I had a bit of an off weekend. First, we started our winter 2017 200-hour teacher training program at the studio. Getting back into the swing of teacher training is always an adjustment. It takes place over the course of eight weekends where we meet 6-9 on Friday night, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Saturday and 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. We divide and conquer so that we aren’t all there all the time and lead different parts of the training but it still makes for a good bit of added work on the weekends.
And second, I came down with some sort of little stomach bug on Sunday afternoon. It was quick but mighty and has left me feeling like a noodle today.
Friday was gorgeous. Sunny and high 70s. I took the girls out for an afternoon walk and they were panting at the end. It was so warm. I headed to the studio after our walk to teach at 4:30 p.m. and then I practiced with the teacher trainees at 6 p.m. and then we had our getting to know you/introduction session.
I failed at getting dinner in the crockpot on Friday so I was HANGRY in every sense of the word when I left the studio at 9 p.m. I had to swing by the grocery and didn’t get home and start making dinner until like 9:20. I was definitely having moments of “Whole30 is stupid, I just want some chips” while I was cooking and may or may not have uttered, “I QUIT!” at one point as well. Dinner came together in under 20 minutes. Baked salmon, roasted asparagus and mashed cauliflower. All was calm after I ate. 😉
I did not have the trainees on Saturday morning so I decided to take the girls to check out the winter market at the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market. While dogs aren’t allowed in the market, they love riding in the car.
While it was nothing like the prime-season market, it was still great to pick up some local meats and veggies from my favorite farmers.
This is how I found Zoey when I got back to the car. She was literally trying to climb out and get to me. She is a nut.
Here’s what I came home with…a big bag of sweet potatoes, radishes, purple top turnips, kohlrabi, a watermelon radish, a kabocha squash, a whole chicken, ground beef, pork chops, ground pork and unpictured mixed mushrooms and two dozen eggs.
I went to teach my 11:15 a.m. and then came home to make lunch after. I made a beautiful massaged kale salad with lacinto kale (massaged in olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt), radishes, artichokes, avocado, kalamata olives, tomatoes, pine nuts and leftover salmon.
We had the teacher trainees for the rest of the day and went over teaching sun salutation A and B along with a lot of discussion on the side.
Tanner and I stayed to take our 6:30 p.m. twilight flow class together for a relaxing end to the day. Although we regularly take each other’s classes, we rarely get to practice together so it was a nice treat.
We swung by my friend Virginia’s house on the way home to meet her new puppy Stella! She’s a cockapoo and 7 weeks old. She weighs a little under three pounds. WHAT.
I couldn’t get over how tiny her ball and her kong were. It was hysterical in comparison to the dog toys around our house. Stella was sweet and spunky. I think she’s going to top out at all of 10 pounds.
I cooked dinner and we watched The Good Wife when we got home.
I got up and made breakfast on Sunday. Scrambled eggs, bacon and sweet potato bowls. Then things started to go downhill. I went to the studio for teacher training at 10 and felt okay when I got there but shaky. I got more and more shaky as the morning went on and by the time I left at 1, I was feeling all sorts of funky.
I had my mind set on a Trader Joe’s trip so I made my way there but by the time I left I could barely talk to the cashier because I felt so terrible. I got to the car and texted some of my fellow teachers to see if anyone could cover for me. I left all the groceries that weren’t frozen out on the counter when I got home, got sick (<– worst) and went straight to bed. I slept for about an hour and felt a little better when I got up. I ate some plantain chips and a tangelo and cleaned the house up a bit.
I thought some fresh air would help me so I walked the girls and chatted with my grandmother around 5. There is just something about fresh air that makes you feel so much better when you’re feeling nauseous and ick. I have no idea what that random sickness was yesterday afternoon.
The rest of my evening was spent picking up a new washer and dryer for the tenants of my house and that resulted in the laundry room flooding and having to call a plumber today. Fun times. Despite being really tired last night, I slept terribly. I have to go teach one class tonight and then I’m planning on coming home and being in bed no later than 9:30.
I always feel a little guilty when I write about not feeling well or being tired but I also want you guys to know that I’m not a robot. My body is clearly saying, “let’s take a step back.” All in all, it was a good weekend. And of course I love all the quality time I got to spend with the pups. 🙂
Do you go to the farmers market during the winter?
Did you do anything fun with your pups over the weekend?
Why do you “always feel a little guilty when I write about not feeling well or being tired but I also want you guys to know that I’m not a robot.”? Jen: you do SO SO SO much!! Your body does a lot to keep up with your swift pace. Like you’ve said, you’ve had a tough fall season. Give yourself a break my dear. You are human — we get sick and run down from time to time… even us wellness bloggers. Rest well xoxo
It’s not that I feel guilty for actually being tired or for being sick, I just try to keep my space upbeat/positive when I can and I hate to complain…because I know how many of you are also tired and working hard too. I don’t want it to seem “poor me.” Because I’m totally not the victim here…I’m the one that fills my schedule and is so go, go, go. Every year I’m trying to get a better and better balance with this. Giving up my PT clients last year was a HUGE step in the right direction and I’m much more willing to get subs for my classes when I need a break. 🙂
You do more than anyone I know. Just reading your posts wear me out. Take a break!!! And get some help from that future hubs of yours with shopping and dinner prep! 😉
Thanks Sarah. I am definitely getting better at hitting the brakes when I need to. And he offers to help…and then I don’t take him up on it. That’s an area of improvement for me! 🙂
feel free to complain, especially about stomach bugs! I had my fair of them in 2016 (just got over another two weeks ago) – they are the worst! glad it moved fast for you and hope you are feeling better
You never complain, you are honest and it is so very refreshing. Real life is ups and downs and sharing the good and the bad make us all that much more approachable. You are one fabulous person–warm, loving and kind. Give yourself a break–you need to give that warmth, love and kindness to yourself too. It took me a lot of years to be able to do that. Taking on the world and doing, doing, doing was how I always lived until one day I realized that doing toooooooo much just leaves us a lot of times stressed and rushing and unappreciative of what we actually do because we run nonstop. Now I have learned my daily yoga and running leave me with so much fulfillment and contentment. Running in Central Park with the sunlight beaming down on me and the smell of the winter air– I vet learned to appreciate everything Andy nothing. It makes life all that much better. Take it from a reformed Very Type A personality. I could easily morph back at times but I rein myself in immediately. Will never go back to inner upheaval and just to share I went through a very similar experience with a family member that you did this year and it changes us, grows us and handling it is a constant inner dialogue. Life is full of seasons and change they do. Btw, LOVE your girls!! They are the cutest. Peace
I love it when you tell us what is really going on with you:) So, thank you!
That stomach bug is going around everywhere! I was in Seattle for work last week and my coworker there had it, then I caught it from her, then came back to DC and my husband and another friend got it a few days later. Same exact thing — came on suddenly, got sick once or twice, then left as fast as it came. No fun!!
That puppy looks absolutely CUTE. I hope you’re feeling well by now, by the way I also eat plantain chips when I’m sick.