I did not win the Amazing Race @ our faculty party yesterday. I did get second which should make you somewhat proud of me.
We started off with a huge Christmas lunch with ham, salads, cheesy potatoes and the other usual party foods. By the way, this was the sneakiest iphone picture ever.
After lunch we were split into teams and got to work.
First challenge was building a three-story house of cards. It only took us 24 minutes.
After we finally built our house we had to do a whole bunch of different challenges split between the groups. Obviously I chose to do the laps around the school and the marshmallow toss and the other challenges that my teammates had to do were: eat a sleeve of saltines with no water, a Price is Right Game, make 4 out of 5 free throw baskets, karaoke and a few other things.
Next challenge: We were given a recipe and had to translate it (after figuring out what language it was) and go to the store and take a picture of each item in the recipe with the price next to it. We had Belgian waffles. Anyone know what language this is:
The last challenge had 10 different clues about things around the city and you had to take a picture of all ten places. Let’s just say I have never seen my co-workers so crazy and they are a competitive bunch.
We came in second by 30 seconds; I blame the stupid house of cards.
I really loved this activity; it was so different than the average Christmas party. Being active and competing= my favorite.
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The rest of the day went just as predicted except in yesterday’s post I didn’t put in that I would watch one whole season of The Office on Netflix through my phone on the way to Cali. I was born with the talent of being able to watch the same show over and over again and forget what happened each time so that when I watch it again it seems like it is a brand new episode.
Billy has an app on his phone that tells you exactly where to stop to get gas during your trip (it somehow knows how much gas you have left etc). Basically it tells you the cheapest way to get from point A to point B.
The place we stopped for gas had a Carl’s Jr. and a Subway side by side. The architect had Billy and I in mind when he made the floor plans. I got to overload on veggies and Billy got his burger with onion rings on it all at the same time.
In case you were thinking, ‘no, she couldn’t have eaten Subway two nights in a row,’ I did.
PS this road trip I really impressed BIlly with the fact that I know every lyric to Gangsta’s Paradise and Don’t Stop Believing.
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Do you get motion sickness?
-Yes, but Dramamine is my lifesaver. Maybe if I didn’t read/watch tv/never look out the window, I wouldn’t get sick.
Do you drink soda?
-Not usually (I quit diet soda a few years ago) but I can’t stop drinking Billy’s Dr. Pepper as we were driving, hooked.
Where was the last place that you ate out at?
59 comments
Kate @ Chasing It
been spending most of our lives in a gangsta’s paradise!!! love it! haha. And subway two dinners in a row? totally not a suprise and not weird at all, Subway is one of the greatest food-related inventions known to mankind. One time on a really long road trip, I stopped for lunch AND dinner at a Subway and loved every minute! :-P The last place I ate out was this grill called Chickie & Pete’s – its a Philadelphia native place that has crab fries and really good grilled chicken sandwiches and burgers! And yourfaculty party sounds AWESOME – I hope I can have a job that cool someday!
Middleaged Runner
Holy cow- look at that SANDWICH!
I can sing all the words to Gangsta’s Paradice too, and that Wierd Al version… Hmmmm.
I DO get motion sickness- nasty!
I do NOT drink soda (I really don’t like it which is lucky!)
Last place I ate out… Hmmmm. Oh right- a homemade sausage place after my last 5K, I got a Greek sausage and it was delicious!
Congrats on your second place win- looks like fun.
Laura @ LauraLikesDesign
That sounds like the best Christmas party ever! I love stuff like that! Totally random, but every year around Thanksgiving, my elementary school set up a huge obstacle course in the gym. Seriously, best thing ever before getting off of school for 3 days to enjoy turkey with the fam!
Congrats on coming in second! I can’t imagine eating a whole sleeve of crackers–ahhh! So salty!
I get motion sickness on rides and if I read in the car. Also, boats on the ocean and I don’t do well.
I’m not a soda/pop drinker–I usually stick to water, juice, and coffee.
Last place I ate out at was Chipotle with some coworkers on Thursday! We wanted Jimmy John’s but they said our office was out of their delivery range. Lame.
