Palmer Ponderings...

Quality Daddy Time

2012-01-27T02:00:00.000-05:00

Elise LOVES her daddy. He makes her smile (and nearly laugh) sooo often. And it is (in my most humble mom opinion ;) ADORABLE.

Jas does this little dance/smile combo that has her grinning from ear to ear (not to mention he looks hilarious doing it)...I caught a little clip of the action...

A couple things to note...
1) That's our tutor Terezia who comes over twice a week to help us learn this language.
2) I wish you could get the full effect of Jason's dance...but that's a lil snippet
3) That is one HUGE grin for such a little girl...and then she gets a little scared of the kiss (cuuuute)

And I've also captured a few sweet moments of late:

I really love watching their relationship develop. I realize how important it is for a girl to have a special place in her daddy's heart...and vice versa. Thankful Elise has a dad that loves her...and am praying for the both of them daily :)

Bye Bye Bara!

2012-01-25T03:33:00.002-05:00

I've been meeting with my good friend and language partner, Bara, for some nine months now. We typically meet at least once a week and also see each other at church.

But this past week we met one last time before she leaves for five months to head to the Netherlands! She'll be studying there. It's safe to say Elise and I will miss her...definitely.

We grabbed a couple cute shots to commemorate our time before she left.

Elise is in there somewhere under that rain cover and all those warm blankets.

They're a cute pair, huh?

Bara's placka (Slovak potato pancake with lots'o stuff inside).

Bara closed her eyes on that one, but I couldn't resist posting it...too funny! (oh, and Bara, I meant to tell you, I bought you a matching hat just like that one ;)

And that last one is of our post-rain walk on the way home (around 5 pm). Lovely.

We'll miss you, Bara, but we're already planning our next hang out for when you're back in town!

Four Months!

2012-01-23T04:50:00.001-05:00

Four months (technically tomorrow).

Here she is in all her four month cuteness...

Weight: No idea until we go back in February. But I dare say she's definitely gotten heavier :)

Major Milestones: She loves, loves holding her head up while on her back. As of the last few days she's very good at holding her head up while on her belly. She is a major smiley girl these days (especially at her daddy).

Other: She usually goes to sleep between 8:40 pm and sleeps until 5:30 am. She can eat well (mostly in the mornings), but she's not super keen on eating in general and really doesn't like a bottle...we're talking serious dislike. She generally takes two 30-40 minute small naps, one around 9 am and the other around 1 pm.

And here are a few other shots, just for fun!

We love you, sweet E!

Rezen!

2012-01-20T04:03:00.002-05:00

The other day my friend Zuzka was over. It was getting close to dinner time and I was wanting to try my hand at rezen. Rezen is a common Slovak chicken dish (kind of like the country fried steak of the American south). Thankfully Zuzka hung around long enough to teach me how to do it just the way her family does...

Pounding that meat...and yes I did use a potato masher as we didn't have a meat hammer. It did a fine job though, I must say.

The chef and I :) (no comments on the cheesiness of that photo haha!)

Wait for it to turn a lovely golden brown, and then...

Plate it up with rice and dig in. Delish!

Four Eyes!

2012-01-18T01:53:00.003-05:00

That's me...four-eyes, glasses-wearing chick. But I'm totally fine with it, especially since glasses are a fun accessory (or so I think :)

So when my glasses came in the mail the other day, I was pretty pumped to give 'em a whirl.

I'm a fan. But then I decided I needed a junior model to join me in trying on glasses. So who did I recruit? Why Elise, of course! (Jas is a lil big to be considered a junior, ya know?)

That last one is my absolute favorite...makes me laugh. And for the record, I really do hope she never has to wear glasses...I'd much prefer her to have great vision. I did enjoy having her model with me, however, but eh, I'm not so sure she was into it...haha.

That View...

2012-01-17T05:55:00.000-05:00

Our balcony is one of my favorite spots in/on our flat. The view is often quite amazing.

Take these for example...

Love the color display of sunrises and sunsets. Gorgeous.

And right now there's a ton of snow a-fallin':

(We're going to see how long we can make our Christmas tree last :) Wouldn't it be cool if we could use the same one next year!? But I highly doubt it'll make it through the summer heat...we'll see!)

But I guess I better quit looking out the window and get to studying. Round two of language test tomorrow...yikes!

A Few More

2012-01-13T04:01:00.001-05:00

Just a few more from a recent "photo shoot" because they made me smile :) Not to mention it was among one of the first times she actually stayed still long enough for me to get a few good shots...

So serious...but so seriously cute.

Feelin' A Bit Random

2012-01-12T06:47:00.004-05:00

I happen to be one of those people that really likes random posts. I like to write them and I really like to read them on other blogs. Maybe it's because there are always approximately 10 things I am thinking of at once? Or maybe because it gives a good snapshot of the daily (and those lil tid bits that may go unnoticed otherwise)?

Either way, here ya go, Thursday randomness...

My friend, Bara, gave me that little planner. Cute, huh?
My mama gave me the owl journal. At the moment it's being filled with tons of language notes (we have another big test next week...eep!)

Our bathroom currently looks like a pharmacy. Jason is still in the healing process, but it's coming along! He now walks more like a 30 year old instead of a 90 year old...

Sonya made these nuts for Bible study, and I just love the texture (and of course the flavor was great too).

Steph made this mobile for Elise and she LOVES it. Every time I put her down for a nap in her crib, she takes about 10 minutes studying that thing before she falls asleep.

Oreos + Milka chocolate. Oh. My. Yes. Amazing.

And this lil cute thing just wanted to say "peace out"!

Happy (random) Thursday :)

Nappin' Paci-In-Hand Style

2012-01-10T06:33:00.003-05:00

Sweet baby E fell asleep sitting up in my arms the other day. It was too cute.

She also thought it would be a good idea to hold on to her paci the whole time she slept. Adorable.

These are the moments I don't want to forget. That I want to cherish and ponder in my heart.

And while that is one of the precious moments that I adore, there are also the moments where she's screaming and won't take a bottle while I'm at class. Hmmm...about that... ;)

Introducing: Cross Cultural Clarity

2012-01-09T04:18:00.003-05:00

So I don't know if you've noticed but there is a new blog that's been appearing on the right hand side of our blog over there --->

It's called Cross-Cultural Clarity and it's a blog that Jason, Tom Holloway, and some other friends from around the world are contributing to.

In its own words...
"This blog consists of our stories. Stories to bring you clarity of what it is really like to serve Cross-Culturally. The funny, the amazing, the painful, the reality. So we hope you enjoy the raw beauty of all of this. In the end you will see, we are no different from you, we just follow Christ in another part of the world."

Flower Power

2012-01-05T02:28:00.002-05:00

The whole theme of a new year is out with the old, in with the new, correct?

So with that in mind, I took down our stockings hanging above the couch and went to work filling the space above with something new. I've actually been wanting something on this big, white wall for some time now, but since we rent (and I've already probably put enough holes in the wall) I haven't come up with any "permanent" solution to date.

However, while perusing the clearance rack at Billa (our local potraviny, er, grocery store), I happened upon some red and pink felted flowers. I scooped those lil guys up for a mere 2 euros...hooray happy Charity :)

I came home, strung them up, taped them to the wall (not the world's greatest solution), stepped back and admired them, AND did it all in a fabulous 15 minutes!

It isn't going to stay there forever, and yes, I know, it's only January, but what's happier than a wall of flowers on a cold winter's day? I'm a fan.

I present to you our flower power wall--

(for the record, our couch never really looks like this. there is usually some sort of blanket, toy, paci hanging out on the couch...you get the picture, right?)

I think it'll have to do for a short-term quick fix...but I sure do love those felt flowers.

I guess while I'm trying to figure out what I want to fill the big white space I'll just have to check out pinterest for inspiration, huh? :)

P.S.- if you have any creative ideas on filling a large blank wall (without creating many holes), send 'em my way. Thanks!

Tummy Time!

2012-01-03T01:58:00.001-05:00

Elise is getting pretty good at tummy time. Our little three month old can lift her head and hold it there for some time. She can also turn her head back and forth like a champ. And she's started to roll from her tummy to back.

Oh, and did I mention she looks really cute while doing all of that? ;)

Little grin.

And this is how we keep her attention. There's a ladybug on that toy that she just adores. Goodness, goodness, soon enough she'll be crawling!!!

The (Fire) Works

2012-01-02T01:52:00.002-05:00

So until now we'd thought we had seen some pretty cool fireworks. Well, we were wrong. On New Year's Eve we got to witness the most amazing firework display we have seen to date.

You see, here in Bratislava, you are allowed to shoot fireworks (and we're not talking the puny kind) for a certain amount of time around this time of year (I think maybe a week or so?? not sure exactly). Irregardless, on NYE the whole skyline on both sides of our flat was one big colorful array of firework happiness.

The fireworks were literally right outside our balcony. Many people were shooting them right off their roofs. It kind of sounded like a war zone (intense). We took a bunch of pictures...

That shows just how close they were!

And here are the two best, for last...

A pretty awesome sight they were :)

2011: Year in Review

2011-12-31T02:30:00.004-05:00

What in the world!? Another year down? Wow, time seriously flies.

