Some New Obsessions

The romper. A one piece combination of shorts and top. Its taken me a while to finally say I like these. They grew on me, what can I say? Now I think they are just adorable!

Candy pillows. Holy moly that's a BIG Jolly Rancher...Except it's a pillow! (Isn't this so inspirational?!!)

Ties. Especially vintage ties by Wembley. <3

Happy Hippo by Kinder. I do love chocolate and these hippos are fat, round, and filled with tasty chocolate!

Rothenberg ob der Tauber

Today I met one of my favoritest places on earth so far in Bavaria, Germany! Gorgeous place and totally tourist friendly. Rothenberg is a medieval town that still has the wall built around it and many of the same stone structures it did when it was first built. It is so amazing to walk the cobblestone streets and connect with history. Even with the tourists walking about its a peaceful, quiet place. Highlights of the day were the Schneeballen and a big, juicy Döner Kebab. So tasty! The park/garden area with a view of the city wall was the best part of the whole trip. I was inspired just sitting on the wall and looking out over the quaint little houses and the Tauber River. It was so picturesque and quiet. Gah! Should be on everyone's list of places to visit.

Entrance to the park/garden area

Amazing view of the city wall

"No pooping dogs" sign. Apparently its painful.

My postcard photo <3

Random Jumble of Thoughts

I have the coolest backpack ever! It's a Jansport, but I took the label off to make it less theirs and more mine. I also added a little cupcake appliqué as my signature when I travel. Everyone has black backpacks nowadays so mine had to be special. (I also added cupcake appliqués to my luggage.) Everyone has a signature look, and this one happens to be mine for my luggage. So proud of myself! I absolutely love this backpack! It's got a space in the biggest pocket for a 17" laptop, which I am so grateful for, and it swallows up so many schoolbooks you don't realize how many until you take them out and count them. It is also quite comfortable for my shoulders and back. Looove it!!!

So, pretty much, I really really really really really really LOVE Thai food. I went to a place called Thai House this week and I loved it! Sooo good. I even brought some home with me, but after it was refrigerated and then warmed it wasn't quite as good. It was a curry chicken combination with possibly coconut milk and some other really yummy flavors. I also thought it was funny trying to order when our waiter didn't speak English. When I ordered water to drink, I forgot how to ask for the kind without bubbles in German, so I just said "Wasser" hoping that maybe it wouldn't be carbonated. I didn't have such luck. When I got my water, lo and behold, there were the dreaded bubbles. Ugh. How the Germans can drink that stuff I have no idea. It tastes worse than any kind of liquid medicine I've ever tasted. 

Why are there bubbles in my water?

My last thought for the day begins and ends with the amazing grocery carts I have discovered in German grocery stores. Their wheels spin in all directions so you can even move it sideways! Whoever invented that was a genius! It's so convenient.

  

Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam!

Recently I was called as a Sunbeam teacher in my ward. At first thought, I was scared to death. I was expected to teach a group of 3 year olds and given about 45 minutes to do it. What was I to do with those little wiggle worms with hardly any attention span at all? How was I to keep order when even I wanted to act like a 3 year old? My first reaction was to run to my mommy, so I did. She was already teaching a group of her own Sunbeams, so we combined classes and I got the opportunity to learn from her. She's great with kids and I saw how she was able to get their attention with a high energy attitude and lots of short learning activities. Since then I've really enjoyed teaching. My "students" are so much fun and its a blast to see the world through the eyes of a child again! One Sunday one of the children couldn't remember my last name so they called me Sister Chicken, and I thought it was the funniest thing ever! It made my day. See the resemblance?

Gutenberg Museum

I spent a peaceful day with my dad today at the Gutenberg Museum.It was built in honor of Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the movable-type printing press who printed the first bible in Latin. This is such an amazing place. A place to connect with history and reflect on how much we owe to those who lived before us and helped make us who we are today. I would have more photos, but the aged books are sensitive to the light, so I was told not to use my camera (in German). Here are a few pics that I was able to take before I got caught, though. :D

Sexy Sock Monkey

So I got a request for a post about my homemade sock monkeys. I started out looking online for a cute gift idea, and ran into a couple of sites that inspired me to make my own monkeys. I just used a regular pair of checkered knee-socks, scissors, buttons, and a needle and thread. Unfortunately I have run out of cute knee-socks to make more of them, but here is a picture of the first one I made! His name is Mirkin. Isn't he just adorable?!
http://www.perfectvalentines.co.uk/Make-a-Valentines-Sock-Monkey.shtml 
http://www.craftbits.com/project/sock-monkey

Circus Animals!

I'm in love with these Circus Animal cookies. They are my favorite!