Skirt Project

December 2nd

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 00:38:00 +0000

Remember how pleased I was about firing the kiln in yesterday's post? Well, I must have done something wrong because when I went to unload the kiln today, I discovered that I had lost about 85% of the pieces inside.... Whoops! This means that I have to adapt my schedule for the last few weeks of school, and hopefully my students will be flexible. I showed the mess to one student this morning who said, "That's ok. I didn't really like my pot anyway. I'd like to do it over again." I love that positive attitude.

The kids are a bit bonkers this time of year and it's normal. They have a lot of work because grades are due, and they are excited/ready for the holiday break. That means more tests and projects for them, and art class is no exception. Today we did something a little bit different to get them out of their comfort zone. I think it went over well, but I still have to read their reflections.

I get this question a lot, "is it good?" I cringe when I hear it. I want my students to understand that each of us have our own unique aesthetic and point of view. I can't answer questions like, "is it good? Is this enough?" etc. They need to start using their own judgement. I hope that art class will give them the tools to judge for themselves. We played a game of chance with dice and mark making cards. They had no idea what they were going to create when they came in the classroom. I thought some of their work was pretty good. I should write about it more in depth at a later time. Hopefully, later this week after I repeat the activity again with another class.

She likes to tickle and hug me. It's the cutest thing ever!

I'm really lucky that I work part-time. In many ways it's hard, but it's wonderful to be home with my daughter. This afternoon was no exception. We listened to Christmas music, made a mushroom and leek quiche, and did a few loads of laundry. I fell asleep in her room tonight, I've been staying up late trying to be productive. Obviously, this schedule doesn't really work and it caught up with me.

I'll end with some photos from our laundry excursion. Oddly enough, I didn't take any photos of the room itself. Oh well.

Tryck på knappen! (Push the button!)

This is the que system to use the laundry. One moves the lock, which represents the apartment, to an open time slot. When I first saw it/used it, I found it bizarre. Now, I find it to be a pretty good system.

Her tiny socks make me so happy.

December 1st

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 21:05:00 +0000

This morning I woke up with a strong desire to document my days. I don't know why... Maybe it's because I'm getting older, maybe it has to do with having a child, maybe it's this creative itch that has been nagging me. Even though I teach art, it's been so difficult to find time to create for myself. I should be grading projects right now, and I'll get to that in a minute...

I figured out how to work a Swedish kiln! In all honesty, I did get the temperature speed wrong because of Fahrenheit/ Celsius confusion.

Normally I don't work on Tuesdays, but it's crunch time at school with projects and grades. So, the first order of the day was to unload and load a bisque ware kiln. There were only two casualties in the kiln. I kept telling my students not to leave the clay too thick, and to be sure to wedge the air bubbles out. At least it's a teachable moment, but I hope the two owners of the pots aren't too disappointed.

I took Ann-Sofi to our Tuesday play/singing group in the old neighborhood where we used to live. The kids were able to make a special craft today. After the group, we went to our old apartment to pick up a few things that we've been missing. We're in temporary digs for a few weeks because we had a mold situation in the old place. Hopefully, it will be finished and sorted out soon. However, it seems as if they are still drying the damp walls.

Isn't it beautiful? It's a tea light holder.

Even in the dark days, this little lady brings the sunshine.

I had an appointment in town today, so while Ann-Sofi slept I lunched and took the opportunity to Christmas and window shop.

Don't judge.

I just discovered Knapp-Carlsson, a shop in town that sells so many buttons and sewing notions.
It is AWESOME!

After button shopping, second-hand shopping, and grocery shopping, we came home and stayed busy with class preparations for tomorrow and cooking dinner.

Mark making cards in the making for tomorrow's chance activity...

Tonight's menu: Brussels sprouts (1 kilo for 10 SEK!), torsk (cod) and carrot soup (1 kilo for 10 SEK!) 10 SEK = ($1.15 USD, or €1)

Here she is eating Brussels sprouts! I think it's because she was loving using a big fork.
Don't be fooled by this photo though, most of the meal was on the floor.
Also, Dado (papa) cut her hair. I'm used to it now.

Now it's time to say good night. I have a cup of Texas pecan coffee here and a portfolio full of drawings to be graded and commented on. Ugh.... Signing off for tonight...

xoxo

8 Years

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 May 2015 21:58:00 +0000

Pretty sky + pretty blossoms.
No filter.

Eight years ago I set up real estate over here on the internet. This space is still mine, and occasionally I still visit. I'm in a very different place in my life now than I was when I started Skirt Project. It would be fun to compare, but I am in bed typing this on my ipad with my seven-and-a-half month daughter sleeping next to me. How times have changed! I hope to write that post soon.

I've thought about it, and my reasons for writing this blog today are different than the reason I started this blog eight years ago. I still have too much crap, but I have even more experiences to share. Today I wear pants daily, but I still own a few skirts. In fact, I still have many of the original 60(!). Sixty skirts! But skirts were never the main focus of this story, at least that's how I feel.

