Looks like this is another year of small gatherings with family and friends for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day celebrations. While we can't wait to kick 2021 to the curb, we do want to find some more laughter and joy. The super easy game, Empire is the perfect way to lighten this New Year's Eve weekend!

We played Empire this Christmas with our family and had so much fun! We started playing Empire a few years ago with the Tortorello crew and then started playing with the Murer team. We love this game because all ages can play together and people are so clever with their name picks! We promise your New Year's Eve celebration crew will laugh tons and will have fun playing Empire. Here is how the game is played! 

Empire!
One person is the organizer of the game. Each person is given a piece of paper and pen. Write down a name of a person you want to be - it can be a famous actor, a singer, a politician, a family member, a cartoon character, a superhero or any name. Fold up the paper and the organizer collects all the names in a bowl. The organizer mixes ups the names and then reads the list twice. The youngest person goes first. When we played Stella was first! The first person tries to guess a person and the name they wrote. For example, Stella guessed that her dad, Tony was Justin Fields. He was not Justin Fields. If the guess is wrong, the guessed person goes next. If the guess is right that person joins the guessers team and starts an Empire. People move seats to sit with their Empire. The game becomes really funny as people guess wrong and try to remember all of the names. The teams can whisper amongst each other to try to figure out the other names. The game ends when the last Empire guesses the final person. The head of the winning Empire starts the next round. Stella was so clever by being Betty White! She looked up famous people on my phone. Sophia cracked us up by being my cousin's cat, Angel and Eleanora stumped many of us by being the famous soccer player Rose LaVelle. Molly had a great trick of thinking about the name in categories when you get towards the end and can't remember someone. For example, what actors, what singers, what superheros were named.

Games like Empire are a great way to bring some much needed laughter into the holidays! Shout out to Mackenize for teaching us this game years ago! We hope your New Year's Eve celebrations are filled with deep laughter, great guessing, and cheers to a brighter 2022!
xoxo,
Thelma and Louise 

Tony and I are late to watching the funny and inspiring Ted Lasso Apple TV+ series and it is fantastic. We are now on to season 2 and just watched the 4th episode, Carol of the Bells which has a great Love Actually vibe. For months people have been telling us that we need to watch this clever, witty show. Ted Lasso had an impressive 13 Emmy nominations and won 7 Emmys including Outstanding Comedy Series. I can see why. This is a show all about kindness and we can all use more kindness these days! So, in honor of Ted Lasso, we hope you will join the Messy Mommies in celebrating World Kindness Day on Saturday, November 13! 
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You could give toys to a holiday toy drive or donate to a local food pantry. You could call to check in on family and friends or send cards to a nursing home. You could make thank you notes for health-care workers or buy coffee for the person behind you in line. You could post a “believe” message on social media or say hello to people while going for a walk. You could smile at people at the pub or give someone spare change. You could give someone a favorite book or bake biscuits for others. Every kind action, big or small, helps spread kindness and makes our world a better place! You can find more information on the Inspire Kindness website! Thanks for joining us for World Kindness Day! 

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Our kids are the apples of our eyes and we love making memories together, especially during apple orchard and pumpkin patch season! So, we are throwing it back and are sharing a favorite post about apple orchards from 2016! Start making your plans and we'll meet you in the orchards! xoxo, Meg, Holly, and Brooke

We love fall in the Midwest! We pack September and October weekends with quick road trips and afternoon outings to so many fantastic apple orchards and pumpkin patches in the Chicagoland area! Our kids love picking apples, searching for the perfect pumpkins, devouring apple donuts, playing in corn pits and corn mazes, and exploring the farms and orchards.

As parents, we know it can be a bit overwhelming when mapping out your fall family fun plans! Fall agtourism is booming and it can be a bit tricky figuring out admission prices, which places are all inclusive and which have add on costs, and food options. Parking, strollers, and wait lines can also impact your family fun. We want to help you plan a great fall outing so we put together a list of some of our favorites! Happy Fall! Brooke, Holly, & Meg

We love Apple Holler so much that we visited twice last year! Apple Holler made USA Today's 2015 list of 10 best apple orchards to visit in the nation!

