Christmas Surveeeeeyyy

Happy Monday!

This is my last post before after Christmas (did that make sense??), so I thought I'd spread a little holiday cheer by filling out a little Christmas survey I borrowed from Amanda. She's a champ for letting indecisive people (hem hem...moi) borrow from her. 

By the way - thanks so much for letting me vent, guys. I know I get a little repetitive sometimes but it honestly is such a stress reliever to be able to write out my thoughts. I try to be positive most of the time, and the blog really does have a positive impact on me! Today was the first day of the training program, which called for 15 minutes easy and strength. I ended up with a 30 minute jog and a 15 minute arm workout. It was obviously a longer run that intended (time really flies by!!), and I'm hoping that when this sinus infection/cold thing goes away and the sun actually comes out they'll be easier and more enjoyable! For every not so great run, there's an AWESOME one! 

Those are 5 lb weights for my baby arms. ;)

ANYWAYS. Back to holiday cheer!!!!!!! Lez do this survey!

Before Christmas

Do you send out Christmas cards?

Yup! Every year. We normally add pictures of the kiddos, but didn't this year because we sent them last minute (aka today).

How soon do you start shopping?

My parents start shopping in like...October....but me? Um, a week before Christmas.

Do you have a lot of gifts to buy?

Not usually. Just my sis, mom, bro, dad, and a few of my friends (normally DIY, so not that expensive). 

Do you bake cookies?

Surprisingly, no!! We did last year for something different, but our traditional treats are peanut brittle, date balls (not the healthy kind you're thinking of ;)), fudge, chocolate-dipped oreos, and chocolate covered pretzels.

Decorations

Do you put up a Christmas tree?

Yup, every year.

If so, is it fake or real?

Fake. I used to hate that it was fake, but now I realize it's much less of a hassle than real. 

Do you like tinsel?

Umm, we've never put it up (nor have I ever really seen it) so I guess not?

Do you use homemade or store-bought ornaments?

A mix of both. My mom loves homemade ornaments, and never throws them away, but we also have store-bought for a uniform look. 

Do you put Christmas lights outside your house?

Nope, but we put out a wreath and mini-Christmas trees beside our door.

Do you put lights on the tree?

We have lights built in to the tree, but if it didn't, we would.

How about popcorn and cranberries?

Nah. I'm pretty sure the popcorn would get eaten anyways.

Is there a wreath hanging on your door?

Yuppers! Homemade by my mama.

Christmas Eve

Do you celebrate it?

Yes we do! We always watch ELF, get Chinese takeout, and leave out Santa's cookies. And don't forget the reindeer food!

Do you hang up your stocking?

But of course! Where else would Santa put my gifts?

Have you ever left cookies out for Santa?

Ummm, duh. He always gets sugar cookies and a glass of milk.

Favorite....

Christmas movie?

Psh this is a hard one. I would say ELF buuuuttt I also really like the Santa Clause movies. And White Christmas.

Character from a Christmas movie?

I really don't know. Sorry. Wait never mind - I like Comet from the Santa Clause movies. 

Christmas memory?

I can't say that I can think of one. Every Christmas is just as great as the one before.

Christmas Cookie?

Gingerbread for sure. Mmmm.

This or That

Give or Receive 

Oh man I like them both so much! I like giving, because I like to make people feel loved, and I like receiving because I like to feel loved. So both. (Cop out, I know ;))

Ham or Turkey?

Turkey - I've never liked ham. 

Star or Angel?

We don't have either on our tree, but if we did, I'd say star.

White Lights or Colored Lights?

White - I think they're so simple and beautiful.

Blinking Lights or Still Lights?

Still, so I don't go crazy watching the blinking lights.

Were you Naughty or Nice this year?

Hmmm...I'd say mostly nice. Mostly. :)

Presents.....

What do you want for Christmas this year?

Check out this post!

Where do you open your gifts?

On my living room floor, Christmas morning.

What's the worst gift you've ever gotten?

Errr...one year I got a board game that I already owned...so yeah. 

Do you like wrapping gifts?

Heck to the no. Mainly because I'm so bad at it!!!

Random....

Can you name all the reindeer?

Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet Cupid Donner, but do yaaaa do ya know Blitzen? (<----a song from an elementary Christmas play). And of course Rudolph. 

Have you ever gotten a kiss under the mistletoe?

Uh that would be a no. 

Do you go caroling?

