Ta-Ta for Now: A Farewell Post

By now you’ve probably begun to wonder if I’ve dropped off the face of the earth.

Well, after much thought, consideration, and a 7 month hiatus, I’ve decided to hit pause on this space indefinitely.

Blogging at Mr.C & Me has been wonderful! I began this writing adventure when my life was entering a new chapter. I was getting married, moving to Minnesota, and didn’t know exactly what the future would hold.

Since 2011, I’ve published almost 400 posts, gained many new followers and friends, and made some incredible memories. This site has seen Ryan and I through five wedding anniversaries, several moves around the Twin Cities, job changes, numerous vacations, my food sensitivities/health journey, and our first pregnancy.

In 2017, we welcomed a baby boy into our home and hearts.

This next chapter has brought so much change to our lives! It has also ignited a desire for more privacy, more time spent with friends and family, more energy focused on what’s important to us, and for a shift from our culture’s “do do do” mentality to simply “be be be” (for awhile at least). Taking a break from Mr.C & Me is just one step I’m taking as we work toward all of this.

I will still be around on Instagram if any of you wish to keep in touch and stay updated.

And who knows? Someday I may return to this blog, but for now it’s farewell. I will leave it up and public as I know many people still read and find value in a few of my old posts.

For those interested, revisit top posts by year here: 2011 / 2012 / 2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016

Thanks for following along over the years. I wish you all the very very best! ❤

2016 in Review

It’s unbelievable how much can happen in just 365 days! If you’d like – take a trip down memory lane with our recaps from 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 or keep reading for our review of 2016.

 

This year…

• We both turned 27 years old.
• We celebrated 13 years together + our 5th wedding anniversary.
• We got pregnant! Our baby boy is due Feb. 2017 and we’re beyond excited.
• We officially became debt free! Bye bye student loans and car loans.
• We continued to work for the same companies we’ve been at the last 5 yeas. Ryan’s in the returns department at an electrical supply distributor and I’m a recruiter at a search firm that focuses on engineering/automation.
• We were able to be a part of big days in our friends and families’ lives; notably Elecia + Austin’s wedding, Nicole + Brian’s wedding, my brother’s graduation from college, and our friends, Brandon + Sarah, buying a cafe and announcing they’re expecting a baby.
• We also traveled to Kauai, got new tattoos, started brewing kombucha, discovered new games to play (check out Quixx and Betrayal at House on the Hill), and spent a lot of time with friends and family.

What a year it’s been! Can’t wait to see what 2017 will bring; it’s sure to be a wild one! 

catching up

It’s been 5 months since I last posted so I thought I’d better catch up before the end of the year! Here’s what’s been going on with us…

July

• We announced to friends & family that we’d be parents in 2017! Our little one is due at the end of January/beginning of February.
• We traveled to Illinois to celebrate my grandma’s 90th birthday.
• I attended Nicole’s bachelorette party where we did yoga and went to the dance mile. Ryan went to Brian’s bachelor party and had a blast.
• I turned 27.
• We heard the baby’s heartbeat for the first time.

August

• We traveled to Illinois to cheer as Elecia + Austin tied the knot.
• Ryan’s dad, Steve, came to visit – as did our friends Cory + Matt.

September

• We traveled to Indiana to visit Ryan’s family, enjoy the Little Italy Festival, and watch Brandon + Sarah renew their vows.
• We celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary on the same day our friends, Nicole + Brian, got married. We were both in the wedding too.
• We had an ultrasound and found out that Baby Carty is a boy!

October

• My friend and roommate from college, Katie, came to visit – it was her first time to the Twin Cities so we had a lot of fun exploring and eating.
• We toured what felt like a zillion daycares.
• We met with and hired a doula for support during delivery.
• We attended a cloth diapering 101 class.

November

• We had a wonderful time celebrating at our baby shower. The love, support, and excitement was incredible.
• We spent Thanksgiving back in Illinois with friends & family.

December

• We paid off our last car loan and are now totally debt-free!
• I started a 6-week recruiter training course/bootcamp.
• We attended childbirth/childcare classes.
• The rest of the month we plan to spend spent working, prepping for baby, and enjoying the holidays with friends + family.

weekend review

Hope you all had a great 4th of July weekend! We sure did. Our friends, Brandon and Sarah, drove up to see us from Indiana so we packed their visit full of good food and fun activities.

Friday night they arrived around 9pm, so we just grabbed a late dinner and played a few rounds of Quixx (a dice game). Saturday we slept in, made biscuits and gravy, and then spent time wandering the Mall of America and eating gelato. For dinner we had juicy lucy burgers and honey-glazed cheese curds at the Nook before heading home to enjoy cupcakes for my birthday and play a new board game we bought – Betrayal at House on the Hill. It’s a suspenseful strategy game that involves exploring an old haunted mansion. I was skeptical at first but am now addicted!

Sunday we picked up drinks at 5 Watt Coffee and then headed to the Midtown Global Market to check it out and have lunch. Brandon couldn’t stop raving about the Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) he ate. We stopped by the Stone Arch Bridge to enjoy the view and explore a little. It was a beautiful day but a bit warm, so we escaped to the movies to take a break. We saw Finding Dory and really liked it! After the show it was time for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants – The Rusty Taco. We were really excited to take Brandon and Sarah there. Thankfully they loved it! After dinner, we headed home to play more Betrayal at House on the Hill and a game of Ticket to Ride.

Monday we popped over to Glam Doll Donuts to pick up tasty treats for breakfast and then spent the afternoon at Canterbury Park getting sunburned, eating free hot dogs, and cheering on the horses and wiener dogs that were racing. That evening we played one more round of Betrayal on House on the Hill before calling it a night. Brandon and Sarah left early Tuesday morning and while we were sad to see them go it was so nice having the long weekend to spend with them!

weekend review

My mom and grandma came up to see us and if their visit had a theme I’d say it was “good times & good eats”. Aside from playing cards, watching movies, swimming, and visiting the Stone Arch Bridge Festival… we pretty much spent the rest of our time eating around the city! We hit up Red Cow, Melting Pot, Mozza Mia, Bruegger’s Bagels, and Paciugo Gelato…twice! What can I say – we really know how to do it up right. 😉

May

This month…

My brother graduated from college! It was very exciting but also bittersweet because the university he attended is closing its campus. Ryan graduated from this college too and we have many friends, neighbors, and family that will be impacted by the closing. But hopefully, all will be on to bigger and better things – my bro included. He’s currently on tour for a month with a doom metal/rock band as their roadie/guitar technician. Quite the post-graduation adventure if you ask me!

We had a game night with old friends and new. Many laughs were had by all! If you’re looking for a good party game pick up The Game of Things – I promise everyone will love it.

We saw Ryan’s sister when she and a friend came up to Minneapolis for a Beyoncé concert. It was a short visit but they had a blast and we were happy we could provide them with a place to crash.

My friend, Jessica, and I went to “Arts in the Park” in Eden Prairie. It was a gorgeous day for it (80s, sunny) and we both had a nice time wandering around the festival. We also took a lovely long walk around Lake Nokomis.

We had a relaxing Memorial Day Weekend. We went out for dinner, watched a movie or two, and enjoyed the nice weather. I also met up with Jessica to hike around Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve before cooling off at our apartment’s swimming pool.

Looking forward to more fun, sun, and pool time in June!

Life Lately

This poor blog’s been pushed to the back burner lately so I thought it would be nice to stop by and check in!

March

Ryan & I spent the first part of March on vacation in Kauai (trip recap: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3).

Ryan earned a promotion at work and is now Lead Returns Coordinator.

My company hosted an office party and took everyone out to dinner at Crave, followed by an evening of laughs at the Brave New Workshop Comedy Theater.

We spent Easter weekend in Nebraska with Ryan’s brother and his little family. Ryan’s sister also made the trip out which was a real treat!

April

This month was pretty low-key.

To commemorate our upcoming wedding anniversary, Ryan and I both added pineapples to our tattoo collections. They represent our love for the Hawaiian islands and will remind us of the two visits to HI that bookend for our first 5 years of marriage (honeymoon on Oahu + anniversary trip to Kauai).

Besides getting inked we spent time with friends, went to the movies, shopped around for a new kitchen table before snagging one off Craigslist, kept up with our workout routines, started spring cleaning, ate at the Rusty Taco, and enjoyed the few sunny days that popped up.

We’re looking forward to more warm days and the fun activities that are coming up.

Hope you’re all having a nice spring so far! ❤

✈ Kauai | Part 3

We’re recapping our vacation to Kauai! Need to catch up? Here’s Part 1  + Part 2.

Day 7: Tubing a Former Sugar Plantation

We had another big day planned so we breakfasted at Living Foods Market & Cafe under the eye of a watchful lizard. Ryan had cinnamon apple crepes while I had a cinnamon roll and another local kombucha. This one was brewed by Kauai Island Kombucha (which the cafe has on tap) and the flavor was Turmeric Tsunami (turmeric, ginger, and pineapple). Ryan was thirsty too so we swung by the Koloa Rum Co. for a quick tasting. Ryan really liked their spiced rum!

From there we moved on to our next activity – tubing. When I first heard about this, I practically signed us up on the spot! We love tubing and the opportunity to do it through the fields of a former sugar plantation was something I didn’t want to miss. Kauai Backcountry Adventures is the company that organizes these tubing tours and their guides are knowledgeable and very entertaining. Lots of laughs! After a van ride up a mountain road (with a quick stop to peek at Mount Waiʻaleʻale), they gave our group a safety chat and popped us in our tubes.

We sailed along the old irrigation canals and through five dark tunnels (which were hand dug in the 1800s!). It was a fairly gentle ride but with a few twists and turns. The water was only a few feet deep so it was safe, chill way to spend an afternoon. Everyone had fun kicking off the rocks and bouncing into each other’s inner tubes. In the tunnels, the headlamps on our helmets lit up the lichen-covered walls and ceilings. It looked like golden glitter!

A picnic lunch was provided afterward which quieted our growling tummies and gave us a chance to chat with our guides, who were locals. One of the guides tipped us off to hula pie, an absolutely scrumptious dessert as it turns out. Macadamia nut ice cream piled high on a chocolate cookie crust and topped with chocolate fudge, whipped cream, and more macadamia nuts… where can you go wrong?! It was a great way to end the day.

Day 8: A Soggy Send Off

The sound of rain woke us up early. It ended up storming until dinner but we didn’t let that stop us from making the most of our last day in paradise. For breakfast we dropped by Aloha Aina Juice Cafe in Puhi for an acai bowl (a really thick smoothie that’s been topped with granola, fruit, or peanut butter).

From there we drove up to the north side of the island. We wanted to visit Ke’e Beach (the last beach accessible by car on the north shore) but were forced to turn around early because the road was flooded out.

So we stopped by Wainiha Beach Park and Lumahai Beach instead.

When the rain picked up again, we hopped in the car and started to make the drive back down to the south shore. Along the way, Ryan saw a farmer’s market so we made a quick stop, dashed through the rain, and were rewarded with taro chips and an amazing piece of lilikoi cheesecake from The Right Slice.

Thankfully the clouds lifted once we reached Poipu. We took full advantage and ate supper outside (more kalua pork & pineapple pizza!). Just as we were leaving for the airport the skies shifted yet again revealing a beautiful farewell sunset.

Mahalo, Kauai! It was wonderful to experience the HI life with you. ❤

✈ Kauai | Part 2

We’re recapping our vacation to Kauai! Miss Part 1? Click here to catch up.

Day 4: Chicken Soup and a Coastal Cruise

After a bowl of chicken broth and a few naps, Ryan chauffeured me around a bit. Our first stop was Kauai Juice Co. in Kapaa. I’d been stalking their Instagram for weeks and was dying to get my hands on one of their drinks! I ended up trying (and loving!) their lilikoi lychee kombucha while Ryan raved about their starburst juice (mix of strawberries, oranges, and pineapple). We took our drinks for a ride up the coast and paused to watch the waves at Larsens Beach, Anini Beach, and Hanalei Bay. My stomach wasn’t up for it, but Ryan sampled food from both The Green Pig food truck (mac & cheese bites) and Chicken In A Barrel BBQ (sampler meat plate).

Day 5: Naps, Netflix, and Gelato

That pretty much sums up the entire day. I was totally out of commission. Thankfully, a day of downtime seemed to do the trick because the next morning I was back to feeling like myself.

Day 6: The Grand Canyon of the Pacific

Finally fever-free and ready for fun! We spent the day driving up the winding road to Waimea Canyon, making sure to stop at all the different overlooks along the way. With rocky red cliffs, deep valleys, and waterfalls, the unbelievable vistas go on for miles! Waimea Canyon is often called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Just up the road from Waimea Canyon is Koke’e State Park where cool forests and a view of the beautiful Kalalau Valley await. On our way back from the two state parks, we turned off on a long dead-end road expecting it to lead to another lookout area. It instead took us to one of the entrances for the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range area – ooops! We hightailed it out of there and found our way over to Salt Pond Beach to eat and swim a little.

Click here to check out Part 3.

✈ Kauai | Part 1

Aloha! It’s been a few days since we returned from Kauai and we’re definitely missing the sunshine and sand between our toes. However, thanks to all the photos and great memories, we’ll be able to reminisce about our time there for years to come.

As I mentioned before, we decided to take this big trip to celebrate paying off debt and our upcoming 5-year wedding anniversary. After choosing our destination, I booked our vacation through Costco Travel (flights, hotel, and rental car – it was a breeze!) and started finding recommendations for activities, beaches, and restaurants via blogs, Pinterest, Instagram, and TripAdvisor forums. Before we left, I made a quick Google map highlighting the places of interest to us. It proved invaluable as we navigated our way around the island!

All the hard work and travel research really paid off, because we had an amazing time! It was such a fun vacation and I’m excited to share our adventures with you.

Day 1: Traveling to Paradise 

Whew! 11 hour travel day. Talk about exhausting! Flew from Minneapolis > Phoenix > Honolulu > Lihue. Picked up our rental car and drove to Kiahuna Plantation (a condo resort) in Poipu on the south shore. Dumped our bags and immediately set out in search of food. Ended up devouring dinner at the Olympic Cafe right across the street. A mai tai and kalua pork quesadilla for the Ryan and a grilled sandwich for me (sourdough topped with melted brie, avocado & sun-dried tomatoes – mmm mmmm!). Collapsed into bed right after.

Day 2: Bagels + Beaches

We woke up early, got breakfast at Rainbeau Jo’s food truck (bagels and smoothies), and ate it at Nukolii Beach. Then we grabbed a few groceries, made sandwiches for lunch, and played in the waves at Poipu Beach all afternoon. On our way to dinner, we stopped by Spouting Horn, a natural lava tube that releases a huge spout of water during large swells. It was neat to see! We then wandered through the Shops at Kukuiula to check out their Farmer’s Market (every Wednesday night) before eating at Merriman’s Gourmet Pizza & Burgers (a kalua pork, grilled pineapple, pesto, and jalapeño pizza that was to die for!). To cap off the evening, we borrowed some chairs and sat out at Shipwrecks Beach to watch the cliff jumpers and catch the sunset.

Day 3: Flying High, Feeling Low

I picked up a stomach bug (most likely from all sick people on the plane) and started feeling poorly. However, I managed to rally enough for the one-hour helicopter tour we had booked months before. Folks… it was absolutely incredible!!! Sure, I had to douse myself in disinfectant and spent the rest of the day in bed with a fever and the flu, but it was so worth it. Hands down, one of the best parts of our trip!

We flew with Mauna Loa Helicopter Tours and Ronnie was our pilot. He was funny, knowledgeable, and a wonderful tour guide. He even took us farther out over the ocean to see if we could spot any whales (sadly, we didn’t see any). I would absolutely recommend flying with Mauna Loa Helicopter Tours! A helicopter ride is definitely a splurge, but they make it fairly affordable. Their operation is well-organized and extremely safe. You’re on a private tour and every seat is a window seat (this is a guarantee and not something I found with other companies I looked at). You also have the option to fly with the doors off (at no extra cost). That is what we chose to do and it was the perfect way to see the island, take clear photos, and make the most of an already exhilarating experience.

One of the reasons we opted for a helicopter tour is because Kauai is home to the Na Pali Coast, a stretch of must-see shoreline. It’s one of the most beautiful places ever! Emerald cliffs, white beaches, cascading waterfalls… absolutely breathtaking. However, much of it is inaccessible (due to the sheerness of the cliffs) so in order to see it you only have a few options: go on a very long and rigorous hike, grab a boat tour, or (you guessed it) take to the skies. In addition to the Na Pali Coast, Kauai has Waimea Canyon, Mount Waiʻaleʻale, Honopu Valley, Hanalei Valley, and many hidden waterfalls and beaches. We wanted to see it all and a helicopter ride allowed us to do just that. Kauai is stunning!

We also got very lucky because the skies were so clear the day we toured that not only was our pilot able to take us everywhere he wanted but we were even able to see the top of Mount Wai’ale’ale. This extinct volcano is one of the wettest spots in the world and is usually shrouded in mist and clouds. It averages more than 452 inches of rain a year and our pilot said the top is only visible 10-15 days a year.

Click here to check out Part 2.

Fast February

February flew by, as it always does, and with March on its heels I thought I better catch up!

This month…

We wished a very happy 27th birthday to this big kid!

Celebrated Valentine’s Day by going on a spicy hot date.

Pretty much lived at the gym! I tried a kickboxing class and spent many nights dancing at Zumba. I also attended a training session for LifeFlow, the yoga fusion class I really enjoy, and started assisting one of the instructors with their Sunday afternoon class. Bid farewell to Nessa + Ann, two of the instructors I’ve grown close to over the last year. They’re moving on from teaching to build North Haven, a non-profit healing retreat in northern Minnesota for families who have suffered trauma, tragedy, and loss. I’m so thankful our paths crossed when they did and that I was able to become part of the wonderful fitness community they’ve helped create. Wishing them all the best on this new adventure!

And, speaking of adventures… Ryan & I are off on one of our own in a few days.

Kauai here we come!

See you back here mid-March for a vacation recap. 

 

 

currently

reading | nothing right now but I hope to start “After the Fear” by Rosanne Rivers soon. It’s a young adult book, dystopian fiction – think “Hunger Games”.

listening | to new jams and old favorites. You can check out my playlist for the month here.

watching | Nurse Jackie on Netflix. I’m addicted!

eating | Whole30 style! That’s right, after completing the Whole30 in August, I’ve decided to do a second round to start this new year off fresh. You can follow along on Instagram; I’m almost one week in!

drinking | homemade kombucha. I got hooked on kombucha (a fizzy fermented tea drink + probiotic beverage) last year but since it can be expensive (a 16oz bottle is about $4) I decided to try to make my own. I followed this video, successfully grew my first SCOBY (a culture/symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast that’s needed to ferment tea), and began brewing. I now make a new batch every week or two and occasionally do a second ferment (which allows you to flavor the kombucha tea). The natural flavor of kombucha is a delicious but acquired taste, so it’s fun to jazz it up a bit by adding ginger, berries, or other fruits/herbs. My favorites flavors are grape and blackberry. After the fermentation stage, you’re left with a tart, effervescent beverage that’s tasty and good for your digestion and gut health. A definite win/win! If you’re ever interested in brewing your own, I have free “baby SCOBYs” available if you don’t want to start from scratch. Just ask and I’ll be happy to pass one along to you.

working | on my fitness by attending zumba and yoga classes weekly. I also received a FitBit for Christmas so I’ve been focusing on my steps. (Want to be FitBit friends? Add me!)

enjoying | cozy winter weekends

playing | the Wizard Card Game; I’m still obsessed!

wishing | my dry skin away! Thankfully, I got the best package in the mail yesterday that should help. See, I have the biggest crush on a skincare line called Leahlani Skincare. It’s handmade with love in Hawaii and is all natural, organic perfection. The collection is full of dreamy serums, masks, and cleansers that smooth and moisturize your skin while bathing you in heavenly island scents. It’s divine! I’ve been using Leah’s creations for over a year and they’ve replaced almost everything in my bath+beauty bag. I recommend these products to pretty much anyone who will listen. So do yourself a favor and unlock the magic that is Leahlani Skincare. It’s an indulgence but I promise you won’t be disappointed! I for one cannot live without her Champange Serum and Honey Love 3-in-1. I also have been using the new Bless Beauty Balm and can tell it’s going to be another must-have of mine. So moisturizing and it smells fantastic (husband approved too!).

organizing | a big trip for March. After paying off our student loan debt and one car loan, we wanted to do something special. Also, our fifth wedding anniversary is coming up this year (in September) so we decided to celebrate early and escape to somewhere warm. After much debate we’ve chosen to go back to Hawaii. It’s just such a great place to experience that perfect blend of relaxation and adventure. We’re headed to Kauai this time and couldn’t be more excited!

So that’s me…what’s current with you guys?

2015 in Review

It’s unbelievable how much can happen in just 365 days! If you’d like – take a trip down memory lane with our recaps from 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 or keep reading for our review of 2015.

This year…

• We both turned 26 years old.
• We celebrated 12 years together + our 4th wedding anniversary.
• We bought a second car and moved to Bloomington. This central suburb sits nicely between our places of employment and is closer to the areas and people we love.
• We both excelled at work. Ryan celebrated his 4 year anniversary and finally moved into a position on first shift. He started as a Returns Administrator and was later promoted to Returns Coordinator. I celebrated my 3 year anniversary, continued to make placements, and created + launched our company’s new website and blog.
• We brought our student loan debt down to $0. That’s right! Completely paid in full. We also paid off one of our car loans.
• We continued to work on our health and wellness. Ryan started weight lifting and I began attending zumba and yoga classes. We also gave the Whole30 eating plan a try!
• We were able to be a part of big days in our friends and families’ lives; notably Jessica + Austin’s wedding and welcoming a new nephew into the family.
• We also enjoyed having our families come to visit, a mini lake vacation, a fun-filled weekend with our niece, spending time in Illinois, and faraway friends coming to town (Elecia, Sarah + Brandon).

It’s been quite the year! Can’t wait to see what 2016 will bring; we have a few things in the works that should make it a great one!

weekend review

This weekend we drove to Nebraska to visit Ryan’s brother + his family.

It was our niece’s 4th birthday so we were able to join in the celebration – which was a treat!

Ryan’s brother is in the Air Force so they have often lived far from us. Now that they are closer, we’re able to be more present in each others’ lives and experience special moments together.

Speaking of… we met our new nephew! He was born in November and is a big sweetheart. As you can see we’re pretty smitten!

Our next trip will be to Illinois to see the rest of our family + friends over the Christmas break.

We hope you and yours have a very happy holiday too!

 

weekend review: october

This month was jam-packed with events and visitors!

Oct. 3 – Weekend 1: I hosted a bachelorette party for my dear friend Jessica. Our group of ladies headed downtown Minneapolis to a comedy show at the Brave New Workshop. We were front row, center and had a blast. My cheeks hurt from laughing so hard! Jessica was brought up on stage for not one, but two sketches! They came up with a genius improv song up about a terrible ex-boyfriend of hers. It really made our night! After the show we grabbed dinner and drinks at Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, engaged in some typical bachelorette shenanigans, and headed back to the BNW for their late night improv session to finish off the night.

Oct. 10 – Weekend 2: Ryan’s parents came to see us. We had a low-key but fun visit that turned into quite the tour de food by the end! Friday night we went to The Nook for Juicy Lucys burgers, Psycho Suzi’s for cocktails, The Sample Room for cheese tasting and flights of Irish whiskey & bourbon. Sunday we hiked around Minnehaha Falls and cruised St. Paul’s Summit Avenue before grabbing lunch at the Rusty Taco. In the afternoon we went to The Crooked Pint to watch the Notre Dame football game and cheer on the Fighting Irish! That evening we took a stroll across the Stone Arch Bridge before indulging at our favorite Italian place, Mozza Mia.

Oct. 17 – Weekend 3: My mom and grandma came to town! Friday night my mom tagged along to the yoga class Jessica and I attend and later we met up with Ryan and my grandma for dinner at Burger Jones. Saturday we noshed on bagels from Bruegger’s before checking out the fall colors, Fort Snelling, and Minnehaha Falls. We had an early dinner at my mom’s favorite deli, Cecil’s before heading home to watch the Chicago Cubs play the NY Mets. Sunday we took a nice stroll around Normandale Lake Park and enjoyed lunch at Biaggi’s before going under the sea for a musical performance of Disney’s The Little Mermaid at the Orpheum Theatre.

Oct. 18 – Weekend 4: We spent the weekend celebrating the marriage of Jessica & Austin! The wedding was held at the beautiful historic courthouse in Stillwater, MN, and after a nice afternoon ceremony we ate tacos, made toasts, and danced the night away. Congratulations you two! Thanks for inviting us to be involved in your special day!

Oct. 31 – Weekend 5: Saturday was Halloween but we decided to avoid the typical festivities and hang out with Brian & Nicole instead. We took them to Red Cow for the first time and spent the rest of the night playing card games. Sunday, we headed to the house of Ryan’s friend (and coworker) to watch the Bears/Viking’s game.

I can’t believe how quickly this month flew by!

So grateful for all the wonderful memories that we made. Here’s to making many more in the months to come!

weekend review x2

Last weekend…
I spent Saturday at a three-hour Zumba workshop learning choreography to the 14 new songs we’ll be using to get fit during the fall session. The new music is catchy and really gets your feet moving! (If you’re in the Twin Cities and want to drop in on a class click here for details.)

Sunday I spent with my friend Jessica at her beautiful bridal shower. It was nice to meet her friends and family and to celebrate the upcoming nuptials.

This weekend…
Friday night I tried yoga for the first time. It was challenging but also very relaxing. I felt renewed and looking forward to the next class. I hope yoga is something I continue to enjoy it because it would make a great addition to my workout routine. Saturday, I took a quick dip in the pool with Jessica before going with Ryan to see the movie Maze Runner: Scorch Trials.

Afterward we went out to dinner at Giordano’s to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary. Although the wait was long, the date was fun and the Chicago-style deep dish pizza was delicious! Sunday I spent binge-watching The Saboteurs – a six-episode miniseries that tells the story about the German nuclear weapon project and the heavy water sabotage in Norway during The Second World War. It was fascinating and definitely had my heart racing!

Hope you all have had a good September so far!

weekend review

Ryan’s brother + family came up to see us!

They recently moved to Nebraska which means we can all visit more often. Our niece is a sweet and (sometimes) sassy 3-year-old so it was a very entertaining weekend.

We swam in the pool, dined at Red Cow and Pizza Luce, and took the obligatory trip to Mall of America.

On Saturday we watched jousting, rode elephants, and enjoyed people-watching at the Renaissance Festival.

Sunday found us at the State Fair munching on cheese curds, petting baby piglets, and riding the giant yellow slide (“of dooooom” as our niece would say).

It was a full but fun long weekend. We’re glad they were able to visit and look forward to seeing everyone again in November (when our new little nephew is due)!

Our Whole30 Experience

As many of you know, I spent the majority of 2014 uncovering food/chemical sensitivities and dealing with them (more on that here).

In February 2015 I successfully finished my LEAP protocol. LEAP is an immunocalm diet/plan that systematically builds a healthy diet of foods that can be tolerated by your body. Thanks to MRT testing and the LEAP diet, I now know how to deal with my food/chemical sensitivity issues and haven’t suffered from any awful symptoms in ages.

However, as my menu of food options grew, so did the number on the scale. I began to overindulge in my favorites (bread, chocolate, pasta, cheese) and slack off in the exercise department.

I needed something to get me on track, motivated to cook, and back into the good head-space I was in while doing LEAP.

Enter the Whole30.

It’s a month-long, clean-eating program that emphasizes eating real, whole, minimally processed foods. The Whole30 is based on the popular Paleo diet/lifestyle. For those who don’t know, Paleo is a long-term nutrition and lifestyle strategy where nutrient-dense foods are encouraged, but inflammatory, nutrient-poor foods are avoided. The Whole30 is more strict and short-term version of that. The focus is to eat mindfully and consume things that are more healthful than harmful. It is also designed to help you observe which foods may be problematic for you. During the 30-day dietary reset, you eliminate added sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, and dairy.

After reading about the Whole30, I thought it would be a good challenge to get out of my rut, back in the kitchen, on the path to making better health choices. Ryan decided to join me and I’m so glad he did!

We began on August 3. The first week was a little rough since you’re detoxing in a way and may feel tired, moody, hungry, or have headaches. Days 3 & 4 were the hardest for us, Ryan said he felt very foggy and I was irritable and had a pounding headache. But once we were over the hump it was smooth sailing! Well… except for remaining conscious of our grocery budget and staying culinarily creative.

But we both survived and are feeling great!

During the Whole30 you aren’t suppose to focus on weight-loss but is instead look at it as a jump-start for your optimal health journey. However we did a weigh-in before we started out of curiosity. Happy to say I’m down 7 lbs and Ryan is down 13.5 lbs. Besides weight loss, I bid bloated and sluggish feelings farewell, learned that broccoli and I are not friends, and noticed that the skin on my upper arms are much smoother (I have mild keratosis pilaris).

The Whole30 isn’t something that is meant to be maintained longer than a month so we plan to take what we’ve learned and continue to fuel our bodies with nutritious food while also enjoying treats from time to time. Our goal is to eat in more relaxed manner than the Whole30 but still maintain a healthier lifestyle.

To do this we’ll use the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time we’ll follow the guidelines we decide on (that might end up being Paleo or simply upping our vegetable, fruit, and protein intake, while still allowing a little room for nutrient-rich legumes, whole grains, and dairy — moderation is key). Then for 20% of the time we’ll loosen it up and eat what we’d like. Striking a balance between eating for energy and eating for joy is what we’re aiming for!

I did a lot of research before we started and while the Whole30 might not be for everyone (you can read some pro/con articles here, here, here, here, and here) we found it to beneficial since it got us back on track. Only you can decide what’s best for you! Nothing is one size fits all.

Below are a few recipes we enjoyed this month as well as some helpful resources.

For a detailed account of what I ate every day, check out my Whole30 posts on Instagram.

Recipes:

Homemade Ghee (in the crockpot!)
“Baked” Cinnamon Apples
Sweet Potato, Apple, Pancetta Hash (we modified this over time and ended up with our own version: sweet potatoes and pork sausage with an over-easy egg on top – yum)
Crockpot Turkey Chili (swap out the vegetable oil for olive oil, the tomato soup for pureed tomatoes – add water if not “soupy” enough, and the beans for root vegetables like carrots, turnips, parsnips, sweet potatoes, etc)

Resources:

Paleo or Whole30: Which is better? – Stupid Easy Paleo
The 12 Major Things I Learned on Whole30 – Sisterhood of the shrinking jeans
Read Your Labels Carefully with These 6 Whole30 Ingredients – Whole30.com
9 Tips for Surviving Your First Whole30 – Chaarg
What to Expect When You’re Whole30-ing! – Lovely At Your Side
Whole30 Seasonal Guide (fresh produce on a budget) – Whole30.com
The Round-Up: 30+ Days of Whole30 Recipes! – NomNomPaleo
A great Whole30 Pinterest Board

Products:

We didn’t about before the Whole30 but now love…

Trader Joe’s Salted Almond Butter
Applegate Farms Uncured Hot Dogs (100% organic grass-fed beef)
Applegate Farms Chicken Apple Sausages
Wellshire Sugar-Free Dry-Rubbed Uncured All Natural Bacon (found at Whole Foods)

Have you ever done a Whole30? Thinking about trying it? Would love to hear from you!

Wishing you all good health and happiness!

weekend review

My mom & grandma came up for a visit!

We went thrift shopping, swam in the pool, checked out Excelsior and Lake Minnetonka, played Wizard (a super fun card game), watched a few episodes of Keeping Up Appearances (a British sitcom on Netflix), and just relaxed.

It’s always fun when family comes to town!

Hope you all had a good weekend too!

Our New Digs

On August 1 we moved into our new apartment in Bloomington and so far we’re really enjoying it!

The complex is within a 15 minute drive of my work, near the stores and places we like to go, and was recently updated. It has a pretty epic workout center (including a big gym, half-court basketball, indoor and outdoor pool), attractive grounds and walking trails, and is dog-friendly. Yes, Ryan’s counting down the days until we can get a pup!

Our little one-bedroom is cozy, with lots of storage, a deck, new carpet, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and underground parking which will be nice in the winter.

Ready for a tour?

Here’s the kitchen and storage closet:

The bedroom and bathroom:

The dining room which leads into the living room:

The living room:

Even the plants like it!

It’s a bit smaller than our old place but we’re still pleased and look forward to utilizing all the amenities the complex has to offer and exploring the neighborhood soon!

weekend review

Mr.C & I spent this weekend with our friends Sarah & Brandon from Indiana. It had been 2 years since we last saw them and this was their first visit to the Twin Cities so we wanted to make it memorable!

Friday we cooked dinner, wandered around the Mall of America, ate delicious gelato, and then played games the rest of the evening… well, that is until a tornado warning chased us into the bathroom!

Saturday we made breakfast and set off to see the cities. First stop was Minneapolis and of course we popped over to the famous spoon and cherry.

Next stop was St. Paul and the Festa Italiana at Harriet Island.

It was quite warm that day so after our exploring we headed back home for a nap before dinner at the always delicious Mozza Mia. And after that? More card games of course! We’re fiends!

Sunday the boys had an appointment at Twilight Tattoo to finally get a little friendship ink. They’d been talking about it for ages! As big kids (and nerds for life), they opted for matching Ninja Turtle tattoos. Ryan got Michelangelo/Mikey and Brandon got Donatello. Ink by Bradley Trotter.

When they were finished, we dropped by Glam Doll Donuts for a little sugar before cooling off at Minnehaha Falls.

Next stop – dinner at The Nook! Everyone was jonesin’ for a Juicy Lucy and we were not disappointed. We also fell in love with their sweet potato fries and honey-bacon cheese curds.

Monday greeted us far too soon and we had to send our friends on their way home. So glad they were able to visit though! We had an absolutely wonderful time.

Hope you all had a good weekend too!

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I headed down to Okoboji, IA, with our friends Nicole & Brian. Brian’s parents have a lovely lake house where we were able to stay to enjoy a few days of fun and sun.

We went last year too and were so happy to be invited back since we always have such a good time.

This weekend we grilled out, took a boat ride, played bags, went swimming, grabbed brunch at Prairie Chick, napped, swam some more, became obsessed with a new card game (Wizard), double dated at the drive-in (Minions was playing), and stopped at Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store on the way back home.

Hope you all had a good weekend too and were able to enjoy the beautiful weather.

I definitely did (although I could’ve done without my wicked sunburn souvenir)!

Gotta love summer!

weekend review

Hellllooo July!! Man, this month is already flying by… and we’re only a week in!

So far we’ve started packing (we move to our new apt. at the end of the month), bought a 2^nd car (a silver 2012 Honda Accord), celebrated my 26^th birthday, and traveled back to our hometown in IL for a quick visit. With time off work for the 4^th of July holiday, we made the drive to see family, friends, and fireworks. It was a great time!

Wednesday night we got into town and stayed up really late catching up with Ryan’s family.

Thursday was my birthday so we went out to a delicious lunch at Krumpets with my family, toured my mom’s gorgeous garden, and then had dinner Sievert’s to celebrate with Ryan’s family.

Friday my college roommate, Katie, drove up to have brunch with us (breakfast pizza from Land of Oz – guilty pleasure, totally worth it!). I last saw her two years ago so it was great to catch up in person (although with technology we’re able to keep in touch and chat often).

Friday afternoon we saw Peter Pan at Timber Lake Playhouse. The playhouse is where I spent many summers working the box office, where Ryan proposed to me on stage, and where we later tied the knot! Obviously TLP holds a special place in our hearts, so it’s always great to come back and attend an amazing show at the theater. Peter Pan is one of my favorite musicals and the cast and crew at TLP did not disappoint! Friday evening we played board and card games with my best gal Elecia and her boyfriend who was visiting from Washington.

