Happy New Year from the snowy mountains in western CT. We're having a blast today walking and sledding in all the fresh white stuff and can not WAIT to say goodbye to 2008 tonight and hello 2009. Here's to a fabulous new year full of hope, health and many blessings.Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Goodbye 2008
Happy New Year from the snowy mountains in western CT. We're having a blast today walking and sledding in all the fresh white stuff and can not WAIT to say goodbye to 2008 tonight and hello 2009. Here's to a fabulous new year full of hope, health and many blessings.Friday, December 26, 2008
Running free in the New England snow
It appears that Winston loves the snow just as much as I do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRl8BpX-ty8
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
12 Days of Christmas
12 dozen cookies11 pairs of socks
10 crazy New York drivers spotted (so far)
9 crazy NJ drivers
8 cylinders in our "sleigh"
7 hours driving
6 pairs of shoes
5 states to drive through
4 wheel drive
3 bags of presents
2 Starbucks lattes
2 Starbucks lattes
and
a beagle in the back seat.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Birthday Weekend Extravaganza
My birthday was actually this past Thursday, but as usual, I was able to stretch it out to a weekend affair. My husband took me to dinner at one of my favorite restaraunts, The Melting Pot, on my actual birthday. On Friday I had a special visit from my nephew who delivered handmade birthday gifts from him and his siblings. My favorite is the macaroni necklace. After being out very late on Friday night at our community holiday party, we woke up early and spent the day with a bunch of friends over on the eastern shore at Saint Michaels. The guys raced their model sailboats and all 6 of us ladies spent the day shopping and lunching it. It was very nice to sit down on a Saturday early afternoon and share some drinks with good company! Thank you everyone for all of my cards and wonderful gifts.
Mo and Sarah working up a thirst shopping.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Amateur Hour
Today at lunch time I snuck away from my computer and did a little photo shoot with baby Ryan. I have taken an interest in photography over the last few years and have loved taking pics of my adorable niece and nephews. This was my first pro-bono official photo shoot. This one is my favorite. It was a challenge in itself to keep a 2 1/2 week old awake for 10 minutes or so!
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Just when you think you're having a rough time...
Someone always seems to be worse off. A coworker of mine was in a terrible accident several weeks before Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, he ended up passing away in the hospital on Thanksgiving day, leaving behind a wife and five children ages 18 months to 12 years old. I can not seem to stop thinking about this family and how they will make it through this Christmas without their dad. Their 18 month old will never really get to know him.
I didn't work directly with this person and only met him once at a managers kick off meeting, but this has affected me so much more than I thought. This past year has been a very rough year for Brad and I, him losing his job and other personal issues we're facing, but hearing something like this really puts things into perspective. I'm not making light of my rough times, because they certainly are difficult, but I guess this is just another unfortunate reminder that things could always be much worse.
My thoughts and prayers are with this family through this holiday season.
I didn't work directly with this person and only met him once at a managers kick off meeting, but this has affected me so much more than I thought. This past year has been a very rough year for Brad and I, him losing his job and other personal issues we're facing, but hearing something like this really puts things into perspective. I'm not making light of my rough times, because they certainly are difficult, but I guess this is just another unfortunate reminder that things could always be much worse.
My thoughts and prayers are with this family through this holiday season.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Ryan Update
Fortunately Ryan's stay in the NICU was only about 4 hours and he was sent back to his parents that same night. He'll continue to see a pediatric urologist and get further testing next week most likely at Johns Hopkins. We're so fortunate to live in an area where we have phenomenal hospitals!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Prayers for Baby Ryan
Baby Ryan was admitted to the NICU tonight around 8pm due to kidney issues. Although his parents are pretty shaken up, the NICU is the best place for him right now. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers for Ryan and his family.
A Nine Pounder
Our friends Lauren and Jason had an early Christmas present this afternoon; a nine pound, eight ounce baby boy! Brad and I went over to see them all this evening and have definitely decided that this big guy looks like his momma. Congrats Millsies!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Happy Birthday B!
Today is Brad's birthday and he is more than happy spending it out in the 40 degree freezing cold weather sailing in the Turkey Bowl today. Brrrr. Hope you guys are staying warm out there.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Interesting Article
I came across this interesting article on a blog this morning titled "Generation-too-big-for-their-britches?"
"You can do it!" "You can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it!" "You're the best!" Is there such a thing as going overboard in praising our kids? A new study claims that many teens are "over-confident" and the study's author is pointing the blame at parents and teachers. According to an article on FOXNews.com entitled, "Many Teens Overconfident, Have 'Wildly' Unrealistic Expectations," the "self-esteem" movement may have gone too far.
