There are only 2 month left until Wedding Day...where does time go??
My brother just got married on the 16th of July, so I made sure to take some notes. Here's what I learned:

1- People actually like dancing to slow songs so I need to include more of them than I thought. One of my favorite memories of my brother's wedding will be late in the reception, when everyone had just enough to drink to be nice and relaxed, and we ALL were on the dance floor belting out "I Will Always Love You". Seriously, who would have thought THAT would be the song where no one was sitting and everyone was on the dance floor?

2- I learned that things will definitely go wrong. There are so many moving parts to a wedding, and the likelihood of them all going perfectly is almost zero. The wrong song got played, the photographer was late, the table numbers were messed up, etc. But at the end of the day, we all had fun and it was a beautiful day celebrating love. So I need to chill. It will all be ok. 

  We got our engagement photos done at Fort Stanwix by the lovely Rebecca Sheets Photography. I love how the pics turned out, but I also learned a lot about posing- specifically which facial expressions I make that I DON'T like. I definitely advise any future couples to do engagement pics even if you think you don't need them- you learn A LOT. 

  The big project I've been working on for a few months is gathering my table settings. I decided I wanted mismatched china and goblets but every rental place I looked in to either was already booked or kind of dropped the ball when I inquired. (Btw, I've gone with my gut on every decision, any vendor that made me feel somewhat off I did not book with). So I decided to collect my own. I only needed about 40 place settings, so I visited several antique stores and thrift shops to find everything. I also enlisted the help of my mom and friends and even some of my clients (you know who you are!). Together, we found everything needed for a good mismatched setting. And I even happened to find my wedding band while goblet shopping at the Bouckville Antique Fest! (Shh... I only spent $30 on it, but it perfectly matches!) I can't wait to see how it all looks!

  My last update is my invitations. Now, I had a little freak out when I started putting them together, convinced this was the dumbest idea I'd ever had. 
  Instead of matching invitations, I drew wildflower pictures on the backs and then hand wrote the insides as if they were letters. This was something that if I'd received as a guest I'd be incredibly touched by the personal thought behind it, but you never know if other people will "get" it. But once they all came together, I ended up being very happy with the result and I think my guests will be too. 

  So now the big thing is decor planning. Once again, I've enlisted the help of my mom who next week has the job of forcing me to buy stuff when we go shopping. I have a habit of browsing, filling my cart, and the putting everything back. It's crunch time- so I need to start committing!

  I wish I could promise you another update before the wedding, but alas I probably won't! Time goes by so fast before I know it, it will be the big day. So I'll leave you with these update for now and the next blog post will likely be the actual Wedding!

 I think it's time for an update on wedding plans! I appreciate so much how invested my clients are in my wedding- I love talking about it but I also love hearing your ideas and suggestions. I've taken many of them, and they've been a huge help in making decisions. 
  I've been meaning to write about this for a while but every time I go to do it I feel like I have no pictures to show! So I have been trying my best to actually take pics, not only to post but also for my own memories. There will be a few here, but I promise to add more in the future! I'll also include links to all the vendors at the bottom so you can check them out!
  
  So let's start with the basics. The wedding date is October 8, 2022 so we have only about 6 months left! Time flies! I feel like we just booked the venue yesterday. Our venue is a great place called Cristman Barn in Ilion. We booked this venue on Air BnB, it is a converted barn and now is used as a  unique country getaway/event space. But because it's an Air BnB we have it for several days. We will be able to get in there on Friday, decorate, have the wedding on Saturday, and clean up the following morning. Plus we are able to have several of our out-of-town guests stay there since there are 6 bedrooms, and even more sleeping space on the 3rd floor. 

  For decor we are including a little bit of an 18th century theme. I am a huge history buff, especially when it comes to the Revolutionary War in the Mohawk Valley. So I am currently gathering lots of metallic items- silver, brass, gold, copper. This will serve as the base of a lot of the design and add a historical vibe. I am staying clear of crystal and glass. And very avoiding the color white! My main color scheme is just colors of fall- deep reds, oranges, and golds.  

  My dress is a very special part of my day. My mom and I have designed it and she is currently working on the prototype. In the picture above you can see her digging through fabric at JoAnns! I'll have a to wait a little while longer to post pics of the actual dress but I will definitely do that when it's come together a little more. 