Saturday we slept in (finally!) and then headed over to my grandma’s for a few rounds of euchre. Later we grabbed ice cream from Dairy Queen to munch on while watching the 4^th of July parade which, in a tiny town, typically consists of ambulances and firetrucks from the surrounding area and a few small floats. Saturday night friends and family gathered in my mom’s backyard to watch the fireworks display, witness the only traffic jam of the year, and enjoy a bonfire with a side of s’mores.

Sunday was our last day in town, so we grabbed a quick breakfast at the café downtown before making the rounds to say “see ya later”.  As always, it’s so nice to see everyone back in IL. Thankfully some of them will be coming up to visit us this fall so we won’t have to miss them too much!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend too. xx

Let’s catch up!

Can’t believe it’s been exactly a month since my last blog post! After drawing the curtain on our student debt pay-off series and sharing the final steps of my food sensitivities journey, it seemed like the right moment to take some time off.

But, I’m back now and ready to play a little catch up!

Work:

The summer hiring rush is on and our recruiting firm has gotten a lot of new clients who are eager to fill their job openings. We recently added a new candidate sourcing specialist to our team and I’ve been helping to train him. We also launched our new website and it was very well-received! As the designer, I can’t help but be proud of the outcome. 

You may remember that Ryan switched positions about four months ago. Well, he is still enjoying his new duties, coworkers, and being on first-shift. His company is growing rapidly which is exciting but it’s also proving quite stressful as current employees are trying to fill in the gaps left by the expansion and restructuring of staff. Hopefully they will get things balanced out soon!

Life:

As the deadline to find a new apartment loomed we were feeling very panicked but I’m happy to share that we finally secured our next home! It’s really tricky to find a one-bedroom right now and on a whim we stopped by a community who happened to have one available. We were the first to see it that afternoon and they had 11 other showing appointments after us! With that news, we immediately completed the applications and put down a deposit.

Our new place is in Bloomington and has an epic workout center (including a big gym, half-court basketball, indoor and outdoor pool), pretty grounds and walking trails, and is dog-friendly. The complex was recently updated so we’ll have new carpet, paint, and appliances. We move August 1 and are looking forward to it! Since we’ll be living too far away for me to walk to work, we’re car shopping. No luck yet but we’ll definitely be adding another vehicle in July.

Fun:

out ‘n about with our friends, Austin & Jessica 

We drove down to Nebraska to help Ryan’s brother and his family move into their new house. It was a lot of work getting them settled and unpacked but it had been awhile since we’d seen them last so it was nice to be able to visit and fun to play with our 3-year-old niece.

Other than that, our weekends have been pretty chill lately – we’ve been hanging out with friends, enjoying the sunny weather, and catching up on some of our Netflix favorites.

I was also recently introduced to Zumba and am now hooked! I attend classes twice a week and love it. It’s the first time I’ve ever been excited to routinely workout. Zumba is a dance fitness program that is easy to follow and high-energy. We groove out to hip-hop, latin, and international beats while getting in shape. To be honest, it’s basically a party. The class I attend is taught by three-generations of Zumba instructors (daughter, mother, grandmother) and it’s such a fun and uplifting workout session / dance party. If you’re in the Twin Cities and want to give it a try, check out Zumba with Nessa, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8 – 9:15 pm, in Burnsville at Youngman’s American Martial Arts. No membership needed – just pay $6/cash at the door.

So, that’s what we’ve been up to lately! July is gearing up to be very busy and very fun. We already have a trip to Illinois planned as well as a weekend lake getaway and visit from friends on deck! Not to mention we’ll also be packing and moving soon. Phew!

Hope you all are doing wonderfully and summer’s treating you well!

weekend review

One of my dear pals, Elecia, came up to visit us from IL this past week.

(You’ll remember her as my best friend since kindergarten, maid of honor, and New Orleans travel buddy.)

“E” had a work conference to attend in Minnesota and came up the weekend before to hangout.

During her visit we…

…visited the spoonbridge and cherry, played at the sculpture garden (and saw someone propose), wandered downtown, lunched at the Midtown Global Market, went thrift-shopping, stopped by Ikea and the MOA, watched the monkeys at the Como Zoo, soaked up the warmth at the botanical gardens, ate dinner at Mozza Mia and the Crooked Pint Ale House, played many games (500 Rummy, Presidents & Assholes, Ticket to Ride, and Settlers of Catan), and spent a late night out partying at The Pourhouse and The Shout House.

I’m so glad Elecia was able to take the extra time to stay with us because we always have such fun together. Can’t wait ‘til our next adventure!

$ Let’s Talk Money – The Finale

It’s been exactly 4 years since both Ryan and I graduated from college and to celebrate this milestone we have a happy announcement to make…

… our student loans are officially paid in full!

That’s right! The balance due no longer reads $43,000; a big beautiful zero lives there now.

We’re pretty proud of what we have accomplished and look forward to attacking the last bit of debt we have – an $11K car loan.

Hopefully our journey (which you can look back at here) can help and inspire those of you still in the debt-payoff trenches.

One final tip: if you can afford to be aggressive about eliminating debt – do it!

The majority of our loans were at 6.8% interest. By paying off the loans in 4 years we ended up paying “just” $6,300 in interest. Compare that to taking 10 years and we would have had to pay $16,700 instead (gross!). Destroy whatever interest you have already accumulated so you can decrease the principal ASAP – that’s key!

We ultimately found success by trimming our expenses, sticking to a budget, building up an emergency savings stash and not touching it, living off one income while using the other to pay down debt, and finding free or inexpensive ways to have fun (so we didn’t go crazy during this payoff process).

However, there are many ways to tackle debt and as long as what you’re doing is working, that’s all that matters. Stay strong, stay committed, and keep up the hard work, guys!

The light at the end of the tunnel is real and it is glorious.

currently

reading | just started The Chocolate Money, recently finished The Russian Concubine

listening | Something Big – Shawn Mendes, Upside – Allen Stone, Déjà vu – Giorgio Moroder, and New Rush – Gin Wigmore

watching | the finale episodes of Mad Men and the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (on Netflix) – the first episode was absolute shite but the others got us laughing!

eating | thai chili, avocado toast (the red pepper flakes on top are a must!), and fetimans mandarin and seville orange jigger

drinking | on a definite smoothie kick right now! the combo of orange + mango + kiwi has been my favorite this week.

playing | wayyy too much candy crush. guys, it’s so addicted…

working | on migrating our company website to a new host provider. hoping this’ll be the last setback we have so we can finally launch!

organizing | my beauty products (using this idea) and our apartment search spreadsheet (we’ve got one more complex to visit & then have to wait patiently until June 1 to find out about any August openings at our favorites)

wishing | for the money fairy to appear with some funds that are solely ear-marked for fun – would love to ride roller-coasters this summer, get some new ink (got my next tat all picked out), or hit up a Broadway show downtown

enjoying | the lovely sunshine, green grass, and signs that spring will be in full bloom soon!

 So that’s me…what’s current with you guys?

currently

enjoying | taking long walks after work with Ryan, exploring new trails by our house, and the occasional weight lifting sesh – we’re working to maintain a healthier lifestyle and to shed some weight we put on this winter while hibernating

eating | homemade pizza, fresh red bell peppers, pineapple salsa, banana bread, and this phenomenal chicken taco crockpot dish

drinking | tea! this new convert is totally diggin’ the following – ginger, peppermint, red raspberry, and raspberry peach tulsi.

reading | teen fiction that can be quickly consumed – haven’t had the brain power for much else lately. currently on book two of The 5th Wave trilogy.

watching | Peaky Blinders on Netflix

listening | “Crystals” – Of Monsters and Men, “Lean On” – Major Lazer & DJ Snake, “Sons and Daughters” – The Decemberists, “Bulletproof Heart” – My Chemical Romance, “Muevelo” – Sofia Reyes, and “Electric Love” – BORNS

working | hard to finish up the design for my company’s new website. hope to have it live in a few weeks.

planning | to pay off our student loans by next month, pay off our car loan by December, buy another used car, find a new apartment, and work on saving some funds for a 2016 vacation – phew! lots to do.

annoyed | by the pesky ants that have taken up residence in our dishwasher. gross…and arggh! it’s definitely spring, folks.

loving | catching up with old friends on a more regular basis

looking | ahead to May when we take a trip to see family and one of my best girlfriends visits from Illinois – we’ve got lots of fun planned!

trying | to incorporate meditation into my life by doing 10 minutes a day – a neat app called Headspace has been really helpful.

obsessed | with minimalism, being more intentional, and simplifying every corner of my life – inspired about what the rest of 2015 will look now

So that’s me…what’s current with you guys?

weekend review x2

last weekend…

… had friends over to try out a new board game – Pandemic. It’s a cooperative game where all players must work together to rid the worldoffour diseases. The game’s exciting but also absolutely maddening. I get so frustrated when we play because it’s so tough to win! It seems like every time we get close to a cure, a massive outbreak occurs causing us to lose. Let’s just say it definitely tests my patience and sportsmanship!

… went on an impromptu date to see Insurgent followed by dinner at one of our favorite pizzerias – Costco. Ha! But for real, I freakin’ love their pizza.

…. co-hosted the Minnesota Bloggers’ 3rd Annual Favorite Things Party with Lo. We had a really good turn out; with a little over 20 people and lots of new faces. Fun was had by all and it was great to meet more MN bloggers. I brought Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Honey Mints as my favorite thing and I came home with two other chocolates to try and a darling magnetic succulent that now lives on our fridge.

this weekend…

… finished my stack of library books and need to go back for more. I’ve been trying to read more, watch less. Haven’t read any I’d recommend yet but it’s nice to be working on decreasing my screen time.

… went out to dinner with Ryan’s cousin, uncle, and his uncle’s girlfriend at Burch Steak and Pizza Bar. The reviews we read spoke very highly of their steaks but the pescatarians in our group found many dishes to eat and rave about too. I squealed when I saw they had a few dumpling options on the menu (spaetzle, piergois, kinkhali, etc.) and ended up devouring schupfnudel (like gnocchi but thinly rolled) with a rich, creamy gorgonzola cheese and walnut sauce. The dish was so similar to one I fell in love with in Italy that I felt transported back to Florence every time I took a bite. They also had cheese dumplings with lamb stroganoff which sounded divine – would love to try those next time.

… spent an afternoon wandering around the Como Zoo and Conservatory. The polar bear was extremely active and a lot of fun to watch!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend too!

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

…went bowling and played euchre with friends

…soaked up the sun and nice weather

….spent an afternoon apart: Ryan played video games with his brother who lives on East Coast (technology’s great isn’t it?!) and I went with Jen to check out the exhibit and omnitheater film about Space at the Science Museum of Minnesota

…ran errands and relaxed with our latest Netflix obsession, Wentworth (think Orange Is the New Black…but a little darker + Australian!)

Hope you all had a great weekend too!

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

…enjoyed the warm weather

…celebrated the engagement of our friends (Congratulations, Nicole + Brian!)

…laughed ourselves silly at the Brave New Workshop (50 Shades of Gravy)

…hosted game night for the gang at our place

…made fondue + finished House of Cards (Season 3)

…cleaned + organized Ryan’s old childhood toys

Hope you all had an enjoyable weekend as well!

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C’s mom came to visit. We had a fun time hanging out, shopping, playing card games, going to the movies (“Kingsman” was quite good!), and eating our way through the menu at Mozza Mia.

On Saturday, Ryan enjoyed some mother-son time while I went wedding dress shopping with my friend, J.

Three stops and some delicious Rusty Taco tacos later, J found what she was looking for. Girlfriend’s gonna make one pretty bride!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend too!

Fast February

This month has definitely flown by! But, it’s actually been a pretty quiet one.

We’ve just been settling into our new routine with Ryan working first shift – lots of family dinners followed by a quick game or two of cards or Ticket to Ride. Plus, we’ve been able to hangout with friends more now that our Friday nights are available.  We’ve been apartment hunting too although we wouldn’t move until August. We’re hoping to find a place in Bloomington or somewhere more central to shorten Ryan’s commute.

I’ve finally been tackling some home and computer organization projects. Feels nice to check things off the list! I also had a girl date with my pal, Nicole, at Paint Nite (a social, booze-filled, two-hour art class where an artist leads the group through the process of painting a specific picture) which was really fun. Ryan and I ended up celebrating Valentine’s Day twice – once with an impromptu romantic dinner at home (sparkling juice on ice anyone?) and later at Outback Steakhouse (our favorite).

On the books for next week: wedding dress shopping with my friend, J, for her ceremony this fall and celebrating Ryan’s birthday – he turns 26!! This year he’d like a puppy… but sadly that’s out of the question with our current living situation, so he’ll have to settle for kisses from our friends’ furry creatures for now.

Hope you all have a great rest of the month. Can’t believe March is right around the corner!

$ Let’s Talk Money – Part 8: Food for Thought & an Update

click here to catch up on the rest of the series

Around The Web: Below are a few articles I’ve read lately. Just some financial food for thought! Pay Student Loans or Save for Retirement? via Kitty & Kevin 3 Financial Factors You Must Consider When Buying a Car via Young Adult Money Do You Have a Needs Only Budget? via mvelopes Create a “Needs Only” Budget So You’re Prepared For the Worst via lifehacker Inventory Your Belongings via Kitty & Kevin Why Credit Scores Don’t Matter to Us via A Prioritized Marriage Study: Renting Is Hot, But Affordability Concerns Loom via Apartment Guide Blog

Status Update: Below is where we stand on our debt payoff journey. On the way…one penny at a time! Student Loan: $6,043.96 Car Loan: $11,450.00

Living LEAP: Phase 6 Continued

Don’t know what LEAP/MRT is? Missed the start of this series? Click here to catch up.

As I mentioned in my last update, I have moved into the final stage in my MRT/LEAP journey known was Phase 6. Phase 6 is basically where you’re on your own. You’ve learned how to eat and what to eat and now you just live your life!

You can start to test out your highly reactive foods (red) and see how you respond to them.

All my results are posted here – but as a refresher:

My highly reactive foods and additives (red) are crab, lecithin, lemon, salmon, sesame, and spinach.

My moderately reactive foods and additives (yellow) are beet, cabbage, cashew, cheddar, codfish, coffee, dill, egg, red #40, garbanzo, green pea, maple, oat, pear, pinto bean, rice, salicylic acid, sodium metabisulfate, spelt, and strawberry.

So far I’ve tested lecithin, lemon, egg, and dill. All left me feeling under the weather. And, although they’re actually on my green (safe) list, mushrooms really bug me too (we assume because of an underlying mold allergy). Pineapple isn’t listed there either, but I get a bad stomach ache if I over eat it. I haven’t tested typical Bartlett pears yet but have tried Asian pears a few times and seem to tolerate those just fine. I’ve also successfully tested parsnips, chia seeds,  flax seeds/meal, and green and tulsi teas.

It’s just important to remember to that it’s all about variety and making sure to keep your diet diverse. If you do this, and make sure not to eat the same things day after day, you are more likely to not over-consume certain foods/food families to the point where you could possibly lose a tolerance for them or even develop a new sensitivity.

What I’ve been eating lately:

Sweet Potato Havarti Soup
Apple Spice Pork Chops
Parsnip Fries
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili 
Turkey Mozzarella Meatballs
Bacon Asparagus Soup
Lovebean Fudge
Chocolate Coconut Fluff
Bacon Green Bean Bundles with Brown Sugar Glaze
Vegan Brownies
Egg-free Potato Latkes
Corn Casserole
Chocolate-Pomegranate Bark

What I’ve been using lately:

Argan Oil – just great another oil to add to my stash since I already love using jojoba, rosehip seed, grape, castor, and coconut. Argan oil is luxurious, light, and extremely hydrating.

Primal Pit Paste Happy Pits Sensitive Stick – I’ve been using this for little over a month now and love it! Since it’s baking soda free my pits are not irritated at all. Sure, I can be a little stinky by day’s end sometimes but that’s a small price to pay for keeping away from aluminum and other chemicals. Plus, I could always reapply during the day if I thought it was a real issue. I’ve noticed if I wipe a bit of apple cider vinegar or witch hazel on my underarms after washing or showering the deodorant works even better and I hardly smell at all after 12 hours of wear. I’ve found a few other baking soda free deodorants I’d like to try but for now I’m very happy with my Primal Pit Paste.

What I’ve been reading lately:

Nourishing Picky Eaters

Do You Know What’s Really In Your Tea?

Is Your Gut Bacteria Controlling Your Appetite? – What To Do About It

8 Things My Family Learned When We Gave Up Processed Food For 100 Days

10 Skincare Mistakes

6 Reasons Cancer Rates Have Skyrocketed Since Your Grandparents’ Day That You Can’t Ignore

Natural v.s. Artificial Flavors

How I’m feeling:

Good. I’ve put on a few pounds thanks to the holidays, being lazy with meal planning, and adopting a more hermit lifestyle (hello cold weather, cozy couch, and Gilmore Girls marathon). I’ve also have been over indulging in the sweets lately too. Nomnomnom! But, nothing hopping on the elliptical, geocaching, and refocusing my eating habits can’t cure.

Wishing you all good health and happiness!

Life Lately

Hi everyone! It’s been awhile since I last posted about what we’ve been up to so I figured it was high time to play catch up.

Things are going well in the Carty household!

I’ve been slowly simplifying our belongings and organizing the place. We’ve gotten into a better routine when it comes to laundry and dishes. We recently transferred our budget over to Google spreadsheets and, since it’s now accessible to us at home, work, or on the go, it is much easier to track spending and stay on top of our goals. We’re also trying to meal plan more to keep our grocery budget under control and to set ourselves up for success health-wise. Our student loan debt is now down to $8K. Here’s hoping we can keep kicking ass and get it down to zero in May!

We’re also excited to announce that Ryan is finally on 1^st shift. For real this time, guys! Some of you may remember us sharing the same news back in July when he was promoted to Operations Supervisor. Unfortunately the job requirements changed shortly after Ryan moved into that role and the day shift option was taken off the table. So for the past 6 months, we’ve felt pretty grumpy and discouraged. He’s worked 2^nd shift (12 pm – 8 pm or later) since we got married and moved to Minnesota three years ago.  It gets old. We’ve been so ready to carpool, have family dinner, attend trivia night, go out on a Friday, and actually talk to each other in person during the week.

Thankfully, after many candid conversations with his managers and some shifts due to company growth, Ryan was able to step down from his supervisor position, move to 1^st shift, and become the company’s new Returns Administrator. Monday was his first day working 8 am – 4:30 pm and so far, it’s as great as we hoped. Ryan’s re-energized about the company and his career and we’re both thrilled to start spending more time together.

Ryan said I better brag about myself a bit so I guess I will. I’m doing well at work too and have gotten some nice praise lately in addition to making a few placement bonuses. I’ve been helping management prepare for a conference presentation coming up in May. I’m also heading up our new website redesign project and creating it myself using WordPress. It’s a large undertaking but the end result will be so worth it (and is long overdue!).

In addition to being busy at work and getting our homelife in order, we’ve been making time to have fun as well.

We hosted game night and went to the movies. I met up with some of my blogger pals to celebrate a friend’s birthday. We also attended Ryan’s holiday party which was a blast.

His company hosts a grand get together every January to show their appreciation. This year it was held at The Depot Renaissance Hotel downtown Minneapolis and was Great Gastby themed. Hundreds of employees and their guests attended! They had delicious food, a photo booth, hoppin’ dance floor, and a bunch of casino games for entertainment.

It was a great night and a nice way for us to celebrate Ryan’s new role and the beginning of a new chapter for us.

So, that’s what’s been going on around here. Hope you all are doing well!

Cheers to a fantastic February!

My Travel Essentials

Over the last four months I’ve traveled a lot! I spent four weeks trekking around Europe with my mom, a weekend away celebrating a friend’s wedding, and then back-to-back trips home for holidays. After being on-the-go so often, I think I’ve finally honed my list of travel “must-haves”.

I know many of you are getting away this winter (lucky!) and escaping to warmer climates, so I thought I’d share some of the items I’ve come to rely on.

Peppermint oil – I buy mine from Veriditas Botanicals at my local co-op and carry two different versions. One, a diluted version, is in a roller bottle for easy application to the forehead for headaches, chest for congestion, or the stomach for GI discomfort. I dilute 10 drops of peppermint oil with jojoba oil (my choice of carrier oil) since peppermint can irritate the skin when used alone. Then I carry a small bottle or vial of pure, undiluted peppermint oil. Place a drop on the back of your hand and lick to combat heartburn, over-eating, nausea, and sinus congestion. The method also works to freshen your breath!

Gin Gins Hard Candy – I cannot rave about this product enough. I’m obsessed. These candies have gotten me through winding road trips, bad dinners, boat rides, and bumpy flights. I have them littered throughout my kitchen, purse, car, work desk… you name it, there’s probably one hiding there. Gingery miracles, I tell ya!

Evian Mineral Water Spray – A little expensive but this luxury item is worth it on hot days for a quick cool off or to freshen up after a long flight or car ride. It definitely came in handy during warm hikes and rushed train transfers in Italy. If you’re looking to splurge, this mister is very refreshing, has a soft spray, and comes packaged in travel size.

Refresh Classic Eye Drops – I seem to only be able to find these on Amazon.com, but they are by far my favorite eye drops. I love that they come in individual vials; perfect for travel or to leave a few at work or in the car. I can even use them while wearing my contact lenses. They are always sterile, never sting, and don’t leave dried flakes on your eyelashes or cheeks.

Belkin Travel Charger – Between my phone, iPod, kindle, and camera, I need room to charge everything at the end of the day. This compact surge protector rotates 360-degrees, has 3 outlets, and 2 USB ports. Charge all your gadgets in the same place and never worry about fighting over hotel or airport outlets again.

eBags Packing Cubes – These are fantastic. Great for saving space, organizing clothes, and corralling cords or other small items. You can pack a lot in them! I could fit about six regular rolled-up t-shirts in each bag (more if the clothing item was thin or I really stuffed it). Strong zippers. This youtube video shows you how to make the most of your packing cubes.

Eating Utensil Set – This came in handy on my trip to Europe. I used the ring to attach the silverware to my backpack, pants loop, camera bag, etc. Easy to clean! When I’m not traveling the set lives in my car. Perfect for picnics, farmer’s market finds, or meals on the go.

Ear Plugs –  I cannot stand noise when I’m trying to sleep so these really save me. They are comfortable, inexpensive, effective, and are good for multiple uses if you make an effort to keep them somewhat clean. Say good bye to the disruptive sounds of a chatty seat mate, snoring partner, noisy neighbor, or nearby traffic.

Thermarest Compressible Pillow – Soft, highly compressible pillow that’s perfect for airplane travel, camping, backpacking, or snoozing in the car. I even use it when we stay in hotels or at my in-laws. What can I say, I love an extra pillow! This one rolls up tight but fluffs up well – all while providing comfortable yet solid support.

Pacsafe Day Pack – I bought this for peace of mind while traveling through crowds in Europe but came to love it for many other reasons. Sure, it has great anti-theft features, like zipper closures, slash proof straps, and hidden steel mesh lining. But it’s also water proof and has padded shoulder straps, a laptop sleeve pocket, extra pockets inside for your passport, snacks, sunscreen, or reading material, and two side pockets that are perfect for water bottles or an umbrella. It’s small and lightweight but carries more than you think. And one of the shoulder straps detaches so you can wrap it around a table leg at a restaurant, allowing you enjoy your meal without worrying someone is going to steal your pack. I use the day pack instead of a purse when flying or traveling,  I’m out geocaching, and every day when I walk to work.

Tortuga Travel Back Pack –  I was tired of my roller luggage and clunky bags. They were awkward; always ripping and breaking – not to mention the nightmare of maneuvering them when the terrain is not airport-floor smooth. Thankfully I stumbled on the Tortuga bag and I’ll never go back. I love it! It’s so nice to only have to worry about one bag  and not have to hassle with dragging a wheeled one on cobblestones streets or lifting it up the steps of the train. It could have fit a smidgen better but I am a 5’2” woman with a short torso. The padded hip belt was great and the small pockets there were so useful; nice for quick access to plan tickets or extra change. The laptop sleeve (accessible from top) was my favorite! Perfect for laptop, folders, or a folded jacket – it packed down flat and was quick to reach without opening up the entire bag. I was able to fit everything I needed into the bag and then some. My only complaints would be that the chest strap should be a little longer and should have a bit of padding to make it more comfortable. Other than that, I adore my Tortuga and plan to use it for many years to come!

Other must haves… music (never go anywhere without good tunes!), snacks (jerky, larabar, honey), and chapstick.

These are just a few of my favorites! What have I missed?

What are some of your travel essentials?

2014 in Review

It’s unbelievable how much can happen in just 365 days! If you’d like – take a trip down memory lane with our recaps from 2011, 2012, and 2013 or keep reading for our review of 2014.

This year…

• We both turned 25 years old and went away for a birthday bash weekend with our friends who also reached the same milestone.
• We celebrated 11 years together + our 3rd wedding anniversary.
• We resigned our apartment lease. EP is a nice place for us to be right now. Our residence is quiet, close enough to our favorite places and people, and just a 15 minute walk from my work (which is perfect since we share a car).
• We both continued to kick butt at work (humble aren’t we?). Mr.C moved up and became the Operations Supervisor at the company he’s been with for the last 3 1/2 years.  I celebrated my 2 year work anniversary and continued to grow the company’s recruiting efforts via email campaigns.
• We brought our student loan debt down to ≈ $10K.
• We were able to be a part of big days in our friends and families’ lives; notably Mr.C’s sister’s graduation and two friends’ weddings (Moose and Felicia).
• We also enjoyed our families coming to visit, a last-minute weekend getaway, going to the Minnesota State Fair to see my favorite band, hanging out with friends and supporting local theater, watching far too many movies, and geocaching (we found 10 caches in one day – our best record yet!).
• I discovered I’d been suffering from food/chemical sensitivities and started on a journey to heal my gut and get my life back on track.
• I continued to do fun things with my MN Bloggers group like participating in a fitness class put on by Fairlife Milk, changing up my hairdo after welcoming a new salon to the area, and attending a summer meet-up in Stillwater & the annual favorite things party.
• I left Mr.C to hold down the fort while I explored Europe with my mama to celebrate her retirement from teaching. We visited Rome, Pompeii, Florence (Part I / Part II), Paris, Versailles, London (Part I / Part II), Bath, and Oxford (Part I / Part II).

 It’s been quite the year! Can’t wait to see what 2015 will bring! 

Living LEAP: Phase 6

Don’t know what LEAP/MRT is? Missed the start of this series? Click here to catch up!

Since my last recap a few months ago, I wrapped up Phase 5 and moved on to Phase 6.

Phase 6 is basically where you’re on your own. You’ve learned how to eat and what to eat and now you just live your life!

In Phase 6, you test out your highly reactive foods (red) and see how you respond to them.

All my results are posted here – but as a refresher:

My highly reactive foods and additives (red) are crab, lecithin, lemon, salmon, sesame, and spinach.

My moderately reactive foods and additives (yellow) are beet, cabbage, cashew, cheddar, codfish, coffee, dill, egg, red #40, garbanzo, green pea, maple, oat, pear, pinto bean, rice, salicylic acid, sodium metabisulfate, spelt, and strawberry.

In addition, you gradually introduce foods into your diet that the MRT did not test in order to determine your tolerance level.

For example, the blood panel didn’t test kiwis, brussels sprouts, kale, or dates. I miss kale chips and roasted brussels sprouts and can’t wait to add them back (if I can – I haven’t tried yet). I have happily added back kiwis and dates. Dates are especially great since they are a nice, filling snack and now I can utilize Larabars when I’m on-the-go.

You also begin a rotation diet in Phase 6. The rotation helps you not over-consume certain foods/food families to the point where you could possibly lose a tolerance for them or even develop a new sensitivity.

An easy way to do this is to rotate food families every three days. For instance, chickens and eggs are both in the pheasant family, so you might eat eggs and chicken on Monday but then you would wait until Thursday to have them again. You wouldn’t want to eat eggs on Monday, chicken on Tuesday, and eggs again on Wednesday because your body isn’t getting a break from the pheasant family. It’s all about variety and making sure to keep your diet diverse.

What I’ve been eating lately: 

Enjoy Life Food’s Chocolate Chips / Chunks / they’re dairy-free, nut-free, and soy-free.  Easily found at most health food stores, co-ops, or on Amazon.

Elderberry Syrup (Amazon / Etsy / DIY) / this simple immune system-boosting syrup is great for warding off the cold or flu or speeding up recovery if you’ve already caught something.

Theo’s Gingerbread Spice / I’m a huge dark chocolate fan but Theo’s special holiday chocolate bar is my latest obsession. I may have to stock up to tide me over until next Christmas!

Trader Joe’s Salsa Autentica / few ingredients, but full of flavor – goes perfectly with blue corn chips!

What I’ve been using lately: 

Bumble & Co’s Shampoo & Conditioner / still loving this! The smell is heavenly but it’s a little expensive so I keep it as a treat.

Acure Organic’s Pure Mint + Echinacea Stem Cell Shampoo & Conditioner / my new go-to! The price is right and the mint is invigorating.

Fat and the Moon’s Lip & Cheek Stain / When I first started LEAP, I was kind of bummed when I had to toss all my lipsticks and stains because they were chemical-laden and chock full of red dyes. I missed being able to perk up my look with a bright pop of color. So, although beets are on my moderately reactive list and Fat and the Moon’s product contains beet root, I am pleased to have found an alternative to my old beauty products. Due to the beets, I use this sparingly but love it!

Primal Pit Paste Happy Pits Sensitive Stick / after ditching traditional antiperspirant, I trialled many natural deodorant options. Tom’s of Maine, Fat and the Moon, Crystal… you name it. Nothing was working and I was sick of stinking or having a rash (which I later figured out was from the baking soda) so I went back to my trusty, albeit aluminum-filled Secret. But, I’m ready to get back on track so my next experiment will be with Primal Pit’s new deo for sensitive skin since it’s baking soda free. Wish me luck!

What I’ve been reading lately:

Secrets from a Baker: How to Make Any Recipe “Real Food Approved”

Why Prebiotics Are Just As Important As Probiotics For Gut Health

Tired Of Nutrition Nonsense? 7 Food Rules Anyone Can Live By

The Problem With Pads and Tampons (and Natural Alternatives)

Good Food on a Tight Budget

EWG’s Healthy Home Tips: Use greener cleaners and avoid pesticides

How I’m Feeling: 

When I started my LEAP journey last February, I had no idea how much it would change my life but I had high hopes. I’m so pleased with the outcome. It took dedication and a lot of hard work but it was so worth it. In the end, treating your body right and providing for it properly is a process. It’s not a diet or a phase; it’s a lifestyle change. It is something you’ll always be working on.

Sure, it’s a roller-coaster and, yes, you fall off the wagon every once in a while. But, you get back up because you’ve realized that you only have one body, one life, and no one can take care of it but you. It’s a big responsibility but you can do it! And when you need a little help, there’s a whole supportive community out there waiting with open arms. I’ve met many new people on my LEAP journey, found wonderful blogs to follow, and fantastic businesses to support. There’s a whole movement of individuals who are in the pursuit of health and wellness in a simple, all natural way. It’s incredible and inspiring!

I get asked many questions about my recent life change and about how MRT / LEAP works. However, after I’ve explained everything, the next thing I usually hear is, “So, you can never eat those foods again?!” and “There’s no way I could ever do that! If I had to stop eating XYZ, I’d die.”

My response? Sure, if you take the MRT test and follow the LEAP protocol you might find some of your favorite foods are reactive for you. But then, if you are feeling bad enough to give MRT/LEAP a try, wouldn’t you be willing to do just about anything to feel better? In truth, most people who have to give up a favorite food or two (or more!) realize that after their symptoms are resolved, it’s really not worth it to go back to feeling awful just for a food.

And, just because the MRT reveals you have food sensitivities, doesn’t mean you will always have the same sensitivities. Some people with food sensitivities have found that after giving their body/immune system time to calm down (usually months), they can enjoy foods they were found sensitive to so long as they are not over-consumed. Others find that they’re always sensitive to those foods or that although the reaction has lessened it still remains a sensitivity. It all depends on the person.

Furthermore, like I mentioned earlier, there’s always the possibility that new food sensitivities can develop.

That’s why it’s so important to vary your diet as much as possible as this may help prevent new sensitivities from developing. One food sensitivity theory is that because our immune system is weakened and we continue to bombard our body with the same foods over and over, we develop sensitivities to the repeating foods/chemicals.

A diverse diet is crucial to help ensure you are receiving the variety of nutrients your body needs, which in turn helps support a healthy immune system.

So, in the end, maybe you will have to give up your favorite foods. Or, maybe you won’t. But if you feel like your body is out of balance or you’re suffering from some of symptoms listed here – I can’t help but think you owe it to yourself to take that leap, face your fears, and possibly give up that that favorite food in exchange for a healthier, happier life.

So, that’s what’s been going on over here!

Again, if you have any questions about things I’ve written about or about MRT/LEAP in general just let me know. Wishing you all good health and happiness!

$ Let’s Talk Money – Part 7: Food for Thought & an Update

click here to catch up on the rest of the series

Upon realizing it’s been exactly a year since my last update (oops!), I figured it was time for a little catch up!

As of right now, we have $10,944.54 to pay back in student loans and $11,600 on the car loan.

Over the last twelve months we’ve continued to chip away at the debt.

Sure, a few expenses popped up that set us back a little: dental surgery, passport/supplies for my trip to Europe with my mom, travel & gifts for weddings, etc.

But, for the most part we’ve been able handle whatever comes along thanks to saving / budgeting for both planned and unexpected events.

Paying off debt definitely takes time, but if you keep on it and stay committed – you’ll eventually reach the finish line!

In case you need more motivation (besides how accomplished and free you’ll feel when you see $0!), I find it helpful to follow other people’s pay-off journeys.

A few of my favorites are:

• Newlyweds on a Budget
  “We may not have a lot, but at least we have each other.”
  They paid off $45K in 45 months…and just bought a house! This blog is chock-full of great info/advice and the comment section is always ripe with insightful discussion.
• Clueless with Cash
  “Just a girl trying to break up with her debt and become a little less clueless.”
  Real talk from someone who’s riding the roller coaster that is trying to have a life while tackling student loans and credit card debt!
• Kitty & Kevin
  “Two 20-somethings struggling with mountains of student loan debt.”
  No joke – mountains! They’ve been diligently working to pay down $100K… and they only have $20K left now!
• Monica on Money
  “Saving, Budgeting, and Frugal Living.”
  Monica’s paid off her mortgage in 5 years, is paying for her Master’s degree with cash, and living frugally in Florida.

So, while it may seem impossible at times, you can get out of a difficult financial situation.

And once you’ve made it, you can start setting new goals to make sure you’re comfortable for the future!

