Stockings are my favorite. The presents get opened and discarded to the side. Wrapping paper and boxes get cleared out. What keeps them talking in the hours to come are the stockings. The silly, funny, yummy contents get is excited, laughing and remind us what it’s like to be a kid again. Here are a few of my favorites:
This cute poop plush is sure to make them laugh! I saw it for the first time watching Tucker Budzyn, and knew I had to get one.
Oh the hilarious faces you can make with this human face fidget. They crack me up!
Slime that helps you clean those hard to reach crevices in your car? Yes please!!
I will never forget the year we got our chicken flingers! We still have them, and you do want a set of 10 or more because they get lost behind furniture.
Clap on. Clap off. Clap on, clap off. The Clapper. You can’t go wrong with this classic! Funcitional and fun! My link is to the generic, but here’s the name brand if you’d prefer it.
Christmas carries so many amazing memories and traditions. In the past, it has been the most joyous time of year, especially when the girls were little and they could be delighted and content with the smallest and affordable items.
As they are getting older, bringing them the same amount of joy comes with a pretty high price tag – it just does. On a tight budget, I struggle with staying with in our means, and doing what I really want to do from the deepest part of my being: give them the things I know will make their hearts soar.
I went through a period where I felt I was unique this way. It seemed as though my friends and parents of my girls’ friends were not only providing their children with the things mine were asking for, but much more. Recently, as I’ve talked to other parents, they feel the same way I do!
I hear of children making Canva presentations of everything they want, hundreds and thousands of dollars worth of gift requests. And just yesterday, a friend posted on social that she had already bought for her child, and he presented her with a Santa letter listing totally different requests, none of which she had already purchased. One of the things he asked for was $1000! Social media seems to normalize overspending at Christmas.
I think where a lot of parents with younger children struggle is trying to keep the idea of Santa alive. I know I did. We wonder if our kids don’t get all they’ve asked for, especially in a Santa letter, will the magic stay alive? Will they still believe? And also the practical side of our brains that screams not only “no,” but “hell no!”
When I look back at gifts my girls have received over the years, and compare my excitement about their potential reaction to opening them to how they actually react, it’s almost always a letdown. Especially 2-3 days later. Gifts that I spent months planning and hundreds of dollars we didn’t have to spend – money that we sacrificed to hopefully put a smile on their face? Now they are items discarded in the corner ALREADY, not touched at all. Or opened and used but taken for granted.
Over time, I’ve tried to find a solution that keeps me in alignment with what I feel is right and reasonable, but bringing joy to my children at the holidays at the same time. Experiences as gifts is a good solution! Tangible items as gifts are kind of like buying a car. They lose value the second you pull out of the lot. Tangible gifts lose their joyfulness and importance with each day we possess the item. Experiences have sentimental value and give us memories that we treasure for a lifetime.
That is why this Christmas I don’t want a Santa letter or a Canva presentation. I’m not even looking at those. They can make them and use them as a list of items for them to save their money and purchase themselves. It’s good to have things that you want and hope for!
I will definitely be listening for ideas and looking for little items that I know will surprise and delight them! I love shopping for their stockings and it’s interesting that the small affordable stocking items always seem to bring bigger smiles than the high dollar gifts.
I will no longer be a parent who is a slave to the pressure of what the Joneses have or what the Joneses are getting for Christmas this year. I will no longer feel pressured to get all the things on my child’s wishlist in efforts to rescue them from a depression or to buy happiness. This never works anyways. My child very well may be literally the only one at her school who didn’t get the viral Nikes or Lululemon whatever, and you know what? She will be just fine.
One of the best things about living in Middle Tennessee is the beautiful fall foliage and all of the fall activities that we have to offer. I’ve put together a list of my very favorite things we love to do in the fall in the Tennessee-Kentucky area. We live in Clarksville,Tennessee, and we have a true color change if leaves that is beautiful and not to be missed so you can be sure that a lot of the items on the list are outdoors! Living less than an hour away from Nashville, many of our favorite fall activities are located there as well as some of the surrounding areas. We are also just a half hour away from the Kentucky state line so you’ll find some Kentucky locations made my list. I love living in Middle Tennessee in the fall! If we ever move, fall will be high on my list of things that I miss.
Go to a pumpkin patch! There are so many great ones. Gentry Farm, Lucky Ladd Farm, and Walden Farm are all wonderful.
Go to Cheekwood. The mums are breathtaking and the pumpkin displays are amazing. The pumpkin houses are so cute and make a great photo op.
Go on a hike. In Clarksville we love to go to Rotary Park, Dunbar Cave and Billy Dunlop Park. There are some cute trails near downtown Clarksville as well. In Nashville we love to hike at Radnor Lake.
