Summer of 2013 - Memories

Linking up with Janine and Kate for Finish The Sentence Friday. Today, I was accused by Mr. P-Bomb that I was the one responsible for the current weather (overcast, rain showers, kind of coolish, not very nice), because I liked fall. Well, what I actually meant was the kind of mid-50s, sunny, breezy, earthy, colorful leaves kind of fall, but that's obviously too difficult of a concept for him to grasp. Anyways, summer is definitely past (for now), therefore, this week's sentence:

My best summertime memory this year was...

... the wedding we were invited to attend. The girls were in the wedding party, the weather was perfect, the couple glowing, just a very beautiful celebration of love and commitment.

There were many other beautiful moments, our family vacation, the summer concert, and other fun outings, but if I have to pick my favorite, it's the wedding, hands down  ;-)

Re-purposing the flower basket

Sweety posing

Sunday Social - That A Summer!

Sunday already?? No way! Ok, reality sinks in; I was somewhat productive this weekend, getting some chores out of the way I'd been procrastinating on for way too long. This afternoon is spent indoctrinating the girls with my love for Bollywood movies; and honestly, what is there NOT to love about all those colors, the dresses, music, dance, and songs? Except that I am now obsessed with attending a Holi fest. Hope the hubby won't let me  ;-)

As today is the first day of fall, (in the meteorological meaning, not the astronomical), let's have a Sunday Social review of this summer (hosted as usual by Ashley):

1. What was your favorite trip/vacation/activity this summer?
I have to say our trip down to Weiden for the wedding was the best. We were so glad having been invited to witness two people pledging their lives to each other, and our girls being in the wedding party :-)

Our vacation in the Bavarian Forest was a close second though. Just getting out, away from the computer, spending time with each other, I'm very thankful we had the opportunity to do this!

And in terms of activities, I have to mention the family summer concert the hubby played in, so much fun for everyone!

2. What was your favorite outfit/look/clothing item this summer?
No, please not a fashion question. Everyone knows that I cannot do fashion. I definitely loved my crochet lace flats and the dress I bought for the wedding, even though it took me a while to get used to it.

3. What is one thing you wished you'd gotten to do this summer?
Going to one of the fun parks around here. And visit my cousin. But there's still time while the weather is nice!

4. What was your favorite song of this summer?
Since yesterday was the official last day of (meteorological) summer, I will say Felix Meyer and band. They were playing in the street yesterday (I'm happy they still do that, as they start as a street performance act and made it into the charts here). This recording is not the best acoustic-wise, but I loved them from the beginning, especially that song! (Joy, keep your eyes out for them!!!)



5. What was yor favorite movie/TV show of the summer?
Caught again! We don't get to the movies much (as in: not since last year), and I'm not a fan of most TV shows. Probably go with "A Game Of Thrones", because the last season ended somewhat summer-ish.

(Source)

Weekend Recap - Wedding Fun

What a weekend it was, I tell you! Sunday night, I felt like I needed at least a whole new weekend to recover from it, but we had so much fun!

Friday:
Whenever I plan on coming home early from work, bet on it that I'll be stuck much longer than I had planned. We celebrated my neighbor's birthday with yummie muffin pizza, flavored sparkling wine, and cake. Later on, the guys arrived for a night of D-20 Modern; it was interesting, with tons of twists and turns; finally, no headlessly stumbling around in post-apocalyptic Maryland, but danger's not banned by any means! We wrapped the game up early to get some rest before THE BIG DAY.

Saturday:
I got up with the girls at 6:30, made breakfast and relaxed a little with my giant cappuccino and a magazine. We adults got dressed and ready and packed the hair stuff for the girls. We headed out around 9:30 am, stopped for a car wash (not too easy on Saturday mornings!!) and arrived after a very scenic drive around 11:30. The bride and groom were still out having their pictures taken, so we used the time getting introduced to the groom's family and getting the flower girls ready. After the happy couple came back, everyone headed for the church. We got a quick introduction and explained to the girls that they would get to go in with the bride and groom and we'd be waiting for them inside. The church was an old Renaissance pilgrimage church; when the choir started singing and the priest walked in with the girls and the bride and groom, I so had to try and hold bak my tears. The girls were so beautiful, walking in so solemn and concentrated on their duties. Lily looked like a perfect little angel when she handed the rings over to the priest, and both girls came over to sit with us. The service was beautiful (yes, even I as an atheist can say that), and the couple radiated happiness all the time. After they had said their vows, received communion, and were blessed, the girls went back in position and led the newly-weds out of the church. They were not allowed to toss flowers in the church but showered everyone in petals once we outside congratulating the happy couple. Many pictures were taken before heading to the hotel for the party. We had so much fun, the cake was yummie, the buffet delicious, and the cake, well, who can say no to a Lego-inspired groom's cake? Throughout the celebration there were little details displaying the bride and groom's love for Lego. We left around 9 pm to head home after an eventful day and arrived home around 11 pm and followed suit.