2011 was a big year for us. Summed up in these words:

Training
Saying "see ya later's"
International Move
Pregnancy (aka weeks of nausea :)
Settling in
Trips to Ikea
Summer Camps
Trip to Poland
Learning to drive stick shift
Church Visits
Language Classes
Public Transportation
Building Relationships
Meeting Neighbors
DEPO
New friends
Trip to Vienna
Birth of our daughter
Family Visits
Becoming parents
Surgeries
Recovering
Mamaland
Thanksgiving
Mikulas
Christmas

I'm sure that's not an exhaustive list...but it's a start! And one of my favorite things to do at the end of the year is to look back over pictures from that year. Then I like to find ones that probably didn't make it to the blog and put them up :)

Some edited, some not, some previously seen here, some not. So here it is...2011!

JANUARY: snow at the beach

FEBRUARY: 1) Elise around 5 weeks...first ultrasound!
2) Valentine's Day in Virginia

MARCH: Last meal at Bojo's before leaving for Slovakia

APRIL: Jas spent many hours putting together lots of Ikea furniture for our flat

MAY: horrendous picture, but funny nonethless...pregnancy photo around 4.5/5 months

JUNE: first grillin' nights. charcoal grill. Jas loved it.

JULY: 1) Brooke and I at my baby shower (thanks Ridgecrest!)
2) Maternity shoot photo...lots of love for baby E

AUGUST: 1) Cute building in Vienna
2) Jester during a performance at one of the castles we attended with a team from California

SEPTEMBER: 1) Unsuccessful attempt at blondie brownies for Jason's birthday...oops.
2) Elise Noelle arrives!

OCTOBER: First parent-given bath :)

NOVEMBER: 1) Very real family photo...haha!
2) Oh. No. The first glimpse of rolled eyes...

DECEMBER: 1) After language study relaxing.
2) Christmas tree goodness.

What. a. year. We are thankful for 2011, but looking forward to 2012! Happy New Year!

All Things Christmas

2011-12-29T11:06:00.003-05:00

Well, we are thankful to have had a relaxing past few days...and I just haven't gotten around to getting Christmas pictures up.

But now it's time. This Christmas was different for us not being with family and being in a whole new location, plus having Christmas with our first child! But while it was different, it was also refreshing.

We got up and read Luke 2 together, prayed, and talked about the true meaning and importance of Christmas (that of the birth of Christ, our Savior). Then it was breakfast time, followed by opening presents.

Later in the day we skyped with our families, which was great (I failed to get pictures of that, though...was just trying to be all in the moment). In between opening presents and talking with family, we watched a few Christmas movies, and ended the night sleeping under a fort...fun! :)

Photo play-by-play? Why of course! Here ya go...

Christmas morning photos with the little.

Playing with her new friend Olivette the Owl (yes, the owl really has a name :)

Showing her a new sweater.

She really liked this new book...haha.

Funny story: See those pictures of our friend Tom above? Yep, that's my Christmas present from the hubby. I had asked for some red Tom's shoes which Jas ordered, buttttt they got lost in the mail and hadn't yet made it here to us in Slovakia on Christmas day (still haven't). So Jas, being the creative guy that he is, printed off a bunch of red-toned "Toms" for me to have on Christmas morning...haha! I love that man of mine.

And one of my favorites from the day...

No fort pictures this year...next year, certainly.

It was, indeed, a unique Christmas, but we were thankful to be together. And speaking of being together, Jas and I celebrated three years of marriage two days after Christmas. We enjoyed the day with M&M pancakes for breakfast (yum!) and a dinner out. (Thanks, families, for the cards, and Holloway's for watching Elise so we could enjoy time together :)

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

December 27

2011-12-26T16:23:00.001-05:00

Three Years ago today I married my best friend. She is an amazing wife, loving mother, and humble servant of God. I am blessed to have her as my wife. I love you sweetheart! Thanks for marrying me! I look forward to many, many, many more years of life together!

I LOVE YOU!!

Three Months!

2011-12-24T06:28:00.004-05:00

We no longer have a newborn...what!? Elise is now officially three whole months old!

Weight: At last check she was 11 pounds and 6 ounces...we'll find out her new weight in a few days.

Major Milestones: Oh wow, many this past month...rolling from her back to her side, grabbing things and holding them, smiling, studying her hands intently, and she's found her thumb. It's been a big last couple of weeks!

Sidenotes: She sleeps 9 hours at night, almost every night, and she hardly takes naps during the day. She's a major fan of her daddy. And our girl can't get enough of bath time...she does great!

That little three monther makes us smile :)

Oblatky!

2011-12-23T10:27:00.001-05:00

We have an awesome Slovak language tutor that we've blogged about before. Her name is Terezia and she's Slovak through and through. We pretty much love her.

Recently she came over and brought us some "oblatky." These oblatky are thin, decorated wafers that are very popular around Christmas time. They have symbols on them that represent Christ and His birth and resurrection.

Not only did she bring us the wafers, but she also taught us the traditional way of eating them.

Flashing that grin as Terezia prepares the oblatky.

All you do is slice your garlic very thinly, layer it with honey, and then create a wafer sam-ich (which means place another one on top :)

Admittedly the spicy garlic and sweet honey combo was NOT my fav.

However, Jas was a fan...

Can you tell he's really good at that cheesy grin?

I'll give it an A+ for a neat Slovak tradition, and in my personal opinion, I'll give it an F for taste. However, Jas would strongly disagree and give it two A+'s!

To the Market We Went...

2011-12-22T16:14:00.008-05:00

Ah, Christmas, Christmas...three days away, WHAT!?

So in the spirit of Christmas, we tagged along with the Holloway's and Doyle's for their annual trip to the Vienna Christmas market.

We thoroughly enjoyed it. The atmosphere was top notch, the food, of course was off the chain, and the company...exquisite! We had a really good time.

I managed to get some photos in between nursing, checking on that hobbling husband of mine (he had to take it very slow), and eating!

Al and some cute girl in a lot of pink.

Bad lighting, but a family photo in front of all those awesome ornaments.

The one good group photo of the night (except Tom ducked out, and Mary is barely visible back there). Please note how Jason is standing...he was either walking or standing the whole night, my poor waddling man.

Kara and Ellie.

Ben and, oh, who's that again?

Speaking of that little star, here she is herself...

And I'll end with one of my favorite photos of the night. We loved all the lights and decorations. Take these for example, they looked like chandeliers...

Great time. Maybe next year we'll be able to go and both Jas and Elise can join me in walking ;)

First Snow!

2011-12-21T05:05:00.000-05:00

Today we experienced our first Bratislavan snow. That means it was also Elise's first-in-life snow ;)

Doesn't it kind of look like she's making a snow angel?

We're lovin' the snow over here!

10 Things I Love About Babies

2011-12-19T00:18:00.004-05:00

It's true, I've only been a mom (to one baby) for about three months now. So that really doesn't give me a whole lot of experience, however, I'll call myself qualified enough to have come up with these top 10 things I love about babies (or rather, having a baby).

In no particular order...
1. The smell. That sweet baby smell. Powdery fresh and new smelling (does that even make sense?) until fluids of all sorts exit that little body, but still that baby scent = perfection.

2. The extremities. Namely fingers and toes. Barely visible nails. So tiny and small. Oh, preciousness.

3. The cooing. Love the funny sounds. That's all...just adorable.

4. The button. The belly button, of course. Have you ever seen a cuter, smaller button than a baby's? Nope.

5. The fuzzy hair. Fine baby hair, so soft and clean. Love it.

6. The learning. New discoveries abound each day as they grow. Our latest fascination is with the hands (and her newfound thumb!)

7. The growth. Seriously they grow SO fast. You'd think I fed her Miracle Grow overnight! While this is sad too (because it's already going so fast!), I also love it because it's pretty neat to see them grow and learn (see #6).

8. The eyes. Those big baby blues (in our case). So sweet.

9. The relationship(s). Particularly watching her develop one with her daddy. She knows his voice, responds to his comments...it'll work on the heart, I tell ya.

10. The quiver lip. Love me that pouty face. Though it means a cry is coming, the face beforehand is worth it. The bottom lip sticks out, starts to quiver, and then the full out cry...plain adorable.

Adorable. Cute. Precious. Did I use enough of those words in this post? I think so! But man, babies got it covered. Especially this one (I guess you could say I'm slightly partial ;)

And for the record, so I don't lose all mom points, I did go find the girl an outfit that fit after this photo shoot (see photo #2)!

Ohhh Surgery...

2011-12-16T12:49:00.002-05:00

Man, oh man, these last three months have been medically challenging for us Palmers. Granted, I am always reminded that these "medical challenges" have been minor in comparison to what they could have been, so in that regard, we're thankful. But nonetheless, it's been new and different for us to experience three different surgeries (if you include post-birth operations) in three months!

It's been tough, at times, and I've wanted to complain and cry. And, well, to be honest, I've done both. Ick. I've also been un-Christlike in many ways. I've seen my true, sinful heart come out often. Again, ick. I've also learned a lot during these times.

But, we're making it. One small scar at a time ;)

Speaking of scars, Jas will have a decent sized one after the removal of his cyst yesterday. We are certainly glad all was removed and went well. He is now handling the pain like a champ and resting it up. And while he's handling the pain well, I, on the other hand, am not handling sticking cotton balls one inch deep into his back...eeeeep (I'm a weenie when it comes to blood and such, or rather when it comes to seeing my hubby's tail bone...yikes!)

And, on a lighter, less gory note, I just have to include this lil pre-operation pic of my two favorites.

Ah, another surgery down, and hopefully it'll be awhile before we hit up the hospital again... ;)

Gifts Galore

2011-12-14T09:26:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we took a trek across Slovakia (literally!) with our friend Heather.

