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24 Things to Do in Your 9th Month of Pregnancy!

The third trimester of pregnancy feels a little like prepping for a jungle expedition. Your hot, sweaty, exhausted, you can’t remember if you’ve got it all together or if you’re missing everything you need. Not to mention you feel swollen bigger than a whale and can barely move without peeing your pants, let alone sneeze or caught! That third trimester is HARD, and to add to the annoyance of being physically and emotionally wipes, you might be full of anxiety about all the things you need to get done before baby arrives and have no idea where to begin. I mean, you don’t even know if you took your vitamin this morning because #pregnancybrain. What you need mama, is a good, ole’ fashion list.

So, for all you pregnant moms, or those thinking about getting pregnant, or random people just interested, here is a list to refer to of things to do in your third trimester and/or final month of pregnancy to prepare for baby…and keep your stress levels at bay!

1- Get Out!

Go on a date…or 10 dates, with everyone. See friends. Visit grandma. Watch a movie at the theatre. After you have a little one, your chances of going out decrease by…well A LOT. You don’t have energy, and if you are anything like me, you don’t want to be around people either. So schedule some time out and be social!

2- Discuss your birth plan

This is something you will probably want to research yourself and talk to your medical provider about. Are you delivering vaginally or cesarean? Do you want an epidural? Will you be induced? How many people are going to be in the room with you? Are you planning on banking the cord blood? Skin-to-skin contact? Find out HOW to do that in my birth plan post. There is no wrong way to do it, but make sure whatever your plan is, that it is what YOU want to do and feel is best for you and your baby.

3- Get a Sleeping Area for Baby Ready

Newborns sleep, a lot. You don’t want to have to worry about setting up the crib or putting together a bassinet when you are exhausted yourself from having a baby. Having a place already set up (whether a crib, cradle, pack and play, bassinet, co-sleeper bed, whatever) will make you want to kiss yourself thank you when you arrive home. If you need some help getting started or finding the best bassinet for your family, check out this amazing ThinkBaby article that goes into detail about the best bassinets. P.S. their main site also has some other amazing sleep tips for new moms and babies, I’d highly recommend checking those out, stat, because we all know mama needs her precious sleep or attack of the mombie is a risk… 😉

4- SHOP

Whether you like it or not, people LOVE babies. Which means you are going to have your privacy invaded like crazy. Save yourself from feeling flustered because everyone is seeing you in your long johns and invest now in some cute comfy wear. May I suggest yoga pants or patterned leggings paired with a cute, simple, loose top? Trust me- you won’t be shopping for these things AFTER the baby gets here.

5- Pack a Hospital Bag

When it comes down to the wire, you usually don’t know exactly when the baby will be here. He might be three weeks early. She might come a week late. Unless you have a scheduled date with your doctor (even then it is subjective to baby terms) it is best to be prepared for anything, anytime! See my suggestions for what to bring in your hospital bag here.

6- Choose a coming home outfit for baby

Baby has to wear something on his way out of the hospital, right? Of course he does. He is going to be the kind of style in those new outfits you have waiting. Pick one and toss it in the bag!

7- Consider some baby health and CPR classes.

This is something I wish I would have done before I had my baby. Most people have no idea what to do in an emergency situation, and with babies, being able to react quickly and efficiently is important. Most hospitals and fire departments will offer these classes for free or at minimal cost- or they can point you in the direction of where to find them!

8- Narrow down your favorite names

Some people have the name picked out before they even spawn their precious babe. Not me. I named my baby almost 3 days after she was born. And yes, I felt like an embarrassed schmuck every time someone asked her name and I said I didn’t have one yet…two days after her birth. You don’t have to have a name when you go in, but having a few in mind to pick from will help you make a decision all the sooner once she is born.

9- Get your nails done!

You need to pamper yourself during that last month to get through the less-than-wonderful parts of being 9 months pregnant. Not to mention how many pictures are going to be taken featuring a baby in YOUR HANDS! Make those nails pretty and feel a little prettier yourself! I had tons of nurses commenting on how cute my snowflake designed toenails were during labor- a fun compliment to encourage me!

10- Schedule a photographer

Most photographers want to take newborn photographs within the first couple of weeks of the baby’s life. Choose someone now and make sure they can fit you into their schedule and then you won’t have to stress about it later when your post-pregnant mind can barely handle more than “cry, feed the baby, love the baby, cry some more.”

11- Tinker and Play

I had the lovely experience of holding a screaming newborn and trying to unfold my fancy stroller for the first time in a parking lot in the snow. The people who walked past had eyes that glared at me with the thoughts, “incompetence.” Save yourself the embarrassment and take a few minutes to play with the car seat, stroller, bouncer chair, and anything else you might have so you know how to handle it like a pro when baby gets here!

12- Clean the house- or hire a professional cleaner.

If you have the money to splurge, I suggest the latter. Get someone to come deep clean your tub and scrub the nooks and crannies of your kitchen for you. It feels so much better to bring a newborn into a house where you don’t feel compelled to immediately start housework. If you can’t afford a cleaner, try to choose One task per day to complete and slowly work on cleaning it up a little at a time (many of you know this because you have been nesting, right?)

13- Stock up!

You might find it helpful to stock up on the “staples” now so you don’t feel like you need to once the baby is born. Get a bunch of on-the-go snacks (if you can eat them with one hand, more power to you!) toilet paper, frozen foods, cereal, feminine supplies (a LOT of these), and extra diapers.

14- Media it up!

Babies eat a lot and need a lot of attention, even if they are just sleeping! That means you are left with trying to find entertainment for yourself to keep you sane as you spend endless hours feeding or holding the baby. Sign up for Hulu, download books to your Kindle, fill up your Netflix queue of things you want to see, borrow books from friends, download music to your ipod, and start stocking up favorite movies so you aren’t left with the “what can I do” question later.

15- Wash SOME of baby’s clothes

Washing a few things to have set and ready to go will help your stress levels immensely after having a baby. Don’t wash too many things though- you never know if your little girl will grow fast, how long she might wear something, or if she pops out…a boy! Hey- you have to be prepared for anything!

16- Make a list of helpers

There is no question about it, having a new baby is hard. Sometimes, you WILL need help. Find a few people you are comfortable with asking (your mom or best friend?) that would be willing to come hold the baby while you shower, or clean your kitchen while you nap with baby. Contacting these people before hand will help them to prepare and make it less complicated for you to have to figure someone else out on the spot later.

17- Decide when to announce the baby

Are you going to call everyone when you are in labor? Will you just text them with a baby once they make their arrival? Are you going to wait until you are home before allowing people to visit? Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by everything when you actually have the baby, decide now who you are going to tell beforehand and who you want to announce it to after and let yourself focus on more important things in labor!

18- Sleep, Sleep, Sleep

Now- I was a weirdo, I actually got MORE sleep AFTER the baby was born. What can I say? I was miserable, and uncomfortable is an understatement. Plus I had to pee every 23 minutes. But if you feel tired, take a nap! Go to bed early! Sleep in! You don’t know how much you can get of that later, and you need all the energy you can get!

19- Journal about your story

Take the time to write about your pregnancy. Tell your funny stories, the best and the worst things about it, and even consider writing a letter to your baby. You will be amazed how quickly you forget the little things!

20- Don’t Be Shy!

If you are feeling sexy and have the energy, make some moves on your lover! You may not get another chance for a while, and even then, kids have a knack for ruining the romance moment!

21- Consider writing a will

This is something that doesn’t need to happen immediately, but the sooner you can get this done, the better and more secure the future is for your little one in case anything should happen. Even if you just take some time to do a little bit of research or contact a lawyer, you will feel grateful you did.

22- Make Decisions

Are you getting him circumcised? Is she going to be breastfed or bottle fed? Pampers or Huggies? Some decisions are bigger than others, but if you talk about what you want to do before they arrive, it relieves that much more stress later.

