Wednesday 30 June 2010: Sunny day at FTD!

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!!!

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

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!

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...

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...

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!

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!

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...

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!

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!

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...

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?

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...

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!

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!