Heidi and Sarah Face The Day

IT'S FACE THE DAY WITH HEIDI AND SARAH'S SIXTH YEAR BIRTHDAY!!!!!! TAKE A LOOK AT THE LAST 7 YEARS IN A ROW!!!! HAVE WE CHANGED? FUN!! FUN!!

2011-08-30T16:02:00.011-04:00

The above photo is the start of the 7th year here at Face The Day so it's time for a major Face the Day Flashback! Below you can go backward in time with us. Though we don't really keep the blog up to date anymore - at least not together - it's fun to be able to at least get a photo on the 30th of August every year and some other days together in between. We enjoy being able to look back. It's a bit of a project - not one we take very seriously - but it's good to still be here in blog sphere sort of sticking with it... We'll see if we make it to the next 30th of August!
Above photo is from 6 years ago today on 30 August 2010. Click here to flash-back to that day!
There we are two years ago today, 30 August 2009 starting our 5th year at Face the Day with Heidi and Sarah! We may not keep it up as much as we did in the past as life has changed a lot for both of us but we do our best to update it now and then. Via this link you can go back to that day a year ago with us!

There we are three years ago and one day on 29 August 2008 looking fresh and alive! Via this link you can see what we were up to back then. Life was very different. So much has changed!
And there we are four years ago today on 30 August 2007 looking shirt-haired and not that great! Use this link to check back to what was happening with us three years ago.
And there we are above five years ago on 30 August 2006 looking pregnant (heidi) and fat (me). Via this link you can see more about that day four years ago in our lives!
And there we are on our first day of this particular blog, six years ago on 30 August 2005 right after our other one that we had started in April 2005 got hacked and disappeared! We looked younger but we both think we look as good or even better today! Via this link you can see exactly where and how Face The Day with Heidi and Sarah began six full years ago in 2005!!! Now we can have flashbacks that will include seven photos from the consecutive years every time!

Tuesday 19 July 2011-Heidi and Sarah FTD is up-to-date for the first time in months! We'll surely post on 30 August and perhaps before! Stay tuned!

2011-07-19T05:20:00.006-04:00

Above photo is from today actually - just to finally bring Face the Day up-to-date - though I see Heidi has been posting here and there - which is fantastic! Now - if Heidi manages to post a photo of herself today -- then we will really be up-to-date! Anyway - there is always the 30th of August to look forward to when we can post a photo of the last 6 years I think! Can't believe FTD has existed this long. We were very early adopters you know! In the blog world before many others. We can be proud of that. Believe it or not, this blog opened many doors. To think how far I am now immersed on the online stratosphere - it's crazy. I guess I could have known when a colleague asked me to start this blog up something like 7 or 8 years ago that it was the start of an online addiction!

Above photo is from 18 July 2011 - yesterday! Heidi and Yma stopped by to give us brownies they had baked. We had just made cookies. So we made a switch! It was fun and very neighborly and everything tasted so good! Felt very motherly too. It is so fun to cook with your kids!

I think the above photo is from Saturday the 16th of July 2011 and below one too. Heidi has just cut my hair I think. In below one, for sure. Shortest it has ever been!

Can't remember why but Heidi and I also saw each other Thursday or Friday the 14th or 15th. Passing on the street? My brain is blank! Old age I guess! :-)

A collection of random photos from Sarah from the spring/summer 2011

2011-07-19T05:01:00.004-04:00

I like the above and below photos. If that is what 40 looks like, I am okay with it! (02 July 2011)

Still happy together after 15 years... (02 July 2011)

Above photo and below one taken the weekend of 03 June 2011 when my friends Tilly and Hilde and I went to The Netherlands with our three 12-year-old daughters to celebrate their being 12 and finishing lower school. Hilde had just turned 48 I think and I had just turned 40. The above photo is important to me as it reminds me of everything that was going on then for my daughter - big changes - some confronting ones - creating different relations with us. Big learning experience for me, Tom and The Lool. I guess a lot of people turning 40 have kids that are turning into teenagers at the same time. It makes you feel old fast sometimes.

The above photo was taken on my 40th birthday (02 June 2011) and The Lool's spring feast. You can see how fast she is becoming older and we too! But the future looks bright! Tom will be on the road less and home more thanks to his new job in Kortrijk instead of in Brussels. I have a new and exciting project to work on for the next 3 years. The Lool has a new school ahead of her. All great things! Exciting!

Sarah's 40th birthday is long gone but here are the pics anyway with a walk down 5 years of memory lane!

2011-07-19T04:53:00.004-04:00

That's me above on my 40th!!!!! birthday - 02 June 2011! If you compare this photo to the ones below, you really can see that I am getting older - which is normal of course - but feels odd! Oh well! They say the 40s are great, right?! I think I have a lot to look forward to!

A little more tired and a bit bigger bags under my eyes and fang teeth that are yellowing but otherwise, pretty, pretty, pretty good. I was 39 a year ago and I didn't look much different from the previous 4 years. Click here to go back to my 39th birthday!

There I am above two years ago today on my 38th birthday! Go back to that day via this link and see what a great day that was!

That's Heidi and me on my birthday three years ago - 02 June 2008 at age 37! Click here to go back in time!

That's me four years ago today on my 36th birthday - 02 June 2007! Via this link you can go back to that day three years ago!

There you can see Heidi and me five years ago on my birthday - 02 June 2006 when I turned 35! This link will take you back to that day so long ago!

Heidi and Sarah have been Facing the Day together here and there since January 2011 and through today... Here are some pics from those get-togethers!

2011-07-19T04:37:00.005-04:00

Wednesday 8 June 2011: Heidi loves life

2011-06-08T03:43:00.002-04:00

Heidi says: I am happy. I am truly happy! Since a month or two, I am having tinnitus in my right ear. A burdon. I've been through rough times, through deep valleys. But I have been starting a search to another self. And I think I have found it. It's been years since I felt this happy, this content, this easy. The tinnitus is still here, as much as in the beginning. But I ave given it a place. Most of the time I can live with it. I still believe that some day, it will just vanish. I'm not giving up. But I am not stressing about it anymore either. This tinnitus has forced me to do what I should have done years ago: change myself. Change my behaviour. I am grateful for this.

Tuesday 22 March 2011: Heidi opens up a book

2011-03-22T04:24:00.002-04:00

Heidi says: There is something so strange about people living in the western world. Or let me say: living in a luxury world. Take me for instance.
I have a great life. On paper. Read it: I am a young woman (32) with two beautiful children, a boy and a girl (one of each!!), who are quite healthy and happy, a partner to die for (ok, I am not married and a little voice in my head keeps on whispering that I would love to get married to him but he's not the wedding-type so have to let it go, I guess), a house that I own in 5 years (yes, you read that well, in FIVE years), a part time job close enough to home so I can bike to work, very good friends, both my parents and parents in law (none of them are divorced), fantastic hobbies. Basically, I have all a person can dream of.
Then why am I struggling everyday with my 'happiness'?
Because that is what people do who have all the luck in the world?
I am overanalysing my life, trying to feel happy but ending up numb. I have to read books from Ekhart Tolle to feel good (or better), am seriously considering to hook me up on some 'V', am nagging to my best friend Katrijn on a daily basis about how bad I feel... I can write all this down, see how great my life is, and still feel like it is not happening to me and go on nagging and overanalysing and pulling my hair out (not literally)... Do I need a slap on the bottom?
Or do I need an earthquake, an explosion or a tornado to show me what I have?

Saturday 12 February 2011: Heidi gets a new colour and wallpaper

2011-02-12T05:34:00.003-05:00

Heidi says: a bit more copper and some swans on the wall! A new me in a new house! I love change sometimes.

Friday 4 February 2011: Me and my Matto and Yma (about 3 and a half years ago)

2011-02-04T09:37:00.002-05:00

Heidi and Sarah Face The Day here and there! Photos from 05 and 07 January I think? 2011

2011-01-10T13:39:00.002-05:00

Sarah says:

We can't keep up like before but every now and then should be possible we think! I saw Heidi a couple of times last week and have photos to show for it like the one above of us and the ones below of us and of our kiddies! Above photo from Friday the 7th of January 2010 with others from Wednesday the 5th.

Matto + chair!

Yma, The Lool and Matto!

Heidi and I strike a couple of poses! It's been a while! (photos from last Wednesday)

Other random shots from the past days and weeks - with and without Heidi! Sorry once again for not posting on here anymore! Will try harder!

2011-01-04T16:06:00.003-05:00

Above and below photos are a selection of ones I took with my iPod Touch and camera that I never got around to posting on here because some went straight to Facebook. So here they are now in no particular order but fun to see and to have on here as a record of nice moments and cute people! Above ones are random shots of the times I saw Heidi recently including in the hospital on the 28th of December 2010, the day afte I had my gall bladder removed! And the one of Yma and Matto is from last week when they came over to say hi to my mom!

Above photo is the day my mom arived on the 21st of December 2010 - after 36 hours of travelling and plane cancellations and lost luggage thanks to snow and ice - but she made it!

Above photo is recent from when my friend Tilly's kids came over right before Christmas with their mom and Dirk. The girls with The Lool!

Above photo is Tilly and Dirk with Tilly's kids also here before Christmas!

Me! Yeah - I know, fatter and fatter I become! (thanks to my stupid apps :-)!

Have you noticed The Lool is growing up? Love the above photo as she always hides behind her hair these days but not above!
Above is of my mom and Ayla being silly before Christmas!

The yearly Dirk and Sarah photos - better late then never!

2011-01-04T15:55:00.003-05:00

Above photo was taken on the 1st of January 2011 with me and Dirk after eating our annual French Toast. It's a tradition!

Okay - so the above photo is sort of a fake because it wasn't taken on the 1st of January 2010 but on the 27th of December 2009 - all because for the first year in a very long time - Tom's friend Dirk could not come on New Year's so he came the week before. We had to take our yearly photo of course and I am posting it here for consistency-sake! Click here to see what was going on that year!

All the rest that follows below is copied from the last year and the year before...

That's me and Dirk exactly two year ago today on the 1st of January 2009 - you can go back via this link. For the last 7 years he's come to our home on New Year's Eve and for the last 4 years we have taken a photo together on the 1st! First we eat french toast made by my mother and then we take a photo. It's always great to start a new year with Dirk. He's a cheery, fun-loving bloke!

That's me and Dirk above 3 years ago on the 1st of January 2008!

And that above is me and Dirk 4 years ago today on 01 January 2007!

