Happy Labor Day

Wishing everyone a happy Labor Day! I hope you were able to spend some time with family or friends and enjoy the sunshine!

The Fitz family took a trip to Okoboji to see my old college roommate, Megan, marry the man of her dreams. After all of the rain we have been getting, the absolutely beautiful weather was a blessing. I could not stop smiling at how happy Megan looked and how wonderfully the whole day unfolded. The day was full of love and a couple that was made for each other.

Thankfully, duty called and we had to get back home because the hubs had to work the next day.

Wait, wait, wait...did I just say I was THANKFUL for having to leave a gorgeous lake-view room? I sure did! While I really wish we had been able to spend more time enjoying the water and weather, the weather decided to take a turn for the worse on Sunday. A giant supercell wreaked havoc on the north western parts of Iowa leaving Tornado and Flood warnings in its wake.

Now do you understand why I am thankful we got out of there when we did? Yep. That is called looking at the bright side!

Here are some pictures from our gorgeous 36 hour vacation to Boji!

Playful fun

Gorgeous view out of our doors...and the setting of the wedding!

Mr. & Mrs.

Caught my handsome man eating ;-) 

I Don't Check Bags

In my early 20's, I revived a deep passion of mine. A passion that was instilled when I was young, but didn't fully blossom until I was able to make my own decisions and take off...on a jet plane! I love traveling, and over the years I have become quite amazing in my packing skills.

It all started on a trip to New Zealand when I was 22. I like to say I lived there, but lets be honest, it was a trip. I was so excited to do my student teaching in a foreign country! Heck, I was just excited to have a passport! I packed and packed, and packed some more. After all, I was going to be there for three or four months. It was going to be the best trip of my life! The only problem was...one of my bags didn't show up until month three! Thankfully, I was able to live off the bag that did show up, and the amazing Target/Walmart/Pamida type store in Alexandra, my new home base.

But that was it for me. Never again have I checked a bag! I have been to several countries, including a month long Europe trip, and my trusty carryon is the only thing that comes along. When I tell people they look at me like I'm a nut, but for my life it is so much less stress.

The only pesky problem is not being able to bring a full bottle of sunscreen everywhere I go. (My mom would be so proud.)

So how do I go from this...

to this?  It is simple! As long as I follow a plan. 

It all starts with putting first things first. Every good packer must begin with a list. If you just start throwing things in your suitcase, you'll never have enough room to fit in that hair dryer you may have forgotten...because it wasn't on the list.  If you look closely on the right, you will notice Adam got ahold of my list and added a few amusing, but unnecessary items. He cracks me up.

Some people say that rolling your clothes is the best way to pack, but I completely disagree. You can get so many more outfits in there if you fold. The trick is HOW you fold. I fold clothes into long, skinny rectangles. This allows me to split my suitcase into two sections which means tons of clothes!

But, it is all about meticulous folding. For most items, I literally fold them into the case. I alternate the waistband of my pants to be on the left or right side because that is bulkiest part of the pant. If you don't alternate, you end up with one side full before the other.

Before and after of my swimsuits: even these bad boys get folded to save space! 

What is the best thing to do to survive carryon only? Bring a big purse! I put all of my liquids, Kindle, tickets, meds and anything else that just won't quite fit in the big hobo purse. It is the perfect solution. Plus, the strap is large enough to hook to the top of my suitcase, so I don't get tired from lugging it around. 

The end result may not be pretty, but it works for me. My trusty old carryon has served me well over the years. I really should write Santa a thank you note. 

Happy traveling! 

Three Day Diet: We're Going to the Beach!

My name is Molly, and I am an addict...of travel. My addiction started at a young age because my mom was always looking for ways to keep her children "well rounded". This desire generally meant trips to Chicago to visit her family or to Florida to get away from the Iowa weather. In my early/mid twenties, my addiction was easily fed because I was young, single, and I had very few obligations to adult life. Every school break was filled with trips to Colorado, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, and beyond. The older I have become (and the financial responsibilities that come with age), the harder it has been to "get my fix," and I haven't been on a plane for almost a year.

Yes, I know saying I haven't been on a plane in almost a year sounds pretty snooty, but I have a problem.

However, thanks to my rock star husband, I've planned a trip to keep me going! Praise the Lord! For our one year anniversary (wow!), we are going to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I haven't stopped grinning since we booked the trip through Orbitz. We got a great deal by packaging flight, hotel, and car rental, saving almost $500! I. Love. A. Good. Deal.

Hold up. Did I just say beach? Does that mean swimsuit season is upon me? Indeed it does. I have been proud of my physical progress over the last couple of months, but I'm not exactly where I want to be yet. We leave for the beach in a few short weeks, and I want to do everything I can to keep my confidence high. Nothing ruins a beach day faster than feeling self-conscious in your suit! Which is why I'm sharing "The Three Day Diet" with you.

The Three Day Diet is an app I found before my wedding last year for $1.99. It is all over the internet for free, and derives from what they call "military" eating. For three days, you have a set diet. You are to eat the food on the list, all the food on the list, and only the food on the list. Then you take four days to eat normally, within reason, and finally, repeat the cycle. The first time I tried it, I lost 8 pound in three days!

The Three Day Diet

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
BREAKFAST Black Coffee or Tea 1/2 Grapefruit or Juice 1 Slice of Dry Toast 1 Tbsp. of Peanut Butter	BREAKFAST Black Coffee or Tea 1 Egg 1 Slice of Dry Toast 1/2 Banana	BREAKFAST Black Coffee or Tea 5 Saltine Crackers 1 Oz. of Cheddar Cheese 1 Small Apple
LUNCH Black Coffee or Tea 1/2 Cup of Tuna 1 Slice of Dry Toast	LUNCH Black Coffee or Tea 1 Cup of Cottage Cheese or 1/2 Cup of Tuna  5 Saltine Crackers	LUNCH Black Coffee or Tea 1 Hard-Boiled Egg 1 Slice of Dry Toast
DINNER 3 Oz. any Lean Meat 1 Cup String Beans 1 Cup Carrots or Beets 1 Small Apple 1 Cup Vanilla Ice Cream	DINNER 2 Beef Franks 1 Cup Cabbage or Broccoli 1/2 Cup Carrots or Turnip Greens 1/2 Banana 1 Cup Vanilla Ice Cream	DINNER 1 Cup Tuna 1 Cup Beans or Cauliflower 1 Cup Carrots or Beets 1 Cup Melon 1 Cup Vanilla Ice Cream

Source

I plan on doing the diet once a week until the trip. The most challenging part for me is not snacking between meals. This diet has shown me what a crutch mindless snacking is for me! The BEST part is that I get ice cream every day. Now, who can argue with a diet like that?

Goodbye snacking. Hello, Myrtle Beach body!