Friday, June 28, 2019

Friday Five

I can’t decide if this week flew by or went by slowly. All I know is it was a busy week with getting into the swing of things at work and dealing with some more car issues. Thank goodness it’s Friday now and I can relax a bit! Tonight and Sunday are free of plans (besides some wedding planning!) but tomorrow I’m spending some time with my friend Melissa! We are going to get her bridesmaid dress altered which should be fun! I’m getting this out a little late today, but here are the 5 things I’ve been loving this week!
This was another late night BuzzFeed find! I was reading this list of items for working out and thought these Blender Bottle designs will we’re the cutest/funniest designs ever! I personally am eyeing up the “bae goals” one! Blender Bottles are such a great bottle to use at the gym, while your out and about, or anywhere. I’ve been using them for years and I’ve never had an issue with leaking. 


2. Protein One Strawberries & Cream Protein Bar
This was an impulse purchase I made while for shopping for lunches this week. I chose the strawberries & cream flavor because it sounded different. It was a good choice because these are so tasty! The strawberry flavor is delicious and not fake at all. The bars are on the smaller side but definitely filling. I want to try some of the other flavors Protein One has to offer!

I’ve had my Hydroflask for awhile now but it’s been a lifesaver this week! I’m super busy during the day so it’s really helpful that I don’t have to constantly keep filling up my bottle as it holds 32 oz of water. It also keeps the water cold even though it’s just sitting out on my desk. 

4. Personal Training
I never thought I’d say this, but I actually enjoy my personal training sessions! John has been doing personal training for awhile now and convinced me to join the weight loss challenge at our gym which includes some personal training sessions. I’ve had 2 so far and I actually think I work better having somebody telling me what to do and helping me through the workout. I feel much more accountable now!


5. Crayola ColorCycle 
I had heard about this program a year or so ago, but just took the time to look into it. Crayola lets you send them any markers {they don't have to be Crayola!} that are dried out and they recycle them for you! The website makes it sound like you have to register through your school but I am going to reach out about registering through my summer camp because we have already accumulated a ton of dried out markers. It seems so simple to do and Crayola even covers the cost of shipping the markers to them! I was excited when I realized this would help my camp not waste so much because one of my 2019 goals is to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Question of the Day: What is something you're loving this week?


Wednesday, June 26, 2019

2019 Goals: June Update

Like I say in the beginning of every month, I can’t believe it’s already the end of June! As much as I’m excited to get to my wedding in August, I’d be quite okay if time slowed down just a teensy bit. It’s day 3 of my summer job and so far, so good! I’m come home exhausted each day but it’s be good otherwise!  In typical last-Wednesday-of-the-month fashion, let's talk about how my 2019 goals are going!

We’re at that time of year where sprinklers are necessary during a run!

Goal 1: Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
This has been my JAM this month! As part of the weight loss challenge I am part of, we are able to go to certain classes and get 3 personal training sessions. John and I have gotten into the habit of going every Saturday to a class, which has been awesome! I’m already starting to see results in my arms which will be perfect come the wedding day!

Goal 2: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
With our shower his past month, we’ve been opening and disposing of a lot of boxes so our recycling game has been on point! We actually have so many boxes that we still haven’t gotten all of them picked up by recycling because they don’t all fit in the can. Now that I am starting to teach arts and crafts, I am trying to come up with some crafts that reuse items so any ideas are welcome!

Goal 3: Reduce Phone Usage
This has been a bit easier lately because life has been so busy! I find myself not even knowing where my phone is some days because I’m so absorbed in the task at hand. I am hoping to get a lot of reading done now that I have a long lunch at work!

It may look/sound weird but it’s soo delicious!

Goal 4: Try New Recipes
Thanks to our new appliances from my bridal shower, this goal just got so much easier! We received an instant pot which we’ve used twice so far. The first recipe we tried was a sesame chicken. It was surprisingly delicious! The second time we made chicken breast which we then shredded and mixed with taco seasoning for chicken tacos. I received a lot of recipes from our friends and family at my shower that I am eager to start trying! Also, my lunches lately have been spinach salads with strawberries and cottage cheese in place of dressing. So yummy while being pretty healthy!