23- Make some meals

Spend a few hours and throw together some freezer meals that will be quick, easy, and tasty once the baby gets here and you don’t feel like cooking.

24- Indulge yourself

You literally just spent the last nine months building a body, creating a life! And you are going to spend the next 18 years (or longer) teaching that little body how to live. Take some time to do what you love. Go to your favorite store with breakable items (you won’t be in there again for years!), get a massage, have your hair primped, do a girls night. Whatever it takes to give yourself what you deserve!

Hopefully this list takes the edge of the frantic need to remember everything you have to do before your bundle of pooping/eating/crying/perfect joy arrives! For a list of 17 things to do after baby arrives, click here!

Hugs and Loves!

Onyx and Blush Co - Things To Do In Your 9th Month of Pregnancy

 

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Disney, Lifestyle

15 Things No One Tells You Before Going To Disney World (What I Wish I Knew!)

Have I mentioned that I freaking love Disney World? (Seriously, I have a whole post about why here!) Not to mention, Disney World PLANNING? The planning part is just as fun, ha! But let me tell, there are definitely a few things that I wish someone had mentioned about Disney World! There are even a few things that I had heard people say, but they definitely should have elaborated so I was better prepared, ha! 

So instead of letting you find out for yourself, I decided to compile a list of all the things you should know before you go! I hope you have the most magical trip ever and that some of these tips help you to be prepared! 

**A note: This post contains affiliate links which if used, I may earn a small commission or kickback at no cost to you. This is a way to help support my business and I’m grateful to you! Of course, you can always look the item up separately if you’d prefer not to use my links!**

1- Let’s start with the weather

Because Florida weather is not what it looks like in every tv show ever! For real, you see the Florida sunshine, but it doesn’t show just how freaking HOT and HUMID everything is. It’s uncomfortable hot, and expect a lot of sweat! Definitely bring a ton of water to prep yourself and make sure you plan to stop into shops and stuff for a quick AC break. 

Also. Pack sunscreen. You’re welcome. 

And with the sun…. comes equal parts RAIN.

As in… biblical, torrential downpours that ruin your “water resistant” phone. (RIP old friend.) The sky will be totally blue and cloudless, and out of nowhere there are clouds of hell raining actual rivers onto you! It’s typically warm rain, but it’s so much that you’ll be drenched within minutes.

These little showers usually only last for maybe 20 or 30 minutes tops, but it’s enough to totally soak you. Bring some ponchos in your pack so you’re prepped, otherwise plan to stand inside a building until it passes (which to me just wastes those precious hours you have at Disney!) 

2- Mobile Order IS A THING!

I knew to expect long lines for rides, but no one told me that the lines could be equally as long just to get food! Even the snack stations have long lines sometimes!

With that said…. Last year I discovered that on the Disney Experience app, they have an option to order right through the app for the majority of their quick service and snack places! It saves so much time, you just order and pay from the app, then you walk up to the window and pick it up! It’s seriously so fast and such an amazing little tool to have up your sleeve. 

3-The dining plan doesn’t actually save you money

…. But it IS really nice to have all of your food pre-payed for so you don’t have to think about it while you’re there. It’s kind of a good way to budget, although like the title said- it doesn’t actually save you money unless you literally get THE MOST EXPENSIVE option at every single meal and snack that you possibly can.

Just keep that in mind if you’re considering a dining plan! Again, it IS really nice to have things prepaid for, even if it does end up costing you a little more. I’m the kind of gal that is willing to pay for convenience, ha! 

4-Bring pennies and quarters! 

The first time we were there, I only brought in my magic band. I thought I was brilliant because I didn’t have to carry anything with me! (I mean it is still pretty brilliant!) but everywhere they have these really cool penny stretcher stations and seriously it’s such a fun, unique, CHEAP souvenir to have! It costs like 50 cents to do and bam, unique little souvenir right there! 

I realize that tip may not be for everyone, but for my other nostalgic nerd babes out there… just bring yourself a few pennies and quarters and have fun! I totally wish I had known about them so I could have done that our first trip!

5-Never use the bathroom by the ride exit

Because there are seriously a million bathrooms, all over the place! The ones close to the rides tend to have long lines, but you can usually find another really close bathroom that is empty!

6-You’re allowed to bring in your own food and drink! 

Food and drinks at the parks are expensive! I think there’s a common misconception that they don’t allow you to bring those things in yourself, but you totally can! Load up on bottles of water (their water is awful at Disney!) and snacks and save a little bit of money. 

7-Speaking of water, don’t drink from the water fountains! 

Instead, ask any quick service location for a free water! The water in the water fountains is *technically* safe to drink but it’s so nasty, you won’t want to. Save yourself the toilet swill and just get the free water they offer at any little eatery around. They all offer free water.

8-Thicker thighs need protection! 

If you’ve got juicy thighs (I’m in that club too!) then wearing longer shorts or pants, or using an anti-chafing stick to help prevent rashes from your thighs rubbing together is going to save you.

I freaking LOVE my Mega-babe stick, it was perfect to stop that friction and saved my legs after they started chafing. You’re doing so much walking around that it really is necessary to plan for it. Here is another one I’ve heard great things about.

9-Staying onsite gets you free transportation and into the parks early

This might be one a lot of people know, but I was someone that DID NOT know this my first time there! If you stay onsite at a Disney resort, they have free transportation you can use from your hotel, and most parks offer early magic hours so you can get in earlier than anyone else and beat the crowds to your favorite rides. 

10-The second show is less crowded

Especially during peak season when crowds are high, a lot of times Disney will have two showings for their popular shows, like the parades and fireworks. The bulk of the crowds will attend the first show, so the second show is usually less crowded. You’ll get a better view and you might be able to catch a few shorter lines if you ride rides during the first show. 

11-Disney has everything. 

I mean it. If there is something that you need- like your shoe breaks, your kid decides to undress and lose their clothes, you get pooped on by a bird and need a replacement shirt, you cut open your finger…. Pretty much any scenario you can think of, Disney will have it covered- and a lot of times they will help you without charge.

They literally have the best cast members and they are so solutions-oriented when it comes to their guests! Don’t ber afraid to ask when you might need a little help.

12-If your ears give you a headache, you can return them! 

If you get a pair of ears that give you a splitting headache and you’re bummed you spent your precious souvenir money on something that you won’t want or use for that reason, you can totally return them and explain. They’ll take care of you! Then you can use your money on something that you really love and/or will use!

Fun note: There are a ton of little businesses and talented people that make the most unique Minnie ears if you want something truly special! Check out this list for all of my favorite places to buy unique Minnie ears and support small business!

13-Being nice to the cast members pays off! 

They have all sorts of Disney Magic running through their veins and have the power to make little miracle magic moments happen, so BE NICE! No, you can’t just ask for a magic moment, and no, you can’t just expect one either. But it’s always a good idea to be extra nice to the people that are working hard to serve you and make your experience magical, and eventually it does pay off!

We’ve had so many special magic moments created by cast members that we will remember forever, like getting a free treats and free desert, an extra fast pass, a t shirt, prime viewing at shows, and even a free  little bracelet that my daughter wanted and cried when we wouldn’t let her get it. The cast members made all these things happen for us! 

14- It’s worth it to go to the paid “after hours” events! 

The hard ticket events are so cool! You have way less crowds and can hit so many rides, not to mention that you get to see exclusive shows. And my very favorite thing about these events is that you always get to meet special characters that aren’t regularly in the parks, this is a really great chance to meet some rare favorites! Totally worth splurging on when you’re planning your trip! 

15-Skip Dumbo! 

The Aladdin Magic Carpets ride (also in MK) and the Triceratops Spin ride (in AK) both are basically the exact same as Dumbo, but half the wait times. So if your little one just wants a fun ride that takes you up in the air and spins, do one of those instead. 

Don’t get me wrong, Dumbo is one of our favorite (see my blog post here for why!), and the magical thing about Dumbo is that they have the cutest little play area while you wait for your turn (using a pager-style system) so that’s super fun, but if you want to avoid long waits, opt for one of the others! 

