Kidd's Ring

Week 14

2012-02-02T17:28:00.000+01:00

...still feeling sick.
...still throwing up about once a day, some days twice.
...a bit more energy, but still taking long naps.
...wondering when I will keep all my food down.
...please calm down soon, baby!
...hoping the baby is getting all he or she needs.
...praying to feel better soon!
...very much looking forward to a week off of school next to just relax and be away!!

Big news

2012-01-23T20:00:00.001+01:00

It's time to announce that Felix and I will be joined by a third party sometime late July. I am 13 weeks pregnant and we are very excited about this little baby!! This first trimester has been quite rough - thus the lack of blogging. I haven't felt up for writing or taking pictures, nor have I had much to write about besides being tired, feeling very nauseous, and taking frequent uncomfortable trips to the bathroom. I'm hoping this week or the next will take a turn for the better. Felix has been taken such great care of me. I couldn't ask for a better husband! I am truly blessed!!

We had our 3rd doctor visit today. The baby was soo active - kicking and moving the little arms and legs!! It was so precious to see. This is all such a miracle!! We'll have to wait a bit longer to find out what we are having, so either the purple boots will be perfect or they'll have to wait for another baby to come along. I'm quite curious to see if this is the 6th granddaughter on my side of the family or the first grandson. We just pray for a healthy and strong baby.

I'll try my very best to keep updates going on here on how the baby bump develops. And hopefully, my blogging will become a bit more consistent, once I'm not spending quite so much time on the couch and losing my meals.

So there you have it! I can't wait to see what these next months hold for us and to meet this little one!! It's such an exciting time of life.

So sorry

2012-01-13T16:32:00.000+01:00

Dear Blogging World,

I'm so sorry that I've been such a slacker. I can't even explain it. I guess life has been a bit slower and there doesn't seem like there is much to report. Please forgive the lack of blogging. I promise that it will pick up. Maybe we're just stuck in the deep winter phase of life ... I will try my best to get better at being faithful.

In the meantime time for a fun read, pop over to my friend, Jess' blog, and read about the English language. It's quick amusing!

Thanks for keeping up with us Rings! :)

long time no read

2011-12-21T18:02:00.001+01:00

Sorry for kinda disappearing off the face of blogworld. November was a fun picture month, but it also left me a bit weary of blogging. December has been so busy with Christmas parties and school events. Tomorrow is our last day of school and I couldn't be more happy!

Felix and I will be flying to Germany tomorrow evening and spend Christmas with my family. He'll be returning on the 28th (one of us has to be the bread winner) and I'll stay until January 5th. Sadly, we won't be together to celebrate the New Year, but I will get to see my brother and his family who are coming on the 31st from California...so I have mixed feelings about it all.

Right around Thanksgiving, I got this super sweet letter from one of my students. I asked her if her teacher helped her with it and she said no. I love how I am the queen in the middle with a crown on my head! She even put everybody in their correct seat in my classroom!

I hope each of you has a very Merry Christmas remembering the true meaning of Christmas. I've been reminded again this year how great the gift of Christ is and how much He had to give up for you and me. His love for us is so overwhelming! Take time to reflect on that this season!

Day 30 - Self Portrait

2011-12-04T15:10:00.000+01:00

To end our the photo challenge month, a self portrait picture was to be taken. I know this is super late...I got a bit busy with life and then didn't really want to take a self potrait...sometimes I feel funny taking those alone. But today I've finally decided I've got a few minutes and while I'm at my computer, I'll just snap a quick picture with the webcam (cheating...perhaps a bit!) oh well ...

This has been a fun month. I've enjoyed finding things to be thankful for and sharing my life with you. It is a bit of relief though not to have to worry if I brought my camera though! :)
Well, now it's off to our church Christmas party!
Happy 2nd Advent everybody!

Day 29 - Light

2011-11-29T17:58:00.001+01:00

Light

I love all the lights at Christmas time {well, minus the honky-tonk lights - as my family calls them}.

I love candles, especially the ones on the Advent wreath.

