Adventures of an army wife in a foreign country.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
When in Rome... Throw Your Hands Around While You Talk.
This past month, Jordan had two weeks off from work. We decided that a trip to Rome would be the perfect way to spend some of this time. I had always wanted to visit there ever since I saw a few of the old classic movies, such as Roman Holiday and Three Coins in a Fountain. You can just imagine my delight when Jordan said he wanted to go there during his summer leave!
So after a few weeks of anticipation, we made our way to Rome. We flew from Munich to an outer airport. This meant that we had to take a taxi from the airport to our hotel. Here is something you should know if ever traveling to Italy. Italians are horrible drivers. As I sat in the taxi, I watched countless cars speed past with crushed in sides, fronts, and backs. Drivers don't transition from one lane to another; they like to spend much of their time straddling two lanes at once. I found myself clenching the door handle with a sweaty palm, slamming my foot down on an imaginary brake, and praying to myself that I would live to actually see the inner part of Rome. These things just happened on the highway, so you can imagine that I became even more stressed when we reached the narrow streets on the city. There were so many scooters, pedestrians, and other vehicles that the cab driver zoomed past. At one point I could have stuck my tongue out of the window and licked a man on a scooter that was driving beside us. It was terrifying.
Finally we made it to our hotel and began our journey through the city. We were located a couple blocks away from the Tiber river. This meant we had a nice location that was an equal distance to the Vatican on one side of the river and the rest of the sights on the other. For our first night, we decided to roam the streets and find Trevi Fountain.
After walking for a long time, we finally made it there. It was everything I had hoped it would be. Absolutely beautiful and so much larger than I expected. We found a spot and gazed over the fountain for a while, but eventually decided to move on because it was extremely crowded. That night we made our way to the Pantheon, the Coliseum, and the Forum. So we did a lot of walking, but seeing everything lit up at night was amazing.
The next day, we dedicated our time to the Vatican. We went in the morning and stood in line for about an hour to get inside. Luckily, we were in the shade, because at 9:30 the heat was already too much. We made it inside and began the long day of touring all of the different museums, halls, and rooms. It was breathtaking. We both agreed that the entire trip could have been spent there. Each room was unique and ornate. From the floors to the ceilings, we were in awe.
Finally after a few hours of walking through crowded rooms, pushing past tour groups, and maneuvering around typical tourists, we made our way into the Sistine Chapel. This was the main thing I wanted to see. As we walked into the smaller-than-expected chapel, we were immediately heard yelling. "DO NOT TAKE PICTURES!" followed by, "QUIET!" The chapel was so extremely crowded, that it was almost too hard to enjoy the masterpiece above our heads. I was a little disappointed that we couldn't take pictures. It was also sad that I didn't feel like I could actually take in all of the phenomenal work that was above me. It was uncomfortable and if you stood on one spot too long, you would get shoved aside by another observer. We eventually struggled through the crowd and made our way to the exit.
After grabbing a quick lunch of pizza and downing two bottles of water, we made our way to St. Peter's Basilica.
It was even hotter at that point, so I was so grateful to enter the cool building. First of course, we had to go through security, and make sure we had the proper clothing. Women couldn't wear shorts or short skirts, their shoulders must be covered, and men had to be wearing long pants. I understood the reasoning and I was grateful to have a dress with a shirt I could put over it. Some people were not so lucky. A woman in front of me was denied access when she stuffed napkins under her straps and tried to convince the security guard that it was acceptable. The Basilica was beautiful, and whenever I enter a place like that I feel a complete loss for words.
The next day, we headed in the opposite direction to see the Forum and Coliseum. I was just as excited to see these as any of the other places. Having watched a number of shows and movies about gladiators and Romans, I was so excited to be going to the places where these shows were based. First, we took a long walk to find the entrance of the Forum... and by long I mean LONG! My husband, who is trained in reading maps, managed to take us around the entire area. The entire time he claimed that we were just enjoying the sights, when really we were just lost. This was not my idea of fun. Walking around in upper 90's heat, choosing the sunny side of the street to walk on, and not having anything to drink leads to a sweaty and slightly grumpy wife. Eventually we "found" our way to the entrance and made it inside. The entire time I walked around the Forum, I kept thinking about the events and people who once roamed these streets. It made me feel so insignificant, in a very good way.
