Summer Slow Cooker

I have talked about my love for my crockpot/slow cooker (whatever you wanna call it!) many times around here. It's the most wonderful solution for two working adults or busy families who just need a delicious dinner when they get home during the week! As I've been prepping our freezer with crockpot meals, I realized a lot of our favorites are more suited for the fall and winter. I love making chili, soups and stews in the crockpot. While those are still tasty year round, I needed some new inspiration. So, hello, Pinterest! Long-time no see. I rounded up a few awesome summer slow cooker recipes that I plan to make to make life simpler in the coming months and to also be more seasonally appropriate.

For a great breakfast/brunch idea- this frittata sounds SO tasty. I love anything with summer zucchini and the blend of herbs she uses in this recipe is already making my mouth water.

Slow Cooker Frittata

There is nothing like a summer Sloppy Joe, amiright?! This one made with quinoa really intrigued me- hopefully it will be as tasty and it sounds! 

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Quinoa Sloppy Joes

Corn?! In a crockpot?! With flavors like chili and lime? Sign. Me. Up. We don't have a grill currently (ours broke a couple summers ago and we have yet to pull the trigger on a new one) so if I can get a delicious summery corn in my slow cooker- you bet I'm going to try it!

Corn on the Cob with Chili Lime Butter

Stuffed peppers are another go-to meal in our house, but typically of the heavier, cheesy variety- and I've always made them in the oven, too. This Greek spin on something I already love sounds awesome!

Slow Cooker Greek Stuffed Peppers

And of course I had to at least throw one dessert recipe into the mix ;) This cobbler sounds absolutely delicious and if I can have something sweet without slaving in the kitchen for hours doing tedious steps? I'm in!

Slow Cooker Berry Cobbler

Anyone have any favorite summer slow cooker recipes to add to the mix for me?! I'm officially hungry after writing this post ;) Bring on the summer yumminess! 

Liking up with Jenn today for What's Hap"Pinning" Wednesday

Let's Chat

I come to this blog almost daily and want to write, but many days as of late I end up closing the tab before I ever type a word. It's just hard to form coherent thought sometimes ya know? So today I thought I'd talk to you blogger to blogger. Just me and you sitting down for some girl talk to catch up, share what's going on and have an open conversation. That's all I really want at this point- someone to chit chat with and enjoy a good beverage together. I don't think that's asking too much.

I'd be drinking the coldest ice water with lemon but I'd openly admit that I honestly just really want to drink a fountain Mountain Dew instead. Or maybe a Sonic slushie- it's probably a good thing I didn't discover those until the last month of pregnancy. A really, really good thing.

I'd likely share our little boy's name, since we'd be in person and not on the internet. We use it so much at home it's hard not to type it online. With each passing day it gets a little bit tougher not to share it on the blog/social media world. I worry about creepers and privacy sometimes, and other times I just want to say "who cares?!" It's a never-ending battle in my mind.

I'd confide in you that every single day, typically multiple times a day, I worry about how childcare will work once I have go to back to work. I'd tell you it seriously makes me sick to my stomach thinking of the hours I'll be away from my little guy. I'd probably beg you to help me find a new job that lets me work from home... or closer to home... or part-time with the same pay/benefits as I have now ;) Wishful thinking, right?!

I'd probably admit to you that I have hardly any experience with newborn babies- but that I cannot wait to have one of my own to snuggle! I think my fear/nerves with tiny babies comes from the parents typically- watching me like a hawk when I meet their new little one and giving me a play-by-play of what I should be doing. It'll be nice to have my own cutie to care for and love on in the privacy of our own home.

Before I scare you into thinking I shouldn't be allowed to have a baby- I'll be quick to remind you that Jared is a superstar and I know he's going to be such a great dad. I hope our little boy looks just like him! It's so fun to think about what he'll look like, and so exciting that we'll finally know in a few weeks!

We'd wrap up our date after a couple hours of nonstop back and forth. I'm sure we'd glance at the clock and be all, "Wow! How did two hours pass by already?!" You'd get a big hug from me- possibly an awkward one since this belly gets in the way of everything these days. I'd follow up with a text where we promise to meet up again soon. Friend dates are so important- and they just don't happen enough. Maybe next time we meet I'll be enjoying that Mountain Dew ;)

TLFG: 23 May - 5 June 2016

And now, the end is near and so I face the final curtain...

A bit of a melodramatic start I grant you but this is it for another season. 

We finish with a two week special edition to get us to that final game at Sutton United on 5 June and will then take a month or so off before coming back for pre-season friendlies at the start of July.

So how was your week?

The highlight for me, unsurprisingly, was spending Sunday at Wembley for the first ever Non-League Finals Day.

The action began at 1215pm with the FA Vase final between Hereford and Morpeth Town. The Bulls were a League Two side until fairly recently but financial disaster had seen them go bust and reform as a ninth-tier team. Consequently they brought an awesome following of 20,000 which comfortably filled their quarter of the stadium. Morpeth play in the parallel Northern League but are a much smaller club and brought a more normal 4,000 fans.