Outside of Nashville there are so many great waterfall hikes such as Machine Falls and Burgess Falls. Late October and early November offer the best chance to see fall leaves.
Honeysuckle Hill Farm. This is a family favorite and a tradition that has so much to offer. There are hayrides, a “pumpkin patch,” mining for gemstones, awesome playground, in-ground bouncy trampoline, zipline, and so much more.
Boo at the Zoo. The Nashville Zoo is so much fun on a regular day, but they also do such an amazing job at creating this wonderful experience during the Halloween season.
Take a drive along Natchez Trace near Franklin, TN. The views of the fall foliage are stunning!
Go on a trail ride with Circle T Ranch! Located near Hopkinsville, KY, they offer a couple near Halloween that include a haunted hayride, and making s’mores and roasting hot dogs over the fire afterward.
Todd County Bale Trail. Some of the best things in life are free, and this is one of them. The bale trial is basically amazingly decorated hay bales that can be found throughout Todd County and has the feel of a scavenger hunt. Just print the hay bale map and enter the addresses into your GPS and away you go! This year there was an Inside Out them for several of the bales and they were adorable! While you’re in Todd County, make a day of it by checking out The Country Pantry and Schlabach’s, Guthrie’s Amish grocery and bakery! Or in downtown Elkton where many of the bales can be found, check out the soda shop or Hampton’s for the best burger and shake!
These are just a few of my favorite things to do Clarksville and surrounding areas! We are so blessed to live where we do with so many rich offerings of things to do and places to explore.
You may already be aware that Omega-3 is a supplement that every single person should be taking. Eleven years ago, I lost my mom to Alzheimer’s. Had she taken Omega-3 sooner, it could have potentially added years to her life and quality of life. That is why I want to do everything in my ability to educate others about why this taking an Omega-3 supplement is so vital and beneficial; I am passionate about promoting brain health.
Why Omega-3? Sixty to seventy percent of the brain is made up of fat similar to fish oil, one reason why everyone should be taking fish oil or algae supplement (yes, algae is an equally viable source of Omega-3!) I have been taking Omega-3 faithfully for years, since I learned how much it supports brain health and development. I even increased my intake while I was pregnant and nursing both girls.
Fish oil vs. Algae sourced Omega-3. All Omega-3 supplements are not created equal. The doses of fish oil we really should be taking are pretty high by normal standards. You want to be taking Ultra-Refined EPA/DHA Concentrates. This type of fish oil exceeds rigorous standards for purity, meaning that toxins have been removed to prevent gastrointestinal issues that occur with lower grades of fish oil. Lower grades of fish oil can also become rancid and be harmful to the body. However, you are not going to find Ultra-Refined EPA/DHA Concentrates in a health food store or supermarket, because the extra refining makes it too expensive. Also, many people struggle with consistently taking Omega-3 due to the horrible fishy aftertaste.
Green Omega 3 from Young Living meets this rigorous standard, but sources from algae instead of fish, so no fishy after-taste! If your primary objection to taking Omega-3 is the fishy aftertaste, but recognize the importance of taking Omega-3, Green Omega is the solution that you’ve been looking for. Because it is sourced from algae, there is less impact on the marine ecosystem, and reduced potential for marine contaminants.
Green Omega 3, like all Young Living supplements, is infused with essential oils. The essential oils prevent bacteria and oxidation, as well as help our bodies to more efficiently utilize the vitamins and nutrients contained in our supplements. There is so much science behind incorporating essential oils into supplements to help our bodies fully process them! You can Google this. Sadly, most store bought lower grade vitamins and supplements pass straight through our bodies – directly to our urine. Basically a waste of money! I don’t know about you, but I spend way too much money on supplements to just pee them all out. I want to make sure my body is utilizing every single one that I take.
When I made the switch from my old store brand fish oil to this high quality supplement, I noticed a dramatic improvement in my clarity of thoughts and memory! I also have an excellent essential oils protocol that I follow for a clear, focused mind.
And, if you are a Young Living member, it makes good sense to get your oils and favorite products from Young Living through Essential Rewards so you are earning points to get your supplements for free. Shop here to grab Green Omega and my favorite oils for supporting brain health. I have learned over time that I earn tons of Loyalty Reward points from Young Living by purchasing all of my favorite oils and products each month. In turn, I use those points to pay for ALL of my supplements! So buy your lavender, Thieves, Thieves Cleaner, lemon, peppermint, Stress Away, Thieves Cough Drops, Lavender Lotion through your monthly order; earn points from your order and spend it on your favorite supplements, getting them for free!
You are going to be hearing more and more from me about brain health! So stay tuned!
