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Tips + Tricks to Stay Healthy This Winter

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Dare I say it… Winter is around the corner. I know, I know. We haven’t even fallen back yet. But I’m telling you — the sickies are moving in and they’re moving in fast! I’m trying to stay ahead of the curve and prepare a defense to stay healthy during cold and flu season now.

Here’s what we’re doing to stay healthy this winter:

staying healthy tips

Rest and Sleep

The key for us is making sure we have very few late nights (especially the kiddos) and never say no to a nap! Sleep helps our bodies to recover and rest.

Vitamin C + D

We’re about to enter the ‘dark season’ here in the Midwest. Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD) is a real thing with real consequences. Heck, even in the Summer, we just have infrequent sunny days. So it’s no surprise that we need to give ourselves an extra boost of Vitamin D throughout the year, but especially during the cooler months.

Also? Don’t forget to load up on that Vitamin C! Keep your immune system in tip-top shape!

Stay Hydrated

I’m the first to admit that I do not drink an adequate amount of water. In order to do so, I have to make a serious conscious effort.

Last year I picked up one of these water bottles in hopes to remind myself to drink more. Guess what? It worked!

Of course, making sure my kids have their water bottles filled at all times also helps. Not juice, not milk; just water.

Probiotics

As much as I want to keep bacteria and germs away, I’d like to keep the good bacteria around.

My husband and I and the kids all take a daily probiotic to make sure our gut stays as healthy as possible. Because the kids’ probiotics are gummies, if they don’t get them daily I’m reminded. They will absolutely ask me for ‘their gummies.’

Elderberry Syrup

Before becoming a mom I hadn’t given much thought to alternative medicines. And I’m still not saying that you shouldn’t use and trust modern medicines. I am saying that you shouldn’t completely write-off things like elderberry syrup when you’re looking for the means to keep everyone healthy.

It’s been discovered that Elderberry syrup can help to fight viruses, including the flu. If you don’t have access to Elderberry syrup in a local health foods store try this syrup from Amazon.

Creamy Chicken Soup

Maintain a Healthy Diet

It can’t be an accident that sick season and soup season are one and the same, right? Real talk though — obviously we do our best to eat a balanced diet, but kids are ridiculously picky eaters.

One thing they will eat is soup. And the bonus about soups (like this creamy chicken noodle soup) and stews is that you can sneak all kinds of veggies into them!

Hit the Sauna

I am a recovered sauna skeptic. It wasn’t until a group of women from my gym started preaching about the wonders of a 20-minute sauna session that I finally caved and tried it for myself.

I used the sauna for post-workout recovery. And I completely avoided the usual soreness that accompanies a workout. But it has other benefits as well. Deep sweating that you experience in the sauna has been proven to release toxins from the body, aid in better sleep, relieve stress, and help to fight illness.

photo of woman in bed under blankets

How are you planning on staying healthy this season?

6 Tips For An Unmedicated Childbirth

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Just 5 and a half short weeks separate me from meeting Baby #3. And, though I’ve been in disbelief for most of this pregnancy, it’s all starting to get real. Really real.

See, I know that in order to meet this beautiful new baby, I first have to endure childbirth. Beautiful, terrifying, childbirth.

For those who are new around here, you may not know that I prepared myself for an unmedicated childbirth 6 years ago with our son. I took Bradley Method birthing classes (12 weeks of intensive classes) and readied myself accordingly; but after 24-hours of awful labor, I finally gave in to an epidural.

With our daughter, just 2 years ago, I felt much more prepared — having been through labor before, but also knowing things they just can’t teach in childbirth classes — and I labored without medication and delivered Remy just a few hours later.

But I’m still nervous about the prospect of childbirth. There’s always the fear of the unknown — of not knowing how this labor will progress; when this labor will begin; and what state I’ll be in.

So in an effort to remind myself of WHY and HOW to attempt an unmedicated labor and delivery, I’m sharing my tips below!

1. Educate yourself.

I’m going to be honest — I have a passion for self-education. But what fueled that fire even more? Taking a birthing class. As mentioned above, I chose the Bradley Method birthing course because of its focus on natural, unmedicated, birthing education. It was 12-weeks of classes. Twelve very intensive weeks. I learned so much and it opened up my eyes to so much.

So if you’re planning on an unmedicated delivery, I highly suggest taking a Bradley Method course (there are local teachers all over the US). If you can’t take one of these courses, still get the book Husband-Coached Childbirth and give it a read!

