Thursday Thoughts

1. Fact: when I was younger, I used to see my parents, family and friends with key chains and think, "I can't wait until I'm old enough and cool enough to have a key chain like that." Now? I don't know what the heck I thought was so cool about it but mine is getting a little too clunky for my liking. Oh the random things we wish for as kids.

2. I'm finally trying to add speed and hill training back into my workouts. For awhile when I was just starting to get back into running, I shied away from doing anything but slow and steady paced runs. This week I did a short progression run (WU, mile 1 (10:00), mile 2 (9:41), mile 3 (9:20), CD) followed by a shorter trail run the next day with plenty of hills. My hips/glutes are super tight today, so trying to remember to stretch and foam roll when I can, but so happy to have some variation back.

3.  This:

 
4. I don't like crunchy cookies. The softer, the better. I prefer dough, actually, but for some reason the directions always say bake. Oreos are my exception. A weakness of mine, if you will. My mom bought me this cookbook for my birthday after we tried out the bakery for lunch earlier this month when she came to visit. Earlier this week my little sister and I tested out the recipe for homemade Oreos. Oh my. They were delightful.

5. It's cool and rainy in the Boston area today. I'm diggin' it. The bf and I are planning to order pizza and (hopefully) watch a movie. I'm thinking of picking up the Great Gatsby without asking his input, since I've been dying to see it since it came out in theaters.

What's on your keychain? Or something you remember wanting as a kid that adults had?

Chewy or crunchy cookies?

Favorite pizza toppings?
I'm totally boring and almost always opt for cheese. If I'm making homemade pizza I'll be a lot more adventurous with toppings - veggie and avocado or BBQ chicken usually.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

I love water.

No, but really, I do. I'm that person who probably annoys wait staff at restaurants because they have to refill my glass ~123456 times during meals. And I'm OK with it.

I have friends who rarely drink water, even dislike it, and primarily drink soda water, diet sodas, juice, coffee, etc. instead. Me? Good ole' plain H2O, please. Aside from an iced coffee on the daily and whatever I might choose for a cocktail, I don't need bubbles, sugar or flavor.

The amount of water your body needs per day can depend on a number of factors. Are you male or female? Active or inactive? What's your diet like? According to this article by Active, women should consume 91 oz. of water per day, vs. 125 oz. for men - but only 45-50% of that consumption actually comes from fluids, with 35% coming from what we eat and the rest from metabolism.

Regardless, I know I feel better when I'm well hydrated, but it's easy to "forget" to drink water. For me, it's easiest to forget during the summer. Plans get crazy, it's hot, and I tend to dehydrate that much more easily. So I tossed together 5 simple tips to help boost your hydration habits...

1. Jump start your day.
Multiple articles cite that drinking more water jump starts your metabolism. Chug a nice cold glass of H2O first thing in the morning to refresh you and wake you up. Just do it before your body has a chance to realize what's going on.

2. Set benchmarks.
An old co-worker of mine set a resolution once to drink more water. To help motivate her, she used stickers and dry erase markers on her water bottle to set time benchmarks for how much she wanted to drink by a given time of day. It gave her goals, helped her hold herself accountable and form a healthy habit.

 3. Use a fun water bottle.
Yes, I know, I sound like a 5 year old, but seriously - aren't you more likely to use something you like? Walk into any sporting goods store, even Target, and you'll find 20+ options for water bottles. Plus - using a bottle you can reuse is good for the environment! Personally? I love my Nalgene (same as the one picture above). It comes almost everywhere with me. It holds 32 oz. of H2O, so I'm not constantly getting up to refill it, it's my favorite color, and it has a smaller mouth so I'm not spilling all over my graceful self. Just remember - BPA free, please.

4. Add flavor.
If you're not a big plain H2O fan, that's fine. There are so many ways to add flavor to your water to make it more enticing. I'm not a big crystal light fan, but some people love it. I would, however, suggest trying natural flavor enhancers like lemon or lime - even raspberries or cucumber. Or you can join the Nuun club and boost your electrolyte intake without the added sugar or carbs - try the tropical, it's my favorite (thus far).

