Loving Europe.

I will admit, most years I start getting the itch to head back to Europe by the end of the summer. This year, I wasn't really that excited to head back. The thought of traveling with a newborn and adjusting to life overseas without family nearby didn't sound terribly thrilling. Now that I am here though, I am enjoying our relaxed lifestyle once again. Yes, it is hard to be so far away, but I must focus on what I like about life here as this will be but a brief moment in our lives in the whole scheme of things.

What am I loving right now? European coffee. And pastries. And Vla. Fresh bread and delicious cheese. Chatting with friends over one euro breakfasts at Ikea. The new fall line at H&M.

John and I went on a date last Friday night. It felt good to get out and intentionally spend time with just the two of us. (Well, Kaleb was with us, but already in his jammies and sleeping by the time we got there.) It was a perfect evening with the sun setting as we arrived at a local restaurant on the lake.



The host recognized John, introduced himself and led us back to a table with a view of the lake and outdoor patio. We enjoyed cafe lattes and desserts, mine complete with a homemade crust topped with marscarpone and fresh blackberries with lemon sorbet on the side.





The next morning was game day, thus we headed outside to an outdoor court for John to get some shots up. There is a trail through the field behind us which links up to biking/jogging paths. At one point in the morning John exclaimed, "I kind of like the country." Ha! The smell reminded me of my days spent on my grandparents farm, bringing back many good memories.

Does anyone else find this strange though? Bulls that appear to be able to escape at any given moment. Not going to lie, kind of freaked me out. Yet I took a picture of Kaleb with them anyway. I figure there must be good reason behind them not being gated in.



I am hoping that this flooring serves a purpose of keeping them where they belong...



because I wouldn't want to meet up with one of these creatures "head on."



Alas, John finally got his shots up before game time. I alternated between rebounding and checking on Kaleb until he finally got hungry and I found a bench "courtside" to feed him.







We did manage to get a good laugh in when we saw a horse strolling by. How bizarre. Oh, and we also saw a lady pushing her daughter in a jogging stroller while rollerblading. Talk about talented.



Our apartment is finally starting to feel more like a home. We had a painter in here last week and a flooring company in here yesterday. I felt as if I might go crazy with the mess, but it is worth it in the end. Funny how a messy house often makes me feel as if my whole life is in disarray. Not that is is always clean... but I can only handle the disorder for so long.

I guess that is how life in general is. When one thing is out of balance it often feels as though it spills over into the other areas as well. The more hats we wear, the more of a balancing act it becomes. I have already found I struggle most with wearing a "mom" and a "wife" hat. Right now Kaleb demands so much attention that I feel a tendency to neglect my husband in the process. It is only getting easier and easier though and thankfully John and I make a pretty good team. I am feeling a bit more rested with each day, especially since Kaleb has started sleeping eight hour stretches at a time at night. What a good little boy. Now if only I'd start going to sleep when he did....