Christmas

On Christmas morning, Tina and I were awakened by Tim's voice asking, "Are you awake yet?". Tina hopped out of bed and began playing a game of Stratego with Tim while I slept for 15 more minutes. After I woke up we tried to begin a game of Parcheesi, but Mr.Jingles (our cat) curled on top of the box holding the game pieces and bit us when we invaded his personal space. We began singing Christmas carols and playing the piano until our parents woke up at 5:57 AM.  
Following tradition, I read the Nativity story out loud before my family began opening presents.
My favorite Christmas gifts included a Garmin GPS Forerunner watch (I screamed for joy about 5 times when I unwrapped it) and Jennifer Aniston perfume.
I almost nodded off a few times during the 11 AM church service since I had only slept for about five hours.



Peacock ring from my mom (:



Comfort Coffee

I don't just drink coffee for the caffeine. I drink it for the steam that rises toward your face as you lift up the thermos for a sip. The warmth when you wrap your fingers around the mug. The focus that it can bring when you have a pile of work to accomplish (as I do now).
Right now I am perched on my comforter with my dad's laptop (which I hijacked for my own use during this Christmas break). A green ceramic cup sitting on my nightstand holds my Colombia Supremo.
After reading my Bible and brewing my coffee this morning, my mind wandered, leading me to wonder where the Starbucks logo originated. Some of my friends have mused that she is a mermaid, while others have claimed that she represents a goddess from an ancient culture.
Well, I did some research, and it turns out that the zen-like green nymph is actually a siren. The same creature who sung sailors to their doom now reaches into the wallets of weary travelers on the highway, caffeine dependent students, and patrons of malls and shopping plazas.

http://gourmet-coffee-zone.com/starbucks-logo.html

swimming in the rain

"I'm swimming in the rain, I'm swimming in the rain, what a glorious feeling I'm swimming in the rain".  To be sung to the tune of "Singing in the Rain".

This morning I walked to the gym with Tim and Tina. Sadly, the basketball court was occupied by daycare children and the racquetball court was already reserved for the whole morning, so they had to resort to ab and weight work.
Putting my watch-timer on for 3 minutes, I changed into my swimsuit in the womens locker room, used the bathroom, walked to the pool, and put on my swim cap and goggles before the timer went off. Skills. First it started drizzling, then pouring, as my muscles remembered how to swim freestyle again. It felt great to be engaging in a cardiovascular activity again- something that wakes you up and challenges you physically and mentally.

Christmas Break!!!

  I refuse to call this wonderful two-week hiatus from school a "winter break" with the same resolve that keeps me from calling a Christmas tree a "holiday tree". For those intent on erasing any remnant of spirituality from our country's traditions, "holiday" is still translated into "holy day".   :p

Christmas "Break" Academic To-do List:

• Algebra II exam
• SEU essay
• Satire for AP Literature
• AP Lit. philosophy book pg.68-130 (about 3.5 pages per day)
• AP microeconomics powerpoint
• AP Art paintings

Recreation

• NAHS scrapbook
• Scrapbooking (mine has not been touched since 8th grade!)
• Sketching and photography, teaching my little cousins art
• Shopping for and wrapping Christmas presents
• heating and icing hamstring/groin pull, no running until Christmas
• swimming, strength training, leisurely walks

God bless you during this Christmas and New Year!

Christmas & Birthday Wish List

1. GPS watch
2. Platypus waterbottle 
3. Perfume: Jennifer Aniston or Estee Lauder's Pleasant Linens (Jennifer Aniston's fragrance is my favorite) 
4. Thorlos running socks
5. Yankz! shoelaces 

I also happen to love coffee, tea, stud earrings, cocktail rings (size 6), and running apparell...  (:

the pluck to play

"Any coward can fight a battle when he's sure of winning; but give me the man who has pluck to fight when he's sure of losing."     -George Eliot

Three home games in a single week is enough to tire even the most stamina-infused high school athlete - after the game there are always homework assignments to complete and tests to study for.  Despite a grueling academic week and having tasted both victory and defeat in two previous home games, Tina came to her JV basketball game against Dillard completely focused and ready to fight. She had told me before the game that they would most likely be "stomped" by Dillard's JV team, but she wanted to enter the game with the mindset that anything could happen. The Lady Bulldogs had some tough factors going against them: Dillard had plenty of fresh athletes to sub in through-out the four quarters, while the two extra girls that usually gave relief to the Lady Bulldogs were injured and unable to play. By the end of the third quarter the Lady Bulldogs were tired, evidenced by their lowered arms and slower footwork. The score at the end of the game was 11-64.

Although Tina knew that this game would be challenging, and although the opposing team's high score by the second quarter was formidable, she kept her game-face on and refused to shrug off responsibility.

art show, advice, & basketball

 

Girl with Brands




Swirl



Two of my pieces were featured in the Mindflow exhibition put together by my school's National Art Honors Society. Another accomplishment to add to my college resume!

My advice to anyone in highschool, even middleschool, is to make a list of your talents/interests and find clubs/organizations that will allow you to put them into practice. However, beware of overloading yourself with more than two clubs. I have friends who are in five or more clubs - they are stressed out, stay up past 1 AM on a daily basis, and have a difficult time specializing on certain projects.

For example, I am in only one club (NAHS) since I am editor of the yearbook and run cross-country  and track.