You will have many choices in Apple Holler's 74 acre apple orchard that contains more than 30,000 dwarf apple trees in thirty varieties! Plus you can find peaches, pears, and pumpkins! When you arrive, you checkin at the red building and select your picking bags. A 1/2 peck bag per adult will give you lots of great apples for baking and eating. Click for details on adult and children apple picking pricing.

Apple Orchard is busy so I suggest planning your trip to arrive right when it opens and head out for apple picking first. You can bring strollers and park them when you go out into the orchard. You have the option to walk out to the orchard but I highly recommend you take the festive tractor pulled wagon! The great Apple Holler staff will direct you to which apples are ready for picking. Our twins, Sophia and Stella were three and a half last fall and were fascinated with picking the apples off of the trees. And, we all loved that you can eat/taste as many apples as you want while picking! Be sure to put your apple picking receipt somewhere safe, you will need to show it to the Apple Holler staff when you come back in from the orchard! 

Your apple picking admissions includes the Farm Park. Our kids loved climbing in the corn pit, on hay stacks, in the cow maze, and on the jungle gym after we picked apples. There are also lively goats, chickens, ducks,  and bunnies as well as playhouses for the kids to climb around. For a low charge you can add pony rides, pedal carts, and a train ride. We spent a lot of time in the Farm Park after apple picking and the girls loved playing in the fall festivities! 

You can smell delicious apple cider donuts and kettle corn as you wander around the Farm Park and the ice cream is excellent. The live music makes you want to dance a bit in the fall leaves.  Be sure to go in the bakery and country store! We loved the apple cider donuts, apple turnovers with ice cream, and caramel apples! We also picked up some great jam and popcorn. The restaurant looks good too, though we didn't have time to dine. And, they even have a dinner theater! 

This fabulous apple orchard is just a quick trip from Chicago to Wisconsin and is right off of I-94 between Kenosha and Racine. 

​We loved both our trips to Apple Holler last year and made so many delicious treats with our apples. I even made my first apple pie! Be sure to add Apple Holler to your fun fall plans! We can't wait to visit again this fall! Meg


County Line Orchard is another fun destination for those looking for a great selection of U-Pick apples. The Orchard is located in Hobart, Indiana, on County Line Road (between Lake and Porter counties), one mile south of Route 6, and easy to find. The address is 200 S. County Line Rd., Hobart, IN 46342.
 
County Line Orchard has over 40 acres of apples and the cost this year is $1.79/pound.  You can take a tractor ride out to the orchards where you will find many varieties of apples. Some you’ll be able to pick and enjoy include Suncrisp, Melrose, Shizuka, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonagold and Rome.
 
If you bring home apples you may want to check out my favorite apple pie recipe that will be featured in my cookbook. Chicago’s The Chopping Block owner, Shelley Young, shared this recipe with me over 18 years ago and I’ve been baking it ever since!  Click here to find the recipe.
 
County Line Orchard also offer pumpkins, squash, gourds, mums, Indian corn, corn stalks and hay bales if you want to pick up some fall things besides apples!
 
But don’t think the fun stops here – this place is full of fall adventures waiting for you to discover.  We first visited this orchard on a school field trip when Eleanora was in second grade. We’ve been back two times since the school visit with our family and friends and are always excited to find what each visit brings. We have been to many orchards and pumpkin patches and we find this one to still be quaint with enough to keep everyone entertained but not too much to be overwhelming. You can plan your day using this link to determine hours of operation and admission http://www.countylineorchard.com/hours-admission/.
 
We made sure to take a ride on the “Moo-Choo.” They use Farmall Cub Tractors to pull “barrel” cars on a trip through and around the orchard for an unforgettable view of the farm. We did find on our visit that the Moo-Choo ride is appropriate for both young and old.  You will also have the opportunity to see and feed animals, learn about bees in the Bee Yurt, and even wander and weave through a Corn Maze. This year’s maze theme is appropriate being an election year – you will maze your way through Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump.  Last year Eleanora and I got quite messy with mud (it had rained the night before) on our tour through the maze, and while it was great fun, make sure to come prepared with appropriate shoes or boots!
 