The match looked as if it would go to form when Hereford raced into an early lead but a slightly fortuitous equaliser brought the Highwaymen level at half-time. The second half saw an almost total reversal of fortunes as Morpeth scored early and then comfortably accelerated away to a comprehensive 4-1 win to totally upset the applecart. 

Tickets are now available for England's final warm-up match before Euro 2016

To be fair to Hereford and their hordes of fans, most of them took defeat very graciously and were a credit to the spirit of the day.

In match two, the FA Trophy final, another two former Football League clubs faced each other after very contrasting seasons.

Grimsby were playing their second match at Wembley in a week after winning the all-important National League play-off final against Forest Green Rovers last Sunday, while Halifax had suffered the disappointment of relegation meaning the two will be two divisions apart next season.

The first half was pretty cagey with few chances but the second became interesting pretty quickly when a fine goal by the Shaymen's left-back gave the underdogs the lead. 

The Mariners, with the prospect of a rare double slipping away, threw everything at their Yorkshire opponents but they remained resolute and repelled everything to end their otherwise disappointing season on a high.

With a crowd of over 46,000 enjoying proceedings, Non-League Finals Day actually outsold England's curiously scheduled friendly against Turkey up in Manchester which took place at the same time. A huge achievement for the non-league community who clearly saw the value of the event. There were a few minor issues that irked myself and others but they can definitely be rectified and hopefully we'll have an even better day next year.

A fine way to end the season and get ready for the Euros

Although there isn't much going on over the next two weeks, the games are pretty significant. Not least the three Football League play-off games over the forthcoming Bank Holiday weekend.

Two London clubs will be competing for promotion - Millwall in the League One final and AFC Wimbledon in the League Two one.

Some tickets may well make it to general sale, in fact they already have for Wimbledon, so check the clubs' websites for the latest information. Tickets for the Championship game between Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday will probably be restricted to members only but check with them too just in case some do become available.

To finish off the season in the capital there's an England friendly against Portugal at Wembley on Thursday week and an England C (non-league players) game against Slovakia U21 at Sutton United's ground where it's free to get in.

It's been another fun season and I hope you've found this blog useful. Get in touch if there's anything else you'd like to see.

That's about it from me, thanks once again for reading. Have a great summer and enjoy the Euros.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are only 7 matches in the London area over the next two weeks as the season finally comes to an end.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Red pin - Wednesday fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
White pin - Sunday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures

White pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Wednesday 25 May

Chelsea Ladies v Sunderland Ladies @745pm  - the hosts, playing at Staines Town, need to win to close the gap on leaders Manchester City

Saturday 28 May

Championship play-off final @5pm - Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday do battle at Wembley for the £100m+ prize of a place in next season's Premier League

Sunday 29 May
League One play-off final @3pm - Millwall look for an instant return to the Championship but will have to get the better of former Premier League club Barnsley

Monday 30 May
League Two play-off final @3pm - there's more London interest in the final match of the Wembley play-off trilogy as AFC Wimbledon face the mighty Plymouth Argyle

Thursday 2 June
England v Portugal @745pm - the Three Lions play their final warm-up game at Wembley before heading off to France for Euro 2016

Sunday 5 June
England C v Slovakia U21 @2pm - it's free entry at Sutton United to watch the cream of England's non-league players in this final match of the season

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Thrilled to See You, Friday!

It's been another whirlwind of a week and as always, I am thrilled to see Friday! Tonight I'm using a gift certificate from my birthday for a much need mani/pedi. My poor swollen feet are seriously going to enjoy this and I'll finally have pretty nails again! It's the little things people - it really is. I'm trying to remember to be more thankful on a daily basis, even through the aches and pains ;) This week I'm thankful for...

- A small little baby shower at work. It was just a small group of us but the women at work were really sweet in celebrating our little boy! A few of them chipped in to buy our highchair which I know we won't need for awhile, but I still love it. Little man also got some swimming trunks and sunglasses so he is all set for these summer months coming up quick. And these burp cloths we received are just too cute for spit-up but I guess I'll get over that.

- Overall an easy pregnancy. Sure, I get heartburn and swollen feet and I feel like a turtle these days, but I've had a healthy, smooth 9 months and for that I am definitely thankful. I haven't been sick and have gotten positive results/updates at the doctors pretty much all along. I don't take that lightly and just hope that continues through for an "easy" labor/delivery!

- A new little buddy! My bestie had her little girl this Tuesday after a very long labor and emergency c-section and I'm just so thankful that everyone is healthy and safe! Lacey is an absolute rockstar and little Reese, I know you and I are going to be great friends ;)

- My creative outlet. Having an Etsy shop is such a fun little side gig that lets me be creative in my spare time; because Lord knows I definitely don't have any creativity involved with my day job. I am truly thankful for the support we've received so far. Amy and I are having fun with it, learning a lot and hopefully growing our shop every week.

- This hubby of mine who puts up with all my crazy, all the time. He's always great, but I feel like our relationship has just grown exponentially since finding out we were expecting. I couldn't imagine life without this guy by my side.

I've got a great weekend ahead of me and I hope you do, too.
What little things are you thankful for right now??

