Some songs of the summer 2013

That night we started a dance party at a restaurant with 20 people.


That night I danced at a great bar with some lookers/the best night so far this summer. :) The song is catchy... Don't pay attention to the message.


What are your summer songs thus far? Don't fret, we have 50+ more days left of summer!

MIMM: Best weekend of the summer thus far

I have MARVELOUS co-workers.

MARVELOUS freebies from work: plum jam, orange marmalade, and grape jelly from Master Food Preservers (it's a thing)

Saturday was the hot wings, chili, and salsa contest. Patrick and I went on a MARVELOUS chili and salsa eating extravaganza. We tried all the various salsas, and I definitely got heart burn. Oops.

We headed to Friday night in MARVELOUS Downtown Santa Ana for other Julie's birthday. I loved all the bars!

First drink: a MARVELOUSLY alcoholic Sunrise in Jalisco at Chapter One. 

*We also ordered some of their famous duck fat fries but weren't impressed.

We then headed to a dive bar, Copper Door, that served a college favorite: Brass Monkey. They had pool and a dance floor but not much of one.

We went to Proof Bar instead and got our dancing on. I saw a couple of my friends there and then ran into my co-worker as I left!

Afterwards, I spent 30 minutes remembering in which parking deck I parked. We walked around the block sans shoes, found the car, and went to a party. There also involved midnight Vietnamese food for everyone else. It wasn't until 4:30 A.M. that I went to bed and then woke up at 7:30 to go to work.

MARVELOUS Saturday night bowling and more...

Another late night: I went to bed at 3 A.M. and woke up at 7 A.M.

For breakfast, I raided the fridge at work for more chili! 

Lunch was a MARVELOUS fresh slice of fresh pizza and dinner was a protein smoothie.

Sadly, I didn't get my Shakeology in time for dinner, but I'm excited to experiment!

What is your favorite place to get a drink?

Have you used Shakeology?

High Five Friday: Sushi + Sapporo + Self Love

I got to work earlier expecting to get out earlier, but that never happens. Especially when I'm about to leave and a crisis occurs.

At least I got to stay for the donut showdown and nabbed a doughnut from the most amazing donut shop ever. Thanks Eddie! Unfortunately I can't name them here for work purposes, but I've been there before and they have the best Samoa doughnut!

Instead of driving through traffic to go to the Anaheim Art & Pub Crawl, I went to dinner with my friend at Sushi Imari. Great reviews for such a teeny place. While we waited, we got free mini appetizers.

They had cucumber rolls! This was called the "Pain in my ass."

..and I ate white rice for the first time in years! I didn't see a big difference though. We shared the "Sake bomb" closest to me and "Kiss my Halibut" and had some Sapporos.

Sushi + Sapporo = relaxed

I was in bed when I got home and knocked out in the middle of MasterChef again.

Today:

• Drop of some tickets.
• Buy Eddie some gelato.
• Coffee with a friend before he leaves for Japan (to live)!
• Celebrate other Julie's birthday!

For you, this is a must read because it's exactly how I've been feeling: "Thoughts on Self Love" by Heather of Kiss My Broccoli.

After all the perfectionism, I've been letting go and not feeling guilty. I don't know what triggered it, but I'm enjoying the ride and hope that it doesn't abruptly end. Okay, the expensive dinners and going out are a bit much...

How do you practice self-love?

Tough News Thursday

I found out who got the job over me.

I was bawling my eyes out. I was hysterical.

The other sub, the one who didn't know the deadline of 12 P.M. meant noon and thought it was military time.

Yes, I told her. She scrambled to get everything together and yes, she got the job.

But how could I not have told her? I'm not dwelling on that.

What I'm dwelling on is... I'm not a good enough educator.

No, that's not true.

On paper, she one-ups me: more years in the district, a special ed credential (though it's a different one), and her sub assignment included collaborating with a general education English teacher.

The administration hasn't seen us in our classrooms. Those who have are dumbfounded by this choice.

Now comes the tough part: going back and having her introduced as the new teacher.

The other hard part: Those are my kids.

And what will I do now? Continue to suck it up and go in even more aggressively than ever.

I mean, what else can I do?

But... can you give me something, world? Something to make me like a success?

WIAW: Chocomole, plus some reads

I caught up on sleep on Monday & Tuesday, watched some shows, did some homework, and found a few links/articles to share:

• Convincing article on magnesium & epsom salts
• Top 10 ways to get skinny fat - don't do what I did!
• Overcoming hypothalamic amennorhea - another life lesson I learned
• You can out-train a good diet
• Because it's not all about nutrition, I need to find out where the good guys are
• 3 helpful hints to "arrive" at your goals
• I tried this 12 min AMRAP from Zuzka

Now it's Wednesday and that means... it's back to work!

