Month: May 2022

Shari: The Final (Baby) Countdown

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It’s the FINAL COUNTDOWN…

Photographed by: Bailey Erickson Photography

Yes, I know the song just popped into your head… you’re welcome! But truly it is the final countdown for babies (plural, Kendall’s and mine) to come. If you missed the blog post from last week — Kendall talks about taking a break from the blog as she prepares for the baby to arrive and spends the first few months just soaking in the joys and challenges of adjusting to be a family of four — check out her comments here.

I am so excited for Kendall and Issy and their growing family. If this baby is anything like his older sister… he is going to be so stinkin’ CUTE!! I have to say, going through the pregnancy process together has been an adventure in such a positive way. I can’t tell you how many times we have hopped on Marco Polo (app) and discussed our latest pregnancy symptom or gave updates from a recent OB/midwife appointment. Since this is Kendall’s second pregnancy and my first it has been fun to hear what she remembers from her previous pregnancy, compared to this one. I’ve appreciated her sound advice, her listening ear, and her affirmations that what we are both feeling is valid. The lack of energy, fatigue, hunger, lack of hunger, hormones, emotional moments, fear, concern, excitement, and anticipation… we’ve discussed every up and down part of this journey and I am beyond thankful she has been “by my side” the entire time. Kendall, I wish you and your family the absolute best and cannot wait for the ‘new mom’ content that will fill our salty exchange blog webpages in the future.

For now, I am still solidly in the third trimester of pregnancy. It’s has been pretty uneventful besides growing a lot more noticeably these days. I had people tell me “you’re so tiny” but I bet they’d take back those comments now. I am measuring right on track which means that baby girl is gaining at least a half a pound a week and her space inside is getting limited and squished. I am currently 34 weeks pregnant and my body is starting to rebel against the extra weight and awkward distribution of the belly sticking out front and pulling on my lower back. I know women’s bodies are designed for this but that doesn’t negate the fact that it is still awkward and uncomfortable at times. I have 6 weeks remaining and my body definitely feeling that the end is near. When you grunt getting up and down you know things are getting harder to manage (uff-da)!

My labor and delivery class last week was interesting. I enjoyed learning about what to expect as my body transitions through labor, the reality of the pain and the necessity of making sure my primal instincts to be safe and secure are maintained. Although the instructor didn’t make this comparison, I couldn’t help but think about birth like an epic hiking trip. When I hiked the Enchantments (a 24 mile, multi-day hike in Washington) it was the hardest, most physical thing I had done. The anticipation, unknown, inevitable nerves, and preparation that went into that trip. I will never forget it. I had to learn the elevation gain, the terrain, and what to expect for somewhere I had never been before based on other people’s reports and experiences. It was like planning for three or four separate backpacking trips all in one. It feels relatable to where I am at in preparation for labor and delivery. I know it is going to be a challenge. It’s going to be painful and I will have to push forward when I am physically and mentally exhausted. My body will need time to recover afterwards. But ultimately the experience and the views will be worth it all in the end. Baby girl will outshine any mountain top I’ve ever summited and that is the exciting part for me. I know I have the mental and physical endurance to get her here but I am still nervous about the elevation, pain, and trail conditions (aka, the labor and delivery process) because there are so many scenarios that could happen. I have to trust that my birth story and journey will be as beautiful and unique as my trip to the Enchantments. And that my friends, is the best way I can describe how I am feeling right now.

Soon my arms will be too occupied to type but for now I am planning on posting a few more times before I sign off from the blog for a bit. Kendall and I will most likely be back in the late summer, early fall… we will see what happens. We will be back though! With that said, I am not going anywhere for a few weeks and plan on leaving you with some fun summer must-haves and some smoothie recipes to cool you off in the hot summer months 🙂 Stay tuned, stay salty!

Shari’s Q&A with Girl Gone Crypto

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The world of cryptocurrency and digital technology can be extremely overwhelming. Girl Gone Crypto’s, Lea Thompson, has made it her goal to create an approachable and fun social media presence for those interested in learning more about cryptocurrency. Her sense of humor and creative outlook to the most recent news make her a prominent female presence in a very male dominated technology-based industry. I sat down with her and asked her a few of your questions ranging from what is crypto to what are common mistakes people make. We both hope this is informative and helpful- especially if you are interested in the future of digital currency.