2. Have a plan.

… a birth plan, that is. Know exactly what you will and will not do when it’s go-time. My main points to be noted for my nurses and my doctors is that I would prefer (a) to only have a Hep-Lock (or a Saline Lock), which is basically an IV catheter, and (b) having intermittent monitoring versus constant monitoring.

Basically, to state this at the beginning of admittance is saying “Here, nurses + doctors: The IV is ready if needed and I will monitor as you see fit; but that also means that I can get up and labor out of bed, without restrictions.”

Know what you want your restrictions to be and write them down. Yes, write them down, type them out, or have a list on your phone of things you want done. Whatever you do, be prepared to communicate with your team!

3. Have a support system.

My husband sat through every second of those 12 weeks of childbirth classes. It not only helped us to be on the same page with what we wanted our labor and delivery experience to be; but it helped him to become more comfortable with the fact that he would be seeing me in a tremendous amount of pain.

We communicated that the one thing I would need in those moments was unwavering support. I needed him to be strong in the moments where I could not; and I needed him to have my back for my birth plan, in case someone offered to ‘intervene.’ He did both of those things both times. He never once suggested an epidural and never once wavered from seeing me in pain.

Sure, later, he admitted that it was incredibly difficult to watch me and be unable to make the pain stop; but he did exactly what I needed him to do in those moments.

4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

I cannot say this enough. I think the downfall of my first delivery was that I started laboring while dehydrated (turns out iced coffee doesn’t boast excellent hydration…). And, from there, the dehydration sort of snowballed. And the cramping was excruciating because my body just couldn’t keep up.

When I felt the beginning contractions with baby number 2, I immediately kicked up my water intake. I was already drinking lots and lots of water; but I just started drinking even more of it! And to NOT be battling dehydration while laboring was a HUGE benefit. I swear that this is what helped me make my way through contractions.

5. Be prepared.

Make sure your hospital bag is packed — and packed with the items that will help you. I feel immensely more weak when I am nauseous; knowing this, I packed several essential oils that helped ease my nausea. Between lavender and peppermint oil, I would stick a couple of drops in my hands and just sniff them when I got hit with a wave of nausea.

I also found music that was comforting to me. I didn’t know what that music would be before my contractions started; but once I found a few songs that helped me to focus, I played them on repeat. (Unrelated: To this day, those songs make me incredibly emotional, just bringing back thoughts of those final moments before I met her.)

If you have something — a physical object — that brings you comfort, bring it with you. For some, this could be a pillow. For others, this could be a stuffed animal. Really, it could be anything. But if it brings you any comfort, do not hesitate to bring it along.

6. Know that you are capable.

I still think back on both of my experiences and am so proud for what I accomplished — bringing a new life into this world is no easy feat! I know that if I hadn’t been so sick with my first labor, I could have done it without that epidural; but actually doing it the second time around? Was life-changing. I felt so strong and so powerful.

And, although I am nervous about this upcoming labor and delivery (because, pain), I know that I am capable of absolutely tremendous things.

If you’ve been through childbirth,

what would you recommend doing to support

an unmedicated labor and delivery?

 

Digging Deep in Motherhood // Opening Up About My Infant Feeding Journey

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From the moment Remy Bea was born, everything changed. Sure, that’s to be expected when having a second child; but I mean it in the way that my world was turned upside down — this child was unlike anything I could have ever imagined.

But the one thing she was always good at was breastfeeding. Granted, she would pretty much breastfeed 24-hours a day — and refused to take a bottle — but it was literally the only thing she was good at. See, she refused to sleep. Like, at all. I’m not just saying that — she actually would sleep for an average of 1-3 hours in a 24-hour period. Now, it turns out that she had a series of undiagnosed UTI’s and an issue with her spinal alignment, but that wasn’t discovered for about 7 months.

And once she felt better, this little girl became an amazing little human. I felt closer to her than I had ever really felt with Ari at that age. I was home with her all of the time, I was watching her grow, and she was attached to me almost always. It was lovely.

Until she decided that she was done with breastfeeding.


Cue the panic and all of the sadness…

The panic was regarding nutrition. I was concerned about how I was going to transition her to a formula that was similar to breastmilk and be able to supplement the solids she had started.

I’m forever grateful to the Happy Family brands for being supportive of ALL mamas feeding their babies. They offered online support through lactation consultants and helped to ease my mind and soul during this time of transition to Happy Family Stage 2 Organic Infant Formula.



