Head on over to Hello Giggles to weigh in on "Mom-petition"! I'd love to hear your thoughts! :)
8 Weeks to a Better Me: Recap (kind of)
It's been 9 weeks now since the start of 8 Weeks to a Better Me, and I've absolutely enjoyed setting small goals and (mostly) achieving them! Some of the goals I set have actually become a part of my daily life/routine, and I think that's pretty awesome. I thought it would be great to recap each of the weeks and break down how I did! So, last night I began doing so (it took me two hours with little flashes of internet window shopping)...hit publish, and blogger gave me an error message...and wouldn't let me go back. I logged in this morning hoping it had saved, but alas, it did not. I believe one of my goals was not to waste my time (if it wasn't it is now), so I am refusing to retype, relink, and rethink all of it! What I will say though, is how much I truly enjoyed this project, and perhaps I'll bring it back closer to the new year with fresh topics and ideas!
I also wanted to say thank you one more time to all of my fabulously inspiring contributors and super supportive (and equally inspiring) readers. I love you guys!
p.s. if you'd like to go back and read through each of the weeks, click the "8 weeks to a better me" tag below!
Henry: 7 months
7 months is so much fun! I love this age, and it's definitely my favorite month yet. Spoiler alert: I think I'm going to end up saying that every month! This past month though has been awesome. Henry's personality is shining through, and just like I thought, he's a funny, sweet, very independent little dude. And getting funnier and sweeter by the day.
This month went transitioned into solids, and started off with rice cereal (hated it), then oatmeal (also hated it), and a week later decided to start vegetables. Our friend Robyn got us the Baby Bullet as a gift and I LOVE it. I've been making batches of homemade baby food and it's just so easy to use. I'll blog more specifically about it sometime soon, but it's really a great tool. So far Henry has tried sweet potatoes (his first food), avocados, and yesterday he tried peas. We've been feeding him once at day around 4pm. Here's a little video from his first pea experience- don't mind my commentary!
Henry has also been moving and grooving like crazy. He has pulling up on anything he can get his hands on, and prefers to be standing. He's even starting to try and take steps while holding onto his crib. It's really weird to see him over by his toy basket, pulling himself up to pick out a toy to play with. I keep thinking back to just a few short months ago, when he was a non-mobile baby, and it's insane to think about what a difference those weeks have made. It's neat though, and I'm excited for him to start being able to get where he wants to go.
This month Henry:
is eating and loving solids
is still breastfeeding
takes 2 naps a day
can pull up on anything
loves to stand
laughs when you squeeze his thighs
loves swimming and being in the water
is starting to get very attached to mama
makes lots of babbling sounds
doesn't have any teeth yet
is wearing 9-12 month clothing
doesn't like to wear shoes or socks
loves being in one of our slings
really enjoys going on walks and jogs in the BOB jogger
lights up with Daddy get homes from work
is fascinated by remote controls, cell phone, and plastic cups
drinks water and breastmilk out of a sippy cup
As far as sleeping goes, he's been wanting to go to bed earlier, and likes to start his bedtime process around 6:30pm. That seems SO early to me, but it's naturally when he gets tired and no matter what we are doing or where we are, he'll curl up against me and start sucking his thumb. The thumb is ALWAYS an indicator of nap time, and during the day I can totally gauge when he needs a nap and when he will actually go down for a nap based on when that thumb gets popped into his mouth. It's almost like clockwork. For the past week Henry has been waking up in the middle of the night wanting to eat around 1am. He eats for about 5-10 minutes then goes back to sleep. I can't tell if it's because he's actually hungry or if he just wants to be comforted, but either way it's okay with me.
And speaking of eating, last week while at my parents', I left Henry for the evening to go to a show. He doesn't take a bottle anymore and hasn't for months, and our doctor advised me against using one this late in the game. So, we used a Born Free sippy cup my Mom got him. I pumped the night before, and my Mom filled the cup with a bottle's worth of breast milk, gave it to him before he went to bed in place of our usual feeding, and he drank the whole thing while sitting in her lap. He went right to bed and slept through the night. I was SO relieved, because I have three different weekends over the next couple of months that I'm going to be leaving him with Hank, and I was so, so nervous. It makes me happy to know that this worked well.
So, happy 7 months to our darling little man. He's the best thing in our life and it's only gets more and more fun everyday. I can't wait to see what this month has in store for us! And if these photos are any indication, you can bet it's going to be a good time!
