When I first read this prompt, my initial thought was work out more, duh. But that's more of a long term goal. Then I looked up from my computer and saw this staring back at me:
We have a huge pile of wedding presents still taking up prime real estate in our living room. We've been slowly finding places for our new toys and putting them away, but there is (obviously) some stuff that still needs to find a home. So that is July goal 1.
July goal 2 is to clean up, organize, and clear out the madness that is our guest room:
This room has a combination of old furniture, about 10 boxes of wedding stuff, our luggage, and some paperwork. Oh yeah, and a Bowflex that we will find and use after our archaeological excavation. We're planning on tackling that this weekend... updates to follow!
1. I am a (morning, evening, middle of the day person) evening person! I'm always still tired when I wake up- even after a full 7-8 hours of sleep. And then come lunch time, I'm even more tired. Like, ready to put my head down on my desk and take a nap on my keyboard.
2. My favorite Pandora stations areToday's Country, Miranda Lambert, Zac Brown Band (for while I'm cooking/cleaning), Katy Perry (while I'm working out), and after I saw Bridesmaids, I added Wilson Phillips- it was one of the best things I've ever done.... great for driving around to... fun 80's-early 90's music!
3. 3 of my "must-have" songs for a road trip playlist are um, well I guess any Wilson Phillips song! :) Smile by Uncle Kracker (that was our first dance song!), and Gunpowder and Lead by Miranda Lambert- I was singing that in the car yesterday and all felt right in the world.
4. My favorite pattern is I've been really into damask lately. I think it's all of the wedding planning. But I also like a lot of florals and colorful prints. I think color is what actually draws me to something.
5. My favorite perfume is I don't really have one. A lot of them smell like old lady to me. But one that I have used before and actually really like a lot is Malaia from Hollister.
6. Rules arepretty important. I was never a rule breaker but I definitely didn't like be told what I could and couldn't do when I was younger. Now though, being older and a teacher, I understand that society needs rules and people need structure. If rules and guidelines aren't in place and consequences aren't followed through with, everything will fall apart. Stepping down from the soapbox.
7. My most overused phrase or punctuation is I do this a lot... and I do this-
But it's only when I'm writing something on here or Facebook because I like to give my words a voice. I write things the same way I would speak them. If that makes sense at all. Also, I use the word 'awesome' way too much. Like to describe everything. Oh, I call Brian a Diva. All. The. Time. That's getting old to both of us!
A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you...
In reality, Brian and my parents have the biggest impact on me. I'm not very good at making decisions and the three of them are definitely my go-to people for inspiration, support, and assistance. But I talk about them a lot, so I figured I would also write about some other people that have a pretty big impact on my daily life:
These goofballs are the girls on the softball team that I coach. In a nutshell, they are high school girls between the ages of 14 and 18, their biggest worries are acne-faced boys, they're hilarious, and they're pretty fantastic athletes.
I spend a ton of time with them. During the season, it's at least 2-3 hours everyday, all day on some Saturdays, and half of my spring break... like 96 straight hours. Because of all of this time, I get to know them pretty well, and likewise, they get to know me too. They were all very supportive of my wedding planning during the season and they even threw me a surprise bridal shower in the weight room- gifts and cake included!
We discuss boys, family, college, oh, and softball. I want to hear about their lives and they want to hear about mine. I feel like they're- dare I say- my friends. Of course, there's only so much you can have in common with someone half your age, but needless to say, these kids hold a special place in my heart.
I say they impact me for multiple reasons. One is very simple- the San Fernando Valley is a small place, and I'm guaranteed to see at least one of them, or a parent, or a sibling anywhere I go- the mall, a restaurant, movie theater, public restroom, driving in the car next to me. (No joke, this has really happened.) So I need to be on my best behavior in public!
But the more complex reason they impact me is by holding me accountable. They like the fact that if I give them hitting tips, I can go out there and actually do it myself. They want to know about what I'm studying in school and why I'm continuing my education. They want advice about boys and working out. I don't think they realize, but they might be teaching me more than I teach them because they force me to get introspective and think about what I do and why I do it- in all facets of life.