An additional source of panic was the fact that Remy Bea still would not take a bottle. Her downright refusal came after trying literally every bottle and nipple on the market — including discontinued nipples that cost $40 on Amazon! But with the help of the nutritionists from Happy Family, we decided to try her on a tiny straw sippy cup instead. Sure, not the most traditional route — but it worked!


The sadness? Well, the sadness was a little bit more difficult to overcome. But, at some point I managed to convince myself that each story of feeding babies is different, but they are all good!

At the end of the day, what’s important is that I’ve successfully made it through the hardest part — infancy. We did it, baby girl! We survived. Thanks to our tribe and our Happy Family. xo

Life Lately // a Mom’s Tale of End of Summer

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I’d be lying if I said things have been easy lately. The adjustment of Ari going back to school and me starting my new Fall schedule at work has definitely been a challenge; but also, life has just been… different. I’ve been quite reserved and close-mouthed. Because, well, I don’t have anything particularly upbeat to say.

And that’s okay.

I recognize that in times of transition I tend to shut down a bit. Maybe it’s just the way I process things, I dunno.

But we’ve still been able to have a bit of fun, even amidst the chaos.

Painting With A Twist. 

A couple of weeks ago I met up with a dear friend to do a fall-themed pallet painting project. I’ve done other wine and painting parties, but this was my first time at PWAT Hudson. The studio was awesome and so accommodating!


And I’m so pumped about the final outcome of my project!

I can’t wait to go back!

Summer Sunset Blast.

Without truly having school-aged children, the end of summer doesn’t really mean much to us, other than going back to preschool and adjusting to a new schedule. But that doesn’t mean we don’t fully take advantage of the end of summer fun!

We said farewell to summer at Silver Springs Park in Stow, with the help of Café O’Play, bounce houses, inflatables, face painting, and a petting zoo!


While Ari hit up the inflatables (OMG – first time he’s really been able to because he’s not my baby anymore!! ??), Remy Bea and I spent some time with the goats.

This girl apparently had a fascination with goats! Which is funny, because so does her daddy! 😛

Trips to the Akron Zoo.

Our zoo membership is nearly expired, and we likely won’t renew it until after Christmas (because, busyness). But we did squeeze in a few more trips to the zoo before Summers end!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it a million times again — we are beyond lucky to have this wonderful zoo in our backyard! It takes, at most, 10 minutes to get there; the zoo is so easily accessible, and so easy to navigate — even with two small children.

Lucky for us, on our latest trip, the temperature was super mild and the zoo itself was empty. The best part? All of the animals were front and center!

365 by Whole Foods opened and we may have been there at least 5 times in a week!

I took a media tour of the store before the opening day festivities, and I was beyond impressed. The store is bright, clean, and absolutely gorgeous!

There’s mochi ice cream, a taqueria, coffee from Artisan Coffee, great prices on produce, and a typical prepared food section that is to die for!

I took the kids back for opening day and we were greeted by Zippy, the Akron Zips mascot, and a whole slew of people! No joke, at 8:45 am on a Thursday morning and there were about 200 people waiting to get inside!

I’m serious when I say that it has quickly become our favorite place to grab some food, whether it be groceries or prepared food (helloooooo, chili and cheese lasagna!!!!). I see this as being our go-to store from here on out.

We took a very quick road trip to Columbus.

Besides stopping at IKEA for what seemed like 5 minutes (but was actually 2.5 hours), we wandered and made lists of things we needed to do in our head. But other than one semi-small purchase, we really just were there for the Swedish meatballs!

After our IKEA trip, Chad went with his sister and her family to the Ohio State football game while I took the kids to the local splash pad by my sisters house.

We went to a quick (early) dinner at another local fave — the Starliner Diner (delicious + authentic Cuban food) before heading back to my sister’s house to settle in for the evening.

Before heading home we went to a family cookout with Chad’s sister’s family (she was visiting from Denver just for the weekend). Basically, a whirlwind of a 36-hours.

I’ve been cooking — a lot.

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This is super weird for me because I hate to cook. But I tried Blue Apron a while back and loved it! The recipes weren’t difficult, per se, but they did reignite a spark I had for trying new recipes.

Playgrounds, playgrounds, playgrounds… and flag football clinics!

We’ve certainly been spending time at our local playgrounds and parks. Remy has taken to ‘playing’ in a major way. In fact, one of her favorite words to say is “Play? Play?” Basically, begging to go outside in play or get into all of her toys.

So it’s been fun. Oh, and Ari started a flag football skills clinic. To my surprise, he’s really fond of it. It’s super fun to watch them both come into their own in different ways.