After the Forum, we made our way to the Coliseum. This part was AWESOME! As I walked around the arena and looked down onto where the fighting once took place, I kept picturing the gladiators and others who had once been in that area. It was crazy to think of what happened there.
We walked around the entire Coliseum and saw the old stairs that were used to reach the upper levels. We also were able to see the areas beneath the arena that were used to house the animals, slaves, and gladiators. It was impressive. We finally made our way to the hotel and after showering and washing our dirty feet we passed out on the bed, only to realize that it hurt to lay down because we had sunburns!
On our last day, we were only left with a short amount of time before we had to head to the airport. We again, walked through the city towards the Pantheon. We went inside the impressive building and spent some time enjoying the architecture.
Even though we were in Rome for a short time, we were able to experience so very much! I learned some valuable lessons while I was there too! Number one, if possible try to visit in the off season! While we enjoyed everything there, it was so very crowded! Walking down the street was shoulder to shoulder. If I could have gone at a different time, I would to avoid the heat and the crowds! Second, get ready to be harassed by people trying to sell you stuff! At every "touristy" location, we encountered people who wanted to "take" your picture, "give" you an umbrella, and "show" you around each location. Don't be fooled... they want your money and they think shoving merchandise in your face is going to convince you! One night while having dinner, a man walked up to our table and tried to "give" me a rose. I declined. He then wanted to see if I needed a fan. Again I declined and told him no thanks. Finally he went away, only to return five minutes later with lighters that were "goot luck." At this point I was beyond annoyed and tired of being nice, so I yelled and did the Italian thing with my hands adamantly explaining that he needed to go away. He got the hint.... finally. This leads me to my third realization. If I could ever chew someone out in any language, I would do it in Italian. It just sounds so angry and the way they use their hands is very passionate. I loved it!
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Tips for Traveling
1. Always bring water!
Since I've been trying to lose weight, water has become my very best friend. I feel wrong if I don't have a bottle with me at all times, so this is my most-important tip for sharing! When you get to an airport, always make sure that you have brought your own empty water bottle to fill up there. If you've forgotten one, just buy another from one of the many vendors in the airport.
During the flight, you will have opportunities to get drinks with your meals and snacks. Although you get that opportunity a lot, sometimes it still may not be enough. Consider this, if you are on a flight for ten hours, (like mine from Germany to Georgia) you are spending an entire day on a plane. People say that you should drink at least eight glasses of water a day, so do you think you are getting enough from the stewardesses during that time? Most likely, no. Also, your body is going though different elevations and climate changes in a short time period. If you aren't hydrated, it could lead to headaches or other uncomfortable situations.
While enjoying your time traveling, make sure that you always bring a water with you. You never know when you may be able to stop next to find a drink! I learned this lesson early while traveling with my husband. We had spent the entire day riding trains and walking around Nuremberg, only to find a food stand that sold bubble water. That wasn't the type of water I wanted or needed, so I barely drank anything! This led to a migraine, which ruined the rest of the day.
2. Snacks are important!
Ever since I've been working on my health, I've tried to eat smaller portions of food more often. I've learned that doing so will help maintain or increase your metabolism, which is a GOOD thing! Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not a health expert, and I don't do this all of the time. I have learned though, that it is EXTREMELY important while I'm traveling to carry a snack with me. Like I said before, when my husband and I explore a place, I usually get hungry before him. He would rather march around all day instead of stopping for a break. So I always carry some sort of snack with me. My go-to snack is usually a granola bar of some sort. They are small and easy to carry. They also usually contain a good amount of protein to hold me over until my next meal.