Sunday:
The girls got me up at 7:30, way too early after the night before. We kept it slow all day long. I tried to keep off my feet to nurse my leg, which was swollen pretty badly the day before. After lunch I took Lily to the playground while Violet took a nap. Lily and I built a sand castle, and while she played with the other kids there, I finished my book and took a nap on our picnic blanket under a maple tree. Glorious, I tell you. I woke up when hubby and Violet arrived. We rested a little longer while the girls kept playing. Around 5 pm we headed home; the girls splashed with the girls downstairs while I prepared dinner. After shower and bed-time I spent my evening with my laptop and a glass of wine on the porch, enjoying the perfect weather.

I was definitely not ready for Monday today, and took a little nap while cuddling Lily to sleep tonight. I'll definitely going to head to bed soon tonight! Sending you all a very good night with a few pictures from Saturday:

The flower girls with the happy couple before the ceremony

Lily handing the rings over to the priest

The girls having fun with the flowers after the ceremony

Love this cheesy smile!

Lily goofing off with her basket

The treats

The girls admiring the groom's cake!

Week In Review - Thankful

I've decided that Lizzi's Ten Things of Thankful (TToT) is the perfect way to recap the week. While there are things I am thankful for every single day (like my family, my friends, my work, general health, etc.), there are special things happening every week - big and small - that are worth being thankful for.

Here are this week's 10:

1. Being greeted with a beautiful home-made gift (a syrup and jelly) from my coworker on Monday morning. I felt like it was my birthday even though it wasn't. And seeing her reaction about me (and another colleague of mine who got the same gift) being so excited about it. She was so truly happy that we loved it so much, which, in return, made me happy. No better way to start into a new week!

2. Not having a management position at work. Seeing all the crap my poor boss had to go through this week, and all the overtime she had to put in while not being appreciated the least made me really happy to (a) have her as my boss because she always appreciates our work, and (b) not having her job.

3. The beautiful weather. It's been perfect, simply perfect all week!

4. Having the kids I have and not the neighbor's kids.

5. Being able to have a lovely Friday evening celebrating my neighbor's birthday (not the neighbor from no. 4) and playing D&D afterward.

6. The wedding we were invited to attend. It was so beautiful witnessing a couple dedicating themselves to each other. It was such a wonderful ceremony and celebration afterward, I cannot say enough how thankful I am having been invited.

7. Lily. She surprises me over and over again. She and Violet have been flower girls at the wedding; and while Lily has been unsure whether she liked doing it or not, she did so well. Watching her walking in in front of the bride and groom, next to Violet, carrying the rings, I nearly cried. She had the most solemn look on her face, full of concentration and tenderness, which I will never forget. (yes, I'm tearing up all over again now). I'm so proud of her, and of course of little Violet as well, who did a wonderful job!

8. The beautiful moon I got to watch on our way home from the wedding.

9. The nap on the picnic blanket I got on the playground today while Lily played.

10. Sitting on the porch with a glass of blush wine, writing this.


Thank you so much for hosting once again, Lizzi!

M.I.A...

We're out today, attending my wonderful friend's wedding. I'm so excited, even if it means a Catholic service (yes, I'll be attending church!!). I can't wait to tell you all about it!

Fun at a certain otehr wedding back in 2006...

Things That Happen Around Here

Our life is fun, crazy, and sometimes somewhere on the edge of insanity. Work was extremely busy today, almost to the point of admitting myself to the next mental institution (or massage therapist) after a courier delivered a hot mess to my desk, yahoo! Hope that we're finally popping open the chapmagne tomorrow!

When I got home, the hubby had yummie stuffed zucchini in the oven, and while the goodness finished baking, the girls and I whisked up a batch of banana muffins, since the oven was already pre-heated and we had some bananas ready to be turned into muffins in our fruit basket.

After dinner, the girls and I headed downstairs for some play outside. Just after getting out the door, Violet decided that she had to go potty and went back up. As she was climbing up the stairs and took off her shoes, she suddenly let out her tell-tale sqeaking, and when I had caught up with her, I just caught her tinkling right in my shoe. Thanks a lot, Sweetie! The poor little thing was so embarrassed she started crying, I just couldn't be mad. I carried her into the tub and rinsed her off before taking care of the clothes and my shoes.

Back outside, poor Violet promptly fell and scraped her second knee, just in time for the wedding on Saturday. They will look so perfect in their cute little dresses with scraped knees and bruises  ;-)

Bath and bed time was uneventful, and I were finally able to put on my brand-new Asics and go for a run with my neighbor. Well, it did not go well. I had to stop after only about 4 or 5k because my leg was hurting and giving way under me. The game plan right now is to rest the next two days due to D&D night tomorrow and the wedding on Saturday, see how it goes Sunday, and if it hasn't gotten better, I'll be back at my doctor's office on Monday. Keep your fingers crossed that it won't be anything serious.

tomorrow  ;-)

It's Wednesday...

