The Bowden Brigade

As Exciting As A Camera Dump....

2012-01-29T16:40:00.003-06:00

Yes, it's been one of THOSE weeks! I had high hopes after such a productive weekend last week that this week would really be one where we were finally caught up here at home, but welp...that's just not the case. Cuh-razy times, folks!

Want a lil peep in to our week?

1) Some days it's all we can do to get our clothes on, look presentable, and get out the door.

2) Yep, we're a bit early in celebrating, but it sure did make the girl smile!

3) But we're not too early in celebrating this one, and this is the one we're most excited about.

4) That and this stuff make our days complete.

5) If I hear one more word about wanting something that looks like this, I think I'm going to scream!

And................that's all you get for this week because we're eye-high in spelling words and preparing for the County Spelling Bee next weekend.

Stay tuned!!

Kicking Rocks

2012-01-15T12:50:00.002-06:00

Another week has passed and I can't even tell you what we have accomplished. :) It was just one of THOSE weeks after such a crazy weekend we had last. Ever have one of those?

Now we have another week that is proving to be even hairier but I think we're ready for this one. Neeley is really in to her activities here so our weeks are beginning to pick up a bit. She won her school spelling bee this past week and now competes soon in our county spelling bee. Yikes! And she starts her flute lessons this week. So exciting! She's also starting a baking class through our local non-credit college course program through K State. And here in a couple of days she will be auditioning for a spot in our local production of Cinderella. Thankfully it's only a weeklong production, but that means long rehearsals every.single.night.of.the.week so I know we'll head in to February exhausted but it'll be worth it. :)

We've been making progress here at home this weekend but we did get out earlier to take advantage of the sunshine and went for a very brisk walk. We had the best kicking around our new pet rock, appropriately named Rocky.

{Yes, that's a painted rock and not a piece of raw meat like it looks! :) }

Neeley came home and painted him so that we can keep him and always take him out with us when we go. Too cute!

Y'all enjoy your weekend! We're out of here to head downtown to take advantage of the last day of FREE ice skating! Whee...........................................

Dinner Yummies...And This And That

2012-01-08T17:38:00.003-06:00

Happy Sunday y'all! Hope you have all had a GREAT weekend. Neeley had a WEEKEND-LONG sleepover and we are now playing catch-up on all of the chores we missed out on so it may make for a longer feeling week but it was nice to hear girly giggles this weekend. :)

Neeley and I are trying another new recipe tonight for dinner. And I'm making lots of extra chicken to have with salads for lunches this week.

I know it's not the best picture in the world but I wanted y'all to see how yummy it looks. And my finished product looks JUST like that. So proud! :) You should try it too!

Kathy Smith's Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken

8 6-8 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups plain bread crumbs (I always freeze the hills and extra pieces of bread once they are past the fresh stage and just make my own bread crumbs)
1-2 Tbsp. vegetable oil (I always use olive oil)
3 Tbsp. hot pepper sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, whisk together the hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and salt. Add the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-12 hours. I didn't have mine in the marinade quite that long but it was still dee-lish!

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove the chicken from the marinade, add bread crumbs to the marinade, and mix well. Coat chicken thoroughly with the mixture.

Spread oil over the bottom of a shallow 9" x 13" baking dish. Arrange chicken in the dish and bake for 15-20 minutes. Turn chicken over; reduce heat to 325 degrees, and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

Have you tried any new recipes lately?

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-02T18:31:00.002-06:00

Our weather was cold, windy and rainy for New Years so we did venture out for a bit, but ultimately ended up back at home in our comfy clothes watching the tube. And with the three of us together, we wouldn't have had it any other way! :)

Christmas 2011

2011-12-29T16:07:00.004-06:00

Christmas 2011 has come and gone. We were so glad to have Mr. Bowden Brigade home for the holiday. As soon as his plane touched down, we headed on to Arkansas for the festivities with our families.

It was great to spend time with them!

Neeley had a great time receiving all of her goodies. She's not loved or anything! :)

Of course, our trip wouldn't be complete without a visit to the River Market in Little Rock for some fun on the ice!

It always makes me a bit sad to think of how quickly the holidays pass us. But I do welcome a new year that bring about a renewed spirit to purge and clean and revisit our goals.

Bring on 2012!!!

Kids need stretching too

2011-12-19T07:17:00.000-06:00

Kids need stretching too

Frozen yogurt pops, anyone?

2011-12-17T21:31:00.000-06:00

Frozen yogurt has increased in popularity among the choices for healthy snacks for children. Packed with fat free or low fat yogurt, fresh or frozen fruits, skim milks, sugar free juices, and other nutritional foods, frozen yogurt can be eaten in a variety of ways to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.

Frozen yogurt pops are a fun, convenient way to introduce new foods to children. Take away the candy, cookies, cakes, and pies, and instead put a frozen yogurt pop in to the hand of a child and sit back with satisfaction.

A quick way to make these yummy treats is to pour the blended yogurt, fruit, milk, juice, and ice mixture in to small disposable cups, add in a popsicle stick, and place them in to the freezer. No kid can ever deny the sheer goodness presented.

For a simple treat, try this recipe:

1) Place 2 cups of your favorite fresh fruits in to a blender.
Add in 2 cups of plain or vanilla yogurt, preferably of the fat free or low fat variety.
Pour in up to a quarter cup of white sugar, depending on the nutritional needs of the child, as well as the natural sweetness of the fruits.
Cover, and blend until smooth.

2) Fill small paper cups ¾ of the way full with the yogurt mixture. Cover the cups with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Poke a popsicle stick through the cover and allow the stick to stand up in each cup.

3) Place the cups in the freezer for at least 5 hours. To serve, remove foil or plastic wrap and peel off the paper cup.

Depending on the fruits selected, and other ingredients used, the calorie count for each frozen yogurt pop should weigh in between 75 and 100 calories.

These can be made in many varieties, so mix and match and have fun in the kitchen with children!

Find my original post over at http://www.examiner.com/children-s-fitness-in-topeka/frozen-yogurt-pops.

A Different Kind of Marathon

2011-12-17T14:47:00.001-06:00

Content by Faustino Fuentes

A box once full of tissues now lay empty at my feet. The trash can overflowed with discarded cough drops and half eaten meals. I had the flu and I was miserable. I sat on the chair staring aimlessly off into space after a hefty dose of cold medicine which made me tired and wired all at the same time. I had quarantined myself in a dark little spare bedroom far away from my happy healthy family. With nothing else to do, I pulled the covers up tight and I flipped on DIRECT TV and settled into a marathon of my favorite travel channel show. It was wonderful to get lost in a high definition trip through all the European countries while I sniffled and groaned the afternoon away. This was the closest to a marathon I was ever going to get so I made the most of it. Four full hours later, sleep finally found me and I welcomed it with open arms. I dreamt of the French coastline and of delicious foods. I awoke to the smell of breakfast and realized I might just survive because I was starving.

Children's health, fitness and nutrition information in your local area

2011-12-15T17:03:00.000-06:00

As a health, fitness and nutrition consultant, children's general well-being is my platform. Read more about fun ACTIVE things to do in the area, get children's sportswear recommendations, yummy recipes the whole family can enjoy, and so much more! Covering the Fort Riley, Manhattan, Junction City, Ogden, Topeka, and Wichita areas. http://www.examiner.com/childrens-fitness-in-topeka/ashley-bowden Care to join me as an Examiner? Let me know!

I Need Your Help!

2011-12-13T18:01:00.004-06:00

How are you spending your Thursday evening? Why not take a few minutes out of your schedule, put the kids to bed early, whatever you have to do, and join us for a webinar to learn what we do as Beachbody Coaches. I would love to have you as a personally invited guest to participate with us. Message me for the link and we'll get you set up!

And....I'm happy to announce that Beachbody is recognizing the growing population of military coaches and is now allowing FREE sign ups for active duty military personnel and spouses. Won't you join us....military or not! :)

The future of fitness!

2011-12-09T15:21:00.002-06:00

Finding Our Groove

2011-12-04T13:21:00.003-06:00

Can you believe it's already December? And the 4th of the month at that? What????? I'm not so sure we've found it 100%, but we are starting to get in to our groove and getting connected and we're LOVING living in "The Little Apple".

Neeley is LOVING her school, and though I am noticing differences in the curriculum, so far, so good. {Is it weird that they don't do any science or social studies until the second semester? Darn that No Child Left Behind crud!!}

I am loving my job but am very overwhelmed to be working full time again.

And speaking of which....being somewhere full time means no time for shopping or living. LOL So nope I've not done one bit of Christmas shopping. Zip.Zilch.Nada. Nope, not a thing! There is nothing underneath our tree so far this year. Looks like I'll have to leave Neeley home by herself one day just to get it all done. CrAzY times! :)

Neeley and I tried out another new church this morning and I believe we've found our home.

New Hope Community Church, with its' focus on pursuing Christ-centered relationships that will change the world, just feels right for us. And we LOVE it! Neeley is in their kidsLIFE program and really enjoyed her class this morning. I really appreciated the sermon on money and finances. And I like a good ol' Southern Baptist sermon but I also enjoyed that I wasn't screamed or yelled at this morning nor were any Bibles thrown. :) All in all, it was a GREAT experience for us and I just know we'll definitely return next Sunday. Check it out at http://www.newhopeks.org!

Neeley is gearing up for her Hip Hop recital in May...and I couldn't be more excited for her to find her outlet here. She is really enjoying the class.

It's beginning to really get chilly here and I'm so not ready for that. This Kansas wind is about to kill us all I think. :) It's like nothing I've experienced before.

I'm starting another Team Direct Impact fitness challenge after the first of the year and I'm super excited! I am actually thinking of starting 3 different challenges if I can and I'll keep you posted. One will definitely be a P90X round. Stay tuned!!