I hope these tips help you prep! What are you most excited for when you go to Disney World?? Are there any other tips you have that I should add to the list? Let me know in the comments! If you’re planning a trip, be sure to check out this list of things you need to have on your Animal Kingdom bucket list! 

XX Sunny

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Disney, Family, Lifestyle, Travel

How To Do Disney with a Toddler 101: All the Best Activities, Tips, and Tricks You Need to Know!

Disney World with a toddler…. Now there is an adventure in and of itself! To be totally honest, I never planned to take my toddler to disney because I was certain she wouldn’t be old enough to appreciate it and she’d be cranky the whole time, but then I realized that I’M THE ONE that would appreciate the memories, and I need to not let fear of wrangling an unappreciative toddler at Disney World stop me.

So I booked the ticket.  Ready or not…. Here we go! 

And you know what? It was perfect. Yep- there were meltdowns and tantrums (and a LOT of them!) but overall it was so magical, especially for my little one. I was amazed at how inclusive Disney World was for all ages, including toddlers! ‘

The thing that surprised me the most was just HOW MUCH there was for toddlers at Disney World.

I always kind of thought of it as being a great place for slightly older kids, and it definitely is still that, but there are so many fun things that toddlers will love, not to mention plenty of resources to help parents of toddlers stay SANE. 

And since I love you mama, I want you to have the most AMAZING Disney World trip! So I’ve compiled all of my favorite tips and activities for toddlers at Disney World into this ultimate guide for surviving Disney World with a toddler! 

***Thank you to Disney World for providing some of our tickets in collaboration with this post!**

Alrighty, let’s dive right in! Here are the things I’m going to talk about, so you can read them all or just skip to the section you need, and don’t forget to pin this article so you can come back to it later!

  • Best rides for toddlers at Disney World
  • Favorite activities for toddlers at Disney World
  • Tips for managing your toddler at Disney World without going crazy!
  • Your packing list for the parks with your toddler

Best rides for toddlers at Disney World

There are actually tons of rides that your little ones can go on, despite what you might think! The Magic Kingdom park has more rides and attractions for toddlers than the other parks, but there is at least a couple of rides at each park. I’ll dive into our very favorites and why we think they’re a must-do for toddlers!

Dumbo (at Magic Kingdom)- The actual ride is of course adorable and my little one loved being able to fly in it, but the true reason it’s the best is because of the AWESOME ride queue! Instead of just standing in line, they have an incredible play center where you go in and get your buzzer. It’s all Dumbo and circus themed inside, and your kids can run around and play to their hearts content until it’s your turn. You can also just go play if you don’t feel like riding the actual ride. 

The Teacups (at Magic Kingdom)- I actually cannot believe that I’m even writing that out, I get SO sick on the teacups and actually personally hate the ride haha, but it was a WIN for my toddler. The line moves very fast, it’s very brightly colored and exciting, and she loved the interactive part of being able to spin the cup. (insert mom barfing LOL) -definitely worth it for the little ones!

The Seas with Nemo and Friends (at Epcot) – We love underwater life and Nemo is such a cute ride, perfect for toddlers with lots of stimulating music, fun characters they remember, but not too long or dark! And when you get off, they have the most incredible exhibit with manatees, a massive aquarium, and fun learning stations. I think we stayed there for almost an hour, my toddler was in fish heaven!

Alien Swirling Saucers (At Hollywood Studios)- This is just a fun, quick moving, brightly-colored ride where the line moves fast and kids have fun. Emi loved it and she threw a downright tantrum when it was time to get off, so clearly for her it was a huge success!

Kilimanjaro Safaris (at Animal Kingdom)- The best ride on earth if you’ve got an animal lover, and we do, so it was one of our very favorites! It’s about a 30 minutes safari tour through the animal park and there is no shortage of amazing animals to see and things to learn about them! 

Na’vi River Journey (at Animal Kingdom)- Besides my personal love for this ride, my toddler LOVED it. Sometimes dark rides can feel scary for a toddler, especially if there are surprise elements or loud noises, but this ride doesn’t have anything like that. Even though it’s dark, the overall ride is very tranquil and beautiful, with lots of things any toddler would love to look at. It’s one of my favorite rides to go on and my toddler loved it, which makes it just about the perfect family ride!

Favorite non-ride activities that are awesome for toddlers

Sea Base at Epcot- I mentioned this briefly in the rides section because it is located where the Nemo ride is at Epcot. It is a massive aquarium and learning station where you can see sharks, manatees, sea turtles, all walks of marine life, and even dolphins. Obviously the ride is a fun part, but we spent a huge amount of time just wandering around the aquarium. My toddler loves fish and was smitten with everything we saw. This is an absolute MUST DO in my opinion!

Meeting characters- ok so this one is actually hit or miss, depending on your toddler. When our oldest was a toddler, she absolutely hated meeting characters, especially if they were in a full suit. I guess that can be pretty terrifying, ha! But Our younger one that’s a toddler now loved seeing the characters! 

Rafiki’s Planet Watch- You have to take a little train to get over there, but they have a really cool little petting zoo type of area that animal lovers will obsess over. There were also a few fun interactive things along the way.

Figment’s Imagination Center- After you get off the Journeyinto Imagination with Figment ride, there is a really cool learning and imagination center that helps little ones discover all of their senses! The ride is technically toddler friendly too, but we found that the darkness, loud noises, and random spurts of wind weren’t very friendly for Emi- she was definitely afraid. The imagination center afterward though was a huge hit, we stayed for probably thirty minutes! We sat down and let the girls run around and play to their heart’s content. There is also an opportunity to meet Vanellope Von Schweetz while you’re there!

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique- This activity was the highlight of the trip for my older daughter, who was 6 this trip. Your little one gets to go and get the royal princess treatment and they feel so special! This would be a great activity for older toddlers (3 or 4 in age, you have to be at least 3 to attend) that love to dress up and aren’t too shy or afraid of other people.

Mickey’s Philharmagic Show- There are several cute 3D shows around the Disney parks that are fun for toddlers, but the Philharmagic show was our favorite! It had less “scary” surprise elements (like suddenly getting dark or surprise loud noises), and showcased some of our favorite characters. It’s really cute and a great way to get your little one out of the sun and into some air conditioning for a bit. The line for this one moves very quickly, which is a big winning factor in my book!

Dumbo Splashpad- Right outside of Dumbo there is a little water zone area that has a mini splash pad and so many kids were running around in absolute heaven! Definitely fun for a quick little stop!

Tips for Managing your toddler at Disney World without going crazy

Managing tantrums or emotions when they’re stressed-First things first, expect tantrums. They’re more likely than not going to happen. Here are the things that I found most helpful!

  • Bribery– snacks or a sippy cup with a favorite beverage is usually a good way to get me to stop crying too. 
  • Distraction– If something is stressing them out, try to point out some of the fun things to look at that are around you. Disney World is full of them! For slightly older toddlers, have them search for hidden Mickeys, they’re pretty much everywhere!
  • A quiet place- Disney is very overstimulating, and my toddler gets easily stressed when she’s over stimulated. You can a quiet corner of a shop or outside to sit with them for a minute and let them get out their emotions and calm down. Disney also has baby care centers that make great refuge when you need to escape.

Speaking of those baby care centers, let’s talk about them!- At every park Disney has a baby care center, which is a great refuge for mamas and children that need to take a break for a minute. It’s stocked up with things like snacks, diapers, medicine, etc. and there are plenty of places for you to sit with your child for a bit. It’s the perfect little refuge when you need to escape with baby or toddler and calm down.

Stick to your “normal” – and by that, I mean your routine. Don’t expect that your toddler can go from rope drop to park close, because they can’t. Try to sleep and eat around the same times as normal. If they need a nap, take a quick break to go back or let them nap in the stroller or maybe take a break at the baby care center or a sit-down location. Disney World can be overstimulating and exhausting, they’ll be much happier and less stressed if their little body can stick to it’s normal routine as much as possible.

