Author: lissa612@yahoo.com

Washington D.C. in 24 Hours

Ideal?  I think not.  Fun?  Most definitely!  One of my favorite things about Dusko and I’s relationship is that is has always been based on being very sporadic/spur of the moment.  This has absolutely changed since we have children and is not the most practical way to live life.  Dusko recently mentioned he had to go to Baltimore for work and would have to be there on a sunday since they start at 8am Monday.  He had an idea-Let me tell you, the man has GREAT ideas!  Usually better than mine.  lol.  At any rate, that is how I ended up in the nations capital for one day.

Our agenda:

(after lots of fb recommendations and searches)

8:45am-Land at DCA

10am-Arlington National Cemetery

This came recommended by almost everyone and I am SO glad we went here.  It is just beautiful and leaves you mesmerized by the lives that have been lost fighting for this country.  Make sure you watch the changing of the guards at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  It’s quite cool to see that the USA still does something like this.  I mean there is literally a soldier that stands there ALL hours of the day, EVERYDAY of the year.

Noon-Georgetown

So awesome here, the shopper in me wanted to park and just walk the tree lined streets of unique boutiques but knowing we had so much to squeeze in I just couldn’t!  So we went to the harbor and had lunch at Farmers Fishers Bakers.  Would highly recommend this, the brunch buffet was the best buffet I’ve ever had.

 

 

2pm-Check into Hotel

The Kimpton Hotel Palomar, it was cute, trendy, perfect for one night but I wouldn’t suggest this hotel.  I have stayed at quite a few other Kimpton properties and this just didn’t seem to be at the same level.  Good location though and that is what was important to us.

 

2:30pm-Walk to the White House

This was probably my favorite part of our visit.  I am 36 years old and have never been to Washington D.C., so to see the White House in person was pretty cool.  It was way smaller looking than I had expected.  There was also a TON of caution tape blocking the street so you can’t even stand right by the fence.  We actually thought for a minute that maybe there was a different view of it because of it being blocked.  When we were there we actually saw Trump(I still can’t believe he is our president) land in his helicopter which was also pretty cool.

3pm-Washington Monument

This monument stands so tall that it really is awesome just to look at.  We spent quite a bit of time walking around here and just enjoying the scenery as it was a beautiful day!

 

4pm-W Hotel-Washington

We came for the alcohol!  lol, really though, the hotel is steps from the White House, so we went to the rooftop bar for a drink.  The view from up there is something everyone should see!

5:30pm-Find Graffiti wall full of hearts

I thought Dusko was going to kill me, we got in an uber to find this wall full of graffiti hearts that I just had to take pictures in front of.  Of course we had the wrong address and our uber driver had no clue what I was talking about.  Good news, we ran into a nice family that the daughter knew exactly what we were looking for!!!

Jackpot:  the wall just so happens to be outside of a super cute and trendy market-Union Market.  Do yourself a favor and visit the market!  You feel like a local and the food venues are delicious!

7pm-National’s Game

For those of you that know us, did you think we were going to head to Washington D.C. and not go to a sporting event?!?!?  Really this is what Dusko’s idea was about me heading to DC with him!  lol, I obviously turned it into us prancing around this awesome city!  At any rate, no baseball stadium will ever top Wrigley Field in my book but I do enjoy visiting them!  And hot dogs/beer are a nice bonus.

 

Some people may think we are crazy, but this was such a fun 24 hours with my husband!  No diapers to change, no strollers to grab, just running around exploring!  Don’t think about it, just do it!

 

XOXO,

Alissa

 

 

Disclamer:  there were a TON of other things we wanted to see and do, but for 24 hours this fulfilled both of us!

 

The Easiest and Cutest Treat-Oreo Pops

 

Oreo Pops are my go to treat!  They are so stinking easy and just adorable.  I started making them when cake pops first became popular.  See, the thing is, I love to decorate things but I HATE baking!  After many different google and pinterest searches for Cake pops I determined the process of making them was just too lengthy for someone like me.  Thus, I found a picture of cake pops once for my annual ornament party and now have made them multiple times for different holidays and events!

What you will need:

Double Stuffed Oreos

Treat Sticks(I always use wilton simply because they are easy to find)

Wilton candy melts(you can of course use any kind of chocolate but I usually need colors)

Decor of any kind

clear treat bags for packaging individually

cute ties for packaging

Aluminum foil or parchment paper

 

STEP 1-Prep

Cover your countertop with aluminum foil or parchment paper.  Separate the Oreos, I usually twist them to open.  Warning:  you will end up breaking a few, I usually feed those to my husband.

