• Everyone complimenting the color of my hair because it got even more red in the Florida sun!
• The freckles that came with it were pretty awesome too
• Sarah is coming to visit me tomorrow <3
• Work of Art is an amazing, inspiring show.
• Pinterest is helping me find lots of images to help set a creative vision in place.
• Naps.  Definitely naps.
• Those Covergirl Flipsticks…seriously, I may have to collect them all.
• My coloring books for when I want to be artistic but my brain is not working.
• Vanity Fair magazine – I don’t know why I wasn’t reading this magazine before now.
• Jon got a job!!!  Took a slight cut in pay, but the health plan is better so it basically evens out!  I’m so proud of him!
• Hanging and sleeping with the Marmster.

I want to be in one of those beautiful houses.

I would love it if you took a moment to reflect on what made your week great (or bearable) and left it in the comments!  It gives me great joy!

xoxo,

Annie

My best ways to fall asleep:

I know this list won’t be normal, as everyone would recommend that you go to bed at a routine time and get up at a routine time while in complete darkness and silence (my body refuses to do that!!!).

As Fibromyalgia brings with it insomnia, and subsequently anxiety, I have come up with a few ways that help myself nod off!

1. Watch a nature documentary.  There is just the right amount of stimulation to get your brain off of your problems, but yet has a quiet elegance that allows for sleep after a short viewing.
2. Read.  Preferably something boring, but I know when I start to see double and triple, it’s time for a nap.
3. Only go to bed when you feel the tired spell.  I’ve been with my body for long enough to recognize the window, and without the window of potential sleep, the whole thing is pointless and frustrating.  Use the time as a chance to get a little extra work done.
4. Music (preferably not anything you would use in a gym scenario…).  It’s calming, it’s distracting, and it can be incredibly soothing.  [Jon uses ambient noise, like the fan, which I happen to despise, but if it works, it works!].
5. Eat if you can.  There is little worse than going to bed with a rumbling tummy!
6. Have a night light.  I don’t get to have one currently, because the light bothers Jon, but if I’m staying at my parents’ in my old room, I make sure to leave the closet door open a crack with the light on inside.  It allows me to still be productive in my room, and calms my nerves as I’m scared of the dark!
7. Invest in a good bed, good pillows, good sheets, good blankets, and good pajamas.  Seriously.  As a sick person, it’s where you spend most of your time.  Make it as nice as possible.
8. Try to re-frame your thoughts about the stress of any lack of sleep, and turn it positive by looking at it as a way to learn more and do more.  Do make sure to get out of bed and wait for that sleepy period!
9. Have a nice cup of tea before bed.  It’s soothing and good for you and your sleep (as long as there is no caffeine!).  Try to drink herbal teas.
10. If you are lacking on the things above, remember to try and daydream about something nice as you are laying in bed.  Setting a relaxing scene will go a long way!!

Looks like Marmsy!

(Images from WeHeartIt)

What do you do to ease into the world of sleep?

xoxo,

Annie

On the way out the door to go to Florida, my sister pushed a book into my hand for reading next to the pool/in the airport.  It was called The Hunger Games.  I had heard a bit about it before, but I had chalked it up to being a teen phenomenon like Twilight, and I didn’t much enjoy that book.  I started reading it in the airport and I literally couldn’t put it down.  I gobbled down the words, and fell in LOVE with the characters.  Especially Katniss and Prim – their sister relationship was incredibly special to me.

The book is about a dystopian future where there is a Capitol and 12 districts.  As a remembrance/punishment of a previous uprising, every year two children from each district between the ages of 12 and 18 are selected to fight to the death, while people watch on reality television.  It’s quite haunting to think it could be our future.

I highly recommend the book, but the movie is excellent as well.  The book just fleshes out all those extra details that you can’t fit in a movie.

Jennifer Lawrence plays Katniss in the film and she is hilarious in real life – watch her on David Letterman on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjYeVIXCXxQ!!  She reminds me of myself in that she seems to have no filter at all.

Now pictures of this lovely lady and her transformation into Katniss, the beloved teen with a bow and arrow:

People have been giving her a hard time because of her weight which I think is RIDICULOUS.  A) She’s stunning and quite thin, and B) No one believes scrawny action stars.  Grr…

Have you read the book or seen the movie yet?  If not, do so ASAP!!

xoxo,

Annie

I am having a seriously hard time adjusting to being home after being on vacation.

It was a week without stress, a different environment, a decadent resort, and lots of people loving and taking care of me.  My body felt good in the heat, all of my joints were in good shape, and the only negative aspects were the heat stroke and rashes, which I tried to avoid, but as a redhead, were inevitable.  Many new experiences were brought to me, and I enjoyed almost every one (especially the stingrays nibbling on my fingers!!).