✈ Europe | Oxford | Part II

Catch up on our grand European adventure:
Rome | Pompeii | Florence Part I | Florence Part II | Paris | Versailles | London Part I | Bath | London Part II (Harry Potter) | Oxford Part I

Day 4: We met up with some old friends of Mom’s from her college days and took a walk along the canal and through Port Meadow – where cows and horses roam. We stopped for a morning coffee at the Perch and admired a sweet little church in very small nearby town of Binsey before continuing along the canal and footpath. We lunched at The Trout with its resident peacock and headed back into town to climb up St. Mary’s tower. There we hung out with the gargoyles and took in the 360° view of Oxford before heading back down the small spiral staircase to check out the inside St. Mary’s Church. Finally, we grabbed a treat for our walk back home (a tasty little number called a “dark millionaire”).

| our little walking group heading through Port Meadow and along the canal |

| in the incredibly tiny town of Binsey and The Perch, a historic pub and restaurant |

| the small parish of Binsey – St. Margaret’s Church |

| back on the path, passed the remains of Godstow Nunnery |

| tasty lunch at The Trout – gnocchi (with beef broth, butternut squash and broccoli) and a side of peacock! |

| back in Oxford, heading up St. Mary’s tower to see the view – you have to travel up a tiny spiral staircase and squeeze through the passageway at the top – but it’s worth it! |

| … see, what’d I tell ya? |

| hangin’ with the gargoyles and grotesques |

| taking in the view – boy, we’re up high! |

| Oxford, whatta beauty! |

| we had way too much fun playing in the tower |

| back down on the ground, exploring the church below |

| inside St. Mary’s |

| St. Mary’s details – (top) beautiful wood carvings on the pews, (bottom) floor slabs, some dating back to 1645, but sadly missing their brass (most likely stolen or destroyed) |

| (bottom) the tasty “dark millionaire” dessert I mentioned, (left) Mom’s breakfast quiche, (right) delicious dumplings from a sweet street food vendor |

Day 5: Grabbed a quick breakfast and started on a walk through Iffley via the ancient high walled footpath. Saw lovely thatched roofs along the way and a very neat 12th century Norman church with fantastic carvings and ancient stone decorations. From there we crossed the Lock and strolled along the Thames, past some horses in a meadow ,and headed back into town. Mom sweet talked the gatekeepers at University College into letting us in to see the Shelley Memorial. We finished up our jaunt through town by walking through a pretty garden before heading home for dinner.

| at the beginning of the Iffley walk – the stone reads “here Ifley Hyway 1635 |

| along walk through Iffley |

| Iffley Church – The Church of St. Mary the Virgin –  built c. 1170–80 in the Norman style |

| inside the church |

| aren’t the carvings magnificent? |

| crossed the Iffley Lock to be greeted by these featured friends |

| very happy horses grazing in the sun |

| pretty gardens |

| finishing up our walk |

Day 6: Packed my bags, bid farewell to Oxford, and flew back to the States where a very happy Mr.C was waiting to welcome me home!

---

 

And with that,
my European travelogue has come to an end.

Thanks for following along!

It’s been fun to share these photos and stories with you.

I wish you all many adventures of your own –
be they across the street or across the globe!

✈ Europe | Oxford | Part I

Catch up on our grand European adventure:
Rome | Pompeii | Florence Part I | Florence Part II | Paris | Versailles | London Part I | Bath | London Part II (Harry Potter) 

The last stop on our trip was Oxford, England. My mom, who did her study abroad there during college, had some old friends in the area she wanted to visit so we spent our last week abroad wandering the English countryside, popping in to various local colleges and grounds, and exploring nearby villages.

A little history of Oxford – it was first occupied in Saxon times when Alfred the Great created a network of fortified towns across his kingdom. The settlement began with the foundations of St. Frideswide’s nunnery in the 8th century and was first mentioned in written records in the year 912. The University of Oxford was founded in the 12th century and is the oldest English-speaking university. Today, the university is made up of 38 colleges. In addition to hosting a significant student population and being an academic hub, the city’s main industries are publishing and car manufacturing.

Now, onto the fun!

Day 1: We slept in and then took it easy; enjoying a leisurely stroll through University Park where we ate fresh berries along the way and admired the fall colors. We also wandered through the downtown area and popped into the Pitt Rivers Museum where the archaeological and anthropological collections of the University of Oxford are on display.

| walking through University Park |

| beautiful afternoon stroll |

| wandering through downtown Oxford and side streets |

| Pitt Rivers Museum |

Day 2: We visited Magdalen College (pronounced “Maudlin”), walked their beautiful grounds, fed fallen chestnuts to the the deer in their park, gaped at their 213 year old tree, and then ducked inside the college to see their great hall / cafeteria.

From there we continued our tour around town before stopping at Christ Church to see their grounds, great hall, and cathedral. The cathedral was originally the church of Saint Frideswide’s Priory. The site is claimed to be the location of the abbey and the final resting place of Saint Frideswide (although this is debatable). Saint Frideswide, who I briefly mentioned at the beginning of this post, is the patron saint of Christ Church and of Oxford.

A few Harry Potter movie scenes were filmed at Christ Church – most notably the moment when Harry and the new first-years enter Hogwarts and are greeted by Professor McGonagall. This scene was shot on the 16th century staircase which leads up to the Great Hall. Christ Church’s Great Hall was replicated in the film studios to create the Great Hall in Hogwarts.

| entering Magdalen College |

| Magdalen College courtyard |

| exploring the grounds of Magdalen College |

| Magdalen College has a deer park! |

| more of Magdalen |

| look who we spotted… |

| Mom holding the chestnuts/buckeyes we fed the deer and oh look she made a new friend! |

| This tree is called “Magdalen Plane”. It is a scion of the hybrid tree planted in the botanic garden in 1666. This tree was planted in 1801, which makes it exactly 213 years old. |

| Magdalen’s hall / cafeteria |

| visiting Christ Church |

| inside the walls of Christ Church |

| the stairs leading to Christ Church’s Great Hall – they can be spotted in two Harry Potter films (the Sorcerers’s Stone and the Chamber of Secrets) |

| inside the Great Hall – which was used as a model for the Great Hall in Hogwarts |

| inside Christ Church’s beautiful cathedral |

| such neat carved details on the pews |

| stunning “Hope, Faith and Charity” stained glass window designed by Edward Burne-Jones |

| Saint Frideswide’s shrine – made in 1289, it’s the oldest monument in the cathedral |

Day 3: We hopped on a bus and took a took a little day trip out to Burford, a Cotswold village. There we walked along a few footpaths, visited their little church, lunched on the grounds, and fed the swans before bussing back to Oxford. Once there, we walked around the city to see more sites and architecture … like the shimmery Bridge of Sighs and my favorite little street of pastel houses.

| Burford village |

| walking along a footpath just outside Burford – you can see the village in the distance |

| Crossing my first stile! A stile is built along a footpath fence, wall, or hedge to prevent farm animals from moving from one enclosure to another while still allowing path users to use the route. Stiles are often steps, ladders, or very narrow gaps. |

| I may have squealed when we came across this…. just off the footpath – a World War II pillbox aka a concrete dug-in guard post. I read and watch so many things that are WWII related that it’s always exciting to see a piece of it in person. |

| Burford’s church (St. John the Baptist) |

| inside Burford’s church – the brass plate (bottom left) lay hidden under the floor for about 300 years. With its plea for a prayer for John’ s soul, it would certainly have been torn up during the Reformation of the Church of England. But, the brass was discovered in 1827 when work was being done on the building’s floor. |

| the church grounds |

| the quiet corner where we ate our sack lunch |

| wandering Burford – old almshouses/”poorhouse” (left), village streets (middle & right) |

| back in Oxford |

| walking around Oxford |

| the Bridge of Sighs |

| streets of Oxford  – Hoyle’s Games, The Bear pub, and my favorite little row of pastel houses! |

Up next… more Oxford and the last of our European adventure!

✈ Europe | London | Part II – WB Harry Potter Studio Tour

Catch up on our grand European adventure:
Rome | Pompeii | Florence Part I | Florence Part II | Paris | Versailles | London | Bath

When planning our trip to London, it was a given that we’d be visiting the Warner Bros. Studio for their Making of Harry Potter tour.

My friend Liz, who is currently in Scotland working on her master’s degree, had planned a weekend trip to London while we were in town and decided to join us.

My mom was Liz’s kindergarten teacher so we’ve known each other and been friends for ages. In a hometown as small as ours you really get to know everyone; it also helped that Liz and I were big into music and drama in high school so we spent lots of time together there and in youth group. It was really neat (and a bit trippy) to be able to connect while both overseas!

That morning, Mom and I met Liz at Watford Junction where we took a shuttle over to the studio and proceeded to geek out for hours!

The London Warner Bros. studio is where all eight of the Harry Potter movies were filmed, so all the original props, sets, costumes, etc. on display for the tour.

| the shuttle, giant chess pieces, Harry’s cupboard under the stairs, an obligatory studio shot, and the actors’ hand molds |

| the Great Hall at Hogwarts |

| costumes, set pieces, wardrobe/makeup, and props |

| Gryffindor Dormitory |

| Snape’s Potions Classroom – our favorite! Oh, Alan Rickman… |

| Dumbledore’s Office |

| entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, the Golden Snitch, and the Burrow (Ron Weasley’s house) |

| Number Four Privet Drive, Liz trying Butterbeer |

| Hogwarts Bridge and the Potters’ Cottage |

| wonderful witches, the Knight Bus, Flying Ford Anglia |

| going behind the scenes at the Creature Effects Workshop – why, hello, screaming mandrake! |

| full-scale models of Aragog, Buckbeck, and a Dementor were also on display |

| the impressive Diagon Alley set |

| The magical and impressive Hogwarts Castle model that was used to create all the exterior shots you see in the films. As you circle the model, the room’s lighting cycles from “day” to “night” – which is gorgeous! |

| playing in the gift shop |

After the studio tour we weren’t quite ready to leave Harry Potter Land, so once we returned to London we made sure to stop by King’s Cross Station to check out Platform 9 3/4.

| St Pancras railway station (next to King’s Cross) and Platform 9 3/4 |

After King’s Cross, we parted ways with Liz and Mom and I headed over to the British Museum. The museum is free to all visitors and houses a vast collection of world art and artifacts.

For dinner, we found a decent Greek restaurant and feasted on our favorite dishes: saganaki, fasolakia, and taramosalata. Yum!

On our way home, we ran across a cheap ticket booth in Leicester Square and scored last-minute, 11th row center seats to Evita!

It was quite the way to end our very fun, eventful day!

Up next… Oxford!

✈ Europe | Bath

Catch up on our grand European adventure:
Rome | Pompeii | Florence Part I | Florence Part II | Paris | Versailles | London

During our stay in London we decided to take a day trip over to Bath.

My mom visited London five years ago and took a Jack the Ripper tour with the lovely people at London Walks. She had such a great experience that we signed up for their guided tour of Bath, England.  The tour guides of London Walks are incredibly well-versed in history, great at helping you see the “big picture” of the place you’re visiting, quick to share local stories or point out things you might not otherwise notice, and of course they’re quite clever and humorous too (as you’ll gather from glancing at their website).

We met our tour group at Paddington Station and hopped on a train to Bath. There we toured the Roman Baths, Royal Crescent, and Abbey.

A little history: The city was founded in the 1st century AD when the Romans built a temple and baths in the valley and baths, using the natural hot springs as a thermal spa. However, tradition and archeological excavations suggest the hot springs were known before then and were probably enjoyed by Neolithic hunter-gatherer tribes and Celtic people. In the Middle ages, Bath became and important center for the wool industry. In the 18th century, it developed into an elegant spa city, famed for art and literature (Jane Austen was famous resident).

Want to take the tour yourself but never have to leave your couch? Click here for a short video.

| passing St. Mary’s Hospital on our way to Paddington Station |

| arriving in Bath: the Empire Hotel, Pulteney Bridge crossing the River Avon, and St. Michael’s Church |

| Pulteney Bridge – historic, with shops built into it, similar to the Ponte Vecchio in Florence |

| part of the medieval city wall |

| Georgian architecture crafted from honey-colored Bath Stone and the Royal Mineral Water Hospital – a working hospital that has searched and treated rheumatic diseases for over 200 years|

| historically popular bathing places in Bath |

| the gorgeous Bath Abbey |

| Bath Abbey: magnificent stained glass windows, fanned vault ceilings, and angels climbing Jacob’s Ladder |

| (left) The Royal Crescent, one of Bath’s most iconic landmarks, is a row of 30 terraced houses arranged in a sweeping crescent, (right) another rounded landmark, The Circus |

| entering the Roman Baths |

| inside one of the best preserved baths in the world |

| The Sacred Spring that still supplies natural hot water |

| in the Pump Room curious visitors can taste Bath’s natural warm mineral water |

After saying goodbye to Bath, we headed back to London where we wrapped up the day with a hearty dinner at the pub in our neighborhood – The George & Dragon.

Up next… Oxford!

✈ Europe | London | Part I

Catch up on our grand European adventure:
Rome | Pompeii | Florence Part I | Florence Part II | Paris | Versailles 

Day 1: We woke up early to the Eurostar (a high-speed train service that travels underwater through the Channel Tunnel aka “Chunnel”) from Paris to London. As we stood in line at the passport checkpoint before boarding, I saw a bald head in front of us that looked awfully familiar. The man was with his wife, both in chic but casual attire, and talking about sweet potatoes of all things. Mom was acting like a giddy school girl when I told her who I’d just spotted but we both managed to keep our cool (for the most part). We did about lose it when the passport officer asked his occupation and he answered, “Actor.” (dreamily, Mom says!). I mean with those lashes and that talent?! Who wouldn’t be smitten with… Stanley Tucci!!! Yep, turns out he and his wife were returning to their home in London after a day-trip to Paris. I only know this because someone else blogged about being six rows away from him the day before!

| Stanley Tucci: on his wedding day with wife Felicity Blunt, alongside Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia and The Devil Wears Prada, and as the outrageous Caesar in the Hunger Games series (images c/o Google) |

Anyway, our little celebrity-sighting was like finding a heads-up penny because it definitely started the next leg of our trip off right. We arrived in London and went straight to our lodgings at Carr Saunders Hall, a dormitory that the London School of Economics rents out to tourists when college isn’t in session. We ditched our bags quickly, got a map and directions from the front desk, and set off to our next destination… the Apollo Victoria theater.

There we spent the afternoon basking in the glory that is “Wicked The Musical”. I’ve read the book series multiple times, played the soundtrack to death, and saw it once before in Chicago – but it was Mom’s first time going and we had an amazing experience. Great seats, incredible performers, knock-out costumes – Wicked is such a treat that you definitely should go if you ever get the chance!

| Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz |

| Buckingham Palace |

| Everyone’s favorite phone booth! |

Day 2: We took a break from London and spent the day in Bath.

Day 3: Mom & I met up with my friend Liz and spent most of the day at the Warner Bros. Studio – Making of Harry Potter tour.

Day 4: We woke up, grabbed breakfast, and headed downtown to meet Liz and do some general sight-seeing. Big Ben, the London Eye, and Westminster Abbey – quintessential London! After taking in the scenery we split up; Liz walked over to St. James’ Park and Buckingham Palace while Mom & I took a tour of Westminster. We reconnected for lunch at The Laughing Halibut where we were joined by Liz’s friend, Lauren. It was a fun lunch –  traditional fish and trips, good conversation, and a little entertainment on the side (a pigeon flew into the restaurant and wildly flapped about until one of the cooks caught it bare handed and tossed it back outside!). Following lunch, we parted ways with Lauren and strolled down to Trafalgar Square, passing the Prime Minister’s house along the way. We then spent some time wandering the National Gallery, a free art museum that houses over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900s. After the museum, we bid farewell to Liz so she could pack and get some sleep before her long bus ride back to Edinburgh (where she’s working on her master’s degree – you can follow her adventures here.). Mom & I continued on to the National Portrait Gallery for a while before finally calling it a day.

| Big Ben – Palace of Westminster |

| Westminster Abbey |

| The Chapter House of Westminster Abbey and the oldest door in Britain (it’s the only surviving Anglo Saxon door in the country)|

| Palace of Westminster, The London Eye, Liz soaking up the scenery… and rain |

 | lunch at The Laughing Halibut |

| The National Gallery |

Day 5: For our last day in the city, we decided to meet up with a guide from London Walks for a tour of the Tower of London. The Tower of London is a 900-year-old fortress and castle. It has also served as a royal residence, housing for the Royal Mint and the Crown Jewels, barracks, storehouse for military paraphernalia and weapons, and notorious prison. Throughout its history, the tower imprisoned many people – from common criminals to monarchs. Famous prisoners include Lady Jane Grey (who was executed on Tower Green, an open terrain in the Tower of London, nine days after being crowned Queen), Edward and Richard (two princes, ages 12 and 9, sons of Edward IV, who are believed to have been killed by Richard III, their uncle, who took the throne for himself), and Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard (two of Henry VIII’s wives who were both imprisoned and later executed).

After touring the Tower of London, we walked along the Thames and waved to St.Paul’s Cathedral before collecting our luggage and catching a bus to the final destination on our grand European adventure, Oxford.

| The Tower of London |

| Traitor’s Gate (the water entrance where many prisoners, accused of treason, passed through), The White Tower, and one of the famous ravens (legend says that if the ravens leave the Tower, the kingdom will fall) |

| views from inside Beauchamp Tower where the important prisoners were housed |

| graffiti left by prisoners, mostly from the 16th and 17th centuries when the Tower of London was the country’s foremost state prison (this time period was one of great religious and political upheaval) |

| an arrow slit in the fortress wall, the Bloody Tower gate, and a glass memorial that commemorates those who were executed on Tower Green –  scaffolds for beheadings were often erected in front of The Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula |

| Armor and artifacts on display in the White Tower  – including suits belonging to Henry VIII |

| Tower Bridge |

| St.Paul’s Cathedral |

| walking along the Thames |

| traveling first by tube, then by bus to our final European destination |

Up next… Oxford!

✈ Europe | Versailles

Catch up on our grand European adventure:
Rome | Pompeii | Florence Part I | Florence Part II | Paris

During our stay in Paris we decided to take a day trip over to the Palace of Versailles. It’s just 10 miles from the city and is easily reachable by train.

Well…easy if you can navigate the train station. In our case, we raced over to the Gare d’Austerlitz to catch the RER train only to find that there were no ticket agents on duty that morning. So we flitted from machine to machine trying to buy our tickets. We couldn’t use any of our cards and it wouldn’t take bills. Turns out – you had to go upstairs to get your cash changed to coins, then come back down stairs to buy the tickets and find your track. Thankfully after a semi-rude encounter with a worker who insisted she knew nothing and was just on the maintenance crew, a passerby took pity on us and swiped us through the gates!

Since we’d missed the earlier train, this one was caught was packed with people heading to Versailles. A band of really talented musicians wandered through the cars serenading the riders.

When we arrived, we rushed along with the rest of the herd toward the Chateau. Walking up the street, all you can see is the golden gate and decorated rooftop of the palace glittering in the morning sun. Once there, we were ushered into a winding line to wait to be let in.

The Palace of Versailles is a royal chateau in the Île-de-France region of France. In French, it is known as the Chateau de Versailles. It’s commonly just called “Versailles”.

Versailles has been known as the epitome of indulgent luxury for centuries. It’s a place of queens and kings and pure decadence. I mean, this place is definitely over the top!

We started by touring the Chateau. The ceilings, wall paper, fireplaces, and enormous canopied beds were all amazingly luxe. Marbled floors, impressive pillars, and gold in every direction you glance.

There is a stunning chapel and the sparkling Hall of Mirrors which has 357 mirrors in total. It was in this hall where Treaty of Versailles was signed following World War I. Grand celebrations and balls were also held here.

| the two-story Royal Chapel, designed after Sainte-Chapelle in Paris  |

 | the chapel |

  | The Hall of Battles |

As you walk through this jaw-dropping home, it’s easy to see why the French grew angry and resentful about the unfair and undeserved privileges enjoyed by aristocracy and began a fiery revolution.

| entering the Hall of Mirrors |

| the Hall of Mirrors |

| The Queen’s Bedchamber, where she also gave birth to the heirs to the throne |

Mom and I actually walked through the palace twice. The first time we were jostled around so much by the large tour groups that we could barely enjoy a thing since we were way too busy pushing our way through the crowds just so we could breathe again. Seriously folks, it was pretty overwhelming.

Thankfully, the beauty of the place does provide a bit of distraction if you have to battle throngs of tourists. Our second pass through was much calmer and we could really take in the beautiful surroundings without being trampled.

After our visit at the palace, we explored the grounds that sprawl over nearly 2,000 acres. The gardens are perfectly manicured with flowers, grand fountains, and statues.

From there we headed to the far end of the estate, where the Trainon Palaces and Marie Antoinette’s hamlet can be found. It’s so calm and peaceful this far from the Chateau that it completely makes sense why Marie Antoinette made this her little escape.

The Hamlet was built for Marie-Antoinette in 1783, so that she and her ladies-in-waiting could entertain themselves with the charms of country life.

| The Farm was home to varied livestock such as cows, goats, sheep, chickens, etc. |

| The Malborough Tower was the point of departure for fishing outings and boat rides. |

The Petit Trianon was a gift to Marie Antoinette from Louis XVI when he became King.

| the Queen’s music room, view of the Temple of Love from the Petit Trianon.|

The Grand Trianon is an elegant residence designed by Jules Mansart in 1687. The pink marble structure is edged by geometric, pastel gardens. The large windows and bright decor give the home an airy, playful vibe – even though it’s still very fancy.

The Grand Trianon was used mainly for hosting family visitors. Following the beheading of Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI in Paris, this residence and its pink arches were left abandoned. Years later, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte reopened it and made it his personal home.

Although the Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens in Florence, Italy, blew me away, Versailles is really something special too. If you get the chance to explore this lavish and regal complex – do it! It’s definitely a place where the past comes alive.

Up next… London!

✈ Europe | Paris

Catch up on our grand European adventure: Rome | Pompeii | Florence Part I | Florence Part II 

Day 1: We arrived at the Gare de Lyon in Paris. Thankfully we’d been able to catch a decent amount of z’s on our overnight train ride so we were ready to hit the town. We met our airbnb hosts, dropped off our bags, and headed straight to the local street market our airbnb host in Florence told us about. There we bought a fresh rotisserie chicken, potatoes, and fruit. We ate our lunch at a few small parks (we had to keep changing venues because wasps were following us!). Then we wandered around the city and took in the sights!

We walked along the Seine, stopped in at Shakespeare and Company to browse the books, did a few laps around Notre Dame, admired the colorful Love Lock bridge, and visited the Musee de Cluny (which exhibits medieval art, treasures, and tapestries), and grabbed crepes for dinner as the sun went down.

| the neighborhood market, Marche d’Aligre |

| wandering the city streets and along the Seine |

| hanging out at the Shakespeare and Company bookstore |

| the lovely Notre-Dame Cathedral |

| the Love Lock bridge – sweethearts attach a lock and toss the key into the water to symbolize their love |

| outside the Musee de Cluny |

| a glimpse of the Musee de Cluny’s collection: old treasures, the ceiling of the chapel, intricate tapestries |

| bon appétit |

| crepes – very thin pancakes that are dressed up with sweet or savory toppings|

Day 2: We took a break from Paris and did a day trip to Versailles.

Day 3: We woke up, packed a lunch, and headed back to Notre Dame – this time to see inside! It was, as you might imagine, a gothic drool fest. Window after stunning window. Marvelous architecture. Neat gargoyles and grotesques. I totally get why people want to visit this cathedral. But then Mom took me to some place that was really mind-blowing…. Sainte-Chapelle.

It’s a breathtaking chapel; one of the finest to be built in France. It was built by Louis IX in the 1240s to house relics from the Holy Land, most notably the Crown of Thorns and a fragment of the True Cross. Most of the relics have been rehoused elsewhere or were lost in the revolution. Sainte-Chapelle also features an exceptional collection of stained-glass windows – 6,458 square feet of it to be exact. If you visit, make sure the sun is out that day because the light pours in and you feel like you’re inside a magical jewel box.

After soaking up Sainte-Chapelle, we continued our trek across the city. We passed a large throng of protesters, checked out the immense city hall, ran across a hidden medieval house, paid a somber yet moving visit to the Shoah memorial/museum, took a short break to people-watch (with a sorbet in hand), and popped into the Musee de l’Orangerie (an art gallery of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings) to see Monet’s water lilies.

The sun was going to set soon so we quickly made our way down to the world-famous Eiffel Tower. The iron lattice structure is quite a sight! We had booked an evening boat tour so we were lucky enough to get to see the tower during the day and at night, when it was all lit up and glittery. The cruise was fun and it was nice to just relax, float along the Seine, and see the shining city by nightfall.

| Notre-Dame |

| inside the cathedral |

| the beautiful windows of Notre-Dame |

| Notre-Dame Cathedral |

| Sainte-Chapelle |

| the magnificent Sainte-Chapelle |

| The Conciergerie, Hôtel de Ville – the city hall, and a medieval building|

| Photos weren’t allowed at the Shoah Memorial but we found this plaque outside a nursery school in memory of the small children deported from 1942 to 1944 because they were born Jews; innocent victims of Nazi barbarism and the Vichy Government. They were exterminated in the death camps. |

| The Tuileries Garden, Louvre, and Arc de Triomphe |

| the Eiffel Tower |

| Paris at night |

| views from our evening boat cruise |

| the shining city |

| the glowing Eiffel Tower |

Day 4: We woke up extremely early, caught the metro, and head to the Catacombs of Paris. We had read that the wait to get in can sometimes be 2-3 hours long so we wanted to avoid that. And boy, did we – we were the first in line! A little history about the Catacombs, they were developed in the late 1700s because Paris’ cemeteries were becoming overcrowded and causing serious health issues (disease ran rampant and water was contaminated). To solve this issue, the city closed several cemeteries and transferred the human remains to the old stone quarries. The bones were stacked neatly and plaques were installed stating which cemeteries the bones were moved from and the date. The Catacombs house over 6 million bones. To reach the Catacombs you travel down a narrow spiral stairwell and through a few stone hallways before reaching the ossuary, the final resting place for many of Paris’ dead.

After touring the Catacombs, we ascended into the light and made our way to Luxembourg Garden to enjoy a picnic lunch. Next, we stopped at the Panthéon (not to be confused with the Pantheon in Rome or the Parthenon in Greece) and took a quick peek inside the church of Mount St Stephen (which contains Paris’ only surviving rood screen – dated 1535 – which crosses over like a bridge with spiral staircases on either side).

After lots more walking we ended up at the quirky museum of Carnavalet which holds a collection of historic Parisian and French art, furniture, street and business signs, and more. My favorite room at Carnavalet was the one devoted to Art Deco and my favorite painting was one by Rene Lelong (Carrousel au Grand Palais, en 1910). I think I was captivated by its monochromatic beauty. We left the Carnavalet museum and stopped by the Place de Vosges, the oldest square in Paris.

Then we set off to find the Wall of Philip Augustus. It was built between 1180 and 1225 and a large portion of it still remains which you can find in the Marais (4th arrondissement). It’s across from the Village St-Paul and right next to a basketball court. This was our last discovery in Paris. After viewing the old wall, we grabbed dinner and went back to the our room to pack and prep for our trip the next day.

| first in line at the Catacombs |

| down the stairs and through the tunnels under the streets of Paris |

| the ossuary – the Catacombs |

| Luxembourg Garden |

| the Panthéon |

| Mount St Stephen |

| the quirky museum of Carnavalet (yes, that’s a lock of Marie Antoinette’s hair!) |

| Rene Lelong  – Carrousel au Grand Palais, en 1910 |

| the art deco room at Carnavalet |

| Place de Vosges, the oldest square in Paris |

| the Wall of Philip Augustus |

| on the streets of Paris |

Up next… London! 

✈ Europe | Florence | Part II

Catch up on our grand European adventure: Rome | Pompeii | Florence Part I

Day 3: I had caught a slight cold/fever so we slept in before having a very adventurous afternoon. We grabbed pizza (rosemary potato) off the street and supplies at the covered market (bread, prosciutto, brie, swiss cheese, and fruit) and picnicked in a park by a gorgeous synagogue.  We told the shop staff at the market that we wanted just a small slice of cheese… little did we know the wheel was huge and thus we ended up a massive chunk. After lunch we hiked up to Piazzale Michalangelo to take in the absolutely amazing views. If Florence hadn’t already stolen my heart, she definitely would have once we reached the overlook! It was incredible.

After many minutes spent marveling and taking pictures – we headed to the road where we were lucky to stumble upon an empty, walled trail that lead us back down to the river and the city. We wandered the medieval streets before ending up at the Palazzo Pitti. The palace was purchased by the Medici family and became the residence of the grand-dukes of Tuscany and later of the King of Italy. It is now a treasure-house of paintings and luxurious possessions. Many of the art pieces feature the technique known as trompe l’oeil (optical illusion that the depicted objects exist in three dimensions) and were seriously astounding. After touring the palace and jaw-dropping royal apartments we finished the day with tasty gnocchi at a quaint little restaurant with a very sweet waiter.

| covered market and our giant cheesy surprise |

| wandering around town |

| magnificent panoramic view from the Piazzale Michalangelo – a famous square at the top of a large hill |

| views from and around the Piazzale Michalangelo |

| more beautiful scenes from the overlook |

| the hidden walled walkway we stumbled upon |

| strolling the ancient streets |

| the grand Palazzo Pitti, view from the palace windows, room after room after room of opulence, one of the trompe l’oeil pieces |

| inside the palace’s royal apartments |

| more elegance from inside the palace |

| walking to dinner – Ponte Vecchio in the distance |

| can’t go wrong with gnocchi |

Day 4: We visited the Medici chapel, church of San Lorenzo, and our favorite gelato shop (the Gelateria de’ Medici – conveniently located just down the street from our airbnb rental). I tried out their kiwi and pineapple while Mom went more decadent with coffee and chocolate. We made our way toward the Arno River, across, the Ponte Vecchio, and back to the Palazzo Pitti. This time we explored The Boboli Gardens just behind the palace. The gardens were vast, with many trails and fountains, and, of course, gorgeous views of Florence.

A bit rushed for time, we grabbed food to go, collected our luggage, and ate in the train station like typical tourists before hopping an overnight train to Paris. Much to our surprise, it turned out I’d somehow booked us a sleeper car! It was nice to actually catch some z’s but also a little odd since you are a 1 of 6 strangers in a tiny train car with 3 squeaky bunks stacked on each side. Besides Mom and me there was a grumpy man who smelled like sour milk, an elderly lady who was sweet but chatty, her husband who snored, and a young silent barefoot guy who just stared. So that was an experience to say the least…

| skeleton of Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici, ceiling in the Medici Chapel, Tomb of Lorenzo di Piero de’ Medici with Dusk and Dawn, a bony crypt relic |

| Ponte Vecchio |

| at the Boboli Gardens |

| the many walkways through the gardens |

| more of the Boboli Gardens |

 | at the end of the garden is the Grotto of Buontalenti built in 1583-93, here you can also see a chubby Bacchus riding a sea turtle |

| dusk in Firenze |

| shimmery sunset at the Piazza della Signoria |

| good night basilica, good night bell tower |

| farewell Florence, we’ve got a sleeper train to catch |

Up next… Paris!

✈ Europe | Florence | Part I

Miss our first two stops? Visit the links to catch up on our grand European adventure in Rome and Pompeii.

I’d like to preface this post by saying that I fell absolutely head-over-heels in love with Florence, thus the need to split this recap into two parts. Florence is so impressive with its absurd amount of art, history, and beauty. I pretty much wandered around in a state of constant amazement. Well, I’d actually say this is true for our entire Eurotrip, but maybe just a bit more so in Firenze…

Day 1: We left Rome in the very early morning to hop a train to Florence. We arrived around 11 am, dropped our bags at our airbnb room, and went exploring. We visited the covered market, many lovely piazzas, and, of course, the always stunning basilicas. The street art / graffiti found in Florence was my favorite of the entire trip. And the food! Gelato, pizza, tiramisu …”Eataly”, you spoiled us for sure.

| on the train from Rome to Florence |

| view from our Airbnb room, pizza, and gelato from the best place in Florence |

| The Duomo or Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore with its red and green design & intricate statues and carvings |

| the golden bronze doors of The Baptistery – one of Florence’s important religious buildings, dedicated to John the Baptist |

| The Duomo, outside the Uffizi Gallery, the entrance to the Uffizi |

| inside the church of Santa Trinita – built in the 11th century by monks of the Vallombrosan order |

| inside the church of San Firenze |

| street art + graffiti |

Day 2: Woke up to thunderstorms but braved the rain to make it to our morning appointment at The Uffizi Gallery. Along our walk we had the pleasure of enjoying the empty piazzas that had been teaming with people the day before. The Uffizi did not disappoint! We breathed in Botticelli and much more then stood in line at the Accademia Gallery to say hello to Michelangelo’s “David”. We lunched like locals – inhaling risotto with asparagus, gorgonzola gnocchi with walnuts, roasted veal, green beans, and a variety of gelato (pineapple, watermelon, pistachio, and chocolate orange).

| Piazza della Signoria featuring the Fountain of Neptune, a rainy selfie, Giambologna’s The Rape of the Sabine Women, outside the Uffizi |

| inside the Uffizi Gallery and Botticelli’s Primavera |

| as seen from a window in the Uffizi |

| David |

| chalk models of famous 19th century sculptors like Lorenzo Bartolini and Luigi Pampaloni |

| lunch – gorgonzola gnocchi – my new favorite dish |

Up Next… our last two days in Florence! 

✈ Europe | Pompeii

Miss our first stop? Click here to catch up the beginning of our grand European adventure.

During our stay in Rome we decided to do a day trip down to Pompeii. My mom has been dying to go since she was a little girl so I’m glad we were able to make it happen!

We woke up in the dark, early morning to catch the train, dodging sleeping homeless people as we went. Arriving at Termini, the main railway station for Rome, we eventually located the street for the tourism office and stopped to chat with another couple to going to Pompeii…. until their guide showed up and told us we were actually at the wrong tour company! Eeek! Thankfully the correct meeting place was just a few blocks down so we were able to hustle and still catch the shuttle on time. From the bus windows we took in the scenery and grabbed a quick cat nap before arriving in Pompeii almost 3 hours later.

We paid our admission and set off to explore the city. We elected not to hire a private guide and were still able to see all the highlights: the Forum (with artifacts and plaster body casts of the poor casualties), the Baths, the brothel, large and small amphitheaters, the House of the Fawn, the Villa of the Mysteries, snack bars, many houses, and, of course, Mount Vesuvius looming over it all.

| Mount Vesuvius – the active portion is the high peak on the left side covered in clouds |

Vesuvius is a very much an active volcano. The mountain’s last eruption was in 1944 and it has erupted over three dozen times since the devastating explosion in 79 A.D. It’s definitely a ticking time bomb (which you can read more about here and here).

Luckily, we didn’t experience any explosions the day we visited. In fact, we had gorgeous weather; the clouds and sun took turns keeping us company with a few light rain showers to cool us off as we raced around the ruins.

| walking among the stone walls, pots that survived, remains of several houses still standing |

| columns and arches |

| restored courtyard garden at the House of Menander and colorfully painted walls |

| kitchen kilns, a flowery surprise, The Temple of Isis, Tomb of the Istacidii |

| narrow road leading off the main street, doorway after doorway, ancient steps worn from years of use |

|eerie plaster casts of the unfortunate souls who perished |

| well-preserved frescoes inside the Villa of the Mysteries |

| outside the brothel, roughly carved stone bed, ancient erotic paintings |

| the Basilica of Pompeii, the Forum, the Lefthand Arcade |

It was incredible to see everything and to imagine what it must have been like to live there: bustling streets, a slight breeze from the bay, sprawling houses and buildings with immense columns and bright frescoes, and mountains and hills in almost every direction.

If you ever get the chance to visit, please do! It was definitely a great addition to our trip.

Up next… Florence!