This pic was taken 6 years ago when we stopped off in Chattanooga to eat on our way to the East Coast. I promised myself we would go back and finally keeping that promise!
I’m in the process of planning a short family trip to Chattanooga, and I wanted to share and post my bucket list in the hopes that others might share other ideas for us to add. I would especially appreciate feedback from locals. When we travel, we love to immerse ourselves in the city we are visiting. To pretend for a short time that we live there. While some of the items on our list are admittedly touristy, I always tend to enjoy the non-tourist local favorites the most. Let me know your thoughts and pros/cons of the places already on the list as well. Thank you much!
Tennessee Aquarium (curious how it compares to Chattanooga Aquarium)
The Incline Railway
Lookout Mountain
Coolidge Park
Ruby Falls
The Hot Chocolatier
Chattanooga Market
The Passage Waterwalk
Little Debbie Park
Cardboard Hill
Rosie Mae’s Alpaca Farm
West Village (Shopping)
Clumpies Ice Cream
Tony’s Pasta Shop
Rembrandt’s Coffee House
Yellow Deli
Urban Stack
Mean Mug Coffeehouse
Syrup and Eggs
The Daily Ration
I can’t wait to read any tips or advice you may have to share about your own experiences in Chattanooga!
Our energy level is so important to doing all the things that need to be done in a given day, and how we feel in our bodies. When our energy is low, life can feel like a huge struggle. But the good news is that there are so many variables are within our control that we can impact to increase our energy level on a daily basis.
Being outdoors is life giving. Sunlight exposure releases seratonin in the brain which is one of the happy chemicals in our brain – mood boosting. You can track your time outside on your devices and try hit at least 100 minutes a day, even in the winter months. On rainy days it doesn’t rain ALL DAY. So you may find even on those days you can carve out some outdoor time. You have to make it a non-negotiable for yourself, just like any other habit that you want to stick. Getting sunlight in the early morning hours (during/after sunrise) is so important. You can set an alarm on your phone that goes off every morning 10 minutes before sunrise. Even days you are at work you can step out and take a short 5-10 minute walk. You can do the same thing at lunch and try to after work as well. Daily sunlight exposure also helps with our circadian rhythm which impacts our sleep!
Sleep is so important to energy level. During the work week, 8 hours may not always be realistic realistic, but you can try to shoot for 6 and a half to 7 at a minimum. On days you don’t work, strive to hit that 8 hour mark. You can track this on your devices as well. You will sleep better when you limit your fluids before bedtime, keep it cool in the room but put on lots of covers. Strange things like wearing socks and certain comfy joggers may impact your sleep. Wearing pants that stay in place is helpful (that don’t ride up to your knee) but also cotton or other lightweight fabrics are helpful. You can diffuse and wear essential oils like lavender and cedarwood. Cedarwood and magnesium are everything for sleep. A total game changer. Reading before bed helps too. Put your phone in “red mode” and airplane mode. Also try to stay off your phone while laying in bed. You should train your brain that the bed is where we sleep, not where we eat, watch TV, or scroll on our phones. This may be far from your norm but I promise it helps!
Exercise can make so much difference for your energy level. After a long day at work, it can be so tempting to go home and collapse on the couch and binge Netflix. It may even feel intuitive to go take a nap! But you will learn different. Once you have made exercise after work a non-negotiable, your energy level will be so much better. Not just after your workout, but the following day. The days you exercise, you will sleep better, and when you sleep better, you feel so much better the day after! I will be honest – at first it will be HARD, but what they say about it taking 30 days to form a habit is so true! Once it’s your habit, it will become automatic. If you don’t already have a practice of daily exercise, I recommend starting with a walk around your neighborhood. And the first week will be the hardest. The most difficult part of starting an exercise practice is pulling on those workout clothes. So just do it! Once you’ve gone to the trouble of changing clothes, it’s happening!
Eating healthier can be another game changer. Anytime you consider eating something, ask yourself if you will feel better or worse after eating it. When you become more mindful of everything you put in your mouth, and start looking at it through this lens, everything will change. If you have an intolerance to certain foods like gluten or lactose, it may become easier for you to say “no” to those foods because you will in time care more about how you feel! If you don’t have an intolerance to any foods, there are surely foods that you can think of that make you feel better afterward, or worse afterward. Eat more of the things that make you feel good and energized and less of those that don’t. Plain and simple.
Finally, spend time with people who fill your tank. These can be friends or family members, but you know who the people are in your life that just make you feel better when you are around them.
These may seem common sense, but they are also all things that require intentionalilty, and are worth making a priority. As you create better habits and a healthier lifestyle, you will find that these life choices will give you more energy and improve your life as a whole.
