Oh, Baby! #CleverTTC
By Laurie | November 22, 2011
This is a super hard post to write. Since I was 13 I have imagined the day when I would become a mom. My best friend and I even had names picked out way back then. She wanted six, while I always pictured two. Don’t get me wrong, I understood that I was way too young. Besides I was raised to have all my ducks in a row before taking on that phase of life.
You know: college, job, husband, house, and then baby. Check, check, check, check, and nope. I always wanted to be a youngish mom, but now in my 30s I’m starting to feel really old. I never dreamed I would have to deal with hypothyroidism and PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) which basically leaves my fertility status in a state of uncertainty. The worst part is all the judgment and questions. I know people mean well, but it’s still hard to stomach, and is among several topics I just don’t want to talk about or even be asked about. I understand that it is human nature to just assume it is going to happen, especially when someone is married. It is even harder for me, because I also just assumed it would have before now. I have become increasingly depressed (especially around the holidays) and wonder if this will ever be in the cards for me.
In case you didn’t know, PCOS makes your cycle wonky. That means I can go months and months without having a period at. all. Trips to the doctor’s office are expensive, and it is also a beating to have to have fertility chats when really I am just there for my yearly exam.
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I was really excited to discover that First Response (the makers pregnancy and ovulation tests) have also come out with a fertility test ($2 off coupon and more information). It can be taken on the third day of your cycle. |
While my disease may adversely affect the reliability of this test for detecting FSH levels, it is still comforting to have this at-home test as an option that provides me with a glimmer of hope that someday I will be lucky enough to be called a mom.
The instructions are simple, the results are easy to understand, and it only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. If you are trying to conceive or are feeling like your chances of being able to are less likely due to age or other factors, this is a great tool to help ease your mind or guide you to your doctor for further tests.
Disclosure: I was selected for this #spon post by Clever Girls Collective, which promotes Blog With Integrity as do I. I received a First Response kit to try in addition to being monetarily compensated.
Topics: Tid-Bits | No Comments »
Back in time… at Medieval Times Dallas
By Laurie | November 17, 2011
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Once upon a time on my sweet 16, my parents allowed me to invite two friends to Medieval Times to celebrate. I had been several times before, but on that particular occasion the red and yellow knight won and threw me a carnation. I thought I was pretty darn special and was like totally enchanted and stuff. We even stalked him after the show for a picture. Ahem. He looks really thrilled. And kind of like a girl.
Last week I was invited to bring some guests and enjoy the new show and upgraded feast that begins at the Dallas Castle on Friday, November 18. Can you believe the story hasn’t changed since 2007? Me either. It was always magical, but it’s fun to see the subtle changes and old favorites. It was like I was 16 all over again! |
Once you enter over the drawbridge, you are transported back to the 11th Century. We encountered a princess, a jester, and a falconer. Everyone is in character, and tries their best to interact with each guest.
We got dressed in regal wear for a photo prior to dinner which was fun to do. We liked the picture so much that Krista paid the $32 to get us a copy. Yes that’s a little steep, but it came in a very nice hard cover keepsake book. And look! It has the date we attended as well as the castle location.
Afterward we mingled in a large hall in front of a bar and souvenir shops before being invited by the king to enter the arena. We were seated in the front row of the red knight’s section. Did I mention we got hooked up with Royalty Upgrades? We also happened to be right next to the knight’s wife and young daughter. We were tipped off when she kept calling him daddy. Surely he was going to win. They wouldn’t let him get slayed in front of his little girl, right?!
I also love the food they serve during the show. Yummy chicken, ribs, potatoes, soup, bread and apple strudel– most of which has a clever name like dragon toes, for example. We were so stuffed afterward. The meal alone is worth the price of admission.
We cheered for our knight as he competed and fought, waved our flags, and watched the beautiful horses. Unfortunately in the end our knight didn’t win, but he did get to give his daughter a sash that said Queen of Love and Beauty. AND our friend Helen received one of the carnations he tossed to his adoring fans.
We had so much fun, and I know you would too. I can’t wait to go back, and we actually are going again this week just the two of us. I can taste the chicken now.
| Did you know Medieval Times is open on holidays? We went a few years ago on Christmas to avoid having to cook. You can also go on Thanksgiving. Just think… no dirty dishes, no slaving over the stove or playing hostess and cleaning up after guests. I like letting someone else do all of the work!
Guests can purchase tickets at the door, online at www.medievaltimes.com, or by calling 1-888-WE-JOUST. They often have specials where adults can get in for kid’s prices or other promotions, so be sure to ask when booking. Right now you can get a free Royalty Upgrade when you purchase full price tickets. |
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Disclosure: I received complementary admission and Royalty Upgrades from Medieval Times for myself and three guests, but was not monetarily compensated for writing this post. The opinions expressed are my own, as always.
Topics: Entertainment, Friends | No Comments »
It’s not too early to talk Christmas.
By Laurie | November 10, 2011
I adore Tiny Prints. I order personalized greeting cards from them all the time. We’ve ordered our Christmas cards from them quite a few times too. I spent several hours selecting and creating a card several weeks ago. They have a huge selection of fun designs, and it was tough to choose just one.