Welp, it's time for another trip to Wal-Mart. I LOVE productive Sundays. Not that a trip to Wal-Mart makes it a productive day, lol, but I have already accomplished so much today to help get through the next week, and it feels GREAT!

Have a good week, y'all!! ;)

Oh, Manhattan!

2011-11-26T11:37:00.006-06:00

We are feeling more at home every day here in Manhattan.

{We still have SO much work to do around the house but it's coming right along...}

We had to buy another vehicle as soon as we got here since Ronnie has to attend his class out of state and needed the car. I ♥ my new Equinox!!!!

Neeley is making new friends and really enjoying her new school.

She's doing so well in school, with the help of her teacher and her Gifted Education Facilitator. So proud! And she's taking a Hip Hop class through the Bates Studio too. She's LOVING it!!

We're now searching for a family church.

We visited a local church last Sunday but the youth group isn't very large and not very active so we are trying another one just up the road from us tomorrow morning. We've heard nothing but wonderful things about it and it seems to really offer tons for all ages, which is a blessing!

I am working full time for now as a Paraeducator with the Gifted Facilitator at our local 10th-12th grade high school. I LOVE it but it is a ton of work that I wasn't expecting! The position was originally expected to be a part-time/flex-time type position so I am gone more of the day than expected but so far, so good! I still have my fitness biz and other opportunities that I am trying to fit in as well and hope to make full time once again very soon.

Other than that, we're enjoying having the necessary conveniences like Wal-Mart and our choice of good eats/restaurants, etc. and making the most of our time in Kansas!

Yes, we're alive!

2011-11-13T15:46:00.001-06:00

Yes, we're alive and kickin' now in Manhattan, Kansas. We've made it and are settling in for the long haul. Stay tuned for the rest of the story..............

Yep, It's That Time!

2011-10-17T05:13:00.006-05:00

Today is our last Monday in Germany. Bittersweet! This time tomorrow we will be checked out of housing and settled in to our hotel that we will call home for the next few days until our flight out of here.

We've spent quite a bit of our time lately packing....yep, even the girl! :) And all of this packing has had us feeling like running and hiding...or simply hunkering in to the tough box! :)

LOL, we MUST keep a sense of humor when making an international move....yet ONCE AGAIN! Ugh! :)

We have had some fun lately. Neeley was able to attend her very first school dance as a Middle Schooler. And I may or may not have shed a tear or two. :)

Isn't she cute? :)

She is doing so well with this whole move. I'm not sure if it's simply her in survival mode and she may break later, or if she really is just THAT resilient. :) But please continue to think of this baby girl of ours as she gets ready to be in 2 different countries and 4 states in just a matter of a week here very soon. Wow! :)

Lasts

2011-10-14T00:38:00.002-05:00

Today is Neeley's last Friday at Robinson Barracks Elementary/Middle School!

And I think we are all feeling the effects. She says she's ready and glad, but yeah....I'm not so sure about that. *tear*

I think we're all ready for a change, but this year has so far been, hands down, the BEST YEAR for Neeley school wise. She has opened up and really blossomed this year in 6th Grade. Advancing her a grade wise has been the best decision we have ever made for that girl!

Would you please pause for a moment and say a sweet lil prayer for this precious girl? She takes everything in stride for a while, and then she completely breaks down. My hope for her is that she is truly as ready as she can be for this move next week and that she is doing all that she can to prepare herself for it. I know we are helping her as much as possible but we have not talked at all about missing friends or anything like that. I am going to suggest some things to her for next, like taking her camera to school for her last couple of days (Tuesday is her last day of school here. Yikes!!) and things like that just because I'm sure she'll never think of that. Every time we even discuss the move she acts like she is soooooooooooo ready to get out of here, but she has made some really great friends this year and I know it will be tough to do this yet again, but we try to keep our babies happy, right? :)

We'll keep you posted! She is doing something SUPER FUN tonight so stay tuned!! :)

October Is Flying By!

2011-10-11T16:13:00.006-05:00

Can you believe this month is almost halfway over?? Yikes! This month has been chock full of all kinds of goodness, and there's more to come. Wow!

Neeley is LOVING her days as a big MIDDLE SCHOOLER in the 6th Grade. But...ssshhh....don't tell her that a 6th Grader in Kansas is still an ELEMENTARY student. :( Wonder how that'll go over?

We've tried to take advantage of some sightseeing opportunities here and there, as we know our time here in Germany is limited.

Das Bonbon Museum (The Bonbon Museum) was a funsy place to visit.

Friday night Neeley gets to go to her first SCHOOL DANCE. A big group of them are going together. Oh, y'all, it was all I could do to get motivated to take her to buy her dress for the dance. I am not, not, not ready for this! Many pictures to come. Maybe it is a good thing she will be going back to Elementary School. :)

We head to the hotel here in a few days and then we head outta here on that big plane next week. CrAzY times!! We have found a place to live in Kansas (how many of you dislike renting a place just by looking at some tiny pictures online as much as I do? Boo!) and have made a point to build a lil vacation or two here and there while we have time together as a family in the States.

We'll keep ya posted!!

Come Over & Join Us For The 30 Day Fit Challenge

2011-10-07T16:10:00.001-05:00

Are you ready for a challenge? How about a F-I-T Challenge? Yep, who's in it to win it? Lose weight and feel great just in time for the holidays. The online accountability group can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/TeamDirectImpact30DayFitChallenge/. Not on Facebook, but still want to participate? Comment on this post and I'll get you hooked up.

Good luck!!

30 Day Fit Challenge

2011-09-30T09:38:00.002-05:00

I'm running another Challenge just for Y-O-U!!

30 Day Fit Challenge begins on October 11th and ends on November 10th. For 30 days, you will log your nutritional intake and your exercise to the group, as well as post to encourage and motivate each other and to stay accountable. We will share recipes, workout tips, motivational and inspirational pieces, and help each other to reach our fitness goals.

Before and after measurements will be logged as well and the participant with the most loss will win a very nice prize pack of workout programs, equipment, and nutritional products.

Mark your calendars now! I will ask that you fill out a free online profile so that we can track our progress and benefit ourselves as well as each other on our fitness journeys.

I will also be announcing a 60 day challenge, a 90 day challenge, and various other 10 day challenges along the way, so stay tuned!!

If you're in for the 30 Day Challenge, go ahead and respond to this message and I'll get you on the list. Those who have asked to join the 10 day on FB, please know that we are already halfway through that Challenge but I will go ahead and put you in line for the next one. You just let me know if you prefer the 10, 30, 60, or 90 day and I'll put you on the list.

Thanks so much! I LOVE helping others to realize their physical fitness!!

I ♥ Fitness Quotes!

2011-09-28T01:23:00.001-05:00

They do provide a daily kick in the pants sort of motivation, don't they? ;) And we could all use a lil push and a shove involving our workouts every once in a while. I know I am just as guilty as the next person. But.......the secret is to never give up and to keep getting back up and out there and stay active. Keep the inspiration, motivation and encouragement going. Find someone to be your biggest cheerleader in order to realize your fitness goals. Need help with that? Message me!

The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body. The more efficient your body, the better you feel and the more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results. - Anthony Robbins

Let TODAY be THE DAY that you take control of your health, fitness and nutrition by finding something that inspires, encourages and motivates you and GO FOR IT!!

For more fitness quotes and daily tips, a great site to visit can be found HERE!

Here is a quick list of tips to help you stay organized and on the right track towards becoming a happier, healthier you!

~ Keep a food journal

~ Find a workout buddy, even if your workouts consist of a very slow stroll around the block.

~ Drink your water!!!

~ Stay connected! Find a support group, hook up with a Challenge group on Facebook or other social media sites. I am constantly running Challenges and would to have you join one of mine.

~ Log your nutrition intake on a site like myfitnesspal or the Beachbody site.

~ Find a meal plan that works for you!

~ Find a workout program that works for you, even if it is a hybrid mish-mosh of various programs like mine is. :)

~ MOST OF All - HAVE FUN!! You are on your fitness journey for yourself, first and foremost, as well as those you love and surround yourself with (friends and family). Do this for yourself and those you are close to.

~ REMEMBER - there's NO turning back!!

Enjoy!

Her Social Network

2011-09-24T16:52:00.001-05:00

Have you discovered Her Social Network yet?

I am still very new to the site but I am really enjoying another way to connect with so many positive giving people. Head on over and Friend me HERE.

I'll see you there!!

A-Journalin' We Will Go

2011-09-22T08:34:00.001-05:00

It's no secret that I am constantly looking for inspiration and ideas everywhere I look. I LOVE looking for products and designs that fit our family and our lifestyle, no matter if it's a ziploc bag or a piece of furniture. :)

Our newest adventure is journaling. Well....I shouldn't really say newest, maybe it is just one of greater importance to us right now. With this move, I have done everything but stand on my head to make sure we are better organized and can actually smile through the mounds of boxes and chaos. And I have been writing down every.little.bitty.detail. :)

Neeley has taken up this love as well and has been journaling our progress through the move, from the day we found out our next location, to packing up our household goods, to shipping the car, etc. It's very therapeutic for her I think. And for me too. :)

I've noticed that I've taken up journaling and even handwriting more. I've been sending out lots of thank you notes and notes for my businesses and notes to Neeley's teachers and I'm finding great joy in handwriting each and every one of them.

Is it just me? Do you journal? Do you take pride in handwriting when you can? And I don't mean the scribble-scratch of your daily to-do list either!

Stay tuned for some excerpts from past journals to be revealed. Oh my! :)

Got Organization?

2011-09-19T06:18:00.002-05:00

I harp on organization and calendars and files and to-do lists all the time. But they WORK for me! And we all have {or should have} our own system that we have found that works for us, so hopefully you have found something that works for you too.