There are so many fun things for kids to do, but adults will be thrilled to see that County Line Orchard showcases local musical talent every weekend in the fall with “Barnyard Jams.” You can find a full schedule of the entertainment offered through October 30th on the orchard’s website. www.countylineorchard.com
 
Also, during weekends The Country Grill is open serving up such things as a fresh grilled burgers, hotdogs, bratwurst and pulled pork sandwiches.  Don’t forget to try the fresh roasted Indiana sweet corn! You can enjoy your food in the picnic area while listening to some of the great entertainment offered during the Barnyard Jams!
 
​Have a great visit! Holly


Who doesn't love the Fall crisp air, homemade apple pie and apple donuts? Yummy! I love reading about Holly and Meg’s favorite places to go- I can’t wait to check them out myself!
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We, of course, have a family favorite that we all look forward to visiting every year, sometimes we make the trip twice just for the donuts. If you haven’t been to Garwood Orchards in LaPorte, Indiana it’s a must. It’s located less than 2 hours from Chicago, and in the country of Indiana. As a country gal myself, I must admit I feel right at home. The fresh air and taste of warm deep fried donuts are worth the trip. It’s a family owned operation that offers the best of both worlds, you get to ride on a wagon which takes you out to pick the apples or fresh veggies yourself or you could just hang out at the Farm Market and get some yummy treats at the Bake Shoppe or Gelato Bar. From apples, to strawberries to blueberries, peppers to pumpkins-all your fall favorites are at your fingertips.  

They’re open daily, and of course the weekends will be busier-but we’ve never felt the crowds to be unbearable or waited in extremely long lines. They have more than 400 acres of fresh fruit and veggies you can pick yourself, and you pay for what you pick. There’s no charge to go out in the fields, and the prices are very reasonable for the freshest produce. I know the family takes great pride in making sure you are getting the very best and take great pride in their growing practices.    

While the Honey Crisp are a family favorite, of course there are several types of apples to choose from. In fact here’s the list of the types of apples they have: Red and Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Fuji, Pink Lady, Gold Rush, Ida Red, Granny Smith.
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On the weekends you can check out free live music featuring local talent. If you’re looking for a laid back family friendly fun filled day Garwood Orchards is the place to go-I promise you will love it!

As a social media guru myself, I must admit I’m impressed with Garwood for their customer engagement, regular updates and posts through their Facebook and Twitter accounts. You go!

They’re open through November 6th!! See ya on the Farm- Cheers Friends! Brooke

We love Amazon Prime Day! It is so fun to shop the awesome Amazon Prime Day deals and it is a bit like a treasure hunt! So, to help in your treasure hunt searching we are sharing a few of our favorite deals!

We are excited to celebrate Father's Day this weekend with our dads, husbands, families and friends! It's been quite a year and we look forward to celebrating our Messy Dads and their amazingness during this crazy time. My twins, Sophia and Stella and I have been chatting about what to do to celebrate their awesome dad, Tony and we keep coming back to food! Tony loves a great meal and a great cocktail! So, today I am sharing four favorite restaurants that would be great for a Father's Day celebration!

1. McWethy's Tavern at Mistwood Golf Course, Romeoville
We love McWethy's Tavern at Mistwood Golf Course! The menu is outstanding, the food is delicious and the drinks are great! A Father's Day celebration at McWethy's Tavern is sure to be a hit as you dine and view the beautiful golf course. To help celebrate dads, McWethy's Tavern is offering the Chef's 96er Father's Day Feature! Reserve your table and order your platter (serves up to four) - 96 ox. Porterhouse steak, Tavern potatoes and asparagus. Served family style and includes choice of soup or salad per guest. Call (815) 254-7001 to reserve and prepay. Dine-in only and you must reserve in advance. The full menu is also available! For steak loving dads like Tony, this will be amazing! We also love the incredible job McWethy's Tavern did during the pandemic. They were so creative with their menu, we loved the frozen TV dinners, the drive-ins were so fun and we appreciate how they supported the community! 

2. MyGrain Brewing Company, Downtown Joliet
Tony and I recently had lunch at MyGrain Brewing Company in downtown Joliet and it was amazing! We loved the food, the craft beer was excellent, and the staff was so friendly! We've talked with the owners before and love their story of how they chose downtown Joliet because they loved the historic Joliet train station and believe in downtown Joliet. If you are looking for a relaxed atmosphere with great food and fun craft beer choices to celebrate Father's Day weekend, go to MyGrain Brewing! Their patio is now open too! The brunch menu is great and we also love the Golden Spike Sandwich, the Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich and Mixed Pierogi! 