I love white lights on a Christmas tree.

I love all our little candle decorations that we have for Christmas.

The atmosphere with all those lights is just ... magical!

{You should see the lights from downtown at this time of year - here's a sneak peak.}

Day 28 - Nighttime

2011-11-28T20:30:00.000+01:00

So nighttime pictures are hard to take... especially when it's super cold out. I tried to take one out of our bedroom window and they are all like this:

But I still think it's kinda cool. I love all the lights we can see from the train and subway bridge. Sometimes there's fun lights from ships floating down the river, too. We have such a beautiful view (at least from one the side of our apartment!) :). I am so thankful for our wonderful little home!

Day 27 - Daily Routine

2011-11-27T16:50:00.001+01:00

Part of my daily routine is waiting for public transportation.

I am thankful for the monitors that show how long I will have to wait {usually they are right}.

I am also thankful for the frequency of the public transportation here.

Day 26 - Transportation

2011-11-26T21:11:00.001+01:00

Living in Vienna helps you really appreciate public transportation. I'm so thankful for the great system they have set up here. One of the greatest things is how easy it is to figure out!

Day 25 - Artwork

2011-11-25T09:36:00.001+01:00

- Artwork -

A while back, we finally figured out something we would like to put on one of our empty walls. Yesterday, it finally came! I was hoping it would be here before our Thanksgiving dinner guests came and it just barely made it. Felix was actually still working on it when the first guests trickled in.

I really like it ... the white and green are such a great combo.

Day 24 - Gratitude

2011-11-24T23:06:00.001+01:00

There is so much to be thankful for.

But today I'm especially thankful for the Thanksgiving Dinner with Rings and Kidds.

I'm very grateful for my parents being able to come visit.

I'm grateful for my mom's kitchen help and my dad's dish washing skills! :)

I'm grateful for a wonderful husband and a new family to share an American Thanksgiving with!

I am so very blessed...

today was the first time that we had 11 people around our table! so fun!!

Thanksgiving Turkey

2011-11-23T15:58:00.001+01:00

This little guy is waiting in our fridge to be cooked up and eaten tomorrow. Thank you, Merkur, for having one of these ... especially for having one w/ a bow on it and a sticker that wishes us a Happy Thanksgiving! The bow really makes me laugh! How very thoughtful of them!!

Well, the kitchen is calling my mom's and my name ... time to get to work on some preparations for the big day tomorrow!

Day 23 - In Your Closet

2011-11-23T15:51:00.002+01:00

This is such a great thing to have in my closet. It holds scarves quite nicely and helps give a nice overview of what you have and what might fit best with today's outfit. Gotta love Ikea!

Day 22 - Clothing

2011-11-23T15:51:00.000+01:00

Last night we got on some of our best clothes to go to a fancy gala dinner that our school put on to celebrate its 25th anniversary. We don't get to dress up like this very often, so it was kinda fun, but quite chilly ...

Day 21 - Where You Sleep

2011-11-21T21:22:00.000+01:00

Where we sleep will change tomorrow night, because my parents are coming to visit us!! We are giving them our cozy bed and taking the air mattress in our spare room. It's funny that we will sleep in a room we've never slept in, but many guests have.

I am so excited about my parents visits and I've enjoyed getting things ready for the visit and preparing the place where they will sleep! :)

The amazing thing about this place to sleep is that it blows up electronically and it takes less than 3 minutes! It's incredible!! The only pain is folding it up and finding a place to store the huge monster...

Day 20 - Seasonal

2011-11-20T15:51:00.000+01:00

These are pretty season! :)

This year I've come to really love the Fall. I've enjoyed all the pumpkin things and I'm a little bit sad that it's almost gone. But I'm thankful for the fall, the beautiful colors and flavors God has given us.

Day 19 - Best Friend(s)

2011-11-19T17:13:00.000+01:00

Best Friends
God has blessed me with so many wonderful friendships: from my days in German schools to college (both Word of Life and Liberty), from student teaching to teaching in Portugal and now Vienna. I cherish and love my friendship with my husband and he's one of my best friends, but there is another friendship that I want to dedicate today's blog to.