Nuun, Cube1, Cube 2

5. Use a straw.
We're getting down to basics here, and I know straws are considered kind of a "girl thing", but seriously. Love them. I tend to drink more, faster when using a straw. Plus, they're fun.

Be smart, healthy and safe. Be knowledgeable about how much you're drinking and how hydrated (or dehydrated) you are at any given time. This recent article from Runner's World busts 8 common hydration myths and clarifies some common misconceptions.

Some more resources on hydration below:
Runner's Ultimate Guide to Hydration - Active
Running in Hot Weather - Women's Running
Tips for Running in Humidity  - Runner's World

Water? Soda water? Nuun? Milkshakes?

How do you remind yourself to stay hydrated? 

Thursday Thoughts

Yes, yes, I know. It's Friday morning. Work with me here, people.

1. Yesterday morning I dragged my bum out of bed to meet up with Molly, the usual running buddy suspect, for an "easy" warm up run and circuit workout in the park. Turns out, the 1.5 mile warm up didn't feel so easy after having run hard on Wednesday morning and my legs were questioning why it was necessary for me to use them so early for the second day in a row. Sorry guys, I'm the boss here. Per usual, I was reminded just how weak I am when it comes to strength training and the workout was quite literally a pain in my butt. I've been gingerly sitting and walking since yesterday afternoon.

  2.  I'm excited for this weekend for a few wonderful reasons:

Birthdays! Maroon 5! Kelly Clarkson! 

Duck Boats! Mom! Flour Bakery! 

Little Big Town! Keith Urban!

...was that more than a few? Oops. More details on these fun things later.

3. I read this article yesterday on George Saunders' speech from Syracuse University's graduation this year. If you haven't taken the time to read it, please do. It's a beautiful reminder to all of us that kindness goes a long way when it comes to living a fulfilled life and one without regrets.

4. It's currently 7:02AM and I'm baking. That's normal... right? No?

5. Did you know that Pinkberry can make absolutely any day a million times better? It's true. I've thoroughly tested this idea.

Feelings on running/working out in the rain?
Molly and I got soaked during our workout yesterday morning - total downpour. I lean toward loving it. There's something so refreshing about it... so long as it's warm(ish) outside.

Favorite fro-yo toppings?
It varies for me depending on flavor, but usually involves chocolate (shocking) and I always get a waffle cookie if it's Pinkberry!

Thursday Thoughts

Good morning!

1. I. Am. Done. With this heat and humidity. Holy moly. I feel like I'm melting. Thankfully this week has been an improvement over last, but it's still a bit much. Our apartment has a built in AC unit in the living room but since our windows are large and slide left to right there's no [easy] way to put units in our bedrooms. Typically I'm OK with the windows open at night and a fan but last weekend we resorted to sleepovers in the living room. Yes, I'm totally serious.

2. *Crossing fingers* runs are still going well. I've been taking it the every-other-day approach with strength/cross training in between. Thankfully this weather leaves something to be desired for motivation to get outside and go, but I'm still so appreciative of the fact that I am running again in the first place that I can't wait to get back to a regular schedule and more miles.

3. The boy is still in California through Sunday. Apparently my coping mechanism for missing him is to bake/cook. I know, I do that a lot anyways, but for real this time. I've made this delicious popcorn, blueberry banana muffins, black bean burgers, these cupcakes (twice), and tested out popsicle recipes. That's not including regular dinners and lunches. I'm hoping I can at least share the recipes so you guys benefit from my craziness.

4. I'm headed home this weekend (I feel like I've been saying that a lot lately) to celebrate the wedding of one of my high school girlfriends. From teaching Model UN together and traveling Turkey and the Netherlands, to countless late nights and sleepovers, to commiserating over running and marathons, I'm so thankful for the memories I have with her. I absolutely adore this girl and could not be happier for her and her soon-to-be-hubby!

