everything's coming up roses

Quite literally.  Our home has 17 rose bushes and they are in full bloom.  I don't really know what to do with these guys, except water at the root, don't get the leaves wet, cut at an angle right above a five leaf cluster.  Any green thumbs out there have advice to share, please do.

I am in love with these yellow roses.  When they are buds, they have a vibrant orange color, then they blossom into to pale yellow with pink edges.  And they smell like no other rose I've ever smelt.  In fact, they don't even smell like roses at all.  They are fruity, sweet, almost like candy.  I can't help but smell them over and over.

Our garden is full of plants and flowers that I don't know what to do with.  I'm hoping one of you may have some insight for me.  I'm going to take some pics of them and hope to at least find out what they are and maybe some advice from you on how to care for them.  HELP!  Pictures coming soon...

Our German Apartment

For our first month and a half in Germany, we lived in a hotel apartment until our container arrived.  Here is a peek at our first home away from home.

We lived on the top floor, which meant climbing four flights of winding stairs multiple times a day.  Add in groceries, and we had a mini workout each day.

 One of the benefits of small living...I could jump out of the shower and do a load of laundry.

We didn't have a dryer, so we dried our clothes the old fashioned way.  Oddly, this didn't bother me as much as I thought it would.  It forced me to plan out my time better, rather than waiting for a mountain of laundry to overtake my laundry room.  Living in this apartment was a mini bootcamp for me to break some bad habits.  Although, now that I have a dryer again, the laundry mountain is growing again.

To get my house fluffing fix, I grabbed some cute napkins from the euro store.

And started collecting the pretty, blue glass water bottles the hotel gave us.  Little moments like this made me feel more at home at little or no cost.

I happily displayed a Michigan oven mitt my friends gave me before I left.  It truly is the little things than can make a difference.

Sorry for this dark pic, the lighting in the kitchen was non-existent.  Just wanted to show you this efficient use of space.  The kitchen was basically a hallway into the next room.

As you may already know, ice is not really a popular thing in European countries.  If you want it, you must ask for it.  I love my drinks iced up and stumbled upon these disposable ice baggies at the store. Again, the little things that can make you happy go a long way.

We had two murphy beds and a table and chairs that served as our living, dining and bedroom.  I missed having a couch!  Next to this room was a doorway into another room that was more like your standard hotel room and across the hall we had another hotel style room.

It was nice to live simply for a while, but I was more than ready to move back into a bigger space.  What I missed most was just a common area we could hang out with a couch.  Oh, how I missed having a couch!!  Oh and a refrigerator bigger than a college dorm fridge!! :)  It's hard to store enough food for a family of five in one of those little guys.  I'd never grocery shopped so many times a week as I did living there.

It was a great place to start our adventure.  We've been in our house for almost two months now and are settling in.  There are few things still hanging over our heads...like a kitchen table, but we may have found one.  As we check things off the list, I'll give you a peek at our house.

a refreshing {german} drink: apfel schorle

Happy Friday, my friends!

Can you believe it is already May?!  Yesterday was a treat here in Germany.  May 1st is May Day (similar to Labor Day), so no school and no work.  It was the perfect chill out day.  The weather was sunny, we rode our bikes along the river, had lunch and grabbed some ice cream before we jumped on the ferry.  It reminded of what a wonderful opportunity we have to be here and experience a new culture and traditions.  I've been waiting for May Day because it is also the day young men deliver trees to the one they love/like.  They actually deliver it the night before so it's there when his special gal wakes up.  I was hoping to catch some guys on bikes carrying trees, but I missed that part of the fun.  However, I was delighted to see decorated trees in front of many homes around my village.  Such a sweet gesture that actually takes some true effort.  I love it!

This guy must like her a lot.  It's a pretty big tree!

Our family is also enjoying trying new foods and drinks.  Our favorite so far is apfel schorle.  They sell it everywhere here.  Before we moved, my husband shared it with us after one of his business trips.  Since they don't sell it back home, we made our own version and so can you.

All you need is sparkling water and apple juice.  You can decide on the ratio you like best.  If you like it a bit sweeter, add more apple juice.  Not so sweet, add more sparkling water.  Personally, I do about half and half and maybe a bit more sparkling water.  It's so refreshing and perfect for spring and summer!