3. CUT 158 Chophouse, Downtown Joliet
As I shared, Tony loves steaks so we have to include CUT 158 Chophouse in downtown Joliet on our list! We love CUT 158! The chef is outstanding and we have loved every dish we have tried at CUT 158. From amazing steaks to delicious seafood to decadent desserts, you will have a fabulous dinner celebrating Father's Day weekend! We also love the crab cakes as an appetizer! You'll need to visit on Friday or Saturday as CUT 158 is closed on Sundays. We also love how Bill Dimitroulas is such a champion of Will County and keeps bringing us wonderful, new restaurants! We love Hamberseria, Rosemary Cafe and can't wait to try the new Juliet's Tavern!

4. Next Whiskey Bar, Plainfield
Tony loves a good cocktail and the so fun New Whiskey Bar in Plainfield has so many great cocktails! We love sitting on their patio, or inside their very cute restaurant, while sipping cocktails and discussing the latest happenings in the world. The food is excellent and the staff is so friendly. They gave great insights on the various cocktails and food recommendations. Tony enjoyed the NWB Fashioned and I had the festive That Pink Drink! We love the Carolina pulled pork sliders, the bacon wrapped cajun shrimp, and the NWB burger! And, of course you need to try the whiskey doughnuts. We love their description of cocktails on their website, "We perfected the cocktails people drank, when it was illegal to drink...with a few new recipes of our own." NWB would be a great place to toast dads for Father's Day! 

We hope you like our list of four favorite restaurants for Father's Day in Will County! Thanks to McWethey's Tavern, MyGrain Brewing Company, CUT 158 Chophouse, and Next Whiskey Bar for your outstanding food, cocktails, and staff and for helping us celebrate our wonderful dads! Tony is an amazing dad to Sophia and Stella and I'm grateful for all he does for our family. We look forward to celebrating Tony this weekend and will see you all soon! 

Happy Father's Day!
xoxo, Meg


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​The Messy Mommies are so excited for the Sur La Table online Martha’s Mother’s Day Cooking Class on Thursday, May 6th and you should sign-up too! Holly and I are greatly looking forward to this unique, virtual cooking class with the inspiring Martha Stewart! My mom is joining me and Holly's daughter, Eleanora is joining her. We think you should join us too!

​I did the Sur La Table Martha Stewart’s Holiday Celebration cooking class in December and the cooking class with Martha was amazing! Holly is the incredible chef in our Messy Mommies group and I give it my best effort but am a so-so cook. I never dreamed I would cook, even virtually, live with Martha Stewart! Last December I saw a Sur La Table Instagram post about Martha’s Holiday Celebration cooking class and decided to sign-up!

​Martha was incredible and the cooking class was so much fun! Sur La Table did a fantastic job with the prep packet which included the ingredient shopping list, equipment needed, pre-class instructions and notes, and the recipes. They made it so easy to prepare for the cooking class and put me at ease.
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I was a bit frazzled right before class started as I had just picked up the twins from school and came flying into the kitchen. I had already set everything up and was ready to go. But, I must admit I was nervous! This was a cooking class with Martha Stewart! As soon as the class started I immediately relaxed! Martha was so warm and welcoming!

​Martha started with the Winter Fruit Sangria and it was so cool to hear her tips as she made the sangria. She encouraged us to ask questions in the chat and that was amazing! As Martha showed us how to make the Cheese Gougéres she answered questions about where she got her sweater, where her bowls were from, how to clean copper pans, and what Snoop Dogg was really like. She showed us her wellness gummies and talked about some of her favorite kitchen tools. It was so much fun cooking along with Martha and having her chat with us and her fabulous Sur La Table team.

​I have never made a cheese gougére and definitely would have been to intimidated to do on my own. Martha was so encouraging and talked us through stirring the mixture until it pulled away from the pan. She gave great advice on using the pastry bag. I was so excited and surprised when my cheese gougéres turned out!