God has blessed me with two big sisters and a special connection between all three of us. I am so thankful for the friendship I share with my sisters. I am so blessed to have my sisters be my best friends. We have experienced so many wonderful and sometimes tough things together. They are always there for me, no matter what I may need - advice, a laugh, tips, recipes, hugs, encouragement or someone to laugh at me. :) I cherish every time we can be together. I wish it could be more, but that ocean between us makes visits trickier (and expensive). I cannot wait until I get to see them again.

Here are some quotes that express a bit more how I feel about my sisters:

How do you people make it through life without a sister? - Sara Corpening

Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there. - Amy Li

Sisters don't need words. They have perfected a language of snarls and smiles and frowns and winks...expressions of shocked surprise and incredulity and disbelief. Sniffs and snorts and gasps and sighs...that can undermine any tale your telling. - Pam Brown

There's a special kind of freedom sisters enjoy. Freedom to share innermost thoughts, to ask a favor, to show their true feelings. The freedom to simply be themselves. - Anonymous

This last one is my favorite. It says exactly how I feel about my sisters. I love how we can just be ourselves together! My sisters are a special gift from God and I am so very thankful for this gift!


I couldn't take a picture today, so I picked one from the summer I got married. This picture includes two babies, yet to be born! :)

Day 18 - Something New

2011-11-18T15:16:00.001+01:00

This week has had lots of fog. Today was the first day where there was something new - no fog, just overcast skies. Then later on during the day, the sun actually came out and greeted us! Sadly, I couldn't get a picture or actually get out in it, but was still nonetheless!

So here's my something new that I saw on the way to work from the train window:

Day 17 - Memories

2011-11-17T20:38:00.001+01:00

Memories.

How do you take a picture of Memories?

I have so many wonderful ones.

Family vacations in wonderful places, with an amazing trip planner Dad.

My little brother being born.

Grandparents coming to visit us in Germany.

Our rabbits.

Laughs and late night talks with sisters.

The Kidd family hamburger nights.

Christmas markets.

Graduating from high school and college.

Watching my siblings become parents.

Conversations with family that have helped shaped my life to where I am now.

Loving on my sweet nieces.

Visiting and living in many countries.

Working in a Christian school.

Building deep friendships.

Meeting my amazing husband.

Getting married!

I have so many wonderful memories! This list could go on and on.

When I left the States to student teach in South Korea, my sweet sisters got together and gave me a wonderful gift. They gave me a photo album filled with tons of memories from our lives and lots of old pictures and some recent ones. It was such a sweet way to share our memories together ... to laugh and cry ... I cherish the memories I have with my wonderful family, from the ones with the grandparents to cousins to aunts and uncles to my siblings to my parents and now my husband! I am so very blessed. I am so extremely thankful for the wonderful family God gave me!!

Here's a picture and one of the many funny things written in the photo album:

Day 16 - Animals

2011-11-15T18:02:00.001+01:00

....Animals...

I don't really see them much during the day. I do see dogs being taken on walks and ravens on occasion, but sadly that's it! Usually, there's one particular dog that one class sees with me almost every day. We've even named the dog. However, we haven't seen the dog all week....so these animals will have to do:

Today I even saw a bunch of birds flying by as I walked away from school, but I wasn't able to get a picture of them. It reminded of me this post.

Day 15 - Technology

2011-11-15T17:53:00.001+01:00

Deciding what to take a picture of today was super easy.

There is one piece of technology that I am very thankful for.

I am so thankful for computers (esp. laptops) and internet.

It makes the distance between family and friends seem so much less.

Although it's cruel when you skype and can't touch the people (especially my nieces) on the other end!

But I am so thankful that I can use the internet to keep up with my loved ones far away.

Plus I really enjoy blogging.
Not to mention my love for pinterest and facebook!