With Heather's help, churches and schools collected toys and goods in shoeboxes to be given to children here in Slovakia. There were SO many gifts given...which was simply awesome to see.

Jas was a champion at packing the car full.

Elise and I were already jammed in the car at this point, so Heather took a pic. Take a look...

Pretty impressive, huh? Way to go, Slovaks! Hope there are some smiling kids out there this year :)

DEPO Mikulas Par-tay

2011-12-12T01:09:00.003-05:00

We went to our first Mikulas party the other day! It was at DEPO (our local youth community club type place) and everyone was supposed to come in a mask and/or a costume.

We were lacking in creativity as far as costumes go, but we did manage to crank out some masks (though they were pretty much ghetto and we didn't end up wearing them long because they didn't stay on well...I'm sure you wanted to know all that :)

Here's the little rockin' hers:

Then there was Jason and his mask with Darius, all dressed up... (pardon the blurry-ness)

And we had some really great food (Sonya's pizza dip was to. die. for.)

Along with some really good games. Take this one for example...the classic white elephant gift swap (only we had good gifts...)

And then there was this fun game. Each line squeezes hands and whoever grabs the object at the end first wins. Fun!

My friend, Bara, was there. She helps me learn this often difficult language :)

And Elise doesn't always love doctors, but she loved Dr. Sonya! Cute.

Elise did great for most of the party. Then all the noise and people were starting to wear her down, so she and I headed home. We sure enjoyed our first Mikulas party, though...fun times!

Our Christmas Card!

2011-12-09T04:26:00.006-05:00

This year we had a cheery little baby to model for our Christmas card.

So we set to work. And now it's time to share!

Wishing every one a MERRY CHRISTMAS (we know it's still a few weeks off), but here's a Christmas card from the Palmers...

And a few more outtakes for kicks and giggles...

Have a happy winter-y weekend!

Yahoo! Mikulas!

2011-12-07T03:41:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we set our boots out on the windowsill in anticipation of St. Mikulas' arrival with goodies to fill our boots.

Who is St. Mikulas you ask? Here's a good explanation...

Bishop Mikuláš lived in the fourth century and was famous for his generosity, especially to children and the poor. The 6th of December then became a holiday in his memory.

So all the good Slovak children can expect to wake up to a boot full of chocolates, sweets and fruit. However, Saint Mikuláš is always accompanied by the Devil and an Angel and the naughty children may be left only with cheeks marked with black coal – a little present from the devil. (source)

So we decided to follow suit and join Slovaks for this fun day. We chose our boots (Well, Jas chose them all...notice how he found my biggest boot...I think Mikulas outdid himself this year ;) and set them out and when we woke up yesterday morning they were filled with treats! Exciting!

Elise didn't have a boot, so we went with a cute sewn shoe made by her Grandmommy.

And since Mikulas couldn't fit all of Elise's treats in her tiny shoe, he decided to fill an old wipe box (of course it was clean) with the rest of them. What a clever guy, that Mikulas!

Oh my, Mikulas knows the way to my heart too. That Milka chocolate Mousse was a-ma-zing.

To top it off, Elise's awesome Aunt Marianne sent a sweet Mikulas day present for E...

See those little puppet guys and that onesie? Yep, all courtesy of the aunt. Too cute. Thanks, Marianne!

Oh, and I guess no-one in our house was naughty this year, because we didn't wake up with cheeks marked by coal. I jest...we are totally sinners and deserve more than coal marks (death), but I'll happily take God's grace over death any day...and I'd most definitely choose chocolate over coal also ;)

So that's how we celebrated December 6th. Now speaking of chocolate, there's another bar calling my name. Better run...

Hoooo looks cute in a bow?

2011-12-06T01:16:00.002-05:00

That little girl of ours is growing like a weed. Seriously growing.

She has been growing out of her newborn clothes and even some of her 3 month things! So the other day I decided we better put to use these little outfits that she's about to be too big for.

This cute owl onesie is one of those she's getting close to outgrowing. But I loooove it. I just think it's precious (thanks, Leigh!!!).

So here's the model herself donning a sweet green bow with her almost-too-small onesie that I can't get enough of...

How's that for a dose of cuteness?

And it's worth mentioning that said owl outfit even made it through the day poo-free. Now that's a near miracle ;)

We decked the halls!

2011-12-04T11:05:00.003-05:00

It's true, last week we got our decorate on.

Here in Slovakia, it's common and cultural to put your tree up a day or two before Christmas day. And while we're down with that, we both still quite like the atmosphere a tree provides, as well as all the other fun decor.

So we pulled out our two shoeboxes, found us a local tree-selling place, cut out some snowflakes, and set to work.

Prepare for photo overload :)

Meet our little tree (it's about as tall as I am).

Putting on her pink stocking ornament (thanks Great Gma Rodriguez!)

And Daddy had a little helper putting up the star.

Snowflakes hung. Stars hung. Nativity set out.

Then I had a little night time fun playing around with the camera.

And finally a little preview of our Christmas-y photo shoot with Elise...

Loving me some Christmastime and decorations, but more importantly, loving me the true meaning of it all!

A Just Because Post

2011-12-01T10:01:00.002-05:00

This is one of those "just because" posts. Maybe one that only the grandparents will appreciate, but ya know, I couldn't resist.

I am really diggin' this cutie. Like really diggin' her...

Sidenotes:
1. Please pay attention to how she is laughing at the person taking the picture. That would be her dad. She LOVES smiling/laughing for her dad.
2. Yes, I realize that almost every photo we take has that leopard blanket in it...so it may very well be time for a background prop change :)
3. Love that little girl.

Some Christmas decorating pics to come...stay tuned!

Vianočné Trhy

2011-11-29T15:37:00.003-05:00

One of the things Jas and I have been looking forward to since we've been in Bratislava is the Christmas market(s). We've heard many good things about these festive markets here.

So when we found out it was going to be set up last weekend, we decided to hit it up!

Here's our quick recap. First in words...
-It was quite cold (but Jas would say I am always cold)
-It was quite crowded (it was a Saturday night...and we did have the stroller...one day we'll learn!)
-We tried our first ciganska (amazing bread, grilled chicken, toppings-a popular Slovak food and delish!)
-We loved the atmosphere
-We want to go back and do some shopping at the stands when it's less crowded (well, I want to check out the stands anyway, Jas just wants more food :)
-We really enjoyed it!

And now in pictures...

Lights abounded. Love me some Christmastime.

Cute little wooden toys for sale at one of the stands.

Really love this picture for some reason. That's our friend, Mirka. She and her family own one of the stands at the market. The lights in the square were out, so on this particular night all the stands were using candles to see. Jas just thought they were going "old school" for a back-in-the-day-with-no-lights feel...haha.

There was even an ice skating rink (a la Rockefeller Center European style)!

And we ended the night with zemiakové špiralky (potato spirals). We shared one, but for camera-holding purposes we switched off holding duty. It was salty and yummy. I could go for one now, actually. For the record, our daughter was there, she was just tucked away warmly sleeping in her stroller.

That's our trip to the trh in a nutshell. And now that we know what awaits, we're sure to go back :)

First Thanksgiving...

2011-11-28T02:07:00.001-05:00

Ellie spent most of her first Thanksgiving napping and drooling (I think she was drooling over all the good food :)

Here's the evidence of the cuteness...

Just one for today. Happy Monday!

Score!

2011-11-26T05:47:00.001-05:00

Let me set the scene for you:

Jas ran out to get a light bulb from the hardware store.

I was at home with Elise baking sweet potato casserole.

Jas calls and says, "get ready, you're going out...there's an 'everything is 1 euro' sale at the thrift store down here..."

Me = overly excited

He came home and watched Elise while I headed down to the local thrift store to check out the goods.

You see, I am an avid lover of all things thrifty. Goodwill and I were best friends in America. I love the idea of possibility. Be it clothing (ohhh, how can I wear this?) or a long forsaken item that can be transformed...I love seeing the potential. And I would be lying if I said I haven't missed Goodwill.

I've been to this particular thrift store here a time or two. And, well, it's normally more expensive than I am willing to pay for secondhand things (read: 8 euros for a shirt...nahhhhh).

But yesterday was THE day. The whole store save one rack was 1 euro...SCORE!

I took some time and looked around and came home with these three pieces, all for the grand price of 3 euros (that would be $3.99 American dollars). THREE sweaters for almost FOUR dollars...yes please!!!

I was one happy girl :)

And apparently they do this monthly. Cue the happy dance, I'm breaking it down over here!

Tgiving and a TWO MONTH-ER!

2011-11-24T00:57:00.002-05:00

Today is Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving to all!

I am thankful for many things today (and working on being thankful every day...)

One of those things I'm thankful for is this little two month old (I can't believe it's already been two months...seriously!?)

The specifics:
Weight: 4,880 grams (around 11 pounds)
Major Milestones: lots of cooing, some tiny smiles, alertness, sleeping 8 hours straight (started around 7 weeks...wahoo!), growing more hair, lifting her neck, and well, being adorable!

We're thankful for this little two month old blessing. Thankful even in the midst of the stinky diapers ;)

"Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his steadfast love endures forever!"
Psalms 106:1

Morning Moment

2011-11-22T01:06:00.002-05:00

I walked in our room from taking a shower the other morning and found this most precious scene...

Sometimes it's hard being a dad ;)

Melt my heart. Thankful.