We come home, and there is currently a blustery snowstorm outside, instead of the picture perfect weather down south.  We’re currently broke, so buying food becomes an issue to argue over.  Stress everywhere.  Jon has interviews though so my fingers are crossed!!

I just can’t deal with losing that support system.  Honestly, I’m probably one of the few 25 year old women who wants my partner to move in with me to my parents’ place.  I don’t know if it is the Asperger’s or Fibromyalgia (or both), but having some other people in the mix really helped.  I’m often told that I’m incredibly astute at some subjects and then extremely childish in others.  Blah.  I definitely don’t fit the mold of North American ‘Independent Woman’.

It’s frustrating to not be able to trust your own brain.  It’s my reality and I love that, but very few people ‘get’ it.  At least there are always some forms of escapism.

Reality is a really hard place to return to after letting myself be free on vacation.  I’m not liking the stark contrasts.

Where I stayed – The Caribe Cove Resort

Watch this link – it’s me feeding the manta rays!!!

Does anyone else feel this way?

xoxo,

Annie

• That they couldn’t fit everything that I wanted from the book into The Hunger Games movie, but I realize that would have made a 5 hour movie, and no one wants that!
• Trying to figure out what is the most productive way to spend my time…Vacation threw my whole routine out of whack…
• I miss the constant sunshine of Florida.  And the shopping.  My goodness, the shopping was magical. If I had an income, I would have bought a whole new wardrobe down there!  All of the brands from my magazines had outlets, and I got to touch some of the dreamiest clothes!
• Speaking of clothes, I left my laptop for the week to go to Florida, and I totally had Polyvore withdrawals.
• When I can’t find a word that suits my fancy of Words with Friends.  Which is my favorite game ever.  So if any of you are playing, and you aren’t playing me, please start!!
• So many clothes in my wardrobe don’t fit anymore!  My miserable metabolism needs to smarten up and start losing weight, but since I doubt that will easily happen, I’m going to donate a bag of clothing to Value Village.
• I decided to start collecting ads that I love, and it has tumbled into an endless search of the last 100 years of magazines haha!

A collection of  adorable animals and the most true quote of all the quotes in the world!

How are you all doing this Monday?  I’m looking forward to getting back into blogging regularly.  Tell me your ups and downs from the past week!  I’d love to reconnect.

xoxo,

Annie

• Reuniting with Mr. Marms!!! We ran to each other and he was a purring MACHINE.  It’s so nice to be home with my furry pal.
• My experience feeding the Sting Rays – seriously the most fun I have had in a LONG time.
• Landing home after an awful experience traveling:  I’m on the no-fly list so when I’m in American security I get the full body search and numerous swabs of my hands, her hands, and my wheelchair.  We also had customs go through each and every bag we packed.  Good times.  Had a little crying spell after I got off of the plane as I was so overwhelmed, but arriving back in my own space made it all better.
• Being back with my computer!!  I didn’t take it with me to Florida, so I fell behind on approximately everything.  I missed blogging and need to catch up on everything!
• The fact that I get to sleep in my own super comfy bed tonight.  I’m SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
• I had a wonderful week spending time with my family!
• Hot sun and a pool!  I got pretty freckled this week (as I don’t tan – red hair, fair skin!)
• SEAWORLD.  I’m a huge animal lover, and it’s pretty amazing.
• THE HUNGER GAMES.  I just started reading it on the plane and I’m already OBSESSED.  I’d been putting it off, thinking it was just another teen phenomenon, but it’s a phenomenon for a reason.  I can’t wait to finish the book and see the movie!

Jon and I looking happy

The stingrays! The most fun of the trip!

Shamu Rocks does indeed rock!!

All in all, my vacation was worth it!  The stress and pain were a bit much and I will need some time to recover, but the moments were definitely magical.  I’m loving being at home with Mr. Marms!

How was everyone’s week?!  I feel like I need to be caught up on everything!

xoxo,

Annie

• I’m in Florida after 10 hours of miserable travel!
• It’s the most perfect temperature in the entire world here right now.
• We have our own private bathroom…LOVE IT.
• The warm weather is soooo much easier on my joints!  Travel still did a number on my knee though.
• Wheelchairs through customs is a much easier practice…plus if I would have had to walk through the whole airport, I sure wouldn’t be walking today.
• I bought a cute new bathing suit and neon outfit at Target this morning!
• We have plans to go lounge by the pool this afternoon – soak up the sun and read some magazines.
• I started The Hunger Games in the airport and now I finally get what the excitement is all about!!
• Our private, screened in balcony.
• The fact that Ashley is taking good care of Marmsie.  I miss him.
• Jon let me borrow his computer to write this post!!

The view off of our porch…

The view as descended on the plane…

Our sweet private bathroom!

What are you loving this Friday??  This just happens to be my special trip for the first time in years, but normally I just love the little things.  Now I’m going to soak up the sun (a.k.a. be in the shade with a big floppy hat on and SPF 80 haha!).