Apple seems to be the most popular flavor, but I just discovered at lunch yesterday that they also do it with wine...weinschorle.   Quite tasty.  I'm sure you could use the same method, half wine, half sparkling water...maybe some fruit.  YUM!

Happy Spring!
- Kim

Bruges, Belgium ...You Had Me at Hello

Friends have been asking me to share some of our adventures here and I wanted to assure you that I'm not just sitting here being homesick.  :)  So I'm back today to share some of the fun...

The moment you step foot on the cobble stone of Bruges, Belgium, you are wooed by its charm.  It stole my heart as we wandered the streets.  It's a place I never knew I wanted to visit and quite frankly, didn't know existed.  And now, it ranks high on my list of favorite places.  I'm not sure if it's because I didn't know what I was in for and surprised and delighted at every turn in the road and winding canal.  But I can tell you, it is magical.  I almost felt as if we were walking around a movie set.  It was just one of those places you see in pictures, but doesn't seem real.

Bruges has a rich history and its city has been left untouched to take you back in time.  The streets smell of chocolate and waffles and if you're a beer drinker, you may just need to sit a spell to enjoy.

The Old Chocolate Shoppe on Maria Straat - the BEST hot chocolate I've ever had!

This place stopped my husband in his tracks.  Wish I'd written down the name of it.

I know I sound like a travel brochure, but it truly captured my heart.  There is more to learn about this wonderful place than I will go into here.  I'm just here to share that it's definitely worth a stop if you're ever in the neighborhood.  We actually only stayed for one night.  It was a last minute plan.  Our first trip after being here for just three weeks.  There's a funny sense of urgency to travel any time we get the chance so we can fit in as much as we can while we're here.  And I'm so glad that sense of urgency took us to Bruges.

From the top of the Belfry.

homesick

I'm feeling a bit homesick today.  I think it's because I scrolled through some old photos and realized that I couldn't just jump up and visit my dad, mom, sisters, in-laws and friends.

This is the picture that did it.

It's not that it was some kind of revelation that I wasn't aware of, it just hit me at that moment.  We've been in Germany for about two months now and it's been hectic, challenging and exciting all rolled into one.  I'm not sure where to begin, but blogging is the closest to home I can get right now.  It was one my favorite things to do back home, so I thought, I'd jump on for a few minutes for a little therapeutic writing.

I've started blog posts in my head a million times since we've been here and I'm not quite sure where to take this little ole blog.  There's such a mixed bag of stuff I want to share...life as an expat, tips, travel, living as a renter and retraining my brain to live differently.  And of course, the love of making a home a home.  So I guess, I'll start with a little post I wrote on my thoughts the day our stuff arrived...

today was the day.  the big green truck containing all of our belongings finally arrived.  there was a feeling of excitement to start making a home here and getting settled into a regular routine.  as i unpacked the boxes, there were things that made me giddy to see again, then there were things that just simply made me cringe.  the stuff that weighed me down.  it's funny how when given the chance to start with a blank slate, how good it feels to be rid of stuff.  the more I unpacked, the less I wanted to unpack.  once i had all the necessities and all the things I really loved, i didn't want to put out the rest of the "stuff".  So instead of trying to make it work, I've decide to take the stuff that made me cringe and put it on a shelf in the basement.  then once i've finished organizing and tweaking, I'll peek back at it...I take that back, I think I'll just get rid of it.

It’s official, we are moving to…

…GERMANY!

Over the summer, my sister-in-law and I joked that after I ripped out all the carpets, painted the floors and redid another room, I would probably find out we had to move.  Fast forward a few months, and BOOM, those words became a reality.

I have been waiting to write this post for what seems like an eternity.  Suddenly things are happening at the speed of light and I kind of feel like I have to throw up on a daily basis.  We are moving February 13th to the biggest adventure our family will probably ever have together.  It will be the chance of a lifetime to see so many wonderful things within a train ride or short car ride or even a city hopper plane ride away.

You might be wondering, do the kids see it this way?  And the answer is, umm, no and yes.  As you can imagine a middle schooler’s reaction to leaving his buddies was not a pretty sight, my daughter was mixed, sad and interested in our new adventure and our big wild card surprise came from the little guy – completely excited.  What the what?  Didn’t expect that.

I know we’re in for a rough few months (or more) of transitions with the kids missing friends and me driving the wrong way on a one way, but in the end, I know the opportunities and adventures will outweigh all that.