International Christmas Bazaar

2011-11-21T05:44:00.004-05:00

The three of us decided to check out Bratislava's International Christmas Bazaar the other day.

There were many different countries represented, all having small booths set up with goods and food for sale. It was really interesting to see what each country brought, but to say it was crowded would be a complete understatement.

We could barely move through the aisles by ourselves, much less with a stroller. So we parked the stroller and Jas and I went in shifts to check out the bazaar.

Here are the snapshots we got in between elbow shoves and stepped-on toes :)

Did you know Santa Claus was Swedish? Yeah, we didn't either.

Some of the items for sale.

Of course there was delicious international cuisine. We didn't have these pretzels, but we did taste some Vietnamese spring rolls made by this adorable little lady...

And while at that booth I captured this sweet scene...

We liked the concept and thought it was a neat representation of the world we live in. But the people, oh the people. The word crowded doesn't do this bazaar justice. However, maybe next year we'll check it out again...sans stroller :)

Cute Gabo

2011-11-18T16:08:00.002-05:00

My new friend Claire came over today. She brought along with her a cute little five month old "smile-machine," better known as her son, Gabo. He is, in a word, adorable. And he is seriously all smiles.

He and Elise were the models for a photo shoot. Or rather, they cooed, cried, and wiggled while I attempted to get a good shot.

Cuties, I tell ya (and wiggle worms!)

And just a cool little note, those two above have four nationalities in their genes...German, Mexican, Slovak, and American...awesome.

Claire, thanks for the good conversation about things other than poo-filled diapers and spit-ups :) Looking forward to more hang out time...and Gabo smiles!

She needs to be...

2011-11-17T07:09:00.002-05:00

Over the past seven weeks, we have experienced big adjustments. Not only to life with a little one, but also to life with a little one in a new culture. This has resulted in both Jason and I noting particular cultural differences in the art of raising children (I do also need to note here however that I have not raised a child in America...I only know about raising a child in America from observing others).

You see, anytime we go out somewhere we are constantly being watched. Typically, it's by the older generation. They're quite particular about certain things.

Here are a few of the most common comments/most recent comments we've gotten when out and about with Elise...

"She needs to be lying flat. Sitting up like that is not good for her back." (If she's in her car seat)

"You shouldn't hold her like that. She won't develop good neck muscles that way."

"You know she should always have on socks, even in the house. She could easily get sick."

"Watch out for her head. Watch out for her head. Watch out for her head."

Now granted, we know that these kind souls are just trying to offer advice and show concern for our little one. We get that and appreciate the care, however, both Jason and I were wheeled around from time to time sitting up and we don't have crazy curved backs. I'm fairly certain there were times when we went without socks in the house, and we weren't permanently damaged by it.

And his parents might not appreciate me putting this out there, but Jason was dropped on his head when he was little. I know, I know, it explains a lot ;) So we'll definitely heed that last one with the head. hehe.

All this to say, we know (and are learning more and more) that each culture has its own peculiarities. What we think is "normal" in America, would not be so "normal" here. And vice versa.

So, thank you, sweet elderly ladies, but we're ok with Elise not always lying flat. And we're ok with her having her socks off every now and then. We know we're not perfect parents, and we'll make mistakes, but it's all part of learning for us :)

Here's a little proof that she actually does lay "rovno" sometimes...

All part of being in another culture. We're loving it...naozaj (really!)

In Color

2011-11-15T00:43:00.001-05:00

There were a few requests to post some of the previous photos of Elise's baby blues in color.

So here goes!

Oh, and if you'll take note, I haven't mastered the art of "capturing a moving baby" yet...thus the somewhat blurry photos. I'll get it eventually, though!

(As an aside, I definitely think they appear more blue in real life...)

And for the sake of keepin' it real...

"Ok, mom, enough already!"

Cheesy Chili: Our Fav!

2011-11-14T06:58:00.002-05:00

It's getting pretty chilly here. And chilly calls for chili (oh how I love cheesy play on words...ahhh I did it again. Get it? Cheesy chili...I crack myself up ;)

That's where this cheesy chili comes into play. You see, our friend Tera, introduced us to this recipe and it's been one of our fall/winter favorites ever since. So, Tera, THANKS!

What you'll need:
* one pound ground beef (in America, it's a pound, in Europe, I just used two small packages of ground beef. Cook and drain.)
* one block of Velveeta cheese (in America...in Europe, you can just use several blocks of cheedar or any type of cheese you like. Dice into blocks.)
* one can stewed tomatoes
* one can diced tomatoes
* one can tomatoes with green chiles (in America, Rotel works, in Europe, find some green chiles and chop 'em up!)
* one can whole kernel corn
* one can red kidney beans
* one package taco seasoning

What you do:
Combine everything either in a pot. Don't drain any ingredients, except meat. Turn your heat on medium and let it cook for a couple of hours. Check and stir every so often. Then, eat!

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Those Baby Blues

2011-11-11T08:42:00.005-05:00

There's a little chickadee around this house that has started to become more alert.

Every so often these days, in between naps, and dirty diapers, we'll get to see those baby blues (which I've turned black for the sake of a better photo)...

She's starting to notice those around her...so neat.

Occasionally we'll get one of these hilarious faces (foreshadowing a diaper gone bad, if ya know what I mean...)

But my all time latest favorites are these little faces where tinee tiny smiles are beginning to appear.

We call that one above the double chin grin!

I mean, really, is there much cuter than a lil baby grin? I think not ;)

Surgery + A Book!

2011-11-08T11:05:00.002-05:00

Little did I know when I wrote that last post that the abscess I mentioned there would lead to a full blown week in the hospital! Yikes! Long story short, I headed in to the hospital to have it checked on Monday of last week and lo and behold, a week later, here I am, finally home. Man, it's been a journey.

While in the hospital they attempted several non-surgical options to try and remove the abscess (if you're not familiar with what an abscess is, read about it here) including cheese (yes, really...), topical creams, and antibiotics. None of it worked. So they attempted a puncture to drain it, which didn't work either. Finally, on Friday, I underwent surgery to drain and clean out the abscess. I now have a drain in and am hoping and praying it will mend and heal well...

I would be lying if I said I didn't have my fair share of pity parties while in the hospital. It was painful, unexpected, frustrating, and who in the world wants to have surgery in the first place? But, God in his grace, reminded me time and again of others who are dealing with much bigger things and that I have plenty to be thankful for. Reoccurring lesson in my life right now? I think so. God trying to get my attention? Why, of course, sinner right here.

I did have a lot of free time on my hands to read and study. And one of the books I read completely got my attention. I highly recommend it.

Great, great book. And this chick is amazing. Her heart for the Lord is completely contagious. This book is a must-read. And it's humbling. Please get it and read it!

And if you want a little taste of the book before buying it, check out her blog here.

Just Making It...

2011-10-28T09:00:00.005-04:00

Have you ever had one of those days, weeks, months, maybe even years where you feel like you're JUST barely making it? Well, that's what this month has been for us. I'll let Jas tell you how he feels in another post if he so desires, but let me put it out there how I've felt.

October has been full. Busy, good, tough, and full. This post may sound like all I'm doing is complaining, and maybe that's just what it is, but it's high time to get it off my chest. So here goes.

Adjusting to life with a baby is no joke. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't be more thankful for the lil thing. She's a blessing, undoubtedly. But there's no how-to manual for babies. It's a HUGE learning curve. And sleepless nights just make for tiredness during the day, too...whew.

Post-birth healing is no piece of cake either. Episiotomies, nursing, then developing an abscess. Wow, overwhelming. Painful. Trying to heal. And with all that comes the in general feeling of not being able to get it all done (in ministry, with family, around the house and so on). On a side note, how do families of multiples do it!?! Maybe we'll know one day...

Speaking of learning curves and learning, I feel like my Slovak skills have plummeted. I've still been plowing at it in between feedings and diaper changes, but I haven't been able to speak like I want to and just feel like my vocab and grammar have begun to slide. Ugh. One day I will get this language (genuine determination right there, folks).

All that adds up to cranky husband and wife. My husband has a fine sense of humor (and it's one of the things I love most about him), but he also has a particular way of applying humor when he's stressed that just plain irritates me. Yep, I said it. And trust me, it's not just him. That's not what I'm saying. I come back at him with snide remarks and ugliness too. Makes for unpleasant conversations. But this too shall pass and we are learning more and more how to work through stress together (slowly but surely).

So how's that for bearing it all today? Just putting it all out there. We're real and really sinful over here in Slovakia...bet ya couldn't have guessed that, huh? ;) However, I did receive an encouraging note from a friend today reminding me of this verse:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:2-4 ESV

God knows our trials. And my trials compared to many other's trials are nothing. I have SO very much to be thankful for. SO much. Now just to remember this in times of trial.

And speaking of things to be thankful for...we were able to spend some time with family (altogether close to a whole month, actually) who came all the way over here to see us.

Because no blog post is complete without pictures...

If you read through all that...consider yourself a champ! Thanks for letting me get it all out on this here little blog :)

One Month!

2011-10-24T14:24:00.005-04:00

We have a one-monther! What in the world!? Where did the time go?

I think I'm starting to understand already just how quickly the time goes...

And speaking of the lil one, here she is now.

And some deets (that's details for anyone out there who is thinking I'm talking about bug spray ;)...
Height: 57 cm (22 inches)
Weight: 4,170 grams (approx. 9 lbs., 2 oz.)
Major milestones: eating, pooping, getting stronger neck muscles during tummy time, noticing objects slowly but surely, and just being plain cute!

