my #1 pregnancy pain remedy

if you follow along with me on Instagram, you know that this third trimester is starting up and it's already rough. I'm scared for what the next 2 months have in store for this giant body of mine. We're talking bloody noses, creaky knees, and let's just say that my wedding ring now sits in a box because my fingers are huge! I've never felt sexier to say the least *eye roll* But all jokes aside, it's getting more and more uncomfortable every day and while I know it's normal, especially with twins (you guys, I gain roughly 5 pounds A WEEK) it doesn't make it any less difficult. So I  asked my fellow mamas over on the gram what their favorite pain remedies were. Warm baths, body pillows, and essential oils were mentioned several times, but the number one suggestion- a maternity massage. I had never even heard of this before! It wasn't long before I discovered Becoming Mom Spa and I was instantly intrigued. I joke with older women all of the time about how thirty years ago when they were pregnant, women didn't have all of these resources at their fingertips, the good and the bad. But a spa dedicated to expectant mothers? Now that is an idea I can stand behind.

I went there yesterday and had the slightest bit of anxiety on the drive up. It was new and unfamiliar which always gets me a little restless. But I was greeted immediately with calming music, relaxing smells, and smiling faces behind the desk and that anxiety disappeared instantly. They offered me treats and water and let me waddle back and forth to the bathroom as many times as I needed to without feeling rushed. I first met Renee who handed me a giant fluffy robe that felt like a cat giving me a hug and I climbed up on the table for my facial. The longest, most thorough facial of my life. She was the sweetest most friendly thing and I yacked her ear off from beginning to end, but I could have slept through the whole process if I hadn't kept asking her questions about her life (I'm a blogger, what do ya expect?). She also gave me advice on what my skin will do once these babies are out and made me feel so much relief because I don't even recognize my face anymore. After the best, drool-worthy facial, I moved to the next room for my body massage where I was met with another smiling face. I laid on my left side first and wiggled under the blankets and before she even came in the room to start, I was already feelin' goooooood. She focused on my lower back, knees, and ankles (someone remind me to send her a Christmas card. I love her) and I could just feel all of my tight knots and joints loosening up. Between the dark room, her soothing voice, and her magical fingers that had the ability to knead my body like dough, I could have slept in that room forever. No seriously, I nearly got an Uber home because of just how relaxed I was.

It was a perfect afternoon that I am still feeling the relief from and it is now my #1 suggestion for any women out there expecting a baby or postpartum. As a total newbie to Becoming Mom Spas and being a mom in general, I think I can safely say that this company has a number one goal in mind- to let us women with 2000 questions and concerns about our bodies and babies relax for a few hours knowing that they have done the hard part for us and we are in the best hands, literally. Everything they are using to make us feel good is safe and natural; from the body oils all the way down to the nail polish they use (Natural Nail Polish!!) So the time that you spend there is dedicated to strictly relaxing your head and body while not worrying for a few hours of your day ...until you leave and go back to the real world to google "How much Dr. Pepper is safe during pregnancy"? and "Can I take my husband's multivitamin if I run out of prenatal pills?"

If you are expecting or want to make an expectant mama's day, check out Becoming Mom Spa for specialty maternity massages, nail & skin services, and even ultrasounds! Thank you so much to the ladies that gave me the best afternoon (and nights sleep) I've had in weeks!!

*this post is sponsored and all opinions are my own.

coffee, crosswords, and kindness

The word of the day is empathy and right here smack dab in the middle of a Thursday, I found some. I woke up in not the best of moods. Slept terribly, stepped on something sharp in the middle of the night, you know those mornings. Then, while half way through a conference call with my boss, my internet goes into a state of comatose. and while pacing around on the phone with the internet provider, I got a little teary eyed because could my life be any harder!? I'm kidding. So in an effort to perk up my situation, I decided it was a good idea to work the rest of my day from the coffee shop down the street. A building filled with lattes, muffins, and unlimited internet access was just the ticket to improve my grumpy state. I came in and set up my "desk", grabbed my Mexican latte, and settled in. I realized moments later that I had forgotten my headphones and as I nearly got up to walk the several blocks home to grab them, I decided instead to embrace the white noise of coffee shop life and I'm so glad I did.

So while I'm starting to get into the groove of the morning, with my laptop on one side of me and my coffee on the other, the cutest little older man walked into the shop. I had sat down at the table closest to the front windows and door (because who doesn't love constant distractions?) and without realizing it, I sat down at the table that was accompanied by today's copy of the New York Times.

Out of the corner of my ear, I hear an older man order a drink at the counter. While waiting for his order to come up, he walked up to my table and grabbed the newspaper swiftly. I wasn't reading it so it was only slightly irritating. OK whatever. It's fine. Then, as he was walking out with his coffee, I watch him flip quickly to the crossword section, rip it out, and throw the rest of the paper back down on my table. It hurt my cold black heart for a quick second just thinking about how a small act like that could be such a selfish one. Maybe I wanted to do the crossword, ya know? So he left and I sat there for a minute thinking about what a shame it is that people can be so selfish and only think about what's best for them or what they want, even if it's just the damn crossword puzzle in the newspaper.

