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Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Sunday, May 13, 2012
A Day in Nuremberg (and Indian food!)
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I'm pretty sure I've mentioned how much we love Nürnberg.
It's almost an obsession, actually!
It's close enough that we can go and spend a couple hours wandering around. The pedestrian center (no cars allowed!) is the largest pedestrian shopping center in Europe! It's incredible. You can walk and walk and walk (and shop and shop and shop!) without worrying about vehicles. The 'roads' are wide and there's plenty of room for Maia to wander and wear herself out!
Our trip to Nürnberg a couple weeks ago was a typical trip for us. We parked the car and walked into the pedestrian center. We stopped at Starbucks first. (This is almost always our first stop!!) Nürnberg has three in the center and that's pretty remarkable. We don't know of any others for miles! (The next "closest" one that we know of is in Munich…and that's two hours away!)
I love how the Starbucks sign looks against the old architecture.
Once we had our coffee, we wandered around. Maia snacked on a pear as we walked...
Here she is yelling at the pigeons!
Like any big city, pigeons are everywhere! She loves to point them out to us as we walk. We stopped for a few minutes to let Maia burn off some energy and she decided chasing the pigeons would be the most fun. She ran and ran while we watched from a comfy bench!
The cobblestones are tricky to navigate though and unfortunately the chasing-pigeons game came to an end with a face-plant.
Cobblestones: 1, Maia: 0
She modeled the egg on her forehead for the camera.
It's ok though. She's tough.
We ended the afternoon with Indian food at our favorite restaurant. I was a little cautious to give Maia any because of her allergies, but I did let her sample the saffron rice.
You can see that she did more than just sample it!! She even practiced with the spoon!
I think it's safe to say it's a fan favorite! Luckily they bring lots of rice.
If you're ever in Nürnberg, I HIGHLY recommend eating here. The restaurant is called Sangam and it is located almost directly across from the "Crafts Yard" (Handwerkerhof) by the Königstor. It's all just a few steps away from the Main Train Station. The staff is incredibly friendly and very accommodating. As you can see, it's also kid-friendly!
All this talk about Indian food is making me hungry!! I think when Romas finishes his rotation we should probably head over for some mango curry and saffron rice. Yum!!
What kids of food do you like to eat? Do you have a favorite cultural dish?
Happy Mother's Day!
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Happy Mother's Day!
I hope everyone is enjoying a relaxing weekend! Romas is working this weekend so we'll be having a make-up Mother's Day next weekend! Today Maia and I are hanging out together. The weather is beautiful (but cool) and as soon as she's up from her nap, we're going to go for a walk in the fields.
We have a Free Shipping special for today only that I wanted to share with you! Just for today we're offering Free Shipping with any Enfuselle Skin Care System purchase. Enfuselle is incredible and everyone who tries it falls in love. I've gone from being a ten-year loyal customer of Origins, to a 100% convert to Enfuselle!! I absolutely adore it and I know any mom (or sister or friend!) would love to try it out!
If you are already a member, you can order HERE.
Want to surprise a deserving mom (or sister or friend!) with the kit? You can order and have it shipped directly to her! If you are a member, be sure to use your referral link to get credit!!
Not a Shaklee member yet? Join FREE with your Enfuselle Skin Care System purchase! Order HERE.
The Enfuselle Skin Care System comes in two formulas:
and
Choose the one that's right for you!
Remember, the Free Shipping offer is good for TODAY only!
I hope you have a wonderful day!!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
Puppy Love: A Mutt from Montenegro
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Romas and I keep speculating about what Maia will do when she's older. Sometimes we think she'll be a soccer player because of the way she loves to kick a ball around. Other times we think she'll be an actress because she loves to be the center of attention. And then there's times like these when we're convinced she's going to be a Veterinarian.
We adopted Budva when she was about 3 months old, back in November 2009. Romas had just returned home from Iraq and we thought it would be fun to get a friend for Innie. She was rescued from Budva, Montenegro and brought back to Germany by a wonderful pair of women. They make the trip at least once a year, round up as many strays as they can, bring them to a Veterinarian where they get checked, vaccinated, and microchipped, and then bring them back to Germany for people to adopt. Budva came back with about 13 other dogs. We looked at all of the photos and stopped short when we saw this one:
Doesn't she look mischievous?? We HAD to have her!!
