Greece Recap: {Athens and Santorini}

I'm gonna try and recap this with minimal block texts as possible because I know it doesn't mean as much to you as if you've been there, and there are plenty of photos to take the place of text! (Be warned--lots of photos ahead!)

MG and I arrived in Athens around 6pm and promptly dropped off our stuff at the hotel, freshened up, and headed out to explore and grab some food.

Our hotel room had a view of the Acropolis which was quite the way to start our Greece trip!

We wandered through the town of Plaka, up the winding hill/roads and found a cute taverna to eat dinner at while the sun set. I had my first greek salad, tzatziki and Mythos beer for the trip.

The next morning we walked over and up to the Acropolis where we got to wander through the ruins and take in the history and sights.

the Greeks loved their testicles....lol

We then made our way up another nearby path/hill to catch some awesome views of the city,  the Acropolis, and the water on the other side.

Afterwards, we grabbed a quick lunch in Plaka at a little outdoor cafe with lots of people watching, then headed back to the hotel to pack up. We made our way to the port of Piraeus  and onto the boat where we were docked for a full day. We explored the boat, got caught up on sleep and just relaxed. 

this is actually a field of grass on the top deck of the ship--not turf!

Sunsets on the boat were gorgeous and we met a couple from Detroit while sitting and watching the sunset on Sunday night. We discovered that me, and the other girl, Emily, are both speech therapists in elementary schools! 

The next morning (Monday), we were up early to get on the first tender boat to Santorini, and happened to sit right behind the couple from the night before. We then all decided to get ATV's together to ride around Santorini since we didn't have an excursion planned and I'd heard this was a fantastic way to get to see all of the island. We took the vernacular up because it was fast (about 3 minutes)--we didn't want to walk up the hundreds of steps, and the donkeys didn't look that appealing to ride up on--if you watched Below Deck this past week, you know what I'm talking about!

the winding road behind us where people/donkeys can walk up

We hopped on the ATV's and made our way to Oia (about 20 minutes on the ATV's) which is where the picturesque photos with white buildings, and blue rooftops are. Since it was early in the morning there were few people out and we were able to explore a bunch and take photos without many people around.

(this is one of my favorite photos that I took while we were in Oia)

We got to one point overlooking the water (above) and DeWayne, the guy we were with, asked me to take a video of he and Emily overlooking this area. And when I did, he started talking, got down on one knee and proposed! It was such a special moment and we felt so lucky to have been a part of it (and I was literally afraid that I would mess up the video somehow!)--DeWayne said that he had been so happy that we ended up spending the day together because we helped to capture this moment for them!

After that we took tons of photos on the walk down to Ammoudi Bay to have a celebratory drink--who cares that it was 10am?? haha

the newly engaged by minutes! :)

We sat and enjoyed the scenery and our drinks for a while before making our way back up the 220 steps which was strenuous! 

Ammoudi Bay

just a few of the 220 steps back up (and the donkeys)!

Huffing and puffing, and several minutes later, we rewarded ourselves with some fancy drinks, lunch and some spectacular views!

lunch view!

After that we made our way back out of Oia and it was PACKED. SO so crowded. We hopped on our ATVs (and thank goodness we had them because we were weaving in and out of traffic including cars and charter busses!), and made our way to Kamari beach (a black "sand" beach) by accident. We stopped here for some bottles of water but didn't stay because the beach wasn't really that great, and then made our way to the other side of the island to the red beach. We went down to the water's edge which was a trek (with no regard for the signs that warned of potential for falling rocks!! lol)

(on the way down)

We changed into our swimsuits, stuck our feet in the water, hung out for a bit, and then made our way back up the hill, and back to drop off the ATV's in Fira.

(on the way back up)

Then we wandered around Fira for a bit...stopped in a wine store and sampled some wines, ultimately buying a bottle of their semi-sweet red, made with specific grapes from Santorini, to bring back home with us, and then made our way back to the boat via the vernacular, with our newly engaged friends!

