Tuesday Update Time

I tried capturing an update on Instagram yesterday, but my phone wouldn't save anything! Here's what I wanted to say. Also: Unrelated photo. I found this and my heart stopped. How is Eloise 19 months old?!

1 // I have made an appointment with a new OBGYN.

I finally did it. I didn't want to do it. But, still, yesterday I called to discuss fertility stuff. I need a renewed prescription for progesterone now that we've been TTC #3 for six months. But at this point, I may as well get my levels checked and possibly get an HSG. I also need to establish myself as a patient somewhere because my midwife left the area . . .  and there are no other midwives left in my old practice. And the OB I wanted to see there isn't accepting new patients. Stay tuned.

2 // Yoga has been EVERYTHING this month. 

I will be writing a separate post on this later in the week. I have stuck with going to classes three times each week. Tuesday is a flow class that's sort of an intermediate level. Thursday is a flow class that's more beginner, but the instructor offers lots of modifications to make it harder/easier depending on how I'm feeling. Sunday is a TOUGH flow class that I have a love/hate relationship with. I have to check my ego at the door. But I'm learning a lot and gaining many benefits from regular practice.

Since we're getting closer to the end of my $40 unlimited membership for this month, I'm trying to figure out what I'll continue. The Tuesday flow class is just $8, so I think that's the one I'll keep going to. The other ones are $12, and I'm considering just for February going to the Sunday class, making my total for each week $20. That feels like a splurge on myself, but in March . . . track season begins and it'll be mostly YouTube for several months.

3 // The SUN!

This winter has been cold, but it's been much sunnier than other years. This has had an impact on my mood. Or maybe the sun plus the yoga is really kicking the butt of that seasonal blah I get. Whatever the case is, I haven't felt the need to use my light therapy box. Feels good. Though, as I write this . . . we're getting tons of rain and it's all grey.

4 // The flu has me all paranoid. 

It's a long story, but I get my kids all vaccinations. No qualms about it. The flu shot always has me scratching my head. I ended up getting it this year in November. I had made appointments for the girls in October, but they each were on antibiotics when it was time to go. So, we waited till November. Everyone in our house was basically sick the entire month of November, so we had to reschedule again.

When the December appointment rolled around, a bunch of people in my life -- friends, family, news outlets, etc. -- including the nurse at my pediatrician office had me convinced the shot basically wasn't effective at all. It was dumb, but I decided to just say -- meh with it. Now I feel like the flu is everywhere and I've been incredibly irresponsible. I'm getting their flu shots tomorrow (late, I know -- won't kick in for two weeks and STILL may not ward off the worst of the flu) and in the meantime am looking for ways to boost immunity. I'm thinking elderberry syrup with zinc and vitamin C.

Any suggestions, especially for the toddler?

5 // What are your guilty pleasures?

Mine are:

American cheese pierogies
Riverdale
Any time alone in the bathroom, whether bathing or using the toilet
Not wearing a bra. Ever.
Almond butter mixed with coconut oil, cocoa powder, and some sugar
Watching YouTube of mid to late 20-something French models for beauty tips
Online shopping (but gotta kick that habit)
Facebook groups for frugality, non-consumerism, etc. (yes, I'm a complex piece of work)
Internet "stalking" random people just for fun
Browsing my phone in the shower because I won't be interrupted, see above

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Tuesday Tidbits

Snow day over here -- without much snow to speak of. Still, it's a nice change of pace. This time of year gets the best of me, especially since I work from home. Anyway, I have that protein waffle recipe to share (that's only 7 weight watchers points!), but I want to make it into a video. With everyone home today, it's been too crazy to film. Plus, I haven't yet showered.

Here are some random things that are going on.

#1: Last night, I felt compelled to do something beyond the march. So, while we sat down together to mock The Bachelor, I took some time to write a personal story that I intend to send to my local and state lawmakers. I also decided to submit it to Pantsuit Nation, so if you're a member of that community, you can check it out here.

The response has been incredible, and I feel very happy that I took the energy I almost didn't have to get that all off my chest.