On the Bright Side

Yesterday was the Monday-est Monday I've had in a long time. It was one of those days where you're pretty sure it's doomed right from the get-go. The morning started with oversleeping... never a good way to start your week, right? I actually overslept by so much I considered texting my boss to let him know I wasn't coming in, or was going to take a half-day or something. Fortunately, I pulled it together long enough to hop (more like roll) out of bed, get dressed in something semi-presentable and get going. Ugh, Monday.

And boy, was it a good thing I got going! Now I'm never late, but on my rushed drive into downtown, I remembered that today was actually the day I was supposed to get into work early for something. Yikes. It's bad enough to come in late, but on a Monday where you'd committed to being there earlier than normal? Yeah, terrible employee over here! Of course once I get to work "my" parking spot is gone but should I be surprised at this point? Nope, it's Monday.

I rush into the building as quickly as I can and hop (more like waddle) into the elevator. Push the button for my floor. Nothing. Push it again. Push it more frantically. The elevator is doing NOTHING. Really?? Today of all days has to be the day I now get to walk up 2.5 flights of stairs. Oh, and I'm 36 weeks pregnant as of today- in case that slipped anyone's mind. Monday, you are slowly killing me.

I huffed and puffed my way upstairs with my work bag and ginormous water bottle. I'm going to openly admit that yes, I did have to stop to catch my breath- more than once. My Fitbit practically exploded trying to measure my heart rate. Eventually I made it to the top, sweaty hairline and all, and collapsed into my desk chair. Approximately 30 seconds later my boss was in the doorway with urgent work for me and the day just rolled on from there. Monday-est Monday ever.

Other "highlights" of the day? 

- Forgetting my lunch on the counter at home. 

- Realizing my library books were due that day- and I'm NEVER late to return library books.

- Happily taking all my coupons to Kroger for a big grocery trip to discover they expired the previous day.

- Heartburn from absolutely nothing that comes and goes all day.

On the bright side... at least it's Tuesday now and nothing can go wrong. Right?!
This post is completely written in fun. I know things aren't that bad!! ;) 

We've Still Got It

Jared and I went to our first wedding in over a year this weekend. It took us awhile to actually remember how long it had been but sure enough, the last wedding we were invited to was May of last year. Crazy how you go through phases of life where you've got a wedding practically every other weekend... and then your life shifts to having none! This Saturday we went to my friend Kate's wedding and it was an honor to be there celebrating with her and her new hubby.

Kate and I worked together for a little over 5 years before she left our company for bigger and better things. She was my first friend at work, and definitely the closest friend I ever had at my place of employment. In fact, she was the one sneaking around on the field capturing all the photos of Jared's proposal for us! I miss having her as a coworker but we've stayed in touch and it was great seeing her marry her best friend.

It ended up being much colder than you'd normally expect for mid-May, hence the cardigan I had to add over my dress at the last minute. Luckily, it was indoor- a beautiful Jewish ceremony (I've never been to one!) and I was completely in love with her dress. I wish I'd gotten a better photo of it, but my crappy phone pictures are all I managed. It was such a unique dress and totally Kate. The food and cake were delicious, the venue was gorgeous and seeing the Hora was actually really cool. Although, it also scared me- I'm glad no one got dropped ;)

My TWO dates ;)

I remember the days where Jared and I were just wedding-ing out. The summer of 2009 I remember we attended about 7 weddings and turned down another 6 we couldn't make it to. Whew! We were constantly attending them and it definitely gets tiring, not to mention expensive. But after this weekend I realized how much I have missed having weddings to attend and friends to celebrate. We're now mostly in the baby shower/first birthday stage- but just FYI, we are really great wedding guests still okay?! Invite us! We still get out on the dance floor with the best of 'em ;)

TLFG: 16-22 May 2016

For the first time in what seems like a while, we came into the final round of Premier League games with most of the big issues settled.

Leicester had won the title nearly two weeks ago while Aston Villa, Newcastle and Norwich had already been relegated. 

Even the Champions League places were pretty much decided with Manchester City needing a point to pip rivals United to the last spot which they duly got. The Red Devils, on the other hand, had their game against Bournemouth abandoned before kick off for security reasons so when it is eventually played it will ultimately only decide whether they finish fifth or sixth (only a win by a 19-goal margin will see them claim fourth).

The only major issue left to be decided was who would finish second. The two candidates were arch north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham.

Tickets will be on sale from the box office at Wembley on the day

Spurs were the only team to end up challenging Leicester for the title but faltered at the end, allowing the Gunners to catch up.

Going into the final game, Tottenham simply needed to draw at relegated Newcastle to get that second spot while Arsenal needed them to lose and beat Aston Villa themselves. 

What happened at St James' Park will probably haunt Spurs fans for many years to come.

Routed 5-1 by a previously poor team who played most of the final 30 minutes with 10 men, they capitulated spectacularly while Arsenal thrashed Villa with ease to overtake them at the death.

Despite a top three finish and a place in the Champions League, a massive achievement by Tottenham's standards, most of their fans will be understandably devastated this evening.