I won't lie, there have been times when I no longer want to coach. It takes up enormous amounts of my free time that I basically volunteer. Sometimes it's very hot outside. Sometimes it's freezing. Sometimes it snows.
Yeah, really, that happened too... in southern CA... in APRIL
Just when I feel like I've had enough and I'd rather be at home scrapbooking or cleaning the toilet, one of them will say something insightful, do something sweet, or tell a hilarious joke, and then I remember why I'm there. I think they help balance me. They give me a perspective from my 15-16 year old self. What I would have done or said back then, in more innocent (naive?) times. Sometimes it's helpful to think like a kid. Like someone who is old enough to understand something but hasn't been tainted by life. I know that makes me sound kind of emo, but it's kind of true.
If we lose a game when I know we could have done better, I continue to reflect on that game and I'll even discuss it with Brian. But if they're having fun, I'm having fun. If they're successful, I'm happy and surging with pride. And that's the story of the 12 munchkins that impact my behavior, my thoughts, and my frame of mind.
Okay, let me start with a disclaimer... I've never been a comic book reader or an avid cartoon watcher. In fact, I almost skipped this post because I'm not really a super hero type. I'm not against them, I've just never been into them. And I would have no interest in seeing movies like The Dark Knight or Iron Man if it weren't for my friends or husband. However, every time I have seen one of said movies, I actually really like them. I've been exposed to them more than ever recently, and I have the hubby to thank for that. *Fun fact: That's the first time I've ever called him 'the hubby.' I've always laughed at girls that do that...
Anyway, what I lack in nerdiness, he totally makes up for.In fact, this is what he's doing right now...
Playing World of Warcraft. Wearing his Super Collins shirt.
But I digress.
Brian just recently introduced me to a cartoon/superhero movie that I actually really enjoyed. So without further adieu, my favorite superhero is...
Elastigirl!
aka
Helen Parr
aka
Mrs. Incredible!
Now for the explanation... basically, she represents all women. She was a strong, independent girl who fell in love with the perfect man. As they raise their family together she finds herself facing new challenges as a wife and mother that are possibly even more taxing than the heroic efforts she put forth in her "former" life as a superhero. Her story is one of personal growth and recognition, as she realizes that she doesn't have to give up who she is and what she loves in her new endeavors. She is still Elastigirl... she's a kickass, in charge woman and she has all kinds of skills. She now has multiple roles and she is learning how to balance them and succeed at them. At the risk of sounding completely corny, she is someone who I see myself in and a person I hope to become in the future:
(Ya know, without the stretching abilities. I'm keeping it real.)
Seeing as yesterday was our ONE MONTH ANNIVERSARY (!!!) I would say it's about time I did some posts about the wedding... and seeing as my bridal shower was 2 months before the wedding and the event that kicked off the festivities, I figure I should probably write about that!
It was on Sunday April 10 and it was perfect! The only thing missing was my fourth bridesmaid- Brian's sister (now my sister!) Melissa. While we certainly missed her, but I gotta say, everything else was pretty amazing. The weather was perfect, the company was perfect, the food, the games, everything, and it totally set the mood for the actual big day!
With some help from my old softball coach/current co-coach and the backyard of our score keeper, my maid of honor Alexis threw the best bridal shower I have ever been to. And then to take a step back and remember it was mine?... Heaven! It was about 3 hours long, but they flew by. (Another precursor to how I would feel at the actual wedding.)
Everyone seemed to have a good time! And of course, we got a good jump start on presents and fun stuff!
With about an hour left, I had just started opening up presents and I got an even bigger surprise than the Victoria's Secret box I opened from Brian's mom!... Brian showed up, flowers in hand, and pretty much made all of the ladies swoon!
It was the sweetest thing, and he was able to help me open some presents, so I didn't have to feel so completely on the spot. (Despite what my mom some people think, I'm not the best at being the center of attention.)
