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Hi clari:)))) are you a fan of cooking? I’m trying to cook more so I’ll stop eating frozen tv dinners all the time but I don’t think cooking is very fun
hello c: i am a fan of cooking! though i eat quite simple so i don't really make like, super elaborate or complex meals. i like baking better than i like cooking (especially if i'm baking for someone because i think receiving something made with love by hand is one of the most special things! <3) but i do enjoy cooking as well. this sounds cliche and probably kind of silly BUT to me, there really is something so lovely about working hard and making yourself a good meal to sit down and enjoy; i think that's a really awesome feeling and one of those small moments to cherish! i'm not sure if that'll help you find more motivation to cook, but it's one of the things that motivates me to cook and makes it rewarding n worth it!
#we also eat seasonal and use ingredients from our family garden and i think that plays a role as well#it's really rewarding to grow something yourself and then get to eat it!#idk i can't explain it well HAHAHA but hopefully it makes sense and you get what i'm trying to say#i am also very health conscious and like to fuel and nurture my body with homemade healthy food so that plays a huge role as well#but i acknowledge that i'm also extremely lucky to have access to organically grown food#anyway i am rambling on and on#either way those are kind of the two big things that keep me motivated to cook! and that it's cheaper for me than eating out AHAHA#if i could afford it i'd probably be eating sushi everyday so there's that >.<#i hope u can find something of use in this ramble answer tho!#i wish u luck on ur cooking journey sweetpea <33#have a fabulous weekend and pls stay safe!!#inky.bb#clari gets mail
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09/08-09/2024 Daily OFMD Recap
TLDR; Leslie Jones Bday; Rose City Comic Con (Rhys, Kristian, Vico, Matt); Nathan Foad; Alex Sherman; Vico Ortiz; Dominic Burgess; Rachel House; Samba Schutte; Baby Baby Baby Reminder from AdoptOurCrew; Tell Tale TV Voting Results; Fan Spotlight: IllustoryArt Affirmation Cards; Big Gay Energy Podcast;
Hey Lovelies, the way things are going, I'm gonna aim for 2 day recaps for now, I know that kinda messes with the name, but hey! Hope you're all staying healthy and safe <3
== Leslie Jones Birthday ==
Happy Belated Birthday to Leslie Fucking Jones! Her birthday was Sept 7!
Source: Leslie's Instagram
== Rose City Comic Con (Rhys, Kristian, Vico, Matt) ==
The weekend wrapped up with more and more fun with the crew! Kristian even got to meet a llama during RCCC! .. apparently Nathan in disguise!
Source: Kristian Nairn's Instagram
Our fabulous crewmate MentalDevass over on twitter was such a sweetie and allowed me share this super cute interaction with Rhys on the recap tonight! <3 Thanks hon!
Source: MentalDevass's Twitter
Lots of shots of the panel from Seattle Refined!
Source: Seattle Refined
== Nathan Foad ==
Nathan telling Germany he'll see them soon! Looks like he'll be joining the StuttGart ComicCon happening at the end of November!
Source: Nathan Foad's Instagram
== Alex Sherman ==
Alex is out seeing Beetlejuice!
Source: Alex Sherman's Instagram Stories
== Samba Schutte ==
"Take Me To Your Baker"
instagram
Source: Samba Schutte's Instagram
== Vico Ortiz ==
Vico is Narrating a new book-- "American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era"! Wanna preorder it? Here's some options!
Booktoopia
Libro.Fm
Audible
Barnes & Noble
Source: Queer News Instagram
== Dominic Burgess ==
Happy Star Trek Day to all who celebrate! Dominic sends his regards!
and also-- more Cat Content!
(And although this was prior to the news, very appropriate given the passing of the Late, Great, James Earl Jones. Rest In Peace sir <3)
Source: Dominic's Twitter
Dominic also shared the good news about his current show --Congrats to the Team of Palm Royale for winning an emmy for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music!
== Rachel House ==
Rachel was out promoting the fabulous TE MAUNGA at that Toronto International Film Festival!
Source: Collider Instagram
== Baby Baby Baby Reminder ==
Our friends over at @adoptourcrew are promoting the Baby, Baby, Baby Event! Remember to schedule your tweets!
Source: Adopt Our Crew Twitter
== Tell Tale TV Voting Results ==
Source: Tell Tale TV / Adopt Our Crew Twitter
== Fan Spotlight ==
= Illustory Art - Affirmation Cards! =
I cannot tell you how much I absolutely adore how our brilliant community continues to spread love, kindness, and support. Tonight's new Fan Spotlight is on Illustory Art! Illustory does absolutely adorable and beautifully colored illustrations, pins, and fan-themed affirmation cards! I'm sure you've seen some of their charming work around-- they've done so much fun stuff for the Doctor Who, Good Omens, and OFMD community! Do you have one of their affirmation decks by chance?
If not, and you're interested -- there's some great news -- coming this Friday, Sept 13, new preorders are becoming available on Illustory's Ko-Fi!
OFMD Season 2 Booster
Full OFMD Deck
and a new set-- What We Do In the Shadows!
The WWDITS set was made in collaboration with apolin.art, another gorgeous illustrator! If you'd like to see more of their works-- or put in a preorder, you can follow the two of them on their socials below!
Illustory's Socials: Ko-Fi / Linktr.ee / Instagram / Tumblr / Twitter
Apolin Art's Socials: Linktr.ee / Instagram / Twitter
== Big Gay Energy Pod ==
New episode of Big Gay Energy Podcast comes out on Wednesday! They'll be discussing the OFMD Cancellation with their friend Chloe!
instagram
Source: Big Gay Energy Podcast Instagram
== Love Notes ==
Tonight, since the delightful Illustory Art gave me permission to spotlight some of their works, I'm gonna add a couple from their Good Omens Deck to the Love Notes since I just feel so warm and fuzzy inside when I look at them <3 Remember lovelies that you can do anything. You don't have to do everything, even though sometimes it feels like you need to-- but you have the potential to do so many many wonderful things. Please be kind to yourself and give yourself a break, you're getting to where you want/need to go in your own time. Rest up and keep on keeping on <3
Source: Illustory Art's Instagram
#daily ofmd recap#ofmd daily recap#leslie jones#illustory art#nathan foad#rhys darby#vico ortiz#kristian nairn#matthew maher#samba schutte#ofmd#our flag means death#Rachel house#dominic burgess#palm royale#Alex Sherman#Instagram
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Fabulous Friday
Today was a fantastic day. My sister came to town. We have so much fun together, we laugh ourselves silly, and we just get each other. Gosh, that’s good for my soul. We tried to take selfie.
Our hair is telling you that it was a rainy day. The McGlaughn girl hair is more reliable than doppler radar. My Twinkie colored hair (half yellow, half white) is the bane of my existence, but I’m determined to see it through. I’m a granny, don’t judge me. Look at my lovely sister. She’s always had flawless skin, ringlets, and an adventurous soul. She’s what you’d call a once-in-a-lifetime woman. Unsinkable. Anywayyyy, today has apparently been all about FOOD. I feel like I never want to eat again. We had lunch at Earth Tones Cafe and gobbled up their Chesapeake Artichoke Bagel. It’s an open-faced toasted bagel topped with a mixture of artichoke hearts, spinach, cream cheese, mozzarella, parm, red pepper flakes, and Old Bay seasoning. Holy Cow. Earth Tones is a vegan cafe but this did not feel like a healthy choice....delicious, yes, but probably not on the American Heart Associations recommended list. We made a couple of stops around town and our final stop was Craft Bakery because Mickey had asked me to bring him one of their maple-vanilla lattes. Well, who goes into a bakery and just buys coffee? Not this girl. Two toffee bars, two blackout cookies, and one brown sugar and cinnamon pop-tart later, we left. I tell myself that I only buy baked goods as decor. I love having a few things under this cake dome, just because it’s pretty.
That doesn’t explain why there’s a blackout cookie missing. I won’t touch the toffee bars or the pop-tart but those deep chocolate cookies with a sprinkle of sea salt....they call to me. I wish she’d stop making them. My thighs can’t take it. That said, my thighs walked me right up the steps to the Culinary Arts Center to collect the bowl I painted a couple of weeks ago. I’d participated in a fundraiser by paying to paint a bowl, and part of the price included a container of soup from Shore Gourmet when I picked up my bowl. The bowls had been fired and I ran by to get mine. My bowl turned out okay (I didn’t have enough time!) but I’m very pleased with the soup I chose. Perfect for these chilly, wet days.
YUM! After the tasty lunch and that chocolate cookie, I figured I’d better make a veggie heavy dinner. Taco bowls with cauliflower rice! My stovetop was busy. Black beans simmered with onion, salt, cumin, a couple splashes of hot sauce, and a little water, cauliflower rice in a skillet sautéing with a sprinkle of salt and a blast of chili powder (fresh cilantro would is perfect in this, but I didn’t have any handy), and another skillet with lean ground turkey seasoned with all the taco spices.