All of this basketball is so time-consuming. This is how Mr.Jingles makes sure Tina stays put after a game.



On Monday, Tina's team won their first home game 11-12, with Tina scoring the final game point with a free throw. She just so happened to also score half of the other points as well.



Life is Good

Today was a jaw-dropping good day.  I woke up at 4 AM and went shopping with my wonderful mom and sister for clothes and Christmas presents. After leaving the mall, my sister and I drank chocolate milk and shared a platter of strawberry french toast while waiting for Nordstorm Rack to open at 8 AM. 
When we finally came back home around 9 AM, my dad took me to buy new running sneakers.
While eating lunch in the afternoon, my mom came into the kitchen with a thin black box in her hand. It had the two best words inscribed on the front - "You're in!". So I have been accepted to my dream school in Chicago. (:

It was such a good day that our refridgerator died from joy. Now my parents are doing something they never imagined they would have to do today - go shopping for a fridge on Black Friday.

Give thanks to the LORD for He is good, His love endures forever...

Thanksgiving

After two hours of cycling, wading/swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, and digging a 5 foot hole in the sand in order to bury my father up to his neck, my family went home to shower and prepare the Thanksgiving meal.

The apple cider brined turkey came out delicious - not soggy, not dry, perfect. The rest of the table held whole grain cornbread, mashed sweet potatoes with brown sugar, ciabatta rolls, green bean casserole, orange mandarin iced tea, sparkling pomengranate juice, and coffee.

After the meal Tina and I half-heartedly tossed a volleyball around in the backyard before taking a walk around the neighborhood.  I attempted to run, but the food digesting in my stomach held me at a waddling pace.

I jotted down a list of the things I am thankful for this year:

• God's Redeeming Grace: God's forgiveness of my sins and the many blessings he has poured upon my family make me acutely aware of how much He truly loves me despite my unworthiness. No matter what happens, I am secure in the hands of God.
• My Compassionate Family
• Physical Health & Strength

There are so many other things I am thankful for, and this verse reminds me that I should always keep an attitude of thankfulness.

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.  For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.   Colossians 3:15

Family Times


After strolling around downtown Hollywood and looking for a restaurant my whole family could enjoy, I chose an Italian restaurant, Plazza de Pasta. By "chose" I mean that I took a menu from the smiling greeter, showed it to my mom, and asked for an outdoor table by the scenic intersection. I have passed by this restaurant numerous times, and have always been impressed by one of the greeters, a lady who seems to wear a different maxi dress every day. The best part of the evening was the group of acoustic guitar players on the outdoor patio of the restaurant. I must admit that I was initially worried that they might be Mariachi singers (who are on my list of phobias), but my apprenhension was dissipated by the fact that they weren't wearing sombreros or singing.
My mom ordered fried zuchinni and calimari for an appetizer, which Tina persuaded me to try. For those of you who have never eaten fried squid before, it tastes like breaded and fried rubber bands.

Cheesy focaccia

 

Kristina munching on her marinara pizza


 

Timothy sampling some of dad's pizza



Outlet from Injury

Collecting a cache of running related pictures from my Runner World magazines, I put some of my favorite photos on a corkboard hanging next to my bed. I made this one before cross-country season, and it is leaving me longing to run despite my pulled hamstring. I only ran 2.5 miles last week and am crawling up the walls.

In a rampage of resourcefulness, I began using a Starbucks coffee cup to hold colored pencils, with a brown mug holding paintbrushes.  Of course, a bowl-like cafe mug contains make-up essentials such as lip gloss, eyeliner, and mascara.

It dawned on me that God could be using my pulled hamstring to pull my heart closer to Him, to abide and trust in Him alone.

I Conquered the Intersection

Yep, that big, bad intersection separating my neighborhood from the park. I conquered it.  That busy cross-roads has kept me from enjoying a run in the park many times, but today I made myself sprint across the intersection like Usain Bolt was on my heels.  I guess that my greatest fear was a sense of stage fright on the intersection - I am unguarded from the eyes of those sitting behind tinted windows.
After this 5 mile tempo run (8:38 pace for the stat nerds), I feel accomplished and fearless.

Districts

 NOT a good end to my senior cross-country season. Nope. No way. My time went up by three minutes. That is huge. The worst part was probably watching the top fifteen girls receive their ribbons as their coaches and team members bursted with cheers and applause . I thought that God was going to strike me down with lightning because of the vast amount of envy that consumed me.  I cooled down on the bus by unintentionally taking a nap and dreaming about the day that I complete an Ironwoman and qualify for the Ironman race in Hawaii.  

 

Swimming in the A.M.

