A Cute Angle

Helpful Tips for Overseas Flights

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

In just over a week I'll be headed on my European adventure! I love traveling, but long haul flights can be hard. Over the years and through my adventures there are many tips and tricks that I've found helpful for long, overseas flights.

WHAT TO PACK

Water Bottle
Eye Mask
Music Player (or your smart phone loaded with tunes)
Socks
Magazines/Books
Noise Canceling Headphones
Mini Toiletries
Boarding Pass and Passport

BEFORE YOUR FLIGHT

Avoid greasy food. Avoid unfamiliar or greasy foods before flying to avoid travel sickness. There's nothing like feeling awful in a confined space.

Pick your seat before the flight. Having the seat that you want can really make or break a long flight. Aisle seats give you room to stretch your legs and easy access to get up whereas a window seat can offer beautiful views and gives you a place to rest your pillow.

Dress for comfort. Loose fitting clothing and a good pair of shoes will offer the most comfort when sitting for hours at a time. Bring socks in case of cold cabin air.

Buy snacks. In flight snacks and drinks can be very pricey. Items from outside the airport should be left sealed and unopened until you clear security.

Get on local time. Set your watch and any other time pieces to the local time of your destination. This way you can start adjusting on your way. This trick helps with jet lag and when scheduling meals and sleeping at appropriate times.

DURING YOUR FLIGHT

Stick to water. Alcoholic and carbonated beverages can be dehydrating and disrupt your sleep patterns. Alcohol can leave you feeling worse when the buzz wears off.

Entertain yourself. All overseas and long haul flights offer free, in flight entertainment. However, you may not enjoy the movies the airline has to offer. Take a novel, magazine, music, or puzzle book just in case.

Freshen up. Brush your teeth and cleanse your face after the in flight meal and before settling in the for the night. Do same when you wake up. Being fresh will make you feel better and keeping your before bed and morning routine will help with jet lag.

Get some rest. It can be quite a challenge to sleep in economy, but getting in a snooze is a must! Put on your headphones to drown out sounds, slip on your eye mask, and use your neck pillow to maximize your amount of rest.

ENJOY THE ADVENTURE!

Monday Madness + NKTOB

Monday, May 15, 2017

Ya'll... Saturday night was one of best nights of my life. It was EPIC and 25 years in the making.

My friend Ines and I went to see the Total Package Tour ft. Boyz II Men, Paula Abdul, and headlined by NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK!

My love affair with NKOTB started when I was 7 years old - 25 years ago! Their Hangin' Tough album came out in 1988, but I remember getting in to them much later around 1992. I remember having a New Kids folder, eraser, and ruler in the second grade. On top of that I had trading cards, slippers, and off course the album on cassette.

Joey McIntyre was my very first crush! Let's just say when his Stay the Same album came out in the early 2000s I was all over that.

I wanted to go to a concert soooooooooo bad when I was younger, but of course my parents felt I was a little too young to see older teenage boys gyrating and crooning (I mean, Joey was 18 by this time), so since then seeing them play live has been on my bucket list.

I was so giddy with excitement, and had a great time signing and dancing! They provided a really high energy show with all the classic dance moves, crotch grabs, and plenty of ab showing. They did songs from their newer albums and also classics such as I'll Be Loving You, Please Don't Go Girl, Step by Step, Tonight, Hangin' Tough, and the Right Stuff.

And yes, they did get better with age... Here's some photos for your viewing pleasure.

It was like living a dream! Happy Monday!

Celebrating National Pet Week

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

May is National Pet Month and National Pet Week started on Saturday!

Today I'm featuring a very special member of our family, our bichon/poodle mix Scout!

I don't feature Scout enough of this blog; therefore, no one has really gotten to know just how obsessed I am over him. He's our only child and provides us with such much happiness!

Making the Decision to Become Pet Parents

I've grew up always having a dog so having one in our home as an adult wasn't even a second thought for me. Nick needed a little bit more convincing. He always had outdoor dogs and he was afraid of the commitment. Once Nick warmed to the idea, it was time to decide what breed. I'm allergic to dogs and wanted something non shedding in my home. I also a preferred a small dog because I felt they would be less destructive and easier to handle. After a visit to Nick's home state of Michigan (where we now live) and time spent with his friends' parent's dog, Rudy, I knew a bichon/poodle mix was the right dog for us. They require little exercise and were a good breed for apartment living Also, having a male dog was a non-negotiable for Nick.