3. Just because you are walking, doesn't mean you can eat everything!
Lets say that you come to visit beautiful Germany. You've spent the day walking around the markets and old castles, and then settle into a nice biergarten for dinner. The European style of eating is VERY different from the U.S. People actually TAKE THEIR TIME to enjoy the food, drinks, and the atmosphere. Honestly, you could spend hours just sitting at the same place. This is very fun, but it can also lead to bad eating and drinking. The price for a beer is about the same as buying a water, so generally people get the first. Also, the food is absolutely delicious, but rarely has anything healthy with it. For instance, a good meal is bratwursts, bread, and sauerkraut. Another favorite is wienerschnitzel and pommes, a.k.a. french fries. This is my favorite because you can't go wrong with frying things! So not only are you eating unhealthy food, you are drinking very caloric drinks, and most likely eating too large of a portion. This leads to gaining weight! So try to make a healthier dinner choice, keep in mind portion control, and don't drink too many calories!
4. Catch some ZZZZs
I know that when you travel, your sleeping schedule is usually out of wack. Not only is there a time difference, but you also may stay up much later than you are accustomed to! For instance, Germany is seven hours ahead of my home in Alabama. So when I go from place to place, I feel EXTREMELY off on my sleeping pattern. For those who take the drastic time change and then begin their vacation, there is most likely a greater change in their sleep. So my advice for this is, take the time to rest! Sure staying up to meet some locals at a bar could be fun, but if you don't get the needed time for sleep, your body will not take it well. It could lead to unhealthier choices in eating, as well as preventing your body from re-cooperating from long travel. If I personally don't get enough sleep, I am prone to migraines. Those usually take out an entire day of fun for me, so I've learned that I'd rather go to bed a little bit earlier than everyone than spend the rest of the next day in bed sick!
Traveling is fun! If you are ever given the opportunity to take a trip, TAKE IT! Just make sure to keep in mind these easy tips. You will be able to have fun on your journey, and can come home feeling happy with yourself for staying healthy!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Monte Carlo
Two weekends ago I knew I was the luckiest girl in the world! Jordan once again had been blessed with a four-day weekend, and he took me on an amazing trip to Monaco! Let me just say, I have been to a lot of beautiful places in my life, but all others seem pale in comparison to the beauty of our drive and stay in Monte Carlo.
For those of you who don't know, Monaco is a small principality located at the base of France and the coast of the Mediterranean sea. Does that give you a hint of how awesome this place is? Well it should! So Jordan came up with the grand idea to drive down for our four-day and spend two full days enjoying the city of Monte Carlo. After he told me his idea, I was beyond excited! I started planning the outfits I would wear, and I even went on a small shopping trip to buy some goodies. I started planning ahead of time for EVERYTHING, and I even began packing all of our clothes two days early. I was extremely set on not forgetting a thing. The reason for being so meticulous was on most trips, I seem to forget one important thing. For example, last year when we went on a cruise, I forgot to pack our camera battery charger. This time I wanted everything to be perfect!
On Friday morning we got up early to begin the nine hour drive. Jordan then remembered that he had left his passport at his work office, which is about 20 minutes the opposite direction. Without making any complaints, we loaded our things in the car and headed to work. The entire drive there I was secretly gloating. "Haha! I wasn't the one who forgot something this time!" Of course, I didn't say this to Jordan. So we added about an hour of driving to our already long trip. We then made our way back through our town and in the right direction towards our destination. With only a little stumbling block behind us, I sat in the car listening to German radio stations (mainly 80's love ballads) daydreaming up all of the fun things we were going to do. Then something hit me... I quickly turned to Jordan and asked him if he put our hanging bag of dress clothes in the car. The look on his face was the answer I didn't want to hear... No.
Immediately I began to cry. After all of my planning and packing, I still managed to forget the most important thing! This bag contained Jordan's suit, khakis, two shirts, and two of my dresses. If we didn't go back then we wouldn't be able to go to the nice dinner I had been daydreaming about! I was distraught. Jordan saw this, and being the great husband that he is, he turned around. So after a quicker drive back to the house to get our things, we ate a sandwich for lunch, grabbed the bag, and made our journey again.
