I go to Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC) South Loop location.  I’ve been going to this gym since early 2006.   I’ve been a regular exerciser since 2002 when I got back from a semester in France with WAY too many pain au chocolats (croissant with melted chocolate in the middle… best comfort food when missing your family… not the best if you want to maintain a healthy weight.)  Anyway, I’ve been exercising regularly since 2002 and was at the gym all the time preparing for my fall 2006 wedding.  The wedding came and went and with it– my motivation.  I seem to have a really hard time getting to the gym in the cold Chicago winters.  I’d much rather stay cozy on the couch.
Then I saw a flyer at the gym to sign up for a free personal training session with Lisa G. so I did in late 2007 and I’m still working with her.  She’s seen me through two pregnancies and now we’re in the middle of my attempt to lose this second pregnancy weight.  Where do I even start to say what a great trainer she is?  At the beginning she asked me about my goals, had me record a few days of what I ate, and we went from there.  She pointed out that Lean Cuisine wasn’t the best choice of meals (too much sodium!) for lunch and I needed to eat a more balanced breakfast.  She also pointed out that I had to start running if I wanted to shed a few pounds.  This was scary news.  I was a regular at the gym- spinning, kickboxing classes, etc. but I never considered myself much of a runner.  I had definitely never run more than 3 miles at a time.  What did we do?  Signed up for an 8k in 2008 and she said she’d run with me.  I finished at my goal time of 40 minutes.  2 years later I ran again in 2010 and finished again at 40 minutes 9 seconds.

Today I made it five miles!  I hadn’t hit that milestone since Mia was born and I kind of had a mental block against it so I am extra proud that I made it.  All of this I owe to Lisa.  When I go to the gym she pushes me and gives me what I call the “death look” (a combination of shock and “get back to it”) if she ever thinks I’m slacking.  All the while she is really nice about it.  Lisa’s just a really nice person in general and easy to get along with.  She babysits my kids now too.  I always get a hard work out and results that I want (combined with healthy eating) while having fun.  How great is that?!  Working out with Lisa actually makes me look forward to going to the gym.

Lisa’s getting married this weekend and I wish her and her future husband all the best!  If you live in the Chicago area and want to contact her you can do so through the FFC Website.  If not and you find yourself in an exercise slump or lacking motivation… I would highly recommend trying personal training.  It’s been worth every penny to me and, as I’m sure you can tell from this post, I not only have a trainer and babysitter, but a friend.. who kicks my ass. 

Anyway, my favorite full-time photographer is Jeremy from Studio This Is.  We found him through The Knot back in 2005.  David was extremely busy with work during our wedding planning and left a lot of the details to me.  When it came to the photographer, however, he really wanted some input.  He checked out Jeremy’s site after I found him on The Knot and agreed to go meet with him in Valparaiso, IN.  We walked in and Jeremy immediately made us feel comfortable.  He seemed like someone we could be friends with and I believe he and David were wearing the same watch.  I knew it was a done deal because if they had the same sense of style obviously that would translate to photos as well.

Fast forward six years and Jeremy has now photographed our wedding, each of our newborn children, and did a family photo shoot when Graham was about six months old.  He’s been extremely professional and reliable.  Unfortunately the wedding industry seems to have it’s share of questionable business practices (don’t even get me started on my dress fiasco!) and I’m happy to say we could always count on Studio This Is.  Jeremy scouted our wedding location prior to the big day so he had plenty of ideas in mind about where to shoot.  Jeremy is truly an artist and has a vision of what he wants to capture.  We love our album too.  We filled out a questionnaire explaining the time line and important occurrences in our relationship and then those quotes were included artfully on various pages.  When (if) someone looks at the album after David and I are long gone there will be no more questions of, “who’s that?”  It’s got the story of how we met, the proposal, etc. included with our photos.

Not going to lie: totally picked the timing of this post so I could shamelessly display some pictures of my beautiful children.    Enjoy!

P.S. You can find all of Jeremy’s contact information on his website.

P.P.S. He would be very disappointed I didn’t post any pictures of David and I on our wedding day posed in front of a mountain of coal which turned out very cool to say the least but I don’t have any on my computer!

As usual I digress.  So maybe in one of my less-than-supportive moments I was nursing the baby and calling out to David tips on how to encourage Graham to poop on the potty.  Sometimes the kid is challenging and I’ve learned a few tricks along the way but I think I was being a bit like the Poop General.  Then it got me thinking that not only am I the Poop General but I have to monitor pretty much all bodily functions around this house– including breast milk or Liquid Gold as my friend Angela calls it.