​Martha shared her favorite recipe for latkes, potato pancakes that are a holiday favorite, with us. My family loves potato pancakes but I had never tried to make them. Even with the shredding of the potatoes, this recipe was so much easier than I ever dreamed! Tony, Stella and Sophia loved the potato pancakes so much! When I told the girls that their Aunt Holly and I had signed up for this week’s cooking class with Martha they asked if we were making potato pancakes again!

​Our last dish was the classic shrimp cocktail and the shrimp were amazing! The sangria and all of the dishes were wonderful! It was really special seeing Martha in action and having the opportunity to interact with her via the chat. Martha told so many fun and funny stories as she cooked and her team was great.  
 
We are so excited to make more with Martha! Join us and cook with Martha this Thursday, May 6th! The Mother’s Day recipes are so fun and we cannot wait to make a soufflé! See you Thursday Martha! Happy early Mother’s Day!

It's Earth Month and we are toasting to 3 eco friendly alcohol brands that not only provide amazing drinks, but are caring for our planet! The Messy Mommies love to highlight people and businesses that are innovative, positive, and are making a difference in creative ways. We are sharing 3 of our favorite planet loving, eco friendly alcohol brands!

Our latest Girls Night In was on Thursday, April 22, Earth Day and we were inspired by how Noble Oaks plants a tree for every bottle purchased. So, the Messy Mommies are planting a tree in honor of each person that joined our virtual Girls Night In and for those that joined our April live streams! ​

1. Noble Oak and Noble Hearts
If a bottle of Noble Oak Whiskey falls in a forest and no one is around, does it make a sound? We don't know the answer but you just might find a bottle of Noble Oak Whiskey in a forest since Noble Oak is planting an enormous amount of trees! For every Noble Oak bottle purchased, Noble Oak is planting a tree with the One Tree Planted organization! Noble Oak has already planted more than 203,496 trees! That is an amazing amount of trees and an amazing impact! We love Noble Oak's noble heart. Noble Oak is "on a mission to revitalize the earth by planting trees, building communities, and of course, enjoying great whiskey." We love this mission and the Noble Oak Double Oak Bourbon! You can also enjoy Noble Oak Double Oak Rye. 

Huge thanks to Tom from Noble Oak for sending us the great video message and toast from Noble Oak for our April Girls Night In! We talked about the impressive work of Noble Oak with planting so many trees and our Messy Girlfriends shared how they make great bourbon cocktails, put bourbon in hot tea, on a baby's gums when we were little, and even in sugar cookies! The Messy Mommies also love how Noble Oak is part of the Edrington brands. Edrington's sustainability strategy includes great people, giving more, cutting their carbon footprint, protecting water resources and more. Pick up a bottle of Noble Oak Whiskey today and they will plant a tree for you! What a fun way to celebrate Earth Month! Outstanding work Noble Oak and Edrington! 

2. Sunny with a Chance of Flowers and Positivity
We love the mindfully made, zero sugar, 85 calories, 9% alcohol Sunny with a Chance of Flowers wines! We love how Sunny is spreading positivity, has created cheery, delicious wines with moderation in mind, and is focu​sing on the planet! Sunny wines are sustainably grown and we think the huge wind turbine that powers the vineyards is so cool! When we talked with Heidi Scheid, Chief Sunny Officer, a few months ago about our Girls Night In, we loved hearing her passion for Sunny with a Chance of Flowers. We also loved hearing her passion and her family’s passion for taking care of our planet.

Check this out - Sunny wines, which are made at the Scheid Vineyards, are 100% powered by renewable energy from their awesome wind turbine! And, they have enough clean energy to share with 125 local homes in the community. Sunny wines love wind and water! They use drip irrigation to reduce water consumption, recycle water to ponds and use in the vineyard, and use about 50% less water than the average winery of their size! Sunny nourishes the soil and has so many certificates! We love how they are caring for the planet while growing a beautiful vineyard and are making wonderful wines! 