Eight years later, I am most proud that my personal creed of "Give, Love, Create," is still the same. And, I find it funny that I am still "Last-Minute Lydia." Though it's harder to get to these days, this blog is still here waiting for me to pick up wherever I last left off, and that's a nice feeling. That's why I like this space so much.

Today I want to celebrate this space before it becomes tomorrow. Sometimes you just have to DO IT! (My newest personal creed). I want to GIVE thanks for this blog and the creative outlet it has given me in the past. I LOVE writing and sharing my experiences. I want to CREATE my own path in life, and find the joy in the every day experience of living life.

The cherry blossom picture is just a placeholder for now. It was taken in the yard of a school down the street from where I live here in Göteborg, Sweden. It's still cold here, but since a few weeks ago spring has definitely sprung!

Today in Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 01:53:00 +0000

It's March 1st!

I woke up to snow, and this mess...

This jumbled creative mess represents my mind these days.

This is a milk frother, and it's the reason I happily got out of bed this morning. I purchased it yesterday.

Hello café au laits and chai lattes!

I also purchased this clothes shaver.

It's the little things.

I love snagging up all of the little fuzz balls on my sweaters. I no longer have to be embarrassed by all of the annoying piling on my sweaters, I can now wear them in confidence!

I am really enjoying this book I am reading.

Lately, I have been in the mood to purge. It could be because my baby will soon be mobile. I can already feel a shift in my thought process and attitude toward clutter and tidying up - something I have never been good at.

I was inspired by yellow and green today.

This is my colorful compost bag.

And, these are tulips from my husband.

We celebrated our sort-of third anniversary today, because our official anniversary is every four years.

Did you know David Hasselhof had his own talk show in Sweden?

An hour of my life totally wasted.

I caught the first episode today. David Hasselhof asks his guests, "Why are you famous?"

I was able to play around with some stamps, scissors and scraps of paper today.

There is so much I want to create and make, but my time is so limited, because...

She tasted gröt (oat porridge) for the first time today. We need some practice with the spoon.

In like a lion, I'm excited about March!

She's a Traveling Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 22:13:00 +0000

She's made a lot of stops all over the world,

And in every part I own the heart,

Of at least one lovely girl.

I've taken some liberties with Ricky Nelson's 'Travelin' Man' lyrics, but it's true. This little girl has been so many places in the past 10 months!

Dallas, Texas - December 2013

Maastricht, The Netherlands - January 2014

Gothenburg, Sweden - March 2014

Giverny, France - April 2014

Fontainebleau, France - April 2014

Paris, France -twice - April and May 2014

Badenweiler, Germany - April 2014

Village-Neuf, France and Basel, Switzerland - April 2014

Madrid, Spain - June 2014

London, England - July 2014

Rattvik, Sweden - July 2014

Come on, baby! Oh, the places we'll go!

Taking Stock

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 20:40:00 +0000

This list was making the rounds on blogs a few months ago. I thought it was neat, and thought I would play along. A lot of the answers are the same... just wanted to make sure I accurately captured the moment and what is on my mind these hours.

Jon's delicious meal for us tonight. Compliments to the chef!

Making : the baby’s mobile

Cooking : egg sandwiches for lunch

Drinking : lots of of water

Reading : the latest issue of Flow International.

Wanting : this baby to come soon

Looking : into getting some paperwork from Belgium

Playing : Words with Friends and Solitaire on my iPhone

Wasting : an enormous amount of time this way

Sewing : nothing at the moment

Wishing : this baby would come soon!

Enjoying : having my loving in-laws here

Waiting : for Jon to finish cooking dinner for us

Liking : this awesome weather in Göteborg

Wondering : if drinking a cup of raspberry leaf tea will do the trick?

Loving : this cute stuffed animal I saw in Haga today.

Hoping : this baby comes soon!

Marvelling : at my body and this baby still growing inside.

Needing : a pedicure in a major way.

Smelling : fresh lemons from the kitchen.

Wearing : non-maternity clothes - yoga pants, tank top and a comfy shall style cardigan.

Following : my friends on Facebook and Instagram.

Noticing : the days getting shorter.

Knowing : this baby has to come out eventually.

Thinking : this baby has to come out eventually.

Feeling : grateful for family and friends, near and far.

Listening : to Rock the Boat by the Hues Corporation. (This song was in my head when I woke up this morning?)

Opening : the door to the washing machine - more tiny clothes to wash!

Giggling : at funny stories of when Jon was a baby.

Feeling : happy today.

List source, here.

The Tenth

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 23:18:00 +0000

Jon and I have two wedding dates that we celebrate - February 29th and June 10th. Our civil ceremony occurred on the 29th of February, 2012, and our wedding celebration occurred on June 10th, 2012. For obvious reasons, we celebrate our June 10th wedding anniversary every year. This year we celebrated two years of wedded bliss - though it seems like a lifetime... and I mean that in the very best way possible. I can't imagine life without or before Jon.

