European Vacation: London part 1

After our pub crawl in the outskirts of town, we headed back to the city of London to start our touristy touring. I have only ever had layovers in London airports and have never been able to explore the actual city. The Chef had never been either, so we were excited to start. 

Get ready - this post has lots of photos, so grab your morning brew and settle in for a while. 

We returned our rental care at the airport and headed into the city. We quickly dropped our bags off before grabbing a map and heading for our Original City Bus tour. I had already booked our tickets online because it was cheaper than in person. 

We loved getting the broad lay of the land view and history by taking the tour bus. London's historical sites are spread further apart, so we loved getting to see the high points without have to walk miles and miles. 

Big Ben was breathtaking. 

We loved the beauty of Westminster Abbey.

One of the aspects I love about the Original Bus Tour is that its a hop-on-hop-off 24hr policy. We decided we needed an afternoon snack, so we stopped at a cute cafe for a recharge of chocolate croissants and a latte.

The pubs throughout London were cozy and welcoming.

We stayed at the Marriott Grovesnor Square and were in love with our upgraded room and location. We enjoyed a yummy British breakfast every morning with fresh breads, coffee, muesli, and all sorts of meats and cheeses. The Brits apparently love their baked beans, so those were readily available.

More on what we did on our second day in London coming later this week!

high five for friday

I have absolutely loved this week. Here are some of my top five...

1. I made my first avocado toast and loosely follow Eat Live Run's recipe. Oh my, it was delicious. Definitely making more again this weekend.

2. This week has been glorious! While I hate working the weekends, four weekdays off has been unbelievable. I shared two afternoons at the pool with my mom, popcorn and movie, and chatted to our hearts content. It was like being on vacation.

3. I bought my first pack of Spark from Brooke and love it. Now, I'm just trying to decide whether or not to do the 24 day challenge. I'm just slightly nervous about whether Advocare is really safe and healthy. Any thoughts?

4.  I love rearranging and making small changes to our apartment. And I also cannot believe we only have two more weeks here before another move, and I don't want to think about leaving our incredible neighbors.

5. I spared you a sweaty photo, but I have loved being able to take two spin classes and two Pure Barre classes so far this week.  And tonight, the Chef and I will be able to go to one together! I love getting a good burn and sweat on.

Today, I'm guest posting over at Table for One. You should definitely go check out Laura Beth's cute blog!

Linking up with Lauren and Lindsey. 

June Stitch Fix

I shared with you my first Stitch Fix box and the disappointment that came with it. But thankfully, a little referral credit built up, so I decided to give it another try. My second box was much improved on the sizing and style.

I did forget to write the names of the items down. #bloggerfail.

This top was a great fit and similar style to something I'd pick, but I just didn't think that it would get enough wear. Being a nurse, I never dress up for work, even when we have meetings it's pretty casual and this isn't exactly what I would wear for a date night. But if I was in a more dressy job, I would have kept it. Returned.

This navy and red striped top was incredibly comfortable. I loved the material and the sleeves were cut slightly dolman which was a nice change. I liked it but wasn't in love. Returned. 

For this box, I specifically requested to not receive anything outside of my comfort zone. These are most definitely outside of that zone. White stars with tears? Definitely not my style. The fit was ok, so it's too bad they weren't a dark wash. Returned.

This flower necklace was cute but it felt very cheap. Like something I'd buy off of Very Jane for $10 but it was $35. Returned. 

This top I loved as soon as I opened the package. This is my color. I have a few tops in this shade but nothing exactly like this.

I love the eyelet. It creates a delicate, sweet look and the side detail is precious. Thanks IG friends (aileenpp) for convincing me to keep it.

Overall, I was impressed that everything in this box fit and most of the items are things that I would consider wearing. I'm now considering getting another box to try.

Have you tried Stitch Fix yet? Here's an invite in case you're intrigued.

Mini Turkey Meatloaves

Sunday night, the Chef and I had a low-key day. I worked the front desk at Pure Barre, and then we each worked out before the Chef served this delicious, comforting, but healthy meal. It reminded us of a healthier version of the meatloaves we used to eat as kids growing up. The potato mash was extremely tasty, and we will definitely serve it alongside other dinner dishes. 

Recipe from EMeals: serves 2 

2 Tbs olive oil, divided 

2 Tbs minced garlic, divided 

28oz organic San Marzano whole tomatoes, undrained

12 oz lean ground turkey 

1/2 cup soft, fresh, whole wheat breadcrumbs or panko 

1 egg yolk

2 Tbs shredded Parmesan cheese 

1 Tbs chopped fresh basil

1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp pepper

Heat 1 Tbs oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add 1 Tbs garlic. Cook 1 minute, chop tomatoes in can with kitchen scissors; add to garlic. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until mixture is reduced by half. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg yolk, parmesan, bail, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix well. Shape mixture into 2 loaves. Place loaves on a rack in a broiler pan, top each with 1/4 cup tomato sauce. Bake 35-40 mins or until done. 

