Our Europe Trip Part I : Northern Germany

The feeling to finally be on holidays and spent time off together for 3 weeks was almost overwhelming. The last few days in Sydney we spend wedding planning together: Meeting with our celebrant and choosing our wedding rings and getting on top of a few other things. The flight was already so relaxing, just sitting back and enjoying movies ,not checking emails, this was the break we had been waiting for.
We arrived in Hamburg on a windy and chilly day. It was good to catch up my Mum and family, we somehow did expect the summer weather to hit temperatures over 14 degrees, but it remained extraordinary cold for the whole trip. On the upside my Mum just got a new kitten named Gandalf, a little Maine Coon that was so much fun to play with.
We attempted some sightseeing although besides our daily 7k runs preferred to stay indoors. Little Dalston was incredibly missed. Our friends that were looking after him and our apartment, constantly updating us with photos and videos. I wish international flights would allow dogs on board and that Australia would let go off the long quarantine requirements.
My mums garden was so lush and a lot had changed since we last visited. At the end of our stay we had a little engagement party. It was a relaxed pot luck BBQ all vegetarian and mostly vegan.
Even some of my old school friends made it and also my (half-) sister, Sutkin, who I have not seen in way too long. Seriously it's been so long it's embarrassing to actually tell you how long it's been.
To see her amazing twin boys, my nephews and her husband Carsten. It was very special and I promised myself to stay in touch and not let this happen again. My dad I have also not seen in years although we email a lot and he always knows what I am up to. And last but not least my Grandma! She won't come to Australia for our wedding, so it was really great and important to celebrate with her.
As a teenager I spent every free minute at the local vet. I have always been crazy about animals!) and I also had my own pony there at her stables. It was very magical to go back and visit her. She rescues all sorts of pets and animals and currently has a very old camel, which used to belong to a circus, 2 lamas, about 25 horses, several cats and dogs, goats, chickens...and parrots.
Visiting Germany was truly a little journey into the past and an adventure. I noticed how much I feel at home in Sydney now and how foreign much of the culture feels that I used to be so familiar with.

Curious about Scandinavia and hoping for better weather we flew off to Copenhagen after one week. Stay tuned for our next part...

We are still here....

O M G... it's been way too long.

It's Winter over here in Sydney. It's suppose to be my off season at work...

And I think this little blog truly shows our life and therefore as well how both of us have been caught up in work way too much over the last six months.

We had hardly any time off together and this beloved little space ours in the internet has been neglected.

We yet have to share our Bali trip photos and what we have been up to in the meantime.

We just returned from a 3 week Scandinavia trip and visiting my family in Germany.

It was really inspiring seeing so many great things from design, to street style and family life.

These Scandinavians really have it worked out with their family policies and we saw one too many hip young Dads on paternity leave riding his bicycle with his gorgeous bub in tow.

It was a sweet reminder that there are other things in life besides work.

That time was much needed and recharged we promised ourselves to share all the great pics we took while traveling and to return to our blog.

We also really want to somehow manage to explore more together again and actually spend time together even with our work schedule.

We have been doing well getting back into exercise and meditation and are also really deep into our own wedding planning.

I love my job and yet I feel I have not spend enough time with my little family and the love of my life lately. Maybe it's time to say no every then and when and yes to our own life. I have really missed my amazing man and I want us to discover new ways to spend more time together and allowing our work to be more flexible.

It's so great to back home, we have truly missed our little Dalston! Glad that flea season is over too.

In summer we protect him with

Frontline

and similar as there are plenty of fleas and ticks around, unfortunately. For now in Winter he can run through the bushes more safely.

For now I wanted to share some more gorgeous pics from the great Julianna aka

Two Guineapigs

.

I hope you enjoy and forgive us for being such lame workaholics for the last few months.

Thank you all, for reading and being on the journey with us!

Hello 2015!

There was something about 2014, it was the year over light speed.
Here is a little round up in pictures about what we got up to in the last week of the year.
Loving Summer and the outdoors we explored, walked had plenty of lovely food and coffees.
We were cuddling little Dalston whenever possible and tried our best to catch up on sleep.
Plenty of Christmas parties, dinners and catching up with family nights later, we are still going strong.
Everything happened so quickly and we didn't feel we had the chance to take it all in.
It was a great year! We got engaged, saw puppy Dalston grow into adulthood and had many fantastic
work opportunities. We finally found a comfortable spacious and bright new home by the water
and somehow survived the year in good health.
Our goal for 2015 is therefore Balance. Keeping our work up, yet focus on collaboration, friends
and our personal life as well. When you are creative I don't think you can separate work time from
times off, it's always a blurred line and sometimes you get your best ideas when walking the dog or lying on the beach. That's why I am not aiming for work life balance, I don't believe this exist, but rather staying in balance ourselves while working.
The year ended with a bang. I was even having a makeup job on NYE.
Afterwards we celebrated at home with the most delicious antipasti platter and prosecco, before
venturing out to the beach to watch the fireworks.
They were absolutely stunning and had unbelievable colours and shapes.
I really enjoyed the night and the fact we haven't had to plan or book anything, it was perfect.
Just us. The chance to take it all in, reflect and just be.

Here is to a wonderful 2015!
What did you get up to?

(P.S: November & December just vanished, and while we were keeping up with taking photos,
we missed the chance to share them here on our much loved little blog space, I will follow up with our adventures of the last months shortly!)