Tattoo Tuesday V.76
Name and blog name: Morgan // Morgan and Kim
Age: 23
Occupation: Chaplain and Barista
Age of first tattoo: 17
Favorite tattoo: Ship
Featured tattoo/location: Left Thigh
Artist/shop/location of feature tattoo: Tattoo Artist- Sento Shop- Chapel Tattoo / Melbourne, Australia
1) Tell us about your featured tattoo- is there a background story or special meaning? Why did you choose this particular piece of art?
The ship has two quotes- on the top in a banner it reads 'Ain't no Ship Like Friendship' and on the bottom it reads ' Les Copain D'abbord' which is an old French song by George Brassens which translates to Friends First/Friends Aboard (it's a play on words). I am French and I want to always remember the great friends I have.
2) Do you have any other tattoos? If so, what do you have and where?
I have “In Christ" in script on my wrist (this was my first tattoo), I have a quarter sleeve on my left bicep area - with a lion, lamb and dove, God's hand from michelangelo's sisteen chapel touching a star and written "Patris, Filii, Spiritus Sanctus” which is Latin for “Father, Son, Holy Spirit”. I have matching anchor with my mum on our ankles and I have a French horn on my right arm. I also have a Bike on my ribs which is designed by Melbourne based artist Ghostparol. I got it while getting my Ship, and although one of the smallest tattoos, it is by far the most painful.
3) Do you plan on getting more?
Kim would like me to get a pin up girl and lately I have found a few inspirations, so maybe, but I like to thinking a tattoo design for a year before getting it done, so in a year I probably will get one.
My wife Kim loves tattoos and has a big leg piece of her family tree. There is a different animal for each member of her family. She is the Deer and I am the Fox. My parents are ok about it, but it was a challenge at first. My in-laws are pretty old school too, and not so keen. I haven't faced much opposition about them, I'm sure some people judge me from looks before getting to know me. A lot of the time people ask me about different tattoos which is nice.
5) Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed but haven't gotten one yet?
Consider your design for a long time before getting it (I wait a year), draw it on if you have to. Ask you friends and family how they feel, because although you don't do it for them, it's nice to include them in your decisions (it also softens the blow once you get it.)
Giveaway: Swayable
This week Lindsey from Swayable is offering up one of her adorable hand-made, custom-designed, sterling silver stamped necklaces to one lucky winner! I have a necklace on the way myself (I got a disc for Hank and a disc for Henry), and I can't wait to wear it. It's truly the perfect gift for yourself, or someone you love.
You have a few ways to win your very own necklace, with up to three discs (6 names, front and back):
To enter: Create a Swayable either on the Swayable iPhone App or on the Swayable Website. and post the Swayable URL and your name/email in the comments. (If you guys remember I shared a Swayable in this iphone apps post- it's super easy and fun to use!)
For an additional entry: tweet or blog about this giveaway, and leave an additional comment with a link to either post, and your name/email again!
And for one more entry: Like "Swayable" on Facebook or follow on Twitter and leave yet another comment letting me know you did so, and leave your name/email again.
See official contest rules here. One winner will be selected at random on Sunday, July 3rd! Good luck!
Guest Post: Dear Baby (a day in our life)
Hi all! Today I have the honor of posting on my gal pal Melissa's blog, Dear Baby. If you're curious about what a typical day in our life looks like, head over there and check it out!
Thanks for having me Melissa!
Gussy Sews Giveaway Winner!
Congratulations to Vanesssa on winning $75 to the Gussy Sews Shop! Vanessa, please email me at sometimessweetblog @ gmail to claim your prize!
Journal Day!
{unknown photo credit- please let me know if you know!}
I love being a stay-at-home Mom, but there are some days when I really miss being a high school English teacher, too! Most of all I miss the creative writing. For six years of my life, every Tuesday and Thursday, we had Journal Day. At the start of the year, each child would get a journal of their choice (typically a black composition notebook), and we'd add at least two pages per week. Upon the students' arrival in class on they would see a prompt on the board. They could always choose to free-write, but typically the kids would choose to at least start with the prompt and then let their writing go wherever they wished. I had no rules for their journals- they could write about whatever they wanted, and although they did get a grade for completing each day's writing, I never gave them a grade on content. At the end of each journaling session, we'd go around the room and everyone could share anything they wanted- at the least just one word, and at the most, their entire entry. Some kids started by just offering up a word or a phrase- "good day" "sad" "really weird mood" - but as the year went on everyone got more and more comfortable. There were so many days I heard something that then prompted me to talk a child after class. Perhaps the one word they shared sounded a bit off, or maybe they shared a lot, and I knew they needed to talk to someone. I found that it was pretty therapeutic for a lot of the kids. I mean, I know some couldn't care less, but I do know there were more than a few that loved it. And I miss those days, I miss the writing, and the mix CDs the kids would bring it to play during those ten or fifteen minutes. The sound of the pencils on paper, the look of concentration. The feeling when one of my "non-writers" would say, "this isn't so hard after all."
