I lied

And apparently cannot understand a calendar either. I am 13 weeks pregnant Sunday is the start of the 14th week. So I will have to update all my pics.

The last post was week 13 not 12.

12 weeks

This top is one of the maternity tops my mom sent me in my last package. Isn't it too cute?

Toni tries dr. Pepper

Personally, I find this response 1000 times better then the root beer one. No wonder Germans have less then 5 flavors of soda, and rely on 1001 variations of cola.

The Culprit

The initial response

The final reaction

With love from Dusseldorf

I was super excited to get a package from my friend Ashley in Dusseldorf. She recently visited the US and was sweet enough to take gifts for my family with her and ship them US post, sparing me the international shipping fees. In addition she brought me back some goodies.

I got:

3 Hamburger Helpers

A burrito kit

2 microwaveable popcorns

2 packs of Ranch mix

Taco seasoning

Spicy Cheetos

Buffalo Sauce

2 Can of rootbeer

and 3 magazines

I LOVE SURPRISES!!!!!!!

Thanks Ash :)

8 weeks

9 weeks

10 weeks

11 weeks

Try to ignore the obvious fashion faux pas lol. It wouldn't be so bad without the sweater, but I only have one light one and I was going for comfort. 

Holiday plan

So one of the things I have been working on is a holiday plan for my home journal. Now this was hard work for me, because for every single holiday I could find, be it German or US, I found ways that it would be fun or education to celebrate as a family. But at the same time, I realize unless I was to rent a storage unit and hire a nanny and cleaner, I would have not the space nor the time to do so. Now that is not to say later I wont add special activities for the day such as Presidents day or St patty's, but it is not a holiday that in our family craves tradition and decoration.

So this is what I have come up with so far and my ideas, please do tell me yours as well and any ideas you have that might add to my day :)

So first and foremost I plan to decorate based on season and then just add to or swap out for the special holidays that fall in that time. I would love to make (or if I fail extremely buy) a wreath for each season, as well as set up a table runner with deco, and some nicknacks, maybe a wall hanging.

The seasons in Germany run:
Winter Dec- Feb
Spring Mar- May
Summer June- Aug
Fall Sep- Nov

Here are the holidays that I plan to incorporate into our traditions:
* Note obviously babies wont do crafts, I mean in general and as time goes on lol

January:
New Years- I do not know that there are really any traditions here worth celebrating, most is done the night before, do you celebrate New Years Day?

February:
Valentines Day: I am thinking a special dinner and family movie, treats, valentines, themed crafts, maybe a table runner and some pop ups, window art and such. Easy to put up for a week and then take down.

Fasching: This is the German equivalent to Marti Gras. Germans get really into it and dress up and go to a parade, the kids also dress up in school.

March:
Based on the calendar Easter

April:
Based on the calendar Easter: I am thinking a special dinner, easter egg hunt, easter bunny, and a whole month of decorations, a door hanger with a table runner and deco, maybe some window stickers, wall hangers, or pop ups, themed crafts

April Fools/ Daddy's birthday: Now the two fall together so I am not to sure how to work that out, any tips?

May:
Mother's Day- Any ideas? Maybe daddy and baby plan a special day for mommy?

June:
Fathers Day- I am thinking Mommy and Baby plan a special day for daddy, maybe themed crafts, special dinner.

July:
Mommy's birthday- normal birthday stuff

Independence day: I planned to decorate for the month with the normal patriotic stuff: door hanger, table runner and deco, maybe pop ups, window art. Also themed crafts, a BBQ, maybe a special movie or games and activities

August:
I got nothing

September:
I got nothing

October:
German Unity Day: Not really celebrated here, but I thought it would be a fun counter balance to independence day same idea with German themes

Halloween: Dress up and probably host a party, decorations for the month

November:
Thanksgiving: Decorations for the month, special dinner with guests, activities

December:
Nicolas day- Kids put out there shoes and they get filled with candy

Christmas eve (Holy evening)- Now here gets tricky as this is the celebrated Christmas in Germany, but in the US we only open on gift and santa comes at night, maybe gifts from Germany tonight and santa and american gifts on x-mas morning?