Mia is now four weeks old and has only had maybe two bottles which is the beautiful part about being lucky enough to have so much time off work.  When I went back to work with Graham he was almost seven months old and I had to pump three times a day just to make the two bottles he got while I was gone.  I had quite the chubster!  It was a pretty stressful time for me and boy did I have to regulate that breast milk.  The newest bottles went in the back, the oldest in the front.  Everything was carefully labeled with scotch tape.  If it were three days old and unused it had to immediately be labeled and moved to the freezer.  Talk about the Breast Milk General.  If you realize what you have to go through to get it though you understand where I’m coming from.

Well, I was at Target the other day and I discovered the most simple yet useful invention that is going to help me a ton in regulating the Liquid Gold: Medela Breastmilk Labeling Lids.  No more messing around with the scotch tape and sharpies to keep track of how old the milk is.  Just pop a labeling lid on there, select the day (and even morning, noon, or evening) and voila.  Your bottle is labeled.  When I googled this product to find a picture an article came up about them winning an innovation award.  Where were these suckers two years ago??  Ah well, they’re here now and I love them.

http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/media-center/131/medelas-breastmilk-labeling-lids-win-jpma-innovation-award

P.S. pictures of Mia to come once I figure out how to work our new camera.   I’ve taken some pictures- just don’t know how to transfer them to my computer yet.  Yeah, well, at least I took some right?!

I just thought that I wanted to get Graham trained before summer which is when I’ll want to be on lots of outings.  I also thought: he doesn’t go outside more than half an hour a day right now, dependent on the weather, so why not potty train when he already spends the majority of the day inside by the potty?  Well, we’ve definitely made great progress over the last three days and we’re not going back to diapers but I really owe a huge thanks to our Baby Bjorn Potty Chair.

At first we tried putting Graham on the big potty with an insert in it like this:

I have nothing against the insert.  It held him really well.  He didn’t seem afraid to be on the big potty with the insert and the splash guard worked really well about 9 out of 10 times.  For some reason though we just didn’t feel like we had any major successes.  If your kid will go with the insert more power to both of you because then you don’t have to dump out the potty chair and it’s less work to transition later I’m guessing.

For whatever reason though this morning, after two and a half days with the insert, we decided to go with the little potty and…. BAM!  He peed in it without any pre-dribbles in his underwear.  We were all smiles; he got a treat.  15 minutes later we caught him mid-crouch, ran him to the little potty and BAM…  successful poop in the potty.  The first successful poop in three days of potty training.  We were so excited.  Graham got a bigger reward– bubbles, which he adores.  I was sitting on the ground in the kitchen blowing bubbles in the air.  Graham was laughing and trying to pop them.  Led Zepplin’s Kashmir was playing in the background (one of the few bands David and I both like) and we were all just cheering like crazy.  It was like the sun had just exploded into our house after days of gray.  I said to David, “Is this not the happiest you’ve been in three days??”  He totally agreed.

I still think we’re a long way from saying Graham is totally potty trained but we are cheering “No more diapers!” around this house.  Tonight was the first time he made it through dinner/ chugging milk with dinner that he did not pee in his high chair.  We seem to be heading down the right path.  I would definitely recommend the Baby Bjorn insert or Potty Chair but boy was I thanking God we had that little potty chair today.  I have tomorrow off work so hopefully between the nanny and myself we can manage an even better day 4.  Hopefully we will be blowing more bubbles and laughing and cheering in the kitchen.

http://www.amazon.com/BabyBj%C3%B6rn-055121US-BABYBJ%C3%96RN-Potty-Chair/dp/B0009OLSZ8/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1299460980&sr=1-1

Today I got a facial and have been trying to keep up with one every two to three months.  Cindie is really friendly, professional, and makes the experience relaxing and pleasant.  I’ve noticed a huge difference in my skin since keeping up with these facials, combined with my Boscia mask treatments.  I’ve also had a massage and some waxing done at Lillie Ann’s and loved that too (as much as anyone can love waxing– ouch.)
The facility is kind of off the beaten path over by Harpo Studios at 1260 W. Washington.  It’s small and it’s no Mario Tricocci.  You won’t be lounging around in your robe in the “quiet room” is what I mean by that.  However, there’s free parking, the place is immaculate and tastefully decorated/ seems brand new and seems reasonably priced.  Every person I’ve encountered has been nice and made my visit a truly relaxing, pleasant experience.  I keep going back.  I really can’t think of a better way to spend part of my afternoon off.  I also owe a big thank you to my thoughtful husband who bought me two facials for Christmas!  I think I’m going to schedule the next one for April so I can enjoy an hour to myself after the baby’s born.  You’re watching the kids right hun?! 