✈ Europe | Rome

For those who don’t know, my mama retired this year after 28 years of teaching. To celebrate, she asked me to come along as her travel buddy on an epic European adventure. For the entire month of September we traipsed around Rome, Pompeii, Florence, Paris, London, and Oxford! I cannot even being to express how grateful I am to her for the experience. It was a complete whirlwind, I mean, 3 counties in 3.5 weeks?! But, we made it happen, had an absolutely amazing time, and I’m excited to share it all with you guys. So without further ado…

Day 1: We flew overnight from Minneapolis to Rome, with a short layover in Boston. We arrived in sunny Rome, took a train to the neighborhood where we were staying, and proceeded to get lost and wander around for the next 3 hours in the heat + humidity with our luggage. Turns out the first step in the directions we had were the exact opposite of what they should have been. So we walked up and down the street, took many wrong turns, and went into an apartment complex and got locked inside the courtyard. Mom rang all the door bells but no one would help us or let us use their phone. Thankfully a young woman finally set us free and pointed us in the right direction. Sweaty, we eventually arrived at our Airbnb apartment and met our hosts and their kitty Mimine. After showering and settling in we ended the day on a good note with dinner at a local restaurant. Pizza, stuck pig, and roasted potatoes!

 | tasty La Tavernaccia, corner fountains, pizzapizza, napping kitcat, the joys of public transit |

Day 2: We hopped a tram to the city center and stopped by the Vittorio Emanuele II monument. Although it was built in honor of the first king of Italy, it’s controversial because its placement destroyed a medieval area and interrupted the continuity and aesthetic of the Forum sites. The monument is often called “the wedding cake” or “the type writer” by its haters. I get why locals would be upset, but it’s free to visit, has a lovely café on the roof , and sweeping views of the surrounding area. After filling up our water bottles at the free fountain, we walked and walked and walked. We passed through beautiful piazzas, ducked into quiet and ornate churches, ate gelato, took in ancient views and marveled at the (Colosseum, Forum, Circus Maximus, and more), dined at a sidewalk cafe, saw the Trevi Fountain (under construction), Spanish Steps, and Pantheon, and braved both the metro and the train back to our Airbnb abode.

| sightseeing – Vittorio Emanuele II monument and the Forum |

| Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli – complete with stained glass bees and a chandelier surrounded alter |

| street views |

| The Circus Maximus, Temple of Hercules Victor, and side-street surprise |

| along the Tiber River and a parade of vespas |

 | Fontana del Moro and Piazza Navona |

| The Pantheon |

 | The Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola with its breathtaking baroque ceilings and frescoes by Andrea Pozzo |

 | views from atop the Spanish Steps and the strange exterior of Palazzo Zuccari near via Gregoriana |

Day 3: We took a break from Rome and did a day trip to Pompeii.

Day 4: We walked the Appian Way and took a tour of the Catacombs of St.Callixtus. They originated about the middle of the second century and are the burial-place of tens of martyrs, 16 popes, and very many Christians. During this time period Christians were being persecuted so they often held their religious services in secret underground in the catacombs. Just down the road from St.Callixtus is the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, which had some very neat artifacts on display, including coins, statues, and preserved tracks left by ancient wagon wheels. After exploring the Appian Way, we headed back into town to see the massive Baths of Caracalla and their amazing tile-work. We were also able to pop into incredible Colosseum and hike around Palentine Hill. And as a bonus – most of the sites we saw that day were free because it was the first Sunday of the month!

| Appian Way, Circus Maxence, ancient wheel ruts, Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella |

| Baths of Caracalla |

| exploring Palentine Hill |

| The Colosseum |

| the Arch of Constantine and a delicious panini for dinner |

Day 5: For our final day in Rome, we slept in and then hit the streets in a leisurely fashion. We inhaled delicious potato rosemary pizza and grabbed gelato at Hedera, a father-son operation that uses 60-year-old recipes. They offer 6 cream-based and 6 fruit-based ice creams and the flavors change every day depending on which fruits are in season and what’s available at the market that morning. We strolled along the river, waved at the Castel Sant’Angelo, were given completely wrong directions by a police officer (!), walked through as many medieval streets as we could, and visited the Vatican and St. Peter’s Square. Our last stop of the day was the basilica of Santa Maria in the Trastevere neighborhood. It was golden and gorgeous with details that would knock your socks off (like the faded mosaics dating back to the 12th or 13th centuries). The basilica is one of the oldest in Rome, dating from the 4th century AD, and has many marvelous frescoes to feast your eyes upon.

| the Vatican and St. Peter’s Square |

| along the Tiber |

| gelato at Hedera |

| Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere |

| inside the Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere |

| the golden and glowing Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere |

Up next… Pompeii!

currently

Recovering… from a very fun weekend at a friend’s wedding. We all met in kindergarten (except for Mr.C who didn’t join the gang until high school), played crazy games on the playground, marched in band together, danced in a circle at homecoming, chilled at the lunch table, you name it – we probably did it. So, it was fun to be able to reminisce and celebrate! Congratulations, F+R – thanks for inviting us to be a part of your special day.

Loving… getting closer to having our student loans paid off! Only $12,992.00 to go.

Looking… forward to enjoying the rest of fall, upcoming holidays, and visiting with family.

Thinking… about the big news that was revealed at work today. Some of you know the company I work at has two sides – the recruiting business (where I work) and the online magazine. We all work in the same office and everyone’s pretty close ; many have been there for 8 years. Anyway, today we learned that the online magazine side has been sold to one of the professional organizations in our industry niche. It’s surprising news but also a logical next move. I’m going to miss seeing with the coworkers who are effected by this everyday but thankfully everyone lives in Minnesota so we’ll be able to still hangout. This acquisition calls for some big changes in the next 6+ months, and as uncertain and bittersweet it all is, I’m excited to see what’s next for our company.

Watching… the final seasons of Boardwalk Empire and Parenthood

Reading… The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

Listening… “Nicotine” by Panic! at the Disco, “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon, “Lost Stars (Into the Night Mix)” by Adam Levine

Eating… Trader Joe’s Gnocchi al Gorgonzola – it’s almost like I’m back in Italy.

Speaking of which, I have finally finished editing the millions of photos I took – so recaps of my epic European adventure will be up soon! :)

Anyway, that’s me…what’s current with you guys?

Ciao!

Stepping away from the blog this month to explore Europe with my mama!

Will be posting updates to Instagram for anyone interested: instagram.com/cartymeg

Check back in October to see + hear all about our epic adventures. :)

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

ran last minute errands before my big trip, watched West Wing & The League on Netflix, had a tasty steak dinner, kayaked on Lake Minnetonka, and played mini golf, laser tag, & Rock Band to celebrate Jessica’s birthday.

We also hit up the State Fair and attended the Paramore/Fall Out Boy concert which was a blast! We saw Fall Out Boy perform seven years ago and with our wedding anniversary coming up here on the 17th we thought it’d be a fun, romantic night out. Plus FOB is my favorite band! :)

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I headed down to Okoboji, IA with our friends, N+B.

B’s parents hosted us at their gorgeous lake house and it was such a great time!

We got to sleep in, enjoy the beautiful views, share delicious meals, and play many rounds of Euchre & Ticket to Ride.

We also got margaritas & went mini golfing at a neat Wizard of Oz themed course.

We kayaked, rode jet-skis, toured the lake by boat, and swam.

We ended the trip with a few games of bags and a stop at Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store in Jordan, MN.

It was a quick trip, but a fun + relaxing one.

Hope you all had a nice weekend too!

Let your hair down with Camille Albane Paris

Last Wednesday, I attended the grand opening party for Camille Albane Paris, a new salon in Maple Grove, MN.

Now, I know some of you are laughing because it’s clearly not my normal scene (I mean what’s a girl who air dries & doesn’t own a straightener/curling iron doing at a salon opening!) but it was a really nice night out, a chance to mingle with a few of my fellow MN Bloggers (Jen, Zhenya, + Shelby), and welcome a new business to the Twin Cities community.

Plus, I finally got to learn more about “balayage” – a freehand hair coloring technique that Pinterest everyone’s been raving about. It’s actually been around since the 70s but is having resurgence alongside the new ombre trend.

After the event we were invited to stop back in to try out a few of Camille Albane’s services so yesterday Jen & I headed over for an evening of pampering. We were greeted by our lovely stylists and shown around the salon. It’s fresh and modern, with pops of color, and the right balance of relaxation and flirty fun.

My stylist, Michelle, and I chatted about my usual hair routine, texture, expectations, and inspiration – then it was off to shampoo. And guys? It was heavenly! You get all wrapped up in a robe and recline in a fabulous massage chair while the stylist gently scrubs and massages your scalp into submission. Lovely.

(Oh, and did I mention I left obsessed with music they were playing? Yeah, if someone can get me a copy of their soundtrack I’ll be forever grateful. )

Back in the chair, Michelle began to expertly cut my locks. We talked about the training they received from Camille Albane’s Paris instructors and then chit-chatted about make-up, work, what it’s like coming from small towns, food/chemical sensitivities, and how eating whole foods can have such an impact on your mind + body.

I was then treated to a paraffin wax treatment for my hands as my hair was dried and styled. Meanwhile, Jen was across the salon finishing up the coloring process.

Before the grand reveal, the stylists touched up our make-up which is a free (and thoughtful) addition to Camille Albane’s services. After all, you want to leave looking + feeling your best, which may not be the case if your lip gloss has faded or your foundation is speckled with water from a shampooing session.

Finally, we were ready to take a look in the mirror…

…. and bam! Bombshells.

I was so impressed with my cut – finally someone who knows how to do great layers. (Thanks, Michelle!)

Seriously though, our stylists were fabulous and we left there feeling positively gorgeous.

So, if you’re on the hunt for a new salon, want to give balayage a try, or desire a little Parisian pampering – definitely jot yourself a note about the new Camille Albane!

7808 Main Street North, Maple Grove, MN, 55369

763-316-6957  |  Website  |  Services & Prices

 

weekend review: summer fun

Between soaking up summer, planning the big mama/daughter trip in Sept., and doing overtime for work – this poor little blog has fallen by the wayside. But, not to worry – the time spent away has been filled with plenty of fun.

So what have we gotten up to lately?

Well, Mr.C’s family came for quick weekend visit from Florida. We attempted to geocache, explored the sculpture garden, played many games of Blitz/31, met up with Ryan’s uncle+cousin for dinner at The Bulldog Northeast and Red Cow, and took a nice evening stroll along Mississippi River to see the Stone Arch Bridge.

We also got to spend some time with Ryan’s other cousin who was visiting from NYC where she attends college. We had dinner out on the deck at Maynard’s, played laser tag, and escaped being trapped in a room with a zombie. That’s right! The Big Thrill Factory in Minnetonka is currently putting on Room Escape Adventures;  live interactive theater productions/team building activity that create scenarios where participants must rely on each other, their ability to communicate, and their creative genius to escape. Using clues, puzzles, and teamwork – we were able to escape the room (and the zombie!) with 18 minutes to spare!

 

I also saw some of my MN Blogger pals this month. We went out for brunch one Sunday and also attended the salon opening of Camille Albane (known for balayage – a hair coloring technique) in Maple Grove.

Other notable fun times include going with my friend Jess to see The Little Mermaid at the Chanhassen Dinner Theater (it plays until August 30th), kayaking with the Ryan on Lake Minnetonka, watching the horses race at Canterbury Park, many Saturday morning trips to the local thrift stores, hot dates to the movies (The Hundred-Foot Journey, The Giver, Sex Tape, Boyhood, and more), and re-watching The League on Netflix in prep for football season (Go Bears!).

Phew! Have we ever been busy! :)

Hope you all are having a fun-filled summer too!

Living LEAP: Phase 5

Don’t know what LEAP/MRT is? Missed the start of this series? Click here to catch up!

Since my last recap, I wrapped up Phase 4 and am almost done with Phase 5.

The foods I can introduce during Phase 5 include:

turkey, sole, watermelon, pineapple, grape, hazelnut, and pistachio.

So far, from Phase 5, I have successfully tested / added back: 

watermelon, pineapple, grapes (I’m on the fence about my reaction to turkey and plan to keep testing it a little longer)

Once I complete Phase 5, I’ll move on to Phase 6 – the final step!

Generally, foods that scored moderately reactive (yellow) are avoided for 3 months and highly reactive foods (red) are avoided for 6 months. Phase 6 (usually at the 6 month mark) is also when you can challenge foods that the MRT did not test so you can determine your tolerance level. You also begin a rotation diet in Phase 6. The rotation diet ensures that certain foods/food families are not over-consumed to the point where you lose a tolerance for them or even become sensitive. Phase 6 is basically where you’re on your own. You’ve learned how to eat and what to eat and now you just live your life.

 

I’m 5 months into my LEAP/MRT journey. I actually haven’t eaten any foods or exposed myself to any chemicals/ additives that were listed as moderately reactive (yellow) or highly reactive foods (red) on my test results. Well… on purpose at least! I had a bad run-in with a bit of lemon that sneaked into a grill seasoning while we were on vacation.

All my results are posted here – but as a refresher:

My moderately reactive foods and additives (yellow) are beet, cabbage, cashew, cheddar, codfish, coffee, dill, egg, red #40, garbanzo, green pea, maple, oat, pear, pinto bean, rice, salicylic acid, sodium metabisulfate, spelt, and strawberry.

My highly reactive foods and additives (red) are crab, lecithin, lemon, salmon, sesame, and spinach.

My plan is to finish Phase 5, test out all my “yellow” foods, reach the 6 month mark, begin to test my “red” foods, and after that try out foods that were not tested by the MRT (like limes, dates, nectarines, brussels sprouts, etc).

What I’ve been eating lately: basically everything I’ve listed in past posts + my latest obsessions – Middle Earth Organics Basil & Tomato Pasta Sauce that I discovered at Lakewinds co-op, Babybel cheese,  BOOMCHICKAPOP sweet & salty kettle corn, and the amazingly juicy, fresh peaches that seem to be everywhere right now!

What I’ve been using lately: Well, after both raving about and second-guessing Alaffia Shampoo & Morrocco Method products for my hair care routine – I’ve decided to dump both of them. It’s been months of testing both and they just aren’t doing it for me. My hair is either too greasy or too dry and gets tangled so easily. So, I’m on the hunt for something that works and has natural ingredients. Ideally, I’d like to avoid all the “baddies” that can be found in shampoo and conditioner and even stay away from alcohol which can be drying to your hair/scalp – but that can be quite tough without going super extreme with your routine. Right now I’m using and loving Bumble & Co. However, some of her ingredients are questionable – at least for what my goals are. But the smell is heavenly and my hair is soft, light, and I only have to use a tiny drop or two of my jojoba oil as leave-in conditioner. The price is a bit expensive for my tastes though so I am also going to give Fruit of the Vine a try.

I believe I mentioned before that I ditched all my face wash & lotion in favor of only jojoba oil (or jojoba oil mixed with sugar for a light scrub). This is working extremely well for me and I’d never go back to traditional products even if I had the choice. My skin looks really good – smooth, not dry or oily, and acne is a rare thing. I’ve recently started mixing a little Rosehip Seed Oil in with my jojoba oil when I use it as a moisturizer for my face. Rosehip Seed Oil is great for fading acne scars or fine lines, restoring elasticity, and being anti-inflammatory. I can’t rave about it enough! I find mine at my local co-op – the brand of essential oils is Veriditas Botanicals.

Since it’s summer, I’ve been using Badger Sunscreen. Next year I plan to “DIY” my own sunscreen and bug spray.

What I’ve been reading lately:

Letting food consume you: Being careful how we talk about food via Offbeat Home & Life

How To Know If You’re Truly Hungry via The Pilates Nutritionist

10 Herbs that Heal via Knowledge of Today

DIY all-natural bug repellent (salve + spray) via Body Unburdened

Essential Oils Education via Melissa Farris at Veriditas Botanicals

___________

So, that’s what’s been going on over here!

Again, if you have any questions about things I’ve written about or about MRT/LEAP in general just let me know. Wishing you all good health and happiness!

weekend review: quarter century party

On Friday morning, we packed up the car and drove to meet our friends in Baraboo, WI. We all turned 25 this year and wanted to get together to celebrate! So we rented a quaint & quirky cottage at the WilloWood Inn and set off to make some memories.

Friday afternoon we grabbed lunch at the Broadway Diner then headed over to explore Pewit’s Nest, a natural gorge with a few small waterfalls.

We waded around and skipped rocks at Pewit’s Nest since it was a bit too chilly and breezy to swim.

Friday evening we took a very neat but tiring kayak tour of Devil’s Lake. Sadly no pictures were taken because we were afraid of our phones/cameras taking a dunk! Ryan actually did end up tipping his boat right before the tour began.

However, the boys did end up conquering the 3 mile lake trip in single kayaks, while E and I weaved around in our double. We definitely paddled much more than the guys since we couldn’t keep the darn boat straight – I’d say we went about 5 miles. Ha!

After kayaking we dragged ourself back to the cottage to make dinner and play a quick game of Ticket to Ride before hittin’ the hay.

Saturday morning E and I snuck off to Spa Serenity for some girl time while the boys slept in and relaxed. Our massages were pure magic especially for all the sore muscles thanks to kayaking.

Saturday afternoon we drove to the Wisconsin Dells, visited an old-time candy store, wandered through Witches Gulch, played frisbee at Mirror Lake, and had dinner at Paul Bunyan’s Cook Shanty.

Saturday evening we got decked out in glow-sticks and went dancing at The Reef at Marley’s, a night club.

Sunday morning we cleaned up the cottage, checked out, and went back to Pewit’s Nest for a quick, chilly dip in the waterfall. From there we headed over to Devil’s Lake to swim some more, sunbathe, and have a picnic lunch. Finally, late that Saturday afternoon we hugged goodbye and went our separate ways.

It was a very fun + relaxing weekend and very nice to be with old friend again.

Hope you all had a great weekend too!

currently

Watching… Weeds on Netflix – got into this a few weeks ago and am almost done with season 5.  Brilliant, funny, and I love the quick + clever dialogue. However, after season 4 it does kinda start to go downhill. But I’ll hang on ‘til Season 8 because I gotta know what happens to my favorite characters!

Reading… just about to start O, Africa! by Andrew Lewis Conn

Listening… “My Body” by Young the Giant

Eating…fresh juicy peaches, crisp grapes and Babybel cheese

Nursing…my first (and only, I’ll make sure of it) sunburn of the season. We just had way too much fun last weekend at Valleyfair. Riding and screaming down the rollercoasters with my friend Jess & her bf totally (and unfortunately) trumped reapplying sunscreen.

Planning…my big trip this fall. Yes! I can finally announce that the mama+daughter trip I hinted at earlier in the year is officially on the books. For the entire month of September, we’ll be traipsing around Europe! After 28 years of teaching, my mom has retired and so we’re off to celebrate all over Rome, Pompeii, Florence, Paris, London, and Oxford! Super lucky that she’s taking me along and it’s been fun (albeit a little stressful) trying to organize everything. If you’ve got any must sees/dos, we’d love to hear ‘em!

Celebrating… turning a quarter century old yesterday. Hotdamn, I’m old! Ha, just kidding. But really, don’t you remember being in HS and people who were 25 were “old”? Probably because their lives were so foreign to us since they had jobs, cars, homes, bills. And now, that’s just the day to day.  And, it’s kind of nice. Sure, you’ll always be dreaming and scheming for something more – but 25 seems solid. You’ve made it, to somewhere at least, and have some footing but there’s still so much out there to enjoy.

Proud… of Mr.C. Like super crazy proud! He just accepted a new job (same great company) as Operations Supervisor. Wooohooo! More money, better hours, not to mention all his underlings and coworkers love him. So if you see Ryan congratulate him or feel free to blow up his phone/Facebook because this promotion has been a long time coming!  Bye bye, 2^nd shift – hello family dinners, actually having life on Friday nights, and being able to talk – in person! – during the week.

So that’s me…what’s current with you guys?

Wishing you all a wonderful 4th holiday!

xo – meg

Stillwater MN Blog Meet-up

On Saturday, Jen and I drove to Stillwater to attend a MN Blog Meet-up hosted by NellieBellie, The Taylor House, and the Stillwater Visitor’s Bureau.

The morning started off with coffee and breakfast courtesy of Bruegger’s Bagels and Great Harvest Bread Co.

Breakfast was followed by a short Social Media 101 seminar – complete with mid-morning macaroons from Amy’s Cupcake Shoppe.

After the seminar we were free to roam around Stillwater, check out the shops, and have lunch –  so that’s exactly what we did.

Jen and I took a stroll by the flooded St. Croix River, grabbed food at The Freight House, and ducked into the various antique stores, boutiques, and bookstores on Main Street.

Later that afternoon, we gathered with the blogger group once again to chat, enjoy cupcakes + ice cream floats, and draw for prizes that were graciously donated by places like Mara Mi, Urban Violet, Duluth Trading Company, MN Science Museum, and the Guthrie Theater.

I ended up winning tickets to the Science Museum and am so excited to go – I’ve wanted to since we moved to MN!

And, thanks to all the wonderful sponsors of this event, every blogger left with a swag bag full of goodies from the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, Izzy’s Ice Cream, Minnesota Zoo, Minnesota Beef Council, and more.

It was a very fun event and thanks again to NellieBellie, The Taylor House, and the Stillwater Visitor’s Bureau for the invite. I’m glad Jen & I were able to make the trip to enjoy Stillwater and meet many new faces. Can’t wait for the next one!

 

 

weekend review

Last weekend…

we headed up to Fargo to celebrate Jessica & Erik (better known as “Moose”) tying the knot.

It was also mini-reunion for Ryan and all his college friends so it was a fun time – lots of laughs and lots of dancing.

photos by me

photos by our friend, Matt J.

photos by Visions by AJ

photo by Visions by AJ

This weekend…

I went with my friend/coworker, Lisa, to the Minneapolis Farmers Market where we checked out the flowers, fresh veggies, and got a free massage during a healthy skin event hosted by POPSUGAR.

Mr.C & I had dinner with friends and then saw 22 Jumpstreet – which was hilarious. We also spent a rainy afternoon with our other couple friends playing Mario Cart & Mario Party. We capped the weekend off with dinner at Red Cow with Ryan’s uncle and enjoyed watching How to Train Your Dragon 2 and the Game of Thrones season finale.

All ‘n all, a good weekend – here’s hoping the next one is sunnier! :)

currently

Reading | Sirens with The Fault in Our Stars on deck

Watching | blazed my way through Dance Academy (an aussie teen drama) and moved on to the vast documentary library on Netflix – so far I’ve watched: Jig, The World Before Her, Stuck, and The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life

Eating | chicken noodle soup (made my own broth using bones in the crockpot!), apricots, and vanilla gelato with fresh raspberries and dark chocolate shavings

Wearing | my new shirt from MPLS/STP Clothing Co. – it’s a perfect fit, insanely soft, and I’m in love with the simple design. Comfy way to rep the cities.

Despising | ants. Ants in my kitchen. I curse them. I prefer natural products now but was so desperate last night I bleached our kitchen and put bleach in all the cracks and holes they come through to torment me. Suck it ants.

Mourning | the loss of my iPhone. It took a swim in the washer while I was doing chores all drugged up. So bye bye iPhone, hello temporary old slideout phone. Thankfully it’s only for a few months until I can upgrade back to smart phone civilization. Missing Candy Crush and Instagram but the reprieve from constantly being connected is nice too.

Anticipating | next Friday… when I get my fake tooth. That’s right, arrr mateys! Haha, okay, so it’s not a gold pirate tooth. But apparently my tooth sustained some trauma in the past, decided to reabsorb (yeah I didn’t know what that meant either), and had to be extracted.  After a week of pain, liquid vicodin, swollen face, and lots of mumbling – I’m feeling loads better and am excited to get my crowns + fake tooth, end this dental crap, and be on my merry way.

Enjoying | fresh, bright, new nail polish – last month was a mermaid teal, this month a pastel pink

Obsessing | over Ticket to Ride! It’s my new favorite board game and I made Mr.C play it 5x one weekend. We have the Europe version and want to get the US version or the Asia expansion pack next.

Looking | forward to summer fun! We’ve got a wedding coming up, tickets to see Fall out Boy at the state fair, a 25^th birthday bash/getaway with close friends, and much more.

So that’s me…what’s current with you guys?

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

xo – meg

weekend review

Our last few weekends have been quite busy…

We went geocaching at Big Willow Park in Minnetonka and had a great time hiking the trails, looking for caches, having a balancing contest on the railroad track, and checking out the flooded out path and swelling creek.

We headed back to Illinois to visit our hometown and celebrate with Mr.C’s sister who graduated from high school. So proud of her! It was a nice little family reunion too since Mr.C’s brothers and their families were able to make it down. Our nieces & nephew were quite the handful (ages 3, 2, 1) but also fun to playmates.

And this weekend we just laid low – spying on the deer in our backyard, geocaching at a nearby park, watching movies and devouring books, hitting up a thrift store or two, and having a dinner & game night with N+B.

So, that’s what we’ve been up too. Hopefully you all had a nice long weekend and were able to enjoy this lovely warm weather!

Living LEAP: Phase 3 & Phase 4

Don’t know what LEAP/MRT is? Missed the start of this series? Click here to catch up!

Since my last recap, I have finished Phase 3 and am almost done with Phase 4.  Looking forward to moving into Phase 5 soon!

The foods I can introduce during Phase 3 include:

clam, tuna, shrimp, rye, barley, amaranth, cranberry, papaya, honeydew melon, whey, cane sugar, carob, garlic, parsley

So far, from Phase 3, I have successfully tested / added back: 

honeydew melon, shrimp, squash, cranberry, cane sugar, papaya, tuna, parsley, rye

The foods I can introduce during Phase 4 include:

chicken, catfish, lentil, kamut, wheat, blueberry, cantaloupe, cherry, American cheese, sunflower seeds, oregano, mango

So far, from Phase 4, I have successfully tested / added back: 

chicken, kamut, wheat, blueberry, cantaloupe, cherry, American cheese (think Kraft Singles, gross), sunflower seeds, oregano, mango

I have a few things left to test from Phase 4 before moving into Phase 5 where I can try turkey, sole, watermelon, pineapple, grape, hazelnut, and pistachio.

 

How I’m feeling: Really good! My skin looks great (save for the occasional, unavoidable hormonal breakout). I have lost 20 lbs since Christmas. My pants no longer fit and are givin’ me “saggy butt” but I feel healthy and energized. Although I have reintroduced wheat, corn, and certain cheeses, I notice if I have them in excess they start to bog me down and I feel tired/groggy. I’ll be working on keeping my portion/dosage amounts at a decent level so I can stay feeling light and awake.

Also, since I’ve added so many foods back to my menu, I notice I sometimes get into a rut and eat the same things over and over again. This is not a good thing! Eating on a rotation and having plenty of variety is key to keeping food sensitivities in check. I need to get back into the kitchen, meal plan, and keep finding inspiration for new dishes and snacks.

And for those who asked, yes, I can go out to eat but it’s not super fun since I always have to watch what ingredients/seasonings might be used. That being said, I am lucky because the more foods I add to my menu the easier it is to find something to eat. My usual go-tos if we are out at a restaurant are bun-less hamburgers with cheese, french fries (as long as I check the oil they are fried in), baked potatoes, cottage cheese, asparagus, or fresh fruit. But don’t be afraid to see if we want to meet up for a meal! I enjoy the social aspect of dining together and can always bring my own snacks of eat beforehand.

What I’ve been eating lately:

• pork and feta quesadilla using 100% corn flour tortilla with side of avocado and sour cream
• prosciutto, goat cheese or brie with crackers (either 100% Wasa Rye or 100% Pain des Fleurs buckwheat)
• mashed cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, lima beans with tuna, tilapia, or corn noodles and shrimp
• Maple Hill Creamery Wild Blueberry yogurt (from 100% grass-fed cows)
• That’s It Fruit Bars (I get cherry/apple or apricot/apple but they have other kinds too)
• apples with dark chocolate almond butter dip (based off this recipe)
• dark chocolate coconut milk pudding (based off this recipe)
• fruit and juice smoothies
• organic frozen dark sweet cherries from Costco
• Food Should Taste Good’s all natural Sweet Potato tortilla chips
• Sahale Snacks Valdosta Pecans

What I’ve been using lately: 

Redmond Earthpaste Toothpaste – amazing natural toothpaste! I bought it in Cinnamon flavor. It has safe-to-eat ingredients, no sodium lauryl sulfate, no fluoride, no glycerin, and the benefits of bentonite clay. Although it doesn’t foam and the taste + texture take a bit of getting used to – my teeth feel super clean! I switch between this toothpaste and Jason’s Natural Toothpaste (Tea Tree & Cinnamon).

Jojoba Oil – My latest obsession! You can find this many places but I bought mine at Trader Joe’s for under $8. I’m still using coconut oil instead of traditional body lotions but have started using jojoba oil on my face as a cleanser, moisturizer, and to remove make up. It’s lighter than coconut oil, less greasy. and soaks in faster. I use this as a leave in conditioner too. Just a few small drops will do ya!

Alaffia Everyday Shea Moisturizing Shampoo – using this more than Morrocco Method nowadays. Although I still like Morrocco Method, Alaffia has come back as a favorite now that I’ve started pairing it with jojoba oil as a leave-in conditioner. My hair is soft, shiny, and no longer feels greasy, dull, or weighed down.

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So, that’s what’s been going on over here!

Again, if you have any questions about things I’ve written about or about MRT/LEAP in general just let me know. Wishing you all good health and happiness!

To read the next installment of this series click here.

Q&A with Mr.C

To pass some time during our last long roadtrip I asked Mr.C this questionnaire that’s been floating around the blog world lately. He had too much fun with it and kept trying to give dirty responses to every question! Classic Carty. Eventually, we got down to the real answers…

What is the name of my blog? Mr.C & Me

What do I typically write about? Mr.C and me – hahahahah – that’s what my answer is

What’s a popular fashion item for women right now? scarves

What’s the best place to shop for women? haha Walmart. Just kidding – long pause – uhmm, Kohl’s?

What do you know about Pinterest? It’s a place where you mindlessly roam to look at everyone else’s crafts and crap

What do you and I like to do together? Let’s see long walks down by the beach -hahaha- making love by the fire – uhm – Yep, that’s it

Am I good at staying on a budget? You?! uhmm, yeah, you’re alright

What do women keep in their purse? bunch of shit they don’t need and everything that they do need – all at the same time

What do I do when I’m home alone? watch tv, arts ‘n crafts, call friends

And what do you do when you’re home alone? video games, watching movies, looking at football stuff, no pants not problem rule

What is your favorite thing about me? Dem boobies – hahah – just kidding, your eyes are my favorite part. for physical. and the fact that you always apologize after you’ve been mean or bitchy, that’s nice too.

What is your least favorite thing about me? the rhetorical questions you always ask

What’s my favorite accessory? A tie between earrings and scarves

What’s an acceptable amount to spend on a makeup item? $20?

What are my hobbies? arts ‘n crafts, watching tv, geocaching, playing ticket to ride and card games

What jewelry do I wear everyday? earrings, wedding band

What’s my favorite TV show? Game of Thrones, Burn Notice, Grey’s Anatomy, Parenthood, the Good Wife, Walking Dead…

How kids would you like to have? 3 boys, no girls

Anything else you’d like to share? I don’t know why I’m being asked all these questions.

currently

Reading… “The Death Cure” – third book in the Maze Runner Trilogy

Eating… bowl of cherries + blue berries – new additions to my LEAP menu

Watching… the final season of Burn Notice on Netflix

Humming… “When I was a Youngster” by Rizzle Kicks – great song! Enjoying… much need girl time

Reminiscing… about Easter weekend. My mom + gma came up to visit and we had a great time shopping, eating at Cecil’s Deli, playing Ticket to Ride, and visiting Minnehaha Falls

Looking… forward to visiting Mr.C’s family in a few weeks and seeing his sister graduate from high school

Wishing… for sunshine – it’s been raining all week!

Hoping… to kick this habit of clenching my jaw – it’s a new thing and not something I want to keep around

Excited… for a big mama/daughter trip this fall – we’re starting to plan and my wanderlust meter is off the charts!

So that’s me…what’s current with you guys?

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

xo – meg

Living LEAP: Phase 2 & the start of 3

Don’t know what LEAP/MRT is? Missed the start of this series? Click here to catch up!

I moved into Phase 2 about 2.5 weeks ago and have recently started Phase 3. I’ll admit I did skip over a few food items from my lists for Phases 2 & 3 (soybeans and millet, yeah… didn’t excite me) and only half-heartedly tried a few others (squash, papaya) – so I intend to go slowly through Phase 3 and maybe re-test a few from Phase 2 that I didn’t quite give due diligence.

The foods I can introduce during Phase 2 include:

soybeans (whole), millet, corn, avocado, asparagus, lima beans, squash, plum, grapefruit, cocoa, cow’s milk, honey, vanilla, and baking soda

So far, from Phase 2, I have successfully tested / added back:

asparagus, avocado, lima beans, plums, cow’s milk, corn, and baking soda (I use for cleaning and mix with coconut oil as a face scrub occasionally), honey, vanilla, and cocoa

The foods I can introduce during Phase 3 include:

clam, tuna, shrimp, rye, barley, amaranth, cranberry, papaya, honeydew melon, whey, cane sugar, carob, garlic, parsley

So far, from Phase 3, I have successfully tested / added back: 

honeydew melon, shrimp, squash, cranberry, cane sugar, papaya, tuna

How I’m feeling: I have had a few small headaches during Phase 2 & 3 but am unable to tell if that’s due to lack of sleep/water or stress (jaw clenching) or a certain food. I plan to backtrack through my food journal, re-test a few things, and make note of my moods & situations to see if I can pinpoint the problem. Besides the occasional headache, I am feeling really really good. Losing a little more weight here and there. I should stress again that this is not my goal or reason for doing LEAP – it’s a perk. As is clearer skin and a little more energy. My main purpose for doing the MRT testing and following through with LEAP meal plan is to get my GI issues under control, which (knock on wood) have so far been non-existent since participating in LEAP. Yay!

What I’ve been eating:

• grilled pork and green beans with coconut aminos (an alternative to soy sauce and oh so tasty!)
• shrimp/scallops with corn noodle pasta in butter and feta cheese sauce with lima beans on the side
• pork tenderloin made in the crockpot with a little apple juice served with roasted carrots and potatoes
• beef soup with corn, carrots, and 100% buckwheat noodles
• asparagus (sometimes wrapped in prosciutto) with side of oven-roasted squash, green apples, sweet potatoes topped with cinnamon-honey butter
• polenta pizza (polenta slices rubbed with olive oil & topped with tomato sauce and goat cheese)
• steak, green beans, and sweet potatoes
• snacks: fresh fruit, roasted almonds with a sprinkle of salt, dried apricots & prunes, avocado, yogurt, chocolate pudding (made from avocados, honey, milk, cocoa powder + vanilla), jello (made from cranberry juice, frozen raspberries, and Great Lakes Unflavored Gelatin – read about the many benefits of gelatin here), chocolate from Alter Eco and Theo Chocolate (no soy lecithin in these delicious treats!)

What I’ve been using: 

Alaffia Everyday Shea Moisturizing Shampoo (Lavender)

As I mentioned in Phase 1, this was the first shampoo I started using and I did so for about a month. Initially, I complained about how quickly my hair got oily but that is all part of the detox that comes with switching from chemical products to natural. Eventually it balanced out and I could go three days without washing and with very minimal oil. It was nice. I learned though some research that it is best when using natural shampoos to actually shampoo twice. The first shampoo is the cleanse the hair and scalp and get rid of any debris. The second shampoo stimulates and nourishes the scalp/hair follicles and activates your oil glands.

Morrocco Method (Shampoo, Conditioner, leave-in conditioner)

My new love! Although Alaffia was doing a decent job, my hair was still kind of dull and not as soft and smooth as it used to be when I was using my chemical-filled Aussie products (pre-LEAP). Then I stumbled upon Morrocco Method; a company that makes wild-​crafted, raw, vegan, and gluten-​free hair care products. I found a coupon online and ordered sample size bottles of their Heavenly Chi shampoo, Chi Instant conditioner, and Diamond Crystal Mist leave-in conditioner/moisturizer. Been using for about a week now and adore the way my hair feels! Well, that is when it behaves. My scalp is still detoxing all the sulfates/chemicals so it still gets oily/matted on occasion. But on days it’s behaving and not throwing a tantrum my hair’s soft, light, and not weighed down (which is how the shea butter in Alaffia sometimes made me feel).