  We have also decided on our cake- which we are getting from Wicked Sweets by Alyssa in Yorkville. She set up an awesome cake tasting for us with 3 different choices of cake, fillings, and frostings (and event threw in her oreo filling too, which was amazing!) In the end we decided on a pistachio cake with vanilla mousse filling, and buttercream frosting. The combo was a match made in heaven!    

  Let me pause here and mention something I've voiced to few people- that I am surprised by some of my choices. Maybe it's because I'm not a 21 year old bride who is getting caught up in the drama and princess theme, and planning a wedding in your 30s is so drastically different. But if you'd told my younger self, let's say from 10 years ago, some of my choices I would be shocked. For example, a pistachio cake? 20 year old me would have said, "No way!" A barn? Fall colors? Who am I????

  We have a wonderful photographer booked, Rebecca Sheets Photography. I just loved the vibe I got from her when she emailed me back after my inquiry. When planning a wedding, you'll find a lot of vendors will almost make you feel like you should be competing for their time, instead of them valuing your business. Rebecca is not like that at all, she has always made me feel like she appreciates my business and wants to give us a wonderful product. We currently have our engagement photos booked for late June. We'll be taking them at Fort Stanwix in Rome. 

  So I think that's it for now! I'll try to give a monthly update going forward. Now that we only have 6 months left, and time is ticking, more and more will be added very quickly!

  Give me your best wedding advice in the comments!

  Venue: Cristman Barn
  Cake/Desserts: Wicked Sweets by Alyssa
  Catering: Michael's Fine Foods and Spirits
  Photography: Rebecca Sheets Photography

  Every autumn the craze begins: Pumpkin Spice Everything! It's become a huge internet joke but it does seem like every year something even weirder comes out with a pumpkin spice version- potato chips, fabric softener, lip balm. We just can't get enough. Why is that? It's just a mix of ordinary spices- nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves. We have most of these in our pantry every day throughout the year.  How come as soon as the temperature dips below 65 we suddenly embrace pumpkin spice as if it is a long lost friend? I have a theory about this- the love of pumpkin spice is a form of hygge!
   Hygge (pronounced hue-gah) is a concept I have been practicing for a long time but only recently came across as term to describe it. The word has Scandinavian origins and describes the feeling of contentment and comfortability that comes from ordinary things. An example might be the warmth of a cup of coffee, or the softness of a blanket. When we get to curl up with a good book on a rainy day. These things bring about a great sense of pleasure, but they are nothing extraordinary. It's just coffee, just a blanket, just rain. But when we immerse ourselves in the experience of them, we create beautiful moments of peace and contentment. 
  A few years ago I started a joke with my friends and family I called "going hardcore." I would make a social media post or invite people over for a holiday or girls night and say that we were going to "go hardcore whatever event we were celebrating" (Ex: Hardcore Birthday, Hardcore Halloween) But in actuality, it would be something kindof lame. Instead of a big party or night out, Hardcore Halloween would just be me eating candy and watching the Family Guy Halloween special. Hardcore Birthday might be a Netflix movie in my pajamas. I'd caption these posts and pics by bragging about how "hardcore" I am. But what it is really about is focusing on enjoying the little things. A Valentine's Day treat of homemade hot cocoa can provide the same amount of joy as an expensive gift or dinner. The soft lighting of a candle can be just as peaceful as an extravagant spa day. My fiance describes me as the "queen of relaxation" but really, I am the queen of hygge.
  Which brings me back to pumpkin spice. These simple ingredients come together in just the right measurements at just the right time and suddenly they become one of the most pleasant experiences of fall. So the next time you're feeling in need of some me-time, some relaxation, and some moments of pure peace and tranquility, proudly grab your pumpkin spice latte, and practice a little hygge.      
  

  It is amazing how much life can change in such a short amount of time. One month ago I was focused on announcing my Yomassage classes, setting new goals, contemplating what was next for Evolve, thinking about the future through a selfish lens, assuming tomorrow would be similar to yesterday.
  Then... my boyfriend, Sam, asked me to marry him. And I said yes! (Well, I actually nodded yes...because I was crying and couldn't talk) This proposal didn't exactly come out of the blue. We are both in our thirties, we know that engagement and marriage is not the whirlwind fairy tale you think it is when you are younger. We've spent the last several months talking about marriage, our philosophies about it, working through old wounds and leftover baggage from past relationships, and making sure we are on the same page and want the same things. This is something we have been working toward together, and something I've been looking forward to. And we are ready for it. 