So I got to thinking. And I decided that I'm going to bring back those journal days right here.
And if you'd like to join in, I'd absolutely love it.
Here's how it will work- I'll post a prompt, and then write about it below. You can write on the prompt in your blog (feel free to grab the image up top), then come back here and leave a comment with a sentence or two from your entry, and the link. I know I'd be so honored to be able to read what you write, and I know a lot of others would love to, too. I think this will be a fun way to get a writing community going, and I'm so looking forward to getting to know more of you through your words. All of these prompts come from the notebook I kept in my desk in my English classroom and they come from various places; college writing courses, my own mind, websites, friends and colleagues. I'm so excited to share them here, and bring back the most important aspect of blogging to my blog- writing. I think this will be a neat way to infuse some creativity into our daily lives too, and inspire each other to write a lot more! So, here we go.
Describe a "first" (first date, first lie, the first time you experienced something, first time in a particular setting, etc). Include as many details as possible to paint a picture.
When I think back to my first kiss, it's strange because in my mind a lot of that night is so vivid, but at the same time so much of it has faded with time. What I do remember, though, is in the small, small details. I was in 7th grade, the age when you think you know so much, but in reality much of what you know is clouded by a veil of naivety. I grew up in a town with one middle school, so going to a party where there would be guests (boys!) from another town over was as exciting as exciting got in our small New Jersey town. Like most cliched "first kiss" memories, mine did indeed happen in a basement, and did indeed happen during a game of Spin the Bottle. I can remember the couch (brown, tweed-like), the carpet (green, shag) and the lights (dim, so low). I think back and I recall my friend Caitlyn sitting next to me, my friend Melissa across from me, the circle mixed with boys we had grown up with. And in between them, one or two boys we didn't know. We sat there, and although I honestly have no idea whose house it was, whose party, whose negligent parents...I remember my clammy hands, the smell of the Sunflowers perfume I had hastily applied as a last second decision, and the feeling that maybe-possibly this would be it, this would be my first kiss. A girl whose name I can't quite remember brought out a bottle. It was a large soda bottle. Maybe green. Maybe orange. We all sat there, awkward in our early-nineties preteen-ness. Some with braces. Training bras. Chapstick. The aforementioned perfume bought with allowance money from a drugstore. A classmate named Maria spun the bottle first. I don't remember what happened, but I remember that I was beside her, and I kept thinking, I'm next, I'm next, I'm next. In moments like these, it's almost unreal how you can think back and remember the lump in your throat, damp palms, the unsure feeling in the pit of your stomach. Then, oh! My turn. I spun the bottle, and it spun and spun. The maybe-green, maybe-orange vessel turned and turned, and landed on one of the boys from the town over. Eddie. In that moment my pre-adolescent heart was so vulnerable. Thump, thump, thump. The what ifs ran through my head I'm sure; what if he refuses, what if he doesn't. All of those thoughts in a quick second or two. And then. He leaned over. I leaned over. We met in the middle. So awkward, so clumsy. I remember the kiss being soft. And gentle. And tasting like Trident. And feeling like it lasted for minutes when in reality it was a moment. We both sat back on our sides of the circle with small smiles, although inside I was beaming, my heart doing a victory lap in my chest, feeling like I had won the sweepstakes. I would finally be able to say "yes! I have! I've kissed someone!" when Lori and Amy and Elizabeth inevitably got to talking at lunch. It was one of those memories that almost seems to come straight out of The Wonder Years in how it happened, and it's still funny to me that I can remember it with such detail. Eddie. Trident. That basement. My first kiss.
XL Sponsor Highlight Post
When Jamie contacted me about being a sponsor, I was beyond ecstatic. I adore her blog, and when I went and checked out her new shop that she wanted to promote here, I was just as excited. Jamie has great taste, so naturally all of the items in her store are adorable. She has everything from vintage vinyl, baby clothing, awesome dresses, housewares, and more. I'm excited for all of you to check out Shelby Black, and be sure to stop by her blog too (I love the playlist she just posted)! And don't miss the video below either- so, so cute. Happy shopping!
