Unique Ideas for Valentine's Day

This morning I didn't get a phone call to sub until 6:30, so it was a bit of a scramble getting out the door. On one hand, I miss the regular schedule that a full time position provides, but I also can't complain about the lack of grading and lack of stress in subbing. It's glorious to be able to come home and focus on the house, getting ready for baby, making dinner, etc., rather than stretching myself too thin with grades and papers and lesson planning. If I end up with a full time teaching position next year, I know I'll be thrilled, because I really do love it, but I've also grown to appreciate the ability to relax at the end of the day!

Speaking of which, the end of the day today wasn't especially relaxing. Terry and I carpooled to work, so I picked him up and we headed to Orange County for our tax appointment. I always feel so nervous about finances (mostly because I don't understand them). Words like "withholding" and "exempt" and "deduction" just swim around my head until I look at Terry and ask, "So are we good? Do we owe or are we getting money back?" Thank goodness for my husband, whose brain is far superior to mine in these kinds of situations. And a lot of other situations. But I almost always win at Cribbage, so it balances out.

Thankfully, our tax appointment was uneventful and exactly what we expected, so I'm grateful for no bad surprises! Our tax lady is hilarious, though. She was glad we're having a baby, but purely for the tax deductions. She also told us that her own son is expecting a baby with his fiancee, but she isn't excited about it. I wasn't totally sure how to respond to that, but at least she's honest.

In slightly more romantic news, in light of one of my favorite holidays (I know, how silly of me), I thought I'd share some unique ways to celebrate with your significant other--or just your favorite person!

Photo from our engagement session with Rhee Bevere

Plan a scavenger hunt. You can make it a surprise or swap hints and each complete your own hunt, but this silly tradition has become a family favorite over the years. Last year I sent Terry on a hunt around our apartment to find various gifts for our anniversary, and the experience of giving the gift was just as much fun as watching him open each part! Even if the gift(s) are small or sweet little notes, the scavenger hunt shows how much thought and time you put into the day, which is really the whole point, right?

Take it outside. Make it work for where you live: go ice skating, plan a picnic, or take a hike. If it's chilly, a simple walk outside with some hot chocolate is a perfect way to spend an afternoon!

Try a new restaurant. Go somewhere casual that won't be everyone else's choice for Valentine's Day, like a local burger joint you've been meaning to try. The last thing you want is to spend the entire night waiting. Ideally, go for breakfast before work or lunch in the middle of the day to avoid huge crowds. You can even wait a few days, especially since V-Day is a Friday this year, and extend the celebration! 

Challenge each other to a game night. Our favorite two-person games are usually card games, like Cribbage, or something like Scrabble, but you can play games on Wii or Xbox, too. Make it interesting with a bet, and the winner makes dessert!

Try a new recipe. You can plan the meal together or each take a dish to prepare for the other person. I love it when Terry is in charge of the main dish (chili or something on the grill, for example), and I focus on delicious sides or dessert.

Get physical. Guys, not like that. This is a PG blog. [Editor's note: This blog is not yet rated.] What I mean is you should exercise! Who decided Valentine's day is ALL about chocolate? Start with something that gets your heart rate up, like a jog together or a partner workout, and then eat to your hearts' content.

Eat something unique. Terry and I have a Valentine's tradition of enjoying fondue--either cheese or chocolate--and we always look forward to the magic of dipping various items into the gooey pot. But Valentine's Day is a great occasion for trying something different, like octopus or bison or fennel. Go to town. 

Watch the Olympics. Why not? Get some snacks, snuggle up under a blanket, and enjoy some competitive events. Nothing like some national pride to spice up a romantic holiday!

Host a Valentine's party. When I was young, my mom hosted a Valentine's party almost every year. Sometimes I helped pass appetizers or clean up, but I always thought it was such a fun night. Mom always had fun games, too. One was even a mystery dinner!

Opt for low-cost or homemade gifts. Remember when Monica and Chandler decided to "make the presents" for Valentine's Day? I mean, only good things can come of this idea. Sock bunnies, mix tapes, you know.

What's your plan for Valentine's Day?

Weekend, Year End

As usual, we packed way too much into our weekend but had a blast. We woke up early Saturday morning to join several of my fellow teachers out at Rocking K Horse Rentals in Thousand Oaks. My coworker Courtney used to be a professional equestrian and offered to take us on a trail ride.