Brittnie (A Joy Renewed)
Haha totally bringing back memories of my sister and I jamming to Gangsta’s Paradise!! We still know all the words. :)
Last place I ate out = Outback steakhouse. I always order the kids meal because it’s 6 bucks and you get a nice size portion. Plus I eat tons of their amazing bread and steal bites of Brandon’s salad so I’m always full at the end.
Happy weekend!
Khushboo
Hahah you are such a gangsta- I love Coolio! Diet Coke is my guilty pleasure…does it make me sound bad that I enjoy it too much despite the aspartame and have no intention if giving up ;)! Splenda and other artificial sweeteners, on the other hand, are a no go for me!
Lisa
I was on a Subway kick for a little while. Always the same. 6″ turkey(no cheese) on wheat with spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, banana peppers, black olives, salt, pepper, oregano, oil and vinegar. I ate this every work day for 2 weeks straight! So good!
The last place I ate out, and you would LOVE this place, was Salad Creations. I took myself there after a full day of Christmas shopping. I had the ginger glazed salmon salad. Spring mix with salmon, wonton strips, edamame, cilantro and cucumbers in a sesame ginger dressing. Delicious!
I don’t drink soda daily but I do have a few cans of diet ginger ale or diet Dr. Pepper a few days a week. I’m loving the La Croix coconut sparkling water lately though. Sometimes you just gotta have some bubbles!
I only get motion sickness when I’m offshore on a boat.
Have a great time in California and Merry Christmas!
Jamie @ Don't Forget the Cinnamon
Glad to hear you got there safe and sound! That party sounds AWESOME!!!! We used to do a scavenger hunt as an XC team where we had to do silly things like that and we’d literally be gearing up for it all season. Oh yea, we wore costumes for it too. Perhaps something for you to do with your team next year?
And last place I ate out? SUSHI last night to celebrate being finished with finals. Woohoo!!
Lindsay @ Lindsay's List
But I ain’t never crossed a man that didn’t deserve it.
Me be treated like a punk you know that’s unheard of.
Lauren @ What Lauren Likes
I hardly ever drink soda! What a cool idea for a work party :)
Miriam
The languague of your recipe is Dutch! :) Only I think it was translated very literally because the spelling is all wrong. Botter = butter but it’s spelled as boter, and zuker = suiker, which obviously means sugar. Theeleipeltje = theelepeltje = teaspoon. So now you if you’re ever in the Netherlands, you can buy sugar and butter!
I never drink soda. I don’t really like it so it’s not really worth it for me for how unhealthy it is. I don’t get motion sickness at all actually. A lot of my friends often complain they can’t ride a bus/ train backwards but even that doesn’t bother me at all.
Melissa
Miriam-
I noticed the same thing!! My dad is from the Netherlands and I instantly recognized zout as salt but thought zuker was wrong. Great minds think alike!
Holly
Umm can I just tell you that I love you even more because you know all of the words to Gangsta’s Paradise???! You crack me up :D
Glad you made it to CA safely- hope you guys have a great time, I know you will…especially with cute Charlie around :)
What a fun Christmas party @ work- how creative!! WAY better than the typical work holiday party.
I don’t drink diet soda anymore…except on rare occassions…I quit a few years ago too. It is such an addiction though…I’m glad I don’t drink it much anymore. Although when I do, I LOVE diet Mountain Dew.
Shannon
I was going to guess German, but I don’t think some of the words are right… so I’m going to go with Swedish.
Depending on the car/who’s driving/the roads I for sure get motion sick. The back seat is my enemy… yet that’s always where I end up sitting.
The last place I ate out, besides for frozen yogurt, was sushi.
And I don’t usually drink soda. Most often if I do it’s diet. And I curse myself every time because it’s so horrible in so many ways. But sometimes I just need a rum and coke.
Pam
You people really know how to throw a Christmas party! lol That really sounds like a load of fun.
That recipe–I think that’s Danish.
I’m the same as you with soda. I NEVER buy myself soda, but if my husband has any nearby, it’s fair game. Since I never drink it, it seems SO SWEET to me, so when I just want a taste of something sweet, a big ol’ slurp of Coke is perfect. :)
Brittany @ GOtheXtraMile
I love being competitive! I always have that competitive drive.
