So I have a small admission to make....we MIGHT (hoping, praying, trying as hard as possible) be moving to San Francisco.
Basically about 3 weeks ago (yes, just 1 week after losing our precious baby) my hubby got an email with a job opportunity that wasn't just interesting...it was absolutely perfect, and basically the dream job for him! It was a friend with an email that read something like this, "Hey, not sure if you might be interested in moving from Monaco, but there's this really great job opp that I think you would be perfect for". He opened the description and couldn't have been more excited! Plus the timing couldn't be better. We're starting to get sick of the "French way", and work hasn't been the most stellar experience. Mixed in with our disaster of a July....we're ready to move back to the good old US of A!!!
He's now moved on from there to the 3rd round of interviews, and he's working on completing an assignment in hopes that we are nearing the end and final negotiations for the position will begin.
Since then I've been googling and researching where to live, the best places to eat, what to wear, raising a family, etc! It seems like a great next move for us.
Here's what I've found so far....
Best places to live (FOR US):
-Hayes Valley
-Mission / Mission Delores
-SOMA
-Basically anything East of Divisadero St.
Best places to eat:
-Mission
-SOMA (funny that these places coincide with where I want to live)
What to wear: Layers, because it gets pretty cool in the evenings and the weather can change at the drop of a hat.
Ahh, I'm getting super excited...I just pray that this all works out!
PS. I've even found an acupuncturist and a yoga studio, now I just need to find a vet!
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
4 Weeks Post Op - Ectopic Pregnancy Removal Surgery
This week marks 4 week post op from the removal of my ectopic pregnancy. It hasn't been easy, but I can definitely say that I'm feeling better both physically and emotionally, and each day it gets a bit easier. Here's a quick run down of some of the things I've experienced during my healing.
July 24th (1 day post op) - I was released from the hospital, I was feeling quite good since I had the meds during the night and they were still wearing off. Slept most of the day, but overall felt very good.
July 25 (2 days post op) - This day was HORRIBLE! I slept horribly because I usually fall asleep on my stomach, which wasn't an option because of where my incisions were. I slept with a pillow under my feet, and basically tossed and turned all night. It was made worse by the sharp pains in my shoulder and back. I researched it, and this pain was from the procedure...apparently the doctor pumps air into your abdomen in order to get a better view of the tubes and the situation inside. The air forces the diaphragm up and the pain is felt in your shoulder. I was popping Advil all day to try and releave the pain. The good news was that the incision sight did not have any pain at this time.
Over the next week, the shoulder pain subsided...but it was replaced with pains in and around my belly button and the other 2 incision sites. I was changing my dressing over the wounds daily & cleaning with the betadine solution given to me pre-op as well as taking Advil to reduce the pain.
July 28th (5 days post op) - I ventured out of the house! It was amazing to be out and about, however we had taken the motorcycle and the bumpiness of the ride caused a bit of pain and uncomfortableness. We didn't stay too long, and I was home within 5 hours back in bed. This excursion took it all out of me.
6 - 15 days post op I felt mostly back to normal. Still wasn't exercising, which is a big part of my daily routine...so I was missing that quite a bit. My incisions were itchy, but that meant they were healing. I took off my bandages starting around 10 days post op. My acupuncturist said this was fine, and was good for the healing process to allow the wounds some air. He prescribed Sepia officinalis to help heal up my uterus & fallopian tubes and Calendula officinalis to help heal my incisions.
Day 11 Post Op - We were gone the entire Saturday walking around Marineland. We were gone for about 12 hours, and I was walking the entire time and even carrying my friends 3 year old on and off. This was a huge mistake! I definitely pushed myself too far. I came home at the end of the day and literally crashed! I was in so much pain, and so exhaused I couldn't even eat dinner.
Day 14 Post Op - My stitches started falling out!
