Moving In

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well or as best as you can be right now. With all that is happening in the world right now it's important to take care of yourself in whatever way works for you. 

My partner and I have been together for just over 2 years now and we decided a few months

Unpacking time

ago to move in. It was something that we had been talking about for a while and were working out what it would look like and the details before we make it official. With Covid we moved in earlier than we had originally thought we would. I was spending most of my time at his place because I didn't want to be going back and forth between places and increase the risk of exposure. Since I was living with my sister I didn't have to be out by a certain date which made the process way less stressful. I was able to take a few boxes at a time and unpack those before getting more stuff. Moving in has had its ups and downs, especially with being in lockdown and being home and not out with friends and family as often. That definitely added different stresses that might not have been present had we not been stuck at home all the time. 

Before officially moving in we talked about all the big things. Marriage, kids, finances and other things that could potentially make or break things. I wanted to be sure that we were on similar pages with things. I do want kids eventually, that is something I won't compromise on so it was important to me to know that he wanted that as well. These conversations weren't easy to have and happened over many months. Especially talking about money. That was probably one of the hardest topics for us. We were both raised very differently when it comes to talking about money. My family was pretty open about it, while it was more of a taboo topic for my partner. Being able to have difficult conversations before moving in helped us know what we expected of each other and taught us how to have difficult conversations. I'm not saying we never argue or disagree on things, but we know that no topic is off the table and that sometimes it takes more then one conversation to work through things. The never go to bed angry advice that people give is one that I call BS on. There has been times where I need to just sleep on something and give myself that time to calm down and be able to think more rationally. I know if I hadn't walked away for a few minutes or gone to bed I would have said things that I would have later regretted. 

Finding space for all my stuff, which lots of it is still at my parents house in Alberta, was fun for me. I love organizing and it allowed for both of us to go through our stuff and figure out what to keep and what could go. Combing 2 households meant that we have a number of duplicate items, like 2 crockpots. We did end up donating a bunch of stuff and got rid of a bunch of junk. 

When my partner and I first started dating I had a bunch of people asking when we were moving in or why haven't we moved in yet. At that time we hadn't even been dating 6 months. I felt like I was doing something wrong not moving in right away. It took many conversations with a close friend to help me recognize that there was nothing wrong with me and that every relationship is different. For some people moving in right away works, while for others waiting however long is better. So don't let others make you feel like you are doing something wrong if you aren't on their timeline! 

Living with my partner has been an adventure and taught me so much about myself and our relationship. I have learned so many of his little quirks and habits, as well as my own, that have made us laugh (sleep taping, seriously look it up. It sounds/looks ridiculous), but also led to arguments. In our 2 years together we have already been through so much, like 3 funerals in the first 6 months, that we felt confident that we could work through and weather any storm. 

I hope you all have a wonderful month and remember to love yourself!

You can find me on Instagram @exploringwithsarah_blog

Song of the Day: Pirates of Penzance soundtrack

Real Talk About Birth Control

Hello everyone!! I was struggling with what to write about for this post, but I decided to talk about my experiences with birth control. It has been a hot topic in conversations with friends and family lately and it really made me think about how little I knew about birth control when I started taking it 8 years ago.  

So let's rewind back to me at 11 years old when I first got my period and had no trouble at all with it. No cramps, no pain, just surprise it's started. It went on like that for a few years. Then at about 16 years old I started to get really bad cramps, pains, diarrhea and usually vomiting (I know TMI). I didn't really know about tracking my period or know what I could do about all of it. I was too scared to talk to my mom or friends about it. So I thought it was normal and that's what everyone dealt with. At 20 I started to be more open with friends about what was going on and they said birth control might help. At that point the only thing I knew about birth control was that it stopped you from getting pregnant and that I would gain weight and possibly go a little crazy. I think for the most part I only heard the negative things that were a possibility with going on birth control. But I started going to my doctor and talking about it. Only my doctor was away so I went to the doctor who was taking over their clients while they were away. This doctor would only prescribe me stronger and stronger pain killers and wouldn't even consider birth control an option. That went on for almost 6 months. Finally my doctor returned and no questions asked prescribe me birth control. They explained that it can help with cramps and painful periods. That for some women birth control is enough to deal with the pain and that I could try it out to see if it helped. 

