Cabin Fever Part 1

Last year, Trevor took me to Candlewood Cabins in Richland Center for an incredible birthday weekend. I fell in love with the area and the cabins so much that I made a reservation for one of the larger cabins for Thanksgiving weekend, but had to cancel because Trevor had to work the day after Thanksgiving. We had better luck planning a getaway for Maya's birthday, loading three of her friends in the car for a weekend in the Hillside Cabin.

We started out when I got off work. The hour long drive along Highway 14 is always lovely, but especially so on a spring evening. We arrived in Richland Center a little bit before sunset, made a wrong turn and stumbled across the Dairy O, a walk up ice cream shop. This is why I rarely get upset about wrong turns when traveling. You almost always discover great places, or at least store away a little geography that may come in handy later.





Photo by Maya


Oddly, I was more tempted by the sodas than the ice cream. I don't think I've ever turned down ice cream in my life.



Hello Barney piñata. You are exceedingly creepy yet oddly fascinating.
We eschewed the outdoor seating in favor of eating our treats in the car. We made it to the cabin just after dark.






We were all thrilled with this adorable cabin. The girls were giggling with glee almost as much as they were over the country boys they spotted at the ice cream shop. The Glass House, where we stayed last year, is more suited for romantic getaways, but the Hillside Cabin is perfect for gatherings of family and friends. Between the beds in the sleeping loft and the futon downstairs it sleeps up to six. There's a full kitchen, deck and screened in porch as well as a comfortable living room with wood burning stove. The decor is not over the top huntin' and fishin' rustic. It simply looks like someone's cabin home.




The first order of business after putting our things away was to start a fire. I'm not the best fire builder, but we managed to get a good one started. Searching for kindling in the dark is hard. We went through almost a box of matches before it was fully lit. I let the girls handle the fire building the rest of the weekend.

We had a half hearted attempt at S'mores and marshmallows, but I think the girls were all sugared out from the ice cream, so we let the fire burn out and returned indoors. The girls headed to the loft to play board games and engage in other slumber party shenanigans, while I chose a book from the shelf, made some tea and took advantage of the whirlpool tub.


Photo by Maya




Eventually, the whispers and giggles upstairs subsided, and we settled in to sleep with the windows open and only the sound of the wind in the trees and the occasional owl or coyote call.


Cabin Fever Part 2
Throwback Thursday: At the Drive In
Cabin Fever Part 3

May Birchbox

Birchbox let the cat of the bag in April that the May Birchboxes would be Gossip Girl themed. I haven't talked about it much, but that show is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I usually let a few episodes build up in my Hulu queue then spend a Friday night or Saturday afternoon reveling in the soapy goodness of the Upper East Side. Adding to the excitement was that the Birchbox staff promised high end samples. I can say that they definitely delivered on that promise. There were fewer samples in this box, but it was totally quality over quantity.

1. XOXO Note Card: I have lots of pretty stationery that goes unused. I'm always telling myself that I need to write more handwritten letters, and I'll go through phases where I follow through. Those usually don't last long, though. I'm not fond of the color combination of envelope and card here, but I do like the design. My best friend always signs emails with "xoxo" so I'm pretty sure who the recipient of this card will be.

2. Ojon damage reverse™ Restorative Conditioner: Conditioner is one product that I am incredibly picky about and willing to splurge on. My hair is curly, thick and tends toward dryness. I also have to detangle it in the shower with conditioner and wide toothed comb, so I have to have something that lends plenty of moisture and has a ton of emollients. I've been using Miss Jessie's for a few months, and recently used all my Birchbox points to stock up, but I may have to try this one next time I run out. Or I may just buy it to use as a deep conditioner. It's really wonderful.

3. Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream: Hand cream is another product that I use often, though I'm not as likely to splurge on it. I'm very tempted to save up for this one, though, because it's fantastic. It's lightweight and non greasy, yet lasts a long time. The hand soap in our bathrooms at work is extremely drying, but if I use this, I don't always have to reapply right after washing my hands.