#2: Like I mentioned, this time of year just gets me down. I am not being flip when I say that I do get a touch of SAD. It makes sense. I work at home. So, relatively isolated. We have more cloudy days than Seattle. So, I'm considering making one last purchase before our journey to debt-free. And I'm hoping some of you might have suggestions.

Does anyone have this HappyLight lamp or one like it?

Does it help you?

#3: We called Time Warner Cable this morning to stop our cable and internet service. We didn't watch the TV often anyway, but having a few channels made internet cheaper in some weird scenario. We switched over to EarthLink. Get this: It costs HALF of what we were paying even without a promotion . . . and it's the SAME exact service. Yeah. We switched with no interruption because EarthLink internet is through TWC.

There's another $40 off our monthly budget. WINNING!

Come to think of it, I may have mentioned a while back we were planning to do this. I don't know what took so long. We were just paying like fools when we didn't have to!


#4: Eloise is now over 7 months old. She's sitting up and even beginning the moves to start crawling. We need to get on baby-proofing -- ASAP. We made some major changes to the back of our living room, and I love how kid-friendly it is now. I hope to write more about our house soon. I have been meaning to do an updated tour for ages.

Maybe that's another video idea!

#5: One of the big changes in our budget is the grocery money. We had been sticking to around $125 a week and buying a meal out on weekends. Now, I am trying to dip down to $400 per month plus around $100 of flex food/entertainment funds. I know when I've talked grocery budgets in the past, people have been shocked that we can stick to $100, but it truly is possible. I may even be able to go lower if I am smart about cooking.

For next month, I'm planning to try an approach I've eyed on blogs and vlogs for a while -- shopping one big monthly shop -- say, $300 of the $400 budget -- and then doing little $25 shopping each week for fresh stuff. Have you shopped this way? Any tips for me? I'm going to try hitting up three stores in one day to make it happen. Aldi, Sam's Club, and Wegmans.

Here's to getting that waffle recipe filmed and posted tomorrow!

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Election Day Ramblings

I spent a good five minutes this morning wondering if I might go to jail today. I didn't do anything rebellious, or so I thought. I simply took a selfie of my filled-in voting ballot and posted it on Instagram. I had absolutely no idea doing so is illegal in New York (but it is!). I suppose that's what happens when you stop reading the news for a while because your 4-month-old never sleeps. Yikes.

Thanks to some folks who pointed this whole situation out to me. I've deleted the photo, but I suppose I can tell you that #imwithher regardless.

Here are some things going on in my neck of the woods:

// Ada loves when I do her hair.

So, I have been searching online for more inspiration. I found Cute Girls Hairstyles over on YouTube, and I think X braid turned out beautifully. I always had short hair when I was little. In some ways, I definitely think I'm trying to live out my dream of having pretty hair through Ada.

There are worse things, right?


// I made my slow cooker French Onion Soup over the weekend.

It was delicious. Definitely one of my favorite cold weather recipes. I also came across the idea to add gnocchi to the soup instead of bread. I will definitely have to try that sometime. This recipe by Half Baked Harvest looks incredible.

And here's an awkward video of me making the soup:



BTW: Some of you have asked if I'll ever go back to making videos. Honestly, I'm not sure. They take a lot of work to put together, and I feel like not many people watch them.I also feel like I have to DO something in the video versus just chat away. But, then again, some of my favorite YouTube stuff is just day-in-the-life snippets.

Maybe I'll try to do a day-in-the-life video. Maybe!

// Some of you have said "Whoa, Ashley. That's a lot of LuLaRoe!"

And, yes. It is. But you guys need to know that I basically exchanged a lot of my former wardrobe to start fresh through Poshmark. I have made nearly $700 to date (minus what they take as a selling fee). So, yeah. That's a lot of wheeling and dealing for new clothing.


// I have also been selling many of my unworn or basically new shoes . . .

. . . to buy new boots for winter. I love Bearpaws. In my experience, they are very similar to Uggs. Not as soft leather . . . but they hold up really well and are a LOT cheaper.

I'm currently deciding between the Carrie (in hickory), the Abigail (in black), and the Brienne (in taupe) boots for winter. I bought Ada the girl-sized Emma in pom berry. They're for her birthday, and she's going to flip that they are pink.


