Sunday Routine

There are a handful of things I try to accomplish every Sunday to ensure my upcoming week goes smoothly. If I skip this little process of mine, it's almost guaranteed that I'll wake up Monday feeling a little more harried and disorganized than I'd like. Worse yet, it's more likely that I'll end up missing something that I was supposed to do or screw up my diet or exercise routine because I simply didn't have a plan in place. I crave order and organization, and a good plan is the only thing that gets me through the week most of the time. So here's my little routine - if you currently don't do anything like this, I'd highly recommend trying to incorporate at least one aspect into your own personal routine. Everyone is unique and different things will work for each person, but taking one step to work towards a more thoughtfully laid out week will certainly benefit each one of us.

1.) Calendar Review

Matt and I sit down and look over our calendars for the upcoming week. We discuss work schedules, any social commitments, plans for eating out, etc. This helps to get us both on the same page and gives us a good overview of what our week looks like so that we can accurately meal plan, etc.

2.) Meal Plan

Speaking of meal planning, we then take time to assess what items we have in our refrigerator, freezer, and pantry that we want or need to use up, and make a full meal plan for the week (including breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and if we're really feeling ambitious, healthy snacks as well) and create a grocery list based on the items we need to buy. We typically try to grocery shop on Sunday or Monday for the week. I notice a huge difference in my ability to stay "on track" with my eating habits if I have a solid plan in place. I write everything out on my OneCanoeTwo Meal Planner and we have a clipboard in our pantry on which it hangs. We refer to it each day so that we know what items we need to prep in the morning for dinner that night (i.e. we may need to take chicken out of the freezer to defrost, or throw things in the crockpot to cook) and so that Matt knows what to pack me for lunch (yes, he packs my lunch pretty much every day, yes, it's amazing, and yes, I know how spoiled I am). The meal plan is a game changer. It definitely helps us to stay on budget with our food spending and helps us to make more healthful choices. It doesn't take a ton of time, and I guarantee it's worth it. 

3.) To Do List for the Week

I am the queen of to do lists. My close family and friends may tell you it's a little out of hand, but I like to think it's totally normal. I make lists for everything. My memory is terrible and my brain is typically a scattered mess with five million things running through it, so unless I take time to make a plan and lay out the things I actually need to do in a list format, nothing gets done. My to do list never has less than twenty things on it, and as soon as I cross off one thing I typically add five more to it. It's a little exhausting and I realize it's a tad excessive, but it's all I've ever known. Anyway, because my general to do list is typically so long, I try to choose a few "priority" items that I want to complete during the upcoming week, and sometimes even write which specific day I'd like to complete that item. This helps keep me on track and on top of things, and helps to keep me from going insane due to having a to do list as long as Santa's Naughty/Nice list.

Bonus things you could do on Sunday to ensure your upcoming week runs smoothly: 

+ Make sure the house is tidy. I follow a daily cleaning plan most of the time (which you can read more about here), but going to bed Sunday with no dishes in the sink, no clutter lying around, and things just generally looking good around the house always sets me up for a happier Monday.

+ Plan your outfits for the week.

+ Prepare a meal that you can eat multiple times throughout the week (a pot of soup or something else that can be prepared in a larger quantity and eaten multiple times) to cut down on time spent cooking during the work week.

+ Catch up all laundry, including folding and putting away.

+ Sit down with your significant other and review your budget and finances. Matt and I do this once a month, and we typically like to do it on a Sunday when we are completing some of these other items. I will blog more about our budgeting habits at some point soon.

So there you have it! My tips for a more productive and more organized start to your week. If you have other things you incorporate into your Sunday routine, I would love to hear them. Here’s to the start of a great week!

Happy Sunday,

Steph

Podcasts

I am suuuper into podcasts. I've been listening to several podcasts consistently for years, but have gotten even more into them since we moved to the Poconos. Because everything here is pretty spread out and I have multiple jobs that are all over the place, I end up spending a ton of time in my car. As much as I love music, I love switching it up and getting hooked on various Podcasts. Here are a few of my current favorites:

1.) S-Town

Everyone and their mother is currently talking about S-Town, and it's for good reason. This podcast comes from the brilliant minds behind This American Life and Serial (both mentioned below), so you know right off that bat that it's going to be good. The gist is this - a reporter is contacted by a guy living in rural Alabama, who asks him to investigate a murder and some other issues that are occurring in his small town. You'll never expect where the story will go from there. It's wonderfully done, and my husband and I were both hooked, listening to the whole series in just a couple of days. I just finished the last episode today, and now I'm so, so sad it's over. #JohnBMacklemore4Life (Another honorable mention that feels vaguely similar but is also quite different: Serial. I haven't listened to season two, but season one was amazing and is worth checking out for sure.)

2.) This American Life

This podcast is always mentioned in lists of "best podcasts" and is typically the #1 podcast on iTunes, and once you start listening, you'll see why. I'm not really sure how to best explain this podcast - they highlight various topics and people and whatever else through short essays and stories, and it's beautifully and brilliantly done. This podcast has made me laugh, made me cry, and has certainly made me think about all sorts of topics that I might not normally consider. Open your mind and check out This American Life.

3.) 2 Dope Queens

I've recently discovered this podcast, and I'm hooked. The show is hosted by Phoebe Robinson & Jessica Williams and features a handful of other comedians each week. They talk about anything and everything, and I've found myself laughing aloud at some point each episode. Fair warning - this podcast is definitely not rated G. Don't listen if you're easily offended or anywhere near children... or if you're on the treadmill at the gym and don't want to look like an idiot because you keep cracking up to yourself... just sayin'. (Another honorable mention: Sooo Many White Guys, which is also hosted by Phoebe Robinson [who I love and want to be best friends with]. She spends each episode talking with all sorts of people - musicians, comedians, actors - who are succeeding in their respective fields, and who are NOT white guys. Although the featured guest in the season finale of season one is Tom Hanks, which I can't wait to get to.)

