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Boston, Life, Weekend

Weekend Recap [Dinner Parties and Red Wine]

January 8, 2018 By Robyn 40 Comments

It feels balmy at 24 degrees here this morning.

This weekend was bitter cold. As in my legs would go numb within 5 minutes of walking outside if I didn’t have 2 pairs of pants on. But it was also cozy and restful. And I ate a lot of satisfying foods. So that’s a win I think.

We are really lucky in that we have a close couple friend that lives in Boston. Through them we’ve become close to another couple. And then our good friend Emily moved from New York to Boston in December. Everyone knows each other and lives within a 10 minute walk so it’s formed a small friend group for us which has made the transition so much easier. Really thankful for that.

Friday night being outside was unbearable so Nick and I invited friends over for chili. We snacked on a cheese board that I forgot to photograph and drank wine. For the chili, I used this recipe made in the Instant Pot (favorite kitchen appliance as of late) along with roasted potatoes in olive oil and a simple mixed green salad – almonds, cranberries and honey dijon vinaigrette.

Plus brownies + ice cream for dessert.

Saturday morning I woke up and had breakfast  + coffee but forgot what I ate and didn’t take a picture. I remember it kind of sucking though so maybe that’s why… oatmeal maybe?

I had a client at 10am and then spent most of Saturday working on the amenorrhea e-course. I’m hoping to release this by the end of January. I’m excited about it! And I hope it’s helpful for many women. I so wish I would have had a resource like this when I was going through hypothalamic amenorrhea. It’s taking a little longer to develop the material and accompanying handouts because I realized I wanted to incorporate a lot on developing positive body image and cultivating self care. More details on this coming in my newsletter (sign up in the sidebar –>) and on the blog/social media in coming weeks.

Lunched on leftover lentil soup.

In addition to some plantain chips and chocolate.

Nick watched the UNC/UVA game and I watched here and there and worked at the same time. Nick was disappointed (he’s a very intense UNC fan) but I wasn’t mad at the UVA win 🙂

I had been inside all day so around 4:30 decided to walk over to the gym for some sort of movement. I’m trying out this new gym as a free week trial period and it’s growing on me by the day. It’s an all women’s gym which I love because the classes are less hardcore bootcamp-ish and so far (from what I can tell) the culture and environment seem more “move your body to feel good” rather than “burn off what you did this weekend” which is nice. The classes aren’t as amazing as you would find in a small studio like Barre3 or a yoga studio but they are good enough I think.

I loved the Barre3 studio when I tried it out. And I would love to belong to a barre or yoga studio, but it’s hard for me to justify the price for an unlimited package (I hate paying the crazy price of an individual class) when you can only do one type of class. I need variety! (I also realize deciphering between which “gym I’ll join” is a first world, luxurious decision) HealthWorks is more “affordable” and gives a small discount for health care practitioners which is nice too. Sooo all that to say, I think I’ll join for the barre and yoga classes, machines when I want to do that and mostly the sauna and whirlpool. If you live in Boston and are part of HW, I’d love to hear your experience in the comments 🙂

Came home. Showered. Drank a smoothie (almond milk, banana, blueberries, spinach, ice, Vega) and snacked on cheese and crackers Nick had out.

Then we braved the negative degree cold to walk to our friends for dinner. Being inside a home cozied up was the only way, in my opinion, to survive the weather..

We snacked on charcuterie.

Drank red wine. And ate spaghetti carbonara that was very good. I’ve actually never had this, but how can you go wrong with spaghetti, bacon and cheese? You can’t.

Peppermint brownies with chocolate chip ice cream were dessert, served in these adorable ramekins that I now think I need. I have no idea where they are from but I’ll ask Alicia and report back.

And since we stayed until 1am talking, we drank hot chocolate later on. By 1am everyone realized it was bedtime and Nick and I bundled up for the 10 minute walk home. –> I am LOVING the closer proximity of where we live and Boston as a whole compared to New York.