As I read this post (and as I reread it over and over again…) I keep thinking…. FUNK, BE DAMNED! My life has been crazy and awesome! I’ll get back to my normal life soon. But for now? For now I’m basking in the awesomeness that is random.

Happy Monday, friends! xo

Elevate, Play with Lark, SOAK, and Eat Local! // Embracing the Chaos

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We’ve been so crazy busy lately that we’ve hardly had a chance to slow down. It’s my own fault, really. I’m a chronic over-scheduler. It’s a blessing and a curse, friends. It really is.

See, I thrive on the crazy; I need the busy days. I need them because they make me feel accomplished. And slowing down just isn’t in my vocabulary. At least, not in this current season of my life.

So here’s what we’ve been up to as of late:

Lots and lots and lots of playing with the kids. Lucky for me, we have a standing playdate at the YMCA every day but Sunday (because, well, I’m there for 4-6 hours a day). So both kids really love (and need) this time with their friends.

But it’s been HOT, friends. Like, hot and crazy humid. Which has truly limited our outdoor play. However, I have felt a bit more comfortable playing outdoors with the kiddos knowing that Miss Bea is wearing moisture-wicking baby clothes from Lark.

If you haven’t heard of Lark, their mission is to make quality baby clothes that can easily endure the daily life of an active infant or toddler. They have developed a proprietary natural, eco-friendly moisture wicking fabric. Safer for babies sensitive skin than some of the synthetic wear that adults wear when outside or working out! Awesome, right!?

Well Miss Bea is truly comfortable in her rompers and bodysuits from Lark. And I breathe easy knowing the fabric is not only breathable, but free of synthetic fabric and chemicals, and is made in the USA!

And you can get free shipping on any order using this code: SHIPPING. Go support this awesome business, friends!

Living in my SOAK sandals. So I am weird about shoes. See, when I find shoes I love, I live in them. Like, I wear holes in my flats because I wear them every day and literally nothing else. So when I was offered a pair of slides from SOAK, a company right here in the United States, I truly didn’t know what to expect.

See, I have super high arches in my feet and it makes wearing anything slip-on quite difficult (and sometimes painful). But I’ve worn these every single day for the last 30 days and I’m in love.

A post shared by Rachel L (@itsahero) on

They’re comfortable, incredibly stylish, and crunchy-mama-friendly! Yep, not only are they made in Maine, but they are made from BPA-free recycled materials!

And so versatile! I’ve worn them with dresses and to my yoga classes! Seriously the only shoe I’ve needed (well, except for my running shoes to, well, run!).

Check out their full line of slides here and use code CHIC15 to save 15% off!

Yoga. Not quite #yogaeverydamnday, but my fire for yoga has been reignited, thanks to a couple of amazing yoga classes.

Last week I went to Elevate Akron, an annual outdoor yoga event here in my amazing city. It was powerful, friends. So powerful! I realized that all of the cycling, running, and strength training I’ve been doing has totally made me more physically fit — in ways I didn’t even realize before! I am so much stronger than I’d recently given myself credit for.

Oh, and I’m certain that the stretching and conditioning alongside the gymnasts I coach doesn’t hurt!

But then I decided to go, solo, to my first Yoga on Tap/Balance and Brews event. See, here in Northeast Ohio, we’ve been on the beer + yoga train for a long time — at least the last 4 years! But, sadly, I’ve never been able to actually make a class.

Well, that changed yesterday. I was elated to find out that Melissa of Balance and Brews was teaching a class right here in my own town, at HiHo Brewing Co.!

It was a great class and ended with a complimentary beer (the Smash Smash Pilz Pilz double pilsner was the bomb!).

So many markets! Guys, I’m a sucker for a good farmers market. Throw in some hand-crafted goodies? Double-sold.

Between the Cleveland Flea, the Akron Honey Market, and the Countryside Conservancy Market in Highland Square? We’ve been biz-zeeee! Busy getting delicious food, ya’ll!

Cycling. Kickboxing. and Gymnastics, Oh My! I’ve been working out non-stop and, like I said, I’m feeling so much stronger! One thing that’s truly been helping is how much I’ve been trying to remain committed to my schedule of workouts. At times it’s been a struggle, but it’s also been a saving grace during the crazy moments. As much as, in those moments, I want to just hide or cry or sleep, I find myself working out all of my frustrations and it’s helped me tremendously.