To rub salt in the wounds, a significant section of Arsenal's fanbase will still be asking for Arsene Wenger's head as he has 'failed to deliver again' this season. 

I kind of get where they're coming from but when you step back and look at the facts, you wonder what they're moaning about. The last three seasons alone have delivered two FA Cup wins and a runners-up spot in the Premier League. They are one of the most financially stable clubs around and will be playing Champions League football for the 99th year in a row or whatever ludicrous figure it is. How many fans can boast that?

Clubs like Chelsea, Man City and Man Utd may have won more titles recently but they've grossly overspent and all three, on the basis of this year's performances, are going backwards - drastically so in Chelsea's case.

I guess the grass is always greener...

Anyway, it's now all about the FA Cup Final which takes place at Wembley on Saturday. London is represented by underdogs Crystal Palace who meet Manchester United in a repeat of the 1990 final which produced a thrilling 3-3 draw, before United won the replay 1-0. Hopefully we'll get more of the same.

The following day, it's Non-League Finals Day (NLFD) at Wembley which I've been spending the last three or four months helping the FA to promote.

For the first time ever, the FA Vase and FA Trophy finals will be played back-to-back on the same day with one ticket getting you in for both. It's £25 for adults, £10 concessions and just £1 for U16s.

Hereford play Morpeth Town in the former while FC Halifax Town take on Grimsby Town in the latter. 

One of our challenges for the day was to try and outsell England's friendly against Turkey which is going on in Manchester the same afternoon. So far over 40,000 tickets have been sold for NLFD. I don't know how many England have sold but it's in a 50,000 capacity stadium and there are still tickets available so it must be close. Keep buying people!

Aside from these two magnificent Wembley occasions, the rest of the week is all about women's football and a few eleventh tier games several of which have plenty riding on them so check 'em out.

Hope to see you at Wembley.

UPDATE (16/05/16): This morning I found out that sales for NLFD are marginally ahead of those for the England game so outselling it is a real possibility. Go on, you know you want to be part of it.

Also, I forgot to mention that our friends at 'Two Men In Search...' paid a visit to Metropolitan Police's Imber Court for the London Senior Cup Final a couple of weeks ago. Read what they got up to here.

UPDATE (22/05/16): Heading off to Wembley shortly in the knowledge that we're close to reaching 50,000 sales. If you haven't got a ticket yet, you will be able to buy one at the stadium so come along and help us make history. The matches are at 1215pm and 415pm.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are nearly 20 matches in the London area over the next seven days so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Red pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

White pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 16 May
Watford Ladies v London Bees @745pm - get your week under way with some Women's Super League action at Vicarage Road, tickets are only £3

Tuesday 17 May

Essex Olympian League Cup Final @730pm - eleventh tier sides Kelvedon Hatch and Manford Way battle for silverware at AFC Hornchurch's ground

Wednesday 18 May

West Essex v FC Assyria @745pm  - the hosts, playing at Barking, can still win the Middlesex County League but they have to win one of their final two games to do it

Thursday 19 May
Chelsea Ladies v Manchester City Women @730pm - the top two in the Women's Super League go head-to-head at Staines Town
Millwall Lionesses v Oxford United Women @745pm - in the WSL2, Millwall's women welcome Oxford to the New Den

Friday 20 May 

Millwall v Bradford City @745pm - the following night, the men's team grace the New Den as the Bantams visit for the second leg of their League One play-off semi-final with Millwall 3-1 up from the first leg

Saturday 21 May
FA Cup Final @530pm - Crystal Palace and Manchester United contest the annual showpiece of the English football season at Wembley
West Essex v CB Hounslow United Reserves @TBC - if they don't win it on Wednesday, the hosts can seal the Middlesex County League title with victory here

Sunday 22 May
Non-League Finals Day - Wembley provides the stage for the FA Vase and FA Trophy finals which are being played back-to-back for the first time ever. Hereford play Morpeth Town in the former at 1215pm while FC Halifax Town meet Grimsby Town in the latter at 415pm. One ticket, costing £25 adults and just £1 for U16s, will get you in for both. Bargain!

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Confession Session

I'm pretty sure I was supposed to post this and link-up yesterday, but this week has totally gotten away from me! Hopefully Nadine will still accept my link, even though it's late. It's amazing I even know what day of the week it is most time, I swear.

Confession... I am obsessed with watching my belly move and feeling my babe kick around in there. He's most active in the evenings when I'm just relaxing and I cannot get enough of it! I already get sad thinking about how much I'll miss it once he's here, but I'm sure having him in my arms will be pretty great too ;)

Confession... I feel pretty "checked out" of work at this point. Sure, I'm still getting all my work done and hanging in there the best I can... but my mind is pretty all over the place most days. I have to train 4 new people next week and just thinking about that exhausts me.

Confession... I cannot WAIT to go on maternity leave. This little boy can't come soon enough!! Since he's been measuring a little bit ahead of schedule, I have it in my head he'll be here early- only time will tell if I'll actually be right, but I just have this gut feeling I won't make it to my due date.