We slept till 9:30 on Sunday. I ate a smaller breakfast before church since I knew we were going out for brunch in a couple hours. Whole milk greek yogurt + maple syrup + brown rice cereal + banana + sunbutter.

We went to the 11am service at City on a Hill church in Brookline. Finding a church can be a long process so I’m trying to be patient even though I want to find a church home, like yesterday. All in time, Robyn. I thought the worship and preaching were great and I met a blog reader (hi, Suzanne!) so that was fun. It’s a little far away (15-20 minute drive) and so we’d love something more in our neighborhood, but we’ll see.

Brunched at Tatte afterward which was fab. I ordered the shakshuka which was incredible and so comforting. Highly recommend! They are opening a location less than a mile from us in a week or so and I’m so happy.

Swung by the grocery afterward to pick up things for lunch + dinner this week.

And then I ran a few errands in the afternoon, talked to a friend on the phone and sat down to do some planning with this new planner I found at Staples. I mentioned it on insta stories yesterday, but I’m loving how it’s just enough detail but not too much where I feel overwhelmed with structure.

While we reheated leftovers for dinner that we needed to eat so they didn’t go to waste, I made this peanut soup in about 20 minutes using, yes, the Instant Pot. Side note –> I love Pinch of Yum’s blog for many reasons. But I was bummed out to see them posting about a sugar free January challenge. I still love her recipes and so I’m just tuning out that when I go to the blog, but if that is triggering for you, don’t click that link.

I shared this “recipe” for unstuffed cabbage rolls on stories last week – it’s not really a recipe, more of an idea. Sauté 16 oz. of mushrooms, 1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic in olive oil. Brown ground beef in separate pan. Add a head of sliced green cabbage to the veggies and let it cook until soft. Then add the cooked beef and a jar of marinara. I add some oregano and crushed red pepper at the end. That’s it. We cooked up some pasta last night for carbs. I also like it with rice or potatoes.

And we wrapped up the evening with This is Us and vanilla ice cream + leftover brownies. I bought this pint for our Friday dinner party at Trader Joes for $1.99. Win.

Have a great week! Share your weekend highlights in the comments – I love hearing!


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Filed Under: Boston, Life, Weekend

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How Your Mindset Can Affect Your Physical Response To Food »

Comments

  1. Betsy Coughlin says

    January 8, 2018 at 9:40 am

    I lived in Boston for several years and was a member at Healthworks in Coolidge Corner, Brookline. I now live in Nashville and have been a Barre3 member for almost a year. Totally get what you’re saying about the difference between the two. I do miss the variety that Healthworks provided because, obviously, I cannot afford to be a member at more than one boutique studio. With Healthworks, I loved the tabata and spin classes. Sometimes their barre classes are good, too. If Sarah Reed is still teaching you have to try her classes! She’s amazing. Also, my favorite class became a les mills class (( think it was called Body Attack or something equally intimidating). It was SO FUN. I couldn’t do more than one per week, but I loved it. Over time I found my favorite instructors and stuck to them. Hope that helps. Boston is my favorite city. I hope it continues to be good to you. Peace!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      January 8, 2018 at 3:57 pm

      This is helpful to hear thank you! I went to a great Yoga Sculpt class today that was SO GOOD. I will have to look out for Sarah Reed too. Hope you’re loving Nashville – I have good friends there and they love it. Happy New Year!!

      Reply
  2. Hilary says

    January 8, 2018 at 9:56 am

    That is so awesome you guys have found a great group of friends! My husband and I spent some time with some amazing friends of ours and found out they are having their first baby this year! It made us realize how important spending time with friends can be in this stage of life! Don’t sweat the Church home either, we are still looking for the one for us and it’s been a little over a year now, but you will land in the right place!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      January 8, 2018 at 4:01 pm

      Seasons move so fast! Comforting to know you are in the same boat.