Love you all.

xoxo,

Annie

This is a very pretty kitty:

(via Catatar)

He or she rivals my incredibly handsome Mr. Marms!!  I love how every time I post pictures of Marms, he gets comments on how dapper and gorgeous he is.  I’m a proud fur momma haha.

On a side note, click that link under the pictures if you love kitties.  I just discovered this website, and it just fills me with glee.  Something about cats doing hilarious things makes me think that everything in the world might be okay.  Definitely one of my coping mechanisms!!  I don’t know where I would be if people on my twitter hadn’t encouraged me to get a pet and then my mom encourage me to get Mr. Marms even when Jon was on the fence about it!  Animals truly do help ease the pain of the sick.  No doubt about it in my mind.  My spirit now, with him, is so much stronger than it was without him.

I am going to miss him like crazy in Florida, as it is the first time I’ve really left him behind.  I have to make sure to keep my talking about him to a minimum or I think my mom and Jon will stick me in a room by myself!!  People don’t seem to dig the whole crazy cat lady scene that much!

xoxo,

Annie

I missed a birth control pill and now my ovaries are yelling at me.

It’s just perfect timing for trying on clothes and packing for Florida…I can hardly move, and yet everything needs to get in order.  Luckily, I have a list.  I have a few outfits packed (which barely fit, but I’ll have Jon with me and he can make them fit haha).  I need to try on one dress that I threw in there from last year and make sure it still works.  I’m going with a dark blue palette so that most of the pieces work together.  I painted my toenails Aruba Blue by Essie and they look delightful!  Fingers are going to have to wait until just before I leave, because I always manage to destroy them immediately.

I need to make sure I have all my pills, and they need to be in bottles instead of my day packs, because apparently people frown on having to take that much medication across the border.  Definitely need motion sickness pills and a travel pillow or I will be a cranky character.  I best get out our passports too or we won’t be going anywhere!  I hate having Fibro fog and then packing, because I know I’m going to forget something important.  I need to leave some room in my suitcase though, or I won’t be able to buy anything!

I have wheelchair service lined up for at the airport, and then I’ll hopefully be able to use wheelchairs at both parks we are visiting.  I know if I end up trying to walk that far I’ll be frozen in bed for the remainder of the trip.  I am worried about what the travel will do to my body, but I guess I’ll know here shortly!

The goal for today and tomorrow is to have everything put together so that we can bring Mr. Kitty up to my parents house so that my sister can watch him while we are gone.  It seems so silly but I’m going to miss him like crazy!!!! He’s my fur baby and has the ability to make me smile constantly.  Need to keep the talking about my cat to a minimum – people aren’t big on crazy cat ladies!

Anyone have any last minute tips of how to pack and travel while easing chronic illness flares?  I’d love to hear some!

(Images from WeHeartIt)

I’m trying to get some blogs done in advance, but if I mess up, know that I’m coming back in a week!

xoxo,

Annie

• Jon losing his job for completely unfair reasons – no warnings and seemingly thrown completely under the bus!  I am not pleased with the owner, but alas.  We’re going to contact a lawyer and see if we have a case for Human Rights Court.
• Losing job, means losing health insurance.  Yeah.  The meds were expensive when they were 3/4s covered, so they are going to knock me off my ass at full price :/.
• When I forget to pack my meds when I go to someone’s place for dinner!  I have to dash immediately after because I get so sick without them!  (Note to my mother: DEFINITELY make sure to call me on Wednesday so that I have them for Florida…).
• Despite being super tired, I have been waking up really early in the morning.  Should be useful for the next week though.
• Feeling like I can never keep up with my emails!  I even unsubscribed to a whole bunch of newsletters a short time ago, but with not feeling well and being busy, my inbox fills up quickly.
• The stress of traveling (but I’m also getting excited!).
• The weight gain, despite the fact that I feel like I’m really putting in effort!  It must be heavily medication-based…
• Whether or not I’ll manage to finish writing the blog posts for the week before Wednesday…that way I won’t have to write them when I’m in Florida, just hit publish.  So far, I’m moving sloth slow.
• That I only get to see my sister for short little bursts!  I think everyone you love should live close by…that would make my life SO MUCH EASIER.
• Having to wait a week for a new episode to air of the shows I love! #firstworldproblems
• Trying to blog while my eyes keep closing and crossing – going to sleep would be a helpful option!
• I’m going to miss my kitty so much!  He’s my baby!  I hope he gets lots of lovin’ with my sister .

Add in the serious pain and general problems related to multiple chronic illnesses and this would be pretty close to correct!

Another great insight to my psyche haha!

And for a nicer end note, some amazingly beautiful graffiti!

How are you all doing?  Do you keep running into as many life obstacles as I seem to be?  These last couple of months have been incredibly difficult.  Let me know about the pains, so we can later reflect about the pleasure.

xoxo,

Annie