Our favorite books in the first quarter of the year (Books for 1-2 year olds)

My, oh my. I was so so eager to post once a month last year. And I kinda did. Some of the posts were really just forcefully pushed out of my brain for the sake of posting that month, but some actually had a lot of value. 

I just scrolled through my blog and it actually put a little smile on my face. I just love the aesthetic and the ideas I shared. And it was also like a reminder from my past self to my present self: about recipes, shops, photos, the snow globe vibe... All of it. 

Blogging is kinda my thing. I just don't do it enough. This is my first blogpost of 2021. This year is already 2 months old (Get yourself together, "Mommy Mery"!).

So for my first blogpost of 2021, I thought it would be fitting to share a recap of what we've been reading with our now 22 month old. Her second birthday is right around the corner... (I'm not crying, you are crying...!)

 

Our favorite books for January, February and March

 

 

Also, I'm so over amazon. Please please please - don't get your books there. 

Go to your library, your local book shop, to a thrift store or check in a thrift book online shop.

 

I will most likely be coming back to this post next year ad see if my then almost 3 year old still likes those. Or if I need a gift for a little one between 1 and 2. Or when we have another little one in that age group! :)

 

Baby loves Winter! by Karen Katz   

Karen Katz has saved the day in our household so many times. Even though I'm personally not a big fan of the illustrations, my daughter whole- heartedly LOVES them. And the flaps. Lifting the flaps makes it so much easier for her to get through a book. I've already written about her love for "Where is Baby's belly button?" in the past and it has just grown since then. 

Baby loves Winter obviously explores the cold season incorporating snowflakes, snowmen and animals hiding in the white fluff.

You can find a thrifted copy of this book here

(Just giving you an example where to find it. I don't benefit at all from this.)

 

 

Babies in the Snow by Ginger Swift

Another book with flaps. This one is very sturdy, chunky and easy to hold and lift the flaps for little hands.
We started reading the books from this series when our daughter was around 8 months old. Her first Ginger Swift book was "Babies in the forest" and well after a year she still enjoys it. Babies in the Snow, you guessed it, is about baby animals who live in the colder regions. We meet the typical polar bear and snow hares, as well as caribous, musk ox and ermines.

Click here for a thrifted copy
(Just giving you an example where to find it. I don't benefit at all from this.)

 

Sweetest Kulu by Celina Kalluk

This is a book that I as a parent and adult enjoy a lot. I love the illustrations by Alexandrea Neonakis and the message. Frankly, my daughter found it hard to sit through the whole thing at just over 1.5 years old, but she did like the pictures of the animals and the little baby a lot. 

 

Thrifted copy heeere! 

(Just giving you an example where to find it. I don't benefit at all from this.)

 

A very special Valentine by Christine Tagg

Let's get into the Valentine's Day fun. So cute! We started reading these mid January and I returned them to the library the week after Valentine's Day. 

A very special Valentine is written in rhymes about a bunny that's looking for a gift for his bunny girlfriend. It doesn't have thick cardboard pages but includes some flaps to lift. And glitter. I mean...What's not to like? 

Thrift it like a pro right here!

(Just giving you an example where to find it. I don't benefit at all from this.)

 

 

Where is Baby's Valentine? by Karen Katz 

Karen Katz strikes again. Told you we're obsessed with her over here. If you weren't able to guess it yet, the baby in this book is looking for their special Valentine's Day gift/card for their mommy.
It's a lot of reds and pinks, bears, candy... You name it! VDay Galore!

You already know where to look for it, right?
At our library they have multiple copies of this book because it's so popular.

If you'll be my Valentine by Cynthia Rylant

We really liked this book because it emphasizes that Valentine's Day is really just about doing nice things for others. Not just romantic love, flowers and candy. In this book the little child spoils their pets with attention and treats, as well as picking out activities their family members enjoy. 

 

It's also written in rhymes, which makes you still remember most of the pages a month after Valentine's Day... 

"If you'll be my Valentine, 

I'll give you extra treaties, 

I'll give you 2 or maybe 3 and let you lick my feeties" - Ew! 

Where are Baby's Easter Eggs? by Karen Katz

Three months, three Karen Katz books. Can't help it. Looking for Easter Eggs makes so much more sense than looking for your Vday gift though. So good job on this one, Karen.  

Yes, the baby is looking for Easter Eggs and finds Easter related things along the way.