Top 10 ways to brat-proof your child:
1. "Authoritative parenting" assumes the grown-ups in the house are behaving like parents rather than friends. Kids need boundaries and rules and when you don't provide them, you set your child up for heartache on down the road. And let's not fool ourselves. No teen really wants to be best buds with mom or dad--they want freedom and if they can gain it by soothing a parent's low self-esteem with an elusive bff status, they are willing to play the game. Oh, and guess who'll be left with the tab in the end should fallout occur? That's right, bff mom and dad!
2. Don't rescue your child from the consequences of their poor choices. If they get caught drinking at the Homecoming dance, don't march up to the school to argue about the punishment that has been doled out. Resist the urge to throw them a lifeline--if you do it once, they'll expect you to do it again...and again...and again.
3. Don't try to fix things when your child doesn't make the team or argue with the coach when they sit on the bench. When they enter the working world, they will be better equipped to deal with real-life experiences such as as undeserving co-workers who get raises, bosses who are not qualified to lead, and other common injustices. Sometimes, life just isn't fair and our kids need to know that.
4. Don't provide for your child's every whim. When you shower your kids with the latest and greatest electronic toys, designer jeans, new cars, and the like, you give them an unrealistic picture of what life will be like when they set out on their own. Don't be surprised if they come a-knockin' on down the road when they're suffering withdrawals from the standard of living you provided.
5. Resist telling your child that he/she can be whatever they want if they put their minds to it. How do you explain that one to the multitude of grown adults who have discovered the hard way that they simply don't have what it takes to be President or make it to the Olympics? Help your child discover and cultivate their God-given talents, but don't set them up for disappointment by misleading them. If your child wants to be a popstar but can't sing a tune, do them a favor and tell them now before they find out this way (click here).
6. When your child is old enough to hold a job, require that they work during the summer months and earn money toward expenses. They will have a greater appreciation for their belongings and privileges if they play a part in earning money toward gas, car insurance, college textbooks, etc....
7. Do not make your child the center of your universe. Have your own outside interests and prioritize your relationship with your spouse. We don't do our children any favors when we drop everything and pour our entire energy into checking every homework assignment and shuttling them to countless after-school activities. Consider having a limit of one sport or outside activity per child, per season.
8. Teach your child common courtesies that should be displayed toward others. Require them to hold the door open for those passing through, surrender their seats to women and children, help the elderly and women who are struggling to load their bags in an airplane overhead bin, resist the urge to check a text message when talking with someone, etc... If you teach them to be on the lookout when it comes to helping others, it will deter them from thinking about themselves 24/7.
9. Teach your child to respect their elders and do not allow for rude and impolite behavior. Require them to answer with "Yes Ma'am, No Sir" and look someone in the eye when speaking to them. Teach them to initiate conversations by asking questions about the other person rather than expecting that the conversation will center around them.
10 Involve your child in mission causes. Volunteering at a soup kitchen, taking a mission trip, adopting a needy family at Christmas time, etc... will help them take the focus off themselves and teach them the joy of giving to others. At a minimum, make sure they do something on an annual basis that would help those who are less fortunate.
"You can do it!" "You can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it!" "You're the best!" Is there such a thing as going overboard in praising our kids? A new study claims that many teens are "over-confident" and the study's author is pointing the blame at parents and teachers. According to an article on FOXNews.com entitled, "Many Teens Overconfident, Have 'Wildly' Unrealistic Expectations," the "self-esteem" movement may have gone too far.
Top 10 ways to brat-proof your child:
1. "Authoritative parenting" assumes the grown-ups in the house are behaving like parents rather than friends. Kids need boundaries and rules and when you don't provide them, you set your child up for heartache on down the road. And let's not fool ourselves. No teen really wants to be best buds with mom or dad--they want freedom and if they can gain it by soothing a parent's low self-esteem with an elusive bff status, they are willing to play the game. Oh, and guess who'll be left with the tab in the end should fallout occur? That's right, bff mom and dad!
2. Don't rescue your child from the consequences of their poor choices. If they get caught drinking at the Homecoming dance, don't march up to the school to argue about the punishment that has been doled out. Resist the urge to throw them a lifeline--if you do it once, they'll expect you to do it again...and again...and again.