Santorini view from dinner that night on the boat:

Santorini, specifically Oia, was a DREAM! The rest of the island is pretty run down and not nearly as picture perfect as Oia is.  The beaches here aren't your typical beach--most of these are more stony or rocky, but still fun to see and experience. I'm so glad that we rented the ATV's as we got to see from one end of the island to the other in the time that we were there (with some time to spare) and it was gorgeous--the pictures don't even do it justice. Something about Oia just feels super magical and it was definitely a highlight of the trip for us! The guys both knew that Oia was where Emily and I had our hearts set on going, and after our day, they both said they totally understood why--it was an incredible place!

Weekend Heatwave Highlights

Happy Monday, friends! Hopefully you're in a part of the country that isn't sweltering like it is here on the east coast (and has been for the last few days). Let's just say I'm super thankful for air conditioning and water!

My highlights this weekend included:

~getting one of the most incredibly sweet and inspiringly powerful emails from a blog reader (hey Jenn!!) that really made my week and made me proud of my little space here on the interwebs!

~Gave myself a mani pedi with Essie's Go Ginza (hands) and Borrowed and Blue (toes)

~Doing the closing paperwork for the refinance on our house (totally free, lowered our interest rate, and our monthly payment--win win win!)

~MG and I had a little date night out in Old Town where we grabbed blue cheese burgers and some happy hour drinks before heading home to watch a couple of episodes of OITNB

~Saturday morning started off with blueberry pancakes and turkey bacon courtesy of MG followed up with yard work before it got insanely hot

~Took Cooper to the groomers for his cut--the groomer may have taken the heatwave a little too seriously when he decided to completely sheer Coop down to the skin....he looks a little silly, but I still love my little squirrel lol

~Met up with Christy for a lunch time blate--great minds think alike and we both ordered the same meal. Somehow 2+ hours went by in a flash! Always love our time together!

taken moments before the sweat started pouring off of us haha

~Finished reading One True Loves (really enjoyed it!) and started The Light Between Oceans since Christy gave it to me when I saw her for lunch

~Went on a double date with our friends Dave and Emily and tried out a new-to-us restaurant in Old Town. It was so fun catching up with them, and sharing about our trip (they almost came on it with us). Some yummy food and drinks later, we decided to come back to our house and share our bottle of wine that we brought back from Santorini.

(Em and I almost always order the exact same meal when we go out)

~The bottle of red and another one of prosecco later....the Virtual Reality goggles that MG has for his phone were out--hilarious!

~Woke up and ran some errands before it got scorching (again), then spent a lot of time indoors in the AC--some reading, laundry and tv watching ensued while MG had to go to work for a bit in the afternoon.

~Hung out with our friends who rent our condo and had dinner at Chipotle and saw Finding Dory together, which was SO good!

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All in all, the first weekend back from vacation was a success, despite the 100+ temps!

Hopefully your weekend was fun, and cool, too!

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Real Thoughts

Today I'm gonna get a bit serious around here.

You all pretty much are aware that our most recent attempt at IUI was our last before we moved on to IVF. Well, the Thursday that we left for Greece, I got the call that we're not pregnant.

Along with that came some heavy emotions. I was SO hopeful that this was going to be "it" for us...just like I let myself hope every month before this one. But more than that, it was the last stop before 'the big time' that is IVF. 

I'm not gonna lie. I had a HUGE full out cry fest full of sobs, hyperventilating, and some screaming into pillows. I haven't had these kind of feelings since my Dad died, and in some ways, it was the death of my hope that we could have this happen without getting to the next level.

I'm grateful that we had our vacay right on the heels of this--it allowed us both some much needed time to get away from the stresses that this year has brought us, some time to relax, reconnect and let loose. I'm SO thankful that we had this time together. 

