Head-to-toe hives.

Yesterday I made a mistake which I haven't made in a L-O-N-G time. I forgot to check a label and consumed one of my allergy triggers. My allergies are all over the place- from mold to milk to dogs. My list of food allergies is pretty short, so I am usually able to identify foods that contain them. My latest interest in cold pressed juice got me into trouble with an unexpected trigger. I am allergic to grass, which is something that I am able to manage fairly easy by not rolling around or sitting in it. I can honestly say that I never expected to have to check a food label for grass. Which is why I didn't. And why I spent all afternoon and evening in a miserable, itchy state.

Unfortunately I didn't have any oatmeal baths or any of the typical remedies I have done in the past to alleviate that excruciating itch. After a phone call to mom, I took a cool bath and covered myself in lotion to keep my skin chilled. That last feat was easy because it's still so stinkin' cold here. Winter has got to be one of the worst times to get hives because mine are irritated by warmth. And being warm is usually all I crave in the winter. Quite the predicament.

Needless to say, it was one of those evenings that made it hard to be away from home. My mom probably still to this day has at least one oatmeal bath packet and Benadryl on hand- just in case. How do mom's do it? They really are so thoughtful and prepared. As for me, I'm headed to the store on my lunch to pick up some supplies to have just in case there is a next time!

I hope your Monday was better than mine! xox.

Just another Manic Monday

Is it just me or do the days during the weekend go by exponentially faster than those during the week?

 I know I'm in good company when I say that I wish weekends were longer and the work week shorter. Unfortunately, it's not up to me and the 5:2 ratio seems to have stood the test of time. {read: nothing is changing anytime soon.} Mondays always seem to start slowly for me, as mine typically start with a conference call promptly at 8AM. After that it's the shuffle of chugging coffee, trying to remember where I left off on Friday, and desperately trying to get enough done before I stop again for lunch. I used to spend a significant amount of time on Sunday preparing for each Monday so I was ready to hit the ground running after my conference call. Thankfully, I've recently decided that my weekends are mine and I don't want to bring work into them even a teensy bit unless it's absolutely necessary.

As of lately, my weekends are packed with various activities. Sightseeing with visiting family and friends, watching football, taking hikes in this gorgeous fall weather, shopping, catching up on my TV shows, reading, traveling, church, brunch... I can honestly say no two weekends of mine are the same. And I think I'm ok with that. Part of my reasoning behind my huge change of scenery was the burning question "If not now, when?" in the back of my mind. I'm not a particularly spontaneous person, but in this season of my life I am trying to focus on the right now. I am actually a notoriously planned individual so this shift in focus has been forced- but extremely refreshing. Although there is no substitute for a well executed plan in my opinion, allowing for change and flexibility in your life can open doors that you didn't even know were there! 

While I realize there's no one size fits all solution in life, I challenge you to evaluate where you are right this very second and see if you have an opportunity to ask yourself "If not now, when?" Just see where it takes you. It may be helpful in any decision- small or large. I can wholeheartedly say that my decision was worth the risk. Who knows what the next big change will be!

Thanks for reading!

xox.