4.) Anna Faris is Unqualified

Actress Anna Faris hosts a bunch of different celebrities (the likes of Aubrey Plaza, Chelsea Handler, Lauren Graham, Seth Rogan, Lisa Kudrow, Bob Odenkirk, and more) in her living room, and they spend each podcast talking about anything and everything. They also call random people who write in questions and offer them not-so-great relationship advice. I don't listen for the advice; just for the good conversation between actors and comedians that I like, and the occasional Chris Pratt (husband to Anna Faris) sound bite.

5.) The Dave Ramsey Show

I can't make a list of my favorite podcasts without mentioning the first podcast I ever got hooked on. I mentioned on here one other time about my love for all things financial and all things Dave Ramsey, and his podcast is one of my favorite places to go for sound money advice. He talked about budgeting, investing, saving money, and paying off debt. Come for the inspiring debt free screams (one per hour), but steer clear of the political rants.

So that's it! Do you have any podcasts that you're hooked on? Please share - I'm always up for checking out new ones!

Happy Listening!

xoxo,
Steph

Current Faves, Part Three

So it's been a while, but I'm finally getting around to posting part three of my "Current Faves" series! (You can see parts One & Two here and here.) I always love hearing what other people are currently loving, so I'm going to continue highlighting things that I love here on the blog. Enjoy!

1.)  Ed Sheeran's New Album, Divide

I just can't even handle how much I love this album. I love Ed Sheeran, and this album did NOT disappoint. I love every song, but Castle on the Hill, Perfect, Galway Girl, and Supermarket Flowers are a few of my favorites. All the feels, you guys. All of them. Who wants to see him in Philly July 11th with me?!

2.) Presto Belgian Waffle Maker

Fact: I've always been more of a pancakes girl than a waffle girl. Matt and I received a waffle maker as a gift when we bought our first house seven years ago, and after using it maybe once, I sent it to Goodwill so it would go to a house that actually used it. Fast forward to a few weeks ago, when I started getting weird, intense cravings for thick, Belgian waffles. Matt loves waffles, so he was totally on board with this new obsession of mine. I started researching various waffle makers, and after reading a bunch of reviews, I landed on this one. We made our first batch of scratch-made Belgian waffles in our new waffle maker last weekend (using this recipe, which I would HIGHLY recommend), and I'm in love. Now I'm exploring Pinterest for other things I can make on our new waffle maker: Egg & Cheese Hash Brown Waffles, Pizza Waffles, or Banana Cream Pie Waffles, anyone?

3.) Rocky Mountain Essential Oils

I promise I'm not going to go off the deep end and start being one of those people who sells doTERRA or Young Living or whatever, clogging up your social media feeds trying to sell their product and raving about the benefits of essential oils (was that too much? Not trying to offend anyone, it's just a little pet peeve of mine...), but I wanted to invest in some good essential oils for several reasons. If you saw my hand scrub/lip scrub post, you know I want to start exploring DIY-ing some other beauty products, and essential oils are a great way to add scent and various benefits to these products. I did a lot of research and decided to go with Rocky Mountain Oils. I used this blog series on Essential Oils, among a few others, to make this decision. I'm excited to play around with the new oils and see what other homemade home & beauty goods I end up making!

4.) Contigo SnapSeal Travel Mug

Simply put, this is the best travel mug I've ever owned. We bought four of them in various colors and threw away all of our other travel mugs. It doesn't leak, the lid mechanism is great and easy to clean, and your coffee/tea stays hot for hours. Win win win. Go buy it - You won't be disappointed. 

5.) Hue Ultra Legging with Wide Waistband

I live for these leggings. I, no lie, didn't jump on the whole leggings bandwagon until this year. I just didn't think they were for me, and now I am so sad that I missed out on years of wearing these glorious pieces of clothing. Paired with a dress or good tunic and a cute pair of wedge booties, I feel like I can rule the world when I wear these things. And this is the only brand I'll wear. I have one pair of black LuLaRoe leggings that I'll wear around the house, but the wide waistband, thick fabric, and high quality construction of these Hue leggings definitely make them the best in my mind. Go grab a pair if you haven't already!

So that's it! Five of my favorite things at the moment. Stay tuned for part four!

xoxo,

Steph

Hand & Lip Scrubs

Hi friends! Today I'm sharing two recipes: one for a homemade hand scrub, and one for a homemade lip scrub. I don't know if anyone out there is as obsessed with scrubs as I am, but I love them so, so much, and I find them totally necessary in the winter months. I work in healthcare, and therefore I wash my hands approximately five gazillion times a day. Between the months of November and March, my hands are usually so dry and cracked from being over-washed that they're often on the verge of bleeding. I've tried just about every hand lotion/cream out there throughout the years (my all time favorite and daily go-to is this Organic Mandarin - Blood Orange Shea Butter Whip from Pure Suds Co in Scranton), but I still find I get the best results when I regularly use a good hand scrub in addition to a quality hand cream. I've purchased various scrubs over the past few years, but when I started seeing a few recipes for DIY-ing them at home, I figured I'd give it a try. I can't believe it took me so long to make my own! These recipes are suuuper simple, and it's highly likely that you already have all of the ingredients in your pantry! So grab a little mixing bowl, and follow these directions for softer, smoother hands (and lips!).