... but somehow it feels like later in the week. I feel stressed as there is still a bunch of stuff to do for the wedding on Saturday, I need to get birthday presents for my neighbor and the twins, and definitely need a fix for the mess that's my hair. I feel like there is not nearly enough time to get everything done.

On the upside, I received the results from last week's blood tests in the mail. I did not expect it quite yet. I will need to increase my dose of medication by 50%, but I'm sure that it will help me get some much-needed energy back. I've been seriously slacking for much too long.

News from the running front: not so great. I hurt my achilles tendon and had to rest today. I hope to feel better tomorrow and be able to run about 5 or 6 k, we'll see. And: I finally managed to go and get new shoes. I noticed that the gel cushions in my old shoes has worn out and didn't quite do their job any more. So I spent today's lunch break to pick out new ones. I love Asics, and stayed with this brand again. The Nimbus-14 sport gel cushions in the major pressure area, the heel and front foot. I felt the difference to the old shoes after just walking around in the store. The fit is better, the cushions are fantastic, and I'm really mad at my achilles tendon because I want to hit the road with my new shoes!

Scratch no. 21 off this list

My Husband's A Genius!

Today was a busy day! I did some baking for the neighbor as a "thank you" for helping us out with the car a few weeks ago. And I got to meet a blogger friend, Adrienne, in real life. It was certainly exciting. We had Starbucks and walked through town just enjoying the nice weather.

Since TV sucks today, I plugged in "The Graduate", because I seriously love the sound track (and I do think Dustin Hoffman looked hot at 30, if also very small). Well, do you remember the last scene of the movie, where Ben and Elaine run away from her wedding. In Germany, we have a weird wedding custom, the bridal kidnapping, where the girls kidnap the bride from the reception and go on a bar hopping spree. The husband and his groom's men try to track them down, picking up the tabs the girls have left for them in the bars.

Saturday night entertainment

The other day, we were hanging out with friends talking, when the topic came to the wedding we're going to attend this summer and said custom. Suddenly, Richard suggested: you girls should do that!

Well, I'm a little slow, so I mused that I don't know my way around the town where my friend is going to get married, when suddenly, it dawned on me.. Who needs a REAL bride and a groom's party to follow? Well, you can only do that once in any given town, but it would be a somewhat fun thing to do.. And the best thing, I know girls who would totally be in on that  :-)



PS: no, I am not seriously planning on just "drink and dash", that would be a crime; but a girl can have a littly crazy thoughts sometime  :-)

Once Upon A Time... (Our Story)

Seven years ago today, I got up, put on a white dress, and pledged my heart and my life to this one special man.

I have hinted before at our story but would like to tell you all about it to honor this special day:

Once upon a time, there was a princess girl, who was lonely and sad; she was approaching a crossroad in her life and didn't know where to go from there. One boring night, she looked in her magic mirror logged on to MySpace, where she stumbled upon the picture of a knight from a far-away land across the ocean a U.S soldier. He had the most beautiful, sad eyes she had ever seen and sent him a fairy message email. He responded and for about a week, they wrote letters emails back and forth every day. After about a week, she asked him to send her a bird carrying his voice to her for his phone number. Their first conversation lasted about two hours, and they kept on talking for hours every day, until she asked him to meet her. The following Saturday, she mounted her horse got into her car to meet the man sh already loved for the first time. When she first laid eyes on him, she couldn't believe that he could be even more handsome than in the picture. They walked together along the river banks, first side by side, then hand in hand. They shared a meal and many, many conversations. Only the next evening did she return home. The following week, he came to visit her and send a message ahead that said: I love you. She was beyond happy and all her worries had disappeared. A week later they were planning their wedding. About a month after their first meeting, he kneeled in front of her and asked her to marry him. She cried and accepted his proposal. However, the king and queen her parents were not happy that their daughter would marry a man like him and tried to prevent their plans. But their love prevailed and less than five months after looking in each others' eyes for the first time, they entered the palace together to speak their vows that would bind them for the rest of their lives.

THE kiss

Yes, that's about our story. I can't believe that it's been seven years already, and I'm pretty sure that there a some people out there who can't believe that we're still together. We had a short and intense courtship and engagement, but we knew that we were made for each other.

During the last seven years, we moved four times, had two beautiful daughters together, an have grown into a unitiy. I cannot imagine ever being without him any more. Our relationship hasn't always been perfect, but being with him has always been better than anything else I could imagine.

I am lucky enough to be married to my rock, my partner, my love, and the best daddy to our daughters I could possibly imagine. I love this guy beyond words and can't wait what's ahead of us. I know that it might not always be sunshine, but that I'd rather share my umbrella with him than facing the storm by myself.