hello monday

Hello Monday. We meet again.

Hello BodyCombat. It's been awhile. It's nice to see you again. And by nice? I mean painful. You are the perfect thing to keep me in shape while I take a break from running, but you are brutal. Initiate beast mode in three...two...one...

Hello new room. Ok, maybe not new room but new arrangement. Now that I've been here three months, it seemed like a good time to rearrange the furniture. I'm a fan. The best part is that now my bed is near the radiator so I can get a little more cozy during these "cold" Spanish winter nights.

Speaking of, hello Spanish "winter." A few weeks ago I was touting your warm fall weather but seemingly overnight I began shivering and haven't been able to stop. The temperatures aren't even anywhere near freezing, but thanks to Spanish buildings having no insulation or central heating, it feels ridiculously cold inside! I've even taken to wearing my thermal running tights to school under my skirts to stay warm! Now all I need is a cozy pair of boots and I'll be set.

What are you saying hello to today?

fall party: the final frontier

Our theme this year was perhaps one of my most favorite topics in the universe: SPACE! Here are some fun pictures of the middle school staff from the most epic fall party ever!

november newsletter

Happy first day of advent! Please click the image below to read my latest newsletter, which includes an exciting announcement!

run to the beat 2013

In late September I had the chance to run in the Basel Marathon for the third year in a row. This year I ran the 10k distance and set a new personal best for myself of 1:08! There is quite the group of runners here in the BFA community. I've already written about my journey to a healthier lifestyle through running, but I have to say again what a blessing it has been for me to have a handful of solid running buddies to keep me in check and push me to go farther. Here are a few shots from our exciting race day!

About to begin my fourth race with my best friends

Feeling great after finishing!

Allison's first time running the 10k

Brittany and Heather are excited to finish!

Our awesome cheering squad

Ellen finishing the half marathon

Jacob finishing the half marathon

Ahna (blue shirt) represented BFA by placing first in the women's 10k!

Moments after receiving my official time. Ecstatic.

fall in the black forest

Over the last few weeks I have loved enjoying the sights, smells, and traditions of fall here in the Black Forest. From handcrafted pottery to freshly-pressed apple juice to tip-toeing through the pumpkin patches, I have found myself savoring every moment of this season. Something about this fall has captivated my senses. Perhaps it's the uncertainty of not truly knowing whether this is my last fall in Germany, but regardless of the reason, right now I am content to simply soak up the warm autumn colors and the memories that go along with them.

Annual pottery market in Kandern

Fresh pumpkin soup and apple juice at the Holzen (neighboring town) festival

The makings for pumpkin soup!

A beautiful fall day with my best friend Megan

middle school fall party: comics

coffee cupdate

If we were to sit down for a cup of coffee I'd have a lot to tell you.

First, we might have a mini-freak-out-moment about the fact that it's October. Um, what?

But then, we might get excited about all the things that come with fall, like cardigans, pumpkins, and cider. Speaking of cardigans, I might tell you about the awesomely successful shopping trip I had this weekend with a few girlfriends, in which I scored some new cardigans for only 10 Euro a piece! And then I might show off my new jeans, another score. I'd confess that it's hard enough for me to find proper-fitting, flattering jeans in America, but to find a pair of jeans that fits like a glove in Europe is cause for celebration, so I bought two pair!!

And speaking of pumpkins, I'd definitely brag on my awesome roommate Lexi. Not because she is a pumpkin, but because she made us homemade pumpkin spice lattes this past weekend. I'd tell you how she scoured the Web for the best of the best recipes, even combining a few for the perfect pumpkin brew. I'd gush about how lovely it was to have a relaxing Saturday morning curled up with a book (well, my roomie's Kindle) and some music, all while sipping a fresh pumpkin spice latte.

You might notice that I am wearing glasses and, like one of my students this week, comment on the fact that I look more "scientific and smart" wearing my frames. I'd agree that yes, my glasses make me look like a nerd ... but a cute nerd, make all the boy nerds go "whaaa!" And then it would be awkward because you probably wouldn't get my reference to The Princess Diaries, and I'd have to explain it. Or I'd tell you to watch this clip.

What would you tell me?

hello monday

Hello Monday.

Hello fourth week of school. I can't believe you're here already, and that when you are over, we will have been in school for a whole month!

Hello cooler temperatures. Because of you I've been able to snuggle up and enjoy some cozy nights in my fleece pajama pants.

Hello 7K. Yesterday I kicked your butt. Well actually, you sort of kicked my butt, BUT, I beat last year's time by about three minutes!