Downtime

Being on vacation every other week is great! A lot of people wonder what I do to fill the time, especially since most people are working while I'm off. I am never bored and always manage to find entertainment. My weeks off usually entail partaking in any or all of the following:

#10- Sleeping in!! I don't seem to slow down even during my work weeks. I work all day, work out, make dinner, and spend time with my husband. Needless to say, the first opportunity I have to sleep in is very much appreciated. I usually sleep a solid 11 hours which is so glorious. Isn't it funny how your body will tell you what it needs?

#9- Morning television is a luxury! I love to stay in my pajamas with the Today show on in the background while I fix breakfast, clean the house, catch up on e-mails and blogs, and create my list of t0-dos. I've created a silly little game that I play when I'm cleaning the house. During the segments I tidy up downstairs, and when a commercial hits I run upstairs and clean as much as I can until I hear the show return. That keeps me from missing a beat and the whole house gets cleaned!! Mind games, gotta love them!

#8- Relax, poolside :) - Fortunately, I still have friends that let me visit their apartment pools. It's so nice to get lost in a good book while enjoying the sunshine. I am never patient enough to stay for more than 2 hours, but even a small amount of sun is enough to get my fix. It's also interesting to people watch and realize how much older I feel than the college students who are usually at the pool. Older, wiser, and so much more comfortable in my own skin. The perks of "maturity."

#7- Travel- This summer I have enjoyed several extended weekends away from home. Top on the list is Williamsburg, which is always a great place to visit. In fact, Jarrett and I are heading there this weekend! My best friends, Whitney and Shannon, will be running a half marathon at the beach. I'm so excited to cheer them along and mighty proud of this trem

endous accomplishments. Go girls!!

#6- Coffee shops and cafes- I'm currently blogging at Whole Foods Market, my favorite spot to grab lunch and play on my laptop (kind of like a working lunch, only I'm not technically "working"). I like to frequent places that make me feel anonymous, where there's a hum of noise without the distraction of overhearing individual conversations.

#5- Shopping- From grocery shopping to splurging, it's always nice to be able to enjoy the experience without the pressure of time. Sometimes I'll find myself in Greensboro (Piedmont Farmer's Market, Hobby Lobby, Anthropologie!). I also love running over to Charlotte to practice in my favorite yoga studio, drop into Ikea, hit up Trader Joe's and, of course, Great Harvest Bread.

#4- Working out- During my work weeks, I usually drop into the gym on my way home and rarely stay longer than 45 minutes. I actually really love the gym atmosphere and look forward to having a little more time to spend there on my weeks off. I also love to go in the morning with the stay at home moms. I love their energy and have met 2 really great girls. Since my running injury :(, I've been forced to switch gears and refocus my training. I've fallen in love with strength conditioning, and do way more lifting than cardio these days. I also enjoy going to hot yoga in the morning because the owner of the studio practices at that time. I always try to get there in time to put my mat down next to her (it really helps my practice!). If the weather is beautiful, I'll head to the track and do 10 100-meter sprints. This gives me a tease of running without the hours and hours I'd be putting behind training for a marathon.

#3- Cooking- Going hand in hand with working out, I spend a good amount of time preparing clean, healthy meals. I usually eat 5 small meals a day. I used to eat 3 square meals a day with mindless snacking throughout the day, but I've found that with 5 smaller meals I'm never hungry and always satisfied. Tonight we're having stir fry with shrimp, can't wait!

#2- To Do's- No matter how on top of it you think you are, you're always somehow behind. Have you ever noticed that? I still have things I've been intending to do for months (update my Ipod, make an album of my wedding proofs, paint the master bathroom, etc.), but keep pushing them to the back burner. That's just plain good ole fashioned human nature, I suppose. One day :) ...

#1- Be a good wife/friend/daughter/sister/family member/Christian- Above all, I value my relationships the most. It's important to me to go on dates with my husband. I catch up with my family members on a daily basis. Getting together with my friends is always rewarding. Spending time with the Lord fulfills my soul and reinforces my purpose in doing all of the above.