Next weekend we are headed for a quick trip to Cincinnati, so I thought I'd do my family a favor and not come with two smelly dogs in tow! Here are some pictures from our day getting pampered!
Boomer and Bauer before:
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Spa Day!
Yesterday was an exciting day in the Stenzel household, well for three members, Rhett had to go to work. Boomer, Bauer, and I all got our hair done! Don't worry, not all at the same place! It is sad that their haircuts cost more than mine, though!
Next weekend we are headed for a quick trip to Cincinnati, so I thought I'd do my family a favor and not come with two smelly dogs in tow! Here are some pictures from our day getting pampered!
Boomer and Bauer before:
Boomer and Bauer after
Me, a WHOLE inch taken off later! ( It took a lot of persuasion on the hairdresser's part, I wanted half an inch, they said and inch and a half, we settled on an inch) oh and you can't even tell it's shorter, haha.
Next weekend we are headed for a quick trip to Cincinnati, so I thought I'd do my family a favor and not come with two smelly dogs in tow! Here are some pictures from our day getting pampered!
Boomer and Bauer before:
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Spring Break!
Teaching has many benefits. The chance to see children learn and grow, the satisfaction and rewarding feeling to know that everyday you are making a difference, oh and winter, spring, and summer breaks!
My Spring Break started last Friday and Rhett and I headed off to Arizona to see his parents. We had a wonderful time, soaking in the hot tub, basking in the sun, catching a Cub's Spring Training game, and best of all, visiting with Rhett's parents, grandparents, and aunt! We had such a wonderful time and were very reluctant to leave family and the amazing weather. We got back Tuesday night and I have been slowly trying to unpack and get this place in order ever since!
This Spring has felt a lot like summer, and has pushed me to get out the door and back into running which has felt absolutely wonderful! I'm feeling like my old self and have learned that although I do want to get pregnant and the eastern side of medicine says that running is a big no-no, I feel that if it keeps me sane and happy, that has to be a good thing! Spring is in the air, a sign of life, happiness, and hope of what's to come. I hope everyone is enjoying their spring too!
Rhett's Parent's dog, Buddy Sun Bathing!
Rhett at the Cub's Game
My Spring Break started last Friday and Rhett and I headed off to Arizona to see his parents. We had a wonderful time, soaking in the hot tub, basking in the sun, catching a Cub's Spring Training game, and best of all, visiting with Rhett's parents, grandparents, and aunt! We had such a wonderful time and were very reluctant to leave family and the amazing weather. We got back Tuesday night and I have been slowly trying to unpack and get this place in order ever since!
This Spring has felt a lot like summer, and has pushed me to get out the door and back into running which has felt absolutely wonderful! I'm feeling like my old self and have learned that although I do want to get pregnant and the eastern side of medicine says that running is a big no-no, I feel that if it keeps me sane and happy, that has to be a good thing! Spring is in the air, a sign of life, happiness, and hope of what's to come. I hope everyone is enjoying their spring too!
Rhett's Parent's dog, Buddy Sun Bathing!
Rhett at the Cub's Game
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Little Yellow Room
I think we all have a place in which we escape to in our mind, a tropical paradise, a fond memory, a hope or dream we wish to pursue. I too, have that place and mine is a little yellow room.
Two years ago, as many of you know, Rhett and left our city dwelling and ventured out to Joliet. We rented the cutest 1920's style bungalow, with lots of room, charm, a yard for the boys, and our family right down the street. After eleven months though, of 3 hour daily commutes, we traded all this and returned to the city for more of a quality of life, one in which we actually see each other during the week!
Moving from a quaint (read, tiny) condo to a 3 bedroom, plus den, house requires a lot more furniture, as you can only imagine. We worked hard to fill all our newly acquired space with a lot of help from my mom's expert eye (and extra furniture) and had the house looking like a home in no time. There was one room, however that remained empty. A little yellow room, right next to our bedroom. It had perfect sunlight, space, and a gender neutral color, that would one day hold our precious little one. There would be days that I would walk in there in the morning, coffee cup in hand, and imagine what the room would look like, picturing a rocker in the corner, where Rhett and I would ease our child to sleep, or share bedtime stories. Yes, there were days that simply walking into that room would fill me with a complete sense of happiness and hope.