I wrote a fun lil post titled "Got Organization" over on my health & fitness blog today. Check it out!

Just A Bit Of Moving Advice

2011-09-15T05:41:00.006-05:00

Whew! Glad that's over! Our household goods have been packed up and are somewhere along the route headed for Fort Riley, Kansas. Yahoo! I will have to post pics soon of what our place looks like now. {Imagine barren....with government temp furniture}

I was asked to make a few videos of tips I used to help make this move easier and prepare them for the RealMilitaryWivestv network. I have had a lot of fun in creating each one of them. One I did on how to pack things you don't even want your movers touching without them knowing it (lol), another I posted shared the exact contents of my big ol' family management binder and how to use it for personal benefit during a move. They are too fun to watch and can be found over on my Youtube channel.

Neeley is LOVING 6th grade and really doing well. That is the best move we could have ever made for her.

Isn't she cute? And I think it was too early for Anna in this pic. :) This was Friday before school. I've been trying to take a pic of her every morning and make a project with them at the end of the year.

We are headed out here in a bit for some family fun. We found a local outlet mall here that we are excited to see. Outlet City Metzingen has been highly recommended to us so we're going to go over and check it out today while we have some time off. We have some fun planned for next weekend too, and I'll share more on that later.

And, last but not least, THANK YOU all for your sweet comments, letters, messages, phone calls, and prayers. My grandmother is in a much better place now, but it is still very difficult to accept that we never got to see her all this time. Her obituary can be found HERE.

Ok, we're outta here for a lil family fun. Stay tuned!!

A Fun Lil Trip To.....Well, Tripsdrill, For Goodness Sake!

2011-09-07T02:57:00.008-05:00

We really do have some fun family getaway places here in Germany. These Germans sure do know how to do it up right and have a good time. We teamed up with another family here last weekend and met up at another one of our theme parks here.

Tripsdrill Erlebnispark is home to some wild rides, amazing roller coasters, and beautiful scenery.

It was so nice to spend the day with good friends. We realize that our times of fun and adventure here in Germany are very shortly coming to an end. So, we made the most of the day and enjoyed the beautiful weather!!

He can call the Hogs from anywhere!!! ;)

Giggles & grins all around! :)

All this and a picnic lunch certainly made it a day to remember!

I ♥ Cookbooks!!

2011-09-01T10:15:00.000-05:00

It's no secret that I LOVE a new cookbook! How 'bout you??

I got in my FREE Thin Kitchen Cookbook from Beachbody the other day and I swear I am using it every single day! I did a post on it over on my health and fitness blog. Here is the link! Head on over and check it out!!

Ronnie & Neeley's Daddy - Daughter Date At Kart-O-Mania

2011-08-30T16:02:00.002-05:00

Middle School, Here She Comes........

2011-08-29T01:42:00.002-05:00

Well, we made it!

6th grade..........

Middle School..........

Ack! Good thing you can't see the tears in the pic below!

Because I'm feeling an awful lot like she's going to college and not coming home this afternoon.

Good Luck Neeley Beth! Our wish for you is that you make the most of your experiences this year. Skipping a grade....6th grade.....Middle School.....and a move right smack in the middle of it all! You go girl!!!!! We ♥ you lots!!

Happy Birthday To Mr. Bowden Brigade

2011-08-28T03:42:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to our Man Of The House!!!!!

We love you lots!!

The Bowden's Go Monkeyin' Around With Those Cute Macaques!

2011-08-27T16:40:00.000-05:00

Digital slideshow customized with Smilebox

It's All About Neeley Day!

2011-08-24T14:49:00.000-05:00

Oh My Gosh! That girl of ours is certainly growing up waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy too fast!

This year brings about so many changes for us, but we can't forget how it all affects our Lil Miss.

She had a GREAT time at her camps this summer, and just finished her Girl Scout day camp last week. Since she is skipping the 5th Grade and going directly in to 6th Grade, that means she is also skipping over to the Cadette level in Girl Scouts so we had to Bridge her last week at camp too. {Pictures above}

She made several new friends at this camp and that is exciting. Hoping it helps her to pass the rest of our time here quickly.

And I've never met a craftier kid!

She just completed a 4 week Purse Quilting class here at our Arts & Crafts store on post. Our of 5 participants, she was the only 10 year old girl among other 18 year old girls. :) Makes my Mommy heart proud! How cute is her bag!?! She is LOVING showing it off.

We are VERY excited for this new school year. 6th grade here brings so many more opportunities for students and Neeley is ready! We are looking in to the 6th Grade curriculum in Kansas as well but so far do not see where she may have any real issues.

Will keep you posted!!

SITS Featured Blogger Opportunity

2011-08-22T02:24:00.003-05:00

We are sooooooooooooo proud to be the SITS Featured Blogger for today. You can check it out over HERE.

You know I LOVE a good opportunity to meet new people, so this is perfect for us!

Have you headed over to their website yet? Oh....you MUST! Go on....I'll wait.....

I have learned so many new bloggy tips and tricks from these wonderful women and am hoping to make these online friends in to FIRL {Friends In Real Life} soon!

THANK YOU, SITS, for this opportunity!!!!!

A Lil Summer Fun

2011-08-18T02:59:00.000-05:00

We All Could Use A Lil' Moolah!!

2011-08-15T06:11:00.000-05:00

Hi friends & family!

Psst, you HAVE to check this out! There is a great new daily deals site (with awesome content too!) aimed at fun moms, and I have just become an affiliate member. Not only is the site fabulous, but you can earn money as an affiliate too (regardless of where you live and whether your city is supported)! Check it out HERE.

Juice in the City aims to bring moms what they really want: insanely good deals on crazy-fun things to do...and great content. Each day Juice in the City features something fun for local moms to do at an incredible price. Juice in the City started in the SF Bay Area and is rolling out new cities across the country every few weeks.

Check it out and sign up!

Join us for a Back2School Health & Fitness Challenge!

2011-08-09T06:41:00.002-05:00

Hi friends!

Bear with me, as I cannot remember who asked me to post this video, but still wanted to share it with you all. Ronnie and I are hosting a Back2School Health & Fitness Challenge. If you are interested in joining us and the others, please follow the instructions in the video and we'll get started in a few weeks. We would LOVE to have you join us! ♥

Welp, The Cats Out Of The Bag.....

2011-07-28T15:54:00.001-05:00

Yes, it's true.... The Bowden Brigade is headed to Fort Riley, Kansas here in a few short months. Yikes! We are SUPER excited about this new adventure. But you know me....and all this planning is NOT the super exciting part. Blah! But I am so thankful that we have found a GREAT move prep calendar on one of the military resource websites and we will definitely be using it, starting on Monday.

Ok, y'all, send us what you know about Kansas. We haven't a clue! :)

Catch-All Catch-Up

2011-07-26T00:30:00.002-05:00

Oh my goodness, where do I even begin?

Well, here ya go....so sorry I have barely had two seconds to put some thoughts together, but you'll surely take it in listy form just for today, right? :)

1} Neeley has been attending a summer camp here on post a few days. One day they went fishing, German style. Neeley came home and told me how she had to bang the fish and gouge its' eye out until it was dead. Yeah, way to start the list, huh? :) Now picture that.................... you're welcome!!

2} Ronnie's hours have changed, making us all a lil crazy, but we have been able to spend quite a few days and evenings lounging at home, catching up on some of our fave shows. And I think that's probably our fave family activity.

3} We still don't know where we are going next. We just know it is coming up here in just a few short months. 3 months and counting down.......

4} My fitness biz is really taking off! And I am loving it. I'm getting ready to head out to the gym to meet up with a few ladies here in a bit. Should be fun!

5} What is all this Google + talk anyways? :)

6} We MUST buy school supplies soon. Yikes! They sell out fast here. And the list for 6th grade is longer than the elementary list I do believe.

7} And, to go along with #6, we start school is just a few days over a month. Boo! This summer has gone by way too fast!

8} We have a Girl Scout Day Camp coming up here in a couple of weeks. I know better than to volunteer. Wait ~ did I just say that? I originally said I would escort Neeley's group for one day that week and was just notified that I have been tasked to run an entire booth set-up for the whole week. Score! :(

9} Neeley is starting a purse quilting class today here at our local arts & crafts store on post. Should be fun! LOVE that she's crafty like that.

10} And....just because every list needs a #10..... "Forget past mistakes....Forget failures...... Forget everything except what you're going to do now and do it....." ~ William Durant

Shop Squad

2011-07-17T16:53:00.000-05:00

Hi friends & family! Have you heard of ShopSquad? I just recently found it and am in L-O-V-E! You can log in to the ShopSquad website and get advice on products. And by products I mean anything and everything...really! People like you and me sign up in various categories to give product advice. For instance, maybe you are shopping for a new coffee pot or a tv but really want some help before doing the shopping. You can log on to the site, type your question in to the advice line, and a live ShopSquad advisor will talk to you about those products.

I used the service quite a few times, and now I like it so much that I just signed up to be an Advisor. As an Advisor, you receive a portion of the price that a person pays for an item that you suggest. Isn't that cool!?!

Yes, folks, I am NUTS! I have so many different businesses and things that I do, no wonder I never have any time for myself. :)

Check it out!!

Lichterfest 2011

2011-07-14T16:59:00.001-05:00

The annual Lichterfest was so much fun! This is the annual fireworks show that is done in the park across the way from us here on RB. It's so nice to get a free fireworks show every year without having to go far. We can literally take 3 steps out our front door and see them perfectly.

Neeley and I had just gotten off of a plane that morning so please don't look at us too closely. These were taken about 11 pm that night and I can go ahead and tell you we were feeling a bit like death at this point but Neeley was determined to stay up and see the fireworks.

{Ronnie was eating the freeze dried ice cream sandwich that Neeley brought him back from Space Camp. :)}

We will always cherish moments like this!