We thrifted this book at our local thrift store and it was like new. This makes me wonder, if kids just eventually get sick and tired of looking for what Karen is hiding. Or maybe it's so good the family had multiples of them because they were gifted... I'd definitely gift a Karen Katz book to any 1-2 year old, based on my experience. 

Little Chick (Finger Puppet book) by Amelia Anderson

I'm not a big fan of puppets but these Finger Puppet books make it pretty easy to stage a play.
We have three more of those! 

Little chick hatches out of an egg and goes on a little adventure before it gets lonely and wants somebody to play with. 

It's more of a spring themed book to me, since it doesn't have a direct Easter relation. It still made it into her Easter themed book basket. She also has a bunny finger puppet book in there that doesn't mention Easter or being the Easter bunny. It doesn't have to be a direct match, just work with what you have :)

Peppa Pig and the Easter Rainbow

We read this book at least once a day, since I put it into the basket. Meaning we usually read it like three times a day. 

Peppa and her brother George go on an Easter egg hunt and discover that they found eggs in all the colors of the rainbow. This book helps practice color recognition and talking about family members, as well as encouraging interest in weather education. 

We also found this at our local thrift store as good as new for literally a tenth of the original price.

 

This concludes my little book tips post. I hope you enjoyed it and maybe you'll include one or two of those in your season themed reading.

Obviously none of those are "must reads" or "must haves" - is anybody else kinda over these terms?
We came across most of these books by chance, as they were gifted, we found them at the thrift store or borrowed them from the library. 

 

This has been my mantra for slow and mindful living and parenting:

Work with what you have and what is easily accessible to you. 

There is a lot more than you might realize at first.

 

Thank you for visiting my blog!

Mery

 

  

 

  

 

 

Easy Marzipan Cookies for the Holidays

 

 

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350F/175C

 

2. Pinch off pieces of the Marzipan log and place them in your mixing bowl.

3. Separate the egg white from the egg yolk. 

Place egg white in the mixing bowl. Put egg yolk aside.

 

4. Combine all the other ingredients (order doesn't matter!) with the Marzipan and egg white

 with your Kitchenaid Hook attachment or with your hands. 

4. When you have a nicely combined smooth dough, 

form little balls, place them on your lined cookie sheet and flatten them with a fork.

5. Brush cookies with egg yolk.

 

6. Bake for about 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

'Tis the season...

My thoughts the week leading up to Christmas: 

Since the big snow storm on the East Coast our life has felt like we're in a little snow globe. Our little light green colonial home dipped in the powdery flakes. The streets shiny with ice.  

We've been mostly home indulging in snowy winter activities... 

 Unfortunately right around Christmas all the snow melted and our backyard was basically just muddy. 

Sharing some photos to convey the cozy feeling and come back to them while it's not as delightfully snowy out there anymore.

 

Thank you for visiting my blog!

Happy New Year!

Mery

My Fall Favorite: Pumpkin Scones Recipe

 

 

What you need to do:

 

Preheat your oven to 375F.

 

Chop up butter into cubes. 

 

Combine the flour, the baking powder, the sugar, the salt and the cold butter in your mixing bowl with paddle attachment and mix until you reach the consistency of moist sand. 

Add the pumpkin puree and mix until well combined. 

Pro tip: Use homemade pumpkin puree! It takes the whole recipe up a notch!

If the dough seems to be very sticky, add 1-2 tablespoons of flour and mix until combined.

Optional: Add 1 Tbsp of pumpkin spice.

Optional: Add 1 cup of dark chocolate chips.

Form little balls or which ever shape you desire and place them on a lined baking tray.

 

Optional: Brush with egg wash to make the scones shiny.

 

Bake for 15 - 18 minutes.

Enjoy while warm or enjoy soon after making them, since they taste best fresh.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! It's one of my favorites in the fall! 

I'm also a little late to the party posting this in November

 

Thank you for visiting my blog!

Mery

 

Second hand guide for mom, dad and baby (& all thrift toddler clothing haul)

Ugh! I'm late for my October blogpost - but it's my birthday tomorrow, so I hope I can be forgiven!

 

 

 

I was going to start this blog post by saying that thrifting has become more popular recently.  

However, I am not actually sure that's true. Wearing second hand clothes, hand clothes and toys down to younger family members and friends, as well as going to thrift stores has been part of my life since I was born, basically. 

What happened rather recently is, that I discovered how much better second hand is for the environment!