There were days too, that I couldn't even go in the room, leaving the door closed, as the sight of the empty room was too much for me, it's vacancy reminding me of the vacant feeling that I often would carry in my heart.
Two years later, I carry that yellow room with me, sometimes an escape for me, a lovely place to travel to, a wonderful place of hope of what's to come. Other days, it remains a place that creeps into my mind, that I quickly try to flee from, that all too familiar vacant feeling creeping back in.
I walk through my days, sometimes telling myself that that little yellow room could be many things one day, and maybe the head interior decorator Himself has other plans for that room, and I try very hard to accept whatever design He has in mind, but in my prayers, I do put in my two sense, that a crib, and a rocking chair might look fabulous after all...
Two years ago, as many of you know, Rhett and left our city dwelling and ventured out to Joliet. We rented the cutest 1920's style bungalow, with lots of room, charm, a yard for the boys, and our family right down the street. After eleven months though, of 3 hour daily commutes, we traded all this and returned to the city for more of a quality of life, one in which we actually see each other during the week!
Moving from a quaint (read, tiny) condo to a 3 bedroom, plus den, house requires a lot more furniture, as you can only imagine. We worked hard to fill all our newly acquired space with a lot of help from my mom's expert eye (and extra furniture) and had the house looking like a home in no time. There was one room, however that remained empty. A little yellow room, right next to our bedroom. It had perfect sunlight, space, and a gender neutral color, that would one day hold our precious little one. There would be days that I would walk in there in the morning, coffee cup in hand, and imagine what the room would look like, picturing a rocker in the corner, where Rhett and I would ease our child to sleep, or share bedtime stories. Yes, there were days that simply walking into that room would fill me with a complete sense of happiness and hope.
There were days too, that I couldn't even go in the room, leaving the door closed, as the sight of the empty room was too much for me, it's vacancy reminding me of the vacant feeling that I often would carry in my heart.
Two years later, I carry that yellow room with me, sometimes an escape for me, a lovely place to travel to, a wonderful place of hope of what's to come. Other days, it remains a place that creeps into my mind, that I quickly try to flee from, that all too familiar vacant feeling creeping back in.
I walk through my days, sometimes telling myself that that little yellow room could be many things one day, and maybe the head interior decorator Himself has other plans for that room, and I try very hard to accept whatever design He has in mind, but in my prayers, I do put in my two sense, that a crib, and a rocking chair might look fabulous after all...
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Au Natural
This past week was one with it's ups and downs. So I'll start with the downside, bad news first, right? I came home from work Monday, exhausted and went to let the dogs out and planned on a relaxing night on the couch cuddled up with my two little fur babies, but poor Bauer could hardly walk. I took him to the vet that night, and it looks as though he is having some spinal issues. The vet said that Cocker Spaniels are prone to these problems, and sent us home with some activity restrictions and some pain pills. The next morning though, Bauer's back was worse and was having an even harder time walking. So I rushed into school and busted out some sub plans, and took him back to the vet. He is now on muscle relaxers and an anti-inflammatory, and is doing much better. The hardest part has been trying to keep him from jumping on and off of furniture, anyone that knows Bauer knows he is full of energy, we're hoping to keep him from having to get back surgery in the near future.
On the upside, I went to my first acupuncture appointment in months, well since the last failed IVF, and I am trying to get pregnant completely naturally, with the help of herbs, supplements, acupuncture, yoga, and whole food, healthy eating. It may be a long shot, since I don't even ovulate, but it's worth a shot. I've done all these things before, but always in conjunction with a medicated cycle of IVF. IVF has proved not to be good for me, and has left me feeling anxious, sad, let-down, you name it. I'm going to go in full force, and really try to do this with full commitment. It isn't going to be easy, but nothing worth it in life is. I feel empowered and hopeful, and by putting this out there I'm accountable now, and have to follow through. I often have thought about life without kids, and I know as long as I have Rhett, I'll be okay and life will be grand! I am saddened though by the thought of not being able to try and be the mom my mom has been to me, and Rhett's has been to him, and has also been to me since the Stenzel family came into my life 7 years ago. Rhett and I don't want to give up, and are going a down a different path, and we're hoping our happy ending is in sight.
