Huck-Finn-Be-Gone



Product review: Lansinoh Breastcream

I LOVE going barefoot. Once all danger of rain and snow is gone, there is nothing more disgustingly constricting to me than wearing socks. Yuck. My husband has nicknamed me, 'Huck Finn.'

The down-side of bare feet (for me at least) is heinously dry heels. Not glamorous, no--but it's reality. And nothing has helped--including a daily regiment of pumice stone and maximum-strength heel-cream. Then it occurred to me: Lansinoh breastcream. This stuff is an absolute wonder-product. THE BOMB. Originally meant for the cracked nipples of nursing mothers, I have used it on Audrey's chafed bottom, my dry lips, dry hands and the list goes on. So I tried it on my heels--AMAZING.

Make sure you buy the Lansinoh brand, as not all brands carry 100% pure medical-grade lanolin without preservatives or additives. You can find it in the baby aisle at Target, Walgreen's, etc.

Okinawan Fruit Bats--
and other family matters.





Over the past week or so, we've had the good fortune of seeing several members of our family--some more or less expectedly...

(these pics are in random order but if Audrey looks like she's wearing the same outfit--she probably is-- hey, if it was good enough for half-pint and Mary! No seriously, it's just hard to find stuff we like; too many pink ribbons and bows. Gag.)

This is Mike's cousin, Mr. Kevin Morris. Kev is a Marine, currently stationed (with his wife Christy and daughter Caelinn) in Okinawa. Last week he made a quick stop to the States to pick up his other daughter Kyra (pictured further down), who will be staying with them for the summer.

In this picture, Kevin is telling a 'fishermans' story'--only this time, it's the 'Okinawan Fruit Bat' story, or something like that. In any case, I had to get a picture of exactly how big these bats are that are flying out of the trees in his yard.



This is Kyra...she thought she was just coming up for lunch. Little did she know that Audrey and I were headed to a get-together at friends' house down the street; she decided to come along--and good thing she did because there was a slip and slide--and Deanna just happened to have a swimsuit in her size.



Audrey, Laurel, Deanna and Marilyn



Kyra post slip-and-slide...



Next day was Fathers Day, and since we alternate holidays, this year was with Mike's fam...it was a jolly-good time, as you can see:

Mike and Jessie man the grill...



Unbeknown to the rest of us, Grandma Jean slips away to deadhead our newly-planted bougainvillea (she's got a very green thumb)...



Grandma Jean, John, Audrey and her daddy



Grandma Chris and Audrey



Katie, Jessie, Audrey, Mike, Mindy and John



German Chocolate Cake is on Mike's Top-5 list; and don't ask how we got the picture of John as the 'Marlboro Man'



As you can see, the yard is coming along nicely...



Several days later, after running errands 'down the hill' (as we call it), we dropped in on the Kirsten-Jeff clan...Never had Popeye's Chicken before... good times. Not sure the Probsts agree, but I like it better than the Colonels fare--especially the gravy.



Audrey and Samuel chillin'...watching Baby Einstein



Lance spots the photo-op



Audrey and Bailey dancing their cares away (hopefully they don't have too many!)



Samuel and Lance wrestle...

Growing up...already



Believe it or not, our little, tiny baby is already growing up. :(

Thank goodness she hasn't been interested in crawling before now (so we haven't exactly encouraged this skill--sue us; we knew we wouldn't be carrying her to junior high.) Alas, she has now begun the first stages of scooting and we are therefore forced to begin the process of baby-proofing our house. (No minor task, to be sure.)

Already, we are putting away things that she is outgrowing, like this swing. How tiny she was when we first put her in it--she couldn't even hold her head up--now she looks like a giant in it!



The other day she even learned how to drink from a straw. (I'd been trying to teach her that for a while, but someone showed me a trick that really works!) She was SO proud.

A punkin' and her daddy

Fathers week

Concert Review: John Mayer @ the Bowl



Imagine my surprise when my husband secretly secured us tickets to see John Mayer (and Ben Folds!) at the Hollywood Bowl. For those who are not familiar with it, the Bowl is not only the best idea that Los Angeles had, but certainly the top concert venue in the area. First of all, when sitting at the Bowl, your view is unspoiled California hillside (nevermind the fact that heinous traffic of the 101 FWY roars just outside).

Secondly, a concert at the Bowl is not only fabulous music, but wine and dine al fresco dining as well--either at one of the many picnic sites surrounding the venue or right in your seat!!! I mean, how cool is that?!!! We picked up our dinner on-site from one of Patina's restaurants.



Ben Folds opened the shindig...What a musician!!!!!!!!!!! Additionally, his talent, charisma, wit and sense of humor really stole the stage. In a lament about how nowadays nobody really listens to lyrics anyways, he set Dr. Dre lyrics 'Bitches can't hang with the streets' to his own soulful music. The result was HILARIOUS.

John Mayer was just 100% over-the-top AMAZING. Words cannot do his performance justice.

The once young couple, now decidedly aged, enjoy an evening alone....



Something missing from this pic? Now that we have Audrey, we always sense her absence and think of her sweet little self. At the same time, we have to admit that we enjoy our time alone as well.

A gorgeous evening.

P.S. Gnome naming

Our gnome has no name as of yet. We are taking suggestions...

Gnome caught with Clafoutti on his face



In case you haven't heard, we've got our own gnome. He's quite sweet, entertaining, and somewhat of a bandit. The other day, we caught him getting into the clafouti whilst we were cleaning up our dinner al fresco. For those who aren't familiar with Cherry Clafouti, it is a traditional French dessert; a vanilla custard/cake-ish dish with whole cherries. The most traditional recipes call for leaving the cherry pits in, as these give the dish an almond flavor. It is an excellent and very light way to end a meal--not overly sweet. If you want a recipe, let me know...



In response to those of you who've asked: no, I haven't been blogging in a while...mainly for the following reasons:

1.) It all started our last week in Skagen when we didn't have a high-speed Internet connection promised in the house we were renting. Blogging went downhill from there, which led to...

2.) Backlogging. There's still so much to tell about our trip, I wasn't quite sure how to just 'go on' from here. Now I've decided that I will follow up on the last parts by inserting blog entries here and there--despite the fact that we are already home.

3.) Jet lag. Was much harder coming back this way than going east-bound.

4.) Unpacking & 12 loads of laundry.

5.) A 10-month, albeit 100% precious baby. Need I say more?

6.) And now the weather is wonderful, so every spare moment has been spent outside in the yard--either working or playing.

From one end of the country to the other

Today we embark on the final leg of our tour. After a week at the Northern-most tip of Denmark, Skagen, we are now on our way to Copenhagen.

Skagen is an amazing place--especially popular with artists because of its stunning moorland and coastal landscapes and incredible lighting. Despite pretty dismal weather, we've enjoyed ourselves--mostly relaxing...venturing out to an occasional museum or to see 'Grenen'--the tip of Denmark where two seas (the Kattegat and Skagenrak) collide. Really neat--you can even feel the difference in temperature between the two bodies of water. The picture below shows Grenen...



The painting below is just one of many from famous Skagen artists. This one is by Kroyer...



Now we're on a quick-ferry from Aarhus to Sjaellands Odden (in lieu of driving over 'Storbaeltsbroen' one of the longest suspension bridges in the world), from where we'll drive to Copenhagen to see our friends, Michela and Roberto for a few days before heading home on Tuesday.

'Vi ses'



Audrey and Anne-Marie have become very good friends...



The brilliant Videbaek family: Tina, Poul-David and Valdimar



Valdimar just turned 1 year; he and Audrey got on well....



Danica... soon to be Seattlite



Mike, Eric and Eric's hair



Lone--always cool and smiling



The scene...



Gitte & Audrey...great friends



Mette: as gorgeous on the inside as she is on the outside



Mike--always the grillmaster



Marian is a total kid-magnet

Next day, we were on our way to Skagen...

Klassisk 65

Restaurant Review
Klassisk 65 (formerly Bodega 65)
Jaegergaardsgade 65, Aarhus Denmark
klassiskbistro.dk

When I lived in Aarhus, there was this disgusting bar, 'Bodega 65' down the street. It has recently become Klassisk 65--a quaint bistro diner where we had an amazing meal with Marian and Anne Marie the other night. The atmosphere is uber hyggeligt: mostly candle-lit, a teeny-tiny place with no more than 10 or 12 tables and uncharacteristically helpful service. Food and drink were excellent--simple but elegant bistro fare, well prepared in a minuscule kitchen.

Our pleasures...

-- House Aperitif: Pousse Rapiere ( a bitter orange cordial) with Cava (Spanish champagne)

-- Artisan bread w/ a fabulous Aoli

Appetizers:
Mike & Anne Marie chose the cold potatoe-leek soup for an appetizer, while Marian opted for marinated asparagus w/ croutons and I, smoked salmon prepared in Ingeborgs manner (fresh artisan rye bread, dill butter, thin slices of smoked salmon covered in layers of salt, sugar and fresh dill-weed, served with a mustard-brown sugar sauce & dandelion greens.)

Main Course:
We all chose Chicken Danoise--roasted chicken with a creamy gravy and roasted new potatoes, served with a fresh rhubarb-berry compot.

Dessert:
Mike, Anne-Marie and Marian: Homemade ice cream, baked in meringues, served with a light cake and berry coulis.
Me: Cremé Brulée (one of the best I have ever tasted)

Wine:
Mike chose an amazing South African chard. called Simonsig.

Food: ****
Service: *****
Atmosphere: *****
Value for $: ****
LAEKKER!

Life @ Villadsensvej 4-- by night



Believe it or not, these pictures were taken at around 9:30pm. Audrey gets put to bed at 7-ish and then the nightlife begins...


Mike, patient as Job, turns out fresh & perfectly grilled fare


Marian, determined not to be wasteful, attempts to convince us that this hard lump of bread she baked 4 days ago, is still completely edible.


Heidi, exhausted but cheerful, tries to stay warm as the temperature falls.


Marian stokes a fire in the pit...