Ahhhh… June. I’m enjoying it so much! I love all the sunlight and leisurely mornings. Leisurely, because I don’t have the extra job of getting my daughter off to school. I love being able to do my workouts and eat breakfast without rushing before work. Here are some of the things making me happy right now.
Favorite Workout
The “run sandwich.” This came about because I’m still babying my foot, a little. I want to run four days a week, but other than a long run and one day of speed work, I’m keeping the runs pretty short. I’ve hit upon a sequence that I’m really liking- first I do a glutes and legs strength class, then a short run, and then either a core or upper body strength class. I get in my run, my strength, and it feels great.
Insert run in the middle for a run sandwich!
Favorite Run
As much as I want to say it’s a trail run, I had to face the fact that my trail runs were getting really uncomfortable. There’s very little shade on my trail, and it’s so hot here. I’m better off starting a long run super early but I don’t feel comfortable on the trails in the dark. So… for now, my speed work runs are winning the “favorite” spot. I didn’t do any speed work for almost two years because running fast hurt my foot, so it feels great to do some speedy runs again. Of course, “fast” and “speedy” are relative terms. The truth is I’m so slow compared to where I was… but I’m working on it.
Favorite Dinner
Well, dinner continues to be a challenge. After making the large Asian feast, my son has not wanted to cook another dinner. I mean, he’ll help out in the kitchen-as will my husband- but no one really wants to get in there every night and cook. Sometimes I’ll do it, but my new favorite is a little game I’ve introduced called “What’s in the kitchen?”
The premise is, everyone looks through the pantry, fridge and freezer, and is challenged to put together a dinner based on what they can find. The first time we played this game, my husband looked worried and asked “Can I run out to the store?” “Yes,” I replied, “But then you lose the game.”
We usually end up teaming up on these nights, and my husband and son make something together. I throw something together for my daughter and me. Sometimes the dinners are a little… unusual… but we get to be creative and use up food that might otherwise go bad. Best of all, I’m not expected to cook for everyone.
On Sunday my kids had some friends over for a pool party, and at the end of the day we had leftover chips, guacamole, and Impossible meat (my son made burgers for his friends.) This turned into Ultimate Nachos for dinner on Monday!
We added a can of refried beans, vegan cheese, pickled jalapenos, olives, salsa, lettuce… We truly asked ourselves “what’s in the kitchen?” and then created a masterpiece. Of deliciousness, that is… I can’t say it was the healthiest dinner, and my stomach let me know about it. It was fun to eat though.
Favorite Movie
This one’s cheating a little, because I’ve only watched one movie. My son and I continued our viewing of the Fantastic Beast movies with the latest one, Secrets of Dumbledore. Great movie! Except… I REALLY missed Johnny Depp as Grindelwald. For that reason, I didn’t like this movie as much as the second one. I’m so bummed out that Depp won’t be returning, because I love the rest of the cast so much, and he was the perfect evil, yet charismatic, depiction of the dark wizard. Oh well… still an enjoyable movie.
What are you enjoying lately? Do you have a favorite current workout? Did you see Secrets of Dumbledore? What did you think of the new Grindelwald?
I hope everyone is enjoying June as much as I am!
24 Responses
I only watched the first Fantastic Beasts movie and found it so problematic that I just stopped with the series. Problem #1 was Johnny Depp, of course, so I’m surprised to hear that he still has fans. I frequently wish I could undo hearing about bad behavior by artists, but that’s not how the world works these days and I have a hard time separating the art from the artist. I do love that these new FB movies are creating a new generation of fans to enjoy the world of Harry Potter (although JKR is also rife with issues – *huge sigh*) and I hope they turn to the original seven books to get more of the world.
Well, I definitely don’t know all the details but I think Johnny Depp wasn’t quite the bad guy he was painted out to be. But what do I know… there’s probably a lot more I haven’t heard about.
I have not watched any HP movies or their spin-offs! Maybe some day I will watch the HP movies with my kids after they have read the books, though.
I’m enjoying the pleasant weather we’ve had lately. Our highs are in the 70s to low 80s and it’s not humid so it’s pretty much perfect. Workouts have been a challenge with a 4yo at home with me… He will not leave me alone if I try to do a workout so I have been pushing him in the stroller on 3 mile runs which I find VERY HARD!! And then besides that I have been going on lots of walks. Our new routine is to go for a walk/scoot after dinner. The 18mo is so hard to entertain so it’s a good way to fill time and get fresh air.
The HP movies are good but not as good as the books (or course.) Yes, you can wait until your kids are old enough to watch them.
