4:30 Run!
Since the sun goes down so early now, I have to be sure to get my run in before it’s dark! So I ended my work day around 4:30 and hit the pavement. I learned my lesson, though. Saturday’s run was so frigidly cold that I thought my fingers were going to snap off. So I was prepared this time with gloves and an ear band. I stayed surprisingly warm. Another 2.5 miles in the books! And my pace is increasing with every single run which has been awesome! At some points throughout that particular run, I was pacing at a 9:39 mile!!!
5:00 Stretch!
It’s a grainy iphone photo kind of post, huh? Also, there’s really no good way to take a picture of yourself stretching if you’re not in front of a mirror. So, it is what it is. But anyway, I take the time after every run to stretch for about 10 minutes. It’s not much, but it definitely helps prevent sore legs.
5:15 Shower!
Run days are hair washing days. Yeah, I don’t wash my hair every day (but I do shower every day). And no, I don’t run every day. But anyway, I’m getting off topic. Shower. Hair washing. Once a week I use the Pantene Pro V Aqua Light Shampoo (clarifying) with the Aussie 3 minute miracle deep conditioner: this shower happened to be the lucky one with deep cleanse and the deep condition. Getting rid of build up once a week with a clarifying shampoo helps keep volume in your hair. Don’t use it more than once or twice a week–and always follow up with a good deep conditioner. The 3 minute miracle one is probably all you need, and it’s under $4. Other products used:
- Venus Razor
- Exfoliating Scrub Gloves
- Equate Tranquil dusk body wash
- Clearasil Ultra Acne + Marks Wash partnered with my Clarisonic Mia
Post Shower Routine
Ah, yes. A very attractive PJ photo in front of my dirty bathroom mirror. It’s real life, people. Anyway, after my shower I let my hair air dry. I have a natural wave/curl to my hair so a lot of times I’ll just wrap a few pieces around a curling wand the next morning and call it a day.
- Face: Coconut Oil, Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Eye Cream, Neutrogena On-The-Spot
- Arms + Legs: Suave Advanced Therapy Body Lotion
- Hair: Suave Natural Infused Strengthening Light Leave In Cream
- Deodorant: Mitchum Power Gel
Single Wife Dinner + The Good Wife
While on a normal night at this point in the season, I’d have a husband to prep dinner for and eat with, he was actually still on his way home from the coaching convention in Kentucky. So, I opted for a Single Wife dinner (2 eggs over easy on an english muffin, leftover bacon + a banana. I know, so glamorous) while watching The Good Wife (thanks, Myrtle).
Close Down Kitchen
I’m one of those weirdos who can’t leave dishes in the sink. I ended up having to run the dishwasher before I ate, so yeah–you see my clean dishes there on the counter, drying. And the pan I used for the eggs is also drying. Anyway, after dinner I typically close down the kitchen. Meaning, I do one last wipe down to make sure I wake up to a clean kitchen. Now, that doesn’t stop the snacking husband after I’ve gone to bed–but he at least knows to make sure I wake up to it how I left it. I also set the coffee pot around this time. Funny, I can pretty much forget everything else in my life, but I’ll never forget to clean the kitchen or set the coffee pot. Priorities…
More TV
It’s 10PM, and I’d definitely normally be reading in bed at this point in the evening. But J’s flight didn’t get in until late, and the roads are already getting slick so I’m a nervous wreck. It’s an hour drive from the airport home. So instead, I’m finishing up this blog post and watching some more of The Good Wife to distract myself. Does anyone else’s minds do all sorts of crazy things while their husbands are traveling? I have such bad anxiety that my mind always jumps to the worst possible outcome whenever he’s on the road. So it’s probably best I drown out the noise with fictional political scandals. Oh, and I ate a chocolate covered marshmallow Santa.
Sleepy Time Tea + Kindle
I have the worst time sleeping. Like, ever. If you listed all the things I suck at in life, sleeping would be at the top of that list. And I suck at a lot of things. So bedtime for me is always a bit of a…well, process. After I brush my teeth, I hop into bed with my kindle and a mug of hot sleepy time tea. Call it hokey all you want, but the tea really does calm my system and make me sleepy. It helps to read, too, because it closes down my mind. Reading is the one activity I can do that my mind simply cannot wander. I also take a mild sleeping pill. Don’t let all that fool you, I’ll still wake up a bajillion times in the middle of the night. It’s so bad (and normal) at this point that when I say goodnight to the J (who usually stays up to watch a few more shows), he says “okay, see you in a little bit” because he knows I’ll come back out into the living room at some point. Where are my fellow insomniacs at? Insomniacs unite! (Oh, and I’m currently reading All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven)
Bed Time
On most nights I try to have lights out by 11. But since the hubs didn’t get home until late, I definitely wasn’t asleep by 11. Hey. It is what it is!
What do your evenings usually look like?
I've been wanting to try the Sleepy Time Tea. Is it good plain? I love your evening routine. I need to adopt the kitchen cleaning part. I get so busy studying that by the end of the night I'm so not in the mood for cleaning the kitchen.