Add some veggies and it’s a tasty bowl!
This is one of my favorite quick dinners - full of flavor and checks most boxes for a healthy dinner meal. Bonus, there’s usually enough left for lunch. Thankfully, tomorrow morning we’re scheduled for a guided hike (more of a walk) at the arboretum. Always informational, but mostly I need to log some steps (and eat some salads). I’m hoping that all of the laughing today counts as an ab workout. If only. If that counted as a workout I’d be thin as a rail with washboard abs. I laugh a lot but those blackout cookies don’t care. That’s it, my wonderful Friday - time with my sister and too much food. I’m a lucky duck. I hope that your Friday has been good for your soul. If not, I hope the weekend fills the gap. If all else fails, eat a cookie. Sending out some love tonight. Take what you need.
Stay safe, stay well.
Nancy
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FICS I’VE READ THIS WEEK (48)
Hello everybody!! What a WONDERFUL Thursday. I’m in a fabulous mood - I hope all of you are as well! I didn’t read as much this week - but mostly it’s because I’ve been busy with work and with beta reading a wonderful story and playing a lot of Animal Crossing. Last night, I got to meet my favourite villager in game - and he told me I smelled good. You don’t even want to KNOW how loudly I shrieked. Honestly - my only goal in this game is to get this cat with Bowie eyes to move to my island. It’ll happen. Oh yes. It will.
Anyway - I’m trying a new recipe today. I’m going to be making home made alfredo sauce. Has anyone any tips? What is your favourite meal to cook from scratch? The Salmon House needs some diversity so I’m looking for favourite (not too difficult) suggestions. Anyone?
I hope you all have a glorious weekend. Enjoy the sunshine (I hope it’s sunny where you are) and stay healthy and stay safe. 😘
Here is my reading list for the week of March 12-March 18
Weeks 1- 46 (3251 chapters)
Week 47 (66 chapters)
Week 48 (58 chapters)
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BUGHEAD - 15
you're welcome by @fallout-mars (1/1)
an ikea date by @fallout-mars (1/1)
Sick Of the Chase by @like-romeoandjuliet-love (chapter 2)
dream a little dream (of me) by @literatiruinedme (1/1)
We are all Embers (From the Same Fire) by @darveysbughead (chapter 4)
Awaken the Dawn by @loveandcoffeeandsimplicities (chapter 7)
Regrets Collect like Bullet Shells by @loveandcoffeeandsimplicities (chapters 18-21)
The Island by @likemereckless (chapter 10)
Middle, Beginning, End by @crashhale (chapters 1 & 2)
Becoming Eleanor by @srainebuggie (chapter 4)
on the topic of sleep by @riverdalenerdlol (1/1)
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Bughead Rereads - 17
Dancing in a Snow Globe by @like-romeoandjuliet-love (12/12)
The Usual Order by @miss-eee (4/4)
Mother Knows Best by @bugheadsextape (1/1)
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MISCELLANEOUS - 22
Her Type by @musicprincess1990 (Sherlock/Molly - 1/1)
the heartbreak prince by @kylorenvevo (Ben/Rey - chapter 34)
The breeding program by Chevalier_Barthelemy (Five/Vanya - chapter 7)
Time After Time by @fiveyaaas (Five/Vanya - chapter 5)
Hand in Hand to Hell by @portiaadams (Richard Harrow/OFC - chapter 1)
Holidating by @idreamofdraco (Draco/Ginny - chapter 5)
Now That I Got You Close by @queenie-004 (Peter/LJ - chapters 1-5)
I'm Tired of Pretending ( we'll get through this together ) by @melanoradrood (Simon/Daphne - 1/1)
Reconciliation by Fandomloveee (Simon/Daphne - 1/1)
He Aims His Pistol at the Sky by JuicyJams (Simon/Daphne - 1/1)
The Hydra by calcaneus (Simon/Daphne - 1/1)
you told me, if you love me, let it die by Tiara_of_Sapphires (Simon/Daphne - 4/4)
Counterplay by @alexandra-emerson (Draco/Ginny - chapters 9-11)
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Misc. Rereads - 4
The Music Between Us by @mynewblackdress (Five/Vanya - 1/1)
Everybody Knows by @mynewblackdress (Five/Vanya - 1/1)
Sloth by @mynewblackdress (Five/Vanya - 2/2)
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JULIET! Wishing you a fabulous weekend 💖
omg i’m so sorry for only seeing this now! i haven’t been very active on here lately 🤦♀️ i hope you had a good holiday this week and that you have a happy new year. stay safe and healthy daisy! ❤️
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Dented Ch. 3--AU
Finally thought of a name for the AU.
“Why haven’t you answered my texts? Do you not want me anymore?” I ask carefully. Just asking hurts. I forgot this much pain was possible.
“What? Kristoff, of course I want you. You’re my son. I just got your texts five seconds ago. Remember I was going on that camping trip? I told you about it at the restaurant. And that I wouldn’t have cell service.”
“I feel like a dumbass.”
“I still love you. Come in. You’re not okay. What’s going on?” She leads me from the entry hall to the spacious pale blue living room.
“Besides Regan being horrible? I went to a party on Friday. Clare’s girlfriend was having at her lake house. Anyway, it happened again.” My face twists into a grimace as I sink onto the matching blue sectional. It’s much softer and more plush than mine.
“What’d Regan do? Who was it?”
I show her the text reluctantly. It gives me a little time to dredge up the courage to tell her about the party.
“I was really drunk. Blackout drunk. Clare told me today he was blond and she thought his name might be James. I remember doing shots with Clare and then I woke up in a bed.”
“Did Clare know? Did anyone try to help you?”
“Yeah, she knew. Apparently, I could be heard over the music. Nobody did anything that I know of.”
“How’re you doing with this?”
“Oh, I'm peachy. I lashed out at the one guy I actually trust. I'm cutting class because I don’t want to look at Clare right now. Things are just fabulous. Oh, and I'm not sleeping and I'm really depressed. Can’t get better.”
“Have you thought about getting help? I believe you, Kristoff. I hope you know that. I'm sorry you’re suffering.”
“Yeah, telling a stranger about this sounds great.”
“Kristoff.”
“I might be leaving the bakery.”
“I thought you loved it.”
“I sorta slept with a guy’s brother and he’s being a jerk to me about it.”
“Were you a couple?” She sounds more excited than I expected by the possibility of me having a boyfriend.
“No. Just a hookup.”
“You know that’s not safe. Are you using protection at least?”
“If they don’t wanna use a condom, I don’t sleep with them. That’s like the only rule I have.”
“At least you’re being smart.”
“How was the camping trip?” I don’t want to discuss my sex life.
“It was good. There’s something really important I need to talk to you about.”
“You found a fae village in the woods.” I smirk teasingly at her. She’s my best friend. That might make me a mama’s boy. I don’t care.
“No. I met a guy. He’s really sweet. He asked me to dinner for this Friday.”
“What’s he like?”
“He’s sweet. He’s genuine. He has kids of his own. He’s very respectful.”
“Does he work?”
“He’s a video game designer.”
“How’d you meet him? Was he a client?”
“His sister is my best friend. He came on the trip with us. The poor thing, he was the only man there. We started talking and we just…clicked.”
“You didn’t sleep with him, did you?” The idea fills me with horror.
“Kristoff!”
“Now you know how I felt.”
“You’re a brat. If you need to not be alone, you know you can stay here.”
“I know. Ransom’s been staying since it happened. He sleeps in the guest room. And he keeps making me breakfast.”
“Do you like him?”
“Does it matter? I'm so fu—screwed-up. I mean, yeah, we slept together before it happened.”
“You deserve to be happy, sweetie. I know that’s hard for you to believe. But you do.”
“If it hadn’t happened, he was gonna ask me out.” I sigh softly.
“And? How do you feel about that?”
“You sound like a therapist. It would’ve been nice. I mean, he’s a great person. He’s hot. He’s smart.”
“Is he still interested?”
“I think so.”
“Are you interested?”
I nod slowly. He’s someone I would like to date. Someone I could maybe be with.
“He sounds like a good guy. He might be good for you,” she tells me gently.
“He is a good guy. He deserves better than a mess like me.”
The depression has become a physical weight in my chest. What happened and the fact I don’t deserve to be happy or in a stable, healthy relationship don’t help any. I am worthless.
“Alright, you have me really worried. Kristoff, are you thinking about killing yourself?”
“I'm not quite there yet.”
“Bu you’re still really bad?”
“Yeah. I don’t get like this.”
“I know. If you need to check in somewhere, I’ll take you. You have my support.”
“I don’t want to. I don’t wanna be hospitalized. I don’t wanna start therapy. I just wanna get through this crap on my own and go on with my life.” I rub my fingers absently over my phoenix tattoo. It was the first piece of ink I got. And it’s the most meaningful. Because phoenixes rise from the ashes. No matter what I face, I'm able to bounce back eventually. Right now, I need that reminder.
“I hate to tell you this, but you’re not Superman. There’s no shame in getting help.”