So I started taking it. I didn't know at the time, but feeling nausea wasn't supposed to happen, but again I didn't say anything. So for about 2 months I kept getting more and more nausea and all the while thinking that it was just what I had to deal with taking birth control. Then on December 24 my mom took me into emergency. I had been throwing up and having diarrhea for 12 hours and couldn't even keep down water. It being Christmas Eve and a small town only the hospital was open. So early in the morning we went in, me holding a bucket and they gave me IV fluids and gravol. The doctor that was working the day shift said it couldn't be birth control, it wouldn't have that affect and it was fine to take my next pill. I was sent home in the afternoon and went to sleep for a bit, but when I woke up an hour later I was back to throwing up. So back to the hospital we went. Luckily the evening doctor was my family doctor. They said it might be the birth control because it's the only thing that has changed and said to stop taking it until my next period then try it again. If it makes me sick then make an appointment. About a week later when I started the pill again, same feeling. I went to my doctor and they put me on a different kind of pill. I have now been on that brand for about 8 years. My doctor had never seen anyone get to sick from that brand of pill, as it was the lowest dosage form. Anytime I have gotten a new doctor they have the same reaction. That they have never heard of anyone reacting that way to the pill.  

Since then I have been much more open to talking about birth control with anyone. There are so many different forms of birth control and it can be really hard to decide what is the right kind for you. I was not aware of this when I started and still wasn't really aware until a few years ago when I started to do my own research. Like with any research, it's important to look at credible sources and know that what you want to find you will. If you want to find all the articles, books etc on how bad/good birth control is for you that's exactly what you'll find. With that in mind I tried to look at first hand accounts from people, articles from medical journals and books. I wanted to know more about potential side effects, what are benefits/drawbacks of different forms, and just general information. And yes I did read the info package that comes with each box of my birth control. 

I found that I wasn't alone in the feeling that birth control isn't talked about enough and that in some places it's almost impossible to get or the cost is too much. For me, when I lived in Alberta birth control was covered by my insurance, but when I moved to BC the my personal coverage doesn't cover it. I had many conversations with them about why I thought that was ridiculous but they never changed it. Anyway... I found that there are so many different benefits and drawbacks from all different forms and it's really up to personal choice what you want. Something that I learned from my research was that various forms have different levels of hormones in them and trying different forms will help you to find what works for you. I think the most important thing I learned from all my research was that I need to be vocal with my doctor about what I want and not assume that they know exactly what is best for me. That it is good to ask questions and take some time to make a decision. 

I'm definitely not an expert on birth control, but for my own health and decisions I feel like I am better equip at knowing what is good for me. I think it's also very important to share my experiences because the friends, family and doctors that I have talked to have never heard of someone reacting the way I did. 

With all that being said it is important that you talk to your doctor about what your options are. And also find a doctor who you trust and feel comfortable talking to. 

Take care everyone!! 

Find me on Instagram @exploringwithsarah_blog

Song of the Day: Folklore by Taylor Swift (the whole album, I couldn't pick one song!)

Quick Check-In

Hello everyone!! I hope that this post finds you all well and adjusting to the ever changing world we live in at this moment. With all that is happening with COVID, Black Lives Matter and all the things that have come along with those, it can be a little overwhelming. 
I haven't written in a while because I didn't feel like I had anything to share that was worthwhile. It's been a stressful time for me graduating, applying for jobs, stressing from not hearing from places, worrying about bills and many other things that I am sure so many of you are also stressing about. I was staying away from social media and avoiding talking to anyone. I really closed myself off and for me that wasn't the best. This last month I have been trying to reach out to friends and family more and reconnect. Though things are still uncertain and I am taking things day by day, I feel better connecting to others. I wasn't much of a social butterfly before but it's funny how much I miss just going for coffee with friends or going to the beach. I haven't done any of those things in so long. My partner and I have started to venture out farther than our neighborhood for our daily walks. The change in scenery definitely makes a difference. We're still cautious and wear masks whenever we go into a business. 
There have been some exciting changes in the last little bit though. I moved in with my

Primrose & Ophelia

partner and we adopted 2 adorable kittens at the end of June. We've had them for about 4 weeks now and it has been a little crazy!! The amount of kitty proofing we do on a daily basis is comical. They are super snuggly (is that not a word?) and definitely have us wrapped around their paws. I have been trying not to spam everyone with pictures of them, but some days it can be hard as they are so cute. 
I also officially got my degree!! I was a little bummed about not being able to cross the stage to receive it, but the college sent out a grad box with some decorations, cap and some other goodies. It was sweet and now I can take some grad pictures! 