There above you can see Heidi and me on 01 January 2006! Seems like ages ago! I can hardly remember that night anymore. No Dirk!

By the way - 3 years ago on 01 January 2008 I put the below text on Face The Day as a reflection on life at that time and the new year to come. I stand by it and put it here again because it still rings true and I am still trying my best to live a more simple life and a quieter life full of quality, not quantity. I wish everyone a lot of peace and quiet and love and more rushes of joy than flashes of pain in 2011!

Sarah adds: Here's it is from my post from 3 years ago (and re-posted last year):

Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now!~Michael Landon - Pa Ingalls

We who live in quiet places have the opportunity to become acquainted with ourselves, to think our own thoughts, and live our own lives. - Laura Ingalls Wilder

...but, at long last, I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all...I believe we would be happier to go back to simpler living and more direct thinking. It is the simple things of life that make living worthwhile, the sweet fundamental things such as love and duty, work and rest and living close to nature. There are no hothouse blossoms that can compare in beauty and fragrance with my bouquet of wild flowers. -Laura Ingalls Wilder

I'd add: Live well and be well in 2011 (2010) (2008!) (2009!) people and spend time doing stuff that matters with people that matter and not wasting time and thoughts on all the stuff that doesn't mean squat. Consume less -- because we don't need half the things we think we do.By 2012 (2011, 2010! ), I hope my family life is just like it is now. I hope I am singing again and on stage. I hope my work life is successful and feels good and challenging. I hope health abounds. I hope all the people who mean the world to me have more joy than pain. Simplicity is what I am after this year...

Some photos from Sarah from New Year 2011! Sorry it's been so long since I have posted on here! Facebook has replaced blogging I guess!

2011-01-04T15:33:00.005-05:00

Above photo is of me and The Lool right after the clock struck midnight and it turned into 2011!

Above photo if of The Lool and me last year right after it turned into 2010! Via this link you can see what was happening for me and for Heidi last year at this time!

Above photo was just before the clock struck midnight 2010 to 2011 and below one is exactly a year before at the same moment. Go there again via this link.

I had to post the above photo of Ayla from the end of 2010. In 2010, she was playing with some make-up and she was again in 2011! Look how she is growing up! She's really becoming a pre-teen and she cant wait to actually be allowed to wear a little make-up. She's going to have to wait a bit still!

And above is a photo of us from the same exact time two years ago as 2008 was about to become 2009. Via this link you can journey back to a year ago exactly...

My 2010 New Year's Resolution was "More Joie de Vivre - Less Weltschmerz!" This year for 2011 all I hope for is good health for me and for everyone. Fewer hospital visits in 2011 please!

Monday 3 January 2011

2011-01-03T04:30:00.006-05:00

Heidi says: We are bad! Sarah, we are bad!! How long has it been since we were on here??? Well, this is the beginning of 2011 and this is the time to make some changes! Here I am, with some pictures of old 2010 and new 2011. How good is that?

Tuesday and Wednesday 02 and 03 November 2010: Sarah forgot to take a photo of Heidi when they met Tuesday so here's Heidi's haircutting work instead!

2010-11-03T06:43:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Above photo is from this morning - working from home, still trying to rest my back. It's doing okay but not great. It will never do great again. So frustrated.

Above and below photos are from yesterday just after Heidi cut my hair again. This time she went a bit further and it looks even better. I love it and don't miss the old, longer hair at all. This is so much lighter and more stylish. Thanks Heidi! Too bad I forgot to take a photo of us together yesterday! It was fun meeting up. We went out to lunch together with our daughters and had a coffee together - like old times. It was nice to have some time together to catch up again!

Monday 01 November 2010; It's Flashback 1st of the Month at Face The Day! It's been a while!

2010-11-01T08:17:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
Above photo is from today - the 1st of November 2010. It's been a while since I posted on FTD but tomorrow I'll actually see Heidi so we'll even soon have a photo of us together on here again! If you compare today's photo with those below - well, first of all - I have very little eye makeup on in today's photo so that's why I look less vivid. I don't mind. I have come to like my less made up face. It took a while but I got there. It's another look. It's good to have a few different ones!
It's so fun to look back! Above is a photo of me from one year ago today - 01 November 2009. To go back in time, click here!

Above photo of me and below one of Heidi are from two years ago today on 01 November 2008! Click here to go back to that day to see what we were up to...

There above you can see me 3 years ago today on 01 November 2007 with glasses and a red face late at night... Via this link you can see what was happening at this time last year in my and in Heidi's lives.
There I am above 4 whole years ago today with my great mate MS! She was visiting! I wish she were here right now. It was 01 November 2006 above. Here's a link to go back to that day at Face The Day!
There's Heidi above 3 years ago today in 2007 with very short hair!
And there's Heidi four years ago and one day on 02 November 2006 as we had no 01 November 2006 picture of her. She looks different! (Heidi: logic, I just became mother of Yma a month earlier...)
And there above you can see Heidi and me on a very Fall day 5 years ago today on 01 November 2005! We have changed a lot and haven't changed at all in these 5 years! Looking back is fun. Via this link, you can go back with us to 5 years ago today!

16-24 October 2010 - Sarah goes to Sweden and back!

2010-10-24T12:29:00.005-04:00

Sarah says:
I haven't had time or means to post on here for a while until now - hence the whole load of photos. The above one, a goody, is from today - the 24th of October. It's been a nice and calm weekend. Making food, seeing some family. Seeing some friends. Seeing my kid happy was the best part as always!

It was a full moon last night - the 23rd of October. Just look at that beauty. It sure made me want to howl!

And look at that lovely sight above! That's from the 22nd I think. She's getting all grown up! That and other photos from a nice expo on beautiful interiors, you can find via this link.

I think the above photo is from the 20th or 21st. I don't know anymore. I was home from Sweden and tired and a bit sick. My gall has really been bothering me. It makes me nervous. I need to get it taken out sooner than later!

Above photo is from the 19th when we were at the airport in Gothenburg waiting to get our flight back to Belgium. I hacked the wifi system and we were all able to get online. This project has turned me into a computer geek of sorts!

The above photo is from just around midnight between the 18th and 19th of October. I had had myself a great big laugh with colleagues and was in my hotel room afterwards still cracking up for about 15 minutes more alone. I don't even know what was so funny but I sure had a good time and it was a great and needed release!

Above photo is from the 18th at a pinball place. Before dinner, we all went to a pinball club of sorts in Boros, Sweden. It was cool! Had a blast after a long day of meetings and presentations.

Above photo is from the 17th when I arrived from Gothenburg, Sweden to Boros, Sweden and was just in my hotel room. It had been a fabulous, sunny weekend and now it was raining and really cold! At least I got to wear my great new coat and hat!

The above and below photos are from the 16th in Gothenburg with my friend Bjorn. I met him 18 years ago during my exchange program in Utrecht and Aarhus. I hadn't seen him since 2003 so it was so great having time to catch up and to see a new city. He was a great host! It made me so happy to have all that time with him after all these years and it reminded me again about that study abroad year, which was the best year of my life and which changed my life completely!

Via this link you can see a bunch of photos from my trip! Also via this link you can find more.

I love the above photo. I was so happy to have time with an old friend!

Friday 22 October 2010 Ode to the Irrepressibles

2010-10-22T08:23:00.002-04:00

The Irrepressibles make you forget that there is other music. But they remind you why you are human.
When you discover them, you want to keep them to yourself, but you shout it out and let the world know that you found them.
You need to know that others feel the same way, but when they say they do, you don't believe them.
You want to be crazy to understand better, to feel more, to undergo even more intensely.
You want to die on the music but want to live eternally to listen.
They crawl under your skin and you think you become them.
They are the solution.
They make you alive.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 13, 14 and 15 October 2010: Sarah is going to Gothenberg Sweden on Saturday the 16th and can't wait!

2010-10-15T14:43:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
above is tonight the 15th. I should be packing for Sweden but I am procrastinating...

above and below you can see Ayla's school photos. We got her one from 6th grade today. It's so great seeing her grow up like this. It's very clear!

Above photo is from the 14th and below one from the 13th I guess. Or maybe they are both from the 14th. Can't recall! Anyway - time to pack for Sweden! I will see my old friend Bjorn in Gothenburg and then go to a conference in Boras, Sweden till Tuesday! Can't wait to be in these places! I have never been!

Wednesday the 13th of October 2010: The rescuse of the miners is so emotional - every time!!!

2010-10-13T14:58:00.004-04:00

Sarah says:
Man - each miner that comes out of that capsule makes me well up with tears! So emotional! What a great story! Thirty-three great stories to be exact! I wish I had it in me to stay up all night and watch them all get rescued! I hope they all make it out okay!

Saturday and Sunday 9 and 10 October 2010: Sarah had fun video-syping her 5 brothers in The States... The world felt smaller for a second!

2010-10-10T15:40:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
My little hipster! We are both getting older...

Tonight we had a blast video--skyping with my brothers who all happened to be in one place at the same time! It was fabulous and fun. Made the world feel a lot smaller!

Above photo is from last night - the 9th. We went out on the town - our little family. Ate great food and had some fun together? Life has been a bit too busy lately so we really needed that time together. I wish we had more time to spend like that!

Friday and Saturday 08 and 09 October 2010: Sarah is working it...and looks forward to a night out with just Tom and The Lool!

2010-10-09T06:37:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
Above photo from today and below from yesterday - both taken at work. I feel like life has been all about work these weeks - which is fine and good and I'm not at all complaining - but I really look forward to tonight with just Tom and The Lool. We need some family time. We have all been too busy and distracted lately with odd hours and computers and TV and all those sorts of things and it seems like we are never all 3 in the same world at the same time. Tonight I hope we meet on the same planet! I also feel sad and weird - not sure those are the right emotions - about not being in NY at my dad's this weekend with all my brothers. I can't recall a time when I wasn't there when all of them were. I really look forward to Thanksgiving when we are all together in one place!

so pale and tired above - man I need some R&R!

Wednesday and Thursday 6 and 7 October 2010: Sarah and Heidi run into each other on the street ...

2010-10-07T16:02:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Man I look tired and old compared to Heidi's bright look. I am tired - that's for sure. I get no sleep lately! I can't fall asleep or I wake up or Ayla wakes up. But Heidi, who I ran into on the street today, said she also was woken up last night - yet she looks fab! I was hoping my new hair style would revive me but fact is - only some good night rest can!

I look pretty great there though - with my new hair - though still with small, tired eyes... Good night!

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday 03-04-05 September 2010: Heidi has cut Sarah's hair short!