I should have stuck with this ride. 

Terry and I got to bust out our boots again!

Courtney took this photo while on her horse. Impressive.

The ride was super fun, despite my temperamental horse, Duke, who twice decided to take off  at a gallop. I was not thrilled. (Granted, each time was only about three seconds, but I was sufficiently terrified.) 

After our ride, Terry and I raced a few exits down the freeway for our BBQ class, To Grill or Not to Grill, which he found through Groupon. We arrived just in time for the class, which included one chef/teacher and about a dozen students. It wasn't hands-on, which disappointed us at first, but we quickly realized how much of grilling is just throwing the food onto the grill and then NOT touching it, so a hands-on class wouldn't have made a lot of sense.

The class lasted about three hours and included three grilled entrees: salmon, tri tip, and chicken. Chef Craiger talked while prepping and grilling the food, demonstrating and answering our questions. Here's a bit of what we covered in the class:

• How to preheat the grill properly
• How to grease up the grill so it's seasoned and won't ruin your foods
• How to choose a grill if you don't have one
• The best ways to marinade different types of meat
• How to time and flip the foods (and how to tell when they're ready)
• How to clean the grill

Overall, we learned a ton and can't wait to try out our new moves! Hopefully we'll be in a bigger place soon(ish) so we can own a bigger grill, but for now our little guy is going to have to suffice. 

One other aspect of the class I loved was the recipes. Here are our favorite two:

• Rub Dijon mustard and sprinkle brown sugar on salmon right before grilling
• Tri tip sandwiches: French bread, boysenberry jam, garlic, Cambozola cheese (brie/blue combo--AMAZING), fried onion strings, and arugula

I'm drooling just thinking about that sandwich.

Saturday night was at Terranea resort in Rancho Palos Verdes. Heidi and Ed were staying the night there, so our friends Katie and Corey (and their gorgeous almost-two-month-old Ainsley) and Terry and I drove down for dinner and s'mores. We had so much fun catching up and cooking s'mores over the open fire pits! And dinner was deeeeelicious. We ate at Catalina Kitchen for dinner and all loved our meals.

On Sunday, Scout wasn't thrilled with my decision to start the day grading. Or maybe he was. I can't really tell. 

Either way, after breakfast and a bit of grading, Terry and I drove closer to campus and then completed the four-mile perimeter. We planned to walk and jog, but I think we ran more than walked, and we went the hard way (for those familiar, I consider the "hard way" to be north on Hilgard and south on Veteran because the hills are more intense!). I was so proud that we pushed a little harder than we expected, and it felt great to be outside.

Sunday afternoon we attended Terry's cousin's baby's baptism, which was quite lovely. Later that evening, after Terry headed out to tutor our neighbor for math (how cute is that?), I drove to Santa Monica because my sister-in-law Ashley was in town! We had a blast hanging out before I finally had to head home for some more work.

This week is the last of the school year, and I'm exhausted but feeling quite fulfilled. I'll write more about it soon, but this year taught me at least as much as I taught the students (see what I did there?). For now, though, I'll just say that I'm grateful to be nearing the end of the seemingly endless piles of paper and looking forward to a delightful summer!

What are you looking forward to this summer?

WIAW: Teacher Appreciation Week

It should really be called "Teachers Get to Eat a Lot Week," because I feel as though I've eaten my weight's worth in goodies over the last few days. We sure are spoiled at my school!

I made sure to start the morning with a healthy breakfast: whole wheat toast, peanut butter, and sliced strawberries.

The rest of the day was all about indulging!

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The parents at our school have been bringing in delicious breakfasts, and today they provided lunch as well. For breakfast, I helped myself to way too many banana mini-muffins, but I was proud that I avoided the donuts. The chocolate old-fashioned looked TOO delicious, so I stuck with the delicious muffins instead. And no regrets, because lunch was just around the corner!

For lunch: multiple platters of sandwiches, Cold Stone ice cream cakes, pasta salad, potato salad, homemade desserts, salads, and more!

After work, a few of my coworkers and I felt even more spoiled, because a local medical clinic offered free facials for teachers! It was so fun to feel pampered after a day at work. I've only had one other facial, so it was quite refreshing and delightful!

Then my coworkers and I grabbed a light dinner at a local restaurant.

A terrific end to a delicious day!