3. Don't try to fix things when your child doesn't make the team or argue with the coach when they sit on the bench. When they enter the working world, they will be better equipped to deal with real-life experiences such as as undeserving co-workers who get raises, bosses who are not qualified to lead, and other common injustices. Sometimes, life just isn't fair and our kids need to know that.
4. Don't provide for your child's every whim. When you shower your kids with the latest and greatest electronic toys, designer jeans, new cars, and the like, you give them an unrealistic picture of what life will be like when they set out on their own. Don't be surprised if they come a-knockin' on down the road when they're suffering withdrawals from the standard of living you provided.
5. Resist telling your child that he/she can be whatever they want if they put their minds to it. How do you explain that one to the multitude of grown adults who have discovered the hard way that they simply don't have what it takes to be President or make it to the Olympics? Help your child discover and cultivate their God-given talents, but don't set them up for disappointment by misleading them. If your child wants to be a popstar but can't sing a tune, do them a favor and tell them now before they find out this way (click here).
6. When your child is old enough to hold a job, require that they work during the summer months and earn money toward expenses. They will have a greater appreciation for their belongings and privileges if they play a part in earning money toward gas, car insurance, college textbooks, etc....
7. Do not make your child the center of your universe. Have your own outside interests and prioritize your relationship with your spouse. We don't do our children any favors when we drop everything and pour our entire energy into checking every homework assignment and shuttling them to countless after-school activities. Consider having a limit of one sport or outside activity per child, per season.
8. Teach your child common courtesies that should be displayed toward others. Require them to hold the door open for those passing through, surrender their seats to women and children, help the elderly and women who are struggling to load their bags in an airplane overhead bin, resist the urge to check a text message when talking with someone, etc... If you teach them to be on the lookout when it comes to helping others, it will deter them from thinking about themselves 24/7.
9. Teach your child to respect their elders and do not allow for rude and impolite behavior. Require them to answer with "Yes Ma'am, No Sir" and look someone in the eye when speaking to them. Teach them to initiate conversations by asking questions about the other person rather than expecting that the conversation will center around them.
10 Involve your child in mission causes. Volunteering at a soup kitchen, taking a mission trip, adopting a needy family at Christmas time, etc... will help them take the focus off themselves and teach them the joy of giving to others. At a minimum, make sure they do something on an annual basis that would help those who are less fortunate.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Those were the days Part II
After about a month of exploring Copenhagen and getting acclamated to the Danish culture, I began working. I was a manufacturers rep for furniture made in Germany, Denmark and Italy and was hired by a Danish man who owned a very small company to grow the US market on the east coast. Life was good. I was working part time and traveling home to the states every 5 weeks for 2 weeks allowing me to see my friends and family, not to mention getting some great furniture at cost. (the mark up on furniture is shocking by the way) I got to travel around Europe for work and more importantly was able to get my foot in the door with international sales and move on from teaching. I really enjoyed my job and was very disappointed when I was laid off after only 9 short months. The economy in the states had taken a major downturn after September 11th and our largest US customer could not pay their bills leaving my boss no choice but to cut back. So, I turned in all my "equipment" and was officially a full time expat fiance.
After a few months I realized I had to do something with my free time or I wasn't going to make it out of the country sane. I discovered the LINK (ladies international network of kobenhavn) club and met many wonderful American moms with a lot of free time on their hands and in desperate need of some part time help. Seeing as I did enjoy being around children I thought I would start nannying in hopes of curing my boredom and a little extra money to shop with never hurt either. I nannied on a regular basis for the most adorable and amazing identical twins, E & C. At the time they were 2 1/2 years old and I grew to love them so much. I miss them to this day and think about them often. Below they are pictured in authentic Danish princess costumes at their 3rd birthday party. Aren't they beautiful?
Not only did I fall in love with these little girls, but Brad did too. We watched them over many weekends together and their big brown eyes and sweet smiles suckered him in. He still will mention them from time to time and we haven't seen them in about 5 years or so.
We did also have some wonderful friends who were over 3 ft tall. Below is Jesper and Cille (pronounced Yespa and Cilla) at their recent wedding, which unfortunately we were not able to fly out to Copenhagen for. We became friends with Jesper when he was living in Richmond, VA working for the same company as Brad back in '99. Jesper and Cille dated and lived together for 5 years and finally tied the knot this past August. I'll never forget the first weekend I was in Denmark, Jesper took us to party. Of course, everyone in Denmark rides bicycles everywhere due to the 300% tax on cars and the crazy expensive fuel prices. We were riding through the streets of Denmark and Jesper says in his Danish accent "Come on Christy, keep pedaling, your ass will be so tight in no time." Every time I think of him saying this I laugh. Of course at the moment I was offended until I learned and understood the Danes. 
