The countdown is on! We are SO close to Christmas and I couldn't be more excited. This holiday season has been out of control busy in every aspect of my life. That being said, my time for holiday shopping has been minimal. And on my free days the last thing I want to do is spend time parking and braving the crowds at three different shopping centers in order to get gifts for the tons of people on my list. Just being honest... Overall I just am a really big holiday gift procrastinator and Amazon Prime has been my saving grace this time of year (and all of the other times of the year too). 

If you are anything like I am, you probably have a few gifts that you still need to purchase and with only a week left time is running out. If you want to purchase these presents from the safety and comfort of your own home (no parking, no traffic, no psychos at the mall) then you are in LUCK my friends. I put together a gift guide (with links) consisting of all things that you can order with Amazon Prime and should be here in time for Christmas morning. Procrastinators rejoice.

I broke it down into "for her" and "for him" categories as well as price ranges so that you can easily find the perfect gift that not only will get here in time but will also keep you on budget. 

Whether it's a coworker, your siblings, or you S.O., this guide covers all of the bases and Amazon Prime covers it getting here in time. I hope you enjoy my recommendations and please comment or message me with your favorite Amazon Prime gift picks!

Under $20

• Kate Spade Notebooks- I love to give these as gifts! You can get so many different patterns/sizes on Amazon and they are perfect for coworkers!
• Marble Coasters- I love giving sweet little home decor items that maybe you wouldn't think to buy for yourself but once you have them you wonder how you lived without.

Under $40

• Succulent Planters- Another cool decor item. And succulents are all the rage these days.
• BPA- free Water Bottle- Perfect for anyone because all humans need water. 

Under $60

• Dogearred North Star Compass Necklace- I love pieces from Dogearred because they are so delicate and classic that you can wear them with just about everything and fit most everyone's styles.
• Glamglow Youthmud Set​- The gift of good skincare is the gift that keeps on giving.

​

Under $20

• Game of Thrones Mug- Because who doesn't love GOT?
• 'The Daily Stoic' by Ryan Holiday- Any book by Ryan Holiday is a great pick. They aren't insanely lengthy and they provide a nice bit of personal development wisdom to start off the New Year.

Under $40

• ​Tile Sport Anything Finder- What guy doesn't always lose their keys... or their phone..... or their wallet?
• Canvas Backpack- A simple but classy way for the dudes in your life to tote around all of their stuff so you don't have to store it in your purse for them anymore.

Under $60

• Beard Care Gift Set- A beard kit is something that a lot of guys wouldn't think to buy for themselves but once they started using the products they are hooked and soooo thankful.
• Amazon Firestick (the new one)- The latest, the greatest. All the Netflix.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to check out ROAM Fitness, the FIRST EVER past security airport gym. A few months ago I did a post (link here!) on the creation of ROAM and the backstory of how this revolutionary idea came to be but I am so excited to share my experience of actually visiting and having the chance to work out there.

ROAM Fitness is located at BWI airport in Baltimore, Maryland (right near my house, lucky me!). It is conveniently located in the international terminal which is great because often times for international flights you arrive to the airport extra early and are trying to find something to occupy your time. Around the holidays it's exciting to get to travel and see family and friends but it also can be super stressful. The crowds, the delays, the disruption in your usual routine.... I'm stress sweating just thinking about it. ROAM is a retreat from the stress of holiday travel, or travel in general, and takes care of literally everything so that you can get your body moving and release some endorphins prior to reaching your destination (and potentially sitting on a super long flight being sedentary and feeling like you need to do some downward dogs in the aisle of the plane).

When I arrived at ROAM I was greeted by the manager who let me know all of the features that the facility had. The rest of the staff was super helpful as well and made sure that I had everything I needed during my visit. ROAM makes it so there is no excuse why you can't get a workout in while traveling. They provide top of the line workout gear that you can rent (provided by Lululemon so you know its good) and if you want to wear your own gear they can vacuum seal it at the end of your workout so you don't have to board the plane with smelly workout clothes in your carryon. There are lockers on site where you can store your belonging while working out and there are even charging ports in each locker so you can make sure your devices are ready to go for the flight.