That's our one month old (sigh). We're loving being her parents!

A Lil Newborn Photography

2011-10-18T01:43:00.005-04:00

So having a newborn and all, I thought I'd try my hand at a little newborn photography (little newborn photography...pun seriously intended :)

Let me just say I now have way more respect for newborn photographers. It's no joke, friends, no joke. Trying to get a little one to cooperate for picture-taking is like trying to drive a stick shift while talking on the phone, brushing your hair, and maneuvering through four lanes of traffic. All. at. once. Ok, I exaggerate. Slightly.

But seriously, it wasn't the easiest, even after reading up on newborn photography and studying tips on how to take good baby pics. However, I did get a few that I was pleased with.

Without further adieu, my attempt at capturing baby Elise...

And probably my favorite shot of all (before and after editing)...

No easy task. But I'll take the cute ones I got any day :)

Speaking, Language, and a Blooper

2011-10-17T04:16:00.007-04:00

This weekend Jas was asked to speak at a youth group meeting of sorts called "KECY club." He spoke on the theme "collision." He did an awesome job, but most importantly he was able to share about Christ and counting the cost of choosing to follow Him.

We then broke into small groups and discussed what it looks like to follow Christ in general and what it looks like to follow Christ in Slovakia. This was helpful for Jas and I as we learned more about how Slovaks perceive and are perceived as Christians. Eye-opening.

And of course, it was great for our language. We've been focusing on our language a lot lately (what am I talking about!? we've been working on language since we've been here!). But what I really want to tell you about is a hilarious (or maybe not so hilarious) language blooper Jason made :)

We finished talking in small groups and everyone broke out the tables and the games. Jas and I thought it was time to head home to Elise (who was kindly being watched by her grandparents) thinking she might be ready to eat some more. Well, Jas decides to tell the people we were standing with (in Slovak) that "we had to go eat the baby." WHAT?!?!?! We all cracked up because as soon as he said it he realized. Too funny.

But no worries, we did not eat our child. Rather, we wanted her to eat. And eat she did.

And because in my opinion no post is complete without a picture...here's a picture of our Slovak tutor, Terezia, with Elise.

They're both adorable, huh?!

Easy Breezy Heart Pictures

2011-10-14T06:05:00.004-04:00

I've been meaning to post this for a while now, so here it is finally.

I wanted some fun and colorful art for Elise's room back when I was decorating. So I decided to make some.

Here's the final product:

I simply took a brown paper bag and cut it to the size of my frame. Taking white paper I used sharpies and colored pencils to fill an entire sheet with bright, random designs. Then I cut out hearts of all shapes and sizes.

Before cutting the hearts...

Once all the hearts were cut out, I simply glued the hearts onto my brown paper and drew a heart outline around some of them (for a lil something extra, ya know.)

Into the frame it went. And, of course, you can never have too much color so I saw these pinterest flowers (a tutorial) and got to rolling some paper. Took some glue and put those bad boy flowers on the frames.

And voila! Happy art for the baby's room :)

Scrub A Dub Dub

2011-10-12T03:47:00.003-04:00

Someone had the privilege of receiving her first bath this past week!

She did surprisingly well, despite a few screams and some bodily function action (Jas received the liquid form on him and I was the happy recipient of the more solid form..ha! Good times.)

Photographers Marianne and Nate were here to help us document this momentous event. Thanks guys!

Prepped and ready to go. That belly...oh goodness, I melt.

Duckie tub time. She's a little skeptical at this point.

"Better watch out, dad, I got a fist ready to go for putting me in this tub!"

Great time for team work...

Ah, post-bath calmness. So fresh and so clean, clean.

What. A. Cutie. Yes, we're first time parents, we can gush, right? :)

And I'm aware there's been lots of baby on the blog lately...I guess that's what happens when you bring a new little human home and into your lives. But hey, craft post and some ministry updates coming soon!

Auntie M & Uncle N

2011-10-10T03:14:00.004-04:00

This past week we had some special visitors. Aunt Marianne and Uncle Nate were in town for some family time and for some sight-seeing around Europe.

They got to spend some sweet time with Elise (translation: she was asleep nearly all day every day while they were here), but it made for some priceless pictures...

Look at that little smile :)

(Random photo tip: In the photo above Marianne's hand is cut off...the photo would have been a lot better as far as composition goes with the hand included! Yes, it's the small things :)

See, told ya...no blue eyes to be seen (until night time!). Still working on the whole newborn-switching-over-to-big-people-schedule thing.

Miss you already, Aunt M and Uncle N...

Elise's Birth Story

2011-10-07T02:01:00.002-04:00

So, I've been debating whether or not to post Elise's birth story, but I decided that since this is our little online journal of sorts, and we'd like to look back on it in the future, it's a great place to document it! So here goes. (If this isn't your type of post, feel free to tune out, but if you're up for it, grab a pumpkin spice latte in my honor and get comfy ;)

It all started Friday morning when we went into the hospital for a heart rate test. Elise's heart rate was down and they were concerned, so they asked us to come back Friday night.

We went in Friday night hopeful that her heart rate would be fine. Well, it was for a while. Then it decided to go high. And stay high for some time. This concerned the doctors that night, so an ultrasound followed. Everything was fine with the cord blood and placenta, but they weren't super comfortable with the results in finding the main artery that flows to the brain. This meant they asked us to stay the night and monitor everything (aka multiple heart rate tests and another ultrasound). We were a little nervous (ok, maybe more than a little) at this point because we were communicating in English and actually some broken Slovak, as well as German and a clear picture of what was going on wasn't coming together for us...

We stayed the night. Elise's heart rate evened out for the most part, but in the morning the doctor told us that since she was six days late we may want to go ahead and induce (so as to avoid any type of risk further). It was a go! We were told that induction could take anywhere from a few hours to a couple days and that we might just want to get comfortable. WELL, needless to say, thirty minutes later I was having full fledged contractions. We're talking very little break and intense!

Jas walked with me through them as best he could (though there really is not much you can do but just endure those stinkin' birth pains :) and things progressed quickly. At five centimeters I wasn't sure I was going to be able to make it...but thirty minutes passed and I was then at nine centimeters. Just like that! Sooo fast.

Then it was time for her to make her grand entrance (eight hours from start to finish). I'll spare all the nitty gritty details, but thankfully God has orchestrated the human body to be able to make it through the pain and the unpleasant-ness and it is SO worth it when that little one comes out crying into the world.

Elise Noelle was born at 4:39 pm on Saturday, September 24th. She weighed a hefty 8 pounds, 8 ounces and was 52 centimeters long. They placed her in my arms and I'm fairly certain it's a moment I'll never forget. Completely testifies to the greatness of our Creator.

I did end up with an episiotomy due to the cord being wrapped around her neck, but we are thankful she came and was/is a healthy baby. She's a blessing. A true blessing.

And, well, her daddy and I are just a little bit smitten with these tiny details...

Kaiser Krainer Goodness

2011-10-05T03:03:00.003-04:00

I'd been wanting to indulge in a sausage for sometime now since having refrained from them throughout pregnancy. So the other day we had to head to Vienna for another afternoon of paperwork for Elise...and it was high time for a Kaiser Krainer (also known as a cheese stuffed sausage).

Jas thought it was appropriate to document this momentous occasion...

And another angle. No Kaiser Krainer for Elise.

Ah the joy of fatty foods :) I was one happy girl!

Nursery Tour, Anyone?

2011-10-04T03:00:00.006-04:00

Well, this is long overdue, but finally here is a peak into Elise's nursery.

Since we couldn't paint the walls, I wanted it to be bright, cheerful, and of course that means colorful.

So here it is...the big reveal:

Shot to the left from the door.

Ikea frames, paper bag background, hand drawn hearts, and pinterest roses.

Free printoff colored in (and yes I know the letters are cut off...)

I'll always love a good map.

My crafty friend Steph made this for Elise...love it.

And there you have it, our quite Ikea-fied nursery for Elise :) Lots of crafts, lots of color, and lots of time spent there now. Welcome home, E.

Some Great Friends

2011-10-03T02:09:00.006-04:00

This morning I was feeding Elise and doing some reading and then thought, "I'll check my email." When I did, I found a surprise waiting...

You see, you may remember this photo shoot that my college roommates/best friends and I did back in January before we all headed different directions. It looked a little something like this:

Good, good times.
Soooo...when they were all going to be together this weekend, they decided to have another photo shoot seeing as how it's only appropriate and should be made a tradition anytime any of us are together.

Well, I didn't know about it (we did get to all skype and I was thankful for that), but they decided to include me in the photo shoot...

This is a sampling of what I found when I checked my email.

And they even recreated the jumping photo from above!

Love, love, LOVE it. Brought a huge smile to my face in the early morning hours.

And there's nothing like a paper head cut-out of yourself to make you feel like you're there ;)

Friends, THANK you so much for including me. You guys are great. Simply great.

One Week

2011-10-01T05:12:00.003-04:00

Someone around here is one week old today :)

Thanks for posing, lil girl...you're a cutie!

Hospital Days

2011-09-29T12:18:00.002-04:00

Just a few from the hospital :)

Welcome to the World, Elise!