What you'll need:

(Don't be intimidated; there are ways to adapt the recipes to what you already have at home.)

Hand Scrub:

Ingredients:
1 c. White Sugar
1/4 c. Oil (I used Grapeseed Oil, but you can use Olive Oil or Coconut Oil)
Approximately 20 drops of Grapefruit Essential Oil (add more or less to your taste)
Optional:
A Squeeze of Fresh Grapefruit Juice (for added scent/color)
A Few Drops of Beet Juice (for added color)

Notes:
You can totally adjust the scent to your taste. If you don't like the scent of grapefruit, you can certainly use another essential oil. Or, if you don't have any essential oils at home, you can use a teaspoon of vanilla extract! And I only added the grapefruit juice and the beet juice (I boiled a few beets in water and then froze the leftover liquid in ice cube trays to use as a natural food coloring in the future) for natural coloring and added scent, but this is optional. You could use food coloring if you'd like, or just keep it color-free!

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together, and then store in airtight container. Wash and dry your hands before using scrub. Scoop out a small amount (to your preference; I use an amount slightly smaller than a grape), wet your hands/the scrub slightly, and then massage into hands. Wash off with warm running water. Pat dry. Do not re-wash afterwards. Your hands might feel slightly oily, but the oil will absorb into your skin quickly. If you wash your hands after applying the scrub, you will wash away all of the oil that is mean to moisturize and nourish your skin.

Lip Scrub:

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 - 2 tsp. Oil (Coconut, Olive, or other)
1 tsp. Honey
10 Drops Essential Oil (I used Grapefruit, but again, use what you like)
Optional:
Grapefruit and/or Beet Juice for Natural Color

Notes:
If you're skipping the grapefruit/beet juice, you may want to add slightly more oil to get the scrub to the consistency you like. I prefer my lip scrub to be slightly more liquidy, while I'll keep my hand scrub more dry.

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together, and then store in airtight container. Apply a small amount of scrub to your lips and rub in until sugar begins to dissolve. Let sit on lips for 30-60 seconds, and then wipe off with clean towel.

There you have it! Easy, right? These scrubs are guaranteed to give you smoother hands and lips, and they make great gifts as well. I'm so glad I took the plunge and finally tried out these recipes - I can't wait to experiment with other DIY beauty products!

Happy Scrubbing!
xoxo,
Steph

Milo

Five years ago on this date, we adopted this little weirdo.

We weren't searching for another dog at the time. We already had our shih tzu/lhasa apso mix Murphy at home, and we had never really discussed wanting to have two dogs. Matt apparently had other plans. He went to the Lancaster Humane League one day after work after he heard that they had gotten a large number of dogs in that had been rescued from a puppy mill. He immediately called me and started sending me pictures of this sad, pathetic dog with his nose in the corner. It was game over. I drove to the the Humane League, and suddenly, we were a two dog family.

Nose in the Corner at the Humane League

The Day We Adopted Him

Milo & Murphy - Bonded Since Day One

It took days weeks months years for Milo to come around. He had been kept in a cage for all of his 1-2(ish) years of life up to that point, used solely for breeding at a disgusting puppy mill. He had never gone up steps, he had never walked on a leash, and he sure as heck had never been house trained. He was (is?) one of the shyest, most skiddish dogs we have ever seen. And that's saying a LOT, because Murphy was a hot mess when we first adopted him. Matt and I always tend to gravitate towards the saddest dogs we can find. Our hearts just go out to them, and we feel this overwhelming desire to "fix" them. But Milo has come a LONG way in the last five years, and adopting him really was the best thing for Murphy. These two love each other and are basically attached to each other at all times.

Love.

Back in November, Milo got incredibly sick. When we took him to the vet, they did blood work and an X-ray and told us he had a tumor growing on his bladder. We are now fairly confident that it was just an infection that showed up looking like a tumor in the X-ray, but at the time he was really, really sick. Like, not eating, not drinking, can't move, screaming in pain sick. We were sure we were going to have to put him down. Thankfully, this all occurred Thanksgiving weekend. It was tough enough to find a vet who was open and could see him, but then we had to wait it out Saturday night and through the day on Sunday, sure that we were going to have to put him down first thing Monday morning. Friends, we MOURNED that dog. Matt and I were a crazy, crazy mess. We didn't sleep much Saturday night, just trying our best to keep Milo comfortable while saying our goodbyes. When we woke up Sunday morning, he miraculously seemed slightly better. Throughout the coming days, with the help of the antibiotics and anti-inflammatories he was on, he started to get better and back to his old self. Within a week or so, he was totally back to normal, as if the whole thing was just a bad dream. I can't even tell you how grateful we are that we didn't put him down back in November.

We love this little guy, and he's been the best addition to our little family. Happy five years, Milo! Here's to many, many more years with you!

Money Tip #1

Fun fact about me that you may not know: I'm a huge financial nerd. I'm slightly in love with money guru Dave Ramsey, and I'm not ashamed to say it (except if he's talking politics, then I'm just slightly ashamed). I've read all of his books and I download his podcast every day. One of my most precious possessions is my crazy Numbers (Mac's version of Excel) budget worksheet, which I diligently update pretty much every week. I keep a close eye on our finances because I have a lot of lofty goals for our future (travel, vacation home, etc.), and I don't want money to stand in the way of us achieving those goals. We plan to be totally debt free at some point this calendar year, which I'll talk about in another post. 

