Winter in Chicago

has arrived!

It's kind of funny, how all of us Chicago-ans relished in the "warm" temps this December and began to believe winter wasn't coming this year or was that just me being optimistic?

Ya, not! Bring out the ice scrapers (thank goodness, I go from one garage to the next) and Uggs. Chicago winter is here to stay, but hopefully not for long. 

It's been a cold couple of weeks in Chicago, and we have been prepared for it thanks to MegaFood. I have mentioned MegaFood vitamins about 324343 times in this blog because I love them for more reasons than one. 

Shaker bottle, DIY calendula oil, Zinc, Daily-C, Vitamin D3, Dream Release and Complex C

Why do I love Mega Food vitamins and supplements?

They are made with organic real food, no synthetic garbage when it comes to MegaFood!

They also work closely with their producers/farmers to ensure a GMO free product. Win!

Jump on over to their website to read more about the partnership they have with GMO free farms across the country. 

The vitamins my husband and I take are always changing whether it is due to where we are in an IVF cycle, season or how we are feeling. We always ramp up our Vitamin D dosage a bit in the winter and add in some Vitamin C and Zinc to support our immune system and keep us chugging through the cold weather temps. No matter how cold it is - life does not stop in Chicago. 

It is important to remember self-care during the winter months. My favorite winter indulgences are hot baths, weekend at home facials and sleeping in when I realize my body needs a few extra zzzzz's. 

Here are a couple of winter wellness tips from MegaFood

My pack of MegaFood goodness also came with a DIY calendula oil recipe and supplies to make it (blog post to come!)

**I received these samples in exchange for a review. All of the opinions in this post are mine. 

Florida to the Rescue

There were no plans or expectations when it came to our most recent last minute visit to Florida. If you haven't noticed, I crave plans and expectations. It was nice to throw those personality traits out the window for a bit and just leave things up in the air.

This post is going to lack visuals - we tried our best to be in the moment and keep social media, work and picture taking to a minimal.

We arrived in Miami and decided to check out South Beach for lunch and enjoy some time at the beach. We wanted something different for lunch and stumbled upon a Peruvian restaurant, Chalan on the Beach. We had one of the best Sangrias and fell in love with this amazing Peruvian Aji.  Oh dear, I cannot describe the deliciousness of this sauce, but I know I will be craving it in the near future.

South Beach

We stumbled upon a small kiosk owner selling bracelets.  He was from Glasgow, I couldn't help but purchase a few bracelets after his response to our question of if he was indeed Scottish, "Aye... fu#*&@ right I am."

We planned for an overnight at Loews in Miami, but once the rain started and the people got drunker we decided to hightail it to to the Gulf Coast.

Our time on the Gulf Coast was full of sunshine, relaxation, beach time, beautiful sunsets and good food.

Eat & Drink 

Trackside Donuts & Cafe

1. Trackside Donuts (Bonita Springs) - We may have ate here more than one time. It would have been three times if they would have been opened on Monday. It definitely has that old time diner dive feel, but the donuts cannot be beat. I would say the best we have ever had.


2.  Dolly's Produce Patch and Eatery (Bonita Springs) - Loved the old time country feel of this place, and its neat offerings indoors and outdoors (fresh pies, produce, jams). We ordered a typical breakfast and the portions were on the smaller side.  Just enough, rather than total food coma. We fell in love with the grandma's house vintage Corningware plates our food was served on. They also offer outdoor dining which was an added bonus.

3.  Smokin' Oyster Brewery (Ft. Myers Beach) - DELICIOUS! My husband had a combo bucket (oysters, mussels, clams, shrimp, snow crab, corn and potatoes). I am not a seafood eater myself but this was impressive. A meal so good it comes with tools, bib and wet towel.  I ordered the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and it was the best I have ever had. Loved the ambiance and its location could not be beat. Not on the beach but in the middle of the Ft. Myers Town Square fun.

