Week 44

Hello my friend!
I hope your week has been good. I've been at home from work this week too, but I'm starting to feel a bit better now so I took a little trip to town one of the days. I figured a good way to pamper myself was to freshen up my wardrobe a bit :) I bought two pairs of boots and some new shirt-tunics - which you can see in the photo, but I'm guessing you understand that :). I absolutely love shirt-tunics (I don't know if that's actually the right term for it but it's the best I could come up with), they're so comfortable and very practical. I love that they can be dressed up and dressed down as well. Today I wore one of them with black tights, my new pretty leather boots and a long pearl necklace and I felt very snazzy.
Another day this week I had a friend and her little baby boy over for a visit during the day, it was so lovely and cozy. We took a walk in the brisk weather and bought some mozzarella pizza that we had for lunch. While her son slept we drank coffee and chatted all afternoon. It was nice when he was awake too. I fed him banana slices and sniffed his hair, there's nothing like that sweet baby smell. I can imagine that you long for when you'll get to do that on your baby :)
Take care and have a great week Shanon!
xoxo
Moa

Hi Moa!
I hope you had a pleasant week. =)
This week I bought a big bag of Halloween candy and proclaimed that it was not for trick or treaters, but all for me! =) Well, I did share with Ben, but only the pieces that I didn't like. ; ) Is there any better way to share? Haha I think I nearly lived on Rollos for the week. Rollos are an American chocolate candy full of caramel.... Yuuuuuuuum!
I also finished up a book about two of Henry VIII's wives, Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard. It was historical fiction, and pretty entertaining. All the jewels and gowns... but the fear of death at every turn. I think I'd pass on the chance at power! =)
We had our first hard frost, so one morning I attempted to capture it for you. Now the last of my zinnias and snap dragons are gone, but for a brief moment they had a sugary look to them.
And now I'm reminded of Halloween candy again...
=)
xoxo,
Shanon

Week 43

Hello there!
I hope you're doing well! I've been really tired and have actually been at home this week, taking care of myself. I've been drinking lots and lots of tea and watched many movies, including some period drama movies that I've never had the time to see before. You know I'm a real Jane Austen-fan and I love period drama - I have many of the movies and mini-series that have been made. However I bought some other period dramas several months ago that I didn't know much about. I spent 5 hours watching a mini-series that ended up being both tragic and a bit boring. That made me promise myself to stick to watching the Austen-movies and mini-series that I have at home, then I know what I'm getting :) Martin always teases me for watching old stuff over and over again rather than seeing new movies. For me it's about the comfort of seeing something that I know will end well. I really dislike movies that end tragically and that just ends up making you feel sad and discomforted :)
I also took some walks this week. The weather has been really nice from time to time and we've also had our first snow this week which has been really cozy. This was from the day before the snow came so there were still some leaves visible. I just loved the warm sunlight here, it's something to remember once the winter comes :)
Have a happy week 43!
xoxo
Moa

Hello friend,
I hope you had a wonderful and cozy week!
My week was stressful because we had some prenatal tests come back worrisome. It threw us into a panic, but I will cut to the chase and say that all ended well and things are great. =) I said all along that it was probably only the first time of a lifetime of moments that this kid will cause us to be stressed, worried, and scared, only for things to turn out okay. Because that's what we do right? We worry our parents sick, while we go about life, finding our way. =)
We also got to see him this week! Yup, a HIM, a BOY! (But you already know that, since I couldn't keep it to myself and have already announced it. haha) It's funny, I kind of thought it was a girl, and one of my friends even remarked that she hadn't given any thought to it being anything other than a girl. We both were faked out! But on the plus side, his birthday will fall during March Madness, which you might remember is a big college basketball thing around our house, so he may enjoy that a little more than a girlie girl would. ; )
So, anyways. My postcard is from some gourds I picked up when we went grocery shopping this weekend. That is a treat, because usually a do it by myself, but Ben came with this time. And I'm just noticing that there are three of them. Three. Soon we'll be that many. That's kinda cool.
=)
xoxo,
Shanon

Week 42

Hi Shanon!
How has your week been? I was home sick from work a couple of days so I've mainly been taking it really easy. I watched a lot of movies and knitted some, which is a nice way to fill out the time when you're not well enough to leave your house.
This week's postcard shows some of the yarn I bought last time I visited our local yarn shop. These three yarn balls are so gorgeous (the photo really doesn't do the colours justice) and incredibly soft. It's a cashmere merino silk yarn and I'm going to use these for a pair of striped fingerless mittens that I'm going to begin knitting after I'm done with my present project which is a hat. I'm so excited, I think they'll be perfect for warming my fingers while I'm reading, knitting or reading blogs during the cold winter :)
Take care and I'll see you in week 43!
xoxo
Moa

