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Life, Self Care, Thoughts

COVID-19 Check In

April 1, 2020 By Robyn 43 Comments

How are you? If I’m honest, in the beginning I was seeing a lot of silver lining in the circumstances with having Nick home (he usually works at a co-working space) and lots of family time and nowhere to be. But after 4-5 days, reality hit and now….things feel really hard. We are so fortunate as a family. Nick has a secure job and he is the majority of our livelihood. As an NP, I have job security. Nick, Cal and I are all healthy.

Like I wrote in the newsletter I sent out a few weeks ago, things feel weird and fragile and uncertain. And understandably so, fear and anxiety can take up camp in our hearts as all the “what ifs” run through our minds. COVID-19 is impacting some far more deeply than others. My brother works in the restaurant industry and for the time being, he is out of a job – a huge financial burden for him. Nick’s cousin has a daughter with T1DM and a wife with rheumatoid arthritis (plus 2 other little children) and he is out of his restaurant job too. Small businesses are hurting, parents are juggling working full-time at home while having to homeschool their littles. Life is hard.

We are doing the simple, yet impactful things of social distancing, thorough hand washing and keeping ourselves healthy with eating regular meals and snacks with carbs + protein + fat (even if that means canned + frozen foods), drinking lots of water and getting as much rest as we can. Which is sometimes laughable with a teething 15 month old. We’re doing our best to slow the spread, protect those more at risk and help where we can. Running to the grocery. Buying gift cards to small businesses. A smile and hello from a distance. The simple things matter!

How are you doing? How is your experience with all this? I am constantly thinking of all the nurses and healthcare providers working endlessly, courageously and selflessly through this <3

A LIFE UPDATE

I am currently taking time off from my job. I work at an outpatient clinic so even though we are seeing sick patients, we are also only seeing half of our usual patient load and providers are being sent home early – so even though me being away isn’t a burden for the clinic, I still have guilt that I’m not/can’t do more right now as a nurse during this time. I’m not working for a couple reasons that I’ll share more about in the coming weeks, but the big one is that we’ve had a family medical emergency that has rocked us. A week and a half ago we got one of those wake-you-up-at-night calls at 11:30pm from Nick’s brother telling us his mom had very unexpectedly gone into cardiac arrest. We drove back to the Midwest (after having negative COVID testing because Nick had been sick the previous week) and have been here with family since. She is currently in the ICU on a ventilator with a long, uncertain road ahead. It’s been a emotional rollercoaster of grief and sadness, but immense hope and laughter sprinkled in there as well. I am thankful work is so supportive and we can be home right now. That is all I’ll share for privacy sake, but if you pray, we’d so appreciate your prayers.

I’ve been off social media for the past 3 1/2 weeks. I plan on staying off until Easter. I originally planned for a month, but then realized it coincided with Lent and although I didn’t plan it, I knew unplugging from most digital stuff would be good for my soul. I read Digital Minimalism in two days right after we got back from London and it sobered me up on my tech use in the best way.

I recently turned 31. THIRTY ONE. I feel grateful for another year of life & health. But at the same time, I feel like I blinked and suddenly I was married and a mom and responsible for a little life and the weight of that responsibility hits me in a good, yet heavy way. I like birthdays – not because I enjoy the celebration, I am actually awkward and weird about that – but because they provide a pause. To think and reflect about what is behind you and what could be on the blank canvas ahead.

I share those three things – hard family stuff, technology quietness, and being a year older – because together, they are creating space for me to sit in discomfort & uncertainty, two places I quickly want to wiggle out of – and to think and process A LOT. I feel the kind, tenderness of God closer than I have in a long time. And that’s a good place to be.

COVID QUARENTINE

In addition to the slew of emotions that have come with my MIL being critically ill, COVID-19 is an added layer. There are no visitors at hospitals – sometimes they will allow 1 person under certain circumstances in the ICU. That is so heartbreaking. Understandable from a safety standpoint, but brings me to tears from “this is my hurting family” standpoint. I am human. And beyond our immediate situation, I’m sure you are also feeling a mix of feelings (and oscillating bouts of hope and self doubt) as we ride out this pandemic.

