Merry, Merry

Home Again, Home Again Jiggity Jig

{Loving my new puff jacket...I finally got one and feel like I fit in over here..plus, they are much warmer than my peacoats}

 I'm back home.  Or am I back from being home?  Being back 'home' made me realize how much Graz really has become home.  Catch that, homey?

I fit in so many visits, so much food in my expanded belly and I was wiped (in a good way) when it was time to return. Not enough photos were taken because my blog mind doesn't really exist when I'm back home.  I revert to my pre-blogger (PB) self. 

Day 2...a baby shower for a friend since elementary school.

Friends since 1st grade here, folks.  I don't know why Rachael is a head taller than all of us...not so in real life. 

Graz amidst bling cowboy boots and peppy cheerleader. 

Pops on a pallet.  I had to get a pic.  (Mind you it was probably not that cold outside but these wimps think it's bitter frosty.)

I got to be around Sam (my nephew) for a good 5 entertaining, darndest cute days.  He's grown so much since I last saw him.

And here's Ana and Ceci...first night with my birthday cupcakes....

...and Ana's birthday party at the roller rink. 

 

a night out with sisters, mom, aunt, grandmother and cousin.  Yummy beef medallions in my mouth.

I have never seen my sister cheer since I have been gone her senior year. (and entire junior year..yikes!)  Luckily, our high school was in the State playoffs, so extra pep rallys were had and I got to go and relive high school days and watch my baby sister cheer it up.

Mimi (mom) was there too.  She is that stick figure (yes, she's had seven children) on the right.

Had a blind blogger date with Christi (on the right) and our mutual friend, Annie. Christi, notice how we're both in our grey and white neutrals... ha!

Shopping with Sam and sisters.

Lunch with my girlfriends from my old job.

And, that's all I got for now.  There was a lot more action not caught on film, like my brother's college graduation (congrats Andy!), a brunch with an organization I used to work for (hi Carol and Judy!), being there when my sister Molly got her UT Plan II Honors acceptance letter (still so happy for you), long walks with a bestie (thanks for getting my buns in gear, Lou), a visit to my brother's great new house (it's wondey, Linds and Chris), meeting my friend's new baby (Libby knows her Aunt Coco now!) and lots and lots of good talks with friends, sisters, brothers and parents.  Thank you all for such a wonderful homecoming welcome and visit. 

{This post took me too long to formulate.  I am rusty!  Glad to be back on your computer screen and in your life.}

Tschüß!

(oh, how I missed you umlaut and scharfes S!)

Here!

gosh...already been here for a week. this was night one, which happened to be my 31st birthday.

i flew 11 hours, went through 85 customs lines, came up empty at the baggage claim, got picked for the random inspection (i think 1 out of every 50 people gets picked..and I didn't even have bags, you mutha beeps!) and sent to horrific room with one other confused guy and almost started crying i was so tired and so livid mad at lufthansa. (my bag ended up coming more than 48 hours later...ridic.)

mama bought me a new pair of shoes on the way back from the airport, borrowed some clothes from the sisters (thank goodness for 3 of those) and we had a little family celebration.

{aunt coco's back in service!}

I'm not gonna lie. I had jet lag issues for several days and was hating it, especially at night when it was time to see friends and I felt like I was gonna fall over on the table. 

And, I miss you blog world. And I miss my man and my pup back home. It's been a bit overwhelming this time. I've been gone for a year and half and I'm amazed at the amount of strip malls here. ha!

For those of you in Germany that offered your home in case of further delay, thank you! So nice to have friends in high (snowy) places! :)

Stuck

at the Frankfurt airport because of a delay on my first flight and missing my connecting flight to Houston.
 

I'm feeling about the same as that guy up there.

Next flight to Houston: tomorrow. Frankfurt Inn, here I come. Room service and new release American movies...come to mama.

Business Before Pleasure*

Finishing up some designs before I head home tomorrow.  Hoping the non-stop snowfall doesn't interfere with my plans...it best not.

{opening the bathroom window for a *very brief* moment of fresh air...someone is dying to be smothering herself in that goodness}

{Laura's having giveaway for a personalized set of stationery that you might want to enter}

* I find blog designing quite pleasurable and may even have a little withdrawal while I'm home!

Catch ya on the other side!

Aglow in Advent

I had to give you a little glimpse of Christmas Graz again this year...especially before I leave and probably neglect the blog somewhat.

Apologize for their graininess.  Of course I took these the day before the wondey snow came and really put the icing on the Christmas scene around here...literally.  If you want to see some better ones..check out Amber's.

Deck the Halls

The blog's got a little extra Christmas flair, and I tried to give our home some too...just a little before I head off to Houston.  I never want to spend or do a lot because we don't have the storage space nor will we want to move it with us when we go.  Found some cute wreaths at the local craft store and liked that I could use them every year (and that they were cheap):

Then nature cooperated this weekend and provided me with a wondey white backdrop!

{not sure how well you can see it, but we got about 5 - 6 inches of snow.} {my wreaths kinda look like dangling donuts in this pic.}

the pup LOVES snow.  We had to have a family outing.

A cute dad playing with his toddler daughter in the fresh snow.

A Trio of Thanksgiving Tables

Missing delicious Thanksgiving back home, but received pictures of three of my favorite Thanksgiving hostesses' tables via e-mail today. 