Day 16 Post Op -I started bleeding. It wasn't too heavy, but it was there none the less (up until this point I was having heavy, creamy CM...much like I was still pregnant). Day 17 I didn't bleed, but I did have quite a bit of cramping. The heavy bleeding began 18 days post op and continued until day 20. It was a very hard week for me both physically and mentally. Between the heavy cramping, and passing clots and tissue it was an emotional time. Until this time, I hadn't thought too much about the life that was lost and the fact that I had lost a baby. Having to change my tampons & pads (yes, both at the same time) and seeing what was coming out of me really made me think about what was really happening. It was during this time that I firmed up my relationship with my husband, and had many open and wonderful conversations about everything. This was also a great resource for me, and helped me get through this experience!
Now, 4 weeks later, it's all over and I'm back to my normal life & exercise routine. We're looking to the future now, and leaving this all in the past. Knowing that God has a plan for everything, and we're excited to see what that plan is.
We start Clomid again during my next period, and the doctor wants to monitor my progress closer with an ultra sound scan at CD 13 (should be on, or around ovulation). The reason for this is to ensure that the medication isn't overstimulating my ovaries. We leave for Tuscany on the 7th, so we will most likely be away on that day and have to come back....but at this point it's just a small sacrifice to get the baby that we've been dreaming about!
Hopefully the next few weeks will fly by, and the next thing we know we're sitting by the pool at the villa in Italy. But until then, here's to a great week and looking into the future at all the amazing things that are coming for us!
July 24th (1 day post op) - I was released from the hospital, I was feeling quite good since I had the meds during the night and they were still wearing off. Slept most of the day, but overall felt very good.
July 25 (2 days post op) - This day was HORRIBLE! I slept horribly because I usually fall asleep on my stomach, which wasn't an option because of where my incisions were. I slept with a pillow under my feet, and basically tossed and turned all night. It was made worse by the sharp pains in my shoulder and back. I researched it, and this pain was from the procedure...apparently the doctor pumps air into your abdomen in order to get a better view of the tubes and the situation inside. The air forces the diaphragm up and the pain is felt in your shoulder. I was popping Advil all day to try and releave the pain. The good news was that the incision sight did not have any pain at this time.
Over the next week, the shoulder pain subsided...but it was replaced with pains in and around my belly button and the other 2 incision sites. I was changing my dressing over the wounds daily & cleaning with the betadine solution given to me pre-op as well as taking Advil to reduce the pain.
July 28th (5 days post op) - I ventured out of the house! It was amazing to be out and about, however we had taken the motorcycle and the bumpiness of the ride caused a bit of pain and uncomfortableness. We didn't stay too long, and I was home within 5 hours back in bed. This excursion took it all out of me.
6 - 15 days post op I felt mostly back to normal. Still wasn't exercising, which is a big part of my daily routine...so I was missing that quite a bit. My incisions were itchy, but that meant they were healing. I took off my bandages starting around 10 days post op. My acupuncturist said this was fine, and was good for the healing process to allow the wounds some air. He prescribed Sepia officinalis to help heal up my uterus & fallopian tubes and Calendula officinalis to help heal my incisions.
Day 11 Post Op - We were gone the entire Saturday walking around Marineland. We were gone for about 12 hours, and I was walking the entire time and even carrying my friends 3 year old on and off. This was a huge mistake! I definitely pushed myself too far. I came home at the end of the day and literally crashed! I was in so much pain, and so exhaused I couldn't even eat dinner.
Day 14 Post Op - My stitches started falling out!
Day 16 Post Op -I started bleeding. It wasn't too heavy, but it was there none the less (up until this point I was having heavy, creamy CM...much like I was still pregnant). Day 17 I didn't bleed, but I did have quite a bit of cramping. The heavy bleeding began 18 days post op and continued until day 20. It was a very hard week for me both physically and mentally. Between the heavy cramping, and passing clots and tissue it was an emotional time. Until this time, I hadn't thought too much about the life that was lost and the fact that I had lost a baby. Having to change my tampons & pads (yes, both at the same time) and seeing what was coming out of me really made me think about what was really happening. It was during this time that I firmed up my relationship with my husband, and had many open and wonderful conversations about everything. This was also a great resource for me, and helped me get through this experience!
Now, 4 weeks later, it's all over and I'm back to my normal life & exercise routine. We're looking to the future now, and leaving this all in the past. Knowing that God has a plan for everything, and we're excited to see what that plan is.
