I can't believe we leave for Europe in one week! I've packed nothing. Prepared little. But I don't care! In the past when I've traveled I've made big lists, checked things off, added things, stressed about things. This time around I would have expected to be an super planner since it's our first international trip with a baby but... instead I'm just feeling really mellow. I normally stress about the flight since I have major anxiety about flying, but this time I'm just choosing not to! I want this trip to feel like a walk in the park. We have our passports, the important things are booked. I'll pack some clothes and I'll probably forget a few things, I always do... but we'll figure it all out. I guess part of me feels like there is little I can control traveling with a tot so why bother trying to make it perfect and control it? I'm just planning to stay in the moment, go with the flow, and have the time of our lives. How lucky are we to get to take this trip? 
This week I took Gigi to the swimming pool. She's getting so big but the minute we get in the water she holds on tight, asks for help, and is a little timid. It reminds me how tiny she still is and, although I want her to be independent and brave, it makes me feel good knowing she trusts me so much and depends on me...
...there are times lately when I just stare at her and will myself to take every inch of her in. When she's sound asleep in her bed and I check on her. I put my face right next to hers and smell her sweet baby breath, rest my cheek against hers and try to memorize the way she is. With every inch she grown my heart bursts with joy. I can hardly put into words how much I love this little kiddo.
This last weekend I shot my next cooking video! This one was easier because it's a one dish meal. Last time I did a main course and a side! I had so much fun shooting it and I can't wait to share it with you!
I am so in love with my haircut! I had been thinking about starting to grow it out, but now that I've cut it super short I may keep it this way for awhile. It feels so great and I am happy to be getting back to my natural color. Dying it was fun but I'm definitely a blonde. 
We've been getting some Poppy time over the past couple of weeks and I LOVE it! Since Pops started school we missed her so much. You should see the way Gigi lights up when she is around. She squeels and yells, "PAH-PA!!!" She adores her and Poppy is so wonderful with her. Gigi is one lucky girl to have such an adoring "big sister".
I am happy.
August 2012
- August 03, 2012
On My Mind 8.3
- August 06, 2012
Transitioning to a Toddler Bed
Gigi sleeping soundly in her big girl bed.In preparation for our trip we decided to transition Gigi out of her crib and into a toddler bed/big girl bed. It's sounding like we have some travel cribs lined up during our vacation but we wanted to be prepared for whatever was available. This is my first time ever attempting to transition a baby out of a crib so I didn't know how it would go. I knew that it could be challenging and that it would involve establishing a firm boundary where the walls of the crib used to be. We have the Gulliver crib from Ikea which transitions really easily into a toddler bed. The front simply comes off leaving the crib mattress exposed, like a daybed. I opted to leave her bumper on as a little reminder where the edge of the bed used to be but once it's firmly established we'll take that off too. The first night she was thrilled/terrified. She climbed out twice and though it was so much fun... and I have to admit that hearing her little pitter patter down the hallway and hearing her giggle was kinda cute. But I wiped the smile off my face and laid her back down in bed. She only got up one more time... then came the tears. She was not happy to have her fun squashed, and she was a bit scared of her new un-surrounded surroundings. I went in a couple of times to calm her down and assure her that she was safe. It's now been almost 10 days and she fully respects the boundaries that we've established for her. When she wakes up in the morning or from naps she doesn't get out but calls for us and waits for us to come and get her. She has only fallen out once and she kind of stumbled towards the door where I simply turned her around and tucked her back into bed. The Gulliver crib/bed is so low to the ground I'm never worried about her hurting herself by falling.
I'm so happy that this transition has gone well. I think it will help as we travel around Europe because she won't be expecting to be enclosed. Now if only I could prepare for the jet-leg! - August 08, 2012
July Care Package
Last month I got a care package... well technically I won a great giveaway from Honey Kennedy. I know the idea behind this feature is to send a care package each month but I loved being the one to get a cool package this month. I have never won a giveaway and I am was so excited about winning this one. I love tea and drink it every day. I'm obsessed with PG Tips. Having a special teapot makes my morning tea just a bit more special. Thanks Jen for the lovely teapot, cups and tea!