Am I excited?  Yes!  Am I nervous?  Yes!  Am I sad to leave my friends and family?  Of course.  I am so grateful for my family’s encouragement and support to take this chance.  Without it, I don’t think I’d have the heart to leave.  Mom, especially to you, thank you for telling me to go for it without blinking an eye.

Oh, and when I said my word for the year was DISCOVERY, that was kind of cheating.  How can I help but discover and stretch myself while living in a new world?  So yeah, I sort of set myself up for success on my word for the year.  Just getting on the plane to go, I’ve already reached my goal of DISCOVERY.

2014: DISCOVERY

Hello and happy new year!  It’s been a while.  I’ve missed the old blogosphere.  Thought I’d pop in for a moment for a quick post to set the tone for the year.  My word for 2014: DISCOVERY.

SELF-DISCOVERY

RE-DISCOVERY

DISCOVERING NEW THINGS ABOUT MY FAMILY, MYSELF, MY SURROUNDINGS

OUR STRENGTHS, OUR WEAKNESSES

EXPLORING

GETTING OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE

STRETCHING MYSELF AND CHALLENGING MYSELF

That’s what 2014 is all about for me.  I tend to get into a routine and end up limiting myself.  I become complacent and forget to try new things and push myself out of my comfort zone.  This year is the year to DISCOVER.  It should be interesting, challenging and exciting.  I look forward to seeing what happens.

How about you?  Do you have a word for the year?  A mantra?  A good old new year’s resolution?  I’d love to hear about it.  Do share in the comments.

Wintery + Woodsy Front Porch

During this hectic season, we barely have time to keep up with our own thoughts, let alone read, so I thought I’d just to do a quick hello and glimpse onto our frosty front porch.

{wreath on the confetti dot table, dressed with dollar store snowflakes}

Last year, I was inspired by my friend’s pots filled with birch logs and tucked it away in my memory bank for this year.  These pots seriously make me giddy.  I’m in love.

Oh, Dollar Tree, oh, Dollar Tree, how I love thee Dollar Tree.  Don’t you though?  Those pretty snowflakes adorning the chalkboard are Dollar Tree finds.

Cold outside, it is!  So I’m heading back in where it’s warm!

Wishing you all the JOY of the season and throughout the year!

- Kim -

Advent Wreath + The Gift of Thanks

One of the neatest things about blogging is when someone sends a thank you note for something I shared.  It warms my heart and blows me away every time.  Thanks from a complete stranger, it is indescribable.  And how small the world becomes to connect with people all over the map. 

So the other day, I received this note from Kelly.  It made my day!

Kim --
Found your Nov 2011 Advent Wreath on Pinterest and it inspired me to create one of my own. 

Thanks for the inspiration,

Kelly

{Kelly’s Advent Wreath}

Well, Kelly, thank you for making my day!  Your interpretation of the Advent wreath is beautiful!  (You can see my version of the Advent wreath here.)

So that has me thinking… the power of thanks and gratitude…WOW!  It was such a simple gesture that made such a huge impact on my day.  What an easy gift to give to those around you.

Who will you give this gift to today?

A Thanksgiving Table Fit for Any Gathering

Well, hello there!  Long time, no blog.  My world has been turned upside down, but I hope to pop in here a bit more just like the old days.  I have so much to tell you, but for now, let’s just start with our Thanksgiving table.  This was a “use what you have on hand at the moment” kind of table.

Starting with a cream table cloth that we’ve had since we got married, layered with gold wrapping paper and a navy chevron wrapping paper on top of it.  I absolutely love using wrapping paper for table settings.  It’s cheap and opens a world of endless options and if it gets spilt on, no worries.

For our centerpiece, I used fruit and nuts that were already in the house.

Didn’t bother with the china and used my everyday white.  I love white dishes.  They work for everything and make food look fabulous!  I used tags and my handy dandy washi tape for place setting tags.  Just tied them around the flatware with jute and used a gold Sharpie to write “thankful for you” to each person.

My love for trays continues.  They truly upgrade the look of a few bottles of wine on a counter to a little bar area.

And here’s a full view to give you a peek at the almost finished family room.  You can see the gallery wall and the shelves are back in place.

Well, that’s it for now.  We had a busy Thanksgiving weekend, including a mad scientist birthday for my son.  Hope to share some details with you sometime soon!  And there may just be a series called Never Before Seen Rooms.  Stay tuned…