Do you get special treats at your job? Any big perks? Make us jealous!

Scenes from the Weekend

Another weekend flown by too quickly, another hectic week about to start. But it was a great weekend, and I can't complain too much about the fun plans we've got:

• More Best Body Boot Camp workouts
• Teacher Appreciation Week, including buy one, get one free night at Chipotle! (Bring your teacher ID and claim your free burrito, bowl, or salad!)
• Submitting grades on Tuesday and taking a minor break from all the red pen action
• Another Young Alumni meeting at UCLA
• Potential Iron Man viewing next weekend

But first, a recap of yesterday and today:

Celebrating Jenn's birthday at Bridlewood Winery in Santa Ynez was certainly a highlight.

Terry and Justin (Jenn's boyfriend)

Lakeside picnic

We tried to get Jenn to take a carriage ride. No dice.

The birthday girl and her studly man

Paula and Kat and Jenn

Our dinner spot in Santa Barbara

Seriously killer bolognese

We even made it home before 9 pm and enjoyed a relaxing evening. This morning we hit the gym for a 30-minute cardio/strength circuit and headed out for UCLA's Select-a-Seat event at the Rose Bowl. Season ticket holders are invited every spring to check out available ticket upgrades. Despite the chilly day, we had a good time checking out the Rose Bowl and even touring the suites. $30,000 for a 4-person box? No problem!

We got to check out the guys' locker room, which is huge.

Empty stadium

Football season is just around the corner...

Tonight we ended the weekend with a delicious meal, some DVR shows, and an early bedtime. Off we go!

Career Day

Good evening, friends, and happy Tuesday to you. Today, Career Day at my school, ASB encouraged us to dress up as "What we wanted to be when we grow up". Well, of course, I wanted to be a teacher. When I was little, my favorite "toy" was a chalkboard easel where I pretended to teach my imaginary students about whatever I had learned that day in first grade. I was that girl.

Today I thought back about all the other professions I considered (whether seriously or fleetingly):

• Writing
• Advertising/Marketing
• Acting/Performing
• Researching

It was so fun to see the students' dreams ahead of them; they all have such bright futures and are looking forward to what they can achieve after college. And even six years (yowza) out of college, I have big dreams. I love that idea of "when I grow up"--I feel so lucky to live in a place and time where anything feels possible.

Speaking of making our dreams possible (cheesiest transition ever?), Terry and I woke up this morning for a 4.5 mile run to keep on track with our 10K training plan. I had a rough time shaking off my sleepiness to get out the door, but once we started our jog I felt much better. We walked twice, but I still pushed through it. Terry, as always, was a champ. And made me look bad. But that's why I love him. And of course we saved time for lots of stretching at the end of our run! Here's our 10K plan again if you missed it:

A reader had asked about our pre-training base abilities. Before we started training, we ran 2-3 times per week, about 2-3 miles each time. The runs were a combination of HIIT (walking/sprinting) and steady state. And the day before we started this plan we were able to run five miles without stopping. 

I'm also not totally sure if I want to go all the way up to 8 miles the week before our race. Given how sore and tired I feel today, I think 7 miles might be a good stopping point, but we'll see how that week goes. I'd love to hear any thoughts about your training experience, especially week-before tips.

Tonight's meal, courtesy of Ina Garten again, included cod in a lemon-butter sauce, roasted broccoli, and plain couscous. 

Since we gave up meat for Lent, Terry and I are trying to squeeze in at least two fish meals per week, plus lots of milk, cheese, eggs, and beans + rice to ensure we're getting our protein. This meal turned out to be ridiculously well-rounded. It's not normally that way around here.

And I don't really mind try new foods and new recipes, as long as I don't choke on little fish bones like I almost did tonight! 

Tomorrow we get to wake up a little later than usual (5 am instead of 4:45), because our workout is just 2.5 speedy miles plus stretching. I'll be back tomorrow to share how it goes!

What did you want to be when you grew up? Funny story: My dad wanted to be a cowboy. Or a horse. :-)

4/2/1 Lower Body Circuit

Yesterday I skipped my post so that I could get more sleep to wake up early this morning for my workout. And then this morning I opted to sleep an extra few minutes and skip the workout.

You know, sometimes that’s just the way it goes.

So this morning I woke up leisurely, had tea first (instead of chugging lukewarm tea in my classroom as I get ready for the day), and had plenty of time to get ready. Don’t get me wrong; I still love the morning workouts, but I wasn’t upset to opt for more sleep today.

