Saturday, May 31, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
FW: Picture from Farewell
From our Going Away party at Bar Louie on Wednesday… the end of an era!!
<<IMG_5951.JPG>>
Monday, May 26, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Check out this picture...
It's from my favorite celebrity gossip website dlisted. He does a "caption this" competition everyday. It would be funny to know the story behind it... looks like Eastern European "architecture."
Luna with Miss Nichole...
She knows I'm about to leave - you can see it in her face! They made a really nice book for us as a going away present. It even has a picture of the rocking chair I used to nurse her everyday at lunch!
Vacation days Germany 2008!
These are all the holidays that Bas will have in
Tuesday 1st January: New Year’s Day
Sunday 6th January: Twelfth Night
Friday 21st March: Good Friday
Monday 24th March: Easter Monday
Thursday 1st May: Labour Day/Ascension Day
Monday 12th May: Whit Monday
Thursday 22nd May:
Friday 15th August: Assumption
Friday 3rd October: German Unity Day
Saturday 1st November: All Saints
Thursday 25th December: Christmas Day
Friday 26th December: Boxing Day
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
New Pictures...
Here's one of my favorites from the latest pictures of Luna. The whisk is her new favorite toy, and you can see the sock she's been wearing to cover her burns.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Farewell Announcement
So I hate farewell announcements, getting them, sending them – just everything about them. So it is with real mixed emotion that I send this out to all of you…
It was June 10th 1998 (!) that I walked in the doors over at DC1 on my first day here. I was 24. I didn’t have any wrinkles or cellulite (yet.) I was so nervous I actually threw up on my way to work. (It’s a funny story, feel free to ask me some time.) I had just left my first “real” job at Urban Outfitters, and felt like I had really made the “big-time” with my new job as a technical designer at Express…
Since then:
I have had 4 different jobs.
I have worked in 9 different offices, including 4 DCs and 5 NYC offices.
I have moved 6 times.
I have had 9 different bosses.
I have lived through at least 10 re-organizations.
I learned what a database is.
I survived 26 phases of 9 different projects.
My ability to type increased to around 70 wpm, despite the fact that I never took typing. J
I bought my first house.
I met my husband.
The world changed when our daughter Luna arrived 8/7/2007.
And of course, I made countless friends and precious memories.
Isn’t that sweet. (I know – gag.) But really, I never would have imagined on that day in 1998, that my life would be what it is today. There have been days here in the office where I was frustrated and felt stinted and looked back on all this time and felt like I had given away the best years of my life. But those were momentary lapses in perspective. Now, with Bas and Luna, I have just begun the best years of my life, and I look forward to our future together.
Which brings me back to my point – as many of you know Bas has accepted a position with Adidas in Germany. His first day will be June 1st. Since I am rolling off the project, we made the decision that I will be staying home with Luna after he leaves, which makes my last day 5/30. Once we sell the house (wish us luck) Luna and I will join him in Germany. I am so excited – both to be home with Luna and to experience Europe again. Not to mention, our family will no longer be split up 4 days a week!! I will eventually re-join the work force in some capacity, but plan to find a way to free-lance from home. I’ll figure that out later – for now I’m excited to enjoy my time with Luna (and hopefully not rip my hair out!!) I will miss all of you, so…
Please keep in touch!
Sincerely,~K
The Lactina Electric "Plus"
Annabelle
Here are some pictures of Annabelle, my best friend Laura's daughter. She has a dance recital this Saturday. These pictures are from the dress rehearsal. I just LOVED her little outfit!!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
So for any male readers - BEWARE - TURN BACK NOW - this is all about shopping, prices and beauty products...