The traditional gift for the second anniversary is cotton, and this year I wanted to make a handmade gift. This year was a bit special because we have a baby on the way. By some twist of fate my homemade 'cotton' gift for Jon was really for the baby, and Jon's gift to me was a very cute cotton dress - also for the baby. I guess a baby does change everything.

I first visited Göteborg this past March, when Jon started his PhD program. I spent 10 days, getting to know the city and country. One thing that I knew I wanted to do was visit an IKEA. I wanted to see if it was different to visit an IKEA in its' homeland.

As it turns out, it was the same, same, same. With the exception of the desserts in the cafeteria - there's a much bigger selection here, and the meatballs - no Swedish flags on the plates, oh! and the fabric selection - slightly bigger than any other IKEAs I've been to in the United States or Belgium.

I picked up two packs of FINURLIG, basically a package of 50 pre-cut squares of scrap fabric for 29 kroner (about 4 US dollars). I chose a pack with a predominate colour scheme of black and white, which I hear is really good for newborn baby's development. Then, I returned to Belgium and promptly forgot about it all. By the time June rolled around, I was feeling the pressure to make a gift for our anniversary and also to get the house packed up. I thought a quilt would make a perfect gift for our 2nd cotton anniversary. My only problem was that I had never made a quilt before. How hard could it be?

It wasn't that hard, because I didn't expect it to be perfect and I made the most simple quilt I could. I figured out some kinks in my IKEA sewing machine, and just kind of went with it. I carefully placed the pieces where I wanted them and sewed horizontal rows. After the rows were finished, I pressed the seams open and tried my best to match them as I sewed the rows together to create the quilt top. I bought batting and sandwiched it between the quilt top and the boldest polka-dot fabric I could find at IKEA to keep the design and fabric weight consistent. Finally, I sewed the bias tape along the edges by machine, and then tacked each square corner with a brightly coloured thread.

Et voilà: an 2nd anniversary quilt for the baby.

From start to finish this quilt took a total of three days, but there was one more touch I wanted to add... the date.

June 10th, 2014

This date is now embroidered on my baby's quilt. It's the date of our second wedding anniversary. It's also the day my brother Daniel suffered a brain aneurysm, from which he died three days later.

Today, my baby girl is 11 days past her due date. It's been three months to the day since Daniel's aneurysm occurred. I'm feeling fine physically, but emotionally... that's another story. This has been the most painful and difficult experience of my life. The impending dates of the 10th and the 13th are a trigger for me, and these past few days I have felt more sad and lonely than I have since Daniel's death. It could be the extra hormones, the anxious anticipation of my baby's birth, I don't know. What I do know is the sadness I feel.

I am sad that our daughter won't know how awesome her uncle was.

I am sad that he isn't here to make me laugh or check up on me, like I know he would.

I am sad that he isn't here for this major event in our lives.

I am sad for the void that I feel, the extreme sense of loss.

I was hoping that our daughter would be born by now to take the pain of the 10th away. Maybe she will be born on the 13th? Any day would be a good day. We are patiently waiting for her, as she will bring so much love and light to our family.

Our Adorable Attic Apartment in Leuven

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 21:52:00 +0000

I thought I would share some pictures of our last apartment in Leuven. It was so charming and cute. It was a two story attic space in a building that had been constructed in the 1720's. What I will remember most about that apartment is the way it would rattle when a big delivery truck would drive through the narrow cobble stone street it faced. Our apartment was in the middle of Leuven, literally in het hart van de stad, in the heart of the city. We lived next door to a grocery store which was very convenient. Convenient and expensive, I might add. The ground floor of our building was a private medical practice, another convenience - especially during my pregnancy. My doctors were my neighbours and they were so kind and thoughtful.
Here are some photos of this really unique space. Most of these photos are panoramas taken by Jon.

This was our main living space, the space that we walked into when we entered the apartment. The beams are original to the building and were held together with wooden pegs. It frames the original roof of the building, but has now been extended. Everything else to the right side of the beams was added to the building at a later date. Our apartment came furnished except for a few pieces, which we sold before moving to Sweden. This is the view from behind the futon.

One would think that an attic space wouldn't get so much light during the day, but it was never too dark - even in the winter.

This is a more realistic shot of the space. The kitchen is directly behind the futon. The stairs lead up to the guest loft and deck. The door to the immediate left of the futon is the door to the toilet and shower. (During my time in Europe, I've learned not to say bathroom especially when there is no bath involved.) And, the door that is behind the beam to the left is a tiny little entry way (that did not get photographed), where we kept our umbrellas, jackets and cycling stuff.

This is a view of our kitchen. Because Leuven is a student town, most apartments don't come with an oven or a full-size refrigerator. We purchased the combi-oven (microwave and convection oven) when we moved in and it literally changed my life. We made our first Thanksgiving dinner in that oven and I baked numerous cupcakes and quiches. It was awesome and we have it here with us in Sweden. The full-size fridge with a freezer was a bonus too, though it's pretty small compared to US standards.