I followed through my resolution and woke up at 5 AM to go swimming in the gym's pool.  I arrived before it opened and did some "land" warm-ups and stretching while waiting for the lifeguards to arrive.  Once they opened the pool, a whole herd of thirty to fifty-somethings wearing colorful swim caps and speedos appeared. I shared a lane with a fit chick whose age was beyond me (swim caps are as effective as masks for covering identities) and who was super nice.  I have never been so self-conscious of my swimming stroke before - all of the adults were part of some swimming group/team thing and were flying across the lanes, showing off their butterfly and back stroke.  I lamely pulled myself behind them with my breast-stroke and swam in awe as they out-freestyled me.  At the end of 30 minutes, the lady that I was sharing a lane with asked if I wanted to swim with them - I smiled as I shook my head and said that I had to get ready for school. Heaving myself out of the pool I walked to the locker room for a quick shower and change of clothes.

five milers and glazed donuts

Doused with perspiration after a 5-mile run in humidity with my hoodie

I woke up around 5 AM this morning shivering cold, so I slipped on one my favorite UA hoodies and slept in until 6:30-ish . Upon waking up I grabbed my ipod, strapped on my pepper spray, and slipped on my sneakers before heading out the door. 10 mintues into my run, I observed that I was gathering a nice amount of body heat around my core. Arriving at the park, I noticed a large herd of runners reveling in a post-race gathering. I felt left out of the loop - I had no idea that there was a race going on at my local park. I ran around the course, smiling at the tired runners finishing their post-race cooldown. It was quite eerie running through a course after a race. One group of runners near my age wearing neon-colored sport bras gawked at my hoodie; I could imagine what they were thinking. "Is she seriously wearing a hoodie?", "It's like hot and humid out here".  I just smiled to myself and kept on running. By the end of my 50 minute 5 mile run, I was absolutely doused in perspiration, and when  I took off my hoodie to shower, I felt 3 pounds lighter. This light feeling lasted until Tina came back from her cello lessons with  glazed donuts, and I caved in to the saccharine "speed bump".

LEANPEAR TERMINOLOGY:
Speed Bumps: treats or extra servings that add pounds to your waist and slow you down. (i.e. donuts, pastries, chips, etc)

Indulgence: Occasional treat that prevents you from feeling deprived and have healthy qualities. (i.e. wholewheat banana bread, nonfat no-whip mocha)

FAU Impressions

Freshman dorms

FAU owl outside of the fitness & recreation center

Lap pool with sunning deck

*cue choir*

I became totally pumped to leave high school for college while touring FAU's Boca campus with my parents .  The communcations building was not that remarkable, but the fitness complex TOTALLY made up for it. My favorite features of the fitness center were definitely the fully stocked and clean gym, the pilates and spinning studio, and the lap pool.

FAU trumped UM when it came to the dorms. The dorms are liveable, freshmen do not have to share the same building with football players, and there were NO community bathrooms. That means only 2 to 4 people share a bathroom instead of 80 students jostling for 10 toilets and showers.

Absolutely Delicious

Proudly tottering in my 4-inch black heels for a grand total of 4 hours, I am well on my way to success in the fashionable world of high-heel-dom. However, I am extraordinarily wary of getting injuries like Achilles Tenditis from my newfound heights. I reason that if I avoid wearing flip flops in general and only don heels once or twice a week I should elude foot-wear related injuries.

Paola, who encompasses sweetness, intelligence, and glamour, held her birthday brunch at Brio Tuscan Grill, which surpassed all of my dining experiences. Most of the party ordered white chocolate raspberry french toast (including myself) after munching on the spinach and artichoke dip with pita chips. For dessert I ordered Tiramisu, which was delicious beyond description. It was light and not overbearing in either flavor or texture - It basically melted in your mouth.

 Tiramisu

Christina's molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream

 The coffee was interesting in that it tasted like two different grounds had been mixed together and was quite acidic. I usually do not put creamer in my coffee but made an exception in this case. Personally, I believe that every restaurant should offer brown sugar with coffee because it brings out the flavor in a more rich and aromatic way.  Besides the coffee and delectable food, I really enjoyed Paola's birthday gathering - I laughed so hard at one point that I choked on my water (embarrassing!)  (:

Cold front, Championships, FAU

South Florida has the singular national privelege of calling a drop to 60 degrees Fahrenheit a cold front. The 20 to 30 degree drop from summer temperatures is a welcome relief, allowing us to cast our worn shorts and tank-tops and sundresses aside. We can finally delve into our full fashionable potential, layering sweaters, pulling on long socks, and slipping on fur-lined boots. It is an undeniable fact of human nature that we dress better and look more classy when fall and winter arrive. Gone is the hair-frizzing humidity, energy-draining heat, and sticky sweat.

The weather during cross-country county championships was beautiful, with breezes and temps in the low 70s. This was a huge help in cutting down my time, and I set a new PR for my senior season, 24:30. Monday's long tempo run and Tuesday's hard speedwork also helped cut-down my time on Thursday.

When I came home from championships I found out that FAU accepted my application! So I've got my safe school down, now it's time to finish up my applications for my ideal universities. My dad wants me to go to Southeastern, a private Christian university with a reasonable price tag, great food, and a gorgeous campus. I am personally infatuated with Columbia College in Chicago, which is where two of my Tias live. My family says that I will change my mind after a week of their winter - I am a sun-basking South Floridian chick after all. (:

loca for my marble mocha

I finally visited Max at Starbucks to

1. Take his picture for the yearbook divider
2. Order a tall marble mocha

Just in case you are not much of a mocha maven, a marble mocha is a sweet elixir of half white chocolate and half regular chocolate coffee served in a crisp cup bearing the international symbol of amity.  (:

Crunching on a Kashi mocha almond bar (to be honest, about 3 bars) I went to Marshalls with my mom and Tina in the search for black heels to wear with my purple dress. Like all other shops, Marshalls sometimes  has wonderful apparel and accesories, while other times they have less than desirable designs. Marshall's prices, however, set it far apart from other stores. Why would I plop down $45 dollars for a shirt at the mall when I can find the same shirt at Marshalls or TJ Maxx for $15? In the end, we found an adorable and affordable pair of black pumps.