And then we made him play one of the games everyone else got to play which was basically answering questions about me. Whoever got the most correct wins. My mom got 2 wrong, but took herself out of the running because she didn't think it was fair. My brother's girlfriend Jen got 4 wrong and was declared the winner. Well, an hour or so later when Brian got the chance to give his answers, guess how many he got wrong?...
ZERO! The dude knows me pretty well!
His appearance was the perfect way to round out the perfect party. Seriously, it couldn't have been better!
And one last fun display of our good time... they designed a dress for me... out of toilet paper... apparently, they know us well too! ;-)
More wedding posts to come soon! Have a good night!
Throughout my life, I've been lucky enough to have opportunities and the means to travel. I've been to 14 of our great states (including Hawaii 4 times), Canada, and Mexico. And if you would have asked me about my ideal vacation slightly over 2 years ago, I would have told you any beach with warm, clear turquoise water and palm trees. Take me to a beach, bring me a beer, and I'm a happy camper.
Then a friend presented me with an opportunity to that I'm so glad I didn't pass up...
Sneak Peak... Yep, that's THE Mona Lisa!
A couple of the teachers that I worked with had been planning an educational field trip to Europe for 13 of our AP Euro students. The teacher that was in charge of planning got pregnant, and after doing pretty much all of the planning leg work, she had to drop out and stay home. One of my good friends was a chaperone, and he asked me if I wanted to join the trip. At first, I was kind of unsure. It was a 3 week long trip, it was going to be about $2400 (which turns out isn't so bad for 3 weeks in Europe), and I never really had any interest in going to Europe. Why go to Europe when you can go to the beach? Plus, it would be a working trip since we had a bunch of high school kiddos with us.
But I spoke with my parents and my mom was excited, which was kind of a big deal... my mom is over protective. Like, call-when-you-get-there, who-are-you-going-with, I-don't-think-it's-a-good-idea, you-will-not-do-this-because-I-will-guilt-trip-you-into-staying-home-and-boarding-up-your-house-because-I-am-so-paranoid. (Sorry mom, it's true.) But when I told her about this trip, she was basically like, "Yeah, you should totally go!" Wow, okay, then...
So I had about 2 weeks notice and I was off to Europe! In fact, 2 years ago today, we were on our way from Paris to Lucerne, Switzerland.
Needless to say, I fell in love with old churches and crumbling structures. I fell in love with cobblestone streets and crepes. I fell in love with plazas and rivers running through famous cities. I had never seen anything as old, as famous, or as romantic as everything I was seeing on this amazing trip. I felt like I was floating on a cloud throughout the entire trip as we passed through London, then Paris, onto Lucerne. We traveled all through Italy and then rounded out our trip with a cruise though the Greek islands.
*FUN FACT: I met Brian about 4 months after I got back from this trip, and I was still on cloud nine. On one of our first dates, we ended up at a bookstore and I found a book with pictures of Italy. I got so excited and I started pointing out all of the places I had been. Then we saw a calendar with pictures of France and I did the same. This still goes on from time to time. At first he thought it was cute, but I'm pretty sure he's beyond annoyed with it now. :) I just can't wait to go back with him because I know he'll love it just as much- maybe even more- than I do!
The following are some pictures of the places I went to in Europe. They're all from my camera...
I don't usually like talking about the trip because I feel like any words that I could possibly use would just take away from the awe-inspiring and breath-taking beauty and wonder that I saw on this trip. So I'll leave it to the pictures. If you've been to Europe before, you probably understand what I'm talking about. And if you have not been... well, you should go as soon as possible!
I have gotten better throughout the years, but for some reason, I like to wait until the last minute to start to work on something. The funny thing is, I feel like my work always turns out better when I work under pressure. My mom calls bullshit on that, but it's true.
Once I didn't start a graduate level research paper until 9:00 pm the night before it was due. Once I had to call in "sick" to work to stay home and finish another graduate level project. Once, I didn't start a take home final (again, graduate level) until 4:00 am the day it was due. But that was Brian's fault! (It was right after we started dating and I couldn't get off the phone with him. ♥
Wedding planning was actually the best I've ever done as far as finishing things well in advance. I guess that was a good time to start. I was pretty proud of myself! But now I have this pesky little thesis I need to write...