Day 14 - Movement

2011-11-14T14:28:00.001+01:00

Movement....an easy one when you are working with kids. Here is a moving shot of my Primary (Kindergarten) class. There is always LOTS of moving in that class. They were really excited that they got to move a bit more than normal for the picture! :)

Day 13 - Written Words

2011-11-13T14:50:00.001+01:00

Written words.

What better to take a picture of than our canvas guestbook that we had at our wedding.

Filled with lovely wishes and thoughts.

Lots of colors.

Much joy.

Cute little pictures.

All to remember our wonderful wedding day.

Day 12 - Hands

2011-11-12T15:27:00.001+01:00

I love this right hand.

I love how this hand:

...is so helpful around our apartment...

...rubs my back...

...holds my hand...

...carries my heavy suitcases...

...goes grocery shopping...

...washes dishes...

...flippes pancakes...

...tuckes me with a blanket when I'm cold...

I love this hand and his partner left hand!!

Day 11 - Something Old

2011-11-11T17:06:00.001+01:00

I kept wondering what I could take a picture of that is old and I just couldn't come up with anything. I didn't have time to hunt down something downtown ... I thought about things in our apartment and couldn't come up with anything old. But then tonight I had the most fabulous idea!! :)

When I thought of old, I thought of my beloved Grandaddy who lived to be 95 years old. He was such a special man. Us, grandkids, had so much fun with him! He got a pool basically just for the grandkids (and we couldn't use it that often, because we didn't go to the States but every few years). He played croquet with us whenever we came. Often he preferred goofing off with us instead of taking part of the adult conversations! I miss hearing his laugh and his wonderful stories. I miss hearing his little sayings, like "Oh boy!" and his little observant comments that he always had...he would surprise us with his remarks even in the final months. I still miss him. One of the hardest things is that Felix was never able to meet him. We had planned to visit in July and sadly, he passed away in the end of April. He left a legacy behind though. He taught us a lot about loving the Lord and serving Him with all your heart. He taught us how to be hard workers and care for your family. He was a great example of a godly man.

--------------

But back to the picture of the day ... when he died, our uncle sent out an email of various things that he had from our Grandaddy. One of those things was a hand bell that Grandaddy's dad used to call the cows for milking and feeding. I thought it would be fun to take that bell and have a reminder of Grandaddy and his legacy. So here is the bell ... who knows how old it is ... 80 some odd years ... or more. And MAN is it loud!

What's the oldest thing you have in your house??

Day 10 - Nature

2011-11-10T22:00:00.001+01:00

So today I was kinda inside almost all day, minus walking to the subway and work and a few errands, so I'm going to have to cheat a bit and take a picture I took a while back in October.

Thanks go to Jess for letting me use her camera! :)

Day 9 - Inspiring Person

2011-11-09T21:14:00.001+01:00

Today's theme is an inspiring person. Not an easy thing ... there are lots of great people that inspire me. But there's one in particular that has helped inspire me especially in regards to photography and since this a photo challenge, it seems rather fitting!

She inspires me to capture moments in life on camera.

She inspires me to be creative with photography.

But more importantly, she inspires me to walk closely with the Lord even when life is not easy.

She inspires me to use my talents and gifts.

She inspires me to share love with others.

She's just an inspiration all around!

Day 8 - Favorite Color

2011-11-08T20:28:00.001+01:00

Today's challenge was favorite color. For me, this isn't always an easy thing to decide. I love colors! I have a few that I love especially, but I guess I would have to say that right now green is my favorite and pink is close behind. I took a few pictures of green things today ...

Green is such an alive and happy color. When I suggested green for a few of our walls in our living/dining/kitchen room (which is one quite large room), I think Felix was hesitant at first. And I wasn't sure what it would actually turn out like either, but now that we have it and have some furniture that matches it super, we LOVE it. We get lots of comments about the green, too.

I love green!!

