Throwback to our trip to Brazil, Rio de Janeiro in March 2016. It all started with the FIFA World Cup which happened in Brazil in 2014. Did you guys see those amazing pictures on television before the matches? I fell in love with them and wanted to visit Brazil myself. Since my husbands birthday was around the corner I decided to book a trip to Brazil for the two of us. In my opinion a perfect time for South America, it was almost fall. Rio de Janeiro was on top of my list. During the planning phase I was thinking about a circular tour but decided to stay in Rio, I wanted a beach vacation and besides that I found a perfect hotel deal for the PortoBay Rio de Janeiro located at the famous Copacabana Beach and next to the Belmond Copacabana Palace. After a little research I decided to book it.

There is nothing better than a fresh, homemade tomato soup. I decided to share one of my favorite recipes, it just warms my heart and is healthy and simple too. You’ll only need a handful ingredients, a blender and a larger pot. Perfect as an appetizer or together with fish as a main course.

When I made the decision to become a Personal Trainer the first big question was, which institution should I choose. What works best for my personal needs? I did my research and found NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine). I was looking for an institution which offers online courses as well as LIVE workshops and in my opinion I felt NASM would work best for me. NASM offers comprehensive programs including a dedicated support team which will empower you with all the tools you need to become a Certified Personal Trainer. NASM offers 4 CPT programs to select from based on your learning style and level of desired preparation. I highly recommend doing your research on each of them before you enroll in one. I preferred my own timetable and choose the “Self Study Premium Program”. A few months into studying I really liked my “freedom” of being able to set my own weekly and monthly goals and would definitely choose this program again.

Throwback to our New England trip during the holidays in December 2015. My husband and I had a wonderful and super relaxed Christmas in Portland, Maine. We stayed together with our friends at their house for a couple of days and celebrated a traditional American Christmas with lots of food, great conversations and tons of cookies. Unfortunately there was no snow. The temperatures where in their mid 60’s and there was – not even a small sign – of snow. The Christmas walk at the beach was amazing but felt more like a walk during fall. Nevertheless we had left Maine with full stomaches and happy hearts and drove through New Hampshire to Burlington in Vermont. We wanted to spend a few more days in this beautiful area and couldn’t leave New England without a few snow pics, right? Our first stop was at the famous Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, NH. Such a majestic place in between the mountains and surround by two golf courses. It was just a quick stop to soak all the magical moments in.