First, a short installment of WIAW:

My new favorite ice cream and only 130 calories per serving!

Chicken in an avocado cilantro sauce with baked sweet potato rounds for dinner

A batch of choco-mole anytime of the day, but I had some with egg whites and bread for breakfast!

The delicious recipe came from students in the guacamole & salsa showdown at school!

I inherited a newer, cleaner car after 10 years with my first and only Jeep.

How do you use avocados?
What was your first car and how long did you have it?

Thoughtful Tuesday: Slow day

I haven't slowed down enough to tell you...

I didn't get the second job.

I got through the first interview and had a 45-minute second interview.

In the end, on Friday, I finally got a call back.

The previous Friday, the principal called me back to tell me to hold on because the master schedule wasn't done. Huh?

I was at work and I was upset. I had tears in my eyes.

But I got over it in a couple of hours that day.

I went out Friday night and Saturday night. I treated myself to a nice dinner on Sunday.

Today, I had to do homework for class.

The reason I'm back in school: to get a job at this school.

The reason I took the English subject test for teachers: to get a job at this school.

So you can imagine doing homework today made me sad.

But there's hope!

A) The teacher I was a long-term sub for needs a couple more months covered.

B) And just in today, a social studies position in our district for which I am fully qualified already.

MIMM: That summer

Do you remember that summer? That summer when you stayed up late, sat in front of bonfires, drank beers and took shots, chatted up strangers, and maybe even had a summer fling?

That was the summer of 2009 when I was 22, and I abstained from any fun in summers and years after. I struggled with life and I moved. Now I'm trying to restore balance.

I'm not 22 anymore. I'm 26, but a summer of nostalgia is something I deem appropriate right now.

You can call it a partying binge. Give me a break though - I honestly haven't been very social since 2010... and it's only a month and a half of craziness. Then it's back to being perfect. ;)

Onto my favorite day of the week this summer, Monday, because I don't work.

Finally some MARVELOUS normal food: $2 kombucha and oatmeal protein pancakes

MARVELOUS paleo cinnamon and coconut pancakes

Vendors brought their foods in for a competition. I skipped the fried fair food in lieu of semi-MARVELOUS chicken kebabs.

 

I was introduced to this MARVELOUS brand at Blend Retreat and snagged one for a quick snack.

MARVELOUS Thursday night at Dave & Buster's to hang out

 MARVELOUS Friday meet-up with high school friends

Brought other Julie along too.

New dress :)

We went to a Korean restaurant/bar.

No food was involved actually.

I took a MARVELOUS nap after work on Saturday night then headed to a housewarming party.

Our MARVELOUS fruit carver finished his weekly themed creation: underwater theme.

I scored a free Scorpion pepper plant that's supposed to be spicier than a ghost chile!

MARVELOUS Sunday dinner at Seasons 52 again! I went with my co-worker Cayla after work to celebrate our "Friday."

I got the strawberry-basil fusion and shared the summer fig & goat cheese flatbread, both of which they ran out of last week. For my entree, I chose the shrimp & scallop ceviche and for dessert, the caramel macchiato mini indulgence.

On tap for today:

• Sleeping in, which actually didn't happen - I only slept till 8 A.M.
• Homework
• Updating mom's pet license for her dog
• Work out

How are you enjoying this summer more than summers past?

WIAW: Blends, Palm Springs, Belated Birthday

I've worked a lot lately and unfortunately, haven't been great about prepping food. My day consists of protein shakes, Quest bars sometimes, carrots, chicken, and peanut butter on [organic] bread. No frills. 

That is, until the weekend. Then I'm drinking and eating out. This only happens in the summer, and I'm happy to say the food is amazing and totally worth it!

On Sunday, I met up with my Blend friends: Gena, Lauren L., and Lauren K. at Seasons 52. Both Laurens were visiting from Washington!

How did I not know about this place?! Everything is under 475 calories and they have skinny cocktails. I rolled with chilled lobster and shrimp spring rolls with 3 different sauces, a Hawaiian coconut cosmo, and some of Gena's matcha salt edamame.

Dessert: Meyer lemon pound cake shot.

My cousin was visiting from Calgary and wanted to hit up the outlets in Cabazon. We did a bit of shopping - I bought a dress, bra, and t-shirt - and then headed to Palm Springs for lunch.