So our trip to Holland a couple weeks ago got me very excited about going back to Europe. The sidewalk cafes, bicycle trips to the local market, great bread, cheese and wine, and just the historical abundance of the environment, were really all I needed to get me gung-ho. But while I was there, I also had a bit of an agenda. Preparing to move to the European culture and marketplace set many questions to mind... I knew the cost of living was higher in most European countries - but by how much? I knew that trends in fashion and home decorating would be slightly different - but would I be an outcast by dressing from my closet? And I knew that some of my most highly valued beauty products wouldn't be available - but did that mean I would have to walk around looking frizzy haired and generally unattractive? So I did a little research while I was there and here is what I found...
1. Cost of Living - I found that the prices I've compared are pretty much exactly the same as they are here - except they're in Euros, which is currently exchanging to the dollar at 1.6:1! We bought a hair dryer, so that I have one once I get over there (priorities!) and it was 40E. I have practically the same hairdryer for 110 circuits here, and it was 40$. We looked up a BMW here, and it was 40k$ - in Germany it was 40kE. The only really substantial differences I've noticed so far are homes and alcohol. Alcohol is cheaper, and homes are more. I would say a 1500SF home goes for around 200k$ here (in Ohio) depending on amenities and neighborhood, and in the area we're looking at in Germany it's 300kE (remember the exchange rate... and then wish us luck!)
2. Trends - Skinny jeans, skinny jeans, skinny jeans! EVERYBODY was in skinny jeans. Not like here, where only kids and really young people are wearing them - it was everybody. I already had a pair, but I only wore them with high boots, when I wanted to wear the boots. They were wearing them with flats, ballet shoes and everything else. It really got me into it, so I went out and got another pair. Whenever I've worn them before, especially with flats, I just felt like they made my thighs look HUGE. But after seeing everyone there wearing them, I've been much more comfortable in my new pair. Also a big trend - blazers and trench coats. Given the weather wasn't great, but there was definitely that "euro-preppy" look going on. And although the store fronts all had a great deal of bright colors, I didn't see that on the streets - again, could have been the weather.
As far as home furnishings? Definitely more of a modern edge prevailed (think IKEA) but I was happy to see that there was some "traditional" and "eclectic" mixed in. Think we'll be OK - but will still have ahrd time deciding what to put into storage!
3. Beauty Products - my biggest worry was my Kiehl's Leave in Hair Conditioner. I had actually researched that prior to the trip and found that it is available in a shop in Nuremberg, which is only 30 minutes away. When we went to a CVS type shop, I also found that I'll be fine in most of my products. (I sound so superficial - but I was really dreading having to go through the whole trial and error thing!!) They have Herbal Essences (my shampoo, conditioner) a ton of mousse varieties (I'm sure I'll find something) lots of deodorants and lotions that are marketed here and L'Oreal - which will cover my face lotion, and most of my makeup. The only unknowns I still have are my new favorite mascara (CoverGirl LashBlast - if you haven't tried it yet you should!) and my face wash, Cetaphil, which is made by Galderma Labs. They may have it, I just didn't see it. Maybe they'll just have to be care package requests, if I can't find good replacements!
Good news is that my little research project ended with good results. We're going to be OK financially. I'm going to be OK with my closet. And my hair is going to be OK. Now I'm just looking forward to the sidewalk cafes, bicycle trips to the market, bread, wine and cheese!
So our trip to Holland a couple weeks ago got me very excited about going back to Europe. The sidewalk cafes, bicycle trips to the local market, great bread, cheese and wine, and just the historical abundance of the environment, were really all I needed to get me gung-ho. But while I was there, I also had a bit of an agenda. Preparing to move to the European culture and marketplace set many questions to mind... I knew the cost of living was higher in most European countries - but by how much? I knew that trends in fashion and home decorating would be slightly different - but would I be an outcast by dressing from my closet? And I knew that some of my most highly valued beauty products wouldn't be available - but did that mean I would have to walk around looking frizzy haired and generally unattractive? So I did a little research while I was there and here is what I found...