Our other best Danish friends are Allan and Jette. Many of you probably have even met them. They've been at our wedding (along with Jesper and Cille) and have been to Annapolis to visit us twice. Jette and Allan were introduced to us when we were all living in Charlotte, NC. They had been expatriated (were not married at the time) and were living in NC the same time we were. Jette, a career woman, was not working in Charlotte and going a bit crazy. Because I was teaching, I had the summer off so we would play a lot of tennis together. Let me rephrase that: Jette kicked my butt in tennis almost every other day. But all in all, I did learn a lot from her. We were fortunate because Allan and Jette moved back to Copenhagen several months before we moved over and they took us under their wing, introducing us to their friends, showing us around and making us feel welcome and comfortable. They are AWESOME and I love and miss them terribly. They now have two little ones, Grace and Zach (yes, American names. we tease them and say they are 1/2 Danish and 1/2 American because they love the states). Actually, Jette's favorite show while living in the states was "Will & Grace" which is where she heard the name Grace. When her little Gracie was born with firey red hair, she didn't have to think twice about what to name her.
And then there is my sweet, sweet Aimee. Aimee is probably one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. (her brother in law actually calls her Aimee Sweet because she really is!) It may run in the name since I know several very nice Aimee's. Aimee is American, not Danish and we were put in touch through one of the American moms whom I met through the LINK club. Aimee phoned me one day out of the blue and we chatted on the phone for over an hour. We decided to meet in person with our fiances at a bar/club. It was extremely strange walking into a bar looking around for the "American" couple; almost like a blind date. We spotted them not long after we had arrived and the four of us shared many beers and a lot of laughs. We all clicked and the rest is history. Aimee was very outgoing and friendly and once TJ warmed up to us, we haven't been able to quiet him down yet.
Our stay in Denmark was for 2 years and then the company decided to decentralize Brad's group and move them to Den Hague, The Netherlands. We had the choice of either moving back to the states or committing to another year abroad and since we weren't quite ready to move home, we agreed to Holland for a year.
After a few months I realized I had to do something with my free time or I wasn't going to make it out of the country sane. I discovered the LINK (ladies international network of kobenhavn) club and met many wonderful American moms with a lot of free time on their hands and in desperate need of some part time help. Seeing as I did enjoy being around children I thought I would start nannying in hopes of curing my boredom and a little extra money to shop with never hurt either. I nannied on a regular basis for the most adorable and amazing identical twins, E & C. At the time they were 2 1/2 years old and I grew to love them so much. I miss them to this day and think about them often. Below they are pictured in authentic Danish princess costumes at their 3rd birthday party. Aren't they beautiful?
Not only did I fall in love with these little girls, but Brad did too. We watched them over many weekends together and their big brown eyes and sweet smiles suckered him in. He still will mention them from time to time and we haven't seen them in about 5 years or so.
We did also have some wonderful friends who were over 3 ft tall. Below is Jesper and Cille (pronounced Yespa and Cilla) at their recent wedding, which unfortunately we were not able to fly out to Copenhagen for. We became friends with Jesper when he was living in Richmond, VA working for the same company as Brad back in '99. Jesper and Cille dated and lived together for 5 years and finally tied the knot this past August. I'll never forget the first weekend I was in Denmark, Jesper took us to party. Of course, everyone in Denmark rides bicycles everywhere due to the 300% tax on cars and the crazy expensive fuel prices. We were riding through the streets of Denmark and Jesper says in his Danish accent "Come on Christy, keep pedaling, your ass will be so tight in no time." Every time I think of him saying this I laugh. Of course at the moment I was offended until I learned and understood the Danes. 
Our other best Danish friends are Allan and Jette. Many of you probably have even met them. They've been at our wedding (along with Jesper and Cille) and have been to Annapolis to visit us twice. Jette and Allan were introduced to us when we were all living in Charlotte, NC. They had been expatriated (were not married at the time) and were living in NC the same time we were. Jette, a career woman, was not working in Charlotte and going a bit crazy. Because I was teaching, I had the summer off so we would play a lot of tennis together. Let me rephrase that: Jette kicked my butt in tennis almost every other day. But all in all, I did learn a lot from her. We were fortunate because Allan and Jette moved back to Copenhagen several months before we moved over and they took us under their wing, introducing us to their friends, showing us around and making us feel welcome and comfortable. They are AWESOME and I love and miss them terribly. They now have two little ones, Grace and Zach (yes, American names. we tease them and say they are 1/2 Danish and 1/2 American because they love the states). Actually, Jette's favorite show while living in the states was "Will & Grace" which is where she heard the name Grace. When her little Gracie was born with firey red hair, she didn't have to think twice about what to name her.