The next few hours were pretty quiet. We had added more than four hours of driving to our trip! Despite this, I was determined not to let it ruin our weekend. So we drove for about 14 hours that Friday. It was night by the time we got to Monte Carlo, and we were exhausted. We drove through Switzerland, Italy, Germany, and France to reach our destination. The sights were enough to put us in a wonderful mood.
So the next day we woke up excited to explore Monte Carlo. We had a wonderful breakfast at our hotel Le Meridian. We then grabbed our camera and sunglasses and began our journey. Our hotel was located on the outer part of the city, so we walked for a while along the coast before getting to the places we wanted to visit.
As you can see, it was a beautiful day! The only problem was that it was very windy. Despite this, we thought it was perfect. We walked into the busier parts of the city and saw even more beautiful sights like the Monte Carlo Casino, the palace, and all of the amazing yachts in the port.
The thing that helped both Jordan and myself enjoy our visit there, was that we both saw things that interested us. For example, I am a classic movie fan. That means that I adore the old movies with Carey Grant, Audrey Hepburn, and of course Grace Kelly. So while I was admiring statues of Princess Grace, Jordan was enjoying what kept him interested... cars. I have never seen so many expensive cars in my life. Every few minutes, Jordan would stop mid-conversation and yell out what style the car was that was just driving bye. I would look questioningly and ask what color... then I would know what he was talking about. Monte Carlo is also famous for its annual Grand Prix, so Jordan told me about all of the different curves and parts of the race.
So spending the day exploring was really fun for the two of us. We also spent some much-needed time in the sun. Although the first day was extremely windy, we still layed out at our hotel. The second day was perfect for some sun time, so we spent most of the afternoon working on our tans.
My favorite part of the trip was the eating, of course who doesn't love that? On Saturday night we dressed up and went to eat at a wonderful Mediterranean restaurant. The food was amazing. If the restaurant hadn't been so nice, I would have done the touristy thing and taken a picture of it! I had a scallop salad as an appetizer and a grilled prawn dish as my entree. It was so delicious and I probably could have eaten there again and again. After our dinner we then walked to the Monte Carlo Casino. We entered and watched people play cards and roulette, and Jordan even joined in some. He ended up winning 50 Euro, which was pretty impressive. I was just grateful he didn't lose money! So we felt pretty special that night, all dressed up, and acting like some rich folk.
Our next day and night was similar to our first. We spent the day walking around, then enjoyed the beach, and finally we spent the night enjoying a long dinner and good conversation at our hotel restaurant. It was perfect. We got along so well, we were able to experience some amazing things, and it brought us even closer together as a couple. Even though it began with some road-blocks, our trip had to have been one of the best we've ever taken.
So I feel like I should just share some insight about how to fit in with the people there, before I leave you.
First, you should always be wearing a fancy pair of sunglasses.
Second, if you aren't extremely tan then you are wrong.
Third, once you reach a certain age, you must have botox and plastic surgery, this includes the males.
Finally, even though you know you don't fit in, you must walk around with your nose in the air pretending that you do.
For those of you who don't know, Monaco is a small principality located at the base of France and the coast of the Mediterranean sea. Does that give you a hint of how awesome this place is? Well it should! So Jordan came up with the grand idea to drive down for our four-day and spend two full days enjoying the city of Monte Carlo. After he told me his idea, I was beyond excited! I started planning the outfits I would wear, and I even went on a small shopping trip to buy some goodies. I started planning ahead of time for EVERYTHING, and I even began packing all of our clothes two days early. I was extremely set on not forgetting a thing. The reason for being so meticulous was on most trips, I seem to forget one important thing. For example, last year when we went on a cruise, I forgot to pack our camera battery charger. This time I wanted everything to be perfect!
On Friday morning we got up early to begin the nine hour drive. Jordan then remembered that he had left his passport at his work office, which is about 20 minutes the opposite direction. Without making any complaints, we loaded our things in the car and headed to work. The entire drive there I was secretly gloating. "Haha! I wasn't the one who forgot something this time!" Of course, I didn't say this to Jordan. So we added about an hour of driving to our already long trip. We then made our way back through our town and in the right direction towards our destination. With only a little stumbling block behind us, I sat in the car listening to German radio stations (mainly 80's love ballads) daydreaming up all of the fun things we were going to do. Then something hit me... I quickly turned to Jordan and asked him if he put our hanging bag of dress clothes in the car. The look on his face was the answer I didn't want to hear... No.