Confession... Starting next week I see my doctor every single week until delivery. I'm so excited! Honestly, I feel very calm and at peace about labor/delivery and just can't wait to see my son. I truly have no worries or fears, just ready to get this party started haha.

Confession... I just realized all my confessions are baby-related so far, which was unintentional. But hey, I've got a pretty one-track mind these days.

Confession... Our nursery is super close to being done and ready. I'm looking forward to sharing pictures of it on here, eventually! It's finally all really coming together.

Confession... Everyone tells me to get my rest right now but can you really stockpile rest and sleep? I don't think you can. So, I've been staying up later than I should- but for good reason. NBA Playoffs! Anyone else following along/have a team still playing?

Confession... I had cereal for dinner one night this week and it was the best thing in the world.

Confession... I have swollen feet at the end of every day, have gained more weight than I wanted to while pregnant and haven't been working out consistently in months. And you know what? That's okay! #realpreggotalk

I think I dumped enough random pregnant lady stuff on y'all for one day- but whew, there was a lot I just needed to get out there ya know? Hope everyone's having a great week so far. Thank goodness the weekend is on the horizon!

A Great Weekend Indeed

Ahhh...what a great weekend!! We stayed out later on Friday night than we have in a looong time- I'm talking past 11pm, people. I was impressed I was able to stay awake for our big night out but I'm so glad I did- Jared and I had such a good time. We had tickets in my company's suite for the Cincinnati Reds game with some coworkers and our VP.

Not only did we get to see a great game/win, we stuffed ourselves with delicious food and also got the post-game fireworks show- Star Wars themed! Even as a non-Star Wars fan I can appreciate a good fireworks show with great music. Plus? We were the only people who stayed in the suite until the very end of the night so we had it all to ourselves for the fireworks. Another win!

Little man's first game!!! ;)

We were able to celebrate both our moms on Saturday and I totally failed at taking pictures- oops! I still love my mom even if I didn't take a photo OR write her a paragraph on Facebook, just fyi ;) Plus- let's be real, throwback pictures like this are way more fun, anyway. I'm the little one in case you can't tell.

Also, another monumental thing happened over the weekend that is totally worthy of documenting- I tried Sonic for the first time. Not even the food from there, just a strawberry-mango slushie and boy, did it hit the spot! We've always heard about all their different drinks and since we happened to be passing by one after church, we made it happen. It was dangerously tasty and yes, I realize how pregnant I sound raving about a beverage. I will try not to make these a daily habit.

Here's to a good low-key week, friends!!

TLFG: 9-15 May 2016

Apologies for the later than normal publication of this week's piece. On Sunday I ran the Hackney Half Marathon in east London where temperatures reached 27C (81F) leaving me pretty shattered for the rest of the day.

With the Football League concluding over the weekend, we have less than 30 matches to look forward to this week and a large chunk of those are in the 11th tier. 

Possibly the biggest game of the week and certainly the most historic will take place on Tuesday when West Ham United finally play their last ever match at the Boleyn Ground.

Almost like a testimonial, the famous old stadium will be graced by a visit from Manchester United for a match which both sides could do with winning in their pursuit of European places. Unsurprisingly it's sold out so don't even try getting a ticket unless you're prepared to pay an absolute fortune for it.

I went to the Boleyn Ground twice to see QPR play there. The first time back in 1994/95 the match got rained off as I was going through the turnstiles so I didn't even get in let alone see a game. The second time was last season when I took part in a fans' charity walk across London and then saw our rather hopeless side lose 2-0. 

There's less than two weeks to go - join us for this historic occasion

It will be a shame to see it go and whether the Olympic Stadium proves to be a good home or not remains to be seen. Of the bidders, West Ham certainly seemed the most logical tenants and it will be great to see a Premier League club using it and bringing people to the surrounding park. The area certainly has great facilities and the transport infrastructure is way better than that which serves the Boleyn. 

Aside from that, we also see the Premier League season come to an end this week. From a London perspective, the most interesting thing will be to see whether Tottenham or Arsenal finish second.

For weeks it's been all about whether Leicester or Spurs would win the title, with little focus on the rest of the chasing pack.

With the spotlight elsewhere, Arsenal have gone on a nine game unbeaten run which means they will pip their north London rivals to the runners-up spot if they win against bottom club Aston Villa and Spurs lose at struggling (and possibly already relegated) Newcastle.

To miss out on the title was very disappointing for Tottenham fans but to get eclipsed again by their biggest rivals right at the death would be devastating.

In League Two, AFC Wimbledon are in the play-offs and host Accrington Stanley in the first leg of their semi-final on Saturday evening. Given their small capacity, tickets aren't available to non-members but there were some hospitality tickets going for £60 the last time I looked which I thought was pretty reasonable given you get a three-course meal thrown in.

Earlier in the day up at Wembley, we've got a tasty London derby to look forward to the FA Women's Cup Final where Arsenal and Chelsea go after a major piece of silverware. Tickets are really cheap so give it a go if you've never been to the national stadium before.

It's a busy weekend at Wembley so if you're not a fan of women's football you could try the National League play-off final instead. Forest Green Rovers play Grimsby Town for a place in the Football League so there's plenty at stake. Consequently tickets are up around the £40 mark.