“I know that.”
I don’t want to need help. I know how society sees people who have mental health issues. And I don’t want them to see me that way. Ransom comes over after his shift tonight. He has a black duffel bag with him this time. Anger flickers in his jade eyes, despite his friendly smile.
“If you don’t wanna babysit me, it’s fine,” I assure him quickly.
“You’re not the problem. I like you. I met your sister.”
“How’d that go? Regan’s a nightmare, isn’t she?”
“You’re nothing alike. We’ve already butted heads.”
“So, they hired her?”
“Don’t threaten me like that. Did you know your sister doesn’t like Jews?” An edge slips into his low voice. I don’t like the distrust in his green eyes.
“No. Ransom, if I had, I would’ve told you.”
“Riley told her off. I know she’s your family and everything, but she was an utter bitch to me.”
“That would be Regan. Are you okay?” I touch his forearm gently. The sleeve of his black hoodie is soft.
“I'm irritated with her. I'm more worried about you.” He smiles gently.
“You still like me? I'm sorry she was nasty.”
“You’re not racist. You okay? I’ve dealt with it a lot.”
I shake my head quietly. I don’t want to talk about it. I’ve talked about it enough today.
“What do you need? We can go do something. Or watch movies or whatever will help,” he murmurs gently.
“I'm sorry. You don’t have to stay.”
“You’re my friend. You’re in crisis. I'm not abandoning you.”
I didn’t think he’d want to stay. I know it’s inconvenient. A hassle. Which means I am. But here he is.
“Thanks.”
“How was class? Did anything interesting happen?” He sounds so genuinely interested it surprises me. Guys don’t do that.
“I walked out. Clare and I got into it and I didn’t want to look at her.” I sigh shakily. I feel like all I do anymore is break down. So much for ‘masculinity.’
“You cut class? You never do that. What happened?”
“She knew what happened. Everyone knew. And nobody tried to help me. She blamed me. I didn’t hear from her all weekend either.”
“I thought she was your friend.”
“Yeah, so did I.”
“For what it’s worth, I believe you. And it’s really crappy that they did nothing.”
“Thanks. How’d you meet my sister?”
“I did a tattoo for her. A simple rose she picked out of the book. Took twenty minutes. She argued with me about the aftercare. Called me a stupid kike. That was when Riley stepped in.” He rakes a hand through his hair.
“She should’ve never done that. You’re not stupid. And she should’ve never called you a slur. I'm sorry.”
“I didn’t get a tip. Because my people are ‘money hungry penny-pinching misers.’” He toys with his blue Star of David necklace. I’ve noticed he does this when he’s upset.
“How much was the tattoo?”
“Forty. It’s not a money thing, Kris. It’s the fact she played the anti-Semitic card. The fact she used my race as the reason to not give me a tip, not my work.”
“I knew you were tryin’ to get a new car. That’s why I asked. I'm sorry.”
“You’re not giving me the tip your sister should’ve. I don’t take handouts or pity.”
“I wasn’t tryin’ to piss you off. I'm sorry, Ransom. I was tryin’ to be nice.”
“Were you? Or were you trying to be my ‘rescuer’?”
“Yeah, I was! I thought you’d be happy that I was tryin’ to make up for her.” I flinch at the sound of my own raised voice.
“I stand on my own feet. By my own merit.” He sounds just as angry as I am.
“I don’t wanna fight with you.” I don’t have the energy. I’ve spent it on fighting the battle raging inside my head.
“Me either. And you didn’t need me arguing while you’re already feeling bad. Which makes me an ass. I owe you an apology for that. I'm sorry.”
“Forgiven. Thank you for staying.”
“You’re welcome. And I'm not being nice to you just so we can hook up again when you’re okay.”
“I wouldn’t hate you if you were.”
I wish that wasn’t true. I wish I would be angry with him if he was using me. But I can’t do that. Ransom’s sleeping soundly on the couch when I get up. He’s even more adorable asleep. I envy his easy sleep.
I start breakfast, even though I don’t feel much like eating. I don’t feel like going to work or class either, but I have to.
“Good morning. Did you get any sleep?” Ransom says, startling me.
“A couple hours.”
“You look exhausted.”
“I am. I'm gonna send my teachers a text and explain what’s going on.”
I know I can’t avoid Clare forever. I shouldn’t have to. She should’ve believed me and been on my side. But she wasn’t. We’ve known each other since we were fourteen. I mean, I used to go to her family’s holidays because Regan and I fought so much. Clare’s pretty much family to me.
“Good idea. Any way you can take your classes online?” He looks perfectly at home in my kitchen with one of my mugs clutched in his slender hands. I wish the thought didn’t make my stomach twinge. I’ve never had hope for a picket fence of my own.
“I’ll ask.”
I dread going to work almost as much as dealing with Clare. Maybe more.
“Text me on break?” he asks hopefully.
I agree easily. By the end of my shift, I'm ready to quit. Eight hours of being sexually harassed does my fragile mental health zero favors. My boss knows. She doesn’t care.
I don’t tell Ransom over text. I don’t want to upset him. If I tell him at all, it’ll be face-to-face.
I have a text from him, inviting me to dinner. He’s clarified that it’s not a date, which I appreciate. I agree easily.
Maybe if I wasn’t such a broken mess, I’d ask him out. Maybe if I thought he could like me more than for just sex. Maybe if I wasn’t so scared. But I am.
#my writing#lgbt fiction#kris pov#phoenix writes#writing excerpt#original fiction#original fanfiction#writers on tumblr#writeblr
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ღ♥ღ ☆°♪♬ ~ My Dearest Family & Friends, I’ve been waiting for today since Wednesday because I’ve got a poem called BE MY THE OTHER HANDS to share with you. But I’d like to share a thought with you first. I believe that it’s the fate/destiny that has brought us together, but it doesn’t keep us together. Our chemistry and that magic power are the key components to make us stay bonded together. A story to be shared with you next week. Now the short poem time.... BE MY OTHER HANDS Would you be my other hands Take me to all lands Play on the sands Tightly hold my hands And walk me to the ends Hope you like it. Have a fabulous weekend while stay safe n healthy. Will see you guys next Saturday~ love you guys~~~ ❤️💕💖❤️💕💖 #march #cloudy #sarurday #photoshoot #worldmodel #fashionmodel #asianmodel #runwaymodel #weddingphotography #engagementphotos #bridalmakeup #aday #with #bestie #instahappy #instadaily #instagood #instamood #instalikes https://www.instagram.com/p/CMFYHDILYpq9Uiq9arthFPA5BgijVrzfzbQbt40/?igshid=8csapkh8vn04
#march#cloudy#sarurday#photoshoot#worldmodel#fashionmodel#asianmodel#runwaymodel#weddingphotography#engagementphotos#bridalmakeup#aday#with#bestie#instahappy#instadaily#instagood#instamood#instalikes
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Good morning lovelies! It’s now been a couple of weeks since Rachieclairebells had to close as a ‘non-essential’ shop. During this time, Rachieclairebells herself has been working on some fabulous vintage knitwear suitable for all of today’s body shapes and sizes. Plans are also afoot to have a grand reopening, once allowed, in both the store and the market hall itself. In the meantime, it seems like this Easter weekend is destined to go with a whimper rather than a bang. Please do remember that we all must, must, must continue to social isolate at this time, regardless of how hot the weather gets. It won’t be for much longer, and I personally want everyone to stay home, stay safe and stay healthy. Which brings me to this; this isn’t my phrase or my picture, but it completely resonated with me. I hope it does you too. Enjoy the Easter weekend beautiful people ❤️❤️❤️ #rachieclairebells #morleymarket #coronavirus #covi̇d19 #stayhome #staysafe #stayhomestaysafe (at Rachieclairebells) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-y5kZuFchq/?igshid=myg4x6pzkauk
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What to do, see, eat, and where to stay in Tucson
Sharing some tips from a Tucson native on what to do, the best restaurants, and where to stay in this amazing lil city.
Hi friends! Hope you’re having a lovely morning. We’re having an amazing Beautycounter promo right now: order any regimen or collection and get a free full-sized product! Details are here. You know how much I love Countertime! If you didn’t get this week’s safe skincare newsletter and place an order, email me and I’ll let you know about something special I’m doing for clients right now.
To join the safe skincare newsletter, click here!
For today’s post, I’m sharing some of my favorite things about Tucson! While I totally understand that Tucson isn’t the must-see destination of the US, it is a really unique spot with incredible local restaurants and exquisite scenery. There aren’t many places like it, and while I’m biased since I was born here, I’ve grown more fond of Tucson as I’ve gotten older. (For example, in high school I was like, “GET ME OUTTA HERE” and then when I finally moved far away, I couldn’t wait to eventually come back.)
Lately, I’ve been inundated with requests on where to eat and where to stay here in town. We’re at the end of winter and hitting some of our most gorgeous weather, so it makes sense that so many people plan on early springtime trips.
Here are some of my top suggestions for what to do in T-town!