// I'm getting ready to do another post about HelloFresh. 

We have slowed on using the service a bit, but we are still making some of the recipes very often. My favorite is the Udon Noodles with Tofu recipe. I'd say we make it at least once a week.

If you still haven't at least tried the service -- you can use this link to get $40 off your first box. As I have written in the past, I don't think I would ever do the boxes on an every week kind of basis. For us, it has just been helpful to take the edge off while we had a newborn and Stephen was coaching so frequently.

That's all for now.

Get out there and vote!

Today should be an interesting day . . .

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Remember Me?

Ah, the seasons of life. Right? We were in a pretty good routine up until week 15 or so. Then we started to catch glimpses of the sleep regression. And it's been downhill since then. Eloise had her 4-month shots on Monday and spiked a 102 temperature -- along with having a cold already -- and I don't think I've had more than a couple hours of extremely segmented sleep in, well, almost a month.

I think about this space often, though. There's so much I want to share. But when it rains, it pours. I had planned to post today. Then? There was a freak utilities issue in our area that closed school. After I share this extremely brief update, I'm off to color with the big girl while the little girl (hopefully) naps. I also somehow have to finish up a freelance article in there. It will happen somehow. It has to!

Tough stuff aside, this time of year is my favorite. I say that so darned much, but it's true. Just looking around at the hillsides restores my soul. It helps bring me back to center. A backyard view like this isn't half bad either!

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I dyed my hair purple . . . again. Life is just more fun with purple hair. What can I say? My latest tool of choice? Vidal Sassoon's box dye in London Lilac. (If you can find this at your local store, it's cheaper!)

I hope it never fades. Sigh.


Wow. I don't know where I'm going with any of this. Like I said, I just wanted to touch base. Things are crazy. I am hoping to get back to posting at least three days a week very soon. For now, I miss you guys! Follow me on Instagram or Snapchat (do you guys snap? It took me a long time to start!).

Last thing! I did most of my core grocery shopping for the month yesterday at Aldi.


I spent $155 and my jaw literally dropped when I heard the total. I got SO MUCH FOOD. Plus, they had all sorts of new products I cannot wait to incorporate into my meal planning. Hopefully I can get up some more thoughts on it soon.

Ciao for now!

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Thursday Tidbits

Here's a fun + random post, because you guys have said you like these more than other things. Guess what! Me too!

#1: I'm on Snapchat now at neverhomemaker. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. Today I'm talking a bit about our latest Aldi haul.

#2: And speaking of Aldi -- did you know they have a new line of baby products?


I picked a couple things up to try the last time I was there. I'll write more about our diapering situation soon, but we do disposables at night and cloth during the day. These diapers work wonderfully, and they're soft. Eloise hasn't had any rashes or issues with them. The wipes work just as well as my other kinds, too. I'm converted, because it's like $4.99 for 50 size one diapers!

#3: Other stuff I'm loving for baby lately:

• Nursing scarf + seat cover
• Zutano fleece booties
• Soft cloth books for playing

#4: I got my volcanic rose leggings, and it's LOVE. They're my favorite yet. Stephen even complimented me on them. Might hop back on to order the broken dream catcher ones sometime soon.

Seriously. $12.

WHAT.


#5: New workout: Kettlebell upper body. I love this one. Simple + effective. I do most of it with my 10-pound kettlebell and I just got a 15-pound kettlebell yesterday. For some of the harder exercises, I use 5-pound dumbbells. I've done this video three times, and I'm already enjoying more toned arms.



#6: And speaking of workouts -- I ran 8 miles last weekend!


I've been running about 20 miles a week at between 8-10 minute pace. I haven't yet signed up for that November 10-miler race, and I might not. What I've learned in my long journey with running is that I don't need a medal to love the sport. In fact, I'd rather run when I want, when I feel like it, for however long I want, and at whatever pace feels good. And often that's slow and short . . . but sometimes it's fast and far.

That's all from me today. Off to finish some freelancing assignments!

