{Backpacking Through Europe: One Bag}

I haven't blogged in FOR EV ER! Main reason being we traveled to Europe this summer for three weeks!!

Europe? Sounds expensive just saying that word. When we decided we were going to make the trip to Europe for three weeks of the summer 2013, the cheapest way possible would be to backpack. Backpack? ME? Ok on a weekend trip I pack an entire suitcase and another bag of toiletries. How in the world was I going to pack for THREE WEEKS in one bag?

We did an extensive amount of research, looked at a lot of blogs on how to pack for a backpacking trip. 

The easiest thing we found was to pack basics. Boring, I know, but functional. 

Here is what would would have found in my bag: 

4 solid shirts with sleeves
1 long sleeve shirt

2 tank tops

1 dress

2 pair of shorts
1 pair of work out shorts and top

1 maxi skirt

1 cardigan

1 raincoat 

4 {yes only 4} pair of quick dry undies

1 bathing suit
1 pair of light weight pjs
1 sheer scarf

and 1 pair of jeans. 

We also had to make room for some non-clothing items. 

We packed a cocoon and PRAISE THE LORD we did! This thing was a lifesaver--a must have on your packing list. You see, we stayed in hostels. I will hardly sleep in a hotel and let my face touch the pillow there, much less a hostel. This coccoon was a like a sleeping bag but just a tiny, thin, sheet. Perfect for the summer! And it had a little insert for a pillow so you didn't have to lie directly on a pillow that wasn't yours.

Another must have for a backpacking adventure is this REI quick dry towel. Looking back, I wish we bought the XL towel so that it would've covered more of our body, but whatever, we lived. The hostels we stayed in did not supply a bath towel so we were very thankful we took these.

Shower Shoes!!! Put that on the top of your list! If you are staying in a hostel, you will be thankful you had these!!

1 pair of tennis shoes and 1 pair of chacos. I took TOMs but they got soaking wet in Pairs and smelled SO BAD that I ended up just throwing them away. 

Laundry sheets--these little sheets were PERFECT considering the fact we each took only 4 pair of unmentionables. We could wash them, hang them on the line, and they were dry before we left for the next city!

A platypus water bladder. Honestly, we could have left this thing at home. The one thing it was good for was the long plane and train rides!! However, when we were walking around the cities we just purchased 1L of water.

Make up--the basics

Hair Accessories--2 head bands and a fedora. THAT IS IT. I didn't even take a brush. Not because I didn't want to, I honestly forgot to pack it. Yes, I didn't brush my hair for 3 straight weeks. 

I got all of that in a 22 lb pack!! 

{outdoor adventures}

I've mentioned before that we live in a S U P E R small town. 

Like really small. 

Like we don't even have a target small. 

Anyway, one of the only things our favorite spring/summer activities here is going on hikes. 

I am so thankful to finally have my husband back for the summer. We try to wake up every morning and do something active with Polo. We have really taken advantage of the awesome trails that are available to us while we live here. 

This hike we did IN THE RAIN!!! It was so much fun! The trees provided a little bit of shelter from the rain so it was tolerable. 

Polo made a friend on this hike!! It was SUCH a hard hike but there was a really cool flat piece of land at the top where settlers had their sweet little farm! 

This hike has such a beautiful view & it's pretty easy too! You can see three states all at once from the top of this mountain! 

This hike is a little more difficult. However, I like hikes with "rewards" in the end. This hike has two AWESOME rewards--a great view and a sand cave!! 

 

We get a great workout while hiking, get to enjoy each other with no annoyance of cell phones, and get to wear the little guy out!!

{bunch of randomness}

This past year my husband has been cheating on me with books and all things medicine!

Just kidding

But really...

It's very nice to have him HOME and I am trying to soak in every second of it!

One morning, we woke up early and took Mr. Polo for a long walk!! You can tell he was happy as a clam!

Speaking of Polo....we had him shaved!!! All of those beautiful wavy curls...gone! However, I can already tell he feels like a champ and is loving his summer do!!

While Polo was getting a hair cut I decided to waste some time and drive 45 min to the nearest homegoods and I am thankful I did!! I spent way too much money but got a cute pillow and throw blanket to create my perfect, serene bed room. 

*Note* Our summer project is staining our furniture!! 

I've been shopping hardcore for all things Europe lately! 

Found this super spicy leopard scarf at TJ Maxx!! 

Bought some super cute headbands for our Europe trip!!! I am not taking any hair products whatsoever so headbands are a must!! 

{girls weekend in atlanta}

Ok, so get this, my little from my sorority, Rachel, is marrying Dale, a guy who I have been friends with since kindergarten! They met at our wedding and have been in love ever since!  

How C R A Z Y is that?! 

This past weekend, my best friend Ana {who I haven't seen in almost a YEAR} and I were able to meet half way in Atlanta and spend time with Rachel and help her shop for wedding dresses! 

What a fun experience! I haven't even looked at dresses since I shopped for my own three years ago. It was so much fun to sit back and be in awe of every single gorgeous gown she tried on...and looked perfect in all of them! 

It all started on Thursday. I got to meet Ana at her parents home and what a reunion. Her mommy got it all on video and took plenty of pictures of us reuniting for the first time in a year. 

This photo is just us in a nutshell! 

Friday morning we woke up and went on a 3 mile walk! When we came home Ana's beautiful mom made us fresh juice and homemade oatmeal. She is a gem. This was the best green juice I've ever had!