What is crypto? The best way to describe crypto is that we already live in a world of digital money. We pay with credit cards, we have our paychecks set up as direct deposit, and we have auto-pay set up to pay our bills. Yes, obviously we still have cash but the majority of the way we transact is all digital. The difference between how we transact now versus crypto is that with cryptocurrencies you have a more decentralized peer-to-peer aspect to it. For example, the bank is a third party institution and has control over your money, they can decide to shut down your account or freeze your funds for whatever reason whenever they want. However, with cryptocurrencies you have the control and power over your own money and when referring to peer-to-peer, it means that we can transact directly, we don’t have to go through a bank, PayPal, or Venmo, etc. Your funds are yours when you have full control no one can freeze your funds because of the way the technology is set up and because it is decentralized, so at its core that is the main difference between how we transact now vs using cryptocurrency.

Why should we care? A lot of people focus on the price movement piece of cryptocurrency but it is so much more than that, it’s an entirely new technology. If you look at the early stages of the internet, it took people a while to fully start using it. However, you can’t deny that the internet was an extremely important and revolutionary technology that has changed the way we live and act; we quite literally have a library of information at our fingertips. Beyond just price movements and investments, the underlying blockchain technology that drives all of this is a fundamental shift all on its own. If you ask “why should I care?”, honestly, you don’t have to. Ultimately, by taking the time to learn and understand cryptocurrency now will probably be advantageous to you in the future. For example, if you look at the people who were early to understand tech and how that opened up opportunities, jobs, and investments because they actually understood what was happening with that emerging technology. So generally I say the earlier you can understand emerging technology the better.

From an investment standpoint, it has been some of the best returning asset classes of the last decade. If someone is looking at crypto from that perspective then it is also something really interesting and worth taking the time to look into and understand why it’s valuable and why it may be something worth investing in.

How to get started? Start slow, start with Bitcoin. It’s the most decentralized, has the most momentum, adoption, and from a market cap perspective – it is the largest. Basically, at this point, it isn’t going anywhere. Avoid the temptation to jump in early on some  random small cap coin or token that you heard about on TikTok or YouTube. Maybe you’ll get lucky, but most of the time you won’t.  Bitcoin has the safest long term potential. There have been a lot of coins that have come and gone over the last ten years but Bitcoin has stood the test of time. Next I generally recommend people check out Ethereum and then dive into other coins from there. No matter what you do – make sure you take the time to understand what you are investing in and what is the long term value.

Another great way to get started is by buying a little cryptocurrency over time which is called ‘dollar cost averaging’. It tends to be the best strategy long term because it averages itself out. Cash app is an easy way to get started with purchasing crypto or you can use an exchange like Coinbase, Binance, Okcoin, or Gemini which will give you more options than Cash app. Either way just getting started, setting up an account on an exchange, and then eventually getting a hardware wallet is a great place to begin.

Common Mistakes? People often think it is too late to start. According to Lea this is simply not true. They think that the main coins like Bitcoin or Ethereum are “so expensive” and look into cheaper coins and then they don’t fully understand why. Understand why you think something has value, educate yourself because when it has volatility or dips in price and you only invested in it because someone on social media told you to, it can be really stressful. Start slow, like stated above.

Another mistake is trying to time the market. Even if you are a really experienced trader and you know how to read the charts, you may do okay but even they mess up. No one has a crystal ball, we really don’t know. Which is why dollar cost averaging is a great method to use. Just buying a little over time has proven to have the most consistent returns on average.

Any other tips? Take time to educate yourself and commit to learning even if it is just a little bit a day. Like learning another language, if you take baby steps daily you will speak fluently eventually. The Bitcoin Standard by Saifedean Ammous is a really good book to read and there are a lot of really great YouTube videos to reference. It might feel a little overwhelming or intimidating when you are initially learning. Just know that anyone can do it, the only difference between myself and someone else is that I have spent more time on the internet learning about crypto. Also worth mentioning is that if you don’t want to buy crypto but you want to earn it, you can download Lolli to earn free Bitcoin when you shop online. A simple yet effective way to get started as well. Just getting your hands on a little cryptocurrency, whether that is by buying it or earning it opens the door for you to learn how it works and how to transfer it around and see firsthand what you can do with it.

After the interview, I asked Lea to describe herself and her Girl Gone Crypto platform. She quickly joked that she is just a “nerd” on the internet with her costumes and silly tweets. However, when she got into the crypto space in 2017 she realized quickly that the it was super mathematical, technical, and intimidating and lacking fun engaging content. She wants people to see her funny TikToks and videos and think, “if this girl can do it then so can I.” She created her GGC platform to empower people to take the first steps in understanding crypto and encourage people to experience the freedom and fun that decentralized assets can bring.

*Huge thank you to Girl Gone Crypto for taking the time to sit down and answer a few questions!