My high school besties and I have been talking about a Maine girls’ trip for years. This year we all turned 50, and decided to make it happen. My friend Caryn lives in Maine, and she was the best hostess and tour guide we could have asked for. She LOVES Maine and was able to provide us with an experience that only a local could provide, and Maine now has a special place in my heart after this trip! We were able to see exactly why she loves her home state for the last 20+ years. It is my hope that anyone who reads this will want to add Maine to your bucket list of places you must visit. If the words don’t convey the value, the pictures definitely will!
Caryn lives in Falmouth which is just 10-15 minutes north of Portland, and about a two hour drive from Boston which is where we flew in. You can fly in to either Portland or Boston, so it is worth your time to compare costs. We were able to save money and my friend Lori was able to use points by flying into Boston. If you would like to read about our Girls’ Trip to Boston and how to spend 24 hours in Boston with your girlfriends, you can find that post here.
To get to Maine from Boston, we had to pass through New Hampshire. I was expecting to check off two states on this trip, but New Hampshire was an added bonus! I’ve noticed that state lines almost everywhere that I travel are on bridges.
Our first stop was one of my favorite parts of our entire trip. We visited The Cliff House, a luxury hotel located in Cape Neddick, near Ogunquit. The hotel is oceanfront on the cliffs in southern Maine, and such an exquisite hotel with an even more exquisite view! I did not want to leave. You will want to make your way through the courtyard where the firepit is located and back toward the pool area. Be sure to walk along the back side of the hotel for a different and equally captivating view with every turn. There were lots of “oohs” and “ahhs” and so many pictures taken!
If you stop by to walk the grounds at The Cliff House please ask the employee at the gate. We explored with permission and our friend is a repeat customer of the spa there. This is a high end resort and you would want to carry yourself as such while you are there. This belongs on your Maine bucket list!
Our next stop was Kennebunkport. I was so excited to drive through this beach town! I follow an influencer on Instagram, @thenashvillemom. She posts about Kennebunkport, particularly at Christmas, and her posts are so inspiring that you want to go there! To see it firsthand, I understand now why it’s so special to her.
We stopped for lunch in Kennebunkport at The Boathouse, what would end up being one of my favorite meals of the trip. It was a pretty hot day for Maine, but outside the breeze coming off the water was so nice! We decided to eat outside. I always love eating outdoors, and the atmosphere here was part of what made the experience so special. I loved watching the boats and activity in the water and the yellow striped umbrellas added to the charm and overall aesthetic.
The Boathouse in Kennebunkport
The star of the show was the food! The menu was amazing and made it challenging to decide. I find that is almost always a good sign that wonderful food is to come. I got the Maine Coast Monkfish Stew. Sound strange? If you’ve never tried monkfish you are truly missing out; it’s known as “poor man’s lobster” because it has such a similar flavor to lobster, but more affordable. In this soup I really couldn’t distinguish it from it’s fancier counterpart. I also got the lobster fried rice which was such a generous serving and a table favorite. We had lobster rolls in our future later in the evening and the girls teased me about getting lobster items for lunch too, but my love for lobster runs DEEP. It is not possible to get tired of it. Why wouldn’t you get as much lobster as possible while in “lobster land?” We live in landlocked Tennessee and I am convinced now that the flavor and the freshness factor is nowhere near back home compared to what we got here. My friends got a burger and Korean lettuce wraps which they also loved! 100% recommend The Boathouse in Kennebunkport!
After lunch, we headed to the beach! One of the things we had requested to do while in Maine was go to a “real beach.” Goose Rocks Beach fit the bill. Powder soft sand and gentle waves. We didn’t spend a lot of time here, but it was enough for me to get my dose of “vitamin sea.” In the pictures of Goose Rocks Beach below, you will notice a design of concentric circles in the sand. I have always been fascinated with crop circles and how they get them so perfect? I can’t make one circle that isn’t lumpy!
As if this had not already been special enough, our next stop was one of my favorite memories we made on the entire trip. We got to see the Portland Head Light, a real lighthouse! It is Maine’s oldest and most beautiful. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it in paintings and other pieces of art. It looked so iconic. Again, I did not want to leave. Just like at the Cliff House, every twist and turn down the path revealed even a more beautiful view than the previous one. Portland Head Light is must on your Maine bucket list!
Finally, the cherry on top of this whole trip, we were treated to lobster rolls! You should know that you can get lobster rolls just about anywhere in Maine, even some gas stations had them. And you can pay big money for them too. Caryn had a friend who has access to lobster right off the boat, and all the best ingredients. Rolls buttered and toasted properly with lettuce and mayo. He came to her house and made them for us! This was definitely the best thing I put in my mouth on the entire trip and in my top ten for best bites of my life. Another friend and neighbor is a talented singer and guitar player and entertained us by the fire pit afterward. I will not forget this night or the hospitality!