And then there is my sweet, sweet Aimee. Aimee is probably one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. (her brother in law actually calls her Aimee Sweet because she really is!) It may run in the name since I know several very nice Aimee's. Aimee is American, not Danish and we were put in touch through one of the American moms whom I met through the LINK club. Aimee phoned me one day out of the blue and we chatted on the phone for over an hour. We decided to meet in person with our fiances at a bar/club. It was extremely strange walking into a bar looking around for the "American" couple; almost like a blind date. We spotted them not long after we had arrived and the four of us shared many beers and a lot of laughs. We all clicked and the rest is history. Aimee was very outgoing and friendly and once TJ warmed up to us, we haven't been able to quiet him down yet.
Our stay in Denmark was for 2 years and then the company decided to decentralize Brad's group and move them to Den Hague, The Netherlands. We had the choice of either moving back to the states or committing to another year abroad and since we weren't quite ready to move home, we agreed to Holland for a year.We celebrated our last night out in Copenhagen with Aimee, TJ and a few of their other American friends from work. I am confident in saying the Dane's were proud of our partying that last night. Yes, that is my husband at about 4am sitting in the lap of the Hans Christian Andersen statue.
Aimee and TJ before things got a little crazy.
Needless to say, the flight to Holland came very early and Bristy (TJ's nickname for us) was very hungover.
Aimee and TJ before things got a little crazy.
Needless to say, the flight to Holland came very early and Bristy (TJ's nickname for us) was very hungover.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
The couple that votes together stays together!
Brad and I went together this morning to vote at our nearby middle school. Although we went together, we did not actually vote for the same ticket. Can you guess who is the conservative and who the liberal is???? It would probably surprise you! Oh, and don't forget to take your sticker to Starbucks for your free tall coffee!Sunday, November 02, 2008
Halloween
This year Halloween was a bit crazy for us. I always like to get over to see my niece and nephews in their costumes before giving out candy at my house. This can be a bit difficult and rushed because even though they only live about 8 miles from us, it takes about 30 min with all the traffic there is on Fridays. Brad and I headed over around 4:30 to see the Lion (Owen), Dorothy (Mackenzie), the Scarecrow (B man) and the Tin Man (Kyle). My sister in laws mom, who I've given major props to several times on my blog for her unbelievable sewing talent, once again made the kids costumes. They were gorgeous and I hope we're lucky enough to be blessed with these hand-me-downs some day.
After seeing the kids all dressed up, we rushed back home to give out candy to our trick or treaters. We get a TON of them since our neighborhood is filled with kids. People even drive into our neighborhood from other neighborhoods to trick or treat. I think it's the close proximity of the houses and the sidewalks that makes it desirable for trick or treating. Because we had a party to go to ourselves, we were trying to hand out candy and get into our costumes at the same time. Maura came over all dressed, so she relieved me of my duties for a while. I had to laugh when I heard a trick or treater ask her if she was a rocker chick. Maura replied "no I'm a girl from the 80's" and the little girl just gave her a blank stare and then Mo said " you weren't born then." Needless to say, Maura and I were 80's girls and Brad was super trooper.
Gotta love the BFF split heart necklaces!
The party was hosted by one of my friends from Univ of Hartford. Even though my stay at UHA was short lived (2 years before transferring to Towson) I love the friends I made there. They are so much fun and 100% responsible for my annebriated condition on Friday night. I had an absolute blast and it was worth the hangover I nursed all day Saturday.
After seeing the kids all dressed up, we rushed back home to give out candy to our trick or treaters. We get a TON of them since our neighborhood is filled with kids. People even drive into our neighborhood from other neighborhoods to trick or treat. I think it's the close proximity of the houses and the sidewalks that makes it desirable for trick or treating. Because we had a party to go to ourselves, we were trying to hand out candy and get into our costumes at the same time. Maura came over all dressed, so she relieved me of my duties for a while. I had to laugh when I heard a trick or treater ask her if she was a rocker chick. Maura replied "no I'm a girl from the 80's" and the little girl just gave her a blank stare and then Mo said " you weren't born then." Needless to say, Maura and I were 80's girls and Brad was super trooper.