I hope you all have a great rest of July! 
I'm on Instagram @exploringwithsarah_blog

Song of the Day: Ophelia by The Lumineers 

When the World Stayed Home

Hey everyone! I hope this post finds you well and that you are all taking care of yourselves. I know it has been a bit since my last post and there has been so much going on in the world. It is a scary and uncertain world right now. I have had my fair share of meltdowns and bad days, but I have also had some really great times with my man and getting to video chat with friends and family. So I thought I would share some of the things that I have been doing while in quarantine with you all! With this time at home I have been able to finish a bunch of my knitting and crocheting projects. I might have started 5 of them around Christmas time and I have finished 3 of them! I also started to learn how to do some fancy hand lettering. My hand writing is terrible. Bubble letters forget it. They look awful. So I decided to take this time where I need to keep myself busy or I'll go crazy to learn! I found a bunch of stuff on Pinterest and started to learn. My man and I have been making cards for family and friends for birthdays and such so by expanding my lettering ability I'll hopefully be able to make the cards a little nicer. 

Crocheted Arlo for a friend

I have been a part of a book club group for over a year now and my group moved online for the time being. I'm so glad that we are still able to meet and chat even though it's moved onto video chat. It keeps me reading, even though I keep getting e-books from the library. In like 2 weeks I read 2 books, which for me is pretty impressive. We have also met a few times to play some party games online as well. It is surprising for me, as an introvert, that I really miss getting together with my book club. It's a pretty small group, maybe 10 of us, but we are all so different and have a lot of fun together. 
I also officially submitted my last assignment for school and am completely done my degree! It seems strange to be graduated at this time and being able to apply for jobs right away. I know there have been so many places that closed and people have lost their jobs, that I don't even know where to start looking. My partner is lucky that his job is still secure and he is still able to work. I am also super grateful that I have been able to stay at his home with him. I do live with my sister and her husband, but it has been better for my own sanity to stay here. 
Baking has always been a passion of mine and now I've been baking up a storm. I've made banana chocolate chip muffins, coconut yoghurt loaf, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, energy bites, peanut butter cookies and waffles. I even reached out to some family and friends to get some of their favourite recipes to try! I will have to brave the grocery store soon to get more

baking supplies as I have run out of a few things. My Pinterest food board is longer than I'd like to admit, but I decided that I am going to actually try some of the things I have pinned. I also cleaned up some of the boards. It's amazing the things I pinned and have no clue why. Also finding ones where it doesn't link to what it says. Drives me nuts. 
My man and I have also been playing a lot of video games. It's been fun to try new ones and also he has shown me some old ones that he got when the Switch first came out. We both grew up playing video games with our siblings. We've had many discussions on whose the best player in Mario Kart. I say Peach, he thinks it Bowser (he's so wrong). 
It hasn't all been smooth sailing for us either. With being around each other so much we have had some fights, but it's also taught us how we fight and how to work through them. I know that having to stay home can be very hard on relationships and I'm so thankful that we can still be kind to each other even when we're arguing. We make sure that we also take time to do what we each like to do not with each other. He plays video games in his office while I watch the shows I love. 
At this point in time we are still able to go out to the park near us and go for walks. We do

Getting some fresh air

keep our distance from people and make space on the trail for others. The park near his place hasn't been too busy on the perimeter trail. We maybe pass 6 or 7 people. I also cleaned up his patio so that we can sit out there and play board games like we did last summer. 
With all that being said of keeping myself busy, remember that it's fine to do nothing. Don't try to do all the things you've always said you would do if you had the time. It's a strange time right now. I've also had days where I sit and cry and get nothing done. Be kind to yourself and take care of you and your loved ones. 
I'd love to hear what everyone is up to and please share any recipes or books you are loving right now! Comfort food is a must! 
Take care everyone! 