I always like getting a peak into someone's day to day. When I get home after work (around 6:30ish) I change into comfy clothes and get dinner started. While I am cooking, the dogs are usually clinging to me in the kitchen and sometimes I read, or get laundry going, work on blogging stuff, whatever. Once dinner is ready, Chris and I settle in on the couch and watch TV. Usually one of us falls asleep somewhere around 8:30 or so and we get up and go to bed around 9-930 most nights. After I wash my face, let the dogs out once more and brush my teeth. Which is exhausting! Old hag status over here. Nights that I am not ready for bed, I will read and go to bed by 10:30 at the absolute latest because I wake up at 4:35 am every morning.
yup, i have an easy time falling asleep (lately) but cannot stay that way. i'm a clean-as-you-go type of kitchen person, unless something has to soak.
You crack me up. I mean, showering everyday – who does that? {I used to be one of THOSE people but now that I've learned the wonders of showering at night and not every single day, I feel like my whole life has changed!} Anyway – I really like seeing other people's routines. I don't know why but I think because it gives me ideas about my own routines – which I actually have none of at the moment. Just holding on for dear life.
Haha love this post! Chris returns from his work trip today but I get nervous too when he is traveling without me. I also have a hard time sleeping alone because in the winter he's my heater (because he is always warm) and since its been SO cold here I have been cold. I just tried the Vanilla Sleepytime tea and it was pretty good. Hope that you have a good day today too. 🙂
I love getting to see a peak into someone else's life! And I swear by that 3 minute miracle — that stuff is awesome! And also the sleepy time tea. I don't know where I'd be at night without it! Thanks for sharing a glimpse!
Man I miss my old job where I'd get home early enough to run in the evenings 🙁 I haven't been running because I don't anymore. Your evening sounds great! I need to start doing the tea at night thing. I think you'd like the oils that help with sleeping…they've really helped us because we have sleeping issues as well. Thanks for sharing this, Joey!
Such a cute post!! We definitely have the same tile in our bathroom – it must have been all the rage back then lol! xo, Biana – BlovedBoston
I don't shower every day either! OMG I totally get nervous and scaredy-cat when Adam is traveling too! Plus it's SO weird when he's not home, way too quiet! I'm so glad I at least have the dogs to keep me company but it's not the same!
This post is adorable! And look at you in your cute pj's 🙂 2 things- 1, I'm so glad I'm not the only one that bases cardio/workouts on hair washing schedules haha! (I too shower daily, just don't wash my hair daily) 2, the kitchen has to be clean before I go to bed. It just does! Our typical night is get home, change, gym, shower, I make dinner then Dustin does the dishes, prep coffee & lunches/snacks for the next day, animal play/snuggle time, bed. It's pretty much the same ever night…
I love this post. I have such a hard time falling asleep at night, I have always been a night owl though.
My nights vary but sleepy time tea and a clean kitchen are always on mine!
i try and make my hair washing in line with my running, but it's hard and a lot of times i just dry shampoo and blow dry the sweat away – gross i know, but like you said it is what it is 😉 and your single wife dinner is better than mine- i eat frosted flakes when the husband is gone lol
Oh my gosh…5:30-ish sunset sounds amazing to me right now. Sunset here is right around 3:45! Yuck. At least it's starting to get a LITTLE lighter in the mornings, it's not pitch black at 8:30am still!
I have the WORST time sleeping, too – even with pills! Insomniacs unite, indeed.
Yay for running in the cold! I need to get some clarifying shampoo it sounds like.
My mom has had insomnia my whole life. She will wake up at 2 in the morning and be up the rest of the day, then fall asleep on the couch at 6:00, then be up at 10:00 again. We're talking multiple sleeping pills too. She just started diffusing some essential oils and she said it's been really helping her!
Awesome job braving the cold to run outside! It must feel so good to see your pace improving – I can only imagine! Your dinner actually looks really, really good to me. Wishing we had eggs or bacon right now!
Oh man. Kudos for running in the cold! I have a hard time running in extreme temps. Stay warm!
It was neat to see a run down of your evening. Sounds a lot like mine.
And hey… those kinds of dinners are the BEST. Yum. You gave me inspiration for tonight.
I also get anxiety when my husband is gone…I always try to make lots of plans while he's away to keep me busy.
Sleepytime is part of my nightly routine too. Have you tried the Sleepytime Vanilla? Love it.
Dinner looks good! I love breakfast for dinner and I haven't done it in a while so maybe it is about that time. I used to worry when my bf would travel. He's way worse than me. He always thinks of the worst possible scenario and then gets anxiety over it.
Love this post! I don't get home until 5:30 and it's a rush to get any kind of run or walk in before dark! I don't like the hubs being gone either!
I nominated you for a Liebster Award! To accept go to http://www.lifeafterletters.com and follow the instructions!
I really want to read All the Bright Places! Btw, that meal is totally acceptable and looks delish. My typical night involves cooking in some capacity for my boyfriend and I, reading or watching tv for a couple of hours, and trying to be in bed by around 10…. so exciting!! Haha but work is crazy and the weekends are busy so I'm fine with filling my nights with relaxation 🙂
Good for you for running in the cold, girl! Cold weather runs are my least favourite (but that's largely because no one shovels their sidewalks, which means ice and falling and injury). And the husband traveling anxiety…that's totally me! Even if he's just coming home from work on a really icy day, I get super concerned. Also, I'm in love with your tea mug!