My husband and I have been getting most of the furniture for our new house pre-loved and we're making an effort to do the same with our and our daughter's clothing. Especially because she grows out of everything so quickly!

Why second hand? 

1. It's cheaper!

Is this the most persuading and obvious argument for second hand anything, as in clothes, toys, furniture, etc...? Most likely, yes.

What more is there to say about this one. Nobody wants to spend more money than necessary. So here it is. Second hand. Your frugal solution.

Just beware of people who are selling obviously used things for a pretty penny and marking them as "vintage", "retro" and "antique" for vanity and advertising reasons.
You don't need that kind of BS in your life.

2. It's eco- friendlier!

By not buying new clothing, but extending an already made garment's life cycle, you reduce the demand for fast fashion! One piece at a time you save valuable resources. That obviously goes for any other items as well. From furniture and home decor items to baby items and toys - so many things can be found pre-loved.

You have probably heard of what should be everyone's new mantra to save our planet:
Reduce, reuse, recycle!

Supporting the slow fashion movement and buying what you can pre-loved is a great way to reduce and reuse! 

3. Second hand clothes may contain less harmful substances.  

According to remake.world lots of conventional fabrics are made with harmful substances that promote health issues in humans. Check out what they have to say about conventional cotton and read the full blogpost here.

"Unlike organic cotton, a slew of toxic synthetic chemicals are also required in processing conventional cotton. Some of these chemicals include silicone waxes, petroleum scours, softeners, heavy metals, flame retardants, ammonia, and formaldehyde. Body heat and sweating actually accelerate the absorption of these residues into your skin." - remake.world

So, if you buy a worn-in piece (lots of people LOVE worn-in T-shirts and jeans!), it's most likely been washed a whole bunch of times already. That way the toxic chemicals might have mostly been rinsed and cycled out or at least reduced. And then you wash it one more time when you first get it, obviously.

Disclaimer: There's no way to prove that your piece is free of toxins, unless you take it to a lab.

4. You can find unique pieces and brands.

These are technically two arguments, but for some it might not be so desirable to find known brand names.

I sometimes like to be a little flashy though and I prefer certain designs and cuts. That's why I enjoy finding brands like Levi's, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Nike, Adidas etc. for a fraction of the original price. 

To me the best finds however, are the unique vintage pieces by named brands. 

For my toddler girl I have found vintage rompers, older collection track suits and T-Shirts, I've never seen before, at thrift stores all for less than $5 a piece. And every time I found one of those I did a little victory dance, because I love dressing my girl in these unique pieces, that no other child on the playground has.

5. Your new item is only new for one day. 

That's an argument, which hasn't ever occurred to me and I came across, while researching for this blogpost. It's so true though. 

Your new piece has been handled by lots and lots of people before you get to wear it. And once you have worn it, it's technically not even new anymore. I get that only YOU have worn it though, but hear me out. You can actually find new pieces, which were just owned by somebody else before, but never used!

Give it a try!

Where can I buy second hand?

1. Thrift shops
I'm sure you know of at least one thrift store in your area. Churches and Not-for-profit organizations sometimes have them conveniently located in residential neighborhoods.  

I like to shop at big thrift store chains like Savers, which belongs to the same family as Unique and Value Village. Then there are Good Will, Salvation Army and a little more boujee: Buffalo Exchange and Plato's Closet! 

Plato's Closet and Buffalo Exchange both sell and also buy gently used clothing. The buyers review the clothing and buy it, rather than selling donated clothing like a lot of other thrift stores. In my opinion the shopping experience is closer to browsing a typical fast fashion store because of the prior assessment of the items.

Plato's Closet belongs to the same family as Once Upon a Child.
Unfortunately I haven't been to a Once Upon a Child store yet, but I'd love to check it out one day.
The concept is the same as at Plato's closet, so I'm sure there's lots of treasures to (easily) find.
For now I'm just going to stick to diving deep into the unknowns in the kids section of our regular thrift stores. 

My advice: Search for baby and kids clothes in both girl & boy sections, as well as a couple sizes up. Stuff gets mixed up in thrift stores A LOT and I feel like the people who price and arrange the items sometimes have no clue, if something is boy/girl or unisex. Plus there's usually no unisex area anyway. So it seems like all pink stuff and dresses are girl and everything else is boy.

Search Thrift Shops in your are and you'll be surprised how many there are!

I've recently discovered Remember Yesteryears, which is more of an antique place but they are selling furniture, beautiful vintage dresses and some kids items!