Morrocco Method’s best seller is their Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo which I’d love to try but sadly it has sesame in it (a sensitivity of mine). But if you wanted to try a product that might be the place to start, otherwise they have some sample kits you can purchase. I love that their products are free of sulfates, parabens, and chemicals AND that you can actually recognize the ingredients. It’s definitely a transition using Morrocco Method products because natural shampoos don’t sudse/foam up and it actually feels a bit like you’re washing your hair with mud. But trust me – so worth it! :) They even have a $13 sample pack with 5 shampoos if you’d like to give it a try.

Bare Minerals Makeup

I’ve been hearing rave reviews from family and friends so I decided to order a starter kit for Bare Minerals. The nice thing is that the majority of their products don’t have anything I’m sensitive too! And, I really like the way it’s made my skin look and feel. Sadly, I recently ran across this article that points out a few of the not so good things about Bare Minerals. Womp womp. Turns out I’ve got much to learn about the world of natural (and so-called natural) makeup. But, baby steps! I plan to use Bare Minerals until I run out then hopefully switch to some safer but similar products if I can find them. For a decent list of natural makeup options click here. I’d like to look into trying 100% Pure or Cowgirl Dirt but will have to be careful that they don’t contain oats, rice, etc. since these are things I’m sensitive to and are often used in natural makeup. A great site where you can check ingredients in makeup and other beauty products is EWG’s Skin Deep database.

I’m also still using all other products I listed in my Phase 1 recap.

___________

So, that’s what’s been going on over here!

Again, if you have any questions about things I’ve written about or about MRT/LEAP in general just let me know. Wishing you all good health and happiness!

To read the next installment of this series click here.

Easy Canvas Prints Review + Coupon

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. I was provided a canvas in return for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.

I’m pretty awful about getting photos printed and put into frames so when I found out that Easy Canvas Prints, a company that produces quality canvas prints, was looking for reviewers to try out their product I jumped at the chance.

I chose an 8×10 canvas (made of durable cotton-based material) and let me tell you – the ordering process was seamless. All their options are easily displayed and explained. You can upload photos from your computer or import them from Facebook or Instagram. You can choose to embellish the sides of your canvas with a continuation of your photo, a mirror of your image, or stick with a solid color. Before you submit your order they also offer a preview of what your canvas will look like so you can adjust the cropping if necessary. And shipping was fast and reliable (they send you a tracking number to you so can stalk your precious photo from their site to your front step).

The image I used was from Instagram and I’m pretty impressed with the quality considering it was an iPhone photo with a filter. Kind of turned out pop art-y which I love! Perfect for the modern aesthetic we have going on in our apartment.

Easy Canvas Prints products come with saw-tooth hangers installed already for quick + easy hanging.

You can see the canvas detail in the image below as well as the glossy finish in the sunlight.

I’m very happy with how it turned out and would recommend Easy Canvas Prints to anyone looking to order this kind of print.

Like to give Easy Canvas Prints a try?

The lovely folks at Easy Canvas Prints have given me two coupon codes to share with you!

Use the code: 50FREESHIP to receive 50% off your canvas purchase and get free shipping

Use the code: BOGOMONTH to buy one canvas get one free plus free shipping too

Happy shopping!

weekend review

Last weekend I…

…went shopping with a coworker-friend. Found some cute spring/summer tops at Goodwill and also bought two absolutely comfortable flats at Aerosole – I totally get why people only shop there! Great quality, so comfortable, affordable, and stylish. And no, I’m not getting paid to say that :)

…grabbed groceries at Whole Foods by myself – so much fun wandering the aisle and finding new things to eat that fit into my LEAP plan. Hello quinoa noodles and coconut aminos!

…went out to dinner with Mr.C

…attended the always fun MN Blogger’s Favorite Things Party hosted by Lo and Dawn.

Last year’s was a blast and this year was even better – great food, unique items, and more bloggers in attendance. So nice to see old faces and meet all the newbies!

The premise of the party is simple – we each bring 3 versions of our favorite thing to share, draw names and pick out 3 new favorite things from the collection to take home.

I brought tiny mason jars filled with a coconut oil & sugar scrub I made and I left with a few chocolate bars, a notebook, and a Norwex cloth. I’m especially excited to try my new Norwex as I have friends and coworkers that rave about. (If you’re interested in trying Norwex products, another MN Blogger, the very sweet Bridget, sells them. Shoot her an email to find out more!)

Back: Becky | Becky | Carolyn | Melissa | Diana  | Jameson | Andrea | Jen | Leah | Melissa | Sarah | Lauren | Zhenya

Middle: Robert | Dawn | Jasmine | Katie | Brittany | Syndal | Jenn

Front: Kelly | Me | Lindsey | Krysty (with sweet little Hadley)

(photo credit goes to Robert – check out his amazing photography here)

I had great time and cannot wait for the next meet-up.

Happy Friday and hope you all have a good weekend.

currently

Listening… to this playlist I recently compiled. Also — Super Mash Bros.

Reading… theSkimm. I’m notorious for being out of the loop when it comes to the news and what’s happening in the world. Not anymore! TheSkimm is a great daily newsletter that sends handcrafted summaries of the top news stories right to your inbox. Give it a try. I guarantee you’ll love the fresh and snappy tone!

Eating… random concoctions based on my LEAP meal plan. I’m finally onto Phase 2! This week I made a tasty pasta dish with 100% corn noodles and scallops in a butter & feta sauce with chocolate avocado pudding for dessert. I often post my plates on Instagram – so if you’re into that I’d love to have you follow along!

Watching… Top of the Lake on Netflix. Elisabeth Moss stars in this mini-series mystery that originally aired on the Sundance channel. Powerful, haunting, edgy. Disturbing but beautiful. Great acting by all! Holly Hunter, Peter Mullen, and David Wenham also star.

Waiting… for the mail to come! I’m switching up my makeup and giving BareMinerals a try since their ingredients don’t contain anything I’m sensitive to. I’m also getting samples of a new natural shampoo/conditioner to try – Morrocco Method. Reviews to come!

Enjoying… my purple tipped hair. I’ve never dyed it before and really needed a change to shake off the winter gloom. Thanks to Splat’s semi permanent “Lusty Lavender” and help from Mr.C I’m now sporting some fancy colorful locks. Probably won’t color it again (unless I use henna) since I’m trying to go natural with my products and such.

Trying… to curb my antsy-ness. A few times of year a switch flips and I need change. Now. Nownownow! Bouncing around from idea to idea and wanting to do everything… immediately! New hair, another tattoo, rearranging furniture, tossing my wardrobe upside down, get on the road, book a flight, have an adventure… can it all happen today? Please? :) My mind/body/soul apparently needs it.

Feeling… accomplished! Mr.C & I are continuing to chip away at our student loans and, guys, we just dropped under $20K! Only $19,198 to go!

Clicking… 17 things you suddenly start doing when you get an office job (pretty accurate and hilarious!), What Do Millennials Eat and Drink? (so spot on, especially here in the city! Mr.C has even started preferring craft beers over his old standby Bud Light), and Akinator (an online “game” that can guess any real or fictional character you’re thinking of by asking just 20 questions. It hasn’t been wrong for me once!).

So that’s me…what’s current with you guys?

Have a good weekend + and soak up the warmer weather!

xo – meg

Living LEAP: Phase 2

Don’t know what LEAP/MRT is? Missed the start of this series? Click here to catch up!

After spending 15 days on Phase 1, I finally moved to Phase 2 – the stage where you start introducing one new food from your list every 1-2 days.

It took me awhile to move on to Phase 2 because I was battling a cold and then kept getting stomach aches. It turns out that although mushrooms are listed as green/safe on my test results my body is not a fan and hence the stomach aches. The reason for this may be because of underlying factors that the MRT test can’t take into account, such as a mold / yeast / candidate sensitivity that mushrooms could actually be exacerbating. So I’ll keep mushrooms out of my diet and retest them again later.

The foods I can introduce during Phase 2 include:

soybeans (whole), millet, corn, avocado, asparagus, lima beans, squash, plum, grapefruit, cocoa, cow’s milk, honey, vanilla, and baking soda

So far I have successfully tested / added back:

asparagus, avocado, lima beans, plums, cow’s milk, corn, and baking soda (I use for cleaning and mix with coconut oil as a face scrub occasionally)

Left: lamb, green beans, mashed potatoes/cauliflower
Right: burger, feta, avocado, corn on the cob

Very happy about asparagus and corn! I’m also excited about cow’s milk because although I’m not a big milk drinker – it’s nice for cooking…and chocolate. I cannot wait until I get enough food items/ingredients back into my diet that I can start having chocolate again (only if it’s lecithin free of course!).

How I’m feeling: Great! My GI issues are practically nonexistent. Phase 1 got very boring toward the end but starting Phase 2 gets you motivated and excited to keep moving forward. I’ve continued to lose weight since Phase 1 (total of 10lbs now) but have hit a plateau recently. I definitely need to get back in the habit of exercising again!

I’ll keep you updated as I continue with Phase 2 and keep expanding my menu (yay!).

In closing, I’d like to address a few reader questions. If you have anything you’d like to ask – comment below or shoot me an email. I’ll be happy to share my experience or help you find the information you’re looking for. Thanks to Anndee for wondering…

What foods on your red list will you miss the most?

The “red” foods I miss the most are salmon, crab, and lemon. I mean, yum! I hope one day I’ll be able to add them back to my diet even if it’s in small, occasional amounts. The biggest impact on my life though has been avoiding lecithin, salicylic acid, and sodium metabisulfite. As I mentioned here, they are in so many things and now influence not only my eating decisions but my beauty & hygiene ones as well.

Have you had to deal with eating out or cooking for others?

Cooking for others: Since Mr.C & I work opposite shifts and we don’t have kids, I don’t have to deal a lot with this. But when it comes to leftovers or weekends, Mr.C does eat some of the meals I make (pot roasts, burgers, sweet potatoes, etc) and has been slowly embracing healthy eating too. How restrictive your Phase 1 menu is will probably influence on how many of your meals you’ll be able to share with others/family. But once you get the Phase 2, 3, and beyond it’ll be much easier for you to make dishes or meals that will appeal to more people. In the meantime, you could always make a main dish that you features items you can eat safely and then side dishes that appeal to the others. Or make “easy” meals for the rest of the family (crock pot meals, soups, etc) so you can focus on meals for yourself and not get burnt out on cooking so many different dishes.

Eating out: I have eaten out twice since starting LEAP. One was at the very beginning of Phase 1 and it was not a great experience. We went to a buffet for someone’s birthday and while in theory it should have been nice with so many options (I must be able to find something to eat right?) it actually wasn’t. So much of the options were still made with boxed/processed mixes or seasoned with something I couldn’t have, it was a challenge. I ended up drinking water and eating steak, carrots from the salad bar, and mandarin oranges. My second experience was much better and it helped that it was at a higher end restaurant where they were making things fresh to order. I was able to get oven roasted tilapia with asparagus and specify that I only wanted it cooked with olive oil or butter, salt and pepper. It tasted amazing.

The key to eating out is definitely advanced planning. Review menu prior to visiting the restaurant, bring a list of your sensitivities, and tell the waiter about them or verify the ingredients in a meal before ordering. Avoiding a restaurant during peak dining times may help the kitchen be more capable of meeting your dietary needs. You can also think about eating something at home before going out and then just getting a side dish or appetizer (something small but safe). This way you can still enjoy the outing and social aspects without worry and being nice to your dining out budget. :)

Have you found any websites or other resources that have helped with recipes?

Pinterest, as always, is a great resource. There are even a few LEAP/MRT specific boards. I also googled around to find other bloggers who did LEAP/MRT. And don’t be afraid to take some of your favorite recipes and work on making substitutions for the foods/ingredients you are trying to avoid!

My dietitian also gave me some websites that have been very helpful:

• Allrecipes – you have the option to search for recipes by ingredients so it helps narrow the list with things you can consume
• Cleanplates
• Elana’s Pantry – for baking
• Healthful Pursuit 
• Living Healthy with Chocolate
• Multiply Delicious
• https://www.facebook.com/JustEatingRealFood
• https://www.facebook.com/balancedbites

Hopefully those of you out there doing LEAP or thinking of starting will find these resources helpful. Or even those of you who are just looking to eat healthier! Healthy, happy humans for the win, amiright?!

– meg

To read the next installment of this series click here.

Fairlife | Giveaway Winner Announced!

The Fairlife Magic Bullet Blender Giveaway has ended.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter the drawing, leave comments, and learn more about Fairlife milk.

Congratulations to Angela! I will be contacting you via email shortly to arrange delivery of your new blender!

For more Fairlife visit: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Fairlife | Magic Bullet Blender Giveaway! (CLOSED)

Last weekend, Mr.C & I attended a workout + smoothie tasting event hosted by Fairlife.

Click here to learn about Fairlife and read our review of their tasty product. Fairlife Milk has 50% more protein, 50% more calcium, and 50% less sugar than ordinary milk. Plus, it’s lactose free! All of this nutrition is added naturally thanks to their unique filtering process. Cool right?!

Wanna know what’s even cooler?

Fairlife is giving away Magic Bullet Blender to one of you lovely readers!

That’s right! Fairlife’s motto is “believe in better” and since they really want to help people live healthier, better lives, they thought this would be a great way to share their passion. Think of all the delicious, quick, healthy treats you’ll be able to whip up!

Click below to enter to win a Magic Bullet Blender c/o Fairlife:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only (and no PO Boxes – sorry).

Thanks again to Fairlife! And good luck. :)

Fun + Fitness With Fairlife

The lovely folks at Fairlife hosted an event yesterday to launch their new milk products in the Twin Cities and invited a bunch of us to join in the fun.

It was held at Lifetime Fitness in Eden Prairie (practically my backyard) so of course I had to attend. I also brought Mr.C along to stand in for me as a taste tester.

The co-founder of Fairlife, Sue McCloskey, who is also a wife, mother, fitness enthusiast, and dairy farmer, was there to introduce the product and the inspiration behind it.

Chris Freytag from KARE 11 was also in attendance and led everyone in a 30 minutes HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout. I’m so out of shape that I huffed+puffed my way through but it was definitely great motivation to keep up with my at-home workouts and gave me some new moves to use.

And of course, we also got to test out the product!

Fairlife Milk has 50% more protein, 50% more calcium, and 50% less sugar than ordinary milk. Plus, it’s lactose free! All of this nutrition is added naturally thanks to their unique filtering process.

They had all their milks out to taste – 2% Chocolate, regular 2%, and skim. They also whipped up a few smoothies full of protein to help us recharge after the workout.

Since I’m still in Phase 1 of my LEAP plan I had to forgo tasting at the event and had Mr.C fill in for me. He said: “It was very creamy. The 2% milk felt like whole. The chocolate one was delicious!”

Right now the milk is only available in the Twin Cities and Denver but Fairlife hopes to have their products nationwide soon!

For my Twin Cities peeps – you can pick up Fairlife for yourself at Rainbow, Holiday, Kowalski’s, Lunds & Byerlys, Coborns, Cub, and Knowlan’s Festival.

Fairlife also sweetly sent all attendees home with a Magic Bullet blender, a few quarts of milk, gift card to Lunds & Byerly’s, and smoothie recipes.

When we got home we decided to test out our new blender. It’s so easy to use and we love that you can make just one smoothie at a time! Plus our blender broke a few months ago so this was meant to be.

I made one with Kefir, frozen raspberries, and a few ice cubes.

Mr.C made his with Fairlife’s chocolate milk, frozen strawberries, and ice. Perfect for a quick treat!

Since starting my LEAP journey I’ve become more conscious of what I’m putting into my body, diligent about reading ingredient labels, and actively seeking out more products that embrace sustainability, fair trade, animal comfort, etc.

Fairlife’s motto is “believe in better”. They are a family business committed to being environmentally responsible, treating their cows humanely and with compassion, producing their products in an ethical, efficient, and safe way, and being affordable.  They call it their “from grass to glass® promise.”

One of Fairlife’s major investors is Coca-Cola who hopes to help provide consumers with better, wholesome nutrition options from safe, responsible sources.

Fairlife really wants to help people live healthier, better lives. This aligns exactly with the new mission I have for myself so I’m very glad our paths were able to cross!

Thanks again to Fairlife for inviting me to their event and introducing me to their brand + products.

For more Fairlife visit: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Disclosure: Mr.C & I were provided complimentary products to try and review along with a swag bag for attending the event. All opinions are our own. 

Living LEAP: Phase 1

When I started the Living LEAP series I gave you a little background on my issues, explained food sensitivities, and shared why I chose to do MRT/LEAP. Then I walked you through the results of my MRT blood test for food sensitivities. And now here we are – ready to get started on LEAP!

 So – what is LEAP?

LEAP stands for Lifestyle, Eating, And Performance and is a plan that systematically builds a healthy diet of foods that can be tolerated by your body. It is an immuncocalm diet. There are 6 phases. The foods that are allowed in each phase are determined by the results of the MRT test.

You start with the least reactive foods first. It can be a bit restrictive but luckily Phase 1 usually only lasts for a few weeks. The focus of Phase 1 is to get you feeling better and hopefully eliminate most if not all of your symptoms by only eating 20-25 of your low reactive foods. Phase 1 is a healing process. Once there is significant symptom resolution you move on to Phase 2 – where you introduce one food at a time (much like you do with babies who are learning to eat). You try your “new” food a few times over the course of 1-2 days and note any reactions. If none occur the food is “safe” to eat and you can move on to the next food item on your list. As you can imagine it takes awhile to get through all the foods.

Phases 3, 4 and 5, are the same as Phase 2 except you are slowly testing out foods you were more reactive to (items that scored “yellow” and “red” on the MRT). Generally, foods that scored moderately reactive (yellow) are avoided for 3 months and highly reactive foods (red) are avoided for 6 months. Phase 6 (usually at the 6 month mark) is when you challenge foods that the MRT did not test so you can determine your tolerance level. You also begin a rotation diet in Phase 6. The rotation diet ensures that certain foods/food families are not over-consumed to the point where you lose a tolerance for them or even become sensitive. Phase 6 is basically where you’re on your own. You’ve learned how to eat and what to and now you just live your life.

Recap of Phase 1 so far:

I did an inventory and purge of most of my make-up, beauty, and hygiene products.

Many contained things I’m sensitive to like sulfates, salicylic acid, oats, soybean oil, and red dyes (I’m particularly reactive to Red #40).

I swapped out my beauty/hygiene products as best I could. Below are the products I’m currently using and a little review:

• Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap (Tea Tree): Using for about 2 weeks. It has replaced our kitchen & bathroom hand soaps and I’m using it as body wash in the shower. I just did a 50/50 mix of water & soap and put it in pump/spray dispensers.  
• Jason’s Natural Toothpaste (Tea Tree & Cinnamon):  Using for a few days. I miss the minty freshness of my old toothpaste but this gets the job done, has great reviews, and grows on you. The cinnamon gives you a little tingle too.
• Alaffia Everyday Shea Moisturizing Shampoo (Lavender): Using for about a week. I usually wash my hair every other day. Right now, by the end of Day 1 I get a small greasy spot at the crown of my head. Day 2 it’s really oily – not a good look or feel. It also seems like the product is weighing my hair down a bit. A little over moisturizing apparently! However, since it takes some time for hair/scalp to adjust to all natural products I’m going to stick it out. I also plan to try using less product, making sure it’s absolutely all washed out of my hair, and testing out the “backwards washing” method (conditioner, then shampoo).
• Coconut Oil: I get mine at Target, Walmart, etc for about $6. You can find it at many grocery stores. Organic, unrefined, and extra-virgin is probably best. I use it instead of lotion. I also mix it with a little sugar or baking soda to use as a face or body scrub. A little goes a long way. When I get a new jar I usually heat it up (either in microwave or under hot water) and pour into smaller containers so I can put one by the sink, in the shower, in the kitchen for cooking, etc. You can then warm it up again for each use if you want it liquid or just scrape some out as a solid; the warmth of your skin will melt it.

A little note – I don’t actually like the smell of tea tree oil and never have. But I’m staying away from salicylic acid and sulfates (which can be found in toothpastes and other minty things) which is why I settled for the natural cinnamon & tea tree toothpaste. As for Dr. Bronner’s… with the orange label and misreading “organic” as orange, you can see where I went wrong. Got it home only to find out it was actually tea tree (hard to admit, but I did this TWICE…doh!). Anyway, tea tree’s tolerable – but when both products run out I’ll look for alternative flavors/scents.

After going through my beauty/hygiene products, I also went through our fridge & kitchen cupboards, did inventory, and separated out “safe” things I could have (which wasn’t very many items – boo! to processed foods and boxed/canned goods – many of the items contained lecithin, sulfates/sulfites, soybean oil, and oats – all of which I’m sensitive + reactive to).

Mr.C & I visited Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Costco etc. to stock up on groceries so I could start the food portion of Phase 1.

I am allowed to consume the following foods during Phase 1:

• Proteins: beef, pork, tilapia, lamb
• Grains & Starches: white potato, quinoa, sweet potatoes, buckwheat
• Vegetables: tomato, mushroom, bell pepper, onion, celery, carrot, string beans, cauliflower, zucchini
• Fruits: apricot, raspberry, orange, apple
• Dairy & Miscellaneous: yogurt/Kefir, goat’s milk (feta), almond milk, cottage cheese
• Nuts & Seeds & Oils: almond, walnut, pecan
• Flavor Enhancers: leek, basil, turmeric, pepper, cinnamon
• Other: Water, salt, distilled white vinegar

Three meals and two-three snacks are recommended. Portion sizes should be sensible. It’s not a calorie focused diet and is very well-balanced (as you can see). You also keep a food journal of what you eat and any symptoms you notice.

A few of the main meals I’ve made include beef stew (organic broth, carrots, potatoes, beef – in the crock pot), pan-fried tilapia with oven roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower, and pork with mushrooms and green beans. Snacks include nuts, apples, clementines (orange family), dried apricots, and frozen raspberries. I tried buckwheat cereal two ways for lunch yesterday – with cinnamon & apples and then with raspberries – still not a fan. Too earthy and too much like oatmeal & quinoa for me (which I also dislike). But I’m keeping an open mind and will continue to try new foods. I also only use salt, pepper, and ghee (clarified butter) to roast my veggies and fish.

How I’m feeling:

I’m 5 days into Phase 1. I’ve lost 3 lbs. I’ve had mild headaches the first few days along with some minor digestive issues and bouts of nausea.  It can be a bit discouraging but it’s also a sign that your body is on the road to recovery. You feel worse before you feel better. Why? Well the theory is that your body goes through withdrawal symptoms when you avoid your reactive foods (food sensitivity has been likened to food addiction in that respect). During Phase 1 your body goes through a bit of a detox. Consuming lot of water helps (but that’s been a bit of a struggle with the nausea). The good news is that my more major GI troubles have not surfaced at all so hopefully after sticking with Phase 1 for a while longer – my symptoms will completely clear up! Most people who have done the LEAP plan have reported improved energy, better digestion, weight loss, less food cravings, joint pain relief, clearly thinking, and an all-over better sense of well-being.

Since Phase 1 can be the tough – I’m very grateful for supportive friends + family who are understanding of the process and for my dietitian, Komel, and her guidance, advice, and recipes.

See you back here next week with a status update. Hopefully I’ll be moving on to Phase 2 – but we’ll see!

– meg

To read the next installment of this series click here.

currently

Planning… a trip to Whole Foods so I can start Phase 1 of my LEAP diet (an ImmunoCalm Nutrition Program)

Watching… House of Cards, Season 1. I got Mr.C hooked so we’re rewatching S1 before devouring the new Season 2. I’ve also made a pretty big dent in my Oscars list – I’ve watched all those up for Best Picture so far and a few others.

Listening… to this new playlist I created – perfect for background music at work – wide variety of tunes starting from mellow/indie to more upbeat/rock/folk and ending in happy dance party. Let me know what you think! Also, I love listening to new music so if there’s something you think I absolutely must hear – please share :)

Drinking… kombucha! Still trying to find a flavor I like that isn’t too vinegary but I get the appeal. Tasty and good for ya!

Excited… for Mr.C’s birthday next Tuesday! He’s turning 25 and it is also his golden birthday. We haven’t settled on any plans yet but I’m sure whatever we end up doing will be fun.

Obsessed… with Disney’s “Frozen” soundtrack – it’s like “Wicked” for little kids and yes I know all the words.

Loving… the warm weather lately! It’s been in the 30s almost all week and I could finally walk to work. Of course, last night it snowed a bunch and now it’s supposed to dip back below 15 again for awhile. Ah, February.

Annoyed… with the ice dams forming on our apartment roof. No leaks but there are water spots on our ceiling. The maintenance people keep coming to fix things in the attic and every time they do we have to completely empty the closet where the attic door is. I’m glad our apartment complex takes such good care of us but at the same time it’s becoming a hassle. First world problems I suppose.

Wearing… these camis from Costco and leggings from Kohls. So soft! Throw on a sweater + some boots and you’ve got my weekend / non-work attire.

So that’s me…what’s current with you guys?

Have a good weekend + stay warm!

xo – meg

Living LEAP: My MRT / Food Sensitivity Test Results

If you’re new to the Living LEAP series start here. 

As I mentioned, a few weeks ago I took the MRT test (Mediator Release Test), a specialized blood test that checks your immune system response (or non-response) to 150 foods and chemicals. The MRT test does a live cell analysis that identifies foods and chemicals which provoke the release of mediators that cause pain and inflammation. It looks at reactions to foods that your body may have beginning 45 minutes up to 3 days after eating the offending food.

Using the results, you and/or your dietitian, certified LEAP therapist, doctor, etc. devise a 6-phase food sensitivity elimination diet plan that helps systematically build a healthy diet of foods that can be tolerated. The goal is to consume foods that are anti-inflammatory and immune-calming for your body specifically.

So, while I wait for my dietitian to send over my meal plan (it was quite a challenge to create… you’ll see why in a moment), I thought I’d share the results of my MRT test.

Significant reactions are broken into either Reactive (Red) or Moderately Reactive (Yellow) categories and insignificant reactions (Green) are placed in the Non-Reactive category.

click images to enlarge

The image below highlights some of my most reactive foods/chemicals/additives.

The reason my LEAP diet plan is going to be a tricky one is because lecithin and sodium metabisulfite are in many food items as well as beauty/hygiene products.

Sodium Metabisulfite can also be found under the following names – sulfite, sulfur dioxide, potassium bimetabisulfite (or just metabisulfite). Foods that are high in sodium metabisulfite can include: wine, beer, ale, soft drinks, processed fruits and vegetable juices,frozen fruits, dried fruits, corn syrups, maraschino cherries, commercially prepared/dehydrated potatoes.

Lecithin is found in egg yolks, soybeans, corn as well as an additive in breakfast cereals, candy, chocolate, baked goods, margarines, frozen desserts, salad dressings, non-stick cooking sprays.  It can be found in certain medications as well.

Salicylic Acid can go by the following names – amyl salicylate, phenyl salicylate, menthyl salicylate, glyceryl salicylate, benzyl salicylate, dipropylene esters (also known as benzoates). Aspirin contains salicylic acid as do some toothpastes, lotions, chewing gum, makeup and mint flavored products.

So, that is what I’m up against.

It’s definitely going to be a challenging journey but one I believe will be well worth it. I have already learned so much and I’ve only just begun! 

My biggest take away so far? Even if a food is “healthy,” it may not be healthy for you! What works for someone else’s body may not work for yours and vice versa.

I hear ya now, body… let’s do this thing!☺

xo, meg

To read the next installment of this series click here.

Living LEAP: An Intro

In a week or so I’ll officially start my journey to get healthy from the inside out.

As my dear family + close friends know, I’ve been battling some gastrointestinal issues that could no longer be ignored (that’s as TMI as I’ll get, I promise☺).

Until a few weeks ago, I was at the end of my rope, frustrated, lost, and very uncomfortable.

I started noticing my GI issues here or there during my last two years of college and once I got married & moved to Minnesota the symptoms slowly started to increase and occur more often. But I always brushed it off or attributed it to something else  – stress, lack of exercise, overeating, unhealthy eating, drinking, etc.

Finally it got to the point where my symptoms were screaming at me and I was swearing back at them and something had to be done. I was miserable. I mentioned my troubles to my general physician who referred me to a GI doctor…but it was going to be many, many months before I could get into see him and I needed something now.

Thankfully, my coworker told me about something that really turned her life around and I hope it does the same for me!

The MRT test (Mediator Release Test) is a specialized blood test that checks your immune system response (or non-response) to 150 foods and chemicals. The MRT test does a live cell analysis that identifies foods and chemicals which provoke the release of mediators that cause pain and inflammation.

Once results from the MRT are obtained, the next step is to follow an individualized LEAP (Lifestyle, Eating, And Performance) plan which systematically builds a healthy diet of foods that can be tolerated.

Common symptoms of food sensitivities can include:

• fatigue
• sleepiness after eating
• insomnia
• mental fog
• anxiety
• depression
• irritability
• headaches
• acne
• high blood pressure

• skin disorders
• weight problems
• sinus issues
• join & muscle pain
• constipation/diarrhea
• gas & bloating
• acid reflux
• mouth sores
• coughing
• food cravings …. and more!

In addition, many chronic conditions may be made worse by food and chemical sensitivities.

A few examples include:

• Irritable Bowl Syndrom (IBS)
• Migraines
• Fibromyalgia
• Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis
• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
• Autism Spectrum disorders

• Skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, acne
• Arthritis (osteo or rheumatoid)
• Asthma
• Any autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthritis, Type 1 Diabetes, celiac disease, hashimoto’s, lupus, etc.)

However, the MRT test is a test for food sensitivities NOT allergies. I know, it’s weird because it seems like they would be so similar right? But, from what I’ve read, food sensitivities apparently activate a different component of the immune system than food allergies. The MRT test looks for non-IgE immune responses to food and may reveal a more delayed reaction to the foods/chemicals a body is sensitive to. Food allergies on the other hand react to IgE mediators in the immune system. So, the MRT test is not a test for food allergies, just as a food allergy test will not test food sensitivities.

Anyway, after lots of research and chats with other individuals who did the MRT or similar testing, I knew this would be a really good option for me.

So, I followed my gut (pun intended☺) and contacted a wonderful, local Twin Cities dietitian, Komel, who also thought I’d be a good candidate for the testing + elimination diet plan.

We recently sent my blood off to get tested and Komel is currently is working analyzing the results + creating my personalized LEAP meal plan.

Since this is going to be such a big part of my life for the next 6+ months, I am of course going to be documenting my LEAP journey on this blog. Not only is it something I’ll want to remember but if I am able to help someone else who is in a similar situation then that will be great too!

To be continued…. 

Click here for Part 2 where I reveal the results of my MRT test!

xo, meg

weekend review x2

The past two weekends Mr.C and I…

got together twice with our friends N+B. Once, for a group shopping trip to Costco followed by a night of euchre, Cards Against Humanity, and playing with their two kitties (Charles and Cleo). The second time we stayed up until 1:30 am playing Munchkin and Ticket to Ride. Good times!

went on a double date with my coworker, J, and her man, A. They had us over to their house for dessert fondue and to meet their “animal circus” (Smallcat, Lucy, and Jameson). We then headed over to the Bloomington Civic Theater to see The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – one of my favorite musicals.

added a new cactus and jade plant to our collection.

paid a visit to Twilight Tattoo and our artist Chelsea to get our tattoos touched up.

spent Super Bowl Sunday at a party hosted by one of Mr.C’s coworkers. Had a fun time meeting new people, voting for best commercial, and playing with all the babies that were in attendance.

The last two weekends also bookended a very long work week for both of us. Mr.C’s work has been busy (lots of business – they’re growing like mad) and short-staffed (sick people + so many school cancellations). He also had his 6 month review – all good news of course. As for me, it’s been a little crazy here too – things are picking up, we’re in the middle of many projects, have had a lot of interviews scheduled for our candidates, and I’ve been working  some overtime to earn more PTO time for a trip I’m taking later this year.

So that’s what’s been happening around here. Hope you all are doing well!

xo, meg

weekend review

via google images

This weekend Mr.C & I…

had lunch with Mr.C’s uncle + cousins at Mill Valley Kitchen,

spent some time apart – Mr.C went to the movies while I went to a friend’s makeup party,

and attended Mr.C’s holiday work party at the Radisson Blu at the MOA.

It was a great night – lots of drinks, lots of laughs, lots of fun – and in the most gorgeous venue. Very neat architecture, extremely modern. If you get a chance to peek in there you won’t regret it!

Hope you all had a good weekend too! xo, meg

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

Headed downtown with Jen & Ryguy, grabbed dinner + drinks at The News Room, then laughed the rest of the night away at the Brave New Workshop’s holiday show, “I Saw Daddy Marry Santa Claus”. It plays until the end of this month so you still have time to catch this funny, entertaining, and provocative comedy revue!

If you go on a Saturday night there’s a bonus, half-hour improv show at 10pm… but midweek tickets are cheaper – either way I promise you’ll enjoy yourself.

xo, meg

currently

Reading… The Seamstress by Sara Tuval Bernstein

Listening… an old Blink 182 mix CD I found

Watching… many movies: The Wolf of Wall Street, Anchorman 2, About Time, Rush, and American Hustle

Eating… pork roast with potatoes, carrots, & corn – great crock pot dinner for winter

Playing… Dots and Pirates v.s. Ninjas

Looking… forward to setting up my elliptical/bike exercise machine combo, meeting with a dietitian later this month, and completing MRT testing for food sensitivities – 2014 is the year I get my gut back on track (both inside & out).

Thankful… for good friends, family, + coworkers

Nervous… about doing our taxes myself this year – any advice/suggestions? What software program do you guys use?

Happy… to have so many fun things lined up for this month – seeing the BNW’s holiday show and BCT’s production of the 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee musical, attending my company’s holiday party as well as Mr.C’s, along with movie dates, game nights, and whatever other excitement comes along the way

Ready… for the warmer weather that’s promised later this week. It’s been very chilly recently thanks to the deep freeze that’s sweeping across the Midwest. We saw -20°F today with wind chills at night reaching -40° to 55°.

So that’s me…what’s current with you all?

Have a great week & stay warm,

xo – meg

 

2013 in Review

It’s unbelievable how much can happen in just 365 days! If you’d like – take a trip down memory lane with our recaps from 2011 and 2012 or keep reading for our review of

LIFE: We… celebrated 10 years together reached 2 years of marriage resigned our apartment lease & still love living in EP bought a new car and a comfy couch kept paying on our student loan debt lost a loved one around the holidays continued to grow at work: Mr.C received much praise, more responsibility, and attended a leadership conference in Cedar Rapids. His company also hosted a fun employee/family outing at Valley Fair. I celebrated my one year work anniversary and attended my first work conference in Chicago. I also began managing our social media + newsletters in addition to recruiting

ADVENTURES: We… Traveled to Florida (part 1 and 2) Went camping up North Attended our first Chicago Bears football game Attended our first hockey game Attend a horse race at Canterbury Visited Minnesota Zoo Visited Duluth and the North Shore  Had our families visit (spring, summer, fall, fall again) as well as friends  Visited our hometown in Illinois (once, twice) and took a trip to Indiana where Mr.C grew up Attended the wedding of Kt – one of my besties & old college roomie Took a vacation to Chicago to watch friends get married + visit my relatives

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

That time when…

We got complimenting tattoos

I did fun things with my MN Bloggers group like participating in a color run, learning to pack chocolates, and attending a summer meet up & favorite things party

We remembered our engagement story & how Mr.C proposed

I shared my love of music via mixtapes (lovefest, fall, winter)

We geocached in both summer and winter (< drove across a frozen lake that time – eek!)

We met Dudley Riggs and celebrated the Brave New Workshop’s 55th Anniversary

***

Happy New Year everyone!

weekend review: holiday edition

This weekend Mr.C & I…

spent an extended holiday with our friends and family back in Illinois.

Although we had a good time celebrating and seeing everyone, it was also much less merry + bright this year.

credit: Elizabeth Albers Photography

On December 17th we lost a loved one – my mother’s fiancée. It was sudden, shocking; completely unexpected. Together for five years, they had found their stride and had much to look forward to. Sadly, the world had other plans.