Flight Director For A Week

2011-07-11T04:55:00.009-05:00

Neeley and I just returned from a week in Huntsville, Alabama, where she was able to attend Space Camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

Neeley was one of sixteen chosen to receive a scholarship through the Air, Space & Missile Defense Association to attend for the week. Go Team Armstrong! Here's the link to a write-up about the group on the Army website.

Neeley was chosen as Flight Director of her group for the week and had a "blast." :) I have begged and begged her to write about her experiences here but she isn't having any of that. I'm sure the experience sounds way cooler when she tells it. LOL She just said she got to live like an astronaut for a week and I guess that's enough. :)

I got to hang out in the hotel and enjoy some much needed downtime, and spend time with Nana & Papa! :) It was such a good time!! While Neeley was at camp, we got to enjoy some good eats and good shopping in the ol' USA. And that makes my heart happy!!

Now if we can just get back on Germany time, we'll be good. Neeley slept until well past noon today and I felt like I could have laid there forever. :) It's crazy to think this was the first time for us to be back in the States in over two years. Wow!

And We're Off....

2011-07-05T16:59:00.000-05:00

Hi friends & family!

You'll have to live with past posts for just a few more days. We're off for a few days...business as usual? Is it or isn't it? Hhmmm..................

Enjoy!!

Good To The Last Cup

2011-07-03T16:24:00.001-05:00

Do you have a fave beverage?

Hot? Cold?

We are LOVING this stuff right now.........

There is rarely a day goes by that I don't enjoy a good cup of it. I'm also trying my hand at my own iced coffee, Pioneer Woman style. Will let you know how it turns out. :)

Add A Lil Flavor To Your H2O

2011-07-01T16:45:00.000-05:00

I am a Diet Coke/Diet Dr Pepper addict!!!!!

There.....I said it.......

Admitting it is the first step, right?

With my new focus on personal fitness - I really am trying, y'all! - I am experimenting with flavored waters. I recently inherited a ton of different kitchen extracts so Neeley and I have been enjoying iced coconut water, minted lemonade and minted teas and even minted lemonade teas. Yumm-o!!

What are your fave summertime beverages?

USDA's MyPlate Program

2011-06-29T16:02:00.000-05:00

Have y'all read where the USDA has "revamped" the Food Pyramid?

What? How are those of us who are just trying to get a grasp on personal fitness supposed to take these changes?

This is what they are promoting, and you'll notice the 2010 date on it. Yep, it's been in the works for a while. These are just the basic messages they want to get out.

Hop on over to HERE to the USDA's Choose My Plate program page to learn more.

What Have You Been Up To?

2011-06-26T08:12:00.010-05:00

We have had a fun-filled, yet exhausting week of birthday celebrations, camp fun, and so much more.

Neeley spent the past week at a Girl Scout camp about 2 hours from here. She attended the "Art Attack" session and LOVED it!

Neeley returned from camp just in time to celebrate her birthday. We had already had the big ol' PAR-TAY earlier so now was the time to celebrate.....for real style! ;)

The birthday girl requested chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. They were so hot on the plate that they were melting the candles. ;)

After that, she requested to get busy opening gifts.

We lounged for a bit more yesterday morning and then we headed out to a local place to pick a few strawberries. Yum Yum! The owner of the place was very nice. It was mentioned in conversation that it was Neeley's birthday and we had told him that was the first time that Neeley had ever been to pick berries so he allowed us to walk away with FREE berries! Sooooooo blessed!

We were FILTHY from the strawberry fields-ever had squished strawberries on the bottom of your shoe? GROSS!-so we came back home to freshen up a bit. Then we headed out to dinner. Neeley had seen a place a week or so ago called Vapiano's. It is an Italian place with the neatest atmosphere. We had THE BEST pasta and pizza and yummy bread. And it was cheap! Oh...and the latte macchiatto and the fresh berries and cream? Ooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yeah!!! ;) We will definitely be going back there!!

Do we look like the parents of a 10 year old? {PLEASE say no! ;)}

We headed out to brunch earlier today to another one of our favorite places. Check out http://www.seagaertle.de. Oh yumm-o!

Then we headed over to another one of our fave places, Killesberg Park, to play with our furry friends and take advantage of the beautiful weather and ride a few rides.

It has been a GREAT week! We have lots of other excitement coming up this week and next, but that will have to be another post....or several. ;)

Happy, Happy Birthday To One Special Girl!

2011-06-24T03:09:00.001-05:00

Today is THIS GIRL's 10th birthday!!!!!

And it amazes me how time flies. We can't possibly be celebrating 10 WONDERFUL years with our Baby Girl, can we?

Weren't we just bringing this precious little bundle of joy home from the hospital?

Or celebrating her 1st birthday?

We've had several years to celebrate now.........

To me, 10 is such a special age. Neeley Beth, you are no longer a baby, but yet you really aren't anywhere near a teen, or even a "tween" yet...or at least we're holding on for dear life here. ;) We love you more than life itself and look forward to spending many, many more amazing birthdays with you, precious girl!!

Neeley arrives home today from a week long Girl Scout camp and I just can't wait to give her a big ol' hug and hear how her week went. I've missed her soooooooooooooo much, as this was her first camp away from home. I couldn't think of a better time to celebrate a birthday!

Yum Yum's

2011-06-23T02:37:00.000-05:00

Tropical Fruit Compote
Recommended by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 piece lemon peel
1 tsp. rum or vanilla extract (optional)
1 pineapple, cored and peeled, cut into 8 slices
2 mangos, peeled and pitted, cut into 8 pieces
3 bananas, peeled and cut into 8 diagonal pieces

In a saucepan combine water with sugar, lemon juice, and lemon peel (and rum or vanilla extract, if desired). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and add the fruit. Cook at a very low heat for 5 minutes. Pour the syrup in a cup. Remove the lemon rind and cool the cooked fruit for 2 hours. To serve the compote, arrange the fruit in a serving dish and pour a few teaspoons of syrup over the fruit. Garnish with mint leaves. Serve with Homemade Sour Cream. Makes 8 1-cup servings.

Preparation Time: 2 hours

Cooking Time: 100 minutes

Nutritional Information: (per serving)
Calories: 148
Protein: n/a
Sodium: 3 mg
Cholesterol: 0 g
Fat Total: < 1 g
Saturated Fat: < 1 g

RBEMS Field Day

2011-06-20T15:02:00.003-05:00

Field Day at any school is always fun. The kids were kind of bummed this year about some iffy weather headed our way when we were scheduled to have some fun, and it wasn't really made any better by finding out that our Field Day 2011 would be held inside the school gym......just in case. It was hot, and miserable, and hot, and stanky, and have I told you it was hot inside there? Oh.My.Word! But the kiddos made the most of it and had some fun anyway.

Happy Father's Day 2011

2011-06-19T11:33:00.002-05:00

Happy Father's Day to our own Father's out there in the States! Sure wish we could be with you all today.

And Happy Father's Day to the Father of The Bowden Brigade! We ♥ you mostest!!

The End Of A Season

2011-06-18T14:55:00.000-05:00

Neeley had a GREAT soccer season this spring! We were sad to see the season end. She played on such a great team. They all played well together and were such good friends. We had their end of season party the other day at one of the parks here on post, complete with hamburgers and hot dogs and the works.

We're so proud of our "Most Improved Player" of the 2011 Annoying Oranges! ;)

It's The End Of An Era

2011-06-16T00:53:00.002-05:00

Today is Neeley's last day of 4th grade.

Can you believe how much these kiddos change in just one year? This is her pic from the very first day of school.

Since she was in a mixed age classroom, she thought she had to be all hip and trendy for that first day of school. And now, today, you can tell she just doesn't give a darn anymore. LOL They get out at 11 am, so who cares, right? ;)

And...............................we have kept it under wraps for a bit, but we did receive a verbal confirmation that our baby girl has been approved to skip 5th grade for next year and go directly to 6th grade, and in to MIDDLE SCHOOL! Dun-dun-dun............. {cue doomsday tune.....}. Yikes! More on that in another post....

For now, we are going to enjoy some family swimming time this afternoon and just relax and savor these moments for just a bit longer.

Amazing Achiever Status Alert

2011-06-14T15:50:00.000-05:00

We are so proud of our Amazing Achiever! Neeley was recognized last week for her "dedication to academic success" all year long. And that's definitely her; she's a pleaser through and through and refuses to receive any red marks on her work. That we love, but sometimes kids can be so tough on themselves. Breathe, girl! ;)

Neeley has done so well at this school. I was so worried about her academics and how different the DoDDS curriculum is, but she has thrived, especially with the teacher she had this year. This year truly has been a blessing. Now next year may be a different story, but so far so good!

We ♥ you, Neeley Beth!!

Neeley's 10!!

2011-06-12T14:03:00.007-05:00

Well, technically, she's still 9 for a few more days but we had to celebrate early due to our crazy schedule and a summer that is looking very full already. But nevertheless, we partied hearty today making ribbon wrapped headbands, bracelets, keychains and bottlecap necklaces. Too much fun!!

P90 What?

2011-06-11T16:59:00.001-05:00

Yes, I have decided I really am crazy, for I am on another mission to get this P90X party started here and now!

This extreme home fitness system is not for the weak, let me tell ya. This is serious stuff! With individual workouts with titles like Ab Ripper X, you know you have to have the right mindset to just get through it at all. I am excited to see how it goes. The 90 part in the title? Yep, I stick with this program for 90 days. Think I can do it? Ask me again in 90 days! ;)

To-Do's, Want-To's, Got-To's, Honey-Do's, & Love You's

2011-06-08T16:54:00.001-05:00

It's no secret that things around here with The Bowden Brigade have been beyond nutty. I mean worse than a Snickers bar, y'all! :) Between my school, subbing, Neeley's schooling and homework, after school activities, Ronnie's crazy schedule, and just trying to maintain a household in another country, we do good to stay afloat some days.