 

STEP 2-Oreo Pop Assembly

Place the treat stick in the center of the Oreo side that has all of the creamy goodness, then place the other side of the Oreo on top.  This makes the actual Oreo pop, see how much easier this is than Cake pops!!!  I have at times used frosting to help keep the oreos together once the stick is inside.  They usually stay together just fine once the chocolate covers them anyways but if you are a perfectionist use the frosting as glue!

STEP 3-Melting the Candy Melts

I have wasted so much in the past because its so easy to over cook chocolate. FOLLOW the directions on the bag-trust me.  Basically, heat the chocolate on defrost for 60 seconds, then 30 second intervals after.  It usually doesn’t take longer than a minute.

STEP 4-Dip the Oreos

This pretty much speaks for itself.  Dip the Oreos into the candy melts, this is my favorite part because your product is really coming to life here.  Set each one back onto the aluminum foil or parchment paper, decorate with whatever you would like.

STEP 5-Let them cool

STEP 6-Package

Wrap them up in little baggies or whatever packaging.  I love this step because they end up looking so professional.  For this particular round of oreo pops, I used a mini bail of hay to hold them up because they are pumpkins!  Such a fun little centerpiece.

 

My take on Whole 30

Ahhhh, Whole 30…So I shall mention before you read this that I am a Whole 30 graduate.  So I kind of have a love/hate with Whole 30.  I first heard about it when I was pregnant, insert chuckle, obviously the timing was definitely off on that one.  I had zero interest in it then and didn’t think I ever really would.  Fast forward to my third trimester with Emerson(my second child), I found out I had gestational diabetes(save these details for a later date).  I obviously decided it was time to start caring what I was putting into my body again.  I was approximately 6 weeks post partum when I knew it was time to take charge.  For those of you un familiar with Whole 30, in a nutshell you don’t eat anything processed and NO dairy!  Try to do that in 2017, not exactly an easy task.  We live in a world where everyone is in such a hurry and to eat well, it’s hard to be in a hurry.  I have a great situation for eating better because I am home everyday and I knew this, which is another reason I knew it was time to take charge.  I also need everyone to know I was a dairy junkie.  I used half & half in my coffee every morning and afternoon, as well as added cheese to almost everything!!!  Here is a meal plan for an average day while I was in my 30 days.

Average Day

Lots of water, coffee with almond milk or nutpods(you can find them on amazon)

Breakfast: sauteed onions, potatoes, and red pepper, 2 eggs over easy, avocado(and or guacamole)

Lunch:  Kale/Spinach mix, grilled chicken, avocado, EVOO & balsamic vinegar

Dinner: Steak, Brussel sprouts with EVOO and lemon

Every day was fairly similar except sub out different meats and vegetables.

PROS

+I did not miss dairy.  I really thought I would but it turns out vegetables add so much flavor that I really didn’t care.

+I felt very satisfied when I was done eating because taking out the sugars helped me to not have cravings.

+I lost approx 12 lbs, and my huband lost 17lbs.  Overall, we both felt a ton better, no  headaches, not as tired.

+My clothes fit sooo much better

CONS

+I definitely felt like garbage the first few days as my body was ridding all of the nasty processed garbage inside of me.

+You can’t really eat out and I love to eat out.  It is an event for me, especially now that I am a stay at home mom.

+I thought I was going to turn into a chicken because I ate so many eggs. lol

+No Alcohol-although, this is the part of Whole 30 where I made my own rules!  Seriously though, this “lifestyle” is pretty strict and I couldn’t drink for 9 months while I was pregnant!

 

Overall, I am so glad I did this and it truly has been a lifestyle change for myself and my family.

If you are interested in a Health Coach, click here to check out my childhood friend, Natalie’s website: http://www.natalieschroder.com She is actually the one that got me started on feeling like a new person!  She also posts weekly meal plans and has great ideas!

If you are about to start your journey, Good Luck!  If you are on the fence, do it!!!