What to do, see, eat, and where to stay in Tucson
What to do in Tucson for a day
1) Wake up and grab a coffee at Ren coffee in St. Phillip’s plaza. They have incredible drink and snack options – I love their housemade vegan protein bars. If you’re lucky, it will be over the weekend and you can explore the farmer’s market and get a crepe from Planet of the Crepes for breakfast.
2) Head up to La Encantada for some outdoor shopping (they have an anthropologie, lululemon, kate spade, Athleta, and Pottery Barn) and a craft at Creative Kind. They have drop-in crafts that you have do, including indigo tie dye, wall macrame hangings, watercolors, and wreaths. This is the perfect spot to hang out with a friend and make a little souvenir with a Tucson twist.
3) Drive down Campbell and enjoy brunch at the best spot: Prep & Pastry. Everything on the menu is good and you can choose if you’d like something a little lighter, like their avocado toast or sweet breakfast bowl, or something more indulgent, like the biscuits and gravy or French toast (changes daily). No matter what you do: order one or two of their fresh pastries to share.
4) Head back to the hotel for some downtime at the pool, or down to University, 4th Ave, or the MSA Annex to explore the shops.
5) Late afternoon, enjoy a stroll at Sabino Canyon, which is one of the most picturesque hikes in Tucson. You can also ride on the eco-friendly tram that makes stops along the main trail. (The entire distance up and back is 7.4 miles.)
6) Dinner at Cafe Poca Cosa, followed by drinks and music on the patio at Hotel Congress or on the rooftop bar at Playground. Cafe Poca Cosa is still my favorite dinner spot for out-of-town guests. The menu changes twice daily, based on what’s fresh at the market and servers carry around an enormous chalkboard with the menu options. I recommend the Plato Poca Cosa, which is chef’s choice, and if everyone at the table orders the plato, they’ll all be different!
Favorite taco spots in Tucson
– Boca Tacos. These are our favorite tacos in Tucson! They have so many incredible flavor options, a guacamole flight (!), great margaritas, and chips that arrive hot out of the bag. Just do it.
– Calle Tepa. This is an awesome spot that we go to almost weekly for casual street Mexican food. The service is insanely fast and the good is always good. This is a great spot to take the kids!
– Blanco Tacos. Blanco is located in La Encantada (our most high-end shopping center), surrounded by shops, other restaurants (we also love North and Ra) and gorgeous city views. They have the BEST rice.. it’s creamy, buttery perfection.
Healthy restaurants in Tucson
Tucson has so many incredibly local restaurants with healthy options. You can go pretty much anywhere and find something that will sound good to you. (For example, you can go to Prep & Pastry and get the best pancakes of your life, or a sweet potato hash with eggs. You do you!) For this section, I’m focusing on the best restaurants that focus on health-centered food. What I mean by this: they’re plant-based, source local and organic incredibles, offer vegan and gluten-free options, and will make you leave completely full, but still feeling energized.
Goodness:
Goodness is one of my favorite lunch spots in Tucson. They have smoothies, bowls, fresh juices, kombucha, it’s awesome.
Charro Vida:
Charro Vida is one of the newer spots that I love. They have a ton of vegan and gluten-free menu options, including gluten-free chocolate churros!
Renee’s Organic Oven:
I’ve loved Renee’s Organic Oven for a long time. They use a lot of organic and local ingredients, have amazing pasta and pizza dishes, great wine, and fab desserts.
August Rhodes:
This is the best sandwich spot in Tucson, hand’s down. The sandwiches aren’t gluten-free, but they have salad and soup options. All of the bread is made in house and it is amaaaazing.
*Tumerico:
I actually haven’t been here yet but everyone RAVES about it! It’s Mexican food with lots of healthy options. Maybe we’ll finally head down there this weekend.
Lovin’ Spoonfuls:
This is an entirely vegan restaurant with lots of gluten-free selections. One of my friends from high school is their pastry chef and makes all of the ridiculous creations in the dessert case each day, including different brownies, cakes, pastries, and pop tarts (AHHHHH). My fave is the falafel, greek salad, and gf pita bread.
Saffron Indian restaurant:
Saffron is our favorite Indian restaurant in town – they catered my bday party! – and they have a lunch buffet, too.
Guilin Chinese Restaurant:
This is a healthy Chinese restaurant that Kyle goes to often. (if Kyle likes it, you know it’s good!)
Where to stay in Tucson
– Loew’s Ventana Canyon: This is the hotel I recommend the most often because it’s nice, they have a great pool, it’s perfect for families (they have a playground and a koi pond where you can feed the fish, plus a small trail that leads to a man-made waterfall), and their Sunday brunch is LEGENDARY. It’s also in a great location. It’s safe and quiet while being about 20-25 minutes away from most popular areas and destinations.
– Hacienda del Sol. Hacienda is a quieter hotel, nestled in the Catalina Foothills. They have a courtyard with twinkling lights, a fabulous restaurant on site, and is also in a desirable location.
– Miraval. Miraval is a world-renowned health resort, featuring on fresh and healthy cuisine, spa services, fitness classes, activities and treatments focused on well-being. It’s all-inclusive (so meals and many activities are included, plus you receive spa credit) so it’s definitely worth a trip if you plan to stay on property, Zen out, and life your best spa life. Check out my review of Miraval here!
– Arizona Inn. This is a historic boutique hotel in central Tucson. It’s closer to the university and downtown dining and shopping options.
– Tanque Verde Guest Ranch. This is another great choice if you bring the kiddos! The rooms are a little bit older, but they have awesome Southwestern casitas (see our review here!) and their Sunday cowboy cookout is amazing. We’ll often go for dinner when the weather is warm to enjoy the food, prickly pear margaritas, and live music. They also have a great pool, horseback riding lessons and camp for the kids, fishing, and activities.
Honorable mention: The Ritz-Carlton at Dove Mountain. It’s a Ritz, it’s in a gorgeous location, but a pretty far hop on the freeway from most fun things in Tucson. I’d stay there if you don’t mind driving back and forth or if you just plan on living the hotel life while you’re here.
Honorable mention: Hotel McCoy. We haven’t visited this one yet, but I’ve heard so many positive reviews! It’s an art boutique hotel.
What to do in downtown Tucson
Some bars to check out:
– Sky Bar- solar-powered cafe, astronomy bar at night
– Downtown Kitchen & Cocktails- love the vibe here!
– Scott & Co – a small speakeasy for a low-key vibe (though it’s packed on the weekends)
– Highwire Lounge- this is a great people-watching spot on the patio
– Cobra Arcade Bar- they have game-themed cocktail and old-school arcade games
Date night options in Tucson
– Commoner & Co. – I’ve been raving about Commoner for years and it’s still our go-to date night spot. Just go and try it – make sure to get reservations first
– The Flying V – Their tableside guacamole is our favorite. Their food was just meh last time we went, but I’d definitely go for guacamole, chips, drinks and dessert
– Tito and Pep – their cocktails are incredible and they have add a Mexican flair to bistro cuisine
* The Coronet – haven’t checked this out yet but Kyle said it’s excellent
– Charro del Rey – the table side Caesar salad is SO good and they also have oysters (a rare find in Tucson)
– The Grill at Hacienda del Sol – a great date night spot and they often have live music on the weekends
– Gaslight Theatre – our local melodrama theatre, where you can “boo” at the bad guys, cheer for the heroes, and enjoy diner food while watching a live show. Definitely bring the kids along for this one
– Laff’s Comedy Club – this is our local comedy club where you can see local and national acts. They also have a bar + appetizers
– Top Golf – we’ve recently become huge Top Golf fans, which is funny since we’re not real golfers. The food is great and it’s fun to have a friendly competition (and quote Happy Gilmore the entire time).
I think that’s it!
Are you planning any little trips or vacations soon? What’s the #1 thing you recommend to people when they visit your hometown?
I’ll share a post soon with kid-friendly dining ideas and family activities!
xoxo
G
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Time for my dears
/From May to June, I got about 7 flights, crossing 5 countries – Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, Korea and Thailand. Welcome back, a crazy up-in-the-air life../
I finished ES at the end of May, and out of Singapore for a month before my new start with Rhenus. Spending one evening till midnight with Ky Tran, cHien and SL for a dinner. It was so much fun and comfortable talking about everything, work life and love life.
Then a night flight going to Taiwan for 3 week holiday with my darlin :).
I was super tired and slept during a couple of days.
I could always find myself convenient, relaxing and happy to be in Taoyuan. We did hiking at the weekend and walking after 10pm. The weather in Taiwan turned to be perfect of light sun in the morning and chilling at night.
Friend bonding time with pot-luck up to 10 people at home, a visit to Vicky’s new house and few short trips to Taipei catching my bestie Sansan are the best memories when I was in Taoyuan this time.
The next week, we went to Jeju for our 1 year anniversary.
A shaking flight made me sick when we landed off. Glam grabbed my hand tightly and kept saying it is alright.