Lily and I our senior year of high school in Amsterdam. My apologies for the
filter, I couldn't find the original!

5. On a slightly different and much sadder note, Twitter and other local news sources were blowing up yesterday with the news of a local homicide.

Clearly any time things like this occur my heart breaks for the victims, their friends and their families, but this time the horrific incident hit far too close to home. Amy was a fellow Bentley grad and while I did not know her personally my Facebook and Twitter feeds have been overcome with expressions of disbelief, sadness, grief, thoughts and prayers. Further, she was a 24 year old young woman living in the Boston community that I and so many friends call home. Other incidents, similar in nature or atrocity, have riddled the news lately and I find it literally sickening to consider that there are human beings capable of doing these things to each other.

As a young female, as a runner, and as a member of the Boston community, I ask you to please, please, please be smart and be careful, wherever you are. Be aware of your surroundings and look out for yourself and for others around you. Runners, take heed of advice to change up your routes, run with a buddy off-hours and try running without headphones to increase your awareness. It's sad that it needs to be said but you truly never know what could happen, and the more precautions you take to protect yourself the better.

What safety precautions do you take, as a runner or in general?
I've gotten better about always having my cell phone with me, I never run with headphones outside, and I try to always be aware of my surroundings - places, people and things.

July Workout Playlist

I'm loving this weekend. Since the boy is in Cali for the week and I only had an engagement party on my to-do list as Friday wound down, I really had free reign to do whatever I wanted. It was nice to go into the weekend not knowing that my time was booked down to the minute as it has been for the past several weeks.

Friday I headed to the gym after work for what turned out to be an amazing workout. It was one of those days where I couldn't wait to run, and that energy carried me through 45 blissful minutes. My lungs, legs and head all seemed to be aligned and I felt happy and strong. 

I'm still playing it safe with the knee, but I feel confident about how things are progressing and felt very little of any kind of ache/pain during the run. I actually miss the long runs, speed workouts and hills (don't quote me on that), but know I need to be patient and smart. Yay for 4.3 miles - new longest since March - and a new plank PR of 1:45. Clearly core has not be enough of a priority for me, but I'll take any kind of progress!

I have to tell you a secret... I'm not a music runner.

GASP.

I know, I get a lot of weird reactions when people learn that. 

Let me clarify. I'm not a music runner when I run outside. I like being completely aware of my surroundings, being in tune with my body and just enjoying it (usually). Indoors? Heck yes, anything to help get me through the dragging, long miles on a treadmill.

It has been HOT in Boston lately. Hot and humid. Needless to say, I've been spending a decent amount of time at the gym instead of outside, so I beefed up my playlist a bit.

1. Wake Me Up - Avicii
2. Cups - Anna Kendrick
3. Gone, Gone, Gone - Phillip Phillips
4. I Want Crazy - Hunter Hayes
5. Holy Grail - Jay-Z & Justin Timberlake
6. Radioactive - Imagine Dragons
7. Can't Hold Us - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
8. Counting Stars - One Republic
9. Church - T-Pain
10. Run - Kill It Kid
11. Brave - Sara Bareilles
12. She Doesn't Mind - Sean Paul
13. Anywhere With You - Jake Owen
14. Run the World (Girls) - Beyonce
15. My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark - Fall Out Boy
16. What I Know - Parachute

In total, this runs just under an hour. Clearly I have a diverse love of music (I really do enjoy nearly everything), but I love mixing it up to keep me going and entertained.

Enjoy!

Do you listen to music when you run?

What's a staple on your current workout playlist?

Thursday Thoughts

Happy Thursday!

1. I finally got a chance to dig into the latest issue of Runner's World this week. I always feel like they have such good timing with their articles, like they tapped right into my brain and said, "Let's write about this just for Sarah." ...hey a girl can dream right?

2. I keep coming up with new recipes to share on the blog, but the same thing happens every time... I get excited, I buy ingredients, I cook, and then realize I forgot to write down any kind of measurements. I tend to go by taste and guesstimates. I'll work on that.

