Thursday happenings
Hi friends! How’s the morning treating ya? It’s been a pretty great week, and I’m loving having the girls home from school. We’re having lots of fun playing outside, baking, taking little adventures (we drove to the splash pad yesterday to find that it was closed, so we headed to the park instead) and going out for ice cream. It feels like a hint of summer, and it’s amaaaaazing.
Yesterday morning, I made a quick bowl of oatless oatmeal, and our babysitter came over for a couple of hours so I could put the finishing touches on the new workout plans. They’re off to the designer, and I’ll be sharing all of the details + how you can get yours on the 16th! (One week from Monday. So so excited for you to have them.)
We had lunch together, headed on our splash pad/park outing, and then came home to eat muffins from Starbucks + Perfect bars on the back porch while the pups ran around outside.
Can we talk about these bars for a second?! My friend Ashley told me she loved them a few years ago, but I never got around to trying them. (They’re refrigerated, so it can make it a bit trickier to find.) Omg they’re so good. They basically taste like fluffy peanut butter frosting. Since they’re a bit higher in calories – like a Clif bar – they’re larger than most snack bars and surprisingly satisfying. Are there any other good flavors?
Dinner was a quick and easy Sunbasket meal: simmered sole with black beans, peppers, brown rice and this lovely spiced tomato sauce. I never know what the girls are going to think about fish dishes, and they crushed this one.
I taught a couple of classes at night, and stayed up late enjoying the Hyperbole and a Half book. I googled “funny books” because I wanted something really fun and lighthearted, and this one popped up on multiple sites. I just started it, and already woke up the Pilot trying to hide my church giggles. It’s such an interesting and hilarious read. I checked to see if the author had updated her blog because I used to read it years ago, and it seems like she disappeared from the internets after her book was published? It felt very Missing Richard Simmons to me. Of course we may never know, but it could possibly be a similar circumstance: stepping away from the spotlight/pressure to enjoy living life.
Anyway, the book is awesome and I highly recommend it. If you have any favorite hilarious books (some of my faves are this one, this one, and this one) please send them my way!
And since this post is already all over the place, I have to tell you guys that I SAW MISTY COPELAND the other night. She presented at the local university, so a friend and I excitedly got tickets to see her in person. It was an onstage interview + audience Q&A, and she spoke so eloquently about lack of diversity in the ballet world, her upbringing and personal obstacles, plus some of the strategies she uses for motivation. I was thrilled to be able to be there (and was fan-girling in my seat the entire time) and respect her so much for being a role model for young dancers, especially those who may feel like they’re not “good enough” or don’t fit the traditional classical ballerina mold.
I left feeling inspired…and wanting to leap and turn across the parking lot to the car, but I restrained myself.
Well, we’re off to run a couple of last-minute errands until the weekend-long family party begins.
Have a wonderful day and I’ll see ya soon with Friday Faves!
xoxo
Gina
51 Comments
Leave a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
How fun to hear her speak. Do you have her book? What are your thoughts on it if you do?
i don’t! i’ll need to look for it
Any book by David Sedaris – he is hilarious!
Totally agreed! Me Talk Pretty One Day is my favorite 🙂
i read that one such a long time ago, i think i need to re-read it
In the funny books department, I really enjoyed “Furiously Happy” by Jenny Lawson. It has the same kind of off-the-wall, rambling anecdotes as Hyperbole and a Half!
i listened to that one on audible and it was hilarious (especially with her narrating)!
I love Misty Copeland! I watched her documentary a few months ago and pretty convinced myself that I could be a ballerina. How awesome you got to hear her speak.
Those perfect bars are good! Like dessert! I’ve only ever seen them at Trader Joe’s, but they seem to be growing in popularity quickly.
i saw them at sam’s club once (like a year ago!). i wish i would have known then that they’re SO GOOD
I agree with the person who said anything by David Sedaris! His books are hysterical. Also, I think the author of Hyperbole and a Half was suffering from severe depression or something? I remember seeing a blog post about it at one point, and I think that is why she stopped posting. I hope she is in a better place!
i need to check out his other books!
yes, i had no idea that she was going through all of that. it makes me sad to hear 🙁
Misty Copeland???? OMG you’re so lucky! I’m in awe of her.
