Category Archives: Gratefulness

Giving Thanks

November 30, 2017

I realize that I’m way behind on posting about Thanksgiving, but we had family visiting us in Amsterdam last week, so I didn’t get around to writing anything around the actual holiday. And honestly, I’ve had all sorts of ideas for blog posts lately and around zero motivation to sit down and get the words out, so… that’s where we are.

December is always a whirlwind, isn’t it? Not to mention that we’re headed to Berlin, Zagreb (Croatia) and Rome this month, and my family is all coming to Amsterdam for Christmas, so our schedule is pretty packed. But I do think it will be a nice, crazy few weeks before we jump into the monotony of January/February and KC’s busy season at work. But hey! We have a February birthday to celebrate this year, so that’s certainly something to look forward to.

Getting back to the point of this post, I always like to reflect on the things I’m really thankful for at the start of the holiday season. This year I’m so thankful for:

This amazing little family of mine. Our house is loud, silly, and seems to always have crumbs on the floor (even though I’m ALWAYS sweeping), but I wouldn’t have it any other way. (Well, maybe I would get rid of the crumbs.)
This adventure we’re having living in Europe. I filled out a preschool application for Prim recently and had to share a little bit about our family, Prim’s personality, and also explain our situation — not currently living in California, but returning to the Bay Area mid-next year. After counting up all the trips we’ve taken and those that we’ve planned and already bought tickets for, I realized that Prim will have visited at least 12 countries by the time we move back, which is sort of crazy given that she will be newly 3 when we come back to California. (And really it will probably be more than 12, since we’re looking at booking trips to at least two more countries while we’re here.)
How sweet these sisters are with each other. Prim and Lark have been completely smitten with each other since day one, and I feel so lucky that they get the chance to have the amazing sister relationship I have with my own sister.
Moving back to California next year. While I do have mixed feelings about moving back to the Bay Area (and the US in general), I am really excited to embark on a new chapter which will finally give us some permanence (and hopefully a place to live near my sister!)
Our home exchanges. Without having stumbled onto this site and taking the plunge and joining, we wouldn’t be traveling nearly as much as we are. The site has been such a great resource for us and our current situation, and I feel so lucky that we get to take advantage of every inch of Europe while we’re over here. And I’m especially thankful that we get to bring these little ladies with us on these adventures. Even though they won’t remember these trips, the memories KC and I are making during these early years with them are just amazing.

Well I’m off to pack for Berlin. I hope you have some fun weekend plans!

Gratefulness

Giving Thanks

November 23, 2016

I am so, so thankful for:

↑ That hilarious goof, who is so much work but sooo worth it.
KC, who puts up with my pregnancy mood swings and always goes above and beyond the call of duty.
Babysitters, who give us a night out together when we so desperately need it.
My heavy Dutch bike, which is getting harder to ride by the day, but gets us where we need to go.
My dad’s Netflix account. 😉
European health insurance, which makes all my pregnancy and non-pregnancy complications ever so affordable.
Naptime.
Our ability to travel while we live abroad — it’s honestly one of the biggest pluses.
greenjump.nl — my most favorite Dutch website which delivers so many things I need (and maybe a few things I don’t).
This little wiggly lady currently residing in my midsection. She’s certainly making 4am really interesting these days.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody. Hope you have the best holiday weekend ever.

(And in case you’re wondering what we’re doing for Thanksgiving this year, we’ve hired a babysitter to watch P after she goes to bed and are going out to dinner. I can’t wait.)

PS: That picture above was taken while walking around Waterlooplein. Prim decided she didn’t want to walk any farther, so we were telling her we were continuing on without her. She just stood there and yelled, “BYE!!” and then threw her head back and laughed because she’s obviously the funniest thing ever.

Gratefulness / Holidays

Giving Thanks

November 26, 2014

I’m so, so thankful for:

Those two adorable sneaks who seem to find their way onto our bed as soon as we head out for the day.
KC, who puts up with my pregnancy brain (I can’t remember anything these days) and who is so sweet to me when I’m sick or uncomfortable.
This little baby bump, which is getting less little by the day.
All the delicious food that we will be eating tomorrow, including that giant bird sitting in our fridge right now, just waiting to be covered in BUTTER.
Leftover turkey sandwiches (even if I do have to reheat the meat in order to eat them. Boo.)
The fact that our Christmas shopping is almost done (!) I’ve never ever had my Christmas shopping even close to being done before Thanksgiving, so this is quite a feat.
Honeycrisp apples.
Beyond yoga high-waist workout pants (soooo comfy).
Rain being juuust around the corner.
And the fact that I get to start the holiday season off with endless amounts of Christmas music, movies, and cheer starting tomorrow! I can’t wait.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody. Hope you have the best holiday weekend ever.

(And in case you’re wondering what I’m serving for Thanksgiving this year, it’s pretty much the same as last year.)

Gratefulness

Friday Things

March 15, 2013

Given how this week has been going, I thought I should take a moment to reflect on a few things that made life this week a little happier:

Thick socks on cold mornings.
Warm days when you can have a drink outside with a friend.
Watching Penny desperately try to befriend Seuss (paws down, tail up).
Watching a movie in bed with Seuss and KC.
When mine and KC’s life aligns on a random Tuesday so we can have a long dinner in our newly-finished dining room.
Realizing that the upside to this fiasco is getting to buy new bedding.
Weekday lunch dates with coworker friends.
And on that note — the SF Soup Co. truck that comes down to our neck of the woods.
Pizza.
This cute scene, which now happens just about daily in our house:

Workin’ hard for the money.

Gratefulness

A Confession

March 1, 2012

I have a confession to make, and it might just shock you. It’s this deep, dark secret I’ve been keeping for years. YEARS I tell you! – deep breath – Ok, here goes: I… don’t really know how to tweeze my eyebrows, and therefore almost never do it. OMG, are you shocked??

I thought not. But in all seriousness, I don’t. I’ve read a thousand tutorials, tried all the “tricks,” and I still just can’t really figure out what I’m supposed to be doing.

image

Seriously, that looks like calculus to me. ↑

For awhile I was getting my eyebrows waxed by a professional (this was years ago though — like, pre-KC). It was all fun and games until my regular lady was out of town and I saw her associate, who basically waxed both of my eyebrows entirely off. Those of you who know me, know that I’m super-fair and don’t have really intense eyebrows to begin with, so without eyebrows? Yeah, I looked a little like this:

image

Ok, maybe not exactly like that, but you catch my drift. It wasn’t a good look for me. After this little snafu, I decided to stop with the waxing (which basically meant I stopped doing anything to my eyebrows, maintenance-wise). And this has continued until this day.

I thought about getting my eyebrows done before my wedding, but was so terrified that the woman might “take everything I’ve got” à la Sex and the City, leaving me to Sharpie-on my brows on my day of wedded bliss, that I just decided not to.

So what does this have to do with anything? Well, today I realized that I’m grateful for my eyebrows. They’re mostly blonde, which hides the fact that I possess zero skill in shaping and maintaining them. Plus, I stumbled across the perfect eyebrow pencil years ago, which just happens to be a 99¢ Wet and Wild eyeliner (don’t judge me. It’s hard to find the right shade when you’re a redhead.) And, in a land where I have to worry about wearing sunscreen every day of my life due to my SPF-100 skin, it’s nice that there’s at least something that pretty much takes care of itself.

Whew, it feels good to get that off my chest!

So, what’s your secret?