Packing Tips

When traveling a lot, packing can become a bit of second nature. So, I decided to share a few tips I've come across when talking to friends and acquaintences. 

Wear the thickest/heaviest items. If you have to bring a heavy coat, wear it. If you have to bring big bulky shoes, like boots, wear them. If you are bringing a pair of jeans but shorts for other days, wear the jeans. This saves valuable space and will allow you to fit more into a small space.

Multi-week trips choose lodging with laundry facilities. Many Air BnB rentals have laundry facilities, almost all hostels I've looked at have laundry facilities, and you can always utilize the sink and some soap if need be. But, this will help you to pack light for longer trips.

Know your destination and check the weather 24 hours before you leave. It is very important to be prepared with this information so you know if you should have a poncho with you, bring rain boots and an umbrella, or ensure you have shorts if you need it.

Be aware of local customs. This is important, when we went to Rome it was hot (85+F degree days) but to go into the churches there your knees must be covered as well as your shoulders...had we not looked in to this before hand we would have been very upset. In the middle east there are actual laws for how men and women (yes, even visitors) are supposed to dress, so just make yourself familiar with local customs and are prepared for the weather.

For some ideas on what to pack, here is what we packed for our weekend in Rome. I will try to do more of these posts as I find them really helpful when I am getting ready to go somewhere.

Do you have any more packing tips I should add? 

Have you ever visited a place with a "dress code"?

Keepsake Trophy Display

A few weeks ago my mom and I were talking via FaceTime, when we chat we usually take the time to show each other the projects we are working on. During our last call she was explaining that her and my Dad were cleaning out the attic (to which I replied again?! I swear they are always cleaning out the attic haha). Anyway, they had come across some old toys and keepsakes of mine and my brother's.

Of my brother's things they found an old block set and all of his trophies from high school. My mom knew these items in their current state were just taking up too much room, but she also didn't want to just toss them. So, being ever creative as she is, she put together this amazing piece combining the vintage blocks and his trophy plaques.




Supplies

• Building blocks
• Plaques from the front of a trophy
• E6000 Glue (can be found at Home Depot for sure, even in Canada, Europe I have nothing for ya yet lol)
• Paint colour of your choice (I would go neutral though so it is a timeless piece) my mom used a cream colour
• Hanging kit

1. Lay out blocks in the pattern of your choice. 
   
2. Once set glue them together using the E6000.
3. Let dry.
4. Paint the blocks with the paint colour of your choice.
   
5. Using the E6000 Glue again or a hot glue gun glue the trophy plaques on to the block background you created. 
   
6. Once dry, turn the blocks over and install the hanging kit.
   
7. Hang and enjoy!

I really love finding unique ways to preserve old memories. What is your favorite memory?

Menu Plan Monday #14

So, lately I have really enjoyed the Sunday to Sunday planning. I find I am actually prepping a lot more and when Monday Morning rolls around I actually have food to pack lunches so we are starting off on the right foot, it is great!

This weekend was a lazy one, the calm before the storm if you will. 

Saturday it was gorgeous and the kiddo needed to get a birthday present so we took a nice long bike ride to enjoy the weather and keep our travel costs low! 

Then our friend came over to do some professional portraits for the husband. We wound up taking a bike ride through the forest and having a meal together. It was a wonderful day!

Sunday the hubster and I mostly relaxed. Aside from a trip to the grocery store we mostly cuddled on the couch and watched Episodes I and II of Star Wars. 

I really love these calmer weekends, especially when your husband has worked basically three weeks in a row. Next weekend will be the kicker....can't wait to fill y'all in on that! If you follow on Instagram you can follow along to all our shenanigans :) As a preview I will just say there will be tulips, a fantasy fayre, and the huge King's Day celebration! This.Will.Be.Epic!

Goals

Last week, I was fairly unproductive so besides keeping off the added sugar and processed foods I didn't accomplish anything really (haha) so nothing to report there...this week:

• Seriously, finish our freaking itineraries. Vacation is NEXT WEEK! and I have no solid plans, I'm not making a walking path this time but I do want to have names of places we should see and the history of each marked on my phone or iPad so we can read up on them on the train ride.
• Keep at the tougher workouts, been feeling really good so want to keep working hard.
• Keep eating well..again, I am feeling amazing. I've been keeping a higher good fats and higher protein diet and am feeling really great!
• Finish my Hawaiian scrapbooking. It really, really, really needs to get done so I can move on to our move! 