Immediately I began to cry. After all of my planning and packing, I still managed to forget the most important thing! This bag contained Jordan's suit, khakis, two shirts, and two of my dresses. If we didn't go back then we wouldn't be able to go to the nice dinner I had been daydreaming about! I was distraught. Jordan saw this, and being the great husband that he is, he turned around. So after a quicker drive back to the house to get our things, we ate a sandwich for lunch, grabbed the bag, and made our journey again.
The next few hours were pretty quiet. We had added more than four hours of driving to our trip! Despite this, I was determined not to let it ruin our weekend. So we drove for about 14 hours that Friday. It was night by the time we got to Monte Carlo, and we were exhausted. We drove through Switzerland, Italy, Germany, and France to reach our destination. The sights were enough to put us in a wonderful mood.
So the next day we woke up excited to explore Monte Carlo. We had a wonderful breakfast at our hotel Le Meridian. We then grabbed our camera and sunglasses and began our journey. Our hotel was located on the outer part of the city, so we walked for a while along the coast before getting to the places we wanted to visit.
As you can see, it was a beautiful day! The only problem was that it was very windy. Despite this, we thought it was perfect. We walked into the busier parts of the city and saw even more beautiful sights like the Monte Carlo Casino, the palace, and all of the amazing yachts in the port.
The thing that helped both Jordan and myself enjoy our visit there, was that we both saw things that interested us. For example, I am a classic movie fan. That means that I adore the old movies with Carey Grant, Audrey Hepburn, and of course Grace Kelly. So while I was admiring statues of Princess Grace, Jordan was enjoying what kept him interested... cars. I have never seen so many expensive cars in my life. Every few minutes, Jordan would stop mid-conversation and yell out what style the car was that was just driving bye. I would look questioningly and ask what color... then I would know what he was talking about. Monte Carlo is also famous for its annual Grand Prix, so Jordan told me about all of the different curves and parts of the race.
So spending the day exploring was really fun for the two of us. We also spent some much-needed time in the sun. Although the first day was extremely windy, we still layed out at our hotel. The second day was perfect for some sun time, so we spent most of the afternoon working on our tans.
My favorite part of the trip was the eating, of course who doesn't love that? On Saturday night we dressed up and went to eat at a wonderful Mediterranean restaurant. The food was amazing. If the restaurant hadn't been so nice, I would have done the touristy thing and taken a picture of it! I had a scallop salad as an appetizer and a grilled prawn dish as my entree. It was so delicious and I probably could have eaten there again and again. After our dinner we then walked to the Monte Carlo Casino. We entered and watched people play cards and roulette, and Jordan even joined in some. He ended up winning 50 Euro, which was pretty impressive. I was just grateful he didn't lose money! So we felt pretty special that night, all dressed up, and acting like some rich folk.
Our next day and night was similar to our first. We spent the day walking around, then enjoyed the beach, and finally we spent the night enjoying a long dinner and good conversation at our hotel restaurant. It was perfect. We got along so well, we were able to experience some amazing things, and it brought us even closer together as a couple. Even though it began with some road-blocks, our trip had to have been one of the best we've ever taken.
So I feel like I should just share some insight about how to fit in with the people there, before I leave you.
First, you should always be wearing a fancy pair of sunglasses.
Second, if you aren't extremely tan then you are wrong.
Third, once you reach a certain age, you must have botox and plastic surgery, this includes the males.
Finally, even though you know you don't fit in, you must walk around with your nose in the air pretending that you do.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Bamberg Germany
In the army, you live for four-day weekends. I mean sure, I have a lot of free time, but my husband has the busiest schedule. He goes leaves for P.T. and work at 5:30 every morning, and sometimes won't get home until 7:30 at night. Whew! I don't know how he does it, because I would NEVER be a happy camper if I had to work that long. This just makes me respect him so much more, because not everyone is willing to put in those hours. So, every once in a while, the army gives some nice long weekends. Lately, Jordan has had to work through the past few, but this weekend we lucked out!