Teapot and Latte Bowls from Schoolhouse Electric.p.s. I'll most likely be skipping the August Care Package since we're going to be gone the whole month!
- August 09, 2012
In the Details 8.9
We leave tomorrow for Sweden and Scotland! Everything is packed up, we are spending the day tying up loose ends and getting the house and kitty organized for our friends and family who will be staying here to take care of things. It's still kind of surreal that this trip is finally upon us. I can't wait to give my brother a big hug and settle into the Swedish countryside for a week. Then, we'll be in Scotland during the Fringe Festival and there will be lots to see and do with Gigi. That lucky girl will have many stamps in her passport before she turns two. I didn't get my first passport stamp until I was 18. I'll keep the blog updated during our trip!
Bon Voyage!
The photos...
Thin slice of golden beet.
Crayons stashed in an little tin.
Summer baby feet.
Caramel ice cream in an espresso cup.
Pretty kitty.
Daisies and my girl.
Beautiful sunset from our porch.
PB &J.
A tiny mouse on our walk.
*inspired by Bit + Pieces. - August 14, 2012
Hello from Sweden
We arrived in Dala-Järna, Sweden on the 11th and have been having a wonderful time. We spent our first evening meeting the lovely neighbors, eating a simple dinner, and heading to bed for some much needed sleep. Gigi didn't sleep on the flight except for maybe an hour long nap. She finally passed out when we landed in Sweden at about 4:00am U.S. time which means the little stinker stayed up all night long. Despite this, the flights were much easier than we anticipated. She watched some movies, colored, walked the aisles and was generally pretty happy. The timing actually worked our perfectly. She slept in the car for the four hour drive from Stockholm to Dala-Järna, got up and played with the neighbor kids, and went to bed at her normal bed time. She slept 12 hours and only woke up once in the night, nursed and went right back to sleep. We all recovered from the jet lag pretty quickly because we were able to get onto Swedish time right away.
There was a big air show here when we arrived so we spent our first day staring straight up into the sky. There were fighter jets, an F16, trick planes... it was pretty impressive.
The house that we're staying at is a sweet little farm. The boys that live here are working to make it into a working farm with a possible CSA kind of program. Gigi is in love with the chickens. She walks out to see them every chance she gets and says, "Hey bac-bac-bac-bac!!!"
I'm getting really excited about getting set up with chickens when we get home... well next Spring anyway. We've been so spoiled with farm eggs from our friends. It will be fun to get chicks and raise them. The life here is pretty sweet.
Gigi is also in love with her darling Uncle Ryan who, for some reason she has been calling Uncle Mow! I think she's means now? Even in her still waking state, or when she sits up in the middle of the night, the first words out of her mouth have been, "Uncle Mow? Uncle Mow? Oh, hi!" It's incredibly sweet.
...to be continued...
p.s. I've been taking lots of photos on Instagram. You can see my photos here or follow me // KacieCollection - August 14, 2012
A Breakfast. A Drive. An Anniversary.
Yesterday was our third wedding anniversary. We start our days here with coffee and books on the couch...
Checking on the chickens and looking for eggs with Adam...
Breakfast. Ryan made us wonderful sourdough waffles. He started the batter the night before and they were so good! We are scheming to see how we might be able to take back the yeast with us...
And music in the living room.
Kyle and I decided to go for a nice long drive around Lake Siljian, stopping at little towns along the way. We packed up a little bag, grabbed our maps and were on our way.