Gotta love the BFF split heart necklaces!
The party was hosted by one of my friends from Univ of Hartford. Even though my stay at UHA was short lived (2 years before transferring to Towson) I love the friends I made there. They are so much fun and 100% responsible for my annebriated condition on Friday night. I had an absolute blast and it was worth the hangover I nursed all day Saturday.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Those were the days, Part I
Lately I've found myself thinking a lot about our 3 years living abroad and really missing our friends, the slow paced European lifestyle and the every day adventures of living in a foreign country and getting to travel to new places all the time. I was thinking how it would have been so great if they had this blog thing about 6 years ago because it would have certainly kept me busy. Most of you reading this know that I went stir crazy after almost 3 years without working, well working and getting a paycheck that is. I did work for a non profit about 10 hours a week, but that wasn't enough for me. Especially with a husband who traveled ALL THE TIME! It's funny how the grass is always greener on the other side. I can recall numerous conversations with friends and family complaining how bored I was getting and how I couldn't wait to move home and work, work, work! WOW... did I really feel that way? 
This adventure all started when I began dating my now husband who was working for a Danish company. After graduating college, I immediately got a job teaching 5th grade down in Charlotte, NC. So, I migrated south a few days after graduation. It was a tough year teaching to say the least (actually I HATED it!) and we weren't particularly happy in the Charlotte area, so when an opportunity with B's company was presented to him at the world headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, we decided to go for it. This decision was not actually made that easily. I actually think the first words out of my mouth were "Where is Denmark and no, I'm not moving to another country with you! We're not even married. Heck, we're not even engaged!" After a few weeks of weighing all the pros and cons and having a lot of chats with our Danish friends who were living in Charlotte and on the brink of getting expatriated home to CPH (Copenhagen), I finally came to the conclusion that it was a once in a lifetime experience and the worst that could happen is I don't like it and move home. Many people thought it was a bit crazy for me to move to another country with a guy I wasn't even engaged to, but I guess that was one of my rare decisions of living on the edge.
B moved over in May of 2002 and I followed a few months later. We had a fantastic summer and of course went through the rollercoaster of loving it, hating it and then loving it again. The picture above is a very popular spot called Nyhavn, pronounced Newhoun. And days as gorgeous as the one above are pretty rare and very appreciated by the Danes. The climate in Denmark and lack of sun was something I had a rough time adjusting to. Because CPH is on an island, there is a constant moisture always in the air in the spring, fall and winter. Not to mention the fact that it sometimes stays dark all day in the winter. The summertime is a different story. Denmark is so far north that it stays light out until midnight or so.
This adventure all started when I began dating my now husband who was working for a Danish company. After graduating college, I immediately got a job teaching 5th grade down in Charlotte, NC. So, I migrated south a few days after graduation. It was a tough year teaching to say the least (actually I HATED it!) and we weren't particularly happy in the Charlotte area, so when an opportunity with B's company was presented to him at the world headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, we decided to go for it. This decision was not actually made that easily. I actually think the first words out of my mouth were "Where is Denmark and no, I'm not moving to another country with you! We're not even married. Heck, we're not even engaged!" After a few weeks of weighing all the pros and cons and having a lot of chats with our Danish friends who were living in Charlotte and on the brink of getting expatriated home to CPH (Copenhagen), I finally came to the conclusion that it was a once in a lifetime experience and the worst that could happen is I don't like it and move home. Many people thought it was a bit crazy for me to move to another country with a guy I wasn't even engaged to, but I guess that was one of my rare decisions of living on the edge.
B moved over in May of 2002 and I followed a few months later. We had a fantastic summer and of course went through the rollercoaster of loving it, hating it and then loving it again. The picture above is a very popular spot called Nyhavn, pronounced Newhoun. And days as gorgeous as the one above are pretty rare and very appreciated by the Danes. The climate in Denmark and lack of sun was something I had a rough time adjusting to. Because CPH is on an island, there is a constant moisture always in the air in the spring, fall and winter. Not to mention the fact that it sometimes stays dark all day in the winter. The summertime is a different story. Denmark is so far north that it stays light out until midnight or so. Here is Hans Christian Andersen's famous Little Mermaid statue.
Brad and I somewhat inherited our apartment from the American guy who Brad was replacing. Because it was an easy find and had an incredible location with the bus stop, taxi stand, metro and train station directly across the street, we didn't bother to shop around. Our apartment is the third one up and is right above a 7 Eleven and a few buildings down from a night club. It took a while to adjust to the constant buzz of people at all hours.