I began seeking a way to control all of our craziness a while back. I needed something that was a 1 package deal, that held absolutely everything we ever needed in life, in order to help us to better muddle through this life of ours.

Welp, I think I've found our system.........................

Introducing The Bowden Brigade's "Our Life 2011"! LOL This binder truly is our life. This is our "home management binder" as some call it. Google it, look it up, there are several ways to make your very own should you so desire. I am in L-O-V-E already!! My OCD brain really needs everything all in one place, neatly organized, categorized, alphabetized, color coded, etc. And that I have. She's still a work in progress, but isn't everything?

I found the design templates for the documents from another blog, then I just plopped them in to a free PDF editing program I found by Googling something or other, and I was able to tweak them the way I want them.

Behind the front cover is a pocket with recipes I will use soon, a notepad, sticky notes, and some other lists I have yet to file.

I now also have a zipper pouch here in the front with a pair of scissors, pens, more of the colored tabs, a calculator, a highlighter, and a big marker. More on each of those here in a bit....... See that Our Life page? Isn't it cute? The bottom box has our names and my email address should I accidentally leave her somewhere.

Here is her Table Of Contents..................

Once again, she's a work in progress, but for now this is what she holds.

~ The Home Blessings section is simply my daily cleaning guide. Do I expect that I will ALWAYS follow this schedule? No! And do I myself do each of these? No, not if our chore chart works correctly. :) This is an example of a Wednesday cleaning schedule.........

~ The To-Do List is simply that. Yuck! Mine is currently a list of To-Do's that I need to get done, maybe not necessarily today, and maybe it is over time. And sometimes doing one depends on how quickly I finish another, so it is simply a working To-Do List.

~ The Daily Schedule is such a neat motivational document.

Now, I have personalized it a bit but that doesn't mean I am going to keep it this way. See the "Daily Home Blessings" box? Now, isn't that sweet? Simply copied, but I think I kind of like it. It makes my heart happy!

There is also inserts for medical information, pet care instructions, coupons, recipes, our address book, grocery lists, books we want to read and movies we want to see, business cards we collect, websites we hear about and want to visit, and the list goes on and on and on and on and .....well....you get where I'm going with this.

There's even a section for motivation and inspiration. LOVE it!!

I can already notice a lil extra pep in my step and happiness all around. I CRAVE organization and with our busy days, this is something I will carry around with me everywhere, and hopefully forever.

Oh back to those supplies.......... Notice how I said I will carry her around with me everywhere? Yep, she goes grocery shopping with us so the calculator is to help with the budgeting, the scissors are for the extra coupon ads we pick up at the Commissary entrance, and the other supplies are on an as needed basis. Yep, I think I've covered all my bases with this one.

Does your family have a system? Or do you live out of drawers and cupboards and containers and cars and this and that like we used to? We were so scattered here and there and so busy that there were some days we would have to go to the Commissary 3 or 4 times just to be able to fix 1 meal. Now, that's ridiculous!

So tell me....how do you stay sane in this busy world? Do you have a binder? What's the method to your madness? Please DO share!!

The Spotlight Is On Her {Don't Forget To Read All The Way To The Bottom. I Promise...You Won't Be Disappointed!!}

2011-06-05T15:34:00.005-05:00

{DISCLAIMER: Sorry this pic is a lil on the blurry side. I'm always in a hurry to snap a shot, and I had just run over and closed the blinds since it was a super sunny day out and this girlie was on the couch watching Diary Of A Wimpy Kid 2 due to Snot Fest 2011 #3 (aka: seasonal allergies) making her want to stay inside. Otherwise known as: "Mom..............not ANOTHER picture!"}

This girl of ours sure is keeping us busy these days. We have 9 more days of school. Yahoo!! And to prepare for our summer reading fun, I took her down to our storage area in the basement and opened up the 1,000 plastic bins that hold my old books and let her pick through them. Even though she will be 10 in just a few short weeks, {YIKES....where does the time go??}, she is ready for them. Her reading score is equal to a high school senior, y'all. UNBELIEVABLE.....

She picked out quite an eclectic mix....a lil Ernest Hemingway, some V.C. Andrews, a smattering of teeny-bopper romance novels, some Babysitters' Club and a few of the classics. Must I tell you that her taste in reading material is all over the place and sometimes we have to be careful that what she picks isn't too "adult" for her in reading level.

She has been recognized as an Amazing Achiever for the second time this school year and we get to join the festivities up at the school on Tuesday. It's always an honor to be recognized in front of the entire school for an award that is chosen by the teacher. With her fave teacher now gone back to the states, we are just holding on for dear life and trying to make it through the next 9 days.

In other Neeley-related news, she is leaving soon for a week long girl Scout camp up in Northern Germany. Yikes! She'll go away from us for a week in the nowhere lands of this country. Double yikes! It's a Girl Scout run camp and her week has an art theme so they'll do all things crafty and messy and good for the soul. I have no doubt that she will have a blast!

And..........................last but not least.........................Neeley has been awarded a scholarship by the Air, Space & Missile Defense Association to attend Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, this summer. Yahoo!!! This selection was based on her grades, a handwritten essay {Hers was cute y'all! I'll have to post it soon too.}, and the fact that her daddy works in Space....well, not up in space. ;) We are soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo proud of that girl!!! She is soooooooooooo excited! But I can't say this mommy isn't just a wee bit nervous. Being that we live in Germany, I have to put my baby on a plane ALL BY HERSELF in the next month or so and try my best to coach her on the ins and outs of the airports she will be in and hope and pray to the Good Lord above that she makes it to that airport in Huntsville. Any experiences with flights like these? PLEASE comment and let me know. I can't breathe, though I am trying awfully hard to be excited for her. ;) Can you believe it? SPACE CAMP!!! Wow!!

The Turning Of A Page

2011-06-01T16:52:00.000-05:00

I was ecstatic to flip to June in my wall calendar............

See what's written in there on the 16th of June? Go ahead, take another look-see................

That's right! Only a few more days of school left for us. Hallelujah!!!!! I don't know about y'all, but this school year has been THE LONGEST!! Oh mercy, it's just dragging on and on and on and on...and well......on.

This And That

2011-05-30T14:45:00.005-05:00

Whew-wee............ our school, sports and Girl Scout year are FINALLY {ever...........so.............slowly........} coming to a close.

We've conducted way too many science experiments along the way.

And this Mama can't be quiet during a soccer game!

We are sooooooooooooooooo ready for summer!

And this is our mission over the next few months.............

Yep, call me crazy!! This P90X workout schedule is now hanging in my office/spare bedroom/workout room.

And this P90X meal plan is what my family has to look forward to for the next 90 days. ;) Yumm-o!! Yeah, this is hanging in my kitchen.

What are your summer plans? I bet they aren't as exciting as P90X, now are they? LOL

My Favorite Way to Start the Day

2011-05-26T08:33:00.001-05:00

What's your morning vice?

Keurig coffee machine.

Oh, I ♥ a good cup of coffee from my Keurig in the morning. And since I've been subbing so much lately, it's just about an absolute must every day.

So, tell me......what's your favorite way to start the day?

Come On Summer!

2011-05-17T05:06:00.003-05:00

This time of year always brings on a whole 'nother level of crazy for The Bowden Brigade. I know I say that a lot, but -oh my word!- we are in the thick of it....

Neeley has a few more weeks of school left. Her fave teacher is PCSing this week. *tear*

My classes officially end on Thursday and I am taking the summer off to rest my weary brain. I only have 4 classes left, but I can't stand to study not one more minute so I just think it is best.

Still no word on our next location, but we know it is coming sooner rather than later. Yikes! Only a few more months....

Our Girl Scout year is almost over as well. Yahoo! We spend this last weekend camping it up girly style at our local Scout Hut.

We also spent an afternoon swimming at a local Freibad. Sooooooo fun!

Other than that, we are just enjoying our crazy more-frantic-than-ever days and looking forward to a very relaxing summer full of good books to read and lots of time spent outside.

A Weekend Of Oh So Many Things...

2011-05-07T00:40:00.003-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to you mommies out there, and especially to my Mommy! :) Doing anything special today? I will be spending my day finishing my paper that is due Monday. Boo..... Ronnie is working all weekend and Neeley will be enjoying some time with her bestie and a lil down time as well.

Our weekend is also full of soccer, Girl Scout events, fun with friends, and trying to get organized after a crazy busy long week and before this next week which is looking like it might be just as bad. I have been subbing quite a bit, and while the money sure is nice my class assignment schedule is disagreeing with the whole idea. Makes for some loooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnng days.

Neeley only has 6 weeks of school left and while that at times seems like forever, it is also just right around the corner. And our summer is looking to be quite busy as well. Do you like your summer calendar to be full or do you plan for some down time? We're hoping for a good mix of both.

Welp, time to sign off. After a breakfast of homemade donuts {yep...I'm THAT mom! And Neeley had never had them.....}, it's time to head on out to get the day started.

Enjoy your weekend!!

Fests And Eggs and Experiments...Oh My!

2011-05-02T01:18:00.008-05:00

Do your weekends go by as quickly as ours? Ugh! I need just one more day, please!!

Our weekend was full of soccer excitement, of course.

And, apparently, the action was so great that I only got this picture. :( I promise to get more action shots. We moved Neeley up to the 10-12 age bracket and let me tell you something...these games make me a nervous wreck. Very competitive!! Therefore, I will have absolutely no fingernails by the end of the season. LOL

After Neeley's game with the Annoying Oranges....still think that's cute....we had a few errands to run and some business to take care, but once that was over we headed over to Fruehlingsfest, or Spring Fest as we call it.