What to pack to bring into the parks

  • extra clothes
  • wipes (even if they’re potty trained, those wipes come in useful!) 
  • diapers/pull ups/extra undies as needed
  • sippy cup (loooots of water, keep them hydrated!)
  • stroller
  • sunscreen

I’m a big fan of packing as light as possible. The first day we were in the parks, I packed for the apocalypse to happen and regretted it immediately. Having to lug around so much stuff “just in case” I needed it was a total nightmare. Our backs hurt, the stroller was heavier, and I didn’t use any of it. The next several days we just packed the bare, bare minimum. The great thing is that if there is ever anything you truly need that you didn’t bring (like medicine, diapers, etc.) you can usually find it in the park and purchase it if you have to.

Something else I want to mention is the importance of a STROLLER! Even though your little one is probably walking and may even be comfortable walking for a long time, you’ll want a stroller at some point in the day. Those Disney days are a LOT of walking in various types of weather and toddlers need some extra support from a stroller to get through all the walking. If you don’t want to carry one on your travels, you can always rent one from a rental service while you’re there or rent one in the parks.

I hope some of these tips are helpful for you in planning a trip to Disney World with your toddler! If you’ve been with your toddler, I’d love to hear if you have more tips that I can add to the list- just drop them in the comments!

If you’re ready to book your trip, you can book tickets and check out the amazing deals and all of the magic at the Disney World website!

XXOO Jess

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Lifestyle

Everything you’d ever want to know (and maybe some things you don’t!) about my Harry Potter beliefs!

It is no secret that I’m absolutely obsessed with Harry Potter and the entire Wizarding World. Just for fun, I decided to write up a whole post all about my obsession (because normally people do that, right?) and I asked my instagram peeps for some creative questions about who I am as a Pott-head, and boy, you babes did NOT disappoint! I had SO many insanely good questions come in! I’ve picked out some of my favorites (plus some of the traditional questions you would ask any HP lover!) and answered them all below! 

Why today you ask? Because it’s HARRY’S BIRTHDAY!! (happy birthday to the first true love of my life!) and I want to start creating content each year in his honor. Check out last year’s post here!

If you’re also a Harry Potter lover, you should totally do this with me!! You can copy the questions here and answer them for yourself and share on your blog or instagram! Be sure to tag me on social or email me with your blog link because I DEFINITELY want to know about it!! Us magical creatures need to stick together! 

Better grab some butterbeer and a pumpkin pastie or two and get comfy, this is going to be a long one!

Q- What’s your house?

A- Slytherin, duh!

Q- What’s your wand made of? 

A- Rowan wood with a dragon heartstring core, 14 ¼” and slightly springy flexibility

…tall and springy flexible, just like me, ha!

Q- What is your patronus?

A- A black swan! Which I love, I used to be obsessed with black swans and totally did my first grade animal report on one. They’re so graceful and mysterious!

Q- Did you ever dress up for a movie/book release?

A- 100% absolutely did

Q- Obviously Harry Potter has tons of symbolism JK threw in, what’s your favorite symbolism represented??

A- I have two answers for this! 

Answer 1: The dementors. After I had my first baby, I got postpartum depression. I felt like when I told people they thought I was being dramatic or trying to get attention because I was “depressed,” and I couldn’t explain that I wasn’t sad or wantin gattention. There are no words that I can come up with for how I felt, but JK Rowling does it perfectly with the dementors. She created dementors based on her own experience with depression, and it is something that has always touched me so personally since I discovered that. The dementors accurately represent this really dark place in my life, and I love that they are driven away by the driving force of light and love. 

Answer 2: The Black family tree. The entire family tree and how they are all related is all based around astronomy! I’ve loved astronomy since  was in sixth grade and my teacher introduced me to it, and my fascination with the stars has only increased over time. There used to be one particular star I loved because it was SO bright and when you look at it, you can actually see it twinkle in red, green, blue, and purple. It’s mesmerizing! The star is named Sirius, also known as the dog star. Fun, right?? The entire black family has similar ties to astronomy and I just think it’s incredibly well thought out and love the symbolism. 

Q- What’s your favorite Wizarding World treat?

A- OMG I die over the frozen butterbeer!

Q- Who is your favorite professor? 

A- This one is SOOOO hard, but I just have a soft spot in my heart for Professor Remus Lupin!

Q- Kiss, Marry, Kill – Harry Potter style! 

A- Kiss Sirius Black. Marry Fred or George Weasley. Kill Pansy Parkinson who is a waste of space

Q- Who would  you date?

A- I feel like this one is kind of answered in the last one, but I have the biggest crush every on Sirius Black (can you imagine him when he was young and hot??) and the Weasley twins! I’m a sucker for a guy with jokes!

Q- If you could be an animagus what animal would you turn into and why?

A- Is it cliché of me to say a lion?? They’re just such powerful animals, beautiful, solid muscle, not afraid to go after what they want and protect what is theirs! I want to command power, ha! Plus they’re lazy, and I think taking a nap as a lion in the sun sounds like a freaking DREAM.

Q- What is your favorite movie?

A- The 5th one, The Order of the Phoenix! Which is actually surprising to me, considering it is my least favorite book of them all (I still love the book, I just love it the least of all of them, ha!). I feel like the movie does a good job of displaying what happens and it is visually really pretty compared to the other movies. 

Q- Would you enter the tri-wizard tournament? 

A- Nope. Even though I like adventure, I’m a total wuss. I also don’t like to play  games unless I know for sure that I’ll win because I’m competitive AF. With the tri-wizard tournament, I can’t guarantee it’d be a sure thing. 

I also can’t guarantee that I wouldn’t just hop on the back of the dragon and go burn down all of King’s Landing. Valar Morghulis. (wait… wrong fandom) 

Q- What treat would you get off the trolley on the Hogwarts Express?

A- Sherbet lemons! I know, I know, technically a “muggle sweet,” but they sell them at Honeydukes in Harry Potter world so…….. 

I also love the idea of chocolate frogs and the cards inside! In real life I’m a bit of a snob about  my chocolate and don’t love the chocolate they use (that’s what I get for working in a chocolate shop as a teen!), but if I were in the Harry Potter universe and I’d bet these are delicious, these would be my thing.

Q- Which book is your favorite? 

A- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince! I freaking LOVE all of the backstory you get in this book about Voldemort and how he became who he is. I love that the relationship between Dumbledore and Harry is really strengthened, which makes Dumbledore’s death even more beautifully tragic. I love that SH*T GETS REAL with the horcruxes. I love the character development we see with Snape. It’s all so juicy and delicious. SO good. 

Q- I have never watched or read these, why do you love them?

A- First of all, the number of people that responded with “I’ve never watched or read HP” on instagram was appalling. SHAME on you. Part of your heart is missing and you need to remedy that immediately. 

Second- I honestly believe that I love these so much because I grew up WITH Harry. I started reading the books in 4th grade as a kid. I remember waiting every summer for the new book release, and each year Harry was a year older and so was I. It was such a huge part of my teenage years, and when I felt like I needed to escape (because I was all angsty like teen girls are), Harry was there for me. I can’t describe the magic they have brought into my life and I hope that I can share a little bit of that magic with everyone I meet, regardless of whether they like Harry Potter. 

Q- Do you like or hate the movies and why?

A- Soooo this is a loaded question. I like the movies purely on principle that they are Harry Potter and I love that they bring a little bit of the visual aspect of the Wizarding World to life. However, I hate that they miss SO much. Not just things here and there, but HUGE plot points. If you’ve only ever seen the movies, you really only know about ⅓ of the whole story. 

I think something else to consider is that when the first movie came out, several of the books hadn’t been released yet even and there are so many important things that I believe they would have included in the movies if they had known how Harry Potter was going to end. IT would have been set up totally different. 