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Tuesday Stuff

Hello, blog break! I didn't mean to go MIA on you guys. We were in a deep freeze for most of the long weekend. Then this (very early) morning we woke to the sound of plows and got overly optimistic that Stephen might have a snow day (he hasn't had a single one this year!). A few hours later? Raindrops, lots of them. So, Stephen got a delay, Ada had school canceled, and I'm trying to catch up with my freelance stuff.

I have a few random things I wanted to share or have been meaning to share. Recipes and other notes from life. Let's do this thing!

#1: You MUST make BBQ glazed tempeh.

I came up with this "recipe" the night of the Superbowl. It's basically like 101 Cookbooks Orange Glazed Tempeh, but with a twist. Simply fry your tempeh, then mix together 1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce with 1/4 cup orange juice (you can play with ratios to make more/less) and simmer on the stove until it's glazed. So delicious.

#2: I found Baby E.'s take-home outfit today.

It was on the clearance rack at Target. I didn't even go looking for it, it just sort of stood out to me. A rainbow, of course, to honor the little ones that came before her. I cannot wait to see her on the outside. Here's hoping she's tiny and will wear NB like Ada -- it was the only outfit like this in the entire store.

#3: My belly is so much bigger this time around.

And I totally expected that . . . just not quite this much difference. As I mentioned on Facebook, I'm nearing week 22, but I'm more the size I was at week 27/28 last time around. I already feel third trimester with back aches, ligament pains, and general blah. Any suggestions on how to survive as I expand? I feel like my running days are going to soon come to a close if I don't figure out something soon! That's OK with me, but I had no idea I'd feel THIS pregnant so soon!

#4: We gave our half bath a random mini-makeover.

I'll write more about this in an upcoming post, but we discovered that our sink/pipes were leaking last weekend. We had been meaning to switch out the pedestal sink for a while, so we just . . . did it. And I love our new, big sink! While we were at it, we also changed the flooring!

#5: This is my new favorite photo of all time!

Ada loves feeling around for baby sister's kicks!

#6: Coconut oil = Hair magic.

My hair has been a mess. I don't really want to chop it off, but all the bleaching and blonde dye I did over the summer has certainly done damage. I asked you guys for suggestions and tried doing a coconut oil "mask" of sorts on it, and wow am I thrilled with the results! I can't wait to try some other suggestions.

That's all for today. I'll be back soon with my next installment of Actively Trying. In my last post, I shared our whole TTC and infertility/recurrent miscarriage story, so if you missed it -- you can read all that here.

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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The Rest of the Story . . .

When I asked what you guys want more of in the new year, some of you said you prefer the random kitchen sink posts. Me too! I have a heavier one coming later in the week (or, I guess, tomorrow!), so here’s something light. What’s we’re up to, what we’re digging, and what my new hobby obsession is.

I’ll call these posts, “the rest of the story . . .” since they feature snippets from Instagram.

// New Cooker

The cord to our old slow cooker was starting to deteriorate, so we decided to indulge in a new crock pot device this weekend. We could have replaced the cord, but the pot was given to us like 7 years ago by my in-laws (and it was already quite old at that point!). I had strongly considered ordering the Instant Pot. So many of my friends just rave about that thing. In the end, I figured I probably wouldn’t use all of its fancy functions enough.

What did we go with? The Aroma 3-in-1 Cooker! It’s a rice cooker, steamer, and slow cooker in one handy pot. It’s really lightweight and it has lots of functions, including a digital timer, which is something that has already made my life somewhat easier. Oh, and it was only $36! I’m already in love. We simmered some Miso Split Pea Soup to break it in (using lentils in place of the split peas). Delicious!

// Stitching Fun

Some of you who have read the blog for a long time might remember that I used to do a great deal of embroidery. (Maybe I didn’t talk about that on this blog, but -- instead -- my older one. I can’t remember!) Anyway, it’s been ages since I’ve stitched anything to completion . . . so I bought myself a little kit to play around with at Walmart of al places. Definitely worth the $5.

I’d never done any type of chalkboard design (or cross-stitching, for that matter), but -- wow -- I love it. I’ve already ordered a couple more chalkboard themed ones, including this “I love you a bushel and a peck...” and “Just be happy...” and, my favorite “You are my sunshine”. I figure they’ll make nice nursery art (or gifts) AND give me some quiet activity in the months ahead.