Living in Europe has provided so many wonderful opportunities for travel. Even if you have a weekend, there is always somewhere new to go. This weekend, we went to Bamberg. We decided to take the train, which was about two hours. Sometimes I love the train. It is quite an adventure because you encounter so many different sights and smells. Since it is Spring now, the train wasn't too bad. During the summer it gets very hot and crowded. This means you are stuck standing or sitting next to some smelly people. I have found that the gentlemen here either do not shower, and therefore smell horrible, or they wear WAY too much cologne. It makes me think of middle school, when boys either smelled from gym, or showered their body in Axe body spray. Yuck. So we lucked out for this journey and didn't have to deal with a large crowd or stinky passengers.
Once we arrived in Bamberg, we started walking in the direction of the zentral, or town center. At least, Jordan said we were walking there. As soon as we headed in the direction Jordan said was correct, I started having doubts. You can generally tell where the center of a city is, because a crowd of people is walking in that direction. We however were walking the opposite way. I started voicing my concern, but of course I am just a woman with NO sense of direction, so my input was not heard. We continued walking for a long time, until finally Jordan realized we were in fact walking the wrong way. Ahh the satisfaction I felt, and of course I had to rub it in some.
So after a lot of extra walking, we found our way to the zentral. It was absolutely beautiful and full of life. There was a big market that day too. I love walking through markets and seeing all of the things people sell. There were baskets, flowers, meats, vegetables, and so many more vendors. All the time we were walking, Jordan was filling me in on all of the historical aspects of the city. You see, I never would need a tour guide, because I married my own! Bamberg is fascinating because it was one of the few cities that wasn't destroyed during World War II.
So after the market we ate some yummy lunch. I accidentally ordered the wrong thing, but was quite content with what I received. I had grilled fish over a mustard and dill sauce. Sounds gross, but was good. Bamberg is also known for having a very interesting type of beer. It is called Rauchbeir and has a smokey flavor. I tried some and found that it was like drinking a camp fire... so not really something I enjoyed, but when in Bamberg... After a filling lunch we headed to the prettiest parts of the city. Through the middle of the city runs the Regnitz river. In the middle of two bridges, the old town hall is located.
The old town hall was absolutely beautiful. Not only was it located in the middle of the river, the paintings on the side of the building were amazing.
Why can't they still make buildings like that now?
So it was a beautiful day that just continued to get better. Our next stop was to walk up a hill to the cathedral. Of course we had to stop to take some other pictures along the way. We are tourists after all.
The cathedral was quite beautiful. It was made in Romanesque style, which I favor. Compared to the glitz of many other cathedrals, this one was simple but still breathtaking.
The inside of the cathedral was very dark and cool. It made me feel like I couldn't speak, because I was in awe the entire time. 
There were so many other things we saw and enjoyed that day. All in all, it was an amazing trip. I am such a lucky lady to be able to live close enough to any place like this!
Living in Europe has provided so many wonderful opportunities for travel. Even if you have a weekend, there is always somewhere new to go. This weekend, we went to Bamberg. We decided to take the train, which was about two hours. Sometimes I love the train. It is quite an adventure because you encounter so many different sights and smells. Since it is Spring now, the train wasn't too bad. During the summer it gets very hot and crowded. This means you are stuck standing or sitting next to some smelly people. I have found that the gentlemen here either do not shower, and therefore smell horrible, or they wear WAY too much cologne. It makes me think of middle school, when boys either smelled from gym, or showered their body in Axe body spray. Yuck. So we lucked out for this journey and didn't have to deal with a large crowd or stinky passengers.