I don’t want to share the exact one online yet. I usually post it on Christmas Eve or Day. Plus I want everyone to be surprised when they receive it. Hey, I take my cards very seriously.
If I didn’t pick my top choice what would have been my second? Well… I loved that there was the option of ornament cards. These are so fun! I can imagine hanging them on the tree or even using them as gift tags or part of a holiday craft project.
What else do I love about Tiny Prints? They have online customer service. I had an instant message conversation to get my questions answered and didn’t even have to pick up the phone. Genius! Also the shipping is always quick and the cards are excellent quality. I always get so many complements on them. Many of the cards even have coordinating address labels. So what are you waiting for? Which holiday photo card will you choose this year?
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Tiny Prints. I have been a customer of theirs several times in the past. I was not monetarily compensated, however I will receive a set of cards in exchange for this post. The opinions expressed are my own.
Topics: Tid-Bits | No Comments »
Paris – Day 5
By Laurie | November 7, 2011
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We woke up extra early to board a RER train toward the château de Versailles. We had gathered a picnic lunch of various things we found at a local grocery store the night before, and Dave carried them in his backpack. We had become accustomed to riding the metro already, but this 30 minute trip outside of Paris required a special ticket and we rode a two story train instead. I liked that we got to see a little bit of the countryside instead of the inside of a subway track.
It was a short walk from the train station to the main palace and a statue Louis XIV. Even though we were early, it was exceptionally crowded and the line to get through security was already very long. This was definitely a very popular tourist destination. Each time someone spoke, we heard a new language! |
It was obvious from the front that this is a very lavish estate. Gaudy golden fences and gates (gilded bronze, if you want to get technical) beckoned us to enter, and once inside we grabbed audio guides and started making our way through each ornate room. This is definitely the kind of place a history buff would love.
There were tons of paintings and busts, as well as beautifully painted ceilings. Some rooms had a theme, many of which were dedicated to Olympian deities. We were shoulder-to-shoulder with other tourists, so it was hard to really enjoy seeing each space and we kind of dashed from room to room hoping for a little fresh air. The famous Hall of Mirrors was long and was full of mirrors (duh) and very pretty chandeliers. It was also very full of people, so I think that takes away from the Wow! factor just a little bit. They certainly must have had some grand parties there.
About halfway through we decided to take a slight detour to Angelina inside the palace. I had been dying to try their hot chocolate. It was very rich, and it did not come with cream as it does if you go to one of the other locations in Paris. We also ordered a lemon tart which was delicious. This break was much needed after being on our feet for several hours.
Afterward we finished the tour of the inside and made our way toward the gardens. On this day they charged us an extra entry fee, but we unfortunately we never got to see the musical water show. It was obvious the gardens and their fountains are very well cared for, and I imagine it is even more beautiful in the Spring.
We went in search of a picnic area, but ended up a little lost in the Orangerie due to a misleading map. In the end we came back over the main palace and had our picnic on the steps instead. We fed some pigeons the extra bread from our sandwiches and enjoyed resting in the shade.
At this point we were much too tired to walk the over 30 minutes that it takes to get to the other part of property, so we bought tickets on a mini train that took us around the gardens and back road to the Grand Trianon, Petite Trianon, and Marie-Antionette’s Hamlet. Along the countryside we saw great picnic spots (opps) and even a field of sheep.
The other buildings were relatively small in comparison to the main palace, and also quite empty save a few things here and there. It was still interesting to see, but I am not so sure it was worth leaving the gardens and missing the show. We did meet a couple from New York on the mini train, so we chatted about our experiences and they gave us some advice for when we got to London. It was kind of nice to have an entire conversation in English after practically a whole week of speaking broken French.
I really liked the quaint countryside buildings and surroundings as opposed to the very ornate main palace, but there was no audio guide for this portion of the property, so I feel like we didn’t learn as much as we had during the first part of our visit. It was early evening by the time we finished, so we walked back to the RER train station and headed back toward Paris. I was so exhausted I fell asleep!
| We freshened up at the hotel and and decided to walk around the 8th arrondissement and stopped at Le George V Café for dinner. We had another decent French meal, though nowhere near as good as the one we had near the Moulin Rouge a few nights before. Of course desert was the best part! It was a chocolate cake with warm fudge inside with a side of vanilla ice cream and creme. I could have skipped the fish and just had the cake! We also drank wine and did some people watching. Most of the other patrons were meeting with friends and drinking only. They sold a special drink with a lit sparkler which seemed to be very popular with the locals. I really enjoyed our leisurely dinners in Paris cafes and wish it was more like that here at home. |  |
On the way back to the hotel, we stopped by the Flamme de la Liberté, a monument near the Alma Tunnel, where Princess Diana died. There are messages written all over the bridge and the some on the base of the monument itself. There were a few old flowers and letters, and I was quite surprised there was not more. My understanding is that many of the messages have since been removed.
The next day was our last day at Relais Bosquet and in Central Paris, so we headed back to the room to pack and get ready for the morning and our transfer to Disneyland Paris.