2011-09-28T15:49:00.004-04:00

She's here! Well, four days ago she arrived. September 24, 2011 at 4:39 pm (Central European time). At a whopping 8 pounds, 8 ounces and with quite a large head she made her way into the world :) We're super thankful to the Lord and we feel blessed to be her parents.

More pictures forthcoming, of course!

My Beloved Fall...

2011-09-22T07:40:00.002-04:00

Do you know how much I love the season of fall? Apparently as much as the rest of blogworld (and pinterest for that matter...it's exploding with wonderful fall ideas).

And while I have yet to experience fall in Slovakia, I'm just as excited about it! While summer comes in a close second (what's not to love about warm weather and sunshine?), winter doesn't do it for me it being cold all the time and such. And spring, well, it would be great...minus allergies. So fall takes the cake with all it's wonderful smells, colors, and just-right weather. Ah, love.

In an attempt to "fall-ify" our flat the other day, I picked up these 1 euro glitter leaves at Kaufland's. They make a nice backdrop for the mango salsa candles I love (thanks MIL!).

And there were so many in the pack, I decided to make a garland to hang at the entrance of our flat.

Super simple. Leaves, glue, and string.

Then today, my thoughtful hubs brought home a bouquet of fall-inspired flowers from the store as a surprise (he's fully aware that I'm 40+ weeks pregnant and ready for our daughter to be here, too ;) ha.

Love the color. Love it.
And in some not-so-fall news, we finally have a RED tomato! It may have taken about four months, but our tomato plant did yield a red mater. yum!

Obviously we Palmers take awhile to grow things around here (babies and tomatoes :P)

Happy Fall!

40 weeks!

2011-09-19T07:14:00.000-04:00

Here it is, 40 weeks (technically a day over now)...and no baby yet!

So we're still here waiting on our little girl. Hopefully, this will be the last belly shot before she's here. Which we hope means the next baby post we do will be one of her arrival into this great big world!

It's been an experience we're grateful for, but it's been a learning one, for sure. Now we're ready to welcome her into the world :) Continue to pray with us for a safe and healthy delivery as we await her arrival any day now! Thanks, friends.

Day of Mary and Around Town

2011-09-17T10:55:00.002-04:00

A couple days ago Slovaks celebrated "Day of Blessed Virgin Mary," or "Day of our Lady of Sorrows." It's a holiday here where everyone has the day off and many Catholics pray, feast, and give thanks to Mother Mary.

Jas and I wanted to check it out and see how they were celebrating the day, so we decided to head downtown and get a glimpse at some of the churches. We observed that many were in attendance at mass.

A poor quality camera phone pic-but this was taken from the window inside one of the churches.

A common scene often observed outside of the churches here. People exiting and the homeless are there waiting.

If only Jesus were celebrated as much as Mary is...

In other news, I also decided it was high time (well, rather past time) to get some shots of the city we live in. So here are some random shots of Bratislava!

He Knows Her

2011-09-15T04:23:00.001-04:00

I've been pondering this passage in Psalms, and particularly this verse, for some time now. To be honest, the Lord has taught me a lot (and still is...that's lifelong, right?) about trusting Him throughout this entire process of pregnancy/impending birth...

I've struggled with fears and worries. It's true. I hate to admit it, pridefully, but I've wanted to try and control as much as I can with this little baby in my belly. And He has shown me, and continues to do so, that I am certainly NOT in control. Anything can happen, but HE already knows what is happening and what will happen. I'm reminded of that by the above verse.

He knows everything about the precious child He's formed/is forming in my belly. He knows what she will look like, what strengths and weaknesses she'll have, how many hairs she'll have, how many days on this earth she'll have. Bottom line: He KNOWS her and He loves her. Way more than Jas or I ever can or will.

I know we will only learn more from here as we become her parents, but I am thankful to be reminded of this daily as I read this passage and verse. We have a BIG God and I am thankful daily at His grace for forgiving me when I worry and don't trust. In the end, no matter what I try to do (and/or don't do), He's got it covered, thankfully.

Split Family Faces

2011-09-13T14:05:00.001-04:00

You very well may have already heard of or seen these images, but I find them fascinating, so of course, here they are on the blog :)

Though I'm far from truly understanding it and/or being good at it, I just love photography, so when I saw this article on photography called "Split Family Faces," I was greatly intrigued.

This photographer has taken photos of family members and merged them together to form one image which compares and contrasts the genetics of these relatives. It may have been done before (?), but irregardless, it's so interesting (and some even a little creepy...)

Click on the link above and check it out!

JAS, it's your BIRTHDAY!

2011-09-09T01:39:00.001-04:00

Today is a special day in the life of my man...that's right, today he turns 30!!!

So, babe, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you! I love you, I'm thankful for you, and I think you're going to make a wonderful 30 year old.

P.S.- you're hot.
P.P.S.- for your birthday, I'm giving you a baby, but she may not be here on your exact birthday ;)

The Unexpected...

2011-09-08T13:38:00.002-04:00

This week we went to the hospital for a baby check up. Things looked good with baby girl's heart and we had a good appointment, but we found out that we have a WHOLE lot of paperwork to get translated and in order before she gets here! That is, they finally let us know this, after having been there three times now...

Cue unexpected trip to Vienna. Thankfully, we were able to get all paperwork translated and fairly quickly (we arrived at 8:30 and had all papers by 2:30). Definitely a blessing.

And while we were waiting on Emmerich (such a great Austrian name) to work his magic on our docs, we enjoyed some Starbucks (I'm admittedly a sucker for their chai tea latte), studied Slovak for a while, and walked around some.

Want a camera phone's view of Vienna? Here ya go!

Starbucks, studying, paperwork, walking, and waiting...waiting on this baby to come!

38 weeks!

2011-09-04T07:02:00.002-04:00

Whoooaaa nelly! 38 weeks! That's wildness. It means that likely within the next 2-3 weeks (hopefully not longer than that!) we should be having a baby girl...crazy.

Nothing major to report here, other than the occasional hip/back pain, tiredness, and sleeplessness...but I think that's all to be expected at this point in the game. In the meantime we're just waiting and waiting. And praying and praying. Anytime now would be fine, little one, anytime :)

OWL Adorable...

2011-08-31T15:03:00.001-04:00

Get it, "owl" adorable (like "how" adorable). I know, I know...

But I couldn't resist posting this photo of an adorable owl I encountered while at an aviary exhibition at one of the castles here.

Completely precious. Look at those big eyes. Poor lil guy on a leash.

Just one for today. Hope you all are well :)

Relief from the Sahara

2011-08-27T14:47:00.002-04:00

It's felt like the Sahara Desert here in Bratislava lately. We're talking 99-100 degrees, hot winds, no air conditioning (that's a Slovak/European norm), etc. The occasional tumbleweed...ya know...straight up H-O-T.

So our team had planned to head to the pool today and that's just what we did. It was quite nice, indeed.

There was a high dive that Jas partook in (due to lil baby in the belly I opted out this time :)

And since we were right across the border in Austria, an obligatory Almdudler was purchased (a fizzy apple drink).

While there we celebrated my 25th birthday with the team (thanks all!)

And we celebrated with brownie bites made by my hubs (who's becoming quite the chef I might add...)

But that wasn't all...Ilga made this rockin' chocolate chip cookie cake!

Of course, I took a photo of those fun things on top...

Who wouldn't? That's some great color!

Thanks team, family, friends and everyone else who made this birthday a great one! I felt the love here in Slovakia...it's very appreciated.

And now the winds are blowing here (what a welcomed relief). I'm thinking fall may be right around the corner. We'll see!

My Best Friend!

2011-08-26T17:04:00.000-04:00

August 27th is my Best Friend's Birthday and I want to wish her the Happiest Birthday ever. So Charity, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I LOVE YOU AND AM SOOOO THANKFUL FOR YOU!!!! YOU ARE AN AMAZING WIFE AND MOTHER!!!!!

THANK YOU GOD FOR BLESSING ME WITH HER!

36 weeks!

2011-08-23T04:09:00.001-04:00

Yikes! 36 weeks! That's for real. She's coming (well, who knows exactly) likely within the next four weeks. Excited, ready, nervous, and anticipating are all words that describe how we feel right now. Whew!

That's a serious belly right there. Seriously filled with baby :)

And I'm seriously feeling it, too. Sleepless nights, a few major headaches, and it's definitely getting harder to walk...ha! Oh and acid reflux...that's a new one. But we can't wait to have her here. Thanks for your prayers...we appreciate them!

Colorful Kitchen Quick-Fix

2011-08-20T08:20:00.005-04:00

In the midst of all this "nesting" that has kicked in, a kitchen cabinet re-organization was in order. So Jas and I set off organizing the cabinets one afternoon.

And all that brought about the messiness better known as bags of baking products leaking and causing tiny bits of flour, sugar, salt, etc. all over the place. I knew we needed some containers to hold those important items and avoid as much mess as possible.

Cue mod podge, scissors, cleaned olive jars (yes, they're a staple in our house), scrapbook paper, and black sharpie. It took all of 15 minutes total. And voila! New, bright containers...

They're not perfect, but hey, they're perfectly cheap and colorful :)

What We've Been Doing...

2011-08-18T02:52:00.002-04:00

Lately we've been doing lots and lots of this...

laundry, laundry, and more laundry.

He wasn't quite sure what to think of just how small they are. Teenie, tiny, it's true.

And we've been finishing up her nursery, praying lots, and getting things ready for her arrival anytime in the next month! :)

Other than that, we've been studying hard in Slovak, spending time with a team here from California, and marking to-do's off of our list. Much going on!