A favorite quote of Paul’s reads ― “Life is bookmarked by two dates, birth and death; you choose neither. Stop fooling yourself. Now is the time to live.”

So, mingling our grief with gratitude, we continued with holiday traditions while vacillating between states of remembrance + sorrow and the chaos that comes with losing someone and settling an estate.

Determined to not let the blues completely get the best of us, we…

basked in a beautiful sunset on our drive from MN to IL

stayed up until 3 am playing games and catching up with old friends

had lunch and opened stockings at my grandma’s with my family

had dinner and opened gifts with Ryan’s family

took a snowy trip back home to MN

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and were able to spend some quality time with friends & family!

Also, I really cannot say thank you enough for all the love + support that has been sent our way during this difficult time.

“A lovely thing about Christmas is that it’s compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together.” ― Garrison Keillor

“Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts.” ― Janice Maeditere

“When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things – not the great occasions – give off the greatest glow of happiness.” ―Bob Hope

xo, meg

linking up this post with

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

finished all our Christmas shopping…. in our new car!

left: the day we paid & drove off the lot                                            right: posing with my mama + gma over the holidays

Yep, our old ’98 Lumina was a few months away from kicking it so we knew we needed to start shopping around. We’d planned to save up a little more & cross our fingers that the Lumina would hold out just a little longer but after just a few test drives we found the one.

Good price, great reviews, low miles, hatchback, AWD… this used 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport had everything we were looking for & more. And when you know, you know – so we jumped on the deal and couldn’t be happier.

Although we now have another loan to work on paying off at least we can do it safely and in style.

Thanks to Luther Honda in Hopkins for the great service – we definitely recommend visiting them if you’re looking for a new car. Extremely helpful, understanding, and professional.

In addition to cruising around in our new ride – we also had a game night with friends, brunch at the new Prairie Tap House,  baked some cherry cobbler, and watched started watching Breaking Bad.

Hope you all had good weekend too!

xo, meg

linking up this post with

$ Let’s Talk Money – Part 6: Food for Thought & an Update

click here to catch up on the rest of the series

Here’s an update on what our student loans are lookin’ like lately. We’ve dipped below $25K and have $24,197 left to go.

Food for Thought:

Everyone comes down with a case of “comparisonitis” from time to time. It’s especially difficult when it involves money management and not being able to afford the things you’d like.

Frustration can set it when you daydream about a new home, nice car, or fancy vacation that you know you can’t have. Add to that the fact that your close friend, family member, or co-worker just told you they got [insert your desire/need here]. And to help fuel your lifestyle envy, there’s always reality TV, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Money jealousy can distort your reality and cause you to add extra pressure to yourself.

Although it’s impossible to avoid nowadays and will always be a challenge – this article will hopefully help put your “comparisonitis” into perspective.

Because…“It truly doesn’t matter what the Joneses are doing. Not now, or ever. You need to save where you can, spend where you need, and live a life you want. What’s important is that you spend money in the way that’s most important for you and your family — both for a better, more comfortable today, and for a brighter tomorrow.” – Vincent King, MoneyNing

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

spent Thanksgiving back in Illinois with our families.

We slept in, ate + laughed a lot, played games, watched The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, checked out a new antique shop nearby, laughed at how much colder it was there than in MN, and spotted a candy-colored sunset.

Mr.C’s mom surprised him with an early Christmas gift…. a new jersey & tickets to the Bears/Vikings game on Dec. 1!

Mr.C & I had a blast at the game even though the Bears lost (who tries a 47 yard field goal on a 2nd down in OT?!). It was our first NFL game and quite exciting so no hard feelings. We can’t wait to attend another one sometime!

Hope you all had a lovely holiday weekend too!

xo, meg

(click here to see what we were doing at this time last year)

 

currently

as my friend Kt would say, “Long time, no typey typey” – sorry for the impromptu blogging hiatus. missed you guys! so what better way to catch up than a little “currently” post:

Reading… Circle of Cranes by Annette LeBox

Listening… to this playlist – please give it a listen, I’d love to know what you think! I promise it won’t disappoint.

Watching… the fantastic season finale of Boardwalk Empire, Walking Dead, and a new favorite – The Paradise on PBS

Eating… bowl of frozen cherries from Costco

Looking… forward to Thanksgiving and catching up with family ‘n friends

Thankful… that work is looking up – finally! I have three candidates starting new positions in December. Woohoo!

Nervous… about my doctor’s appt next week. Nothing serious! Just some food/gastro issues I need to start looking into – put it off for far too long :/

Happy… that we started our Christmas shopping early.

Plotting… to get another tattoo! Already gathering inspiration – think I have the main theme hashed out but I won’t get inked until next fall or at least that’s the plan right now.

Ready… for this holiday break and to see Catching Fire! Love the Hunger Games.

Thrilled… that Ryan just texted to say he got off work early tonight!

Hoping… that our ’98 Chevy Lumina can just hang in there for one more year. But you all know me and that I like to be prepared for anything so any tips or suggestions for car shopping in the Twin Cities is much appreciated!

So that’s me…what’s current with you all?

Have a great week,

xo, meg

ten

eight,

nine,

ten.

10.

we’ve said it all before.

in late night MSN chats, 3 hour phone calls, notes passed in high school hallways, college Facebook messages, quick txts on a work break, anniversary cards, wedding vows, and post-its on the fridge.

and we’ll keep on saying it.

i love you. thank you. you’re my best friend. always + forever.

“good relationships don’t just happen. they take time, patience, and two people who truly want to be together.”

“i don’t mind if we take our time… i’m all yours if you’re all mine”

11/12/03 – 11/12/13

happy anniversary.

xo

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

got tattooed to celebrate our upcoming anniversary.

On Tuesday, Nov. 12th, we will have been together 10 years.

I’d been wanting to get a tattoo (my 1st) while Mr.C wanted another (he has a pixellated Mario) so we decide to get one together.

We tossed around some ideas before settling on the roman numerals for twelve, “XII”.

He went simple while I added a bit of embellishment.

We are quite in love! With them… and each other ;)

I’ll share more about our experience, the shop & artist, and “professional” pictures once they’ve healed.

Until then – this will have to tide you over.

In addition to getting tattooed, we also went out to dinner at Outback and to see Ender’s Game.

A well spent weekend for sure!

Hope you all had a great one too.

xo, meg

linking up this post with

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

went with Jen & Ryguy to watch the University of Minnesota women’s hockey team extend its NCAA-record winning streak to 59 games!

We enjoyed dinner + malts at Annie’s Parlour before hand and then had a great time cheering the Gophers on to victory.

First hockey game for us… guess we’re Minnesotans now? ;)

Anyway, the rest of the weekend was pretty chill.

We went to a holiday craft/art fair, got groceries, had Mr.C fitted for a tux for a friend’s wedding this spring, did some cleaning, played Munchkin, Rummikub, and Euchre with N+B at game night, and soaked up an extra hour of sleep thanks to Daylight Saving Time.

Hope you all had a good weekend too!

xo, meg

(click here to see what we were doing at this time last year)

linking up this post with

currently

Reading… Allegiant – the last book in Veronica Roth’s “Divergent” trilogy. Some douchecanoe on twitter ruined the ending for me already (grrr!)  but I’m trying to block that out and enjoy it anyway.

Listening… to so many things that I created a little playlist for you guys. Enjoy! And if you have any songs you think I just have to hear please share – I love new music!

Watching… The Good Wife with my jaw dropped. It’s only mid-season and this brilliantly written show is blowing me away.

Eating… Way Better Snack’s “Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips” – so scrumptious you won’t even believe there are sprouted chia seeds & quinoa mixed in. Speaking of quinoa – have you seen the hilarious board on Pinterest that parodies hipster toddler photos? It’s all about Quinoa, the writer’s Imaginary Well-Dressed Toddler Daughter, her pals, Chevron, Fendi, &Seltzer, and their couture-clad adventures.

Playing… Candy Crush, still. It’s an addiction. Level 213 here I come! (feel free to be embarrassed on my behalf)

Loving… fall. The grey skies and crisp jeans ‘n sweatshirt weather really make my heart happy. It’s perfect for geocaching, crockpot meals, warm beverages, and curling up with a good book. Plus, it always reminds me of when Mr.C & I started dating.

Looking… forward to Thanksgiving and going to Illinois to see the fam. Although my GMA has already said she’s less than thrilled that I’ll be bringing a tattoo home with me.  Yep, you read that correctly. This needle-phobic girl is headin’ over to Twilight Tattoo next weekend to get etched for life. Eek! I’m as excited as I am nervous. Put a lot of thought into the design and can’t wait to see how it comes out.

Thinking… about this article & getting rid of Daylight Savings

Studying… for my LinkedIn Certified Professional Recruiter exam.

Hoping… to make a placement or two at work in November. It’s been 5 months since my last one which is sooooo bad. But, that’s what you get in an industry that will just as well smack you as kiss you.  Ups ‘n downs galore.

Dreaming… about the day we’ll be debt free. Only $26K left to go!

Proud… to have broken my gross nail biting habit. Kicked it to the curb for 3 months now and it’s never invited back.

Happy… that #s/hastags will forever make me think of Jimmy Fallon, Justin Timberlake, and this great video.

So…What’s current with you all? :)

xo, meg

✈ Florida Part 2

Last week we travelled down to Florida to visit Mr.C’s Dad + Mama M. If you missed Part 1 you can catch up here.

Saturday was our last full day in Florida. We left Mr.C’s Dad + Mama M lounging by their pool and took off by ourselves to check out Bok Tower Gardens, a botanical garden and bird sanctuary near Lake Wales, FL.

The main attraction is the majestic bell tower but the Nature Window, Pinewood Mansion, and human sundial were also very cool!

Once we finished wandering the gardens, we grabbed a late lunch, stopped by Spook Hill but didn’t quite see the optical illusion, and checked out a nearby flea market.

Then we spent the rest of Saturday night soaking up family time before flying back to Minnesota on Sunday.

As I said in my last post, it was a glorious vacation and we can’t wait until we’re able to visit again!

xo, meg

✈ Florida Part 1

You might have noticed it was a little quiet around here last week…

well that’s because Mr.C & I were in Florida visiting his Dad + Mama M!

It was a glorious vacation. Relaxing, fun, and full of sunshine.

Tuesday afternoon Mr.C & I flew down to Orlando and spent the evening playing cards & catching up with the fam.

Wednesday afternoon we set off to explore Lakeland, FL, where Mr.C’s Dad + Mama M live.

We fed the birds, wandered around Hollis Gardens, and had lunch at a local café.

Wednesday evening we drove to Downtown Disney for dinner with Mr.C’s brother, sister-in-law, and cute niece – since their Disney vacation happened to coincide with our visit.

Thursday we went to the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park and it was fantastic!

We took a swampy boat ride, saw local wildlife, and best of all – fell in love with some beautiful manatees.

They have four manatees that live at the park year round and, yes, they eat cabbage!

During the colder months, these manatees are moved to a smaller enclosure so they can open to park gates to allow “wild” manatees to enjoy the warmer water near the shore.

We were lucky too because in addition to the park’s manatees – we spotted a “wild” manatee mom + her sweet baby off a dock at the edge of the park.

We also saw deer, alligators, river otters, many birds, a black bear, and Lu – a 53-year-old hippopotamus who has been in a few movies.

Friday we all took a trip down to Clearwater and Sand Key Beach. Despite the strong wind and cooler temperatures, Mr.C & I swam in the Gulf for a good hour while Mr.C’s Dad + Mama M soaked up rays on the beach.

Then we enjoyed some local pizza, ice cream, a walk on the pier, and the Chalk Walk art festival.

Stay tuned tomorrow for Part 2 of our Florida trip recap!

xo, meg

weekend review

Last weekend Mr.C & I…

had a visit from my mom + gma!

Saturday we went thrifting, found a nice trail for a quick walk, and stuffed our faces at Red Cow. It’s quickly becoming one of our favorite restaurants – their apple, bacon, & blue cheese poutine is to die for!

Sunday we went sightseeing in St.Paul and spent the afternoon at the Como Zoo & Conservatory.

We hit up Punch Pizza for dinner and played Euchre + Cribbage to rest of the night.

It was a fast but fun visit!

xo, meg

linking up this post with

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

relaxed, slept a lot, caught up on tv, and basically recouped from a long work week

Mr.C trained in 3 new hires while I jetted off to Chicago for a recruiting conference

my quick trip was full of training & networking with some fun thrown in – plus I was able check “flying alone” off my life list

Saturday and Sunday were mostly rainy so we spent most of our time inside – only venturing out to run errands, eat beer cheese soup at Red Cow, and catch up with our friends N+B

Very low-key but very nice. Hope you all had a good weekend too!

xo, meg

(click here to see what we were doing at this time last year)

linking up this post with

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

went away with Jen & Ryguy for a couples weekend at the North Shore.

(click images to enlarge)

Friday afternoon we stopped a Tobies to grab dinner before making our way to Isabella, MN, where we’d rented a cabin. We were greeted by crisp fall air, changing leaves, and a faint rainbow!

Friday night we met our neighbors next door, played cards, and stayed up way too late.

Saturday we slept in, took Dexter the pup for a walk, made a quick trip to Gooseberry Falls, and then spent time relaxing since a rainstorm drove us inside. Once the rain stopped we grilled out and played Cribbage.

Sunday we started the drive back home but not before stopping in Two Harbors / Duluth to see the sights.

First up was Split Rock Lighthouse.

then a quick stop at Betty’s to try her famous pies

and finally on to Duluth to see the Aerial Life Bridge, wander Canal Park, and grab dinner at Grandma’s.

It was a whirlwind weekend for sure and despite the weather we were still able to do + see quite a bit!

Mr.C & I can’t wait to go to the North Shore again – Lake Superior and the surrounding area have definitely captured our hearts.

Hope you all had a great weekend too!

xo, meg

linking up this post with

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

… had a double date with Jen+Ryguy at the BNW where we saw their 55th Anniversary “Best of” show, laughed insanely hard, celebrated with cake, and met Dudley Riggs (the circus performer who founded the Brave New Workshop Comedy Theatre).

… watched the Vikings + Packers lose (sorry guys!) and cheered like crazy when the Bears won

… played a lot of Candy Crush, kept up the genealogy research, and bid farewell to Dexter at the series finale

Definitely a fun and relaxing last two days.

Hope you all had a good weekend too!

xo, meg

linking up this post with

currently

Reading… a stack of YA books Jen passed along to me, been getting through about half a book a night – sometimes you just need those easy, like candy, mindless reads

Listening… to a variety of things – like always. Today it was showtunes, Lorde, The Sapphires soundtrack, Ladysmith Black Mambazo (will be at the Ordway in St.Paul in Feb), and Bastille’s debut studio-album Bad Blood.

Watching… Survivor’s season premiere and Teen Mom 3 while waiting for my fall favorites to come back – really can’t wait for Grey’s Anatomy + Parenthood.

Eating… lots of tilapia with lemon, Annie Chun’s Udon Soup, plums, and Snack Factory’s Pretzel Crisps

Researching… my family’s genealogy. Recently discovered I’m a descendant of Henry and Mary Newland Howland. If that sounds familiar to any of you it’s because Henry’s brother, John Howland, was a passenger on the Mayflower. My line comes down from Henry > his son Zoeth > Nicholas (Hanna Woodman) > Job (Naomi Chase) > Gilbert (Elizabeth Lapham) > Johnathan (Mary Sprague) > Michael (Mary Taylor/Sarah Taylor – he married Sarah after her sister/his first wife Mary’s death) > my great great grandma Kittie > my great grandma Mamie > my GMA > my mama > me :)

Looking… ahead to my busy schedule– cabin weekend up north, work conference in Chicago, visit from Mom+GMA, & trip down to Florida to see Mr.C’s dad + fam

Hoping… to make a placement soon at work so I can break my 3 month dry spell. Lately we’ve just had too many candidates dropping off the grid, getting counteroffers, or leaving work for bizarre reasons.

Playing… Candy Crush like a fiend! That shit’s addicting!

Loving… this video footage from our wedding 2 years ago that somehow we’d never gotten a chance to see before! I feel weird watching myself but also adore that someone caught this particular bit of the ceremony because it was my favorite part – vows, rings, and then the entire audience pronouncing us married. The energy in that room at that moment was just unreal.

Nervous… for all my upcoming firsts – namely, flying by myself to Chicago and getting a tattoo in November – eekz!

Thrilled… with the progress we’ve been making in the loan department, down to $27K. Now if only we could win the lottery or magically come into a large sum of money :)

Needing… to catch upon laundry + dishes. The cold I caught this week is kinda kicking my butt.

Dreaming… of swimming in the ocean while the winds hum this tune

Waiting… for my Zombie class to start. Yep, you read that right! I signed up for a MOOC (massive open online courses) called Society, Science, Survival: Lessons from AMC’s The Walking Dead, which runs from Oct 14 to Dec 20, 2013. It’s being put on by the University of California – Irvine and you can enroll here. All I’m sayin’ is it’s free and who doesn’t want to be ready for the apocalypse? ;)

So…what’s current with you all?!

xo, meg

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

spent all of Saturday at ValleyFair, a local amusement park.

Mr.C’s work decided to host a company outing there which was perfect since we’d never been. We had an absolute blast to say the least and rode a bunch of rides – some even twice! The “Wild Thing” roller coaster and “Extreme Swing” were our favorites.

Later that evening we went out to dinner at Redstone to celebrate our wedding anniversary that’s coming up on Tuesday. 2 years already! Can you believe it?!

(For a trip down memory lane – you can relive our wedding day, read the written ceremony, or see how spent our anniversary last year.)

Sunday we spent the afternoon at Jen & Ryguy’s watching the Bears beat the Vikings (sorry Minnesota fans). It was fun hanging out with them, playing the their dog Dexter, and munching on Chef Ryguy’s tasty BBQ + spinach artichoke dip.

Afterward we grabbed groceries & new memory foam pillows at Costco (love that place), caught up on TV, and just spent time together. Mr.C  worked 54 hrs this last week and got home at midnight a few nights, so we’ve really missed each other.

Glad we were able to have such a fun weekend together! Hope you all had a great one too!

xo, meg

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weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

had a lovely visit from my two good friends from back home.

(click images to enlarge)

old school pics from back ‘n the day

I known E + F since kindergarten and both ladies were bridesmaids in my wedding.

It was a total girls weekend which Mr.C loved since it meant he got to play hours and hours of his newest video game, Diablo 3.

Meanwhile, these chicas and I really packed it in!!

On Friday we…

went thrifting, got ice cream from Izzy’s, and had dinner at the Nook

F enjoying a tasty cone

left: gorgeous salad bowl set made in Italy spotted at Goodwill
middle: money ceiling at the Nook
right: E with her “Spanish Fly” juicy lucy/nookie burger

hit up the free Concrete & Grass music festival at Mears Park in St. Paul where we got to experience “Marimba Africa” for the first time. They’re a local Twin Cities band that plays mainly African and Caribbean/Reggae dance music (listen to them here, here & here).

wrapped up the day by watching the sun set from Harriet Island

On Saturday we…

grabbed bagels from Bruegger’s for breakfast, relaxed at the beach for a few hours, checked out the Apple Day Lakeside festival in Excelsior

made tilapia + kale chips for dinner, had a few cocktails, decked out our fingers with designs by Jamberry Nails, and enjoyed a late night comedy show at the Brave New Workshop 

On Sunday we…

wandered around the mall, had soup+salads for lunch, and then sadly had to say goodbye

It was such a fun weekend and I really soaked up some much needed lady time.

Definitely miss these crazy gals!

Hope you all had a great weekend too!

xo, meg

linking up this post with

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

enjoyed a nice long holiday weekend and hope you did too!

We started our vacation Wednesday afternoon when we made the trip down to our hometown in Illinois.

Thursday morning I spent time chatting with my grandma while helping her in the house and garden. Then Mr.C made us lunch – homemade grilled cheese.

Thursday evening we were supposed to see my sisters-in-law play their first volleyball game of the season but it was cancelled due to the heat. So we went to dinner with my family instead, attended a visitation for a high school classmate of ours that passed away recently, and finished off the night watching American Ninja Warrior and eat ice cream with a our group of close pals who still live in the area.

miss you guys! (photo taken last fall)

Friday morning I met up with my grandma again collect some old documents that will help me get started as I put together my family tree.

Friday afternoon we packed up and carpooled down to central Indiana with Mr.C’s family. The town we went to hosts a Little Italy Festival every Labor Day Weekend and is also where Mr.C grew up.  Once we arrived, we did a quick walk through of the festival, spent a little time with Mr.C’s brother+fam, then ate late dinner at IHOP with our friends S+B (you may remember them from this post and because B was Mr.C’s best man while lovely S made our wedding cake).

left: our darling niece
right: us w/ S+B at our wedding 2 years ago

Saturday morning we played with “the babies” (our niece and nephew) and visited the Little Italy festival  again to pick up Sati Babis (pork butt skewers marinated in a savory blend of spices) and rosettes (powder sugar covered cookies that are like small, more delicate funnel cakes).

Saturday afternoon we drove out to visit Mr.C’s grandma. A lot of Mr.C’s aunts/uncles/cousins were visiting too so it was nice to catch up with them  and spend a few hours playing euchre (a favorite family pastime).

with Mr.C’s Aunt L

Saturday evening we met up with our friends S+B again for game night. On the drive over to their place a storm rolled in and knocked out power for the whole town. There was quite a lightning show and a few downed limbs but nothing too serious. After game night we headed back to the Little Italy fest and stayed up way too late at the Wine Gardens with Mr.C’s parents & older siblings.

Sunday morning we slept in and awoke to a large breakfast made by Mr.C’s brother (delicious!). Then we headed back out to Mr.C’s grandma’s to play a few more rounds of euchre and say goodbye to his relatives.

Sunday evening we ate a great Italian Feast at Mr.C’s step-grandparents before making one last trip to the Wine Gardens.

Monday morning we were up early to get DQ breakfast. Yeah, Dairy Queens in Indiana apparently serve breakfast and it’s Mr.C’s tradition to go there at least once every trip to get biscuits and gravy. After breakfast we packed up, said goodbye to everyone else, and booked it back to Illinois. After a quick breather in IL we jumped back in the car and drove back home to MN, only stopping once for dinner at Doughy Joey’s Peetza Joynt in Waterloo, IA.  It was quite tasty, deep dish Chicago style… and Mr.C already made me promise that we’d stop there on our next trip through.

 So there you have it – our whirlwind Labor Day weekend!

It was so busy but so fun and very nice to be able to attend the Little Italy Festival again – the last time we went was back in college.

2010 visit

 But after this last trip, without a doubt, Mr.C & I are already missing:

…. the intense games of euchre and smack talk at Mr.C’s grandma’s

…seeing S+B in the flesh after almost 2 yrs

…hanging out with all of Mr.C’s siblings

…eating Sati Babis – seriously amazing, we plan to try + recreate them at home

…watching our nephew zoom around the house and bring everyone their shoes when it’s time to leave

…watching our 1-year-old niece toddle around and then getting suckered in, by sad baby cries + flapping hands, to aid in the escape from her cage crib post-nap

memories – so bittersweet

but like one of my favorite songs says….

“because it makes no difference where we are, we’ll never be far apart.

take my word, rest assured, you’ll be on my mind and in my heart”

Plus after 5 days away, I have admit it’s good to be home. :)

Hope you all had a good weekend!  

xo, meg

linking up this post with

weekend review

This weekend…

Mr.C & I went to the horse races over at Canterbury Park – didn’t win anything but it was a fun way to spend an afternoon!

We also had game night with friends and played Cards Against Humanity, Presidents & Assholes, & Battle of the Sexes

Ate at Tavern 4 & 5 in Eden Prairie for the first time where they make their own tater tots served with a side of bacon ketchup. They rely on word-of-mouth for new business so I definitely suggest you check it out.

While Mr.C was drafting for Fantasy Football, I watched “We’re the Millers” and laughed my little butt off! Perfect Sunday afternoon movie if you’re looking for a silly comedy with some great dialogue and hilarious hijinks.

Hope you all had a good weekend!

I’ll check back in with you later next week after Labor Day – have a wonderful holiday!

xo, meg

linking up this post with

H54F

Linking up with Lauren for…

This week I…

①

attended a MN Blogger meet-up at Maynards where we beat the heat with cocktails + lots of laughs. adore these ladies, thankful for this little internet community, and a big welcome to the newbies!

②

had a two & a half hour gab fest with one of my best gal pal, E. it always amazes me how we can not talk for months yet pick up right where we left off.

friends since kindergarten – she’s my rock and biggest cheerleader – sweet, funny, and like a sister, only better. really glad it get to grow old with this one. whatta gem.

③

listened to “Pompeii” by Bastille on repeat. love the vocals, great beat –  listen to the full album here

④

received some new leads for Mr.C’s genealogy “project” so that was exciting! frustrating  at times but having fun tracking new names and dates down.  really need to start working on my own…hint hint, any family want to do this for my Christmas gift this year :)

⑤

saw Lee Daniels’ “The Butler’ – it was good, interesting historically, but not a super accurate depiction of the guy’s life that this movie was based on. questionable acting at times from some of the people *cough*Oprah*cough* but i still liked it. plus they showed previews for about 5 movies that are right up my alley! can’t wait for more theater time.

Hope you all have a good weekend!

✌ xo, meg

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

…caught gorgeous sunsets two nights in a row

…saw Elysium in theaters (if you loved District 9 – you’ll also like this one!)

…ran errands + went out to dinner

…cleaned house + had a mini dance party

…went kayaking out on Lake Minnetonka – so fun!

Hope you all had a good, chill weekend too!

xo, meg

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H54F

Linking up with Lauren for…

This week….

① first things first… sadly, Mr.C did not get the first shift job he interviewed for last week. i’ve had my little pity party and am moving on. i know that someday we’ll be on the same shift and be able to see each other during the week, eat family meals, hangout, heck, maybe even go to bed at the same time! ah, a girl can dream.

② i’m so grateful for technology that lets me keep up with my friends and family even though we might be miles apart. totally skype’d with the lovely lady above this week – always a good time!

③ went out to dinner with coworkers at Lord Fletchers for Lobster Wednesday. delicious!

④ discovered a new band and fell in love. give ’em a listen here – you will not be disappointed!

 ⑤ wandered around Excelsior before hitting up Maynard’s for the Cities 97’s last Sun Soaker Thursday of year. enjoyed a cocktail and the music of Charlie Mars, Amos Lee (<amazing!), and Farewell Milwaukee.

Hope you all have a good weekend!

✌ xo, meg

 

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

went camping “up north” with our couple friends, N+B, at Savanna Portage State Park!

We arrived Saturday around noon, set up camp, and ate lunch.

Then we wandered the trails, canoed on Lake Shumway, and cat-napped on the dock.

Once back at camp, we made dinner + s’mores before playing cards by the light of our MacGyver’d lamp.

An unexpected early morning rain shower woke us up Sunday but thankfully it cleared up by breakfast.

After a plateful of B’s “blueberry muffin fluff”, we packed up and then set out to visit two other areas in the park – Loon Lake and Wolf Lake.

Although it was a short trip – we had a great time and lucked out with such beautiful weather!

Plus, it’d been years since either of us had camped so it was nice to get out of the city, unplug, and spend some quality time together and with our friends.

And, as a bonus, we were able to cross it off our life list.

If you haven’t been up to Savanna Portage State Park I definitely recommend it. There’s nothing like cuddling up with your honey next to the fire, racing across the lake with your pals, or squealing like a little girl as a massive daddy-longlegs sets its sights on you in the bathroom.

Oh, the joys of camping…. ha!

Hope you all had a great weekend too!

xo, meg

linking up this post with

$ Let’s Talk Money – Part 5: Food for Thought & an Update

click here to catch up on the rest of the series

what we have left to payoff

Well we did it!

Mr.C & I have finally dipped below the $30K mark for his student loans and only owe $29000 now. Hurray!

We still have a way to go but, man, are we excited to be down in the 20s. After starting at $43K+ back in Oct. 2011 it’s a very happy place to be.

We hope to keep up the pace of shoveling $2K a month into the loans which would put our payoff date around Oct/Nov 2014.

So that’s just a little update on how we’re doing!

Sorry I haven’t added to this Money series in a while but there isn’t much excitement to share as we chug along month after month.

Also, I will mention that we are still using and loving the Mint.com app on our phones (you can use it on your computer in a regular internet browser too). Mint keeps all your financial info/loans/accounts in one place (it’s got bank style security so no worries) with cool spending tracking, account reminders, budgeting tools, etc. And did I mention it’s free?! Yeah… you should probably start using it ASAP.

And finally – below are links to a few articles I’ve read lately. Just interesting financial food for thought items:

Starting Over From Scratch

If you could roll back the clock to after high school / college graduation and change the way you handled debt, your first job, etc… what would your financials look right now? Plus – the smart “Masking Tape” trick.

Most in U.S. Have Enough to Get by, but Many Lack Cushion

Interesting results from a study that shows few Americans have more than enough to do what they want

10 Ways to Secure Your Kids Against Debt

Simple ways to help protect your kids’ future finances

My 4 Favorite Pieces of Financial Advice

Timeless, well-written advice from the great financial blog, BudgetsAreSexy.com

7 Considerations for Buying A Cheap Car

Great list to keep in mind if you’re out hunting for a new (used) ride

Rethinking The Costs Of Child Care – And Considering Some Major Choices

One family’s thought process on figuring out childcare with a toddler and new baby on the way.

Another Generation Rises: Looking Beyond the Millennials

Small clip from the article:

Re-Gens’ most pressing concern is the economy. The first members born into this generation entered their formative years (between ages 11 and 13) during the beginning of the Great Recession, which has given this group a desire to do more with less. In contrast to the millennials, the ReGens are a fiscally conservative group that’s more open to compromise, she says. “They’re unwilling to incur large amounts of debt,” Erickson adds. “They’re willing to defer gratification. They’re not a ‘buy now, pay later’ kind of group. They’re more willing to save up to buy something when they can afford it.”

Re-Gens are also much less likely to have a need for ownership. Erickson calls them a generation of renters, which is a characteristic stemming from their fiscal conservatism. For this generation, “Investments in homes don’t necessarily result in increased equity,” she says.

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

had a lovely visit from Mr.C’s family!

Friday night

We met up at their hotel for drinks

then headed to Pizza Lucé for dinner

Saturday

After a day of shopping at the Mall of America, we had dinner at Lion’s Tap and dessert at Cherry Berry before a raucous game night of “Who Said What” + an impromptu dance party in the parking lot.

Sunday

We grabbed lunch at the Midtown Global Market, groceries for grilling out later, and sweet treats from Glam Doll Donuts.

It was definitely a fun visit and we are looking forward to the next one!

Hope you all had a great weekend too.

xo, meg

linking up this post with

currently

Reading Bossypants by Tina Fey

Eating Twinkies (they’re back on the shelves yah’ll!!) and tilapia or salmon with a side of green beans – it’s my go to meal as of late and I don’t see me tiring of it anytime soon

Listening to a plethora of things – Monday morning was Disney tunes followed by an afternoon of Fallout Boy and The Civil Wars,Tuesday was full of showtunes, Anything Goes, Caberet, Peter Pan, Muppet Treasure Island and anything and everything Mary Martin, and today, it’s been Top 40 with a break to listen to the Little Women soundtrack and trying out the sounds of local MN progressive bluegrass band Trampled by Turtles

Watching too many shows (as always) but to name a few: Orange Is The New Black, Below Deck, Interior Therapy, Sister Wives, Breaking Pointe, Push Girls

Excited that Mr.C’s family will be up to visit from Illinois this weekend – it’s sure to be a good time!

Nervous about my first “big girl” work conference in October. Flying in an airplane for only the second time, meeting new people, trying to remember names, and attempting to talk intelligently about my job/industry has me all in a tizzy.

Looking ahead to camping (possibly next weekend) with our pals N+B. We got a tent as a wedding gift (holycrap almost 2 years ago) but have yet to use it

Enjoying learning how to use the DSLR camera I got for my birthday; took photography way back in high school and definitely needed a refresher

Humbled by the trust + courage of a dear friend – “Being brave doesn’t mean that you’re not scared. It means that if you are scared, you do the thing you’re afraid of anyway.”

Crossing my fingers for Mr.C. There is possibly a new lead position open on first shift at his current company. It’s definitely a long shot so I’m trying not to get my hopes up but if he got on first shift it would be so so so amazing! But if even if he doesn’t, I know other opportunities will come around – he’s doing very well in his current role and just nailed his mid-year review. I don’t gush about him very much on here but he’s a pretty great dude. Proud of him.

What’s current with you all?!

xo, meg

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

…got all caught up on “Dexter” and started “Orange is the new Black” a Netflix original series

…had dinner at Maynard’s with N+B before a late night of drinks ‘n games

…spent an afternoon with Mr.C’s uncle and cousin – we ate lunch at the Buffalo Tap before visiting the Minnesota Zoo

 It was a beautiful, cool day and all the animals were out and active.

The bears were most impressive!

I loved that all the habitats were large with plenty of room for the animals to live and play.

We also got lucky and saw feeding time at the otter pool!

I could watch the monkeys all day…

Hope you all had a great weekend and are enjoying this beautiful weather!

xo, meg

linking up this post with

weekend review | Cartys in Chicago

This weekend Mr.C & I…

were on vacation in Chicago!

We left last Wednesday and returned yesterday. It was a whirlwind visit but we had a blast! We made the trip down to the Windy City to celebrate our friends K+J getting married and to visit with family as well.

(click photos to enlarge)

On Wednesday night, after the long drive down to IL, we went out to dinner at Aurelio’s with my Bro, Dad, + his family.

Thursday morning we met up with friends & cheered as K+J tied the knot!

They were absolutely beautiful brides and I was blown away by their creative, thoughtful, and sweet vows.

After the ceremony a group of us popped downtown to eat lunch at Ed Debevics before heading back for K+J’s rockin’ reception held at the ARTango Center.

On Friday,  Mr.C & I spent time with family, recouped from the wedding celebrations, saw “Pacific Rim”, had a delicious dinner at Lorenzetti’s, and took Lulu, my great aunt’s dog, out for a walk.

Saturday morning we rode the Metra downtown to meet up with our friends for lunch at my favorite restaurant, the Greek Islands.

Then we wandered around the city for some sweaty sightseeing.

We checked out the Sears Tower (now called Willis Tower), Buckingham Fountain, a trail along the Lakeshore, & Navy Pier.

(photo credit to fellow photog Matt J. for some of these – click to enlarge images)

Afterwards we headed back to the hotel to cool off, relax, play card games, and hangout well into the night.

Sunday morning we bid farewell to friends, family, and the Chicago skyline before making the trek back to ‘ol MN.

Mr.C & I stopped for a late lunch at The Cheese Factory Restaurant near the Wisconsin Dells while waiting out the storm.

This quaint little eatery has vegetarian/vegan dishes, amazing homemade desserts, an espresso bar, and old-fashioned ice-cream soda fountain.

Mr.C had the Three Cheese pizza with a strawberry malt while I had Beer Cheese soup. For dessert we split a piece of “Princess Cake” – vanilla cake between layers of lemon butter-cream frosting and raspberry filling, surrounded by toasted, slivered almonds. I definitely recommend visiting this place if you’re in the area or driving through (it’s just a mile off 90!).

To say we had fun over the last 5 days would be an understatement. It was so great to see everyone!

This was a much-needed vacation for the two of us and we definitely soaked up every minute.

Can’t wait ’til our next adventure!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend too!

xo, meg

linking up this post with

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

…spent Saturday with our couple finds N+B. We grilled out, went to Sebastian Joe’s for ice cream, and played pong, bags, & Life. It was great catching up with them again after the holiday and we’re already plotting our next shenanigans.