I’ve wondered the same thing about Allie Brosh…I hope she’s ok!
it was so incredible to see her in person!
and yes.. i hope she’s in a better place <3
I love Allie Brosh!
I hope she’s doing okay; since her book was published she lost her little sister and went through a divorce, and my understanding was that she needed to step away to take care of her mental health. She is one of my favorites and I’d love to see her come back someday.
Yes, she went through a somewhat public struggle with depression and anxiety before leaving the internet. 🙁
that’s really sad to hear. i hope she’s in a better place now <3
that’s heartbreaking to hear about everything she’s been through. i hope she’s doing better now and would love to see her back one day
Sounds like a great week! I will have to check out that book, I could use a good funny one.
Hi Gina! Yes to Perfect Bars — they are totally delicious. Also, I just finished a nonfiction health book and was thinking I need something lighter — especially because I JUST started reading again and want something with less substance hahaha. So glad you guys had fun at Disney! It makes me miss it soooo much, especially working there and going for free all the time. Happy Thursday, friend! Excited to see you this summer!!! 🙂
i forgot you used to work there! and YES! so excited to see you this summer
I love the almond butter Perfect Bar. So good!
the perfect bars are GREAT, pretty much the only snack/protein bar my hubby will eat. I use them as a meal replacer in a pinch on the go, or just eat half and save the other half.
that’s a good idea! i think i’ll start splitting them in half for snacks
I’ve been loving your oatless oatmeal since you posted about it last week! So good and filling! Really hard to type oatless with autocorrect, haha!
yes! haha it always corrects for me, too
Perfect Bars are delicious; however, the high amount of sugar in them concerns me, so I only have them here and there. Favorite flavors: dark chocolate chip peanut butter, dark chocolate almond and almond butter.
they’re super sweet.. they really taste like a dessert! i’ll have to try the chocolate ones next
Funny book parents will appreciate: Remarkably Average Parenting. The mommyshorts blog is great and along with some new content makes a great read!
have it and LOVE it! i give it to all new parent friends now 🙂
I recently tried Perfect Bars for the first time and really like them. I got the Walnut Chocolate Brownie one. I cut them up and then just grab a piece when I’m hungry. I noticed Target had them on Cartwheel on the weekend and had them in the coolers with the veggies and salad dressings
that’s such a great idea to cut them up for snack bites
Thanks for the book recommendation! These are always welcome and I especially love a good laugh while I’m at it!
OMG the maple almond butter perfect bar is AMAZING…it really is like dessert..pretty sweet but wow so good!!
that sounds amazing!! i’ll be on the lookout for that flavor
My book club all laughed at A Girl Named Zippy, based on the memories of a little girl growing up. Pretty funny!
i’ll have to check it out!
I have seen Misty dance in The Nutcracker the last two years. She is breathtaking. The nights she is scheduled to dance sell out almost immediately. My sister lives 10 minutes from where she performs so I send her to the ticket office as soon as they go on sale.
i’m so jealous you’ve seen her dance live. that’s incredible!
The ABT has been performing The Nutcracker at the Orange County Performing Arts Center(Segerstrom) for years. They announce when tickets go on sale who will be performing what night. Perhaps your next visit to San Diego should be in December and you can sneak up to OC to see her.
omggggg that would be amazing!
I will be adding this book to my must read list! I have just finished “You are a Badass” by Jen Sincero. Have you read it? I found it to be quite life changing – in a good way!!! Because of this book I made a to do list for my life. Finally looking into booking my dream trip to Italy!!!!
yes, i loved that one! so excited for you to go to italy – it’s a dream
Leap and turn across the parking lot BAHAHAHA that’s hysterical!
real life haha
Rebecca Harrington’s “I’ll Have What She’s Having” — Gina, run, don’t walk, to get this book! 🙂
Also, David Sedaris (although he does venture into the serious sometimes, most of it is hilarious):
– Me Talk Pretty One Day
– Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
i’ll look for it now! thank you!
LOVE perfect bars! I usually chop up 1/4 or 1/3 of a bar and put it on top of yogurt 🙂
i used that idea today! thank you!
for other funny books, i highly recommend furiously happy. i listened to it on audible and was giggling the whole time!
i listened to that one on audible too, and loved it!