2010-10-05T15:27:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
She did it! Heidi gave me a new hairstyle and it's nice! I might even want to go a bit shorter still. It feels good to have a change but now I want even more of a change. Life is funny that way. One thing moves and a whole lot of other stuff starts to shit too!
Via this link you can see more hair photos if you want!
So I went to Heidi's hair-cutting class with her on Monday evening the 4th of September. It was super fun! Heidi is so cut out to be a hair-dresser. She's talented and she's got the gift of gab too - which is a great thing for hair-dressers - and her big smile and enthusiasm! Go Heidi Go!

I love the back. My hair has never been so short!

Above photo is an after shot and below one is a before.

Above photo is from Sunday the 3rd of October. Was very tired. Still am! I long for some good sleep because I haven't been getting any lately!

Saturday 02 October 2010 - spaghetti squash is back in season and that makes Sarah happy. The idea of Heidi's cutting her hair Monday is scary!

2010-10-02T13:51:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
Spaghetti squash is in season again and in the shops in Belgium! It's my favorite food! I really recommend you all buy some and try some. It's so versatile. It makes me happy!

The Lool is using the iPad I have to learn to use the iPad on - from work. She turned it on and started right away. I - on the other hand - am afraid of it!

I like the above and below photos of me from today the 2nd of October. That's my hair - which is all going to be cut off Monday! Well - not all of course - but nonetheless I am scared! I hide behind my hair and I am afraid that my short neck, broad shoulders, round face and double chins will stand out even more with shorter hair - but I trust Heidi and want to go through with this! I am sure she'll do a great job and I will love the change!

27, 28, 29, 30 September and 01 October with a tiny flashback 1st of the month...

2010-10-01T15:16:00.004-04:00

Sarah says:

Me above today the 1st of October and below 1 year ago today.

my potato friends

Above in Gent September 30th.

Above September 29th.

Above September 28th with The Loola!

Saturday and Sunday 25 and 26 September 2010: Heidi and Sarah and The Lool and Yma and Matto and Tom Face The Day...

2010-09-27T07:15:00.004-04:00

Sarah says:
Fun photo above of me and Heidi! Check out her hair! Check out my little look! We were at Heidi's so that Tom and The Lool could have their hair cut. It was good to see Heidi again and to get some updated photos on here of her and her family.

That's my French look above...

The Lool's new 70 rocker haircut above!

Yma above - looking 4 years old!

Matto asleep above and wide awake below!

Tom and I above sleeping - don't ask! That was on Saturday the 25th.

And me above trying to be creative with a photo...

By the way - I had another article published in the Belgian English weekly newspaper Flanders Today about an upcoming conference. You can read it via this link if you want!

Thursday 23 September 2010: Sarah is not a spring-chicken anymore!

2010-09-24T07:57:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Stayed up until past 2am after the U2 show and so very tired the day after! That's when I feel my age! Luckily I was smart and took a day off from work. I hung around doing almost nothing. I stayed tired the whole day! In the past, in my younger days (haha), I could recover from these late nights fast. Those days are very, very over! But I had a great time seeing friends and seeing U2. Looking forward to the weekend though! That's for sure!

Tuesday and Wednesday 22 and 23 SEptember 2010 - Sarah sees U2 perform with some good ole' friends!

2010-09-23T10:49:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Saw U2 perform in Brussels last night with my old Europe in the World exchange program friends from 17 years ago - Markus from Germany and Ivar from The Netherlands. It was so fun to see them and to see U2. Markus asked me if I would put the above photo in my "diary" and if I still write my "diary". It made me laugh and I let him know it's called a blog these days :-).

More photos of the gig can be found via this link!

Above photo is from Tuesday the 21st I think.

Friday 17 - Sunday 19 September 2010: R.I.P one of The Lool's guinea pigs :-( and Sarah sails away the day...

2010-09-20T12:01:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
Above and below photos are from Sunday the 19th of September. I am very sad to announce that one of The Lool's guinea pigs died Sunday morning. We buried him in my husband's parents' garden so that The Lool can visit his grave every now and then. It was a bit heart-breaking to see The Lool experience death like this for the first time. She was so sad. She's now doing her best to keep the other piggy alive as such animals get very depressed and can stop eating when a mate dies. I really hope she survives. The Lool would be so devastated if she doesn't. It's hard to see your kid so sad.

Above photo is also from Sunday the 19th but a little later in the day at a flea market we sold stuff at. That's Nathalie - Heidi's sister. It was a very fun, but cold and rainy, morning with her drinking coffee, eating muffins, selling just a few things each and trying on all the clothes we were selling to stay warm outside! Because of the rain, we left at noon. Here are some photos from that morning!

The team at my office went on a team-building sailing trip on the Belgian Sea on Friday the 17th of September as you can see above and below. For the full story and all the photos, click on this link!

Above you can see me and my colleague Ellie on the sail boat on Friday!

Thursday 16 September 2010: HEIDI and Sarah Face The Day together or face lunch together rather and what about that hairstyle for Sarah?

2010-09-16T16:09:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
Yey! Heidi's here and we even had lunch together! Good to see her! Really! She thinks I should try a new hairstyle like the one below. Slowly I am starting to agree. I have until the 4th of October to decide. Scary!!!

Saturday 10 - Tuesday 14 September 2010: random shots from last few days of Sarah, The Lool and some expat friends...

2010-09-15T11:56:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
The Lool and I above and The Lool below. Top photo is from yesterday - the 14th of September and bottom photo is from Sunday the 11th. The Lool sure loves her hair but she isn't very happy about her skin. Puberty will do that to you! She's such a super kid? Brings me so much joy. Sunday I had such a bad back ache. I was sure it would put me back in the hospital soon. I rested most of the day - which was sad because we were celebrating Tom's birthday at his parents' home and all I could do is lie down and eat. I felt so bad and worried. Monday I had to work as I have a lot to do these days so I took some heavy pills and tried to take it easy. Today - Wednesday - I feel okay? Not great at all but more hopeful that maybe it will just go away this time. That's probably a dream and it will just get worse. I can only hope!

Above photo is from Monday the 13th I think - not feeling well in my back at all!

And above and below photos are from Saturday the 10th with some lovely expats friends of mine. We went to Dover, UK for the day to celebrate the 50th birthday of another expat friend of ours. It was fun. The sitting for too long did hurt my back though sadly.

Thursday 09 September 2010: You can get a lot done in a year...

2010-09-10T06:59:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:

One year later at Howest and The Studios is finally officially launched. It feels great to have come this far. You can get a lot done in a year and go from insecure to sure. Well - you can never be too sure! Anyway - via this link you can see photos of the launch if you'd like! Above you can see me twice with my two lovely colleagues the two Hildes!

Tuesday, 07 September 2010: Sarah is dizzy...

2010-09-07T10:40:00.001-04:00

Sarah says:
I'm in a blur right now.

Saturday and Monday 04 and 06 September: Happy Birthday to Tomske!

2010-09-06T11:28:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:

Above photo from the 6th of September of me and The Lool! She's on her Nintendo of course.

That's Tom above and below on his 39th birthday on the 4th of September making homemade applesauce above and blowing out candles on his cake below. It was a nice celebration with some good friends. I love growing old with Tom! He's a super duper person. There is this great movie I saw not too long ago that really struck me as I watched it. It's called 'World's Fastest Indian' - and is based on the true story of Burt Munro. Burt is played by Anthony Hopkins and is an older man. Anyway - while watching this character, all I could think of was that his personality and his way with people reminded me so much of Tom - just this lovely guy who talks to everyone and is so likable. I looked up the movie and came across a description of the character and again - it reminded me so much of Tom. My instincts must have been right! Here's the quote and here's why I love Tom so much: "Burt becomes an instantly likable character by everyone he meets. His charm shines through and he takes everyone he meets at face value and welcomes all with a smile and a shake of the hand. He meets various "characters" along the way who he befriends like long-lost friends, which in these days of prejudice and alienation is quite refreshing."

You should all see the movie if you haven't yet!

Above photo of me from the 4th is with my new wool hat! I love it. And below is in the kitchen watching Tom make applesauce.

Friday 03 September 2010: I love my Belgian girls!

2010-09-03T16:15:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
I'm so happy to have Tilly and Heidi in my life. They make Belgium feel like home. Nothing better than friends sometimes. I'm thankful to not feel alone. I haven't been feeling so great lately and I am happy to be able to ell my close friends anything and everything and know they will still love me no matter how flawed I am feeling.

Tuesday, September 01, 2010 - It's Flashback first of the month at Face The Day and Flashback 1st day of school!!!

2010-09-03T15:57:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:

I am so not on top of Face The Day these days so I'll try to catch up now! Can't miss a flashback first of the month! I take photos almost each day but I forget to post them or don't have time and then I forget which day the photos I took are from. I do know that the above one is from the 2nd of September actually because I forgot to take one on the 1st (very rare for me!). But I did remember to get an Ayla first-day-of-school shot below! Let's check it all out!

There we are, a year ago 01 September 2009! I am just about to hop on my bike in the above photo to go to my first day of my new job! I have been at Howest for a year now and have another contract signed for the year ahead! Click here to go back to this day a year ago!

That's us two years ago above on 01 September 2008. We were good busy with our previous job and our colleague Nancy had started that day. It seems like ages ago and it still can make me sad to think about how much can change every year...

Above is my Marv and me three years ago today on 01 September 2007. Too bad Heidi wasn't in a photo that day! Via this link, you can see what was going on at Face The Day three years ago today!
There above you can see Heidi and me four years ago today on 01 September 2006. Via this link, you can read more about that day four years ago!
And above you can see us five years ago today on 01 September 2005! Click on this link to see more about that day five years ago today!!!!

FLASHBACK 1ST DAY OF SCHOOL! To see Yma on her first day of her new school scroll down to next entry! Above you can see The Lool on 01 September 2010 - her first day of the 6th grade! There's a big difference between this year and last year! I can't believe it is her last year of lower school. I will be so sad when it is over. She's becoming a young adult so fast! It's lovely and weird all at the same time! She still has the same book bag! (5 years going on 6 she's kept it so well! - We'll buy her a new one when she starts middle school!)
Above you can see The Lool one year ago today, 01 September 2009, just before she went to school to start the 5th grade!!!!

It was the first day of school for my daughter two years ago on 01 September 2008! She started the 4th grade!! Above you can see my daughter three years ago in 2007 on the first day of the third grade. It's so great to be able to track her growth this way! Above you can see her on her first day of the 2nd grade - 2006! I couldn't find the original photo so I took a photo of a printout I had made. Not great quality - but I least I have every year now!
Above is the first day of school picture I found of her for the 1st grade - so in 2005.