Sunny with a Chance of Flowers kicked off Sunny Fest during Earth Month to help us live our best life! Check out the fun Sunny Fest events! We are excited to join Heidi and Shanda with Flor de Casa Designs on Wednesday, April 28 on Instagram live to learn how to create a beautiful floral designs! On Sunday, May 2nd we are joining Sunny with a Chance of Flowers for Sunny Salutation Yoga with Yvonne Kingsley. Sunny will be donating $5.00 for every person that joins yoga to @WholesomeWave! We love how Wholesome Wave is helping provide fresh fruits and veggies to be people in need. Join in the positivity and try Sunny with a Chance of Flowers! Cheers to Sunny people that care about our planet!​

3. Ketel One 
Drawing on 300 years of distilling expertise, we love how the Nolet family and Ketel One are a driving force in promoting sustainability in cocktails and in inspiring bartenders to be innovative while thinking about their communities and the planet. Ketel One is helping the cocktail industry think differently about sustainability, is highlighting the positive impact of working with local growers, and is sharing how to create delicious zero-waste cocktails. Think about the lemon peel garnish in your favorite Ketel One Vodka Martini. What happens to the rest of the lemon? What happens to so many garnishes and other elements of cocktails? Instead of tossing so much waste into the trash, Ketel One is helping bartenders and bars around the world re-imagine cocktails and how to provide an even better drinking experience that will also care for our planet! Ketel One created the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Awards to highlight innovations such as climate-positive cocktails, sourcing raw materials with local farmers, and thinking about the use of straws and coasters. Even during the pandemic Ketel One Sustainable Award winners are adapting and innovating!  Cheers to your innovative work Nolet family and Ketel One!

We are also big fans of the garden inspired Ketel One Botanicals and love of the refreshing drinks are infused with natural essence of fresh, crisp and fragrant botanicals! The Messy Mommies are toasting the Nolet family and Ketel One with the Peach and Orange Blossom Ketel One Botanicals! Cheers! 

Huge thanks to Noble Oak, Sunny with a Chance of Flowers, and Ketel One for caring about our planet, for driving innovation, and inspiring people make positive changes that will help the Earth for decades to come. Cheers to all of you from the Messy Mommies! 

For spring break we wanted to get away for a few days with our 9-year-old daughters, Stella and Sophia. We had been home for over a year with the pandemic and were more than ready for a change of scenery. We decided Galena would be a great place to visit over Easter weekend because we could drive over in a couple of hours and could rent a house through Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa. We love the beautiful countryside and historic town of Galena. The girls and I Googled fun things to do in Galena and up popped Galena Goat Yoga! Goat yoga sure caught our attention! The goats were so cute!

I made a reservation for Stella, Sophia, and I on Saturday morning. I was so excited for this fun, unique adventure with the girls. With Sophia's selective mutism, I'm constantly searching for activities where we can practice our brave. Horse back riding lessons have been great for the twins and they love our golden retriever, Rocky. I thought the girls could continue their love of animals with some very cute goats during yoga! 

Before we even arrived at goat yoga, Jenn, the owner was so thoughtful and kind. I had emailed and explained that we were excited about goat yoga but that I was not sure the girls would be able to do the whole class. She was so kind and shared that we could rest on our mats, leave early, sit by the doors, etc. The morning of goat yoga Stella decided she wanted to go explore Galena with her dad. I was so proud of Sophia that she used her brave and still came with me.

As you think about COVID, travel, and activities, I have to give props to Jenn! We were all socially distanced and each group was in our own space. She did a great job with safety protocols.

​It was really sweet how at the start of class Jenn asked if there were any special celebrations or reasons for joining goat yoga that day. Erin, a bride-to-be was celebrating with her girlfriends and Jodi was celebrating her birthday and remission. Jenn had cute signs for them to hold when they took pictures with the goats at the end of class. 

Jenn shared history on the beautiful barn, a stage coach stop during the mid-1800's and described how she and her husband and transformed the barn into the lovely goat yoga space. It was so neat to see how they used original wood from the barn stalls around the walls. Did you know goats like to eat drywall?! There were several other features from the original barn, it was so cool! Jenn then shared her journey in corporate America, her family experiences that caused her to reflect on her purpose and passion, and how a trip to Denver inspired her to open Galena Goat Yoga. Jenn's story was so inspiring and her passion filled the room with warmth and happy goats and yogis. 

One of the things I loved about Jenn and goat yoga is that at the very beginning Jenn shared that you could do as much yoga as you like, you could sit on the mat and pet goats the whole time, or any combination in between. She talked about the nurturing hearts of her sweet goats and that some people just wanted to pet the goats. I loved that she was so encouraging and wanted people to have a special experience at Galena Goat Yoga. Several of the kids, including Sophia, petted goats the whole yoga class. And, that was really amazing. Sophia loved it! It was so fun every time a goat walked over and Vinny really loved coming over by Sophia for some pets. 