We start Clomid again during my next period, and the doctor wants to monitor my progress closer with an ultra sound scan at CD 13 (should be on, or around ovulation). The reason for this is to ensure that the medication isn't overstimulating my ovaries. We leave for Tuscany on the 7th, so we will most likely be away on that day and have to come back....but at this point it's just a small sacrifice to get the baby that we've been dreaming about!
Hopefully the next few weeks will fly by, and the next thing we know we're sitting by the pool at the villa in Italy. But until then, here's to a great week and looking into the future at all the amazing things that are coming for us!
Monday, August 12, 2013
Another Sunny Weekend in the South of France
Another weekend has come and gone. We spent plenty of time soaking up the sun! Here is a visual diary of the weekend:
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| On our secret beach off the Cap d'Ail sentier |
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| Le Cabanon resto! |
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| The view from Le Cabanon |
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| Castel Plage in Nice with some friends! |
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| Gorgeous sashimi platter! |
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| Veal Wok dish! |
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| Grilled Sea Bass! |
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| How our friends got home...hahah! |
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
My Monaco Restaurant Review!
Of course, if you're visiting Monaco you can check Trip Advisor and/or the Michelin Guide to the restaurants here....but here's my take on the situation (from a local's perspective)!
Best French
1. Quai des Artists: Best Confit de Canard I have ever tasted. It melts in your mouth! They also have a fantastic raw bar, so don't skip on the oysters here! Good wine list, and great French cuisine...prices aren't too bad (for Monaco that is)!
2. Bouchons: Darling little French bistro, with some seriously good food. Won't break the bank, and the staff (all men) are good looking and super friendly...which is hard to come by in France & Monaco! Love this place!
Best Italian
1. Beef Bar: Not super traditional Italian, but a modern take with heavy and full flavors and amazing meat options (hence the name). Generous plates of gorgeous food, so be sure to go hungry! Not the cheapest place in town, but definitely not the most expensive.
2. Pizza & Pasta: This place is nothing fancy, but the food is consistently great! Not to mention the prices...always a good go-to when you're in the mood for some pasta (or pizza, obviously).
Best Sushi
1. Yoshi - You can not go wrong here....even if you don't like sushi, you have to try Yoshis. Gorgeous, creative menu and every single item is delicious! Can get pricey, but hey, its Monaco!
2. My Sushi - Not as fancy as Yoshi, but still have amazing and creative rolls here! My fave is the foie gras roll...sounds gross, but trust me, it's fabulous!
Best Atmosphere
1. Sass Cafe: This place sums up what Monaco is all about....to see and be seen! Def check it out and plan to stay LATE!
2. Capocaccia: Every Thursday, there is live music and a great happy hour! Mostly an Italian crowd, but all the people in the Monaco scene like to frequent this spot. It's a bit hard to find, but it's definitely a secret gem!
3. Anjuna: Only open in the summer, on a Sunday this place gets going around 2pm and goes until late. Great food....fun company! Only in the south of France.
Best Thai
1. Royal Thai: This restaurant is, hands-down, the best Thai restaurant I've ever eaten at. Amazing dishes, and be sure to save room for dessert, because they are out of this world!
2. Maya Bay: Doesn't have the authenticity of Royal Thai. In fact the vibe is very different here, much more "scene-y"...but still pretty good none the less. They also are a Japanese resto, which is GOOD, but I believe the Thai part is better.
Most Romantic
1. Chevre d'Or: Technically in Eze...but trust me, it's worth the drive! This is possibly the best meal I've ever eaten! Extremely new world, gourmet touch...but with old world cuisine (does that make sense?) Gorgeous views, so be sure to come before dark to have an aperitif and enjoy the sun set!
2. Constantine: Not only is this a darling little romantic spot, they offer an unbelievable seasonal menu. We are constantly impressed with the fresh ingredients, and the interesting dishes....always mouthwatering good! Also offer a great wine list, which is always important on a romantic evening!