Our apartment was also located right on the famous shopping street, the Stroget which was very dangerous for a shopaholic like myself who had a LOT of free time on her hands. However, Denmark has a VAT (value added tax) that is 18% which makes everything crazy expensive. Think about everything you buy on a regular basis and add 18% to that. It's shocking!
I spent many afternoons at cafe Europa below having lattes with 2 shots of caramel reading a book or trying to perfect my Danish by reading Danish newspapers. Now it's not that I didn't have any friends, in fact I had several close friends, but they all worked during the daytime, leaving me to fend for myself.
Pictured below is one of the five lakes in a row frozen over in the winter time. My good friend Aimee and I used to walk several times a week around all five lakes. I can't recall the distance, but we never did run out of things to say to each other.
To be continued....
Brad and I somewhat inherited our apartment from the American guy who Brad was replacing. Because it was an easy find and had an incredible location with the bus stop, taxi stand, metro and train station directly across the street, we didn't bother to shop around. Our apartment is the third one up and is right above a 7 Eleven and a few buildings down from a night club. It took a while to adjust to the constant buzz of people at all hours.Our apartment was also located right on the famous shopping street, the Stroget which was very dangerous for a shopaholic like myself who had a LOT of free time on her hands. However, Denmark has a VAT (value added tax) that is 18% which makes everything crazy expensive. Think about everything you buy on a regular basis and add 18% to that. It's shocking!
I spent many afternoons at cafe Europa below having lattes with 2 shots of caramel reading a book or trying to perfect my Danish by reading Danish newspapers. Now it's not that I didn't have any friends, in fact I had several close friends, but they all worked during the daytime, leaving me to fend for myself.
Pictured below is one of the five lakes in a row frozen over in the winter time. My good friend Aimee and I used to walk several times a week around all five lakes. I can't recall the distance, but we never did run out of things to say to each other.
To be continued....Wednesday, October 22, 2008
A First for Everything
For all of you Fran (my dad) fans out there you will be happy to know that history has been made tonight. My dad has an email address and has sent his first email ever! My brother witnessed (and assisted) first hand and sent me the following email that was too funny not to share. The me in the dialogue is Dave. Enjoy!
fran liptak has just sent his very 1st email (see below - 5 minutes ago). the entire email was typed with the middle finger of his right hand. obviously.
i felt it necessary to send a follow up email to the parties involved in this historic moment (my sis'), and to bri and nick, as to fill you all in on the pure comedy of such an event. below is a list of highlights. admittedly, i may forget one or two because they came early and often, and one may have eluded me due to my incessant hysterics.
dad: how do i make the letter a capital?
me: you hit the shift button, then the letter. but you don't need to capitalize. it's only email.
dad: oh, really?
me: yup.
dad: oh.
dad: How do i get spaces in between the words?
me: you hit the space bar.
dad: where's the space bar?
me: right there.
dad: oh.
me: watching him hit the space bar anywhere between 4-10 times between words (see below for proof).
me: dad, you only need to hit the space bar once in between words.
dad: oh. ok.
dad (on the phone): nancy (my aunt) - what's your email address?
dad: ok. i'm going to send you my first letter.
me: email dad. email. it's not a letter.
dad: how do i get a dash?
me: right there. you want to use a dash for the word email?
dad: yeah. why?
me: you don't really need a dash.
dad: putting the dash in......
dad: how do i start a new line?
me: you hit return.
dad: where's return?
me: right there.
dad: hitting the space bar 15 times now to indent in his new line (again, see below).
dad: how do i get a question mark?
me: you hit the shift button, then the question mark button.
dad: the shift button again, huh?
me: yup.
dad: wow.
just can't make that up.