My lobster roll
Amazing!
So good.
This is happiness.
We got to meet our dinner before eating it. That’s fresh!
We enjoyed time by the fire pit and wonderful live music.
I was introduced to the butter bell! And Kate’s butter. So good!
We flew out the next day, but before our flight we had time to enjoy breakfast together and spend a couple of hours at LL Bean and the other outlets in Freeport. I could not have been prepared for how big LL Bean was. It’s multiple buildings that cover several blocks, with other outlet stores nestled all around. And each LL Bean store held categories of items. There was an LL Bean store that was primarily clothing (huge), another for camping, and another for boating. You get the idea. In front of the LL Bean clothing outlet is a photobooth experience where you can take a pic with the giant LL Bean boot or where the ginormous LL Bean backpack. It was fun to watch little kids put on this big backpack! Part of the charm of the area is that the Starbucks, McDonalds, and some other restaurants and stores were formally houses. The whole area is very walkable and there were also some amazing souvenir shops that allowed us to grab some gifts from our families.
This trip to Maine was one that I will never forget and I look forward to bringing my family here (hopefully one day soon) and sharing it with them. When people think of Maine, they may think of snow and cold weather, but we had such nice temps during this July visit! If you have been planning to visit Maine, consider going in the summertime. However, I think for my next visit I would like to see the beautiful fall leaves when they change color.
This is a new concept to me, and I discovered it listening to this episode of the Ten Percent Happier podcast. What made it compelling to me, was when the guest Devin Berry shared that he felt difficult to be around, angry, and easily offended. He also describes himself as sarcastic and skeptical, and that fact that all of those descriptors sadly resonated with me and how badly I didn’t want them to.
As I listened to him talk through a Metta Practice, I tried it for myself. I did not expect the tears to flow! I released so much emotion as I wished love and kindness to others, but especially as I wished it for myself and also forgave myself. I didn’t know that I needed this. Thank you Devin so much for being vulnerable and sharing your experience with Metta.
It has been a long time since I have felt this big of a shift in energy in such a positive way, and I wanted to share it here for a couple of reasons: 1) to selfishly help me process it, and 2) in case others want to find all of the high points shared in the podcast and this short and condensed form.
Initially I thought I would just listen to the podcast once a week, but I don’t trust myself to dedicate an hour to listen through all that is presented there.
Metta is a Buddhist practice that essentially is a practice of wishing others good will, including yourself. It’s the practice of becoming kind and benevolent. There are many mantras involved which I already believe in and practice. I have been a long time believer in the concept of repeating a positive saying or intention throughout my day. I have a yoga practice, and deep breathing and quieting the mind is a part of that.
I also want to go on the record as saying that you do not have to be Buddhist to practice Metta and wish goodwill toward others. I identify as a Christian, believe and God and Jesus, 100 percent. I strongly believe that you can adopt pieces of other religious practices as your own and that all religions have practices we can use to better ourselves.
This practice of Metta takes meditation a step further with a very specific series of mantras, to open your mind and heart.
Choose some meaningful phrases of what you want to bring into your life. These were suggested:
May I be happy and peaceful (may I have joy and contentment).
May I be safe.
May I be protected.
May I have well-being.
This can be hard to wish for yourself. Dan Harris, the host of the podcast, suggests that you begin with “easy people” – someone you love, and if people are hard choose a pet. This made me laugh, but I also found it relatable. Dan suggests also starting your children or spouse. He really likes to front load with two easy people. “May they be happy and peaceful, may they be safe, may they be protected, may they have well-being.”
Eastern practice starts with yourself, but that is hard for most of us so they are inverting this. Once you’ve done your two easy people, you can move to a mentor. “May they be happy and peaceful, may they be safe, may they be protected, may they have well-being.”
Then someone you see on a regular basis, and neutral person. I am sitting at a coffee shop right now, and I chose the barista that I literally have seen every day this summer. I’m not even sure of her name, but “May they be happy and peaceful, may they be safe, may they be protected, may they have well-being.” This one got to me today, because it opened my eyes to how I neglect to think of people in service as being just like me, having real feelings and hopes and dreams. Teary-eyed as a type this.
From the neutral person you shift to a difficult person. “May they be happy and peaceful, may they be safe, may they be protected, may they have well-being.” Each time a think of a “difficult” person, what I find is that I really care for them and have no issue really wanting these things for them, but what makes it hard is that I don’t feel like they want it in return for me. I feel that they either don’t like me or that I annoy them. It points me back to my own lack of self-worth.