1) Describe your shop:
shelby black. the carefully curated collection of the old, the beautiful...the dirty pretty things that sang to my heart, sang sweet and forlorn histories into my ear, placed their secrets in my hands. pieces that floated down to me like birds, begging to be loved and released. art and ideas that exploded from my chest in a blaze of glory, of thunder, of fire and lightning. notes tucked inside of little boxes, written with fingers stained in excess, tie dye kaleidoscopes soaked into the creases. pretty dresses, buckles and jewels. blankets and crystal, leather and lace. records and jewelry boxes, dishes for candy. treasure for baby, treasure for beloved, treasure for the gypsy living inside you.
shelby black was a person, but she was not me. she was my muse, my songbird, my creatrix. she sang to the stars and the universe listened. she was a live wire, alive and burning with electricity. she made magic with her fingers, spun webs with her mind. men wanted to love her, women longed to be her, children begged her to sing them to sleep beneath the light of the moon. and one day she disappeared, pieces of her diffused into the world like light through shadowed water. and I search for her every day, find the things with her soul inside, create the things to call her back to me, a beacon in the dark. once found, once recognized, I unleash her on those who will cherish her most. searching, hunting, finding, loving...an endless pursuit...the resurrection of shelby black.
2) What inspires you?
things that are old and forgotten, dirty and overlooked. things that bleed innocence, that elicit raw emotion. old houses and lonely trees. layers of fabric billowing in the breeze, contrasting patterns lit by the sun. spontaneity. dusty chandeliers. candles and incense and fans spinning on high...anything that has a story to tell.
3) If you could tell your 15-year old self anything, what would you tell her?
hold tight. don't break. you haven't seen the worst of it, but when you do breathe deeply and sleep soundly. the storm will pass, it always does. no one will hand you happiness, waiting for the sun is a futile endeavor. find it. run fast and hard and don't stop until you do.
**also, don't save text messages, that will most definitely get you in more trouble than you care to deal with. and maybe on house arrest. maybe.
4) Name the first 4 beautiful things you see around you:
a pair of golden puppy eyes watching me closely, a handmade crucifix of warped wood and metal wrapped in barbed wire, a sleeping baby curled up on my lap, a peacock scarf hand-beaded in Turkey.
5) Is there anything you'd like new readers to know?
I chronicle the things I love the most... Beloved and my sweet baby, musings and music, all the ways I see the world and all the days we felt alive. Here's a peek at a golden day:
1) Describe your shop:
shelby black. the carefully curated collection of the old, the beautiful...the dirty pretty things that sang to my heart, sang sweet and forlorn histories into my ear, placed their secrets in my hands. pieces that floated down to me like birds, begging to be loved and released. art and ideas that exploded from my chest in a blaze of glory, of thunder, of fire and lightning. notes tucked inside of little boxes, written with fingers stained in excess, tie dye kaleidoscopes soaked into the creases. pretty dresses, buckles and jewels. blankets and crystal, leather and lace. records and jewelry boxes, dishes for candy. treasure for baby, treasure for beloved, treasure for the gypsy living inside you.
shelby black was a person, but she was not me. she was my muse, my songbird, my creatrix. she sang to the stars and the universe listened. she was a live wire, alive and burning with electricity. she made magic with her fingers, spun webs with her mind. men wanted to love her, women longed to be her, children begged her to sing them to sleep beneath the light of the moon. and one day she disappeared, pieces of her diffused into the world like light through shadowed water. and I search for her every day, find the things with her soul inside, create the things to call her back to me, a beacon in the dark. once found, once recognized, I unleash her on those who will cherish her most. searching, hunting, finding, loving...an endless pursuit...the resurrection of shelby black.
2) What inspires you?
things that are old and forgotten, dirty and overlooked. things that bleed innocence, that elicit raw emotion. old houses and lonely trees. layers of fabric billowing in the breeze, contrasting patterns lit by the sun. spontaneity. dusty chandeliers. candles and incense and fans spinning on high...anything that has a story to tell.
3) If you could tell your 15-year old self anything, what would you tell her?
hold tight. don't break. you haven't seen the worst of it, but when you do breathe deeply and sleep soundly. the storm will pass, it always does. no one will hand you happiness, waiting for the sun is a futile endeavor. find it. run fast and hard and don't stop until you do.
**also, don't save text messages, that will most definitely get you in more trouble than you care to deal with. and maybe on house arrest. maybe.
4) Name the first 4 beautiful things you see around you:
a pair of golden puppy eyes watching me closely, a handmade crucifix of warped wood and metal wrapped in barbed wire, a sleeping baby curled up on my lap, a peacock scarf hand-beaded in Turkey.
5) Is there anything you'd like new readers to know?