We went to meet her once she arrived in Germany and fell in love with her. She was feisty, playful, and so sweet. A week later, she was ours!
Just a few months later I found out I was pregnant. We were a little worried about having a puppy and a baby, especially this puppy! She was a WILD child!! But we are honestly so incredibly happy we found her. She and Maia are absolutely best friends.
Actually, she's friends with everyone! She loves kids, people, other dogs, cats, new environments, traveling…she's great! Our cat LOVED her - at 14 years old he was the healthiest he'd ever been because of Budva! The neighbors get a kick out of her. One has nicknamed her "Turbo" because of the way she tears around the yard. She's even been to work with Romas a couple times!
We love how sweet and lovable she is.
But mostly, we love how sweet and lovable (and patient!) she is with Maia.
Of course, it's not all one-sided. Maia shares her cereal, eggs, fruit, chicken…basically every meal with Budva. Haha! She loves to sit and hand Budva her Kix, one piece at a time.
I'm so happy for Maia to grow up in a house with such kind pets. She loves them and is learning to show them affection. She pets them and gives them each hugs! It's so sweet to watch!
This dog has caused us a lot of stress - she's smart, mischievous, and a problem solver. She's hopped the fence a few times and disappeared. Once, she climbed the neighbors' stone wall to go hang out with them. Another time a different neighbor rang the door bell and brought her home. She even ran off in Slovenia at night once…but within minutes was waiting for my husband outside the hotel door.
We call her The Dingo because of those insanely huge ears. We joke that she can hear the bugs in the ground. In the snow, she'll literally stop, stare at the ground, and start digging. We think she has super powers like Bolt. :)
But even with all of the craziness that comes with living with a Dingo, we are rewarded for our patience with her through the puppy years when we see this:
Do your kids have a loyal pet? One who you know will be their first best friend?
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Sunday, May 6, 2012
Ten Key Steps
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I've mentioned "The Shaklee Difference" before but when I received this letter from Dr. Jaime McManus, I wanted to share it with all of you. These are just 10 reasons why so many of us love Shaklee!
I've mentioned "The Shaklee Difference" before but when I received this letter from Dr. Jaime McManus, I wanted to share it with all of you. These are just 10 reasons why so many of us love Shaklee!
How Well Do You Understand the Shaklee Difference?
Dear Shaklee Family,
Shaklee products - and the quality and science behind them - are unmatched in the industry. But how familiar are you with the many elements of the Shaklee Difference?
Even if you think you know what makes this company and our products stand apart from the rest, refresh your knowledge with this list of Ten Key Steps that we take to ensure that Shaklee supplements are the best in the marketplace:
1. Shaklee conducts over 100,000 tests annually to ensure the safety and efficacy of our products.
2. Each and every lot of Shaklee Products is 100% tested to ensure and guarantee that each and every ingredient that is part of our label claims is present in the appropriate amounts.
3. All ingredients in Shaklee products are qualified under the incredibly stringent Shaklee protocol, unique in the industry, which tests for up to 350 chemical contaminants, including pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, solvent residues, etc.
4. Our Shaklee Scientists create formulations so that the key active ingredients are included at clinically efficacious levels, often significantly higher than many companies in the market.
5. Each product is formulated with nutritional ingredients that have been extensively studied to confirm safety and efficacy. Our products do not follow "fads," but incorporate scientific and/or epidemiologic evidence of need and benefit.
6. Shaklee employs advanced delivery systems to enhance bioavailability - and these systems are tested to confirm their nutrient delivery advantages.
7. All ingredients must be acceptable from the standpoint of the Shaklee philosophy, as well as detailed scrutiny as to their safety. We do not simply accept the Certificate of Analysis that many other companies accept, but rather retest for contaminants to confirm the Certificate of Analysis is accurate.