As I was surfing through the internet like the savvy nerd that I am, I came across a nonprofit organization called Girls on the Run. Coaches train girls from 3rd through 8th grade, helping them develop the self-esteem that they will need as they face "weight and food issues, stress, culture and peer pressure, and deceptive media/Internet imagery". Building a rampart against self-destructive behavior, Girls on the Run helps prevent the mutiliation of dignity and integrity that our society encourages among women.

Crunch Time

Weekend Warrior

• Edit College Application Essay
• Take Yearbook Divider Photo
• Algebra II online
• AP stuff
• Clean Kitchen
• Laundry
• Eat and Sleep

Don't Be That Awkward Runner

This video totally made my day.
Finally broke into 20 miles per week! It took five weeks but I am still super stoked (:

Strength, Sweat, Swag

Racing over rolling hills and mud, the three words running through my mind during the entire Westminster Invitational were "strength, sweat, swag". I have no idea where the word "swag" came from, but it kept thoughts of cramping  off of my mind. The pouring rain and wind made the hilly course extremely challenging, causing everyone on the team to run more cautiously. I went from a 25:13 on Tuesday (my fastest time so far for this season) to a 25:26.  I was  inspired during my race by a slogan imprinted on the shirts they were selling at the meet  - "Too tough 4 time-outs". My repeated alliteration as well as the shirts' slogan kept me from stopping during the race.

After a wet 45 minute bus ride back to the school, during which rain continually dripped down from the roof, my mom picked Kristina and I up. Promptly upon arriving home I devoured a bowl of rice and red beans before taking a hot shower. Once I was clean and dry, I happily curled underneath my sheets and drifted into a well-earned nap.

I resurfaced back to consciouness after Kristina maniacally threw a pillow at my face, asking me if I wanted to accompany her, her friend Tina, and Erin to the Farmer's Market. Muttering some kind of affirmative answer, I slipped on my shoes and  accompanied the trio of freshies. It was during this walk to the Farmer's Market that I dubbed a new term - "swambling". A combination of "ambling" and "swag", it describes the way that many teenagers move from point A to point B. This kind of walking is reinforced by the shoes of the "swambler", which are usually  slides worn with socks, untied converse with the laces tucked into the shoe, or flip flops. (I just checked the dictionary to make sure that my new word isn't some kind of sick allusion or curse word.)

Sweet Potato Muffins

Inspired by Mark Bittman's recipe in my Runner's World magazine, I baked sweet potato muffins that tasted super savory and moist.

I replaced the buttermilk in the recipe with honey Greek Yogurt, which added 13 grams of protein.

• 2 1/2 cups wholewheat flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
• egg
• cup honey Greek yogurt

Mark Bittman's RW Sweet Potato Muffin Recipe

Java Joy

After a tiring day of skipping school to work on scholarships, college applications, and the laundry, my mom drove Tina, Erin, Abuelo, & I to the Chocolada Cafe in downtown Hollywood. The Mocha Latte I ordered was absolutely divine, with chocolate syrup artistically forming a flower on top of the latte's foam. I also ordered home-made pancakes with berry sauce. The portions were a tad small, with only three square pancakes served on a modern plate. I was so ravenous that I forgot to snap a picture before devouring the delicous little squares.  I am hoping that economic support for small businesses will increase; as it is, my latte cost $3.75 while the three pancakes were $4.75.  Adding the 6% sales tax, that brings the total cost to about $9.01; Not too bad.

Road Racing Rave

YEAH!!!!  :D
Dad and I went to Runner's Depot for racing flats. I feel in love with these Newtons and can't wait to try them out during Monday's race. I can hear a PR knocking on my door...

Lightning warnings...

...allow me to sit on my bum and snack on fruity cheerios and coffee while blogging. My first cross-country race is on Tuesday, so I really need to get up and start my core and upper-body scuplting while I wait out this storm.
I was quite amused during yesterday's senior class meeting. While discussing shirt designs for the senior class, someone suggested that the shirts should say, "2012: The world isn't ending, we're just taking over."  Best idea that I have heard so far.  When the topic of fundraising for prom came up, another person suggested offering freshmen fashion consultations.

Firefighter's 5k

Commemorated the 10th year anniversary of 9/11 by running the firefighter's 5k.
I took my pace down a notch since I have my first cross-country race on Tuesday.

Chocolate Cravings

Weekends. So far, I have indulged in Tina's organic banana bread, Rocky Road bars from the Farmer's market, and now, an organic chocolate molten cake that I baked to satiate my family's  chocolate craving after church. With a side of vanilla bean ice cream of course.

Afterwards, Tina and I completed our first triathlon training brick together, biking 5.61 miles in 30 minutes (about 10.86 mph) and running 2.5 miles in 21 minutes.

Beach

Despite the looming clouds over the horizon my family decided to go to the beach for the afternoon.
At first, I didn't want to go because my sister was meeting up with  friends that I didn't know.  I also made the mistake of telling my mom that I prefered running over socializing (which is not true, I enjoy socializing while running).

I went for a 30 minute run on the boardwalk. Away from my mom's beration.
..and was horrified by a tanner version of santa claus wearing tightie whities.
So I ran faster. To my mom. And apologized. Then socialized. And then ran some more.
"Honor thy father and mother"......or risk sighting unspeakable things.

Critique of Columbiana

On Columbiana's opening weekend I went to the theater with my little troupe of freshmen - Tina, Erin, Jose, and two of their friends. I had been waiting since the beginning of summer for Columbiana to come out and had watched and rewatched every trailer. I poured over Zoe Caldana's interview with Women's Health and was pleased to discover that she is from the Dominican Republic, which is my mother's birth country.

I sat spellbound as Zoe, known as Catalina in the movie, gracefully slid through air vents with her slender frame, appearing before her victims like an unexpected mist.  All of those upon whom she planned to carry out revenge woke up with a lipstick drawing of a Catalina flower on their chest before being killed - one victim was electrocuted by a fan that fell into his bath, another eaten alive by sharks, and others were left facing the barrel of a gun. All of these, however, were prelimary deaths with which Catalina was trying to lure the man who had killed her parents when she was nine years old. (SPOILER WARNING) At the end of the movie, the man who killed her parents was torn apart by two lupine pitbulls. You just see the dogs lunging towards the man inside of his van before the cameras move to the outside of the van, where viewers watch the van rock back and forth with the ambient sound of the dogs attacking their screaming victim. The movie is rife with violence and vengeance, but the main reason I watched it was to see a woman kicking some serious butt, minus the meaningless frivolity of movies like SALT starring Angelina Jolie.

Sadly, Columbiana was salted with some specks of frivolity as well.  The first thing that ticked me off was how Catalina would slip into the apartment of a man she was infatuated with (but barely knew) and wrap her skeletal body around him, which rapidly escalated into her shocked and somewhat pleased man getting laid.  They literally knew almost nothing about one another, and Catalina would usually be gone by early morning.
 Hey Hollywood, can you give an inspiring and empowering movie for the young women around the world that does not involve giving in to lust? I would personally love a movie where the woman plays hard-to-get and remains untouched all the way through the credits. Oh, and the violence can be directed towards breaking glass ceilings instead of flesh. Make it a bit more psychological.

Farmer's market weekend cuisine

Today's weather was absolutely beautiful, with a beach breeze rippling through the air while clouds dusted the sea-blue sky. I was able to enjoy this gorgeous weather while walking to the Farmer's Market with Tina and Tim, where I purchased two large clusters of black grapes, pears, bananas, and a delicious loaf of walnut ciabatta bread. I also bought a flaky chocolate drizzled "cigar" (that is, a croissant), and split it with my comrades.

Ciabatta bread with walnuts and dates; Delizioso! 

Flipping out of their brains

Wide-eyed. Confused. Lost.
Freshmen. Somewhat gullible and inwardly fearful of their new, crowded surroundings, their wall of petrifying fear, embarrassment, and hall-way awkwardness usually erodes away by the end of the first week. Once they finish flipping out of their brains attempting to understand the rotator schedule, they transform from schedule-clutching creatures to swaggering little punks pumped with bravado.
Erin and Tina's initiation into the Bulldog life went smoothly, with both of them picking up new friends and acquaintances by the second or third day of school. Erin did great at her volleyball try-outs due to her past experience playing in middle school, and Tina is planning on trying-out for basketball season. So far they enjoy being a bulldog.

Fluff vs. Spam

After reading my cousin's blog, Gomer's Gospel, I realized how much "fluff" I churn out of my blog on a daily basis. I have an image of my fourth grade teacher holding up a can of spam and a bucket of marshmallow fluff in front of the class for his iconic speech, lecturing that our work must contain substance such as spam rather than light and useless fluff. Here I am, loftily composed on the fluffy Jet-Puff clouds that hover over my world, threatening to dump me at a moment's notice if I choose to reach down and grip the hefty blocks of spam littering the ground. Choices.....

Burn Notice

Clothing details/styles I refuse to wear:

• Studs: unless you have a Harley-Davidson in your driveway or happen to be the reincarnation of Joann Jet, skip the pointy metal bling. As for the whole emo/goth thing, maniac depressive people should never have possession of anything that has weapon potential.
• Fringes: Good afternoon Pochantas.
• Zig-zags: I instaneously look away. My eyes hurt.  
• Polka dots: I have the sudden urge to play connect the dots on your blouse with a sharpie.
• Neon colors: excuse me, I must put on my sunglasses before I go blind. For some reason, middle school girls and freshies are infatuated with the concept of glowing in the dark at night and searing the retinaes of teachers and upperclassmen in the daytime.

Chocolate chips in the U.P.

One of the most genius innovations utilized in the UP is the abundance of chocolate chips for your coffee. The chocolate melts perfectly into the steaming brew, giving it a mocha-like texture and color. I stumbled upon this idea in a 50s diner filled neon silhouettes of Marilyn Monroe and thunderbird replicas.
We also met up with Caleb and David at the diner,and it was pretty kewl to actually see them in person. Like Tina said, "it was like facebook emerged into reality and sprouted legs."
Caleb & David guided us to Sugarloaf mountain, which offered panoramic views of Lake Superior. The air was so fresh and pure and clean that it felt like the breath of God.
We also visited the black rocks, where I jumped down 10 or 15 feet into the lake's frigid water due to a wild impulse I have not indulged in since middle school. Peer pressure was also provided by a group of cheering seniors who may have died of cardiac arrest if they had leapt into the lake.

Gravity is painful even on trampolines.

Reeking of sweat (Tina and Jose said that the place smelled just like fencing uniforms) Extreme Trampolines was a back-searing, knee-cracking, ankle-twisting bonanza. When the pre-jumping safety video warned that those recovering from knee and ankle injuries should not jump, Erin and Tina looked at me with sardonic smiles. I still jumped, but not for too long. While Jose flipped and the girls nimbly pranced about on the trampolines like kangaroos, I sat on the ground nursing a sore back, musing that those trampolines would be extraordinarily useful beneath a basketball hoop or in front of a volleyball net.

As of the moment, my back and knees feel 30 years older, but the soreness subsided a bit with the third Advil (two at night, one in the morning; I am not a pill popper). Too bad Advil can't stop your knees from creaking and cracking.  :p

Tina's invisible chair.

Reminder to Recap

This morning, Tia Sara looked at me as I was updating my planner ( I have about 3 or 4) and remarked, "When are you going to update your blog?" I took the hint, and here is an over view of my adventures in Chicago yesterday.

Since it was Tia Sara's birthday, I cooked pancakes topped with cinnamon sugar, strawberry syrup with  cherry chunks, and Ghiradelli hot chocolate.

Lake Michigan with Victoria, Erin, Tina, and Jose floating below the horizon line.

My parents should enjoy this photo (I promise to wear compression shorts or tights beneath these running shorts when I get back home).  Now that Comcast bought NBC, anything can happen.

 Marilyn Monroe looks like she needs to use the bathroom; Badly.

Beneath The Bean. 

Tin-man showing off a one-hand lift on top of a newspaper stand. Before leaving downtown Chicago, we observed a "show" performed by a hilarious street dancing crew. 

Mildly entertaining sign to view as you cross a busy intersection.

Yesterday, for Tia Sara's birthday, we visited Lake Michigan and strolled around downtown. Lake Michigan was freezing cold, but stretched out beyond the horizon just like the Atlantic ocean. If FL has to deal with sharks in the oceans and gators in the rivers, what do people fret over up here? The Loch Ness Monster? Leeches perhaps?

For lunch, we sauntered into Tavern on Rush. Victoria's burger was about the size of her face, while my chicken pesto wraps were almost as long as my forearm and twice as wide.

We drove to Tia Alicia's house for dinner, where  Tio Arturo cooked a savory Peruvian dish. My palate usually rejects supremely moist desserts such as flan and Tres Leches, but Tia Alicia made a sweet Tres Leches that I could not resist, just like the delicious coconut carrot cake she baked on Sunday.

Double-shot Creative Prosposal

Yesterday, I zoned into the initial planning of an online teen magazine centered on the theme of purpose. My amazing sister brought me a double-shot mocha frapp (she knows me so well) to help with the creative process. Erin, Tina, Victoria, and Jose also played a crucial part with their unique skills; Erin choose the photo media, Tina planned out the interactive parts such as quizzes, Victoria searched for testimonial videos, and Jose was an excellent idea bouncer & helped critique the outline. 7 hours later I thought my eyes were going to bleed, so I gave it  a temporary rest.

For dinner we visited Maria, one of Tia Sara's friends. She cooked a huge pot of shredded steak, spicy chicken, two salsas, homemade guacamole, tortillas, chopped onions & cilantro, refried bean dip, and lemon & mango Italian ice. It was delicious.
Oh I almost forgot, after lunch in Olive Garden Tina proposed to the waiter with a mint chocolate instead of a ring. He was already engaged though. One waitress just about exploded with laughter. I <3 Tina. 

Arepas, Fro-yo, & Diving

Wednesday began with a delicious egg casserole layered with hashbrowns, sausage, onions, and peppers covered with a melted layer of cheddar cheese. Besides utilizing her baking powers, Tia Sara also displayed her coffee-brewing prowess for the greater good of mankind (or, in this case, a handful of wide-eyed teenagers holding empty coffee mugs and attempting to look cute).
We began our volunteer work as imported laborers around 8 o'clock; stuffing envelopes, preparing flyers for Friday's theatre event & an upcoming volunteer banquet, and organizing a closet filled with miscellaneous items. For lunch, my clan sauntered downtown to a Venezuelan eatery for super-filling Arepas stuffed with shredded steak, black beans, and plantain slices. Erin's notorious habit of eating half of hamburgers, or this case, arepas, allowed me the yummy privilege of eating the rejected half of her arepa.  (:  I adore Spanish food. It's probably genetic or something.
Later in the afternoon we piled into the s.u.v. and rode to Naperville ( aka Prepville). Sadly, the Red Mango there didn't have green tea frozen yogurt, but the pomengranate fro-yo was still pretty good, especially with the addition of blueberries and yogurt chips.  Due to the fact that Wednesday was one of the hottest days of the summer (heat index of 115), we visited the "Beach", a large pool/lake that goes down to 15 feet  at it's farthest depths. The coolest part for me was the diving skills evident in Everyone from ages 5 to 60. People were diving in with the grace of dolphins, while I partially belly-flopped in my pathetic attempt to imitate their grace. I blame this lack of skill on my YMCA's pool, which lacks diving boards, and the unfortunate reality that I never had the chance to dive since fourth grade. (NO DIVING ALLOWED sound familiar?)  However, I was able to coach Tina on how to dive (due to past swim team experience).

The Most Effective Promoter of Abstinence...

just so happens to be a 4-hour plane ride surrounded by hyperactive triplet boys, an equally loud mother, and two toddlers squirming in front of a laptop blasting some Disney movie. Thankfully, I had a window seat and magazine to keep myself from becoming annoyed.
 Erin, Jose, Tina, Victoria & I have now taken over Tia Sara's condo; We have claimed the freezer and conquered the ice cream. (:

What my cat thinks when my family keeps him in the house at night

Icanhascheezburger photo

Home!

After cultivating a bouquet of stench, the wet clothing thrown into plastic bags and left to stagnate in the trunk of the van since Monday has been released. If this blog stops abruptly it is because I have swooned from the pungent odor. My favorite computer happens to be in front of the washer-machine and dryer, so whenever my mother walks in with laundry the aroma of sweat and other unidentifiable smells surrounds the air, even after the clothing is shut into the washer. Such is the case this morning.
By an unexpected miracle, my family drove from Tenneessee to our South Floridian home on Tuesday in 12 hours. This miracle was made possible by God's grace, who made the creation of Dunkin Donut's coffee and sugary baked goods possible. The 6-hour audiobook  Dominion by Randy Alcorn and several "I Love Lucy" episodes also killed the dull monotony that usually accompanies long drives.
Promptly upon arriving home (around 11 PM), I walked straight to my room and hugged my mattress. However, I was so excited to be home that I only slept for about 5 hours, awaking early in the morning to go for a run.

Whitewater rafting on the Ococe River

Rock City & The invasion of gnomes

After touring a cave in raccoon mountain (where the tour guide is a definite 9), my family traveled to Rock City. Here is a visual synopsis of our adventure.

 

"Fat Man's Squeeze"

Venti iced green tea

"Wood" you vacation here?

My Cracker Barrel conquest in the middle of our drive to Wildwood, Georgia.

Our final destination, a cabin out in the boondocks, is a perfect wooden square furnished with wooden chairs, wooden cabinets, a wooden ceilings, a wooden toilet seat, and to top it all off, a fireplace in front of a woven rug. Yep, no fire hazards here. Just about every article of furniture and art is inspired by Native Americans and lumberjacks. The only break in this theme is  a photograph of JFK oddly placed in the bathroom. Whoever decorated this rustic cabin was influenced by a desire for functionality, as two wooden paddles hang beside the front window partly for decor and partly for self-defense if the cabin dwellers have to fend off wildlife. My sister and dad are catching fireflies outside...

Ashley's Quarters

• Same name as mine, spelled correctly (25 pts)
• Coffee and chocolate chip cookies in the morning (25 pts)
• Kitchen in the hotel room (15 pts)
• Pillows resembling giant jet-puff marshmallows (15 pts)
• Free dvd rental - watched Vantage Point last night (10 pts)

I absolutely loved this hotel. A mere 3 stories high, it presented a brick facade reminiscent of colonial times. It even had  stone pineapple carvings, which were a symbol of hospitality in early America. I give it 5 stars squared.

Creation Museum

Yesterday morning my family climbed into the minivan and journeyed to the Creation Museum in Kentucky. The building was relatively simple on the outside like most other museums, but was surrounded by a sprawling, breathtaking garden. Upon our entrance we were greeted by a rather large skeleton of a mastedon (wooly mammoth). As I conteplated the intimidating size of the creature, I toyed with the idea of hanging a hammock between it's tusks. That would make a marvelous swing as long as you didn't fall off.
With my father and brother being uber space nerds, we watched the planetarium show exactly 30 minutes after entering the museum. The cushy seats reclined, allowing the audience to view the projected images on the curved ceiling. The chairs were so cushy, and the room was so dark, and the stars were so "awe-inspiring" that I almost fell asleep. With my hoodie and sweatpants on, I could have had quite a delightful nap.

I deleted my Tumblr

1. This blog is way more awesome; Tumblr just dulled in comparison.
2. Managing multiple media outlets is difficult.

Travel Terminology

• Carafe: fancy term for a container commonly used to hold coffee. Equivalent to the holy grail in my book.
• Fartlek (Swedish for speedplay): The desperate sprint from the minivan to the restrooms.
• Buggy: Southern term for what is known as a "shopping cart".  The first time a lady in Walmart used this term I had no idea what she was talking about. She must have thought that I was pretty weird since I looked at her like she was an alien who asked me if I wanted to eat a cookie from mars.

Kentucky

In a spurt of spontaneity, my mother led our family to a tram ride in the middle of Gatlinburg, Tenneessee. Packed with children squealing with excitment, the tram swung  back and forth 300 ft above the ground. I am slightly agrophobic (fearful of heights) and clung to Tina's arm until we safely reached the top of the mountain. Risking life and limb on an Alpine Slide, my mother and siblings left my dad and I to split a slice of chocolate chip fudge. It was absolutely divine.
After a five hour drive and lunch stop at Applebee's, my family is now staying at a hotel in Kentucky.

Tina just burnt her toast...

Now we have to open the windows of the cabin to let the smoke out. Hopefully Smokey the bear won't visit us. If he does, I will blame Tina.

Tina's quote upon hearing this post: "At least I like bear meat."

Hiking, Cookie Dough, & Hamburgers

With Monk playing on the television behind me, writing this blog might take a little longer than usual. After our 4 hour hike, my family is absolutely exhausted (I must be pretty tired too, because I just typed "crazy" instead of "exhausted"). The 7 mile hike was gorgeous, covered by leafy green canopies, steep slopes, jutting trails and trickling streams. While in Laurel Falls, I discovered that Tina has a streak of mountain gazelle in her; gracefully jumping onto boulders at the speed of lightning without stumbling as I cautiously clambered from stone to stone. The best part of the hike was running downhill, which = flying.

"Puffins"

This morning, Tina and I decided to make pancakes, however, we had no butter. We reasoned that canola oil would work just as well as butter. After stirring the pancake mix and heating the oil in the skillet, Tina poured the batter onto the splatttering oil. Bubbling like water in a hot tub, the sizzling batter soon began to emit smoke. Our efforts only resulted in two burnt flapjacks and a smoke-filled kitchen. In yet another stroke of genius, Tina and I decided to make muffins with the pancake mix. Dubbing them "puffins" we mixed brown sugar, applesauce, honey, and dried cranberries into the batter before baking them. In the end, they still tasted like pancakes in a muffin mold. Timothy ended up breaking up the muffins and pouring syrup on them, eating it like a crumbled pancake.

Monte Python and the quest for a swimsuit

Mountains adorned with acres of trees curve into a gorgeous blue silhouette, conjuring a misty quality that serves as a backdrop for the tourist trap we are in. The said tourist trap is an opening between the mountains completely paved over with asphalt. Across the murky asphalt sea are chains of restaurants and hotels randomly scattered among the ranks of utility poles. One particular sign in front of the establishment where my family dined last night reads: "Tri one our 4 new tasty dishes." Whilst my sister and I stuck with the secure fare of grilled chicken and sweet potato fries, the rest of my clan partook in the seafood buffet, and as a result, are now suffering the consequences. I could have fortold this outcome from the second sign that declared: "buses welcome." (bad past experience from school field trips)
Once in the motel (yes, my parents financial savvy led to another deisgn downgrade but an economic upgrade) my mother discovered that she left her swimsuit at home. Unable to bear the insurmountable burden of having no swimsuit to enjoy river tubing in, my mother, sister, and I whisked ourselves into the minivan. Using the GPS as a guide, we drove towards what we assumed was a mall. Alas, the GPS had deceived us, leading us to a houchie-mama outlet. After going through racks of swimsuits made mostly of strings, bling, and bunnies with bow-ties, we rapidly retreated back to the minivan.
 Our next destination was Walmart, and after encountering the knights of Ni and providing them with a shrubbery, we arrived at our destination. This Walmart was like a warhouse, I mean warehouse, meant to store airplanes. Wondering through the labyrinth of "bargains", we finally came upon the desired aquatic coverings. Our quest had finally been completed. Time to watch cupcake wars and sleep.

Burnt Tap

How do you know when your parents have been economically savvy by choosing a cheaper hotel? When the coffee tastes like burnt tap water. First, I attempted to make coffee in the hotel room's Sunbeam machine. Failed. Then, I descended down into the lobby for coffee. Same bland result. In a final, desperate attempt I walked to the minivan for the packets of Folgers that I keep in the trunk for emergencies such as this. Once I reached the hotel lobby, I ceremonially poured the hot water from the spiget into my styrofoam cup. As the steam rose from the cup, I carefully tore open my coffee packet; pulling out the coffee bag, I inhaled the rich aroma before placing it into the boiling-hot water. After allowing the coffee to brew for few minutes, I took a tentative sip. It was then that I realized that even Folgers could not salvage a good cup of coffee from tap water.

Eat More Chikin'

It did not fully hit me until I reached Ocala that #1, summer is here, and #2, I am going to be away from my favorite mattress for more than two weeks. I will survive, however, for as long as my Kashi cereal and fruit supplies last. And for as long my dad's laptop keeps its internet connection.
Currently, my entire family is sprawled upon the hotel beds like a herd of whales beached upon the sand after many days (or in this case, 6 hours) of arduous travel. I have been instructed to wake them up at 4 PM before we visit our grandparents and have been warned that I will be grounded if I make any references to snuggled walruses in my blog as they sleep. (As if they would ground me during vacation.)
Right by our hotel is the salvation of Ashley-kind's hunger: Chick-fil-a. My only beef with them is that their serving portion of chicken nuggets is too small. Twelve pieces??? You can't be serious. An Ashley-worthy meal means 20 pieces with a fruit bowl. So for lunch, I took the firefighting cow's advice and ate more chicken. Delish.

Why I made this blog

1. My father informed me that tumblr is as unsavvy in the technological world as crocs are in the arena of fashion. (not his exact words, spiffy-ness added)
2. Nevertheless, he posted my tumblr URL on the family website.
3. My tumblr serves as a fitblr, not fodder for family vacation blogs and my amazingly mundane life.
4. Brilliant idea: write a separate blog that has absolutely nothing to do with fitness or healthy eating habits.
5. Genius.