Cruising with Kids (part 2) - Oslo, Norway

These posts are taking a bit longer to get up than I had planned.  To see part 1 where I talked about our flights, day in Copenhagan and getting onto our boat here.

 

Our first port was in Oslo, Norway.  We were still pretty exhausted by the time change but rallied through as best we could.  We had decided on going on a Walking Tour of the city and it was so great to get to learn more about Oslo and Norway in general.

Pulling into port and getting to see all the Fjords was pretty cool.  We had our breakfast on the boat and I was so excited to see some black pudding in the buffet (I've been dreaming of it since our Scotland/Ireland trip back in 2014).  Unfortunately it was overcooked and a bit dry...big disappointment.

Then we got organized and met up with our walking tour group.  Our first stop was at the old Castle/Fort and it's just incredible how these European cities preserve their old buildings.

Dad of the year pushing the girls around in the stroller on very uneven ground - hard work!!

 One cool tidbit we learned was about the architecture in the city.  When a majority of the buildings were erected they were only 2-3 stories tall, then when the owners got more money or it changed owndership and they wanted to add more levels they just added them to the roof, which seems normal enough except they built the additions to go with the style of architecture of the day.  So when you're walking around the city you'll notice a big difference in the style of the buildings as your eye looks towards the top.

 

We happened upon their farmers market which has been meeting in the garden square for 100's of years.

Ever the plant lady I am, I was most fascinated with their florals and plantings.  Not pictured but of note, Finnley did well about half of the time in the stroller.  I then had to pull out the Ergo and do some wearing with her to keep her calm.  We did come fully prepared with snacks and drinks to keep the girls happy as we walked around the city.  For the most part they were both pretty compliant and we did have Ellie in a pull up as we were unsure what the bathroom breaks would be like.

The Palace right at the end of "Main Street".  There was no barricade, you could just walk right up to it.

Off to the museum.  There is great significance about this clock...but I can't remember what it was, just that I should take a picture of it.

And this girl was wiped out. She was such a trooper and did the best she could but in the end she just couldn't hang so we told our tour guide we were out and started heading back to the boat.

Ellie woke up on the way to the boat just as we were happening past a toy store so we popped in and I was in love with all the Pippi Longstocking items.  I loved her growing up and it was so fun to see that she is still relevant.  The girls had a blast running around the toy store and checking out all the Norwegian toys.  I tried to find a cute book but none of them were in English so I had to pass on that opportunity.  Once we were done in the toy store we walked through their "Food Festival" they were having but the only offerings were Indian and Asian and as much as I love those foods they weren't native Norwegian so we passed and decided to just eat on the boat.  I'm so sad because I really wanted to indulge is some food from Norway.

Beautiful views from our boat.

Rooftop pool (that was freezing) and jumbo movie screen.

We met my dad for dinner and Ellie was still all sorts of tired...so she did this for dinner.  It reminded me of the stories my mom told me from my first trip to Europe when I was in Kindergarten that I never made it to dinner and always fell asleep at the table before our food came! So I guess I can say Like Mother Like Daughter 😍

And that was the end of our first port day.  All in all I would say it was a fantastic start to our trip, and since we only chose to go on a 3 hour excursion it was perfect for helping us continue to adjust to the time difference.

♥ Ashley

Hello there Friday!! pillows, playhouse, bra's and more

Seriously how is it that March is nearly over?  Time is just flying by and is it possible to take a rain check on your own birthday?  Because I was coughing something miserable last week and totes didn't get to enjoy my birthday to it's fullest.  We still did most of the things we had planned and had ourselves a delicious Irish Meal (made by yours truly) with one of my besties but is it even legal to have your birthday when you're not feeling 100%?

In other news, we are about 17 weeks from little man joining our family and that means that I really need to start figuring out how to design a together room for the girls.  Ellie's room is the bigger of the two, so obviously they'll both be living in there.  Bunk beds are what make the most sense for their tiny space but I'm having the hardest time with the thought of parting ways (temporarily) with Ellie's vintage bedframe 😢.  While Ellie is more than willing to share a bed with  Finnley, I am just not sure how practical that is...

Anyways....on to this week's Five.