Because of my quirky love for all things financial, and my love for teaching people about those things (quick note: I am not an in your face, over the top, must tell everyone about Dave Ramsey until everyone hates me because they're so sick of hearing about it type of person, but a decent number of our close friends and family members know of my passion in this area and have approached me with questions about it over the years, and in that situation I truly love sharing my knowledge with them), I figured I would start a little series on the blog with various money tips. So now that we got all of that out of the way, here's my first money tip:

Money Tip #1: Start Saving for Next Christmas Right NOW.

Maybe that's not the most earth-shattering, awe-inspiring money tip to give as my first ever tip, but give me a moment to explain.

It's January. Although it feels like the holidays happened forever ago (or is that just me??), really they were just a few weeks ago. Maybe this month you got your credit card bill and were shocked by your balance. Maybe the first week or two of January were a little tighter than you'd like, because you drained down your bank account buying Christmas gifts. I've been there. Another thing about myself: I'm a giver. I love gifting people with presents, and Christmas is my Super Bowl. I spend an inordinate about of time planning out what I'm going to get people, scooping up little hints and mentions throughout the year and tucking them away until December. Along with spending a lot of time figuring out what to buy people, I also usually spend a decent amount of money making sure I buy the most perfect gifts that I can think of. In the past, this was an issue. You see, we all know that Christmas comes every single year on December 25th. Without fail, there it is. But somehow it sneaks up on us financially because we just don't plan for it. Logically, we know it's coming, but we don't properly prepare. We overspend, and then we regret it. Can you take a moment to think about how nice it would feel to have a whole lump of cash saved up, so that this year when Black Friday rolls around and the mayhem surrounding Christmas shopping begins, you already have all the cash laying there and ready for you? What a good feeling. And it's possible! You just need to start today. So here's what you need to do:

1. Create a separate checking account to label "Christmas" (if your bank allows you to do this, which hopefully they will).

I love having several separate checking accounts with our bank. I currently have five of them: Checking, Savings, Vacation, Christmas, and "Special Savings". Being able to keep these accounts separate (but all under our joint account, so that I can see everything when I log in to our online banking and easily transfer money from one account to the other) is an awesome tool for being able to save for certain items. If I kept all of our Christmas money just in with our regular checking account, chances are I might end up spending it. Keeping it separate makes that nearly impossible. Check with your bank, but we've done it with every local bank we've ever had without any issue. 

2. Figure out your total Christmas budget. 

This sounds a little daunting, but I promise it will be less painful than you think. Maybe you already have some numbers in mind (i.e. you usually spend $50 on parents, $20 on friends, etc.), but if not, you can just go back through your bank statements in the month or so leading up to Christmas (or whenever you did the bulk of your Christmas shopping) and try to get a rough total. If you spent, say $1,000 on Christmas this year, then that would be your budget. If you know everyone that you buy for and have a rough idea of what you spend on them, add all of those numbers together and get your total number. It doesn't have to be exact - just get a number in mind. 

For example, this is my personal Christmas budget:

Parents: $75 per parent, x5. Total: $375

Siblings: $30-$50 per sibling, x4. Total: $120-$200

Grandparents: $15 per grandmother, x3. Total: $45

Cousin Gift Exchange: $30, x2. Total: $60

Random Friends or Other Gift Exchanges: ~$100

Grand Total: $780

(Matt and I also buy for each other, but we typically just use our own "fun money" for that, so I don't necessarily include that in my Christmas Budget.)

3. Determine how much money you need to save each month to reach your grand total, and then transfer that amount into your Christmas account.

Simply take your grand total from above and divide it by 12. $780/12 = $65 per month.

(Side note: I usually put between $50 and $75 in per month, and sometimes I put in as much as $100. I like to have a little extra padding, and then that helps pay for things like Christmas cards, random hostess gifts or other unexpected gifts you end up buying, or even a new outfit for a Christmas party. If I have $1,000 in that account by the time Black Friday rolls around, I know I am good to go.)

4. Do this every single month until Christmas, and then complete your Christmas shopping with the peace of mind that comes with knowing Christmas was paid for in cash and that you won't be experiencing any buyer's remorse come December 26th! 

So anyway, that's my first money tip for you. Start today, and I promise you won't regret it! Stay tuned for more tips in the future. 

xoxo,

Steph

Six Months

Six months ago I opened up and wrote a lengthy post about our struggle with infertility. I was overwhelmed by the amount of people who read our story and reached out to us in person or via calls, texts, Facebook messages, and comments on my post. I was so touched by all the kind words, and found a lot of comfort and hope in hearing stories from family and friends who have gone through a journey similar to our's. Not much has changed in the last six months regarding our situation, aside from the fact that we started seeing a new fertility doctor and he has given us a lot of hope. I have started new medications, and next week I will go for a laparoscopy so that our doctor can go inside and get a better look at a possible issue with one of my Fallopian Tubes. Until then, we continue to be hopeful and ask for prayers and good thoughts that we will one day be able to get pregnant.

While not much has changed in the last six months regarding our pregnancy status, a whole lot of life has definitely happened. I'm feeling renewed and recharged in this new year after a slightly trying 2016. I am hoping to get back into blogging, posting about our life with a bit more regularity. Thanks for sticking with me, friends. I'll post again soon.

Xoxo,
Steph

Two Years.

This month marks two years. Two years since Matt and I began trying to get pregnant. Two years of visits of gynecologists and fertility doctors and specialists. Two years of tests and procedures and pain and tears and new diagnoses and new medications. Two years of too many negative pregnancy tests to keep track of. Two difficult, heart-wrenching, excruciating years.