Hiya Moa!
I hope things are well with you across the ocean. =)
This past week I was still trying to shake off my cold, and things got better toward the end of the week. Of course I still have the sniffles now, but I'm not going to aim high-- I'll just assume that part might just stay with me all winter.
On Thursday I had a doctor's appointment and Ben got off work early to come with me. He didn't need to, it was just a short blood test, but it was nice to have an afternoon "date" in the middle of the week. We did a little shopping afterward, mostly just perusing an art supplies store and the furniture and home good store called West Elm, which is where I got this owl. At first I was excited and said it was for the baby's room, but now it looks so good on the mantle, that the baby might have to fight me for it. ; )
The owl trend might be nothing new, but I'm so drawn to it lately. There is something kind, and wise, and warm about an owl. And this one is particularly sweet, don't you think?
Can't wait to see your postcard!
Xoxo,
Shanon

Week 41

Hi Shanon!
I hope you've had a great week. Mine has been kind of relaxed. Martin was away for a couple of days, so I got a flash-back to my days as a single woman :) I ate pizza two nights in a row and snuggled up under the blanket with tea and candy a lot. So actually things weren't that much different from when Martin is at home, except he has better character than me so we eat healthier food when he's at home :)
This weekend my sister and her husband came to visit us. It was the first time we saw them since August, so it was really nice. My sister and I planned a lot of knitting projects, she's a pro so I'm picking up many useful tips. Right now I'm starting on a hat that will be so cute, I can't wait until it's finished. Anway, we had a great time just relaxing, watching movies and playing Mah-Jong. One thing I love about having guests staying over are the long breakfasts. We ate lots of different yummy things and I finally got a good excuse to use the cute egg cups that we usually never bother with :)
Hope you'll have a great week 41 (Only 12 postcards left now, I can hardly believe it! I'm going to miss this so much when we're done).
xoxo
Moa

Hiya Moa!
My postcard comes from early last week. It's from where we had our a dinner date. On Monday, Ben and I celebrated the 16 year anniversary of the day we met. We went to different high schools, and we met one night after a volleyball game. I don't remember if he's school won or mine. I'm guessing his! His cousin was on their team and she was really good.
We met after the game in the hallway, where all the teenagers were hanging out on their way to the bus or to their cars. Some of my friends knew some of his friends, but at the time I don't think I really knew that. I just lost track of where my friends went, so I turned around and asked him, and made him help me go look! (He also offered to share some of his candy from the concession stand with me. THAT was the clincher! Haha)
I don't know why I was so adventurous and outgoing that night?! I remember getting ready after school before going to the game, and having the feeling that something was going to happen, that it was going to be a big night and something would change my life. If only those "psychic" feelings continued! Maybe I'd have won the lottery by now and be rich! Haha
So anyhow. We always celebrate the anniversary of that day. It's probably more important to me than the day we got married. It was the magic day that our paths crossed. It wasn't a day planned out or decided upon. It was just a day when something special happened. It reminds me of being young and hopeful, and up for anything.
=)
xoxo,
Shanon

Week 40

Hey there Shanon!
I'm still amazed at your piece of happy news from last week :) I just wanted to say congratulations once again!
The best part of this week was when my mom, her husband and their two cute dogs visited us. They actually surprised me a bit too, because they were supposed to arrive on Friday night but on Thursday night the doorbell rang and there they were. Paranoid as I am I never open the door without looking through the peephole and at first I didn't recognize them, because mom had put on a hat and had the hood of the jacket on. I wondered to myself if it was someone that wanted to sell something, but then my brain clicked into place and I realized who they were :)
We had a lovely time, relaxing and hanging out. They were really tired after working the entire week with cleaning out their summer house that has been sold. My grandpa built that summer house in the 1950's and we've spent a lot of time there during the years but we all live too far away to take care of it properly now. It's kind of sad to think that we don't have it in the family any more, but these kind of melancholic separations are a part of life I guess. My mom kindly gave me some old cups that have been there since way back and that I'm kind of attached to. I'll never use them for drinking coffee but I'll keep them as treasured memories.
I hope you'll have a great week!
xoxo
Moa

Hi dear Moa!
Can you believe that it is week 40? I had to double check. With 13 weeks left (yup, I had to count them, cause I assumed it would automatically be 12), I'm already looking forward to looking back on the year. I've thanked you a dozen times, and I'll thank you a dozen time more for doing this with me. =)
My favorite part of this week was the beginning of the blankets of leaves on the streets and sidewalks. The trees haven't even completely turned, but every day there are more and more leaves to step through, and I love it. In fact, one day, a single red maple leave made it's way all the way up to our top step, and when I opened the door and saw it, I actually said "Oh! Hello!" out loud. I'm quite dorky that way. ; )
This past weekend Ben had a friend and his dad come over to help tear down the walls and ceiling (and tear up the floor) of our basement, because we are redoing it. I felt like a nervous cat listening to all that work under my feet! I tried to keep busy by cooking for them and by heading out to buy tulip bulbs. I meant to plant them, but instead watched some Project Runway, and some other design shows, with my feet propped up. My hormones were working over-drive and anything remotely sad on tv brought on the waterworks! It's almost laughable how quick I can cry these days, and what triggers it. =) Awwwh, pregnancy. ; )
Happy week 40 to you my friend!
xoxo,
Shanon