Friday Five Favorites: I GET to live and love life.

 

Five reasons this week was great

1.  Getting homework done (again!). I even got reprimanded for turning my homework in too early. Sorry but these one per month classes go by too fast and I get too anxious turning in work too close to the deadline.

2. Mug cakes for breakfast (and at night). Easy and filling.

3. Midday coffee run for my co-workers and getting out of work at 12:30. :)

4. Discovering "Family Tree." Chris O'Dowd, will you marry me? I know, he's not "hot," but watch him! Have you seen "Moone Boy" or "The I.T. Crowd?"

5. Meeting these 4 silly boys. Long story short, they asked if I would take them with me wherever I go. :)

Five crafts

1. DIY nail polish storage made from a shoe box and the gift wrap paper I purchased for the holidays (and beyond).

2. Gingerbread house! Check one off my "December to Remember" list!

I picked the Dancing Deer kit for $13.99. Lots of extra frosting and cookies - you build around the box.

 

My cousin helped decorate it.

 

I did the top two.

3. I could make this myself. I love ya Yancey!

4. Someone invite me to an ugly sweater party!

5. My friend says it's cold out. I suggested this:

Five recipes

1.  Pumpkin pie cheese & crackers were served at the holiday baking party.

2. Holiday stout gingerbread

3. After making pumpkin whoopie pies, I want to make some gingerbread whoopie pies with lemon cream cheese. Whoopie pies are my speciality. :)

4. Sweet potato fritters with yogurt chive dipping sauce

5. Cranberry pinot noir meatballs

BONUS: If you haven't seen this... Joy, you're killing us: Gingerbread Speculoos & Dark Chocolate Cake!

Five workouts

1. Sandbag here and here with my makeshift bag filled with clothes and some weights.

2. Resistance band workouts are all over the place including here.

3. Stability ball, which I haven't done yet but is on the schedule for tomorrow.

4. Walking every night because I don't have to plan and I did all my homework during the day!

5. Dancing - easy Latin and Bollywood.

Five links

1. When did Fullerton become one of the prettiest towns? I may have to revisit during the day...

2. 33 clever Christmas food hacks that are easy and ingenious!

3. How it would look if all humans were bodybuilders

4. 15 reasons why Costco is simply the best

5. I don't have to do anything. I get to workout. I get to go to work. This post seriously changed my life.

Five exciting events

1. Holiday baking party at work. My group make pumpkin whoopie pies and French chocolate truffles.

2. Peter's [surprise] birthday dinner tonight. It'll be a drive for some shabu - I'll explain what that is later... I should get him something though.

3. Indulge L.A. with my friend Julie. I heard there's so much sugar (and drinks) that it's impossible. We'll see about that.

4. Resolution Run, but I'm still not sure if I'm running it or volunteering. Have I told you how much I hate running and I've only ever run one 5K... and I had to train for it?

5. Holiday baking exchange with a Meetup group I joined. It's 20-somethings reading books. I'm thinking about making eggnog thumbprints, but please GIVE ME IDEAS!

Your turn:
What's your go-to cookie recipe?
What's your favorite cookie?

Five Things Friday: Day-to-Day

 

Five reasons I like day-to-day subbing:

1. No more planning. I had to present a PowerPoint yesterday, but besides that, the students are doing independent work and watching "The American President."

2. Time to do homework. I've used prep periods, lunches, and any downtime in class to do work everyday this week.

3. Working with new students. I haven't worked in a regular classroom in years, and it's not so scary. I also worked with diverse populations including Hispanic, Asian, and Honors classes.

4. Eating when I'm hungry. I can't just eat whenever I want because it's not my classroom and I'm more active.

5. Getting out early. I get up earlier, but I get out much earlier.

Five items I want to try:

1. Garden of Life Raw Protein in chocolate

2. Theo Nutcracker Brittle and some of these other holiday flavors:

3. Anchor Steam Christmas Ale

4. Soft & chewy grain-free gingerbread

5. No-bake gingerbread pumpkin snowballs

Five movies I watched this week (while multi-tasking, from best to worst):

1. "Heat" was hilarious and memorable.

2. "Bridget Jones' Diary" is a nice non-traditional classic. I like it more now as an adult.

3. "The American President" in government class, and it's so good!

4. "Girl Most Likely" stars Kristen Wiig. I followed the story, but it wasn't much of one.

5. "Drinking Buddies" has a great cast, but there was no story.

Five Seven links for your day:

1. My friend made herself a wine countdown, but I'm a beer girl and a beer advent calendar is the best idea this season. I can't seem to find a photo example though.

2. Reverse dieting to repair metabolic damage

3. 10 simple & realistic ways to be more positive - a little basic list of reminders.