Smokin Oyster Brewery

4. De Romos Gourmet Market and Restaurant (Bonita Springs) - This was a recommendation from my grandparents, and we were so glad we took their advice.  It's a unique market/restaurant combo offering fresh seafood, made to order sandwiches, bakery items and import items for purchase.  They have an impressive selection of antipasti. My husband had the linguini alle vongole and he compared it to his mother's.  He is ridiculously picky regarding this dish and De Romos nailed it. He needed a soup for the remainder of the sauce. We ended the night with a couple of pastries to-go.

5. Doc's Beach House (Bonita Springs) - The whole drinks on the beach and beautiful sunsets had us coming back for more. We also had their version of bang bang shrimp which was delish.  Watching the Cubs game and eating Chicago style pizza was also a plus.  If only they offered mixed drinks.

6.  Mangoritas (Ft. Myers Beach) - Strong delicious beachy cocktails and friendly service. The fried portabello mushrooms were also pretty dang good. It's also a great people watching location in the middle of Fort Myer's Times Square

7.  Tuscan Bistro (Bonita Springs) - We wandered in here for a couple of drinks and will definitely be giving the food a try on our next visit.  An old time Italian atmosphere and strong drinks with one round on the house! The owner was working the dining room floor and the bar was full of regulars. I quickly fell in love with the ambiance of this place.

8.  House of Brewz (Ft. Myers Beach) - lots of beers. I had a cocktail and wasn't a fan, but my husband had a couple of delicious pumpkin beers that I even liked! Pumpkin Stiltskin - amazing! Fall in my mouth.

Shop

We do very little shopping while on vacation with the exception of a kitschy homemade piece of art or souvenir trinket. 

1. Miromar Outlets (Estero) - Impressive selection of stores including Saks and Neiman Marcus outlet stores.  It's probably the largest outlet mall I have visited, so wear comfy shoes!

2.  De Romos (Bonita Springs) - As mentioned above such a unique restaurant/store combo. We walked a way with a couple of different vinaigrette, seasonings and sauces.

Do

1. Fort Myers Beach & Barefoot Beach - We spent the majority of the time at the beach with these two being our favorite spots.  We found parking to be a bargain as compared to Chicago parking rates, and they were both ridiculously close to my Grandparents place in Estero, where we were staying.

2. Fishing - My husband did some fishing off Big Carlos Pass while I read Crazy Rich Asians.  Best book ever.  My husband even enjoyed the hilarious footnotes scattered within the book. Raunchy asian gestures were the inside joke of our trip.

3. Fort Myers Pier - Definitely walk the pier. We saw a bunch of dolphins and it was fun seeing all of the fishermen's and their catch.

4.  Naples Zoo - This zoo was a breath of fresh air.  It is not too big, but not too small.  It is scattered with interesting trees, plants and flowers.  I do not consider myself a zoo person, but I would definitely come back just to feed the giraffes and gawk at the monkeys on the boat tour.  We also had a chance to see Uno the endangered blind Florida panther. It was a great afternoon.

5. Flamingo Island Flea Market - We did not buy anything, but we would probably do it again.  Who doesn't want to peruse a flea market while sipping on a mimosa?

In conclusion, it was exactly what the doctor ordered and then some. We were fortunate enough to stay at my Grandparent's place which is so ridiculously beautiful on its own.  A resort in itself. We enjoyed quiet mornings sitting in the lanai waiting for another unique bird to arrive and dips in the pool after returning home for the evening.

I couldn't have asked for a better getaway thanks to this guy who gave me his full attention. I don't think he checked his work email even once.

definitely not my best picture, but as I said we didn't take many!

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Baci also had a vacation of his own staying at my friend Maria's.  She sent us off on Friday with a full spread of italian meats, focaccia and pastries.  They then welcomed us home with three different pizzas from their pizza place. Baci enjoyed a visit to the pumpkin patch and a new bed.  I have no idea what I would do without this woman in my life. My appreciation for her cannot even be put into words.