I do need to share yesterday’s workout with you, though, because that one was a doozy. Oddly, it didn’t feel too tough throughout, but Terry and I are definitely feeling the burn in our quads and hamstrings today.

 This workout challenges you to slow down the tempo of your reps—four counts contracting, two counts at peak contraction, and one count to return to neutral. I love the extra challenge, and it builds endurance and stability.

Yesterday should have been a WIAW, but let’s just say it wasn’t a bad day to skip—I have no photos of my food, and the food wasn’t spectacular in the first place. Today, though, a few of my coworkers and I went to The Counter for dinner and then scooted back to the high school to watch a few of our students perform in a choir concert. I had an organic bison burger with roasted bell peppers, grilled onions, and gruyere cheese, plus sweet potato fries and chili fries. It's always so fun to spend time with other teachers and share hilarious stories from the classroom. 

Speaking of work, I also took some time yesterday and today to get a little grading done at Starbucks. Even though I don’t drink coffee, I love the ambiance of coffee shops and feel particularly productive in the white-noise environment. I can grade, blog, or read with minimal distraction. Plus, who can resist a little midday people watching? I’m always fascinated by the diversity of people in Stabucks—teenagers who giggle and gossip, businesswomen meeting each other for an afternoon meeting, grad students listening to music on their laptops, young dads trying to get their toddlers to stop touching all the merchandise. Perfect entertainment for when I need a break from grading my endless stack of papers.

The end of the semester is quickly approaching, and the teachers are just as stressed as the students. On top of regular lessons, we’re juggling test prep, parent concerns, students begging for extra credit, loads of work to grade, and prep for next semester. I’m looking forward to the three-day weekend so I can get caught up on some of my work. (Perhaps another trip or three to Starbucks?)

I’m also terrified of getting whatever virus/cold/flu is going around the school. Several students have been out or just super sick in class, and I’m hoping to grab a flu shot ASAP. I’m not sure how strong it’ll be when I encounter 150 students daily, but I can at least try.

Work-related stressors aside, I have to say that this first semester was extremely rewarding for me professionally. I think I really grew as an educator, employee, and working adult. I worked harder than I ever have, and I felt more organized and more professional. I think a lot of that sentiment has to do with the fact that I’m no longer coaching. While I loved working with my cheerleaders, my attention was split; now I focus solely on teaching, which is important for a “new” (fourth-year) teacher. I am honing my skill rather than just treading water, and I like the feeling of improving instead of improvising all the time. 

And with that said, let's gear up for Friday! We're hoping to complete the same full-body circuit we did last week. Other ideas for the weekend?

• Cardio workout on Saturday (since I didn't do it today)
• Grading and planning
• Homemade soup
• Perhaps a movie

Any fun weekend plans? And how do you feel about coffee shop productivity?

A Giant Pillow and a Run/Walk HIIT

Did anyone watch New Girl tonight? Hilarious! At one point, Winston talks about the fact that he's only gotten 13 minutes of sleep, and he says to Nick, "You're starting to look like a giant pillow to me."

That's how I felt today: Desperate to find a comfortable place to curl up for a nap. The second day back after a break always feels far more difficult and tiring than the first. I shared this phenomenon with my students, half of whom agreed and half of whom looked at me as though I was ridiculous for thinking that any school day could be better or worse than any other.

Still, I managed some solid productivity at work and even stopped at the grocery store on the way home. Then I forced myself to work out, even though I was NOT in the mood (for perhaps the first time ever) for the boot camp workout awaiting me. Instead of half-assing the stuff I didn't want to do, I went with a back up workout. I pieced together an old boot camp strength circuit with a short HIIT routine on the treadmill.

It felt so good to sweat and move! I really needed that to help me get back into my usual routine. In the kitchen I'm getting back to usual too. For dinner I made a simple spaghetti squash pasta (just garlic sauteed with spinach to wilt it, marinara, and roasted spaghetti squash). My body was thrilled to take in some vegetables.

I also roasted a second spaghetti squash to see if we could do something interesting with it another night. But then I realized: I have no other ideas! I have my spaghetti squash lasagna, which is terrific, but can anyone suggest a non-marinara dish that uses spaghetti squash?