We are here in Illinois for the next several weeks. Cal & I will drive down to Indianapolis to see my family here and there, but overall we are camped out in the Midwest for a bit. Whether here or VA, for me, the quarantine is making me feel tired and discombobulated, sad and at times anxious with the unknown timeline. I feel like my days are blurring into one big haze. I feel like I have no time, which is weird because I have a wide open schedule. I am encouraged by humanity. I am hopeful. I am thankful for moments of deep, deep peace about everything going on in my family and the world. I am eating lots of sweets and sugar and that is good for me. Having a 15 month old is exhausting, but also a complete source of joy & light in times like these. I love toddlers.

Nick and I have talked a lot about how to use this time well & navigate this stormy season the best we can. Are you also feeling discombobulated and like WHAT DAY IS IT?! You’re in good company. Hi, I see you. We are in this together juggling the weirdness of life. Here are some things that are acting as anchors to my days and making me feel a bit more tethered.

  • time in the bible every morning – this is hard for me on a daily basis with wonky sleep and a small child, but this is a non-negotiable for my emotional/spiritual health right now and so Nick and I are swapping toddler duty so we each have 15-30 minutes of quiet time in the morning
  • daily walks – my in-laws live on a very remote farm in Illinois so there isn’t anywhere immediate to walk BUT they do have a very long driveway (~1/3 of a mile) so I walk up and down and up and down a couple times a day while listening to a podcast or talking to a friend
  • nature, nature, nature – there are so many cool outdoor spots in Charlottesville (one of our everyday favorites is Riverview) but even here in remote Illinois, there are two awesome nature preserves within a 10-15 minute drive we’ve been exploring every day with Cal no matter the weather. Thirty degrees and severe wind, we are there. Rain and chilly, we are there. It’s more enjoyable when there’s sun, but regardless, the fresh air, Vitamin D and quietness gives me more patience & focus during the day
  • changing out of my pjs by 9am & putting on mascara everyday – leggings, a sweater and a few swipes of mascara are a game changer, completely changes the tone of the day
  • baking every day – Cal loves to help in the kitchen and having something sweet & satisfying to snack on just helps me get through the days – favorite things we’ve made include these blueberry bars, chocolate pumpkin muffins, this chocolate bundt cake and these chocolate chip cookies (***most of these recipes are vegan because Cal has a dairy allergy and I’m still nursing him – if making vegan recipes is triggering for you, pass on these)

Maybe I’ll do a post on some daily eats during this time if that sounds helpful for you. Also look out for a long, wordy, thought filled post on motherhood & career next week that I sat down a wrote a few weeks ago, but am finally getting around to posting.

Take care of yourself and remember, this will pass and I am in the thick of it with you. Giving you a big hug!


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Filed Under: Life, Self Care, Thoughts

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Comments

  1. Alexis says

    April 1, 2020 at 10:14 am

    Thank you for sharing the vegan baked goods recipes! My 2 month old has a dairy intolerance/allergy and I’ve struggled (especially during this time) to find food that gives me some joy. I’m going to give some of these a try 🙂

    Praying for your mother in law. I can’t imagine having a family member in the ICU at this time – so hard.

    Reply
    • Robyn Nohling says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:38 pm

      I hope you enjoy the recipes! I have found having lots of baked goods around and eating them often to be key to staying satisfied without dairy. thank you for the prayers! xx

      Reply
  2. Kelsey Osten says

    April 1, 2020 at 10:15 am

    It was so nice to hear from you, Robyn. Some sense of “normalcy” hit me reading your post. Thanks, as always, for sharing and I’ll keep you and your family in my prayers!