…spent Sunday at the fairgrounds with Jess, Lo, and their husbands for the Twin Cities Color Run also known as the Happiest 5k. Despite the heat we had a great time prancing around in all the colored dust – heck we even jogged a little!

When we moved to the big city almost two years ago I was nervous about ‘o so many things  – money, jobs, grad school, newlywed life. Everything was big and new and exciting and a little bit scary.

I also really wondered how you go about making friends as an adult with no communal showers, stupid class projects, or dorm cafeterias to force you together. But now I know the secret.

If you blog it they will come.

They’ll embrace you for who you are, appreciate your over-sharing, wait as you Instagram your dinner because (duh) they’re doing the same thing, and invite you on fun adventures.

I couldn’t agree more with Lo about the fact that it’s so cool that so many of us have been able to connect over this little hobby of ours. Very thankful for all the wonderful people I have meet through the internetz + the MN Bloggers group. Life wouldn’t be nearly as exciting or dare I say, colorful, without you ladies! ;)

Really looking forward to next year’s race and hope to see many more familiar faces!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend & that this upcoming week is just as great!

I’ll be only working two days this week since Mr.C & I will be heading down to the Windy City for a wedding + short visit with family. Should be a fun time – so look forward to that recap later next week. :)

xo, meg

linking up this post with

H54F

Linking up with Lauren for…

This week I…

①

went on fun boat cruise out on Lake Minnetonka with the folks in my office. Despite a major thunderstorm that morning it was a gorgeous evening filled with delicious food, a cool breeze, and plenty of laughs.

②

wore a braided hairstyle practically every day. What can I say I’m obsessed! On the left is my first attempt at a four-strand known as the Sailor’s Sweetheart and on the right is my favorite – the Fishtail.

③

spotted this little cutie (along with a bunny) on one of my walks

④

had a great girls night out with Katie and Jen at Redstone – drinks (lemon drop) and dinner (jerk chicken fondue) followed by shenanigans at the E.P. mall since we’re clearly just a bunch of teenagers

⑤

realized that (holycrap)The Color Run is this freakin’ Sunday! Needless to say I’m not at all in shape to run a 5K so I plan to walk that bad boy+ come out covered in as much colored powder as possible. It’s sure to be a blast since I’ll be working it out with the rest of the “we totes bloggers” team: Jen, Lo, and Jess.

Other fun plans for this weekend include finally catching up with our pals N+B (we’ll hit the beach before grilling out & game night) and watching more episodes of Dexter – we’re now in the 7th season and will soon be all caught up with the current (and finale) season #8.

Hope you all have a good weekend!

✌ xo, meg

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

…celebrated the 4th of July by tagging along with Jen & Ryguy to Bloomington’s fireworks

(click images to enlarge)

…cleaned house and went thrifting where we scored a pair of cheap lamps to fix up for the bedroom

…caught up on Dexter (almost done with season 6) while cat-sitting for a friend

…celebrated my 24th birthday with Outback steaks and Despicable Me 2 (adore the minions!)

…met up with Zhenya & her husband for some sun+fun at Excelsior beach – the water was lovely!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend & that this upcoming week is just as great!

xo, meg

linking up this post with

weekend recap (x2)

it’s a two for one!

Last weekend Mr.C & I…

traveled back to Illinois to attend the wedding of my bestie and college roomie, Kt.

We carpooled down with a few other friends and had a great time – delicious food, dancing, lots of silly pictures, and of course celebrating the lovely bride & groom. Joanna, who Kt and I met in South Carolina during our college student exchange, flew out to party with us too (I hadn’t seen her in 3 years!). It was wonderful to see everyone and spend some time together. Congratulations Kt+J! So glad we could be a part of your special day.

This weekend Mr.C & I…

enjoyed the nice weather, ran errands, finished Season 5 of Dexter, and I also met up with Zhenya to go thrifting.

On Saturday night Jen and I (along with our Ryans) headed downtown to MacKenzie Pub to party with Lo for her Dirty Thirty Birthday! The night was full of cocktails, cake, and many “omg i’m going to pee!” laughing fits. A few other bloggers friends (group picture below: Dawn, Jen , Lo, Jess, Syndal + me) were there too so it was fun catching up with everyone. All ‘n all, definitely a great time spent celebrating a great lady – Happy Birthday Lo!

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend + wishing you a happy 4th of July!

xo, meg

linking up this post with

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

had a visit from my mom+gma!

Thursday

They arrived, I made this for dinner, Mr.C got off work early, and we ended the night with a few games of Euchre, 31/Blitz, and Rummikub.

Friday

I had the day off so us girls went thrifting. We went to 5 stores before grabbing takeout from a bunch of restaurants for a fun “city food” feast at home.

Mexican appetizers from El Loro, Quiche from Patrick’s Bakery & Cafe, Curry, Pad Thai, and Spring Rolls from Sawatdee, and Pie for dessert from Baker’s Square.

Saturday

We repeated events from this time last year by taking mom+gma to the Stone Arch Bridge Festival and then out to ice cream at Izzy’s.

At the festival we had cheese curds, checked out the neat art, and got drenched during an afternoon thunderstorm. As we dried off at Izzy’s we taste-tested a few of their many homemade flavors – chocolate dulce de leche, green apple, cake batter, peppermint bon bon, salted caramel, etc. Truly scrumptious!

For dinner we grabbed patties at Smashburger and played more cards – what can I say, we’re addicts.

Sunday

After saying goodbye to mom+gma, Mr.C & I went to see “Now You See Me” (great movie!), relaxed  and enjoyed the beautiful weather with a massive bowl of watermelon, and started Season 4 of Dexter.

Had to get a few episodes in before the busy work week and next weekend when we’ll be driving back to IL to celebrate the nuptials of our pals Kt&J.

Can’t wait!

Hope you all had as nice a weekend as we did – and Happy Father’s Day too!

xo, meg

linking up this post with

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

…started Season 3 of Dexter

…made creamy chicken&noodles

…ran errands, got groceries, and found a nice outfit for Mr.C to wear to upcoming events/weddings

…had a fun double date lunch at Red Cow with Ry-guy + Jen (you can follow their adventures at Dexter Morgan’s Mama).

The menu is full of delicious options – we were just sorry we couldn’t try it all! Mr.C ended up going with the Breakfast Burger (angus burger, peanut butter, over-easy egg, bacon & cheddar on sourdough) while I had beer cheese soup with a freshly baked pretzel on the side. Our waitress was kind enough to bring us a small cup of their caramel-bacon puffcorn to taste too! Fun Tip: sign up for Red Cow’s free eclub and get a $10 off coupon

…rounded out the weekend with game night at N+B’s apartment. We played Euchre, Blitz, Cards Against Humanity, and Spoons (but with pencils instead). It was a lot of fun and instead of our usual foursome another couple, who are staying with N+B for the month, joined us. The lady half of the new couple that joined us is from Japan so although that made some of the word-based games a bit complicated – we had a good time, lots of laughs, & even learned how to write “book” is Japanese!

All ‘n all – a quite successful weekend I’d say,

hope you all had a great one!

xo, meg

linking up this post with

↺throwback thursday

linking up with…

In 2010, I spent the spring semester of my junior year studying at the Winthrop University in South Carolina (with my good friend Kt) as part of a National Student Exchange program. It was a great time – we went on roadtrips, spent a weekend or two at the beach, took some interesting classes, and met some cool people including our southern sweetheart of a pal, Joanna, and Josh, the man who will become Kt’s husband in a mere 16 days!

But eventually it was time for us say goodbye and head back to Illinois. Below is the record of our trip home.

I thought this was perfect for this Throwback Thursday because Joanna, Kt, and I will be reunited after 3 years at Kt’s wedding this June!

The Final Chapter: SC to IL

Composed by: Katie and Megan (also know as the BTs)
Contents: commentary during our journey home (Rock Hill, SC -> Illinois!)
Duration: long hours of driving over 2 days
Departure: 7:48 pm ET on Tuesday, May 4
Return: 3:18 pm CT on Wednesday, May 5 for Katie, 7:30 pm CT for Megan
And the beginning of the end begins…

• Day 1
• (Recorded by Megan)
• 7:48 pm ET: Our finals are over & the car is packed. Stopped for gas on the way out of Rock Hill, SC. Have to drive by and visit Joanna (Katie’s Roommate, and our friend) at Kmart. This one last stop and then we’re on our way home! Our goal: stalk J (Katie’s boyfriend) to Virginia. He & his mom left a few hours prior and are driving the same route we plan to take. Perhaps we’ll even stay at the same hotel they will! Ooo… and surprise them at breakfast? Haha…we are such creeps!
• 

• 
• 8:06 pm: said a teary farewell to Joanna. Stocked up on Redbull & 3 liters of H2O. Put Katie’s Ficus plant in the cup holder on the dash so he can “feel the wind in his leaves”. I thought it would be nice for little Schmorgyborg the ficus. Katie thinks not. She thinks it’ll fling dirt in her face.
• 8:28 pm: Man gave us an odd look for dancing/jamming in the car. Our song of choice: “Shut it Down” by Pitbull. “I hit the jackpot ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ching!” Just passed Charlotte, NC.
• 8:33 pm: Katie was reprimanded for yawning so soon into the trip. She said not to worry – that it was just hyperness leaving her body. We’ll see….
• 8:38 pm: Having second thoughts about stalking Josh but then decided that we do this sort of thing all the time anyway. Case in point: Stalking Joanna ‘round campus. Stalking people on Facebook. Why not stalk Josh across a few state and to his hotel?! lol. As stalkers Katie says we’re moving up in the world. Our next victim? It could be you!!!
• 9:02 pm: passed by a Sheriff. aka “Cherub” as Katie and I say after an auditory mistake made months ago in the cafeteria.
• 9:04 pm: Katie yells “Slow Down!” at a passing car because of the Sheriff ahead of us. The speeding car she was warning turned out to by yet another “Cherub”. Ha!9:09 pm: Scary Man Alert!!! Weoo Weoo! Scary Man was spotted wandering on the side of the interstate. It was very dark and he was wearing a blue shirt, navy or black trousers, and was balding. Sorta creepy, not gonna lie.9:15 pm: Katie and Megan fantasize, and drool over, their midnight snack at McDonald’s. Only a few more hours til Satiation Station!9:45 pm: the Red Bull has been opened for sippage.

  9:46 pm: Virginia!!!

  9:48 pm: We appear to be driving in the mountains now. We dunno though. It’s dark.

  9:48 and a 1/2 pm: Our hypothesis was correct. We are indeed in the mountains. Evidence: the sign we just passed that said watch out for falling rocks and crosswinds! Poor Tanya (Katie’s car)…she doesn’t like these steep climbs.

  9:49 pm: Exit 8 for Fancy Gap anyone?

  10:02 pm: A Walmart semi was driving for minutes down the exact middle of the road. “Roll Back” into your own lane buddy!

  10:06 pm: Minor annoyance: Our ears keep popping due to elevation changes

  10:13 pm: A secret bet was made about Katie’s future. Code name: Operation Peach Ring. Which happen to be delightfully delicious candy sweets as well.

  10:29 pm: Traveling through the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel. Wicked cool! Almost 1 mile long…and no we sadly saw no mole people!

  10:33 pm: Exit 52 to Bland, VA anyone?

  10:35 pm: truck escape/runaway truck ramp was spotted. ah, gotta love the mountains!

  10:37 pm: Switched tunage from FOB to MCR. For you old fogeys: We switched that newfangled iPody thing so it would play My Chemical Romance instead of Fall Out Boy – both bands that are sure to sounds like garbage, lawn mowers, or whiny boys to old ears or those who are unappreciative of their amazingness!!!

  10:40 pm: driving through the Appalachian Mountains at night is so cool. like huge dark shadows on either side of the road, looming over the tiny crevice where cars wind amongst tall formations, lighted by only road reflectors and stars.

  10:44 pm: 7 miles to West Virginia!

  10:46 pm: Another tunnel! So excited! Sadly we will have tunnel withdrawal once we’re back to the Midwestern flat lands. This tunnel is brightly lit and extra long. It is sort of like driving through a kaleidoscope+strobe light. Or like driving through that tunnel in the Dark Knight/Batman movie.

  10:47 pm: West Virginia sign has been spotted. “West Virginia: Wild and Wonderful”. Sounds like a stripper joint! Wonder if Peaches and Krystal are there?!

  10:53 pm: Off on an exit to gas and food up. Passed a real stripper joint brilliantly named “Southern X-posure”

  10:58 pm: McDonalds! Scary clown, great fries!

  Katie begins to write

  11:17: Josh knows that we are in West Virginia. Not sure he believes us. But hopefully we can convince him tomorrow at breakfast. haha. Chicken nuggets are delish and we are less than 80 miles from Charleson, WV now.

  11:33: Passing semi after semi. Megan is letting the fry taste settle in her mouth and won’t drink any water.

  11:38: Hit road construction south of Charleston. Saw signs for Exhibition Coal Museum. Also, other billboards for coal instead of oil. Megan says “We’re going into the abyss Katie.” We are really into the mountains now and our ears are popping crazy wicked right now. Only 51 more miles to Charleston. Our next mission is to find that the exit that Josh is staying at. Megan says, “Tanya and her downhills. She needs a runaway car lane.”

  11:50: Katie is starting to get the night time giggles. 2 semis were tied with each other and we decided that the drivers were mooning each other. More road work ahead. We are ahead of schedule right now. Megan – “Feels slippery, but I like it.” Talking about he new road we were driving on.

  12:15: Toll plaza worker woman was very mountaineer like. Looked like she was from the mountains, AKA a hillbilly. Passing through trashtastic valley. Houses run down/shacks. Keep on passing semis. Few cars to be seen. Hope to find hotel soon to rest our precious eyes. Now passing big mountain on left and river on right. Even in the dark, the landscape is nice.

  Megan says that her tummy is tired. Telling Megan that she needs to go to sleep. Only 14 more miles, hopefully. I sort of feel like Jimmy Fallon when he writes his thank you notes as I read this aloud as I write. Hopefully we will be in bed by 1:00.

  Exit 89. Marimet/Chesapeake there is a huge factory/refinery that goes on for what looks like miles. Huge!

  12:41: Arrived and we are leaving Charleston already. Wanted to stop at the Days Inn and we were already to stop for the night, but the desk clerk informed us that we have to be 21 to rent a room. She asked us how old we were and we told her 20 so we thought everything was good, but as soon as she looked at Megan’s ID she said that we had to be 21. So we moved on with our lives because the state of West Virginia has a law that you have to be 21 to rent a hotel room. On to Kentucky we go. Getting a little tired, but we shall push on. Our stalking was an epic fail. Maybe we can try our luck another time.

  1:09: Feels like we are in a green screen car. All the signs float on behind us. 24 more miles to Huntington.

  1:18: Came up with the idea for conveyor belt for cars so we can sleep. Then realized that it sounds like a train is a similar idea.

  1:27: Wish that Tanya had a bigger gas tank and we had bigger bladders. Still in West Virginia.

  1:38: Great pun about cargo. Katie said we should take a plane that we could just put Tanya on. Hence… car go.

  1:40: Huge refinery and entered Kentucky! Yay!

  1:43: Katie messed with the defog button and accidentally fogged up the whole car. Oops. Still in the damn road construction. Spotted mysterious road kill. Our bodies have switched over to central time. Katie has a slight case of the giggles. Stopping for gas now.

  Megan resumes writing.

  1:51: Declined a room at the Days Inn because all that was left were smoking rooms. Back on the road and we are mad!

  2:06: Stopped for gas and snacks. Talked to two lovely ladies at the gas station. Very sympathetic of our situation and had some great accents.

  2:13: That’s right. 2:13 am. So the Red Bull we drank at 9 is still in effect. Too caffeinated to sleep.

  3:00pm: After yet another full hotel! damn construction workers… we finally found a Super 8!

  That night we didn’t sleep well and woke up early to start our driving once again.

• Day 2
• 8:50am: On the road again. Ugh… so sleepy! Only got like 4 hours of sleep.
• 8:56: With $6 in tolls in West Virginia and $2.95 gas in W.V. and Kentucky… they are robbing us blind!
• 9:37: KT informs me that Joanna was sad because she forgot to take us fishing this semester. damn…. The BTs love fishing especially because BT can stand for bait and tackle or bass and trout.
• 9:38: Lexington, KY 9 miles.
• 
• 9:44: McGuiver moment! Motor oil in the front had fallen during the night. Spilled on the rubber floor mat. Why they didn’t make a more secure cap we don’t know. Anyway, problem solved with a little inspiration from the Saudi Arabians.
• 
• 9:54: Katie screamed “Horse Country!!!”
• 9:55: Ponder being safe in a cave during a tornado.
• 9:56: Epic fail by Katie to stop swearing before she gets home and is scolded by her mama.
• 10:01: Katie used the word “nurse.” hahaha. Her exact sentence: “I’d kind of like to nurse a Red Bull right now, but I don’t think that is a good idea.” Here nurse means to drink/sip not nursin’ babies! bahahahaha.
• 10:06: 5 minutes as I predicted. Katie decides to drink, or nurse if you will, half a Red Bull. Her other half she shared with me. She had me pour it into her cup and realized that it was not clear or red as we had assumed but yellow. Urine colored to be exact. Dehydrated urine.10:08: In Distillery Country now. If only we had a designated driver or an extra birthday under our belts. That would have solved our West Virginia hotel issue too.
• 
• 10:11: Katie said “I do love bourbon for breakfast.” Though she has never actually had bourbon or any alcohol for that matter.
• 10:13: Katie wishes dinosaurs were still alive.10:16: Katie once again fails to keep her cursing in order. If she were to pay ten cents a word, we would have a nice half dollar by now.
• 10:20: Katie says she needs to “fandangle” this, aka pass a car strategically.
• 10:28: Dear World, never ever ever ever ever call Katie, Kathy. Ever. If you value your life.10:32: Just saw a Red Bull truck. We toasted our cans to them.Disclaimer: In no way is Red Bull healthy or should it be consumed daily but on long road trips or in a crunch, it is liquid gold.10:44: Through a short tunnel, but a tunnel never the less! yay!

  10:48: Entered Indiana, the state not the Jones. harhar.

  10:53: Saw man arrested and a billboard for a gun show. We really are in Indiana now.

  11:05: Crazy, rogue, one headlight out, “drunk semi” swerving lanes like it was a Porsche.

  11:06: 92 more miles to Indianapolis.

  11:11: That is all.

  11:14: Katie swears she saw a dead roadkill sheep. She said it was large and fury. Although now she supposes it could have been a carpet.

  11:36: Katie probably owes about $1 now for her filthy language…. haha

  11:37: We hate stupid tour buses that can’t drive.

• 
• 11:38: If careers in psychology and nutrition don’t work out for us, Katie and I are hittin’ the road to drive the BIG RIGS!
• 11:42: Katie swears she saw a dead beaver. Who knows. Although we did just see a dead deer. Ah, roadkill.
• 11:48: Finally passed that obnoxious tour bus. 10 freaking minutes later. In case you didn’t know, BIG ASS VEHICLES like semis and tour buses go on the right, slow lane. That includes you, large bus!
• Changed our clock to central time to get ready for Illinois. Katie starts writing.11:30: Back on the road after getting some delicious Subway. When we got back into the car it reeked of greenhouse due to the ficus chilling out in the cup holder. We will be to Indianapolis soon. Central TIME!!!11:39: Megan and I were very excited to see that the crazy drunk semi from earlier was pulled over. “Revenge is sweet.”1:02: Finally in ILLINOIS! WEEOOOdirty windshield…Illinois!!!
• 
• 1:19: Megan commented that when we are 21 we can rob that kind of semi. Talking about an alcohol truck.
• 1:25: I started making inapropro kissing noises at Megan. She declined my offer.
• 1:30: Megan eating chips says, “Sometimes I like to pretend to be a giant eating human baby bones” Crunch, crunch, crunch.
• 2:26: Caught Megan weaving the car like a NASCAR driver. She is really bored.
• 2:28: Texting with JoJo for fun and giggles.2:32: Feels like we are never going to get home. Flat Illinois land continues. Megan said, “Look at the smokestacks.” I thought, “Look at the juice box!” Apparently, I could go for some apple juice. Looks like a train being held hostage in the woods.
• 
• 2:38: Ended up being a big shed on fire with big black smoke and angry flames saying, “yum, yum barn.”
• 
• 2:44: Wind turbines have been spotted. Have to be getting close to home now.
• 2:53: Dwight! We stopped and got gas and we are now back on the road. Almost there.
• 3:18: MORRIS!
• 
• This is where our Roadtrip ends.
• Katie met up with her family here & Ryan picked me up to take me the final 2.5 hrs home to Mt.C for the summer.
• Boy, what a fun semester!
• 

• 

• 

• 
• 

weekend review

This past weekend Mr.C & I…

had dinner and game night with N+B in their new apartment, bummed around the house watching Dexter (we’re in Season 2) and Arrested Development (season 4), and went geocaching.

The park we went to had four caches, with the first 3 having clues that would lead us to the 4th.

It was a gorgeous day to be out!

Loving the variety of trails – through the woods + over the marshes

Still on the hunt…

Is it hiding in there?!

No…tricky tricky….

We did eventually find two of the 4.

(I won’t post pictures though because caches are to be kept secret so the fun can continue for other seekers!)

Our plan is to head back next weekend to find the remaining caches. We would have continued if wasn’t for an afternoon thunderstorm that forced us to rush back to the car. From there we sped off toward home, made a wrong turn, and ended up down a dirt road.

Luckily, the road spit us out just south of town right next to Lions Tap – the perfect spot for a spontaneous lunch!

So that was our weekend!

Hope you all are having a good week.

xo, meg

linking up this post with:

 

weekend review: memorial day ’13

Mr.C & I went back to Illinois to spend the long holiday weekend with family + friends:

Saturday

Mr.C spent the morning with his family while I met up with my mom+gma and friends, E + Kt, for brunch at Mayfest. It was nice to see some familiar faces and indulge in a delicious pork sandwich with pie for dessert. After that Kt, E, and I zipped over to Clinton to visit my gpa, do a little shopping, and get a second ear piercing. It was nice to spend some quality time with my ladies, especially since I hadn’t seen Kt in 2 years.

Later we met up with Mr.C and more old friends from high school & college for dinner at La Feria, our favorite mexican restaurant (they make the best queso!). From there a bunch of us headed back to Mr.C’s house to hangout and play Beersbee/Bottle Bash.

Sunday

Before Kt had to head back home, mom and I took her out for breakfast and a little geocaching. We searched for 4 caches but only found one (and a lot of poison ivy).

After saying goodbye to Kt (don’t worry, we’ll see her again this June on her wedding day!!) – I bummed around my house and Mr.C’s, just relaxing and enjoying home.

That night we kept it chill with an evening of pizza and Just Dance 4.

Monday

On Memorial Day we stuck with tradition – going downtown to the courthouse for a quick wreath ceremony and then up to the cemetery to lay down flowers for friends and veterans.

After lunch we headed to my gma’s house for a few rousing rounds of euchre…

before gathering for our last night with friends + family.

You can never go wrong with a bonfire.

Whatta weekend!

xo, meg

linking up this post with:

 

Center Stage: A Proposal Story

It was 2 years ago today that Mr.C asked me to marry him.

After realizing this story had never been shared on the blog, I figured what better perfect timing than now?

So without further ado….

June 2, 2010

(as remembered by Mr.C & Me sometime back in 2011)

Megan’s version

It was the start of the summer and I was working at Timber Lake Playhouse as Box Office Manager. This particular Wednesday happened to be the opening night of the first show of the season, CHICAGO. After the curtain speech, and right before the opening number, I was called up on stage. I headed down the stairs, figuring it was just a work thing – maybe an introduction or something. The Magic Owl, TLP’s mascot, was on stage and attempted to distract me… but I saw him. Ryan.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him sneaking out from backstage, clad in his favorite tuxedo t-shirt. Then, down on one knee, in a few simple words, he asked me to marry him. Emotions rushed in and I remember tearing up, giggling nervously, and smiling; simultaneously. As for the moment, it seemed to freeze and fly by, all at the same time. And of course I said yes! (Or at least nodded it – I don’t quite remember!) It was such a surprise! The cherry on top: Ryan and I were congratulated not only by applause but a standing ovation.

And yes, the ring is to die for! Ryan did a fabulous job designing it – it is gorgeous – and I love it… even though I would have said yes had it been made of tin foil – or even nothing at all!

Ryan’s version

Let’s see, where to start? How about the middle? I was driving to Timber Lake with “the ring” in my pocket. I had already set everything up. Got in touch with people from Timber Lake, got the plan down on where to be and park so Megan couldn’t see me, and I had set it up with her boss on how to get her on stage then out of the work place after I was done. I parked in the woods, walked to the back of the building, avoiding the front where Megan was, and was hanging out back where the band, actors, and actresses were. Everyone was saying, “Oh, this is the guy who’s proposing!” plus I got plenty of “awww” and “let me see the ring.”

Then it was time for the show… and then CHICAGO after that (insert laugh). It seemed like forever before the people who were giving their opening night speeches were done talking, then it was time to get Megan on stage. They told her to come down and were saying that they had something for her. Psshhh it was me who had something for her! LOL.

Then when she was on stage I came out from backstage behind the curtains and as some people in the crowd were figuring out what was going on, I heard a few “oooohs”. Then I grabbed her hands, got down on one knee, most of the crowd now knew what was going on and gave us a little aww, then I asked, she said yes, and we got a standing ovation as we walked out the door.

xo, meg

See Meg. See Meg Eat. See Meg Eat See’s Candies!

The Minnesota Bloggers Group I am a part of was invited to a private party tonight to celebrate the grand opening of a See’s Candies shop in Edina’s Southdale Mall.

There were samples galore, sweet swag bags, a quick history lesson about See’s, and we even got to try our hand at packing a box of chocolates (⇠ much more difficult than you’d think)!

And while their candies don’t whistle like Toot Sweets in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”, they will sure put a smile on any sweet lover’s face!

A few fun facts about See’s Candies:

– was founded by Charles See, his wife Florence, and his mother Mary in California in 1921

– the black and white shop design was made to resemble Mary’s home kitchen

– they used motorcycles + cars (like in the picture above) to deliver their candies back in the day

– on June 20, 2012, See’s made it into the Guinness Book of World Records when they constructed the world’s largest lollipop (weighing 7,003 lbs, standing nearly 6 ft, & a length of 4 foot 8.75 inches)

– Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance trained & filmed at a See’s factory for the famous candy assembly line scene in “I Love Lucy.”

My favorite chocolate of the night was their lemon truffle. Rich, smooth truffle center of white chocolate and lemon covered in dark chocolate and decorated with white chocolate lace. Mmm mmm mmm!!

I had a great time learning about See’s, tasting their goodies, trying to fit 12 chocolates in a tiny box (so tough!) and seeing my blogger pals.

Thanks for hosting us See’s Candies and best of luck with your latest store!

xo, meg

↺throwback thursday

linking up with…

The year was 2010.

It was the spring semester of my junior year and I was studying at the Winthrop University in South Carolina (with my good friend Kt) as part of a National Student Exchange program. We tried to see as much as we could while we were down there – so one Saturday we did day trip down to Georgia.

Kt’s family has this tradition of keeping a notebook while traveling and writing down the fun things that happen. Below is the record of our trip to the Peach State.

I thought this was perfect for this Throwback Thursday because I’ll be seeing Kt this weekend actually! It’s a long over-due reunion. We haven’t seen each other in 2 years.

Enjoy! There are definitely some classic Megan & Kt quotes in there.

↺↺↺

Georgia Roadtrip

Composed by: Katie and Megan

Contents: one-day, there and back roadtrip to Georgia with stops at Andersonville National Historic site and Ocmulgee National Monument

Duration: too many hours

Departure: Way too freaking early (6:45am)

Return: After dark (approximately 9pm-ish)

And it begins…

(Recorded by Katie)

Approximately 7:45 am – a dead dog was seen on the side of road outside of Columbia, SC. A huge one according to Megan. Luckily I was looking the other way.

Food consumed thus far: Mustard Pretzels and some granola bar things.

Quotes from Megan, the driver: “This car smells like mustard.” “She wears a pink wig. I think you would remember.” “These houses are getting trashier and trashier on this side. I feel a Confederate flag coming up.”

8:08 am – gang of men with weed eaters were spotted. Reminded me of movie, Book of Eli. Where are you Denzel?

More quotes from Megan: “That looks like a big hippo” (reality: a water truck hiding in some grass) “Wire road sounds scary”

8:15 am – Goldn Chess truck was spotted and our plan to take it over was unsuccessfully attempted.

Quotes from Megan: “We should become burglars of grocery semis.” “We just need like a big grappling hook… like a fishing rod for trucks.”

8:30 am – Pepsi truck spotted

8:31 am – Road kill chicken? Or a plastic bag?

8:36 am – Entered Georgia, the state not the country.

First impressions: We have entered the fast food wasteland of the country. Just driving into the state added 5 lbs to our stomachs.

8:43 am – Coke truck spotted

8:52 am – Katie snorted while trying to get her phone dislodged from her seat.

9:28 am – Katie: I just looked at the map and realized Megan had lied about the time duration. Dear God, what have I gotten myself into? We might as well drive to England.

10:16 am – Middle of no where. Our stomachs are growling and we are ready for our first stop. We could use gas and we also need to refuel our tummies. We are once again stuck behind a frustratingly slow vehicle. Bojangles – where are you?!

10:22 am – Food, Fuel, and Fee (aka Pee) stop needed ASAP

10:27 am – Entered Gray, GA, or Gary according to Megan. Lack of food has caused her reading comprehension skills to falter. No turn on red turned into no turn ever. Luckily it was straightened out before any U-turns had to be made.

10:31 am – Megan hallucinated a Bojangles out of the Walgreens sign. Sadly, no food for our tummies yet.

10:37 am – Megan broke into uncontrollable giggles for no reason. I am a little scared that she might pass out from hunger. Quote: “My tummy is so empty, I don’t have anything to rumble around in it!”

10:43 am – spotted a homeless man with a red basket wagon full of clothing

11:00 am- Finally stopped for much needed food. We don’t know where yet, where Tanya (Katie’s trusty car) leads, we will follow. Stopping to fill up the gas tank at a BP. Apparently Tanya is hungrier than us. Next stop food for our tums then back on the road for the final hour.

(Recorded by Megan)

11:42 am – Brunch at Wendy’s! Delish. Back on the road again. Katie’s driving and banished me to co-captain saying that I need to “compose” myself. Had a slight attack of unending giggles at Wendy’s.

11:45 am – cotton fields have been sighted

11:48 am – strange man peered at us. If he turned his head any more around it would’ve twisted off. We’ve been driving for 4 hours and 45 minutes. Gah. I have the urge to tell Katie that I have to pee already, just for funsies, but I am afraid she’ll backhand me. Haha.

11:59 am – spotted a “Badcock”… the furniture store you pervs!

12:01 pm – saw a sign for “Bush Hogging”…what the heck is that?!

12:02 pm – saw a big steep hill/cliff. Quote from Megan: “that’ll be hard to drive your livestock up.”

12:20 pm – saw what we can only assume to be a dead/road-killed wild pig/boar/hog. Will return to investigate later.

12:30-1:40 pm – Out of the car. Exploring, learning about, and taking pictures at the Andersonville National Historic Site. It is also known as Camp Sumter or Andersonville Prison and was one of the largest Confederate military prisons during the Civil War. Built in late 1864, it existed for 14 months. More than 45,000 Union soldiers were confined in the stockade. 13,000 of them died. Today the site serves as a memorial to all American prisoners of war and a National Cemetery. 

1:40 pm – saw a scantily clad woman wandering on the side of the highway. then saw and confirmed that what else we saw was indeed a dead wild pig.

2:00 pm – took a foray from our usual tune-age. figured listening to country music was appropriate and a little gospel too. “Down by the river to pray” anyone?

2:15 pm – saw a horrible car accident off the freeway. the car was wrapped around a tree. being thankful that we’re safe and alive.

2:18 pm – were cheered up by a cute brown dog riding with its head out of the backseat of car with its ears flapping in the wind.

2:25 pm – “I’ll be working there part time!” as stated by Katie after seeing a sign for “Strippers. Need we say more? Truckers Welcome. Open at Noon.”

2:37 pm – Quote from Katie: “Why’s the speed limit 55?! It’s constricting my lead foot!”

2:41 pm – After seeing 3 people pulled over by the cops, the 4th proved the best with one young, blonde man in handcuffs resting on the guardrail. Definitely not his day.

2:42 pm – spotted Atlanta traffic of death in the opposite lane.

2:45 pm – Katie discusses the many intimate times she spends smelling her own arm. She says it’s to soak in her perfume… uh huh…. totally….

3:00 pm Stop and spend time at the Ocmulgee National Monument. We hiked around the premises, checked out the old mounds, walked on top of the burial/funeral mound, and even went inside a mound known as the Earth Lodge. 

4:42 pm – Back on the road. We contemplate asking an empty log hauling truck to put us on its bed and drive us the rest of the way home so we can nap.

4:46 pm – Katie educates me on pork rinds – “you deep fry pig skin and it puffs up to a Cheeto like consistency and tastes salty and a little like pig”

4:47 pm – Katie yells “coo-coo!” at every field of cows we pass.

4:59 pm – passed “Rooty Creek” and it just struck us as humorous

5:09 pm – I saw a sign and though it said “twice as nice” ice machine.. it said “twice the ice”. hah

(Recorded by Katie)

5:42 pm – ponder baby name choices and realize that not a lot goes perfectly with Kaufman. We like Kashi Kaufman and Kimberton Kaufman with the nickname Kimmy for male or perhaps Kappy.

5:54 pm – XXX Material censored for little eyes. Deals with “Krystal” and “Peaches” as professional “dancers”

6:06 pm – arrived at Taco Bell. still pondering names – Kool Aid Kaufman? Axeton Diesel Carty?

6:27 pm – back on the road, heading home

7:08 pm – Megan realizes that Suit Up Carty is the best name ever. “Suit Up, it’s your birthday”, “Hey, Suit Up, it’s time for dinner!”

7:11 pm – pass by “scary” Wire Road again

7:43 pm – still talking about hilarious baby names. stealing ideas from every sign we pass and random everyday objects. much alliteration going on in here.

7:50 pm – Katie lost her phone again

7:53 pm – Katie and Megan both lost their dinners when they spotted an Abstinence only billboard

8:03 pm – Played “Shut Down” by Pitbull – apparently our theme song for the trip

8:10 pm – Gawked at by male passengers in a Cadillac Escalade

9-something pm: Arrived back in Rock Hill, SC… exhausted

Roadtrip over and out.

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

…went to the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory – we’d never been so we had a nice time. The giraffes were gorgeous, the lions were sleepy, there was a bonsai tree exhibit, oh and a very sweet sloth (and yes, we were singing this entire time!)

…enjoyed the warm spring weather while dodging multiple thunderstorms

…stopped for ice cream at the Grand Ole Creamery in St. Paul

…met up with Mr.C’s Uncle/my boss to see the new Star Trek movie

…finished Season 6 of Big Bang and started on Dexter (we’re hooked!)

So that’s what’s been happenin’ here. Hope you all had a lovely weekend & that this upcoming week is just as great!

xo, meg

linking up this post with:

 

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I …

went on a double date with N+B to see “Bye Bye Liver” at Camp Bar and Cabaret, played euchre, saw The Great Gatsby, cleaned the car, got groceries, slept a lot, had a Big Bang marathon, went to Goodwill, ate fried chicken & au gratin potatoes with strawberry lemonade smoothies, and sorted through our penny jar by date for fun.

I also learned how to do a fishtail braid, found a birthday gift for my mama, and jumped with joy when Minnesota passed the same sex-marriage bill today (the 12th state to do so)!

So that’s what’s been happenin’ here. Hope you all had a lovely weekend & that this upcoming week is just as great!

xo, meg

linking up this post with:

 

throwback thursday

saw this link-up floating around and thought it’d be fun to try!