I chronicle the things I love the most... Beloved and my sweet baby, musings and music, all the ways I see the world and all the days we felt alive. Here's a peek at a golden day:
Papa Said V.2
image via Jess
Welcome to the second installment of Papa Said! Isn't it neat to hear the guy's point of view? I'm loving it! This week I am so excited to have the husband of one of the sweetest, most amazing, wonderful, dearest (catch my drift?) ladies in the whole wide world- Jess! If you don't already read her blog you are absolutely missing out, my friends. She is a true ray of sunshine, and obviously her wonderful husband is too. Welcome to Sometimes Sweet, Samuel! Thanks again for being a part of this feature.
Jess:
I fell in love with my husband on a whole new level the moment I saw the look on his face when he first held our little boy and sang to him for the first time with the most glorious smile and eyes brimming with tears. Samuel is the most gentle, tender, patient and fun daddy a boy could ask for. I swear, our home is a living musical sometimes. I'll ask Sam to get Forest boy a bottle or something and all of a sudden Sam bursts into song, dancing around him making up lyrics about what he is doing. Giggles will erupt and my heart feels like it is going to burst. Our little man is IN LOVE with his daddy, let me tell ya. I think one of the most beautiful things in my life has been watching Sam fall into the love of being a daddy. There aren't words. I didn't think I could love him more, then we had a baby and I realized there was a whole unexplored world of love that was just waiting for me as I watched us journey it, all 3 of us, together.
I fell in love with my husband on a whole new level the moment I saw the look on his face when he first held our little boy and sang to him for the first time with the most glorious smile and eyes brimming with tears. Samuel is the most gentle, tender, patient and fun daddy a boy could ask for. I swear, our home is a living musical sometimes. I'll ask Sam to get Forest boy a bottle or something and all of a sudden Sam bursts into song, dancing around him making up lyrics about what he is doing. Giggles will erupt and my heart feels like it is going to burst. Our little man is IN LOVE with his daddy, let me tell ya. I think one of the most beautiful things in my life has been watching Sam fall into the love of being a daddy. There aren't words. I didn't think I could love him more, then we had a baby and I realized there was a whole unexplored world of love that was just waiting for me as I watched us journey it, all 3 of us, together.
Samuel:
Being a Dad is a whole different experience, more than anything I've ever had the privilege to take on and dive into. It's one thing, being responsible for yourself and your own needs. It's another thing entirely, to know that you have a child that is absolutely dependent on you. You're the one, through your everyday decisions and depth of love that will by in large, effect the rest of their life. It can sound like an incredible amount of pressure, or you can see it as an amazing adventure. No doubt there will be an incredible amount of self-sacrifice that goes into this journey. But, then again… you already knew that right? From sacrificing time, sleep, your appetite after changing a diaper for your tired wife or your choices of entertainment ..yes, Jess and I find ourselves actually watching Baby Einstein or the Mickey Mouse Club at times. Ha!
Being a Dad is a whole different experience, more than anything I've ever had the privilege to take on and dive into. It's one thing, being responsible for yourself and your own needs. It's another thing entirely, to know that you have a child that is absolutely dependent on you. You're the one, through your everyday decisions and depth of love that will by in large, effect the rest of their life. It can sound like an incredible amount of pressure, or you can see it as an amazing adventure. No doubt there will be an incredible amount of self-sacrifice that goes into this journey. But, then again… you already knew that right? From sacrificing time, sleep, your appetite after changing a diaper for your tired wife or your choices of entertainment ..yes, Jess and I find ourselves actually watching Baby Einstein or the Mickey Mouse Club at times. Ha!
That being said, here a few things I've learned from being a Dad:
1. Enjoy each season of your child's life as much as you possibly can. Everyone tells you this but, it is a reality that will smack you in the face. They change so quickly, and before you know it, you're not changing diapers anymore, you'll be changing your insurance policy.
2. Be the example that you want your child to grow up to be. Chances are, they'll end up being a lot like you. What you do, touch, or watch, are the things that they will gravitate toward. Teach by example and live a life that your child can mimic.
3. Love that kid like you've never loved anything else. Be creative in the way you love them. Spend time with them, like you're a millionaire. It's the best investment you can or will ever make.
a Tucson adventure
Last week my family and I (minus Hank, he was on a business trip in Chicago), headed down to Tucson to celebrate my cousin Ryan's graduation from University of Arizona. It was so nice to head down to their neck of the woods for once. Aunt Pat is my Mom's sister and she and her husband, my Uncle Bob, have four boys. Before we even lived in Arizona we would come out to Tucson to visit them from NJ, and I have so many great memories of when we were all so young- visiting Old Tucson, Mt. Lemmon, desert adventures, and lots of laughs. Whenever we all get together I can't help but think about how neat it would be to have four boys. Originally I wanted a girl at some point, but whenever I'm with my cousins I feel like I could be the mama to a bunch of boys just like my Aunt and be so happy.