4. Arquiste Flor y Canto: I've gotten several perfume samples in my past boxes, and only one has made enough of an impression on me to consider buying it. I'm just incredibly picky as well as being sensitive to so many fragrances. This one has to be the worst one they've sent. It's mainly white flowers, with magnolia being the primary scent. I love magnolia blossoms. They are beautiful and smell great, but they are so heavy and cloying in perfume. Adding plumeria and tuberose only increases the headache potential.

5. FusionBeauty LipFusion Balm Lip Conditioning Stick SPF 15: Another full sized product! I love this lip balm so much. It's the perfect consistency, and has a little bit of cooling mint along with a slightly fruity flavor. SPF 15 is an added bonus. This one has been in my bag since I got it.



I think it'll be hard for Birchbox to top this month, but I'm sure they're going to try. I just really wish they'd chill with the fragrances.

Parks and Recreation: White Flowers

I can't get enough of taking pictures in Riverside Park on my walk to work. Early last month the trees exploded in bloom, and I think to myself every time I walk through the park, how lucky I am that this is real, and that I get to enjoy something so lovely every single day. It's especially helpful, because of the totally irrational anxiety I've been feeling on my approach to work. I've been working with my doctor on it, but it's one of those things where my frustration with knowing that the fear is irrational leads to beating myself up over being irrational, which leads to more anxiety. I try to use the serenity of the setting to calm myself, and it does work most of the time. I just have to take it moment by moment.

Tuesday Tunes: An Interview with Angie

Angie is my best friend, but even if she weren't and I just knew her through her music, I'm sure I would be just as passionate about sharing her with everyone. Her lyrics are so relatable, despite being so personal and specific to her experiences. And her voice. You guys, her voice. When I first met Angie, I heard her sing within minutes, and have been enamored of that beautiful instrument ever since.

The above interview is long, but I think it's a great introduction to Angie and her philosophy on music and life. Check out her Facebook page or Reverbnation profile for more info.

If you're in the Northeast, you can hear Angie and singer songwriter Jason Waters this June and July. Announced dates are below! We're also looking to book a few house shows, so if you're interested in hosting a house concert when they are in your area, please let me know.

Lunch Time

These lunches are from a couple of weeks ago. About a month ago, my doctor increased my medication, resulting in a significant drop in appetite. This happened when I first started the medication about a year and a half ago, and my appetite eventually came back. However, in the first month or so, I basically just ate whatever actually seemed appetizing whether that was some McDonald's fries once a day or three balanced meals. After a a week or so of finding myself bringing home half of what I packed, I've started packing some snacks and grazing, maybe going for a sandwich for lunch if I feel hungry. Hopefully I'll be back to posting this feature regularly soon, but right now I'm not really inspired to take photos of granola bars, fruit, and my coworker's candy jar.



First Break: Mixed nuts, dried fruit, banana.
Lunch: Lentil Dahl, orange.
Second Break: Nut Thins crackers, grape tomatoes.



First Break: Mixed nuts, dried fruit, banana, clementine.
Lunch: Lentil Dahl, orange.
Second Break: Nut Thins crackers, grape tomatoes.

Yeah, basically the same meal two days in a row. We had a lot of leftovers.




First Break: Mixed nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, orange.
Lunch: Ham and cheese sandwich, Cheez-Its.
Second Break: Nut Thins crackers, cream cheese.




First Break: Mixed nuts, dried fruit, banana.
Lunch: Penne with marinara, salad with Lemon Goddess dressing.
Second Break: Honey Greek yogurt, orange.




First Break: Mixed nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, banana.
Lunch: Veggie chili.
Second Break: Orange, Nut Thins crackers.




First Break: Mixed nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, banana.
Lunch: Tuna, avocado, bell peppers, grape tomatoes.
Second Break: Honey Greek yogurt with strawberries, granola and flax seed.