It's Not the Needles, Its You

After my first session of acupuncture, I wasnt sure if it was for me.  I felt everything but relaxed,  the practitioner felt rushed and did not get to know me or my health needs. He simply stuck me with three needles, shut off the lights and collected $145.  There was nothing zen about it.  

I didn't want to "give up" on acupuncture after one visit, but I also was not willing to return to the first practitioner who had amazing Yelp reviews by the way. I decided to inquire if acupuncture was still offered at my chiropractor's office because I knew it was a setting I was more comfortable with.  Luckily my chiropractor's wife was still accepting appointments. 

My first acupuncture appointment with Amy was everything that I was looking for.  She asked me tons of questions to get to know me. We discussed a variety of things including MTHFR, Monsanto and gluten/dairy free lifestyle.  She was chockfull of information and definitely someone I can learn from in my pursuit for a healthier lifestyle.  She visually examined my tongue and checked my pulse numerous times at different positions.  She then placed numerous needles in various points.  She explained a couple of the reasons for needle placement, turned on the essential oil diffuser and I relaxed. Was I relaxed for the entire time - NOPE, but I relaxed. 

My second session was last night. We went over her findings, with the majority being spleen related, blood related and dampness.  We also went over a treatment schedule which will be 2 visits per week for 12 weeks to support my IVF cycle.  Then it was time for the needles and this time I must have been hyperaware because I could feel the energy from some of the needle placements.  I also had a much easier time relaxing.  Practice makes perfect.  I left her office feeling like jello - it was almost like an internal massage as she likes to call it. 

I am glad I gave acupuncture another shot.  I went from loathing it to loving it and anticipating my next appointment.

Obviously

this blog is becoming an infertility blog, and I do not offer any apologies.  As I have said before, writing is my catharsis.  Also, if I provide one person who is going through what I am going through some type of comfort then I am beyond satisfied. My original plan for this blog was nowhere near as personal as it has become, and if you know me in real life and do not feel comfortable reading or feel reading this blog will change the way we interact in real life, then please do not continue reading.

Alas, I am trying to focus on sustaining a "normalcy" in my life because I know in my heart that is the right thing to do, but nowhere near as easy as one would think.  It's very easy to be consumed and I am aware of it, so I need to work hard to maintain some level of normalcy.

So what has been going on?

So bullets.

• We have no carpet on our stairs as we are waiting to schedule a day for carpet installation because NO TIME.  We are starting to like the industrial look.
• Busy season at work is keeping me busy, but the end is quickly approaching which I have very mixed feelings about.
• The juice/smoothie I drink every morning is doing wonders for my morning energy levels. You can find the recipe below.
• I am currently reading "Smart Women" by Judy Blume.  It was given to me by my dear and fabulous friend Tiffany.  I am realizing reading fiction will be a good addition to my bad TV obsession.  It keeps my mind elsewhere, which is just what I need.
• While looking for an age appropriate night out at a club outfit for my sister's 21st birthday I decided to check out asos. I have heard fabulous things about this website and ordered a couple of tops.  I love the selection, free shipping and return shipping when you spend $40, quality and prices.

Wheat Grass & Maca Juice

 

 

 

1 scoop dried wheat grass juice powder (equivalent of 13 shots of wheat grass)

1tablespoon maca powder

1/2 cup coconut water or plain H20

splash of natural pineapple juice

drop of vitamin D3

handful of Cascadian Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend Harvest Berries. I love the convenience of these berries and they are quite reasonable at Costco.

 

I also add my liquid fish oil to the mix which has no taste.  I prefer to drink it in something rather than take it from a spoon like cough medicine.

 

If I am in a smoothie mood I usually add a banana, spinach and a couple of cubes of ice.  Usually I prefer to just chug the juice.  Its not bad, but its nowhere near fabulous.