I finally got to eat at Cheeky's and we went all out! We each started with the bacon flight (like a beer flight but with bacon). I got the master cleanse (kale, lemon, maple, & cayenne) and BLT, which I ate open-faced and some sweet potato fries. Everything on the menu looked amazing!

I was so full that dinner never happened. Instead, we had frozen yogurt from my favorite place (unpictured)!

Tuesday was a real day off. I went to the gym (for the second time in a week only!) and took a step & strength class. I intended on going to BodyPump after and yoga at night but decided to pace myself.

Favorite colors?

Plus, Peter, his girlfriend Rachel, Carol and I went out to a belated birthday dinner at Slapfish.

Lobster dip and sweet potato tater tots to share, and a Mission Brewery Hefeweizen beer.

Street seared fish tacos, but I omitted most of the corn tortillas because I don't like corn tortillas...

I also stopped by my aunt's to give her a birthday card and fruit tarts.

Mmm, lots of delicious eats sandwiched with a few days of green juices, protein shakes, and clean eating.

What do you enjoy during the summer? Food or fun. I love going out to eat, but mostly, I enjoy hanging out with friends... and they just tend to eat.

Finally, a meal plan!

...except I haven't made my oatmeal protein pancakes, but I did grind the oats for oat flour! The plan is simple really - one just needed to be made!

 

(source)

Tuesday

• Brunch: turkey sandwich + carrots
• String cheese + Arctic Zero peanut butter chocolate
• Dinner out with Peter at Slapfish
• Workout: Step & Strength
• To dos: homework

Wednesday

• Breakfast: oatmeal protein pancakes, green tea & honey yogurt, kombucha
• Lunch: turkey sandwich
• Snack: string cheese, banana, peanut butter
• Dinner: protein shake, leftover chicken
• Workout: PM circuits, yoga
• To dos: work 8:15am-4:30pm; read ch 1 in CSR

Thursday

• Breakfast: oatmeal protein pancakes
• Lunch: turkey sandwich
• Dinner: protein shake, homemade ravioli (from Eddie)
• Workout: AM 30 mins yoga, PM
• To dos: work 10am-5:30pm, read ch 1 & 2 in McCormick

Friday

• Breakfast: oatmeal protein pancakes
• Lunch: protein shake
• Dinner: shrimp spring rolls without noodles then drinks :)
• Workout: AM
• To dos: work 10am-5:30pm

Saturday

• Breakfast: oatmeal protein pancakes
• Lunch: protein shake
• Dinner: sweet potato "fries"
• Workout: PM
• To dos: work 8:15am-4:30pm, read ch. 2 in CSR

Sunday - read ch. 3 & 4 in McCormick, post
Monday - read ch. 3-5 in CORE

MIMM: Highlights after a 70+ hour week

Highlights from my week away from blogging:

• I don't know how I got home after birthday drinks last Sunday. I still made it to work on Monday.
• I turned a MARVELOUS 26. I worked and went to class.
• I worked 70+ hours in the last 7 days.
• I started my 4th class for my credential but haven't done any homework. Tomorrow is the day.
• I worked out ONCE in the last 8 days, and it was just hot yoga.
• Weekend #1 of the fair is finished. Only 3 more weekends to go.
• MARVELOUS family is visiting from Canada, and we're going to Palm Springs today.

Yes, last week, I worked a ton. I even worked on my birthday, but my MARVELOUS co-workers surprised me with a birthday song and cupcakes. It was the sweetest thing abet awkward. I've never been surprised before!

Eddie brought me a MARVELOUS slice of the tropical cake from SusieCakes, which we all shared. My mother ate all the leftovers.

My meals have been sporadic, and I don't have time to prep food. Yes, terrible excuse! Instead, I bought some organic bread and nut butter. I couldn't pick so I chose both. The White Chocolate Wonderful has always been a favorite, but the Skippy is MARVELOUS too!

Scenes from work:

Patrick's MARVELOUS camo and floral shoes.

Ray's most MARVELOUS creation to date!

MARVELOUS bumble bees!

Tons of MARVELOUS projects that ignite my inner crafter!

Saturday morning was a bummer. I woke up at 5 A.M. to drive 30 minutes to take 4 tests in 4 hours.

Despite being up so early, I went back to Downtown Fullerton for Saturday night antics.

I was tired, but that didn't prevent me from going out and dancing (cardio for the day). Thanks to my MARVELOUS co-workers for "letting me off" early!

I mostly went to be reunited with my the MARVELOUS Meas bros, on either side.

The MARVELOUS ladies at the end of the night.