Also, after a break (from work, working out, whatever it may be), do you find the second day back to be worse than the first?

Okay, off to find a giant pillow for a good night's rest before day three back in action!

What I Love About Fridays

Everyone seems to have an extra pep in their step. The students are more positive, the teachers seem more relaxed, everyone wishes each other a happy Friday. The buzz on campus is electric.

Drawing from a student on a vocabulary quiz. Awesome.

I usually choose Friday as my rest day. While I love working out, I also appreciate my days off. I take the day to value my rest time and not worry about rushing home to get my workout done.

Terry and I try to get home pretty early to catch up on our shows via DVR. I cannot possibly describe how comfortable--and comforting--my couch is.

Scout knows. Oh yes, he knows.

The possibilities ahead in the next 48 hours get me all sorts of excited. Longer workouts, new recipes or restaurants, time with friends or family, sleeping more than six hours, an extra cup of tea in the afternoon, a few errands, or maybe even a little trip. (Every Friday I conveniently ignore the voice that tells me I'll never squeeze in all the things I want to, and every Sunday night I get annoyed at the weekend to do list with two things crossed off.)

On Fridays, I don't have to rush to ensure that my lessons are ready to go for the next day. I can take the time to relax, run errands, or, in today's case, study at Starbucks.

Today I tried my first pumpkin spice latte. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I have always heard such great things about the famous "PSL"--I guess I wanted to see what all the hype is about. Turns out I'm still not a fan of coffee, but the latte was tolerable and is likely responsible for the fact that my eyes are still open at 9:40 pm. (Wild night, folks.)

Since I never drink coffee, I was super excited to finally be able to take a classic coffee cup photo. Do you like it?

Lately, Terry and I have made Friday date night. Any day of the week that allows me several uninterrupted hours with my husband makes me a happy lady. Tonight we ventured out to a sports bar and grill for dinner.

This salad wasn't as good as it looked, but it got the job done.

Two pints and a Giants' win later, we headed to Manhattan Beach for another stop at Manhattan Beach Creamery. We loved it last time we went, and this time was even better. Terry stuck to a one-scoop cone of vanilla chip, and I got myself a one-scoop sundae, also with vanilla chip. It was seriously perfect for the night, and that ice cream is gooooood. I'm glad it's not closer to us; I would be there every night!

Blurry picture FTW

Fridays also (usually) mean no alarms for the next day, though Scout usually wakes us up around 6:30 trying to get us to play. Tomorrow, however, I'll be proctoring an exam for the students at my high school. I should have a few hours to get some grading done while I'm there, and I hope it'll start my weekend off on a productive note.

I hope you had a fantastic Friday and are looking forward to a wonderful weekend. Any big plans? After I proctor the exam tomorrow, I'll spend a few hours studying before an event at UCLA, and in the evening we're going to see The Book of Mormon in Hollywood at the Pantages Theater. We have heard that this play is hilarious and can't wait to see if it lives up to the hype. Our friends Heidi, Ed, Katie, and Corey are also attending, so we'll grab dinner before--another fun outing with friends!

Happy Friday to you!

Lamb Chops and Ben Franklin

Hello to you and happy Wednesday! Food first. (<--one of my mottos in life)

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6:30 am - Breakfast of a leftover waffle and a fried egg

1:00 pm - Lunch of a peanut butter and banana sandwich

6:00 pm - Apple on the way home from work

7:00 pm - Fun appetizer (recipe soon!)

8:00 pm - Dinner of lamb and grilled veggies

Grilled Lamb Marinade
Recipe from my parents, the Lamb Masters
Plenty for 2.2 pounds of lamb (halve the recipe for less meat)

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons dried herbs (oregano and rosemary, to your taste)
• 2 tablespoons white wine or sherry (I omitted this step because I didn't want to open a bottle of white wine, and it tasted fine!)

Mix all ingredients in a large plastic bag. Place the lamb in the bag, coat well, and set in fridge for 30-45 minutes. Grill on high approximately 5 minutes on each side. 

Absolutely perfect! Terry and I rarely eat red meat now, so a meal like this is a very special treat. We served it with some cab and grilled eggplant and zucchini topped with a bit of feta.

Perfect way to round out the meal! And at least I got a serving of vegetables in today, as opposed to yesterday. I need to increase that for tomorrow, you think?