Christmas- Same as above, german tradition a big meal

2nd christmas- another big meal the day after christmas, I would like to think of another kid friendly special activity that makes this day more then just a meal

Babys birthday- normal birthday stuff

New years (silvester)- pretty similar, not sure if it is worth it to decorate, or maybe just switch out the table runner and deco, and add party favors

So what holidays do you celebrate for or decorate?

Elf Cosmetics Haul

Part of the package I got from home was 2 elf cosmetic orders. For those of you unfamiliar with elf, it is a very cheap cosmetic company in the US. They have a standard line (all items 1 dollar), a higher quality studio line (3 each), and are now branching out to even include minerals and body products. There have been ton of reviews about them, and I wanted to give them a shot, and hey for a buck you cant go wrong right?

So My first order was actually a Christmas gift. My order was 22.70 including shipping of 6.95. I used a by 1 get one free coupon.

I was able to get:
6 Eyeshadow quads (that is a total of 24 shadows)
3 Cream eye shadow duos (Six different colors, I hear they are great as eyeshadow bases)
2 all over brightening sticks ( I plan to use them as highlights and maybe a eyeshadow base)
A black liquid eye liner pen
A mineral eye shadow base
A eye color transformer (changes the finished of the shadows)
Eye shadow brush
Blending eye brush
Eye widening pencil

Actually I did not do so well with this order coupon wise. They sometimes offer really good deals. My mistake was mixing the 1 and 3 dollar items and of course it was half off the lower priced item. So you would save more if you buy all the same priced item, on the 1 dollar items this coupon gives you each item for .75 cents. Or from the studio line you would get them for 2.25 each.

My second order I really scored. They were trying to clear out the sugar kiss inventory with a 75% off coupon. I got all of the following items for 11.45 including the 6.95 shipping.

That included:
A 3 piece mini brush set
4 eye glitter pigments
a lip gloss in a tin
3 lip gloss compacts
a two color glitter eye shadow
2 glitter eye liners
4 lip liners
4 glosses
a trio lip gloss compact
2 heart shaped pencil sharpeners

Elf is currently running a Memorial day sale with buy 1 get 1 50% off with any 20 dollar purchase. Just enter MEMHALF at checkout. 

You can sign up on the website to join their mailing list and get the latest offers sent to your inbox.

They do occasionally have 50% off your total order, but not so often so this is one of their better deals.

All orders incur a shipping fee of 6.95 and the do not ship international. I have it shipped to my mom and she send it to me in a package as room permits. But its a heck of a lot cheaper then the european brands.

A package from home

I was really excited to get a package from home today. Full of everything from goodies, to makeup, maternity clothes, even some easter candy. Oh and the best part was a few very special gifts, a hand painted landscape from my dad and 2 photos of my grandpa (young and older) who past away.

The box was jam packed, so I plan to do a few posts over the next few days to show you the goodies I got, and some of the deals we scored. Also just to share those special mementos with you.:)

I love getting mail. Especially packages.

I forgot to take pics, and I doubt I even mentioned it, but a few months back a very dear friend of mine Ashley, was sweet enough to take gifts for my family to the US and send them UP post which easily saved me 100 euro. I wish the shipping rates were more lateral, but the costs to ship to the US out of Europe are ridiculous. Last year I paid 25 euro for an envelope with chocolates for my moms birthday. For not much more in dollars she can send me a flat rate box packed full.

So I was able to send these gifts back home with her: (to the best of my failing memory)
Mom- A wooden carved plate with a beautiful scene for our city, a book (in english) about the history of our city
Dad- His and hers matching Pilsner glasses and a tourist tote bag with a gorgeous image
Aunt- an angel sitting in a hand (she loves angels)
cousin 1- a small hand painted plate
cousin 2- a tourist image on an ashtray and chocolate
and all the kids in the family got candy, as well as each family unit getting chocolate.

Here we go again

Alrighty guys and dolls. I have my camera back and a quiet a bit of backlog. So I hate to post all in one day, just bogs people down So I will date these all out to post one a day. Obviously many are past due, so when you see pregnancy pics from week 8, just know the rest are coming too :)