XOXO,

Lissa

Breastfeeding-The Truth

The dreaded breastfeeding……Breastfeeding is always something I said I planned to do.  My mom nursed my two brothers and I and for some reason I just always assumed I would do it.  To be honest, in my mind it seemed like it was something that was very easy, natural, and would just happen.  In fact, Dusko and I skipped our breastfeeding class before Max was born.  Ha!  That joke was definitely on us or me I should say.  Motherhood is definitely something I didn’t have a true vision of until I became a mom, but nursing was by far the hardest thing I have ever had to do.  This is for a few reasons:

+It is P A I N F U L

+It is A 24 HOUR job

+The F E A R of the Unknown

 

P A I N F U L

To say breastfeeding is painful is an understatement.  Have you ever had someone cut into one of the most sensitive parts of your body and continue to do it???  Probably not, because that just wouldn’t make sense.  Here are my tips for the first week of nursing.

  1.  Lanolin or some kind of nipple cream, make sure to find one that is safe for baby.  I used the Medela lanolin and although it gave me relief there are a lot of better ones out there.  The hospital gave me this one in a time of need!
  2. Warm washcloths, especially if this is your second or third or fourth.  The milk comes in a lot faster and these help with engorgement.  Basically use as a heat compress for approximately one min before nursing.
  3. Pineapple juice-Buy all natural with no added sugars and bring it in your hospital bag! This one I read about on pinterest in a desperate need to feel better.   It either really worked or the timing was there but it’s worth trying in my book.  Pineapple is a natural anti-oxidant so it helps with swelling.
  4. Make sure you have a good, supportive, nursing bra.  This was something the first time around I didn’t think was important-wrong!  Some of my favorites are actually from target.

24 H O U R job

  1.  Baby is attached to mom pretty much ALL the time for the first couple of weeks. The doctors and nurses will tell you to wake the baby every couple of hours to make sure he/she eats.  In a nutshell, I thought I knew what it was like to feel exhausted.  Well, I didn’t….now I do, and I understand the term-Mombie!  lol
  2. Unless you pump, which is truly a hard task when baby already wants you every second, you are pretty much the only one that can feed them.  Thus the exhaustion…
  3. Leaving the house for more than a couple hours at time is honestly a real challenge.  But girl, you deserve it!!!  So leave the hubs at home with the baby or children and go to starbucks, or target, or whatever you fancy.

F E A R of the Unknown

  1.  Is baby eating enough?  This is always one of the first questions a mom will ask.  Sometimes it can take days for your milk to come in.  Since I am absolutely not a professional, what I have been told is that as long as they are going to the bathroom they are getting something!  And apparently colostrum(what the baby is eating before your milk comes in) is the most magical stuff ever and carries so many nutrients!
  2. Is the pain every going to go away?  Yes, yes, my friend, it will, I promise.
  3. Will I ever sleep again?  Yup!  not sure how soon as each babe is special and unique in their own way but you will sleep again.  Infact, when you start sleeping again, you will miss those special moments when no one else was awake but you and the babe!

 

I could literally talk about nursing for HOURS and HOURS, so look forward to some posts in the future, but for now, Have a good week!

 

XOXO-

Lissa

 

 

 

So why don’t you blog about it?!!!

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The idea of becoming a blogger has always seemed so appealing to me as I’m already always on Instagram, I love fashion and trends, and I’m a shopaholic. I took a stab at it about a year ago and quite honestly got pretty bored with it very quickly. Lack of content being a major factor. It occurred to me recently that the reason I got bored is that I was fighting what was right in front of me-Motherhood. I LOVE being a mom but didn’t think that Instagram loved me being a mom. The cold hard truth-I am a mom and it is my life, so what do I care what Instagram thinks? Surviving life one day at a time is hard enough with 2 kids under 2, you might as well look and feel great while doing it. Seriously there are days when I’m not sure I’ll make it out alive until my husband gets home in 30 mins, and there are days that simply fly by. My blog, TWEE is here for all moms to feel inspired to look and feel great everyday. I’m here to help you reinvent your momiform one pair of leggings at a time!

XOXO-
Lissa

The Magic of Disney

Ahhhh!  Where has the time gone. I really thought I’d be better at this blogging thing. Ha. Wrong!  We went to Vegas and then Florida, I’m back so hope to start up with my blog a bit more!