It's been two years, but it feels a bit more like a lifetime.

Friends, I was so naive at the beginning of this process. We "officially" started trying to get pregnant in July of 2014 because I figured we'd get pregnant right away, and I had done the math... Nine months from July is April, and I thought April would be a really nice month to have a baby. I shit you not, that was the actual thought process that my brain went though. I knew so little of the whole ovulation process and what goes into two people conceiving a child. I took for granted that I would be able to just snap my fingers and get pregnant whenever I wanted to. If teenagers can "accidentally" get pregnant after a night of unprotected sex, it wouldn't be hard for two people who are in love and have been together for over ten years to get pregnant, right? Wrong.

It's been hard. Really hard. It's been a silent struggle that we've been dealing with for two years, only sharing with the closest of friends and family. I feel so helpless, so vulnerable. There has been a lot of tears and sadness, and a lot of anger. Excessive weight gain and a neglect of my heath in a time where I should be doing my best to improve my health. It's been a hard season of life.

I've been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, aka PCOS. I had never heard of PCOS until we had our first visit with the fertility doctor. I won't bore you with all the details, but basically, my ovaries are filled with small cysts. This throws off the hormone levels in my body, and my eggs don't have the opportunity to fully mature. Essentially, I just don't ovulate, which obviously makes it very difficult for me to get pregnant. The list of symptoms for PCOS is basically a checklist of things I've struggled with for years, so it was almost nice to get the diagnosis and finally have an explanation for all of those issues. After going through some additional testing to make sure nothing else was impeding my ability to get pregnant, I began medication to help me ovulate. The hope was that this method alone would be enough to allow me to get pregnant, but so far, no luck.

Recently, a couple that we're very close with announced at a big gathering that they were pregnant. Matt and I accidentally missed the official announcement, so they pulled us aside to tell us in private since they knew what we have been going though. I tried my best to look excited and congratulate them, but then I immediately went to the bathroom, locked myself in, and spent the next 40 minutes sobbing. I was happy for them, but so, so sad for us. Not exactly my proudest moment.

I know that Matt and I will eventually be parents. Aside from a brief period of time a few years ago when I was feeling selfish and thought maybe I'd rather not have children, instead spending my time and money traveling the world, I've always wanted to be a mother. And if you have ever met my husband, then you know he's going to be the most incredible dad ever. Seriously. I know that without a doubt, and I can't wait to raise kids with him. I want nothing more than to experience pregnancy, and to experience it naturally, but I am frustrated by how difficult this process has been for us. I'm not a big fan of things that aren't "natural", and I already hate that I have to take medication to help me attempt to get pregnant. Our next steps beyond this would be IUI (intrauterine insemination) or IVF (in vitro fertilization), both of which can get a bit costly and aren't really ideal in my book. Combining sperm and an egg in a petri dish in the hopes that they fertilize? Not exactly my idea of a romantic conception. Beyond those options, we would begin to explore adoption.

This has been a tough thing to go through not only because of the obvious reason (aka the whole not being able to have a child thing), but also because infertility is just something that's not really talked about. Unless you're a woman trying to get pregnant and you happen to have a friend that has also gone through this same thing, you feel like you don't really have anyone to talk to about it. You feel alone. There's almost a negative stigma attached to the issue of infertility, and it's just not a common topic of discussion. I am asked all. the. time. whether I have children and/or when Matt and I are planning to have kids. Can you image how people would react if I responded truthfully? If I said I don't know, I've been wondering the same thing myself? That we've been trying our hardest for two years and we're heartbroken that it hasn't happened yet? I guess my main reason for putting all of this out there is to just to open the discussion, say that I'm not ashamed of the "infertile" title that has been slapped on me, but also admit that I need help. That I, we, need your support during this time. Whether it's through prayer, happy thoughts, texts, phone calls, emails, or offers to join me during a fertility appointment to hold my hand when Matt's schedule doesn't allow him to join me (KB I love you always), we will take it. If you've been through this, reach out to me. If you have suggestions or tips or recommendations, send them my way. If you would pray for us, please do. It's been hard, and although I want to believe that this will all work out in the end, somedays it's hard for me to see beyond the negative pregnancy tests.

Thanks for being an open ear, friends. Much love to all.

Steph

Summer Mayhem

The last month and a half has been nuts. Two weeks of vacation in OCNJ, one week of counseling Senior High Adventure here at the Plateau, and working 50ish + hours on the weeks in between. One week of vacay, one week of work. One week of vacay, one week of work. One work of "vacay" (not entirely sure spending a week leading a group of senior highers and getting 3-5 hours of sleep a night while running around non-stop during the day is really considered a vacation, but...), and then back to work. Despite having three out of the last six weeks off of work, it's still been a crazy time and I feel like I haven't been able to get a single thing done. Combine that with the fact that we've had so many visitors over the past two weeks (23 members of my family were here for a weekend, part of Matt's family was here from Indiana this past week, camp friends have been coming and going and occasionally staying in our guest rooms, etc.), I am behind on everything. I never got my July birthday cards done. One of my closest friends had her third baby and I haven't even started the baby quilt. Things are shoved into nearly all of our closets from when I was quickly "cleaning" before our next set of guests arrived. But I wouldn't really trade this busy season for anything. Spending time in Ocean City, NJ with my family is my absolute favorite, and adding a second week with Matt's family for the first time this year was so much fun. This year of Senior High Adventure was one of the best to date; My co-counselor was fantastic, our campers were awesome, and the rest of the SHA "staff" (program director, assistant program director, nurse, and the other counselors) are some of my favorite people to spend a week in the woods with. And I love hosting people and would never pass up on the opportunity to have people visit or come stay at our house. So here's a brief photo recap of the last six weeks. We've packed a lot of fun into all this crazy.