Kendall: Inflation (Economically and Physically)

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Inflation… there’s that effing word again. It’s EVERYWHERE. But WHAT does it really mean? Well, I can tell you I don’t 100% know. I mean, I understand the basic concept and it’s effect on our economy… and my wallet. Other than that, I can’t give you a great economic break down. What I can tell you is how inflation has impacted me and how it may be impacting you.

I take after my mother in that I study my grocery bill. Over the past two years, I have watched price increases specifically at the grocery store. Let me tell you, there are a ton of increases. From my canned tomatoes to my favorite local steaks, prices have increased. Don’t even get me started on the price of milk. Apparently wanting organic milk for my family is going to cost me upwards of $6. Yup, I still pay it. We have been lucky and can keep buying what we need and want but I do keep an eye on a deal and the best places to buy certain goods. Luckily, I live in a really community centric area and we are aware the food shortage and price increases are a thing for many of our fellow Vermonters. So we are often doing food drives for our local food bank. From Thanksgiving meals to regular ole’ dropping cans and non-perishable items, we want to do our part to ease the burden that inflation can inflict. I don’t say that self-righteously. I am genuinely concerned that food is unattainable for people. Watching inflation and it’s impact on my wallet has made me more convinced that we need to figure out how to make more food and be investing in technology in which to do that. Some groups and studies say that by 2050 we are going to be in a global food supply crisis/shortage. Some disagree with this estimate. Regardless, I think the past two years of have shown us that stability in this category isn’t guaranteed and we need to figure out how to not only adapt but move forward in a positive way so that all citizens of the world can eat… inflation be da^*ed.

Another area of global life that has been heavily hit by inflation is gasoline. I drive a Volvo XC90. It requires premium. It’s annoying. Luckily, I don’t fill up often. But it still hurts when I do. Yesterday, I paid $5.29 a gallon. My final bill was $86 and change. That was about 12 days worth of driving… so not too bad but not great either. Wanna go on a trip? Be prepared for your wallet to take a hit. Tickets have been higher since the pandemic but have now gone up about 25% more. The International Air Transport Association has stated that in the past year alone jet fuel has gone up 150%.

Take all of the above and apply it to every basic part of your life: vacations, school, utilities, general budgeting etc. We are spending more and let’s be honest, it hurts! We feel it. Some say this is a great time to take some risks with the stock market. Full disclosure: Investing is all greek to me. But I get why people say it makes sense. I also get why it scares the crap out of people. Ultimately, you have to do what is best for your money and you should always seek the guidance of a financial advisor.

Know all of this? Good. I encourage all of you to be keeping tabs on your grocery and misc. bills and comparing prices. Why? Simple awareness. How often do you throw in a carton of strawberries and actually consider the price? It may or may not matter to you but you should know the market. It’s just good common sense. Here in Vermont, a lot of the state is on propane or oil. Propane costs are about to rise this next calendar year (starting in July). That makes me so grumpy because it’s already high, I have to have it, and I can’t do anything about it. On top of it, I really dislike my propane company. Most people I know do too but it’s nearly impossible to switch to another company with better rates and service without investing several thousands of dollars in tank installation, fill up, and man hours.

Speaking of inflation, I am inflating every day as I near the end of my pregnancy. This week marks my 37th week of growing my baby boy. My ankles have officially disappeared and my toes resemble pigs in blankets. My nesting urges are strong AF and the reality that my baby could really arrive any day has hit. In an effort to enjoy these last few weeks with my family and give my body some rest, I am taking a break from blogging, grocery store trips (thank you grocery gods for Instacart), and outings in general. It’s getting difficult to get in and out of my car with ease. And with gas being what it is, my checking account will naturally reap the benefits of staying home. I will be back on the blog in a few months. Until then stay safe, have fun in the sun, and just be happy.

Kendall: On Having COVID (In Her Third Trimester)

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On the evening of April 8th, I tested positive for COVID-19. Here’s what happened…