We used all public transportation for our travel and eat local food – that is what I love so much being on the new road with my love partner. The first day, we stayed at a small homestay in the East of Jeju to climb up the mountain the day after that. Such as rainy day though! We could not wander a lot after a big seafood lunch, so be back the hostel and slept whole evening. We treated ourselves with BBQ pork – Korean traditional BBQ at a neighbor store in a rainy night. Feeling warm like home.. Little drama on television before going to sleep. I felt we were a Korean old couple staying at home and sleeping early during rainy seasons.. Actually, it is also a lovely idea..
Still raining in the early morning.. We got grumpy of each other because of the weather. He kept holding my hand during our ways to the mount without any words from both of us. Seongsan Iluchung is hugely gorgeous. And somehow, it played a link connecting us again.. We could not be upset or crazy more in front of fabulous nature. We talked with an Indian couple on the top of the mount when asking for a photo shot. Then during the way down, we got back to be crazy hyperactive couple as usual. He bought me a big waffle ice cream. Just a simple thing made my day brighter and happier..
We checked out Seongsan town and took a bus to Seowipo – the town of harbor. Such a nice hostel with rooftop and cozy decoration. Discovering a small mom-made kimbab place made us super cheerful. We fulfilled starving monsters by simply tasty lunch. After a nap, we had quick instant noodles at the rooftop and then hit a long trail about 5 km along a park. It is always great, safe and joyful to have your partner walking around with you in a beautiful sunset :). We arrived the signature bridge in Jeju at sunset, listening the waves, catching the sky. Such a peaceful happy evening..
We indulged our stomachs with so much food, but nothing can compare to the last night when I got drunk for Soju. Such a funny shameful night haha.. Luckily I was with my man who always protects me. After a last long walk to see lighthouses and huge moon, we decided to treat ourselves with a bid feast. We ordered seafood sprout and Soju. I was totally fucked up by that drink with a cheery face! Glam needed to carry me home and I kept say non-sense things on the way haha (that is what he told me!). And I ended up to cry like a babe during an hour on the bed. He was so worried about me but I knew it is normal for my tears when I am crazy of alcohol haha.
And it came the date of 9th, 2017. Our 1 year anniversary. It is still unbelievable for me :)..
We took flight back Taiwan and celebrated our day with twin panda T-shirts as a teenager couples. Then a long night walk together in little chilling Taoyuan night..
Taiwan always brought me happiness and cheers with friends and my love. We spent time with Martin, Jenny and everyone at H.O.P.
Glam was sick after Korea trip. I am grateful I am here and I could take care him <3. I cooked porridge and we were lazy at home all the time he is out of work. I also took a short bus going to Taipei visiting my bestie Sansan before leaving, for here birthday celebration as well.
Before going back Vietnam, I cook a couples food for Glam in the fridge. It made me so happy to do it :)..
/Happy family time./
I spent almost 2 weeks in Vietnam with my parents, siblings and my angels. They are super hyperactive now haha.
My parents are getting older and older.. All my wish is the best healthy and happiness for them.. One day, I read a sentence – ‘If your parents can stay 20 years more, you can only see them 20 times more as well’.. I am trying my best to save up and come back my home 2 times every year. I know my mom and dad miss me much and always worry about me. I am just homeless and accepted to be homeless few more years. Still find myself on every step I take. I hope I could be able to come back Vietnam one day early, with a strong soul and a simple happy full life :).
My network circle is so limited now. I only met up SL and KTr for my Vietnam time. Feeling blessed to have my best friends who always have time for me even though it was midnight at the airport. I just need to devote whole my life for few people I love, I respect and I appreciate for..
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Meet AFLW Forward And Mum-Of-Two Sophie Abbatangelo
Meet AFLW Forward And Mum-Of-Two Sophie Abbatangelo
Family
Emma Eldridge
North Melbourne Tasmania Kangaroos’ forward Sophie Abbatangelo is Mum to Meika and Hendrix. Photo – Sarah Collins for The Design Files.
Hendrix, 5, started school as Sophie began her debut AFLW season this year. Photo – Sarah Collins for The Design Files.
Meika, 3, also started kinder – it has been a big year for the family! Photo – Sarah Collins for The Design Files.
After being overlooked in the 2018 draft, Sophie started donning the North Melbourne Tasmania Kangaroos’ #1 jersey this year. Photo – Sarah Collins for The Design Files.
Sophie is a single mum, though Meika and Hendrix’s Dad has been really supportive of her football career, taking the kids Thursday to Sunday. Photo – Sarah Collins for The Design Files.
The family live near the beach and the kids do bush kinder once a week. Photo – Sarah Collins for The Design Files.
They do dinner together after going for a bike ride to the park to kick the footy in the afternoons. Photo – Sarah Collins for The Design Files.
‘I have always been passionate about equal rights and recognition, not just for athletes but for women in general,’ tells Sophie. Photo – Sarah Collins for The Design Files.
Sophie has learned ‘it’s not what you teach them, it’s what they see’. Photo – Sarah Collins for The Design Files.
‘I hope my kids will grow up to be kind,’ she says. ‘That’s the most important trait I can teach them, whether it’s standing up to someone or opening a door for someone else, kindness goes further than anyone can imagine.’ Photo – Sarah Collins for The Design Files.
Women are under-represented in sport, both on and off the field – think participation, coverage and leadership. Contrary to popular belief, this cannot be attributed to boys being naturally more active. In 2016, the LOOK Longitudinal Study found a 19 per cent gap in physical activity between girls and boys – girls, the research revealed, are less favourably influenced by their families, schools and communities.
Yet, equal opportunity and support when it comes to playing sport not only positively impacts girls’ health and development, it counters privilege and bias – which is why I was particularly excited to interview North Melbourne Tasmania Kangaroos forward and mum-of-two Sophie Abbatangelo. Even the unversed like me can see how the AFLW and its counterparts across codes are starting to change attitudes and norms, a welcome development for my generation and those to come. Wishing Sophie and the team the best of luck for the season’s final month!
Your son Hendrix started school the day after your first AFLW game with the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos, a 36-point win over Carlton. Congrats on two massive milestones, how are you both finding your new roles ?
We definitely experienced a rollercoaster of emotions leading up to our big days, with Meika also starting kinder. It was always going to be a challenge for the three of us, as we’re a really tight unit, and Hendrix and Meika are still adjusting to me being away. I think Hendrix nailed his first day with less nerves than I had going into my first game!
But it never stops for us. Coming out of my first game, I was sore and exhausted, but the kids still wake up in the night and crawl into bed with me, so I function on very little sleep. There’s a lot more responsibility when your child starts school, so dealing with him being tired from longer hours and having to do homework takes patience and time.
Hendrix is having so much fun at school, I can’t wait to see what this chapter brings for him. As for me, I’m absolutely loving my new role as a player, I just wish the kids would let me sleep more!
You grew up watching your dad and uncle play AFL, but pursued inline (Sophie represented Australia) and ice hockey as, up until recently, there was no national women’s game (though the VFLW was founded in 1981, and Sophie played with Diamond Creek until this year). Libby Birch of the Western Bulldogs has said that sport has the power to effect cultural change and advance gender equity. What does it mean to you, and your daughter Meika, to be a part of this?
I grew up watching men in my family play football, from my Dad and brother to my uncles and cousins. Even though I preferred to kick with the boys, I was still supported when I wanted to play competition.
I have always been passionate about equal rights and recognition, not just for athletes but for women in general. If Meika grows up to love sport as much as I do, I feel confident that she’ll be encouraged and accepted within any sport she chooses to play. And if she does aspire to play football, it excites me to think how amazing she could be with the talent and growth that is coming through now. I just hope she uses her strength and ferocity in competitive sport rather than on Hendrix and me!
As for following in my footsteps, I hope she feels empowered to challenge herself with things she might find difficult and if she does choose a sporting pathway, listens to her coaches and finds herself a great group of friends.
Entering the 2017 AFLW draft, you were overlooked by all eight clubs – a disappointment that ultimately afforded you more time with your mum, who passed last year. Can you tell us a bit about your mum? I can only imagine how proud she’d be of you today.
Being overlooked in the second draft was a blessing in disguise, though it was upsetting, that feeling of letting my Mum down. I knew not being drafted meant I had a lot more to learn – I needed to touch the footy a little bit longer. But it was hard seeing her sad for me.
She was always my biggest supporter in everything I did. I played a lot of sport at a high level growing up, from tennis to basketball and then hockey. It was always mum who was beside me during the early morning, road trips, camps and late-night games.
Mum was all about connection and conversation, and she loved to dance. She was witty and feisty, a bit of a know-all, intelligent, fabulous and fun. A really beautiful woman. I see a lot of her in Meika.
She always made people feel important and valued. The day I became a mum was the day I realised how extraordinary she was, and that feeling grows stronger every day. The sheer magnitude of motherhood and all it encompasses, the all-consuming love and exhaustion; I don’t think I’ll survive my kids’ childhood and adolescence with the same composure as she did mine.