1. Cost of Living - I found that the prices I've compared are pretty much exactly the same as they are here - except they're in Euros, which is currently exchanging to the dollar at 1.6:1! We bought a hair dryer, so that I have one once I get over there (priorities!) and it was 40E. I have practically the same hairdryer for 110 circuits here, and it was 40$. We looked up a BMW here, and it was 40k$ - in Germany it was 40kE. The only really substantial differences I've noticed so far are homes and alcohol. Alcohol is cheaper, and homes are more. I would say a 1500SF home goes for around 200k$ here (in Ohio) depending on amenities and neighborhood, and in the area we're looking at in Germany it's 300kE (remember the exchange rate... and then wish us luck!)
2. Trends - Skinny jeans, skinny jeans, skinny jeans! EVERYBODY was in skinny jeans. Not like here, where only kids and really young people are wearing them - it was everybody. I already had a pair, but I only wore them with high boots, when I wanted to wear the boots. They were wearing them with flats, ballet shoes and everything else. It really got me into it, so I went out and got another pair. Whenever I've worn them before, especially with flats, I just felt like they made my thighs look HUGE. But after seeing everyone there wearing them, I've been much more comfortable in my new pair. Also a big trend - blazers and trench coats. Given the weather wasn't great, but there was definitely that "euro-preppy" look going on. And although the store fronts all had a great deal of bright colors, I didn't see that on the streets - again, could have been the weather.
As far as home furnishings? Definitely more of a modern edge prevailed (think IKEA) but I was happy to see that there was some "traditional" and "eclectic" mixed in. Think we'll be OK - but will still have ahrd time deciding what to put into storage!
3. Beauty Products - my biggest worry was my Kiehl's Leave in Hair Conditioner. I had actually researched that prior to the trip and found that it is available in a shop in Nuremberg, which is only 30 minutes away. When we went to a CVS type shop, I also found that I'll be fine in most of my products. (I sound so superficial - but I was really dreading having to go through the whole trial and error thing!!) They have Herbal Essences (my shampoo, conditioner) a ton of mousse varieties (I'm sure I'll find something) lots of deodorants and lotions that are marketed here and L'Oreal - which will cover my face lotion, and most of my makeup. The only unknowns I still have are my new favorite mascara (CoverGirl LashBlast - if you haven't tried it yet you should!) and my face wash, Cetaphil, which is made by Galderma Labs. They may have it, I just didn't see it. Maybe they'll just have to be care package requests, if I can't find good replacements!
Good news is that my little research project ended with good results. We're going to be OK financially. I'm going to be OK with my closet. And my hair is going to be OK. Now I'm just looking forward to the sidewalk cafes, bicycle trips to the market, bread, wine and cheese!
Wednesday
Hey everybody. Welcome. I'm pretty excited about this new blog. I thought about doing this a while ago, but had been putting it off until I was home or something. Turns out I had enough time to do it at work this morning. The nice thing about using a blog - I get to leave large text entries to talk about what's going on - even if we don't have pictures or video. But I can also link directly to my channel on youtube and our photostream on flickr. Since we use flickr as a back-up mechanism for all of our photos (we pay for unlimited storage, $25 per year) it makes tying everything together easier without having to post pictures to flickr and somewhere else.
So in our setting I was able to select 10 (yes, sadly only 10) folks to get emailed whenever we post. Here's who i picked (no preferences indicated, just wanted to pick those I cc: the most!)
So in our setting I was able to select 10 (yes, sadly only 10) folks to get emailed whenever we post. Here's who i picked (no preferences indicated, just wanted to pick those I cc: the most!)
- Mom
- Dad
- Jenn
- Joke
- Merel
- Laura
- Angela
- Cathy
- Lois
- Sheila and Roger
If any of you listed would prefer NOT to recieve an email when we post, just let me know and I'll switch you out. For anybody else, I'm working on adding a link that will allow you to subscribe for the same net effect.
The other really cool thing about using a blog, is that I can email posts to it without having to be at my computer. So if I snap a picture on my cellphone or just share something really exciting or funny that just happened, I can send in a post directly from my cellphone! Pretty cool!
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