Once we got home to Pennsylvania (my home state and where we were living) I started researching different breeders. I found one about an hour and 15 minutes from our apartment. It turned out to be a Mennonite family in Lancaster. I figured we would get a dog in the fall, once we had moved in to our new dog friendly apartment, but somehow Nick and I ended up taking a drive to the Mennonite farm that very weekend!

Picking the Perfect Match

We arrived at the farm to a pen FULL of puppies. It was like puppy heaven! We saw a few very cute Havenese mixes, that almost changed our minds, expect for that they shed. Therefore, we really zoned in on our bichon/poodle mixes. There were a few parti mixes (black and white) and one all white. Nick really wanted and apricot colored dog (which they didn't have any of) and I had my heart set on an all white one, just like Rudy. Nick spotted a parti mix being held down but the other dogs and he plucked him out. "We should get this one, he's submissive," Nick said. I was holding tight on to the white one, but Nick pointed out all he had been doing the whole time was whining. Nick had a good point. After a little more time with the little submissive black and white dog, we decided that he would fit best in our family. Nick then noticed he had a black mask 'like batman'. Talk about the perfect match!

Our new doggy was 8 weeks old and ready to come home with us, but we weren't moving into our new apartment for another week or two. So, we paid for our new bundle of joy, and had the breeders keep him for two more weeks. This actually turned out to be such a blessing because since we had been there 'to just look' we didn't have anything we needed for our new family member. So we spent the next two weeks moving, buying everything we needed for a new baby, and setting up a vet appointment for him.

Picking a Name

We had our puppy picked out and everything set up at home for him, but we were still wrestling with what to name him. Linus and Duffy were names thrown out, but nothing we came up with felt right. Finally we took the the good 'ol internet. We scrolled through a website of dog names until we finally stopped scrolling on Scout. It was perfect for our little guy!

Bringing Scout Home

On July 31, 2009 we went from a family of two to a family of three. After work that Friday night we drove the hour+ down to Lancaster to claim our little Scout. I had a chew toy, collar, and leash ready for him. I had prepared a bed made of a cardboard box lid and a towel so that he would be comfortable on the ride home. Scout came running out from the barn and towards us as we got out of the car like he knew we were went to be his humans! Scout was a petite 4 pounds and the collar I had for him was too big! We arrived home that evening, started potty and crate training, and never looked back!

Since Then

It's hard to believe our little fluffer is going to turn 8 years old on May 16! Time as flown by! Scout has been such an awesome companion. I love coming home to someone who is always excited to see me. A dog will love you unconditionally. They don't judge and don't have biases. They just want to give and receive love!

There is proven and researched health benefits to having a dog.

The above graphic is courtesy of PuppySpot. Becoming a pet parent is a big decision. PuppySpot works to match families with reputable breeders. They also offer a health guarantee and a 'No Puppy Mill Promise.' A pet is a big time and financial commitment. Make sure you get paired with the perfect puppy and the right breeder.

Monday Madness 5.8.17

Monday, May 8, 2017

Happy Monday! Quick weekend recap and life update for ya'll.

Saturday I went and spend the day with my sister-in-law Meghan and my niece Liesel. Liesel is almost two months old and is growing up so fast! Her two favorite activities are screaming and barfing.

How gorgeous is my sister-in-law?!

Sunday Nick and I spent time together relaxing, eating pizza, and watching movies. We watched a Kevin James' Netflix original movie True Memoirs of an International Assassin. It was a cute movie and a must for any Kevin James fan.

I've been cleaning a lot around the house. I've had someone come in and clean every 2 weeks since November, but I think I'm going to try it on my own again. I have this new sense of accomplishment after finishing a task that I've never really had before. Weird, right?

I dropped some cash at Bed, Bath, and Beyond last week in order to update the house a little. I replaced place mats and got some organizers for the cabinets. I bought the Hurricane Spin Scrubber after seeing it on TV. 'As Seen on TV' stuff can be kind of gimmicky, but this was a really great purchase! My lower back and feet have been hurting by the end of my work day, so I was really glad I bought this! I don't have to get on my hands and knees to scrub my showers/tubs!

In whatever free time I have left I've been trying to prepare for our upcoming trip - making sure I have the right adapters, gathering currency, and putting together enough outfits to last me two weeks. I know, I know - first world problems, but it takes a decent amount of prep to travel internationally.