I've only gone once, and I didn't enjoy it that much, sad to say. 

Do you drive around and look at Christmas lights?

YES! It's one of our family traditions!! I love it. 

Have you ever had a white Christmas?

Yes, but not in a few years. :( It's been unseasonably muggy the past couple of winters. Boo. 

Who do you celebrate Christmas with?

Mostly my immediate family - Mom, Dad, Rebekah, and Jonathan. Oh, and the kitties. 

Have you ever had your picture taken with Santa?

Every year. 

What part of Christmas do you most look forward to?

Honestly, getting into the holiday spirit and spending time with my family. There are so many families out there who can't afford presents and still have a wonderful time together - that's what Christmas is all about. 

Answer any of the questions above! Happy holidays, and Merry Christmas! <3 

Finding Confidence

Hey, hey friends. How's your Sunday going so far?

The fam opted to stay home from church today because - wait for it - it's raining. Shocker! And not just a light rainfall, there's flash flood warnings and our backyard looks like a marsh/swamp. I'm keeping those on the roads in my prayers and super thankful for the church volunteers who stepped it up this week!!!!

As you may have noticed, there's been a whole lotta running talk on the blog lately. It's even kind of disorganized, like I don't know how to put my thoughts together on running, if I should post about it day-by-day, or do a weekly round-up of it. One post I'm gushing about how amazing my run was, the next I'm bummed because it was more difficult than usual. The truth is, I think I have lost my running confidence.

As I've mentioned a lot, the end of cross country was a really difficult transition for me. Running 30+ miles a week was getting tiring after 3 months, but I couldn't imagine not running. I was totally exhausted, and felt like quite the failure because of that. Silly, right?

Anyways. Now that I've been getting back into it, I've noticed I never feel totally confident on a run. Most of it is because I've been left to my own accords on when/how long to run, and also getting to a healthier weight for my body. I get very anxious about how to balance running and gaining weight. I haven't been given a clear-cut plan on either, and that's normally what I need to function - it's just the way I am.

But then I started thinking. I started getting like this when I wanted to join cross country. It's almost the exact same - I know I love running, I know I have factors that may work against me, but I also know that if I have the confidence, I can overcome those factors. And so I joined cross country.

Also, not every run is fantastic. If I have a slower or more difficult run, that doesn't mean I should stop/I'm injured/I'm doing something wrong. It just means I didn't have the greatest run. And if I know that I'm fueling properly, there's no need to be anxious!

I know I keep flip-flopping about my "plan." I even did a post on it a couple of weeks back, thinking it was the perfect plan. But as those couple of weeks passed, I realized that even that was too....I don't wanna say flexible, but maybe it was too flexible. The way I think, I just need more structure than that.

So tomorrow, I finally begin the winter training program. It starts with a 15 minute run on Monday, and then works its way up. All are easy runs (except Thursdays - tempo runs!!!!), and it seems like it will really suit my fancy.

As for my eating - it may sound odd for some people - but I think eating a lot  more (uuhh and I mean a lot) more will actually boost my confidence. Just because I know I'll be doing good for my body, running or not. I know I'll feel much better - it's just such a scary leap, guys. Sooo I have a structured plan for that as well - I'm not one for calories, but I have consulted with my nutritionist for a minimum calorie count per day, just until I figure out what I think my body needs. Obviously these calories will be coming from real, whole foods as much as possible. It does not include pre/post-workout snacks or any other craving or hunger that I have. It's still mostly intuitive, I just felt that I needed at least a minimum to start out with. That I started today. :)

Don't worry, I'm not going to be obsessively counting calories - I'm not really going to be counting at all, just adding extra here and there to something I know will add up to what I need.

I'm really hoping I will find my running confidence again through this. Actually, just my confidence in general.
God has never led me wrong before - and even though I'm the one who "came up" with this plan, I'm pretty sure that God had fabricated it looonnngg before I figured it out. I'm keeping my faith in Him that this is best for my health - mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Thank you guys for bearing with me as I'm trying to figure things out. Life is a journey, and this is just a part of my journey that's shaping me.

Sick Days Ruin {Some} Plans

Remember how I mentioned that I was super tired on Sunday? Weeelll Monday I was fine, Tuesday I had quite a sore throat, and Wednesday upon waking I felt...what's the word...craptastic?

Yes. Quite fitting.

It hit me all of a sudden - I just wanted to get through my exams and go home and sleep. My head hurt so bad that I had to put my glasses on so my eyes wouldn't strain.