      Reply
  3. Hillary says

    January 8, 2018 at 10:04 am

    I love Pinch of Yum, too, but was also disappointed to see their January challenge. I’m working on giving myself grace as I navigate recovery and getting out of the diet mentality and I am also reminding myself to give others some grace as well. It’s so normalized in our society! Finding a gym is tough. We are trying to save money (I’m frugal to the point is drives my husband crazy) and it’s so hard for me to justify spending so much money, but I really enjoy group classes. I’m about to get my third period after basically 16 years of an eating disorder and HA so I would love to start incorporating some more movement into my life. I’ve realized I really don’t like working out by myself at home so I’m brainstorming other ways to work out that don’t cost so much!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      January 8, 2018 at 4:00 pm

      Yes agreed – like nobody is under the expectation to agree with my IE/HAES mindset or anyone else’s anti diet mindset – I was totally there at one point. But I think it’s okay to feel disappointed.

      Look into meetup.com where there might be community groups!

      Reply
  4. Jess says

    January 8, 2018 at 10:26 am

    Absolutely loved Healthworks! I’ve used both the Back Bay and Cambridge locations for years. The only reason I don’t belong now is this season of life with two small kids means I can only pull off exercising at home otherwise would definitely still be at Healthworks.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      January 8, 2018 at 3:56 pm

      That’s good to hear!

      Reply
  5. Jessica says

    January 8, 2018 at 11:19 am

    I lived in Russia on my year abroad and BOY is the cold hard! You do get used to it though which is crazy when it’s that cold but amazing what your body and mind can adapt to. Anyway, hopefully the worst is over. 🙂

    P.S. I unfollowed Pinch of Yum on Instagram for the same sugar-free reason.Disappointing I have to admit!

    Reply
  6. Amber @ Bloom Nutrition Therapy says

    January 8, 2018 at 12:30 pm

    This looks like a spectacular weekend! My weekend included grocery shopping (yay Clicklist!), having lunch with my parents, a visit at the track since it was a teeny, tiny bit warmer on Sunday, some Bloom work on my new virtual book club, and also a glass of wine and some homemade potato soup! I made mine in the slowcooker and definitely thought about the Instapot when I was making it. I think I’m going to have to add one of these to my kitchen soon!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      January 8, 2018 at 3:55 pm

      I’ve never heard of Clicklist! potato soup – sounds fab!

      Reply
  7. Bekah says

    January 8, 2018 at 1:00 pm

    This sounds like a lovely weekend, Robyn. All the food is so cozy and comforting and it sounds like you were able to both nourish yourself physically as well as emotionally and physically. Praise the Lord for good friends and people who can nourish your soul. So happy for you and Nick!
    This weekend was pretty chill for me also – a friend from out of town came up because she was bringing two puppies to their new owners. She breeds Australian sheep dogs and they are the cutest! We laid low for the most part… went skating which was fun and then went to Ikea on Sunday! My first time 🙂 Fun but overwhelming too! I made some yummy lamb chops last night with sauted onions in ghee and celtic sea salt. Dessert was homemade yogurt and pb/ab with dark chocolate!! Yum! Have a great start to your week!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      January 8, 2018 at 3:49 pm

      Hi Bekah!

      Thank you for your kind comment. Oh my goodness Australian sheep dogs! Sounds like a great weekend – thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply
  8. Bekah says

    January 8, 2018 at 1:01 pm

    Oops! Meant “as well as emotionally and *spiritually.” 🙂

    Reply
  9. Christina says

    January 8, 2018 at 1:28 pm

    I have those sweet little red ramikens too! They’re Le Creuset!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      January 8, 2018 at 3:48 pm

      thank you!

