I arrived home yesterday sun-kissed, rested and already a little homesick. I’m so thankful for the long weekend I spent with my parents and I’m already planning a return trip to stay longer this summer. I really want to STOP these six month spans between seeing each other. Family is too important.

I really love the routine of my days when I visit. I naturally wake up around 7 and take my time getting up. My dad will have already made coffee and I grab a cup and head out to the balcony. I sit on the balcony for a couple of hours as I drink coffee and work on the computer. Then it’s workout/yoga time. I shower up, make lunch and either eat it there or pack it for the beach. Afternoons are spent on the beach reading and napping. Evenings are spent either staying in and cooking dinner or going out for something casual. We wrap up the night on the couch watching a few shows. I read before falling asleep EARLY!

I kind of can’t believe how much I slept on this trip. A solid 8-9 hours each night and 1-2 naps on the beach each day. The last day I was there I said, “there is no way I am going to fall asleep on the beach today. I have slept so much.” Later that day I closed my eyes and woke up an hour later. Guess I really needed it!

I read two books while I was there. The first was Wonder, which is my book club selection for this month.

I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He’s about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you’ve ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie’s just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, despite appearances?

The book is written in short chapters from the viewpoint of several different characters in the book. It was really easy to read and a sweet, heart tugging and uplifting story. I gave it to my mom after I finished it the first day and she breezed through it as well and enjoyed it equally as much. I definitely recommend this book.

And second was Gone Girl. I just finished it last night and HOLY CRAP! It probably took me about 100 pages to really get into this book. At first all I wanted to do was to flip to the end to see what happened but I’m glad I didn’t. Once I got into it I could NOT put it down. I kept thinking that I’d figured it out but then it would totally throw me. All I could think while I read this was WTF!? I posted that I was starting it on Instagram and got mixed feedback but I loved the book and loved the end.

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy’s diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

When I wasn’t reading or sleeping, I was playing with my parents golden Sam. He’s a big boy…almost 100 pounds…but all love and cuddles.

I was reading on the beach on my last day and heard this panting sound behind me. I turned around to see Sam. My dad walked him down to say hi. As my dad and I were talking Sam casually placed two paws on my beach chair and kind of perched himself up. He was so happy in the breeze watching the ocean and the birds. The next thing I knew he decided to crawl into the beach chair with me and sat on top of me for a good 10 minutes. It was hilarious. He through nothing of it and just made himself comfy.

Love those sweet goldens. 🙂

I switched up my workouts a good bit while I was there. I ran the first day, did a strength circuit workout the second day and got in an ashtanga practice by the pool and CrossFit the third day. There is NOTHING better than practicing yoga with an ocean view and the sound of waves.

I finally got around to visiting a local CrossFit box on this trip. More about the workout when I recap the week’s workouts on Sunday but it was great and everyone was super welcoming!

Overall, the whole trip was just what the doctor ordered! I’m feeling refreshed and ready to get back to it. I started today with teaching my 6:30 a.m. hot vinyasa class at Y2. The rest of the day includes cooking for my client, an in-home training session, coaching CrossFit and teaching one more yoga class.

Feeling happy, fortunate and overall just really, really good. 🙂

What’s the best book you’ve read lately? 

Have you read Gone Girl? What did you think?