We just love all of the fests we have around here this time of year. They are such a neat experience and allow for some great cultural fun, not to mention the good eats! ;)

Sunday we headed up the road to Ramstein for a lil American style food and shopping at the PX there. We like to get our Taco Bell/Macaroni Grill/Chili's fix while we are there and of course we always leave with something from Cinnabon as well. The PX there is AMAZING full of everything you could ever need, unlike ours here. It's nice to get away to a different place every once in a while, even if it is just for the necessities. :)

Sunday evening we had to finish up Neeley's science experiment to take to the school this week. I love me some science but when it is a "have to" situation and the experiment is one that can only be done just about at the last minute, it makes for one grumpy mama. This one was super easy though!

Believe it or not, this experiment was kind of fun, or at least Neeley enjoyed it. :) And everything that could go wrong with preparing this presentation board did. We ran out of ink and glue and just about didn't have the photo paper, and yikes! Sooooooooooooooo glad that's over!! And just so you see why this is an issue...we do not live on a post with a PX. The nearest PX or any place to pick up those kinds of supplies is 45 minutes away and closed exactly 12 minutes later than the minute we realized we needed more supplies. Yep, it will be so nice to get back to the States to make a late night run to Wal-Mart for these kinds of things.

Have a great week! This one is full of crazy for us as usual. I have never before wanted a school year to end like this one. Girl Scouts is taking up a ton of my time and I am in the final two weeks of my classes. Four classes to go! Yahoo!!

More to come soon . . . . .

The Annoying Oranges In Action

2011-04-27T04:52:00.000-05:00

Neeley's soccer team has deemed themselves The Annoying Oranges this year since their jerseys are the bright caution cone orange color. What? You haven't seen any of the Annoying Orange videos on Youtube? That's just about an every day occurrence around here with our silly girl. Check 'em out HERE.....

They had their first game this past Saturday. Their coach is WONDERFULLY PATIENT with all of them which is a joy! Neeley is actually loving the practices and the games which is a huge step in the right direction for her. I am still so proud that she steps out there to play these sports and that she really puts her all in to them, no matter the sport. She has really been talking to the coach and working with him. Since she's a lefty, sometimes she has to modify how she plays and that is definitely the case with kicking that soccer ball.

Aren't they cute? :)

Candy And Toys....No, They're NOT The Reason For The Season...;)

2011-04-25T01:41:00.000-05:00

We had a pretty low-key Easter which was kind of nice, I have to admit. Ronnie is working nights right now so he slept for a good portion of the day, Neeley was playing with friends-OF COURSE! :), and I finally got caught up on some things around the house. But that doesn't mean we didn't take time to remember the reason for the season.

She rose-way before 7 am mind you-to find the first clue in the Scavenger Hunt....

It took her to the family dining area.

Excuse the location, but "squeak, vroom...", this one she found in the bathroom. ;)

But..........nope, none of that is the reason for the season. We always sit down afterwards and read the Easter Story, for HE is the real reason. Neeley found a really neat version online this year that she enjoyed so we read that. It was a beautiful day for which we are sooooo thankful!!

Hoppy Easter!

2011-04-24T02:13:00.001-05:00

Mercedes-Benz Museum, Take II

2011-04-20T14:37:00.004-05:00

Neeley's class went on a field trip to the Mercedes-Benz Museum here, and of course, I just HAD to chaperone! LOL Wouldn't miss this for the world!

Looks like she has mastered the art of the self portrait! LOL

Would you look at how my lil girl is changing? Going, going, gone in a flash are those squishy baby cheeks and baby fine hair. **tear** Wow, I never fully realized the change she has made this year until I saw this picture for the first time.

A Lil News/Update, A Lil Trip, A Lil Class, & A Lil More This-n-That

2011-04-15T05:22:00.023-05:00

To get through the torture that our government is putting us through, we've been trying to keep life as normal as possible. Believe me...for all you non-military folks, life for us is VERY different right now. Some good, some bad...and such is life. But wow...wasn't so sure we would make it through that one alive.

This week is Spring Break around here. And I have mixed feelings about this week. Ronnie was out in the field for most of the week and most of Neeley's friends are all gone on trips, so I have accomplished absolutely nothing. And seeing as how I have two classes ending very soon and a ton of other projects as usual, I keep going to bed at night wondering how in the world I can even lay my head on the pillow without a fight. But it's all good. Next week...back to normal!

We started the week off with Neeley in a RAW cooking class. What? Nope, it's not raw meats or anything pertaining to sushi. It's all about eating healthy, including lots of fresh fruits and veggies in your diet and making good use of your blender. She got to make smoothies, homemade peanut butter using PB2, zucchini spaghetti, and RAW tacos using walnuts as the meat. To see more about what Chef V offers to adults and children, you can check out her website http://rawkravings.blogspot.com. Oh so yummy! Neeley and I have had the Spinach & Grape Salad, RAW tacos, and the Peachy Pea Compote in Cucumber Boats this week. Delicious!

I've had the fortunate opportunity to grab up a couple of books to read this week.

It will be nice to not have to read textbooks again. :) Hoping to finish up soon. Yahoo!

Neeley and I were also able to take a pretty neat trip to Insel Mainau through our USO on Wednesday. It was beautiful!

It's been a great week! Hopefully things are starting to look up! Well...at least for a few more months anyway.

Now I'm off to make a hundred deviled eggs-bleck!!-for a BBQ we are attending later today.

Enjoy your weekend! Ronnie has to start back on nights and shift work for the next month this weekend. Not fun at all! :( And sometimes having him here, even if he is asleep, tends to throw off my daily schedule, even with Neeley at school. Here's hoping to get back on a schedule and back to a "normal" routine this week.

Won't You Pray With/For Us??

2011-04-08T11:39:00.002-05:00

Dear Friends,

If you are of the praying kind, could you/would you please include us, the rest of our military population and all of our nations' leaders in your prayers/thoughts to get this mess figured out? We just looked and yep...you guessed it...we get half of our pay on the 15th. Since we are a 1 income family right now, we will barely make it the rest of the month. And...big gulp moment here... we may even go hungry for a bit. The commissaries are already closing here and even if they are open, the shelves are pretty much empty. We have no other services here to assist us in times such as this. Who knows what the final outcome will be and what the right answer is, but I do know that there are many, many of us who are suffering tremendously.

We spend our days looking for more income and eating cheap meals. I hope this is only temporary but it is very scary. I pretty much have no employment options here in Germany. That just isn't a choice, as Neeley would be here from 6 am to at least 6 pm by herself. And if she went anywhere else, it would cost money. Good thing we don't need formula and diapers!

These are supposed to be exciting times in our lives where we are able to enjoy our locations and spend time as a family. It's times like these, when the purse strings are already tight and times aren't as joyful as others, that we really don't need this news.

I am going to leave this post up for a while, hoping to replace it with better news soon. I just don't have the heart to blog.........

Whatta Warm Weekend!

2011-04-03T23:18:00.005-05:00

Did you all have a great weekend? We had temps right around 70 all weekend, so you better know we got out and enjoyed it!

Neeley's bestie had her birthday at a fun swimming place {check it out HERE!}on Saturday, so the girls got to enjoy the water and good times with good friends.

Even Ronnie got a lil play time in!

Then, on Sunday Ronnie was supposed to leave for a week long meeting in another town here in Germany, but he ended up not having to go...er...asking to not go....um....relieved from that assignment, lol, so we enjoyed a delicious breakfast {oh yum...Seegartle!}out at a new place we had heard about. Once we got back home and loaded up, we set out for an afternoon of golf at our fave golf place. Did I mention our temps were in the 70's? Yahoo!

What's most important for a round of golf? The watter bottle, the comfy sneaks, or the bedazzled sunglasses?

Sporting her new clubs!

How cute is this?

Did I mention we were loving the sunshine?

A girl's gotta have all the best accessories!

Look at that swing!

Twinsies in stance!

The Bowden golfers and their gear...

Our allergies may be telling us a different this morning, but we really did have a GREAT time this weekend! Sooooooooooo thankful for that beautiful sunshine! And soooooooo thankful Ronnie ended up not having to travel. He is already going to be away for pretty much all of Spring Break next week. Boo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is This Day Just For Fools?

2011-03-31T23:13:00.004-05:00

Happy April Fools' Day! Here's to hoping this day doesn't leave us looking like a fool. ;)

This past week has been like all the rest. Same song, different day...or week...or month. LOL Busy, busy, busy. School, Girl Scouts, volunteering, subbing, and then some. We're hoping for a fairly restful weekend and that makes me very happy!

I'm hoping to spend some time reading some of Kristan Higgins' books. You can visit her site HERE. Have any of you ever read any of her books? I'm currently reading All I Ever Wanted and love it! I can't wait to read her other books as well. I sooooooooooooo enjoy paying less to read books on my iPad. And Neeley and I have been visiting our post library quite a bit lately. Not that I ever have time to read in what "spare time" I do have but I do enjoy looking at a good book now and then. :)

Don't forget............Today is the day to show your support and wear blue for Autism Awareness Day. Let's all spread the word!

Have a great weekend!

Scenes From Happy Feet

2011-03-28T14:59:00.000-05:00

Neeley and the rest of the kiddos in the RBEMS Elementary Drama Club presented "Scenes From Happy Feet" the other night, and it was PRECIOUS!!!!!

Can't wait to see what show they choose to perform next!

Sunshine, Say Ye??

2011-03-26T15:07:00.001-05:00

We have had some relief from all of the hectic days thank goodness.

Neeley has been able to get caught up on some assignments for Girl Scouts.

