enough complaining... things I love about living in europe

On any given day, I have a number of complaints about our new home. The rain. The lack of air conditioning. The abrasive personalities of many of the German people. The difficulty in communicating. The complaints were at an especially all-time high last summer while I was pregnant and frustrated and homesick, but finally... FINALLY... I've embraced this European adventure with my little family. Here are just a few of the simple things I love about living in Germany:

Miles and me heading out to run some errands.

Not having to drive anywhere. We only have one car - which Josh takes to work every day, but that's no problem since we live right in the city! I can easily reach the grocery store and a myriad of restaurants and shopping in less than 10 minutes on foot. While this means lots more trips to the store since we don't want to lug home six bags of groceries, it's nice to get out of the house and enjoy a daily stroll.

Outdoor seating. Any day when it's even slightly warm (as in, above 50 fahrenheit) and not raining, restaurants and cafes have their outdoor tables set up and the town square is swarming with people sitting outside enjoying a meal or coffee. It's prime people-watching territory.

A busy Saturday in Aachen Markt.

Ease of travel. This is one of the very best parts of living in Europe. Flights are cheap, train travel is easy, and we're even close enough to drive to lots of places. We've made several day trips to places like Maastricht and Monschau, took the train to London last summer to visit our friends Jas and Jennie, and we're driving to Amsterdam (only two hours!) at the end of this month for a long weekend!

Enjoying a nutella crepe at the fair.

The pastries. The gelato. The sweets. These people love their treats. Just on my walk into town, I pass no fewer than three bakeries and two eiscafes (this is the German word for the ice cream shops). Bad for the waistline. Good for the soul.

Italian food. Say what?! I know it sounds strange, but the Italian food here in Aachen is amazing. Presumably due to our close(ish) proximity to Italy. I suppose it's a bit like finding great authentic Mexican food in the southeastern U.S. The pizzas are amazing (I ate them on a weekly basis while I was pregnant - this mama CRAVED marinara like nobody's business), and you can find delicious fresh made pastas all for extremely reasonable prices. It's definitely no Olive Garden :)

Enjoying it with the comfort of knowing that we'll be returning to North Carolina, home-sweet-home. Since we'll be returning to the U.S. in less than a year and a half, I'm trying to soak up every bit of this little temporary lifestyle as possible. While I'm sure I'll be sad to leave this place, it makes it easier to be away from family, friends, and the comforts of home to know that it's all there waiting for us when we head back stateside next year.

weekend brunch: almond crusted honey + cinnamon cream cheese stuffed french toast

Yesterday, while I was out running errands, I picked up a French baguette to go with our leftover pasta dinner - this delicious little number to which I added shrimp and broccoli. The bummer about buying bakery fresh bread for only two people is that by the second day, it's too stale to eat on its own. Cue the french toast.

Despite the fact that I had already made these super indulgent browniest cookies from Smitten Kitchen's blog last night (oh. em. gee. They're definitely in my top three favorite cookie recipes - along with Momofuku's confetti cookie and these oatmeal coconut cookies I came across a few years ago. This girl loves a cookie...), I decided to up my french toast game with a few ingredients I had on hand, and this scrumptious, decadent honey + cinnamon cream cheese stuffed french toast with a crunchy almond crust was born. Here's the recipe, if you'd like to throw it together for your own weekend brunch...

Almond Crusted Honey + Cinnamon Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves 2

4 - 1 to 1.5 inch slices French baguette (or other good bread)
4 oz. cream cheese
1 tbsp. honey (I used wildflower honey, but you can use whatever variety you like)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 to 4 eggs
1/4 c. almond milk
1/4 c. 2% milk (you could use whole or whatever you have on hand)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. sugar
pinch of salt
4 tbsp. slivered almonds
1 tbsp. butter
additional honey for topping

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a small bowl with a fork or whisk, mix together cream cheese honey and cinnamon.

Slice the (already sliced) pieces of baguette again lengthwise, leaving the bottom crust intact. This holds the bread together, while allowing a pocket to stuff the french toast. Dollop a heaping spoonful of the cream cheese mixture into each bread pocket and spread. You should have four "sandwiches."

In a rectangular baking dish, whisk together eggs, milks, vanilla, sugar, and salt. Dip and soak the stuffed sandwiches in the mixture for approximately 20 seconds on each side.

Melt butter in a large pan or griddle over medium heat. Place the sandwiches in the pan, press 1 tbsp. of slivered almonds into the top side of the sandwiches that are not yet cooked, and cook on each side for 3 to 5 minutes until browned.

Once browned, place the french toast on a parchment lined baking sheet, almond side up, and bake for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. The cream cheese will melt into ooey-gooey goodness and the toast should puff up as the egg mixture continues to cook. Remove from oven, plate, and drizzle with additional honey. 

Note: I didn't have cream, but if I did, I would definitely whip some of it up with honey and/or cinnamon to dollop on top of these bad boys.

Bon appetit!

one year

One whole year. That's how long it's been since we found out you'd be joining us. But you had started growing weeks before - seven weeks to be exact. I took the test while your dad was at work, just knowing it would be another negative I could toss in the trash. I couldn't be pregnant. Not now. Not after we'd put our plans to start a family on hold while we prepared to move abroad. Not after nearly a year of trying - complete with charts and vitamins and diligently working to be in the best physical shape possible. Not after all those months that ended in disappointment. We'd put our house on the market and found an apartment in Germany. We were ready to leave the U.S. - no strings attached - for two years.

We'd just returned from Europe a few days before. I couldn't fathom the thought (or smell) of the Neuhaus chocolates we'd brought back from Belgium. I was exhausted and nauseous and an emotional basket case. Your dad joked that I was probably pregnant, but I was convinced it was just jet lag. But there I stood, on the cold tile floor in our bathroom on a Monday afternoon, staring down at a stick that revealed a dark blue vertical line. There was no doubt. My heart raced, and I looked in the mirror at someone I didn't recognize - in an instant, I had become a mother. No one can prepare you for that feeling. I went downstairs and sat on the couch for over an hour, but I couldn't even come up with some creative way to share the news. Your dad came in the door, and I just blurted it out. We were shocked, nervous, and so very excited.

One year ago, while you were growing inside of me (and wreaking havoc on my appetite), I could never have imagined what it would be like to have you here. You were worth it all: The waiting and wanting. The weeks of surviving mostly on ginger ale and clementines. The discomforts of pregnancy and the pain and chaos of bringing you into this world. The (still ongoing) sleepless nights and long days fueled by coffee. Every bit of it. Times a million.

One whole year. That's how long it's been since I discovered you existed, but I feel like I've loved you forever. It's hard to remember what life was like before your gummy smile and big blue eyes. You are one great big bundle of sunshine.

Sweet boy - you are more than I ever knew I wanted, and I am eternally grateful and beyond humbled to be your mama. 

xoxoxoxo...