3. Please listen to this song and download immediately. I adore Sara Bareilles and think shes such badass and a talented artist, so I was pumped when she released her new album. Most of the songs are slower, but I've been loving "Brave" as a new addition to my workout playlist. The music video is fun too.

 
4. I was worried after pushing it a bit too hard last week that there would be a lingering tightness/ache in my knee this week but have been pleasantly surprised. I've only done a couple of workouts so far and kept it easy to be safe, but for the most part no knee issues.

Monday: 3 miles (5 min WU, intervals of 8 min run/1 min walk, 3 min CD)

Wednesday: Spin class

5. A small dose of inspiration courtesy of Pinterest. I love this.

[Source]

Explore the best that you can be, push those limits to be better and clear your mind of can't.

Are you a recipe person or go-with-the-flow when it comes to cooking/baking?

Recently discovered pump-up or workout song that you're loving? 

Thursday Thoughts

Happy almost Friday, all! Onto our Thursday Thoughts for this week.

1. If anyone wants to get me a minion as an early birthday present, I wouldn't hate it. Also, If you haven't yet gone to see Despicable Me 2, please do yourself a favor and go.

[Source]

2. I've been on a Greek salad kick lately. OK, so more for like the past 3 months. I love them, and can't seem to get enough. When I was younger I was strictly an iceberg lettuce, carrots, cucumber with Italian dressing kind of girl. Now? I tend to use the mindset of "the more the merrier" when it comes to toppings.

Lunch: Pasta salad and Greek salad with black olives carrots, cukes & feta.

3. I've had three solid workouts this week:

Monday: 4 miles (5 min WU, intervals of 8 min run/1 min walk x 4, 3 min CD)

Wednesday: 4 miles (5 min WU, intervals of 9 min run/1 min walk x 3, 6 min run, 3 min CD)

Thursday: .7 mi run, stair repeats, arms/core, .7 mi walk

Don't let the trees fool you - these go on f o r e v e r.

I would say I couldn't be happier, but I would be lying. I could feel the twinge in my knee toward the end of my run last night (hence the 6 min final interval vs. 9) and while I should have taken that as a sign to rest today I didn't want to break my workout date. The knee held up for most of the stairs but again, could feel it toward the end and walked instead of ran home. Lots of foam rolling and stretching, and will probably take the next couple of days off from running to be safe. I'm not so good at this "ease back into things" mindset.

4. Texting with my Dad this morning and this made me smile:

My family lives on-campus at a New England prep school out in Western Massachusetts so the roads and trails out there are prime real estate for some gorgeous (and often hilly) runs. My Dad had gotten into the sport awhile back, and at the time running was not on my radar aside from field hockey and basketball. 

I remember hearing him talk about running often - with friends, early mornings by himself, and being so proud and a little envious. It made him happy and it was something he was visibly passionate about. Life got in the way a little bit, as did some injuries, but I'm so happy to see he's starting up again - even if it's just once in awhile!

5. Finally, I've been thinking a lot lately about making the switch from Blogger to self-hosted Wordpress. When I started C&P I wasn't sure where it would go, but ultimately I've enjoyed blogging and would like more flexibility and freedom to grow. From some of the blog posts and articles I've read, there are plenty of other bloggers out there who have debated the same and made the switch successfully, and I'd like to explore my options. As a result, I'd like to know:

What were some helpful resources you used to help make the switch?

What's the best piece of advice you have to offer someone looking to make the switch?

I'd greatly appreciate any insights you can share - articles, links to your own blog posts on the topic, preferred design/theme source, preferred host, you name it.

Progress, America's Birthday and Thankfulness

I had the nicest blog post written up to recap this weekend. And then my computer ate it. No, but really, one second it was there and the next... POOF. Not what you want to experience on a Monday night, but hey - I guess it happens.