// Orange Hair

I got sick of purple said and decided to try orange on. The thing is, I absolutely LOVE the color. It looks awesome and even better when it’s washed out slightly. Warm, vibrant tones for sure. And they don’t look entirely unnatural during the fade phase (which is why I bought the color to check it out originally).

The only problem? My roots! Ugh. They’re so bad. I’ve decided to skip traditional coloring for my pregnancy, so the roots are here to stay and will probably get worse and worse looking. This stuff will be going back in my bathroom cabinets, though, for when I get a touch-up and want to pretend I’m a ginger for a couple weeks.

I’ll have a video on how to apply Overtone hair depositing conditioners for you on Friday.

// Best Cupcakes

Despite being awfully sick, there were some really good points of our weekend. One of my favorites is when Stephen was downstairs running on the treadmill blasting Built to Spill. Ada was playing in the next room (ALONE!) with her doll house (thank you, Gigi and Granco!), and I decided to surprise everyone with some cupcakes. It’s the best gift to give, especially when you get to enjoy them yourself.

If you’re looking for THE BEST combination. Try this chocolate cupcake recipe (from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World!) and this peanut butter frosting (halve that one since it’s for 24 versus 12, which is what the cupcake recipe yields). So good. With the frosting, I like to add a couple tablespoons of granulated sugar at the end for texture/crunch AND a dash for salt for flavor.


Hope you’re having a great Wednesday!

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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Friday Stuff + Cranberry Applesauce

I have all sorts of odds and ends to go over. So, a random post it is. I think I mentioned this recently, but I’d like to get into some video posting (maybe once a week or every other) so I can just talk my way through a lot of this stuff.

Cranberry Applesauce

If you’re looking for a way to give your applesauce a little holiday kick, try adding cranberries. I experimented a bit over Thanksgiving and we ate it so fast, I didn’t get a photo. But it’s easy. Cut up enough apples to nearly fill your slow cooker. (I leave the skins on.) Add a cup of fresh cranberries. Let it cook on high for around 3-4 hours. Then let it cool and blend until smooth (or not -- it’s your choice). It’s sweet and just slightly tart.

We used Honeycrisps. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Then add a tablespoon or a couple tablespoons of sugar to adjust to your own preferences.

Barre3

I have slowly gotten back into Barre3 again. We don’t have studios around here, so I’m using my online subscription. They have some fun prenatal workouts, though I’d love to see more in the 40-60 minute range. I know I don’t need to switch to those just yet, but I find regular Barre to be pretty intense, so I don’t want to get too crazy. This morning I did the Glow workout (around 40 minutes -- perfect time, if you ask me), and I feel limber and graceful!

Trying Barre Classes Online
My Thoughts on Barre (So Far)


D3 and Group B Strep

I gave like 10,000 vials of blood earlier this week and just got my results. I have really low D, which is at an 11 when it should be at very least a 30. I also tested positive for Group B Strep. I didn’t have any of this stuff with Ada, so I’m definitely feeling defeated and like I’ve done something wrong. Now I have to go on supplements (and I don’t have confidence they’ll raise my levels much) as well as antibiotics for the strep.

Anyone have experience with this? Words of wisdom? My midwife said they are relatively normal issues, but added to everything else we’ve gone through, I feel awful about it.

Survival Video

Have you guys seen the LAPD Active Shooter Video? It’s upsetting to watch, but it gives some valuable tips for how to survive a situation if you ever find yourself in one. I won’t go into the issue in depth, but I get especially upset about the mass shootings ever since one of the deadliest ones happened less than two miles from our old house. You always think these things happen other places, and then it’s in your hometown.

Fun Links

Here’s some stuff I’ve bookmarked or pinned recently and thought you guys might like:

• Episode 1 of Season 3 for Fixer Upper!
• 45 Free Online Classes You Can Take By The End of 2015
• She Ran a Marathon Without Talking About It -- shocking!
• The Nutella Taste Test by The Kitchn
• Bangkok Coconut Curry Noodle Bowls

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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Monday Stuff

Hey, guys. There’s a lot of catching up I need to do, so rather than write separate posts, I thought I’d do one of my famous mind-dumps. I hope you enjoy. Summer is speeding by, and we’re definitely making the most of our time together. Here’s what we’ve been up to . . .