As I mentioned earlier, there's still a lot of 11th tier football on at the moment. If you do decide to go to one of these games, please verify kick-off times and venues with the clubs involved as they do have a habit of changing at short notice.

Have a great week and make the most of it, there's only about two weeks to go before the summer break.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are nearly 30 matches in the London area over the next seven days so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Red pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

White pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 9 May
British Airways v New Hanford @745pm - the visitors have two games to go and must win them both to secure the Middlesex County League title (match being played at Ashford Town near Heathrow)

Tuesday 10 May

West Ham United v Manchester United @745pm - the Hammers play their last ever match at the Boleyn Ground and it's an important game that could play a large part in deciding whether or not they play in Europe next season
Arsenal v Aston Villa @7pm - the clubs' respective sides meet in the U21 Premier League Division Two play-off final at the Emirates (tickets are only £4 but must be purchased by 3pm on match day)

Wednesday 11 May

Southern Combination Cup Final @745pm  - Dorking and Molesey meet for the week's first bit of silverware at Molesey's Walton Road ground

Thursday 12 May
South Kilburn v Kilburn @TBC - the Kilburn derby takes place at Vale Farm Sports Centre in Sudbury. Neither side have any great online presence so I've struggled to get a kick-off time. Check with the clubs or league before you travel.

Saturday 14 May 

FA Women's Cup Final @2pm - Arsenal take on Chelsea at Wembley in one of the games of the week where it's free for U16s to get in
AFC Wimbledon v Accrington Stanley @730pm - two of the smaller clubs in League Two have made it to the play-offs where they meet for this semi-final first leg

Sunday 15 May
Arsenal v Aston Villa @3pm - the Gunners could finish above Spurs in second if they win here against Villa who play their last match before relegation
Chelsea v Leicester City @3pm - with the Foxes already securing the title, neither side have much to play for but that could well lead to a more open game
Watford v Sunderland @3pm - depending on midweek results, the Mackems may have to win this to retain their Premier League status
National League Play-Off Final @4pm - Forest Green Rovers and Grimsby Town go head-to-head at Wembley for a place in the Football League

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Highlights of the Week

Happppy Friday!!! I hope everyone indulged in lots of chips and queso yesterday to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. I'm still hoping post-pregnancy that my love for mexican food will return... it felt very odd to avoid it yesterday (and for the past 8ish months!) This week had a couple fun highlights I wanted to jot down before I bust outta' this office and into the weekend ahead:

Highlight #1: Getting lunch with this beautiful gal who I like to refer to as my cousin-in-law. I feel so fortunate that many of my friends are a result of marrying Jared! :) This girl has a heart of gold. Calena and I had a much overdue dinner date to catch up on life and talk about everything from jobs to babies to church to how we're going to celebrate her 30th birthday this summer. We don't schedule time together nearly enough but I'm glad we did it before I have a baby! 

Highlight #2: Attending a luncheon with a group of women from work. A couple times a year I generally get invited to these types of things so it's always a welcome couple of hours out of the office. I attended the "Go Red for Women" luncheon with the American Heart Association. Heather Mitts (a three time Olympic gold medalist) was the speaker and as always it was a good time!

Highlight #3: Finding out that this same group of women at work are throwing me a small baby shower in a couple of weeks! I honestly didn't expect that, but it's very sweet of them to want to celebrate us and our little boy. I'm hoping for a few more Bengals outfits as gifts- hint hint ;)

Highlight #4: Tonight! Jared and I are going to be in a suite for our first (and possibly only!) Reds game of the season. I've been looking forward to this night for weeks. Free food, great seats and a fireworks show post-game! It will be a super fun date night out for us and I really just can't wait. Reds games have always been one of my favorite things for us to do together, all the way back to our early dating days.

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend celebrating their moms, sisters, aunts, grandmas and other special women in their lives!

Currently: May Edition

Happy Wednesday, everyone. This week is absolutely crawling by for me, I cannot believe it's only the middle of the work week right now! Let's hope the second half of this week speeds it up a little because I'm ready for the weekend already. Today I'm back for another monthly edition of the "Currently" link-up with Anne and Jenna!

Celebrating - Star Wars Day! Just kidding- I'm definitely not... I'm just not a Star Wars fan, I'm sorry. Jared is though so I'm pretty confident I saw him head off to work this morning with one of his nerdy graphic tees on ;) I'm just celebrating that it's our anniversary month and that we're having a baby NEXT MONTH.

Reading - Bringing up Bebe. I've read all the informational baby stuff I can- so this is more of a light, entertaining read- but also super interesting so far. Here's a summary of the plot via Amazon since they sum it up much better than I can:

Pondering - When this baby will come. Wouldn't it be nice if due dates actually meant something?! I've had it in my head all along that he's coming early... which likely means he'll come late. #help

Sipping - Water, water, water. I'm like a camel! I cannot go 30 minutes without drinking water or I feel like I'm going to die. I've always drank a lot of it but my consumption lately is through the roof. I tracked it this past week out of curiosity and I was averaging 140 oz a day!!