Happy Superbowl Sunday, GO GIANTS!!
My two recipes given to me, from my two moms:
Skyline Chili Dip- Cincinnati Representation
The famous stuffed mushrooms, always a hit!
On the upside, I went to my first acupuncture appointment in months, well since the last failed IVF, and I am trying to get pregnant completely naturally, with the help of herbs, supplements, acupuncture, yoga, and whole food, healthy eating. It may be a long shot, since I don't even ovulate, but it's worth a shot. I've done all these things before, but always in conjunction with a medicated cycle of IVF. IVF has proved not to be good for me, and has left me feeling anxious, sad, let-down, you name it. I'm going to go in full force, and really try to do this with full commitment. It isn't going to be easy, but nothing worth it in life is. I feel empowered and hopeful, and by putting this out there I'm accountable now, and have to follow through. I often have thought about life without kids, and I know as long as I have Rhett, I'll be okay and life will be grand! I am saddened though by the thought of not being able to try and be the mom my mom has been to me, and Rhett's has been to him, and has also been to me since the Stenzel family came into my life 7 years ago. Rhett and I don't want to give up, and are going a down a different path, and we're hoping our happy ending is in sight.
Happy Superbowl Sunday, GO GIANTS!!
My two recipes given to me, from my two moms:
Skyline Chili Dip- Cincinnati Representation
The famous stuffed mushrooms, always a hit!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Battle of the Yogis
Yesterday a friend and I went to a huge warehouse sale for our favorite workout clothes, Lululemon. Now, to those of you who know the clothes, you know how awesome they are, but also how the price tag hurts the eyes (and your wallet). So when we heard of this sale, with amazing discounts we were there in a heartbeat, ready to get our workout clothes shopping on!
We arrived and waited in a few long lines, with our credit cards and i.d's in hand, no coats or purses allowed. We entered to the jams of a d.j. and Lulu Lemon employees clad in running tutu's greeting us with a lot more energy then I could feign on a Friday afternoon, I was tempted, but resisted the urge to buy a running tutu myself, as Rhett would probably never run with me again. We started walking up and down the aisles and snatching up some great finds. As I was looking at a pair of yoga pants, some workers wheeled out another rack of clothes, before a thought could even form in my mind, crazed girls on the pursuit of new merchandise swarmed around me, reaching over my head and shoving me aside grabbing at whatever they could get their hands on, I ducked and made my way out, making sure I still had all my hair, okay maybe it wasn't that bad but it still was quite unexpected, and very un-zen-like. Needless to say the next time, that cart came out I stayed clear. Don't mess with a yogi on a mission, apparently.
When I found my friend she said she had to duke it out with a girl that had grabbed a shirt at the same time she had, luckily my friend's teacher eye was all it took, and the other girl decided it wasn't worth the battle. Shopping can be dangerous, and you must be in top shape to compete :) I overall loved the sale, and would recommend it, but you might wanna wear a helmet.
Namaste,
Bailey
We arrived and waited in a few long lines, with our credit cards and i.d's in hand, no coats or purses allowed. We entered to the jams of a d.j. and Lulu Lemon employees clad in running tutu's greeting us with a lot more energy then I could feign on a Friday afternoon, I was tempted, but resisted the urge to buy a running tutu myself, as Rhett would probably never run with me again. We started walking up and down the aisles and snatching up some great finds. As I was looking at a pair of yoga pants, some workers wheeled out another rack of clothes, before a thought could even form in my mind, crazed girls on the pursuit of new merchandise swarmed around me, reaching over my head and shoving me aside grabbing at whatever they could get their hands on, I ducked and made my way out, making sure I still had all my hair, okay maybe it wasn't that bad but it still was quite unexpected, and very un-zen-like. Needless to say the next time, that cart came out I stayed clear. Don't mess with a yogi on a mission, apparently.
When I found my friend she said she had to duke it out with a girl that had grabbed a shirt at the same time she had, luckily my friend's teacher eye was all it took, and the other girl decided it wasn't worth the battle. Shopping can be dangerous, and you must be in top shape to compete :) I overall loved the sale, and would recommend it, but you might wanna wear a helmet.