Once we arrived in Bamberg, we started walking in the direction of the zentral, or town center. At least, Jordan said we were walking there. As soon as we headed in the direction Jordan said was correct, I started having doubts. You can generally tell where the center of a city is, because a crowd of people is walking in that direction. We however were walking the opposite way. I started voicing my concern, but of course I am just a woman with NO sense of direction, so my input was not heard. We continued walking for a long time, until finally Jordan realized we were in fact walking the wrong way. Ahh the satisfaction I felt, and of course I had to rub it in some.
So after a lot of extra walking, we found our way to the zentral. It was absolutely beautiful and full of life. There was a big market that day too. I love walking through markets and seeing all of the things people sell. There were baskets, flowers, meats, vegetables, and so many more vendors. All the time we were walking, Jordan was filling me in on all of the historical aspects of the city. You see, I never would need a tour guide, because I married my own! Bamberg is fascinating because it was one of the few cities that wasn't destroyed during World War II.
So after the market we ate some yummy lunch. I accidentally ordered the wrong thing, but was quite content with what I received. I had grilled fish over a mustard and dill sauce. Sounds gross, but was good. Bamberg is also known for having a very interesting type of beer. It is called Rauchbeir and has a smokey flavor. I tried some and found that it was like drinking a camp fire... so not really something I enjoyed, but when in Bamberg... After a filling lunch we headed to the prettiest parts of the city. Through the middle of the city runs the Regnitz river. In the middle of two bridges, the old town hall is located.
The old town hall was absolutely beautiful. Not only was it located in the middle of the river, the paintings on the side of the building were amazing.
So it was a beautiful day that just continued to get better. Our next stop was to walk up a hill to the cathedral. Of course we had to stop to take some other pictures along the way. We are tourists after all.
The cathedral was quite beautiful. It was made in Romanesque style, which I favor. Compared to the glitz of many other cathedrals, this one was simple but still breathtaking.
There were so many other things we saw and enjoyed that day. All in all, it was an amazing trip. I am such a lucky lady to be able to live close enough to any place like this!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Pinterest... a Catch 22
Isn't it so easy to get distracted when we have so many other things to do during the day? My most recent distraction is Pinterest. I am quite surprised my eyes haven't shriveled up yet from studying the screen as I scroll through endless pictures. The good thing about it is that Pinterest fills my slow days and gives me wonderful ideas for crafts and cooking. The bad thing about it is that it motivates me to workout one second, and then the next it makes me crave a batch of cookies.
So, while on Pinterest, I discovered someecards.com... seriously it is hilarious. I decided to join in and have started making my own. Here is one that describes what I am currently writing about.
Maybe I am not as witty as I would hope, but whenever I look through Pinterest, that is what I think.
Other ideas I have about Pinterest are dealing with all of the different things people pin. I am not casting any blame, but isn't it funny how people "pin" things that have no relation to themselves? For instance, some girls have "wedding" boards. This is an excellent idea if you are in fact engaged. If not, then I must say pinning hundreds of different diamond rings is setting yourself up for disappointment. I wonder how many crazy women leave specific boards up on their computer screen. They are hoping that their significant other will scroll through and realize, "I think I should ask this girl who has pinned 30 wedding dresses and 10 different engagement rings to marry me."
Like I said before, I am guilty of pinning items that I would like to cook, wear, do, etc... but deep down I will not do or get any of those things. I feel that way when it comes to style. I have the greatest desire to dress just as cute as the women pinned on those style boards. Unfortunately, I do not have the ability to put an outfit together or the boldness to carry it off. So here is my next ecard about Pinterest.
What are your feelings about Pinterest? Is it the Promise Land of ideas or perhaps the waste land of time?
So, while on Pinterest, I discovered someecards.com... seriously it is hilarious. I decided to join in and have started making my own. Here is one that describes what I am currently writing about.
Maybe I am not as witty as I would hope, but whenever I look through Pinterest, that is what I think.
Other ideas I have about Pinterest are dealing with all of the different things people pin. I am not casting any blame, but isn't it funny how people "pin" things that have no relation to themselves? For instance, some girls have "wedding" boards. This is an excellent idea if you are in fact engaged. If not, then I must say pinning hundreds of different diamond rings is setting yourself up for disappointment. I wonder how many crazy women leave specific boards up on their computer screen. They are hoping that their significant other will scroll through and realize, "I think I should ask this girl who has pinned 30 wedding dresses and 10 different engagement rings to marry me."