8. Shaklee has an unwavering commitment to avoid the use of artificial flavors, sweeteners, and added preservatives. We use only non-genetically modified soy protein.
9. Shaklee developed many of the standards and protocols for manufacturing that are now referred to as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
10. Ongoing proof of our product performance is demonstrated by:- Over 100 scientific publications, 90-plus in peer-reviewed journals
- The Landmark Study, the only study of its kind, which showed that people who took Shaklee supplements over a period of 20 years had markedly better health than both single-multivitamin and nonsupplement users
- Shaklee products powering athletes to win 125 medals
- Shaklee products fueling world explorers, 7 of Time-Life's "Greatest Adventures of All Time," and NASA Shuttle astronauts with a special rehydration product (called Astro-Ade)
Add to this list our accomplishments and awards in the area of environmental leadership and responsibility, and you will see why I am truly proud to be part of this company, where integrity, quality and social responsibility are our standards, and where making people and the planet healthier is our mission.
Shaklee is all about helping people take control of their future health by virtue of their choices today. My 16 years as a practicing family physician led me to believe even more strongly that prevention is where the future of medicine must go. Research confirms that nutrition, weight control, and wise supplementation can powerfully impact your vitality today and your health in the future, and I believe that we can redefine wellness in the coming years. Thank you for all that you are doing to share Shaklee products and the Shaklee Difference with so many. Together we are making a BIG difference in the health of the world!
Be well!
Dr. Jamie McManus, MD, FAAFP
Chair of Medical Affairs, Health Sciences and Education for Shaklee Corporation
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Dr. Jamie McManus, MD, FAAFP
Chair of Medical Affairs, Health Sciences and Education for Shaklee Corporation
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Daisy Cupcakes and Spring Cookies
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I popped out each individual center...
until I was left with just the center.
Next, I filled in the stripes.
Last year, I was asked to make cupcakes and cookies for the school's Farewell Dinner. The theme was "Summer is Here," so I set to work to make some summery treats!
I decided to make cupcakes topped with daisies, like the ones I had seen on Sweetopia. I saw Marian's cupcakes a while ago and have been anxious to try them myself. I thought they were summery and would be perfect for the Farewell Dinner. (Let's face it, even teachers are counting down the days until summer vacation!)
About a week before the event I started making the daisies. I rolled the fondant and used my daisy cutter to cut each daisy. I used the smallest cutter because I wanted the daisy to sit on the side of the cupcake, not cover it completely like Marian's. 
Once I had punched the daisy, I put it in a flower former to make the petals bend inward a little. I only have three formers so I needed to improvise. I put a piece of aluminum foil over the cup and formed it into the same shape. Then, I placed the daisy on the foil.
I made 45 daisies, so I had quite a few improvised flower formers on my kitchen table!
After I had made each daisy, I had to make the centers. I colored the fondant a pale yellow and used this mold
to form the center.
to form the center. 
and using my handy-dandy little tool, I was able to cut away the excess fondant from the edge... 
until I was left with just the center.
Then, I used clear vanilla extract as the glue. 
I used a food safe paint brush to paint a very small amount of extract onto the center of the daisy.
I used a food safe paint brush to paint a very small amount of extract onto the center of the daisy.
Then I put the center onto it…and VOILA!
Cute, huh?
I left them to dry and started prepping for my cookies. I cut the bees and ladybugs, baked, and cooled them.
I started with the black icing and outlined the heads and wings on the bees.
Next, I filled in the stripes.
Next, I filled in the yellow stripes. (Forgive the terrible lighting! I do most of my work once Maia has gone to sleep for the night!)
The next morning, I filled in the wings and heads with white icing.
Ta da!!!
The ladybugs were assembled in much the same way, but unfortunately I forgot to take pictures step by step!
These cookies needed to be completed at least a day before the event in order to give the icing time to dry.
The night before the dinner I made the cupcakes and icing. I iced each cupcake and put the cute daisy on top.
I love the way they turned out!
The fun part about fondant and gum paste decorations, is that they're completely edible! So they look adorable AND you can eat them. It's a win-win!
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