Mom:

{she said it may look like a cake, but it's really a dried wreath in there}

Aunt Melissa

my sister, Amy {hosting her husband's side of the fam}

Looking good, ladies.  

Happy Thanksgiving to all.  We have so much to be thankful for...not the least of which is people like you following along on this crazy blog!

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Prost!

Makin' a list {and some ornaments}

Ok, I thought my list would be much longer of things I needed to snatch up when I'm back home in the States.  Just goes to show how we humans adapt.  It is, however, not possible for the human psyche to adapt to life without Target, chocolate chips or cheap makeup. 

My list really should read:

FAMILY, FRIENDS, FAJITAS & FUN

because that's what's most important.  (you think I've hammered home the 'mexican food' point enough?)

Yesterday, I was on a mission to find an ornament representative of Graz for my Mom's tree.  And for my sister who requested one as well.  You'd think it'd be easy...nein.  I even took the dang lift up to the Schloßberg to check out the tiny souvenir shop up there only to find out it's shut down at this time of year.  

You give me a mission like this, and I will accomplish it.  I searched Christmas markets, fancy schmancy Austrian decor stores, cheap, crapper stores, etc.  Yeah, lots of pretty ornaments, but nothing that really represents Graz or Austria.  Sorta shocking.  

My mom's tree has an ornament for each of our colleges (5 different ones for 6 different kids..so far)  We even have one that looks like our cockapoo, a big ole American flag one and Texas ones.  Anyways, Graz must be represented too.

I finally came across these cute little clocktower figurines in a small handmade shop.  I stood there for far too long pondering how I could make these into ornaments.  Could Art use his dremmel to drill a hole in this tiny trinket?  Then the shoplady and I discussed the matter and she gave me my solution.  She was thinking "for the love of America, lady, you better buy something after staring at my stash for hours."

So klein.  So süß.  Just what I was looking for.

Some gold ribbon and some mega super glue and 4 sticky fingers later:

Uhrturm Ornaments!

She only had four or I would have gotten more.  I know everyone wants a clocktower on their tree.  

The lucky recipients will be:

- Mom

- Amy

- Marilia

- ourselves

And, now I have ruined your little surprise.  Hope you like it.

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving to all the Americans! How I miss it so.

deep thoughts from kris kringle

You know what one of my favorite parts of the day is?  The 20 minute tram ride to and from the gym. It's the one part of the day where I'm forced to just slow down, ride and reflect (without a computer in front of my face).  


{source}
I'm never jumping out the door around 5pm to go, especially at this time of year when it's already dark, but once I'm on my way, I'm in my zone.  In the past couple of months on most days, I've been sitting inside my house in front of my computer tweaking design details, modifying code, catching up with e-mails, etc.  Just to sit, ride and watch the little lives living in this quaint town through the window (while listening to David Gray, Counting Crows, Coldplay or something of the sort) is just wondey and sorta rejuvenating.  I feel like I'm back in the 'real world' and not living in la-la cyberworld anymore.  Seriously, I think it gets to you...I'm constantly communicating through e-mail, reading blogs, skyping...I mean..it starts to feel weird and you just need some real world time to breathe. 

Did you know that research shows that little breaks throughout the day (esp. accompanied with fresh air or a bit of exercise) help clear your mind for new ideas and better productivity?  Not shocking, but something we all forget to make ourselves do.  At least I do.  I get fixated on a minor detail in a design and can drive myself crazy trying to perfect it.  Art says he frequently wakes up in the middle of the night and an idea for his research comes to him.  My dad has said the exact same thing for years.  Why is this?  Because we've finally had a time to rest.  This could be a really good case for my once weekly afternoon snoozes from 1:30 - 3:00.  :)

My little tram rides are especially wonderful at this time of year because they are putting up all the red Christmas market stalls, lights, trees and carousels in preparation for the advent celebration all month long.  Christmas feels magical here.  And holy.  It probably feels that way to us partly because it's new and different from home, but I think anyone who's experienced Austria during Christmas time would agree.  Austria does Christmas right.   


{last Christmas}

Now, I will not be here for most of it, but I will be experiencing the magic where it's most familar.  I will get to see my mom's glorious, sparkly, perfect tree.  Nobody does a tree like my mama.  I get to see all the decor I've grown up with and that has changed over the years.  I get to have that annual discussion with the six siblings of whose stocking is the best.  I get to sit around and laugh, eat my mom's Candy Crackers, listen to my dad's Christmas CDs and be canty with all my siblings.  I won't be there for Christmas day, but it doesn't matter..it will still be Christmas time and the weeks before Christmas are really the best..in my opinion.


I actually have a picture from several years ago of the family stockings...the collection just grows over the years with new husbands, wives and babies. (Mine has been voted 'best' year after year..it's got 3-D Santa going down the chimney and it's sprinkled perfectly with sequins.  My mom made mine and almost all the other kids'.  Around kid 6 or 7, the stockings were bought from little old ladies.  Sorry, Molly...."made with love by Granny Greta" is on the back of yours.)

{and this doesn't do it justice bc the camera can't capture the bling sparkle bomb that is our tree, but here is the best tree in all the land.} 

'Tis the season, my friends...