Sure, we’ve been busy. But it’s been perfect. Perfect chaos! So tell me — Do you thrive on chaos, like me? Or do you prefer to have unscheduled days and relaxing weekends!?

 

 

 

Pinterest Fun, Plans Gone Awry, + a (Long) Overdue Haircut // A Weekend Wrap Up

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You know those weekends that just restore your soul? Well, I had one of those weekends, friends. It also just so happened to be one of those weekends where I had “X-Y-and-Z” planned…. but all of it got nixed off the to-do list and we just improvised.

Friday we had plans to go to the Great Lakes Science Center and finally utilize our passes. But it was snowing and absolutely frigid, so, even though Chad had taken the day off from work, we decided to just hang around the house with the kids and relax. They still had a blast. [PS. Do you know what kind of fun a 4-year old will have just walking around in Best Buy??]

The chill day came in handy because I had exciting plans for the evening! A little “Moms Night Out,” if you will! My friend Emily had invited me to go to Pin It, which is a Pinterest/craft-making event, with her!

I was so excited to manifest some of my creative energy with Pinterest projects that had already been planned and prepped by someone other than myself! Ha!

But first? Food. Because these delicious macarons and appetizers weren’t going to eat themselves! And after finishing off these delicious snacks, we headed to our first Pin It station — a watercolor mug!

And after the mug we made an “Embrace Messy Hair” planter. I was going to actually use this as a planter, but my mom suggested I use it to store Remy Bea’s bows and headbands. GENIUS! And so it is!

We rounded out the evening with an all-natural headache salve. And, when all was said and done? I realized just how easy these crafts were to do at home! More to come, friends!

Saturday morning, Mimi (who arrived from Kentucky the night before) and I took Ari to the monthly Home Depot workshop.

Unlike January’s workshop, this one wasn’t too complicated for anyone under the age of 40. I kid (but not really. because Februarys’ build was IMPossible). But honestly, if you’ve never been to one of these workshops I absolutely recommend them. They are so fun — and free!

From there I sent Mimi, Chad and the kids to karate while I went to get my haircut for the first time in a few years. YEARS, friends. Years!

 

 

I ended up at Apotheclaire a little early so I stopped next door at Sweet Mary’s Bakery for a morning snack and coffee! And, if you’re local, you *must* stop in to both of these places! Sweet Mary’s Bakery is A-MAZING, and Apotheclaire is so incredibly eco-friendly and local-focused.

I went in to my hair appointment knowing that I wanted my hair cut off, but not a pixie cut like before; I also knew that I wanted something specific, but couldn’t exactly put it into words (or pictures); soooo big pressure to my stylist. Ha! But I told her what I wanted and she delivered ONE THOUSAND PERCENT! Helloooooo, asymmetrical long bob!

I walked around the rest of my day with a little sass in my step, for sure! It’s a good thing we had a family party to attend so that I had somewhere to be with all of that sass!

PS. The only picture I have from this party was of Remy eating ALL OF THE WORLD (as per usual). But seriously. Where does this child (and her tapeworm) put all of this food!?

Saturday night Ari had his first sleepover at Grandma Vicki and Grandma Rosie’s house (my aunts’ house), so we got off the hook and just had to deal with one tired kid! And by the time we got home Remy was totally ready for bed (no naps will do that to a kid!).

After Remy fell asleep, Mimi and I snuck out to the second official Northside Market! It was later than I’d hoped, but we made it! It was great running into Kevin of Studio KMR and Rachel from IWearJewelRay. It was such a quick trip before we headed home, but it was so worth it. I love running into my creative friends, even if just briefly!

And Sunday? Sunday wasn’t all that bad, friends. It had the makings of a busy day — more talk of perhaps going to the Science Center after we picked Ari up from his sleepover. But once we met up with him we realized that taking a sleep deprived child to a busy museum? Not going to be that much fun. So instead we went to lunch and to Trader Joe’s. Because? #MomLife.

Oh, but I did manage to score 4 pairs of shoes for $70 (after tax!!) from Stride Rite in Legacy Village. So, if you’re local to Northeast Ohio, head over there, like, now. Because they’re going out of business and these prices are THE BOMB.

It was honestly the perfect way to round out the weekend. Just regular Mom Life at it’s best.

A huge thank you to everyone who was in any way involved in this weekend. Whether or not I saw you, texted you, or even if you just sent positive vibes my way, thank you. I will always be forever grateful for my tribe. They make weekends like this possible! ♥ ♥ ♥ Cheers to many more weekends like this!

xoxo