Now, to be able to understand the complexity that is Kristen, you have to understand that I have a couple of different groups of friends, and I play different "roles" within each of these groups. Sometimes I'm the oldest, sometimes the youngest. Sometimes I'm the only girl. Sometimes I'm the responsible one. Sometimes I'm, well, not. Once, I used to be the only single one. Now in a different group, I'm the only married one. Sometimes I'm the most outgoing, sometimes the most shy. It really just depends on the people I'm with. And I'll be honest- sometimes I'm too high energy and competitive for some of my friends. Sometimes I'm too old and tired to stay up as late as some others. Brian is probably the only person who is really good at putting up with the craziness that is me. :)
I consider myself very lucky because I have never been short of good friends. I only surround myself with good people and I have felt very blessed by having so many wonderful people in my life. I already posted a picture of Alexis and Rachael in the Day 2 post, so without any disrespect to them, the group that I am posting here is a group that I have known for years. We have seen each other through a lot and we've all laughed, cried, won, lost, and celebrated together. We call ourselves the NFC, which stands for Northridge Football Club. They're the people I see (almost) every weekend. They're like my brothers. We can be mean to each other and hurt each other (it is football, after all) and make fun of each other, but when it comes down to it, we're here for each other. They've been some of my most consistent friends for the last 7 years or so, and I have a ton of wonderful memories with these people...
Obviously, this was taken at the wedding. I don't have my pro pics yet, but I took a picture with my phone while the raw video footage was playing on my computer. (So sorry, for the crappy quality!) This isn't everyone, of course, but I love how this picture basically embodies all of our personalities.
Of course, the group has expanded and added girlfriends and more people. The longer we play on the weekends, the more people we've met and become friends with. But there will always be core group, and they mean the world to me. ♥
I grew up playing softball and played through high school and even some at the junior college I went to. Oddly enough though, it wasn't until I transferred to the university and started studying Kinesiology that I really understood how to exercise properly and what my body needs this physical stimulation. I no longer played organized sports, and although I missed playing softball, not playing actually opened new doors for me...
I made friends with new and different interests. I played tackle football on the weekends. I began to go on hikes and take kickboxing classes. My new friends gave me the courage to learn how to surf, practice Jiu Jitsu, and even compete in races that I never would have signed up for otherwise. In 2009, I competed in my first triathlon and in early 2010 I finished a half marathon and then even a full marathon. I was having fun trying new activities and felt pretty fearless. I was willing to TRY all kinds of new activities because I was so proud of myself and what I could get my body to do... and I was in the best shape of my life.
Right after finishing the triathlon
Flash forward to slightly less than a year later when I decided to start this blog. Brian and I were falling more and more deeply in love and my attention starting turning away from all of my activities and more towards him and eventually, Kevin. There was no where that I would rather be than cuddling the two of them on the couch.
My exercise habits started to wane, the number on the scale began to rise, and I was so mad at myself for letting myself slip like that. It was around that time that I started the blog, because I wanted to get my old spirit back. I needed my TRY anything attitude.
The name The Try Athlete basically serves as a reminder of who I am and what I strive to be. I may not be on any particular team at this point in my "athletic career," but I am certainly going to try my best at everything I do and try as many activities as I can!
Turns out, this attitude has also helped me in my professional life. As a PE teacher, I have developed the philosophy that there is at least one physical activity that was meant for everyone, and it is my job to try to help kids find that activity and cultivate it. I try to steer away from typical PE units like basketball and teach new and exciting units like ultimate frisbee or team handball. (Ever played either of those? Because you should. They're awesome.) That led to my thesis project that I'm currently working on, which is creating an Outdoor Adventure curriculum, so I can introduce adventure activities (like rock climbing, kayaking, and surfing) to my students and give them an even broader understanding of all of the fun physical activities that they can do. ♥
A recent photo of yourself and 15 interesting facts about you...