Where Children Sleep

2011-08-13T13:19:00.000-04:00

I stumbled upon this from another blog, but it caught my attention so much that I wanted to share it here also.

It's called "Where Children Sleep" and it's a visual demonstration of various cultures and various levels of society. You really should check it out. Really.

Where Children Sleep

Let me know what you think!

30 in 30

2011-08-11T12:56:00.001-04:00

So 30 days from today this guy will be turning 30 years old:

That means that today he had to receive his BIRTHDAY BOX!

This birthday box houses 30 gifts, mostly small, random things, and he'll get to open one a day for the next 30 days.

Wanna see inside?

I think he's pretty excited about it, and so am I, but mostly because I get to celebrate his 30th year with him.

Even though it is a little hard to believe he'll be THIRTY (see below)--

And yes, those really ARE gumdrop teeth! He's a special one, I tell ya...

Vienna: Rose Garden

2011-08-08T08:05:00.002-04:00

This is the last of the Vienna pics, but I definitely wanted to post some of the amazing flowers, namely roses, found in the Rose Garden.

We spent a whole morning here our last day just reading and taking photos. It was quite enjoyable.

Lovely, right? Thanks, Vienna, for a great couple of days!

Vienna: More Around Town (and 34 weeks!)

2011-08-07T06:28:00.002-04:00

Well, these aren't the promised rose photos (coming soon), but here are some post-butterfly exhibit shots from around town.

Jas got to have sushi for the first time in a long time (it's super expensive here in Slovakia also, but he found it at a lil roadside stand for fairly cheap).

And speaking of the roadside stand,

Cute, huh? :)

And while we were exploring the city some more we decided to take some 34 week pregnancy shots...

Jas couldn't stand not having his picture taken, so here he is in all of his pregnancy glory...

Oh, I do love that man. And the fact that he'll soon be a father! ;)

Vienna: Butterfly House!

2011-08-06T09:24:00.000-04:00

While in Vienna we also visited a butterfly exhibit. We were a little skeptical about it at first, but it ended up being one of my favorite things we did.

These butterflies were BEAUTIFUL and it was completely worth it if for nothing else but the pictures we were able to capture...

Seriously!? Look at that detail, and God's handiwork...

There were plenty of bright flowers to attract all those butterflies.

And this last guy seemed to be posing for the camera. My very favorite shot:

Jas did a great job getting most of the shots of these butterflies because he's a bit steadier with the hand when it comes to creatures that can flutter easily. I, on the other hand, would not make a good National Geographic photographer.

Maybe a good garden photographer, though. Plenty of rose pics coming your way, too!

Vacay to Austria

2011-08-05T13:50:00.004-04:00

Jas and I decided to take a mini pre-baby vacation to Vienna, Austria for two days.

The past month has been a busy one and it was great to just take some time to enjoy together!

First we decided to explore the city a little, where we found this adorable advertisement. Of course, I suggested Jas put on his pretend earphones for a photo op (because what kind of photographer wife would I be if I didn't? :)

Beautiful, I tell ya...

And we did find one of the local Starbucks to indulge (Bratislava is too small a city to have one of its own). A chai latte was in order--cold this time, since it was hot out...

The next morning we headed off to see the famous Austrian-bred Lipizzaner horses perform at the Spanish Riding School. Jas and I were both very excited about this...

As expected, it was worth our excitement because these horses are pretty amazing. Even if we were in the standing room section!

This double style was used for the Emperor's hunting back in the day. The first horse pulled the carriage to the hunting ground, and then the Emperor would use the front horse to ride while hunting. Pretty interesting...

And that's a mama and baby. They don't turn white until they are about 3 years old!

We thoroughly enjoyed the show (that could be a good horse pun ;) and would recommend it to anyone visiting Vienna.

We were also able to visit a butterfly house, which made for LOTS of really great pics. Check back soon, we'd love to share!

The GrillMaster

2011-07-30T04:49:00.001-04:00

This man of mine has been talking about wanting to grill ribs for about a month now, maybe longer...

So while his parents are in town, we took the night to celebrate a belated Father's Day with some Bar-b-que rubbed ribs and mac & cheese!

There he is folks, the GrillMaster himself!

And the infamous ribs...

I must say, I'm not the world's biggest meat-lover, but these things were GOOD. He did a great job...I'm proud!

Father, son and ribs. What a manly picture.

While we were out on the balcony, I snapped some shots of our just-now-producing pepper plant:

Better late than never, right?!

Maybe for our next night of grilling we will be able to add some home grown peppers to the mix :)

Pregnancy Photos!

2011-07-28T10:12:00.003-04:00

Like I mentioned in a previous post, while Brooke was here in Bratislava, she kindly agreed to do a pregnancy photo shoot with Jas and I. She did an awesome job, of course, and if you haven't seen these already you can find these and more on her blog, or facebook also.

Here are a few of my favorites...

Brooke, they're great...we so appreciate it! Thanks for being patient even with my crazy eyebrows (believe me, these brows of mine have some crazy angles...lol :)

32 weeks!

2011-07-27T08:19:00.002-04:00

Well, we are now in the single digits week wise! In hopefully some 7 or 8 weeks we'll be able to meet our sweet girl.

Here's a recent shot of 32 weeks, though it's not the best preggo shot (like the ever famous side view I've been posting for a while now)...

At last appointment, baby was right at 4 pounds (already!) and seemed healthy. She's just really working hard now at bulking up.

We've made more progress on the nursery and finally purchased a stroller, so we're excited about those things...but really we're just waiting in anticipation to meet this baby.

Thanks for following along and joining us in prayer! Stay tuned...now that things have slowed down a little bit, we'll be back at it in the blogging world :)

The Past Week

2011-07-25T13:58:00.003-04:00

We've been quite busy the past week, thus the lack of blogging. Team Ridgecrest was here (they leave tomorrow! sad!) and we had a great time working together at DEPO (similar to a community youth center).

I didn't take my camera this week, as the team was here and Brooke did a great job capturing lots of wonderful moments. So these next pictures are all to her credit.

We made a sign for DEPO on the first day.

The kids that came had lots of opportunities to play fun games...like this one where they had to move the cookie from their forehead to their mouth.

The guys helped clear a large pile of dirt and trash from the back of DEPO. Here they are in action.

And a group shot. So there's just a lil snippet of what we've been up to...it was indeed a good week :)

While the team was here, Brooke and I also got the chance to have a little maternity photo shoot, so those pics will be making an appearance on the blog soon, too. THANKS, Brooke!

We're still here!

2011-07-17T12:49:00.001-04:00

We're still here!

Just been busy doing some of this...

and this...

And prepping for a quality week hanging out with Slovak kids! Check back later for more updates :)

**Pics courtesy of Brooke from this blog**

A Success? Perhaps?

2011-07-13T03:23:00.003-04:00

You may or may not have been following along with us as we navigate our very own Veggie Tales (also known as trying to grow our own balcony garden vegetables), but if you have been, then you may remember our cucumber plant taking off with some major cucumber sprouts.

Well, then we hit the road for two weeks and left our awesome Slovak tutor in charge of watering our plants. She did an amazing job, as would be expected, and the plants received plenty of water. However, it was supposedly quite hot the weeks we were gone and our poor cucumber plant couldn't withstand the heat.

HOWEVER, we were SHOCKED to come home to this guy:

All that watering had been soaked up by our one lone cucumber that overtook the whole planter! It was HUGE! We were sad at the seeming loss of our cucumber plant, but we were equally stoked that this guy had grown so! Success? We'll chalk it up to one :)

And here's the proud grower himself demonstrating it's ginormous size... (and don't mind the hair, it's a new fashion trend here in Slovakia)

And just in case you were wondering, we still have some hope for the lil cucumber plant that seemed to be dead/dying...this morning it appears there may be two new little cucumbers fighting to take off...score!

Will it EVER Clear Up!?

2011-07-11T12:52:00.004-04:00

That was what we kept wondering this past week at camp in Ruzomberok. The first four days were rainy, cloudy, and all together just COLD. It was like winter, but in the summer...crazy! Jas and I weren't quite expecting it and I think it caught us off guard (though we had been warned!)

This was our attire for most of the week...

BUT, I will say, these campers were troopers and sun or no sun they stuck it out and enjoyed every last minute of outdoor games....awesome!

Speaking of, here are a plethora of pictures from the week's games.

A Photo Challenge Scavenger Hunt.

Patiently waiting their turns during a human-sized game of Trouble.

Relay race which included this stick version of "dizzy bat"

AND then...

you see it correctly, that's right, threading string through a needle (after being dizzy!)

Team Building games

A more complicated version of Capture the Flag

A team vs. team game of "grab that flag!" (at least that's what I'm calling it)

And a straw, water-collecting, relay race.

There also was a welcomed guest that participated in almost all the games. Meet Murko (the cat):

He's quite the photogenic lil mammal wouldn't you say?

But the fun didn't stop there...they also were awoken in the middle of the night for a night game involving glow sticks...

On top of all that fun they attended daily English classes, were a part of small groups, had campfires (just 2 due to the weather!), and most importantly, the best part, they heard about Jesus and some chose to accept Him as their personal Savior!

It was a good camp, despite the weather, but the best part of it all was getting to know the kids that came. I really enjoyed them and am praying for them even now.