So anyway, Ryan (the third oldest) graduated UofA so they had a party at my Aunt and Uncle's. Their home is so beautiful and it's always such a treat to enjoy a cool(er) desert night. The night was full of Mexican food, way too much cake, some badminton on their sports court, lots of longing glances at the crystal clear pool, and some trampoline jumping. It was a great night.
Sarah, Henry and I drove down together, and on the way down we of course made the hours fly by with so much girltalk as Henry snoozed away. On the way home it was no different...until I looked down at my odometer and realized that my gas light was on. And had been on. We were on the long, desolate stretch between Tucson and Florence, about 35 miles between each point. I checked my "range" and it let me know that I had 5 lovely miles left until we ran out of gas. In the middle of nowhere. With little to no cell reception. In 90+ degree heat. And a baby in the car. My worst nightmare. BUT luckily my parents, sister and Abe were in front of us, so my iPhone managed to grab a signal and let them know what was up. I fully anticipated running out of gas...but guess what? My fabulous, wonderful, super car got us all the way to the gas station. We may have been running on fumes, but we got there!
So lesson learned- check your gas levels before engaging in intense girltalk sessions.
All in all though it was a wonderful day and I'm so happy we got to celebrate with Ryan. Unfortunately (and REALLY regretfully) I only used my phone's camera that evening, but these are still good representations of our night, however embarrassingly bad the photo quality...
I sure love my family.
So anyway, Ryan (the third oldest) graduated UofA so they had a party at my Aunt and Uncle's. Their home is so beautiful and it's always such a treat to enjoy a cool(er) desert night. The night was full of Mexican food, way too much cake, some badminton on their sports court, lots of longing glances at the crystal clear pool, and some trampoline jumping. It was a great night.
Sarah, Henry and I drove down together, and on the way down we of course made the hours fly by with so much girltalk as Henry snoozed away. On the way home it was no different...until I looked down at my odometer and realized that my gas light was on. And had been on. We were on the long, desolate stretch between Tucson and Florence, about 35 miles between each point. I checked my "range" and it let me know that I had 5 lovely miles left until we ran out of gas. In the middle of nowhere. With little to no cell reception. In 90+ degree heat. And a baby in the car. My worst nightmare. BUT luckily my parents, sister and Abe were in front of us, so my iPhone managed to grab a signal and let them know what was up. I fully anticipated running out of gas...but guess what? My fabulous, wonderful, super car got us all the way to the gas station. We may have been running on fumes, but we got there!
So lesson learned- check your gas levels before engaging in intense girltalk sessions.
All in all though it was a wonderful day and I'm so happy we got to celebrate with Ryan. Unfortunately (and REALLY regretfully) I only used my phone's camera that evening, but these are still good representations of our night, however embarrassingly bad the photo quality...
I sure love my family.
Friday links to love
This week our little world has been chock full of fun- best friend hang outs, planning a fun girl's trips to Vegas, Mirah, Britney and Nicki Minaj, and so much wonderful family time. The past 7 days have been beyond rad and luckily there's only exciting times ahead. I love summer so much!
Here are some links to kick start your Friday-
First, happiest birthday to the sweet Kelly Ann! She just so happens to be one of my favorite ladies, and is also the gal behind my blog design!
Michelle totally got inside my head on this one. And it's by far my most favorite post of the past week. Super inspiring and I left her blog feeling really at peace with myself. Awesome.
Healthy ice cream?! That's bananas! I can't wait to try this.
I love summer. And I love 100 things about summer too.
Sarah's blogging and making jam! This calls for a celebration!
This is one of my favorite posts, ever.
I love this idea- a month of Instax photos!
Hope is the coolest little girl in the entire world.
Jess' family walk makes me want to pack up and head to Hawaii.
Have you checked out the Little Ocean shop? Such cute things for little ones. Henry just received the most adorable outfit in the mail and I can't wait for him to wear it!
Okay. I absolutely love these shirts by the fabulous Angela. Family reunion anyone?
This list of "Ten Good Things Right Now" is quite inspiring. I may make my own next week.
Summer reading lists are always awesome, and Melissa's is super detailed and chock full of great picks! I've already added some to my "must-read" list.
These photos make me want to take a walk in the woods.
Busy Bee Lauren tried the raw, vegan cheesecake recipe I sent her...and it looks so.good.
I really love it when Hank blogs. Here's his iPad2 review.
I'd love to be a guest at this lovely party.
