.That Weird Polish Soup.

Every easter since Peter and I have been together, I have been invited to join in on the tradition of enjoying the Polish Easter morning soup, also known as Zurek [zhooh-rek].

It's a love it or hate it kind of soup. And I actually kind of love it.

The slightly sour soup broth is combined with some of the weirdest food combinations ever: kielbasa sausage, horseradish, dill, hard boiled eggs, and rye bread. 

It's a tradition that I am excited to pass down to my own little brewing polack.

f.i.l

b.i.l #1

the husband

.Ladies + Easter + Brunch.

Doesn't all three of those sound like a marvelous time?

Ladies. Easter. Brunch.

I think so, and that's exactly how my Easter long weekend started out today.

My beautiful friend Stephanie invited me and a few lovely ladies over to her place for pancakes, fresh goodness and friendly conversation, which I happily accepted. I mean, you feed me at this point and you have a friend for life. With a full belly, "Good luck getting ride of me" may be my new mantra.

And can I just point out that Brunch may just be the best thing since sliced bread. Move aside dinner plans, Brunch is where it's at! I think it's the cool new way to serve and I plan on inviting people over in the very near future for just the sort of lovely morning I had. Thanks Miss Steph for a beautiful start to the day.

So here are some pictures of our sunny little gathering.

Oh, and she even sent us all home with Easter treat bags! How cute are these!?!? I now soooo get the excitement at a 4 years old party and going home with one of these suckers! Thanks again my girl! And thanks Kathryn, Honey, Krista for the multiple laughs. xo

Happy Easter Everyone!!

.A Snowy Easter.

Seriously, this is how I'm saying "Hello to Easter" {or rather how HUSBAND is saying hello}.

Looks like it's going to be a cold long weekend here in Canada. On the upside, my {ever-growing} belly with be filled with lots of warm yummy food!

xoxo

.European Style.

With our Euro Trip only 2 months away now, I have travel style on the brain {along with all things baby of course!}.

I've never been across the pond and am entirely intrigued by what those trendy Europeans are wearing. They just elude class and sexuality, and I am simply wondering what can this Canadian girl get away with?

I will be 5 months pregnant when we arrive, so positively showing a baby bump which will grow extremely the month that we're there. 

So what do I wear? Any suggestions from some stylish momma's out there?

We're travelling around a little, stopping in Ireland, England, Greece, France, and a top-secret stagette location {which i can't share because i know the bride reads Fancy Napkin! Sorry!}. We expect to do some shopping, eating, relaxing and basically soaking in all the sights and culture that we can.

Here are some ideas I'm loving lately that I think I can still work even with a baby bump.
--------------------------

GREECE: I'm thinking hot weather and relaxing times. Breezy, colorful summer dresses in both short and long maxi styles. Light tank tops, loose waves, floppy sun hats and gladiator sandals.

[breezy colorful dresses. comfy and gorgeous]

[colorful, short with a skinny belt. love. via]

[loose waves and an open, breezy short jumper. sexy and comfy even with a bump. via]

[utter perfection. via]

FRANCE: I'm thinking lots of food and culture. Shopping and sightseeing. Stripes {stripes, stripes,  more stripes!}, black skinny pants, ballet flats, dainty jewellery and fitted dresses {gotta show off that bump!}. Also working in some wedges somehow.

[stripes and baguettes. via]

[a pencil skirt and a baby bump is one of the cutest things around. I think this would work great for a chic cafe stop! via]

[the most perfect dainty studs to go with everything. melanie auld. via]

[stripes, bows and ankle pants. nothing says french chic more to me than this! via]

ENGLAND: Wedding stop! I'll be needing a couple tea and cocktail type of dresses for various weddings events, so a few sweet, chic, and proper dresses come to mind. On the flip-side, casual jean shorts, sandals, and flowy blouses will be needed for a little castle visiting and lovely walks. Also can work some maxi skirts into the mix.

[flowy chic dresses, proper for a luncheon rehearsal. via]

[perfect and proper for a bump. via]

[prim and proper garden party dress. via]

[stylish, easy and perfect for castle visiting. via]

IRELAND: This is one of our 'fun' stops. I love that Irish accent and I can't wait to see some of that vibrant history with some castle visits, pub stops (sadly no brew for me), and beautiful seaside views. I'm thinking more casual attire will work, perhaps some colored jeans, casual tees and chunky necklaces. A few scarfs and blazers if the weather gets cold, and a maxi dresses and skirts with skinny little belts.

