Our temperatures here change so often. After such bitter cold days and tons of snow, we have been blessed with a few days with highs in the 40's and 50's and - oh my goodness! - it has felt like Spring out there.
One day, in between running errands and basketball, we made our way to Killesberg Park to visit the ugliest animals again. Yes, they really are just that ugly. ;) It was a beautiful day and we have been in desperate need of some Vitamin D so we headed over to feed the baby goats and play on the playground and just enjoy some family time.
Neeley has been so busy this year! We have had a GREAT year (BIG SMILES FROM ALL OF US!) and right now she is really have to spend quite a bit of time on projects. And not just any ol' projects either.... HUGE projects that take a lot of time and energy.
Neeley has been blessed with an EXCELLENT teacher this year. Huge blessing!! And she has a love/hate relationship with her GE program curriculum, but we are so very thankful for the challenge that this year has brought about. Her subjects are keeping her interest and she is actually learning something for once. :)
I love that she was so interested in this project above. So proud!
We have heard about The Cupcake Boutique for a while now. Neeley had never been to a place like this before, so we have been trying to find some time to get downtown to have one of their delicious treats.
Neeley and her Chocolate Sin. Love the cupcake, don't love the name...
Oh my! My Strawberry Kiss was divine!
Ronnie ♥LOVED♥ his New York Cheesecake as well.
They have the daintiest cups and saucers for these delicious cappuccinos.
And look at that selection!
And just because she's cute.....
I ♥ that she is coming in to her own sense of style and loves to try funky hats and put fun hair clips on them as well. Yes, we did get Mr. Bowden Brigade to eat a dainty little cupcake and drink from a dainty lil saucer AND visit a Claire's Boutique all in the same day. ;)
And just because I hope you are entertained by this as much as I am.......
These terrify me! And Neeley was in this thing as I took this pic. Yep...an outdoor potty that you feed with money. After you exit, it locks and makes every kind of swooshing sound imaginable and leaves the inside soaking wet. Disgusting! But well, when ya gotta go...ya just gotta go! Do they have these anywhere in the States? I had never seen them before, and for the record...I will NEVER get in to one of these. These are not for the faint of heart or the claustrophobic.
Thanks for sharing a laugh and a smile...and a cupcake or two!
PLEASE keep me motivated this year, I'm begging you!
{This was too funny & informative to not put out there. I shared this on Youtube and on my health and fitness blog HERE and hated to not share it with you all as well for those who are not connected on other sites. 2011 is going to be a very productive year!}
The museums and attractions here really never cease to amaze me. And there is some type of display for just about anything you can possibly think of. We took a lil trip to the Schweine Museum {AKA The Piggy Museum} the other day. And oh my was it a lesson! Yes, there was some just plain cutesy stuff, but there was a lil history lesson buried in there somewhere as well. This is a private collection of a lady here in Stuttgart, and oh my goodness! I don't think I've ever seen so many pigs. Enjoy!
Chen's Cooking Wok & Grill Restaurant is Yum-o!! We have been craving Chinese food and a big ol' buffet for a while now. Well, the type of food maybe...not so sure about the buffet. LOL Good thing this wasn't a place like New China or something. There goes New Years Resolution #27, right out the door! :)
It had definitely been a while since we had had such cuisine and it has been nice to have Mr. Bowden Brigade with us to enjoy some family fun on the weekends. We must have really been needing a night out on the town because this lil girl didn't know what to do and acted like an animal in the restaurant.
We are looking forward to trying many more new places very soon.Needless to say, my hope of doing the Eat In Month 2011 this month just isn't going to work for us.
We're hoping that Neeley will gain a bit more confidence and really come out of her shell with this sport.
PROUD PARENT MOMENT ALERT: She scored the first basket of the season during their first game on Jan. 8th. Whoop Whoop!!!!! We are so very thankful to live next to a basketball court which allows for ample opportunities to practice, and it is paying off!
The Robinson Barracks Bulldogs had their first game a couple of weeks ago and they are really turning out to be a great team.
They are learning to work well together.
We are so thankful for wonderfully patient coaches who are such great role models and are really teaching the kids the fundamentals of the sport. Will keep you posted!
Do you have a BodyBugg? Or perhaps you have something similar? I received this precious gift for Christmas and I couldn't be happier.
Want to know more about how the BodyBugg can help you? Just visit the website of this great little gem and then let me know what you think.
What is a BodyBugg? Oh, it's THE BEST calorie management system out there...or at least it is for me. It is a fitness tracker and a GREAT motivator.
Yes...there are other products out on the market that are similar but I have yet to find one that does all that and then some. Until I found the BodyBugg. I am absolutely ♥IN LOVE♥ with mine and hope to have it for a very long time. It helps me to stay on track with my fitness as well as my nutrition and I LOVE the pedometer feature. I also love that it lets me know when I have reached my fitness activity level each day. There are so many great features to this little "bug" that I just couldn't pass it up.
The BodyBugg is worn on the upper left arm and is able to read absolutely everything about your body from the two small sensors on the back of it. When you are ready to upload your information, you just pop it out of the frame, plug it in with the USB cable, log in to your BodyBugg account, and there ya have it. TONS of great info! I may have to show you all screen shots soon. Because........believe me.......I need all the encouragement I can get. LOL
Would you wear something like this? Who knows.....if you come back often you may even see a BodyBugg GIVEAWAY! :)
So it's that time again. Time for New Years Resolutions...goals...new attitudes....new visions...new plans. What are your plans for this new year? Have you written out your goals? What about your Dream Board? Do you have one? Are you saving up for something big? Do you have fitness related goals?
My rough "plan" if you will looks something like this.... to be more mature in the areas of fitness, finance, emotional wellness, and spiritual growth. Pretty broad, huh?
But my goals are written out like this as of now...
Fitness - to work towards losing those 20 lbs, to complete the Chalean Extreme program, to have a more organized/concrete workout schedule, to plan better meals, to not eat out as much, to budget for healthier food items, finalize plans for a Fit Club, and to make new ways for accountability.
Finance - We are going to do Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University program. I would love to have several thousand $$$ in the bank, plan for a nice summer vacation, not have to scrimp and save every.single.day, and to just be able to afford to live & laugh a little.
Emotional wellness - well...this involves just letting go. And talking more instead of stomping around and slamming doors. :)
Spiritual growth - this is a BIGGIE for me this year! I need it. We need it. And I need your help to keep me on track.
I now have the tools and resources to "help" keep myself on track with these. I hope to be better organized this year and not so overwhelmed so I can stay on target for where I want to be in all of these areas come December 31, 2011.