Honestly, I hope that HBO picks it up and creates a TV Series on it like they did with the Song of Ice and Fire (aka Game of Thrones), because they could totally find a way to do the whole story justice! Someone tell them that was my idea so I get a cut of the check, ok? 

Q- What question would you ask Moaning Myrtle? 

A- I want to know why she chooses to spend the majority of her time in the girls bathroom. Surely as a ghost of Hogwarts there are way more exciting places to be?

Q- If you drank polyjuice potion, who would you want to turn into? 

A- I think it would be magical to be Luna Lovegood for a while! Or Nymphadora Tonks! Shape-shifting like she does would be so fun!


Q- Why did Harry’s wand connect with Lucius Malfoy’s wand in book 7?

A- I’m a believer in Dumbledore’s answer! I think that because Voldemort and Harry had such a deep connection both through blood and soul, there was a deeper element of magic present that can’t totally be explained. I think that Harry’s wand recognized Voldemort and regurgitated some of his own magic back at him, and Voldemort, who was not armed with his own wand, only had Luscius wand to defend him and since Luscius wand doesn’t have that strong connection to it’s user, it couldn’t perform under the pressure and it snapped.

I’d love to hear other theories on this!

Q- What part of the books do you wish made it into the film?

A- Is everything an answer? I hate that so much is missing from the films! I wish there was more of the backstory, we miss learning so much about Snape and Lily, Voldemort’s history and the Gaunts, and even Neville’s involvement (they basically took him out of some very important scenes in the first couple of movies where he is present in the books!) and the whole Longbottom story! I wish they had included more about Dumbledore’s background too. 

Another thing that ticks me off (like it does everyone), is Harry’s eyes. They are a huge part of Harry’s character and never make it into the films. I also think SPEW is such a fun part of Hermione’s personality that we don’t get to see and wish that had been included. 

It also really kills me that Harry’s entire personality in the movies is different. In the movies, I feel like Harry is just a little b*tch to be honest. In the books, he is brave, he’s sarcastic and kind of sassy, he’s got a temper, and he and Ron are pretty mischievous! I wish we saw more of that in the films as well. 

And where the hell is Peeves?

Q- Which HP death hurts the most. Only one!

A- First of all, you friend, are ruthless for asking this! How can I choose just one?! I think especially heartbreaking are of course Harry’s parents, Sirius, and Dumbledore- but the one that is absolutely the most gut-wrenching to me is Dobby. He loves Harry so much and dies  protecting him. When Harry is digging the grave by hand…. I’m going to start crying just thinking about it. 

Q- First shop you stop at in Diagon Alley?

A- Ollivanders! Such a magical pace! I also really love Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. 

Q- Which horcrux would you be or would you own?

A- Nagini! 

Q- Personal opinion what’s the best, most useful spell?

A- For me personally, probably Accio! Then I never have to get up for anything and I can complete my transformation into full-on potato. 

Q- Have  you taken the Ilvermorny quiz? 

A- Yes! I’m in Horned Serpent!

Q- What magical creature would you have as a pet?

A- Do I have to choose just one?? I feel like a snowy owl is realistic and they’re so beautiful, but I would LOVE to have a Hippogriff! 

Maybe if I turned into an evil wizard I’d go for a basilisk too, I’ve got a thing for snakes (insert tongue flicker).

Q- What is the best wizard way to die?

A- In your sleep when you’re 100 years old just like a muggle?? HA! I feel like getting taken out by a dragon would be pretty badass…. Although I don’t burn because I’m the mother of dragons. 😉

Honestly, Avada Kedavra is instant and probably the most painless, so it’s probably the way to go. 

Q- If you found out you were a wizard RIGHT NOW, what’s the first thing you’d do?

A- Visit Diagon Alley! 

Q- Who is your least favorite professor?

A- It’s hard to rival Dolores Umbridge but I actually really hate Professor Trelawney and think she’s annoying. 

Q- Who is your date to the yule ball?

A- Viktor Krum. Move over Hermione. 

Q- Who is your most favorite “bad” character?

Probably the hardest question yet! I really, really love Severus Snape and he is one of my top 2 all-time favorite characters in the entire series. 

Other favorite “bad characters” are:

Bellatrix Lestrange -I totally dig her level of crazy and her obsession with Voldemort rivals my own.

Narcissa Malfoy – I’m in love with her! Her ultimate priority is her child, and I love that you can feel that love.

Gilderoy Lockhart – I don’t know that he qualifies as “bad” but he certainly isn’t “good” either. I love that there are so many ranges of good and bad characters, just like in real life! Lockhart is a really quirky character and I love that he has a full backstory as a fraud and con artist. Plus his obsession with himself is fantastic, and I want every single person to have that kind of self-love and confidence! 

Q- What is something that bugs you about the Harry Potter series?

A- I really hate bobotuber pus… because gross…. And I hate Dedalus Diggle’s name, haha. 

Q- What position do you play in quidditch?

A- I have never been very coordinated when it comes to sports, and like I said if I don’t know I can win then I usually don’t play haha- but if I had to be on a quidditch team I’d be a Beater!

Q- What is your favorite thing about Harry Potter World in Universal Studios? 

A- When you walk through the brick wall into Diagon Alley for the first time, it’s magical. I legit cried. Real tears. I felt like Harry when he walked into his first encounter with the magical world at Diagon Alley. I want to experience that feeling over and over and over again. 

Related: 7 Most Magical Moments to have in Harry Potter World

Q- How do you feel about the Fantastic Beasts franchise?

A- I have mixed feelings honestly. I love that it is an expanision of the wizarding world, and I love Newt Scamander’s character. I think it is a fun addition to Harry Potter, but it honestly doesn’t even compete for me. It’s fun, but doesn’t have that special place in my heart the way the traditional Harry Potter story does. 

Q- Have you logged into Pottermore? 

A- Are you even a Harry Potter fan if you don’t?? Of course! That’s how I know my house, wand, and patronus! I also love all of the extra back story and fun read syou can find there because they help build out this world. Seriously, it’s a beautiful work of imagination and I’m. Here. For. It. 

Q- Have you ever done any  creative Harry Potter themed projects (like art, fan fiction writing, other projects? etc.) ?

A- Yes! Basically all the things!! I’ve thought about sharing some of them here- if anyone is interested in seeing that definitely let me know, ah! If you have suggestions, I’m always looking for my next Harry Potter creative project so please give me ideas! 

Q- Favorite HP memory, go! 

A- I used to go to California for the summers growing up, and I remember being so excited to just laze around at the beach reading my new book! Then my parents would always pick up the book on tape and we’d listen to it on the drive back and I would get to hear the story again. Such good memories! 

Q- What is your favorite magical object or invention that you wish existed in the real world?

A- Obviously magic wands! But I’d kill for some Felix Felicus every now and then, and an invisibility cloak. 

Q-What is your favorite Harry Potter quote? Only one!

A- There’s a lot of them that I love, but hands down, my favorite is, “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” (insert sobbing)

Q- What are your TOP 5 Harry Potter moments?

A- 1) The conversation Dumbledore and Harry have about the prophecy where Harry realizes the difference between being dragged into the arena and walking in with your head held high. It’s an incredible scene in the book.
2) Watching Snape and Lily’s love story unfold.
3) Any scene that takes place in Diagon Alley- they’re the best!
4) The epilogue at the end of the books ending with the scar not having pained Harry in 19 years. I cry every time.
5) The backstory of Regulus Black as Kreacher tells it.

Q-What is the thing you love most about the movies and the thing you hate most about them?

A- I love that they turn the magical world into real life. Diagon Alley looks just as it should, and I love how well they cast characters like Molly and Arthur Weasley! 

Besides obviously half of the plot missing, the thing I HATE about the movies is that in the last film, Harry just snaps the Elder Wand in half like nothing. Seriously, WTF?

Thank you so, so much for reading along! If you have more Harry Potter questions for me, throw them down in the comments!!

Don’t forget that if you’re a Harry Potter nerd, you can totally take these questions and make your own Harry Potter beliefs post! Please be sure to share with me and I’ll add links to your posts here so everyone else can enjoy!

