TEN SIMPLE THINGS || AND THE VIEW FROM MY GOPRO

it's strange to think we've already been back on the island three weeks, but sure enough, mitch is studying for block one and I am trying to keep myself out of his hair. this has mostly consisted of working on my tan (as it has long been neglected) with a mix of gym time and netflix in there, too, for good measure. you probably know this already, but I have a love hate relationship with blocks. the week of blocks is so aggravating as my husband turns into a bit of a well-educated zombie, but the after-block partying warrants some fun activities that we wouldn't typically do. so you see, I'm at odds. I can't decide if I hate them or not. see more on blocks here.

001 :: paddle boarding with mitch this last saturday. I've been wanting to try it forever and as my belated non-mother's day excursion, mitch and I finally went! it was amazing. it makes your body feel so strong and powerful. and that's saying something since I am notoriously weak and uncoordinated. mitch was a little worried at first since the last time we did anything with a paddle, he had to row me and my kayak back from the middle of the reservoir. but I guess all of that yoga has paid off because I balanced perfectly and was able to row myself all the way to pinel island (which really isn't that far), but I'm pretty smug about it, nonetheless.

002 :: the seawheeze app. people said I was crazy when I spent over $100 on a half-marathon. and maybe I was. but thus far, the seawheeze is living up to everything it was supposed to be. the shorts (which are ridiculously cute, btw) arrived in my hometown this week and I've been studying the iphone app dutifully for helpful running hints and recorded yoga classes. even if you're not participating in seawheeze this year, the training app is open to everyone. I am so excited for august!

003 :: rewatching the vampire diaries on netflix. call me a nerd (because that's what I am), but I love this show (so did mitch through season 3). the boys aren't bad looking at all and I'm envious of nina dobrev's hair. plus, it added for some predictable background noise (since I've already seen it) to my attempted naps. but really, it's still way too interesting to sleep during.

004 :: tuesday. tuesday was just one of those days where you feel rotten and your feeling rotten makes your husband feel rotten and it could have turned out really awful, but it didn't. it being block week, mitch has been studying so hard and burning the midnight oil, so to speak. and I had a wicked headache/stomachache combination. both of us just really needed a friend. and since we're so far from the friends we typically turn to, we had no choice but to turn to each other and it was a real relationship-building experience. it reminds me that we're growing up.

005 :: wednesday night's girls night. getting together with a few friends to just talk for hours. I totally blew off going to the gym that night, but some things are just more important :)

006 :: a whole day of sunshine by the pool. I'm ashamed of myself, but I hadn't had a full day of sunshine poolside since I've been back here. it's pretty obvious by how pale I am, considering. but thursday, I finally got my moment in the sun. literally.

007 :: fruit smoothies. I have loved having smoothies in the mornings on these very warm and humid days. they definitely curb the craving to turn on the air conditioner. plus, it's a really good way to move through produce that you might have been neglecting. my new favorite blend consists of :: 

1 cup soy milk

1 cup frozen, fresh spinach (if that makes sense)

1 cup frozen berries

5 fresh strawberries
1 banana

1/2 cup plain yogurt 

1 peach

008 :: healthy dinners. since beginning to train for this half, we have made a more concerted effort to eat healthy. much to mitch's dismay, we have traded white rice for brown, discarded all of the hot dogs in the vicinity, and are eating simpler meals. my body and mind have felt way thinner and clearer even though I'm pretty sure there's been no real physical change.

009 :: hanging out with the youth from church thursday evening and watching them dance and sing. they have no fear!

010 :: becoming reacquainted with yoga. there was a time when I taught yoga twice a week, now I'm lucky if I get in a biweekly class. but getting back into the swing of things has been so rewarding and it's amazing how fast your body picks things up that you would think are long since forgotten.

hope you all have a stellar weekend!

posts I'm loving this week ::
2014 bikini bootcamp on lauren conrad
the blues on pink peonies
13 ways to make your hair grow on barefoot blonde

love, arielle