Sophia and I loved goat yoga and Jenn did a fantastic job leading the class. I was cracking up during one of the stretches where my foot was out front and a goat was walking around me and Sophia was so happy petting the goat. She was so brave! It was one of those special moments that I knew I would remember for years to come. 

Jenn's daughter and her friend also did a fantastic job helping check us all in and with the goats during class. I loved how Jenn wrapped up our yoga session with positive intentions for Erin, the bride-to-be and Jodi, the birthday gal, it was so sweet and purpose driven. Sophia and I also loved how we got to feed the goats at the end of class! So much fun! After class the older goats went outside to play and the baby goats came out for some play time and pictures. It was amazing! We had such a special time with Sophia, Jenn, and all the so cute goats! When you are planning your visit to Galena be sure to sign-up for Galena Goat Yoga! You will have an amazing time and will reflect on your purpose! Tell Jenn and Vinny that we said hi! We'll be back again! 

Follow Galena Goat Yoga on Instagram! You will love seeing all the cute goats! 

Join us for our Girls Night In - House Party on March 18 at 7:00 pm, Central Time! We have largely been in our houses for a year and will be talking about silver linings while toasting with our House Wine! We will also have fun trivia and great chats with the messy girlfriends! March 18 is also National Sloppy Joe Day and we are celebrating with a messy Sloppy Joe challenge! Holly is making Sloppy Joes from a recipe and I'll be making Manwich Sloppy Joes! Make your favorite Sloppy Joe and post a picture with the hashtag #messysloppyjoechallenge! E-mail us for details for GNI! We hope to see you on March 18! 

​February is American Heart Month and on February 5, we celebrate National Wear Red Day! We wear red to raise awareness on cardiovascular disease and to save lives. Did you know that President Lyndon B. Johnson is among the millions of people in the country who have had a heart attack? He issued the first February American Heart Month proclamation in 1964 and and we have celebrated American Heart Month every year since then. The Go Red for Women movement started in 2004 in an effort to educate and empower women on heart disease. Heart disease was widely known as the #1 cause of death for men at that time. However, it was not widely known that it was also the #1 cause of death for women.  Cardiovascular Disease (CVS) causes 1 in 3 women’s death each year. In fact, one woman dies from CVS every 80 seconds and Heart Disease is the #1 killer of women taking more lives annually than all cancers combined.

​I love to be involved in the community and for many years, I have served as a volunteer with the American Heart Association. Passionate about leadership and encouraging more women leaders, I also helped launch the empowering University of Iowa’s Zada Cooper Leadership Symposium. Since the beginning of my career as a pharmacist, I've been enthusiastic about helping people learn about their health and making good health choices. Getting involved with the American Heart Association was a way for me to help champion good heart health and support women in leadership. In 2019, “my why” changed to family when my Mom had open heart surgery. She has since made a full recovery.  Our family’s experience and the cardiovascular impacts from COVID19 reinforced the importance of cardiovascular research and innovation.

​In 2020, I served as Chair for the Iowa City Circle of Red, an engaged passionate group of people dedicated to making an impact in our community's fight against heart disease and stroke. The Iowa City Go Red for Women chapter hosts special events for the Circle of Red including a wonderful Virtual Fall Tour with the highly creative and talented Kaleb Wyse. Check out Kaleb on Instagram @wyseguide and Facebook!  
 
Progress is being made! The good news is 80% of heart disease and stroke events may be prevented by lifestyle changes and education. Since the onset of Go Red for Women more women are taking charge of their heart health through healthy lifestyle choices, knowing their health numbers, and being familiar with the signs and symptoms of heart disease that are specific to women.  And the results are telling. About 90,000 fewer women are dying from heart disease and stroke each year because of these efforts. Our ultimate goal is to the move the needle so that we are no longer the # 1 cause of death in women.

My sister, Meg wore red last year! Join us on National #WearRedDay and tag your photos of you wearing red #messymommies! Thank you for taking care of your heart! 
​
Melissa 

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