I sit here in bed writing this, not quite sure what to do with myself after coming off a jam-packed weekend with my parents in town. The “not sure what to do with myself” part comes from the fact that our daughter left with my parents on the airplane and it’s eerily...
Last weekend we took a family road trip to Philly. This was a very kid-centric trip and we had two specific destinations on our agenda. The first was Sesame Street Place, a Sesame Street theme park with rides, shows, and character meet-and-greets. Think Disneyworld, but with Sesame Street...
Nia and I just got back from a one week trip to Minnesota to attend Beth & Jim’s wedding (the 3rd of the 4 Miller gals). The festivities began on Friday night with the rehearsal and 50 person boat cruise on Lake Minnetonka for the Groom’s Dinner (Beth may have stolen that...
We decided to spice up Labor Day 2014 with a little trip to the countryside. We had intended for it to be a family trip, but Nick had to bow out at the last minute because the hot water heater was leaking. So it ended up just being Nia and I. After doing a bit of research we went with...
Once upon a time there was a coffee table (originally owned by a beautiful, blonde-haired lady). In its day this table was the center of girl chats, group board games and many a memorable dinner party. Sadly, it got abandoned to a warehouse when the beautiful, blonde-haired lady married...
It was about this time last month that I found myself in a bit of a conundrum. We were in the process of setting our new apartment up and it was very obvious that there was no room for my beloved custom-designed chaise lounge from the Philippines. I was heartbroken. I resigned myself to...
An Overview of Foreign Service Institute Courses The Foreign Service Institute is a sprawling complex located in Arlington, VA where Diplomats go to school. It is here that they may enroll in over 600 different Foreign Service Institute courses in leadership, job-specific training, area...
Okay, I have to share a delightful little thing I’ve stumbled upon. It’s called FreeCycle and it’s basically a place where you can give or get things for FREE. You simply go to the FreeCycle website to find a group near you (there are over 5,300 groups in the US, by the...
Hey all–Perhaps you’ve noticed I haven’t been writing much. Well, it hasn’t been for lack of interest, it’s just that I prefer to jump into the deep end quickly when arriving in a new place, as I’ve found that it makes me feel more connected and settled...
After a couple of frustrating weeks filled with ups and downs, I am pleased to report that we’re finally starting to gain some traction here in DC. Of particular note: We signed a lease in Crystal City (in Virginia) and move in during mid-to-late July. Grandma Janet is coming out...
If you’ve lived in DC in the summer, you know that it’s a muggy, sweaty mess. There are only two sure-fire options to beat the heat. 1.) Run from air-conditioned place to air-conditioned place or 2.) Get in (or on) the water. Given that we have a toddler that needs space to...
We’ve noticed over the last few months that Nia has a very unique style of play that’s different from most other two year olds. Her play centers around ordering her various collections (animals, polly pockets, videos, etc); lining them up over and over again each day for hours...
We’re 12 days into our DC tour and slowly but surely finding our footing. We spent the bulk of the first week touring preschools and apartments (with mixed results, I might add). I am pleased though to report that last Saturday we signed a lease for a 2 BR condo in Crystal City! We...
Nick and I have been hanging kid-free in Portland since Tuesday. One of our favorite things we’ve done thus far was the Epicurean Excursion Walking Tour with Portland Walking Tours. In the course of 3 1/2 hours we covered a mile and a half and consumed eight different types of...
In honor of Mother’s Day I decided to stretch myself and try something new. That something was Kirtan, which is basically singing meditation done in Hindi or Sanskrit in a call and response format. Since I’m just learning about it myself, I’m going to borrow a synopsis...
Hard to believe, but our 2nd tour is already over. Good-bye Lima, we’ll miss you (especially your food and ocean view). Here’s the highlight reel from our 2nd year there. Just click the photo of the book to be taken to the actual photo book.