 Friday afternoon we made the trip in to the city and met Rachel at Lenox. I found the most perfect fedora for our trip to Europe!!

Friday night we went to an awesome Tapas bar with ammaazzziinngg margaritas. We had the skinny 'rita!

I ate some yummy chipotle mango bbq salmon. o m g. yum! 

Ok so I tried to eat healthy all day but ended the night with this. This is our famous funfetti cookie cake we made at least once a week my senior year in college. No wonder I gained so much weight. This stuff is like crack.

Saturday we spent the entire day wedding dress shopping with this gorgeous gal. We had lunch and mimosas at the cute little french restaurant.

 We spent Saturday night at the swanky W hotel rooftop bar. We also kinda got screwed over by the staff but that's ok...we won't go there. It was fun regardless!!

I love my best friends and can't wait until we are reunited again!!!! 

weekend recap

my *new* watermelon spark and leptilean came in!! if you haven't tried spark yet, you totally should! keeps you energized though the day with out giving you that crazy jittery feeling!!! It also has 21 vitamins and minerals!! {advocare.com/130444522}

Wore this to a friend's BBQ! Thankful I can fit back in to these super cute polka dot j-crew shorts! 

Went on a hike with my boys IN THE RAIN! This was so much fun! Definitely not something I've done before! We got dirty, cleared our heads, and had a blast! 

After church we made YUMMY protein pancakes!!!! DELISH!!! Definitely will be making these again!!! 

1/2 c rolled oats

1/8 t baking powder

1/4 t vanilla extract

1/2 c greek yogurt {i used raspberry} 

3 egg whites

*makes about 4 pancakes*

Prepped all of my meals for the week! If you haven't tried Braggs Liquid Aminos you totally should! Its a WAY lower sodium version of soy sauce and gives your veggies or chicken a great flavor!! 

Bought an orchid! I've always loved orchids! They are so simple and pretty! However, I have quite the opposite of a green thumb--it's pretty much a black thumb. Before we moved to a house I had all of these dreams of having a huge garden with lots of flowers and veggies. Well that dream quickly went down the drain when I couldn't even keep potted plants alive last summer. Then I proceeded to KILL A CACTUS this spring. Yes, I killed a cactus. Who knows how that happened. Anyway, heres to better luck with my beautiful orchid!! 

{proof is in the pictures}

      I have always been one that is hard on myself. I am my own worst critic. Through college, however, I never really paid attention to the food I ate. I ate what ever I wanted whenever I wanted. The pounds started to pack on. Since highschool, through all four years of college I gained 20 pounds. I worked out and still considered myself “heatlhy” but I was never 100% confident in my body. 

In 2011 I married the love of my life. Along with the love came 10 pounds of “love chub”. I quickly realized I was on a downward spiral and went on a mission to lose those 10 pounds of “love cub”. After loosing 10 pounds, I tried so hard to lose a little bit more. I alwasy hovered around the same weight, no matter what diet I tried or how much I worked out. My husband and I went on a mission to clean out our pantry and eat as wholesome and organic as possible. I still could not shed a pound. I needed to make a change. 

I became fed up when we moved to a small town without a gym. I was determined that I was not going to let those ten “love chub” pounds pile back on. I began looking for a supplement that could help me shed those stubborn pounds and take me off the plateau. I looked hard but everything came along with crazy side effects and wierd ingredients that I was totally against after starting our mission to eat better. 

When I discovered AdvoCare through the blog world, I became amazed. This was an all nautral supplement company that does not use funky ingredients and come along with a jittery, racing heart. I was sold on the product. I began the 24 day challenge March 19, 2013 and haven’t looked back since then. I know that this product works because I have seen the results right before my very eyes. I haven’t seen an “ab” since high school and haven’t felt more confident about my body in my entire life. After completing the challenge, I lost 7 lbs and 18 inches and gained a lot of muscle! 

I plan to tell as many people as I can about this wonderful brand that has changed my life for the better. I hope to inspire and give everyone else the confidence that I have gained from AdvoCare. 

If you have any questions e-mail me brookelynsharpe@gmail.com

You can order your 24 Day Challenge or AdvoCare products directly from my site:

www.advocare.com/130444522

Are you ready to change your life?

{wilw}

Today I am linking up with jamie for what i'm loving wednesday!

I am LOVING my spark and catalyst! I absolutely swear by them and know that they are the reason I've been able to see such progress in my workouts!!

Yes, I realize this is silly to post a picture of me "flexin" but I'm super proud of the progress I've made and I want ya'll to see that this stuff really works!!!

I LOVED this black bean, avocado, and sweet potato wrap that hubby and I made on Sunday! We didn't really follow much of a recipe {surprise?} We just threw a bunch of random things in the wrap. Chick peas, black beans, sweet potato, avocado, onion, spinach leaves, corn, rotel {and rice and cheese for hubby} I ate mine over a bed of lettuce and hubby ate his on a wrap!! mmm mmm gooooddd!

I have been LOVING meal prepping for the week! It takes a little time and preparation on Sunday but it's so worth it! You wake up in the morning during work week and grab your lunch and go! So easy!! I make my chicken with chicken broth and ms. dash seasoning and my veggies with a little bit of coconut oil and lots and lots of herbs!!! Ain't nobody can tell me that eating healthy is "expensive" because last week I made TEN meals for TEN DOLLARS!!

If you are interested in AdvoCare products or would like more info. please e-mail me at brookelynsharpe@gmail.com or visit my webpage at www.advocare.com/130444522