Workout Schedule

I stuck to my schedule pretty good last week, let one extra rest day creep in on Thursday and Friday I only did half my workout. This week will be stronger though...

• Sunday: Rest, I was tired, we did a mild errand bike ride and took a walk
• Monday: 3 mile run and PIYO
• Tuesday: Long bike ride to try and find some Tulip Fields, yoga
• Wednesday: 4 mile run with Bootcamp
• Thursday: Ride to North Amsterdam...rumour has it there could be Tulip fields there too, MMX, Stretching
• Friday: Double PIYO, walk if it is nice or bike ride to find the baby goats
• Saturday: 100 Burpee Burnout, sightseeing

Trying to get some really solid workouts in this week as next week will be off and on because of our traveling.

Menu

Breakfast

Sunday: Egg and cheese crescents with strawberries and kiwi 

Monday: Açai bowls with egg whites or oatmeal with egg whites

Tuesday: Same as Sunday

Wednesday: late start so will make a big breakfast: omelettes stuffed with veggies and cheese with cinnamon raisin toast and blood orange slices

Thursday: same as Monday 

Friday: banana, blood orange, and coconut fruit bowl with toasted cinnamon almonds

Saturday: sightseeing big breakfast before we leave: same as Wednesday

Lunch

Sunday: snack: bread and butter, smoked meat, fruit

Each day hubby takes two hard boiled eggs, nuts, cold cuts, cheese, and every once in a while a slice of bread. He gets fresh fruit provided by work. Once per week he does eat out.

Kiddo: 

M-W: tomato and cheese panini with Apple slices, and nuts

Tuesday-Th: leftovers 

Me: 

M-W: No pasta salad with half panini

T-Th: Leftovers
Friday: fried egg tostadas with a side salad

Saturday: sightseeing we will have a late lunch/ early dinner out

Dinner 

Sunday: Tacos/taco salad

Monday: Triple lentil stew with salad

Tuesday: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with carrots and rice

Wednesday: Triple lentil quesadillas (chicken and cheese for hubby if he is here) with peppers and leeks

Thursday: Breakfast for dinner

Friday: Burgers/veggie burgers (will be made with leftover triple lentil filling, peppers, and leeks) with broccoli, corn, and leftover rice

Saturday: late lunch/early dinner out, will snack In the evening if hungry

This week I am on a pilgrimage for Tulip fields near Amsterdam. I know there has to be some so our meals are going to be super simple and utilize as many leftovers as possible so there isn't any food to get stinky while we are gone. I will be making some meals to freeze for hubby so he isn't eating out. Here is some of what I will be making and freezing:
Rotisserie chicken and rice
Burgers with twice baked potato
Taco filling (made Sunday night, already in the freezer) with cheese and corn
I'm sure he will eat out one night, but this at least provides him options

Snacks
Homemade cinnamon raisin bread
Apple slices with peanut butter
Soaked and toasted almonds
Hard boiled eggs
Homemade bounty bars

So, I think that covers us for the week. What are you up to? Are your kids almost out of school?

P.S. I'm linking up with Mommy Run Fast, Jill Conyers, and I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Jeans Recycling Project: Tic-tac-toe

For months now I have been hoarding jeans as I mentioned in my earring hanger I posted a few days ago....well, one little project wasn't going to use up all the jeans I had so I decided to try and make another project. I was slightly dismayed when I discovered I was able to make this and the earring holder (and mess up once on the earring holder) from one pair of jeans...I did wind up using a second pair of jeans to make the game board as I wanted contrasting colours...plus hubby's leg is bigger than mine so it made for a more spacious game board! haha

So...here goes..here is what you'll need:

• textile glue
• scissors for cutting the jeans
• 1-2 pairs of jeans
• packing peanuts or stuffing
• Washi tape
• Twine or ribbon

1. First, you will take a piece of the jeans and cut it so it is in a rectangle. I then folded it "hamburger" style and cut it in half, now I have two pieces, on one side of each piece it is sealed with the original seam. 
2. Using the textile glue, glue two of the open sides together, leaving one side open. 
3. Repeat steps one and two until you have 10 game pieces.
4. Once the sides are dry begin stuffing with packing peanuts or stuffing. Once it seems full add some glue to the final seam and glue shut.
   