And then not even five minutes later, I hear the door of the coffee shop open again and a familiar voice. It was the same man walking back in, with a torn out crossword puzzle in one hand and several pieces of paper in the other. The gentleman that I was so quick to judge as being rude and selfish went down the street and had the crossword puzzle photocopied so that he didn't write on the original. I was completely blown away. He sat down at the table next to me and I told him that I hadn't seen such a simple act of kindness in a while and how refreshing it was. The world is so mad and divided and pissed and sad right now. And he said "well, it's not much. But it's just what I do to be nice, ya know? We gotta be nice to each other. And taking the crossword puzzle away from others isn't very nice." and that was all he said before giving his full attention to his photocopied puzzle. it was sweet. It was kind. and it was exactly what I needed to see today.

A fall taste tour with Piada

my favorite detail of this city, besides the cheap rent and changing seasons, is the food. At just about any time of the day or night you can have tacos, sushi, pizza, cookies (most of which will even delivered to your front door. remember Insomnia Cookies? yum) Honestly, I wish there was a food out there that I didn't like. My jeans would thank me. But! Until then, I'll just keep eating my way through the queen city. Before a few days ago, I had never heard of Piada and when Andrew and I were invited to try out their new menu last night, I couldn't reply "YES! WE'LL BE THERE!" fast enough. I didn't even know what the old menu was prior to this new menu coming out but I'll take two of each of whatever ya got, please and thanks. Andrew and I both are the least picky eaters so we didn't have much to lose. 

We arrived at The Mockbee, one of my favorite event spaces downtown with arched brick doorways and creepy corridors, only to be greeted by some of the best and lightest foods I've had in a while. Their new menu is loaded with fresh ingredients, vegan and gluten free friendly, and packed full of super foods. It also highlights foods I had never heard of before tonight like FARRO. A friend of mine described it as "mouth sex" and "chewing on pillows" in the best possible way and he wasn't lying. I had no idea. I will be buying my own supply tomorrow. We munched on pork loin sandwiches topped with basil aioli and finished our night with chocolate chip cookies covered in toasted marshmallows. Before we left, we made sure to grab one more blood orange pomegranate tea for the road and drove home with two full bellies and said "that was so good!" to each other probably ten times. 

Thank you so much to Piada for extending the invite to us so we could be some of the first to try out the new magic happening! Just one more reason to get excited for fall!  

... Because I can't marry someone that hasn't experienced the Butler County Fair

there isn't much to this post... Mainly just a few photos of fair food booths. But I haven't missed a fair in probably 15 years and when Andrew said he had never been to one, I couldn't resist. Growing up, I would run around at the fair when I was probably definitely too young, with a $10 bill in my pocket and ready to take on the world. I would eat funnel cakes and win gold fish and ride the strawberries. Not much has changed at the fair; the same short shorts and cowboy boots on girls and cut off t shirts on the boys. Rows and rows of oversize tweety birds and Pokemon dolls strung up just waiting to be taken home. Screaming men with microphones telling Andrew to "win somethin' for ya girl!" and the hot hot sun beating down on us while we walked around with our hot dogs. Ah, summer. I love you.   

pickin' our own blackberries!

coming to you live with a few sweet nothings dedicated to the blackberry. can we take a minute? just one minute to discuss and appreciate the blackberry? oh man. i don't know where my love came from. as a kid, i couldn't tell you if i had ever even tried a blackberry and I'm nearly convinced they weren't invented until i was in my mid twenties. But somewhere in there, I met my first blackberry and ever since then, I eat them plain at work or covered in whipped cream or in smoothies or frozen. or or or .... I could go on forever. 

So Jon has been working on his family farm all summer and wouldn't you know it, they are covered in blackberry goodness. We drove deep down into Kentucky a few weekends back for his birthday and while sitting along the patio table, his dad set down a huge bowl of fresh blackberries straight from his farm. They tasted as good as they looked so when he invited Andrew and myself out to pick blackberries for ourselves, there was no way I wasn't going to take advantage. Those pick-your-own-food places aren't really my jam. Too much quiet and direct sunlight for my taste... so it was definitely more fun to partake in the activity with friends, a nine year old, and a precious pup running around. Plus, you gotta love my fiance that will take pictures of fruit with me. What did I learn in that hot hour under the sun? Let's see. Well, just remember that the darker the berry is, the sweeter they'll be. Blackberries grow faster than weeds. and... when you get home, the berries pair well with gin.   

some people have libraries, I have my greenhouse

when I get a text from Andrew that he'll be late to get home after work, the possibilities are endless of how I'll entertain myself. Our apartment sits dangerously close to a gold mine of a thrift store, the most gorgeous Cemetery that you could get lost in for hours and, my personal favorite, this greenhouse. Everyone knows that our apartment is bursting at the seams with plants but I just can't get enough of those deep green beauties and this green house is by far the best in the city. There's always countless staff members running around that leave you alone unless you want to be bothered with rows and rows of every plant you could image. 

I'll never forget my first hanging plant; I was at a flea market like 4 years ago and bought this fishhook succulent that was $30 and the neatest looking thing. I so excited to get it home and hang it with pride.. but it was already dead and I got totally screwed by whoever sold it to me. It was a few days later that I ventured to AJ Rahn and found the exact same hanging plant, twice the size for half of the price, and I snatched it up instatly. Like I said, this was about 4 years ago and that succulent is still hanging in my house, growing like crazy. From that point on, I trusted their plants. I just took a look around in fact and have 16 plants from AJ Rahn.... That's insane!! But anyway, there are worst ways to spend my money I guess. If you're ever in the area, hit up this greenhouse. It's quiet and wet and a nice escape from ambulance sirens and blaring music outside. And make sure to love on the greenhouse cat!!