// 1. This cabinet!

I had no intention on buying a huge antique corner cabinet for the dining room. But I’ve been eyeing one at a local antique shop for over a year. We stopped by the store the other day to look around while we got Scully groomed . . . and I saw that the price was slashed nearly in half. After measuring it 50+ times, we realized it’s almost exactly the height of our ceilings. So, we jumped on it.

I’m seriously in love.

// 2. I’ve started sewing again.

I got into sewing when I was pregnant with Ada, but since I was working full-time, I didn’t fully immerse myself enough in the hobby. In fact, I couldn’t remember how to thread my machine, which is why I haven’t stitched much -- if anything -- together in the last four years. My mom helped me get everything set up, I bought a couple patterns and some new fabric, and I’ve been practicing.

My first “big project” was this Pillowcase Dress for Ada:

// 3. U-pick season treats.

It’s our favorite time of year to head out and pick blueberries and soon apples. I enjoy the warmer weather, but I cannot wait until fall begins. I’ve always said if we could just skip over summer and straight to fall for half the year, I’d be incredibly happy. One of our favorite farms have this darling cafe with the most delicious breads and doughnuts.

There are also farm animals and other things to see. Check out this post for photos from previous visits.

// 4. Summer sandwiches.

We’re on a sandwich kick. Well, I guess we’re always on a sandwich kick. Right now we’re loving toasted Ezekiel bread slathered with vegan mayo and either tempeh bacon or field roast, avocado, tomato, and a slice of swiss. Mustard, of course. Sometimes we’ll spread on some roasted red pepper hummus, too. Oh, and a heaping pile of greens for good measure.

Messy, but good!


PS: I am also excited for fall because that means I’ll be baking bread again. I take a break from that in the summer because of the heat. I make a mean ciabatta . . . so I’m trying to figure out what loaf I want to do next. I’m thinking rye.

Any recipes to share?

// 5. Blonde again.

I dyed my hair again last week. Blonder than the last blonde, and I’m loving it. I don’t think I’ll stay blonde forever, but right now it suits me. I needed a change. I’ve promised myself on my birthday that this year would be different no matter what happens. I have so little control over this baby-making situation despite what TTC forums make me think. It’s time to enjoy (endure?) the ride and get medical help when necessary. Which might be soon if this stuff keeps up.

For now, I’ll play with my hair, exercise moderately and eat good foods, indulge in my favorite activities and treats, and just try to chill out. I’m not going to lie, typing that out is a gazillion times easier than it will be to switch my frame of mind. I completely folded into myself over this stuff last year, and I can’t live life that way anymore.

// 6. Great dad.

Ada doesn’t have any cousins. Instead, she has lots of kids her age that are our cousins’ children. It’s actually turning out to be quite nice. Anyway, some of my cousins were up visiting over the weekend . . . so we got together at the park. There’s this carousel, and Ada always loves riding the big puppy around. Some kid ran right in front of her to get on it, and the biggest, craziest fit ensued.

Stephen swooped right in and talked her down for a good 15 to 20 minutes. We’ve been having some sharing regression lately. Like, she won’t share anything at all. I blame myself or the fact that she doesn’t have a sibling. In actuality, I think it’s a mix of that stuff but also just regular 3 to 4-year-old behavior. Stephen’s a great dad, and it’s be really nice having him home this summer.

// 7. My writing elsewhere:

13 Wonderful Household Uses for Essential Oils
14 Free or Cheap Toys That Will Make Your Kid Smarter
11 Cool Uses for Popsicle Sticks
6 Best Natural Sunscreens
11 Creative Ways to Reuse Egg Crates
8 Cheap Ways to Deter Garden Pests 

HAPPY MONDAY!

Don’t forget to enter the $200 #giveaway with Gallery Direct! I’ll be announcing the winner on Friday morning, so there’s plenty of time to check it out.