Towards the end, she had such strength, determination and unwavering love; her ‘get on with it’ attitude was awe-inspiring. The hardest part of my football journey is her not being here doing what Mums love to do best – watch their kids kick ass. I miss life with her.
Much has been made of AFLW players like yourself, Erin Phillips and Dana Hooker balancing footy and family (this rarely comes up in relation to dads in the AFL). You’ve said you’ve spent the last five years as a stay-at-home-mum, how have you found the transition? In what ways do you share the load with Hendrix and Meika’s Dad?
Being a stay-at-home-mum can be quite controversial. For me, it was an instinctive decision – the best way I knew to raise my kids. Though more demanding than any job I’ve had, it’s meant I’ve been able to share every moment and milestone with Hendrix and Meika.
Since AFLW season has started, the kids have spent most weekends with their Dad in Melbourne. He picks them up on a Thursday night, and I get them back on Sunday. They love being with him, and it’s always nice to switch-off and have some me time. Even though we are not together, he has been really supportive of my football career.
During the week can be difficult. Living an hour out of Melbourne with Hendrix now in school and Meika at kinder, it doesn’t give me much flexibility to find a permanent income. But we live near the beach, so we enjoy spending a lot of time down at the water, catching crabs and going on little adventures. The kids do bush kinder once a week, which is a program that helps them develop a deep connection to nature and animals. It’s their favourite day of the week.
Can you give us a glimpse into how your days start and end with Hendrix and Meika?
Mornings can be very rushed; Meika has an 8am start, so when the kids wake up between 7 and 7.30am, there’s only around 30 minutes to ensure they’re fed and dressed with lunches packed. Getting out the door is never an easy task, I generally look like I haven’t slept in six weeks straight!
Wednesday is Hendrix’s day off, and Meika starts kinder later in the day. We have swimming lessons and gymnastics, then usually spend the afternoon together, when we might take the dog for a walk and go kick the footy down the park.
Thursday and Fridays are just me and Meika until we pick Hendrix up. I’ll catch up on the housework and we usually do something fun, every day is different. I do enjoy the days we pretend I’m sick and have broken bones because she enjoys playing doctor and fixing me, it’s totally her idea!
Nights can be hard as a single parent; by 5pm I’m ready for bed. We do dinner together after we have gone for a bike ride to the park and kicked the footy. I try to have the kids in bed by 7pm and asleep by 8pm. We read books and sometimes meditate, then we have a 15-minute chat about our days, telling funny stories and looking at photos of Mum, then I tickle their backs until they fall asleep.
Moving across time, what kind of adults might you like them to grow into? How would you like them to remember you to their own families?
I hope my kids will grow up to be kind. That’s the most important trait I can teach them, whether it’s standing up to someone or opening a door for someone else, kindness goes further than anyone can imagine.
I want them to embrace self-love, something I’ve had to learn as an adult. My theory is that if you grow up loving yourself and feeling safe, you’ll grow to be happy and healthy. If the world is filled with people who share the same thinking, then we’ll see more compassion and kindness – and that’s the kind of world I want to live in.
I’ve learnt it’s not what you teach them, it’s what they see. We can tell them to do things over and over, but if they see us living in a way that contradicts our advice, they won’t take it on for themselves.
I will always try to encourage my kids to see their strengths and use them, whether it’s Hendrix’s hand-eye coordination and great ball skills that might have him playing under the mother-son rule, or Meika’s strength and determination that will make her a future leader or CEO.
The reality is, I was still much like a child myself when I had my two kids, and under the circumstances of losing my Mum the experience of motherhood has been confronting and challenging, which has nearly broken me a number of times. But the best part is I get to grow up alongside my kids, rolling with the punches and learning along the way, all to hopefully become the parent they deserve. That’s how I want them to remember me, by all the love!
Family Favourites
Activity or outing
We love the beach and zoo, The Big Goose, swimming pools and bush walks.
Dinner destination
Anywhere with a playground. My kids aren’t the type to sit at a restaurant in silence, so out of respect for everyone else I prefer to just stay at home.
Book, film, or show
We read a lot of books, it’s been a night-time ritual since they were babies. As much as I like to limit screen time, it’s the only peace and quiet I quiet I get, so they enjoy anything on YouTube Kids.
Place to travel
We have taken the kids to Bali, and will go again after footy season, can’t wait!
The AFLW’s undefeated North Melbourne Tasmania Kangaroos vs. Adelaide Crows is this Sunday, 4pm, at Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee. The league’s reigning best-and-fairest, Kangaroos captain Emma Kearney, as well as 2018 winner, Crows co-captain Erin Phillips, will be playing along with our girl Sophie Abbatangelo in what’s tipped to be a ‘blockbuster‘!
Find out more about gender-inclusive AFL Auskick here and further AFLW pathways (juniors, youth, and women’s seniors) here.
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hi clari b i wanted to say that im (sort of) new to ur blog as ive binged ur touya-nii series like 10 times through like youre v talented and i wanted to say that i can’t listen to sia’s ‘snowman’ without thinking of ur series and i seriously get so giddy????? youre just amazing and i hope ur doing well and esp. taking a break for urself! (sorry if u didn’t want comments about fics rn i just wanted to say ‘snowman’ has a special place now for me lol)
aaah hello!!! welcome!! i’m super glad to have u here hehe <333 and i’m overjoyed to hear that you enjoy my touya-nii series so much!!! thank you for such kind compliments sweet anon, i really appreciate them!! <3 HEHEHE awww shhh that’s so CUTE but come here i’ll let you in on a secret,,,,, i also get super giddy when i hear that song!!! i had a blast writing that series and i’m super proud of it; it’s very special to me and writing touya-nii has become somewhat of a comfort to me, so whenever i hear the song i get all nostalgic and soft hehe <33
but aaaah again thank you so much for your lovely words!!! <333 i can’t tell you how happy it makes me, and how meaningful it is, to hear that my work has a special place in your heart/life. that’s honestly one of the best compliments i could get as a writer, so thank you so much for sharing that with me <3 & omg sweetpea i always always always welcome, enjoy, and am grateful for feedback etc about/surrounding my writing!!! <3
#i hope you’re doing well too my friend!!!!!#welcome to inkykeiji hehehe i am so glad to have u here <33#once again thank you so much for just taking a moment to let me know your thoughts!!! it means a lot to me!!#i hope you have a fabulous weekend and stay safe + healthy!!!#sending you tons and tons of love <333#inky.bb#clari gets mail
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Things I’m Loving Friday #244
Good morning! Three cheers for Friday!!
After a couple of weekends of back-to-back visitors, this weekend will be a lot more low key which is never a bad thing! I love busy weekends but I also love weekends where we have absolutely nothing on the agenda. Without any real commitments on the calendar, I am simply looking forward to a few days at home with my boys and Sadie!
I don’t care if we do absolutely nothing other than venture out for a trip to the park and hang out around the house. That all sounds perfect to me! This week passed by in a bit of a blur with several particularly draining days (let’s just say I’m beginning to understand the term “threenager”) so I’m hoping to take advantage of the weekend to relax a bit.
Before I sign off, I wanted to share my usual Things I’m Loving Friday post with you guys! As always, I’d love for you to tell me about something that is making you smile in the comments section! Let’s dive right in, shall we?
Things I’m Loving Friday
6-Week Postpartum Checkup
I had my 6-week postpartum checkup on Tuesday morning and was oddly looking forward to the appointment. Everything looked good from a healing standpoint which was wonderful to hear and I and received my doctor’s official “okay” to resume working out. I don’t plan to dive back into things full-force around here (nor do I think that’s the safe way to go!) and so far have kept to my daily walks as my primary form of exercise.
I did manage to sneak in one quick upper body strength training session as well which felt AMAZING. Despite using lighter weights and not pushing myself much, I was sore for days after my upper body workout! Returning to fitness after having a baby is NO JOKE and a humbling experience for sure. I’ve missed sweating and boot camp and I’ve definitely missed seeing my workout friends on an almost-daily basis so I cannot wait to slowly get back into it in the coming weeks.
Badger Clear Zinc Sunscreen
Earlier this summer, in an effort to clean up more of my makeup and beauty products, I spent some time researching some of my favorite products on the EWG’s website. While I was browsing around, I stumbled upon their Sunscreen 101 Guide and ended up discovering Badger Active Clear Zinc Sunscreen, a new-to-me brand of safer sunscreen. The sunscreen received a “1” rating on the EWG’s website (the best/lowest rating ingredient safety) and was significantly more affordable than other safer sunscreen brands currently on the market. I ordered a bottle for less than $13 on Amazon and we’ve been loving it!
The fragrance-free clear zinc formula blends into our skin much better than other natural sunscreens we’ve tried (I still wouldn’t call it completely clear but it’s barely noticeable) and while it’s a little on the sticky side, it seems to stay on well through sweaty summer activities and swimming. We’re loving this sunscreen in our house and I wanted to share it here as well in case you’re in the market for a safer sunscreen option that won’t break the bank!