XXOO Sunny


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Lifestyle, Recipes

Literally the BEST Snickerdoodle Recipe Without Cream of Tarter

A snickerdoodle recipe without cream of tarter? What sorcery is this?

I know, all the real food bloggers out there will argue with me that the cream of tarter is what makes it a snickerdoodle vs. just another sugar cookie rolled in cinna-sugar, but I’m not a food blogger and I don’t care about the technical terms. But you know what I CAN do? Make a real mean, delicious, crunchy yet soft and chewy snickerdoodle cookie.

It’s literally the best thing ever. If you’re into snickerdoodles, this recipe is for you.

If you’re like me and don’t just have a random ingredient like cream of tarter hanging out around the pantry, this recipe is for you.

If you like things that are delicious, this recipe is for you.

Enough of the fun talk… let’s dig in. Here is my favorite snickerdoodle recipe without cream of tarter.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder (if you live in high elevation areas. If you live in lower elevation, you could nix this.)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup butter (softened)
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup sugar + 1 Tbsp. cinnamon mixed

Directions:

First, preheat the oven to 375. Thou shalt not forget to preheat the oven.

Round up your flour (totally spelled it flower first, oops.), baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix them together in a bowl. Set aside.

Cream together your butter and sugar until well blended. Then add your eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice. Blend until well blended.

Add in your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients…. slowly. You don’t want to clean more of a mess than you already have to, right? Beat until combined.

Roll out small balls of dough, I prefer just smaller than or around the 1″ size. Roll the ball through cinnamon+sugar mixture and then place on a parchment-lined pan. (If you don’t have parchment it’s fine, I just think it’s a saver when cleaning!)

Over the top of all of the cookies, I like to sprinkle a little extra cinna-sugar so it has a little bit extra crunch!

Bake for about 6-8 minutes. I prefer slightly chewier cookies, so I always tend to pull out my cookies when they look like they might questionably be done, then I let them sit on the pan and finish cooking as they cool. If you prefer more crunchy, leave them in until you see the tops barely (and I mean barely!) turning golden. Let them cool off on the pan and they’ll have the perfect crunch!

Voila! The perfect snickerdoodle, and special shopping trip to buy that cream of tarter was needed. WINNING.

XXOO Sunny

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Body Positivity, Collaborations, Fashion

Three Things To Add To Your Summer 2019 Wardrobe Style

With summer quickly approaching and having gone through so many changes with my body lately (hello breast reduction and weight loss!) my wardrobe is in DESPERATE need of some love to get ready for the season.

If you follow me on instagram, you probably already know that I’ve partnered with Sweet Sassy Molassy Boutique because I think they are an incredible company with a mission to help women feel beautiful, no matter what shape, size, or style they have. A brand that cares about making women feel beautiful in their own skin? Hell yes. I can get behind that.

P.S. If you order anything from their site, make sure to use code HEYSUNNYJESS to get 15% off your first order!

Thankfully they swooped in at just the right time to help me freshen up my summer wardrobe! They have hundreds of beautiful things on their site, it’s a miracle I didn’t buy one of everything really – but I found a few really cute pieces that are perfect to add to your summer wardrobe for 2019!

**Just so you know, this post may contain affiliate links which means I may make a small commission off of purchases at no cost to you. Thanks for helping me support this little dream of mine!**

First, you NEED a boho dress.

I’ve been swooning at all of the gorges boho dresses I’ve seen all over the place but have never been able to find one that doesn’t look like a granny nightgown in a size bigger than a large.

Babes… I’ve got curves. A large just isn’t gunna cut it.

Luckily, SS Molassy had this amazing boho dress (plus some other really cute ones!) – I got it in blush but they also have cream which I was equally in love with.

If you’re only going to get one thing to add to your summer wardrobe, I’d suggest a boho dress. It’s so cute, feminine, and nice and breezy for those really hot days!

Next up- EMBRACE ANIMAL PRINT

I can’t even tell you how happy I am that animal print has come in full force as a strong trend this year! I tend to prefer plain clothes without too many patterns and prefer to stick with darker colors. This cheetah print top had way too many hearts in my eyes to ignore though! I’ve been wearing it constantly to work with a black jacket and pencil skirt, or with black jeans.

This top specifically is also really light and airy, which is perfect for summer wardrobe.

I’m trying to ignore that of the hundreds of photos we took of this shirt, this one is somehow the only one that came out decent and I haaaaate how bad my back looks, haha! I’m definitely going to do another shoot with this shirt and you’ll get to see just how amazing it is, but in honor of keeping it real and showing that I still take pictures that aren’t that great and have bad angles… here we are. 🙂

This is the third item you need- a really good black tee!

The thing I love about this black tee is that it is really long, so it frames my tall body really well and I could probably wear it with leggings even if I wanted. (And I do. Because leggings are liiiiife.) I also really love the black detail here and I’m seriously considering getting this shirt in another color, it’s just that good!

I hope this helps you with some ideas for things to add to your summer wardrobe, and be sure to check out SS Molassy because they have SO many cute options that come in a wide range of sizes, and they are so affordable!

Make sure you use code HEYSUNNYJESS to get 15% off your first order!

XXOO Sunny

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Breast Reduction

Things No One Told Me About Breast Reduction Surgery

Breast reduction surgery has been something I knew would be a part of my life from the day I grew out of a DD bra and just kept going. After years of back pain and kyphosis, under-boob skin problems, squishing out of ugly grandma bras, and painful headaches, I FINALLY had the surgery a couple of months ago!

Queue the party music!

Now, I was expecting to have the surgery, have some pain for a few days, and then be back to normal after a couple of weeks. Boy did I get the wool pulled over my eyes! It was way more intense than I anticipated, and for anyone out there interested in getting breast reduction surgery, I just want to be the first to say you are NOT alone in experiencing some of these things!

Here are the things that no one warned me about with my breast reduction surgery:

You won’t be showering for a week.

They don’t tell you that until right before your surgery, so stock up on dry shampoo and deodorant.

The first time you shower, you’ll likely be lightheaded.

I totally didn’t expect this at all, but it’s like the smells from the surgical dressings or something were heightened and I honestly thought I was going to pass out. Just be prepared to maybe have some help or plan to sit down in the shower for a bit.

The swelling feels like you’re milk is coming in.

Only there is no relief of pumping or breastfeeding to get rid of it! Insert crying emoji. I found icing really helps out (try these awesome ice packs, their the perfect size!) and then I actually found lightly massaging helps. I use my jade roller on my boobs instead of my face haha.

Your nipples are going to peel.

Over and over and over again! Talk about gross! This might depend on the type of breast reduction surgery you have, I had a nipple graft, so when the casts were removed from my nipples they started to peel. The doctor said to expect it to happen several times over the coming months.

Nothing sexier than lizard skin nipples.

If you do have a nipple graft, plan on looking like Deadpool.

I really have no better comparison for what the skin on your nipples and around them looks like other than Deadpool skin. It’s freaking glamorous.

The incision feels like wearing the world’s sharpest underwire.

I thought it was maybe the tape they used, or the bolsters maybe. All I know is that it feels like you have the worst bra ever on and you can’t take it off!

No heat allowed!

This is probably a no brainer, but for swelling and pain they say you CAN’T use any kind of heat or heating pad because the skin is so sensitive it can burn easier. Only plan on using ice packs.

Your boobs are going to seem fake.

They are rock hard and super swollen. I’m almost 2 months out at the time of writing this and they still don’t move even a teeny, tiny bit! After doing some research and consulting with my doctor, I’ve learned that this will likely be the case for the first several months and up to the first year.

Don’t plan on wearing normal shirts.

Because you can’t lift your arms above your head. Duh. Stock up on zip-ups and button-ups.

Related: How to Know if Breast Reduction Surgery is Right for You

It’s a full year of healing.