Ocean City, NJ with the Kleins! Super windy and kind of chilly, but still a great week.

Left OCNJ and drove to OCMD to spend the weekend with my girls! Good times. 

BEYONCE CONCERT IN HERSHEY! Totally lost my mind and had the most amazing time. 

The next morning... Post-Beyonce Hangover.

Back to OCNJ with the McCanns! 27 of us. Best week of the year.

Favorite View. 

Running the boardwalk in OCNJ is my fav. Ran 7 miles one day. Considering another half marathon this fall.  

Pocono Plateau's Senior High Adventure 2016! Stony Cove!

2016 Site Olympics Champs!!! 

Some of our visitors the last couple of weeks! Loved having visits from the McCanns, the Andresens/Ryans, and the Franks!

I hope your summer has been just as crazy and just as fun!

xoxo,
Steph

Current Faves, Part Two

Back in March, I posted my first "current faves" post, highlighting a few of the things I was loving at the moment. I've always enjoyed hearing about products or services that people I know (or other bloggers I follow) are using and loving, so I figured I'd make a point on here to semi-regularly share about the things I'm currently obsessed with. So here we are with round two!

Recently I went on a major Amazon binge. There were a few movies and books that I wanted, as well as a few other things on my Amazon "Wish List" that I planned on purchasing... And then I just went a little crazy and ordered a few more items just because. No regrets, though; It was a great use of some of the money I received for my birthday. Here are a few of the things from that order that I absolutely love and feel like I need to share. 

1.) Capri Blue Volcano Candle

Guys, this candle is everything. It's incredible. The smell of it burning makes me want to be a better person. It's the candle they burn constantly in all Anthropologie stores... You know how that store always smells amazing? This is the reason why. I've looked at the candles there, but always thought they were a bit overpriced. When I saw this cute little travel tin version for less than $15, I knew I had to try it out. Now I feel like I'll never be able to burn another candle ever again. I already scoped out the larger version, which you can conveniently order in a two pack at a better price point. You better believe I'll be adding that to my cart next time I place an Amazon order!

2.) Dead Sea Mud Mask

I've always had a thing for facial masks. I remember sneaking into the cabinet in my parent's bathroom as a kid and stealing some of this gel-like citrus mask that my mom always had. You would smear it on, let it sit for 10 minutes, and then peel it off in one single sheet. It was awesome. It had been a while since I'd bought a mask, but I somehow ended up browsing them when I fell down the Amazon rabbit hole. This Dead Sea mask had almost 8,000 good reviews and was the #1 best seller of all facial masks, so I figured it had to be good. I tried it out tonight, and it definitely did not disappoint. It's a dark charcoal color, so you look totally attractive while you're wearing it, but it smells really nice and my skin felt incredible afterwards. After fifteen minutes, my face felt smooth and soft, and I swear the my pores looked smaller. I did read several reviews where people said their pores shrunk after just one use, so I guess I wasn't totally imaging it. Anyway, if you're into facial masks and are looking to try out one that's really good, I'd definitely recommend this one. 

3.) IngenuiTea Bottom-Dispensing Teapot

Back around Christmas, Matt and I met up with a bunch of friends at a coffee shop down in Lancaster, and my tea was served in this contraption. I had no idea how it worked, but once I figured out that you had to place it on top of your cup and then the tea comes out the bottom, I did that. Then I realized the tea had barely steeped at all, so I had to do it all over again. Then I was hooked. It's seriously a fun way to make tea, and I love that you don't have to shove loose tea into a little tea strainer thing. You just dump it in, let it steep, then put it on top of your mug which triggers the tea to come out of the bottom into your cup. Matt got it for me for my birthday, and I've used it countless times over the last couple of weeks. It doesn't get old. If you like tea and want to venture more into the world of loose tea instead of regular tea bags, it's a really fun gadget to add to your stash. 

4.) Popsicle Molds

Ready for a total wildcard? Yep, I bought molds to make popsicles. I'm not really sure why, but I did. (Amazon can be a dangerous place.) I love popsicles, and I've seen a few recipes on Pinterest for making your own, so I figured I'd go for it. During the warmer months I'm usually pretty obsessed with those Outshine Fruit Bars and Yogurt Bars that you can find in most grocery stores. While this brand is pretty harmless and generally uses wholesome, natural ingredients, I figured it's still better to make your own from scratch. While I haven't yet tried out these molds yet, I'm so excited to do so. Here are a few of the recipes I'm most anxious to try: Strawberry Pineapple Popsicles, Peach Yogurt Popsicles, and Raspberry-Pineapple Chia Seeds Popsicles. Yum!

5.) Basically Everything from Pure Suds Co., but especially this Shea Butter Whip Lotion

This last one is not Amazon-related, but I feel like I have to share. If you're friends with me on Facebook, you may have already seen my picture and long rant about my love for this small business. This past Christmas, one of my bosses at one of the nursing homes I work at bought everyone in the therapy department a small container of whipped shea butter lotion and an exfoliating bar of soap with a loofah built right into it from this company. From the moment I tried both of those products, I was in love. I rationed the whipped shea butter for months and months, and finally had to go to the store to buy some more. While there, I went a little crazy and basically bought one of everything they had. The store owner, Jess, was awesome and took a ton of time to tell me about all of the products and how she makes everything. I've never in my life been someone who likes to take baths, but I bought a bunch of bath products (bath bombs, bath "tea", etc.), and am now totally inspired to take baths. Using these organic products basically make me feel like a brand new woman. The Organic Mandarin-Blood Orange Shea Butter Whip pictured above smells like pure heaven, and is possibly the best hand lotion I have ever used. I love supporting small business and the business owners who work so hard at what they do, so if you're ever in the Scranton area, you should definitely check them out. If not, you can order right from their website. I promise you won't be disappointed!