5. Using some of the scrap pieces put X on five of the pieces and O on the other five. Let dry.
6. Using the full leg of jeans that is left cut off a nice large rectangular section (see photos for ideas). On one seam, cut it down the middle so you can now open the leg and have one large rectangular piece.
7. Using washi tape create the "pound" board in the middle making 9 nice size squares.
   
8. To finish off the board trim with washi tape. Add accents as you wish to make it a little stylish.
   
9. To create a storage bag cut off more of the leg. Turn it inside out, with textile glue make a seam by glue the "right sides" together. Let dry. Turn right side out.
   
10. At the top, fold over by about a quarter to half and in and snip just a tiny cut, repeat all the way around the top of the bag you are creating and lace with twine or ribbon. Put your board and game pieces inside and now you have a cute little travel game.
11. 

This is such a cute little game and has brought us lots of fun on these nice days when we walk or bike to the park and can layout having a little picnic. 

What do you do with your old jeans when they are too worn to wear anymore?

Make sure you check out the other projects I've posted during this A to Z Challenge...and check out the other bloggers too at Blogging A to Z!

Currently, Vol 6

It has been a long time since I've done an update post of any kind really; no weekend recaps, no currentlys...I need to change that!

I am linking up today with Becky over at Choose Happy for this weeks currently. 

Exploring...my neighborhood through my runs...finding some fun stuff and enjoying the gorgeous skies we've had lately! 

Remembering...how awesome it feels to sweat!!! Really finding my love of fitness and eating well to fuel my body again, I forgot how good it feels!

Eating...all sorts of goodies. I made a homemade tomato sauce and combined it with some whole wheat noodles, steamed up broccoli, baked up some chicken legs, and have been noshing a piece here and there of Tony Chocolneys chocolate bar ;)

Thankful...for a many number of things but since the time change I've been really in to my workouts and have been doing two-a-days at least so I am thankful I have the ability to workout, the tin to devote to caring for my body like this, and a supportive hubby who listens to all my fitness ramblings :P

Singing...Lulliby, in my head cause I sound most like Shaun Mullins in there haha his voice is so sultry and calm...I love it!

So, what are you up to...currently?

Menu Plan Monday #13

This week's menu is comin' atchya a little late today...with the time change and having the sun up so much later I have been in a groove to move, move, move my little behind and am not having the want I normally do to sit down and write! But, I did a bunch of meal prep and have a plan in my head, but should get it down on "paper" so I don't forget!

Workout Schedule:

• Sunday: rest day; did a little biking, a little walking, some stretching and that was about it.
• Monday: 2.5 mile run, P90X3 Isometrix and PIYO Sweat
• Tuesday: 3 mile run, T25 speed, T25 ab intervals
• Wednesday: Start the day with Blogilates 100 Burpee Burnout, sightseeing day so lots and lots of walking and biking, end the day with T25 Stretch
• Thursday: Quiet apartment workout; PIYO Drench
• Friday: 4 mile run, at the halfway mark will be at a park so will do a little bootcamp of squats lunges, jumps, pull ups, etc., evening P90X3 Yoga
• Saturday: Rest, sightseeing day, stretch

Goals:

Last week:

• cut final bit of added sugars {my one cube of sugar in coffee is all that is left *le sigh*}-done! :D
• no processed foods {gotta get off the cereal, which is a recent reintroduction and I do not feel well after eating it}-done! :D
• finish Hawaii section of scrapbook-Work in progress!
• get balcony set for spring-cleaned it off, still need to find furniture.
• organize craft supplies...don't have many but the few I do have are a bit out of control ;)-completely forgot about this lol
• make packing lists and itineraries for Berlin and London-work in progress
• keep up with A to Z Challenge-work in progress haha..didn't completely keep up last week, but I am still posting, so as long as I get them all posted within the next month I will be ok with that. 

