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My dear little Olive,

How in the world are you already two? It seems just like yesterday that I was finding out that you were going join us. Now you're all grown up, we can even put your hair in pig tails. You look so much bigger with them....so how I love to sometimes just keep you with your hair all messy after you wake up in the morning :)


You've brought more joy and smiles to our lives than we could have ever hoped for. And high heel shoes. And hand-bags. yes, turns out, at barely two, you are already quite the little lady :) I reckon you will be a shoe designer when you grow-up. Or maybe a singer on Broadway, since you like to dress up and sing so much. We'll just have to make sure to save up some money for some singing lessons ;)


I can't wait to spend this coming year with you and go on many more adventures together.

Love you to the moon and back,

Mama

Give them cake

We were getting close to Olivia's birthday while on vacation in France, so we decided to have a cake on the last day we were there before taking our train for Paris. And I am so glad we did. We didn't get to celebrate her 1st birthday with my parents last year, and who know where we will be next year....So this year, we got to do that. I am all about living in the present these days. Maybe because of this book I am reading, called "Today matters".


Anyway. It was good to celebrate. And that means more cake for her. More cake for me. Everybody is happy. Marie-Antoinette would approve.

In her presents, Miss O got (yet another) pair of heels, this time pink ones, from my sister. Between these and the red princess heels she got from Ditte at Christmas, there's is not way not to know it: she is a GIRL. Soryy hubby, your hopes that Olivia would be a tom-boy and play football with you are now forever crushed :)

This year is going to be...

the best year ever. I just know it. Happy New year everybody.

60 years together

I hope someday this happens to Troels and me.

Over the christmas holidays, Troels' grand-parents celebrated 60 years of being married together. When I look at that number I just think, how in the world is that possible. To be with someone for so long, and still love each other the way Ib and Betty do.


To celebrate the occasion, Ib bought Betty a bouquet of 60 roses.

I hope someday this happens to me :) (take notes, my dear little hubby :))


As per the Danish tradition, we got up early in the morning to wake them up by singing a few traditional songs at their window. And we added a couple trumpets to that. To be fancy. And also, let's face it, trumpets are easier to hear when you start getting old :)

And I also hope that when I am their age, I know how to throw together a party the way they did :) It was great to spend the evening with all of their friends and family, hear stories about their life.



A little video of a surprise their friends did for them:


I wish you many more years of happiness together, Ib and Betty!

All I want for Christmas is....

...happy moments spent with family.

Sitting around the table with family, drink tea, and eat LOT. LOTS. LOTS. of cookies.



Like watching Olivia play the piano with her farmor.


And decorating the Christmas tree. We found some pictures of daddy when he was young on the way :)


And listening to Troels' grandpa read the traditional H.C. Andersen story on Christmas eve.


Watching the kids try and catch each other.


Going around the Christmas tree while singing Christmas carols.



See, Santa, I really wasn't asking for much this Christmas :)

I want to talk to you about something serious...

Olivia. Age barely two. Is very picky when choosing her books. Here seen with her favorite of all time, about the situation in Kosovo. If she doesn't make it to Harvard, I don't get it.


Photos (and book) courtesy of my mother -in-law :)

December

It's December. And somehow, the leaves are still golden in the trees. So we shall run around and roll ourselves in the leaves for as long as they will last.


But it IS December. Golden leaves or not. Which means that we can't ignore the obvious: time for some Christmas bling around our place. oh how I love Christmas, it makes me feel like a little girl inside. All those memories of previous christmases. All that joy. It's here, it's now, and it ain't gonna go away until the 25th.


It fells even more special this year, now that we have these two little girls in our home. In our hearts. Even more so than last year. And I am not sure why. Maybe because Olivia is this much bigger this year that she's actually starting to understand what's going on - yes, Santa's now her best buddy. Or maybe it's because with two kids, we feel like a "real family"....and isn't family what makes Christmas so great?

Whatever it is, I just love it, and I'm trying to enjoy every second of this month with my girls. Taking extra time to take a little detour to see the Christmas lights around the corner from our street. Making salty dough ornaments for our Christmas tree....and watching Olivia sneak up to the tree to try and get a taste of them ;)

*More photos of the little Olive by my lovely friend Soaz*

Stopping at a cafe to get some warm spiced cider and ginger cookies. Watching Olivia open little presents in the morning from her advent calendar.

Playing in the girls bedroom while listening to our favorite christmas tunes. It's all such a blessing.

Thank you for finally showing up, mister December. We're so glad you're staying with us for a little while.

For the time they are a changin

Don't read too much into the title of this post, I'm not going to go all political on you :) If you know me, you know I am not really the kind....it's just that I've just been listening to this song quite a bit lately, after ready Steve Job's biography, and well, it's sorta stuck in my mind. I look around me, and it's all constant change.

Fall turning to winter before we have a chance to blink.

Little girls becoming big.

New challenges coming. New dreams forming. New hopes rising.

But amidst of those change, one constant: love & friendship.

People who will give to you, no matter what. No matter what. People that will make you travel the world. See the world. Love the word. And kick the world in the butt when it's not being fair.

And yes, the time, they are always a changin....but with those people around me, I have no doubt I can take it all.

*All pics in this post (except the last one) by my lovely Soaz*