Great news! I became an auntie over the weekend and Nia acquired her very first cousin (we’ve been practicing that word a lot). Armin Allan was born to Emily and Andrew on Saturday April 5th at 9:26 AM weighing 8 pounds 10 ounces and measuring 21 inches in length. I have nicknamed...
It’s hard to top the awesomeness of snow, but I think we may just have done it. Yes, today was Nia’s first day of preschool. As many of you know, my Mom started Lake Area Discovery Center, a PHENOMENAL early childcare center with 18 sites across the metro. Happily, my Mom was...
Oh Minnesota, how I missed thee. I did NOT, however, miss your below freezing temps! Either you’ve gotten worse or I’ve gotten wimpier. I do appreciate the snow though, purely for my daughter’s sake. It has given her hours of delight in the last 24 hours. So thanks...
Hard to believe, but it’s pack-out time again! The Novaks welcomed a seven-person moving team yesterday for our 5th pack-out in five years. These guys must have eaten their Wheaties because DANG were they fast. They had our 4200 pounds of stuff boxed and sealed within four hours...
Click the image below to get a look at the Photo Book from our 1st year in Lima!
Remember this shot from May of 2012? Nia was only seven months old and Nick and I were still pining for the Philippines. Fast forward two years later and we’re closing up our time here in Peru. WOW, right? Is it just me or did that go REALLY FAST? Curious about what’s next? Of...
Ahhh, the memories. This beauty showed up in my Facebook feed last week thanks to that “Throwback Thursday” trend that’s been going around lately. In case you couldn’t find me, I’m on the far right in the second row. This photo dates back to June 1994, when I...
One of the things I will miss most when I leave Peru is a group called Miramoms. This group grew organically from a desire to connect the Peruvian and Expat Moms of Miraflores. While originally an email list, it has now expanded to include Mom outings, Holiday parties and classes such as...
Not to be confused with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, these Red Hot Chilli PIPERS are rockin it big time on the bagpipes to Avicii’s Wake Me Up. I mean really, is there any better sound than a bagpipe? I hope this wakes you up on this wonderful Friday morning!
We took advantage of the long weekend for Martin Luther King Day and scheduled our final trip here in Peru. We weren’t originally planning to do any more travel, but we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go to a beach resort with four other couples who each have 1-2 year olds...
Nia has recently become obsessed with The Kitty Park (also known as Parque Kennedy). This beautiful urban park, for some bizarre reason, is home to a collection of wild, homeless cats. No lie, on any given day you will find no less than 20 cats lounging in the park. Here’s a small...
One of the things I remember most vividly from my childhood was all the amazing parties my parents threw. Dinner parties, theme parties, card club– you name it, they did it. My favorite party concept was something called a Progressive Dinner. What’s great about this concept is...
Can you believe it’s been 5 years already? I know, shut up, right?!? I feel like it was just yesterday that I was purchasing those piles and piles of ravioli and diet coke. In case you couldn’t tell by my blog posts, we’re pretty enamored with our lifestyle. Diplomatic...
Hard to believe, but today marks the 5th anniversary of our civil wedding ceremony. I thought it’d be fun to look back at some of our early dating pictures to celebrate this milestone. March 2007 – Our first real date at Michael Medved Oscars event for Nick’s work August...
Nick and I have been searching (unsuccessfully) for a joint hobby for the better part of seven years. Our differences definitely make us work well as a couple, but they make it very hard to find mutual interests. He wants nothing to do with my suggestions–yoga, pilates, pottery...
Don’t get me wrong, Christmas to me will forever be synonymous with snow, fires, hot chocolate, sweaters and the like. There is, however, something delightful about ‘testing out’ other Christmas traditions. Here are some of the things we’ve come to expect from...
“Mom, we’ve talked about this before. I’m too busy to have my picture taken. Please leave me alone.” “No, I’m really serious this time. Go away. This is your final warning. I mean business.” “You asked for it. I didn’t want to go all...