All in all it was a lovely anniversary. Sweden is just as beautiful as you might imagine. - August 16, 2012
Falun and Sundborn, Sweden
We spent a day driving and exploring Falun and Sundborn, Sweden with Uncle Ryan. We went to Falun to have a traditional Swedish lunch at the old copper mines which were pretty impressive and then we went to Sundborn to see the Carl Larsson House, which was equally as impressive. The Swedish countryside is unbelievable. It's vibrantly colored, the air is so fresh, and the people are friendly. We've had near perfect weather which the Swedes are all thankful for... apparently it's been quite grey until we arrived. We're soaking up every minute of country life here.
- August 18, 2012
A Perfect Evening with New Friends
We spent the most lovely evening with the sweetest family. Meeting Lars, Karin, Isak and Sofia has been the highlight of our trip in the Swedish countryside. You can't imagine a more kind and generous little family. They were so welcoming to us, doted on Gigi and really made our time in Dala-Järna so wonderful. These photos are all from a perfect evening we spent at their small lake cabin near the farm. We walked through a beautiful wooded area, the ground was covered in tiny blueberry bushes, and then came upon the lake. It was still warm enough for a swim and even Miss G got in the water to splash and play. We had fika (evening coffee) and sweets and sat on the porch until the sun set. It was one of those evenings for me where I just wanted to hold my breath and take it all in. We feel so lucky to be here, on this trip, meeting such wonderful people, making memories with Ryan and experiencing new things with Gigi. - August 21, 2012
Farm Day
We are now settled in Edinburgh, Scotland and Kyle has started school. The tone here is so different from that in the countryside of Sweden. It's drizzling a bit and you can feel the day to day city pace. Kyle has started school, he leaves with his bag around 7:30am and is having a wonderful time. Gigi and I are hanging with Uncle Ryan, I'm catching up on a little work, journaling, reading... It feels like we left summer behind in all it's perfection in Sweden. It's definitely fall here in Scotland.
I still have more photos and stories to share from our time in Sweden this week... these photos are from one day of our trip we spent just relaxing on the farm. One thing I loved about the farm life was going every morning with Gigi to check on the chickens and look for eggs. Then, to come right inside and make her breakfast from an egg she collected. I'm so excited to plan and prepare for getting chickens next spring.
We spent the day playing, exploring, doing laundry, snacking on real Swedish fish, napping, reading, and soaking up the sunshine.
Another thing we loved about being in the countryside was fika, afternoon coffee that is traditionally prepared over an open fire and served with sweets. Ryan's neighbors invited us over to have traditional fika with them. We wandered over around 4pm for coffee. Normally I wouldn't dare drink coffee so late in the day but throughout our time in Sweden I never found it to affect my sleep. Maybe it's countered by all the fresh air. We sipped our coffee and snacked on brownies made my Kerstin. We also got to try her special flower water which was very sweet, made from flowers at her mountain cabin, and a homemade juniper berry cordial.
Kerstin and Oboreo delighted us all with some violin playing! The girls, Gigi and Kerstin's granddaughter Judith, couldn't get enough. Gigi danced and jigged and cheered for more. It was wonderful. The more they played the sillier the girls became. Doing headstands, lying down and rolling on the grass, squealing and giggling like mad.
After fika we returned to the house to prepare for a wood-fired pizza dinner with Lars, Karin, Isak and Sofia. Any time spent with this family was so much fun. Gigi couldn't get enough of Miss Sofia. Everyone chipped in to prepare the ingredients and soon we we all assembling our individual pizzas.
- August 24, 2012
Dala-Floda, Sweden
Dala-Floda was where we spent our last day in the countryside of Sweden. It is the most beautiful little town with homes that are beyond charming and a stillness that was perfect. Ryan took us to a beautiful bastu (sauna) on a picturesque lake. While he and Kyle baked and steamed Gigi and I played in the sand and sun.
After a few hours on the lake, we went for lunch a the Värdshus. A small, glorious, bed and breakfast in Dala-Floda with a renowned restaurant. The food they prepare is all local and organic, much if it from their own lovely garden. We sat outside at a table on the lawn and enjoyed our delicious food while Gigi ran and played on the grass.