I get car sick a lot if I’m not driving. But I’m usually fine on like roller coasters and stuff like that, it’s weird.
I don’t like soda! I drank it as a kid, but ever since I stopped cold turkey, I don’t like it anymore. It’s too bubbly for me.
I ordered Chinese last night!
Losing Lindy
That looks like maybe German or another nordic language.
I have to admit your sandwich looks delish. I used to drink pop (soda) and I tried to break that about a year ago or so. Now I do have one here and there. Normally Diet Coke. I try not to do artificial sugar, but this is my exception. I heard on the news this past week that to burn off one can of pop you have to run for one hour. I don’t think I will ever drink sugar pop again.
Brittany
Last place I ate out at was Subway for lunch yesterday.. do you have a rewards card..I love collecting points..addiction.
Not into soda @ all. Sometimes I tell myself the Root Beer Floats look good..but I hate soda so opt out. When I was 5 I was a hard core Shirley Temple drinker..so i think I maxed out on the soda.
Did you win a prize for 2nd?!
Vanessa @ Gourmet Runner
Haha, that recipe is Dutch! What a fun challenge!
Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries
i think the architect had my husband and me in mind as well – my husband loves Carl’s Jr. and I enjoy Subway… PERFECT. your sandwich looks delightful, by the way. i rarely drink soda anymore. every so often i’ll have a diet coke, but that’s so rare. i can’t remember the last time i had one. i used to be hooked, so i quit “cold turkey” for awhile. it was one of the best things i ever did for myself.
we just went to The Blue Iguana in downtown SLC on Thursday night because we had a Groupon. have you ever been there?! amazing Mexican food!!
Alina
hahaha I used to hate that I couldn’t remember movies or TV shows but it is actually pretty nice to feel like you are watching it for the first time over and over!
Luckily, I only get motion sick if it is a super windy road.
I don’t usually drink soda but I always have to have some of my husband’s Dr. Pepper if he gets one!
We ate at 5 star BBQ last night and it was SO tasty! Plus it was free.99 (paid for by my husbands work) that always makes things taste even better!!!
amanda
I guess Dutch for the recipe. Your work party sounds fun!
Brandi @ Faith Fitness and Laughter
Sounds like a fun party! Those were some really cool ideas to do at a party. Especially the recipe!
So glad you guys made it to California safely. Thankfully I don’t get carsick….whew! Cranky yes, but riding doesn’t bother me.
No sodas! But man do I sometimes wish I could guzzle a root beer. :)
The last place I ate was at Subway for lunch the other day. It’s funny, I work with a girl that used to live in California. She was telling me about Carl’s Jr….Here in Arkansas it’s Hardees, but the same food. :)
I hope you have a great weekend!
Rachel
That sandwich looks amazing!! Ok, so something sad…Subway doesn’t have Spinach here in Canada!! Or here in Calgary at least :( its awful. Can you polish off a whole footlong at once?!
And you should totally start watching the Amazing Race! Its like one of my major goals in life to be a contestant on that show :) they come up with the coolest/most random challenges (One episode they had to scramble and eat an ostrich egg…it looked like the equivalent of 12 normal eggs.)
Anyways, have a great weekend! :)
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen
Ahh Gangsta’s Paradise! I love it! I had that song on tape and would play it, stop it and write down the lyrics so I could memorize them. I can distinctly remember doing that in my bedroom for like 3 hours in middle school when it came out. Good times :)
Shannon
I am going to guess the language is Finnish? :) I would love to know what app that is that Billy has because we too travel a whole lot and it sounds real cool for my hubbie who is a techie geek. Having a Carl’s and a Subway together sounds so cool…..sub sand + order of onion rings = an awesome travel meal!
Shanna
yes! I’d love to know the name of that app, too! My boyfriend loves road trips, but we always end up stopping somewhere really expensive for gas!
Alex @ Healthy Life Happy Wife
Me too – that app sounds super useful!
Janae
Hey you guys! The app is called waze and it is awesome!!!!! Let me know if you get it!
Tori
Oh my gosh I so get motion sick too. Unless I am the one driving, but that’s no fun:)
I try to avoid soda but sometimes it just gets the best of me!