4. Women in 1965 could eat 200 more calories than we can now.

5. How to get a hot body (as written by Adam Bornstein) - I did this for 11 hours last night.

6. More Adam Bornstein: The Hormonal Reset

7. Life without the scale

Five things I'm looking forward to this weekend:

1. 1920s dinner party TONIGHT! My friend got a new job, her boyfriend is out of town, and they're having a fancy holiday party so I got invited.

2. Unique LA, a show of locally made products. Right up my alley though I do admit, I like looking more than buying.

3. Maker's Marketplace, a hyper-local holiday craft show.

4. German Christmas Market - it seems as though this is a common event.

5. Holiday Baking Party at work next week

Your turn:
What are you looking forward to this weekend?
Any links to share?
Any good movies? 

Five Things Friday #2

Yesterday, I was excited for Thanksgiving break.

Today, I'm realizing that I give back my keys after 4 months.

It's hard not to be down. I was and am the one everyone would guess to have a class of my own right now.
 

Five things that make me happy

These people. :) They've grown up so much in 2 years!

 This other class makes me even happier.

Hot yoga, or at least the thought of it. My left shoulder/trap is in unbearable pain - it's much more developed than the other trapezius muscle, and hot yoga just sounds so good.

A comfy bed. Nothing fancy.

The mountains, which I miss so much!

Five articles to read

Don't feel sorry that I've gained weight because I needed to. I need to stop feeling sorry for myself too.

In this world, who isn't worrying... all the time? I am on edge constantly.

This entire blog, Go Kaleo.

I'll be a hater - 5 engagement posts that are annoying.

Fast food salads always look so sad and now we know why.

Five outdoor adventures

Calafia State Beach

Carbon Canyon

Santiago Oaks

Griffith Observatory

Torrey Pines State Reserve

BONUS: YogaGlo in Santa Monica with Dice Iida-Klein


Five Four restaurants

Clementine for delicious chocolate chip cookies Joy the Baker raves about.

 Crazee Burger serves alligator, gator, antelope, and kangaroo too.

I've walked by Urban Pie at a farmer's market and loved their menu of fresh toppings.

Donuts in L.A. I've had Bob's but loved Stan's more - yummy peanut butter and banana filled donuts?! Yes!

Five shows/movies I'll be watching

"Waitress"

"Bonkers Awesome" with Joy the Baker and she goes to one of my favorite cupcakeries, Sweet & Saucy Shop.

"Catching Fire" I have next week off and will go watch it during downtime.

Still haven't seen "Despicable Me."

Watching "Love Actually" with my former roommate over Skype. :)

What makes you happy?

Five Things Friday: Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy birthday mom and second mom, my mom's twin!

This is my first week linking up with Clare!

Five things I want to eat

1. How have I not heard of Halo Top? Some pretty darn good stats and ingredients I can read! I bought the lemon cake flavor yesterday, ate half a pint and ate the rest this evening. It's not the frosty, frozen Arctic Zero - this is creamy and tastes like ice cream. Sure, it's double the calories of Arctic Zero, but it's so good. I read a review on their other flavors, but for now, I'll stick with lemon.

2. I've spotted Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA everywhere. I need to try it!

3. Love Crunch gingerbread granola is my favorite granola ever. I'm on a gingerbread kick though I opted out of getting Starbucks today (too expensive and I'd rather eat my calories).

4. Southern food. Pimento cheese recipes from Tupelo Honey Cafe, Early Girl Eatery, or a lightened version. Tupelo Honey is probably why I've been loving sweet potato pancakes.

...and gluten-free Posana Cafe's sweet potato biscuits too.

 5. Han's Homemade Ice Cream and Devilicious Donuts - I love fancy, locally made junk food, and this is what we have to offer here in Southern California.

Five things I'm looking forward to

1. Bodies, the Exhibition I've heard of it but it's finally nearby and cheap!
2. Sunday hike & some Acai Republic afterwards, or an attempt to make my own
3. Patchwork [Arts & Crafts] Show in Long Beach on Sunday - I've gone to all of them in the area in the last year. This is the only festival similar to the ones in Asheville. Boy do I miss those!
4. Duffy boat ride in the Newport Beach Harbor, with spirits and snacks.
5. Indulge L.A. next month

Five things I want to do soon

1. Sleep at night. I can't sleep at night and I'm way tired in the morning. I've also skipped naps 2 days in a row now. I'm looking rough...

2. Lounging at a local coffee shop and reading.
3. Actually watch "Breaking Bad." I watched the first season I think with my former roommate and haven't since.
4. Hot yoga. It's still warm here, but I'll get cold anyways.
5. Nice daytime walks/hikes. I want to see Southern California redwoods, and eventually work up to Yosemite.

What are you looking forward to this month?