      Reply
  10. Daniela Hamann-Nazaroff says

    January 8, 2018 at 1:39 pm

    I just want to thank you and other IE/HAES bloggers for helping me reshape my mindset around food/exercise. Particularly in January. In other years I would have felt obliged to do something like a no-sugar challenge in January or at least felt very VERY guilt for NOT doing it. But this year it completely doesn’t interest me! It is a combination of having an IE approach through the holidays (enjoying meals/allowing desserts). Since nothing is ‘taboo’ or ‘off limits’ I didn’t go overboard or fall into a restrict/binge cycle, so I don’t feel like I need to drastically change my eating habits come January! (well, maybe eat a bit more at home, but that’s more because eating out is expensive, and I actually like when I have time to cook). Thanks for being the IE/HAES bubble that I needed to keep diet talk at bay and help me feel good about me!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      January 8, 2018 at 3:44 pm

      Thank you for your comment Daniela – it means a lot that this blog and other’s blogs have been so helpful for you – especially this holiday season. Sending lots of love to you and thanks for reading!!

      Reply
  11. Suzanne says

    January 8, 2018 at 2:09 pm

    What a great weekend for such freezing temps! I absolutely love brownies with mint IC – favorite dessert I think! So glad you are already socializing in Boston and starting to feel connected there. have a great week 🙂

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      January 8, 2018 at 3:42 pm

      Love mint this time of year 🙂
      Have a great week too Suzanne!

      Reply
  12. Meg says

    January 8, 2018 at 2:32 pm

    Long time reader and I mean this with no disrespect but that’s exactly how I felt when I opened your blog to see you doing Whole 30 awhile ago. Just food for thought.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      January 8, 2018 at 3:36 pm

      100% hear you and appreciate your respectful comment – and thanks for being a long time reader. Two years ago I did do that and have since deleted the post – I’ve been on my own journey too and two years later, looking back, can see how that was contradictory to the message of this space no matter what my motivation was. For that, I’m sorry. I’ve actually spent a lot of time teasing through old posts and making sure everything on here aligns – it’s been a journey for me over the past 6 years. Lindsay from Pinch of Yum can post about whatever she wants, she does not have to align with the IE/HAES message but I think it’s okay to feel disappointed. It’s okay for us to feel how we want to feel about it. I don’t think (or at least hope) I was judging her personally for it, but just stating I was disappointed – just how you were with me. Thank you for sticking at this space when I did disappoint you. I do feel like to an extent I have a responsibility to put a little disclaimer out there since a large portion of my readers still have active eating disorders and I feel like I have the responsibility to not be the catalyst to any triggering content which is why I said anything in the first place.

      Again, thanks for commenting and for reading Meg!

      Reply
      • Meg says

        January 8, 2018 at 4:14 pm

        Thank you for such a wonderful and truthful reply. I definitely appreciate how authentic you are and love that your eating gets even more intuitive every single year (have been reading since the early days of Charlottesville!). I don’t read A Pinch of Yum so I don’t know what message that blog tries to promote but yours is always well worth the read for me, especially lately!

        Reply
        • Robyn says

          January 8, 2018 at 4:30 pm

          Thank you so much <3 And you are right, it's been a journey of growth and it's not until the past 18 months or so that I felt like I've truly hit my stride with IE/HAES both personally and professionally. Love to you!

          Reply
  13. kiki says

    January 8, 2018 at 3:23 pm

    I love Pinch of Yum and follow them as well. I was disappointed to hear your comment on their sugar free January. They have made it clear that this challenge can be personalized to the individual and you can make “sugar free” what it needs to be for you. I think being openminded and nonjudgemental about all approaches to healthy eating is a better way to see it.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      January 8, 2018 at 3:42 pm

      Thanks for your thoughtful and respectful comment Kiki. Lindsay from Pinch of Yum can post about whatever she wants, she does not have to align with the IE/HAES message. And anyone can do whatever they want when it comes to their food choices. But I think it’s okay to feel disappointed in the challenge, not Lindsay personally. I think we all are disappointed at one point or another in our lives and that’s okay. Perhaps if it had a different title or tone it would feel a bit different – but a large part of the challenge is eliminating sugar. With that said, it might not be triggering for me or you but to an extent I feel like I have a responsibility to not be a catalyst to potentially triggering content since a large portion of my readers still have active eating disorders which is why I put a disclaimer out there.