This week:

• Finish the rest of the Hawaii Scrapbook
• Get the lists and itineraries finalized
• Keep going with the A to Z challenge
• Remember to take my camera on our sight seeing tours this week because we will be seeing some amazing things and I would like higher quality photos than my iPhone photos.

Breakfast

• Sunday: cereal
• Monday: oatmeal and hard boiled egg whites
• Tuesday: apple cinnamon oatmeal
• Wednesday: Toast with peanut butter and bananas
• Thursday: apple cinnamon oatmeal
• Friday: Toast with peanut butter and bananas
• Saturday: Big breakfast scramble with lots of veggies, toast, and apple slices

So, today I made this amazing oatmeal with water, oats, peanut butter, ground flax seeds, honey, cinnamon, butter and a touch of milk..it was amazing and pretty much all I want to eat now, I will post the recipe over on Instagram tomorrow so make sure you follow! :D

Lunch

• Sunday: at a party so snacked on pot luck snacks
• Kiddo and hubby: all week they will mostly take a variation on hard boiled eggs, half a sandwich, cheese cubes, fruit, raw veggies, and lunch meat.
• Monday: Chicken legs, broccoli, and a little spaghetti
• Tuesday: Same as monday, but with mushrooms
• Wednesday: sight seeing day, eat out
• Thursday: Mushroom egg white omelette with brown rice
• Friday: Leftovers
• Saturday: Eat out, sightseeing day...late lunch/early dinner

Dinner

• Sunday: Cereal (lame, but after food prep and a variety of foods to choose from I let the kiddo pick what she wanted us to eat since hubby was at work and she chose cereal haha)
• Monday: Spaghetti with broccoli
• Tuesday: Leftovers-attending a going away party, so will be pot lucking it again
• Wednesday: Rotisserie chicken, brown rice, squash
• Thursday: Tacos (regular for hubby, will freeze half, lentil tacos, will freeze half for the kiddo and I) served with cucumber/tomato relish
• Friday: Soup and paninis
• Saturday: Will eat a late lunch/early dinner so will snack in the evening

Snacks

• over night oatmeal
• hard boiled eggs
• string cheese
• carrot slices
• apples and peanut butter
• toasted almonds
• peanuts
• homemade bounty bars (for that sweet treat)
• Banana cappuccino
• Tea

So, this is what my week looks like. How is the time change affecting you? One of my Australian friends was complaining about how dark it is getting and how drained she feels, yet I am total opposite being above the equator! How about you, where are you and how is the time change treating you?

P.S. I'm linking up with Mommy Run Fast, Jill Conyers, and I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Grilled Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich

Whew! Fell a little bit behind, but I am back! Today, I bring you some super fun to make extra use of that George Foreman grill you have lying around. I know you have one...we had one since the day we got married in 1999 and still have one living in Holland, so I know you have one. But, did you know you can use it for more than just grilling meat?! I came up with this idea when I saw a "panini" maker advertised in a catalog on Christmas...I was living in a small apartment and really wanted one, but was so tired of buying new gadgets! So, I thought to myself, hey, these look an awful lot a like, so I gave it a go and it worked famously...we now call the grill the panini maker half the time. This is one of our favorite things to make in the grill.

This amazingly delicious grilled peanut butter and banana panini. It is a delicious treat, in all its peanut buttery, honey, glory. 

Here is what you will need for one sandwich...

• 2 pieces of cinnamon raisin bread
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/2 banana

Here's what you do...

1. Spread some peanut butter on one piece of your cinnamon raisin bread (you can put some on both pieces if you are a peanut butter nut like me hehe, but be careful it is high in calories as good as it is for you ;))
   
2. Slice up half that banana and put it on top of the peanut butter.
   
3. Drizzle a bit of honey on top.
   
4. Top with second slice of bread.
   
5. Put in the George Foreman grill and put the lid down. I let mine toast for about 10 minutes, but keep an eye out as yours may be at a hotter temperature than mine. 

This is probably the teeanger's new favorite thing for breakfast...what is your favorite thing to make for breakfast?