[Insert clever transition here that somehow seamlessly connects grilled vegetables and Ben Franklin. Does that exist?]

My students are currently studying a bit about Benjamin Franklin and his famous virtues, aphorisms, and ideas on living a perfect life. While my personal opinion is that this guy was a bit of a workaholic, I think we could all stand to at least read his thoughts on "Moral Perfection" in his Thirteen Virtues:

1. "Temperance. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation."
2. "Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation."
3. "Order. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time."
4. "Resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve."
5. "Frugality. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing."
6. "Industry. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions."
7. "Sincerity. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly."
8. "Justice. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty."
9. "Moderation. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve."
10. "Cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation."
11. "Tranquility. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable."
12. "Chastity. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation."
13. "Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates."

What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Combination of the two? Overall, I think he's on the right track, though perhaps some ideas are on the extreme side. 

(Source)

Either way, we can all agree that this dude was super sexy.

My freshmen students also had a presentation today about setting goals and time management. Again, an area in which I feel I can continue to try to improve. The students learned a bit about how to best keep track of all of their responsibilities and commitments, which got me thinking: What do I do to stay organized?

• I make lists. Lots and lots of lists. My favorites are daily to-do lists and grocery lists, but I also don't mind weekly goals and menus.
• I keep a Google calendar--or 15 (work, UCLA volunteering, etc.). Terry and I share a few so we can keep track of each other's commitments, too.
• I try to keep my house and classroom tidy. Honestly, it's not always that way, but I try.

And finally, some exciting news: Today (if you're reading on Thursday) is my blog's first birthday! I'll have an official blogiversary post up later, but thanks for sticking with me all this time! Here's to year two!

What do you think about Ben Franklin's virtues? 

Any requests for future posts as I enter my second year of blogging?

Why I Love Being a High School English Teacher

(Sometimes I need to remind myself.)


My students challenge me to solve problems, think outside the box, and evaluate every decision I make. I'm always thinking on my feet, and it keeps me sharp, focused, and present.

The days FLY. If you've ever had a job where the hours felt like weeks, you would especially appreciate this one. In high school, the bells just keep on ringin', and you have to keep on truckin' through the day. Before you know it, school's over.

Teachers are super fun. I'm not tooting my own horn (though I do think I'm a hoot); I just mean that the teacher friends I've made over the last few years have been awesome! We find ways to laugh about the chaos that is teaching high school.


I wore this outfit to school today, because it was Eighties Day for Homecoming week.

Can I wear this every day? 

The students are hilarious, smart, and interesting. People ask why I chose high school, and I always say it's because I wanted to work with teenagers. They fascinate me. Remember when the most important thing in your life was who asked whom to the dance?

I love seeing high school from this perspective. I liked high school as a student, but it's much better from this angle. I get to enjoy the traditions--football games, spirit week, science fairs, art shows, plays, marching band field shows, prom, assemblies, rallies--but I'm enjoying it so much more as an adult. Probably because I appreciate the fact that life doesn't have Homecoming parades. (Unless you're a high school teacher.)

Summer. Obviously.

School lets out by 3:00, and while I usually stay until close to 4, plus work at home, I can arrange my afternoons and evenings how I want. Yes, I answer to a bell from 8 am to 3 pm, but I can decide how I spend the other hours.

I get to read my favorite books over and over, and I get to discuss them with students. Since I love literature, it's quite the situation.

I don't worry about sitting at a computer all day. I'm on my feet for 90% of my day, and I know it's helped me stay fit and feel good, even on days I can't get to the gym.

It's really a blessing to have this job and work with these students. The job is always changing and pushing me out of my comfort zone, and I love how much I get to learn every day.

And, as always, a quick review of today's eats:

6:20 breakfast

Scrambled eggs, asparagus, and leftover hearty oat loaf

10:30 morning snack

For lunch, a piece of leftover pizza from the other night and some baby carrots.

7:15 dinner

We ate during a UCLA event, a meal of broccoli-stuffed chicken, homemade tortillas (so good), enchiladas, and greens. 

And finally, a delicious brownie with a glass of milk. So perfect for the end of the day!

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I also squeezed in a quick HIIT workout. I completed about 35 minutes of my Half and Half HIIT workout (incline walking plus running), but I tweaked my ankle just a bit and called it a day before I finished the whole thing.

Speaking of calling it a day--I'm out. Have a great day!