Namaste,
Bailey
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Parking is A Girl's Best Friend
Growing up in suburban Cincinnati, a good parking spot was when I won the battle with my brother to park in the extra spot in the garage if my mom or dad weren't using it. There were parking lots everywhere, and the only time I ever parallel parked was in my driver's test which incidentally, I had to do twice.
Now that I live in a big city, and have for about 6 and half years now, a good parking spot is a gem, and quite hard to find. When we first moved to Chicago we had a garage spot that was awesome (and quite narrow, my car has the scuff marks to prove it). When we bought our condo 5 years ago, we no longer had parking and the chore of finding a good spot became a constant part of my life. Parking three streets away with groceries, or my laptop bag and teacher tote were to say the least, not my favorite thing in the world.
So you can imagine my delight when I arrived home one day a few days before Christmas to have my husband hand me a small wrapped gift which held inside what has become one of my most prized possessions, a garage opener to my new gated parking spot across the street. I jumped for joy and moved my car in there right away, deeming this one of the best presents I've ever received. Not to say, Rhett didn't give me many wonderful gifts this year, as I sit here and enjoy a hot cup of coffee from my new Keurig Coffee Maker, thanks babe!
To any big city girl, I know you can relate. Shoes are amazing, and diamonds are fabulous, but parking... is a girl's best friend!
Now that I live in a big city, and have for about 6 and half years now, a good parking spot is a gem, and quite hard to find. When we first moved to Chicago we had a garage spot that was awesome (and quite narrow, my car has the scuff marks to prove it). When we bought our condo 5 years ago, we no longer had parking and the chore of finding a good spot became a constant part of my life. Parking three streets away with groceries, or my laptop bag and teacher tote were to say the least, not my favorite thing in the world.
So you can imagine my delight when I arrived home one day a few days before Christmas to have my husband hand me a small wrapped gift which held inside what has become one of my most prized possessions, a garage opener to my new gated parking spot across the street. I jumped for joy and moved my car in there right away, deeming this one of the best presents I've ever received. Not to say, Rhett didn't give me many wonderful gifts this year, as I sit here and enjoy a hot cup of coffee from my new Keurig Coffee Maker, thanks babe!
To any big city girl, I know you can relate. Shoes are amazing, and diamonds are fabulous, but parking... is a girl's best friend!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Tackling 2012
Well it's now three days into 2012 and my resolutions are coming along quite nicely. Rhett and I went out and got a food processor yesterday, that I am very pumped about and I have already looked up tons of recipes, on my newest obsession, www.pinterest.com. I can just see my 23 year old self looking at this sentence and saying, "Seriously, Bailey? A food processor? What did you crazy kids do next, go vacuum cleaner shopping?" It is funny how things change, right? So to go along with my cooking more resolution I'll be making homemade veggie burgers for myself and some meat for my darling, carnivorous, hubby.
On the running more front, I signed Rhett and I up for the Shamrock Shuffle 8k race that takes place at the end of March. I have been getting back into the routine a bit, but having a race to train for has always helped rev up my motivation!
As far as my blogging, second time this week! I also started writing my novel, and have the prologue done. It's amazing what you can accomplish with time off work! Our school didn't let out for Christmas Vacation until the 22nd, which at the time was kind of a bummer, but now as I sit at the table drinking my coffee and watching kids board the bus to resume school, it's nice to know I won't be falling back into that routine until January 9th! I hope everyone's 2012 is off to a wonderful start!
On the running more front, I signed Rhett and I up for the Shamrock Shuffle 8k race that takes place at the end of March. I have been getting back into the routine a bit, but having a race to train for has always helped rev up my motivation!
As far as my blogging, second time this week! I also started writing my novel, and have the prologue done. It's amazing what you can accomplish with time off work! Our school didn't let out for Christmas Vacation until the 22nd, which at the time was kind of a bummer, but now as I sit at the table drinking my coffee and watching kids board the bus to resume school, it's nice to know I won't be falling back into that routine until January 9th! I hope everyone's 2012 is off to a wonderful start!
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