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Tuesday, June 30, 2015

The Silence is Broken...A Barcelona Adventure!

The silence has ended! Man, it has been almost two (?!) months since I have been around here, aka way too long. For good reason though! Our summer has been very busy, very fun and full of lots of change. A complete and total update is coming soon,  since I finally (I think) have a new rhythm down and have adjusted to this new schedule. BUT, first I want to recap our European Adventure that happened back in May! To remind you, Robert's basketball season ended in Poland at the end of April, so the beginning of May we were off to explore. Amsterdam, Paris and Barcelona were in the books and it was such a wonderful trip...I mean it is traveling, my happy place for sure.

First let's recap the vibrant, the fun...Barcelona!
(stay tuned...tomorrow I will share the nitty gritty, all the details you need to know if you are planning a trip to Barcelona)


We arrived in Barcelona very late one night, so crashed as soon as we arrived at our Apartment in the El born neighborhood- our favorite by far! The next morning we slept in a tiny bit and then were off for a packed day. We started our morning off with brunch, plenty of walking through quaint neighborhood streets and then off to Park Guell.






The Park is pretty and very interesting. I would not say it was our favorite stop- but it was worth. The colors were beautiful and it was neat to get a look into Gaudi's mind and style- very unique.


Of course, we enjoyed plenty of delicious food. It was great to stop for lunch, rest our feet and leisurely enjoy our meal in the shining sun while chatting about our day so far and what was ahead.





I think the best way to describe Barcelona is to say it is lively. The Spanish culture fully embraces the siesta in the afternoon and enjoys the city late into the night. They sure know how to enjoy life to the fullest. It is lively,vibrant and very fun.



Day two we made sure to walk down La Rambla, a very fun street, and then headed to the main attraction, the La Boqueria Market! This place is incredible. Fresh fruit, juices and tons of other fresh, local food...it is very fun and quite the experience. We really loved it here.


Then after plenty of walking,  it was off to the beach to enjoy a picnic! We stopped at some local shops to grab our grub, and then made camp on the beach. We enjoyed our picnic in the very windy and very cold weather...we had good intentions, but sadly it was a bust. But hey at least we tried!



After we finished our food and couldn't take the cold any longer, we decided to fully embrace the culture and take a little siesta ourselves:) After a nice, little nap we got ready and headed out for the night.




Good food, strolling through a beautiful city and this handome hunk...it doesn't get much better.


On our last day, we made sure to enjoy the beautiful neighborhoods and their fun shopping and check out La Sagrada Familia. We did not go in (but have heard it is incredible), but instead just walked all around the outside. The building of this church began hundreds of years ago and is still being built and they say it will not be completed for a very long time. So it was pretty neat to see and admire it's unique beauty.





Barcelona was a great first stop on our European Adventure! It was so nice to get a little taste of Spain, explore a new city with my husband (my favorite), try new and delicious foods and soak in the beauty of an incredible culture. Robert and I are so grateful for this trip. Traveling together is one of our favorite things and we are so thankful to have the opportunity to do so...and I am so thankful to all of you for reading my blog and posts...means the world!

Planning a trip to Barcelona sometime soon? Or want to go one day? Come back tomorrow for the ins and outs... Robert and my tips and tricks for this fun city!

Linking up with Bonnie.

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Friday, May 1, 2015

The Polish Outdoors


I commented on instagram the other day about how Poland is a completely different world in the Spring. And it could not be more true. The days of overcast skies, colorless surroundings and frigid temps have gone away and have been replaced by sweet sunshine, blooming trees and the prettiest colors you've ever seen.

It is crazy what the weather does for your mood! Robert and I have been spending loads of time outside this week soaking in this gorgeous Lublin, Poland we have never seen. Mamas and kids are out playing in the parks, students are riding bikes, older gentlemen are sitting on benches chatting...it is a whole new, beautiful, lively world. I am so glad we got to see this side of Lublin before our time here comes to an end, which is very soon. This place is going to hold such a special place in our hearts, always.

Enjoy some pictures from our outdoor time this week...lakes, bike rides, massive trees, parks and the beautiful Polish culture.
















Linking up with Oh Hey Friday, Meet at the Barre and Five on Friday.
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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Chocolate Covered Oreo Balls


I made these for Roberto and some of his teammates (and a few for me, of course) last month, and they were a huge hit! This recipe only has 3 ingredients, which makes it so easy. These would be especially perfect to serve at a party. A great bite-sized dessert and a total crowd pleaser. I promise you that I had way more than I intended to, they were just too good!
 
Ingredients
1 package of oreos (36 cookies)
8 oz cold cream cheese
8 oz bakers semi-sweet chocolate 
 
Directions
Crush oreos and mix with cream cheese (save a bit of crushed oreos to sprinkle on top). Form one inch balls and place on cookie sheet that is covered with wax paper or foil. Melt chocolate in microwave then drizzle over the balls. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours and ENJOY!
 
*I found that these tasted best when left in the fridge longer than at room temp. So leave in the fridge up until you are ready to serve.
*Also, how good would these be with white chocolate drizzle?! Next time I think I will test that out.
 
Have a great Wednesday, friends! 
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