On Wednesday the 6th, I started feeling like my allergies were coming back with a vengeance. This is a super normal spring time happening and it had been warmer and sunnier than usual. I could step outside and instantly react to whatever pollen was swimming in the air. Since 2017, I get an allergy cough that lasts for most of the hardcore blooming season. I didn’t think much of it. On Thursday morning of the 7th, I noticed my throat was scratchy. Again, this isn’t abnormal for me at this time of year. By Friday morning, I was exhausted. Since I am pregnant, this didn’t seem too off brand either. By Friday night though, I had chills. I instantly knew something was not “normal.” When I couldn’t hold myself up, I excused myself from our visiting family, my husband, and Rosemary to go upstairs and go to bed. I called my UVM midwife team. Please note: I had actually rapid tested at home for COVID-19 on both Thursday and Friday morning just to be sure because I am that super cautious citizen. After telling the midwife on call that my rapid tests had been negative, she told me I needed a PCR and that someone would call me the next day to book it. Me, trying to be on top of things, went on to our COVID state site where you can book that stuff. It wasn’t working (because, you know, technology and/or my lovely WIFI connection). Lucky for me, the site running the PCR tests happens to fall smack dab where a good friend of mine works. I called her asking if she had any ideas on how to make an appointment another way. Now, this wonderful friend of mine is super COVID savvy. She knows her stuff. Per her suggestion, I swabbed my throat (this is a thing… google it). Sure enough, I tested positive. The house went into lockdown. I went into quarantine. The whole family took tests- all negative!

Did you know that vaccinated and boosted pregnant women are currently 90% more likely to have breakthrough COVID than those who have cancer or have recently had organ transplants? Thanks to all of the baby sites I subscribe to, I had received this information earlier that week. I was (and am still) double masking because I know my immune system is down. I am still sanitizing after every trip outside of my car. I am still distancing from people who are generally sick because being pregnant in a pandemic makes me feel like the stakes are higher than when I had my first baby in 2018.

Anyways, despite my caution, COVID still knocked on my door. That’s how vulnerable I am. That’s how pervasive and transmissive these new strains are. According to multiple doctors and medical professionals I have since spoken with, getting the virus is just going to happen. At this point it is hard to completely avoid without going back into a lockdown.

OK, so being pregnant changes the stakes. Not only is my body going through some sh&% but add COVID into that mix, and look out! Friday night was a bad night. I was angry at having COVID. I was scared. I felt terrible; NOT in terms of the cold that was developing. My body felt so defeated, in pain, exhausted, and was experiencing chills. Sleep was hard to come by that night. I wasn’t hungry but my body was showing me signs that I needed to eat (thanks, baby boy). I was confused. My body just felt so… ground up. I felt like I had been spun through a pasta press and then put in a wood chipper machine. My cold, while annoying, was fine. Sure, coughing hurt but I could handle it. I couldn’t handle what my body was going through. The midwife had mentioned that as a high risk (read: pregnant) patient, I qualified for Paxlovid. Finding where Paxlovid was in stock and available was going to be a bit of an egg hunt. Supply has been low and what has been available has gone quick. Luckily, a friend knew it was available at a few local pharmacies and because of this, I was able to give my midwife some leads on Saturday morning. Within an hour, I had a prescription waiting to be filled. This is where I am putting on my unpaid Pfizer brand loyalty hat:

THANK YOU. Thank you, Pfizer. The Paxlovid worked. It really worked. I was sort of scared to take it since I am pregnant and there isn’t a ton of data available on pregnant women and this particular pill. But with the encouragement of my medical team and family, I decided it was worth it. And boy oh boy it sure was. Within 36 hours, I was better; not healed… but better. Able to cope. Able to move without wanting to curl up in a ball. Able to feel hopeful.

But of course as this was happening, my daughter got sick. Very sick. After swabbing her throat, she tested positive for COVID-19. Her symptoms were: fever, nausea, vomiting. We got her pediatrician on a telemedicine call within the hour. Chatting with her put her us at ease. Sure enough, with Tylenol, rest, light food, and water she had recovered within 48 hours and was back to being a regular toddler. It was during these first few 48 hours that my husband then got sick. While Rosemary and I didn’t have to quarantine from each other once we were both positive, I was not able to care for her yet. I was still too weak from my own battle with the virus. It was inevitable that my dear, sweet husband was going to get it. Despite wearing a real N-95 mask around her and me, he had the task of caring for her throughout that first night that Rosemary struggled with the virus. Within 24 hours he tested positive. And it did take a full 24 hours. He was negative the following morning but positive by bed time.

The relief at being able to hold him and sleep next to him paired with the Paxlovid made me feel better. I know, I shouldn’t say that. But it was easier on all of us to be sick together. By Wednesday, April 13th I was better and testing negative. While Rosemary had no symptoms after those first few days, she continued to test positive until day 7- Easter Sunday. Issy was sick for a bit longer. He had a bad cold and body aches. You would never know it since he managed to keep working, go to grad school in the evenings, and workout at 6:30 am most mornings. Unfortunately, the virus stayed in his system for a FULL 11 days.

Some of the big questions we get asked are 1) Do you know who gave it to you? 2) Was it as bad as they say? 3) How do you feel about COVID now?