This is the view from the bar/prep area in the kitchen. We had just had a party the weekend before and the orange and yellow pom-poms were part of our festive decor. The stairs were pretty steep and there was only the thin railing that led up to the guest loft/office upstairs.

I loved hosting guests and it was so nice to provide a private space for them. Jon would often work up here taking advantage of the huge window and sunlight that streamed in. In front of the desk is a door which leads to the pièce de résistance - la terrasse.

What a view! We didn't enjoy it as much as we should have, but we did manage to have drinks out there a few times and even dinners outside. The best was when the church bells would chime and the almost weekly carillon concerts. We were able to see fireworks, but one of the best experiences was listening to the wave of voices and cheers the first night that Belgian won a World Cup game. I've never heard anything like it. It was intense!

This is our 'bathroom' which is so spacious, especially in comparison to our bathroom now. It only had a shower, another feature typical of most apartments in Leuven. I loved the black and white décor and also those glass shelves next to the toilet.

Finally, the last room, my favourite room - my bedroom. It was so light and airy, and my bed was so comfy. I absolutely loved it and spent many lazy mornings there. Our bed was huge for European standards, and the built in wardrobes were awesome. We had three, a total luxury that we took full advantage of. The shelf system on the right provided tons of storage - which is a blessing and a curse, especially if one is a paper hoarder like me.

That was apartment living in Leuven for 2013 - 2014!

Baby's Blanket: A Colour Story

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 21:35:00 +0000

This summer I knit a baby blanket. It came out a lot longer than I planned. I used every inch of each colour yarn and just kind of let it be. I used this pattern, and this colour scheme for my inspiration. Thankfully it goes great in the baby's room.

As I was knitting this blanket, I took photos and shared them on my Instagram account. It took me longer than I thought to knit the blanket, but that's because we had such an eventful summer. I'm glad I took the time to document my progress, as each colour now tells a story.

May 28th, 2014

I must have started the blanket this day. I was probably sitting on the couch in my Leuven apartment, watching television. I tried to get my baby bump in the photo. Jon had just returned to Leuven to move us to Sweden. I started with red. I don't know why. While I was knitting it, I was reminded of the crocheted bedspreads my grandmother made for my older brothers. Red for one brother, blue for the other.

May 29th, 2014

This was Ascension Day, a holiday in Belgium. We had friends fly in from Peru on their way home to Rotterdam. We lived close to Brussels International Airport so they stayed with us and visited for the day. They were jet lagged, so Jon and I went upstairs to enjoy the sunshine on the deck while they napped. We made dinner together, and said Tot ziens! (See you later!) Considering that I had just started the blanket the day before, I'd say I was pretty fast! My second colour choice was navy blue. I kept the darker colours closer together and it just seemed like a natural progression after being reminded of the bed spreads that my grandmother had made.

June 3rd, 2014

I cast on this colour thinking that I would fly through it like I did the other two colours, but I had no idea that this colour of avocado green would knit up through one the most tragic events of my life. My beautiful friend and brother Daniel passed away suddenly during this time. It was unexpected and is still very new for me to process, even today. I was in Spain while all of this transpired and as the events unfolded I would knit and pray, knit and pray, knit and pray, repeat. Knitting simple stitches like this garter stitch keeps my hands busy, it became a kind of meditation.

June 27th, 2014

This was an epic day. Not only did I start the fourth colour of my blanket, but we also placed all our belongings on a moving van to Sweden. Jon worked so hard to pack and load everything for our move, while I felt like a useless lump of a lady. My last doctor's appointment also happened on this day. It was a dreary rainy day in Belgium that day, so it seems fitting that the colour that I started on this day was grey.

July 5th, 2014

Our first full day in our new home in Göteborg. As you can see, I wasted no time settling in a comfy spot on the sofa. We watched Belgium lose to Argentina in the World Cup Games. I thought it was a good omen that I was knitting with a colour from the Belgian flag. Turns out yellow is also in the Argentinian flag.

July 8th, 2014

Same view, different colour: Aqua.

World Cup was on again and we watched Germany clobber Brazil. I couldn't believe it, I know the neighbours heard me laughing in disbelief! I thought it was a replay, but actually Germany kept scoring against Brazil.

July 15th, 2014

This shade of orange also reminded me of my brother Daniel. It is the school colour of the University of Texas at Austin, the alma matter of both of my older brothers and Jon.

July 22nd, 2014

I saved the best colour for last: hot pink! I was trying to stay away from pink while knitting this blanket, but decided to add it at the last minute. I'm glad I did. It was exceptionally hot in Göteborg this summer, a few locals have mentioned that to me. My feet were really swollen and to find some relief I would put my feet up and knit while watching a few series on Netflix. I watched House of Cards and Call the Midwife. I really enjoyed both shows, but prefer Call the Midwife because I love period drama and particularly historical non-fiction. I only mention this because this is what I think of when I look at that hot pink colour at the end.