    Reply
    • Robyn Nohling says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:39 pm

      I think we all need to know we aren’t alone in this wonky season – you aren’t! xx

      Reply
  3. Katy says

    April 1, 2020 at 10:29 am

    Prayers for your family. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, as always. I find comfort in your words during this unpredictable time.

    Reply
    • Robyn Nohling says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:39 pm

      Thank you for your prayers Katy <3

      Reply
  4. Kori says

    April 1, 2020 at 11:18 am

    Extending a great deal of compassion and prayers to you and your family. I am so very sorry to hear of your mother-in-law becoming ill and with family members being out of work. I hope you can find some peace today.

    Reply
    • Robyn Nohling says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:40 pm

      Thank you so much Kori <3 Take good care of yourself.

      Reply
  5. Julie says

    April 1, 2020 at 11:48 am

    Love and prayers to you and your family, Robyn!

    Reply
    • Robyn Nohling says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:40 pm

      <3

      Reply
  6. Hilary says

    April 1, 2020 at 12:12 pm

    I’m so happy to see you posted! I’ve missed your IG and blog updates. I’m with you 100% on the toddler front. We’re both working our full-time jobs from home plus hanging with our toddler. It felt so overwhelming at first, but now she’s *such* a bright spot in our day. I love that she doesn’t know to be anxious or scared about the state of things; she’s just excited that mama and daddy are home! I’m so thankful for our jobs and health right now.

    I’d love to see some daily eats, mainly because you always recommend the best recipes. I would also love to see what Cal eats- we’re not used to providing so many snacks and meals for our toddler! Wishing your MIL a speedy recovery.

    Reply
    • Robyn Nohling says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:42 pm

      I am sure double FT work and caring for a toddler requires lots of juggling so hats off to you! Their innocence is so refreshing for sure. They keep us in the moment 🙂

      I didn’t think about sharing some of Cal’s eats but that could be a great idea – I”ll try to remember so before/after pictures of his plates to give you some ideas and also shed let on normal toddler eating which is sometime 2 bites of orange or sometimes 3 helping of spaghetti!

      Reply
  7. Alison says

    April 1, 2020 at 1:28 pm

    Always love reading your posts! Praying for you and your family.

    Reply
    • Robyn Nohling says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:42 pm

      <3

      Reply
  8. Savanna Conrad says

    April 1, 2020 at 4:49 pm

    So good to see a new post from you! I’ve also deleted my FB during this time where knowing too much info was making my life way less peaceful than I know I have access to! I love the comment that you are eating lots of sweets and sugar and that’s healthy for you right now. I feel that so deeply. We have baked and enjoyed so many more things lately and it’s been so great. After reading Kylie’s blog for years and years I finally make homemade Kolaches(after drooling for years anytime she posted about them!) and now I’m wondering why I didn’t sooner! Delicious and so satisfying. I’m praying for your family, for healing, peace and protection.

    Reply
    • Robyn Nohling says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:43 pm

      Cheers to baked goods 🙂 Oh wow, I will have to look up homemade kolaches – I didn’t think of making them homemade! I’ve had them once while in Dallas and they were FAB!

      Reply
  9. Katelyn Wood says

    April 1, 2020 at 4:57 pm

    I have missed your voice in this space SOOOOO much!! Thank you for the post and I can’t wait for the next one. Keep them coming – if you can. We are all navigating this together and it’s nice to stay connected to others in any way 🙂

    Reply
    • Robyn Nohling says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:43 pm

      Thanks for your encouragement Katelyn 🙂

      Reply
  10. Addie says

    April 1, 2020 at 5:08 pm

    I love how genuine you’r writing is. Praying for your mother in law <3

    Reply
    • Robyn Nohling says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:44 pm

      Thank you for your prayers Addie <3

      Reply
  11. Erin says

    April 1, 2020 at 5:37 pm

    So good to hear from you! Praying for you today… and for your family!

    Reply
    • Robyn Nohling says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:44 pm

      So appreciate the prayers Erin!

