Fasching

We have been celebrating Fasching over the last couple of days. Eating fastelavnsboller, the Danish equivalent of Krapfen with Danish and German friends, and today Silja celebrated the festivities in Kindergarten dressed up as a little lamb -- very Icelandic.

Today we have settled where we will stay in Boston until the end of August. Turns out we will have a garden over the summer. Oh yeah!

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Prosit Neujahr!

This was our first new year celebration in Vienna, and turns out we were pretty clueless on Austrian new year's traditions. We went for a walk in the city center at noon to find the city full of Silvester stalls, where the most prominent items were pigs in all shapes and sizes, apparently a symbol of fortune and wealth. We spent the evening at home, dressed to the best and lots of great food lined up; unfortunately I have been down with the flu since coming back from Denmark, which sadly made all the food and Bjarni's killer margaritas less appealing. I ended up back in my PJs under a blanket, where I could giggle at Silja, who woke up again before midnight from all the fire crackers, dancing around with Bjarni to DJ Ötzi (remember him?!) that was on the Austrian national channel. It's just not a proper new year's party without some dancing...

A happy and prosperous 2012 to you!

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Jul

We spent Christmas in Denmark, and it went by way too fast, the way it often is with vacations. Silja had a blast hanging out with all her many big and small cousins, and I suppose that was the greatest gift for me this time around. Somebody need to invent a travel machine, so it's possible to go instantly back and forth between places: Snap we are Vienna, snap checking in for coffee in Fredericia and snap dinner with the grand parents in Reykjavik... Imagine that. Till that is taken care of, we'll continue to treasure those kinds of moments with extra care as they are long in between for us.

Due to the upcoming craziness of thesis deadline, packing and moving us and our stuff halfway across the world, this trip was more quiet than usual (I didn't see any old friends as I normally do, but we are coming back in April on our way to Boston, and count me in for a date then if you happen to read this!) but it was great with a little breather.

We came back to Wien late last night with a little one who started throwing up in the middle of the night, a messy apartment, a library late fee and stacks of papers waiting to be 'dealt with'. Bvaah. Every day life again -- which is not that bad after all, it's just the transition from fun days together with dear ones to that everyday jumble. We have spent the day scrubbing the place down, which all of a sudden has a strange temporary feel to it now that we are past Christmas. We got three months left in Vienna.

A very belated merry Christmas to you. Glædelig jul/Gleðileg Jól!

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And so it begins

My christmas mood has steadily been building up over the past couple of weeks, and although it's a bit sooner than when I usually allow myself to start, I pulled the box with Christmas decorations out this weekend, and welcomed little nisser, angels and glitter to our home. And my Christmas happy self was very pleased to attend the Swedish Christmas bazaar this weekend, where we enjoyed Glögg and the Lucia procession with beautiful Swedish music in company with new Danish/German friends. (I love the Swedish language, and wish I was not so hopelessly bad in understanding it).

Happy first of advent.

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30

I turned 30 this past Friday and had the most fantastic day. I had to take Silja for a check-up and a vaccination at the pediatrician in the morning, and when we came back an hour later I was surprised by my sisters, my dad and Karen, who were standing outside our front door singing and waving flags. They had come by plane early in the morning and neither Bjarni nor I had any clue they were going to casually "stop by". Talk about a (GOOD) surprise! In the evening friends came over for homemade sushi, and I enjoyed having a lot of people over, something that happens (too) rarely now because of a baby. Saturday was spent in the city showing my family as much as possible of Vienna, before they traveled back home again. Today - three days later - I still receive the sweetest birthday surprises in the mail from Denmark with funny old pictures and cool presents. I'm one lucky lady, and there are no painful feelings connected to entering a new decade. I'm right where I want to be in life with those I love, and I can't wait to see what this new decade will bring to me and to us. Cheers to the 30's!

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Happy New Year from Iceland

I hope you entered 2011 with proper celebration. We spent the night at Bjarni's parents, who always throw a big new year's party for friends and relatives.

Our trip is soon coming to an end and we are enjoying a couple of quiet days before traveling back to Vienna. We made it up north to the grandparents, met old friends, had the obligatory hot dogs from this place, as well Icelandic lamb and fish. What is still missing is my favorite ice cream (bragðarefur!) and some paper work for Silja, who by the way is her usual content and happy self up here, so we take that as a sign that she likes Iceland.

The past weeks' traveling and a baby have not given much time to reminisce about 2010, but of course this past year stands out from any other, because of the arrival of our sweet little girl. I feel extremely and overwhelmingly lucky and happy because of that! 2011 will for us continue to be in Vienna and what will happen after that is completely up in the air. But no need to worry too much about that just yet. There is so much to enjoy right now. First off is the ice-cream...

Gleðilegt nytt ár / happy New Year!

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Christmas in Denmark

We had a wonderful WHITE Christmas in Denmark. As usual time went by way too fast, and I did not manage to see all of those I was hoping to see. Nevertheless it was great to hang out with the family, play with the nieces and nephews and eat a lot of (Danish) food. We left Denmark with even heavier suitcases than when we arrived, and are currently R E L A X I N G in Northern Iceland. We are on an equally tight schedule in Iceland, but Bjarni is down with a stomach flu, which has resulted in a small but much needed breather.

Pictures from our Danish Christmas days:

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Count Down

The countdown has begun for our holiday back home. We leave on Monday (the weather better behave!!) and can't wait to see everyone again. First stop is Denmark for the Christmas days, and then off to Iceland for New Years. This will be Silja's first trip to the land of ice and fire, and I know Bjarni can't wait to finally show her to relatives and friends up there.

Until Monday we will be busy with old friends visiting from Denmark. They were suppose to arrive two hours ago, but are currently waiting in transit due the crazy winter weather. So let's hope they are able to get here soon. I have been looking forward to their visit for long.

Some pictures from the past week, where the cosy Christmas gatherings and the stressful shopping really kicked in.

1. Christmas party with the Baby Club

2. Drinking Glühmost with sweet Kerry at the Christmas Market (Altes AKH)

3. Wrapping up presents (Little Miss Curious were done playing by herself and had to partake in the activities by the table.)

4. And this where I'm at right now: trying to figure out how the heck we are going to fit all our warm winter clothes, baby stuff and family Christmas presents into two suitcases and not exceed 2x20kg. Hmmm...

I'm not sure I will be able to post more in the following days. If not then HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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A Weekend of Celebrations

We had a super busy, but very nice weekend with good friends and LOTS of food. Saturday Michelle & Alex hosted a Thanksgiving dinner, where we stuffed ourselves with all the traditional Thanksgiving dishes. Good stuff! Thanksgiving is my favorite American holiday, and I'm happy and thankful we got to celebrate it even though we are now back in Europe.

Sunday was Bjarni's birthday and the first Sunday of Advent, so we invited his colleagues + spouses and kids over to celebrate both with waffles and glögg (mulled wine, Scandinavian style). When people left it had started snowing... Ayy, and that fits right into my growing Christmas mood.

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Happy Halloween

A picture from yesterday before heading to the big Halloween party with the baby club. There were sooo many adorable baby costumes. Unfortunately we didn't take any pictures.

In a little bit we are leaving for Italy. Arrivederci Vienna. Hello tiramisu, cappuccinos, pelligrino and pizza (- and by the way, I hope that when we return my knowledge on Italian cuisine is bit more nuanced..)

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