And now that we're back, it's full swing into reality. Calling insurance, getting meds ordered, taking online IVF classes, signing up for classes about IVF and shots, making appointments for my mock embryo transfer. It's a lot. And my feelings are a range of emotions. I'm SO grateful that this is an option for us--that we have the finances in place (and insurance that is helping--thank goodness!), and the resources that make this available. Having just seen some great ruins from the past on our trip, reinforced how lucky we are that we have IVF as an option, whereas in the past, we would have just kept trying and hoping that one month we'd get a miracle, or given up completely.

I'm trying to remain positive. I know so many amazing women who have gone through this process. They've persevered through the painful shots, the anesthesia and surgery, the emotional and financial rollercoaster that is this process, and succeeded. 

I've kept my outlook hopeful, but I'd be lying if I told you that the fear and doubts aren't creeping in more than normal. After basically having 2 years worth of disappointments, it's hard to feel like there will ever be a month where we get good news. I pray that we do, but I'm afraid that I'm just getting used to the disappointment. It's not the head space I want to be in, but that's my reality. It's a possibility.

I think it's also scary because, this is basically the end of the line for us in terms of being able to have our own biological child. Before, there was always the "next" option. And now, we're at the end of that road which is terrifying. 

I know in my heart that I'm destined to be a mom. I know that MG is going to be the most amazing dad. And I just pray that this next step, as hard as it's going to be, will bring us this gift that we want the most. I know it's not going to be easy....and it's not going to be pleasant, but if it brings us that little baby we've been hoping and praying for, then it will be worth it. I never thought I'd have the strength to get through IVF....but knowing so many amazing women who have done it, and are supporting me through it, helps.

So, that's me getting real today. Life isn't fair...and it's certainly not easy. Everyone has their own obstacles in life to deal with, and this one is ours. I'm thankful that I have this support network, my family and friends, and that I have the summer off from work so that I'm not dealing with work stresses on top of all of this. All of these are blessings. 

So here's hoping that I can keep the positivity flowing, keep the negative thoughts at bay, and get rolling on this next part of the journey down the road to getting us a baby.

What's Hap-"Pinning" Wednesday {#50}

It's Wednesday and you know what that means! Time to share what's hap-"pinning" with you!

Since I've been away from blog world for almost two weeks, I thought I'd do a Currently post to get caught up on what's been going on!

Reading ...
During our 11 day trip, I made it through two books, Emily Giffin's First Comes Love and The Vacationers by Emma Straub, and I started my next read One True Loves after hearing good things about it around here. Reviews on the other two (and my current one, once I'm done) coming at you soon. But the quick and dirty is I'd rate Emily Giffin's book about a 3.5 and The Vacationers a 3 out of 5.

Watching ...
About a million shows that are stored up on the DVR. The good thing about being up at 4am because of jet lag is that you get a jump start on a week and a half worth of DVR shows! Although, I'll be honest, 4 hours of The Bachelorette is a little daunting to get through. Thank goodness for the ability to fast forward through commercials :)

Cooking...
Lately, I haven't been cooking anything--I've been eating my way through Greece and Turkey and somehow managed to not gain any weight on our trip despite all of the indulgences (probably due to all of the walking and adventures we took part in). I'm happy to get back in the kitchen and be making some healthier meals. I think I'll be making my Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Pasta with Roasted Asparagus this week.

Looking forward to ... 

a Happy Hour with my girl friends on Thursday, and a massage on Friday morning. Who said the vacation had to end now that we're home? :)

Wishing...that the couple we met on our trip, who live in Detroit, lived closer. We had SUCH an awesome time hanging out with them, and EJ and I literally met our couple counterparts. 

Enjoying ...Cooper snuggles. I picked up my little fluff ball from my Mom's house on Tuesday and boy did my little guy wiggle his little tail off when he saw me! And he's been making sure he keeps me in his sight so we don't leave him again--bring on the Cooper cuddles!