Going - No where, I hope! I am honestly just pooped by the end of a work day, and then at the end of a work week. It takes a lot for me to feel motivated to get up and out of the house in something other than sweats ;) I'm hoping to keep our obligations and calendars as free as possible in the coming weeks because I just need time to put these cankles feet up.

What are you up to this May?? Link up with the lovely hosts and make some new friends! 

May Goals...ish.

Since this is the last full month before my world gets flipped upside down (in the best way possible!) I decided this will also be my last month with a "goals" post for awhile as well. I use the word goals lightly because I'm keeping my ambitions light this month. I'm 34 weeks pregnant TODAY so excuse me while my priorities (and my balance) shift a little bit.

I'm terrible at remembering to take bump pictures... This is 30 weeks (L) vs 34 weeks (R).

A quick look at how I did in April?

✔+ Order 1 more photobook. It should get delivered to my house today. Is there anything better than seeing that orange package from Shutterfly on your doorstep? I don't think so! 

✔- Meal plan more efficiently. We did better in April than in previous months, that's for sure but still didn't do it perfectly. April got busier than I thought it would so there were lots of hodgepodge meals that weren't exactly planned for, but we made it work.

✔+ Start stocking the freezer. Over the weekend I did a small freezer meal day and got a good start on post-baby meals to have on hand. Whew.

✔- Keep Walking. I definitely slacked on the exercise in April. This body is getting big and tired and it's tough to find the motivation. =\

For May, I'm keeping it at simple and preggo-friendly as possible ;) 

Here are my "goals" for the next few weeks:

Finish the nursery

This is honestly the biggest one for us. It's been a challenge organizing everything, finding a place for all the tiny gifts and now we're about ready to hang some actual decor on the walls. Still on the hunt for a curtain too, but we're getting there.

Schedule a massage and a pedicure/manicure

Thanks to some great gift certificates from my birthday last month, I have dollars to spend on these things and I cannot wait. I'm experiencing a lot of back pain (sciatic nerve- fun, fun!) so a massage this month is much needed. And who doesn't love a pedicure? My feet need some pampering too!

Spend time with Jared/Celebrate our Anniversary

Obviously I spend as much time with him as possible, but like I mentioned April got really busy and it seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. We have some fun plans together this month and I am really looking forward to all the quality time we can get. Plus, our anniversary is at the end of this month and I can't wait to celebrate!

Read/Relax More

I am guilty of feeling like I need to constantly be getting things done, but as I get more and more tired and achy, I definitely pay for it when I overdo things. Honestly, if our baby came tomorrow we'd be fine and we'd be ready. So I need to remember that relaxing and taking some time for me is definitely okay in these last few weeks. Life isn't going to look perfect before our baby comes OR after he comes, so just enjoy the days for what they are.

Bring it on May- I'm excited you're here :)

TLFG: 3-8 May 2016

Greetings one and all, I hope you're well.

The last week has again seen a number of major issues settled as we approach the end of another season.

Leicester's fine draw at Manchester United on Sunday put them on the verge of winning the Premier League. To be stopped, Tottenham Hotspur have to win at Chelsea today (Monday) so it could all be over by the time you read this.

Arsenal edged to a 1-0 win over struggling Norwich to move up to third and can still theoretically finish above Spurs in second which would be the ultimate insult to their north London rivals given how this season has gone.

West Ham still have an outside chance of a Champions League place after winning comfortably at West Brom while at the other end, Crystal Palace still need a win to make absolutely sure of staying up.

The Championship comes to end this weekend and there's very little at stake for any of our local teams. If QPR fail to win at Burnley today (Monday) then Brentford will be crowned top London club in the division.

With Wigan and Burton claiming the two automatic promotion spots, Millwall made sure of a League One play-off place with their 3-0 win over Oldham on Saturday. In terms of this division, they play their geographically closest rivals Gillingham in their final game to decide whether they keep home advantage for those all important second legs. The Gills also need a win to make the top six themselves so it should be a cracker.

There's less than three weeks to go - have you got your tickets?

In League Two, AFC Wimbledon drew with Stevenage to earn the last play-off berth in League Two. With still one game to go their opponents in the 'post-season' are still unknown but will be one of either Accrington Stanley, Bristol Rovers or Oxford United.

Since having their relegation confirmed, Dagenham & Redbridge have gone on a winning streak with fine victories over Plymouth and Crawley which must make the fans wonder what might have been. Sadly it is too little too late and the Daggers will be in the National League next season.

Once here, they'll be able to enjoy derbies against Boreham Wood who won their crucial final game at Welling to stay up - a fine achievement by a club with the smallest crowds (avg. 544) in the division. 

The only major issue of note in the National League South for our local clubs was whether Dartford would make the play-offs. They faced a tricky trip to St Albans who were fighting hard to avoid relegation. It seems the hosts wanted it more and won 4-0 meaning the Darts missed out.