Above photo is of me on Monday the 30th or Tuesday the 31st of August I think... I had a huge headache! Hormonal I think!

1 September 2010: you know what that means!

2010-09-01T13:02:00.005-04:00

last year

this year

Yeah, I am copying Sarah :-)

IT'S FACE THE DAY WITH HEIDI AND SARAH'S FIFTH YEAR BIRTHDAY!!!!!! TAKE A LOOK AT THE LAST 6 YEARS IN A ROW!!!! MY HAVE WE CHANGED? FUN!! FUN!!

2010-08-30T16:06:00.008-04:00

Sarah says: The above photo is the start of the 6th year here at Face The Day so it's time for First of Face the Day Flashbacks! Below you can go backward in time with us. Though we don't really keep the blog up to date anymore - at least not together - it's fun to be able to at least get a photo on the 30th of August every year and some other days together in between. We enjoy being able to look back. It's a bit of a project - not one we take very seriously - but it's good to still be here in blog sphere sort of sticking with it... We'll see if we make it to the next 30th of August! Notice how our hair styles change along with each other from long to short to long and so on.
There we are one year ago today, 30 August 2009 starting our 5th year at Face the Day with Heidi and Sarah! We may not keep it up as much as we did in the past as life has changed a lot for both of us but we do our best to update it now and then. Via this link you can go back to that day a year ago with us!

There we are two years ago and one day on 29 August 2008 looking fresh and alive! Via this link you can see what we were up to back then. Life was very different. So much has changed!
And there we are three years ago today on 30 August 2007 looking shirt-haired and not that great! Use this link to check back to what was happening with us three years ago.
And there we are above four years ago on 30 August 2006 looking pregnant (heidi) and fat (me). Via this link you can see more about that day four years ago in our lives!
And there we are on our first day of this particular blog, five years ago on 30 August 2005 right after our other one that we had started in April 2005 got hacked and disappeared! We looked younger but we both think we look as good or even better today! Via this link you can see exactly where and how Face The Day with Heidi and Sarah began five full years ago in 2005!!! Now we can have flashbacks that will include six photos from the consecutive years every time! Even if this blog stops or changes, we promise to at least take a photo every end of August for as long as we can!

More photos below from this week 2010...
Above photo is from yesterday - the 29th of August 2010. Heidi was the DJ at the koffiequeen 2nd birthday celebrations on the Vlasmarkt in Kortrijk.
And the coffee was good as usual and I was sure not to lose mine in the crowd!
The photos are all out of order - so the above one of me and The Lool is actually from the 27th of August 2010 I think!

And above photo is from the 28th of August 2010 maybe or 27th...
And above is from the 30th too maybe. I don't know anymore!

Wednesday and Thursday 25 and 26 August 2010: the gall of it all!

2010-08-26T11:02:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
the gall - according to old wise men - relates to anger. Well - I am mad at my gall so maybe they are right! Above photo is from today and below one with bad ass bunny is from yesterday. I'd be in a better mood if it weren't for my gall and the fact that it needs removing. I hoped to wait until December vacation but as it could burst or something between then and now it might be a good idea to opt for sooner. I am sick of the things my body puts me through. I treat my body well. I eat well. I just don't exercise enough. Everything else I try to take care of well. But apparently - hormonal fluctuations can cause the gall to have trouble too so that seems to be the problem here. Even though I am overweight - I do not have a high fat diet and haven't for years. I eat well and really pay attention to my health in that way. Yet still - I feel punished and forced now to go through another operation that I could really do without. Oh well. Dumb gall.

Monday and Tuesday 23 and 24 August 2010: Sarah is going to be super evolved... more on that another time...

2010-08-24T11:54:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
Above photo is from this morning - the 24th of August and below picture is from yesterday the 23rd of August. I'm busy back at work and happy to say that this week I am waking up with a lot less pain and getting through my days better as well. I have some new health news that I'll save for when I have more time to write on here - it means another operation during the Christmas vacation I think - not related to my back this time. Just an annoying thing that has to be taken care of. I am queen of such little, annoying operations it seems. The good news is - I will be even more highly evolved! :-)

Saturday and Sunday 21 and 22 August 2010: Sarah wants you to scroll down to Friday's entry and read about Heidi as it's so rare to have her on FTD!

2010-08-22T09:23:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Above photo is from today - Sunday the 22nd of August. I might look sunny and bright in that new green dress thing but I am kind of dark in my head - for so many reasons - mostly health-related. I a struggling. I have to keep my mind positive. It's enough my body fails me so much.

Above and below photos are from yesterday - Saturday the 21st of August. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TILLY TODAY! My kid had her cousin over and he brought his guinea pig along, which happens to be the mother of her two guinea pigs. So they all hung out and had a guinea pig bath.

Friday 20 August 2010: Being a mum of two and what it means to Heidi

2010-08-20T12:20:00.004-04:00

Heidi says: So I am a mum of two now. What does that mean to me? It means less time, obviously. I can't think of the time I was on here daily. It's been ages. I think having two kids isn't always good for your relationship, well, for mine then. Not sure my partner would agree but I surely do. There is so much to do, so much to stress about. Anyone who knows me well, knows I can't deal with too much pressure. Well, the pressure you get from having two kids and a household, I think it'll take years for me to get used to that! And even then. How can you get used to a big amount of stress when you can't cope with it. I think the answer is: you can't, you just have to learn to live with it. Now let that be the thing that hasn't worked for me so far. I just stress about every little thing extra to do. I go crazy on one extra little bit of dust on the floor. I curse for every cry or yell of Yma that is too much for my head. I get angry when matto doesn't eat his potatoes fast enough. Yep, I think I have a problem. The solution? At this moment I'd say: a weekend away with Nico, a sauna, a beautysaloon, heeps of lavender plants around me, a selfhelpbook of one called Martin P Seligman, going dancing, or maybe simply having a run from time to time. Cause running means, running away from all that daily stress. That then? (or maybe writing some more on this blog, sitting in the garden, with the bells of the church ringing, and Matto attacking a lavender plant which releases its scent :-) )

with all that said... I DO LOVE THEM VERY VERY MUCH!!!

Friday 31 July to Wednesday the 18th of August 2010: Sarah is back and with a whole load of photos from all the days she was gone...

2010-08-18T12:45:00.008-04:00

Sarah says:
Wow! That's the longest I have ever stayed away from Face The Day! Today is Wednesday the 18th of August and the last time I posted on here was Friday the 31st of July I think. That's a record for me for sure! I have a good excuse though. As you know, I was in the hospital for a whole week thanks to my back again. Same problem. Same solution. When I got home, it was too uncomfortable to use our computer so I avoided it as much as possible, which meant no Face The Day! But of course I have been taking photos on most days which you can see below. I can't be totally sure about the dates... Hard to say! Anyway - I feel okay now - not great. I still need to rest or the problem can comeback fast. I am not that great in the head either right now. I always get depressed after I have been in the hospital. Too much time to think and the message that it can only stay the same and eventually get worse. Gets me down. My mind is always at battle with my body. My mind wants to go fast and do a million things and my body can't keep up. It is so frustrating. Eventually, when I have to be a little less careful in a week or two and life feels normal again, I will snap out of and away from the negativity and get on with my life and enjoy myself as much as I can. This seems to happen to my back during or right after holidays. I need to keep that in mind and adjust my behavior somehow during vacations so that I can enjoy them rather than being stuck in the hospital on pain IVs!

Photo above - by the way - is at our new, living room desk! I worked from home today and rested in between on the bed you see in the back there. Thankfully, I can do that. If I couldn't, I'm not sure I'd be able to work.

The good news is that our living room looks great! I will post a link to some photos when I have the chance! Paris was also great and I had some really nice moments with Tom during the vacation. With Ayla too - though less as she is a bit in her own world these days...

Above: Tuesday the 17th of August - our new living room wall color!

Above: Monday the 16th of August - first day back to work and rain, rain, rain! I have never been so soaked - to work and home! Hard day to handle!

Above: Sunday the 15th of August - last day of vacation - dark and blue...

Above: Saturday the 14th of August - a good day I think... Felt okay and had nice lunch with friends and bought new lamps!

Above: Friday the 13th of August - loving the new living room!

Above: Thursday the 12th of August - had a bunch of friends over for boterhams and games and Heidi came too! It was a really fun night and we used the new living room well! Happy Heidi and I are back on Face The Day here together! Always great to see her. Never enough anymore! Were so spoiled before working together...

Above: Wednesday the 11th of August - Heidi passed by to cut Tom and Ayla's hair! It was about time we got a photo of us on here!

Above: Tuesday the 10th of August - starting to feel okay...

Above: Monday the 9th of August - ehhh. Glad to be home but not comfortable...

Above: Sunday the 8th of August - pain in my veins! So many holes in my arm and so many bruises from the IV. So tired and drugged... But glad to be at home and not in the hospital anymore!

Above: Saturday the 7th of August - finally home!!!! It's about time! Maybe that's Friday above. I don't know anymore... All I know is that it was my first or second day home and I was so glad to be out of the hospital. That bed behind me was of course waiting. Rest is best and I should be resting and not working until the end of the month but I have to work or I'll go nuts... I'm going to try it this way and see what happens. Fingers crossed I can handle it! I will be careful...

Above photo must be from Sunday or Monday the 2nd or 3rd of August. Tom has come to the hospital with Ayla and they washed my hair for me. I really needed that and to see The Lool. It had been 10 days! She was at camp this year (like last year) and came home to the news that I was again in the hospital. Though we had to cancel our trip to New York to see my dad, Ayla and Tom did still go to Ittre in Belgium with Tom's parents for three nights while I was in the hospital. Thankfully, good friends visited me in the hospital during this time and kept my spirits up! Carmen came every day, the crazy girl!

Who would have thought that Tom would wash my hair for me! Felt so much better after that! Not being able to shower is one of the worst things about being in the hospital!

Above photo is from the 1st of August. I have to upload photo from last year - same day - same pose I think! Was in the hospital exactly a year ago that day for same thing. Crazy! I'll do flashback 1st of the month later. In the meantime, click here to check out the irony! And click here to see the photo!

I think above photo is from the 31st of July when I checked into the hospital and had to wait from noon till after 8pm in the ER till a room was ready! Bad day! Then I had a room with three people - too small. Thankfully they switched me to a two-person room the next day and I shared it with a lovely 82 year old woman who inspired me - which happens every time I am in the hospital. You sure can learn from older people about how to get on with life despite things working against you! Time to move on now!

