Remember when I shared 2020 goals? March goals? I was so full of optimism, as I'm sure so many of us were, and then, well, you know. This past two and a half weeks of quarantine, as we all seem to be calling it, has been surreal. I've lost count of how many times I've asked myself whether this is real life. Is this actually happening? Right now the focus is figuring out this new normal. I've ... Read more
Closing a Chapter: Selling Our Phoenix Condo
We said goodbye to our home in Phoenix on Friday. It was bittersweet, but selling our Phoenix condo was a decision we've thought about for years. Buying a condo is one of my proudest accomplishments because I did it all on my own in 2012. I had no idea what I was doing when I submitted an offer on the townhome I had been renting when it went into foreclosure in 2011. I didn't think I could afford ... Read more
5 Years of Marriage
Graham and I celebrated our fifth anniversary on Sept. 20. I can't believe it's been five years since we got Maui'd at Gannon's restaurant in Hawaii in what I felt was the perfect ceremony for us. Time flies when you're moving 1,700 miles, saying goodbye to our dog Taylor, becoming parents to two girls, celebrating a World Series win and buying a home, with lots of other memories in between. I ... Read more
Christmas at the Flora House
This has been a special Christmas for us: It was the first in our new house, and it was Addi's first! V had some new traditions, too. Our Christmas recap: I love our tree this year despite never finding a tree topper after ours broke. I plan to also purchase a new tree skirt next year. We chose to stay in Chicago for Christmas this year vs. traveling to Arizona or Kentucky. We wanted to ... Read more
A’s 8-Month Update
This has been a major month in terms of milestones for Addi. She has changed so much in a short time, and this phase has become my favorite so far. I love watching her do new things and learn every day. Sleep: After waking 3-5 times a night every night since she turned 4 months old, we decided it was in our family's best interest to attempt to teach her to fall asleep on her own. It's been less ... Read more
How to Find Motivation and Inspiration When You’re in a Rut
Lately I have been feeling off. I happens every year when Chicago's winter hits (unofficially). The darkness at 4:30 p.m., the constant cloudiness, the frequent snow/ice/rain combine to kill my motivation and make me want to hibernate. I don't have the luxury of sitting around and doing nothing, though, so I needed to find my inspiration again. I needed to pull myself out of this rut. I've ... Read more
Adelina’s 7-Month Update
Every baby update I've read starts with disbelief about the child growing so quickly. You can go ahead and insert that statement here about Addi. As of today she is 7 months old! She's so much closer to 1 now and I can't handle it. I haven't posted an update since she was 4 months old, so I wanted to share a bit about how she's doing now. Sleep: Addi is still waking up at least three times a ... Read more
Running a Half-Marathon Without Training | Chicago Half Marathon Recap
Note: Before I share my Chicago Half Marathon story, I want to advise against running a race without training. It is never a good idea. Even if you think you are in great shape, you put yourself at risk for injury. As always, you should consult a physician about what exercise/event is safe for you to do. On Sunday, I awoke at 4:15 a.m. to get ready to run 13.1 miles in south Chicago during ... Read more
Inspiration From “The Year of Less” by Cait Flanders
**This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise! My most recent Audible listen was "The Year of Less" by Cait Flanders, who apparently also has a popular personal finance blog I was not familiar with. This book was in my Audible recommendations after listening to "Girl, Wash Your ... Read more
A Date Night to Remember With Johnnyswim
Graham and I don't get many date nights. The last time we spent an entire evening to ourselves was on Valentine's Day. Last weekend's date to the Need to Breathe concert, for which Johnnyswim was opening, was a much needed night out for us and one that we looked forward to since I bought the tickets in March. If you have read this blog for a while, you know that we LOVE Johnnyswim's ... Read more