Tag: tips

Summer Update – the good and the bad

Hello!

Thank you for all your messages lately. I wanted to share that my wedding was more than N and I could have ever expected. It was perfect. A real fairy-tale. I will share some professional photos once I get them, but here is one of my favorites taken by my (now) cousin, Jodi.

As promised, I am working on a segment with all my wedding planning tips, sharing everything from choosing your wedding party (remember I asked my ladies with these DIY bridal party boxes) to the activities you should plan days before the BIG day.

I also have some extremely sad news to share, my baby bear, Freddy_doodle was hit by a car in front of our house one week after we returned from Europe. I honestly cannot talk about that yet. It hurts too much and combined with planning a wedding, it is the reason I have not written for some time. I am however SOOO grateful I did everything in my power to make sure he was a part of our wedding <3 

Thank you for sticking by me and my blog. I have SO much content to start sharing again — I am also collaborating with some great influencers to bring awareness to shelter animals. Combining fashion with an amazing cause is something I am really excited to be able to do. I will continue running @Freddy_doodle with the intention of helping other animals.

Last update, N and I are putting our condo on the market and moving. We planned to do this eventually, in a year or so when we bounced back from the wedding financials, but losing the love of our life was a sign that we need to start the next chapter of our lives and not wait. We call it Our Chapter 3.

I will share how to market your home for selling with tons of pictures and tips (declutter and depersonalize are key!) and am working to collaborate with some interior designers to make the new place (once we find it) our family home.

Stay tuned and thanks for reading and following along. The journey of life is so unpredictable sometimes, but what I have learned is that we all need the love and support from others to make it through the difficult times.

With love,

K

 

 

 

 

What’s in my running fanny pack

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I am not a great runner, but I find myself signing up to run 5K road races all the time — I get sucked in for the cause of the race, and then hate myself when the running part happens telling myself I am never signing up to run again. I figured since I was on the cross-country team in high-school, and that running is as simple as putting one foot in front of the other, I can do it with ease. Wrong.

My neck and shoulders always hurt when I run – I end up just rotating my head from side to side to get the kink out and continue running. I lose my breath so quickly and don’t get it because I eat healthy and exercise on the reg!  Now that I have a very energetic dog and a very active fiancé that take me on trail runs (we have a reservation about 4 minutes from our house, it would be a shame not to utilize all the trails),  I decided I would actually learn how to run. 

Back story: When I was in Poland last month, my uncle (who is a renowned surgeon) came over to me and put his hand on my back telling me to stand up straight. Uh, I thought I was standing up straight? I have tried to be more observant of my posture and constantly find myself adjusting and cracking my back.  

Check back next week for a post about what to be looking for when evaluating your posture.

So to learn how to run properly,  I first focused on 2 things that instantaneously changed how I felt when running: posture & breathing.

Proper Running Posture Tips:

  • Hold your head high, centered between your shoulders, and your back straight. I focus on keeping my chest out and tightening my abs (or sucking in your stomach). This will give your back that straight line.
  • Focus your gaze in front of you. This can be hard when you are running on rocky trails, and want to see where you are stepping. Glance down every so often so you do not run into a rock tree stump (it happens a lot!) but generally speaking focus your gaze about 30 yards in front of you.  Looking down when running could lead to that strain on your neck muscles and spine.
  • Keep your shoulders relaxed and parallel to the ground.  Your shoulders should hang loosely with a slight forward roll for optimal relaxation. Several times during my run, I have noticed my shoulders rising toward my ears or tensing up, so I just drop my arms and loosely shake them out. 

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6 important tips to keep your pet healthy and safe during the holidays

With all the holiday gatherings about to begin, the last thing you need is to take a trip to the emergency VET hospital. Follow these simple, yet important tips so you can focus on eggnog and gingerbread and mistletoe =)

1. No Holiday Table Scraps! I’m a new dog owner and I fall victim to that cute little face staring at you when you’re eating something warm and delicious – but you just can’t! I mean maybe give them a few pieces of plain turkey meat, but NO SKIN,NO GRAVY. You don’t want to give them too much rich fat which could lead them to severe stomach pains, or in the worst case – pancreatitis.

2. Bones – you know “This old man, he played one,He played knick-knack on my thumb;
With a knick-knack paddywhack,GIVE THE DOG A BONE,This old man came rolling home”… actually, DON’T DO THAT! Poultry bones will most likely splinter, thus forming sharp edges that could potentially get stuck in the gastrointestinal tract or throat causing dangerous punctures. Better yet – do you know how to give Pet CPR? Pet Heimlich Maneuver? Here’s a link just in case you don’t follow these tips!

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3. Be careful if you have Snacks out around the house for guests to nibble on. No Macadamia nuts, raisins, grapes or chocolate – all things that a party mix may have and that a dog cannot. Chocolate can OVER- stimulate the heart and it actually fatal in small dogs because of this…eeek.

4. NO ALCOHOL. I feel like there is always that drunk uncle or maybe a kid who thinks it would be fun to give your pet some beer in their bowl… uhm NO. This can actually be fatal. Also, monitor where you or anyone places their bevs – dogs can sneak up on coffee tables and slurp your drink right up!

5. Having Dessert? In my family that usually means there is coffee too or something with espresso in it!….. Or maybe a morning lattee to get you through with last minute cooking. Caffeine can cause tremors or even a seizure if they have too much!! Scaryyy

6. Have your vets number handy, (saved in your phone, a sheet on the fridge)…Also make sure you know an emergency 24 hour vet just in case you need a back-up!

This should make for a smooth holiday party focusing on family, friends, and at my Polish family parties—whose going to finish the Vodka bottle! Have a safe and happy Holiday season- to you and to your furry pet too!