So anyway, that's some of the stuff that I'm currently obsessed with. I'd love to hear from you guys what you're currently loving!

Steph

Snail Mail

I'm a huge proponent of snail mail. I mean, who doesn't love being greeted with a handwritten card tucked in among the standard junk mail and bills that usually fill our mailboxes? In this day and age of digital everything, I think there is something so special about this simple act of letter writing. I absolutely love sending mail. I'm a total stationary snob, and I probably spend more money on cards and stationary and stamps in one year than I do on shoes. 1Canoe2, Rifle Paper Co., and Emily McDowell are three of my all time favorite companies for everything paper-related and beyond (including but not limited to cards, planners, notepads, phone cases, meal planners, recipe boxes/cards, etc.), and 1Canoe2's annual 50% off sale (which occurs for one hour only on Black Friday) is right up there with Christmas as my favorite holiday.

But anyway, cards. I love them. I always have. I love receiving them, and I love sending them. For a long time, I saved every single birthday card I ever received. Really... every. single. one. I finally went through and purged a large number of them, but still save any card I deem even remotely sentimental.

A few years back I decided I wanted to send out birthday cards to all of our close friends and family members. I set out to gather all the necessary birthdates, and made myself a little spreadsheet (nerd). A few days before a new month begins, I check out all of the birthdays coming up in the following month, and I spend time picking out a card for each person from my stash. I then fill them out, address and stamp them, and write the birthdate on the back of the envelope so I know when to stick each card in the mail. This simple act, which usually takes me maybe 30 to 45 minutes each month, has become one of my favorite rituals. Once I send them out, it really doesn't matter to me if the person thanks me for the card or never says a word about it... I just like the gesture of letting our loved ones know that we were thinking of them and remembering them on their birthday.

In addition to my monthly birthday card routine, I try to send out a few cards each month to people just to say "hi". I found these notecard sets in the dollar bins at Target recently... how am I supposed to say no to cute little sets of eight notecards for $1 each?!

So anyway, my challenge for you this month would be to write three letters to three different people. They don't have to be long - just buy a card or a postcard or even stick a piece of scrap paper into an envelope and send it. Reach out to a friend you haven't seen in a while, a grandparent, or whoever. I guarantee it will bring a smile to their face.

Happy writing!
Steph

Vintage Camper Dreamin'

You guys, I have a new obsession. An obsession with tiny, adorable, totally refurbished vintage campers. I mean, how cute are these little guys??

I've been really into the whole "tiny house movement" lately. And by that, I mean I DVR every tiny house show HGTV produces, and I'm totally glued to the television every time I watch one. While I know my husband and I will never live in a tiny house full time (this scenario could only end in Matt and I killing one other due to lack of personal space, and/or me freaking out because I'd have to get rid of my obscene amount of Christmas decorations, and/or me in tears because we could no longer host dinner parties or have people stay at our house for weekend visits), I still love the concept. I try to live a fairly simple life without a lot of "stuff", and the sleek, simplified, and compact design of most tiny houses just about makes me giddy.

When you combine my fascination in tiny houses with my love for camping and my love of great design, it's not shock that I'm totally enamored with these mini campers. While I've always been adamant about the fact that I prefer tent camping, I'm starting to see the benefits of a little camper. (I am, however, still firmly against mega RVs. If you pull into the campground in a deluxe motorhome that has all the modern conveniences of home and costs almost as much as my first house, it that really camping? I think not.) I can totally envision Matt and I taking one of these beauties on weekend trips to local state parks, as well as on longer trips around the US.

So, until the day that I actually get my hands on one of these adorable vintage campers, I'm just going to continue gazing lovingly at these pictures, daydreaming about the day we're traveling around America in our own mini slice of paradise. 

Steph

[P.S. Sources for all of the campers above are pinned in my Camping board on Pinterest.]

Thoughts from an Almost 29 Year Old

I was up late working on a few rough drafts of other blog posts, when I looked up at the time and realized it was past midnight. It was officially May 1st. May is, without a doubt, my favorite month. Besides being my birth month, it's just such a glorious time of year. A month full of beauty, optimism, anticipation. It's spring! The trees and flowers are blooming! It's warm! The days are getting longer! School's almost out! Summer is right around the corner! The countdown to the beach begins. While I absolutely adore the cool, crisp, beautiful days of fall, there is just so much hope in these spring days.

This month, I'll turn 29. The last year of my 20s. Everyone (at least in my experience) responds to people's fears of turning the big 3-0 by stating that your 30s are the best decade, way better than your 20s. You're finally comfortable in your own skin. The rough transitions and decisions of your 20s - graduating college, searching for jobs and navigating your career field, finding love or having your heart broken, getting married or staying single, deciding to start a family or not - are to some extent, over. You're finally free to be the person you were meant to be without the pressures and stigmas of what your peers think, what your parents think, or what the world itself thinks. For the most part, you know who you are and who you're going to be. You figure out who your true friends are, and you (hopefully) make enough money to get your finances in order. At least that's they way I interpret it. While I'm totally hopeful that this sentiment will ring true for me (and know that some of it already does), it still makes me a little nervous. I mean, 30 years old? I just struggle with that number.