    What I was not expecting was the immediate shift in focus that would happen. I have always been a very independent woman and extremely goal-oriented. My focus for the last eleven years has been on my career, and I have been able to devote nearly all of my energy to my business and my clients. But now that has changed. The focus is no longer on me- it's on us. And now my choices and decisions will primarily be influenced by what is best for us and our future together. And in some areas, I already know I need to make changes to make.
 
  Our first step is to move in together, which we will be doing in a few short weeks. We found a gorgeous loft in Oneida, which is halfway between my office and his school. But this means I will now have a commute, something I have not had in over a decade. This may certainly affect some scheduling going forward. 

  There is also the question about the long term future like having a family. Up until now that wasn't something that was being planned, but now it is. Though down the road, it is important that I be honest with everyone about our intentions and how my life, career, and schedule may change over the next few years. 
​
  Many of you have been clients of mine for years, some from the very first months of my career. Besides my shift from the spa to Evolve in 2018, there haven't been any major shake-ups. I've always been able to plan out my schedule months in advance. I've usually been able to predict where I would be in a year. None of that is possible anymore. 

  So... what changes should everyone expect going forward? There are a few specific things that you may notice within the coming months. 

  -I'll likely have less evening availability. I will definitely have some and will accommodate current clients, but I do intend to begin shortening some hours and focusing more on day time appointments for new clients. 

  - My schedule will only be open 3 months in advance.

  -I may have to be more strict with daily availability because I can no longer accommodate large gaps in my day.

  -There may be cancellations for bad weather. Up until now, I've lived around the corner from my office and getting there in a blizzard hasn't been an issue. I've left cancellations due to weather up to individual clients. But now, with a 30 minute commute, that may no longer be possible. 

  I hope these changes, and any others that come my way, don't cause too many issues with scheduling. And I do hope that everyone can be understanding. I love my clients and love helping everyone, and that will not change. <3     
     
    
  

  After years of focusing solely on massage therapy, finally it is time to add something new to Evolve. I am so excited to announce that I will now be offering Yomassage!
   Yomassage combines Mindful Breathing, Restorative Yoga, and Therapeutic Massage into one relaxing experience. This is a class for everyone- you don't have to be flexible or experienced in yoga or meditation. The only requirement is that you are able to get up and down from the floor with relative ease.  
  But what exactly is Yomassage? What can you expect from a typical session? 
  Let me walk you through a typical 1 hour class. 

  Each Yomassage class begins with a mindful breathing exercise. This is to help calm the mind, leave outside stressors at the door, and encourage you to be present in the moment. Many classes have a theme, they vary from an oceanside theme, to one focused on healing. (I LOVE the idea of themes and am currently working on developing some of my own. I will soon post about September themes, so stay tuned!)
  Once the mind is calmed, it is time to relax the body. I will guide you through a series of 4 to 5 restorative yoga postures. In each posture, you will be fully supported by blocks, blankets, and various props. These postures will all allow for a mild stretch, but ultimately the goal is for the body to be completely comfortable. Each of these positions will be held for about 10 minutes. 
  While in each position, I will come around and massage different areas of the body, depending on which pose we are holding. In a group class, I will be working with up to 4 people, so I will be sanitizing my hands in between each client. I will also continue the themed meditations and breathing exercises throughout. The massage will usually be a light to medium pressure. Unlike traditional massage, we won't be focusing on "trigger points" or working the "kinks" out of tight muscle. The purpose of the massage is to provide therapeutic and safe touch, and just enough pressure to feel good without activating pain sensors. 
  Once we are finished with each pose, we will end in a final, relaxation posture, where we will again bring our attention back to our breath before concluding. 
   The goal of our Yomassage session is to turn off the stress response and activate "feel-good" hormones, like serotonin and oxytocin. The three principles of Yomassage- Breath, Stretch, and Touch- have been shown to effectively decrease stress. You will leave each session not only feeling relaxed, calm, and present, but truly being happier and healthier. 

  Are you ready to sign up for a class? Sign up online here or give Evolve a call at 315-717-6192

  Classes begin September 2nd! I look forward to sharing this new experience with you!