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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Random Tuesday Things

Here’s a bunch of stuff that’s been going on in these parts:

#1: Our weekend was good! Between hot air balloons landing around us to having backyard bonfires to watching 20+ small aircraft take off/land during a delicious breakfast . . . well, I’d say our visit to Ada’s nanny and poppy’s house was loads of fun. We’re now on the hunt to check out more local airport cafes, and I think one of our friends shared that there’s one in Cape May that has a great breakfast for when we’re on vacation.

Too bad flying is like my biggest fear. I’ll just watch.

Exposure therapy, maybe?


#2: I’ve been wanting to get Ada a sandbox for a couple years now. I combed Craigslist and kept a close watch of yard sales, and I was unable to find one (which to me seems incredible -- there are so many other outdoor toys I’ve encountered in my search). Anyway, we just picked up this Step 2 Naturally Playful Sandbox. I’m not sure if I like where we put it, but our backyard gets a lot of sun, so I snugged it underneath the only large tree that covers the back corner in some shade.

So far, it’s the only toy in the yard that keeps her entertained for more than 20 minutes! Score.

#3: My day 3 blood work (FSH, LH, prolactin, etc.) came back completely, utterly normal. I can’t say I was entirely thrilled or -- conversely -- unhappy. I was more frustrated that nothing showed up. I was sure I’d have some elevated LH levels from how my OPKs always look, but I guess the ratio was fine. Tomorrow I will get the draw for the "day 21" test (progesterone), then I’ll have a chat with my doctor to find out the next steps.

Has anyone ever had a diagnosis of infertility but had the blood work not turn up anything? I know it’s definitely possible (male factor, etc.).


#4: I got a new bathing suit. I don’t think I’ve ever written much about this whole issue. I hate bathing suits and usually wear short shorts and an athletic tank to the beach -- even in my more fit days. I did get a yellow polka dot bikini a couple years ago from Albion that I enjoyed, but it doesn’t fit anymore. We were visiting my in-laws this weekend so I had the chance to stop into Marshall’s. I found this DKNY color block one-piece suit, tried it on, and fell in love. Only $35!

I may be a size bigger at the beach this year, but at least I’ll like slipping into this suit.


#5: On all our adventures over the weekend, Stephen and I somehow found ourselves in Emmaus, PA. I’ve had this weird desire to visit the town just south of Allentown for a few years since it’s where Runner’s World (and Rodale) is based. We hit up a local brewery (Funk Brewing), walked around town, and got a couple things at the local running shop before moving along our way. We don’t do enough random road trips, so I think I’d like to get into the habit more often.

It’s much more fun now that we’re in our van.

Hope you guys are all doing great. I’m getting caught up on some work this weekend, but I have big plans to do a whole week of weeknight grilling posts to share some of the foods we’ve been eating lately. It’s so easy to chop veggies and prepare foods for the grill. Healthy too. What’s your favorite quick + easy grilled dinner? So far, mine is the Grilled Veggie Quesadillas, but I have a few plans to top even that!

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Thursday Things

I have a fantastic recipe ready to be posted! Roasted Butternut Squash Miso Soup. Sounds delicious, right? I can't find my camera cable, so it'll need to wait until later. I have a few random things to write about in the meantime, so I thought I'd get all that out now.

First: Do you remember Geocities websites from the mid-1990s?

Stephen and I were talking last night about the advent of the internet, because we're dorks, and all of a sudden I remembered that in sixth or seventh grade . . . I had a website. Not just any site. A t.r.i.b.u.t.e site entirely dedicated to the late, great John Lennon (image credit).

I would sit for hours on our little big Apple computer waiting for the dial-up to load as I edited my site. I learned basic HTML all on my own and even got into fancy stuff like tables. Oh, and the background to the page was definitely an obnoxious animated GIF. I also remember finding a GIF of a flickering white candle. Oh, goodness.

So, I searched high and low last night to see if any evidence of this embarrassing prepubescent project was online. Unfortunately, Geocities is long gone after Yahoo acquired it a few years back.

There is an archive, however, located at Reocities. If you know your old address, you're set. Sadly, I can only remember that I was in the Hollywood neighborhood. (Because when I was 11, Hollywood was probably the most exotic and exciting place I could think of. I remember taking great care in choosing this location!)