FRAN's FIRST EMAIL:
hi i just wanted to tell you guys i now have a e-mail address
pretty neat huh?
this is a very big moment in my life
thank you
signed frankie
fran liptak has just sent his very 1st email (see below - 5 minutes ago). the entire email was typed with the middle finger of his right hand. obviously.
i felt it necessary to send a follow up email to the parties involved in this historic moment (my sis'), and to bri and nick, as to fill you all in on the pure comedy of such an event. below is a list of highlights. admittedly, i may forget one or two because they came early and often, and one may have eluded me due to my incessant hysterics.
dad: how do i make the letter a capital?
me: you hit the shift button, then the letter. but you don't need to capitalize. it's only email.
dad: oh, really?
me: yup.
dad: oh.
dad: How do i get spaces in between the words?
me: you hit the space bar.
dad: where's the space bar?
me: right there.
dad: oh.
me: watching him hit the space bar anywhere between 4-10 times between words (see below for proof).
me: dad, you only need to hit the space bar once in between words.
dad: oh. ok.
dad (on the phone): nancy (my aunt) - what's your email address?
dad: ok. i'm going to send you my first letter.
me: email dad. email. it's not a letter.
dad: how do i get a dash?
me: right there. you want to use a dash for the word email?
dad: yeah. why?
me: you don't really need a dash.
dad: putting the dash in......
dad: how do i start a new line?
me: you hit return.
dad: where's return?
me: right there.
dad: hitting the space bar 15 times now to indent in his new line (again, see below).
dad: how do i get a question mark?
me: you hit the shift button, then the question mark button.
dad: the shift button again, huh?
me: yup.
dad: wow.
just can't make that up.
FRAN's FIRST EMAIL:
hi i just wanted to tell you guys i now have a e-mail address
pretty neat huh?
this is a very big moment in my life
thank you
signed frankie
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Fall Getaway
We decided we needed a weekend away and headed for WISP ski resort at Deep Creek Lake in Western MD early Saturday morning. I find that even if I try to have a relaxing weekend at home, I always end up filling my time with projects around the house. I never can seem to just "be" when I'm home with nothing planned. It's definitely something I'm working on :-)
We were able to bring Winston along because the resort was pet friendly. We spent all Saturday afternoon hiking around a local state park and Saturday evening the resort we stayed at had a haunted house and a ride on the mountain coaster which was a blast. We felt like we were little kids again. The weather was a little cold this morning so we decided to head back to Annapolis after breakfast and now it's back to the grind tomorrow. The weekends go by much too fast these days.
We were able to bring Winston along because the resort was pet friendly. We spent all Saturday afternoon hiking around a local state park and Saturday evening the resort we stayed at had a haunted house and a ride on the mountain coaster which was a blast. We felt like we were little kids again. The weather was a little cold this morning so we decided to head back to Annapolis after breakfast and now it's back to the grind tomorrow. The weekends go by much too fast these days.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Baby O gets baptized
This past weekend was such a great one. Great weather, girls night out and baby Owen's Baptism on Sunday. Owen is one of my best friends (Jill) little boy. He is such a good baby and how can you resist him with those cheeks?
O and his proud parents.
O and the proud god parents.
Aunt Christy loves her O.
Look at those baby blues!
O and his proud parents.
O and the proud god parents.
Aunt Christy loves her O.
Look at those baby blues!
Monday, October 06, 2008
A Shower for Baby Mills
This past Sunday I hosted a baby shower for one of my good friends. Lauren and her husband are expecting a boy the end of November and her doctor has already warned her that it's going to be a very big boy. She's 32 weeks prego and the baby is already 5.5 pounds! Yikes. Some people say the weight of the baby doubles from 32 weeks but for Lauren's sake, I really hope not. I think she'll definitely be swapping out many of the 0-3 month clothing she received for larger sizes.
The theme of the nursery is sailboats so of course that was the primary theme of the shower. I ordered the cake above from a baker my sister in law's family has always used and he did an amazing job. Not only did it look great, but it tasted great too.
Lauren with her mom and sister below.
Winston was appalled that we kept him outside the entire time. Could it have been due to the fact that he table surfed the dining room table before the guests arrived and ate 1/4 of the coffee cake. Probably, but he was getting the boot outside regardless. He watched all the present opening from behind glass doors.
Thanks to Mo Mo for coming on her birthday! We know you're a very busy lady Mo and appreciate you bringing your awesome lemon pound cake. I'm relishing in the left-overs.
The theme of the nursery is sailboats so of course that was the primary theme of the shower. I ordered the cake above from a baker my sister in law's family has always used and he did an amazing job. Not only did it look great, but it tasted great too.
Lauren with her mom and sister below.
Winston was appalled that we kept him outside the entire time. Could it have been due to the fact that he table surfed the dining room table before the guests arrived and ate 1/4 of the coffee cake. Probably, but he was getting the boot outside regardless. He watched all the present opening from behind glass doors.
Thanks to Mo Mo for coming on her birthday! We know you're a very busy lady Mo and appreciate you bringing your awesome lemon pound cake. I'm relishing in the left-overs.
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