  Do you ever feel like you have so many thoughts going through your head that you can't keep them straight? When this happens you can't give any one idea your full attention because there are so many other things rattling around in there. I know this happens to me pretty much every day. 
  This is why I decided that my Wellness Challenge for April would be to journal every day. Then I could take a thought, write it down, and come back to it later if I wanted, instead of trying to keep everything straight in my head. This has been a great benefit because I have so many great things coming up, but they all need my attention!
  I began the journaling on April 1st, while on vacation in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Starting this challenge while away was perfect, it gave me a little time to start with a clear head and focus on what was important. Over the next few weeks, the journal became more than just paragraphs on my daily life. I also started exercising more and used the journal to plan out work-outs and basic guidelines. This month has also brought about many in-depth discussions regarding future plans for my relationship and opinions on important subjects for us. Having the journal has been a great outlet to help organize my thoughts. (Side note: This challenge was actually my boyfriend's idea, so I also got him his own journal which has been helping him, too!)
  This year is also going to bring many significant changes to Evolve, which I am hoping to introduce in a few months. Being able to keep my mind clear and thoughts organized, has allowed me to put in the planning that these changes deserve. 
  I hope to continue journaling, as it has been a great comfort and wonderful help in planning the future. 

  What's the challenge for May?? 

  I will set aside quiet time at least 30 minutes before bed. No TV, no music. 
  Let's see how it goes!    

  I think we can all agree that the average American diet is not very well-rounded. We eat a lot of fast food, carbs, refined sugars, and oils. Throw in excessive amounts of caffeine and you've got yourself just about the worst diet imaginable. 

  Personally, I don't think my diet is too bad. But I make many irresponsible choices when it comes to food, such as not eating throughout my work day. And I definitely do not have a well-rounded diet. Case and point, I don't like many vegetables and sometimes go a full week without eating any!

  So I figured this would be a perfect challenge for March- resolve to eat at least one serving of vegetables every day. 

  Considering I'm a not a huge fan of veggies, I thought a perfect way to eaasily incorporate them into my diet would be with smoothies! I planned out a different smoothie recipe for every week, using spinach or kale as the base. In addition to the smoothies, I made sure to add veggie side dishes on the nights I had time to cook dinner- usually in the form of a  simple garden salad. 

  Everything went well for about a week. Then things took a downward turn!

  Turns out, my body doesn't exactly like raw vegetables. Even though I've known this for a while, somehow I just didn't think it would be a problem! I can handle raw fruits and veggies in moderation, so I didn't give it much of a thought. But when I started consuming them every day... my body put a stop to that pretty quickly.

  So now my entire smoothie and salad plan had to be scratched and replaced with only veggies that were cooked, peeled, and de-seeded. That was not the easiest thing to do with my schedule, so I also decided to simply cut down on the amount of veggie servings I was eating per day, enjoying raw ones in very small portions. (Note: The amount I was consuming was in no way excessive, but I think for my body it was not working.) 

  Unfortunately, considering what my body went through, and having to cut down significantly on my plan, I cannot write this and pretend that I feel so much better after a month of veggie-eating. To be honest, I feel a little worse! It has made me wonder if my aversion to veggies was never really about disliking them. The truth is, I don't hate veggies- I just don't love them so I forget to eat buy them or incorporate them into my every day life. What if my lack of love is actually my body telling me what I need- or more importantly, what I don't. 

  Over the last month or so I have had some issues with nutritional health that need to be addressed and I am glad to have experienced this challenge. It brought to light some underlying issues and helped get me more in touch with my body's needs.

  **Please remember, before making any drastic change to your diet it is wise to consult your physician and get some well-rounded nutritional counseling. Not every body responds well to every diet (no matter how healthy that diet may seem)!

My April Wellness Challenge is a fun one- to journal every day! Join me!

  

  

  Social media is a huge part of our daily lives. It has become just as essential as having electricity or running water. But over the last year- between the pandemic, political controversy, and social unrest, apps like Facebook, Instagram, and others have become sources of stress and anxiety for many people. 

  For my February Challenge, I decided to swear off social media for the month. I gave myself two exceptions- I could still post on my business pages; and I could also still engage with a family page we have on Facebook.

  Other than that, all social media was off-limits! 