Best Random
1. Il Terazzino: Stumbled across this place, when the restaurant we were planning on going to was closed. Ate the most incredible lunch here, which was a complete surpirse because I had no pre-concieved notions about this little place. Only about 15 tables, and might be hard to find if you aren't familiar with it, but definitely worth checking out!
2. Avenue 31: Totally random menu, offering everything from sushi to traditional french fare....but always tasty! Also offers a great lunch formula.
Best Take Out
1. Yamas Gourmet (Greek)
2. Indian Star (Indian) They have a brick & mortar establishment, but we prefer to take out :) Also, technically in Beausoliel...not Monaco.
Most Over-rated
Joel Robuchon! Had dinner here, everything was mediocre...and definitely not worth the price tag. I will say that the service was top notch!
Also, wasn't crazy about Mozza...which was suppose to be good, but fell short!
Places I haven't tried that are on my list, therefore not included in this review:
1. Le Louis XV
2. Le Grill
3. Fuji
4. Cosmopolitan
5. Elsa at The Monte Carlo Beach Hotel
There are lots of others, but these are my top 5...hopefully I will have the chance to visit them soon!
Best French
1. Quai des Artists: Best Confit de Canard I have ever tasted. It melts in your mouth! They also have a fantastic raw bar, so don't skip on the oysters here! Good wine list, and great French cuisine...prices aren't too bad (for Monaco that is)!
2. Bouchons: Darling little French bistro, with some seriously good food. Won't break the bank, and the staff (all men) are good looking and super friendly...which is hard to come by in France & Monaco! Love this place!
Best Italian
1. Beef Bar: Not super traditional Italian, but a modern take with heavy and full flavors and amazing meat options (hence the name). Generous plates of gorgeous food, so be sure to go hungry! Not the cheapest place in town, but definitely not the most expensive.
2. Pizza & Pasta: This place is nothing fancy, but the food is consistently great! Not to mention the prices...always a good go-to when you're in the mood for some pasta (or pizza, obviously).
Best Sushi
1. Yoshi - You can not go wrong here....even if you don't like sushi, you have to try Yoshis. Gorgeous, creative menu and every single item is delicious! Can get pricey, but hey, its Monaco!
2. My Sushi - Not as fancy as Yoshi, but still have amazing and creative rolls here! My fave is the foie gras roll...sounds gross, but trust me, it's fabulous!
Best Atmosphere
1. Sass Cafe: This place sums up what Monaco is all about....to see and be seen! Def check it out and plan to stay LATE!
2. Capocaccia: Every Thursday, there is live music and a great happy hour! Mostly an Italian crowd, but all the people in the Monaco scene like to frequent this spot. It's a bit hard to find, but it's definitely a secret gem!
3. Anjuna: Only open in the summer, on a Sunday this place gets going around 2pm and goes until late. Great food....fun company! Only in the south of France.
Best Thai
1. Royal Thai: This restaurant is, hands-down, the best Thai restaurant I've ever eaten at. Amazing dishes, and be sure to save room for dessert, because they are out of this world!
2. Maya Bay: Doesn't have the authenticity of Royal Thai. In fact the vibe is very different here, much more "scene-y"...but still pretty good none the less. They also are a Japanese resto, which is GOOD, but I believe the Thai part is better.
Most Romantic
1. Chevre d'Or: Technically in Eze...but trust me, it's worth the drive! This is possibly the best meal I've ever eaten! Extremely new world, gourmet touch...but with old world cuisine (does that make sense?) Gorgeous views, so be sure to come before dark to have an aperitif and enjoy the sun set!
2. Constantine: Not only is this a darling little romantic spot, they offer an unbelievable seasonal menu. We are constantly impressed with the fresh ingredients, and the interesting dishes....always mouthwatering good! Also offer a great wine list, which is always important on a romantic evening!
Best Random
1. Il Terazzino: Stumbled across this place, when the restaurant we were planning on going to was closed. Ate the most incredible lunch here, which was a complete surpirse because I had no pre-concieved notions about this little place. Only about 15 tables, and might be hard to find if you aren't familiar with it, but definitely worth checking out!
2. Avenue 31: Totally random menu, offering everything from sushi to traditional french fare....but always tasty! Also offers a great lunch formula.