Thursday 29 July 2010: Sarah wants to SCREAM!!!

2010-07-29T04:01:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:

At moments like these I just want to scream! The living room looks great but my back went out yesterday and I am most likely heading for the hospital for 7 days again. I'll have to cancel my tickets to New York and lose more that Euro 1500 doing so. I'll have to disappoint my daughter. I won't get to see my father, family and friends. At these moments I hate my self and my situation. I feel so bad. I don't want to go into the hospital again. I am 39!!! Only 39! I just see limitations. My brain so go go go and my body says NO. I hate my stupid back and body. I feel so defeated. I'll be gone from her and Facebook for a while I think. See you on here when I return.

Tuesday 27 July 2010: The floors lok great - even without varnish!

2010-07-27T14:24:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:

The floors were sanded with a big machine today! Very hard and messy work that Tom, his brother and dad took care of - and then there was the de-dusting -- dust was EVERYWHERE! All over the newly painted walls. Misery. But we cleaned up and tomorrow after some more fine cleaning we put the first layer of varnish down and then we wait and do the 2nd and then wait and do the 3rd and then wait 24 hours and then we can hang the curtains and put the furniture back and we'll have a GREAT living room!

Sunday and MOnday 25 and 26 July 2010: Sarah and Tom are having fun without The Lool but are starting to miss the kid! About 5 more days to go...

2010-07-27T03:10:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Above photo is from yesterday - the 26th of July. That's a new shirt from the sales.

The above and below photos are from Sunday the 25th of July. That's Tom asleep in a shop's dressing room waiting for me as I try things on. I got a couple of nice dresses!

Above skirt and belt are new. I like the sales! I always find a few nice things. Wearing new clothes makes you feel good!

As I mentioned in title today - The Lool is away at camp - 10 whole days!!! I am starting to miss her! At first it feels great to have a quiet house and time to yourself and then it feels empty.With that said, Tom and I are having a nice time together re-doing the living room. It's fantastic to have so many totally stress-free days in a row. It's nice not to be working. Vacation is good for a person and a couple and a family! That's for sure!

17 - 24 July on and off with Heidi and Sarah and families in Kortrijk living rooms and Paris gardens...

2010-07-24T18:03:00.007-04:00

Sarah says:
Yippy! Heidi is here! That's me and her (in case you forgot what she looked like! :-) above - today - the 24th of July. I stopped by to have her cut my hair and to catch up! Great to see her and happy to have her on FTD! I made her promise that on the 30th of August we can surely have a picture together on here as it will be the start of Face The Day's 5th year then and we have a photo of the previous years on that exact day - so at least we can try to have a 30th of August photo every year as Face The Day fades away...
That's Matto above and Yma below - Heidi's adorable kids! So nice to see them. They grow and grow and grow! Doesn't Yma look so much like Nico below?

Above photo and below one are also from today - the 24th of July. Above is the after the haircut picture and below is the before. Heidi didn't cut my hair this time - not shorter anyway. She just thinned it out. We are trying to find the best way to do my hair as it is so thick! Maybe this will be it! I hope so! I have hard hair apparently! It feels a whole light lighter since Heidi cut it today!

I haven't been online for a while for a couple of reasons. First - we were away on a long weekend in Paris from the 17th through the 19th (photos and link to more photos below). Second - we have been painting our living room - dark red and dark brown! Next week we'll start the floor - renovating it - returning it to its former glory! I can't wait! It's already so beautiful thanks to the paint! Tonight I can finally use the computer as Tom hooked it up in our bedroom and the internet connection actually works! But - it really is bad for my back to sit on my bed and type so I need to stop! Anyway - the above photo of me is from yesterday the 23rd of July. Hair up and headband on for painting!

Above you can see me and Tom finishing the first layer of brown paint on the 22nd of July! It's been fun painting and thankfully Tom's parents have been more than helping us! They are amazing! We couldn't do this kind of thing in our house without them. I so appreciate everything they do for us. I hope they know that! They have done a super beautiful job of painting!

Via this link you can see some more pictures of our new and improved living room. I'll have to update the album though as we'll be doing our floor soon too. It will be beautiful! It already is! I am so happy we went for dark red and dark brown! It really makes an impression and makes our house feel like a home!

Above photo was also from the 22nd perhaps - or the 23rd. I don't know anymore. That red isn't from our walls but from our bathroom. I guess we love red!

I think the above photo is from the 21st of July. Can't recall. Anyway - it was a day of preparing for the paint job and it was the day Ayla left for 10 day sleep-away camp with her youth club! I miss her but I am happy she's probably having a great time and also that we get to have these 10 days to paint and renovate the living room!
And above and below are photos from Paris in reverse order I think - so from the 19t of July backwards to the 17th of July. We had such a fantastic long weekend! Below there's a link that will take you to all the Paris photos if you are interested. There are some goodies!

And via this link you can see way too many photos of our recent long weekend in Paris from the 17th through the 19th of July. We had fabulous days there. It was Ayla's first time and both Tom and I got to see some places we hadn't seen before and some places we had in a whole new light as it was summer and it was hot and lovely! We were true tourists! Paris is amazing. It blows my mind every time! It has the best urban planning I have ever seen. Those who built that marvelous city were either geniuses or totally out of their minds. A bit of both I assume! Napoleon was one crazy dude but he sure helped create a fabulous setting there!

Thursday 15 July 2010: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SARAH'S BROTHER JOSH!

2010-07-15T17:02:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
My brother Josh is 45 today! I'll be 40 next year! When did that happen!!! I was telling another brother today that we all have good genes in terms of aging. I hope my face stays a bit young looking for a while. Every now and then I have a weak, really vain moment, and think I look so old. Bust mostly, I'm pretty happy with how I am aging. Not that any of this matters - but this is a daily photo site after all so I don't have to get much deeper than that, do I? :-)

Wednesday 14 July 2010: Sarah is pensive...

2010-07-14T14:42:00.000-04:00

Sarah says:
Thinking...

Thursday 08 July to Sunday 11 July 2010: Sarah, Sarah and more Sarah and a little Nathalie, which is a little Heidi, sort of....

2010-07-12T07:47:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
That's Heidi's sister Nathalie above on Sunday the 11th of July. She and Bart were kind enough to take care of our guinea pigs for the weekend while we were on a family weekend away in Voeren. When we returned to pick the pigs up, Nathalie and Bart invited us for dinner, which was made up of all fresh things from their garden. It was great! They even sent me home with a beet, some onions and potatoes - as well as happy pigs of course who had feasted on fresh garden stuff all weekend!

Above shot is in Nathalie's garden with her flowers also on the 11th of July.

Above and below photos are from Saturday the 10th of July in Maastricht. It was so hot, hence the hair tucked in a hat look above! Below you can see a funny photo of me looking all wide-eyed and nutty! That's because I was underground in a cave of sorts with no lights. We visited caves in Maastricht to get cooled off - from 32 to 10 degrees Celsius!

Above photo is from Friday the 9th of July just before we left for our weekend away! Though I am no longer really losing weight, each time I put on old summer clothes I see that they are looser than they were last year, which makes me happy! Though the above one doesn't look loose, trust me - it looks better now than before!

And last but not least- above is my photo from Thursday the 8th of July eating my first mussel of the season - and man, man, man was it great!

Friday 9 July 2010: for Sarah's sake

2010-07-09T05:55:00.002-04:00

Heidi says: for Sarah's sake :-D

Tuesday the 6th of July: Sarah is excited that Heidi posted a photo of herself yesterday! She almost doesn't want to block it with today's post!

2010-07-06T16:48:00.005-04:00

Sarah says:

I wish I felt as jolly as I look in the above photo but in fact I'm in a funk of sorts. I just don't feel right. I feel off. I have to snap out of it. I am so up and down lately. I think I know why. Actually, there are a few good reasons - none of which I'll get into on here. My poor husband though. He gets subject to these moods I'm in. I need some balance back. I'll find it somewhere and luckily it's all not that bad. I just have my moments, that's all!
Well - the above photo certainly fills me with good cheer! Check out my little brother Matt who isn't so little anymore. He's a new dad to baby Katherine. Can't wait to see them in August when Ayla and I are in The States for one quick week!

Monday 5 July 2010: Heidi Mouse

2010-07-06T14:39:00.003-04:00

Sarah says: WELCOME BACK TO FTD HEIDI! PULL UP A CHAIR, LET ME GET YOU A DRINK. IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK. STAY A WHILE! :-)

Sunday 4 July 2010: Lisa and Mona are leaving Belgium today and Sarah's brother Matt had a baby girl named Katherine!

2010-07-04T08:23:00.005-04:00

Sarah says:
That's me and Lisa S. above. She and her daughter Mona are here in Belgium visiting us from The States while on a European trip. It's been nice having them because they are family that we don't get to see enough. Mona is Ayla's age so that's fun for the two girls! They are leaving today. We'll miss them! Can't wait for Ayla and Mona to be old enough to travel to see each other and spend a few summer weeks here and there together.

Here are some links to photos you might like to see.

First - my youngest brother Matt just had a baby girl! Via this link, you can see photos of her. That link above might not work for most of you so I posted two photos below of baby Katherine!
Second - here are pics from Lisa and Mona's visit here. Click here!

Saturday 03 July 2010: Sarah is enjoying seeing The Lool and her cousin Mona from The States together in Belgium

2010-07-03T15:41:00.005-04:00

Sarah says:
Family from The States - Lisa and Mona are here in Belgium visiting. It's nice to have them and to see Ayla and Mona getting to know each other better. They are both 11 and they seem to be enjoying each other's company. We went to the sand castle display today and stopped at the sea. Yesterday we were in the K mall all day!!!! But the girls were happy with that as they both shopped a lot and got some great clothes. The eve before we picked them up in Brussels and hung out there for a bit. Tomorrow they leave. Never enough time...

I love the below photo of them!
Above photo is in honor of July 4th tomorrow! It's all in sand!!!!

Thursday 01 July 2010: It's FLASHBACK 1ST OF THE MONTH at Face The Day! Take a walk down memory lane... HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASG!!!!!

2010-07-01T04:26:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
The photo above is from today - the 1st of July 2010. Always fun to look back in time! Would be more fun with Heidi! I am armed with my camera today so if I happen to run into her, I will take a photo!