Goal 5: Give Back
This is a goal that didn't get as much attention the past few months. I am currently brainstorming things I can do!


Goal 6: Save Money
Aldi has been my best friend lately as they carry so many delicious foods for such a low price! My Poshmark closet has been kicking lately with so many sales! To be quite honest, I haven’t been to active on their yet I made 7 sales this month. One of those sales was a like-new pair of Brooks that I just wasn’t in love with. That brought in a nice chunk of change :) if you haven’t already, sign up for Poshmark using my code ELCHRISTMAN for $10 off your first purchase. Sign up ASAP before they lower it back down to $5!

Question of the Day: How are your 2019 goals coming along? Have you completed anything on your 19 in 2019 list, if you made one?

Monday, June 24, 2019

My Week in Pictures XXVI

How is it already Monday? This past Friday through Monday was my "summer break" as I begin my summer job today. Luckily it's a fun job and only runs for 5 weeks so I'll still get part of my summer. I jam packed a lot of fun stuff into this weekend to celebrate the beginning of summer so follow along to see what I did, as well as what I was up to last week!


On Monday the students had a half day so I joined a bunch of my coworkers for lunch where we had pizza and sangrias!


Tuesday was the last day for students. One of my kids surprised me with the cutest homemade sugar cookies!


We had an in-service on Wednesday but to make things better, we ordered pickle sandwiches from a nearby deli. I got ham, cheese, lettuce, and crushed potato chips on top. It was pretty yummy but super messy to eat!


Thursday started out as a really good morning. I woke up and went on a nice run, showered, made an iced chai tea latte in my new cup and headed off to my last day of work.


When I went to pull away, my car felt funny.. I got out to find my front tire was flat! I called my parents to come drive me to work. They were dealing with their own problems at home because the big storm had caused their neighbors above ground pool to collapse. Most of the water ended up in my parents basement!


Luckily I did make it to work in time! We didn't have to stay long so I just went to our faculty meeting and then made sure the rest of my stuff was packed up before heading out!


My parents had to pick me up since I still didn't have my car. I went to their house to help them start cleaning out their basement. So much water!


When John was done work, him and my dad changed my tire to my spare so I could drive over to get a new tire. The spare was mostly flat too but drive-able for a short distance. Of course it started to rain during this...

I woke up on Friday to find Dexter in the cat bed he hasn't even sat in since the day we got him...


John and I spent Friday night at Ashley's playing with the nephews and having a campfire!




Saturday we went to a first birthday party for Lilly, our friend's baby.


The lake was the perfect location for the party!


That night, Rachel came to visit! We went to a winery where we drank wine, ate pizza, and chatted for hours while listening to music.


Of course we ran on Sunday morning :)


We then finished off the weekend at Topgolf with John's parents!


Question of the Day: What is something fun you did this past weekend?

Friday, June 21, 2019

Friday Five

TGIF, seriously! This post is coming out late because I let myself sleep in today. Yesterday was my last official day of school! Today is my first free day, but this won't last long as my first day at the summer program I work starts Monday. It's a fun job so no complaints here :) It's been quite a hectic week in my world but honestly, when isn't it? Like my mom always says, we're all gonna make it! So I'm just going to sit back and relax, while sharing my Friday Five with you!


I've been eyeing up Nathan handhelds ever since my cheapy one started to leak on me. I was hesitant to buy one without seeing it in person. While at my running store on Global Running Day, Nathan had a table set up so I was able to try a few different handhelds out. The SpeedDraw plus felt super comfortable while being able to hold 18 oz of water! It was a bit of an impulse buy but so worth it!