I made it all the way until the end of the week before getting sick! I contracted an ugly migraine and then it turned into a sinus infection...yuck. BUT, we made it back to Bratislava and are now gearing up for Ridgecrest team's arrival. Prayers, please, that it would be a fruitful time of ministry (Satan is always at work...but GOD is bigger!)

30 weeks!

2011-07-10T06:49:00.001-04:00

30 weeks...hooray! That means in about 9 or 10 weeks, hopefully, we'll be able to meet our lil girl. Each day we get more and more excited :)

Baby girl has been kicking up a storm. I feel like I say that every time, but she seriously gets stronger weekly in her kicks (though I guess as she runs out of room in there, that'll slow down some...). She now weighs 3.5 pounds and is still measuring about a week ahead...we'll see what happens!

And, wouldn't ya know it, good 'ole friend nausea decided to return this week and bring with it a lovely case of sinusitis (you can probably see in my face above the signs of sickness :P). So we're currently fighting off the crud over here. But we are thankful baby is strong and growing and we just keep looking forward to and praying for her arrival in September!

Poooooland!

2011-07-09T04:21:00.003-04:00

We arrived back to Bratislava yesterday after being gone for close to two weeks. Our first week gone was spent in POLAND. Wisla, Poland to be exact.

We didn't have a whole lot of time to get out and explore lil Wisla due to meetings and less than favorable weather, but the first day there we did get to hit the town once.

At one place we stopped Sonya and I were excited to meet some celebrities! These guys were gracious enough to stop and pose in front of their latest concert sign "GANGSTERZY RAPERZY." They part of the crew, 'yo.

Cute little downtown Wisla.

Typical tourist pose in front of the Wisla sign...

We then took a short walk along the river. We saw these little rock towers just hanging out there in the river! Supposedly, Slovaks (and Polish alike?) feel the need to create these little rock towers when they get in the river...how cool!

Little cabin in the woods tucked up above the river. How would you like to live here!?

Wish we had had more time to explore Wisla, but the week ended and we hopped in the car for Ruzomberok, Slovakia. Lots of pictures to share from this past week! Stay tuned :)

RANDOM

2011-06-27T07:08:00.000-04:00

Some random items come to mind today...

1) I made THESE amazing cake batter truffles the other day. Her's look way better than mine, but MAN they tasted amazing. Great recipe.

2) I found the recipe originally on pinterest. Have you heard of pinterest? I'm sure you probably have...it's all the rage these days! Here's where you can find me there :)

3) We took our first language test!! It wasn't as bad as we thought, though we are anxiously awaiting the results. We'll see how it went!

4) We're off to Poland for a conference and then we'll be helping with an English camp here in Slovakia. Blogging may be somewhat sporadic over the next week and a half...but we'll be back!

5) Have a splendid week and a half :)

28 weeks!

2011-06-26T09:35:00.000-04:00

Today is 28 weeks for the lil one growing in my belly...which is super exciting because that means we're in the home stretch. Hello, Third Trimester :)

This week baby has eyes that can open and close and her lashes are even formed. Amazing. She is just working on chunking up now...gotta get that fat!

Oddly enough this week my body has decided to forego any nausea and so I'm thinking I was just supposed to endure it for 2 trimesters and not the third?? I guess we'll see. Other than that, back pain and not sleeping well are the only other things going on and I won't complain about that!

In (Lord-willing) 11 to 12 weeks we'll get to meet our baby girl. Lots of things to do between now and then. We're thankful, hopeful, and continuing in prayer for a healthy delivery and baby.

Yikes! Our First Exam!

2011-06-23T07:39:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow we have our first Slovak exam for our course downtown. We're, well, how would you say it....nervous!

We've been studying like it's nobody's business.

A little sampling of what we've been studying. Fruit and veggie vocab, ah we got that in the bag. Grammar, however, not as much! It's tough!

Pray for us :) We hope to do well!

Coming Soon: Cukes!

2011-06-20T12:54:00.001-04:00

Remember back when I posted this photo (or a similar one) as progress of Jason's growing garden?

Well, his green thumb has proven fruitful and we have seen much growth since then.

Such as the budding of these lovely pepper plants...

But the most exciting thing happening in our little balcony garden is the likes of this cucumber plant.

It has really taken off and so much so that we feared for it's life and Jas had to string it up so it wouldn't bend under its own weight.

Seven lil tiny cucumbers have sprouted out and I so look forward (and hope) they'll continue to grow into Big Daddy Cukes!

Yessss! Proud of my man :)

Today We Serve!

2011-06-18T14:50:00.001-04:00

We have been planning for weeks for this one day, today. Today was the day that we were going to serve the people of Bratislava by participating in a city-wide service project. There are different projects all around the city that you can volunteer for, so we decided to do one that was close to our home. Therefore, we get to serve our local community with people living close by. So we got up early, ate breakfast, packed a small bag, prayed together and walked to the project closest to our home. The one where we would be cleaning a local gymnastics gym. Foam pit, HERE I COME!!

So what do we find when we arrive? A sign on the door promoting the service project with yesterday and todays dates on it. GREAT!! But one problem. A man inside tells us that it is finished. HUH? But the website and the paper on your door says it is Friday and Saturday. "Nope, we finished it yesterday."[In Slovak of course]. So much for serving here... So we decided to go to another site close to our home. Once again, they finished it yesterday. What kind of 2-day service projects are these?? Seriously, don't people use Friday to the prep work for the actual projects on Saturday? Nope. Not here. You get it done on Friday and if there is anything left over then you do it on Saturday.

Oh well, at least we still have a whole day ahead of us. Let's take our brand new frisbee outside and try to meet new people from our apartment complex. Great idea! Except for the part where the rain clouds come out and the people go in. NO!!!!

Well, since it is raining lets go ask our neighbors across the hall to hang out and play cards. Great idea! That is the way to take the initiative. "You want to play?" "Ummm...don't want to."

Man!! serving is a hard thing to do...

Jason

Meatball Zucchini Cream Pasta

2011-06-16T15:14:00.000-04:00

We are major pasta eaters. We Palmers know how to devour some pasta.

So at an attempt on creativity in the kitchen the other night, this is what I came up with...

Meatball Zucchini Cream Pasta

You need:

your favorite type of pasta

one zucchini

meatballs (homemade = Giada de Laurentis style/frozen = Charity style)

one package garlic & herb cream cheese

a little blob of butter

garlic

oregano

shredded mozzarella cheese

salt

pepper

1. Cut your zucchini into small chunks and start your water boiling.

2. Place meatballs in pan with a little oil on low to medium heat. Let them get going for a couple minutes, then add zucchini chunks.

3. Meanwhile, boil your pasta according to package.

4. In another pan add your butter, cream cheese, garlic, and oregano over medium heat. Let it all melt together, stirring often. Add cheese. Check consistency for how you like it (you can add flour to bulk it up or milk to make it thinner).

5. Add cream sauce to meatballs and zucchini mix.

6. Drain pasta well. Add a little salt and some pepper to pasta, then mix meatballs, zucchini, and cream sauce with pasta in large bowl.

Plate that yumminess and eat it up!

Yay, Baliky!

2011-06-15T03:12:00.001-04:00

Baliky = a new word taught by our tutor to us on Monday.

Why she taught us this word on Monday, you're wondering?

Well, we got two baliky (or PACKAGES) in the mail while she was here that day!

And it was exciting. One came from my sweet grandma and another one came from a small group at Redemption Hill Church. They were both filled with goodies and very thoughtful.

THANK YOU!! We really appreciate it!

Now for a visual of our loot:

Nursery Sneak Peak

2011-06-13T12:45:00.001-04:00

Little by little over here we have been getting things done for the baby's nursery. It's pretty exciting!

But, I guess I should be honest, we really have done very little. I have the picture of how it will look in my mind, but we just bought a dresser today and that's all we have going for the room furniture wise. We will get more soon...like in the next few months we'll be making Ikea trips, for sure.

I have however been working on a few craft projects for baby girl's room.

Want a sneak peak?

Since we can't paint the walls, lots of color will be incorporated. We hope it'll be a place she will love! Full room post to come towards the end of the summer :)

26 weeks!

2011-06-12T06:24:00.001-04:00

26 weeks of life in the womb for baby girl...yahoo!!

We went to the doctor this week and found out she is nearly 2 pounds now. She's also measuring a week ahead and looks as if she'll be a "big baby," according to the doc. Yikes! But exciting (though likely painful come time for birth ;)

She's quite the kicker, we may have a women's soccer champ on our hands, we'll see!

Nausea is still my constant companion, but hey, it will all be worth the toilet-hugging come September. We're just praying for a healthy delivery, and most importantly, a healthy baby. Thanks for joining us in prayer!!

P.S.- we've decided to hold off on sharing her name (cruel, I know). Yes, we have one that we love, but we want to introduce her to the world when she comes into it ;)

Good Conversation with a Side of Tea

2011-06-10T05:38:00.000-04:00

Tuesday night of this past week we got together with some Slovaks (and fellow American) for some conversation over tea.

We all ordered some type of tea (Jas had some very strange tea that tasted like bread...odd, indeed). Then we chatted about church, community, and Christ. I mostly listened due to some stretching pains I was feeling in my belly (yay baby!), but it was good stuff.

It's a good time each Tuesday night and I'm hoping next week there will be some girls there (Marina, what do you say? :)

And the whole time I was thinking of this verse:
"Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house." Matthew 5:15

We're called to share...let's do it!

Speaking of lamps, I found this awesome one there at the tea house...