You can also find me on Instagram @exploringwithsarah_blog

Song of the Day: Cruise by Theresa Sokyrka

Checking in With Myself

Hello everyone! January seemed like it went on forever for me this year and then all of a sudden it was done. Now we are almost halfway through February. 

January was full of ups and downs for me. I was excited and scared to be so close to being done my practicum and starting my last semester of my bachelor's degree. We did get a couple snow days in the middle of the month which were much needed breaks. 

Juno trying to be helpful during yoga

The biggest thing for me in January was recognizing that I was not as organized as I usually am. I'm usually on top of assignments and have my planner all organized. This time I have just been flying by the seat of my pants. Hoping that things get done on time and causing me to be very anxious and stressed. I know it's be hard on my loved ones and they have reached out to me for support. I couldn't ask for a better support system. I did start my 30 Days of Yoga with Adriene and that has made a huge difference in how I've been feeling. Taking the time for myself and scheduling it. Scheduling time for yoga or any workout is something I stopped doing when I hurt my neck almost 2 years ago. Making exercise a priority again has been so good! I've been feeling better, I have more energy and I feel like I've been healthier. It's been a process for me to get back on track, but I'm lucky that I have the people that I do in my life to help me get back to a good routine and one that works with how chaotic life can be sometimes. 

January was mostly a month of checking in with myself and really finding what I was missing. It started off a little rocky but I'm getting there! I am working on getting back into routines and taking better care of my overall health. I finally called and found a new doctor too! No more putting up with a rude and not very helpful doctor! One barrier for me going to the doctor was because of how rude my doctor was and I don't need that when I am trying to take better care of myself. 

Now I need to focus a little attention on getting a job now that I am done practicum and only have night classes. It seems a little surreal that I am so close to graduating and being a big kid again! 

Take care everyone! And remember to check in with yourself and find what you really need!

Song of the Day: River by Bishop Briggs

Wreath Time

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a good new year this year. 

December was full of time with family, friends and fun. I got to try new things, meet new people and bake all the things. 

In mid-December I was invited to a wreath making workshop with some of my man's family. My man's sister-in-law has a friend who is a florist and teaches people how to make wreaths. She has had a few of them at her house, but I have always been working on had other plans, but this time I made sure I was free! I have seen the ones they have made in the past and they are gorgeous! I have never made a wreath before and I don't know much about plants other than that I can pretty much kill any plant. RIP to the 3 bamboo plants I killed. Affie from Nomad's Flowers was our wonderful florist. We were lucky as this was the last workshop she was holding for the season and we got some extras to put in our wreaths. It

Work in progress

 was such a fun evening of food, drinks and wreath making. The base of the wreath is grape vine which makes it so the whole thing can be put in the compost or you take all the flowers and other things off and reuse the base over again. There were so many options of flowers and greenery that at first I was a little overwhelmed of what to choose, but I decided to keep it simple and I think it paid off. Affie was fantastic in helping everyone! She gave pointers, tips and added things to make everyone's wreaths look amazing. I wasn't sure if I was totally into making a wreath and how it would turn out as I am not very creative in that way. Give me some yarn and a crochet hook or knitting needles and I can make some cool things, but other than that not so much. It was a great way to spend time with family and friends and learn a new skill. I definitely would love to make another one and be a little bolder with it. I hung the wreath on my man's laundry room door as we were not sure if he could have it on his door as he lives in an condo and they might frown upon flammable

My wreath

materials. 

This was one among many things that I did in December but it's impossible to write about all of them in one post! It was an event filled month and I was not super active on social media because I was taking it all in. I am going to try to get be more active in the new year! 

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and Happy Holidays! Take care everyone and have a wonderful day!!

You can check Affie out at www.nomadsflowers.com or on Instagram @nomads_flowers

And don't forget to check me out on Instagram as well @exploringwithsarah_blog

Song of the Day: Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish