Think Spring

We woke up today to more snow and cold.  Say it ain't so!  I cannot wait for Spring so I can finally do some clothes shopping.  Last year I was hugely pregnant and just trying to make the most of the maternity style pieces I had.  This year?  I'm leaning towards floral prints and lots of color!
So here's "What I Hope to be Wearing" very soon:

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Linking with the Pleated Poppy

Envy

It's getting to be that time of year again- the time when all the seasonal workers are preparing to head up to Alaska for an incredible summer.  I know I've mentioned it before, but it is so true that I have left a piece of my heart up in Skagway.  I can't think of any place more magical than the mountains of Alaska and the streets of that little town.  It will always be like home to me.  I often daydream about the future, taking Francie to Skagway and sharing in that magic with her.  Someday...someday.

Quirks of a Bi-cultural Marriage

One of the weirdest things about being married to a foreigner is the lack of shared history in regards to pop culture.  Not only was my husband born in a communist country, he also happens to be several years younger than me.  That pretty much doubles the chances that we just won't have the same nostalgic attachments. (FYI- Bulgaria is not communist anymore).

This isn't a big deal obviously (or we wouldn't be married), but it is always surprising for me and sometimes a little annoying.  I'm a pop culture junkie, especially when it comes to things from my childhood- I'm an 80s movie lover.  My family will tell you that I am always busting out random quotes from movies.  Martin, on the other hand, considers anything made before the mid 90's to be "old" and mostly unworthy of watching.  A typical conversation goes something like this:

Me: Have you seen Willy Wonka?  I mean, the original one?

Martin: I don't even know who that is.

Aaaand... I'm left shaking my head and wondering who the heck I married.

Well, no- seriously, it's not that bad.  Actually it isn't such a terrible thing because it means that I get to introduce him to all of these "new" things.  One of the first movies that I made him watch was the Labyrinth.  It is my all time favorite.  If you don't appreciate Labyrinth, we probably won't be friends. (Ok, not really, but still!)  I was so happy when I got him to watch Pee Wee's Big Adventure with me and not only did he enjoy it, but he also laughed out loud sometimes!  Now he knows Pee Wee and he usually gets my quotes and references.

It's just one of the quirks of being married to someone who was born and raised in another culture.  Yes, the differences are many, but the similarities are always a pleasant surprise.  And anytime I can share my deep love for muppets in a maze and David Bowie in tights with someone and still be respected, that's definitely a great thing.

What I Wore

Top: Terranova

Jeans: Target

Earrings: Forever 21

I took a few weeks off from what I wore posts since it really wouldn't have been too interesting to share pictures of me in tshirts and yoga pants.  But!  The weather has been awesome and we've gone out for a walk 3 days in a row, woo hoo!

Dangly earrings are worn at my own risk these days since Francie just can't help herself from trying to rip them off my ears.  Understandable.  The majority of my earrings are big, in fact for years now I've been known for my fun "junk jewelry" as I like to call it.  I've only recently started wearing them again. 

So that's what I wore 'round the neighborhood, sloshing through the slush and soaking up some vitamin D.  Back indoors, I set up the self timer for some sweet pics with my girl.

She's a little mini-me, wouldn't you say?  Yeah, no. She's a clone of her Daddy- a mini-Marty, if you will.  My little golden haired, blue eyed baby doll.

Weekend Inspiration

I may be the last person to have heard of St. Vincent, but I am so glad I stumbled upon her music recently!  I can't stop listening to dreamy songs like this one:



I'm so ready for Spring, what about you?

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Wouldn't it be nice to wake up with this attitude every morning:

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And if it were warm and I had a backyard...

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(not pictured- mosquitoes!)

How adorable, I need to make a Care Bears hoodie for my little bear!

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The temperature here in Bulgaria is going up-just a little bit, but hopefully enough to melt some of the piles of snow.  Sunday is looking promising for sunshine and if that's the case we're going to get out and soak some of it up!
Hope you all have a lovely weekend :)  

How to remove your photos from Google image search

I just wanted to share this little tip in case you don't like your blog photos showing up on Google image searches.  It's pretty simple, all you need to do is add a piece of code to your template.  From your blogger dashboard, go to:

You should know that for images that are already cached, from what I understand they will continue to show up in an image search.  I honestly know so very little about html, meta tags, caching, etc. but after an incident today I sought out some info on what I could do to gain some peace of mind.

This all came about because of some traffic lately from image searches that are just not sitting well with me.  Yes, I know, if I don't want people to see my pics, then don't put them online!  I'm fine with sharing photos but when I see in my traffic sources that someone has been searching terms that make my skin crawl and a completely unrelated photo from my blog pops up, it kind of ruins my day.  This is my family blog and I do want to take some steps to protect it.  So unfortunately, I've decided I have to take this route, at least for the time being.

I hope maybe this helps someone else out there.  If you have any other suggestions, ideas, thoughts- please leave me a comment!

For more info, see 1, 2, 3.

Our Story

People often ask how Martin and I met, ya know with him being Bulgarian and all.  It's not everyday that you meet a Bulgarian in America, let alone end up marrying one.  So just in time for Valentine's day- Our story.

  We met in June of 2008 in Skagway, Alaska.  He was 21 and a university student in Bulgaria at the time and I was 24 and just looking for a little adventure.

After two and a half years in Florida, I was feeling restless.  Things hadn't worked out quite as I'd imagined there, I couldn't finish school for financial reasons and ended up working full time.  I loved my job but when the company was abruptly sold to another, it was time for me to move on.  I had an acquaintance who'd spent a few summers in Skagway and it seemed like a great adventure.  It was the perfect opportunity for change.

First summer in Alaska

Martin had come to the states on a work and travel program for students.  We both worked for a seasonal hotel, he was a housekeeper and I was the assistant housekeeping manager.  So I was his supervisor.  It's not really as bad as it sounds though, it happens all the time up there.  It's a small town!

I can remember the exact moment that I knew something was going to happen between us.  I stopped by the employee housing one night to see who was hanging out and Martin was standing in a doorway with his back to me.  He turned around, noticed me, and I could see it in his eyes.  I just knew...something!  We had been working together for a few weeks but I really hadn't paid him much attention until then.

We became pretty much inseparable the rest of the summer until we parted ways on my 25th birthday in Seattle airport.  The season was over, his work visa was up, and we were both headed home.  I watched him walk to the gate, on his way to Bulgaria, and I really wasn't sure what the future held.

NYC '09

What it held was two more summers in Alaska, travels around the states, three trips to Bulgaria, an engagement, a Vegas wedding, and a little Francie baby.  And now here we are!

At our post-wedding party

It amazes me sometimes that Bulgaria was a place I had never given a thought to before 2008.  As an American gal who never set out with any intentions, it seems so crazy that I would meet someone from a completely different country/continent/culture and have so much in common.  Of course, the differences are also many.  But that's part of the adventure!

In Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria 

Dad.

In May it will be 3 years.  3 years since I saw your face and held your hand, since we exchanged I love yous.

I'm supposed to get to that place where I can think of you and smile and feel happiness in my heart, where I see you as you were when you were healthy.  But I'm not there yet.  I think of you and I blink back the tears, I fight the urge to turn into a puddle.

Almost 3 years ago, that evil thief took you from us.  I don't want to think of cancer every time I think of you. Cancer stole our time, I don't want it to steal my happy thoughts and memories.  I don't want to be consumed by grief and I know that you wouldn't want that either.

Grieving is a tangled process.  There's no right way to do it, no clear path to closure, to comfort.  I am not completely comforted by my memories because I miss you too much.

Francie will never get the chance to ask you about baseball, to see you laugh until you cry while watching the Honeymooners and The Three Stooges, to hear you sing Dire Straits and Pink Floyd, to get a chapstick-coated kiss, to see your eyes light up on Christmas morning, to call you PopPop.  It's not fair and it breaks my heart.  I know that you would have loved nothing more than to be a proud grandpa.

I miss you and I love you so much.  It hurts that you aren't here and nothing and no one will ever fill the void.  But I'm working on getting to that place of acceptance and peace.  I'm working on thinking of you and smiling without crying, on quieting the voice inside that says "it's not fair, it's not fair, please let this not be true"  Someday I'll get there.

Happy Birthday, Dad.  You would have been 61 today and proudly wearing a "World's Greatest PopPop" hat, I'm sure of it.

Sunny Side Up

I've become a morning person.  It's actually my favorite time of the day.  I love waking up to that gorgeous little face, even if she gave us a hard time the night before.  Who could be mad at a face like that?

Can we get a click-click?

Currently and a self portrait.

I'm linking up with The Paper Mama for her self photo challenge.

Currently I am:

Obsessing over...

Finding new music to enjoy.  Any suggestions?  And Portlandia, Fred and Carrie's caricatures are just spot on and hilarious, I love it.

Working on...

Finding motivation for things.

Thinking about...

Francie and I's trip home in April, a 15 hour journey alone with my baby!  I'm nervous.  And possibly getting a part time job while I'm in the states.

Anticipating...

Spring and warm weather!  Once March rolls around we'll be busier.  We have Martin's 25th birthday, then Francie's 1st, then Francie and I fly home to Philly for awhile.  I'm really looking forward to seeing my family.

Listening to...

The Capitol Years album "Here Comes the Son" on my ipod.

Eating...

I'm about to have a late afternoon coffee and a chocolate cream-filled croissant. yum!

Wishing...

That it would get warm so we could spend time outdoors.  That I could buy tickets to see Wilco in Paris or  that Wilco would play a show in Philly when I'm home.  I'll just have to keep wishing!

House Arrest

Some days it can feel like I'm under house arrest.  It is bitterly freakin cold out, there is no where to go and nothing to do.  It's been snowing on and off for a few weeks and it is frozen as the dickens in Eastern Europe at the moment.  Perhaps you heard it described on the news as the "death grip"?  It's every bit as pleasant as it sounds.

The sidewalks and streets are coated so thick with layers of ice and snow that they're better suited for a pair of ice skates than boots and stroller wheels.  So we've been stuck indoors, hibernating.  Waiting and waiting and waiting for Spring, for the thaw.

I don't do winters, plain and simple.  Me and cold don't get along too well.  I'm going stir crazy.  I'm pretty sure that even the baby is suffering from cabin fever.  When we did get out to the store a couple days ago she was literally singing with joy.

But that's life right now.  Life behind four walls, life seemingly on hold.  We wait for warmer days...

Yes, please!

Anthropologie Inspired

I'll be honest, I have never shopped in Anthropologie.  Sadly, they're way out of my price range, but that doesn't stop me from admiring their clothes from afar.  I love the look of these:

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  I've been seeing a lot of crochet tops in the thrift store lately and I just had to have one.  Unfortunately, most of them were pretty ratty looking, lots of holes and loose threads, except for this one:

I just love it!  It's so pretty and summery.  I think it would work over a tank top like I'm wearing it here or even as a bathing suit cover up for a day at the beach.  For $3, I'd say it's not too bad.  

What do you think?  Does it work?

The Pleated Poppy