      Reply
  12. Beth says

    April 1, 2020 at 7:56 pm

    I always love reading your posts. I’m so sorry to hear about your mother in law- and the fact that visitors aren’t allowed is just heartbreaking. Will be praying. Just curious- I also have a dec 2018 baby and wondering about the logistics of baking with her- would love to try it but how do you do it?

    Reply
    • Robyn Nohling says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:50 pm

      Well, for one it takes 3x a long and gets messy but it’s worth it. I remind myself all the time in motherhood to “engage instead of ignore” …meaning to involve him in as much as I can instead of giving him a pot/pan on the ground (that worked great when he was a baby though!) so all that to say, it’s chaotic and messy sometimes but so fun 🙂

      Logistically, we have a learning tower for the kitchen (I’ll link to ours below **it is an affiliate link, but of course buy whatever one works for you!** that I have found is functional, not huge, easily moves around the kitchen and was on the lower price range of learning towers which can go for $200+!!) I assist with pouring measured ingredients into the bowl and try to keep an eye out for him totally digging both hands in the bowl and scooping the stuff out hahah. He also loves putting the lid on the blender and of course licking the bowl 🙂 Hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Robyn Nohling says

        April 2, 2020 at 12:50 pm

        https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083RG6YDS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B083RG6YDS&linkCode=as2&tag=threlird-20&linkId=2c6fada94976884f6aa73c9f32072e6f

        Reply
  13. Hillary says

    April 2, 2020 at 7:50 am

    Thanks for posting! It’s great to hear from you. I miss your blog and updates via instragram. While your nutritional and medical content is always welcome, I hoesntly just miss YOU as a person. I find your posts to be so grounding and helpful in my own life, even if we don’t follow the same path or religious views.

    I’m sorry to hear about Nick’s mom and I’m keeping your family in my prayers. Savor those moments of peace, prayer, meditation and being in nature. I will do the same. Good to hear from you.

    <3 Hillary

    P.S. Please share some more of your recipes and baking that you're doing! Needing some inspiration! I recently made Ambitious Kitchen's banana chocolate chip muffins! I'm sure you could vegan-ize them!

    Reply
    • Robyn Nohling says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:52 pm

      Thanks for your kind words Hillary 🙂 Means a ton. Take good care of yourself during this time as well! Maybe I’ll do a weekly eats roundup and share some more. xx

      Reply
  14. Becky says

    April 2, 2020 at 8:37 am

    Hello ,

    It is good to hear from you Robyn. I am so sorry about your mother in law. I will certainly be praying. Glad to hear you, Nick, and Cal are doing well, too.
    One thing that resonated with me from your post is all the change. I am now online for my nursing school and it’s been interesting. I miss not having clinical because you learn so much from the experience! But I remind myself that there are others who are going through for more change than I am. I try to enjoy being at home and use that time to connect with God and to enjoy not having to rush around.
    Thank you for your love and thoughts!

    Reply
    • Robyn Nohling says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:52 pm

      Oh man, yes so much change in this season for so many of us! We will become more resilient through it all though. Love to you!

      Reply
  15. Robyn Nohling says

    April 2, 2020 at 12:44 pm

    Thank you for your prayers Addie <3

    Reply
  16. Abigail T says

    April 2, 2020 at 5:40 pm

    I was so sad to see Sabrina’s post and hear about Nick’s mom. Praying for a full recovery for her. I always appreciate your compassion and thoughtfulness and pertinent reminders in times like this. Also, just wanted to let you know, I think you used the cookie link when you meant to link the digital minimalism book. Looks like a good read!

    Reply
  17. margaret says

    April 3, 2020 at 11:23 am

    Robyn,

    Just a quick note to echo all of the above – I 100% understand your step back from this space, but I miss you nonetheless! So to the extent it feels right for you, know that we always appreciate your posts. Your reminder about sweets being good for the soul is so helpful in this nonsense of “avoid the quarantine 15!” – & to that point a daily eats type post would definitely be similarly grounding; not as a prescriptive but as a reminder that its ok take care of ourselves.