The surgery might only take 6-12 weeks to heal before you can return to normal activity, but I found out afterward that it’s about a full year before your body really settles into your new look and you stop having random swelling and pain.

You will want to spend endless amounts of money on new bras.

And I see no reason to restrain yourself from doing it. Treat yo’ self!

O.M.G. the itching is the worst!

I expected pain. I expected some swelling. I expected to look like I had swapped boobs with Frankenstein’s wife. But the itching?No. I did not expect that. It’s like having thousands of mosquito bites all over the places you can’t scratch. And you really can’t use cream the first few weeks. And the top layer of skin that itches is also conveniently numb (someone tell me how that works?!), so when you scratch it does nothing.

You can’t lift your arms.

I wasn’t even allowed to move them for like a full week, although I’ve heard other people with different stories. My incisions happen to go all the way under my arm to my back because that is how far back my boobs extended, so they cut right through everything in that area and even though I’m allowed to move now, I still can’t lift my arm above my head without some difficulty. It’s very tight and painful.

Wanna reach for something? You can’t do that either.

No reaching! And no repetitive motions (like vacuuming back and forth, or dishes where you’re going back and forth from the sink to the dishwasher,etc.) You need your boobies to heal properly though, so follow the rules!

Expect emotional waves.

I’ve literally been looking forward to the day I lopped off the TaTas for years, so when I felt anxiety and sad over it all I was totally thrown off. Like… what? Why do I feel like this? It’s totally normal though. I asked my doctor. 😉 The first two weeks after surgery especially I felt really up and down in general.

Thankfully, I was way happier with my results than I could have expected, which helped me out of those blue moments.

Stretch marks might happen.

Yes. Stretch marks. This is something that completely threw me off, my boobs were getting smaller so why did I get stretch marks?! Because of the new position and all of the swelling, my skin had to stretch. I have very little elasticity in my skin naturally, meaning I get stretch marks really easy, so bam. A couple weeks after surgery, there they were. My brand-new tiger stripes to represent my fierce new boobs, ha!

Numbness is normal.

So this is something that I definitely did not expect in the slightest, but it actually makes sense. My doctor had told me I wouldn’t regain sensation in my nipples, but I also have total numbness around my incisions, particularly under my arms where my incision wraps around to my back. It’s really weird to not have any feeling on the skin right there.

Of course, it’s not uncomfortable or bad or anything, just a little weird!

The back pain relief is almost instantaneous.

I expected my back pain to take a while to feel better, I could not believe how quickly it was gone though! Again, this could just be my experience but I was overjoyed and feel like it’s worth sharing!

I’m sure there are more that I will get to experience as the healing process continues on and I’ll be sure to come back and update this page as I think of them! If you haven’t read all the details about my surgery, you can find that post here. 

XXOO Sunny

41 Comments
13 randoms, Hair, Lifestyle

Pigtails with a Colorful Bus + 13 Randoms

Happy Valentine’s Day, my lovelies, from this colorful bus and I! We found this bus and I made Tony immediately pull over and take photos a few weeks ago (obviously pre-breast reduction surgery!) It has been a very, very long time since I’ve done a 13 randoms post, so since it’s Valentine’s Day I thought I’d make it an occasion, hehe!

1-I hate Valentine’s Day. I know, the horror at that statement! I love pink, I love hearts, I love all things glittery and sparkly- you’d think Valentine’s Day would be a shew-in for my favorite holiday, right? I just can’t stand how the holiday is basically a giant scam to earn money (note: this does not bother about other holidays, which I realize are also a scam for taking my money haha, it just bothers me on Valentine’s Day!) Plus it’s in February, which is cold and dreary and the longest month of the year (regardless of the actual number of days it has.) So there’s that. Every year I make an effort to treat myself though (see gift ideas for yourself here!) and I try to make it special for my kids with a little surprise and treat. Thankfully Tony is on the same anti-Valentine’s Day train so we usually make a mini-Thanksgiving dinner instead of going somewhere romantic.

2-Pigtails are really my jam lately. If you haven’t noticed.

3-Right now Emilia is in such a cute stage, I love the 1-2 year old phase! She is learning so much every day and I could die. Right now her favorite thing is to snuggle up on the couch, plopped right between my legs like they’re her armchair or something, and she’ll just sit there and snuggle. Talk about mom heaven.

4-I’m still really pissed that the blood moon a few weeks ago was covered by clouds where I was and so I couldn’t experience the greatness. I may have gone a little crazy with anger… and then Sydney threw up all over the floor and reminded me that I’m a mom and don’t get to have hobbies like looking at the moon outside because I’m destined to clean up barf. Good thing she’s freaking adorable.

5-My nipples look like Deadpool’s skin right now as they’re healing. I know you’re SUPER JEALOUS.

6-I can’t wait for Easter because EASTER CANDY RULES THE LAND. No other season can do candy justice like Easter can= those Reeses peanut butter eggs, Cadbury eggs and mini eggs, and coconut creme Dove chocolates are calling my name!

7-I’ve been on a hunt for the perfect skincare routine. I’ve never paid much attention to my skin or having a good skincare system, I’ve always just kind of washed my face with whatever and called it good. I’ve tried various products over the years but have never been consistent and somehow I managed, but my skin isn’t the same anymore and now I’m on a mission to figure out my skin and what it needs! Send your beauty recs my way so I can out ALL THE THINGS.

8-Last year towards the end of the year I started researching everything happening around my state for the following month and made lists of activities to do, and we had SO much fun! It was really nice to have a list of things to do, then we could just pick whatever we felt like going to and those were awesome fun-filled months. I’m definitely going to keep doing that!

9-I’m really digging the white nail polish trend this season.

10-We recently finished watching season 2 of The Punisher, and it was amazing. WAY better than the first season- I mean that one was good, but I didn’t think he did as good as he did during Daredevil season 2, so I wasn’t expecting much this time but OMG. So good. Jon Bernthal is crazy good.

11-I’m dying to go to the Alt Summit conference! It just looks like so much fun and I’m dying to meet all the amazing people that will be there, plus I’ve never been to Palm Springs! Too bad I had surgery this year (also I’m too poor this year if we’re being real, ha!) but it’s definitely something I want to go to in the future! Maybe next year? Who is with me?!

12-I’m obsessed with raw stone jewelry. I’ve always been in love with raw stones and rocks, I even grew up collecting rocks and I love my little collection. Right now I really love Little Sycamore and Raw by Olivia Mar, both companies have such amazing products. I’d love to learn to make my own someday, too!

13-I think I might need a chocolate chip cookie. Like… right now. Yep. I need it.

XXOO Sunny

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Disney, Lifestyle, Travel

9 Things You Need to Have on your Animal Kingdom Bucket List

We were lucky enough to spend almost a full day at Disney World’s Animal Kingdom and you bet your bottom dollar that we squeeze every ounce of fun into the day that we could. This was my first time really going through the whole park and I got to learn a lot of amazing things and it was such a fun experience! If you’re a first timer (or even if you’re not!) Here are ten things you should have on your Animal Kingdom bucket list:

Take your photo with the Tree of Life

There are over 300 hand-carved animals in the trunk of that tree. Are you really in the Animal Kingdom at all if you don’t pay SOME attention to it?! Here’s an insider tip: don’t take your photo in front of the tree where it is crowded and the photo is the same photo everyone else has. There are tons of hidden paths around the tree to choose from where you can get an even closer, more beautiful, less crowded shot. Personally we loved this little path behind the tree, it was so pretty!

Learn something new on  Kilimanjaro Safaris

This was one of my favorite parts of the whole day, riding on the Kilimanjaro Safaris tour! I was astounded by the number of animals they actually have on reserve there, it was insane! My favorite new piece of information I learned is that giraffes have purple tongues because they spend 20 hours a day eating, basically they’re purple from the sun.