It was around this same time two years ago that I graduated college. Two years people! Time is flyin’ for sure. And it’s clear that my alma mater has taken this into account because they just informed me that they will no longer be supporting my .edu email address. So when I logged into to clear out my inbox and transfer anything worth saving what should I find but my user information from my first blog, “xo, meg”.

So for Throwback Thursday I thought I’d treat you to my first ever blog post.

Granted, I was “blogging” and being artsy over on DeviantArt.com wayyyyy before this but I’d have to say this would probably be considered my first “official” blog.

Oh, and it lasted all of 5 months. Yeah…

Anyway, enjoy!

Dear Everyone (or probably just my mom!),

Hey there! and Welcome.

So, yes, this is it – the first post on my first blog. Please be gentle! [that’s not what your mother said last night Trebek…ha, gotta love SNL]. Okay, I get it, bad humor! But don’t hold it against me – it’s late, my stomach is yelling through a megaphone for a Taco Bell fix, and I’m mere weeks away from college finals and apparently all my profs lost their library cards and thought it would be fun if my classmates and I wrote them a few novels instead.

Of course, the best remedy for this is…you guessed it…procrastination. So here I am, jumping on the blog band wagon, though with my big mouth I’m sure some of you are surprised I didn’t start one sooner! Ha.

Anyway, this whole idea came about when I was forced to start writing a journal about my daily life while away on an exchange program during my junior year of college. It was just a way to update family and friends (or fan club as I lovingly call them) and get credit for being involved in the exchange program. However, said fan club loved the updates so much I figured why deny them my greatness?

And thus “xo, meg” was born.

Ha! Whatta nerd…

I mean, I was clearly pretty awesome back then! ;)

xo, meg

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

…caught up on The Office, Community, Big Bang, and also watched the Jackie Robinson movie “42”

…treated ourselves to Chipotle & dropped off a bunch of donations to Goodwill (hurray – spring cleaning)

…went geocaching – we only found 1 cache this time but had fun tromping through the woods anyway

below: at the Riley Creek Conservation area/trail in E.P.

…took lots of silly pictures – classic Cartys

…had our couple friends, N+B, over for drinks and a rousing game of Cards Against Humanity (it’s so awesome!)

…whipped up homemade crepes and bacon for breakfast (our night of fun with N+B ran late so they slept over)

…finally got around to replacing Mr.C’s wedding band (you’ll remember his original tungsten one busted when it slipped off his finger while playing basketball and broke into pieces when it hit the concrete flooring)

… and picked up this turquoise beauty at Ikea to use as a cute bar cart

So that’s what we’ve been up to. Hope you all had a lovely weekend & that this upcoming week is just as great!

xo, meg

linking up this post with:

 

weekend review

This weekend…

Mr.C & I took a quick trip down to our hometown in Illinois.

I spent Friday afternoon with shopping and catching up with my mom+grandma (mom had to detour + stop at the side of the road to hunt for fossils). Friday afternoon I met up with friends and chatted the night away.

Mr.C took a day trip Friday to Soldier Field for the Chicago Bears’ Draft Party (his belated birthday gift). Drinks, food, tours of the stadium & locker room, meeting some of the players, throwing passes down on the field – he was in sports fan heaven!

Saturday, I went thrifting with my mom and scored this awesome chair for our bedroom. It’s a mid-century valet/dressing chair with built-in hanger, wooden train, and hidden storage in the seat. It’s in great condition and was only $12.35! In the meantime, Mr.C spent time with his family (some even came in from Indiana – impromptu reunion!) and then saw his sister off to her junior prom.

Saturday night, we met back up for dinner, played cards with friends, then hit the town for a few drinks.

Sunday morning we brunched, played with the niece & nephew, and enjoyed our last few moments with the fam before driving the 6 hours back in Minnesota.

The weather all weekend was gorgeous and although we did drive through a short thunderstorm on our way home – it was thrilling to know that the weather in MN was just as warm & beautiful. In fact we slept with the windows open last night! Hurray Spring!

So that’s what we’ve been up to. Hope you all had a lovely weekend.

Wishing you a great upcoming week as well!

xo, meg

linking up this post with:

 

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

…watched as most of the snow from last week’s storm melted away (come’on spring!)

…consumed a lot of Big Bang (we’re half way through Season 5)

…cleaned up the apartment and purged our closets

…went into the city to see The Brave New Workshop’s latest show & had a blast

(thanks for hooking us up with tickets Peggy!)

…ate dinner out at Ike’s on 6th Street

…spent the rest of our time just being lazy toads

Hope you all had a lovely weekend.

Wishing you a great upcoming week as well!

xo, meg

linking up this post with:

 

H54F

This week I…

1…started a new hydration plan. I’ll admit I’m the worst when it comes to drinking enough water (or any liquid for that matter) so I decided to challenge myself. Picked up this cute bottle at Target as motivation and guys I am killing it!! My goal was to drink one full bottle from when I wake up until noon, then another full bottle from noon to 5, then finishes another full bottle by bed. I’ve been doing that and then some. I’m a water drinking fiend! I obsession+love for the silicone straw and the fact that my water stays cold for hours helps me consume the amount water I need to stay healthy & hydrated.

2…have been playing Words with Friends a lot and was super stoked to score 108 pts for the word “Zeps”.

3…stared in disbelief as a Thursday’s weather brought rain then sleet then snow for hours. It’s flippin’ April!

4…skyped for 2+ hours with one of my besties! Miss her so much – it was great to catch up. Excited to see E (and everyone else!) next weekend when we visit home.

5…ate so many Kale chips! Delicious and super easy to make: Take the leaves of a bunch of Kale, rip into a smaller pieces, toss in a little olive oil, spread out on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges of the leaves are a little brown and curling. 

(sneaking in a #6 here…Mr.C got off work early one night this week so we cuddling up on the couch to start Season 5 of The Big Bang Theory).

So, that’s my High Five For Friday.

Have a good weekend!

✌ xo, meg

Linking up with Lauren for…

weekend review (x2)

it’s a two for one!

last weekend… 

…the construction crew finished replacing our deck! excited to spend time out there this summer

…N+B came over to play Water Pong and Munchkin Zombies

…it snowed (and continued to do so on+off throughout the week). To quote Syndal, “What a lovely winter we’re having this spring!”

…watched many many episodes of The Big Bang Theory (almost done with Season 4) and got Chinese takeout

this week…

…I whipped up a batch of chicken noodle soup

…did a few workout videos (wish the weather would warm up so I can try the Couch to 5K program)

…celebrated my 1 year work anniversary at automationtechies with a lovely breakfast cooked by the boss!

…rocked out to Fall Out Boy’s new album (you can listen to it in full here). Anyone that knows me knows the love I have for FOB – got hooked back in high school and have been a fan ever since. I own all the albums, know the words to every song, have seen them in concert, and have been devastated ever since they went on their “indefinite” hiatus in ’09. So so excited that they’re back!!

this weekend…

…Mr.C & I went to Five Guys Burgers & Fries for the first time – quite delicious (esp. the fries!) but we still give our “Best Burger” award to the patties at Burger Jones

…cashed in our change jars at the bank, went grocery shopping, and were pretty stoked to see all the fresh fruit at Costco

…had a hangout sesh with N+B on Saturday night – went out for dinner, wandered the mall, saw “Admission” with Tina Fey + Paul Rudd (it was pretty good, but I’d wait to rent it), and played Rummikub and Toss Up

…spent most of Sunday as lazy toads – just baking cookies and watching Vikings (a new drama on the History Channel)

So that’s what we’ve been up to lately!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend. Wishing you a great upcoming week as well!

xo, meg

linking up this post with:

and

life lately

in the past 10 days since I’ve been MIA from this blog

~

I

…neglected blogging & many other computer related activity due to a busted laptop power cord (finally replaced it today!)

…spent 2 hours in my icebox of an apartment while maintenance fixed a broken water pipe and started redoing our rotting deck

…flounced around in my new cat eye glasses from Coastal.com (they have a first pair free program too!)

…painted my toesies for the first time in months, a pretty “sea breeze” color

…started wearing my spring flats in hopes that Mother Nature will get the hint

…played a lot of Angry Birds Star Wars (new Cloud City levels guys!)

…read many free books on my Kindle

…made matzo ball soup

~

Mr.C & I

…enjoyed a weekend visit from Mr.C’s fam – we had a massive slumber party in our apartment, visited the MOA, gobbled up Bruegger’s bagels, strolled around Lund’s (the fancypants grocery store), ate dinner at Buca di Beppo, grabbed Freeziac fro-yo for dessert , and stayed up far too late playing Blitz and Game of Things!

…started Season 4 of Big Bang (it’s hilarious + addicting)

…have been on a muffin kick lately – so far we’ve made blueberry and orange cranberry with lemon poppy-seed on deck

~

Upcoming events

Mr.C & I will be going home to Illinois later this month – Mr.C’s going to the Bears Draft Party and I’ll be spending some quality time with friends ‘n fam

Katie, who blogs over at Katers Potaters and is a good friend of my pal JJ, will be coming into town in a week or so and we all have plans to hangout

and I think there might be another Blogger Happy Hour in the works sometime too!

~

So that’s what’s been happening over here! Looks like some good fun ahead too.

Hope you all are doing well + having a wonderful weekend!

xo, meg

P.S. If you want to catch up with me between blog posts you can find me over here on Instagram & Twitter

 

weekend review

This weekend…

I went out with JJ & a few other bloggers for a fun-filled Friday night happy hour!

Mr.C & I headed into Minneapolis on Saturday.

We grabbed bagels at Bruegger’s, got an oil change at our favorite Valvoline (on Hennepin), met up with our friends N+B, went geocaching but didn’t find anything(too much snow!), and stopped in to check out Steeple People Thrift Store.

For dinner we decided to try out a new place – Icehouse on Nicollet.

We indulged in fresh-cut fries with a duck gravy dipping sauce, buffalo wings with bleu cheese mousse, crab & taleggio mac ‘n cheese, and beef short rib stroganoff with red wine, mushrooms, and creme fraiche.

We stopped by the Spyhouse to grab coffee, McDonald’s for a $1 sundae, and then holed up in N+B’s apartment until 2am playing Munchkin Zombie- Apocalypse (we combined the two decks!), Euchre, and Blitz.

Sunday we stayed at home.

I lounged in bed reading “State of Wonder” while Mr.C slept in then we both made bacon & blueberry muffins with lemon sugar glaze, finished season 2 of the Big Bang Theory, did laundry, drafted our April budget, watched The Walking Dead, and finished with a dinner of green beans and chicken stuffed with ham & white sharp cheddar. Delicious!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! We definitely did.

Looking forward to the upcoming week and seeing Mr.C’s family for Easter weekend.

xo, meg

linking up this post with:

and

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C and I…

…celebrated St. Patrick’s Day

…had a game night of Euchre and Munchkin Apocalypse with N+B

…started watching Season 2 of The Big Bang Theory

…ordered takeout after watching the cast of Big Bang eat it practically every episode

… inhaled “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn

…went grocery shopping

… and attended a fun MN blogger get together!

A bunch of us met up at Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis for a “Favorite Things Party” organized by Lo and Dawn.

We each brought 3 of our favorite things to share with the group and then, in exchange, we all walked away with 3 new favorite things courtesy of the other bloggers in attendance.

I brought Lindt Chili Chocolate bars as my favorite item and brought home delicious chocolates, lemon lip balm, pens + a notepad, and mascara!

In addition to the favorite things portion, we just chatted, snacked, appointed Channing Tatum as our group mascot, and took wayyy too many pictures (we are bloggers after all!).

 Back Row: Daci / Andrea

Middle Row: Becky / Carolyn / Lauren (Lo) / Kelly B / Dawn / JJ / Bridget / Jess / Melissa
Front Row: Brittany / Lindsey / Syndal / Me

I had a great time and cannot wait for the next meet-up.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

xo, meg

linking up this post with:

and

Follow me?

Hi all!

If you’re looking for a way to follow Mr.C & Me + receive a notification when a new post is uploaded

you can:

Follow along with Bloglovin

(or use your RSS reader of choice)

or

be alerted via…

Email

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~

Happy Sunday and St. Patrick’s Day everyone! Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

I’ll be back later today or tomorrow to recap our latest shenanigans.

xo, meg

$ Let’s Talk Money – Part 4: Rent v.s. Buy

I wanted to record this for two reasons: 1) so I can look back years from now and reminisce about our priorities and what we were thinking at 23/24 years old and 2) I think there are some people out there that probably agree with a few points I’m about to make but haven’t ever said it aloud, because this thought pattern is so not the norm

So, here are our thoughts on buying a house (now or ever).

via

Now

There’s just no way.

I don’t care what kind of rationalizations people have tried to push on us:

“but you’re married now, next is a home, then a kid, and, you’ll need more space!”

or

“but it’s crazy to be still renting now, with the affordable housing, and low rates!”

or

“[dumbfounded stare] but, but, it’s the American dream; how un-American!”

Haha, okay that last one’s a joke, but you get my drift.

The pressure to buy comes from everywhere – friends, family, media, and, yes, our nation’s social norms too. And even with the ups and downs of the housing market and economy – the American dream of homeownership is still alive and well among consumers.

But we’re not going for it.

No way.

Why? Well…

1) We wouldn’t feel comfortable taking on more debt until our current debt is paid off. It would make us uneasy+ anxious and leave us feeling financially irresponsible. Plus, we want to maintain as little debt as possible once we’ve paid off the student loans so rushing into another huge investment (like buying a house) just doesn’t align with that goal right now.

2) We’re at the age where we want to put our time and money toward other things first, like a new car to replace our ’98 Lumina or a travel fund so we can visit faraway friends and family – or jet off to Ireland, Greece, Hawaii

3) Along with the above comment – right now we spend a lot of time out of our dwelling, so even if we had a home right now we either wouldn’t be around enough to enjoy it or would really resent it for tying us down + sucking up all our time/money/energy for projects & upkeep

4) Although we feel secure in our current positions, the job market still isn’t that hot so we like the ease of mobility & flexibility that renting allows us should we ever need to move somewhere to be close to new employment

5) Being new to MN, we don’t know yet what neighborhoods or areas of the Twin Cities we like best and renting is a great way to test this out. Plus, the areas that we enjoy in our 20s may not be the same areas we’d chose to live in later in the life or be the best place for when we have a kids that need to go to school.

via

Ever

Sure, we might think/consider/even buy a condo or townhouse one day in the far off future. But we can also see a future in which we are renters forever.

Why? Well…

1) Sometimes it’s nice for the responsibility of ownership to be in someone else’s court. We don’t have to worry about taking care of taxes, making repairs, or even paying for certain utilities. Call us lazy if you’d like but neither Mr.C nor I are thrilled about having to mow the lawn or pay for a new roof or heater.

2) Would our house have a pool, gym, and playground? I highly doubt it. The perks and amenities we get while renting are something we really enjoy.

3) We aren’t sure how we feel about the “homeownership is an investment” argument yet. Homeownership keeps wavering between being a liability and an ambition. If we could be reasonably certain the value would up over time then yes it’d be a good deal. But we’re also open to the idea of paying extra money in rent throughout our lifetime for the many benefits we feel we get as renters. To us the convenience is worth it.

4) Homeownership may be a still be part of the American Dream, but not our dream – and that only became more apparent once we moved. Growing up in a tiny town where everyone owns a home (or at least has a mortgage), it just seemed like a way life; the next step. Plus, societal norms drill it into your head that being a homeowner is the adult thing to do and you can’t be possibly happy unless you are one. Well, once we moved to the city, we realized that simply isn’t the truth and that can live a great life, be comfort and happy, raise a family, and grow old all within the walls of a 2 bedroom apartment. We aren’t the type to yearn for a background garden or a garage we can tinker in. We’d rather have cash in the bank than thousands of dollars in home improvements to boast about. We don’t ever want to buy a house because we’re supposed to. We want to buy one because we want to.

5) We like to live simply and sensibly and being renters does that for us. It’s not for everybody, but it is for us.

All in all, buying a house is a very personal choice. There is no one-size-fits-all answer.

There are so many other considerations to take into account that you can’t focus on the market and current interest rates or what you’re Aunt Dotty has to say. It’s all about what makes sense for you!

And, as I’ve realized from all the reading I’ve done and people I’ve talked to, there are times when it does make sense to buy and I think Man v.s Debt sums it up quite well:

It makes sense to buy if...

If you plan to live in an area 5-10 years minimum.

If you are debt-free (before the mortgage).

And if your TOTAL housing costs are less than 25% of your take-home income.

Big one coming: YOU actually want to buy!

~

But no matter what your opinions are on this rent v.s. buy debate or whether you own a home already, are renting, hop from couch to couch, or are jet setting around the globe – I hope you’re all happy and healthy and living the life you like!

Home is where you make it. 

via

xo, meg

P.S. Here is a link to a great buy v.s. rent calculator. It obviously doesn’t take into account personal reasons/considerations that go into such a decisions – but it does break down everything based on your location, common fees, rate of return on investments, tax brackets, etc.

P.S.S. Here is a fun little infographic that illustrates the pros & cons of to rent v.s. buy.

P.S.S.S. We’re still plugging away at the student loan – now down to $36,676.45!

life lately

in the past 10 days since I’ve been MIA from this blog

I

…cooked dinner for my blog pal Jen

…bought new makeup for the first time in forever

…had breakfast with my old BNW coworker, fellow bookworm + blogger, J

…went thrifting, scored two cute hoodies, and gazed at forgotten old photographs

…finally started reading “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn for book club next week (it’s our first meeting!)

…began my extra work duties – I’m filling in for 3 months while the office manager is on maternity leave

…signed up for the Twin Cities Color Run in July – I’m be sweating it out for charity with a few other MN bloggers

Mr.C & I

…built a pillow fort on our couch

…ate too many Girl Scout cookies

…watched Season 1 of the Big Bang Theory – we’re hooked!

…went to see “The Great & Powerful Oz” with Jen & her boyfriend

…started planning our summer trips for family visits & friends’ weddings

…haven’t gone geocaching in a while because first it snowed then it rained – we hope to get out again soon

…dumped some more dough into the student loan (paid off two of the smaller loans) -now down to $36,676.45 total!

Upcoming Events

Mr.C’s family will be coming up to visit over Easter weekend – so we’re pretty excited about that

I’ll be attending a MN Blogger get together (Favorite Things Party) this Saturday then next Thursday is Book Club

Mr.C & I plan to catch up with our couple friends, N+B, to hangout and hear about their awesome trip to Hawaii

Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day (maybe, probably, somehow, plus it’ll be our 1.5 yr wedding anniversary – but who’s counting!)

So that’s all the excitement going on around here!

If you want to catch up with me between blog posts you can find me over here on Instagram & Twitter

Hope all’s well with you guys! Have a great rest of your week and an even better weekend.

xo, meg

➳ Intro to Geocaching

As you’ve noticed by now, Mr.C & I have been spending many of our weekends out geocaching.

A few of you having been asking us about our new hobby – what is it? how does it work? what the heck’s a cache?

Well, clearly it’s high time to introduce you to our new favorite activity!

➳

What is Geocaching?

It’s a modern-day treasure hunt; a sport/hobby/activity where people use GPS receivers and coordinates to find hidden containers around the world. There are 2 million caches and counting just waiting to be found! It’s a fun excuse to get out of the house, exercise, and explore new places. You can do it on the weekend or vacation, during a road trip, and even over your lunch break!

➳

What is a cache?

Caches are containers hidden all over the world by fellow geocachers. They often contain a logbook, pen/pencil, and random trinkets. These containers are water-proof and can range in size from a peanut butter jar to an Altoids tin to a tiny pillbox.

➳

What do you need to Geocache?

Very little! All you need is a free (or paid) membership on Geocaching.com and a GPS enabled device such as a GPS receiver or a smartphone (iPhone App, Android App).

I recommend using this free iPhone App  to try out geocaching and then, once you’re hooked (which you will be!), buy a GPS or the full $10 iPhone or Android App.

➳

How does it work?

Log into Geocaching.com (or start up your smartphone app)

Search the database & pick a few caches that you want to find and jot down the GPS coordinates (or click “navigate” in your smartphone app)

Drive / Bike / Walk as close as you can to the coordinates

Start looking around the cache!

Once you find it – get excited!

Open it up, check out what’s inside, sign the log, maybe swap treasure/trinkets, and then put it back in its hiding place for someone else to discover.

When you get home (or right away via your smartphone app) post your experience on Geocaching.com and let everyone know that you found (or didn’t find) the cache you were looking for

➳

Geocaching Do’s and Don’ts

1. Don’t leave food in a cache. Food can spoil and the smell can attract animals which may break into the cache and destroy it.
2. Never put anything dangerous, illegal or offensive in a cache. Geocaching is popular with families, so use common sense when picking items to leave behind.
3. Always exchange an item/trinket for one of equal or greater value.
4. Always put the cache back the way you found it. The cache should be left well hidden in the exact same spot. It is not considered good manners to move the cache to a spot that you might feel is more “appropriate”.
5. Make sure the cache is properly sealed when you leave, or water will enter and the cache may be ruined. Caches should never be buried.
6. Caches should be placed in a way that they will not be accidentally found by non-geocachers (aka “Muggles”).
7. Make sure no one else is around when you uncover the cache, sign the log, or hide your own cache. It ruins the hunt for other geocachers and opens it up for non-geocachers (aka Muggles) to tamper with or even steal the cache.
8. If the cache/coordinates are not in a public place, always respect the property owner by obtaining permission to geocache.
9. Protect and respect the environment. Don’t leave trash behind.
10. And most importantly – HAVE FUN!

If you have any questions, let me know!

Otherwise, I hope you all have a great time geocaching – I can’t wait to hear about your experiences.

You can find us on Geocaching.com here or spot our log-ins at caches out in world as “Mr.C & Me”.

And if you’re in the Twin Cities and want to tag along with us to find a cache or two – you are more than welcome!

➳

xo, meg

P.S. a major thank you to L, my friend + coworker, who introduced us to this great activity in the first place!

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C and I…

spent Saturday doing chores, hanging out, and staring at each other across the couch as we consumed episode after episode of our newest TV obsessions (“Spartacus” & “Game of Thrones” for the Mr.C, “Revolution” for me). We also made homemade chicken nuggets with oven roasted potatoes and green beans for dinner.

Sunday we grocery shopped before geocaching the afternoon away along the Cardinal Creek trails. We ended up finding 4 caches! (Some are tiny like the one pictured above while others are stashed in peanut butter jars, altoid tins, old film canisters, etc.)

It’s always a lot of fun – and we can’t wait until it’s a little warmer so we can really step up our searching!

P.S. I know a lot of you have never geocached before (or maybe never even heard of it) – so I plan to write a tutorial soon!

Anyway,

hope you all had a wonderful weekend + have a great week ahead!

xo, meg

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H54F

This week I…

1. Went to dinner & a movie with my new pal + fellow blogger, Jen, and had a wonderful time. She’s so easy to talk to; plus it’s always nice to hangout with someone else that loves to read and appreciates watches as much TV as I do.

2. Continued my obsession with organic coconut oil. Not only can you cook with it (except I don’t because I don’t like the taste), but you can use it to condition + smooth your hair, instead of lotion for your skin, as moisturizer for your face, among many other things.

3. Took a field trip to downtown Mpls with my boss + a coworker for a quick business meeting then out to lunch at Ike’s. Absolutely delicious food and a great atmosphere!

4. Scored 3 pairs of $19 jeans at Old Navy! My last pair finally ripped and I needed to restock – thankfully I stumbled into Old Navy and discovered that their “Rock Star” style are a perfect fit.

5. After being gone 3 days / 2 nights for a leadership conference in Cedar Rapids, IA, the Mr. is finally back where he belongs. He said he had a good time, learned a lot, but is happy to be home.

So, that’s my High Five For Friday.

Have a good weekend yah’ll!

✌ xo, meg

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weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

Saturday

…enjoyed lazy mornings

Mr.C slept in while I read some long neglected Kindle books and watched “Lore”, an Australian-German 2012 film (dark, thrilling, set just after WW2 in Germany, I loved it)

…laid back evenings

N + B came over for drinks and game night on Saturday  (“Bull in a China Shop”, “Munchkin Zombies”, & “Battle of the Sexes”) and then Mr.C & I had a crock pot pork roast with potatoes, carrots, and corn for Sunday dinner

Sunday

…and fun-filled afternoons

Saturday, we put on our snow boots and tramped around in the woods whilst geocaching (found 2 caches!)

Sunday, Mr.C stayed home with the laundry & “Game of Thrones” while I shopped for some much-needed new jeans and snatched up “Catch Phrase” for $2 at Goodwill

out geocaching – spotted 4 deer!

We’ll end the weekend with The Academy Awards / The Oscars and “Walking Dead” of course.

As for the upcoming week?

Well, Mr.C turns 24 and will be gone a few days for a business trip / conference in Cedar Rapids while I’ll hold down the fort, enjoy having the car to myself for a few days, and hopefully hangout with the rad lady that blogs over at Dexter Morgan’s Mama.

Happy Birthday!!
One of his gifts is tickets to an NFL Draft Party at Soldier Field in April. He’s insanely excited. (Go Bears!)

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend + have a great week ahead!

xo, meg

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✰mixtape – lovefest edition

Happy Valentine’s Day my lovelies!

Whipped up a sweet little playlist that is sure to make your heart skip a beat.

speaking of skipping, to play the next song just click the button that looks like this:  ▶▎

So, whether you count down to Feb. 14th every year (true love, sigh)

or find yourself rolling your eyes instead (consumerism, bah)

I hope you enjoy this collection of tunes.

xo, meg

p.s. I’m crossing my fingers that our lovely friend K and her bride-to-be will get a wonderful gift this Valentine’s Day because tomorrow the Illinois State Senate will vote whether to legalize same-sex marriage.

Here’s hoping that when Mr.C & I watch them tie the knot in July that we’ll be saying

“congratulations on your civil union marriage!”

Love and equality for everyone we say :)

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

… visited our old apartment to pick up some paperwork since they originally sent it unsigned which was so not helpful but thankfully we got it all sorted out

… grabbed bagels for brunch at Bruegger’s on Nicollet & 46th

… browsed Ikea + Menards for bedside table lamps but no luck yet

… got our taxes done and think we’ll try to do it ourselves next year

… did dishes, laundry, cleaned, and organized

… snuggled up and watched hours of our new favorite shows (Spartacus for the Mr. – House of Cards for me)

… listened to the rain / sleet / snow hitting the skylight

… had a romantic dinner of pork chops, green beans, & au gratin potatoes all whipped up by Mr.C

…rounded out the weekend with the long awaited return of The Walking Dead

So that’s what we’ve been up – hope you all had a lovely weekend!

xo, meg

P.S. Don’t forget to snag some free nutrition advice from my friend and registered dietitian, Katie (read her guest post here)

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Gettin’ Healthy with Katie, RD (Part II: The Basics)

She’s baaaack!

Katie the RD joins us for her second guest post to share more simple ways to improve your diet + maintain a healthier lifestyle.

If you missed the first one – you can catch up here. 

For those who don’t know, Katie (or Kt as she is better known on this blog) is my old roomie from college, travel buddy, and very best pal who also happens to be a fancypants Registered Dietician. For the past few months Kt’s been working at a hospital in Illinois and decided to take some time out of her busy schedule + wedding planning (congrats you two!) to whip up this little post for us. 

So without further ado, I leave you in the very capable hands of Kt the RD:

___________________________________________________________

Who can believe that we are already a month into 2013? Hopefully winter won’t be lingering around for too much longer! I always think it is hard to eat healthy during the winter, especially when it is cold outside and all I want to do is snuggle under a blanket. Come on Spring!

Megan gave me this great opportunity to guest post on her blog. I wanted to share some the basic information for a healthy diet that I typically share with patients who want to lose weight or just start eating healthier.

Let’s begin with the basics:

Eat breakfast! Enjoying pancakes during a Meg & Kt weekend to good friend JoJo’s beach house, 2010 South Carolina

1. Eat breakfast. I know hearing the cliche that breakfast is the most important meal of the day gets old after awhile, but it really is!  Seriously, eat breakfast every morning. It adds fuel to the fire and gets your body moving. After going 8+ hours without any energy going into the tank, your body is ready for some nutrition in the morning. Plus, it helps jump start your metabolism for the day.

People try to say to me that they don’t like breakfast foods. And you know what? I say eat whatever sounds good (within reason). Leftover spaghetti? Go for it. Ham sandwich? Perfect. These foods are better than doughnuts for breakfast anyway. They have more protein than sugary cereals or pastries and will help you feel full longer.

Interesting tidbit: From my experience, It is more common than not that morbidly obese (BMI >40) individuals don’t eat breakfast.

2. Don’t diet. Dieting is synonymous with limiting behaviors for the most part. Cutting calories and eating tiny portions, basically starving your body. I don’t think people should diet in that sense. People should eat well-balanced meals. What does this mean? Well for me, this means eating healthy 85% of the time and 15% of the time letting yourself splurge a little. That cookie have your eye? Go ahead and eat it. Don’t sweat the small stuff. When you eat healthy 85% of the time, those calories you consume during that 15% of the time shouldn’t worry you to death. 

Giant marshmallow smore caught your eye?
Photo taken during a Meg & Kt reunion weekend over Memorial Day/Mayfest 2010

3. Don’t bring problem foods home. What does this mean? Those chips, cookies, candies, pops that you can’t keep your mitts off of? Don’t bring them into your house (or your garage). It is OK to have foods that you can’t resist. It is natural. Personally, I could down an entire bag of salt & vinegar chips in one setting. By keeping these foods out of your house, you are less inclined to eat without thought. 

4. Eat your fruits & veggies. Aim for 5-7 servings total during the day. That doesn’t mean you can get by eating 5 apples a day. Sure, it wouldn’t hurt you, but the more variety you get in the day, the better. You’ll consume a greater range of vitamins and minerals that way. In addition, fruits and vegetables contain fiber which is vital to gut health and normal bowel movements.

Left: Eat your fruit! Giant peach spotted during a Meg & Kt Georgia road trip in 2010
Right: As cute as this Illinois shaped chicken nugget is – it’s best to avoid processed foods! Artifact found at Winthrop Uni’s caf, 2010

5. Don’t overdo it with the processed foods. What do I mean by processed? Those foods that come from the middle of the grocery store and don’t really look like anything that you could find growing outside. Those products that have a list of ingredients that take up half of the bag. These products typically contain a high amount of sodium and fat which can have ill effects on your health, i.e. weight gain. Try to buy more foods from the outside edge of the grocery store. Picture a grocery store that you visit often. The healthiest ingredients are on the outside edge of the store. Produce, dairy, fresh meats can all be found here. 

6. Avoid stick margarine like the plague. This type of margarine contains high amounts of trans fat which has been found to be the worst kind of fat. It is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and can increase cholesterol levels. The best choice to butter bread for instance (although I don’t advocate eating a lot of buttered bread), is tub margarine. Promise and Smart Balance are good options. 

So, what’s the best butter choice for Lobster, Kt? ‘cuz my answer is…more butter!! Haha
Photo taken during a Meg & Kt adventure in 2009 in Plymouth, MA, at Wood’s Seafood on the wharf

7. Small goals work the best. Don’t try to change every aspect of the way you eat overnight. Start with one small thing, like limiting pop or eating breakfast everyday, and go from there. It can be overwhelming to start eating completely different which in turn means it is probably harder to stick with in the long run. 

And finally…

“I love to ride my bicycle, I love to ride my bike!”

8.  Exercise (which is something that I need to work on). You can eat loads of whole grains, lean meats, and fruits and vegetables, but exercise is key to it all. It can lower cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, and so much more. It improves heart health and helps to prevent insulin resistance. I’m not saying to go out and run a marathon tomorrow, but taking a walk, going for a jog, or riding a bike are all appropriate types of activity. This type of year, exercise can include shoveling the sidewalk or playing in the snow with your family.

Happy getting healthy everyone!

Katie, RD

___________________________________________________________

Thanks for sharing Kt! Always a pleasure to have you on Mr.C & Me! xo, meg

Join us next time for Part III where Kt answers your health and dietary questions!

Have a question? Please leave it in the comments below.

weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

went out to eat at Chipotle before having fun Dave & Busters,

enjoyed 3 days of what seemed like constant snow,

had a game night with friends where we laughed our way through The Game of Things + What’s Yours Like,

tagged along with my coworker, her family, & pup for a fun afternoon of geocaching – we drove across frozen Lake Minnetonka to find 4 caches on an island,

stuffed our faces with apples + dip, chips with cheese ‘n salsa ‘n guac, and pizza while watching the Super Bowl,

continued checking boxes on our Oscar Noms list (Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Master, & Zero Dark Thirty),

had so much fun this weekend that all dishes were neglected and Sunday breakfast looked like this…

cereal in a solo cup.

Hope you all had a fantastic first February weekend!

xo, meg

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Movie Madness: Oscar Noms

As most of you know I’m a little bit of a film fanatic (+ tv addict).

I spend far too many of my waking hours in front of screens, both big and small, soaking it all in.

So, it should come as no surprise that I love Academy Award season!

Every year I try to watch as many of the Oscar Noms as I can.

Below is my check list so far – luckily I have until Feb. 24th to try and catch the rest.

Have you seen any I haven’t? What would you suggest I watch next?

Any movies not on here that you absolutely loved + think are a must see?

And for fun,

 Other movies I’ve watched since Jan. 1, 2013:

Trade of Innocents, Restless, Hyde Park on Hudson, Celeste & Jesse Forever, Won’t Back Down, Nearlyweds, The Underwater Realm, Straight A’s, Gangster Squad, Lidice, Ziegfeld Girl

Upcoming films I’m excited to see:

The Great Gatsby, Oz: The Great and Powerful, World War Z, Despicable Me 2, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Anchorman: The Legend Continues, The Hangover: Part III, 300: Rise of An Empire

xo, meg

weekend review

Since Mr.C has to work Sunday (they’ve got some moving to do after adding a new level to the warehouse), we made sure to pack lots of livin’ into today… so:

This weekend Mr.C & I …

went geocaching using this great app for the iPhone!

Fun fact – if you don’t want to pay for the full app or are new to geocaching there’s also a free version that will show you the 3 closest caches to your current location.

Anyway, we found 2 caches, a frozen creek to play on, and a herd of deer (14 in total!!).

We also checked out the Goodwill that recently opened in Chanhassen.

Although Mr.C & I went in with the intention of “poppin’ some tags” (if you don’t know that reference, you need to watch this music video: clean radio edit here … non-clean version here) we walked out empty handed. I did spot my GMA’s dishes though!

The rest of our night was spent cuddling on our comfy couch, reading what Mr.C’s brother’s Air Force unit has been up to, catching up on The Office, playing Bike Race, and eating the chocolate peanut butter bon-bons we’d just made courtesy of a care package from home.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

xx, meg

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weekend review

This weekend Mr.C & I…

headed out Friday night to celebrate B’s 24th birthday with N, B, and a few of B’s friends. We went to Insert Coin(s), a video-game-themed nightclub, on First Ave to dance and play games into the wee hours.

We spent early Saturday afternoon with my colleague, L, and her husband B, geocaching around EP/Chanhassen. It was our first time and it was a blast despite the dropping temperatures and strong winds.  We ended up finding 3 caches!

Mr.C & I plan to go again once it warms up since this next week looks a little chilly…

Yep! Real winter’s finally here: the infamous MN temps we know and hate.

Saturday night we spent with N+B playing more Munchkin Zombies and watching I love you, Man.

Sunday we just chilled – slept in, went to see Gangster Squad, made tacos, watched That 70s Show (we’re in the final season) and brainstormed possible tattoo ideas (we think we might get inked this fall).

Rounded out the evening with Mr.C playing video games while I enjoyed new episodes of Girls and Call The Midwife.

Hope you all had a great weekend!!

xo, meg

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