I think the day I found out I was pregnant, Dusko, my husband, was like, YES!  We can go to Disneyworld!!!  I cringed. The thought of ALL the people, strollers, public restrooms, the Florida heat. The amount of money it costs to go to the biggest money pit in the world!!!  The list goes on. Well, fast forward to February in Chicago, I really needed an escape to somewhere warm, anywhere with sunshine. So naturally when I found out my parents would be in Florida, I told Dusko we can go and we will stop at Disney first!!  Woo Hoo!  Really I’m thinking our son is 10 months old and this is so dumb-he won’t remember any of it!!!  But it worked!  We booked our Florida Adventure. #maxexploresflorida

All of a sudden I found myself getting excited to see the Big Mouse. Off to The Magic Kindgom we went!  And I have to say, I don’t care how old you are there is something magical about that place. It’s so clean, a little vintage now, and just magical???!

 As we walked through the park, Maxwell was just in awe looking at everything, and I was reminiscing about my childhood-the trips I had taken to Disney!  One of my favorite trips to Disney, I was in 7th grade???  Megan correct me if you choose!  I can’t remember all the details. We walked around that place like we owned it. Ha!  I think that trip was on the top of my mind because Megan’s father and mother took us. Her father passed away unexpectedly not too long ago. He was a great man full of knowledge and wisdom!

I’m not sure what Dusko was thinking as we strolled through but he was definitely geeked out about Max meeting the characters. Turns out this was fun too!  He screamed so much when he met most of them, especially Mickey!  Turns out it was kind of cute to have someone throw their arms and cry that they want you so badly. It was kind of a sweet mom moment, to know that they just want you.

I’m a shopper, so naturally we had to get in costume too!  Vintage Mickey ears for the boys, and Minnie ears for mom!  Minnie was always my favorite as a child. I guess because I’m a girl and she wears a polka dot dress!!!  That’s pretty awesome. About 5.5 hours into our adventures, it stated pouring rain. In Florida. Turns out it was time to go home anyways!  I’m really glad we went and if you are on the fence just because you child is so young. It’s still fun for mom and dad!  Definitely a trip I will cherish

  for a lifetime ❤️❤️❤️.

Traditions

 You guys, when your 31 year old brother calls you because he found out you are now responsible for the Lamb cake for Easter and he NEEDS a picture. You know it’s a Tradition!  I have two younger brothers, Jordan 31, and MacKenzie 24(he will kill me if he actually reads this-he definitely goes by Mack and has since kindergarten because apparently in the 90’s MacKenzie was a girl name. Lol).  Jordan now resides in Truckee,CA near Lake Tahoe, so he and his family of four don’t make it to every holiday. At any rate, apparently Jordan was talking about the ever so famous Lamb cake at work. Too funny. Although my little lamb, who looks like she is Hawaiian is quite funny. I sent that text with extreme pride!  This was NOT the easy task I expected. Infact, thank god for Pinterest. 

http://www.midcenturymenu.com/2012/03/10-tips-for-the-perfect-retro-easter-lamb-lambie-cake/  

I happened to stumble upon this link when I was looking for decorating tips. And oh my!  I started making the lamb Saturday morning around 8am, just incase she fell over. If you plan to make a lamb cake-it’s a MUST read!  

Two years ago at my wedding shower my cousin Valerie thought it would be funny to “will” down the vintage lamb mold. I laughed it off with a smile until the first Easter came and I got a text asking if I was Infact making the lamb cake. Eek!  The mold was in storage as we were in the process of moving. Well, no such luck this year. 

Turns out I impressed myself. Thank god for buttering the sh*t out of it and my lovely grandma for suggesting I use Mayer lemon pound cake instead of regular. Guess what?!?!?!  For the first time in all the years of Lamb cake at the Vitallo household, that big blue plate was EMPTY!  Success. So, anyways, TRADITIONS!  

 

May we raise them ❤️

We all love our moms, or at least I hope we do. So in honor of International Woman’s Day, I’m sure it’s no surprise to anyone that I would choose to write about my mom and how she has inspired me to be the person I am today.

