The workweek kicked off on a fast-paced note in the Fagan household this morning!
Ryan and I awoke a little after 5 a.m. and headed to the gym to complete our respective workouts. We began with 20 minutes of side-by-side cardio on the treadmill. I changed things up a bit and switched off between running and incline walking before heading into my favorite BodyPump class.
The class felt a little easier than normal today, with the exception of the bicep and lunge tracks. Those were killer!
Creepy Van Return
When we arrived home from the gym, the lifting didn’t stop! Ryan needed my help to put two seat benches back into the van he rented to drive out to the hiking trails with his buddies last week. They removed the two benches and put a full-size mattress in their place. That sure would make road trippin’ more comfortable, huh? It sounds right up my alley, considering my never-ending battle with road trip highway hypnosis.
With the benches in place, Ryan, Sadie and I drove to the car rental place downtown and dropped off the super-creepy van before walking home.
What is it about vans like this that make me feel like some sketchy guy is going to open the back door and ask, "Do you want some candy, little girl?” They give me the heebie jeebies.
Our walk home took us around 25 minutes. When we arrived back, Ryan began unpacking and airing out all of his hiking gear. Our backyard now looks like some haphazard ad for Outdoor World, one of Ryan’s all-time favorite stores and the home of the nasty nutfingers.
Breakfast
While Ryan tended to his gear, I made breakfast for us. We were both were feelin’ eggs, so I made us a hot breakfast that included eggs, veggie bacon and a toasted onion bagel.
I turned mine into a breakfast sandwich by adding a bit of melted cheese.
I enjoyed every last bite.
Time to work! I have a freelance article due today and I gotta get crackin’.
Oh and to those who asked, last night’s whole roasted chicken turned out fantastic… even though I apparently roasted it upside down. Oops. It’s the flavor that counts, right?
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
Ew, I hate creepy vans too. It’s so not even a stereotype, if you look at the driver it usually is some weird old guy!
Enjoy your work week! Your reward is your upcoming weekend getaway!
I know what you mean about the creepy vans. My fiance’s car broke down a few weeks ago and we’ve been driving around his dad’s old van while it’s getting fixed. I feel like a child kidnapper from the 1980s.
What kind of freelance articles are you going to write about? What sort of media will the articles be posted in (magazine, internet, newspaper)?
Lol to your comment about the ’80s. 🙂 I currently have freelance projects lined up with a couple of fitness mags and a wedding website. 🙂 I’ll try to post links to content that is published online!
Agreed- those vans are super creepy. I feel like someone is going to jump out and snatch me up.
Breakfast, on the other hand, looks fantastic 🙂
I’m glad your chicken turned out well yesterday! Don’t you feel like such an adult cooking such a thing?
And yes, vans are creepy — even worse are the ones with blacked out windows!
Vans always make me nervous, too! Although I’m pretty much just a nervous person so I’m not sure if my opinion counts:)
haha i totally agree with you on the creepy vans!! your breakfast looks so yummy this morning. have a fantastic day Julie!
Breakfast sandwiches are wonderful! The gooey cheese is the best part!
any van like that immediately makes me think of the A-Team. My husband has been watching the damn series on Netflix every morning before I go to work and then I have the dumb song in my head the rest of the day.
haha vans like that are a bit creepy. Great that you already have freelance work. Way to go!
Totally agree, I wouldn’t want to even go in that van haha
I will NEVER park next to a van. Scares the crap out of me.
Sounds like a fun day! That breakfast sandwich looks amazing!
I have the same feeling when I see vans like that! Ive also gotten tons of chain emails that say never to park next to a van like this in a parking lot if you are alone.. because someone can open the side door… and grab you!
It is the flavor that counts!!
But omg when I saw “creepy van” i was a little nervous….glad it was you just putting seats back in and returning it to the car rental place!! PHEWWW!!!
breakfast looks yummmyyy as always! 😀
Did you cook the chicken breast down? If so, that’s actually better. It makes all the juices run into the breast meat and makes the chicken juicier. That’s how my family always cook turkey.
Also, save what’s left after you cut off all the meat. You can make homemade chicken stock! It’s really easy. Put the chicken leftovers into a large pot with garlic, onions, carrots, and whatever other veggies you want (orange is also good) and cover with cold water, then bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 hours. Drain out the stock and you can freeze it in small containers for whenever you want it. It’s great for a cold or soups!