Above you can see me and Heidi on 01 July 2009 - after a failed attempt at going to the unemployment office. Click into this link to go back in time a year with us!
That's Heidi all alone above exactly 2 years ago on 01 July 2008. I was away in France on vacation and I had put some random photos on later than month. I think the one below was of me on 01 July 2008... To see exactly what Heidi was up to two years ago click here!

So as I said - that's me above in France doing as the French do! To see more about what was happening around this time two years ago, click on this link!

That's me above exactly 3 years ago on 01 July 2007 with short hair and some kind of attitude. To know what was going on, have a click here!

Last but not least, above you can see me and Heidi not only 4 years ago today once, but twice! Heidi was pretty pregnant as you can see in the photo above from 02 July 2006. The other one on the left is from 01 July 2006. Click here to check it out!

And finally - we can't forget to say:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our buddy ASG!!!!
Her birthday is 01 July! We hope she has a great one!!!!!

Wednesday 30 June 2010: Sunny day at FTD!

2010-06-30T08:28:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
What a difference a year makes! One year ago it was my last day of my old job. Weird to think about. I can still miss that office and that line of work. But - all is well in my new work so I can't complain at all! Life is just odd and takes you all over the place! I just learned I'll be in Sweden in October. It's been so long since I have been there! Last time was during my exchange program more than 15 years ago! I am so lucky to still have this international lifestyle! That exchange program was the best thing that ever happened to me! I met my husband there, fell in love with Europe and my life has been different ever since. The work I have now sometimes feels like one big exchange program. It's fun!

Monday 28 June 2010: The two faces of Sarah... FTD MISSES HEIDI!!!

2010-06-28T10:48:00.001-04:00

Sarah says:
It is so hot here in Belgium today. I had to strip down and put my hair up - hence the above morning photo and the below afternoon one. It feels amazing to ride my bike in this weather! Warm and windy. I would ride all day if I had enough water and didn't have to work! Like my new shirt above? I do!

I miss having Heidi on FTD!!!!! It's not the same without her. That's for sure. :-(

Friday, Saturday and Sunday 25-26-27 June 2010

2010-06-27T08:35:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
Above photo is from today - Sunday the 27th. It's crazy hot over here in Belgium. I don't even know what to do with myself. I am so lazy from the heat.

Above is from Saturday the 26th of November (hmm - I meant to say June - weird! Why would I have written November. Freud?). A hot day too and a lazy but fun one with the family out and about in Kortrijk! Nice color, don't you think? I plan to get me some more things in that color during the sales. I bought that several years ago but I am seeing that color everywhere again now. Sales start Thursday and I have the day off :-)!

Above is from Friday the 25th of June. Had a good day and evaluation after 9 or so months of working. Feel good about it. I hope for another nice 9 months ahead!
And above you can see our building The Studios - with a fresh coat of paint! Fun!

Thursday 24 June 2010: Happy Birthday to NSM!

2010-06-24T03:19:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Happy Birthday to my brother NSM!
The Lool finishes the fifth grade tomorrow. Well - she has a school trip next week but then it's done. Next year the 6th grade and then middle school! Where did the time go! I almost can't believe it! I'm glad she has one more year at her school. I'll really miss it when she's done there. Such a great group of teachers and people. So the summer has begun and school is almost done. My vacation starts on the 17th of July and we'll begin with a long weekend in Paris, followed by house renovations, followed by a short week at a horse-farm B&B with outdoor pool, followed by a week in NY, followed by a short weekend before work starts again and life gets busy again. I will enjoy the calm while I can!

Above card is for NSM!

Wednesday 23 June 2010: The girls in their summer dresses... at least Sarah. Knowing Heidi - she's probably wearing a dress today too...

2010-06-23T04:15:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
Since I lost some weight, dresses look better on me than they did before. Imagine how good they will look this time next year - I HOPE - after I have lost 5-10 more kilos! I have a long way to go and man oh man does it go slowly but I'll get there and hopefully stay there... In the meantime, I am going to enjoy the sunshine and the nice dresses!

Monday and Tuesday 21 and 22 June 2010: Haircuts all over and growing plants at Face The Day this week...

2010-06-22T05:08:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
I'm getting old. That's just how it goes. It's starting to show. Hair quality is changing as grays grow in everyday. Heidi did her best to give me a good haircut but my hair won't cooperate. The bags under my eyes are growing each day and my hip hurts! I long to feel fresh and bright! I think I am in a slump and I think I know why. It will pass and the sun is starting to shine again.

That's me and Heidi above - yesterday the 21st - first day of summer. Heidi cut Tom and Ayla's hair just before that. Their hair looks great! Always nice to see Heidi and to have her back on Face The Day!

Heidi's sister gave us some herbs to grow and above you can see the result! We will eat them tonight in a fresh salad! Can't wait! They taste great! I hope they continue to grow after we cut them!

Ayla looks so much older with her new haircut! She's changing a lot these days. Almost done with the 5th grade! Imagine that!

Tom had his hair chopped up a lot! I love it! He's a good, good guy! And he looks great! I am a lucky girl!

Saturday and Sunday 19 and 20 June 2010: Happy Father's Day to all you American dads out there!

2010-06-20T08:43:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
There above you can see my favorite Father's Day card. I sure am thinking about my father today! It was Father's Day last week in Belgium so we aren't celebrating that over here now.

Above photo is from today and below one is from yesterday. I didn't shower or put on much make-up yesterday as you can see. Today I was up early and prepared a brunch and looked alive again though I am so sleepy and feeling a bit blue too... Weird weekend. Other than food shopping, I haven't left my home. I have become such a homebody it surprises me. There is a fine line though between being a homebody because I love being at home and becoming a homebody because I want to hide from the world... Not sure which sort I am right now!

Wednesday and Thursday 16 and 17 June 2010 - Heidi gives Sarah a much needed haircut!

2010-06-17T03:28:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:

Much better! That's me above today - the 17th of June. My head feels lighter. I look brighter again!

Above you can see me and Heidi yesterday the 16th after the haircut.

I like the above photo - taken just after the haircut - sharp edges - edgy!

And that's an after from just after the cut.

Before! (Yuck!)

Tuesday 15 June 2010: Sarah is ghostly, The Lool looks mad, the herbs are growing and The Studios have swings and grass...

2010-06-15T15:39:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Odd photo above. I'm ghastly and ghostly. Lots of light today...

Our herbs are growing and even taste sharp and good already! It's exciting!

Ayla was having some fun above with the camera and her moods...

Above and below are photos from The Studios where I work. They are busy making them fun and full of color. There are swings, grass and hopefully lots of inspiration and shall I say synergy!

Via this link you can see more about The Studios.

whoa... see what a little grass can do?! :-)

Sunday and Monday 13 and 14 June 2010: Sarah's face is showing signs of stress!

2010-06-14T14:02:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Yes, yes - same clothes yesterday as today! Less wash to do! :-)
I don't know what's going on on my face but it is no fun. I swear since I turned 39 a few weeks ago my skin has just gone nuts. I don't know what's going on. Could be stress I guess. It hurts! My skin actually aches. I need a haircut too! I just don't feel very good and vivid. Maybe a haircut by Heidi Wednesday will freshen me up a bit. I think I'm in a bit of a slump.

Saturday 12 June 2010:Sarah and The Lool take some photos in Brugge and wish all Belgians good results on Election Day on the 13th of June!

2010-06-13T06:27:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Ayla took the above photo of me on Saturday the 12th. I like it. It's pretty.

It was a very Magritte-like sky yesterday in Brugge. Also very pretty.

Ayla is also a very pretty girl in the pretty streets of Brugge... She's starting to look older...

Vote well on the 13th of June Belgians! Please don't mess with the country and start splitting it up even more... Vote smart!

Saturday 05 June - Friday 11 June 2010: Sarah's been busy and in Hanover, Germany...

2010-06-11T13:01:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Above photo is from today - the 11th of June - just back from Hanover, Germany, where I had been for work at a conference of our project's partners. It's Friday and I am glad to be home but I sure do love traveling and getting the chance to see different places and people...

Above photo is from the 10th of June - I forgot to take one of myself so that German pretzel and cheesy stuff will have to do. That was before I ate it! It was really, really good!

The above photo is from Wednesday the 9th of June just before the meeting and reception in Hanover, Germany. It was so very warm there. We were all sweating buckets!

That's me above on Tuesday the 8th I think or perhaps Monday the 7th - not sure anymore! Anyway - I was feeling sad and down in the dumps and my face couldn't hide it. It was a rough start to the week for reasons I won't get into on here.

Above you can see Tom, The Lool and me after Ayla received her award for being a great, friendly, nice, social fifth grader. We sure were proud of her! She deserved that award!

And above photo is from Saturday the 6th of June - a warm day too as I recall... I had some back pain then and was trying to put some color on to make myself feel better! It didn't really work.

Thursday and Friday 03 and 04 June 2010: Check it out folks! Heidi is on Face The Day yet again!!! Is she back a bit or is this a tease?

2010-06-04T08:50:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
That's me and Heidi above today - Friday the 4th, which is my brother Sam's birthday. Happy Birthday Sam! It's a really sunny day over here in Belgium. I am off to The Netherlands tonight to see a friend. I return home tomorrow night and Sunday we go to an award ceremony where Ayla will get a prize for being a super 5th grader! We'll celebrate after that with lunch! I wish my back felt better. There's a lot to do and to celebrate these days and I don't feel 100% up to doing anything. It's annoying and I am always afraid I'll end up back in the hospital soon. I have to be so careful!

That's me above yesterday the 3rd of June - my father-in-law's birthday! Happy Birthday Frans! It was also a sunny day and guess what - I wore the same dress! How very Belgian of me to do!

Wednesday 02 June 2010: Sarah turns 39 today! A good day to look back at the last 4 years in photos...

2010-06-02T02:08:00.004-04:00

Later that day... Heidi and family stopped by with lovely birthday presents! Thanks Heidi and fam! Always great to see you all, especially when presents are involved! And look at Matto! Precious! I had a great and simple birthday full of so many birthday wishes from people from every part of my life - that's the fun of Facebook of course! The only thing rotten today is that I am getting nerve pain in my back again and that makes me feel fragile and old. Next to that, life is good at 39!

Sarah says:
A little more tired and a bit bigger bags under my eyes and fang teeth that are yellowing but otherwise, pretty, pretty, pretty good. I'm 39 today and I don't look much different from the last 4 years. Next year 40. Besides my dumb back, I feel fine and happy!

Sarah says:
There I am above one year ago today on my 38th birthday! Go back to that day via this link and see what a great day that was!

