I finally embraced fall this weekend.
The weather here in Charlotte has been incredible with temperatures in the 60s, sunshine and Carolina blue skies. I kept my weekend really, really low-key and stayed home as much as possible to continue this “nesting/grounding” phase I’m in. It was perfect.
I always consider Friday the start of the weekend and I had a really great day. I trained two clients early at Metro and then taught a yoga private for a bride and her bridesmaids. The bride has been reading my blog for several years so it was special to meet her and be a part of her wedding weekend! The highlight of the private was getting her into a headstand! Nothing like getting out of your comfort zone and upside down to shake off pre-wedding jitters! 🙂
After the private I sat outside at Starbucks to soak up the fall weather and knock out some work for Metro before I had to my lunch class at Om. I ate a second breakfast of a spinach feta wrap while I was there.
One of my clients had to reschedule her Friday afternoon session and it gave me the gift of practicing yoga. After a crazy, nonstop week all I wanted to do was slow down. I decided to take a class at Yoga One. It’s a Baptiste studio here in town. I haven’t practiced there in years because a) it’s on the other side of town and b) I am able to practice for free at the places where I teach. I can’t really explain it but on Friday I HAD to practice there. Baptiste studios don’t play music and I was seriously craving quiet. Also, I wanted to practice and feel somewhat anonymous. The 75-minute class was exactly what I needed and I left feeling completely empty and full all at the same time…if that makes any sense.
I stopped by the grocery on my way home and then cooked dinner. Seared tuna steak, roasted brussels sprouts and a roasted portobello mushroom.
After Saturday’s long run I made myself this big bowl of apple cinnamon oatmeal. Don’t you just want to dive right in? If this isn’t fall in a bowl, I don’t know what is. So delicious!
I taught my Saturday morning hot vinyasa class at Om Yoga. One of my sweet students brought me pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. She made them with almond meal, whole wheat flour and honey and they are so good. I am spoiled by my thoughtful students!
Are you ready for this? The rest of my exciting Saturday consisted of the farmers market, training a client, lunch, cleaning the house, mowing and blowing the yard, a car wash and a trip to Home Depot for mums and a pumpkin.
I cooked a simple but delicious dinner. I bought a whole chicken breast at the farmers market from my friend at Windy Hill and decided to make spiced chicken. It’s one of my all-time favorite chicken recipes and perfect for fall with all of its warm spices. Check out the recipe in this post and make it ASAP. So good. I can honestly say that this might be the best chicken I have ever made in my life. I think this is due to a couple of factors including using a really fresh chicken breast that was bone in and skin on (adds SO much flavor) + the recipe + cooking it to just the right doneness. It was melt in your mouth good. Roasted butternut squash and broccoli on the side.
I slept a life-changing 9 hours on Saturday night and woke up feeling great this morning. I taught my yoga church class (message: fearlessness…separate post to come) and then met with a big group at Fern for a send-off brunch for a friend and fellow yoga teacher. I had the zucchini fritter benedict with sauteed spinach. And TONS of coffee.
Sunday afternoon is looking like catching up on work and a yoga practice. There is SO MUCH happening right now but in the midst of all of it I feel grateful, hopeful and clear on my path.
Have you embraced fall yet? Done any fall decorating? What was the best part of your weekend?
your oats look freaking incredible
Yes, they sure do — recipe!?
on it! will post this week!
This weekend for me was a good mix of fun, relaxing and productive. Today my husband and I took our dog for a two hour walk in the local forest preserve. It was sunny and beautiful and we got to look at all the fall colors. It was perfect!
your walk sounds blissful!
The temp was in the 60’s in ATL this weekend too which is nice since actual Fall weather doesn’t hit until mid November. Next weekend I’ll get a pumpkin but I’ve been eating tons of soup and anything pumpkin which has been great.
i have yet to make my first batch of soup. need to get on that soon!
Hoping this second week of October is better than last weeks, so I am going in with a open mind and heart and ready to tackle all that it brings! Those cookies sound delicious and I love when clients bring me gifts, which are usually always food…HAHA!
i am hoping that it is better for you too! happy tapering. xo
Hi Jen – do you still teach at Y2 yoga? I see you are writing a lot more about Om yoga. I’m running a marathon Sunday (my last as I keep saying) and I am really interested in getting into yoga. I feel like it will take me a long time to be able to do the moves since I am not so flexible!
hi michelle – i’m excited to hear that you want to get into yoga. i’d love to help you! i am still teaching at Y2. will send you an email to connect.
That oatmeal looks yummy and perfect for the weather changes happening. Can you post recipe??
hey jackie – yes, i will next week!
Your grounding/nesting sounds busy to me!! Do you ever wish you had a day you didn’t teach/work? The last line of this post is great and glad to hear you’re full, grateful, and at peace. Your life inspires me!
hey hillary – so…no. i can honestly say that i don’t ever wish that didn’t have to teach/work. but with working 7 days per week, i do find that i have to take a break every 3-4 months to unplug. i’ll be visiting my family next week for 5 days and taking a much needed break from teaching and training. i call it “disengaging to re-engage!” 🙂
I have definitely embraced fall (minus the fact that it’s currently 95 here in CA). Right before October, I had a “pumpkin emergency” and ran to Trader Joe’s to stock up on ALL the fall things!
being from the south where it can be 80 degrees on thanksgiving day, i feel your pain on the weather not lining up with “fall” but sounds like you’re doing a good job anyway. trader joe’s will definitely put you in the spirit. they have gone overboard. pumpkin everything!
I’ve embraced fall in so many ways. Pumpkin in everything, lots of walks and college football with a side of chili.
That bowl of oatmeal looks perfect, especially after a long run! My favorite post-run meal!
I also embraced fall just this last week and it was in the 50’s in Asheville this weekend. Lows in the 30’s-brrrr!
Looks like you had a great weekend, really listening to what YOU needed!
i love asheville in the fall!
I teach baptiste yoga and one of my favorite things about it is that there is no music. it has taught me to hold space in a completely new and vulnerable way. I’m embracing fall by cleaning out my closet and doing lots of cooking!
I love your blog. I’ve been reading it for so long there’s a sense of comfort I get from reading it. Thank you for sharing it with us. XO
i would like to do a baptiste teacher training. i love how you speak about teaching with no music. while i love creating playlists and setting the mood for class through music, i also secretly love it when something happens and we can’t play the music and teach in silence.
i really appreciate your kind words about my blog and thank you so much for sticking with me over the years. xoxoxo
I love reading your words – the calm and gratitude just pour out of them! <3
thank you for the comment hayley! it made my monday morning!
I’m a long time reader, and i love that you are posting so much! I also love to go back into your archives because your fitness/life journey is really inspiring to me.
thank you so much rachel. i really appreciate you reading and sticking with me…and taking the time to comment!
Fall is my favorite time of year so I am diving right in! We decorated outside, I indulged in pumpkin beer with a cinnamon sugar rim, I am making Quinn’s Halloween costume and I have already lit up the fireplace. Ahh…