By and large, the Isthmian League play-offs proved a disappointment for TLFG clubs. With no representatives making the Division 1 South semi-finals, three of the four spots in Division 1 North were taken by our teams. However, it was Essex club Harlow Town who ultimately prevailed, beating AFC Hornchurch in the final. 

Our only hope of joy comes in the Premier Division final later today where Dulwich Hamlet travel to East Thurrock United. The Hamlet only just scraped into the play-offs because Enfield Town didn't win their final game and to me looked like underdogs against Bognor Regis in the semis. The Sussex club were on fire in the last few weeks of the season and had been scoring for fun. On Thursday, with the game goalless and well into injury time, Ashley Carew scored with a free-kick to send Gavin Rose's side through in dramatic fashion. 

East Thurrock are a tough and well organised side who should really have beaten Dulwich when they last met at Champion Hill back in February - only two injury time goals saved the hosts that day - and will be hard to beat on their own pitch. If Dulwich do win, it will be a shame to lose them from the Isthmian League but with average crowds approaching 1,400 they are arguably well ready for the next level in a way that their opponents with attendances of only 200 aren't. 

In the Southern League there was also play-off disappointment for Egham Town who did really well to finish third in the Division 1 Central before going out in the semis at home to St Ives. 

Edgware Town won the Spartan South Midlands League Division 1 - a fine achievement in only their second season since re-forming. Dartford also beat Charlton to win the Kent Senior Cup and Chelsea's U18s beat Manchester City to win the FA Youth Cup.

With most non-league football now concluded, the week ahead sees a massive drop off in the amount of games that you can watch and as a result I've bulked it out with some 11th tier games from the Middlesex County, Herts Senior County, Essex Olympian, Kent County and Surrey Elite Intermediate Leagues which should give you the chance to experience some new teams and unusual venues.

The week ahead, as far as the Premier League is concerned, will really all revolve around whether Spurs can beat Chelsea today (Monday). If they do, then their game against Southampton could become huge. 

The biggest game in the Football League taking place locally is Charlton Athletic v Burnley. Although the Addicks are down, Burnley may well win the title if they come away with three points here.

The other two highlights for me are the London and Middlesex Senior Cup Finals at Metropolitan Police and Uxbridge's grounds respectively. I'm a big fan of these competitions and they often represent the best chance of silverware most non-league sides get during a season. 

There are also two big U21 games this week at Arsenal and Chelsea. Both teams will be playing at their main stadiums (i.e. the Emirates and Stamford Bridge) and tickets are on general sale which means non-members will have a rare chance to see a game there. Tickets are really cheap but you must buy them in advance - there won't be any sales on the night in either case.

Lastly, we've got another ground visit to enjoy reading from our friends at 'Two Men In Search...' who went to Rayners Lane to watch their Middlesex Charity Cup semi-final against Cockfosters. I shamefully have to admit to having grown up a few minutes drive away from the Tithe Farm, passed it many times but still have never been to a game there. With Harrow Borough and Wealdstone dominating non-league football in that part of London and for some reason playing in the Hellenic League, they are very much the forgotten club in the locale.

That's it from me. Let me know how you get on on your football travels and as always, enjoy it!

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 40 matches in the London area over the next seven days so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Red pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

White pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Tuesday 3 May
Arsenal v Blackburn Rovers @7pm - U21 Premier League Division 2 play-off semi-final at the Emirates, great chance to see a game at one of the big grounds for just £4 (must buy online by 3pm on the day)
London Senior Trophy Final @730pm - Glebe (10th tier) take on Tooting Bec (11th tier) for some silverware at Enfield Town's ground

Wednesday 4 May

Premier League International Cup Final @7pm - the U21 sides of PSV Eindhoven and Villarreal meet at Millwall where it's just £3 to get in
London Senior Cup Final @745pm - Tooting & Mitcham United play Hendon at Met Police's Imber Court in a repeat of last year's final which the Greens won 

Molesey v Camberley Town @745pm - a little further up the road, these two contest a Southern Combination Cup semi-final

Thursday 5 May

Broadfields United v Hillingdon Borough @745pm - a local derby in the Spartan South Midlands League being played at Harefield United's ground

Friday 6 May

Chelsea v Manchester United @705pm - the recently crowned U21 Premier League champions visit Stamford Bridge to play the Blues in their final game of the season (tickets must be bought by 4pm on match day)

Saturday 7 May 
Crystal Palace v Stoke City @3pm - a win for the hosts will see them avoid relegation from the Premier League
Charlton Athletic v Burnley @1230pm - the Addicks are already down but a win for the Clarets could see them finish top of the Championship
AFC Wimbledon v Newport County @3pm - the Dons go into their final game having already secured a League Two play-off place
Middlesex Senior Cup Final @3pm - Northwood start as underdogs against Enfield Town at Uxbridge's ground
Epsom Athletic v CB Hounslow United @3pm - depending on results earlier in the week, the visitors could wrap up the Combined Counties Division 1 title here

Sunday 8 May
Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton @130pm - if Spurs beat Chelsea on Monday, then they'll need to win this to keep their Premier League title hopes alive

Chelsea v Liverpool @2pm - FA Women's Super League 1 action at Staines Town

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.