Nikkilooch

I canNOT get enough of this mighty maple peanut butter by Peanut Butter & Co.  I am eating more apples than usual just to have a healthy vehicle to get this stuff to my mouth in my face.

I ordered these Levi’s a little over two weeks ago and have worn them almost every time I’ve left the house since.  They take me back to high school.  My favorite pair of jeans were light-wash bellbottoms that I loved so much I wore even after I wore a whole in the knee.  I like to think these are a little more fashion forward, but still just as soft and well loved as my jeans from high school.

It’s finally starting to warm up and get green in Germany.  Yesterday my husband and I barbecued some sausages and eggplant for dinner.  Amazing.  Easily my favorite part of summer.

I can’t get enough English breakfast tea.  I’ve been brewing it in the morning instead of coffee, adding a Truvia and splash of skim milk.  My favorite is PG Tips, but I’ve been using Tetley lately since that’s what I can find here.

Finally being able to ride my bike!  My husband and I only have one car right now.  Since we live downtown and his new job is much more flexible than his old job it hasn’t been a problem.  But let me tell you, the extra mobility this girl gives me is so freeing.  Special thanks to my husband for fixing her up.

1. It’s this week people.  This week my husband and I are flying to our new home: Germany.
2. The hubs and I are going to buy me this today:
3. Samsonite
4. I have too much stuff that I “need” to have with me on the plane: snacks, kindle, books, saline solution, lotion, extra socks, extra sweater, ipod, 2 sets of earphones, food journal, art journal, pens and pencils, chapstick, laptop, valuable jewelry, freshen up wipes, chocolate.   And that’s just the things I can think of right now.  Obviously that wouldn’t all fit in my cute travel purse so I had to talk my husband into getting me a weekend bag.  And it had to be cute.  I secretly/not so secretly can’t wait.
5. Does anyone else try to think of the exact day someone had sex when they tell you how exactly many weeks and days pregnant they are?  I try to think about what I was doing on that exact day.  Then thank my lucky stars it wasn’t making a baby.  It usually ends up being a Monday or Wednesday.
6.   Addicted.
7. I need to bake something.  Bad.

image from heartsleevestudio’s etsy shop

It’s favorites time!  I fully intended to have this post on time yesterday.  Then my husband didn’t have to go to work because of Columbus day (thank you army for 4 day weekends) and I got caught up snuggling him instead and promptly forgot.

Here’s the list:

• This household isn’t usually a soup eating one. But I think this cauliflower soup might sway us.
• Megan made a chocolate salami and instantly made me miss Italy more than I do on a daily basis.
• My mom recently gave me a crockpot (thanks mom!).  Should this BBQ chicken be the reason I break it out? I think yes.
• A DIY on how to wear your dresses as skirts and tops.  With Fall here I think this is important because I always have cute summer dresses that would make great fall skirts with a sweater but I never knew how to work it.  I do now.
• Tender cornbread is one of my one true loves. Can’t wait to try Andrea’s version.
• How to style a hair bow. Cute. Overload.
• Make your own microwave popcorn.  Genius.
• Dear Personal Projects that Don’t Die Even Though Neglected 

Hello, Readers.

Today I find myself, as I’m sure most of the world is, reflecting on 2009. Without a doubt 2009 is the year I’ve spent the most consecutive time with my husband. That alone makes it the best year to date. While it hasn’t been as world shaking as 2006 (I graduated college, got married, moved to Italy and started my first job), I’ve had so many more adventures and experienced more things than I ever thought that a little girl born in Wichita, Kansas, would ever live to see.

Some 2009 highlights:

I got high-speed, wireless internet (lived without for 3 years)
5th visit to Rome
My first visit to France
I fell in love with Dusseldorf
I became a commander’s wife
Saw my first rugby match
Went to Oktoberfest
Said goodbye to my husband for the second time

And resolutions? I don’t think I really have any this year. I do think I’m going to try to spend a little less time on Twitter and a little more time creating. Creating in all ways: cooking, writing, crafting, learning, stretching, conversing, creating more balance.

Now that I type it out that acutally looks like one of the biggest resolutions I’ve ever made.

Goodbye, 2009, you’ve been so good to me. Arrivederci!