I could write a million stories about my mom and the things she has done for me personally, however this comment I am about to share with you struck a chord. Last Friday I was at a gathering where I saw some women I hadn’t seen in years. My mom wasn’t in attendance, but she somehow got brought up. Perhaps for her keen sense of fashion or her vacation she was leaving for the next day. I’m not really sure. I was too busy talking to hear the whole story!!! Haha. At any rate, one of the women who had previously worked with my mom said to another woman, “have you met Alissa’s mom? She is one of the most selfless and giving people I have ever met. Both of her parents are, they are awesome.” I mean I know I have always thought my mom is amazing but when you hear someone say it that is merely an aquaintance at this point of life, you feel pretty darn honored to be her daughter. Just as an example, my mom once covered a leave at the grade school in the small town I’m from. The woman had breast cancer(I believe), a 4 month old, and needed to take time off to get her chemo treatments. At the end of the leave, my mom donated her entire paycheck for the time she covered her classroom to the woman. I don’t care how much money you have or don’t have in this world, it takes a pretty special person to donate their time and money to anyone. This is just one example that came to mind when I decided to write about my mom. To be honest, the school asked to interview her regarding her donation and she politely declined. It wasn’t about her, it wasn’t about giving the money, it was about the woman getting better and having the financials to pay for all of her medical care.

So today when I saw this quote everyone was posting, “here’s to strong women, may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.” I felt inspired, inspired to share this story about my mom. She sure did raise my 2 brothers and I, and if I turn out to be half of the mother she is I will consider it a SUCCESS!

Parenting for Dummies

“So, do you have any other children? Is he your first?” The walk in clinic doctor asks Dusko and I.

YES, Dr. D, he is our first, YES we have been to the doctor 4 times in 5 days(did I just openly admit that?!?!), and YES we are first time parents. But seriously thank you for bringing a semi chuckle to my face that horrible Sunday morning at 7am.

Maxwell was sick this past week and quite honestly I felt completely helpless. This little precious being is in so much pain and there is little to nothing you can do to help him. I mean isn’t there a guide or a manual I can read???? Why is parenting one of the single handed most important jobs, yet one of the only jobs without an instruction manual???? I know, I know, every child is different. I get that and I also get that my friend Google is great when looking for a dress I saw someone wearing that I just have to have, however, not my friend when my child is sick. Ugh. It took everything in me NOT to google anything regarding Maxwell this week. I really do for the most part try not to google much regarding him. His first few days of existence, Google made me this crazy ball of anxiety I didn’t know could ever exist. I am definitely no doctor and for sure not a pediatrician, but I will say that mother’s instinct/women’s intuition, it’s crazy but she does kick in when you need her most. At any rate-The struggle is Real. Very Real. Per Dr. D, I’m fairly confident the second child won’t cause as much anxiety! Haha.

Dress Up

“Playing dress up begins at age 5 and never truly ends!” -Kate Spade

I heard this quote recently, of course I’ve heard it before but it hit home a little more with me this time. I’ve always liked this quote but quite honestly I don’t really like to play dress up! Ironic? I think in this rushed world we live in, “playing dress up” simply takes too much time. Or maybe it’s that I always think I need something brand spanking new. Maybe a little of both. At any rate, I left my full time job recently to be a SAHM(stay at home mom), the most under-rated Job in the world. I can say this because I’ve now seen both sides, maybe even judged a time or two. I mean this is a safe zone, right???? In between feedings, 67 diaper changes a day, nap time, play time, work outs, Instagram, and everything else, I’ve found myself with a little more down time….just a smudge. I’m sure it’s because my commute to work is a lot shorter!!! I’m saving like 10 hours of my life per week. My mom came over the other day, God bless my mother for many reasons but the woman CANNOT sit down!!! So my one window of opportunity where Max was sleeping and I could possibly relax turned into a “lets go through your closet” session. All of a sudden she’s trying everything on and this quote pops in my head! I’m thinking, she actually loves to dress up still, it almost felt like we were kids again playing dress up. Finding outfits for potential events and swapping items out. So naturally I join in. I’ve had serious FOMO(fear of missing out) my whole life. My poor little 8 month old has it now. Lol yup-he really does! It was SO much FUN though!!! I paired outfits together that I wouldn’t even have tried on, ever, they would have possibly been dust collectors in my new “walk-in” closet. I quote the walk-in because it’s hardly a walk-in and simply not big enough!!! I think it’s kind of comparable to the saying the more you make, the more you spend? The bigger the closet, the less room??? Right?? I have never been one to set out my clothes the night before(only exception-first day of school every year). I just wake up, think about what’s in my closet, and let my mood decipher what I’ll wear on any given day. This trusty method has worked so far! But I’m thinking this new game of dress up is a game changer! Maybe even a wallet saver?!?! Probably not. Ha! At any rate, I’m ready for this Midwestern weather to change to Spring for good so I can shine bright in this new found wardrobe of mine???

Prime Wardrobe

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