Let me be clear: I am NOT a proponent of leggings.  I think that if you’re over a certain age (like 18) and plan to wear leggings you should have a top long enough to cover parts that are better off covered.  I was really skeptical about these at first but I think that’s what I love so much about these denim leggings; they have enough structure and they have real pockets so I think they look more like jeans than leggings.  They feel like wearing fitted pajamas however!!! Don’t worry, I still wear them with tops long enough to cover everything that needs to be covered. 

What more could you want when you’re pregnant and essentially have a bowling ball attached to your abdomen??  I’ve been wearing these leggings all the time.  If it’s Sunday, I’m wearing them.  If we’re going out to dinner, I’m wearing them with a cute top and booties.  If I’m running errands and it’s a snowy day in Chicago (um, every day lately) I’m wearing them with my winter boots pulled up.  Pretty much if they’re clean and I don’t have work, I’m wearing them.

Only downer: cost.  I had an unused Sak’s gift card though and bought the leggings the weekend of Sak’s Friends & Family weekend (extra 20% off) so with those two things considered I only paid $33 for these jeans.  I have the Olympia color and love it.  Have I suitably said enough about how much I love these??  OK, I’ll stop now.  Just get a pair if you can.

http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524446252175

Here is a pic of my BFF Kristen and me tailgating this fall.  We’re due two days apart– so exciting.  You can’t see the jeans very clearly but I’m wearing them and loving them.

Enter the internet.  I googled and came up with Heel-Tastic.

It was really reasonably priced and had great reviews so I ordered two!  I started using it every night– slathered it on my heels, put on some socks, and went to sleep.  Seriously, after only a few days I noticed a difference.  Now (about two months later) I have NO visible cracks on my heels.  The texture is infinitely smoother.  I don’t snag my feel while putting on tights anymore.  Yeah people, that’s how cracked they were.  Now I’m down to using it every other day and I don’t always put the socks on after the heel tastic.
I started raving about it so much David had to try it for himself on his elbows.  I warned him he may get quoted on Personal Faves and he gave approval.  David said his elbows could have previously only been described as “dinosaur skin.”  He was shocked and amazed by the difference too.  My hands have become pretty cracked lately with the cold weather and the constant hand-washing (I work in a germ fest otherwise known as an elementary school.)  I put some heel tastic on my fingers before going to bed one night and again– drastic improvement.

The only downer of this product is that it smells very “natural.”  It’s made with lots of waxes and many natural ingredients but this scent is part natural and part geriatric.  I don’t care.  Like I said, I use it at night!  The effects and positives far outweigh the strange-ish smell.  It would make a great stocking stuffer.  Be proud to bare your heels again!

This restaurant is located at 676 N. St. Clair, almost hidden by parts of Northwestern’s Hospital.  It’s not obnoxiously marked, nor is there an obvious valet sign.  David commented to the host that we drove around awhile before finding it and he aptly replied, “We are discreet.”  The decor is minimalist chic.  Black chairs, white linens, white walls.  Each table is individually lit and has a small, artistic flower arrangement.  When we got to the table they provided me with a small stool on which I could place my purse.  I knew this was going to be no ordinary restaurant.

I’m drawing a blank for the perfect word to describe the service.  Superb.  Friendly.  Knowledgeable.  Excited.  Professional.  Choreographed.  Yes, choreographed.  We were dining with another couple and they made sure that two servers came each time to present each course.  That way the ladies’ plates were placed in front of us at the exact same moment, and then the guys’.  It was a ballet of beautiful food.

Warning: Recommended only for special occasions or if you have saved up a bit.    They offer a prix fixe menu and you can choose from three options.  Rick and David got the Chef’s Collection which I believe consisted of six courses (tasting size the staff called it) and Angela and I got the Grand Collection- four courses.  Not inexpensive but worth the cost if you have something to celebrate, or if you’re incredibly wealthy and dine like this on a weekly basis (not us!)

How do I begin to describe the food?  We started off with a “caviar.”  When I told them I was pregnant and couldn’t eat caviar they explained the quotations on the menu.  The chef took cooked sturgeon, combined it with milk, and served it atop an avocado mousse with little crackers that you ate like caviar.  Each person received their own artfully crafted tiny tin with the lid set ever so carefully to the side.  The lid was labeled Tru’s “Caviar” or something like that.  These people go to great lengths; are you getting the idea??