Once I was changed and ready to work up a sweat I snapped a few selfies, of course, to share with you guys. I wore my own workout clothes to the airport but I couldn't resist trying out the rentals. I am so happy I did because I totally fell in love with the whole outfit and was super tempted to purchase everything to bring home with me.

ROAM isn't huge but they definitely designed the space in a strategic way that allows a variety of equipment and various areas to workout in. There are treadmills, a spin bike, an elliptical, and a rower as far as machines go. Additionally there are free weights, medicine balls, TRX equipment, and a separate area where you can stretch or do some yoga. I am never a huge fan of cardio because I get so bored but I actually love the elliptical they have. There are various environments that you can select on the screen and it mimics running through that scenery. There are also options to listen to music or watch Netflix which can make a workout infinitely more enjoyable. There were quite a few people working out while I was there and there was still plenty of room for everyone to do their thing without any issues.

When I finished my work out I headed to the showers to test out how those amenities were. Let me tell you guys..... these bathrooms were out of control and the showers were total #showergoals. When designing the bathrooms they legitimately thought of everything. They are complete with rainfall shower heads, heated toilet seats, and high quality shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, and mouthwash all available for free use. I probably could have stayed in that shower for a good half hour but I was trying to be courteous of other visitors and not be extremely rude. I did come home and tell Matt we need to do a master bath renovation though.....

Once you are all clean you have free reign of the vanity area that is fully stocked with post shower essentials-- blowdryer, deodorant, hairspray, you name it and they've got it. I also like that they have a monitor with updated flight and gate information so that you can make sure you are on schedule. I told you, they thought of everything. If you are planning ahead and know you are going to be working out at Roam you can book a shower time to ensure you can have the most efficient experience. 

On the way out of ROAM make sure to grab some healthy snacks for your flight. They have a variety of bars and protein powders as well as waters and kombucha. They even have my absolute favorite travel snack, RXBARs! I love that they have such a variety of options and I know when traveling I have a go to spot to pick up gluten free snacks. 

I had such a great experience at ROAM and I can't wait to go back next time I am traveling. Not only did I get a great workout in but I also had a great experience from start to finish. I seriously recommend you guys budget some time into your holiday travel schedule to get a quick workout in at ROAM and see how great it is for yourself.

They also have a great deal going on right now for the rest of 2017. Anytime you purchase a day pass from ROAM (only $25!) you can get an additional day pass as a gift for 40% off. These are great stocking stuffers for the travel lovers and fitness gurus in your life!

I have to end this post by giving a HUGE thank you to ROAM for letting me check out their space and for giving me such a pleasant experience at the airport which can be so rare these days!

There has been so much to be thankful for lately between our wedding, quality time with friends and family, and the holiday season. During exciting times of the year it is easy to get wrapped up in the fun and end up over exerting yourself so I have been making a serious conscious effort to keep myself and my health in check.

The thing with Crohn's and any chronic illness really is that it never goes away and even if it seems like it does it can always creep back up. My symptoms are something that are aways with me. On holidays, on vacations, on my wedding day, Crohn's is always the extra guest to the party. I know this sounds super depressing and at first it really was. Over time, though, I have learned to make it work and still enjoy things to the fullest in my own special way. 

The reason I wanted to write this post at this time of year was because as I mentioned before it is far too easy to over exert yourself and by time Christmas and New Years come you are too sick and exhausted to celebrate. This used to be highly frustrating for me because I used to love to be at pretty much every social event or party I was invited to which was a lot during the holiday season. Now I've had to cut it back and decide what events are most important and I prioritize how I want to spend my "out" time. 

You do get used to it! Your family and friends will start to respect your limits and sometimes it can actually be kind of nice to have to spend an evening snuggled up binge watching Christmas movies. I am extremely thankful for the medications and research that have helped get me to a point where my symptoms are manageable and I am thankful for the doctors who have devoted their life to finding better treatments and hopefully a cure.

Antidote asked me to be a part of a video they released featuring fellow chronic illness bloggers sharing the reasons why they are thankful for medical research. I was very excited to share my candid thoughts and be part of a group of such strong individuals who are fighting each day. 

Take a look at the video below and remind yourself why YOU are thankful this holiday season. 

​