July 12th, 2014

Seems fitting to end this post with this photo because this is the view from the balcony, just outside the spot on the sofa where I sat while knitting. This photo was taken at 22:15, or 10:15 in the evening. These beautiful colours remind me of my baby's blanket, they remind me of the summer, they remind me of the events and memories of this season almost gone. They remind me that I am ready for something new.

A New Start - 365 Photos: Days 1 - 7

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 07 Sep 2014 19:19:00 +0000

Ok - I'm picking up the daily photo project again because I feel like this is something that I can keep up with once the baby is born. The first two photos were shared on my Instagram account, but I hope to avoid double posting in the future.

Day 1: Monday, September 1
Morotskaka (carrot cake) from this recipe by Smitten Kitchen, which I highly recommend.

Day 2: Tuesday, September 2
A lovely day to run errands, so I ran to The English Shop near the Prinsgatan tram stop for some Branston Pickle.

Day 3: Wednesday, September 3
As I was taking pictures of the nursery, I decided to take a picture of the baby's closet.

Day 4: Thursday, September 4
Midwife appointment. This is my view in the waiting room.

Day 5: Friday, September 5
Jon took this panorama while we were drinking tea in Haga.

Day 6: Saturday, September 6
41 weeks... That's all I have to say about this.

Day 7: Sunday, September 7
It's not much to look at, but this is a delicious hot dog and it was tonight's dinner.

Sharing Experiences from Today

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 21:58:00 +0000

No baby yet which means we were able to take care of some business today, and for that I am thankful. I'm also thankful for the amazing lie-in that I had this morning - until 11! Thankful again that I haven't had any trouble sleeping this last trimester, which I hear can be bothersome for some women.

Today's weather was lovely: sunny and 70s! I started to read this book, and so far so good! I didn't have a post in mind for today, but knew that I wanted to blog to keep the momentum going. So, I'm taking a note from the pages of this book - I just thought I would show up and share some experiences from today.

Enjoying some tea and waiting for a doctor's appointment in Haga.

There are food trucks here in Göteborg! Jon spied this burger truck the other day. It's pretty popular with the hip crowd.

The burger was delicious - nice and juicy, topped with bacon, roasted tomatoes, grilled onions, but the best part was the brioche bun. So good! Jon sure does know the way to my heart and I am so glad we filled up on burgers for lunch because we were out and about for 9 hours today! I haven't had a day like this in a long time. Maybe this will be what it takes to get baby moving? We'll see...

We went to the bank, tried to obtain a Swedish ID card, got a hair cut, saw the doctor, and then we took a commuter train to pick up some cloth diaper supplies in another town south of Göteborg.

"Watch our kids. Drive slowly."

What a day! It was fun.

Shelfies - The Baby's Room, Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 20:59:00 +0000

Have you heard of a shelfie? It's a selfie with a shelf!

This is the only shelf that we have in the baby's room so far. It's filled with a few of my favourite things.

I fell in love with this giraffe at a store here in Göteborg called Afro Art. The colours and patterns are fantastic and I thought it would look great in the nursery. The striped zebra is one of the first purchases I made for baby back in 2010. It's from Peir One Imports and I had to have it for my future child. When I was in Texas last December I found out I was pregnant. Upon my return to Belgium this zebra came back with me, because I've always known it would go in my baby's room.

The origami elephant is a prototype for a mobile that I am in the process of making for the baby. Thankfully, my mother-in-law is bringing a 10-inch embroidery hoop with her when she comes to visit next week! I've had no luck finding one here in Göteborg. Sometimes I really miss shopping in the USA.

Here we have baby's first Dala horse and traditional wooden clogs - a nod to her Belgian and Swedish beginnings. The 'Hey Girl' bib is an absolute treasure. It was hand stitched by a friend referencing this hilarious video, and sent to me this summer when things were especially tough and sad - it was one of the sweetest gifts and reminded me how good laughter through tears can feel. I have the card that came with it in a frame, which you can see in the first photo. However, I've decided that the bib is too beautiful to use and will also get a frame the next time I happen to go to IKEA.

We've received many gifts for the baby from friends and family. We are truly blessed. These past two months I have spent many days washing, folding and organising tiny pants, onesies and socks. I've never been so organised in my entire life. I am hoping for better skills, as I want to set a good example for my daughter.

Ideally, baby girl will have her own book shelf one day, but for now all books reside on this huge set of shevles in the living room. Books are such trouble to have while living abroad, but I love my books and I believe books make a home.

I have many, many more books in Texas, and I miss my collection. I also have many books from my teaching days that will create baby girl's library some day. I want my daughter to grow up with as many books around her as possible, it makes such a difference and I believe establishes a love of literacy. I realise that this will be tricky, seeing as how we live abroad and move so much, but I am determined to find a way to make sure that this happens. It made such a difference in my life. I am thankful for that experience.

By the way... have you experienced the power of a bookbook™?

The Baby's Room and Other Things, Part I

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 03 Sep 2014 23:03:00 +0000

Well, I am not in the hospital today, so I will share some details from the baby's room. By the way, this website is really funny.