  Within a few days, I noticed that I had almost immediately replaced the continuous scrolling of social media with scrolling on other sites- such as Pinterest or Google News. It made me wonder- what is it that makes scrolling so addictive? Is it just because it passes time? Are we intrigued by the constant bombardment of new content and ads? I think it is a little of both, but mostly I believe it is due to having simply become a bad habit. Much like biting your nails or cracking your knuckles, we don't do it because we enjoy it. The repetitiveness becomes habitual. Similar to a bad habit, after about two weeks of restriction, I noticed the habit seemed to break and no longer was I endlessly scrolling. 

  As the month went on I realized that I get most of my news from Facebook and without it, I was very out of the loop.  I follow the local news and major news outlets, the White House, our governor, our senators, and local representatives. Without  their content being presented to me, I noticed that I did not actively seek it out, or even realize that I wasn't seeing it. I have not seen the state Covid numbers in a month. This is not because I don't care, it's because I am so accustomed to everything being automatically delivered to me that I usually don't even have to think about finding it.
  Despite not being glued to the news over the last month, I have not missed anything important enough to affect my life. This makes me wonder- how much time have I spent stressing over things that are completely out of my control? How much of what goes on in the world actually affects us on a daily basis? We are made to feel like we must pay attention to ALL news ALL the time, as if being a spectator will somehow change the outcome of a story. The truth is, we need to remain informed but not at the expense of our mental health. 

  I made one final observation in my time away from social media. Occasionally when I'd visit my family page, old habits would take over and I'd start scrolling down the regular FB news feed. I would quickly realize what I was doing, because it wouldn't take long for me to come to a friend's extreme and radical post. This was the most profound lesson I learned over the last month- that we are such a culture of extremists!
 
  Extremism is something I have always tried to stay away from. In my opinion it is one of the most toxic habits of our society. Even the best idea, belief, or movement turns negative if taken to the extreme. When a protest for a righteous cause dissolves into looting and burning; when love for a political candidate turns into a violent and deadly riot; when dislike for a celebrity leads to an accusation of devil worship; when fandom turns into blindly following someone's every word. None of this is healthy, or good, or justified. Obsession, radicalism, extremism turns us blind. And social media LOVES extremism. It caters to it, promotes it, and profits from it.

  With social media being a platform where we can all "loudly" share our opinions, regardless of our education or knowledge of a subject, it is our responsibility to make sure we protect ourselves from misinformation, extreme reaction, and from getting sucked into that abyss of negativity. 

  Though I have missed aspects of social media I am glad to be rid of some of it. Going forward, I have decided to not only limit my social media time to less than 30 mintu4es per day. but I am going to unfollow many people and pages than thrive on extreme reaction and radical responses. I am certain my mental and emotional health will thank me!

  For March, I have decided on a fresh, spring-inspired wellness challenge- to eat vegetables every day. To most of you, this may seem like a very simple challenge (and not much of a challenge at all!). But I am a notorious veggie-hater, and often go several days without consuming anything green! 

​  If you have a favorite veggie recipe, please fell free to share it with me!     

 
  I am a lover of all things tea! The wellness benefits, the pleasures of a warm cup, and the art of tea-making itself, all make tea a special delicacy. Over the years I've become a bit of a tea snob, but I am always happy to introduce a novice. 

  Recently, I began offering TeaForte teas at the office. TeaForte is my favorite brand of tea. They offer everything from classic blacks to exotic tisanes, each finely crafted and exquisite. 


  When I first moved out on my own 10 years ago (yikes!) I had just started my career in massage therapy. I had a big rent payment, a big car payment, tuition payments, and very little income. Somehow I made it work- mostly by scraping together every penny and rarely treating myself to anything beyond the basic necessities. 

  Finally one day I splurged and purchased the large assortment box from TeaForte. I think it was around $50, and at the time I thought that was an enormous amount to spend on myself! I had so much fun trying a new tea every day. Even now, some of the ones I experienced in that first sampler remain my favorites- such as the comforting Orchid Vanilla or exotic Jasmine Green. 

  Making and drinking tea is a ritual for me. I never take tea to work, and I never make it if I don't have the time to truly sit and enjoy it (that's what coffee is for!). If I ever have a day where I am tired, or stressed, or for some reason my head just is not focused on the task at hand, I always think about the cup I'm going to have once I get home and it gets me through. 

  Sometimes all you can do is make it to that next cup of tea.