Hey folks, long time no talk. Sorry bout that. I wasn’t feeling it. But I’m back now, so that’s the good news. So when we last talked we had just received our long-awaited assignment to Washington, DC. While that was a huge relief, the celebration was immediately...
Photo by Mike Mozart on Creative Commons The good ole US of A! That’s right, we’ll be setting up our home in Washington, DC for a two-year assignment. Nick will be working as a Press Officer in the EUR (Europe) bureau covering Central and Eastern Europe. His job will entail...
All I have to say is that mid-level bidding SUCKS. We’ve been on pins and needles all week hoping and praying that we’d get an email telling us that we had received an assignment. On Monday we refreshed the email every 10 minutes to no avail and watched the Facebook...
I’m not sure where the time went, but I recently did the math and realized that this month is the seven-year anniversary of my Life Coaching Business. Whoa, huh? It’s been a wild ride – entrepreneurship is definitely on par with parenting in terms of difficulty. In fact...
Wanna know something? I’ve never been too fond of Halloween. Sure, I enjoyed it as a kid, but by the time I got to my early teens I was pretty over it. It all seemed kinda silly. But then I had a kid and EVERYTHING changed. No seriously, I think I was more excited than her this year...
One of the things my parents insisted on during their visit to Peru was a visit to the Sacred Valley and most importantly, Machu Picchu (MP). Having visited MP back in January with Rachel, I whole-heartedly concurred knowing that, no matter how high one’s expectations, MP NEVER...
Each year, the best designers in Peru pool their talent to restore a historic mansion in Lima with the help of CasaCor, an organization that rehabilitates neglected historic spaces. This year’s selection was Palacette Sousa, a palatial home constructed in the seaside district of...
The end is in sight folks. Post assignments officially start going out on November 4th and we’re expecting to hear something between the 4th and the 12th. It’s been a surprisingly stressful process, far more than our first two times bidding. The difference is that we’re...
When winter starts to get long and we haven’t seen the sun in months, we hop in the car and drive to Cieneguilla. This city, while only one hour from our house, is technically considered the country and is home to one of our favorite places in Lima, the restaurant Mesa de Piedra...
It’s hard to believe, but we’ll have a two year old in our family as of the 22nd. In order to celebrate this momentous occasion, we decided to throw the most Elmolicious Party we could dream up because if there’s one thing our little girl loves, it’s ELMO (Mommy...
If you’ve spent any time with Nia, you know that there are three people/things she talks about incessantly. The first is Elle, her BFF who is only one month older than Nia. These two run the Malecon all day long fighting over toys and shrieking with joy over their latest discoveries...
Hey folks, I’m really late with this one, but couldn’t resist at least sharing a few photos of this stunning city. In hindsight, we should have spent more than one night here. We underestimated how enchanting it was going to be! The city was originally a walled fortress and...
Here’s a great little ditty that you’ll recognize the melody of–the only difference –it’s being sung in Gaelic! Hope it brightens your day. Today we’re en route back to Lima after three wonderful weeks in the US and Canada. Happy Monday!
Sarah
If I could only remember one thing about Montreal, it would definitely be the food. Amazingly memorable, mind-blowing cuisine. MEAL. AFTER. MEAL. AFTER. MEAL. Not planning to step on the scale for quite some time! The city, though, is not quite what I expected. Pretty much a big city. And...
This is sheer genius, straight out of the land down under. I dare you not to laugh!
Happy Monday, Sarah
Sorry for the lack of posts folks, we’ve been too busy having fun with my in-laws, Robert & Joyce who live in bea-uuuu-tiful Bend, OR (home of every athletic person who ever walked the earth. No lie, the dress code = your best athletic wear & of course, your bike!) These...
You might not know them by name, but I bet you’ve seen their cover of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” ( which has clocked an unbelievable 153 MILLION youtube hits). Here they are, back with another fresh, innovative take on a song we know and love. We need...