A restful weekend back in Walnut Creek with my Mom and weekly workouts

Seriously, my friends, there’s been some good times happening over here, but I’ve missed you. Dave and I got back from our super fun Las Vegas adventure on Thursday afternoon, and we’ve been catching up on sleep and hanging out with my Mom (and Rudy) since then.

My Mom was nice enough to fly out from Florida to stay with our little Rudy while we were gone, and she bookended the trip with time to hang out with us before and after we got back. Love it! This past weekend we had a lot of good food, went to a movie and even went on a hike together, but mostly, we rested and chilled. Here’s us the night before we left …

(Here’s the dress I’m wearing, which is perhaps my favorite thing I’ve bought in months!)

Today, I’m sharing just a few snapshots from the last few days, and I’ll be back later this week for all the details from Las Vegas, and you don’t want to miss it — because it was awesome.

Hanging out with my Mom back in the Creek

Friday’s lunch was at Vitality Bowls in Walnut Creek. While we usually stop in there for acai bowls, this time we tried the non-bowl items, and they were great. I had a salad with grass-fed sirloin, quinoa, cucumbers, cheese and some mild delicious dressing. It was a light meal, which was just what I needed post vacation. It’s good to know that VB has items other than smoothies or bowls though, because when you’re with someone who is not in the mood for something fruity, they now have a new option with salads and sammies on the menu.

In the evening, we walked along the Iron Horse Trail to downtown Walnut Creek for dinner at Maria Maria, which was a lovely 20-minute stroll with cool beautiful weather. My Mom loved the walk, so we stopped for pictures a few times. We arrived at Maria Maria a little before 8 p.m. with no reservation and immediately got a table inside.

Dave and I have been to this Mexican spot multiple times, and this time we were happy to find a live musician playing guitar and taking requests right by our table. My Mom and I both ordered a spicy salmon dish, we also shared a cheesecake (and a lot of guacamole) and enjoyed our requested hits from Garth Brooks, Van Morrison and Taylor Swift. (Variety is the spice of life!)

(Jeans are here and top is via LE TOTE.)

On Saturday, we were all up early so that I could teach BODYPUMP. After having taken nearly two weeks off, it was super tough to be back into the workout world, but I was actually glad to do it. I struggled during class a little and didn’t use my normal weight, but the full-house of members and music helped me to get through. Both Dave and my Mom were part of class, which made it extra fun. I was sweating so much, I nearly had to get a second towel. I mean, look at this … 

(Wearing Fabletics, of course!)

Later on Saturday, we went to lunch at the brand new Boudin Bakery in downtown Walnut Creek, which just opened in Broadway Plaza. Dave and I had eaten at the original Boudin in San Francisco near Fisherman’s Wharf before, which is where amazing sourdough bread is made and we were excited to try the restaurant in our new ‘hood. Even though the line was long, it moved quickly, and we were all happy campers with our meals. I must say, I think this new Boudin has a more extensive menu than the other, because there are plenty of tasty salads available. I really want to go back for a grilled cheese with fig for sure. But on this day, I went with a chicken and rice salad.

After that, we walked over to the theatre and saw “Bad Moms.” This was the first time I had seen a movie in almost a year, and before that it was another year between going to the cinema. It’s not that I don’t like the movies, but I don’t have time to go during the week, and I don’t really like to waste weekend time inside in the dark. But “Bad Moms” was lighthearted and funny, and it was a nice way to spend the day. Maybe I’ll be back at the movies again soon?

In the evening, we enjoyed a couple of oven pizzas and watched YouTube videos. True story. I loved showing my Mom some of the funny things we watch like “Carpool Karaoke” and “Wheel of Musical Impressions.”

Sunday was a beautiful day, which included a trip to Muir Woods for a hike among the redwoods — and this was a long overdue adventure. Since my Mom’s first visit to see us in San Francisco after we first moved nearly four years ago, she has requested a trip to the redwoods, and we’ve never fit it in until now. She was in love with the big trees and majestic forest. However, because it was National Parks Weekend and a free-admission day, we weren’t the only ones in the quiet serene setting. The crowds were unreal!

That night we made burgers on the grill at home and hung out. My Mom is staying until mid-week, so we have a little bit of fun left with her before she heads back to Florida. That’s about it for the last few days. I’ll fill you in on Vegas soon!

My weekly workout recap

This past week was super light on fitness due to my vacation, but because I’m a creature of habit, let’s do this …

Weekly Workouts

• Monday: Rest day
• Tuesday: Went on a two-hour rocky hike 
• Wednesday: Took a one-hour gentle yoga class
• Thursday: Rest day
• Friday: Rest day
• Saturday: Taught a one-hour BODYPUMP class
• Sunday: Leisure hike

Overview of the week

I really only did one official workout this past week (which was BODYPUMP), and that’s totally fine with me. While I got in plenty of steps each day, I didn’t want to take up any of my vacation time in the gym. Believe me, it’s alright to take a little break every once in a while. Just not too long! I’ll be back to business this week with three sessions of weights for sure.

Have a great start to your week! Come back soon for Vegas pictures and stories!

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P.S. Thanks to Meghan for today’s “Week in Review” link-up. And also, a few affiliate links are included.

Questions of the day

What did you do this weekend?

What was the last movie you saw?