checked the phones, sent e-mails, commented on food blogs, and that was it for the day. I was the only person in.

*Yes, I tried the chair lift. :)

High Five for mastering jump roping! I grew up when jump roping was cool and I never did it. Whenever I'm required to jump rope as an adult, I get frustrated and mess up and frustrated again. It's a terrible cycle. Today I strung 60 in a row, skipped one, and continued on to 100! Not once did I get caught in the rope!

How? I didn't look at myself in the mirror, and I wore capris that stay up.

I woke up at 5 A.M., decided 13.3 (150 wall balls, 50 double unders, & 15 muscle ups) weren't for me - I knew I'd hardly get through wall balls if at all, and looked for a WOD I hadn't done and could do at home: "Rofer," named after an attractive lawyer who comes in the morning. :)

"Rofer"

50 Doubles

Run 800

25 Sit Ups

50 Doubles

Run 600

25 Sit Ups

50 Doubles

Run 400

25 Sit Ups

50 Doubles

Run 200

25 Sit Ups

High Five for a field trip to meet the author of Thirteen Reasons Why... and the best part, we have some awesome students going! I haven't read the book yet but am going to check it out for spring break reading. *Check out PB Fingers' review.

(source)

High Five for spring! Here in California, it's usually gorgeous, but now we can really practice all things spring. On my list already:

• Make jam. Thanks Ashley for the idea. I'm working with master food preservers this summer so will pick up a tip or two.
• Do exercises on a Swiss ball. This isn't quite spring, but I love the idea.
• Work out outdoors. Hiking?!
• Visit some farms. Maybe avocados?
• Take my mom to the Carlsbad Flower Fields

High Five for spring break in San Francisco. I leave in less than a week! Oh, I have to buy something to bring my friend. What's really special in Southern California? I have no clue!

 

(source)

Do you have a spring break? What are you doing?
What's on your spring to-do list?

WIAW: Melatonin & chocolate

Last week was tough with the time change. This week, I bought some melatonin and chocolate. The melatonin worked and I was fast asleep within an hour on Monday and within 30 minutes on Tuesday.

I slept well and made it to CrossFit on Tuesday. In my brand new capris from TJ Maxx. Sure, I work at an active wear store, but I don't like our clothes for working out nor do I like them much at all actually...

Thanks to a sale and a coupon, I tried Evolution Fresh. Without apples, this was very green tasting. At least it's good for me.

I went to my first day at job #3. I now have keys to a gorgeous 1940s property. My job involves e-mails, spreadsheets, and phone calls, which I don't mind as much as I thought.

I stopped by Trader Joe's after work and bought some black bean soup, added chicken, onions, and corn and am calling it dinner for the next few nights. Hm, not so attractive though.

I got to bed all early... and forgot to slide my alarm to the "on" position. I missed CrossFit so went to yoga instead. To make up for it, I attempted some pull-ups and failed but succeeded in some good deadlifts. :)

Fortunately, I slept undisturbed 9:45 and woke up at 7:45 the next morning. Never happens. Usually, I toss a bit during the night. The hopes of repeating that again tonight are slim. I started doing some homework and it's quite late. :(

Where do you buy your workout clothes? I have some lululemon reversible wunder unders from awhile back. They're not see-through! The new ones are made with thinner fabric and I can see all the bumps/cellulite in my legs. Otherwise, my favorites come from the Kyodan brand from TJ Maxx.
Does anyone like burpees? Tomorrow's workout includes burpees, which I like... because I can do them!

MIMM: St. Patrick's Day weekend

I have 2 upcoming trips and want to go on a third one for Memorial Day weekend. Of course, prices are ridiculous.

Oatmeal protein pancakes as always.

Only 8 frozen yogurt

A box of 12 chocolate chip cookie dough Quest bars! This was instantly my favorite flavor.

I love the back of the box.

Thanks Janetha for the heads up on cheap coconut butter. $5.99!

I started St. Patty's Day off with semi-green oatmeal protein pancakes. All I did was add some matcha green tea powder.

Afterwards, I headed to a CrossFit St. Patrick's Day cookout and brought Janetha's spicy six-layer dip. Easy winner.

I met members who go to the later classes, had chicken kielbasa, drank Guinness and a bourbon cocktail, and... had to go to work. :(

Now if I could actually make it to CrossFit. I'm aiming for 3 sessions per week. Today was a no-go. I slept for almost 11 hours - totally needed after this weekend and before this week. I knew my body was fatigue after struggling terrible with simple yoga poses.

Everyone else must've had a tough weekend too - looks like only 5 people showed up for the WOD named after me this morning, which by the way, is the WOD of my nightmares: double unders (can't do, must practice), wall balls (ouch), and toes to bar (huh?). I really have to stop cherry-picking my WODs.

Do you cherry pick your WODs, if you do CrossFit?
What did you do to celebrate this weekend?