I cuddled up in my jammies, laid on the couch for approximately 6 hours, and by the evening was feeling a bit better. 

And you betcha I drank 4 cups of tea for my sore throat!

My sweet mom knew I wasn't feeling well, and brought me some holiday flavored tea. <3 Insert 2 more cups. Hey, tea counts as water, correct?

I proceeded to lay around the rest of the day, eat some ice cream, and hit the sack by 9:30. Bliss. 

I also had planned, in my head, this beautiful, crisp, chilly, early long(ish) run Thursday morning. It was going to be perfect and I was going to have protein pancakes and a green smoothie afterwards and everything was going to be just great. 

Insert waking up up 6:45, walking bro to bus stop, stuffy nose, sore throat. BOO. Back to bed I went.

I finally woke up after another 2 hours of sleep, made myself some french toast, and felt pretty good! I had an ambitious 6-mile run planned and headed out - upon reaching about 3, I decided that eeehhhhh....not the best idea. Even though I felt okay, I knew that I was still recovering from an entire sick day, and I had still felt gross just a few hours before. 

So I ran back home with 3.5 miles under my belt, and called it a morning. I'll admit I was just a teensy annoyed that yet another longer run was put off, but you gotta do what you gotta do. I knew I could do it, but didn't want to force myself. I'm quite goal-oriented. 

Okay, maybe I should rename my blog "Jessica Rants About Running," because I think that suits it well. But I do other stuff in my life, I swear. 

I showered and headed out for our traditional after-finals lunch! O'Charley's, bruh. (Note: I typed this after taking a walk sooo my endorphins are kind of gushing a bit. I'm not weird.) Quick refuel snack of 1/2 banana and peanut butter before leaving. 

For being a "chain" restaurant, O'Charley's actually has some pretty great menu items. Plus, their rolls are freaking delicious. 

Rach and I are the half-faces :) 

Afterwards, we walked around some stores for a bit before Rebekah had to go to rehearsal. I got home and baked these beauties:

And being the rebellious person that I am, did not wait for them to cool before digging in. So delicious with a gingerbread-tea "latte" and topped with a shmear of pb/greek yogurt. 

I had started feeling yuck again by this point and opted for some yoga stretches. Did the trick! 

I honestly don't even remember what I did the rest of the night. All I remember is eating dinner and then watching FRIENDS back to back until bed. Productive. 

Today was the last day of finals - I'm happy with all my grades (except for Algebra, but I didn't really expect to make a fantastic grade anyways - math is more of a foreign language to me than Spanish...hardy har har). 

Once I got home, I headed out for a run. 

A really sloooww 6 miles. SO slow. To be honest, the first 3 miles were the hardest and slowest. I felt pretty tired and sluggish and really didn't like the hilly area I was in. But I'm super stubborn and kept going anyways. Maybe I wasn't the most intuitive about this run, but I felt much better by the end and was quite rejuvenated!

Refuel with a ridiculously thick smoothie and a turkey wrap. I put protein powder in this smoothie, which made it cloyingly sweet - it was delicious the first three bites, but I choked it down at the end. Told you I'm stubborn.

Later, I had a snack of a pumpkin pie Larabar (the last in my stash!!!!!) and a much, much needed cup of coffee. My appetite was still weird from my over-the-top smoothie but I was hungry because I felt much better after a snack! 

Now I'm off to finish my Christmas shopping - FOUR DAYS. 

Have a fantastic evening! 

P.S. Question for you guys - this may be a little TMI, but do you get stomachaches after you run? When I get past 4 or 5 miles, I always get an upset stomach the rest of the day. It also messes up my appetite, which I hate. I think it's dehydration, but I'm really not that sure. Any ideas?

Weekend Recap and a Really Cute DIY Gift!!

Hello and happy Tuesday {evening}! It's finals week and I got released early, so this was supposed to be up this afternoon. Buuuttt I couldn't help myself from cuddling up in front of the TV and then taking a nap. I have to catch up on lost studying sleep!! 

Since I shared my Christmas Wish List with you guys yesterday, I thought I'd give you a recap of my fun, Christmas-filled weekend. :)

Lilly's favorite spot during the holidays: under the tree!! Cuteness.

Saturday started with pouring rain. Surprise, surprise. My friend and I had planned a 10am coffee date, but she overslept, so we waited until around 2 to run some Christmas errands together. 