And we were also able to spend quite a bit of time last weekend outside enjoying the warmer temps. Soooooo thankful to wake up on Sunday to highs in the low 50's and sunshine!! Woo Hoo!! After church, Neeley loaded up and went just a few blocks over to one of our favorite warm weather hangouts. There is a public park here that has tons of play space, a petting zoo {with some of the ugliest animals mind you}, and beautiful flowers and just really neat things to look at. We love to go there in the afternoons after school for a break before homework. Or sometimes we'll head there on the weekends since it is close by and fairly inexpensive entertainment. You know I can't go there without taking a few pics.....

Aahhhhhhh.............times like these are so good for the soul to help bring you out of the cold weather blues. What's it like where you are??

Heart And Soul By Maeve Binchy

2011-03-24T14:21:00.000-05:00

{DISCLAIMER: I apologize for the pic being so tiny. For some reason, I am having some technical difficulties today. I think it's more user error than anything else. :) }

Have any of you ever read this book? I just finished reading it on my iPad and I'm not so sure about it. I've read several of Maeve Binchy's books before but this one was just plain difficult to get through. So disappointing.

But........now I get to purchase another good read and my want to read list is growing, growing, growing every day thanks so your great recommendations.

Thanks!

Introducing Ashley's Administrative Services

2011-03-22T15:55:00.004-05:00

I'm so excited to announce my newest adventure, as I've had several requests.

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Taylor Swift - She's Still Amazing!!!

2011-03-21T08:39:00.000-05:00

Taylor Swift ~ Speak Now Tour 2011 ~ Oberhausen, Germany ~ March 12, 2011

2011-03-20T17:59:00.000-05:00

I had previously made this fantastic video of all of our footage from the Taylor Swift concert. Unfortunately, blogger isn't cooperating with me and I can't get it to load, so you'll have to snippets here and there that we have. So sorry, but enjoy! The show was amazing!!

Taylor Swift @ Konig-Pilsner-Arena In Oberhausen, Germany ~ March 12, 2011

2011-03-18T13:29:00.000-05:00

We surprised Neeley and her bestie with tickets to see Taylor Swift way up in Oberhausen, Germany, on the 12th. Yes, the exact same day/night as the European Spelling Bee down in Ramstein. Were we crazy? Well...at the time we bought the tickets we didn't know about the Spelling Bee.

So, here's the story.....

We made the trip from the Spelling Bee in Ramstein to this hotel in Oberhausen in record time. We got all checked in and the girls were soooooooooo excited!

We had passed this sign on the way to the hotel and there was much squealing, yelling, and laughing coming from the backseat of the car.

See that itty bitty sign in the background? ;)

We arrived just in time, as the line to get in was getting long. Thankfully a security officer who spoke some English was able to tell us which line was shorter and going the fastest.

Once inside, of course, we had to pick out the shirts, and purchase the programs, bracelets, and some yummies for the show.

Mr. Bowden Brigade provided some glow sticks for the girls to use. And they LOVED them. Wait...I think that was an understatement. ;)

The grown ups had a pretty good time as well.

Look at all those people!

The girls got to move down a few rows since there were several empty seats. So they really felt special at their very first concert!

And then the show started, and that was that! AWESOME!!

Yes, folks, she came this close!! The girls were in awe...

At the end of the show, she handed her guitar pick to a little girl in the audience. Oh, what every girl would {or wouldn't} do to have one of her guitar picks. Amazing!!

We had the best time! I ♥LOVE♥ that Taylor is still a somewhat wholesome girl who hasn't turned to trash. And she is someone that girls like Neeley and her besties can sort of look up to and listen to without us parents having to censor the music.

After the concert, we headed back to the hotel for a good night's sleep. We had no plans for Sunday except to sleep in a bit, get up and eat the wonderful breakfast spread provided by the hotel, and then pack up and head for home. The girls were thrilled with the events of the weekend. It really was a great time! They had to have one final toast to end the weekend.

European Spelling Bee

2011-03-16T17:39:00.000-05:00

Neeley competed in the European Spelling Bee last Saturday. Despite the word roughewn bringing her down, we had a GREAT time!

We stayed at the cutest lil German hotel.....

Once we got checked in and unpacked, we settled in for dinner at J R Rocker's. We thought it might be a fun place for Neeley and her bestie to play while we waited for our food.

Can we eat now?

Yep, that's one slab of brownie, y'all...

Waiting in line to register for the Spelling Bee the following morning.

Waiting on the pronouncer to arrive.....

Can you tell it was a wee bit early in the A.M.??

Waiting, waiting, waiting for the bee to begin.......so glad to have her bestie there to cheer her on.

Listening to the rules and meeting the judges.

Neeley's first word was ramen. Yep, ramen. No.words!!

#32, your next word is roughewn. And this is how the story goes.....
Neeley:"r-u-f-h-u-n-e, rufhune" Judge: "I'm sorry, that is incorrect."

So we skeedaddled on out of there and made our way to Oberhausen for the Taylor Swift concert. Now that, my friends, is a whole 'nother post!

Neeley...Can You Spell Ramen?

2011-03-15T15:12:00.002-05:00

This was too funny not to share. I know the video is terrible, but you'll see why it's such a hoot by viewing....

Wordless Post 4 Ya...Recent Fun With Girl Scouts, Prepping For Spelling Bees, An Honor Roll Ceremony, & End of Basketball Season Pic.....to "ketch-up"

2011-03-15T10:15:00.006-05:00

Variety Is The Spice Of Life

2011-03-11T00:32:00.000-06:00

To say I like variety in my reading choices is a complete understatement..................

Celebrating Girl Scout Week

2011-03-08T04:11:00.005-06:00

This week is Girl Scout Week and we're celebrating!

We started off with Girl Scout Sunday at our chapel's Protestant Service....

Then we had a fabulous fellowship reception with the Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, and Cadettes combined. Look at that yummy cake!!

These young ladies are such a blessing to so many!!

Monday afternoon/evening was a Bowling Fun Fest.......and I was so busy getting everyone situated and making sure I was keep tabs on all 14 girls I had there, that I never got any pictures of the actual bowling. But apparently the pizza was dee-lish..... ;)

There are no activities for our RB girls today, but tomorrow we go geocaching here on post. Should be fun!!

Catch-Up & Some Linky Love

2011-03-04T01:49:00.003-06:00

Whew-wee...life is feeling very {full} and {crazy busy} these days....and we're tired, y'all!

We're all FINALLY over the killer sickness of 2011. Oh, PTL!! Walking pneumonia is no fun at all!

Hey Arkansas, what's up with your weird weather and your earthquakes? :(

I've started a lil tutoring of some kiddos on the side and have been approached about possibly teaching some beginner piano lessons to some younguns. Wow!

I've spent more time in Neeley's school this past week than I think I ever have. I've been helping her teacher as I can and volunteering with bake sales and after school programs and trying to stay involved. Maybe too involved? :)

Neeley's last basketball game is tomorrow morning and it's going to be a bit of a bittersweet moment for us. We really miss the seasons once they are over. Well....sort of.

The above means we have about a month long break before the soccer season begins. Yay! ♥LOVE♥ that Neeley is so willing to try new things. And so glad she is back to soccer now, and thankfully this is a spring season. The first time she tried soccer it was a fall season and we were miserable by the end of the season, what with playing in the freezing rain and the mud and all.

Thinking I may make some of THESE tomorrow. Don't those look yummy?

I've finished my class and have 2 more classes beginning on the 12th. Once those are over, I will be only 4 classes away from finishing my MBA. Another PTL moment!!

And speaking of classes, Neeley is THRIVING in school but that girls has a ton of projects!! Oh my word...do any of your kiddos have so many? That girl and her work keeps my head spinning!

We are working on planning many, many, many upcoming Girl Scout events and those are keeping us busy as well. Not sure how I will feel by the end of June once our scout and school year are over. Relieved, perhaps? :)

Next weekend we travel to Ramstein for Neeley to compete in the European Spelling Bee (YIKES!!! and a big ol' gulp.......), and then we head over to Oberhausen for the Taylor Swift concert we tried to surprise her with. I'm not sure who's more excited...me or the girlies going. :)

Neeley's theater group is working on their upcoming production. It is a version of Happy Feet, rewritten by the teacher who sponsors the group. Should be cute!! Now we have to make penguin costumes for all the kiddos. Yikes!!

I have several "heart smart" posts out there this month with our focus on being heart healthy for the month of March. Check this one out about Heart Smart Foods HERE!!

We got to experience a new restaurant last night when we went for an event with Ronnie's unit. The China Palast Restaurant was not our most favorite place to eat but it wasn't terrible either. The food was okay and the prices weren't bad. Neeley's meal tasted like chicken and noodles in Ragu spaghetti sauce which is disappointing since she is such a good eater but, all in all, it was a good time.

More news to come from the homefront soon. We're looking at a possible move in just a few months and that has our stomachs tied in knots. We are looking at one area ever so closely and kind of sort of keeping fingers crossed while at the same time trying not to have a panic attack. More info on that as we find out more. No need to panic our peeps!! :)

Our weekend is full of play practice, basketball games, sleepovers, family fun, kicking off Girl Scout Week, buying groceries, getting caught up on laundry, cleaning house, and trying to bring some semblance of order back to our house. I have felt so disconnected for about 3 or 4 weeks now, thanks to the sickies we all 3 had for so long and then being so stinkin' busy since then with everything. I know the busy part probably never stops, but it seems like we can never get off the crazy bus at times. :)

Wanna know what I do when the going gets tough? Well...the tough get going...but I just add to my schedule... on top of the Girl Scout events, and my classes, and the tutoring and teaching piano lessons, we are looking very closely at starting a Fit Club up here on RB. Call me crazy? Yep....I think so too! ;)

Have you checked out the OpenSky Boutique lately? I've added a few new things but I am going to really be revamping it here very soon, as soon as I can find a blank spot in my calendar. Hhmmm...so far it's looking like N-E-V-E-R!! I always try not to let my business opportunities and other involvements spill over in to our family time, but here lately everything is monopolizing all 3 of us and it's making me consume ludicrous amounts of coffee and Diet Coke. Can't wait for the day when I can say "that's enough, y'all!!"