These past two months have felt like a mad dash to the finish line. We literally had nothing in terms of baby equipment when we arrived in Sweden. As someone who loves to shop, I was completely overwhelmed during the entire process of shopping for baby. Most of the items we purchased were either from IKEA or Blocket - a website in Sweden similar to Craigslist. Since we are subletting the apartment for two years, we had some furniture to work with - the dresser, the nightstand and also the striped beige wall paper that came in this tiny room. I had been wanting that three tiered Råskog kitchen cart from IKEA since it came out a few years ago. I love the functionality of it, and also that it has wheels.

This wall hanging was the inspiration for the room, and I've had my eye on it since my first trimester. It's called Karkuteill ä and produced for the iconic Finnish design company Marimekko.

I love it because it's so whimsical and colourful, and I love the fact that the elephant is wearing black cowboy boots - a nod to my daughter's Texas heritage. Interesting side note, in 2012 Jon and I heard the designer of this textile speak in Brussels at a design fair. Her name is Maija Louekari and she's very talented; read more about her here.

Our first purchase for the baby was our stroller. It's a used Bugaboo Cameleon and I love it! I test drove a similar new model at a baby store and really liked the way it "drove." When Jon found our bright red one on Blocket, I wasn't convinced that it was the "one" because of the colour. As it turns out, I'm so glad we went for a bright colour instead of black, which I feel is too dark for a baby and reminiscent of a funerary car. We took it for a test drive for a picnic back in July. We got a lot of stares - probably because there was no baby in there.

This is Slottsskogen - a huge park in the middle of Göteborg. It was a lovely July evening, and I'm looking forward to going back and exploring with the baby. There's even a small zoo in the park!

Back to the baby's room...

I spent the summer knitting the blanket hanging on the rocking chair. It ended up being rather large for a baby blanket, but I really like the colours and it works well in the room. Every colour on that blanket tells a story. I hope to write more about it later, and also the small quilt in the picnic in the park picture.

Our rocking chair was found second hand on Blocket. We went to pick it up in the centre of town and brought it back on the tram. Jon carried it all the way home on his head. Here I am waiting for the tram, in front of a burger. I think this is a funny picture.

We also found our bedside crib on Blocket, but we went to a store to make this purchase. It's new but was priced much lower than advertised in other stores. The store owner even delivered it to our house after hours at no charge when she saw Jon try to roll it out of the store on a toddler sized skate board. Have I mentioned how kind everyone is in Sweden?

The Troll bedside crib also has wheels that lock, and one of the sides slides down for easy access. This crib can be placed next to our bed and I feel great about using it in our room the first few months. I love the bedding pictured here in the crib. At the moment it's only for decoration, but it was one of the first gifts for baby purchased at Petit Pan in Paris. Ooh-la-la!

The nice thing about these larger pieces is that we can easily move them into our room where baby will sleep the first few months. We have a nice corner space in our bedroom ready to arrange what ever items we find that we'll need. We're flexible and thankfully the furniture is too!

It was a bit of work to get everything organised, but I feel really good about the purchases we've made for baby thus far. We didn't go overboard and I feel like this arrangement will function well for us, but only time will tell.

Part II tomorrow...maybe.

Seconds

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 23:33:00 +0000

I got a new computer back in December because my old one is almost fried. I still need to get photos and documents off of it, but for now the photos on my new computer go back to January of this year. Last night I had the "brilliant" idea of sharing photos from the 2nd of each month going back to January in an effort to share some insight into life these past few months. However, after working on this post today, I don't know how "brilliant" this idea is. It might not make much sense. It's just kind of scratching the surface with all that has transpired. In any case, here goes...

January 2, 2014

After spending a couple of weeks in Texas for the holidays, we returned to Europe via Amsterdam.

Two interior shots of our friend's place in Amsterdam, which also happens to be on AirBnB. I'll have to search for the link, but will post it as soon as I find it. It's a great space in a great location!

I always make time for some herring when I am in Amsterdam.

February 2, 2014

A rainy Sunday afternoon read. Vincent by Barbara Stok.

March 2, 2014

No photo on this day, but I know that I was planning to knit this blanket for the babe.

April 2, 2014
I took a quick road trip with some friends to see Monet's garden in Giverny.

I'm about 18 weeks pregnant in this photo.

May 2, 2014
My mom came to see me in May and it was her first visit to Europe! She returns later this month - but this time we won't be taking in so many sights - just baby snuggles.

Enjoying a Gaufre de Bruxelles, (Brussels Waffle), and charming Art Nouveau interior at Le Cirio in Brussels.

June 2, 2014

I've craved fruit my entire pregnancy. When it was strawberry season in Belgium I would make this mocktail for myself. It's easy to make and only uses three ingredients - fresh strawberries that have been puréed, agave syrup (add enough to your taste) and sparkling water. I think there also may have been some fresh lime juice squeezed in there too. Mmmmmm!