'Twas a dark and dreary day. But we still had fun! I've been really wanting to make some DIY gifts for a few of my friends, so we wandered around the crafts/grocery store to get my supplies - can you guess what I made?!

I made personalized coffee mugs and filled them with chocolate dipped spoons and hot chocolate packets.

But first, coffee. 

1. Preheat your oven to 400*. Using a sharpie, draw a design on your mug. Remember to wash it first! Stick them in the oven for 30 minutes. 

2. For the spoons: mini-marshmallows, mini-chocolate chips, snowflake sprinkles, red sugar, crushed peppermints, and crushed butterfingers. 

3. Melt your white chocolate. 

4. Melt your milk chocolate. 

5. Simply dip, sprinkle with whatever toppings you want, and let em dry! I put them in the fridge so they'd harden faster.

6. Let your mugs cool for an hour.

Filling time!! Spoons, hot chocolate, and candy canes. 

This one was for my good friend Rachel who was on the team with me - she's a vegan and very healthy foodie so I filled hers with healthy treats. :)) 

I found really cute mini-ornaments that I tied onto the handle!! They were 75% off, so I paid like 50 cents for a whole pack. 

For these, I just (carefully) hot-glued the spoons to a packet of hot chocolate. And yes, my nickname is Jessie. ;)

Sunday was really chill, as usual. I was sooo tired, but after babysitting for a couple of hours, my energy shot way up! They were a handful. 

It was my "cross-train day," but I was not feeling cardio. Instead, I warmed up with some dynamics/jumping jacks for 5 minutes, and did a strength workout. 

Legs:

20 squats

30 lunges

40 calf raises

60 sec wall-sit

40 sumo squats (holy ouch)

30 leg raises 

20 squats

x2 rounds

Arms:

10 Minutes to Tone Arm Workout

10 Minute Tank-Top Arm Workout

This took me 30/40ish minutes and I was jeeellooo. 

Monday was the last full day of school until January - yaaaayyyy!!! 

Aaaannnd (take caution if you're squeamish), I had to share this dissection that we did in Anatomy:

A cow's eye!!! Neither of my partners wanted to do the actual cutting/dissecting, so I gladly volunteered because I'm an anatomy/gross stuff nerd. :) It was really cool to see what it actually looked like on the inside. 

The weather was beautiful, so after school, I headed out for a 45-min run. 

Distance? Not sure. Maybe 4 miles? I'm not really concentrating on pace/mileage, just how I feel. It was one of those runs where you just feel great the entire time, you're in a really good mood, and running is just pure joy. And that's more important to me than speed. Speed comes with practice. :)

I cooled down with a walk around my dark backyard...creepy.

Now come the finals. Algebra and APUSH are down, Spanish 4 and  Lit are tomorrow! Wish me luck!

Christmas Wish List

Okay, I know Christmas is really close, but I couldn't not make a wish list to share with you guys.

1. Essie Sable Collar nail polish - I love how rich, warm, and wintery this color is.

2. L'Oreal Lineur Intense Liquid Eyeliner - because I love me a cat eye, and I need long-lasting makeup.

3. Philosophy Cinnamon Buns 3-in-1 - it smells just like warm, gooey cinnamon buns!

4. Platinum Status Eyeshadow Palette - pretty holiday colors without being over the top.

5. Philosophy Peppermint Stick Lip Shine - my favorite scent!

6. ULTA Eyeshadow - the perfect neutral color while adding some pretty shimmer. 

1. Turn Back Time Necklace and Welcome Bach Earrings from Modcloth - so vintage and right up my alley!
2. Old Navy Graphic Tee and American Eagle Knit Dogneal Sweater - I love comfortable fashion, and both of these are adorable.
3. Blue Chalcedony Gemstone Ring from Etsy - so simple and pretty, and the color is amazing.
4. Haute of Doors Flat from Modcloth - I'm in love with the detail!
5. Old Navy Suede Short-Zip Boots - Loovee boots.

1. Nike Seamless Running Jacket and Nike Dri-Fit Long Sleeve Shirt - it doesn't get too cold in Georgia, but I would love some lightweight long-sleeve shirts to run in

2. Adidas and Reeboks Running Tights - I'm so obsessed with running tights right now, especially in the chilly weather! And just around the house. ;)

3. Nike Dri-Fit Running Gloves - to cover up my freezing/frozen fingers.....

4. Wave Sayonara by Mizuno - I really do need a new pair of running shoes (mine have at least 200 miles on them - crazy!!!) and these are really cute and lightweight. 