    So sorry to hear about your MIL; I have a grandmother in an intensive care facility that similarly is forbidding visitors, so I empathize with you. I’ll certainly be praying for her & the whole family.

    Reply
  18. Nancy says

    April 3, 2020 at 2:31 pm

    So good to hear from you! I find your posts to be reassuring and grounding- a lovely force for good during
    trying times. The way you approach motherhood, challenges, and life in general, seems to move others forward with faith!
    So sorry to hear about your mother in law- and so glad that you can be with family during this time.

    Reply
  19. Karen Hovie says

    April 4, 2020 at 5:18 pm

    I am so sorry to hear about your mother-in-law, Robyn. I will keep you all in my prayers.

    Reply
  20. Emma Rachel says

    April 6, 2020 at 3:56 am

    Thank you for saying, “I am eating a lot of sweets and that is good for me.” I have also been eating for comfort but in a totally healthy and nourishing way. 🙂 Today for breakfast I ate an Ezekiel sandwich with bean soup and for lunch a granola bar, yogurt, and latte. Dinner was an impossible burger with pasta, and dessert was a banana. My eating was simple and satisfying. I have found that facing our mortality and the unpredictability of life in light of this pandemic has helped me focus inward and on my family instead of obsessing over food.
    My heart hurts for all those affected by COVID-19 either financially or health-wise. I am praying for your mother in law and brother.
    I am trying to understand God and His infinite wisdom and love but hearing the stories of people gasping for breath with not enough ventilators gets really tough and I have been struggling with my faith a bit. I’m going to dedicate a bit more time to daily Bible readings. Thanks for an uplifting, real post. P.S. Now Cal is old enough to help you bake??! Wow, time flies <3 🙂

    Reply
    • Sierra says

      April 6, 2020 at 3:58 am

      Issues of faith have been surfacing for me as well. It’s hard for me to close the gap between human effort and divine intervention. If it’s all in g-d’s control, then why should we even wash our hands? (Obviously, I have been very vigilant in keeping clean; this is my attempt at a straw man argument). I am largely unaffiliated but would love to be more. Any thoughts, anyone?

      Reply
  21. Cassie says

    April 9, 2020 at 4:39 pm

    Thanks for sharing Robyn. Your posts and blog are always so encouraging to me. I am praying for your mother in law and your family during this time.

    Reply
  22. Rebecca says

    April 13, 2020 at 3:43 pm

    I am sorry about Nick’s mother and hope she recovers soon.

    How do you balance wanting to see both of your families with the recommendation for social distancing and sheltering in place? Is going back and forth between two homes social distancing?

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      April 14, 2020 at 9:33 am

      It’s hard because all the siblings are coming from their homes. We only see my mom and brother while here. So we aren’t seeing lots of family and my mom is the only one who grocery shops, so we are only at the house. I understand shelter in place but would completely lose my mind without being able to go back and forth. We are doing the best we can!

      Reply
      • rebecca says

        April 15, 2020 at 9:43 am

        I see. I thought that as a NP you would be stricter with the public health guidelines to avoid visits. Weighing the collective benefit of shelter in place with the personal wants to see family is difficult.

        Reply
  23. alexandra says

    September 3, 2020 at 12:55 am

    Thank you! very well written.

    My husband and i have been trying a ton of different diets , but for years we were not successful. we literally tried almost every thing. Untill we tried PROVEN . It saved us . I lost 45 pounds in 7 months! Even though i cheated here and there, ( dont tell him that lol). Check it out its really worth it . Im going to put the link here ,so you dont have to waste 2 hours looking for it like I did https://bit.ly/3btmlAn Thank me later!

    Reply

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  1. Intuitive Eating During Quarantine – Weightlosstogo.com says:
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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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