Another fun place to visit is Deep End of the Sand Box! They have mostly vintage toys, records and T- Shirts, but there's a lot of other little things to discover as well.

The more difficult part about thrifting is finding the shops that feel fun to shop in and provide you with the pieces you love! This requires some time, patience and practice - hang in there and you'll soon be a thrifting pro :)

2. Online 

For clothing you can check out Poshmark, thredUp and if you love (and need!) outdoor clothing check out wornwear by Patagonia!

Also see if you can find what you need at Good Will's online auction house next time you're shopping online.

 

3. Facebook Marketplace

Oh, Facebook Marketplace. It's a love/hate relationship I have with you. Facebook Marketplace is basically my husband's instagram. He could spend all day just scrolling through and looking for the best deals in our neighborhood. I get so annoyed about it sometimes but I have to admit, we've found lots and lots of great deals. From furniture to toddler shoes. So... *sigh* What can I say?

4. Outdoor (flea) markets
In German we say "Flohmarkt" and I have fond memories of going to these outdoor markets every summer. There are specialized ones for kids, books, women, sneakers... etc. as well as antique markets. All of them would sell used and sometimes handmade stuff. Sometimes unique, sometimes mass produced. 

I haven't quite found one I like in my area yet, but I'll keep searching the internet and asking around.

 

Thrift Toddler Haul  

I have used second hand or hand-me-downs since day one with our daughter! Lots of her clothing, muslin blankets, swaddles, toys, books, even strollers were pre-owned, loved and full of other families' memories.

Just be careful with used shoes, mattresses and car seats. Do some research and make an educated decision. I would also never get anything second hand that goes in my child's mouth, like bottles, pacifiers and teethers.

Sometimes when I find pieces I love I get excited and actually arrange them into nice flat lays and make the time to take good pictures of them. So this was a haul from around 3 months ago, just to show you that you can find awesome pieces for less at thrift stores! 

 

If buying second hand clothing isn't for you, maybe you feel more comfortable borrowing clothes from friends or family members. Like Macklemore says: "I'ma take your grandpa's style, I'ma take your grandpa's style - No, for real, ask your grandpa, can I have his hand-me-downs?"

 

Also consider purchasing items that have been made from pre-loved materials and were recycled that way! You can often find those on Etsy!

 

Another way to participate in the slow fashion movement is to buy less and choose timeless pieces. Solid colors and cuts, that have been in style for decades are preferred. Also try to buy fabrics that are considered the eco- friendlier option: Natural materials like organic cotton, linen, hemp, as well as silk and wool, if you're not vegan.

Thank you for visiting my blog!

I really appreciate it.

 

Mery

Slow living with a 1.5 year old

That title sounds a little paradox. Kind of like having a fine china tea party with a Jack Russel Terrier, right? Unrealistic. 

Can it be done anyway? Maybe. 

It depends on your expectations. 

Let's talk about the basics first.

What is slow living anyway?

Dee on Vanilla Papers describes it as a "...a simpler, more sustainable and meaningful life" and "...life’s simple pleasures meant to be savoured and enjoyed slowly". I couldn't agree more.

It is about being mindful and intentional. To me an important part about slow living is not measuring one's worth through productivity. Being busy all the time does not make you better person.

You can (technically) slow down in every area of your life. Every day life at home, at work, while running errands and on vacation. Basically doing what you're already doing but sorting out the stuff which stresses you out and is in actuality not that important to you. 

"Slow living means building your life around your priorities."

Read the full blog post here or by clicking the quotes.

Also, have you heard of Hygge?

I'm sure you have. Especially if you use instagram frequently or in the cozy months, you must've come across the #hygge at least. Pictures of people sitting by in cabins, by fire places, wrapping their hands around hot mugs filled with hot chocolate, tea or coffee... Windows with heavy curtains, it's snowing outside... a girl wearing a chunky knit sweater while holding a golden retriever puppy... Okay. You get the idea. It's coziness at its finest. But really, that's not all it is.

Hygge is a Danish word. But what does it really mean?

In his guide to happiness "The little book of hygge" the author Mike Wiking tries to answer that question. He says "Hygge is about an atmosphere and an experience, rather than about things. It is about being with the people you love. A feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe, that we're are shielded from the world and allow ourselves to let our guard down". 