And some odds and ends that I couldn't really categorize:

1. Wild Squirrel Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter - Three of my favorite things in one, yes please! I love novelty food items. :) 

2. Flight Fancy Briggi Lunchbox - how cute is this?? 

3. World Watercolor Map from Art.com - my parent have been discussing letting me redo my room, and I am in love with this map to hang on my wall. It's soooo me. 

4. Anthropologie Wildfield Quilt - same as mentioned above. :) I love colors and patterns and this would be a lovely change from my *bright* pink quilt I've had since 4th grade. 

5. Native Union Monocle Speaker - my friend had one of these and always used it in the locker rooms after practice. It had a really nice sound quality!

Clearly, I don't need or expect any of these things (except maaaayyybbbeee the running shoes. Those may count as a need, ;)), but it's fun to dream, right? Are you surprised nothing included cats?!

 It was really fun making this post, and I know you guys got a sneak peek of the "Fashion" board - told you I'm practically no good with technology. :) As I was saving it, I think I linked it to Blogger or something?? Whatever works! 

I hope you have a loooovveelllyy day!! 

Fashion

Fashion by jessicamitchell661 featuring a chalcedony ring

American Eagle Outfitters cableknit sweater
ae.com

Old Navy short black boots
oldnavy.gap.com

Flat pumps
modcloth.com

Chalcedony ring
etsy.com

Pendant chain necklace
modcloth.com

Plastic jewelry
modcloth.com

Back in the Grooovvee

Heeeyyy guys! It's a rainy day around these parts (read: 99% of Georgia winter) and I'm about to head off, but I wanted to get a post in before I'm busy for the day!

For the past couple of weeks, I've been really getting back into running. I certainly am not at the level I was a couple of months ago, but I've been so amazed at how well my body/legs/mind are bouncing back into the running groove!

That being said, I'm really, really trying to make an effort not to overdo it. It's actually really nice running on my own time, and not being in what I call "training mode" - aka run every day, no matter what. I'll admit that I really miss those long runs, but hey, gotta have goals. Goals are fun! I've been enjoying a variety of exercise - running, walking, yoga, strength, and ciirrccuiitts, my new love!

Julie's are my favorites!

I have almost no regrets about running, but if I had to pick one, it would be how I handled my running hiatus. I tried not to let it come through on the blog, but I was very frustrated, and I hated it. I didn't allow myself to enjoy the relaxation and repairing of my body. Yeah, physically I was at rest, but mentally, I was not. Every day I thought about running in some shape or form. Transitioning from 35-40 miles/week to nothing but walking/resting proved really difficult for me to handle.

Guys, I wasted so. much. time and energy worrying about exercise. I really wish I had just realized that it was good for me, and focused on other things like having more time to spend with my family, and enjoying other forms of exercise such as walking. I didn't "lose endurance" (well, I did, but not as much as I feared), I didn't become a couch potato, and although I looovee other activities, I still really do have the running bug.

After getting rained on!!

The past two months have been such a learning experience for me. I wanted to share with you guys my current tentative fitness plan - I really, really like plans and they help me stay motivated, but I've made it really flexible (ie, no specific times/distances). I made sure to incorporate rest days, because I really do thrive on them. I am definitely going to enjoy those days off!

I don't think about time, pace, distance, or how many walking breaks I take. I just go out and do it - my poor Garmin is getting a lil' dusty! But this has been really helpful, and has helped me enjoy the moment.

Here's how I broke it down: 3-4 days of running, 2 rest days, and 1 day of cross-train (something other than running).

For example, this week:

Sun: 30 min circuit, 20 min strength (arms+legs)

Mon: 3.5 mile run

Tues: 4 mile run, strength (arms+abs)

Wed: Rest

Thurs: 4 mile run

Fri: 2.5 mile run, .5 mile walk, strength (arms+legs)

Sat: Rest

Clearly, I most enjoy running and working out my arms. I think because I ran 4 times this week, I'll just run 3 this week, but again, I'm mostly going off of what my body is feelin'. Heads up: I'm still planning on using Hal Higdon's plan, but that will be in Jan/Feb most likely. Goals, goals, goals!

Now that I've gotten that out of me, I'm feeling really good about it! :) I've got a lot of fun stuff planned today and this weekend....minus studying.

Have an awesome weekend, loves!