After fika we packed up to head back to the farmhouse to begin the process of packing for Stockholm...
...our time in the Swedish countryside was incredible. I've always loved visiting the areas outside of cities when we've traveled in Itlay, Germany, France, and now Sweden as well. Outside of the city you get such a sense of the people, the culture, the food, the warmth of a country. It's not surprsing that during our time there Gigi learned two new words, "kiss" and "freinds" which she uses every day now.
We met such wonderful people, ate healthy and delicious food, made new friends, had once in a lifetime experiences, breathed deeply, swam in a warm lake at sunset, watched an airshow, ate from the garden, walked barefoot in the grass, learned bits of a new language... had adventures.
- August 28, 2012
Stockholm, Sweden and Rosendals Kafé
The past two summers, I've been fortunate to have the opportunity to photograph the most wonderful family who happen to live in Stockholm, Sweden. Just last month they were in Oregon again and I shot their family photos. Upon our mention that we'd be traveling to Sweden, Pauli invited us to stay with them. It was a generous offer and we happily accepted. We spent two very fun, giggle, silly, girly evenings with them.
One great thing about staying with a family in Stockholm was that we got wonderful recommendations for where to go and (more importantly) where to eat. When Pauli told us about Rosendals Kafé, we knew that was where we needed to go. It's the most incredible café tucked into the most extraordinary garden! They make food straight from their gardens, it's always in season, and it was spectacular! The menu changes daily depending on what's available. It was such an inspirational place. Without intending to we spent nearly our whole day there.
We ate our wonderful food in the garden where we made new friends and Gigi ran and played. Then we browsed through the shop, I wanted to buy the cookbook for the café but they didn't have it in English. We picked up a sweet treat for later and then walked the grounds, meandering along paths until we found our way to the ferry.
We took the ferry across to Gamla Stan, or the Old Town area of the city. It was pretty touristy but there was a lot of people watching to do. We wandered and walked until late afternoon when we decided to head back to Pauli's home to make dinner for her and the girls.
Stockholm is such a beautiful city. We only got to spend one amazing day there but it's on my list of places I hope to visit again and again.Later this week I'll share some photos and stories from here in Edinburgh, Scotland and I have a new recipe and cooking video to share too!
- August 30, 2012
Food for Thought // Cold and Hot Toddy
Here in Edinburgh, Scotland it's been pouring rain all day. By pouring I mean...
...really pouring. We went for a long walk during a deceptive sunbreak to my favorite spot in Leith, a beautiful old cemetery in a churchyard. We'd just had breakfast and were admiring the gravestones from the 1800's when a few drops fell, then more and more and more. Our attempt to hide under the protection of a tree were in vain, I grabbed my muddy baby and walked as quickly as I could, through the sheets of rain back to the flat. By the time we made it to the front door we were drenched down to our knickers/nappy (as they say here). A quick change into mid-day pajamas and we were ready for a cozy afternoon. Gwyn went down for a afternoon nap that was cut short by the thunder and lightning storm that came through, with thunder and hail so aggressive that it set off the car alarms in the small lot below our apartment window.When the season change is hinted at, or in today's case, is right in front of me, I adore a hot toddy with ginger. I love few things more than curling up on the couch to watch a good movie with a steaming hot toddy in hand... it's actually something I look forward to all summer long when it's too hot out for my favorite cocktail. This summer, however, I got clever and devised a plan to make a cold version of a hot toddy. After a few experiments I came up with a refreshing, sparkling cocktail that has all the same great flavor as my hot toddy. Perfect for sipping at sunset on your porch or enjoying in the garden. As the end of summer closes in and autumn looms ahead, there's still plenty of time for toddys... whichever fits your fancy.
The Toddy Recipes:
Hot Toddy with Ginger
Cold Toddy with GingerYou can also try my Thai Hot Toddy if you like!