      Thanks for commenting and for reading!

      Reply
      • mallory says

        January 9, 2018 at 3:55 pm

        Hi Robyn, I respect this comment but I believe you don’t have to call others out to “not be a catalyst to potentially triggering content”. In fact, you really were a catalyst to triggering content by bringing it up to begin with. Everyone has their reasons for doing things, just as you did for doing the Whole 30, and I think if another blog that followed you at the time had called you out publicly for being disappointed, you’d not have been too pleased.

        Reply
  14. Anna says

    January 8, 2018 at 5:07 pm

    I had that same planner in 2016 and LOVED it. Totally agree, just enough structure without getting ridiculous. Also, they have day designer planners just like that at Target for $10, cheaper than Staples 🙂 Just an fyi for other readers and for you next year!

    Reply
  15. Megan says

    January 8, 2018 at 5:44 pm

    I just joined Healthworks and it’s made a world of difference for my attitude around going to the gym. I had been a member of a different gym with subpar classes and just not a great vibe for me. Then I joined Healthworks and it feels like joining a community. It’s very welcoming and clean but also supports all women. I enjoy the variety of classes. I’ve tried a spin, yoga, and body pump class. Overall it’s been a great experience and the sauna and steam rooms are a definite plus! Hope to see you there sometime!

    Reply
  16. Suzanne says

    January 8, 2018 at 7:11 pm

    Great to meet you too! Glad y’all enjoyed City on a Hill! I would also check out Renewal which is in the South End. It has a similar feel to COAH!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      January 8, 2018 at 7:34 pm

      Ahhh I put Susan instead of Suzanne – I’m so sorry.. 🙂
      So good to meet you! We have Renewal on our list to visit. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Suzanne says

        January 8, 2018 at 10:08 pm

        Oh my gosh, no worries! Most of the time when I meant new people, names go in one ear and out the other 🙂

        Reply
  17. Amy L says

    January 8, 2018 at 10:47 pm

    I’m assuming Boston has Classpass? I, like you, need variety in my exercising. Some days you feel like yoga, some days you feel like barre, or something more intense like hiit. I’ve done class pass for three years now in Minneapolis and still not sick of it! You might be able to get a free trial too to see if you’d like it 🙂 Glad you’re settling in i Boston!!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      January 9, 2018 at 7:27 am

      It does! I’ve thought about checking it out and have heard great things – so might have to do that. I think you can get a 5 pack for under $20 right now with a promo ….but wish they had unlimited!

      Reply
  18. Allie says

    January 8, 2018 at 10:49 pm

    I can’t say enough about Healthworks! We moved out of the city a couple years back and I still miss it, haven’t found anything that comes close.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      January 9, 2018 at 7:29 am

      good to know you still miss it – that’s a good sign 🙂

      Reply
  19. Katy says

    January 9, 2018 at 11:39 am

    I remember being in Boston for New Years in 2010/2011 and walking outside to the sensation of pain rather than my body even being able to register cold! I think it was -6 at the time. Do you think you’ll do a post about your winter capsule this season? Would love to see your cozy, warming finds!

    Reply
  20. Meah Konstanzer says

    January 9, 2018 at 6:51 pm

    It’s been extra-cold here, but what I’ve been hearing about Boston is crazy. Bless your heart! The best part of this weekend for me was going out to Shake Shack with a group of girls from my track team. The ShackBurger, fries, and vanilla shake (obviously with whipped cream added!) is the MOST satisfying combo! We went to see The Greatest Showman afterwards and I really liked it. The music was so fun and it has a great message. I’ve been playing the soundtrack non-stop ever since. We all had such a great time and agreed we need to make going out a weekly thing. I really wanna visit Boston this summer, so I love all your recaps because I can take note of awesome restaurants and places to go 🙂 .