That's Heidi and me on my birthday two years ago - 02 June 2008 at age 37! Click here to go back in time!

That's me three years ago today on my 36th birthday - 02 June 2007! Via this link you can go back to that day three years ago!

There you can see Heidi and me four years ago on my birthday - 02 June 2006 when I turned 35! This link will take you back to that day so long ago!

Tuesday 01 June 2010: It's Flashback 1st of the Month at Face The Day with Heidi and Sarah! Stroll down memory lane with us!

2010-06-01T03:03:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
That's me and Heidi above - today - the 1st of June 2010, which is one day before my 39th birthday! If I compare the above photos to the ones below of the previous several years - well, I have to say that Heidi and I look great! We continue to look great! Maybe even better and better!

Sarah says:
There above you can see me and Heidi on 01 June 2009 at the Sinxsenfeest of course! Via this link you can go back with us a year and see that Heidi ran in a race that morning! There I am above on 01 June 2008. This link will take you there!There we are above on 01 June 2007! Via this link you can go back in time!

And there we are above on 01 June 2006!!! Click here to return to that very day with us!

Saturday and Sunday 29 and 30 May 2010: A weekend at Face The Day with Heidi and Sarah and The Lool and a makeover!

2010-05-30T07:26:00.005-04:00

Sarah says:

Above and below you can see Heidi and me today, Sunday the 30th of May. We ran in to each other at the Vetex at ole pistole, which is a yearly breakfast the local chiro organizes for the neighborhood. Last night there was camping at the Vetex as well and my kid with three others kept everyone up all night by talking and talking and talking. Everyone is tired now and my kid feels guilty and is moping around. It's just going to be one of those Sundays I'm afraid!

That's Ayla above yesterday the 29th at her school's open-door day. She put on a dance show, which I'll post here later as a video. She's a natural! She's a star!
Yesterday I had my yearly birthday facial. Above you can see me before the facial.
And there above is me right after the lovely facial and massage...
And there above is me after the facial and after I put my face on!
Last but not least, there's my Post Secret pick of the week. I'm always winging it, even though it seems I have everything well planned out. I have no idea what the hell I'm doing half the time! That's life! We're all in the same boat. Some are just better actors than others I suppose...

Friday 28 May 2010: Sarah is starting to show her age and Heidi is looking perky! :-)

2010-05-28T13:15:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Not that it really bothers me or anything but I do see my age in the above photo - or at least that I am starting to show my age more - starting to age - to look my age! I will be 39 next week! Almost 40! I have always felt like my face looked younger than I actually am. Not in the above photo. Maybe not anymore. I guess that just happens one day. Maybe today is that day.

Heidi on the other hand is looking all perky! Actually - I think I look pretty and perky too - just wanted to point that out in case it seems like I am complaining about looking my age. It doesn't trouble me. It just fascinates me to see it happening. It might eventually trouble me! Who knows!

Wednesday 26 May 2010: Sarah is busy working these days and The LOOL is too! Check out her latest fashion designs!

2010-05-26T15:23:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Busy at work these days and enjoying it. That's my office above by the way with my boss in the distance. We are good busy. Feels good to work hard and get stuff done. I am enjoying the mix of things I'm doing! As long as my back pain stays away, all will be well! I can't believe I will be 39 in less than a week! Ahhhh!

Check out this link to see Ayla's latest creations! She's amazing! Today we got a letter in the mail for her saying that she was recommended by teachers and her school's director to be nominated for a prize for her civic-mindedness and good deeds and work at school! We are invited to an awards ceremony and everything! She was so surprised and proud. We aren't surprised at all but we sure are proud! The Lool!!!!

So make sure to check out her designs!!

Saturday - Sunday - Monday 22-25 May 2010: Sinksen and ASG in Kortrijk = fun weekend!

2010-05-25T07:11:00.008-04:00

Sarah says:

Below you'll see photos from Sinksen 10 in Kortrijk this past weekend. We sold about Euro 200 worth of stuff at the street fair! Heidi and Nico were DJs for Radio Modern, where there was a lot of great music and nice dancing! And Aimee came to visit all weekend! It was so great to see here! I miss her so! She got to meet Merlijn the Owl too, which was fun!

That's me and Tom above of course - yesterday on Monday the 24th of May, which is Erika's birthday! Happy Birthday E-Rocker! And that dress I am wearing - Euro 2 at the street fair!

By the way, there are more photos than just the ones you see below. You can see the rest via this link!

Heidi and Wout above showing us their moves...

Wout and Katrijn on the dance floor!

Heidi and Wout at it again!

Heidi and Nico turning the tunes...

Katrijn and Wout showing off their steps...

Heidi and Nico adding the sphere...

Heidi, ASG and I Facing The Day together on Monday the 24th of May!

Above and below from Sunday the 23rd of May at the street fair with Aimee and earlier below with Heidi Facing the Day!

Tilly and I below getting silly with old junk at the street fair!

Above and below photos are from Saturday the 22nd of May at Merlijn's home with ASG and The Lool with the owl and a buzzard!

Lunch time!

Merlijn, The Lool, ASG and me (in glasses)...

And via this link, you can see the rest of the owl, buzzard, python photos added to the full owl album!

Friday 21 May 2010: Sarah and family meet up with the St Jan's Oehoe Eagle Owl yet again! What a beautiful beast!

2010-05-22T04:32:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:

Tom got back from a week vacation in Bulgaria and after some food shopping we went to the oehoe wake around the St Jan's church. Merlijn, himself, was there in all his beautiful glory and we all got to hold on to him and see him up close. He's fantastically mesmerizing.

Below are some photos. Via this link, you can check out a whole lot more.

Today, my good friend Aimee is coming for the weekend. I am so excited to see her. It's been too long! And it is the big Sinksen feast weekend in K-Town so I just know it will be fun. AND - it will be warm and sunny all weekend! AND!!!! It's a long weekend with no work on Monday!

Thursday 20 May 2010: A sunny day at FTD!

2010-05-20T14:48:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Nothing to report other than I only just realized that the article I mentioned yesterday made the front page! That makes me happy! It's been so long since I had an article published - end then to see it on the front - well, that feels pretty good and encouraging!

http://www.flanderstoday.eu/content/e-dentity-crisis

My husband comes home from Bulgaria tomorrow! Can't wait to see him.

That's pretty much it for today.

Tuesday and Wednesday the 18th and 19th of May 2010: Heidi is back on Face The Day - at least for this one spectacular moment!!!

2010-05-19T15:21:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:

Without Heidi here on Face The Day everyday, I'm getting bored of this blog because it was never supposed to just be about me and my dumb head! So you can imagine how excited I am that I got to take the above photo of me and Heidi today and post it on here. It has really been way too long! So long - that I have been thinking about stopping Face The Day or at least changing it or limiting it to a once a month photo posting - such as flashback first of the month or something. Anyway - seeing Heidi today and actually having my camera with me (I have been forgetting it lately believe it or not after all these years!!) - has inspired me again. Maybe there is some life left in FTD. Time will tell.

More importantly - Heidi and I were pretty happy with the above photo actually because it has the feel of 4 years ago when we still had it in us to take creative photos. I guess as the years went on here on Face The Day - we couldn't always come up with new photo positions or looks. In the above photo, we look like rock stars! :-)

Yeah yeah! I know. Same shirt on as in above photo and it's from a different day - the 18th of May! This is Belgium you know! It is okay to wear the same clothes all week if you want to! Nobody really cares! So if I have that same shirt on tomorrow too - oh well! Less wash to do!

And the above photo also makes me happy because as I don't see Heidi everyday anymore, I don't get to see her kids a lot and I haven't seen Matto for a while it seems. So here he is, the adorable Matto as a guest rock star on Face The Day! He looks like Heidi, don't you think?

In other news, I am happy to say that an article I wrote was published in the weekly newspaper here in Flanders called Flanders Today. I have written some articles over the last few years for work but this is the first one that I have had published. It feels great to be back in the world of journalism a bit - by writing again and by teaching journalism students. I feel lucky! There has always been a journalist in me and I basically gave up all of it when I moved to Belgium. My career dreams as a journalist died here and I went on to other jobs. It's nice to go back to my roots and passion. Via this link, you can get to my article.

By the way, today would have been Peter De Wilde's 38th birthday. I can't help but think of him today and each year at this time - and also each November - the month he died after a rough battle with horrid cancer. I'm glad I have some videos, such as this one, and music such as this, to keep him close in my memory. I loved singing with him. I miss him everyday still. I'm thinking of his family today too and lately. Life has gone on for them thankfully, but it's not always easy.

Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 May 2010: Sarah has a nice day in Brugge shopping and a lazy day at home with the kid!

2010-05-16T16:30:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:

That's me above with The Lool in the distance on her Nintendo game of course. She's just loving that little ultra-high-tech gadget. It's even a mobile devise that works with wifi and can send mobile messages. She just uses it for games - crazy high-tech ones. She's going to soon know a lot more about technology than I do. She's a "screenager" for sure. She's sleeping with me this week while Tom is on vacation in Bulgaria and I woke up this morning to her little face glowing in the light of her Nintendo screen in the dark room. Today's kids are oddballs.

The above pretty photo of wisteria and gable roofing is from my visit to Brugge yesterday, where I went shopping with a friend and kids. It was a lovely day. I forgot to take a photo of myself so you get the only photo I took Saturday instead - and it's a lot nicer to look at than my face is! Maybe I should change Facebook to be about a photo a day - sometimes of me - but more often of other people and things. I'm going to think about that. I am a little sick of my face on here without Heidi. It's just not the same since she's gone! It's time for a Face The Day makeover! That brings me to my above Post Secret pick of the week. Ever since all those makeover shows have become so popular, it's hard not to imagine Trinny and Susanna around the corner pointing out what needs changing on each passer-by! It's actually fun to imagine how you can improve a person but it's also pretty rude. We live in an oddball world thanks to reality TV and all. No wonder kids are oddballs these days.

Thursday and Friday 13and 14 May 2010: Sarah has been so busy she's not been taking photos for FTD! Whoops! But - plenty of other pics to show...

2010-05-15T04:11:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Just for the sake of catching up, above is a photo from Friday the 14th of May and below is one from Thursday the 13th of May. In both photos I am so tired because each day - and so many days and times this week - I was driving to the airport very early to pick someone up or drop someone off. It's been a fantastic week though - full of a great Multi-Mania 2010 conference. Our sidetrack on Entrepreneurship went really well and lots of new networks and connections were made. It was fun and it felt great to be part of it.

