A Day in the Life, Day 2

So, my last day in the life post was ridiculously popular! So, since y'all seemed to enjoy it, I thought I would serve up another for What I Ate Wednesday!

This was just yesterday! I had a really fun day and wanted to share it with you.

It started out as usual with water, a banana and coffee at about 7:30

We went for drinks with some friends that were in town on a layover last night and were up way too late...this coffee was much needed...

It is tough being this gorgeous ;) haha Seriously, I was bone tired and had the worst time waking up, tonight will be a very early night.

I made the kiddo some cheese croissants for breakfast, I made a few plain ones for myself...I <3 croissants.="" p="">

Before hubby woke up I took a quick shower and got dressed. 

My MK Rain Boots since it was a drizzly kind of day, jeans, and the fab new shirt hubby brought me home from my favorite store: BEBE! I paired it with the necklace my mom and dad gave me for Christmas.

A close up of my necklace...isn't it adorable. The background is my birthstone and on the back it says some very nice things about me.

My hair was crazy unruly so I sprayed it with volumizing hair spray and teased it a bit, then pulled it to the side and braided it, look great for the whole day.

The hubby and I got going around 9:30, as he doesn't have to be to work until 10. I was getting hungry at this point so I walked around a bit and grabbed some second breakfast.

So, during my walk I saw these shenanigans:

I seriously love this country. Only here could you see a guy set up a latter on the tram tracks and fix a light with trams coming and going, cars coming and going, bike bells ringing...this really reminded me of my Dad...any one else's Dad do insane stuff like this growing up?!

Anyway, I walked on and saw the floating flower market which I posted on Instagram...if anyone wants to know it is €60 to ship 100 tulip bulbs to the US...your welcome :)

A photo posted by Kate (@diaryofanurbanhousewife) on Feb 10, 2015 at 1:39am PST

After that I finally made it to La Place...which this location, on the Kalverstraat is amazing. Employees are sweet and they have the best selection of food I think. All of this was €3,25! You could pick 7 items (including coffee) for that price.

Omelette, bacon, brie, two croissants, jelly, and coffee...seriously life is good!

My view as I ate:

I love these buildings...look at the super skinny entrance toward the left of the picture...these canal houses/buildings crack me up! I also love the building on the left because some of the windows play advertisements. They sure do make great use of what is already there!

So, after that I went and browsed two American Book Stores and regrettably did not buy the Thug Kitchen Cookbook...I'm not sure why...I think I really need to go back and get it I keep thinking about it! ha! But, after that I headed to my favorite lingerie store because I had signed up to go in and give them my opinion on the store and their customer service. As a thank you for my time they gave me a lovely gift and a gift card!

If you are in Amsterdam, seriously go to Hunkmoller, especially the Kalverstraat location the girls there are so incredibly sweet. They are even great with teenagers and have bras very appropriate for that crowd. The girls there know what they are talking about and they have the best. bras. ever. Seriously, they are fantastic!

Anyway, after that I went over to meet a friend at the Opera, before we went in for the lunch concert I snapped these of the bridge nearby.

The detailing is amazing.

I mean look at that! I haven't seen details like that in ages, such time and effort.

Sadly, when we went in for the concert the singer was sick so they canceled it. It was "Songs of Emily Dickinson" too, I was curious as to what they could have possibly created. Maybe they will do it again another week. But, we moved on to a brown bar that is across the street for some Gluhwine and toasties.

Mmmmm Gluhwine...have you ever had it? It is a divine winter treat! 

I forgot to take a picture of my toastie, but it is basically a grilled cheese...picture it ;)

After lunch we walked around a bit more then I came home and did the last of my grocery shopping, took a bath to warm up, then did some Yoga.

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After yoga we made panini's and soup.

Chock full of veggies...nom!

Dessert while watching Gilmore Girls....I even had a tall glass of milk. So tasty!

Now in bed enjoying my sleepy time tea and finishing this post! I drink the Sleepytime Wellness Tea...it is way more potent than the regular Sleepytime Tea, I highly recommend!

So that is all for me today....how was your day?

A day in the life...

As a person who has worked a majority of her adult life, since I started staying home I don't really take into account that Monday to Friday are work days, I don't consider staying at home "work" because I've had to do all I do on a daily basis plus work full time and at one time I also was in school full time. So, I consider my days fairly easy and take joy in the fact I can stay home and just have my home as my "work" for now.

So, here is a new take on What I Ate Wednesday
...

So, I figured I would show y'all what a day in the life is like over here.

This is a Monday which is typically my busiest day of the week as it is the day I try and run all my errands as well as get a good majority of my cleaning done.

So...without further ado...

Wake up, put in a load of laundry, unload dishwasher, grab banana, water, and make coffee.

*My precious*

I am almost always starving as soon as I get up so the banana is some quick fuel. I make coffee for me and the teen as I put her lunch together and on her desk.

