Friday five: Friday essentials

Friday!  We made it.  How's your sugar hangover feeling this morning?  :)  I think I've been nursing a minor one all week long.  Who knew that I'd ever be looking forward to a weekend for consuming vast quantities of fruits and vegetables.  That's not to say I won't make room for a treat here and there.  Everything in moderation -- even moderation -- right?

With the work week coming to a close, all I can focus on is the impending fun I'm about to have during the weekend.  Long run!  Date night!  Care package assembly!  Crafting!  Baking!  It's enough to make this girl giddy with excitement.  But, let's not write off Friday before it's even halfway through.  Here are my five Friday essentials to ensure that the weekend ahead is extra fantastic.


1. "Foo Fridays!" - I am so, so very lucky to work in my own office, where I can listen to music most of the time.  My regular station of choice is "Symphonic, Classical Period" since it's nice background music and doesn't disturb anyone.  But, on Fridays, I need something with a little more zing and spunk as my brain shifts to weekend mode.  The Foo Fighters are one of my favorite bands, and their station on Pandora is just what I need to jam all day long.  Rockin' out, baby!

2. Extra long workout - Without the obligation of working tomorrow and doing all of those things the night before work to ready oneself, I take my time at the gym.  Adding 15 more minutes of sweating makes me feel ahead of the game and ready for a weekend of rest and a few indulgences (obviously).

3. Tidy up time - I've learned that before I settle in on the couch, there's something I need to do in order to truly relax, physically and mentally.  I take about 10 minutes to do a quick clean-up around the apartment by vacuuming, doing dishes, and packing my work bag for Monday.  Once the apartment is clean, my mind is at ease knowing that there are only fun things in store for the rest of the weekend.  Speaking of fun, I think we may be in the market for a new (Dyson?!) vacuum very soon...  Before you say anything, I really am a fun girl, I promise!

4. Pretty dinner - Like my workout, I take extra time with my dinner on Friday.  Matt gets home late from coaching, so we usually pick this as our night to "fend for yourself."  Either leftovers or something the other person definitely wouldn't want.  This fits into the latter category for sure.  Last Friday I made a gourmet chef's salad with turkey, avocado, radishes, carrots, and Monterey Jack cheese.  (Seriously, I think my proclamations as a salad hater should be withdrawn.)  Hop on over to Martha Stewart's website for the recipe -- the dressing is out of this world and such a cinch to make!

5. "Treat yourself!" - This is a line from one of my favorite Thursday night comedies (Parks & Recreation, FYI) and always sounds the loudest in my brain on Fridays.  Sometimes, it means a lunch date out with myself or a mid-day stop for fro-yo.  Other times it's nothing food-related at all, like taking a break from my daily lunchtime walks and reading a good book.  Whatever it is, it's -- gasp -- spontaneous!  Only God knows what's in store for today's treat.


Do you have a Friday routine or end of the week rituals in place before you kick off the weekend?  I'd love to hear them.  And, with that, happy Friday! :)