I think finding the van creepy just means that we were well educated to avoid strangers as a child! 😉
There’s a right side to roast a chicken? Who knew?! Blame the directions 😉
I roasted my first whole chicken upside down too! But it tasted good so no harm, no foul 🙂
yes, that van is creepy. I’d be happy to see it gone also.
What kind of bagel is that? I live onion bagels…is it a particular brand?
*love
I LOVE melted cheese on a bagel. It’s definitely one of my favorite meals! 🙂
Good luck on the freelance article!
I love working out early morning with my hubby. You are lucky that you can walk so many places!
That melted cheese just made me drool! I will need some of that at some point today!
As for vans, I can’t even walk by a white unmarked van! I instantly start running… they creep me out so much!
I couldn’t agree with you more about the creepy vans!
If your breakfast is any indication, you are going to have a great day! Good luck with the article!
I didn’t know that there was a ‘right’ side to roasting chicken….heh.
Glad you escaped the creepy van!
Roast chickens are very forgiving… the first time I roasted one, I did it upside down AND I left the giblet bag inside!
Vans creep me out also, eeeekkk!
AHH creepy vans are CREEPY! esp when theyre white… but i LOVE SUVS! i defs wnt one when im older!.. my little 5’3 body in a huge SUV- oh YES!
hahaha I love the idea of taking out the benches and putting in a mattress! Definitely doing that the next time we go roadtripping — I hate when my butt goes numb.
HAHA that van cracks me up – it IS creepy 😀
Onion bagels are THE best…not for good breath, though 🙂
I’m excited for your freelance articles! Post links if you can!
How did Ryan like the clean house and extra closet space?
Sounds like being your own boss is off to a great start! Your breakfast looks wonderful!
Have you ever seen that picture of the van with “Free Candy” painted on the side of it? Hilarious. One of my high school friends actually came from a family of 12, so they had the creeper van. It was like a school bus.
that breakfast looks delish!
When I first read the article title, I thought there was just a van parked near your house. Luckily, you know who it belongs to! Haha
Lol that van reminds me of the Ateam.. When I was little I used to watch that show together with my dad 🙂
I really want to try those bagel thins when I go to the US, they look awesome!
LOL! Those vans always make me feel so sketched out! I have a random question – how do you go about getting freelance writing gigs? Maybe a post on that would be cool!
Haha….the first car I drove was a Plymouth voyager and we used to call it a creeper van too! Just don’t linger too long out front of any grammar schools. 😉 that said, that bagel looks super tasty, it gets me in the mood for a pizza bagel! Glad you had a great morning.
that bagel sandwich looks AMAZING!
vans like that totally give me the creeps, too. in high school, my friends and i referred to them as “rapist vans” haha
haha “creepy van” I love it! Boys are so silly like that. Good luck with your new freelance job, Julie!
Ahh! I totally agree with those vans being creepy as hell!
Vans are DEFINITELY creepy but they are great for road trips!
So, not exactly on topic with your breakfast today, but after reading your blog for a while I think its one you should really consider. A Peanut butter Banana Quesadilla: 1 tortilla with half spread with 1.5 tbsp peanut butter mix w 1 tsp honey then top the peanut butter half with 1/2 of a slice banana and heat in a pan like you would a cheesy quesadilla. This breakfast is to die for!! You should really try it 🙂
OMG that van is so creepy… I would probably think the exact same thing! Your breakfast looks delish… cheesy goodness!!!
When I think of creepy vans it reminds me of shows like “Full House” where DJ would lie about where she was going and go to a drive in movie with a guy that had like curtains and pillows in the back of his van. Then she would get uncomfortable and right then Danny Tanner and Uncle Jesse would bust in and save her. haha!
Wow, so on the same page about creepy vans!! I had to educate my boyfriend about them recently when we saw one in a parking lot and he wondered aloud why i was steering him away from the store’s entrance.
“Obviously the creepy van!!”
“???”
He was amazed about my aversion to the vehicle type. Good thing I found a 6’4″ bodyguard, but always better safe than sorry! He promised he would be on the lookout from now on 🙂