Day 7 - Something Funny

2011-11-07T20:37:00.002+01:00

Today's theme is something funny ... I really wish I had my camera or the guts to take a picture of what I saw on Saturday. It was pretty priceless. Picture this: a young lady ... with a sombrero, a red clown nose, a loud red coat with random things sewed onto it (like balloons, ducks, and I can't remember all the other silly things) and a suitcase. Is she going to the airport and actually traveling in this swell getup? Will she be going to the hospital to cheer up the patients? Does she have a guest appearance at a child's birthday party later on in the day? Did she lose a bet and have to wear that outfit all day? I don't know ... never will ... which is a real shame. But man do I wish I had a picture of her.

I did say I wanted to take pictures of the day ... so here are pictures of something funny from today.

This dashing young lad loves suits! It's funny to me that a 2nd grader loves to dress sharp! He wears them the majority of the week ... so funny!

My other sweet niece made me laugh over skype today ... she mimicked my cough, said byebye long before the conversation was over and points to things with her middle finger! She is definitely a funny one ... constantly on the move ... sneaking up the computer screen trying to give me something or just get close to me. I love that we can play over skype! I sure do miss you, little one!

What funny things have you seen today??

Murmuration

2011-11-07T19:55:00.000+01:00

This video is incredible ... a murmuration of starlings

...it's just like fish would swim around...

Wow! God's creation is so amazing!

30 Day Gratitude Photo Challenge

2011-11-06T16:16:00.000+01:00

Some friends of mine living here in Vienna and Budapest are doing a 30 day gratitude photo challenge. I thought it would be fun to join in. You can see more about it by going here. I think I'll cheat by uploading pictures that aren't actually taken on the day to cover the past few days ... and then I'll do things correctly and follow the actual days.

Day 1 - Favorite Food ... I like all kinds of food! Today we had a crockpot meal and it was sooo tasty. So here's a picture of our lunch...here's the recipe.

Day 2 - Smile ... I love my little nieces and this summer I was able to see this smile very often. I love a toothless smile/laugh like this. It's definitely a favorite! I miss my little nieces and am very thankful for them.

Day 3 - Happiness ... Happiness is walking on the beach and having your toes feel the ocean ...

Day 4 - Leaves ... I love fall leaves especially ones in Prague! :)

Day 5 - Morning Sky ... this one is a bit older than the rest, but it's a beautiful morning sky on a flight back to Vienna.

Day 6 - Books ... I love children's book. I started my collection long before getting married and I love adding new ones.

pictures

2011-11-06T14:39:00.000+01:00

Here are some of my favorite pictures from Prague:

the city

HUGE church

i love the colors here

we climbed to the top!

love him!!

i love this picture!!!

beautiful fall colors

Wouldn't this be a great place to just sit and read and soak in life?!

Fall

2011-11-04T13:05:00.000+01:00

This is so true ... why are there already Christmas decorations up the end of October?

I love Christmas, but for some reason especially this year, I want to hold off a bit and enjoy fall a bit longer. Felix was surprised when I told him this. This year I've really come to appreciate fall and everything that comes with it. I wish I had some more fall decorations, but there really isn't much time or a lot of extra money for that right now. Maybe one day.

Remember how we went to the Apfelhof a few weeks ago? We bought a spaghetti squash that has been patiently waiting to be cooked up and eaten. Last night, I finally got around to doing something with it. I googled recipes and found one that looked tasty. Here is the result:

First I boiled water for the squash and then let it boil away for several minutes.

Then I had to chop up lots of veggies and cook them up.

After the squash was done, I scraped out the insides and it looked like this:

Then I mixed the squash with the veggies, marinara sauce and parmesan and placed it back into the squash.

Next, I topped it with cheese and more marinara sauce and then baked it for another 20 min.

It was tasty enough ... not my favorite recipe ever, but still good. Felix hasn't had it yet ... tonight we'll eat the leftovers and I'm curious to hear what he thinks about it.

Pinterest inspired me yet again ... I decided to make a Fall wreath for our door. I really, really wanted something Fall-ish for Thanksgiving when my parents and Felix's family come over. I know I still have some time, but I'm glad that I got it done! Thanks go to Amanda and Carrie for giving me fabric and pinking sheers!

close up view

What do you have on your door this fall?