Bahahahaha “Gangstas Paradise” I love that you know those lyrics;)
Alaina
That looks like such a fun race!!
I do get motion sickness, mostly on amusement park rides.
I used to live on Diet Coke, but since giving it up for Lent, I find it too sweet to drink. But I always, always have ginger ale on a plane ride.
I know all of the lyrics to Amish Paradise!
Apple A Day
i want an amazing race at my school!
the language looks like dutch to me. possibly german. i have trouble telling the two apart.
Kaelin
Your school’s party sounds fun!!! We did some scavenger hunts this year and that got pretty intense. I am very competitive but when things are suppose to be “fun” it overwhelms me when people get too serious.
I eat subway multiple days in a row, too. Its better than a lot of other choices, so it happens. I had a subway salad on Thursday, last time to eat out.
No motion sickness for me, but my husband does if he rides in the back seat or if the roads are too twisty turny. The curvier the better for me!
I lived on Diet Pepsi as a kid, but quit drinking any soda in college. It was too expensive and water was free. Glad I don’t drink it now.
HAVE FUN IN CALI WITH YOUR FAMILY!!!!
Angie
That sounds like an awesome staff party. Ours’ is lame. That would actually be a great team building activity at the beginning of the school year too.
CatieB
What a cool work party!!!
I hardly ever drink pop… I just drink water, coffee and milk really.
The last place I ate out at was 16 Handles last night for dessert!!! I know you’ll be proud ;) haha
Andrea @ Andrea Out Loud
I just posted about soda, every once in a while I will have a sprite 0 cuz i will be craving sweet fizziness.
and that amazing race sounds fun! :)
and luckily, i do not get motion sickness!
Jodi @ Southern Flavored Life
I could eat at Subway every day!
You should do a VLOG of you singing “Gangstas Paradise”; that would be the ultimate Christmas present for me :-)
Erica
I love diet mt. dew. love it, love it, love it. But I don’t want to love it so much I OD on it because I have done that with some of my favorites flavors.
My motion sickness has gotten better with age. Just the thought of reading in a car without even being in a car used to make me queasy.Now I have graduated to being able to read a map in a moving vehicle.
Allison
Your holiday party sounds like a blast! Q: did y’all have to drive anywhere? Anddd, are any of your teachers over the age of 30?! Because IDK if all of the sweet, but “older”, teachers at my school would be up for such a challenge :P
Last place I ate out at was Seasons 54- oh em gee, their crab flatbread with mustard sauce is heavenly! Anddd planning to go out with friends tonight to get some Mexican- fish tacos!
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats
I’m going to guess that the language was either danish or flemish?? Haha so random, but that’s an awesome holiday party!
Heather @ Run Eat Play
Your work party looks awesome.
I could probably eat a Subway veggie sub every single day and I haven’t drank soda in 2.5 years!
adria
What is the name of that app?
Claire @ Let's Go On A Living Spree
OMG, I am the same way with the motion sickness! It’s basically come about in just the last 2 years, but I can’t fly without throwing up or feeling nauseous (even if the flight is smooth!). I fly all the time so this has presented a problem. Especially when I have to take a small prop plane up to NYC for work for the day. If I take Dramamine in the early morning then I’ll be sooooooo tired and groggy for the whole day. Usually I just suffer through it, throw up when we land, and then take one on the way back down. Does anyone know of any other motion sickness solutions that won’t make me tired?
Leslie
Thankfully I do NOT suffer from motion sickness and definitely don’t drink pop. I used to be obsessed (no exaggeration) with diet coke but cut the habit when I started hearing horror stories about what it does to your body. AND the last place we ate out at was JUICY-O! The best breakfast place in the Chicago suburbs.
Oh and is that a DUTCH recipe???
Abby @ great idea months ago
Great Idea for a holiday party. I am going to try to steal it. Although, our group is already a little competitive… not sure it would be a great idea to add more…
Andrea (Run. Learn. Repeat.)
I get nauseous on planes, but not so much in the car. Don’t really like soda. It burns my nose and mouth, but I occasionally steal a few sips of my hubby’s. Last place I ate out was the cafeteria salad bar at my hubby’s work!