As a result, you get my lovely long weekend recap in photos: 

... I know, I slacked on photos this weekend big time too, but you get the jist. Awesome run progress, delicious cookies and BBQs with friends to celebrate America's birthday and Cape time with the family.

This past Saturday also marked a year since my big step-sister, Sarah, passed away. Yes, we shared the same name. Thinking back on the past twelve months, I can't believe a year has passed. I spent the majority of Saturday morning feeling guilty that I wasn't home to spend the day with my Mom's side of the family, remembering Sarah and celebrating her life. 

Me and my step-siblings, Tim and Sarah, when we were little.

Truthfully, I've spent a lot of time feeling guilty in the past year. Guilty that I didn't spend more time with her, guilty that I didn't reach out as much as I could have, guilty that I never got a chance to say goodbye, and then guilty that I was grieving when I felt as though I didn't deserve to... if that even makes any sense. I can imagine these often come along with coping with a loss, but they certainly aren't easy feelings to dismiss.

If there has been any particular lesson I've learned in the past year, I'd say that I've become that much more of a thankful person. Thankful that though Sarah passed, she passed peacefully. Thankful for my amazing family and friends who love me unconditionally and who I love right back. Thankful for my job, living in such a wonderful city and being able to support myself. Thankful for the little moments and things that often go unnoticed but mean so much.

"Life is short. Break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile."

I hope you had a wonderful long weekend, full of things that made you smile.

What's something that reminds you to be thankful?

Thursday Thoughts

It's the most wonderful time of the week! I actually look forward to writing these posts. Primarily because I've forced myself into at least one weekly blog post (structure is clearly lacking here), but also because I can write whatever I want - even if it makes no sense at all. Lucky readers, you.

1. So this happened:

...see that?! That's a treadmill! I haven't seen one of those in MONTHS! My PT surprised me on Tuesday with an interval assignment. I'm fairly sure my face lit up at the thought of running again, so she immediately killed my vibe with a, "Don't even go there, Sarah. Think of this as a task you need to complete - not a RUN. You've got a ways to go before you're in the clear." ...party pooper. Truthfully I'm glad she did because it's so easy to think you can just jump back into things full force and potentially ruin the progress you've made - cough, what I did with my last PT, cough.

Anywho. Intervals at the appt. Tuesday were 1 min walk/2 min run x3 for .8 miles total. Intervals as homework yesterday were 1 min walk/3 min run x 4 (plus 10 min walking warm up) for 2.15 miles total. Intervals at the appt. this morning were 1 min walk/5 min run x 3 for about 1.8 miles total. It's frustrating to have to reign myself in, although slightly easier since it's glaringly obvious how out of shape I am vs. even 3 months ago. I can still feel tightness start to develop in my knee toward the end of the workout, but not the same sharp pain I was feeling before. Baby steps to greatness.

2. My gorgeous cousin had a beautiful baby boy this morning! I am so thrilled for her and her husband, as well as the rest of my blonde-haired, blue-eyed Jacksonville family. Tripp is the first great-grandchild for my grandparents as well which is super exciting, and I can't wait to meet the little nugget ASAP.

3. What's up with this weekend's forecast, Boston? Not cool.

4.  I spent the latter part of this past weekend on the Cape with my family for a belated Father's Day celebration. We ate fresh seafood, went out for ice cream, played mini golf and went to the beach - all packed into about 24 hours. It was a bit hectic, but I loved every minute.

Sisters at sunset!

Nutella and black raspberry ice cream w/ rainbow sprinkles

Marylou's ice coffee - famous on the Cape (and YUMMY!)

Gorgeous day for the beach

Sister & I locked up - clearly these stocks were not made
for tall people. Rude.

5. Remember when I confessed that I'm lucky enough to go to a LOT of concerts during the summer? Yeah, this weekend we'll be seeing Tim McGraw. He puts on a great show AND has great opening acts this year in Brantley Gilbert and Love and Theft. Totally pumped, minus the fact that the rain will probably put a bit of a damper on our tailgating festivities.