July 2, 2014

This was our 2nd day in London. Just a sampling of our activities this day included:

Walking around Chelsea,

Exploring and sampling the fine fare in and around the Borough Market,

Fulfilling a dream and visiting the amazing Liberty of London store,

Sight seeing,

And eating a delicious curry dinner and then walking through SoHo.
I first saw Les Miserables in London 22 years ago! Wow!

August 2, 2014

We ran errands this day and also started getting the room ready for the baby.

I'll share more about that tomorrow, unless I don't...
In which case I will probably be in the hospital laboring away.

A Quote for Today

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 21:12:00 +0000

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We only have today. Let us begin."

- Mother Theresa

Getting back in the saddle and establishing routines is never easy. As I was looking through my last few blog posts yesterday, I was kicking myself for stopping. Why did I stop? I should have kept going, but I was scared. Of what? I don't know. Now I realise how nice it is to have a record of life to look back on, especially now that I am about to have a baby - I'd like her to know this story, because in a way it's also her story.

I have a tonne of photos that I have amassed since I've started this blog. It was my intention to go through them and come up with some sort of organised system, but I got busy - growing a human, traveling, and with life. I am really good at finding excuses for not doing the activities that scare me. I really liked the 365 Photos project that I started (and didn't finish), and also the Make 52 Project that I started (and also didn't finish.) I see a pattern here...

I have two computers, five small thumb drives, and one external hard drive full of photos and memories here with me. Little by little, I'd like to piece the story together. I'm not sure how I will go about it all, but last night I had an idea. I could just start with the photos on this computer, which go back to January and share the highlights from the month. But then I went down a rabbit hole, and I started to pull out the small thumb drives. Five have now become three, and look at what I was doing exactly one year ago today:

It was the first day of school at the International School of Leuven. I'm talking the first day of school ever for ISL. I was the pre-primary teacher for a great group of six little kids. We had so much fun and it was an amazing opportunity I will never forget. I learned so much and the kids really inspired me for my next endeavour -- motherhood!

Hej!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 21:23:00 +0000

It's hard to believe my last post was on December 1st, exactly 9 months ago! So much has happened since then! A lot of ground has been covered and our lives have totally changed.

August 31, 2014. 40 weeks +1 day

We've been in our new home in Göteborg, Sweden for almost 2 months. Jon and I moved here from Leuven, Belgium on July 4th. It's been really nice, albeit a bit lonely for me. There's not much a 9 month old pregnant lady can or wants to do at this point. However, from what I can tell, I think I am going to like it here. I've been meaning to write and share more on this space. Originally I thought I would do a photo dump from August for this post, but I think I'll just start from the beginning of this particular adventure. I tend to want to write and share everything, but seeing as how this is a new start and how busy our lives are about to become I think I'll keep it simple for now. I'll just start with a few photos for this post.

For me, these next two pictures pretty much sum up the very beginning of our new life in Sweden:

Breakfast at Two Little Birds

After a three day layover in London, we woke up Friday, July 4th in Göteborg, Sweden - our final destination for the next four years. We were eager to move into our apartment, which would be ready later that day. Our AirBnB apartment came with complimentary breakfast at Two Little Birds Café, a quaint eco-café/gallery with a unique vintage vibe. Breakfast was very good and simple, in fact I still think about it - fresh fruit, yogurt, crusty artisan bread with cheese and a delicious cup of Earl Grey tea. I was relieved to eat such fresh and healthy food in my new town. I was a little concerned about moving away from the weekly markets that I had grown accustomed to in Leuven. It's no coincidence that since we've moved to Sweden, Jon and I have been eating some of the best meals we have ever cooked!

Later that afternoon, the owners of the apartment that we are subletting from for the next two years called to say that the apartment was ready and we could come any time. We hauled our three suitcases and selves over to Guldheden, where I set eyes upon my new home for the first time.

I live here! Somewhere near the top.

The day I moved in was my first visit to my new home. There was no time to mourn the loss of our adorable attic apartment in Leuven, there was not even time to imagine a transition. This was it! Jon and I have done moves like this before, and it felt like the beginning of an exciting adventure.

"It's not much to look at... At least the colour is nice," I thought. I've never lived in anything quite like this building before.

What this building lacks in appearance on the outside, it more than makes up for it on the inside. The interior of our space is so cozy and light filled. And we have so much space!

We've spent the past two months getting settled in our home and the Swedish system. There were a few hiccups along the road, but that's to be expected when moving to another country. In the end, everything has worked out. Most recently, our main focus has been getting things ready for our little girl who is currently two days past her official due date.

Here is a picture of her room - a work in progress, but ready for her arrival!

I hope to share more soon.

The First

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 01 Dec 2013 23:43:00 +0000

The first photo of #Belgianbeeradvent

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:31:00 +0000

It's been a whirlwind couple of days. I went for two days to Manchester, England by plane and train. Today from Belgium, I leave for the south of France (I have always wanted to say that) by automobile. I'm going on my first European road trip.

I'll be back next Saturday to post photos, details and projects.

