Weekend in Pictures

Just Pictures

1)  Monday is usually reserved for Weekend in Pictures, or it at least it was before I took my unexpected break.  However, I've missed at least a month [maybe more] of such posts, so I'm just going to throw up photos that I've taken over the last few weeks and hope that you haven't seen them before.
2)  Notice something new?  BF got a facelift!  The before is look courtesy of LWLH and her new designing hobby, and is still a design that I love.  But I felt as though I've changed so much in the past year, along with the mission of this blog, and therefore it deserved a little something new.  Talia Christine has helped me with a new, clean, pretty design that I think represents how much I've grown up since moving to Germany.  What do you think?!

I've been a tiny bit crafty lately.  Made some of these mug cozies for a few girlfriends!

 Found some great sushi while in Cologne.  Helped satisfy a craving!

 Yet more snow in this part of the world, but at least it beautifies otherwise not so pretty gates such as this.

 Cologne Christmas Market

 Front of our new house

 With an entry in the back.  I can't wait to show you all more!

 Really can't resist showing off my amazing bathroom.  Look at that tub!! I love it.

There is so much to catch up on, tons of new things to share with you guys, and a lot more changes happening this year.  Hooray for 2013!  Hope you guys are ready for photo, info, and blogging overload :)

I think I'm stylish

Don't you?

I skipped Weekend in Pictures this week mostly because of the sponsor give away, but also because I honestly haven't taken any pictures lately.  All we've had to work with here in the Kaiserslautern area is rain, fog, and more rain.  The weather refuses to cooperate with me at all.  But, today starts the hubster's three day weekend, so here's to hoping he takes me out of this house and away from this gloom.  [pretending to raise my cup for a cheers, when in actuality I'm too afraid to do that near a computer.]
Despite not taking photos with the Nikon, I have done a little bit of Instagraming, so here's a 'mini' Weekend in Pictures.  No link up this time, but for sure next week.

Got my hairs cut and a little fringe just for kicks.

 This monster took up the entire road in every village we passed through.  Ridiculous.

 I headed out Christmas shopping in downtown K-Town :)

 Broke out my favorite mug and vanilla liquor to enjoy some spiked hot chocolate!

 I'm not going all out on decor, but I couldn't resist these pretty felt snowflakes to hang in windows.

 A very horrible picture of our new holiday centerpiece for the dining room table.

What did you get to enjoy over the weekend?  Hopefully not rain, like me.  Don't forget, there's a sponsor giveaway going on until Friday!  All the glitches have been fixed, so you should be able to enter as many times as you'd like now :)

Week[end] in Pictures

I've been busy spending time with the family [and therefore laughing, talking, goofing off, and anything else we can think of].  Here is a quick update of events via pictures, none of which are edited.  Oh well.  Hope you all are having a wonderful summer so far, I know I am!

This is a public park in Rochester, MN.  This is my brother about to jump into a public fountain.  Welcome to my crazy family.

Boys and I spent the day in the Twin Cities 

I want this Vespa.  Predictably found outside of an Urban Outfitters in the Cities.

Since our birthdays are so close in June, we go to a Japanese steakhouse every year to celebrate.

Trooping out to a pretty spot for family pictures. 

Me, Veronica, Hunter, Cole.  I am the oldest sibling, and by far the shortest member of our family.  WTH.

Awkward family photo...where's Hunter?!

Spent a day with my three best friends from high school.  Love these ladies!!!

P.s.  I have been nominated for two amazing blog awards from some pretty cool people.  I'll be responding to those and awarding some of my own favorites when I have a chance!  So honored and privileged, and can't wait to bestow the same treat on others!

Weekend in Words

This Sunday was like any other.  I wake up.  I let out dogs.  I putz around on the computer for an hour, email the hubby, then pick up a book to read.  I love Sundays because they're my day off from working out; I am allowed to be lazy and lame and just lay on the couch cuddled up with my furry friends.  I make sure I take a break from reading [if I don't set an alarm, I'll spend the whole day caught up in a world of make-believe and get nothing done].  I take the pups on a stroll behind our village.

The forest surrounding our town is full of life now; the once brown and dying trees have sprung back to life, and envelope us in a corridor of greenery as we I mosey down the path.  Believe me, the dogs never mosey.  They sprint, race, run, jump, hurdle; anything but mosey.  Eventually the woods empties us out into an unused field.  I walk halfway across, and stop.  And this is when it happens.

I have a moment of pure happiness.  Standing in the waist high grass, face tilted toward the sun, lulled by the music of the birds; I no longer feel the stress, or worry, or loneliness that exists in everyday life.  Right at that point in time, it doesn't matter that my husband is gone, that there are personal issues I'm dealing with, that I'm disappointed with certain aspects of my life.  Instead, I'm completely content.  I know that if I take another step forward, all of that will fade, and the usual burdens will come crashing down on my shoulders, but right now; right now, I am surrounded by lilac and baby's breath and forsythia, the dogs are ecstatically dancing circles around me, and a family is meandering down another path.  I am warm from the sun, warm from my feelings.  I am happy and untainted and okay.  I will be okay.

I take another step, and reality is here.  The happiness fades, but doesn't disappear, and is what has kept me in such a wonderful mood.  The belief that whatever may come, I will be okay.  It's never easy.  But I can do it.

Football Games

A week or so ago, my FIL entered Timmy & I into a military appreciation contest on a local radio station, which featured a prize of two tickets to the Sunday Seahawks game, along with sideline passes before kick off.  When we received the call last Friday announcing that we ware winners, we were ecstatic!  What better way to spend our last day in WA before we drive cross country to Baltimore and leave to live in Germany?!

It was such a treat and we had such a great time.  It ended up being the Seattle Seahawks vs. the Baltimore Ravens, and a somewhat close but mostly uneventful game.  But since it was my first pro football game, I had an absolute blast.