Life Lately

Hey buddies. Can I call you buddies? Okay.

Long time no see! I apologize for my lack of updates lately, life has been, in a word, cray-cray. Like, totes cray-cray. Blogging has not made it even to my Top 5 priority list for the past few weeks (clearly).

Honestly, school and church have been taking up quite a bit of my time, plus I've been doing a few extra projects for school that seem to take up my energy. Any time that I don't have something to do, I don't want to have something to do. Ya know?

Life

Soooooooooooo. Where should I start? Mom's birthday, perhaps? (PS If you follow me on Insta you know this was a while ago....oops, but I like the pictures so I'm starting there.)

Okay, maybe I just liked the cake and ice cream and wanted to share it. Yeah.

We threw a kind of mini-surprise party for Mom. Dad picked up BBQ (wonder whose suggestion that was cough cough), whole wheat buns, the cake, and I made a hunormous salad because, veggies.

And then we invited my aunt, uncle, and cousins, and a few of her friends over to celebrate!! I think it was one of the best birthdays we've ever celebrated for her - I love little get-togethers with close friends and family as opposed to huge parties (except I did have a Sweet 16 that was the bomb diggity).

Later in the week, my friend, sister and I went to see Hairspray at a local high school. I love Hairspray and the cast did an amazing job!!! I thought they all nailed it!

Never thought I'd say this, but I'm actually starting to enjoy musicals....who am I and what have I done with the old Jessica. I blame my sis!!!!

Our outing may have included a trip to PetSmart...or is it PetsMart?

And honestly, everything else has been school school school. And more school. I have 3 big projects that I've been working on with a friend, and they have been making me feel go-go-go a lot. 

Mom took me to work with her one day at Chattahoochee Technical University (aka Chat Tech), where I will be joint enrolling next year (!!). I think that this has me more stressed than anything. I tend to be kind of an anxious person, and getting everything ready for joint enrollment has me thinking so. much. about my future. I keep telling people I'll be in "college" next year and not "high school". Is that even technically correct?

Bathroom selfie ftw

I looked around, and really loved it. Like, really loved it. It's soooo small because it's just a satellite campus, but I can tell that it's going to be perfect for a joint-enrollment college. I don't think it will be as overwhelming as a college/university with dorms, a cafeteria, 3,000 students, etc.

I sat out in a little nook that had a chair and some coffee tables and did my homework.

Then moved to the library, which I thought was equally as nice as everything else. All I needed was a Starbucks in hand and I couldn't have been mistaken for a high schooler. ;)

In other random news, look what came in! I ordered two rings off of an Etsy account based in Israel, and I guess I'm not that cultured, cuz I thought that was so freakin cool.

And took pics of the postage. Naturally.

They are so pretty and I am so pleased with how they turned out! It is so amazing to have rings that actually fit my teeny tininy fingers!

Oh, and Lilly says, "Meow!"

Fitness

Fitness has ranged from "meh" to "I freaking love working out and moving and yayyayayyayyay!!!!!" A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned catching a cold that lasted like a week and a half, so I took a fitness hiatus.

4 complete rest days, and then very low intensity cardio after that.

Not that I minded, because the weather has been amazing!!!!!!!!!!

After I got over from feeling under the weather, I planned on starting a 4-week training plan for the Color Run, but alas, my right knee began giving me trouble again. Poop.

So I am actively resting that knee by biking, stretching, and strength(ing?). My hardest and best workout of the week was my usual 45-min bike intervals, and a wicked awesome lower body workout.

The knee is feeling much better, the weather is warming up, so I'm taking these as signs that I'll be able to run on Monday?! Not posting any fitness plans yet because it's not positive.

But I do feel myself getting stronger, especially in running and strength routines. Example: burpees are getting so much easier! Okay, let me rephrase that. I have gone from, "I hate this so much what kind of a sadistic person would create such a method of torture," to, "Ow I still hate this but it kind of hurts so good." Progress, right?!

Eats

Breakfasts:

Vegan Overnight Apple Spice Oats + Almond Butter

2 Kashi Waffles, shmear of greek yogurt, nectarine, strawberries, and Sunbutter

Apple Spice Baked Oatmeal and almond butter

Vegan Banana Overnight Oats, a nectarine, poured into an almost empty almond butter jar

Lunches:

Chargrilled wrap from Chic-fil-a plus an apple

Chicken+veggie sandwich, veggies, hummus, and an apple

Snacks:

Dinners:

Brown rice, scrambled eggs, sugar snap peas+red peppers sauteed in olive oil

Grilled pork loin, roasted sweet potato wedges, and steamed mixed veggies

Pasta, marinara sauce with red peppers, asparagus, topped with greek yogurt

That's all I've got for ya, darlings! Off for a day of hiking and babysitting in the BEAUTIFUL weather. Peace out.