    xxMeah

    Reply
  21. Hannah MacLeod says

    January 9, 2018 at 8:20 pm

    Hi Robyn,

    I wanted to actually say thank you for the trigger warning regarding Pinch of Yum’s Sugar free challenge. I was also disappointed when I was on Pinch of Yum a few days ago and saw that. While I am thankfully in a place of peace and recovery with food and sugar, when sugar free challenges first started cropping up on blogs(and having a sugar free roommate), I tried it myself. To see if I could. Then to see how long I could. Well you know what they say about everything in moderation, including moderation. Combined with a variety of other circumstances, I was in full blown ED by the end of the year. Anyway, I still strive for low sugar, don’t believe it has a place in everything, but it shouldn’t be shunned & feared the way I used to when orthorexic(working at Tatte has helped me overcome this too!) Your HAES/IE an embrace of a variety of foods in a balanced diet inspires me. Anyways, I’m actually pinning that recipe to try as well & will also filter out the sugar free message!

    Glad you enjoyed the Shakshuka – it looks like a roast beef sandwich there too 🙂

    Reply
  22. Chelsea Allen says

    January 13, 2018 at 8:39 am

    I was really bummed to see the sugar free challenge on Pinch of Yum too – I had hoped the sugar free trend would be buried in 2016/2017!

    Reply

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A non-diet dietitian and nurse practitioner helping women find peace with food, accept their natural body size and heal from hormonal issues and period problems.