There is still so much I want to do. Goals I want to accomplish. Places I want to travel. Children I want to have. Life has thrown me some curve balls the last few years, and the major control freak that I am has struggled to adjust the "master plan" that I had planned out for my life. I'm not where I imagined myself to be at 29. I guess that's what I get for naively thinking I can just plan out every detail of my life and have everything fall perfectly into place. Silly me. But while I might sound like I'm being a little dramatic, I fully understand that 30 is not a death sentence. I know that I am not turning 100 and that there is no hope of me reaching my goals. I guess I just need to keep that in mind, and work harder to make my goals a reality. Make my next year of life my best year yet.

So May, give me all you've got. Don't let me down. And 29, bring it on. I'm ready for you.

S

New Venture

Last week, I started a new job. 

My college degree is in Occupational Therapy. Since graduating from college almost seven years ago, I've worked OT jobs exclusively. I mainly work in nursing homes, but have also worked in school districts. I've worked full time, part time, and/or PRN (also known as "as needed") over the years between too many nursing homes to count. I'm not good at saying no, so often I'm working full time or part time at one facility consistently, and then working some evenings or weekends at places where I'm employed PRN. The accountant who does our taxes gets mad every year at the shear number of W-2s I present her with from my gazillion employers. She jokes about it, but really I think that deep down she hates me. But anyway, as many of my OT, PT, SLP, and nursing friends can attest to, healthcare can be a really taxing field to work in. During the times that I was working 40+ hours, I found myself getting really burnt out. I was thrilled when we moved to our current home last summer (thus cutting our expenses drastically since housing is included as part of my husband's benefit package) and I was able to scale back my hours, work exclusively PRN jobs, and really control my schedule. I was able to take more time to do things I wanted to, but still work when I wanted and bring in a great paycheck. PRN is the best of all worlds for me.

While I generally enjoy my job - I legitimately love the elderly population, and the fact that I am able to rehabilitate them and make a positive influence in their lives is kind of like the cherry on top - I've realized over the years that it's truly not my passion. I make a great living, find a lot of value in what I do for people, and have built many meaningful relationships over the years with both co-workers and patients, but could never shake the feeling that I wanted to do something else. I have lots of dreams and goals for what the future might look like for me, and am grateful that my flexible OT schedule has begun to allow me to explore other options while still bringing in some cash working PRN.

The other week I went to our local library (more about my absolute love affair with libraries at a later date) and saw a job posting. The position was for "Technical Services Specialist", and while they were ideally looking for someone with a computer-related degree, I was convinced that I could fill all of the jobs roles listed. They were looking for someone who was proficient with computers, was a "people person" who would be able to tutor people on the use of computers and other devices (smart phones, Kindles, iPads, etc.), would be able to create newsletters and flyers and post on social media platforms, and could assist with children's programming at the library. Check, check, check, check. I interviewed up against seven or eight other people, and was kind of shocked when I was offered the job. The job is part time, 30 hours a week, and a drastic pay cut from what I can make in OT, but they were really flexible with creating a schedule that would allow me to continue to work my PRN OT jobs on the side, so I went for it!

The past week was insane, hence my lack of posting here on the blog. I started at the library on Monday, but had already had some OT jobs lined up, so I worked six days, logging over 50 working hours between five different places (the library and four different nursing homes), and spent hours driving between said facilities. We live in a pretty remote area, so I typically have to drive anywhere from forty minutes to an hour and fifteen minutes to more populated areas with more opportunities for OT jobs. I'm THRILLED to trade in this killer commute for the twelve minute commute to the library most days. 

Anyway, I'm grateful for a little bit of a different opportunity, and am excited about learning some new job skills. Thanks for following along, and please bare with me as I get used to my new schedule!

Here's to new adventures!

xoxo,

Steph

Quilting

So a few years ago I decided I wanted to learn how to quilt. No one in my family quilts, but Matt's grandmother makes beautiful ones for every family member, and I love how her quilts (and the quilts of her mother before her) can be passed down as family heirlooms for years to come. I had seen some incredible modern quilts floating around on Pinterest, and I set a goal to learn how to do it. My mom gave me a gift certificate to a local quilting shop in my hometown for Christmas is 2012, and in January of 2013 I started a class.

I can't even tell you how much I fell in love with it. The whole process - choosing beautiful fabrics, cutting the fabric, piecing the top, quilting the layers together, machine and hand binding the edges, embroidering personalized name tags for whoever I was giving it to, and finally passing it on to the recipient - totally captivates me.

Since then, I've worked hard to make baby quilts for most of our close friends and family members whenever they're welcoming a little one into the world. This is the one I'm currently working on. I won't post a full picture until I've given it to the parents to be, but I'm totally enamored with it and can't help myself from posting a sneak peek.

[ #Gingham #PopOfOrange #Swoon ]

Here are a few of my other favorites from the past:

One of the things I love most about quilting is the little community I've found. And contrary to popular belief, this community doesn't just consist of little 80 year old women. I'm amazed at the amount of young women (and men!) around my age who blog and Instagram their quilting projects. Here are a few quilts I've pinned on Pinterest that inspire me whenever I start a new quilt. I'm really into the neutrals and black & whites lately!

Doesn't it kind of amaze you what can be done with just a little fabric and a sewing machine?

Now my goal for 2016 is to actually complete a full or queen-sized quilt, since until this point I've only made baby quilts. I'm hoping that actually posting this here will hold me accountable, and hopefully I'll post back with the final result before 2017 rolls around :)

Thanks for reading!
Steph