Stroller Fan
I’ve been limiting my walks with Ryder and Sadie to the morning hours in an effort to beat the summer heat (and take advantage of the time when Chase is at camp) but despite our early walks, I still found myself looking for a way to keep Ryder cool while we meandered around our neighborhood. He is mostly sheltered from the cool morning breeze since he’s tucked in his car seat for our walks, so I began researching stroller-friendly fans and ended up returning a few until I settled on this one!
This fan is more powerful than others and I love that you can adjust the airflow and the direction of the fan. (I have it turned out for this picture but obviously flip it and turn it toward Ryder during our walks.) It’s powerful enough that I can feel a wonderful breeze myself if it’s clipped on the car seat handle and the clip is powerful enough to keep it firmly in place. I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a way to cool down little ones during stroller walks or even beach or pool days in the summertime.
Ali on the Run Podcast
Thank you guys for leaving so many great podcast recommendations on my blog post last week. I’ve listened to a handful of them and wanted to share one of my new favorites here since I think it might appeal to many of you out there, especially those with an interest in running.
Ali on the Run is a podcast hosted by Ali Feller, an avid runner with a down-to-earth personality that makes you immediately feel like she’s your friend. She interviews everyone from professional runners (oh hey, Kara Goucher) to dietitians and more and after listening to three episodes, I find myself coming back to her podcast time and time again to catch up on all of the episodes I’ve missed!
Bruschetta Chicken
My friend Elisabeth came by our house on Tuesday evening to meet Ryder and brought us dinner that was absolutely fantastic! She prepped this bruschetta chicken and brought it to us to bake along with garlic bread and we loved every bite. I asked her for the recipe and since I know a bunch of you guys are always on the lookout for easy and healthy weeknight meals, I knew I had to share it on the blog. The recipe is Paleo-friendly but we topped ours with a generous sprinkling of feta cheese before baking it and thought it was fabulous!
Friday Flashbacks
Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Oatmeal Cookies (I made a batch of these cookies with Chase’s help this week and we all loved them!)
Baby Registry Must Haves (A flashback peek at the baby registry we created when I was pregnant with Chase based on your advice!)
Question of the Day
What is one thing that is making you smile this week?
[Read More ...] https://www.pbfingers.com/things-im-loving-friday-244/
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Another Monday
The mister is back in his office tappity tapping away and I spent my morning wiping toilets, folding laundry, and unloading the dishwasher. Somehow I think his efforts will be more appreciated. Well, at least I know that I enjoy a fresh toilet that smells of peonies. I also went out and plucked a few tomatoes.
I hadn’t checked on the ‘mater pants all weekend and it was sad to see that I had loads of tomatoes that had gone to mush. The wonderful Dr Wyche’s Yellow plant was leaning over on its side - probably a combination of some big storms that we had and the fact that I haven’t been an attentive gardener this summer. I lost most of July and the plants became too top heavy and overly full. Oh, the heartbreak of tossing out several BIG, beautiful tomatoes. They turned to sauce in my hands. The Cherokee Purple plant was still upright but had just as many heavy, mushy blobs. Tragedy! I’ve got several of each variety in the crisper, and bags of cherry tomatoes - but the waste still guts me. Want to hear something even worse? I’ve spotted squash bugs in the garden. Those demons will suck the life right out of a pumpkin vine. They’re almost impossible to beat. I’ve only seen a couple, but that just means that I need to go out and flip over all of the leaves and look for eggs. @#$%^! I hate those things. I’d rather deal with just about any other garden pest than a horde of squash bugs. They’re the spawn of Satan. I prefer to garden organically and I’ll do just about anything to keep from harming pollinators - but seeing one of these...
makes me want to pick up a blowtorch and a canister of the deadliest bug spray around. On a more cheerful note, our weekend was a delight. On Saturday morning we popped into the Craft Bakery & Cafe downtown and chose a sampling of items. Those items included two slices of Summer Harvest Quiche - chock full of local tomatoes, zucchini, and sweet corn. Divine! After lunch we drove over the bridge and spent a few hours with the world’s cutest grandgirl while her parents enjoyed a date. That was the cherry on top. On Sunday we put a toe over the Delaware state line and explored Canterbury’s, an antique furniture store with fabulous prices. I could have gone nuts in there but was looking for just one small piece - a nightstand. Of course I have a project in mind. I found the perfect nightstand and it was just $39. I‘ve already got a stash with enough paint and hardware to make the changes I want to make. This should be fun, though I may wait for this heatwave to pass before I spend hours in the garage working on it. This is probably a good place to mention that its just 84 days until Halloween!
If the universe is kind and the squash bugs don’t defeat me, I’ll be ready.
Anyone else starting to feel like I’m setting myself up for a huge disappointment? Honestly, the way things have gone since our move I will be shocked if I get to harvest a pumpkin. But I will move forward with determination and optimism. That’s the stuff I’m made of, that’s what my people do. We sing in the lifeboats, we look for the silver lining. No use being miserable until it’s absolutely necessary, right?
I’m an optimist with experience, so there’s a healthy dose of realist in my soul as well. Expect the best but have a Plan B. That’s where I’ll leave you. I hope that your morning has been filled with nicer things than toilets and squash bugs, but if it hasn’t - well, rest assured that your afternoon will probably be better. Stay safe, stay well, stay hopeful. XOXO, Nancy
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What’s in a year?
About a year ago was the last time I wrote in this blog. I lost steam, and felt like it wasn't really worth it to put my thoughts on paper (er, online) so, I stopped. I never even put a race report up for IM Canada, one that I sent to my team, that's been sitting in my OneNote for a year, that I just was too lazy to put up here. I now kind of feel like while a year later, it's dated, it was still fun to re-read, and I'll put it up after this.
A lot has happened since my last blog post about having an Ironman hangover (which is a really, really real thing.) I closed out my season with two more podiums, one 3rd place AG at Luray International, and one 2nd place OA Female (WHAT!?) at Bethany Beach in September. I ended the season with Marine Corps as I always do, closing in on a decent time of a bit over 4 hours, I believe my 3rd fastest to date.
I kept my business rolling, made it through a semi-uneventful winter and trained my ass off for in both cycling and swimming for what I thought would be a key race for me - the Chesapeake Bay Swim. Until in late February…I found out I was pregnant. Fast forward through a bunch of medical pregnancy stuff, grumpiness, and other unpleasantries: because I was in semi ridiculously good shape for it being "off season" while amping up hard for the Bay Swim and a few key races, I was lucky to have an easy first several months. I raced four times: Rock 'n' Roll half in March at 8 weeks, The North Face Trail Half in April at 14 weeks, and the Kinetic International Bike Relay Portion at 16 weeks, followed the next day by the Kinetic Sprint. Last but certainly not least, I still did my favorite charity ride, Bike MS - 70 miles on the Eastern Short of Maryland at 22 weeks. None of them were PR's except TNF (my only trail half on the books! Ha!) but man, I was thankful to still be out there.
District Multisport athletes and a few awesome cheering squadders after the end of The North Face 1/2 and 10k!
Lauren and I before the Kinetic Sprint!
Again, not to bore anyone but just to set the stage ;) I had very few complications aside from a couple rough weeks, mostly dealing with pain due to the fact that I'm shaped like a 12 year old boy and there just wasn't room for baby boy to "pop". (Yes, it's a boy. No, I'm not telling you name ideas.) I probably wasn't obviously showing to people who didn't know me until about 20 weeks, but started to really feel it around 16.
I've been reading The Pregnant Athlete and following it month by month, along with a few other titles that have helped me wrap my type A control freak self around the many things which I cannot control. Have I embraced this? Not completely, because I know it's temporary, and my brain works in a way that is constantly trying to overcome rather than accept. It's a fault of mine, but one that keeps me motivated to be better. Do I enjoy being pregnant? Not even a little bit. Am I happy to be having a wee one? 100%. Couldn't be more excited to meet the little dude. Am I enormously thankful to God and every higher power being everyone believes in for making this not absolute hell and letting me keep training and working and living like a (mostly) normal person? YES. Yes I am, and I remind myself of that every single day.
I decided to archive the remainder of this pregnancy with my workouts, mostly for me, and for other pregnant athletes, as something to look back on. So, here's where I am at 7 months (27 weeks):
I started teaching spin at Off Road several months ago and that, I love. It's allowed me to do something I enjoy - but share my love of cycling with others. It's been a needed physical/mental challenge and something different to look forward to since conventional training has been harder. Learning to balance music with profiles with personality has been a good learning experience that I'll continue with after wee boy comes!
I took over the IG account for Off Road one day and was asked to post a little something about cycling while pregnant. This was the first “bump pic” I semi reluctantly posted to the social media world, but it was worth it to start the discussion.
I'm still joining my crew at Pacers for Saturday morning runs. I'm still able to gut out a solid 10 miles, at about a 10-11 min pace depending on who I'm running with. As a frame of reference, I was in the mid 8's before pregnancy. Adjusting your expectations and knowing you're still out there doing what your body is meant for, is key. The first 2-3 miles of every run is brutal, my legs are swollen and feel like lead, but after I hit a rhythm I'm able to settle in. I also became a Rabbit #RADrabbit Ambassador, which has been a super fun community to be a part of! (I also get SWEET gear from a woman owned company that I love.)