And finally, I've been particularly loving a couple blogs in particular this week- one and two.
Happy Friday!
A Slice of...Bremen, Germany!
Hello everyone, I'm Kim from notcrazyunwell.com / notcrazycreative.com and I am very excited about this chance to show you a little slice of my hometown of Bremen in northern Germany. Thanks so much for this opportunity, Danielle!
I was born and raised in Bremen, and apart from 13 months between '97 and '98 that I spent abroad in the Twin Cities, I've lived here all my life. I love my hometown. With its population of roughly 550,000 people it isn't a small town but also not a huge city where you can barely make it from one end to the other in a day. One of the things I love most about Bremen is the fact that you can get almost everywhere by bike or public transportation. Up until 2007 – when my boyfriend C moved here with me from the U.S. – I didn't even have a car.
The beautiful river Weser runs right through the middle of Bremen. It's an important part of the city and there is always a lot going on along the river. In the summer you will see people chilling on the grass of the dike/levee, having BBQs or just drinking some wine or beer pretty much 24/7. There are also several cafes along the river. One of my favorite ones is the Café Sand with a small beach, nets to play volleyball and lots of tables outside. There is even a small ferry that goes across the river right to the beach of the Café Sand during the summer months because it's located between two bridges and would be somewhat difficult to get to on foot or bike without the ferry.
The stadium for our local soccer team Werder Bremen is also located right at the river. So during the soccer season there's always something going on on game days. If you're interested in soccer at all, I recommend you try and get tickets to a home game. The atmosphere is amazing and you can usually get tickets for right around 15-30 Euros which makes it much more affordable than American Football… Then in the summer there are usually a few concerts in the stadium during which hundreds of people just bring blankets, drinks and snacks and just get comfortable all around the stadium to listen to music.
Another great area along the river is the Schlacht. It used to be the medieval harbor of Bremen (the modern port is some kilometers downstream) and is now a riverside boulevard with pubs and bars aligned on one side and the banks of Weser on the other. It is always packed there in the summer and even during the colder months it's a popular place to go bar-hopping.
Speaking of bar-hopping... :) Aside from the area we live in, the neighborhood I'm going to tell you about next is my favorite one in Bremen. It's called the Viertel- which basically means "the Quarter," and is kind of a hip-artsy-laid back neighborhood. It begins just a few minutes walk from downtown right by our art museum and is about 2 km long parallel to the river. There are lots of small restaurants, bars and individually owned stores – only a few small chains really. I would call it the heart of Bremen and just love the atmosphere there. As soon as we get a little bit of sun everyone is out there on their bikes, walking around, sitting in the sun (with blankets if necessary) and just living. A lot of times that “living” is accompanied by a beer – or to be more specific – a Beck’s Beer which is brewed in Bremen. For anyone interested: the brewery offers (English) tours on a regular basis ;)
Another place I would recommend you should definitely go to if you're ever here is the Heartbreak Hotel in the Viertel. It is tiny, the interior is really red, old-school, and kind of dirty but it's busy every single night and the atmosphere is absolutely unique. I probably wouldn't go before 10 pm and once you're there (I recommend Thursday nights) ask the bartender / owner Felix about the vodka-rhubarb-long drink he makes. It is the BEST.
Next up is our beautiful city center with the statue “Roland," our gorgeous City Hall which was built right around 1405, the beautiful Cathedral and shopping area. The heart of the city center is a market square which is surrounded by buildings from the last seven centuries that host businesses, restaurants, bars, banks and little stores. It is the oldest part of the city. And when you walk around City Hall you will find the famous statue of the “Bremen Town Musicians." As the legend goes, when you hold onto both (!) of the Donkey’s legs at the same time and make a wish it’ll come true. This is why the front legs of the donkey are always shiny. :)
A few minutes walk away – kind of “hidden” is the “Schnoor," which is definitely another one of my favorite places in the city. The “Schnoor” is a small but really well-preserved quarter of crooked lanes and fishermen's and shipper's houses from the 17th and 18th centuries, now occupied by cafés, artisan shops and art galleries. It’s one of the areas where you really feel and see just how old Bremen is. It’s beautiful and you can see something new every time you walk through the tiny lanes and paths.
Bremen is very multi-faceted, which is one of the reasons I think it’s so beautiful. There are a couple of fairs each year with rides, booths, music and parties as well as a beautiful Christmas-Market in the city center in December. There are a lot of beautiful neighborhoods with houses over a hundred years old and still in great shape. There is a gorgeous park about a five minute bike-ride from where I live that’s always busy with families going for a stroll, joggers, old couples going for their afternoon walk, people walking their dogs...there is a small “zoo” and a couple nice restaurants in the park; it’s one of the things Bremen is particularly proud of.