Ok, time to sign off so I can vaccuum, wash mountains of clothes, make our master weekend shopping list, revise my to-do list, and I'm finishing up the editing of my Administrative Services price list. Yep...adding that to my portfolio too. Need a document proofread or edited? Let me know!

Tonight we're headed over to another post to the high school for some family fun. A lil B-I-N-G-O and chili and all the fixin's and lots of other games and we'll see what other trouble we can get in to. I need a good laugh!! And while we're at it, can we add in maybe a movie, a good book, and a glass of wine? Why, thank you!!

We'll be back at ya soon with another update, some good reading material, a new recipe or two, and pics from our family fun. Have a good weekend!!

2011-02-27T07:20:00.003-06:00

{DISCLAIMER: We're still down and out with whatever yucky sickies have taken our family hostage. So here's a post brought over from my health & fitness blog which can be found HERE. Enjoy!

Have you ever succeeded in completing the Shakeology 3 Day Cleanse? Let me tell you...if you make it through alive, you will feel 100% better after the 3 days. I ♥ LOVE ♥ it and highly recommend it to others. Here are a few tips for you. In order to safely survive the cleanse, I think these are important to consider...

~ Drink lots of water
~ Don't be counting calories during the Cleanse
~ Stick to it! Don't veer from the plan unless your body is giving you negative feedback ~ Do not do a strenuous workout during the Cleanse. You are only taking in between 800-1100 calories if you do the Cleanse properly for the entire 3 days, so please do not go out there and try to run a marathon or begin a new workout program
~ ENJOY that green tea or whatever detox tea you choose to consume
~ Really take the time during the Cleanse to focus on YOU, to reflect on YOU, to consider YOU, to relax and unwind and take the opportunity to better YOU
~ Get your family and friends involved!!
~ Share your experience with others!

For those of you getting ready to try the Cleanse for the first time, I can't wait to hear your results! I dropped 4 lbs during my last one. And I plan to do it again next quarter. Interested in more info on the Cleanse? Click on over HERE! Good Luck!!

Under The Weather.......

2011-02-24T09:41:00.002-06:00

We're all 3 feeling like death these days, no thanks to some yucky sinusy-make-your-stomach-queasy-flulike-pneumonia-mono business we've got going on.

Thank you for your patience and prayers!

Lurvin' The Ipad...

2011-02-20T03:28:00.000-06:00

Let me see a show of hands.....

How many of you have an Ipad?

Ya know, I never really thought I needed one. I really thought the thing was useless, especially over here with the resources we have. And I thought it would still be useless when we get back to the states because I'm sure by then we will have fallen in to the pit of agony called the iphone and who knows what else.

But...................I truly ♥LOVE♥ mine. I can do so much with it, and it is already proving to be a lifesaver for me. There are so many apps that I already love and can't imagine going a day without it.

Do you love to read like we do? I'm really enjoying the iBooks program and I've already read my way through 6 very good books over the past few days. It's super handy to be able to take the Ipad with me wherever I go and still have my books, my pen and paper, my news, internet, and just about anything else I need.

And...........the good part........most of these things are free or inexpensive. I enjoy paying only 9 or 10 dollars for a book with it, versus the usual 25-50 I would pay elsewhere. And that's for new books, y'all!!

What are your favorite apps for either the ipad or the iphone or any other fun electronic gadget? I'm looking for more...

And...while we're at it....please give me your book recommendations.

Appreciating The Finer Things...

2011-02-17T03:20:00.003-06:00

It is difficult to travel with new furniture when your moves are made through the military. Yikes! And double yikes if those moves are made overseas.

Nevertheless, Uncle Sam was good to us this year and we decided to upgrade our bedroom furniture....FINALLY! Y'all....we needed it. I mean we.really.NEEDED.it!!!

{And I'm so proud.....}

We tend to favor Ashley brand furniture...of course! ;)

I don't know why these pictures make the pieces look tiny. Because, y'all, this furniture is HUGE and makes our room look like a closet. But I'm still in love...

{DISCLAIMER}...I promise our bed gets made every once in a while...but we have spent the better part of the past 3 days laying up in it reading books and watching movies so no I really don't care that it looks a mess. :)

Crazy? Who's Crazy?............

2011-02-13T01:56:00.003-06:00

..............................ME! That's who!

Do any of you ever feel like this time of year is just absolutely nuts? Yes, Yes, and Yes are the answers you would get from this house.

Right now, we spend our days studying those difficult spelling words to get ready for our upcoming European Spelling Bee. Oh my! Did I mention they are listed by LANGUAGE OF ORIGIN for this bee. What in the world?

And we just finished our season of selling Girl Scout cookies. Whew! Glad that one's over too!

I am steadily working on my {hopefully} finishing my masters soon. Only 6 classes to go!

Neeley is LOVING school, and I mean LOVING it! Why didn't any of you tell me 4th grade math was horrid? Oh, and the extra 5th grade math she's doing? Yeah... no comment! Never said that was ever my subject...

We are so very thankful to have Ronnie back with us. I can't possibly say that enough. I am so grateful to have us all under one roof and to be able to spend our days together.

We have some new plans to make in the very near future and these are causing just a wee bit of stress for us, so please lift up an extra prayer or two for us. Keyword: MOVE! Yikes!!

GOOD NEWS! We're out of the frigid temps here and finally feeling like we're thawing out. I've even had our windows open a few days. I'm sorry that those of you in the States have traded weather with us. I promise I didn't wish that! :)

And those are pretty much our days...school, Girl Scouts, sports (our basketball season is coming to a close and soccer starts very soon), huge decisions to make (locations, and schools, and jobs, oh my..............), trying to enjoy our days of European living, paying the bills, and trying to maintain a normal household. LOL. That's pretty much life summed up, right?

Now we're off to enjoy our Sunday. We have celebrated an early Valentine's Day as a family. I am really enjoying playing with my new iPad and now have the most gorgeous diamond necklace. Will have to post a pic soon. I have the sweetest hubby ever! And we're enjoying the new Kinect for the Xbox 360 too but we aren't loving how small our living room is-it hinders our family fun y'all! ;)

Go enjoy your Sunday and be ready for another installment in the lives of The Bowden Brigade to come soon.....

And, just because she's cute.............

10 Steps To Physical Fitness....Just Because I Need This Reminder

2011-02-10T01:45:00.001-06:00

10 Steps To Physical Fitness

Step 1: Determine your WHY?
What this means is ask yourself why you want to do this?

Step 2: Set your goals and figure out what you want to get out of exercising/losing weight/feeling better?

Step 3: Set your fitness and nutrition goals.
What workout are you going to do?

Step 4: Know your support team.
Find a workout buddy/partner. Plan healthy meals and include your family and your motivating friends. Surround yourself with those who encourage you and support you.

Step 5: Participate in workouts/events/trainings/classes.
Take a look around your local gym for classes. Sit in on any classes you may be interested in before participating to make sure you are comfortable. Take advantage of local walking/bike trails, etc. Look for information on marathons, health & fitness fairs, and any other health related events.

Step 6: Get connected online.
You would be surprised to see how many people are on their own personal fitness journey just like you. Get connected on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and other social media sites. You may want to use search features to find other who have similar interests and goals as you.

Step 7: Create your lists……
Sit down and make a list of things you like to do. These don’t have to be serious cardio workouts or anything, it can even be something as simple as a stroll on a sunny evening. But list them. Also, make a list of foods you like to eat. And make a list of those things you feel are keeping you from reaching your goals for now.
v Step 8: Follow a system.
Find a system that works best for you and follow it. You may need a diet plan, a workout plan, or both, or an even more complex plan. Once you have a plan mapped out, follow it!

Step 9: Then start working. v Work toward your goals by following your plan.

Step 10: Go share your story with everyone you know!

Can You Spell............?

2011-02-07T06:19:00.000-06:00

You may or may not know that Neeley inherited my spelling genes. :) Our lil miss won her school spelling bee in January.

She was so nervous!

But her fan section made her feel more at ease........

She really had to think about some of the words.......

But, in the end, she won.

The school wide bee was made up of the 2 top winners of each grade, 4th through 8th. Wow!

Part of her winnings included a 1-year subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica Online and a 1-year language course through an online program. Neeley chose French!

1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.......

Can you tell Neeley is the youngest one in this picture? No?? Well...why not?? LOL

She is sooooooooooo proud of that trophy to add to her collection. And now we are preparing for the European Spelling Bee in March. It will be held in Ramstein, here in Germany. I read in her materials that 32 or 33 kids will be participating. Yikes! We better get on the ball. We've been told she has a really good chance at this one, too, so please be praying for us to get through these words and to keep a clear mind that day to not panic. LOL

If she wins there in Ramstein, we then hop a plane to compete for the national title in Washington, D.C. Who's meeting us there?? :)

Have I told you we also have a Taylor Swift concert to also attend this day?? Yeah....we're gonna make it happen somehow. Any ideas??

Warning...Craftiness May Cause Pink Hair

2011-02-03T03:59:00.004-06:00

These days, constructing anything crafty is a family affair. That's just the way it is around here. We're running around in 15 different directions and Neeley's projects require all three of us most times.

And, yep, this is especially the case when constructing the yearly Valentine Box for the party at school.....

Oh what a sight to see!

But, I must warn you...sometimes such crafty goodness can be stressful and hard on us all. It can even cause such symptoms as gray...er...pink hair! *GASP*

You're welcome for the good laugh!! ;)

Spring Already?

2011-01-31T10:39:00.001-06:00

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.

LOVE these days!

Projects Galore!

2011-01-29T10:34:00.003-06:00

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!