Au revoir!

One Year Ago Today...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 09:33:00 +0000

One year ago today, my best friend and I had a wedding celebration.

It was a hot day in Dallas, Texas. One of the happiest days of my life.

We had pie.

We had art installed.

We had family and friends there.

We had a mariachi trio.

We had Mickey hands.

It was pretty much perfect.

Make 52: Week 11

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 19:26:00 +0000

This past week has kept me busy cleaning and organizing. I was able to make a few things. They may not be much to look at, but they were delicious to eat.

11. A. Vegetarian tacos and homemade guacamole.

I made the guacamole just how I remember it from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - avocado with chopped cucumbers and fresh garlic. The taco mixture is corn, red beans, sauteed onions and flacons de soja (TVP).

11.B. Ladies' Night Mac and Cheese

I made this with a friend Wednesday night. We used this recipe as a guide - cutting the amount of butter and milk by half. Then we watched Pretty Woman on Flemish TV. It was a good night!

11. C. Fried eggs x 4.

I'm working on it.

11.D. A little bit of this, a little bit of that carrot salad.

I had about 8 carrots that needed to be used in my fridge. It took about an hour to grate them all. Then I added a few raisins and some chopped dates for sweetness, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper, and the tiniest bit of mayonnaise. I think a little bit of fresh ginger would also go really well with this.

365 Photos: Days 154 - 160

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 14:30:00 +0000

Am I all caught up now?

Day 154: Monday, June 3
KU Leuven doctors' waiting room.
Getting my eyes checked.

Day 155: Tuesday, June 4

Ik hou van mijn snoepjes.

"I love my candy."

Especially the Haribo variety.

Day 156: Wednesday, June 5

"Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes..."

My heart was heavy this day.

Day 157: Thursday, June 6

Leffe at the city library? Don't mind if I do.

Day 158: Friday, June 7
Such lovely weather this past week! I had to get out and soak up some rays.

Day 159: Saturday, June 8

This guy has been hanging around the Leuven market for a few weeks now. I finally saw the spectacle for myself.

Day 160: Sunday, June 9

New knitting project!

365 Photos: Days 147 - 153

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Day 147: Monday, May 27

Sunny sewing on the terrace today.

Day 148: Tuesday, May 28

Coming home to Leuven from Brussels. I'm lucky to pass through the center of town almost every day.

Day 149: Wednesday, May 19

Getting organized.

Day 150: Thursday, May 30

After 8 pm in Leuven. The shops are closed and the sun is still shining.

Day 151: Friday, May 31

BAEF official tie.

Day 152: Saturday, June 1

Shopping in Antwerp.

Day 153: Sunday, June 2

The rubber band popped off of the floss cards like that, so I thought I would stage a picture.

365 Photos: Days 140 - 146

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Day 140: Monday, May 20

Tu as fait les exercises?

~ Oui, j'ai fait les exercises.

Studying for my French exam.

Day 141: Tuesday, May 21

Finally finished reading Brave New World.

Hope to write about it here on the blog.

Day 142: Wednesday, May 22

Wearing my lucky charms and my favorite shirt for my exam. I needed all the help I could get.

Day 143: Thursday, May 23

Amigurumi animals at my favorite store in all of Europe.

Day 144: Friday, May 24

A lovely day in Leuven, ends with a short cut through the Kruidtuin (Botanical Garden).

Day 145: Saturday, May 25

Pool Party in Paal, where we started singing 'Mexican Lucky'.

Day 146: Sunday, May 26

Tiger bike on laundry day.

365 Photos: Days 133 - 139

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Day 133: Monday, May 13

Viola Delgado's work at DFW's Terminal D.

I was on my way back 'home'.

Day 134: Tuesday, May 14

Yay! I'm home!

Boo! Jet lag.

Day 135: Wednesday, May 15

Quick trip to Cologne, Germany to see a dear friend.

Day 136: Thursday, May 16

Enjoying my favorite tea from the US.

Day 137: Friday, May 17

Stoemp and salad - mostly made from our student veggie bag.

Day 138: Saturday, May 18

Leuven Stadhuis (town hall) in early evening light.

Day 139: Sunday, May 19

Drinkwaterstraat in Leuven at dusk.

365 Photos: Days 126 - 132

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:30:00 +0000

Day 126: Monday, May 6

I spent the day shopping with my mom. We may have gone here twice in one day.

Day 127: Tuesday, May 7

Sick selfie on a sunny day. Just after my interview.

Day 128: Wednesday, May 8

At last! A pedicure!

In the end, I was too scared to go with sparkly aqua and just ended up getting a nice safe nude color.

Day 129: Thursday, May 9

Horchata - the only think my stomach could tolerate that week.

Why yes! That is a tiny Converse key chain!

Day 130: Friday, May 10

Naomi and Daniel get married!

Day 131: Saturday, May 11

This pretty much sums up my day - driving and and going out in Dallas later that night.

Day 132: Sunday, May 12

Mother's Day

Me and my mommy.