From the difficult person you shift to yourself. The idea being that you are better able to want these things for yourself if you are able to wish them for others, even those who are difficult. “May I be happy and peaceful, may I be safe, may I be protected, may I have well-being.”
I will add that as Dan talks through this part of the podcast which I found so very valuable, but he talked through it so fast that I had to re-listen to this part over and over to get it all in my mind. Roughly around 17 minutes into the podcast.
The sense of seeing yourself as a part of an interconnected web, helps you to be kind and step outside yourself. It helps you stop feeling you need more and more, that you need to collect things.
Think of people in your life who have been generous to you. How can you replicate that? How can you serve and volunteer and contribute to the greater good? Each time you practice this, it will help you let go of your since of self and selfishness.
Again, here is the link to the episode of Ten Percent Happier that I refer to in the blog post, but I also recommend that you subscribe to Dan Harris’s Podcast. They are all so good.
If you have been thinking of taking a girls’ trip to Boston, I have so many ideas to share. We had the best time! You can cover so much in just one day, and a day is what we had. The first morning we explored the Mission Hill area which is delightfully walkable!
One of the many charming homes in the Mission Hill neighborhood. We loved seeing all of the beautiful wildflowers. They were literally everywhere.
Before I go on about the Mission Hill area and how much we loved it, I can’t encourage you enough to stay in a VRBO or AirBNB in one of the many charming neighborhoods and literally embed yourself in the culture. Staying in a hotel is more about living that tourist life, and we were so much happier choosing to be a traveller instead. This allows you to avoid crowds and really experience the city more like someone who actually lives there.
We found the BEST coffee shop called Green Haus Coffee, and they also sold the healthiest looking green houseplants and succulents. It was incredibly charming. My friend and traveling companion would argue that Solid Ground Cafe made a better latte, and was just a few blocks away. On the same block as Green Haus, we discovered Milkweed, a breakfast cafe with a menu so captivating, it was as if someone took all of my breakfast favorites and compiled them all together. I ended up getting a bacon, egg, and cheese croissant which I devoured. All of these were just blocks away from our AirBNB. Also notable was Il Mondo Pizza, but we did not get to try them.
Green Haus Coffee. This was such a cozy and charming place. If I lived here, this would be my daily coffee stop. The BEST latte, and so many healthy green plants and succulents for sale. I contemplated how to get some back to Tennessee.
Mission Hill was an area lush with trees and beautiful wildflowers everywhere you looked. The brownstones gave you a vibe that you were on the set of any TV show or movie that might take place in a big city on the East coast. There were gorgeous views of the city as you trekked up and down the hilly streets. I lived in San Francisco for several years and this satisfied my craving for the feeling of living in a big city while also having a cozy neighborhood vibe. I’ve missed that so much.
Milkweed, where we had breakfast. This is one of the few pictures I took that gets across the look/feel/vibe of the Mission Hill neighborhood.
While we were in the Mission Hill neighborhood, we strolled through a little park, and found a beautiful Catholic church called The Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Do yourself a favor and go inside that Catholic Church. It has had so many confessionals which fascinated me, and a shrine where you could light a votive candle to pray for someone. We also found a Walgreens that had an escalator. Our Walgreens doesn’t have an escalator! It’s the small, unexpected things I find that are the most memorable when I travel.
Inside The Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Mission Hill.
The escalator to Walgreens. 🙂
We waited for one of our friends to join us, and made our way to the Isabella Gardner Museum. On our way there, our GPS took us through the Wentworth Institute of Technology campus which was beautiful and so charming. There were fun chairs and hammocks strewn throughout the courtyard and we just enjoyed 15-20 minutes in the hammocks! It was so delightful!
Enjoying one of the hammocks on Wentworth Institute of Technology campus.
Our friend Caryn, who we came to the Northeast area to visit, joined us at this point. I hope my girls enjoyed their day, because they entrusted me to navigate us and suggest things for us to do the rest of the time in Boston. I will say we walked SO, SO much we were all fatigued. We Uber’ed to our first destination, but then after that we walked everywhere and probably too much. I feel like if I had planned a little more thoughtfully we could have maximized our time better. There are hop on/hop off bus tours and other buses but these were all very pricey, so we opted to walk. In retrospect, I now realize that Boston is HUGE, and the places you want to go appear really close together on your map. In real life, they are pretty far apart. I am thankful I brought good walking shoes (I LOVE these), and that we checked the weather before packing. For that reason we packed lots of shorts, and sleeveless tops, and THANKFULLY we had lots of shade and cloud coverage and a nice breeze because we visited Boston during July when they were hitting record highs.