ONE

I've been on the fence about getting a pregnancy pillow but when I came across this one and figured I could use it for nursing as well I decided to go for it.  I actually got it on Amazon and with my free Prime shipping it was totally worth it.  I've been using it since it arrived and y'all I am a total convert. The real reason why I wasn't sure if I wanted to get one or not was because I wasn't sure how I was going to make my bed with it...but I decided I needed to put my vanity aside and just get the damn thing.  It's large and in charge and is perfect in every way (much like Mary Poppins) and I learned that I can just put it in the back behind all my pillows and none is the wiser its on the bed during the day.  I have a feeling this pillow is going to last way beyond the 17 weeks I have left of this pregnancy 😉.

TWO

I've been on a Netflix binge lately watching gardening shows. Love Your Garden and Big Dreams, Small Spaces.  Both of these shows actually take place in the UK so it's fun to listen to their accents and jargon but I'm just loving the inspiration they're giving me and it's taking everything in me to not grab a shovel (and my credit card) and not do all the things.  Because if there is one thing that gives me life it's my garden.  I've got all sorts of plans now and just want to get started but a garden is ever changing and never done so I'm just putting ideas on paper and will hopefully get a couple of them done this year.

THREE

It's spring time which means we're ready to start hanging outside more and both girls are one year older meaning they can play more independently outside.  This also means that we are ready to start work on our Playhouse makeover again (update 1, 2, 3). If you follow me on Pinterest be sure to check out my Playhouse board for all my inspiration.  We got to work on it a couple weekends ago and finally got the beadboard up on the ceiling!!! I have a couple more items to check off before we can start moving the girls toys and stuff inside and I'm hoping that we can make some headway on it this weekend!!  It's been a long process to convert this old chicken coop into a play space I feel is safe for the girls but I know that the end result is going to be amazing!!

Here's what is left:

 The Short List

* stain and install 2x4 beam along center of ceiling

* install trim boards on ceiling to cover board gaps

* caulk seams on ceiling boards

* paint ceiling/trim boards

* install linoleum flooring

* add baseboard

The Long List

 * paint windows 

* add trim around windows

* add trim around doors

* finish building, painting and installing dutch door

* add beadboard wainscoting to back wall

* paint trim and wainscoting

* stain, build and install ladder to loft

* stain, build and install loft railing

*DECORATE!!

* paint exterior and trim

* remove old coop metal roof

* pour cement patio

* add picket fence around patio

* build, paint and install flower boxes for windows

Y'all I know I'm crazy but I just can't help myself.  The more we get done and the more inspiration I get the more I want to do to this cute little space that I hope the girls will love for years to come.

FOUR

With my ever growing boobs during this pregnancy, bra's have been super difficult.  I used to be able to go into the shop grab a cute bra in my size and buy it.  Since my girls have grown I had to go in to get resized and am in utter disbelief at what size I have to now look for, then the first bra I got didn't fit so well and rubbed me in the wrong places, so I returned it and tried out a new one which was a different brand and was much tighter around my rib cage making breathing uncomfortable so I exchanged it for a larger size and that seemed to make the difference.  Meanwhile I was contacted by Cake Maternity to try out a couple of their bras and not only do they fit well and can be used for nursing but they're super cute as well!!  Hooray for keeping my girls in check!!

FIVE

I went to my first Centering appointment this week and I have to tell you I was actually pretty excited about it.  Centering is basically group OB appointments.  I was intrigued when I found my midwife but then didn't think I would do it since the group they offered me was not ran by my midwife, but when I spoke to her about it she told me I could join her group even though my due date was a week off of the rest.  So I signed up and it was actually pretty fun.  Our appointments are 2 hours long, but we still get private time with our midwife to check out baby and then the rest of the time we get to talk about pregnancy related information and ask questions and share experiences with each other.   I am so looking forward to getting to go through this experience with a group of women and form some relationships as well. 

♥ Ashley

 

Things I'm Loving - kitchen edition

Today I wanted to share with you all the things that I am loving for the Kitchen!  Ever since we moved into our house (10 years ago) I have wanted to remodel the kitchen...we made the first big change back in 2010 and painted the oak cabinets white.  It really brightened up the space and modernized it but still leaves for some things to be desired.  We're entertaining the idea of an addition to our house or possibly moving in the next few years.  So I'm really unsure if I want to invest in a new kitchen when  we might be moving, how about let's leave it to some accessories to tide me over until we make a decision, shall we? ;)

Lately I am all about the natural elements.  Give me all the wood slices, marble, slate and a touch of metal and I am one happy camper.