Highlights: the corn soup was served in a vintage looking cappucino cup.  The cheese cart was made up of sheep, cow, and goat’s milk cheeses mostly from France and Spain.  When my friend mentioned she was going to the restroom a woman came to the table whom we had not previously seen and said, “I’m here to escort you to the restroom.”  AFTER the most amazing dessert ever they brought out a freaking TRUFFLE CART.  You chose as many divine candies as you could after eating 4+  courses and previously eating dessert.  No need to flag down the valet; the car is there waiting for you when you get up to the door.  AND they sent us home with delicious Madeleine treats, “For breakfast” the hostess said.  We spent five hours with our friends in this amazing restaurant, eating amazing food, and being treated like absolute royalty.  I told our server, Aaron, I wasn’t sure how we were going to go back to a “regular” restaurant after this!  He said, “After a few drinks!”

Can you tell this place is my new personal fave?????  Like I said though, after our bill we probably won’t be there again until next October 14.  (David and our two friends were thirsty for some alcohol I should add.  That makes a big difference!)  Bon appetit!

Tru’s Website

My skin has never been my best feature.  Before Graham was born I might have said it was my flat abs but… alas, that’s no longer the case!  Anyway, I spend a lot of time at the gym.  I (used to) spend a lot of time choosing just the right outfits and accessories.  I spend time getting my hair cut and highlighted.  I would normally just ignore my skin though because my it wasn’t great and I didn’t know where to begin to improve it.  I have been using Benefit’s Honey Snap Out of It and I still love that but it hasn’t been enough lately.  I can’t complain about my two pregnancies except for the fact that my skin seems to go extra hay-wire.  I told you my two announcements were related!  I even got a facial early on and the woman repeatedly said: “Are you exfoliating?”  The Honey Snap Out if It is awesome but I needed more.

You all know I am obsessed with People.com.  I don’t believe any celebrity gossip until People reports it.  I call People the Bible of celebrities.  From time to time they have features about how to treat yourself like a celebrity and that’s how I came across this new product.  It’s a mask you put on once or twice a week, leave it until it dries (like 30 minutes) and then peel it off.  Make sure you apply it thickly or it’s very hard and somewhat painful to peel.  Also, avoid the eyes and hairlines!!  Don’t be shocked but when it says black mask they mean it.  You will look like a freaking ninja or like you are trying to rob a bank.  I always have to warn David that I have it on if he is coming into the room from someplace else so he doesn’t get a crazy surprise.  The other downer is that it definitely takes a time commitment.  But, as I mentioned earlier, I spend time on lots of other aspects of looking good and my skin is something that I can no longer ignore.  When you are done with the peeling you will feel so great.  My pores actually seem smaller and my skin overall looks smoother.  I’ve been so happy with the results that I’ve now upped my routine to twice a week.  Promise to keep you posted on the pregnancy and exfoliating progress!!

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P266800&categoryId=C16701

Anyway, I am a subscriber to Lucky magazine and that is how I came across the blog Cupcakes and Cashmere.  Emily, the creator, is obviously way cooler than I am and I am in awe.  She gets items and trips gifted to her so that she will review them.  She created a bag for Coach.  I mean, seriously people.  Her style is sometimes way too out there for me.  In my ripe old age of 29 I’ve realized I’m mostly preppy and not that edgy.  It’s sometimes a bit disappointing but why not stick with what works right??  Her style is ecclectic and there are many looks she rocks that I could never hope to pull off.  For example: http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/studies-in-sequins/  I would just look ridiculous if I tried to wear that to the elementary school I worked in.  She makes it look effortless and cool.  Sigh. 

Other than taking really cool photos of her really cool outfits she also posts recipes, (where I came across the chocolate chocolate chip cookies) and she gives hair and make up tips.  My favorite of all-time is the smoky eye how-to.   I was clueless how to achieve a not-trying-too-hard smoky eye until I found her easy to follow instructions.  I’ve definitely worked that a time or two when going out on the town.  It’s just an awesome site and gives me a little inspiration to maybe throw on an extra accessory or something when normally I’d skip it.  Or put a little braid in my hair rather than just a plain pony-tail.  Come on, it’s rough sometimes being a working mom!  I bet she’d cut me a little slack.    Hope you enjoy cruising the site as much as I do.