All of that said, we started off as a trio by visiting the Boston Public Library. Now that may sound like a strange place to have on your Boston itinerary, but it is extraordinary. This is a massive library, but what attracted me to it was seeing pictures of their gorgeous courtyard on several blog posts I read prior to the trip, AND there is a bar adjacent to the courtyard and a little restaurant/cafe. You can sit in at the bar, and enjoy some of the best tasting and beautifully crafted mixed drinks that I have ever tasted or seen, or enjoy in the beautiful courtyard at the tables they have around the perimeter. We only opted indoors because of the heat – it was just a little too warm for us.
The courtyard at Boston Public Library
The bar/tearoom inside the Boston Public Library.
My pretty drink, a whiskey sour, at the Boston Public Library.
What a unique experience! I have never been to any other library like this one, or this big.
After the library we strolled along Boylston Street which gives you those big city vibes and is rich with shopping and dining options. We walked about three minutes before arriving at Saltie Girl. Can I recommend Saltie Girl? I will say they were some of the most delicious bites I had while I was in Boston but also the smallest and most expensive. It is very posh! The three of us shared what we ordered so we found it to be enough food, but only because Caryn got the fish and chips which was more of a generous portion, as opposed to our salmon and yellowtail.
Our salmon and yellowtail at Saltie Girl. Beautiful, delicious bites, but small.
After leaving Saltie Girl, we found ourselves in a very bougie area of the city, on Newbury Street. We strolled past, Cartier, Armani, Rolex, and Tiffany and Co. At the end of Newbury, we discovered the park that was way high on my Boston bucket list – Boston Public Gardens. If I lived in Boston, I would walk and run here on the regular. The grounds are lovely. We stopped and enjoyed the shade of the trees and just being present and watching baby ducks swim in the pond. We crossed the little pedestrian bridge and debated taking a ride on the swan boats. The pond area was not shaded, and we were getting into the warmer part of the day, so we opted out of the boat ride and continued on to find the bar where everybody knows your name…Cheers.
Pedestrian bridge at Boston Public Garden. Thankful for the passersby who took our picture.
The Cheers bar is RIGHT across the street from the Boston Public Garden which I wish I would have realized in hindsight. You could walk all the way through the Garden under tree cover in the shade and end up at Cheers. Instead, we walked to Boston Common and then down Beacon Street to get there which took a little longer, and was for sure hotter.
Where everybody knows your name…
I had read before coming to Boston that the Cheers Bar is the exact same on the outside as it was during the show filming, but the inside is completely different. I expected to be disappointed for this reason, but once you’re inside, you’re relieved that they’ve added so much more seating and a Gift shop. This allowed us to be seated and get waited on faster. We found our seats upstairs where they had recreated the bar as it was on the set. I sat in “Frasier’s seat,” and had the possibly the BEST IPA I’ve ever had, Norm’s IPA. It was so, so good. We met a couple that sat beside us and were probably twenty years old than us. When we told him we were all 50 or about to be 50, the husband said, “no f’ing way!” very loudly! Ha!
After we left the Cheers bar, I realized we were very close to Acorn Street which is the most photographed street, and one of the most beautiful. It made Architectural Digest’s list of the most beautiful streets in America. It’s in the prestigious Beacon Hill neighborhood. The cobblestone street, window boxes and red brick homes are some of the most notable characteristics. We stumbled off and back on the Freedom Trail during this time.
Acorn Street, the most photographed street in America.
If you are wondering why we didn’t opt to do more typical touristy/historical options, it is for a couple of reasons. One, my friend Caryn lives near the area and I figured she had done those things. I wanted us to all have a chance to do things we hadn’t done before. And two, I felt like I will come back here with my husband and girls and have a chance to do all of those things together it it would be new to us together. Three, I wanted to choose things that I would love to do in Boston that were adult friendly, because I never get to go to any bars or higher-end restaurants when we travel as a family. It’s expensive for a family of four to eat at a the fanciest Italian restaurant. But if it’s just me, it feels attainable and special.
That leads me to our pilgrimmage to Little Italy. We wanted to eat at a nice Italian restaurant for dinner, and also wanted a cannoli from Mike’s Cannoli. They ended up being on the same block! But we had lots of steps to get in before making it there.
We walked through some really cool areas and I wish I had taken more pictures of this part of our trip! I think I was feeling a bit haggard, hot and hungry at this point so taking photos just was not what I had on my mind.
We did stop off at North End Park which was the absolute coolest concept for a park, and much needed for our tired and weary legs! It has a long row of swings for you to swing on, and then sprinklers (think splash pad). I actually took off my shoes and walked through the sprinklers with the little toddlers. I have no shame and it felt so good!