Dreaming...of a good night's sleep. The night we got back (Monday), I had dreams about running all around the last island we were at, which was fun, but I felt like it was on a loop and that made it hard for me to get restful sleep. Does that happen to anyone else where you feel like you're trapped in one dream and you're aware of it? At least the scenery in my dream was nice!

Loving....that I got to have lunch with one of my besties yesterday. It's been a bit since we've been able to get together, so it was nice to finally get some face time...and the Mexican food wasn't bad either :)

Wanting ... to ignore all of the Nordstrom sale posts. But also wanting to read every single one, and fill up my cart. After our trip, though, and with some big expenses coming up, I'm gonna try and be good!

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Wearing ...my new necklace that I picked up on our last day in Greece at a little boutique shop. I had a hard time finding things that weren't super cheesy or touristy, but this one grabbed my eye and MG agreed that it was super pretty. The evil eye is supposed to bring luck and ward off negativity. Plus, the sparkle is right up my alley :)

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Grateful For...the ability to travel, and get to take my dream vacation, but also for the comforts of our house for us to come home to. There is almost nothing better than getting a shower in your own bathroom, and laying down in your own bed after being gone.

Now it's your turn to link up with Jessi and I to share what's hap-"pinning" with you!

Annnnnnd.....We're Back!

We made it back from 11 days of vacation yesterday late afternoon after 15+ hours of travel!

Given, the jet lag is real, but it is such an incredible feeling to come home from vacation to your house, with all of the creature comforts of your space--your shower, your bed, your tv....it's SO nice.

But, the fact that the vacation is over is such a bummer! We met some really awesome people--one couple in particular, saw so many incredible sights and places, read books (reviews coming!), ate tons of delicious food, and had plenty of adventure!

 I'll have some recaps for you since there is just a TON to share (and pictures galore), but for now, here are a few pics to tease you with (if you've been following me on social media, you may have seen some of these already). 

Are you teased yet?? Just wait for the descriptions and even more photos! This trip was definitely a dream vacation and I feel so lucky to have gotten to soak up and experience so many places!

Hope your Tuesday is quick and easy! If you need me, I'll be catching up on some sleep :)

Pet Peeves

Today I'm sharing some of my pet peeves with you, in hopes that you'll share some of yours with me (or relate to some of these).

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~when ambulance or police vehicles put on their lights and sirens when in traffic, and then turn them off once they get through it. Sorry, that's not an emergency and that's not what those are for.

{via}

~when you go to a restaurant that specializes in something (like a burger joint) and they've run out of one of the staple things they tout. For instance, I went to Chipotle a way's back and they had ran out of chicken and steak. Um...that's kind of two of the main ingredients in most of your dishes. Who dropped the ball on that order?

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~speaking of Chipotle...when people say it Chip-ole-tee. The 't' comes before the 'lay'. "Chip-oh-t-lay". Public Service Announcement complete.

~when Cooper barks randomly out of nowhere, scaring the living daylights out of me. Even moreso when I'm home alone and the barking makes me think someone's outside trying to break in and murder me.

{via} no, that's not Cooper, but it looks like him doesn't it?

~when people don't show up when they say they're going to. Or when someone cancels plans super last minute, leaving you hanging.

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~when people don't properly shut/roll up bags of things like chips or pretzels so they don't go stale. One fold over doesn't keep the air out. I'm glad you got what you wanted out of the bag, but the rest of us would like it to taste just as fresh when we go for some, too.

~when people are overly competitive, ruining a simple fun and friendly game for everyone because they're taking it too seriously. For instance, getting mad when playing Cards Against Humanity? (yes, this actually happened once). I'm all for being competitive, but there's a time and a place for it. 

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~when appetizers come in odd numbers. Most of the time you're out with one other person, or 4 total. Why do so many apps come in 3's, making it awkward to figure out how to share 3 things among 2 or 4 people?

Do any of these things bother you, too? What are some of your pet peeves?