Finally, I'm not ready to talk about what happened earlier this week regarding a certain Cup. Yes, I'm heartbroken. Yes, I cried. Yes, I cried again watching this video. Oh man, what a season. I'm certainly not wishing summer away but I cannot wait to have hockey back. Thanks for the crazy ride, Bruins.

I hope you all have wonderful weekends planned, some of you hopefully with a bit better weather than is expected to grace the Boston area!

Favorite ice cream flavor and topping?
Flavor is a toss up between anything chocolate (shocking) and black raspberry. Topping is most definitely rainbow sprinkles... in case you haven't noticed.

Favorite family pastime? 
Mini golf always seems to be a part of any family vacation, but I'd say wiffle ball is up there too. My family is only slightly competitive.

Thursday Thoughts

Yes, I know, I published this on Friday morning. I promise you all the thoughts occurred on Thursday though, along with 99% of the writing...

Has it seriously already been a week since I last wrote a Thursday Thoughts post? I give all you bloggers out there who write every day so much credit. I would love to be able to balance it all and come up with new and fabulous posts on the daily but I'm afraid I'd fail miserably. I guess that gives me something to work toward.

1. My amazing grandpa turned 90 yesterday. 90! This man has been one of my best friends since the day I was born. I look up to and respect him so much, as does everyone else who has ever been blessed with his presence.

It has been so hard to see him age in the past several years. I think one of the harder parts of getting older is suddenly realizing that those people you admired as invincible heroes as a child do, in fact, have weaknesses. I don't mean that in a bad way, we're all human, I just mean it takes a different perspective to fully appreciate what you have and to cherish every moment and memory with the people you love. All things considered, this guy is doing pretty darn well. Of course, it doesn't hurt that he has my grandmother's TLC to keep him in line.

My grandparents on their wedding day - 55 years ago!

 2. I've had two more PT appointments since I admitted last week that I was trying out a new doc. Both have gone well, and even though my knee continues to nag me with soreness here and there I feel much more confident in how it's being treated this time around. We're not only treating the injury (Graston, cupping and massage), but also spending more time around strength training for my hips/glutes and stretching. I actually have homework to do, which I'm happy to report I have stuck to and enjoyed... even the resulting soreness.

3. This basically describes my life:

4. I made pie last weekend. With strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. It was berry delicious. I feel like pie is one of those desserts that kind of gets lost in my love of all things chocolate, but then when I eat it again I scold myself for having gone so long without it.

5. I met up with my running partner last night for a pedi date. She just got back from running a huge trail run in Wyoming over the weekend with her Dad and, well, I just needed a pedicure. I also finally opened the newest issue of Runner's World. I haven't finished reading it cover to cover but... wow. I've read a few pieces that were just what I needed to dig into. More on those later. Cute toes, fabulous date and running goodness? Yes, please. All that was missing was wine.

I hope you all have wonderful weekends planned! I'm playing in/working a wiffle ball tournament to benefit the children's hospital I work for and then headed to the Cape for a belated Father's Day celebration with my Dad.

Who was your hero growing up?
I definitely think mine has always been my Grandpa, with my Grandma, Dad and Mom as his close and trusty sidekicks.

Favorite kind of pie?
Tough call, but I'd say a tie between apple and strawberry rhubarb.

The Calorie Guilt Trip

I posted an article on Twitter this morning about Starbucks' plan to post calorie counts of their items on the menu boards of all locations beginning June 25. Since, I've seen a number of opinions shared on the announcement, ranging from applause to criticism.

Am I surprised at the number or nature of the opinions voiced? Abso-freaking-lutely not. Are you kidding? We're talking about Starbucks here. Not only are you affecting people's daily caffeine intake (no joking matter), but you're affecting their lifestyle. While yes, I consider myself to be a Starbucks fan, my love of that green mermaid pales in comparison to the gold-card status loyalty of others.