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A little way I’m learning to enjoy these years o A little way I’m learning to enjoy these years of getting to spend so much time with my kids: aka another way I’m discovering some pockets of peace so my heart & mind & soul don’t crumble under the reality of dependent & emotionally dysregulated tiny humans.  About once a week we go somewhere for baked goods. We drive or walk, buy something buttery & then find a beautiful, relatively quiet outdoor spot where the boys can romp and I can sit and think my thoughts while I watch them play. This past week we were found ourselves at the Wool Factory where the boys threw rocks & whatever else off the bridge while I ate 90% of this almond 🥐 from @coucourachou that will blow your mind. Boys ate the other 10% bc they were busy playing and didn’t ask for more quickly enough 😜  I’m finding *for me* playgrounds have a time & place but they aren’t where I enjoy motherhood & my two toddlers the most. Baked goods & a pretty outdoor spot without high drops my 15 month old could launch himself off of…I’m here for it.
I brought this bag of snacks along when I took the I brought this bag of snacks along when I took the boys to hike out at one of our favorite spots last week and when I ripped it open I was regretting my choice to share them with my kids. @baresnacks randomly sent me a box of snacks and I usually eat free food we receive or give it to a friend/neighbor and move on. But I felt it my duty to tell you about these bc they are THAT GOOD. I’m not getting paid and this isn’t sponsored - I was just shocked at how tasty these were and felt you needed to know. We ate them with some buttery roasted nuts and the combo was 👌🏻 but they are good just on their own.  The boys climbed rocks and swam in the reservoir - leave it to my almost 3 year old to want to strip down naked and fully submerge himself in chilly water on a sixty degree morning. “Mama can I get super nakey?” Sure baby. Sure. This is your childhood.
It’s a hard sell to get me to accept an offer of It’s a hard sell to get me to accept an offer of extended alone time away from the babies to just be. And that isn’t something that’s best for me, it’s an area I gotta grow in. So this afternoon when Nick pushed me out the door and was like - get out of here plzzzz - I walked to my favorite cafe and ordered a thick pastrami sandwich and sat there for a good LONG while before taking a long, peaceful walk in the rain to wrap up the afternoon. Note to self: stop being such a control freak and go be by yourself sometimes.
a girlfriend brought me a 🍪 the size of my face a girlfriend brought me a 🍪 the size of my face from @mariebettecafe this morning when she came to get her toddler who played with us all morning and it is v good. even better when paired with an iced latte 😍
#AlignPartner I left off a few weeks ago sharing a #AlignPartner I left off a few weeks ago sharing about how taking @alignprobiotic regularly has improved my digestive regularity.  And I’m still taking them! I’ve permanently added Align 24/7 Digestive Support* into the roundup of supplements I take before bed (prenatal, vitamin D, choline & DHA - all which help keep me healthy while breastfeeding) so I can keep seeing the benefits.  Just because you see benefits, doesn’t mean you should stop taking your probiotic. Keep taking Align daily (under the supervision and recommendation of your health care provider of course) to keep seeing the benefits!  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - one of my favorite parts of Align probiotics is that they don’t need refrigeration AND they come in a convenient little blister pack that has the days labeled. It’s the little things people! #MyAlignGuutJourney #guthealth  *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
I realized it was going to be a long, hot afternoo I realized it was going to be a long, hot afternoon (91 and muggy in MAY 🤯) when a toddler nap was refused and a baby nap was cut wildly short ....so my tired mom brain pulled out two plastic storage bins, filled them up with soap & hose water and striped ‘em down naked in the yard. Two hours later, it was almost time for an early dinner and I had magically been able to sit for most of that time and we already had baths checked off the list. 👍🏻 I’m archiving this idea for my future self, hope it helps another tired mama out.
#AlignPartner I left off a month ago sharing about #AlignPartner I left off a month ago sharing about getting better at doing the basics to care for myself which included taking my supplements and @alignprobiotic regularly.  Probiotics take time to work so I wanted to give it a full month to see the full effects of @alignprobiotic. So here are my honest thoughts: it took a few weeks to notice any differences, but near the end of the month I did notice some changes in my digestive balance - even while traveling! I’m not someone who experiences occasional gas, bloating or abdominal discomfort frequently enough to notice a difference, so I don’t feel like I can comment on how well Align works for those benefits.  All in all though, taking @alignprobiotic was a positive experience and I really appreciated how the capsules don’t need to be stored in the fridge, making it convenient to take them with me anywhere #MyAlignGuutJourney #guthealth  *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Where we will spend a good majority of our summer. Where we will spend a good majority of our summer. Because the swampy VA summer has already begun (it’s in the low 90s today 🥵 lord help) and creeks are our retreat - not only from the heat but also from the noisy world. I need this just (if not more) than they do! We’ll be at the splash pads and pools too, but the quietness of the creek...my mental health is so about it. And it’s hours of play for them! Win win.  A couple things to note: this scene also included a few toddler reminders on finding another direction to throw rocks instead of at his brother - so not all is serene 🤪 and also, yes I am now that mom who buys the same clothing for both kids bc it keeps things simple & i think i kinda like it too 🤷🏻‍♀️
Things I love about midwifery among many: the appo Things I love about midwifery among many: the appointments, no matter how long, feel so unhurried. 
Just walked in from an appointment with my midwife because I was due for a Pap test + an overall wellness visit. My last pap was during my first trimester with Cal which feels like a jillion years ago, but it’s only actually been three years. Life changes so fast! Pre-baby life feels like a whole other life.  I’m wayyyy overdue for a visit to my PCP bc I’ve been under OBGYN or midwifery care for the majority of the past three years while having babies, but I am pretty good with keeping up with my paps. It seems women often think they need pap and/or HPV testing way more frequently than they do (and providers sometimes perform these tests more frequently than necessary - remember more testing doesn’t always mean better outcomes!)  So if you need it, here’s a quick little reminder on this chilly spring Friday afternoon on how often you need this testing (these are the recommendations from ACOG)  Women aged 21–29 years should have a Pap test alone every 3 years. HPV testing is not recommended.  Women aged 30–65 years should have a Pap test and an HPV test (aka co-testing) every 5 years (preferred). It also is acceptable to have a Pap test alone every 3 years.  If you get abnormal results, this testing frequency could change - but for healthy women with normal results, you actually don’t need testing as frequently as you might think. Which is great news for those of you who hate the speculum.  Ok, off to finish up some things on the to-do list (including cleaning this kitchen) during nap time and then come 5 o’clock, crack an IPA with our neighbors 🍻
#AlignPartner Over the past seven months since bec #AlignPartner Over the past seven months since becoming a mom of two, caring for myself has gotten shoved to the back burner. And it's been a challenge to make it a priority. My routine-resistant personality has upsides and downsides when it comes to motherhood. So I'm starting small this year with a consistent bedtime routine that includes taking my supplements and @alignprobiotic and hoping as that becomes consistent, my mornings will naturally shift too.  In short my bedtime currently goes like this….jammies & face care when putting the babies to bed. Before I go to bed (anytime between 9pm and 12am...) I’ll pump, take my supplements and fill my water. Then I go upstairs and brush my teeth. And then get in bed. The kicker: 70% of the time I find myself finishing up tasks on my phone IN BED. I hate this habit.  Back to supplements. This is something I have been able to stick with. On top of fish oil, my prenatal, choline and vitamin D, I recently added @AlignProbiotic 24/7 Digestive Support*§ to see if it helps with abdominal discomfort and regularity because when I don’t drink coffee or am traveling that can get thrown off.  I’ll be taking it every day for the next 28 days since it takes TIME for our bodies to adjust to probiotics - and I'll be taking you guys along with me as I share my honest thoughts. Many people think if they don’t see changes within the first 7-10 days then the probiotic isn’t working, but that’s not the case. I’m giving myself more than just a week or two and instead a full month to see the full benefits. I’ll keep you posted over the next month. Check out my stories to learn more! #MyAlignGutJourney #guthealth
 