This is the most recent photo of me... it was taken about 2 weeks ago at our best man Kevin's (not to be confused with dog Kevin) graduation BBQ. He just got his Masters Degree... he's kind of amazing like that.
I'm posing with two of the best ladies I know... in fact, that can be fact one...
♥1: Of the girls that stood up in my wedding, Rachael and Alexis were the two bookends of the group when it comes to who I've known the longest. Alexis and I played softball together since we were 12 or 13, and it doesn't matter if it's been days or months since we last spoke, we can always pick right back up where we left off. Rachael and I just became good friends within the last year or two. We got to know each other really well because she is Kevin's girlfriend, but I'm so happy we did because she's a great person! In fact, all 4 of my girls are pretty amazing... Brigitte was my best friend in college. We got into all kinds of trouble together and she got me out of my shell. I really credit her with who I have become as an adult. And Melissa is my beautiful new sister. She is basically Brian, but prettier (maybe funnier? Don't tell him!), so you know I love her! She's funny, sweet, smart, and the only thing that's not perfect about her is that she lives in Idaho, so it's not easy to see her... but maybe that will just mean more vacations! I feel so lucky to have these amazing women in my life! ♥2: I would choose to drive alone than carpool for one simple reason- I want to be able to sing in the car as loudly as I can. (Not very green, I know, but at least you know I'm not on the phone!) ♥3: One of my favorite past times is people watching and then making up stories about said people's lives. Sometimes it depresses me. Like if someone is eating alone. And they don't even have anything to read. (How can they do that?) ♥4: I love sandals. I wear them all the time. Once, one of my co-workers called me Mr. Rogers because I would show up to work in my flip flops and then change into my running shoes. And you better believe that as soon as that last bell rings, I'm back in the flip flops... which brings me to... ♥5: I love driving with the air conditioner blowing on my feet on a hot day. (Can't get that with shoes on.) ♥6: I tend to trip over my own feet. Unless I've had a few beers. Then I walk like a runway model... ♥7: I love eating dinner with my family. We laugh a lot and we're very inappropriate. It's fantastic. ♥8: I've been having a difficult time understanding people who speak with an accent. Either it's been getting worse, or I've been talking to a lot more people with accents...
Remember this? I'm totally George. ♥9: I need to fall asleep to the TV. I want to try a sound machine and fall asleep to waves or frogs or something, but that's not high on the priority list. Yet. ♥10: I used to feel like guys would only talk to me about sports. Brian talks to me about everything. I think that's why he stood out to me. I love football, but I can only talk about it for so long. ♥11: I believe strongly in the power of positive thinking. I read the book The Secret and it pretty much changed my whole life. I can't complain about a single thing in my life right now.
Of course, there's always room to improve, but everything is always heading in the direction I want it to, and I believe it's because of my frame of mind. Some people think it's kooky, but read it with an open mind. ♥12: I just had to look up how to spell 'kooky' because first I wanted to type cookie. I must be hungry. ♥13: Speaking of cookies, make it chocolate chip, please. Better yet, chocolate with chocolate chip. Thanks. ♥14: I love to travel. It doesn't matter if it's driving an hour away for a weekend get away at the beach, or flying 11 hours to Europe. I love visiting new places and learning new things. ♥15:One of my main goals in this marriage is to not lose sight of who I am. Sure, among other things, I am now a wife. Soon enough, I hope to be a mother. But I'm also, a tom boy. And adventure-seeker. An educator. I want to keep cultivating my interests, and sometimes, that's hard. I'm also in love with Brian and I hate being away from him and Kevin (dog Kevin). I want to learn how to cook better and to cook more often. To clean better and more often. To decorate, and be a perfect hostess, and a lady in general (there mom, are you happy?) But I also don't want to lose me, because after all, that's who Brian fell in love with in the first place. I wasn't scared about getting married. I was very worried/nervous/anxious about changing my name. That had nothing to do with Brian. It was more because I don't want to lose ME. It's definitely going to be work trying to find this new balance, but it helps that I'm in love with my best friend. ♥