There is so much more beautiful about my hometown but you’re going to have to see it in person. So make sure to plan a stop in our beautiful Harbor City when you take a trip to Europe. And feel free to get in touch – I’d love to show you my beautiful Bremen in person. xoxoxo
I was born and raised in Bremen, and apart from 13 months between '97 and '98 that I spent abroad in the Twin Cities, I've lived here all my life. I love my hometown. With its population of roughly 550,000 people it isn't a small town but also not a huge city where you can barely make it from one end to the other in a day. One of the things I love most about Bremen is the fact that you can get almost everywhere by bike or public transportation. Up until 2007 – when my boyfriend C moved here with me from the U.S. – I didn't even have a car.
The beautiful river Weser runs right through the middle of Bremen. It's an important part of the city and there is always a lot going on along the river. In the summer you will see people chilling on the grass of the dike/levee, having BBQs or just drinking some wine or beer pretty much 24/7. There are also several cafes along the river. One of my favorite ones is the Café Sand with a small beach, nets to play volleyball and lots of tables outside. There is even a small ferry that goes across the river right to the beach of the Café Sand during the summer months because it's located between two bridges and would be somewhat difficult to get to on foot or bike without the ferry.
The stadium for our local soccer team Werder Bremen is also located right at the river. So during the soccer season there's always something going on on game days. If you're interested in soccer at all, I recommend you try and get tickets to a home game. The atmosphere is amazing and you can usually get tickets for right around 15-30 Euros which makes it much more affordable than American Football… Then in the summer there are usually a few concerts in the stadium during which hundreds of people just bring blankets, drinks and snacks and just get comfortable all around the stadium to listen to music.
Another great area along the river is the Schlacht. It used to be the medieval harbor of Bremen (the modern port is some kilometers downstream) and is now a riverside boulevard with pubs and bars aligned on one side and the banks of Weser on the other. It is always packed there in the summer and even during the colder months it's a popular place to go bar-hopping.
Speaking of bar-hopping... :) Aside from the area we live in, the neighborhood I'm going to tell you about next is my favorite one in Bremen. It's called the Viertel- which basically means "the Quarter," and is kind of a hip-artsy-laid back neighborhood. It begins just a few minutes walk from downtown right by our art museum and is about 2 km long parallel to the river. There are lots of small restaurants, bars and individually owned stores – only a few small chains really. I would call it the heart of Bremen and just love the atmosphere there. As soon as we get a little bit of sun everyone is out there on their bikes, walking around, sitting in the sun (with blankets if necessary) and just living. A lot of times that “living” is accompanied by a beer – or to be more specific – a Beck’s Beer which is brewed in Bremen. For anyone interested: the brewery offers (English) tours on a regular basis ;)
Next up is our beautiful city center with the statue “Roland," our gorgeous City Hall which was built right around 1405, the beautiful Cathedral and shopping area. The heart of the city center is a market square which is surrounded by buildings from the last seven centuries that host businesses, restaurants, bars, banks and little stores. It is the oldest part of the city. And when you walk around City Hall you will find the famous statue of the “Bremen Town Musicians." As the legend goes, when you hold onto both (!) of the Donkey’s legs at the same time and make a wish it’ll come true. This is why the front legs of the donkey are always shiny. :)
A few minutes walk away – kind of “hidden” is the “Schnoor," which is definitely another one of my favorite places in the city. The “Schnoor” is a small but really well-preserved quarter of crooked lanes and fishermen's and shipper's houses from the 17th and 18th centuries, now occupied by cafés, artisan shops and art galleries. It’s one of the areas where you really feel and see just how old Bremen is. It’s beautiful and you can see something new every time you walk through the tiny lanes and paths.
Bremen is very multi-faceted, which is one of the reasons I think it’s so beautiful. There are a couple of fairs each year with rides, booths, music and parties as well as a beautiful Christmas-Market in the city center in December. There are a lot of beautiful neighborhoods with houses over a hundred years old and still in great shape. There is a gorgeous park about a five minute bike-ride from where I live that’s always busy with families going for a stroll, joggers, old couples going for their afternoon walk, people walking their dogs...there is a small “zoo” and a couple nice restaurants in the park; it’s one of the things Bremen is particularly proud of.
There is so much more beautiful about my hometown but you’re going to have to see it in person. So make sure to plan a stop in our beautiful Harbor City when you take a trip to Europe. And feel free to get in touch – I’d love to show you my beautiful Bremen in person. xoxoxo
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