This may very well be my last post of 2016! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT! Where did the year go? I know I say this every year/month/week/day, but with everything we had going on this year, it really did fly.
With that, let’s just get right to it!
LIFE LATELY
Life lately has been pretty cold! But seriously, the weather in Chicago went from bearable to frigid in a matter of days. The one thing I promised myself and Vishnu when we found out we were moving here is that I would keep my weather related complaints to a minimum because there’s literally nothing we can do about it. So far, I’m dealing with it. I don’t love it, but I find that having plans lined up for weeks at a time really helps. As does owning a few soft cuddly blankets!
Ok, enough about the weather.
Have you heard of escape rooms? If not, they’re basically adventure games where you (and the people you’re with) are locked in a room and have to solve a series of puzzles using items/clues in the room to escape in a certain amount of time. Super fun! Vishnu and I went to the EscapeHouse Chicago with some friends last Sunday and had an absolute blast. There were eight of us, and our mission was to stop missiles from striking the White House. We had to uncover two code words in under 60 minutes. We escaped with 13 minutes to spare! If you’re looking for a fun cold weather activity, I highly recommend looking into escape rooms in your city.
Other than that, the weeks leading up to the holidays have been pretty routine. Nothing too exciting happening here!
HOWEVER, the next two weeks are going to make up for that because we’re heading to Hawaii on Saturday and Atlanta the following week! I CAN’T WAIT! I keep checking the forecast in Hawaii because I don’t love what I see…which is lots of rain. But you know what, I’ll take that over snow and freezing temps any day! And I hear that Hawaiian rain tends to be more on and off versus just on…cross your fingers for us! I can’t wait to share more about our trip in the new year!
Speaking of the new year, remember that fun little project I mentioned a while ago (it’s ok if you don’t because even I can’t find the post where I mentioned it)? Well, I’m hoping to unveil it in January…stay tuned!
MIS in 2017
I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want for MIS in 2017. In all honesty, I’m not quite sure. It’s pretty evident that blogging has taken a back seat since our move to Chicago, and to be 100% transparent, I don’t hate it. I still very much love checking in and sharing pieces of our life, things I’m loving, recipes I’m making, etc. With that being said, MIS isn’t going anywhere!
Up until the middle of this year, I blogged three times a week (M, W, F) and that was that. I even had an editorial calendar where I plotted all of my post ideas. While that was awesome at the time, it’s just not going to work for me right now. I do, however, want to implement a loose schedule. For me that means committing to a certain number of posts a week. Right now I’m thinking two, but we’ll see.
The only other hope and dream I have for MIS in 2017 is that my posts continue to be authentic/true to who I am and what’s going on in my life in that moment. The beauty of blogging for me is sharing my story with people all over the world and hoping parts of it resonate at some level. The only way to do that is by being genuine with my writing. So yeah, expect more of that in 2017!
OTHER RANDOM STUFF
I’ll keep this part of my post less wordy!
MAKE THESE COOKIES ASAP! Thank me in 2017!
While you’re at it, try this mug cake too. It’s a Par + Vishnu favorite!
I’ve been dreading the Chicago winter for many reasons, with the main one being dry skin. I wasn’t sure how my normal moisturizer would stand up to the brutal cold and dry air. You guys, if you’re looking for a standout, inexpensive face (and body) cream, look no further. CeraVe is perfection in a jar. I’ve been using it for 2+ years and am still loving it! Your winter skin will thank me.
7 Smart Ways to Give the Gift of Experiences, Not Things
In the midst of holiday chaos, don’t forget about the simple joys in life!
With that, I wish you all a very happy holidays! I hope the next couple of weeks are filled with LOTS of laughter and love. BIG HUGS!
Feel free to complain about the weather. I’ve lived all over, but lived in Michigan for 15+ years and I STILL complain. I hate it. I hate. I hate it. I’m already over it. It’s so miserable and more depressing than rain every day. You’ll be fine in Hawaii. It rains in Hawaii on the islands every day for 20 minutes at least, and then it’s done. And usually if it DOES rain, it’s at night 🙂 It also depends which side of the island you’re on because of the mountains. The condensations will come down from the clouds/volcano/mountain top and it’ll rain more on the eastern side of the islands than western depending where you are 🙂 So it was hella rainy in Hilo for us and pretty hazy/muggier on the Kona side! The weather in HI is so strange and I loved it. Like, the top of Mauna Kea was 48 degrees because we were 10K feet up, but then down on the beach in Kona it was 83. But then hiking the volcano we were stuck in a cloud in the crater while hiking so it rained the entire radius walk through the crater haha. Pack a sweatshirt (if you hike the Haleakala at sunrise) so you’re warm, bring a rain jacket that will keep you dry and you’ll be fine! 🙂 So excited to hear about your trip and exchange stories/experiences! Also you’re in luck because the whales will probably be there so keep watch for those!! They weren’t there yet when we were there 🙁
Aparna B. recently posted…Denver – What We Did Day 2
You’re right, it’s ok to complain every now and then because the weather (the temps!) really does suck!
And thank you for reassuring me about the weather in Hawaii. I’m hoping that is the case and that it doesn’t rain constantly… Let’s def exchange stories when I’m back!
I hear you on the blogging… it’s been so hectic lately! It’s fun, but you have to put “real” life first.
Holy cold! I actually thought of you yesterday when I was looking at all the crazy pics on social media. Stay warm!!!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table recently posted…Smoked Blood Orange Manhattan [Recipe]
Exactly! I LOVE blogging and can’t imagine not doing it. But at this time it really does need to be more ‘go with the flow’ for me.
Chicago weather can be brutal, it’s ok to complain, but at least it’s a really cool city. It’s like a mini and cleaner version of NYC. Good food scene for sure. 🙂
I hear ya on blogging, mine took a break cause I had other issues, but it’s hard to manage blogging and a full time job and a personal life.. sometimes blogging takes a back seat. I can’t commit to 3 days a week the way I once did, but I tell myself I can do 2. So far it’s okay, sometimes I miss it, but it’s okay. 🙂
Oh.. and I just baked NYTimes Chocolate Chip Cookies, they are amazing. I’m gonna check out Pinch of Yum’s.
Here’s to 2017 bringing you happiness and temps in the 20s. 🙂
Which island will you be at in Hawaii?. I was in Maui this past week. Can give you lots of restaurant recos if that’s the island you are going to!
Hi there! Sorry for not replying sooner. We were in Maui and Kauai. Loved the food in both places! Hope you enjoyed as well!
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