Belated Mondays



Me cooking breakfast :)

Morning French toast :) I added flour and milk to our usual egg/bread/cinnamon recipe, which made it about 20 times better.

Okay, I know that today is Thursday and today's post is all about Monday. Procrastination just happens like that. So here is a slightly detailed account of my adventures on a school-free day (If you had school or work off on Monday, remember to thank God for our Presidents).
After making the best french toast that has ever been eaten in my home, I got ready to swim at the gym. Swimming requires way more preparation than spinning.
Once I got to the pool I swam freestyle for 30 minutes. I usually try to mix up faster and easier laps, but my arms just weren't into the whole rapid motion thing that morning (this may have been because it was 60 degrees and windy). It feels pretty epic whenever I am the youngest specimen splashing about in the pool lanes amidst a handful of master swimmers in their 50s.  It gives me a false sense of superiority that I probably shouldn't have, like, "While the rest of my generation is whittling away their youth sleeping at 8 AM on a day off, I am MOVING! And I even woke up 6 AM and ate OATMEAL. I am a Spartan!" Yeah, it's that bad.
For some reason my skin always feels irritated after I swim in chlorine water.  Standing in the locker room, I was thinking about packing up my gym bag and going home until I remembered that I had sunscreen in my bag. I figured that sunscreen is just like lotion, so I rubbed some on my arms and legs and woah-la! Itchiness gone. :)  I was then able to work out for 15 more minutes in the gym, adding to the soreness my arms were to feel for the next two days.
Once I arrived back home I got ready to go shopping for Tina's racing flats with my Mom and Tina. Dick's Sporting Goods didn't have any racing flats, but instead of going straight to Sports Authority, we remembered that Maria's birthday was last Sunday. So we drove over to the mall and bought her a super cute purse and pink flower hair clip. However, after purchasing the present we realized that we needed wrapping paper. This caused us to wander into Bath and Body Works (not a good place to meander into if you want to keep money in your wallet) and bought a gift bag as well some candles.
 

Bath and Body works candles. Can you tell which one I picked? Which one do you think is Tina's?

 We then went over to Maria's house to give her the gift and talked for about 40 minutes. After that we were famished, so we went to Fuddruckers to split two burgers. My mom was so funny. She split both of the burgers into thirds so that each of us would enjoy 2/3s of a burger. :)
When we had finished off our onion rings (which always beat fries) we realized that it time to pick up Timothy.  So Tina's racing flats are going to have to wait for Friday, God-willing.
 This whole adventure reminded me of the series "If you give a mouse a cookie..."

Why we should all wear swim caps and eat nutella

Once I logged in 10 minutes on the deathmill and stretched out I went to the locker room to change into my swimsuit. After snapping an "attractive" picture of myself wearing a swimcap, I thought of some reasons why everyone should have one.

1. It hides your identity. Wearing goggles and a swim cap is the same as slipping on a ski mask.
2. It keeps your hair from shedding in the water. Do you know how disgusting it is to find strands of hair floating in the pool? 
3. It prevents the creepy speedo dude / lifeguard from staring at you or trying to initiate a conversation.
4. It blocks most sounds so that said conversation mentioned above is not started.
5. It protects your hair from the chlorine.
6. Your sister will be totally horrified when she sees that you posted a photo of yourself wearing a swim cap.

Of course, I was absolutely famished after my work-out, so promptly upon arriving home I devoured two slices of wholewheat bread with nutella. Nutella has been the bane and blessing of my weekend, it is like a jar of chocolate with a cost of 100 calories per tablespoon.  I am probably rolling in 800 calories from nutella already. However, I think that if my wholewheat bread is only 50 calories  a slice, then it's totally okay to smear on the chocolatey hazelnut goodness.  :D

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.

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.