Side dish: 

1/2 lb red-skinned potatoes, cut into 2 inch pieces 

1/4 cul low-sodium chicken broth 

1 Tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp salt, divided 

1/2 tsp pepper, divided 

12 oz bag steam-in-bag green beans 

Place potatoes in a saucepan with water and cover, bring to a boil. Cook 12-14 mins or until tender; drain. Add broth, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mash with a potato masher to desired consistency. 

Cook green beans in a microwave according to package directions. 

Serve and enjoy this delicious meal! 

Linking up with Jessica and Ashley

European Vacation: United Kingdom

I haven't meant to hold out my Europe posts from you. Life has just been crazy since we got home from  our trip. I loved every minute of being overseas and would go back in a heart beat. I just love being in a different culture, trying new foods, and seeing amazing historical sites.

We started our vacation by landing late at night in London. I highly recommend finding a flight that flies through the day to Europe because it was great arriving and being able to head straight to bed. (Most flights fly through the night and arrive in the morning and then you're beat starting your trip).

Our first day in the UK we rented a car and drove to our friends Peter and Ada. They live about an hour outside of London. The Chef bravely drove on the the opposite side of the road on their crazy highway, we got lost, turned around on the roundabouts and finally found their house with Peter waiting in the driveway.

Peter and Ada took us on a fabulous tour of their town, and we spent the afternoon doing a pub crawl of their favorite spots. 

Our first stop was the Feathered Nest where we ate lunch. It was a very posh spot with gorgeous views and tasty foods. The Chef had his first fish and chips, and I of course tried it. I honestly could have stayed there all day, but we had more places on our list.

We stopped by the local church that had little stands set up with tea and cakes, and we found the brewery stand.

I'm not a huge fan of beer or ale, but I loved this beer. Unfortunately, the ginger beer that I love they don't export to the US. I savored every last drop. 

After finishing our beers on a green spot outside of the church, we headed for the pubs. It was exactly what the Chef had in mind for the UK, and I think it was his favorite time of our trip. I didn't even attempt to photograph the pubs because it wouldn't have done them justice. They are just so cozy with their low ceilings, fireplaces, and the no-rush attitude of the patrons or the workers.

Our favorites were: The Fleece and The Holly Bush. Let's be honest, the Brits aren't known for their food but every meal we ate there was amazing. The pubs know how to do it right.

We had the best time seeing the British countryside with Peter and Ada. We only wish we had had more time with them in their town. We definitely enjoyed the non-touristy sites and soaking up the true British culture.

Chicken Tostadas

I'm so proud of myself because on Sunday I finally made dinner for the Chef. He is so great about cooking the majority of the meals in the house, so while he caught up on the US Open, I made him dinner. This one is really easy and fairly quick. The longest part is just waiting for the chicken to cook.

Recipe from EMeals: serves 2 with leftovers 
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (we used chicken thighs, cheaper and we were using them for a different recipe later in the week)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 whole wheat tortillas
2 Tbs chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado, mashed
2 tsp lime juice
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup fresh salsa

Preheat oven to 375. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder, place chicken in baking dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until done. Cool and shred chicken. Toast tortillas in oven 2-3 minutes. Combine avocado, cilantro, and lime juice and mash with a fork. Spread avocado over each tortilla. Top with lettuce, tomato, onion, chicken, and salsa.

For a side to this dish, I boiled two ears of corn and sprinkled it with salt and pepper. We also had a side of fruit: fresh pineapple, strawberries, and blueberries with lemon juice and rind.

Linking up with Jessica and Ashley

Weekend Recap: thankful for Aida

We thought our lives would settle down a little bit after our European vacation; however, we're traveling and have our weekends booked to the max for most of the summer. We love being busy, but it sure is exhausting. 

This past weekend, we drove up to DC to visit my brother and SIL and also spend time with the Chef's family. Besides the drive, it was a very relaxing weekend spent with family. After seeing everyone, it makes me miss them even more. 

We got home yesterday afternoon and got ourselves organized for the week: grocery shopping and Jeff got caught up on the US Open with Aida. 

After dinner, Jeff noticed Aida started drooling on her bed (something she never does), he called her over and when she came she could hardly walk, was shaking, and did not have any control of her body. 

It looked to me like a seizure, so we had her lay down with me while Jeff called the emergency vet. After about five minutes, she stopped shaking and seemed fine. We decided to take her to the vet just to be sure. She acted fine going there and freaked out at the vet, which she always does. 

The vet checked her out and said she passed his neuro tests. He said it could have been an isolated event or it could happen again. With his advice we decided not to pursue diagnostic testing unless it happens again. 

Now we're just trying to watch her closely and hope that it doesn't reoccur. I love this sweet dog so much and after having that happen yesterday made me freak out internally about her. Let's just hope she is seizure free from now on! 

What an ending to a weekend right? I'm just thankful she is back to normal.

And I promise I'm working on Europe posts for this week. Sorry, I've made you wait so long.

Linking up with Shami, LeeAnn, and Sarah