I adore this cake stand because it combines two of my favorite things right now...marble and wood!!  Can't you just see it on the counter piled high with all sorts of baked goodies?  Try these butterhorns, they're delicious!

Trays are always just a great thing to have in the kitchen you can either lean them up against the backsplash or use them as a place to corral your countertop staples like salt, pepper, and oil.  I have a wood one (similar) I picked up at HomeGoods and I love it, and how about this agate one? use it for a touch of whimsy and elegance! If you're dreaming of adding a touch of marble to your kitchen (like I am because marble countertops are just not going to happen) this marble cutting board is on point or how about this awesome marble slab?  I actually have this and it has made a huge improvement on my pie crust abilities.  Or if you are really into both pick up this wood and marble board - the best of both!

I didn't know about spoon rests until I lived in an apartment in college (that was one of the only good experiences I had out of that...).  I actually have a mellamine one that has a beachy coral theme to it because back in the day I thought I wanted to have a coastal home on the farm...silly girl, but now I have found this wood and marble spoon rest and I can't stop thinking about it!!  I think it's time for an upgrade, don't you?

For all you coffee lovers please take a look at some of these goodies.  Up until a couple months ago we used to make our coffee with a French Press, I am loving this copper one, y'all it is seriously the best way to make coffee but I ran across this little diddy a Poor Over Coffee Drip and it looks so freaking cool.  I just want to have it out on my counter as a talking point for when guests come over ;)  I already have this mug tree but I'm loving it in white and then there is gold!!!  Not sure which color I want.

When it comes to pots and pans there are so many options out there.  But the one pan that I keep grabbing for time and again is my Cast Iron.  I have done a lot of reading on how to care for them and I might be using it all the time because it is always out on my stove top or in the oven drying out ;) They are seriously so versatile; you can fry, you can sear, you can bake or even take it outside over the fire!! Talk about getting your money's worth outta one of these! And when you find yourself doing as much frying and searing as I have been doing you're going to want to pick yourself up a splatter screen.  You just put it over the top of your pan and it helps keep all the splatter from getting all over your kitchen - cleaning lifesaver!! Since we are talking about fat and oil nothing ruins a soup or gravy like all that fat from the juices.  It's really a simple fix, a fat separator will do the trick.  I refuse to make (or eat) gravy without using one. 

If you didn't know I am also currently obsessed with copper lately.  It has such a fun modern vibe to it but it lends itself well to my farmhouse style I am trying to create in our home.  While these babies may not be out on display all that often they would get daily use in my house.  Our current measuring cups are from our wedding and have seen better days...so why not add some bling to my cooking and baking with some copper measuring cups? I am also really in love with these rectangular measuring spoons, I picked up my own set several months ago and I love how they can fit into all my spice jars.

I love the idea of storing all your pantry items in glass containers.  These weck jars are so beautiful and I can think of a dozen uses for them!  They are perfect for all those smaller items you pick up like baking soda, baking powder, or specialty salts and sugars!!  I am in desparate need of some new large storage jars for my flour and sugar.  I have tin ones that work great but I can't see how much I have left or tell which is which...getting  some new glass jars will solve my daily dilemma and since I use a lot of flour I am in need of some big jars.

We do a lot of hand washing in our house and I wouldn't be able to do it without this dish drying mat.  It cushions my more delicate dining items and soaks up the water effortlessly and it's a nice neutral color that it doesn't create an eyesore on my counter.  Before I picked this up (years ago) we would just use a dishtowel but it never did the job as well.  So do yourself (or your husband) a favor and pick one of these up.

♥ Ashley

Oh Boy it's Fri-Yay!!!! plans for my birthday, home decor and other updates

Friday is here which means we are at the very beginning of "Green Week" in celebration of my Birthday and St. Patrick's Day which is next Saturday!  So what we do is we dress in green every day to show our Irish Pride.  I'd love to see your green and how you celebrate.