On Friday, Tom left for Bulgaria for a one week vacation. I'm happy for him as it will do him good to get away with a good friend. And I get some quiet time alone with my kid. I need that and she needs that. It's been a crazy week as I said and it's good to unwind now and come down from the high of it all.

Have I mentioned that I wrote an article last week for the English weekly newspaper of Belgium? It's all about social media. I am so happy to be writing again but I was crazy to plan a deadline for the article the same day as the conference. It meant staying up till about 4 am every morning writing or editing after speakers' dinners, etc... But with that said, I have to add that I was energized this week and felt like super woman!

I forgot to take photo of myself everyday. But instead, I have a whole load of photos from various happenings in the last couple of weeks including the end of the owl story (great photos up close of the owl), Ayla's birthday party with her friends (the great food creations they made) and photos from Multi-Mania (all our guest speakers).

Here are photos from the Oehoe Eagle Owl saga. In the end he was caught and we got to see him up close and even hold him. There are some great photos via this link!

Here are before and after shots from Ayla's birthday party with friends, where they received lots of food stuff and had to make creations with it that the parents could eat later. They made fabulous things. Check it out via this link!

And last but not least, photos from Multi-Mania - and our Entrepreneurship Forum, which I organized. It was a great day - a great few days. Made some nice new contacts and networks. Also had some nice days showing off Belgium to our guests. Via this link you can see photos.

Thursday and Friday 07 and 08 May 2010: Heidi and Sarah meet again along with a very special Face The Day Guest: Merlijn the Oehoe's girlfriend!

2010-05-08T10:07:00.003-04:00

Sarah says:
Let me introduce to you above the girlfriend of Merlijn, the St Jan's Oehoe Eagle Owl! Last night, she came to the Oehoe Bar we threw in our neighborhood in honor of Merlijn, who after escaping from a cage a few weeks ago, has been enchanting our neighborhood each and every day. One of these days he will no doubt return to his owner. But for now - he belongs to the neighborhood and he's changed the neighborhood by bringing people together. It's been super!

Here's a link to a whole photo album tracking his movements for the last few days...

Heidi and I finally had the chance to get a photo together for Face The Day and with no other than Merlijn's girlfriend! It was a fun photo to try to capture and it was cool to see Heidi again. It always feels like it has been so long now that we don't work together anymore!

Another phot of the owl above - also from the 7th of May at the Oehoe Bar.

And there above a photo from Thursday the 6th of May at the neighborhood meeting to plan the Oehoe Bar. The fact is, until that Oehoe came into all of our lives, I didn't know anyone from the other side of the church... How great is it that now so many of us are in contact! Makes me so happy so see people come together like that - and all because of an owl no less!

Here's a link to the Facebook page of Merlijn the Oehoe Owl. I think it is an open page. Check it out!

Tuesday 04 May 2010: HAPPY 11TH BIRTHDAY TO AYLA "THE LOOL" MAGGIE-MAY CHRISTIAENS!!!!!!!!

2010-05-04T03:21:00.004-04:00

Sarah says:
I HAVE AN 11 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER!!!!!!

Happy birthday Ayla!!! There above you can see Ayla a year ago today at age 10 on 04 May 2009!

In the above photo you can see Ayla two years ago today at age 9 on 04 May 2008!

Above you can see Ayla three years ago today on her 8th birthday on 04 May 2007!

The photo above shows Ayla four years ago on her 7th birthday on 04 May 2006!

And there below you can see a photo from yesterday the 3rd of May 2010. You see me waiting for the St Jan's Eagle Owl to show its wings at the church. He's been doing that for the past few nights and it's a great thing to witness. Sadly, he didn't show up last night. I wonder if his owner captured hi finally or if the owl called Merlijn just took off for some other place, never to be found by its owner. Free at last! Check out this link in Dutch if you want to see photos and know more about this owl!

Saturday 01 May 2010: The Lool has her pre-birthday breakfast and is almost 11 and it's FLASHBACK 1ST OF THE MONTH at FTD!

2010-05-02T06:42:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Above and below you can see me and The Lool this year on the 1st of May 2010. We celebrated her upcoming birthday with family and then went to the park for the 1st of May yearly celebrations. It's always nice to be surrounded by Socialists!

Above, a great photo of my husband and child from a year ago today on the 1st of May 2009. Via this link you can have a look at what was going on that day. Pretty much the same as today - just worse weather...There above you can see my lovely family and me on Friday the 1st of May 2009. Again, via this link you can go back to that day...That's my daughter and I above exactly TWO years ago on the 1st of May 2008! Click here to see what was happening that day!
There above you can see me exactly three years ago on the 1st of May 2007 and Heidi in the below photo on the same day with Yma! By clicking here you can go back in time with us...

And there below you can see Heidi and me exactly four years ago on the 1st of May 2006 all in red! I think Heidi was pregnant there and I had back pain. A lot has happened in both our lives since then!!! Click here to go back four years in time with us...

Friday 30 April 2010: Sarah and The Lool are making a disgusting pancake layer cake full of Nutella and sugar for The Lool's pre-birthday breakfast!

2010-04-30T18:43:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
This pancake layer cake is about as disgusting as it gets but if it makes The Lool happy (and hyper) well then it makes me happy and hyper too! She's going to be so happy Saturday when she gets her dream present, which she fears she won't get. She's a lucky girl and she deserves a great gift! She's always doing her best and she's such a great person with a wonderful heart and head. I can't wait to see her face when she opens her gift!

Thursday 29 April 2010: Sarah's is a good mood again!

2010-04-29T14:52:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Good day! Got a lot done! I like being busy and seeing the start, middle and end of things. The sun was shining - so much it was even hot! Riding my bike on a warm day is a pleasure! Puts me in a good state of mind from the moment I hop on my bike to head to work till the moment I hop off when I get home. Then I see The Lool, who puts me in a good mood again! And then Tomske. It's all good again. At least for now!

Sunday - Wednesday 25 - 28 April 2010: Sarah sees the sun, the Editors, some friends and nothing...

2010-04-28T15:17:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
Not a lot of time to keep up on here anymore and as you can see, Heidi is hardly here anymore either on Face The Day! I think Facebook replaces everything online! Makes the need / want for a blog less as you reach all your friends or most of them that way... But that's not really what Face the Day is about. It's about tracking the days and the months and the years with photos - and I still like the idea. I love being able to look back! I just wish it weren't always my face. I miss Heidi's head on here too!!! Anyway - the above photo is from today - Wednesday the 28th. The sun has been shining all day - even from the early morning. And it feels great!

Picture above and one below are both from yesterday -Tuesday the 27th of May. We went to see Editors in concert at La Gran Mix. I love his voice and their songs but the gig was a bit flat for some reason - no extra wow or charisma. It was too bad. They were on my list as a must see - they aren't any more. A must listen - yes - always... The nice - well bittersweet - thing about seeing them was that I had Peter De Wilde on my mind all day and night and during so many of the songs at the gig. Their second album is my Peter album. Every single song reminds me of him. I listened to that CD over and over again throughout his sickness, when he died and after he died. Every time I hear Editors anywhere, Peter pops in my head and I like that. When I'm driving and they come on the radio I feel like Peter is talking to me. I love music for that. I love that it can keep a person alive in your head even though it can also bring tears to your eyes...

The above photo is The Lool blinding me! She's right! My dumb face shouldn't be on here all the time! The above photo is from the 27th of April and the below one is from Monday the 26th of April - I know, I know - I'm wearing the same thing in both photos. Don't forget, this is Belgium - perfectly normal to wear the same clothes for the whole freaking week if you want! You sweat less here because it's rarely really hot and it means doing fewer load of laundry! It's easier this way! I think 3 days is about my maximum!

The below photo is from Sunday the 25th of April. I had a nice dinner at Same Same in Kortrijk with my expat friends Rosemary and Kate. It's always nice to get together with the girls!

Friday and Saturday 23 and 24 April 2010: Sarah is enjoying reconnecting with The Lool and once again knows there's no place like home...

2010-04-24T16:07:00.002-04:00

Sarah says:
I had a great morning on my bike with The Lool on hers riding around getting stuff done and then having lunch together. She's such a great person. Such a pleasure to be around. I treasured and enjoyed every second of her today! And the sun was shining! It's been a good day. I feel light - like a load is off my shoulders or something. A difficult month is now behind me and I am able to move forward now. That's a huge relief! And a bought a cute new dress, earrings, necklace and leggings today! :-)

I was already getting in the joyful mood last night in my kitchen with my husband and kid by my side. So nice to be home with them! We watched Meet The Parents on TV and ate Reese's Peanut Butter Cups I brought back from London. I knew Ayla would love them! Simple pleasures. I so enjoy seeing that child of mine content. She's most content just having my and Tomske's attention. It's that simple sometimes.

Above and below you can see a jumpsuit Ayla made for her Barbie today. She did some rough sewing but I love the look. I hope she pursues this while sewing and fashion design thing. It seems to give her such joy and I think she's got some talent for it and an eye for fashion...

Monday - Thursday 19 - 22 April 2010: Sarah is back from Norwich, UK and happy to be home for a while after a couple of weeks on the road...

2010-04-22T14:03:00.006-04:00

Sarah says:
That's me above today - the 22nd, glad to be home and happy to have had a good sleep in my own bed. Don't get me wrong. I love travelling for work and for play. It's just been a hectic month and I need some rest. I have felt worn out for a while and though travelling was a nice escape, what I need most is some rest and some time to veg out. This morning I slept a little late in my own bed and it did me well! I am also so happy to see my kid. I feel like I haven't REALLY seen her since mid-March because I was so preoccupied from then till now. Now I am all hers!

And there she is! The Loolabell! She's the best. So happy to be back home with her. That's us yesterday the 21st when I got home from Norwich. It was a good trip to The UK with a really nice bunch of people!

By the way - here is a link to all the photos from Norwich, if you are interested!

I think the above photo is kind of cool because of the shapes and colors. It's from two days ago - the 20th - taken at a place in Norwich called Open Org. There were some great decorations going on there. Nice colors and shapes everywhere...

Above and below are also from the 20th of April, taken at Epic TV Studios, which is one of our partners. It was nice finally being able to see the place I had heard a lot about! That naked lady is a prop I guess! Of course I couldn't resist having a photo...

The above photo is from Monday the 19th in the hotel in Norwich. It was a good trip. I hope it leads to some good stuff! It gave me some ideas. I just have to find a way to make them happen!