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
We had an AFTERNOON today. Toddler didn’t care f We had an AFTERNOON today. Toddler didn’t care for a nap. Putting baby down was harder than I wanted it to be. Miraculously, I had a moment of clarity as I was covered in tiny humans and decided I wasn’t doing the nap battle thing a on 60 degree, gorgeous, sunny spring day 🙅🏻‍♀️ so I piled both babies into the car half naked, opened the sun roof, put on white noise for them and an audio book for me and drank a kombucha as I drove a meal to a postpartum mama. Thirty five minutes later we had a sleeping baby and a toddler who at least had a rest. Baby transferred without waking HALLELUJAH and although my toddler didn’t nap today (lord help) at least we got soaked in breezy sunshine 😎🤘🏻💆🏻‍♀️
We veered from our usual Friday night homemade piz We veered from our usual Friday night homemade pizza (minus the dough, we leave that to @albemarlebakingco) because we are eating pizza tomorrow with some friends - instead I called my mom and asked her how she makes her chicken fingers and we fried up a big ole batch of chicken nugs 🙌🏻🤤 along with a sheet pan full of sweet potato fries and a simple arugula salad dressed with parmesean, olive oil and s&p. Oh and my moms honey mustard recipe for dipping. It’s SO DANG GOOD.  Over the past 6ish months we’ve been practicing (and practicing and practicing bc it doesn’t come naturally) unplugging from technology and slowing down and resting and just being for one day a week. Some call it Shabbat. Some call it Sabbath. Maybe you call it something different. All I know is IT IS SO GOOD FOR MY WEARY SOUL and the day I look forward to ALL WEEK. Sundown on Friday to sundown Saturday. Nothing but rest. For us that means hiking (or something outside) and napping and reading and being with friends and eating really good food. And drinking some really good wine or craft beer. Sometimes whiskey. 😛  And because I know I’ll get asked about the chicken finger recipe and also because it’s too good not to share and Momma Coale said I could, here ya go:  Cut chicken breast into thin strips or small pieces (I prefer nug size bc the breading to chicken ratio is perfection). Salt and pepper those babies really well. Then dredge them in all purpose flour, then egg, then panko - just like you would bread anything else. Then fry them up in a light oil - I use avocado oil because that’s our everyday oil. You could also use canola or peanut oil. Just fill a pan with an inch or so of oil on medium high heat. They only take 2-3 minutes per side. You can always temp them to make sure they are at least 165 degrees F to really make sure they are done. Dunk in all the sauces and enjoy!  Happy weekend!

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