Have your custom Avatar made

If you’re an Avatar lover like we are, this is a MUST DO. The shop at the end of the Flight of Passage ride has a station inside where they will scan your face and make a custom Avatar that looks like you, it’s so crazy cool! It comes out slightly larger than a barbie doll (ahem… action figure, my husband says) and is such good quality. It was surprisingly not that pricey considering it’s in Disney World, I think we paid around $75 ish? Worth every penny, and it’s the coolest souvenir to have.You need to do it. End of story.

Watch the street performances

Throughout the day they had several street performances around the park. I’m not the kind of person that typically watches those things because I don’t like to stand in crowds in the heat, but… WHEN IN DISNEY…. ha! These cast members were so talented, you can see more in my story highlights on Instagram.  Make sure if you see one happening along the way to stop and watch, then cross this item off your Animal Kingdom bucket list!

Visit Pandora after dark

Let’s just say there is a reason Pandora is the most crowded section of the park, but it’s worth the hype. The handmade structures are incredible! And the whole world is bioluminescent (is that the right spelling?!) at night! M.A.G.I.C.A.L.

Walk through the Asia section of the park and ride Expedition Everest

this is such a pretty part of the park, it literally looks like a painting! Expedition Everest is one of my favorite rollercoasters in all of Disney World, it’s got such a fun theme and has some unique twists and turns as it takes you forward AND backward. SO fun! It’s a bummer that Disney World doesn’t have the Matterhorn like Disneyland does, but Expedition Everest definitely makes up for it.

Ride Flight of Passage in Pandora

Before we went, I had already decided I wasn’t going to go on this ride because no ride is worth a 4 hour wait and I couldn’t get fast passes. I’ll let you in on a few secrets the cast members told me though. First, on the day you are visiting, they frequently release additional fast passes that you can snatch up, even if you couldn’t get one in advance because they were booked. Second, the best time of day is to go at night before closing because most people leave to watch the light parades and fireworks in other parks, so the wait time is often very manageable (like 30 minutes or less.) Finally, if you DO have to wait in line, it’s worth the wait if the wait time is anything under 100 minutes.

The cool thing about the ride is while you’re waiting you’re basically IN Pandora and there is a lot of cool stuff to look at, so at least it’s pretty and visually stimulating. We decided to wait after hearing their advice and waited about an hour and a half, and it was totally worth every second. I’ve never been on a ride that innovative and realistic! Plus you’re riding a banshee, how amazing is that?! It’s literally the best ride I’ve ever been on. Anywhere. At any time in my life. Seriously, if you can manage to do it, DO IT.

Get a photo with Rafiki

This is sadly one the tI didn’t get to cross of my list because they had closed that part of the park down at the time we got there, and I was so bummed! Rafiki is one of my favorite characters and he is a much more unique character than the traditional Mickey and Friends that people always see, so he’s a fun one to visit.

Search for secret Mickeys

My favorite thing to do in every park and I hope I get to do it around the world! They have such fun hiding spots for the secret Mickeys!

Watch our vlog from the day here!

 

XXOO Sunny

 

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13 randoms, Lifestyle, Love Yourself

Always Find a Beautiful View + 13 Randoms

When you’re in doubt or confused or stressed, find a beautiful view and take a minute to just focus solely on that and soak it in. Sometimes I get caught up in a whirlwind of projects and thoughts and I just start spinning like a tornado, until I’m spinning so fast my brain just kind of feels fried and I can’t do ANYTHING. Lately I’ve struggled with this more frequently than normal, so I’ve been trying some stress relief tactics (thanks, pinterest and google!) and one that I’ve found really helps me is to focus my mind on something very unrelated to what’s going on in my life, for example, a view. Sometimes I find a pretty lookout like this, and sometimes my view is just looking at my sleeping baby or watching my girls play. I try to really focus on what is happening in that beautiful view and shut out the rest of the world, and I try to enjoy those moments of singular clarity. I’ve found doing this more frequently has helped me focus better when I have to return to the multi-tasking mayhem that comes with being a human on this planet so I wanted to pass it on. 🙂 It’s been a while since I’ve done a 13 random things post, so I thought I’d share a few randoms that are in my mind lately! And don’t mind that basically all of these are rambling style paragraphs… it is random after all!

1 – My hair needs to be trimmed and highlighted. Badly. My friend at work and I were talking about how when you realize you need a haircut, suddenly it’s all consuming and drives you crazy until you do it. I’m totally feeling that, and I couldn’t get an appointment for a few weeks so I’ve been suffering, haha!

2 – I have no idea where this year has gone, it feels like I was making new year’s resolutions yesterday and now we’re staring down the last quarter of the year. Basically it’s 2019, happy new year.

3 – I’ve discovered the most amazing, incredible lip balm ever in existence. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to Burt’s Bees or EOS which is saying something since they’ve been my life for 15 years, but what can I say, LABELLO lip balm has my heart. You need it in your life.

4 – We finally caught up on Vikings and I’m dying to watch the new season. I know everyone thinks Ivar the Boneless is a monster but I literally love his character so, so much and I think Alex Hogh does an amazing job acting. Also- Lagertha. She is a queen and braid inspiration for days, I can’t wait to see all the fun things they do with her hair next season! Where my other Vikings fans at?

5 – Speaking of Vikings, for some reason I’ve been pitting Daenerys and Lagertha against each other in my mind, they are both such amazing, strong characters that I can’t help but wonder who would win. I mean Dany has dragons, but Lagertha is a badass and no question, she’d win if it was hand to hand combat. And then I wonder why I’m torturing myself thinking about who would win in a fight, because I love them both and I know they’d never fight, they’d team up and be a super-woman team. #girlpower Right? Or am I crazy?

6 – I’m already thinking about Christmas lists – who has amazing blog posts or knows about great posts on Christmas gift ideas? I’m looking for the spawnlings, husband, siblings, in-laws, my parents, and friends so…. basically any kind of list is going to help me out. I’m tired of seeing all the same “Christmas-y” themed gifts (aka hot chocolate and a mug, or a home made ornament) on pinterest and I want real, amazing ideas. Send them my way. When I find a bunch of ideas, would you want a post(s) with a gift guide?

7 – My toenail is finally grown back and looks mostly normal after my toe surgery. It only took a year. :/ And it still kind of looks weird but nail polish fixes everything.

8 – I’m finally planning a day trip to Harry Potter World in Universal Orlando and all of my dreams are coming true. I’m crying tears of joy as I write these words.

9 – Emilia has a new trick where she is screeching anytime she is slightly displeased. I’m certain my inner ear will never recover. #sendhelp

10 – Sydney is learning French and can read the entire Brown Bear, Brown Bear book. I don’t know what I’m more impressed with, the fact that she understand and speaks French at 5 years old or how impressive her accent is. Seriously, she is spot on. Girl knows her stuff.

11 – As I mentioned with all of my spinning lately I’ve been trying to find de-stressers, and fell into a Netflix rabbit hole. I’m trying to be good about not wasting time, but also…. bingewatching is a real addiction haha. I think it’s good to have time to relax and shut your brain off and watch fluffy tv or read so that’s what I’m telling myself to feel better about the days when I watch several episodes in a row… My new binge obsession is Jane the Virgin. I know, it’s ridiculous. I can’t even tell you how ridiculous it is, but that’s pretty much why I love it?? I love Petra and I wake up every day and sing to myself, “It’s another beautiful day to be Rogelio! Wake up, Rogelio!” Does anyone else watch this?

12 – I recently re-read Daughters, one of my favorite sci-fi books ever. Now I’m depressed that it’s over and I need something new. If you want something really good and wildly different, definitely check it out. It’s on amazon kindle prime or whatever that is, or you can purchase off of amazon. It’s a fairly quick read but totally gets your mind turning.

13 – I’ve never really been a donut lover but the last three days all I can think about is eating the most delicious, fluffy donut and if I don’t have one, I’ll probably die. I’m really trying to stay strong with my healthy eating but I really neeeeeeed it. When you see my obituary in the next week, you’ll know it’s because I didn’t get my donut.

That’s it for now! XXOO Sunny

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