Some highlights of our trip included…

-Cory fulfilling his childhood dream and visiting Wrigley Field for the first time!  They WON the first game we went to during our visit! 

-Apparently there is a debate over the best place to get Deep Dish Pizza in Chi-town… my vote goes to Giordano’s! 

-I fell in love with The Art Institute of Chicago!

-I spent a glorious morning visiting Chicago’s Green City Market!  It was a large market that had lots to offer including fresh produce, beautiful flowers and plants, herbs, cheeses, baked goods, prepared foods, etc.  I had a rhubarb, raspberry, and mint smoothie that was delicious!

Overall, Cory and I really enjoyed Chicago!  I’m thinking we will plan a visit back soon

Have you ever tried authentic deep dish pizza? 

What’s your favorite smoothie combination?

Thanks for reading!

Kasey

That is a picture of our first resort where we will be married!  We move to a second resort for the honeymoon part of our trip.  I’ll be back in a couple weeks to recap everything.  

Kasey

The salad was awesome with feta, artichoke, and grape tomatoes!  There was also jambalaya, spinach dip, meatballs, and shrimp pasta that escaped the camera’s eye!  The cake was beautiful and HUGE…

We had a great time filled with friends, food, and wine (of course)!  I also managed to squeeze in some time at the park-

The weather was perfect- sunny, breezy, and right about 80 degrees! I relaxed with some light reading material and sunscreen

How was your weekend?  Did you soak up any spring weather? 

Kasey

“Just like any other characteristics you are born with, the amount of sleep you need to function best may be different for you than for someone who is of the same age and gender.”

While there is no “magic number” for hours of sleep needed, most experts agree on “rule-of-thumb” amounts of sleep based on age.

As a child, I could fall anywhere… in the car, eating spaghetti, standing up next to a bed (yes, not on the bed but next to it!).  My love of sleep has stayed with me throughout the years.  Just this past weekend I clocked in eleven hours of sleep on Friday night!  Apparently, my sleep needs are closer to the needs of an infant than the needs of the majority of my friends and family.  Usually within five minutes of my head hitting the pillow, I am asleep.  I am very thankful for my ability to fall asleep very easily.  According to the CDC, greater than 25% of Americans report not getting enough sleep from time to time, while almost 10% experience chronic insomnia.

What happens when you do not get enough sleep?  Insufficient sleep is linked with:

• Increased risk of motor vehicle accidents
• Obesity– due to an increased appetite caused by sleep deprivation
• Increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease
• Increased risk for depression and substance abuse
• Decreased ability to pay attention, react to signals or remember new information

Other than my natural ability to fall asleep so easily, there are some environmental factors that help me sleep.  We have a very dark, quiet room with no distractions such as TV or computer and an extremely comfy mattress.  We also keep the temperature pretty cool.

Do you think you are getting enough sleep for your “individual” sleep needs?  What are some things you do to help with getting a better night’s sleep?

Kasey

I used to practice yoga regularly a few years ago.  I would take classes at least two times a week… and I felt great.  Unfortunately, I have fallen out of my healthy yoga habit.  So with my stiff and sore body, I found a yoga video for beginners on the Freezone of On Demand…

Since I was out of practice, I wanted to find something for beginners to ease back into yoga… I decided on Shiva Rea’s Begin, Stand, Pose.  Twenty-four minutes of flowing yoga with classic yoga poses was just what I needed to loosen up and relieve some stress.

According to the National Institute of Health, research suggests yoga may:

• Improve your mood and sense of well-being
• Reduce stress
• Decrease heart rate and blood pressure
• Increase lung capacity
• Help improve anxiety, depression, and insomnia
• Improve overall fitness, strength, and flexibility
• Positively affect levels of certain brain or blood chemicals

Do you practice yoga regularly?

This was so good!  First I sauteed the zucchini with a drizzle of olive oil and pepper…

While the zucchini was cooking, I toasted whole grain bread slices in the oven for about 4 minutes then smeared with goat cheese.

Goat cheese + zucchini = winning combination!  Not long after lunch I decided to juice…

I included 2 handfuls of spinach, 2 small golden delicious apples, handful of strawberries, handful of blueberries, & piece of ginger.

Since I was pretty productive around the condo this morning, I treated myself to a leisurely afternoon at Audubon Park.  I enjoyed a book, fresh air, and beautiful scenery…

I laid out my blanket right by the spot where Cory proposed…

Of course, I brought along a couple snacks…

I made a friend too…

Cory and I are planning to watch the LSU game tonight with some friends.  Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!