Sit down to finish coffee and eat breakfast with the teen. We chit-chat, check social media, and just enjoy this first meal of the day together. Please don't get on my case about us checking our social media accounts. Morning is basically the only time we get to really check what everyone is up to (since they are all our family and friends are anywhere from 6-12 hours behind us) we talk about what is going on, so it works for us.

Get her out the door to school, grab a tablespoon of peanut butter and do a little blogging and sharing stuff for blog on social media.

Shortly after hubby wakes up we get some cuddle time in...I poke my head over the shower and chit chat about what he has going on for the day (I will spare you the visual, although I am sure we are utterly adorable haha)

Get him out the door then pop in a workout DVD and get my workout on.

Fix a post workout snack and check blog stuff one more time while half listening to some NPR podcast.

Get presentable for public.

Almost ready to run out the door then I realize I am hungry and hungry + grocery store=disaster. So I make a salad for lunch.

Devour because after an insanity dvd and post workout breakfast I am of course going to starve to death...#firstworldproblems

Put laundry in dryer, but can't start because I finally have to make that trip to the grocery store.

Now, I bet you think I forgot about grocery shopping, but nope, I am now finally ready to bundle up and head to the store.

Battle the elderly for my groceries (actually today isn't half bad because it is Monday which is why I come on Monday's)...

After the stress that is packing my groceries-we have to pack our own and these people have it down to a science, but not me, I freak out and can't get it done fast enough- I enjoy the walk home since it is sunny...

Put groceries away, start cleaning. I do a few basic chores every Monday that I feel keep the house in tip top shape:

• Clean bathrooms
• Dust (kiddo actually does this)
• Vacuum
• Mop floors
• Wash sheets and make beds (kiddo does hers)
• Clean windows and mirrors (again, another kiddo chore)
• Wipe down furniture (this is one we split, whoever gets to it first)

All of these together only take about an hour to 90 minutes depending on the size of my apartment at the time. Right now, because we have a lot of floor space we are closer to the 90 minutes, but 90 minutes once a week ain't so bad.

Fold laundry and transfer sheets.

Work on cards or other projects.

Lately getting back into embroidery has been my bigger project. I am currently working on a collection of embroidered cards I hope to show off soon!

Make beds.

Have tea and a snack with the teenager once she is home from school.

This Winter Mint Tea is a great pick-me-up.

As she starts homework I prep dinner.

Cook dinner/eat dinner...

Clean up from dinner.

• Do dishes (kiddo)
• Wipe down counters
• Wipe down glass cabinets
• Pack lunch for tomorrow
• Make sure breakfast is set for tomorrow
• Start dishwasher

Relax, check social media, do some reading or watch an Eppy of Mad Men.

The teen and I watch an eppy of Gilmore Girls while sipping our Sleepytime Tea.

I didn't watch this when it was a new show...too much going on with life at the time but have totally fallen in love with it and am so glad our cable channel here is showing the series all the way through.

After this I brush my teeth, wash my face, take a bath, and then retire to my bedroom where I check my calendar for tomorrow, make any to do lists to get stuff off my mind, write in our couples gratitude journal, check pinterest, read, and spend some QT with the hubby if he isn't working late.

Finally we go to bed about 11pm that way I get my mandated 8 hours-otherwise I am a zombie.

So, tell me, what does a day in your life look like?

What I Ate Wednesday: European Edition +my week in workouts of course!

Woohoo! Finally back to What I Ate Wednesday! These last few weeks were so hectic I haven't been able to even think about blogging! But, I am finally back in full force! So, over the last week & a half here is a selection of what I've been eating...be warned there are a ton of pictures.

Discovered these cookies on our flight from London to Amsterdam...then found them at the grocery store. My word are they addictive. I have to tell myself I can just have one with my afternoon coffee that is all no more. Except today, when I sort of gave in after dinner and wanted a second lol They are chocolate chip (white dark & milk) then lined on the bottom with chocolate!

Found this granola to go in my yoghurt. It is super, super tasty! Has 8 grams a protein per serving and the dates are what give it a sweet taste.

Brioche. I'd never had this before. Simply amazing. Light, sweet bread...mmmm

Found fresh squeezed juices at our supermarket! They are amazing. This one in particular. Think I may do a juice cleanse with them!

Real cream. Before we left Canada I was sometimes using whipping cream in my coffee...that stuff doesn't even come close to this. I mean seriously. It is so thick I hardly need but a drop in my coffee. Amazing, amazing stuff. 

These are so fun. When we'd left a "selling" point to the teenager was a typical dutch breakfast was bread with some sort of spread (butter, peanut butter, etc) and sprinkles. I had my bread with the shavings & she has had the rainbow sprinkles so far & we really really like it. It is a nice treat. Something fun to start the morning off.

Our first dinneri n our new apartment. Roasted chicken from the market, corn, leftover lasagna, and fruit salad.

This is the other juice I got. It is pear, mango, mint. I was sort of afraid of it, but I am currently craving it & am going to have it with some egg for breakfast!