[earth colors, maxi skirts and loose waves. via]

[mint jeans, a casual shirt. easy and comfy. and maternity too! via]

[chunky layered necklaces and a casual tee. via]

[maxi skirt and casual tank. relaxed perfection. via]

Now, how will I lug all this around? 

"Oh Honey......" 

.Weekend Highs and Lows.

This weekend was filled with some high and lows, but lets start off with the highs, because that's always the happy part.

The Highs.

::A slap of red-orange lipstick and a pair of ray bans while driving with the windows open. Feeling refreshed and a little sassy.
:: I discovered a new addiction in the show Downton Abbey. Have you seen it? Wow, I was hooked after the first episode. Entertaining and such wonderful style.

::Bought a couple items from a maternity sale. Yep, I made the plunge and am feeling [surprisingly] good about it.
::Devouring these deliciousness on a cold Sunday morning.
::Then followed up the pancakes with staying in bed all day after that.
::Sat on our patio for the first time this year drinking some beers [non-alcoholic for me, of course!]

::My friend, Danielle, came for a overnight visit from Vancouver. This girl [and her family] are truly a second 'home' to us. Our mothers have been best friends since high school and each year we've managed to get together some way or another. 

::The coconut gelato ice cream from Block 1912 just off whyte avenue. If you're in Edmonton, check in out and get some ice cream. Heaven in a bowl.

::A big clean up around our house that made it look sparking clean.

The Lows.

::This snow. Really Alberta? Another big dump? I could have done without, thanks [update, it is now almost gone!]

::Watching husband crush a 40oz bottle of vodka with his buddy without blinking an eye. Not so much of a low for me, but the hangover he had sure was a low for him. Ha.
::A big clean up around our house sucked in actually doing the process.

::A misunderstanding that has escalated into a complete fallout with one of my oldest friends.

Now this bottom bit is going to get really serious. So for that I apologize. I try to keep things fun and fresh on here, but this is a topic that I feel everyone may have or will go through at some point in their life and I believe that it's important. I even struggled if I should mention it or not, but it makes me feel better to write things out so here goes.....
I should also note that it's regarding the last 'low' topic above, and as I touch on this sensitive subject, I do have to remind myself that I am pregnant and overly emotional as it is, so not the best time to be having to deal with something of this matter, but the point of my story stays true.
People get older, and we change. As I start to move into the more serious and meaningful parts of my life [marriage, kids, and family] I find that I no longer feel as lost as I was in my early twenties. I feel more grounded, more sure of myself, and am starting to realize the things that really matter in life. Things like how important family really is and how friendships, no matter how long they have been, can change and if you aren't getting what you need from each other anymore it's sometimes best to let those go.
And that's what this weekend made me realize.
I am getting to old for drama. I want a simpler life. I want truth and love and happiness. I want to be surrounded by people that care for me and want to be cared for back. That is what's important, not all that other fluff.
Now, I say this with a sad heart, but this weekend I said goodbye to one of my oldest friends. We went through everything together as teenagers and although he is still a very nice person, I just felt that we had moved in different directions. I also want to note that I am not here to vent my dirty laundry, just to simply say that in life we sometimes have to make tough decisions. I would [and always will] support my husband, family and friends through anything, and I am known as one of the most loyal people that you will ever meet. I didn't earn the nickname"the lioness" for nothing, and when it comes to people attacking others for reasons unknown, I have to take a step back. I do not want any part of that.
 It is so easy to get sucked in and react to situations that you know to be false and unfair, and I simply do not want to be involved in any of it. I am just not that girl, nor do I have the energy or tolerance to surround myself with people like that. I cannot deal with all the drama. Frankly put, I am just too old for that shit. Ya know how I feel?
So I just want to close this post by saying, hopefully over time we grow into the person we are trying so desperately in our early twenties to be and hopefully those friends of ours, the ones that we made as a child, will mature with you, support you and want nothing but the best for you. Sadly, sometimes this doesn't happen, but after this weekend I realized that that's perfectly okay. You grow, they grow and things change. It doesn't mean you are bad people, you've just outgrown each other.
And again like I said, that's perfectly A-okay.