I ran out of the Pure Protein powder that iI had so I picked this up while at Aldi last week. I don't always have the best luck with finding good tasting vanilla protein powder but this brand was a winner! AND it wasn't too pricey.


3. New Game with Dexter
While perusing Facebook the other day, I came across an article about how to tell if your cat is getting bored. I've actually be concerned for Dexter since he's home alone a lot so of course I read it. He met most of the criteria so I continued on with the list of ways to entertain your cat {is this what being a crazy cat lady is like?!}. One idea was to put a ping pong ball in an empty bathtub and let them chase it all around since it'll fly all around. I tried it Wednesday night in our big Jacuzzi tub with Dexter {I used a jingle ball instead} and he loved it! He played with it for awhile. John wasn't too thrilled that I chose a jingle ball because it was loud but I was happy knowing Dexter was having fun!


If you're a Weight Watchers person then you've probably already heard about Built Bars. If not, I'm here to share these gems with you. Built bars are protein and energy bars with 110 calories, 15g of protein, 6g of fiber, 4g of sugar, and 4g of fat. In the WW world, they are only 3 points which is phenomenal for such a delicious bar that is pretty much a candy bar. I have tried a few flavors before but just received a big order that I split with my mom because I was dying to try the blueberry cheesecake flavor. I tried that flavor yesterday and it was delicious! The chocolate flavor is pretty strong but that's not always a bad thing :)


5. Microwave Glass Popcorn Maker
This was a gift from John's parents awhile back and I just got around to using it. It's super simple to use! Just use the lid to measure out the amount of kernels you need, pour them into the bowl, and then pop it in the microwave for about 2.5 minutes. It makes delicious air popped popcorn! You can even melt butter on top of the lid while it cooks but I haven't tried that feature.

Question of the Day: What is something you're loving this week?


Wednesday, June 19, 2019

10 Non-Running Facts

This week has been crazy as it is our last week of school! Yesterday was the last day for students and then tomorrow is the last day for teachers. I am proud to say I survived my first year as a full time teacher!

A lot of people have been sharing 10 non-running facts about themselves on IG lately so I figured I'd do the same on here. I've done a couple posts like this before so I can't make any promises that I won't repeat any facts I've used in the past.

1. As a kid I collected Pez dispensers and pressed pennies. I still collect the pressed pennies.


John & I from the Red Tour. I've converted him!

2. I've been a die-hard Swiftie since 2007. I even have some shirts from her Wal Mart L.E.I. line from back in the day.

3. I have never been to Disney World but I have been to Disneyland once.

4. My first pet {other than my family cats} was a hamster named Kipper.


Yup, this is 2011 me. Talk about a GLOW UP!
5. My first job was a Trading Post Manager at a Cub Scout Day Camp.

6. As a kid, I always wanted to be a first grade teacher. This coming year will be the first time I ever teach this grade.


7. My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving.

8. My favorite late night snack is a bowl of cereal.

9. Growing up, my favorite color was pink. My sister had everything blue and I had everything blue so we could distinguish what was ours.


10. I never really liked pizza growing up but now it's one of my favorite foods.

Question of the Day: What is one non-running fact about you?

Monday, June 17, 2019

My Week in Pictures XXV

Happy Monday! Another weekend has come and gone but for once I am actually excited for the work week. It's my last week of work before summer break and I am pumped! Today and tomorrow are half day for the students with tomorrow being their last day and then us teachers have in-service days Wednesday and Thursday. Fingers crossed the week flies by for me! This past week was a busy week so follow along as I recap it in pictures :)


My Monday started out with a little bit of cotton candy water ice from a 6th grader in another section.


My second nephew, Joseph "Joey" Michael, was born on Tuesday! I rushed out of work to go meet him!




After spending most of Tuesday night at the hospital, we joined my parents and grandparents for dinner at a local diner. I got a chicken sandwich with mozzarella and marinara sauce on a ciabatta roll with sweet potato fries!


Wednesday morning started with a run. I found the first sprinklers of the season and felt great the whole time!



