I’m Happy New Year! It feels weird to say that but in all reality, it was only a little over two weeks ago that we entered 2018. The holidays are a distant memory, but I’m still in recovery mode. For some reason, it has taken me so long to get back into my groove. Those shorter weeks with an abundance of travel and a new (although not healthier) eating routine were a welcomed change. Life without a bedtime was a lot more fun and my family truly had the best time ever. I’m still trying to cope with the Monday through Friday work week!
However, now that I am officially back to work I’m trying to readjust my eating. (Real life: As I write this I’m eating two Toaster Strudels sans icing because I ate the icing packets last night at 1am in desperation.) I have big plans for 2018, starting with the BBG workout plan. I’m excited to implement new things into my diet and this year more than ever, I want to focus on my personal health and wellness. My habits become Zelda’s habits and I know they trickle down through the rest of my family. It’s important to teach Zelda the importance of taking care of her body by fueling it with healthy foods.
I am also gearing up to bring my body to its healthiest point because we are toying around with the idea of having a second child. (No, I’m not pregnant and this is nothing that is happening tomorrow!) It has become a regular topic of conversation in our household and I would like to be in the best place I can be before taking that on again.
I want to give you a glimpse into my week last week. It was my first full week of work post holidays. Like I said last year, I want to be more open than ever. It’s my goal for us to create a community together. Please feel free to comment below with questions or suggestions. If you want to see us try something out, let me know! We are always game. I wish you the raddest 2018 ever and at this point, anything must be better than 2017, right?! Live each day the best way you can.

A toddler goes to work with her mother.

MONDAY

In typical Monday fashion, my day started at 6am. I always begin the week early to get a head start because I feel so much better when I have things under control around 8am. Having that time to answer and read through my emails allows me know what kind of day I’m going to have. As soon as I arrive at the office, I am aware of what needs immediate attention. I work the best when I bucket my time and use task lists. I decide what I’m going to work on for a designated amount of time and then move onto something else when time is up. This ensures I don’t neglect other work by getting too wrapped up in something. Obviously, if something needs my immediate attention and must be seen all the way through, I do it.

On Monday afternoon, I had a team from eBay visit my office, which I always enjoy. These meetings give us the opportunity to collaborate, share ideas and bounce things off one another. Basically, it was an invaluable strategy session and a fantastic way to kick off the week!

 

 

Shop Kate Walsh's closet at eDrop-Off.

TUESDAY

Tuesday was a fun day at eDrop-Off because we launched our Kate Walsh celebrity charity auction. With over 100 curated pieces straight from her closet, proceeds benefit The Humane Society of Ventura County and the Red Cross Los Angeles Region to help those affected by the California Wildfires. There are some true treasures in this collection and it is all for a worthy cause! Is there a better way to shop? Personally, I’m crushing on the Chanel black suede leather boots and the IRO slate blue sequin moto jacket. After all, everyone needs a sequin moto jacket! Make sure you check it out, there is a piece for everyone. Happy bidding!

 

 

 

Tattoo removal with Dr. Shah.

WEDNESDAY

As I mentioned earlier, 2018 is all about my personal health. I’ve let it fall by the wayside since Zelda was born and there is no excuse for it. I drain my bank account to pay for benefits each month and decided it was time to start using them again! I am back on the chiropractic train and absolutely adore my chiropractor. Dr Zrelak at East Bank Chiropractic has helped me tremendously throughout the years. I’ve suffered from migraines my entire life and he helped me escape from a very dark hole that no one else could help me with. I trust him immensely and am so happy to be visiting regularly again. My weekly appointments make me feel more energized and they help with my posture. If you’re under stress, have a baby or work at a computer all day, I highly recommend visiting him. Check your benefits because a ton of insurance plans cover chiropractic care.

Additionally, if you follow my Instagram stories you may have seen my tattoo removal appointment. If you don’t follow me, I recommend doing so because you’ll see a lot of real life occurrences that are very entertaining. Last week I decided to get rid of my trashy spring break tattoo that seemed like the best idea ever when I was in my early 20’s. I’ve thought about doing it for years but have been fearful of the pain. I’ve watched several of my friends go through 10-12 treatments to have their tattoos removed, which scared me. I hadn’t made it a priority, until now.

I’m going on several trips this year and I don’t want the tattoo to come with me. I found the greatest doctor ever to do it: Dr. Shah (located in Water Tower). His tattoo removal process isn’t like so many other doctors because he uses a picosure laser, which is much stronger than traditional lasers. I won’t get all technical here because I plan to write a full post on the entire process. All in all, my tattoo removal process only requires 2-3 appointments. And even better, the pain was not nearly as bad as I had built it up to be. Goodbye bad ink – there is no more room for you! If you have the same issue, pay him a visit because he is awesome. Stay tuned, I’ll have a post within the next few weeks about the entire process where I’ll give you even more details!

A guide to Greektown in Chicago.

THURSDAY

When I woke up on Thursday, I felt a little off. I wasn’t feeling like myself and my brain wasn’t properly functioning. That morning I was so excited to write my guide to Chicago’s Greektown but when I sat down to do it, I found I was suffering from horrible writer’s block. Typically, if this happens, I walk away and come back when I’m feeling more in the moment. Unfortunately, I had a deadline to meet and because of that, I spent most of my morning staring into space. Eventually, I was able to piece it together and am so proud of it because it surrounds Zelda’s heritage. My daughter’s father, Spiro is a first-generation Greek, making Zelda half-Greek. Be sure to check out The Ultimate Guide to Chicago’s Greektown where we give you some super fun insider tips on visiting this Chicago neighborhood. I adore this post (even though it took a little longer to put together than I would have liked)!

 

 

 

Energy healing in Chicago

FRIDAY

On Friday, I woke up feeling off…again. I took it as a sign that I should visit my energy healer. I began seeing her late last year and it has changed my outlook on life. Energy healing is a cleansing, therapeutic practice and if you aren’t familiar with it, I recommend considering it. I’ve done extensive research and discovered there is so much to learn. For instance, have you ever had one of those days where you’re feeling amazing, encounter someone in a bad mood and then take on their energy? We constantly take on the energy of others and it is important to cleanse. Whether you do it through your own personal techniques or visit a professional, it is important to get your chakras in line.

My energy healer can see so much about me and has helped guide my personal health. At my most recent appointment, after asking if I was feeling okay, she informed me that she saw inflammation around my energy field. Specifically, she noticed it around my pelvic area and on my knee. I had just had my tattoo removal appointment (which focused on my pelvis) and I had hit my knee cleaning the floors. I was fully dressed, and she was able to recognize something that wasn’t visible. If you would like her contact information, please feel free to message me privately. She works off referrals only, so I don’t want to publicly post her information. She is worth it! I have been visiting every four weeks and once I get a few more appointments under my belt, I will blog about my experience, so you can see my journey. I’m excited to explore this further and really dive into it this year.

A little girl in jeans, a pink cowboy hat and brown cowboy boots at PBR in Chicago.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY

After a long week with a full work load, it was important for us to do absolutely nothing on Saturday. We hung out around the house and it was wonderful. On Sunday, we headed to PBR. If you aren’t familiar, PBR is professional bull riding. Yes, you read that correctly. PBR has become an annual tradition for my family and we’ve taken Zelda every year since she was born because it is so much fun. If Spiro could be cowboy and live on a ranch, he would. Most likely, that isn’t happening anytime soon and PBR gives him his fix! Zelda thinks the bulls are hysterical and no one loves wearing a hat and boots more than her. We had a wonderful family day. It’s something different and a ton of fun, and I love nothing more than a solid family tradition!