I'm hitting yoga at least once a week. After I took a prenatal intensive from my wonderful friend Abra (which was amazing, she's fabulous!) I learned enough modifications to keep practicing safely while I grow. I was relatively unchanged in how I modified things until about 22 weeks.
I'm bike commuting about 20 miles a week and still riding outside: in addition to teaching spin and also going to class 1-2 times a week, I'm nailing down about 60-70ish miles of cycling a week, and THIS MAKES ME SO HAPPY. Riding is the thing I feel least pregnant doing. Aside from body position changing, and an initial drop in power, I still feel strong and powerful on the bike.
Swimming was awkward at first because of the baby position. It's back to comfortable now, so after a month off of feeling extremely defeated in the water (I had made SO many gains training for the bay swim, and I know this is how it's supposed to go down, but when youre a slow as hell swimmer and you make so much progress, this was the toughest pill to swallow) I went back this week - twice. My pace per 100 has dropped about 15 seconds, but, swimming in a cold pool when you're large and pregnant with constantly swelling extremities feels pretty good.
I'm paddleboarding a bit, too - this is a good time to work in things that are fun and active but not very taxing. It also gets me some solid catch up time with friends :)
Overall: I feel relatively good, probably a little grouchier than normal me, and I have even less of a filter than I had in the first place. I've gained 20 lbs since Ironman Canada, which I think is about 13 lbs from my normal weight. I'm constantly slightly nauseated now that there's less room in there, but not enough to make me stop eating ;) Smaller snacks and frequent reminders that I need fruits and vegetables, not cupcakes, are needed :) I'm more tired than I think I've ever been in my life, and it's impossible to combat with a lack of caffeine. Oh, and I'm not being a freakshow on restrictions - if the cheese is soft but pasteurized, I'm eating it. I've had a bit of wine at dinners with friends. I drink my daily allotment of caffeine. I drink a ton of soda water, which I think I've sampled every single flavor of at this point. I wake up at the damn crack of dawn and often struggle to get enough sleep, but a 15 min nap in the afternoon usually does the trick. I'm mentally focused on prepping my life differently, finishing our home renovation (oh yeah, that's happening too!) and balancing owning an event focused fundraising business while giving birth at the height of event season. Because why make things easy? I'm also lucky to be working on contracts with clients who are understanding and willing to work around this. I've stayed focused on my tri team, District Multisport, as well, as I'm on the board and we're working through what's coming up next season.
I'm thankful for my teammates, and my close friends, and my family, who haven't treated me like “the pregnant lady.” When I was racing early on (and still considered it for this weekend….but decided a kick to the belly in the swim was too risky) not a single one of my teammates asked if I should be doing that - rather, they were supportive and thought it was awesome I was still out there, while on the other hand, I faced a lot of questions, and still do, from others! And running with an obvious belly - that'll defffinitely get you some commentary. My Off Road and Pacers crews have been the same way - just awesome and supportive as they always are - and many of them who have gone through it themselves have offered some great advice and humor along the way. Mike, my sister, and my parents also haven't side eyed me for running and cycling to my heart's content (but my body's brake light, too - that's KEY.) as I think they've just gotten used to me being crazy, and this is just a different breed of it.
In summary, everything else won't be this long ;) but, I felt like I had to start letting this all out somewhere aside from my brain and my pets. I hope I can look back on this in another year, when I've crushed some epic goal race with a 9 month old on my hip at the finish line, knowing that staying fit, happy, and healthy, made the journey my own!
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MANIFEST THE VISION!
The beginning of a new year is an opportunity to redefine yourself and your life. We often use the beginning of the year as a time of reflection and planning. This past weekend I was invited to a Vision Board party by a dear friend who also happens to be the most fabulous hostess! She had 12 amazing women over to her home for an evening full of fabulous food, cocktails, laughter, great conversation and vision planning. Our question was simple, what do you want for yourself in the New Year? We were surrounded by magazines, poster board, glue and other embellishments to help carve out our individual visions and then we presented our boards to the group. I absolutely love being in a room full of goal driven and ambitious women. There is nothing more inspiring to me then to be in the presence of like-minded women sharing stories. Our stories are powerful and have the ability to inspire and heal others if we choose to tell them with vulnerability, openness and honesty. I love being amongst women who are confident enough to strip themselves down the truth about where they are in life, who they are and who they want to be.
I’m a firm believer in the power of visualization, the power of words and the idea of manifesting one’s own destiny. I’ve seen the power of words through my years participating in the “One Word Challenge”. I knew what I wanted my vision board to contain. I spoke in a previous blog about the “One Word Challenge”. My word for 2017 was Heal and I chose to make that word the central theme of my vision board. The definition of heal is “to Become sound or healthy again; Alleviate (a person's distress or anguish); Correct or put right; To make sound or whole; To cause to be overcome; mend; To restore to original purity or integrity; To return to a sound state”. This definition completely encompassed what I wanted for my life and I began to look for photos, quotes and images that perfectly described how I wanted “healing” in every area of my life. Not every area of my life was broken but they needed some mending, restoring or just some TLC. I chose quotes about starting over, healing a broken heart, entrepreneurship and sisterhood. I included images of the relationships I cherish the most, my friends, my family and my children. I included my websites and my upcoming book because I desire growth as a songwriter and author this year. I was ready to learn more this year. I added butterflies to signify the stage of my life that I felt I was in right now. I feel like I’m emerging from the cocoon I was in last year and I’m ready to re-emerge this year, bold, beautiful and flying high. White flowers decorated my board to signify healing, a heart stitched back together to signify the mending that I was currently going through. Images claiming financial freedom and creating multiple streams of income were also included on my vision board. One of the ladies in our group even bought mirrors for each of us to glue to our boards so when we looked at our vision boards daily, we saw our reflections surrounded by our plans. I wanted to accomplish so much this year; a healthier lifestyle, a more profitable business, the desire to create art that I loved, stronger friendships, deeper family bonds and a greater love of self and clear purpose. The process of choosing items for my vision board also forced me to really take a more in depth look at the goals I was hoping to achieve in the New Year. It was a perfect, self-reflecting exercise for me.
As I sat on the floor in my friend’s house, surrounded by women who openly spoke about their goals and dreams I was inspired by each of them. I was in a room full of such amazing and diverse women. Each of them focused on becoming better, growing, learning more and becoming more fulfilled in their personal and professional lives but also recognizing the need to take better care of themselves and to take the time to devote to self-care. We were so different, yet we had some of the same issues, problems, concerns, dreams and goals. It was confirmation for me that this website and upcoming book perfectly describes the spaces so many women are in right now…we are juggling it all, we are wearing so many hats yet we do not want to be defined by just one of our many roles. We are truly the “Sum of Many Things”. Entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds who were ready to grow their business to the next level, stay at home moms who were determined to make time for themselves in addition to tending to their families, divorced women who were beginning the beautiful journey of starting over in a brand new space in life, soon to be divorced women who were facing the idea of starting this year in a different place and reconciling what that meant for them and their new family structure, single women who were focused on themselves while still believing in love. Working mothers, stay at home mothers, single mothers, all wanting to provide the absolute best lives and opportunities for their children. I was surrounded by women who simply wanted more out of life and I found commonality amongst our diversity. Women who wanted to enjoy their lives to the fullest and become versions of their best selves. These women were truly awe inspiring and I was so happy to be in their presence and listen to the stories, their dreams and the goals they had. I found myself excited for them…excited for us. In this safe space of sisterhood, were some extraordinary women who were ready for the “GLOW UP”! We agreed to follow-up with one another in a few months to see how far we had come from this chilly evening in January. One of the beautiful things about sisterhood is agreeing to hold one another accountable as we strive to reach individual goals yet encouraging one another as they strive to reach theirs.
It’s been a few days since that evening and each and every morning I get up and look at my vision staring right back at me. Each day I wake up with a plan and a goal and I put one foot in front of the other and attempt to make progress towards them. I’ve spent so many mornings focused on my problems and my struggles but my vision board reminds me that something better is coming. My future is brighter than my present. I just have to do the work. It’s the best way to start my day and my journey with a positive mindset and a spirit of gratitude.
What’s your vision for your life this year? What do you want to achieve or accomplish? When was the last time you wrote it down and put it somewhere you can see each and every day? Whether it’s creating a vision board, choosing a word, or just finding a quote to stick on your mirror, find something to look at every day to remind you of your goals, hopes, and dreams. Visualize it, write it down, look at it daily, speak positive affirmations to yourself and watch it manifest…there is power in the words we speak over our lives.
#HEALING#SAFE SPACES OF SISTERHOOD#VISION#PLANNING#MANIFEST#SISTERHOOD#LIFE GOALS#Life Lessons#vision board party
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