Sweet bread, gouda, and grapes. Need I say more?!

Breakfast our second day here: eggs, salad, bread. No I didn't eat all of that bread. All the salad yes, all the egg yes, but only half of that deliciously crusty baguette!

This was heaven in a bowl. I am still trying to get my digestive tract to recover from it, but it was well worth it. This is a giant bowl of the cheesiest best lasagna from a local Italian place. I could only eat a third, then the three of us split it during our first dinner in our new apartment. I decided the next time I can have this is my birthday lol

Also, this last week I put together an insane burpee & squat challenge.

It went really well. Was super sore, especially Monday after doing all the workouts on Sunday. 

Monday I did this apartment friendly workout:

I was sweating a ton during this. I didn't think I'd be too sore though. Boy was I wrong! I was working incredibly hard during this routine and today my arms & booty are definitely feeling it!

Tuesday: 20 minute yoga for digestion. I told you I am still recovering from that lasagna lol 

Today: I will do Blogilates Ultimate Hot Body Workout along with a nice long walk around our neighborhood

I'm working on scheduling my workouts for the rest of this week and next week. Trying to mix it up and work my body in different ways.

Outfits of the Week...

Thought I would start trying something a little different. I really love dressing up and wearing fashionable clothes. So, I thought each week I would feature two of my favorite outfits...one everyday outfit and one dressier, or date night outfit.

So, without further ado here is my first:

This is one of my fave outfits for running errands. The shirt has just enough bling that it is happy, yet not too dressy. The little open back gives it a little fun, and makes it different from the everyday t-shirt. The jeans are a primo find. They are from Guess...they are the "curvy" jeans...they are designed for girls like me tiny waist, but big muscular thighs! 

Where to buy:

Bebe Top, Embellished Hi-Lo Drape Back

Jeans: Guess Power Curvy Mid-Rise

Platform Heels

Next up...date night!

Hubby & I have been married almost 15 years...we try and have a date night at least once per week. These are crucial to our relationship. This week we did dinner and drinks with friends so had to do it up a bit....

This dress is from last years late summer/early fall collection at bebe. It has an excellent cutout at the chest to show just a enough cleavage for the hubby. The shoes are an amazing sandal that, despite the height are surprisingly comfy to walk in. Both items were purchased in store at Bebe. There are similar online, but not exact. Here are some recommendations:

Peek-a-boo ottoman dress

Crossover Cutout dress

Zipper Sandal

Strappy Pump

I hope you like the new addition to the blog...do you have a favorite errand running outfit?

September Blogging Challenge: Chores

Todays, prompt is your favorite and least favorite chores.....*sigh* I hate chores period really. I mean, let's be honest they stink. They are the few items in your life that never go away. They are always there, haunting you, taunting you needing to be done. There are daily ones, weekly ones, monthly ones, and yearly ones. They are always there, but, I suppose if you wanted to look at this positively you could see them as constants. They are always there for you, you can count on them needing to be done, I suppose if you have no other order, chores are the one thing you can bank on. So, we'll look at it more positively. Chores are our buddies, always needing tending to, they love us! ;)

So, my favorite chore I'd have to say is.....

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Yup, making the bed is my favorite. I just love how after you make it your room looks all beautiful and serene. There are lots of pillows on the bed, and it just looks fit for royalty. I also love how tight the sheets are when you go to crawl into it in the evening, it's like you cared enough to tuck yourself in, makes me feel very princess like with all my pillows and a nicely made bed. Makes me feel like I cared enough about my husband and myself to go the extra mile. Here's a graphic about making the perfect bed: 

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Here are 5 great reasons to make your bed every day:

1. Maintain order-I know if this gets done the rest of my room will remain clean and orderly.
2. Teaches responsibility-I had to make my bed everyday from a young age, I know there are certain things you just have to do.
3. Pride-it shows I care about my home and my room. Makes me happy to keep my door open and let anyone see how I care for my personal belongings. 
4. Thankfulness-There are many people who don't have a bed to care for, I am thankful I do and want to care for it in that manner.
5. Energy-if my bed is unmade that lets me know it's okay to crawl back in, I tend toward laziness and if I don't make the bed, I will probably not accomplish anything.

So, that was a long drawn out explanation on my favorite chore, but I was inspired! I didn't realize I loved making the bed so much and all the benefits it had for me! 

My least favorite chore is definitely...

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A few funnies about the dishes. I get a bit of help from my wonderful husband and daughter when it comes to the dishes because they know just how much I dislike them. They make my hands dry, they are dirty, plus they are never ending! We try to be as "no waste" as possible so I don't buy plastics and we try and keep track of our glasses so we aren't using a hundred of them and I try to reuse my breakfast plate for lunch when possible, but somehow they still multiply. Maybe I need to get my dishes condoms. LOL! 

But, I will say when they are done, I feel like a million bucks! I do love a glistening kitchen!

What are your fave and least fave chores?!