Wednesday Hodgepodge

Hello and happy Wednesday.

I’m really loving these hodgepodge posts when I get the chance to write them. To me, they are link a mini diary of sorts.

I’m linking up with Joyce for another edition of Wednesday Hodgepodge.

Here are this week’s prompts:

1. Monday was National Apple Day…did you eat an apple or enjoy something made with apples? Do you like apples? Do you prefer your apples raw, baked or in cider? Do you have a favorite variety of apple?

I don’t think I had any apples on Monday, but an apple and peanut butter is one of my favorite snacks. I definitely prefer raw apples, and I will buy apple cider when it’s in season.

One of my favorite childhood memories is picking apples at the orchard across the street from our house.

My favorite variety of apples is Honeycrisp. Every time I go to Trader Joe’s, I buy a bag of their Honeycrisp apples. I love their bags of them because the apples are on the smaller side, so they are perfect for a snack.

At Kroger, I buy the individual packs of peanut butter, and that’s the perfect combo of a snack with the TJ apples.

2. Do you think there’s any truth to the saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away.’ What healthy habits are the easiest to incorporate into your life and which are the most difficult to adopt?

I’m not sure about “an apple a day,” but of course, it pays to take care of yourself as best you can.

Some easy habits for me are trying to get enough sleep, drinking water, not smoking, exercising, limiting alcohol, and including fruits and vegetables in my diet.

I get at least seven hours of sleep a night, and sometimes I get more. This past weekend, I went to bed around 11:00 on Friday night, and I woke up at 9:45 on Saturday morning. I never sleep in like that on the weekend, but obviously I needed the rest.

I still fill up my favorite tumbler with water at least twice a day.

Truthfully, I’ve been in a workout funk. Of course, we are busy most weekdays, but even this week, I’ve come home and taken a little nap after school instead of working out. Now that Hadley’s volleyball is over, maybe I will get back in a routine.

A couple of harder habits include eating breakfast and managing stress. I never eat breakfast, and I’m ok with that. Occasionally, if I’m hungry in the morning, then I will have toast with my coffee.

Also, I’m not super stressed…it’s just more about being busy…and that’s just the season of life we’re in right now.

3. Who taught you to drive? Do you enjoy driving? Would you rather be the driver or the passenger? Do you have a favorite scenic drive near you?

I was just thinking about this because it’s hard to believe that my kids will be driving soon. My parents taught me to drive, but I also took driver’s ed for a few weeks the summer when I was 15 1/2. When I was growing up, we could get our permit at 15 1/2 and then our license at sixteen.

My kids will be able to get their permit at sixteen, so they have about a year left.

I truly am mind blown that they will be behind the wheel of a car in the near future.

I do remember taking driver’s ed with friends, and sometimes our instructor would let us stop and get snacks at the gas station.

The car I learned to drive on was my mom’s “mom mobile,” and it was a stick shift. When I got my permit, I was so excited to try to drive that we drove to my aunt and uncle’s house. They lived in our neighborhood but a couple of miles away. It took forever to drive there because I kept “killing” the car at the stop signs! I remember laughing so hard and being embarrassed.

I guess driving a stick isn’t really something that we need now, but it’s nice to say I could do it!

I don’t mind to drive, but I also don’t mind to be the passenger. If I’m in the passenger seat, then I am probably reading which is nice.

There are lots of pretty scenic drives, but I’m usually driving in the city or in neighborhoods. On my way to school, there are many pretty tree lined streets. Travis always has quite the view driving to the horse farm; there are many pretty views on his drive.

4. What small habit has had a big impact on your life?

Truly, since having kids, getting up early before everyone else has had a big impact on my life.

There have been a couple of times when I’ve overslept, and I just hate feeling rushed and out of sorts to start my day.

Also, as much as I possibly can, I try and prepare for the day the night before. I like to at least know what I’m going to take for lunch and what I plan on wearing for the day, so I don’t have to make those decisions in the morning.

5. Tell us about something nice that happened to you recently?

There’s nothing worse as a teacher to be gone and not have a sub for the day. A couple of weeks ago, I had Covid, and I had a sub the first day and not the second day that I had to be out. I always appreciate when teachers step in and cover classes. Plus, it was nice knowing that my students had a teacher who would make sure they completed their work.

Before Covid, we were expected to cover classes if needed, but now we do get paid for our hour of coverage if we complete the stipend form. It is nice to be reimbursed for our time if we don’t get a planning period.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Just when I think Homer is maturing, he escaped from the house again yesterday! The only way we can get him back is to pull up next to him in our car, call his name, and he will hop in. Well, when my neighbor alerted me that Homer was out, I called Hadley who got his leash and went to find him. Unfortunately, I was near school to pick up Hayden from practice, so she had to follow him for about twenty minutes until I could get back with the car.

Doesn’t he know we are providing him with a good home? Why does he try to escape when given the chance? When I left to get Hayden, he was on Hadley’s bed with her. It goes to show how smart he is because he heard I didn’t close the door all the way behind me and apparently hopped off the bed and left…without Hadley realizing.

My dad mentioned a documentary on Netflix Inside the Mind of a Dog…maybe I can watch that and gain some insight into his mind!

I hope you have a great day!