ONE

Speaking of my birthday, I don't really have any big plans.  I'm turning 34, I'm pregnant, tired, and all I really want to do is take a nap!  We are heading out to lunch with my dad at a local Irish restaurant and then my BFF is coming over for dinner and cake (which I'm making).  I just want to spend the day with my family and hopefully getting a few projects crossed off the list.

TWO

We've got all our St. Patrick's Day decor up (see last year's decor) and I have a St. Patrick's Day station playing on Pandora through our Echo Dot.  She's so nice to have, but Ellie got to talking to her the other and claimed she was Thomas and began the Voice Recognition process...so now Alexa thinks that Thomas sounds like a 4 year old girl 😂.  Thankfully she's not set up to purchase anything for us so we're hopefully in the clear.  However, Ellie adores Alexa and is always telling me that Alexa's head is in the clouds!! Haha

THREE

We haven't done our St. Pat's Day art yet but I have big plans to get it done this weekend.  I always find myself stocking up on the 8x10 canvas at Michaels when they have a sale (I've got quite the collection now) so that the girls can get their paint on for the holidays.  My favorites are Valentines, St. Pats, and Christmas.  Just this year I decided to display their previous year's work in their rooms and Ellie is over the moon seeing her artwork up on the walls.  Finnley seems to be quite into the artwork as well and it's so fun to see what she comes up with.  We usually do shades of green and the girls tend to do more abstract art and then I go over it with a gold to give it some more holiday flare.

FOUR

This past month I've been getting paperwork together to sign Ellie up for Kindergarten!! Our home school district isn't the best so I had to do some extra steps to waiver her into a neighboring district...which means she's going to miss out on riding the school bus and not have neighborhood friends from school.  Which I'm totally used to since my parents sent me to private school and all my friends lived in a different city than I did.  It was so exciting to get the email that she was approved to waiver and then to do all the paperwork for Kindergarten.  She still has some improvements to make sure she is 100% Kindergarten ready (so I have a spot reserved for her preschool again) but I have high hopes that the next few months will prove to be full of growth for her.  I love the prospect of her going to Kindergarten for full days because I think its going to be so good for her, and bonus points she is so excited to go to Kinder, and it will be nice to have some one on one time with Finnley while the babe sleeps all day 🙏.

FIVE

Speaking of the babe, I know y'all are dying to learn the gender.  And today is the day I'm going to share it with you!!!  I've known for quite some time that I wanted Disney to play a part in our eventual pregnancy and I loved having the opportunity to make our pregnancy announcement from the parks.  

Now I get to do it again and have the help of Disney to announce the gender of our sweet little nugget!!  We found out the day before we left what we were having and I got to start my plan the minute our feet hit the ground in California.  Our first order of business was to get a balloon...but then we learned that with the construction they were doing in DL that the characters weren't out and about on Main Street USA and we'd have to visit them in their homes in ToonTown with a wait of over 90 minutes - not happening.  So I brainstormed and tried to come up with an alternative so we made our way to City Hall and picked up some buttons for the fam.  On day 3 of our visit the walls were down on Main Street and the character's were out!!  We donned our appropriate Mouse wear, brought the balloon and buttons with us.  We learned what time our Mouse of choice would be out and made sure to arrive before that so we could get in line.  While we were waiting...our balloon got loose and flew away!! I was distraught and pissed and went on a search for the balloon guy only to learn that they wouldn't be out for another SIX hours!!!  Thankfully one of the cast members went behind the scenes and was able to retrieve our beloved balloon just in time for our Mouse to come out!!  We were first in line and got some great shots! Enjoy!

Mickey noticed my button right away and was so congratulatory!  He made sure to make a big deal with both of the girls and it was just everything I had hoped!!  Even Finnley was on board and willing to interact with Mickey sans tears!!

So if you couldn't guess, we are having a BOY!!! the first (and quite possibly only) boy in Thomas family, immediate and extended.  We are over the moon to continue the Parsons legacy and to bring a whole new dynamic to family gatherings!  Ellie is super excited to have a brother and can't keep herself from telling anyone we come in contact with.  When we found out at the ultrasound she exclaimed "I always wanted a brother!!" Finnley gives the belly kisses on the daily and has absolutely no idea what happening.

♥ Ashley

in case you missed it:

Monday I posted the latest Bumpdate

Thursday I posted tips on guessing the gender