I spent that night playing with Tommy!


We ran around in the backyard and caught fireflies together :)


On Thursday, John brought a party tray of sushi up to the hospital so we could eat dinner with Ashley and Nick. It was delicious!


Look at that sweet face!


Friday was a half day for students. My co-teacher in my 9th period class surprised me when I came to class a bit late by playing Marry You" by Bruno Mars and giving me flowers and a card from the class! It was like a mini bridal shower! The card had little slips of paper with marriage advice from my students and man, was it pure GOLD!


Later that day, another co-worker who is getting married in July and I were surprised with a bridal shower lunch! We had a whole lunch with delicious food and fun shower games.


John and I spent our Friday night hanging out and home and then buying 80 lbs of cat litter at the grocery store for a great deal 😂


After our gym class on Saturday, John's parents came over with their power washer so we could power wash our back patio, the area in front of the front door, and our small front patio.


Later we went for drinks and dinner at the restaurant in our development. It's a cute place with a great view of the golf course!


I was admiring our newly cleaned patio when I woke up Sunday morning before heading to my parent's to celebrate Father's Day!


I also managed to squeeze in some baby Joey snuggles!


Question of the Day: Did you do anything fun this past weekend?

Friday, June 14, 2019

Friday Five

Something about it being the last full week of school really makes the days drag. It was a crazy week in my life but all good crazy! My sister had her baby on Tuesday!! She was blessed with an ADORABLE baby boy named Joey! He is seriously so precious and has the sweetest chubby cheeks! I'm sure you'll be hearing tons about him along with my usual stories about Tommy :) 


Before I head into a relatively relaxing weekend, I'm sharing my Friday Five with you!  


1. Neutrogena Norwegian Hand Cream
I've been using this hand cream for a few years now ever since my mother in law suggested it to me, but lately it's become a life saver! My hands have been exceptionally dry lately and this hand cream has helped a ton! I put on some before bed and then anytime I get in the car {I figure I'm sitting still and just holding onto the steering wheel the whole time, so why not?}. A little goes a LONG way so you really only need to put a little dab on. It's a bit on the greasy side so I'd suggest using it in the evening or maybe while watching TV.


2. Wok
One of the first things I registered for was a wok {this exact one from Bed Bath & Beyond} so I was pretty pumped when I actually received it at my bridal shower! John and I love to make stir fry and fried rice a lot and our small pan was not cutting it. This wok is huge and makes cooking so easy. It is non-stick which makes cleaning up a breeze. It's pretty heavy which makes me believe it's made of good material.

Everything is now mostly put away!

After much searching, I finally found the perfect rack to use for storage in my kitchen! I found it at Target for the low, low price of $60. Most other shelves I was finding cost well over $100! I went out right after my shower to purchase this beauty because I knew we had absolutely no room for all of our new appliances. Dale helped me put it together the next day and as of this past Sunday, it's finally fully stocked. It's made of sturdy steel but is still lightweight and easy to move if needed. I think we spent more time taking the plastic off all the pieces and deciding the height of each shelf than we did putting it together. I highly recommend this shelf for anyone who need a little extra storage space.


4. Decorative Hand Towels
True Life: I'm Obsessed with Decorate Hand Towels. No, but really... I love decorative hand towels and get a kick out of changing them out for the season! I've been collecting hand towels since moving into our house and then was gifted with 17 {!!!} different decorative hand towels at my bridal shower last weekend. I love each and every one of them and have had a blast switching them out as a way of decorating my kitchen.


Up until now, we've only had a Magic Bullet for a blender. Since we primarily use a blender just for smoothies, I figured the Nutri Ninja was the perfect upgrade! The Ninja works so much better than the Magic Bullet in my opinion. It blends everything super quickly and crushes ice in smoothies to the perfect consistency. I think the coolest feature is the suction cups on the bottom so the blender doesn't move while it's blending.

Question of the Day: What is something you're loving this week?