In a world where "healthy living" is being increasingly advocated for, something that is amplified ten times over in the blog world, most opinions I've read are in strong support of Starbucks move toward transparency. Hooray for calorie counting! (There's an app for that, BTW.) Hooray for Starbucks being held accountable for the nutrition of products!

On the other end of the spectrum, however, you have a number of grumbling customers who are not pleased that when they order a grande white chocolate mocha the world around them knows that, gasp, she's about to consume 400 calories! Ahhh, blissful ignorance.

 
So who then, exactly, are we trying to hold accountable here with this transparency? Is it really Starbucks? Or are we just mad because now we're forced to acknowledge that while, yes, it's been a rough afternoon and I simply need my Starbs to get through it - those 16 oz. of Caramel Frapuccino comfort are costing me 410 calories and 15 grams of fat.

I guess it all comes down to your lifestyle and your drink of choice. Personally, I don't venture to Starbucks all that often - primarily because I would go broke pretty darn quickly if it became a daily staple. That being said, when I do go, I tend to order a simple iced coffee or black tea lemonade (unsweetened)

Do I indulge? Duh. I'd be lying if I said I didn't treat myself to a peppermint mocha latte or five during the cold winter months, or a sweet and creamy iced caramel macchiato paired perfectly with a warm, sunny day. I'm not oblivious. I know very well that the perfection I'm sipping isn't without calorie-filled repercussions. I accept that... and know that I may need to tack on a few extra miles or crunches later as a result.

What do you think - yay or nay for listing calories?

Favorite indulgent treat from Starbucks?

Thursday Thoughts

I don't know where time has gone this week but I'm having a hard time keeping my days straight. This morning I spent the majority of my time convinced that it was Wednesday only to be brought back to reality that no, Sarah, it's Thursday and tomorrow is Friday. Oops.

1. The first time I heard this song on the radio I couldn't tell if it was a joke, a commercial or what was going on. Now it's totally grown on me and I may or may not have listened to it at least five times today.

2.  I'm headed home this weekend to celebrate my Dad's 50th birthday. While he'll probably be working for the majority of the weekend, I'm still looking forward to spending time with him when I can. Love this guy to the moon and back.

3. I made these cupcakes again last night as a playoff hockey treat. Every time I make them I'm amazed at how easy and yummy they are. No eggs (hello, batter), and the coffee piece of the recipe allows you to play with the flavors. I used hazelnut in the original recipe but have tried french vanilla and last night was butter toffee. The joys of a Keurig and making a cup of coffee at a time.

4. My favorite running buddy talked me into doing a circuit workout with her last Friday morning. She's a lot more disciplined about strength training than I am, so I agreed to the torture hoping to dabble in something new. Wet grass and bugs due to location choice aside, this workout definitely worked up a sweat. It was also successful since I was sore and walking funny until Monday afternoon. Clearly I have room for improvement. Tomorrow morning is round 2.

5. I've been feeling more and more tension and discomfort in my neck and shoulders over the past few months, but especially within the last few weeks. I've always been told that I carry my tension in my shoulders, but never really knew what to do about it. I don't think I'm overly stressed - at least not more than usual - but it doesn't seem to be going away. I've never actually gotten a professional massage, and think it may be time to force myself to do so. Yes, I know, poor Sarah forcing herself to get a massage. I'm nervous that it'll hurt - is that weird?

In other news, the Bruins managed to pull out their 3rd win of the series against Pittsburgh in double OT last night and kept me up way past my bedtime. Thank goodness they won otherwise I would've been grumpy AND tired this morning. Game 4 tomorrow night - go Bs!

Are you a cake or frosting person?
Cake all the way. Frosting is too sweet for me to have more than just a little.

Have you ever gotten a professional massage? Thoughts?

Thursday Thoughts

There's something about a short week following a holiday weekend that makes it seem like both the best and worst week ever. On the one hand, a 4-day work week is nothing to complain about - you're that much closer to the awesomeness of the weekend. On the other hand, a shorter week doesn't necessarily mean you have less to get done - just a shorter amount of time to accomplish it all. Yikes.