Best Take Out
1. Yamas Gourmet (Greek)
2. Indian Star (Indian) They have a brick & mortar establishment, but we prefer to take out :) Also, technically in Beausoliel...not Monaco.
Most Over-rated
Joel Robuchon! Had dinner here, everything was mediocre...and definitely not worth the price tag. I will say that the service was top notch!
Also, wasn't crazy about Mozza...which was suppose to be good, but fell short!
Places I haven't tried that are on my list, therefore not included in this review:
1. Le Louis XV
2. Le Grill
3. Fuji
4. Cosmopolitan
5. Elsa at The Monte Carlo Beach Hotel
There are lots of others, but these are my top 5...hopefully I will have the chance to visit them soon!
Monday, August 5, 2013
Saturday at Marineland
Another weekend has come and gone, and again, it was gorgeous and sun-filled!!
Saturday we went to Marineland in Antibes to celebrate our dear friends son's 3rd birthday. It was our first visit to Marineland, and it was a hot one. Five hours, wandering around seeing the animals coupled with my recent surgery, took it all out of me. First we watched the dolphin spectacular....which was actually, very good! Then we tried to watch the sealion show, but it was too crowded. So we went into the aquarium area instead. Saw some pretty fish, and lots of sharks which was pretty cool because you walk through a tunnel and they are all around you. There was a dinosaur area, with mechanical dinosaurs which we explored after. Still not sure how the dino's have anything to do with Marineland. Then we stopped for lunch, and waited in line for bugers and pizzas for over an hour. The food area just didn't seem to be run very efficiently...surprise, surprise!
After lunch we saw the killer whale show, which again was pretty impressive. Then turtles, followed by penguins and sting rays. Only a couple of tantrums from the kids, but mostly they were well behaved (other than difficulty paying attention and staying focused). All and all, a pretty fun day.
I should note, that the two 3-year-olds who we went with had more interest in the playground and the dirt than the animals or the shows. Once we were home, I asked David to remind me when we have children to take them to the park with friends to celebrate birthdays and not expensive amusement parks (we dropped around 100€ at Marineland, and we didn't even pay for lunch!!) until they are old enough to fully enjoy it...maybe say around 7-8 years old!
Saturday night and Sunday we took it easy. Sometimes its nice to relax and just do nothing! Although in hindsight we should have taken advantage of the sun on Sunday and went to the beach or something.
Here's to a great week everyone!!
Saturday we went to Marineland in Antibes to celebrate our dear friends son's 3rd birthday. It was our first visit to Marineland, and it was a hot one. Five hours, wandering around seeing the animals coupled with my recent surgery, took it all out of me. First we watched the dolphin spectacular....which was actually, very good! Then we tried to watch the sealion show, but it was too crowded. So we went into the aquarium area instead. Saw some pretty fish, and lots of sharks which was pretty cool because you walk through a tunnel and they are all around you. There was a dinosaur area, with mechanical dinosaurs which we explored after. Still not sure how the dino's have anything to do with Marineland. Then we stopped for lunch, and waited in line for bugers and pizzas for over an hour. The food area just didn't seem to be run very efficiently...surprise, surprise!
After lunch we saw the killer whale show, which again was pretty impressive. Then turtles, followed by penguins and sting rays. Only a couple of tantrums from the kids, but mostly they were well behaved (other than difficulty paying attention and staying focused). All and all, a pretty fun day.
I should note, that the two 3-year-olds who we went with had more interest in the playground and the dirt than the animals or the shows. Once we were home, I asked David to remind me when we have children to take them to the park with friends to celebrate birthdays and not expensive amusement parks (we dropped around 100€ at Marineland, and we didn't even pay for lunch!!) until they are old enough to fully enjoy it...maybe say around 7-8 years old!
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| The birthday boy with his friend! |
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| David and his friend Valentin! |
Saturday night and Sunday we took it easy. Sometimes its nice to relax and just do nothing! Although in hindsight we should have taken advantage of the sun on Sunday and went to the beach or something.
Here's to a great week everyone!!
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