To be continued…
Topics: Paris | No Comments »
Paris – Day 4
By Laurie | November 5, 2011
I was up early again on this day, and we decided to try a new boulangerie on Rue Cler for our breakfast quiche. We forgot to ask for “chaud” (hot), but we still ate it as we made our way to the metro. Would you believe it was still really good cold? I am actually craving quiche (and macarons) as I write this!
Our morning destination was the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Upon exiting the metro, there it was!
Notice how blue the sky is? Every day that we were in Paris was absolutely gorgeous. We were hoping it would be a little bit cooler, but truly there was never a drop of rain and the heat was never unbearable. We got very lucky. We made our way across the street and posed for a few closer pictures next to the Seine.
The lines were not too long as it was still pretty early. We decided to skip going up to the bell tower (one of my trip regrets) and got in line to tour the inside of the church. This was my favorite building we saw in Paris. I was in awe of the beautiful details both on the outside and inside. It is amazing to realize that you are standing in and looking at something so old.
My photos really did not do the carvings and the gorgeous stained glass justice. I took pictures of a lot of things I found interesting inside, but most did not photograph well either due to my camera or the flash. Next time I definitely want to have a better camera to capture everything.
A service started at noon while we were walking around. I found it so strange they allow hundreds of tourists to just walk around freely during these times. I was even more amazed that there is a gift shop out in the open on the floor of the church. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that in a place that is still open and not just a tourist or historical attraction.
Once we exited it was time for lunch. We spotted several cafes across the street from the Cathedral, so we made our way over. A lot of them sell items to go, but if you sat down at the tables it actually costs more for the same food! Of course after you have been on your feet for several hours walking around it is worth it to relax, enjoy your Coke and do some people watching. We also had new view of the Cathedral.
After lunch we headed over to the Tuileries Garden. There were a lot of people just sitting out in the chairs in front of the water sunning or reading. I really enjoyed the way people in Paris spent their free time. You don’t really see many people just sitting around parks and enjoying just “being” in the US. It was a nice change of pace. We selected two chairs (each one was numbered) and did some people watching and relaxing before walking over to Musée de l’Orangerie. This was my favorite of all the museums we went to. Monet has always been among my favorite painters, and this is where his Water Lilies are displayed.
Just as most people need a photo of themselves in front of the Mona Lisa, I had to have my photo with the Lilies. There are two oval rooms that house the eight huge paintings, and it is truly impressive. When we go back to France, Monet’s residence in Giverny is on my must-do list. I would love to see his inspiration for these paintings in person.
After the museum, we took the metro back to Saint-Germain-des-Prés. I had decided to splurge on a Louis Vuitton as my big souvenir of the trip, and I had read that this location was much less crowded than some of the others. After about 30 minutes of browsing, trying on, and setting off alarms, I walked out with my shopping bag in hand. I still haven’t carried it and we’ve been home a month, but hopefully it will make its debut by Christmas. I have always said that if I ever got one I wanted it to be from Paris and one that was made in France. Did you know that all Louis Vuittons are not made there? It’s true! I have taken it out of the dust cover a few times, so here’s a photo along with the mini pochette accessories we got at Galeries Lafayette on our last day in Central Paris (more on that on Day 6).
After our long day of walking, museum-going and shopping we headed back to our hotel for a picnic of sandwiches and other things we gathered from the nearby grocery store.
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We also bought some macarons from Christophe Roussel on rue du Champs de Mars around the corner from our hotel. I tried Lavender Apricot, Mojito, and Framboise. Yum! If these things were not so expensive we would have bought a lot more. Aren’t they so pretty too? Almost too pretty to eat, but somehow we managed to make it home with no macarons! We also bought some of their chocolate bars as gifts, and luckily they found their way to the intended recipient’s hands instead of our own mouths. |
After resting for awhile and freshening up, we decided to head out to Centre Pompidou (the largest museum of modern art in Europe) which was our fourth museum of the trip! I was determined to make the most of the Museum passes we got. Unfortunately when we finally got there (it ended up being a long walk from the metro), there was only an hour before closing. It is really cool looking on the outside (and again there were locals just sitting and laying down on the ground outside), but I really slacked on taking photos after Notre-Dame on this day for some reason. It is 7 stories, and you ride a huge escalator to the top. I loved the view, and since it was at night we could see the Eiffel Tower and Sacre-Coeur way off in the distance. My photos did not really come out, but trust me when I say it was awesome to see.
We were kind of at a loss on where to start with the art because this museum was so large. We spotted an exhibition of Edvard Munch, so we headed that way since our time was running out. It was a really interesting exhibit, though it did not feature the painting most people would know him for– The Scream. He liked to recreate his paintings, so one of the rooms consisted of about 10 different versions of the same vision. I would recommend the exhibit and especially the view at night. We didn’t even scratch the surface of this museum, but perhaps we will make it back again. We called it a night after that, except for a quick late night trip to McDo for free Wi-Fi and ahem, Chicken McNuggets on the way back to the metro. Yes, they taste the same in Paris.
To be continued…
Topics: Paris | 2 Comments »