1. It is HOT in the Boston area today, and the heat/sunshine is supposed to continue through the weekend. I'm not complaining, especially after all the rain, but for someone who turns into a puddle of I-don't-wanna-do-anything in the heat, I'm curious to see how the next few days go.

2.  The Bruins play [finally] on Saturday! Can. Not. Wait.

3. A friend of mine awhile back told me to sign up for Groop Dealz. It's similar to Groupon/Living Social with the discount newsletter aspect, but the items are totally Etsy-esque and adorable - jewelry, home goods, clothing, etc. Today I fell in love with these cute arrow pillows and may need to purchase a couple. Where I would actually put them, I don't know.

(Side note for you Boston folks, there's a $10 for $20 Pinkberry deal on CBS Local Offers right now. I snatched up a couple of those babies pretty quickly!)

 4. Sunday I'm lucky enough to be headed to see Luke Bryan in concert at the Comcast Center with Florida Georgia Line, the first of many country concerts this season. I'm super bummed that Thompson Square is no longer performing due to vocal illness, but am still excited for the show. It doesn't hurt that Luke is pretty darn easy on the eyes. He's my perfect combination of hockey-player-meets-country-music. I melt.

5. You know that feeling when you're totally in love with a song, you stop playing it because you've already listened to it 10,000,000x, forget about it and suddenly it pops back into your life?! That happened to me yesterday in Spin when Save Me San Francisco was on our playlist. SCORE. I heart Train.

What are your favorite ways to handle the heat?
Early AM workouts, flip flops, country music, iced coffee/tea and sundresses for the win!

Old song(s) you rediscovered recently?
Train - Save Me San Francisco and T-Pain - Church (both great workout songs)

Graduation Weekend & A Smoothie Recipe

Per usual, I was a shell of a human being when I returned to Boston last night after a weekend home to celebrate my little sister's high school graduation. I accepted a long time ago that my weekends in western MA typically leave me drained, so I'm in constant go-go-go mode until I start to unwind on the drive back.

It was a great weekend with family and friends and, as predicted, I did tear up on multiple occasions thinking about how this little peanut managed to grow up and graduate from high school already. I am so proud to be her big sister.

I could have done without the rain that graced us with it's presence this weekend, but thankfully Sunday was not as bad as expected weather-wise - just a little cold for Memorial Day. We still enjoyed spending time outside celebrating Em's accomplishments with guests, complete with a campfire, s'mores and a favorite family tradition - wiffle ball.

 
I was able to unpack last night after the drive back and relax for the evening, complete with live tweeting through the awesome premiere of the train wreck we know and love - the Bachelorette. I know, I know. Not everyone jumps on board. But honestly, after you get over the staged drama, absurd outfits and ridiculous conversations, I swear it's entertaining.

This morning I jump-started my short week with 6am Spin class. I'm really starting to enjoy morning Spin - it has the benefits of getting a workout done and over with early on in your day, boosting your energy and metabolism and since you have someone telling you what to do, it's harder to slack off. Since my focus for the next several weeks is on building strength and cross-training to try and end this lack-of-running-streak, I'm hoping Spin a couple of days a week will help.

I've been on a smoothie kick lately. For awhile I never respected smoothies, simply because the ones I tried or made mainly consisted of fruit and juice. Tastes yummy, but for someone who's hungry all the time it really didn't do much in the keep-me-from-eating-my-arm-before-noon department. 

Recently I've been more adventurous with my smoothie ingredients and found some experimental recipes I've liked. This morning was a chocolate strawberry concoction that I thought tasted pretty delightful. Feel free to give it a try - tweak as you'd like, and let me know if you have any other recipes you swear by!

Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie
1/2 C steel cut oats
1/2 C plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
3-4 large strawberries
3-4 ice cubes
3/4 tsp cocoa powder (chocolate protein powder if you have it)
Handful fresh spinach
1/2 C water
Add a drizzle of honey if you want it a bit sweeter

Pulse in your blender and enjoy!