Janine @ThePurpleGiraffe
That sounds like such a fun office party! Second is respectable, better luck next year!
I drink soda occasionally, but not very often. Seltzer water though, is a daily consumption for me.
We went out to Portland Pie Company last night, and I enjoyed “the hadlock” pizza… pretzel dough with provolone cheese, italian sausage, peppers/onions and jalepenos. So good, served with a side of mustard for dipping!
misszippy
How much fun is that party? So much better than the normal ones!
I had a fabulous brunch this morning with my friends after our race (oh, and I ran 12, yes 12, miles!!)
Kristen @ notsodomesticated
You crack me up. I love “Don’t stop Believing” … such an awesome kareoke song! ;)
We had a white elephant exchange at my work party yesterday. And I ended up going home with a giant poster of Edward from Twilight, and some banana bread. Not gonna lie … I was pretty excited. ;)
Alyssa
The Amazing Race contest sounds like so much fun! I want to organize one for my friends. I get such bad motion sickness, ginger candies or gum help a lot. Actually, that’s one of the rare times I drink soda. I used to have it every day, but I gave it up and now just have one once in a long while. Last time I ate out was Panera after my friend and I got to go to a teacher training and went out to lunch like grown ups after, in the middle of a Wednesday! As a teacher I’m sure you appreciate how exciting this was. I hate watching new shows or movies, why waste time on something you might not like when you can just rewatch Michael Scott grilling his foot for the 36th time.
Lauren
I missed reading your blog through my absence. :-(
That holiday party looks awesome! I hope the school I end up teaching at has people who are fun and not so… well, boring. Holiday parties tend to cause more anxiety because of how awkward they become for everyone. lol.
Just to let you knowwww, time off of injuries makes you realize rest days really aren’t the end of the world. I’m pretty much taking a rest month because being an athlete is by no means exercising your body to exhaustion. Love ya, lady!
Jina
I’m super competitive, so that Christmas party sounds SO fun!
I love pop (I’m from the Midwest, so I’ve never called it soda). My favorite is Diet Dr. Pepper. But, I never buy it to have it at home. If I did, I think I’d drink too much.
I also easily forget TV shows and movies. I was concerned about my memory, but maybe this is normal? :c)
I get motion sickness, too. Blech.
Nicole
Yes, but as long as I don’t read, or ride in the backseat, I am fine. That is why I sleep instead.
I drink maybe 2-3 soda’s a week. And that is usually when I am out to lunch.
Last place I ate out was…Jason’s Deli maybe? I don’t really remember. But we are going out tonight.
The Kidless Kronicles
Missy
I do get motion sickness and I hate it. I have to take Dramamine too.
I do drink soda, DP, about once or twice a week. I like it but I try not to drink it to much.
Where didn’t I eat yesterday? Haha, it was one of those days.
Stephie
Wow that party sounded really fun. Getting second place by 30 seconds is soooooo close. As long as you had fun and the food was great its all good. The next party I plan im gonna throw in The Amazing Race. If adults can have a great time playing it I know the kids will love it.
Oh how I crave for subway. I used to eat it all the time but when i moved to the Philippines they don’t have a branch where im at. Have a wonderful time in Cali. I used to live there.
Ari @ AriTiana
That party sounded awesome!!
Having Subway right about now would be awesome too…possibly tomorrow’s lunch! :)
Jessica
That party sounds crazy! How long was it? I don’t drink soda, never have much. We went to could’ve for dinner, I got chicken fajita’s. Great job on the song lyrics, Kimball wasn’t aloud to listen to music as a kid so I love to impress him with my knowledge of lyrics lol. :-)
Jessica
Oops that was chili’s for dinner…dang auto correct!
kari @ Running Ricig
That sounds like so much fun! You’ll have to win next year!
I don’t get motion sickness, but I do have chronic vertigo, so it’s pretty close.
I DO drink soda. That and sweets are my big eating vices.
The last place I ate out at was our friends’ deli for lunch on Saturday.
Sarah
What a fun party! I love The Amazing Race!
No soda for me. Carbonated anything hurts my tummy.