Taking a much needed rest on one of the swings at North End Park.
We were very close to Little Italy at this point, but also Union Oyster House which was on my bucket list. I was very determined during our entire trip to locate raw oysters that cost less than $4 a dozen. Sadly I would be disappointed yet again when we arrived and I looked at their menu. If you are able to shell out the dough, I did read that they have the best raw oysters in Boston supposedly.
Once we arrived in Little Italy we actually went to Mike’s Pastry first. Our logic was that if we ate a big plate of pasta, we would be totally stuffed and talk ourselves out of even getting our cannoli. So we got the cannolis from Mike’s first, then made our way to what I researched and found to be the best Italian restaurant in Little Italy and that was Trattoria Il Panino.
Mike’s Pastry. The BEST Cannoli. This one has to be on your Boston bucket list.
So many things stand out to me now about this little restaurant looking back. The one you will notice almost right away is how it is packed full of tables. You are very (almost uncomforably) close to the tables next to you. It is therefore very loud in the restaurant. It is a lively environment which I appreciated. A lot of times Italian restaurants are so formal and quiet that you feel like the tables around you can hear your every word. So it is unique in that it is packed but also you are free to speak as you wish.
The second thing you will notice is that your meal is brought out in the skillet it was cooked in! Made to order, then not plated, but brought to you nice and hot in the pan. I have never experienced this! Let’s talk about our food. I had a gluten-free friend, and she loved her pasta! So often, gluten-free pasta dishes are tasteless or have an unpleasant texture. This was not the case! I also had a friend who got linguini with shrimp which looked amazing, and I had basically a fettucini that was to die for. We all could tell that the pasta was made in-house and everything was made from scratch. I am very particular about fettucini alfredo and only really like my husband’s (he is a classically trained chef). When I order it at a restaurant I’m always disappointed as it tastes like it was made from frozen. This is real deal! You will not find “fettucini alfredo” on the menu! What I ordered is called Cacio de Pepe on their menu – that is the closest thing I found to fettucini alfredo and it comes across as such, though not exactly.
My Cacio de Pepe. If you are a fettucini alfredo or “white sauce” person, this is what to order!
That was our day and time spent in Boston! If you are planning a trip to Boston, and particularly a trip with girlfriends, I hope this has inspired you and given you some ideas of what you can do and how you can maximize your time there.
Let. It. Go. Anger, hate, resentment – all the negativity.
Did you know that each of our emotions are stored in specific organs of our body? Anger, for example, is stored in the liver. If you think about it this makes a lot of sense. Think of the term “disease.” Broken down it is literally “dis-ease,” meaning we are not at ease. Negative emotions then present themselves as illnesses in our bodies. This means the more emotional healing that we do can result in physical healing and better health overall.
Each emotion we have gets stored in a specific organ in our bodies according to traditional Chinese medicine. Learn more here.
Let’s take a look at anger, specifically, how we can process it in a healthy way, and actually release it from our bodies. Because it is stored in the liver, a focus on liver health is imperative. The liver serves as the body’s filter, so the fewer toxins, alcohol and drugs that we ingest the better. The more water and whole foods we take in the better. It’s kind of common sense, but a healthy liver is going to benefit you having a more peaceful life experience if that is the home to anger!
Anger can be released by the use and application of specific essential oils. There are blends of these oils for this exact purpose. Three of my favorites are Juvaflex, Release, and Trauma Life. Trauma Life is great for helping to bring suppressed emotions to the surface so that you can then process them. Release is good for releasing negative emotions in general, while Juvaflex targets liver health specifically.
If your focus is releasing anger, Juvaflex would be your best bet. Anger and hate are stored in the liver, which causes extreme toxicity. Juvaflex contains oils that have been recognized medically and traditionally for aiding the body in cleansing the liver, allowing the body to release the emotions of anger and hate. You can either apply these oils over the liver which is right below the rib cage on the right side. Or you can just add a drop or two to epsom salts in a bath. You can almost feel the negativity melt away.
If your anger stems from trauma or past events and resentment, I would strongly consider Trauma Life. This blend helps bring suppressed anger and other negative emotions to the surface so that you can process it and move through it. I would recommend simultaneously seeing a therapist to help you talk through these feelings in a supported setting. The application and recommended uses for Trauma Life are the same as explained for Juvaflex.
All three of the oils I have shared here can be used to help you process anger and help facilitate moving through negative emotions so that you can lead a happier, healthier life.
Finally, for processing and releasing more deep-rooted emotions and trauma as a result of abuse, there is a blend creating for that called Sara. Sara promotes relaxation into a mental state whereby you may be able to release and let go of negative emotions and the memory of traumatic experiences.
Essentially Better Living 