Answers:
1) It doesn’t matter how we got it. We just did. We could try and pick a person or instance where we were exposed but it doesn’t matter… we still got it. “Blaming” someone isn’t really productive or helpful.

2) We each had different experiences. Issy hesitates on what to say. He says it’s too personal of a question to answer. I get that. And I agree. We can only speak to us and our experience. We realize people have lost their lives to this virus. We respect and honor them. We got through it. It was scary. But we got through it. We do not take that for granted.

3) I feel some relief that we’ve had it. Overall, I still feel the same. I am still double masking. I am still sanitizing like a mad woman. That’s just me.

What I want to drive home is how lucky we were that we were able to get our visiting family out and home safely. They never tested positive. So whatever we did or the timing of it all, we were lucky that the buck stopped with us. We were lucky that we had access to medical care. We were lucky that my sister and brother-in-law could run to the stores for us to grab medicines and even cake for me (yes, I was sick but I was also still pregnant). Neighbors brought us groceries and take out. Our support system here is strong. We opted to keep our journey with COVID off of social media and also didn’t tell a lot of people we were sick. This wasn’t done for any other reason than to protect the mental health of those we love. Worrying can be crippling. We didn’t want that- especially when we knew we were going to be ok.

Fast forward to today. We are good. Healthy. Baby Boy Arguello is doing 100% ok. Rosemary is back to her crazy toddler self. Issy never really changed. My aches and pains are now just regular pregnancy ones. UVM Medical Center is testing all placentas after birth to see if COVID has/had penetrated it. The chances are VERY low that it did. Like, super low. I am thankful for the Paxlovid. If you have any questions about it, PLEASE reach out to your doctor and care team.

Stay safe, friends.

Shari: Don’t Forget to Enjoy Living

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Recently I saw the question asked If all your expenses are paid and your troubles were gone, what would you do?” Answers vary from “I’d take a nap,” or “I’d spend time with family,” and so many more simple but reasonable responses that *news flash* YOU CAN DO TODAY!!! It is possible for many of us to live our dream life today but we allow ourselves so much anxiety and stress, we forget that we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. The only guarantee in life is the moments we are currently in and the fact that we will die someday. That. is. all.

Well if you are like me, you see comments or reasonable encouraging speeches like that and you nod (because facts) and also roll your eyes (because life happens). I think the question that we really want to ask ourselves is how do we want to proceed in this life? If tomorrow isn’t promised and the only moment we can count on is the one we are currently in then what do you want to spend your moments doing? If that isn’t sitting at a desk or staring at a computer screen (but you need your job) then what can that look like for you? Yea I’d love to visit my friends and family every day but that isn’t reality.

I argue that there are things you can, in fact, do to give you some reprieve from the daily grind. I dug deep in my self improvement resources, sought out the advice of friends, and thought of a few simple tangible ways you can enjoy your life without being unreasonable about it.

First of all, what is a mantra or saying that you can tell yourself to shift your perspective? Recently a friend of mine told me that sometimes when she is in the routine of life, she asks herself, “how can I make this fun?” She uses this thought or mantra to change her perspective, to help herself enjoy the moments she is in now. I have to tell you, this is one of my happiest friends and she truly does enjoy her life.

Second, if time with family is what you are looking for… what is a way you can reach out to them to let them know you are thinking of them and that they are loved by you. All we have control over is how we make people feel, that is what they will remember. I encourage you to text, call, mail them a ‘thinking of you’ card, comment a sweet message to them on social media, or get them a thoughtful gift. If you are lucky enough to live close to family, schedule a visit. I mean get it on your calendar and simply enjoy time together. It doesn’t have to be hard, you can enjoy your moments with the ones you love, even if you have to plan for them.

Third, ways to relax… I think if there is anything that the pandemic taught us, is that you don’t have to be everywhere at once and there is something to be said about taking a step back and focusing on yourself and your own mental and physical health. For those people who say they want to just “take a nap”, I encourage you to find ways to relax. Maybe that is listening to spa music on Spotify before bed (highly recommend), book a massage or acupuncture appointment, or find something that helps you sleep more restfully (melatonin, ha). But in all seriousness, I wish everyone the feeling of being refreshed and overflowing with energy. There are seasons that you will be more depleted than others and that is okay, find solace in the fact that you will be able to fully rest again.

There you have it. A few ways you can shift your perspective, connect with the ones you love, and ultimately relax so you can enjoy your life now, rather than later. Remember we are not guaranteed tomorrow but don’t let that make you sad, rather, let that propel you to a life worth enjoying.