Busy Is Good

It has been quite a couple of weeks between home improvements, tax season, G transferring to a busier store and lots of lab work. I am definitely welcoming the busy because my mind being busy at the moment is the best thing for me.  

After months of hemming and hawing in the typical G & K manner we decided on flooring.  We were originally only planning on replacing the carpet, but in typical G & K manner the project developed into replacing all of the flooring.  The downstairs is almost complete, and the upstairs will be complete in the next couple of weeks. This will probably be our last major home improvement for quite some time as it is really the last big thing that was irking us me.  I think it's the perfect time to relax for a bit and work on some much smaller weekend projects that we can DIY.  Our savings account will thank us! 

In addition to the flooring, we also had the hallways/entryways painted.  We decided on Water Chestnut by Behr. I will probably put a post together about the renovations we have completed since moving in, but I really am not that great about taking “before” pictures.  You will have to take my word for the atrocity of mauve sponge painted walls in the master bedroom and.  Our home was move in ready, but we knew there were things that we wanted to change/upgrade. We set a plan in place when we moved in and decided to do the majority of renovations in increments to allow time to save money and not have to finance the upgrades.  I must say I am beyond satisfied with our progress and ability to work together through both the financial aspects and renovation chaos.

I am writing this while waiting to get my blood drawn for the two hour glucose test the doctor ordered. I would much rather be doing anything else, tis life!  I went for the majority of my blood work yesterday and this hefty 10 vial round is the last of testing unless the RE orders other tests at our next appointment which is a week from Thursday. I am still having ups and downs.  I was feeling particularly down when I was waiting to be called for my blood work at the Fertility and Cyrogenics lab yesterday when out of nowhere came my RE. She obviously does not “work” at the lab. You could tell she saw the uneasiness in my face because she stopped to say hello and squeeze my shoulder.  She is a kind caring woman, and for this I am grateful.

I also attempted to get back to my “housewife” persona and cooked a couple of quick meals this past week including North Shore Poor’s Paleo Creole Burgers and a variant of her Saturday Carnivore Scramble and both did not disappoint. Both were delicious and followed the new “baby making friendly diet”.

As you can see life is happening around here and this is a very, very good thing.

Self-Care

I tend to live a life that is rushed. This is something I struggle with.  I have always been one to put the important things when pertaining to myself on the back burner.  I focus on others or I focus on the little things that are not as important as my anxiety tells me they are. 

I have been attempting to practice self-care which to me means consciously doing things I love or that are good for me without putting them on the back burner or feeling guilty when doing them.  It has been baby steps and I do regress, but here are a couple of things that I have made constants in my self-care toolbox:

Therapy – I am very open about my love for therapy. I truly feel everyone should see a good therapist at some point in their life.  Do I go regularly? Nope. I am more at the maintenance stage of my life but you better believe I pick up the phone to make an appointment when I feel the need.  It is time that I need for myself and this journey of self-discovery is priceless.

Dry Brushing & Detox Baths – G works Sundays, and I usually spend the hour before he comes home dry brushing followed by a detox bath.  I fill the tub with 1 cup Epson salts, 1 cup baking soda, and the essential oils of the evening.  This evening I chose Bergamot and Clary Sage. I have been struggling with some anxiety and I feel this blend does wonders to calm me.  I often, but not always tune into a podcast directed meditation as I soak.

Vitamins/Supplements/Essential Oils – I take 5 minutes every morning to take my needed vitamins/supplements.  I know this may sound silly, but there was a point in life where I would be so busy, that I would forget to do something as habitual as taking ones vitamins.  I now make a habit of doing so after getting settled at work. I am mindful, of why I am taking them.

Blogging – I decided to jump back into blogging.  Writing is truly a passion of mine and something I love doing. I look forward to where this blog may lead me!

Chiropractor - I am lucky enough to have found the best chiropractor in the world. I do not skimp on my visits, and often schedule my life around my visits. The experience is so zen from beginning to end.

What are some of the ways you practice self-care?