#2: If you take way too many photos like I do, you may want to check out some deals I posted today on Wise Bread. The first is from Walgreens, where you can get an 8x10" Collage Print for free. And the second is from Shutterfly where you can get 101 4x6" prints for free with only $7 shipping.

I already ordered my collage print (above) and just need to go pick it up.  Tonight I'll try to figure out which photos to get for the Shutterfly deal since it expires tomorrow! Just wanted to give you a heads up if you don't normally check out the deals I post over there daily.


#3: I decided against running half marathon number two this weekend. At first, I thought my IT-band might be acting up again. It seems to be OK for now. Still, I am not feeling like racing mentally or physically. My effort at the Runner's World Half Marathon was enough for this season. I am, instead, setting my sights on some new goals for winter.

I write about it every year, but there's a 10K series in January. I'd like to actually train for it this year to try to PR at that distance. I've never run a great 10K time compared to all my other distances. In fact, if you look at my performance projections, I should be able to run in the high 46s.

I think that time might be too ambitious for this year, but we'll see.


I am tentatively going to follow Hal Higdon's Intermediate 10K plan for the next couple months. But with the long runs from the Advanced plan, or possibly longer. Probably not over 10 miles, though. Then I'll get back to half marathon training in the spring.


#4: Stephen is thinking of starting his own blog. I am including this only because he needs some extra motivation to get it started. It won't really be in the same type of format that my blogs follow. Instead, it would be more of his training log, workouts, and race reports. Strictly about running.

I know from my surveys in the past that there are some guys who read here (hey, guys!). I just thought you might be interested to know that he's planning on it. Probably going to focus on minimal shoes, training at the advanced level, and other hardcore running stuff.

I'm actually quite excited to read what he writes. As much as we spend a ton of time together, our training remains very separate.

Oh, look. Stephen's home from work right now! Time to go bug him about his new project! If you read Writing Chapter Three, today I posted 20 At-Home, Indoor Activities for (Pre)Toddlers for the upcoming winter months.

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Friday Things

It's legit cold here today. Like 40 degrees with blustery winds. The leaves are flying everywhere. Our little heater is working wonders. Just one more week until we get our very adult Christmas present: a brand-spankin' new furnace. I hate to turn the heat on before November anyway.

But. Well. I saw snowflakes! That's early. Even for us.

We'll be fine, though. Next week is supposed to bring warmer temperatures. To cozy up in the meantime, I made myself a gigantic mugjarful of homemade chai. And I type "homemade" in the most serious of ways. I made the almond milk and the chai mix myself.

It sounds much more intensive than it actually was.

My friend Jacqui had passed along to me this method for making almond milk. Worked like a charm. The chai mix is a recipe I shared a couple years ago. Sweetened with a little maple syrup.

I warmed it on the stove. Whisked to get some froth.


Of course, feel free to make your own chai with store-bought milk and mix. Or just go get one made FOR you at your favorite coffee shop. Whatever you do, though, drink a warm beverage this weekend. Cider is next on my list.

Ada and I ventured out after her morning nap thanks to some advice we received on Writing Chapter Three.

We bundled ourselves in big sweaters and hit up the children's museum for some fun. Ada is still young and not quite walking, so she can't take full advantage of many of the displays. She loves looking in all the mirrors and playing in the "Under 3" room.

Hello! (Mommy is having a bad hair day.)


I've been picking at this dish of vegan brownies all day.


I tried my best to invent a new, lower-in-sugar recipe last night. They taste good, but not nearly as good as the Change-Your-Life vegan brownies I made a few years ago. If you choose to take on another homework assignment from me this weekend, I instruct you to make them.

You will not be disappointed.


Now I'm going to savor the rest of Ada's nap. I have about 20 minutes left. The heater is blasting at my feet. I've got a cat to keep me company.


This weekend includes an 8 mile long run (tapering for the half next weekend!), a photo shoot of two adorable sisters, and some alone time. For me. I need it!

Have a lovely weekend. (I haven't been sharing much from Writing Chapter Three -- so if you'd like to get caught up, head over there for stuff about Ada's first birthday, DIY baby booties, notes on getting out and about, and more.)

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