I’m very envious of your weather, but not the stroller runs. i remember those days though. When my son was little he was happy to ride in the stroller during my runs, but he wanted to have a conversation the whole time. I was happy to be getting my run in, but it wasn’t very relaxing, mentally.
OMG DO YOU HAVE A POOL??? I’ll be right there.
Ha ha, yes we do- it’s a Florida thing. Come on down!
I love that sandwich idea! We usually go for a run and then do our strength workouts, but sandwiching the run mixes things up a bit!
I did speed workouts this morning and there definitely not my favourite. But it feels so good to have done them.
I watched a film with Johnny Depp yesterday: Public Enemies. He was playing the leader of a gang that robs banks in the 1930s. I agree, he’s a great actor, especially as a villain!
The reason I started doing a lower body workout before some of my runs (not all) was that I do a warmup of squats, lunges etc. before my runs anyway- I figured I could just save time and make it into a workout with weights. It definitely makes the run a little harder though.
I know that I complain constantly about summer running, but it really is my favorite time of the year. Lots of daylight and less time constraints with the kids out of school.
I love the “what’s in the kitchen game”. I’ve gotten so burned out on cooking family dinner that I’m considering taking the summer off. I’m pretty sure that my family will figure out how to feed themselves!
Yes they will! My family has done amazing with feeding themselves, but I had to insist upon it. If they think I’ll do all the cooking, they’ll let me do it.
Your sandwich workout sounds fun.
You may be slower than you were but you are faster than most runners your age. At least that’s what I tell myself.
I admit to having ice cream for dinner on our way home from boating.
I’m enjoying reading lately – mysteries. Just finished Rock Paper Scissors and the Paris Apartment.
I love mysteries! I’ll check out the two you mentioned.
True- we are faster than most women our age. Especially considering that most women our age don’t run at all, ha ha.
Sounds like you have figured out a great schedule for running and strength that works for you. Happy to read your runs are feeling good again. I’ve been eating all the tomatoes on this trip and way too much pita and hummus. When in Rome…
You’re eating some of my favorite foods! I love hummus. And I’m imagining that the tomatoes are delicious- not like the mushy, flavorless tomatoes in our grocery stores here.
You know how I feel about the HP books but I am not a fan of the movies at all. My kids love them, but I just…don’t. If I never watch them again it will be fine with me – though I’m due to start reading through the books again!
The nachos look delicious. I’ve had very few planned meals lately and it has mostly been what we call Hodge Podge which is opening up the fridge and seeing what’s there. This happens every late spring/summer and I always worry we’ll never eat normally again, but then we do. In the winter things are so dark and cold that having a set large, warm meal at supper is just a part of the daily routine but we’re so much more flexible in the summer and it is nice break from meal planning!
Yes, Hodge Podge sounds like what we’re doing these days! With a couple planned meals thrown in here and there.
i definitely don’t like the HP movies as much as the books, and I wouldn’t have watched the Fantastic Beast movies at all if it weren’t for my son. He read all the screenplays and watched videos on Youtube about each movie, so he was able to explain all sorts of little details that I would have completely missed. So it was fun for that reason.
Love the idea of a run sandwich – I do that for my workouts sometimes!
Yes, and yours are like a triple decker club sandwich, ha ha.
I am totally enjoying the long days, and all the heat (though it was a bit steamy, last night, after work for my #5at5PM). My favorite new #glasshalffull reply when people are (already) whining about the summer heat is “At least it ain’t snowing.” I don’t think most people are as amused as I am, by that, but oh well. Sadly, I have not seen anything post-Harry Potter with the characters and wizarding stuff. My bad….
Yes, when I get bummed out about the incessant heat down here (it really does get old after a while) I have to remind myself what it’s like up north in the winter. I’ll definitely take the heat over snow and ice!
I’m still bummed that like so many great actors, apparently Johnny truly isn’t the nicest person. 🙁 He’s SUCH a great actor. It’s so sad.
Those nachos sound divine! I like to make nachos occasionally, but usually when it’s colder out. It just seems to be too heavy a meal when it’s hot (for me).
I swear if I’d had to cook for 4 people for years & years, I’d be ready to shoot myself. And I actually like to cook!
I’m not sure I have a favorite run right now. Any run that is still cool, which I think you’d laugh out because you’d think it was cold. 😉
Oh, I would love a “cold” run right now! And yes… those nachos were a very heavy meal. Not something I’ll be repeating anytime soon.
Oh nachos. I had nachos the other week for the first time in at least two years. They were awfully delicious 😉
I know! It wasn’t the healthiest dinner in the world, but soooo good.