Sunday 6 June 30

Hi friends!  Welcome back to another "Sunday 6."  This is a post that I try to do each Sunday.  It highlights 6 events from my week.  This week's post is a culmination of a few weeks, as we were super busy in June and then were out of the country.  Enjoy!

At the beginning of the month, I treated my mom to her Mother's Day present...pedicures, shopping, dinner, and gambling!  We had a wonderful day together.  My mom is in her 70's, so at this point in her life, she really doesn't need anything.  I have been gifting her experiences for Mother's Day for the past 4-5 years now. 

June included lots of leisure mixed with fun!  We purchased a new patio set because our "starter" set that we were given when we got married 13 years ago finally bit the dust.  I am loving our new set!  I've spent many mornings sitting on our deck enjoying my coffee and breakfasts.  My favorite summer breakfast is avocado toast with hard-boiled egg whites.

I just received my Kindergarten Crate for the month!  The KC is such a great idea!  It's a subscription service and they send you a themed-box each month.  Each box includes a read-aloud picture book, student activities, supplies, and a teacher gift (or two)!  It originally began as a subscription box for kindergarten teachers, but has expanded to pre-K and first grade.  If you are interested in checking out Kindergarten Crate, click HERE!  You can always try one box first to see if you like it (or ask for a subscription as a gift!).  This month's box was a "stock-up" box.  It contained some items that teachers frequently run out of...pens, post-it's, Googly eyes, etc...I have all of my goodies in my school bag and ready to take to my classroom in August.  

We spent a week in Jamaica mid-June.  We stayed at Sandals South Coast.  It's on the South coast of Jamaica (duh lol).  This was our second trip to Jamaica and our fourth Sandals vacation.  We have been to St. Lucia, The Bahamas, and of course Jamaica.  We love Sandals because it has always felt safe, the service is top-notch, and the resorts are beautiful.  Staying at Sandals is a great way to see the Caribbean!  Our next planned trip is back to the Bahamas.  After that, we want to check out Barbados or Antigua.  Hooray! 

We travel often, and I am always on the lookout for good travel items...things that make packing and traveling easier.  I stumbled across these packing cubes a few years ago and liked them so much, I ended up buying my husband a set.  They come in a set of 5 and are a variety of sizes.  There are also 7 colors to choose from.  I like that they are lightweight.  When I pack them, I roll my clothes.  Rolling them and placing them in the cubes helps prevent wrinkling.  Once I arrive at my destination, I simply place the cubes into the hotel drawers.  I prefer not to put my items directly in the drawers in case they might be dirty/dusty. 

I also found a wonderful jewelry organizer!!!  If you follow me on Instagram (@mrswheeler44), you probably saw my Insta Story about it.  It's so compact but holds a TON.  I am obsessed with jewelry and wear a lot of it, particularly large, statement pieces.  This pouch has tons of pockets and pouches and zips up to fit anywhere! 

I also got a new backpack.  I use a backpack as a carry-on, and my prior backpack really hurt my back.  It was heavy to start with.  It was also ridiculous trying to find anything inside.  This new backpack unzips all the way around the top and fits SO MUCH STUFF!  Many pockets/pouches make storing all your items super easy.  Everything is so easy to find.  I love this purchase so much.  *It, along with the jewelry pouch, was an investment, but well worth it! 

If you would like to check out the cubes, jewelry organizer, or backpack,  you can CLICK HERE.   You'll find these in the "travel" area of my Amazon storefront.  * I only share products that I am pleased with and believe in.  Clicking my link gives me a small commission percentage.  Thank you!

As I mentioned above, Mr. Wheeler and I went to Jamaica mid-June.  Here are some photos from our trip!  *The trip started out shaky...I got food poisoning (or the flu???) the second day there and was violently ill for about 2 days.  I had to see the nurse AND the doctor (and got a nice bill to coincide).  I was given 2 medications and some drink pouches for dehydration....I made the most of the situation and pushed on, despite feeling awful.  By the middle of the week, I was able to eat (can we say $$ lost?) some.  I think I might be the only person who goes to an all-inclusive and loses weight!  Hahaha! 

In February, I shared that I have an autoimmune disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis.  If you are not familiar, RA is an auto-immune disease where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the joints.  It's biggest symptoms are joint pain and fatigue.  It is also systematic and can effect major organs.  **You can read more about my diagnosis and living with the disease HERE.  I had my 6 month appointment in early June.  I was expecting the same news I had received during my prior 2 appointments: many joints are swollen.  You need to start prescription meds, etc...However, I received the opposite news!  My rheumatologist was very pleased with my progress.  I only had 2 swollen joints!  She told me to continue to do what I am doing, because it is helping to manage my symptoms.  She did mention prescription meds again, because although my symptoms are being managed, what's happening to my joints is not.  My pain comes and goes and always will.  The fatigue is a beast.  I can deal with the pain and fatigue for the most part.  With the pain, comes joint destruction.  Joint destruction is irreversible.  It can be slowed with medicine.  However, I have chosen to forgo meds.  They are just too scary for me.  Forgoing meds is a risk I am taking and I will have to live with my decision, but I am ok with it.  In the mean time, I am taking lots of vitamins and supplements.  I am also exercising 6-7 days a week.  I have become very consistant with lifting weights, because it really helps me by keeping my joints lubricated.  Overall, I was pleased with the news from my dr.  I wanted to share it with you all!  

xo
Megan