Like I said before, I am guilty of pinning items that I would like to cook, wear, do, etc... but deep down I will not do or get any of those things. I feel that way when it comes to style. I have the greatest desire to dress just as cute as the women pinned on those style boards. Unfortunately, I do not have the ability to put an outfit together or the boldness to carry it off. So here is my next ecard about Pinterest.
What are your feelings about Pinterest? Is it the Promise Land of ideas or perhaps the waste land of time?
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Oh the Things You Can Make!
Like I said in my original post, I want this blog to be basically about everything that I do. Not only am I trying to become healthier, I usually try and find things to do to fill my day. Two of my favorite things are painting and crotchet. Now I am definitely not claiming to be an expert at either, but they are things that I really enjoy doing. Another thing I love is being able to make gifts. Each Christmas I try to make personal gifts for family and friends.
So here are a few different things that I have made. First, as a baby shower gift, I painted letters of my niece's name to go into her bedroom. All I did was take a picture of the bedding my sister planned on using. Then I bought matching paint colors and copied some of the pattern of the quilt. I absolutely loved giving this to my sister, and still feel a little pride when I walk into Addison's bedroom and see her name displayed!
My grandma gave me a miniature chair to paint for Addison next. I used the same colors as I used for her letters. I also painted the same type of flowers on the chair as on her letters.
Since I've become obsessed with Pinterest, I've found some really cute ideas for other types of crafts. One thing I really love has been all of the different types of wreaths. Recently I've made two wreaths of my own. The first I made was for winter. I made it with supplies that my mom, aunt, and grandma sent me from the states. How sweet is that? So I used blue, silver, and white as my colors for this wreath. Doing that meant that I could leave the wreath up after Christmas because I didn't use the typical Christmas colors. I also used snowflake ornaments on the wreath. It is so easy to make a wreath. You just arrange different things on a wreath base and then when you like it, just glue everything where you want it.
With a new season, comes a new wreath. For my newest wreath a used a straw base and wrapped it in multicolored yarn. This part took a long time, but the overall look in the end made it worth it. I then made some felt roses and leaves to add to the wreath. I matched the color of the felt to the yarn. It is now my favorite wreath and every time I walk into my house I have to gaze at my crafting skills!
It is so easy to make things for your own home or for your friends and family. I don't think there is anything better than filling your free time with crafting!
So here are a few different things that I have made. First, as a baby shower gift, I painted letters of my niece's name to go into her bedroom. All I did was take a picture of the bedding my sister planned on using. Then I bought matching paint colors and copied some of the pattern of the quilt. I absolutely loved giving this to my sister, and still feel a little pride when I walk into Addison's bedroom and see her name displayed!
My grandma gave me a miniature chair to paint for Addison next. I used the same colors as I used for her letters. I also painted the same type of flowers on the chair as on her letters.
Since I've become obsessed with Pinterest, I've found some really cute ideas for other types of crafts. One thing I really love has been all of the different types of wreaths. Recently I've made two wreaths of my own. The first I made was for winter. I made it with supplies that my mom, aunt, and grandma sent me from the states. How sweet is that? So I used blue, silver, and white as my colors for this wreath. Doing that meant that I could leave the wreath up after Christmas because I didn't use the typical Christmas colors. I also used snowflake ornaments on the wreath. It is so easy to make a wreath. You just arrange different things on a wreath base and then when you like it, just glue everything where you want it.
With a new season, comes a new wreath. For my newest wreath a used a straw base and wrapped it in multicolored yarn. This part took a long time, but the overall look in the end made it worth it. I then made some felt roses and leaves to add to the wreath. I matched the color of the felt to the yarn. It is now my favorite wreath and every time I walk into my house I have to gaze at my crafting skills!
It is so easy to make things for your own home or for your friends and family. I don't think there is anything better than filling your free time with crafting!
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