Time machine! Take me back to Seattle please.

I always get this odd feeling when I go back to visit a city where I used to live. A feeling of known unknown. Being away for years and feeling like you never left. Because in a way, I don't think I ever really leave a place. Regardless of how fast I seem to be moving forward from city to city and countries to country, I always end up leaving a little bit of my heart and soul behind in every city where I lived. And you know what? It's nice when I get the chance to find that little piece of heart and soul again, even if briefly :)

I really miss Seattle, and when I heard that the Jasmine Star CreativeLive workshop would be held here, it was a no brainer for me. Another reason why I really had to win that competition.

And now that I am here, I find myself going down memory lane every five minutes. Like going to the Crumpet Shop because it was the first place I ever ate at in Seattle with Jerry when we made the trip up together....and stuffed myself out with not one but two delicious scrumpelicious crumpets! Heaven I tell you. By the end of the meal I had to lick my plates about 10 times to make sure there wasn't a crumb to go to waste. And my other favorite thing about the Crumpet Shop? They have unlimited refills of earl grey tea. FINALLY a place that doesn't ignore us tea drinkers, enough of that discrimination :)

Or like hanging out my my girlfriend Monica and her two very hugging-huggable little boys.

Or having coffee at Starbucks with my friend Eric and his beautiful little family on a sunny afternoon in Greenlake.

And without trying, it all just feels quite comfortable to be back. Except for one ginormous detail: why oh why are the two loves of my life in Denmark and not with me stuffing their faces with chocolate-covered crumpets? :)


Oh, and random fact of the week: I am staying at my friend Julien's place all week, and he strangely lives in an apartment complex called "The Audrey at Belltown". How about that too to make me comfortable in town? :)

Xoxo

I am just a girl in the world

....and my brain has just been a bit confused as to where exactly I am in the world. But the good news is, I am moving. And I even might dare to say that I am moving forward. I guess most people can keep track, and really, it shouldn't be that much harder for me. I think it's because my mind has been thousands of places these days. For those who I haven't talked to lately, it's official: I've decided that I am not going to live my dreams in my next life....it's going to be here and now. And so with that, I took the very official step of legally creating my photo business in Denmark. Pop. Champagne :) And I've booked my first few clients for September. Double pop :)

I am still not sure what this all means. And I am scared. And unsure. And what if I fail and fall very hard on my butt? What if...? What if...? What if...? But I am ready. I am ready to shape my life in the way that I REALLY want it deep down.

I know I am, even if the chicken in me wants to find thousands of reason why I should keep putting this off....so I'll just say, go away chicken, you are so not welcome at my house anymore!

Here's to new beginnings! And here's to my friends who graciously let me go all paparazzi on their kids :)

Little Emily and her sister Naomi were quite a treat to photograph....because, seriously, look at these little girls. They are pure cuteness. And full of energy that's just contagious. And just plain adorable. And also because, whenever I am clicking my shutter to put them in my little black box, somehow, the scary chicken goes far far away and all that's left is that feeling of wanting more and more of this.

And that, I like. A lot.

Xoxo.

Better than a chill pill

Things have been spinning pretty fast these past few weeks. Between Olivia's baptism, the load of happy Frenchmen that invaded our house for two weeks, and getting ready for the workshop in Seattle, it feels like summer is just slipping through my fingers.

But today Olivia and I managed to escape the house for a few hours for a little play date with the happy little kiddos and mothers of the mothersgroup I belong to.

There is just something about watching little ones that set my mind at peace and tell my brain "Ok. ok. Everything is ok. Relax now and enjoy". No chill pill would have a better effect on me!

And look at these babies, I would just eat them all if I could. Some future heartbreakers these little ones, let me tell you :) Elias kept looking at me with a "what the heck is this lady with the black box doing" look on his face - so had to share a picture of that :)

They are all changing so fast - now we are starting to see their little bottoms moving in all directions. Up in the air for those who are about to crawl. And down sitting all by themselves. Look at Sara's big smile that says "I am a big girl now and it's so cool :)"




Truly, a nice break in the crazy week. It just reset my mind on what is important right here, right now. As they would say in Denmark - tak for en dejlig dag :)

Celebration!

The past week have disappeared I don't know where. I guess having twelve people staying at your house will do that to you :) And it has been one celebration after another....after another.

Troels's birthday. His grand-pa's birthday. Olivia's baptism. Norway kicking the French soccer team's butt last night. And believe me, all that celebration.....that's a lot of empty bottles! :)

Olivia has been a happy little girl all week. Because, yep, when Marraine Soaz is around, Olivia is smiling ALL the time :)

And to top it off, it was her party. Her very own party.

Olivia had a blast at her baptism. I am no making it up. She smiled and laughed the whole time we were in the church, so much that the pastor had a hard time focusing on what she was saying. Way to go Olive. I guess she felt good in the church, maybe she found her calling ;)

As much as Olivia was laughing, it didn't help make the sun come out. Buckets and buckets of water poured down, so we stayed under the big tent in the garden, all cosy, eating and drinking all afternoon.

And that's when I realized, I couldn't have cared less about the rain. Because all I really needed was under that tent. My family, my friends, all laughing together.

And there is another person that was super happy at the baptism: my wonderful hubby :) Ever since we started planning the baptism, he only had one idea in mind: to roast a pig. Asterix and Obelix style. He doesn't joke around this kind of stuff.

And he did. He roasted a pig. Checking out Youtube the night before to figure out how to do it. And we doubted we would have anything to eat at the baptism. But he did it. And he rocked it out.

The meat was so good people went for fourth and fifth serving before they knew it. And now, knowing him, he likes to up challenges....so what are we going to roast for the next party, baby? A cow? An elephant maybe? :)

xoxo, Audrey