He also adds a story about - what else - spending a weekend in a cabin: "We were all tired after hiking and were half asleep, sitting in a semicircle around the fireplace in the cabin, wearing big sweaters and woolen socks. The only sound you could hear were the stew boiling, the sparks from the fireplace, and someone having a sip of mulled wine." Apparently according to all the Danish Hygge experts in the cabin, this scenario would've only been more hygge, if there was a storm raging outside. 

I feel like what defines Hygge to me mostly is that you deserve a warm, fussy, coziness after you put an effort into something. Could be hiking in the cold, snowy mountains or working an office job or making sure your child was loved, dressed, fed and safe all day. 

Slow living is a privilege. 

In my opinion it is. Of course you can have a daily cup of tea or light a candle. And that's a beautiful ritual you should enjoy, if it's your portion of slow living for the day. But to really indulge in slow living, living the hygge lifestyle and me intentional and mindful you also have to have some type of freedom. 

The freedom to make your own schedule, maybe a level of financial freedom (to be able to afford all those mugs and teas and candles, you know) and also freedom within your mind. Being in a state of mind where you can enjoy not being busy is easier said than done.  

We choose the slow life. It doesn't just happen. Or maybe it does. 

Life during a global pandemic can slow down quite a bit. A lot of people work from home these days. This eliminates the very early wake up time to get ready for an office job and the commute. That could mean more time for coffee or tea in the morning, working on the couch with a scented candle burning, a chill playlist humming in the background. Also homemade food and a quick read or sneaky walk around the neighborhood during your lunch break. Sounds chill. Sounds slow. Sounds hygge. At least to me.

If you're an essential worker and this doesn't apply to you, I am sorry and I thank you for your service!

I hope you get to enjoy some slow living on your off days as well.

You don't have to travel to a hidden cabin in the mountains (even though that sounds dreamy) to live slowly. 

Slow living doesn't make life with a toddler easy. Just easier.

Let's get into the whole toddler thing. What do I do? I'm in no way perfect at this. 

That being said, I don't even know if you can be... I try my best to be mindful, after a couple of episodes of despair over this whole 2020 catastrophe of a year! At times I was homesick, felt isolated and sad but I'm trying not to let it get to me as much anymore... 

 

So, yeah... Again: What do I do?

I go with the flow. We are in a position right now, where we don't have a rigid schedule.

Most days we are able to sleep in, make breakfast together and then see what we want to do. 

If you're familiar with child-centered educational approaches, you know that following the child and observing what they're interested in doing at that moment is often related with less fussiness and a less stressful experience for both, the educator and the child. 

We have toy and book stations in our toddler girl's room, as well as in the dining room (while we're still renovating the future playroom).
She often chooses something and just starts to engage with it. Sometimes she will call out "Maaamaaa" for me to read to her or to help her with a puzzle.. or or or.. 

When she doesn't need me I get to get ready for the day, enjoy a coffee, listen to music, engage with my friends through my phone or just watch her.

 

I also kind of dropped a great deal of my former ideas about a scheduled day. Some days we read and do puzzles before breakfast (until one of us gets too hungry) and we move around her one daily nap based on a bunch of factors. 

 

We go out on walks around the neighborhood in the stroller or to play dates in parks or on farms. 

When we are in a safe area my little explorer gets to lead the walk and where we're going. As long as it's safe (think streets, water, corona regulations...). When we come home we relax and unwind with a snack, a book, a coffee...

 

 

I will probably forever remember that one day, where we met up with a friend of mine and her daughter for a coffee and a walk, while it was drizzling. It was during the summer, so it was still warm and the rain felt rather refreshing. When we got home that day we took an aromatic bubble bath and hung out in our king-sized bed with books until it was time to make dinner. Didn't get any more hygge or slower than that on that day! 

Of course I have to fit in my daily household duties, but when something doesn't get done, it's okay too. 

Trying to live slowly and enjoy our day together and stressing out completely over a dirty floor don't go together - but I'm still learning. I like having a clean space, so I'm trying to incorporate that into my slow living approach. 

I want to mention that living slowly with a toddler also means taking some time without the toddler.
Luckily my husband is as involved in our daughter's life as he should be, so when he's not working I can enjoy some time by myself. Sometimes. 

I love baking by myself, while listening to a good playlist and just doing my thing. 

I also love being creative, engaging in activities like embroidering and making baby accessories, which include using lots of items a toddler should not play with... I also really enjoy writing a blogpost at night. 

I'm actually drinking a cup of peppermint tea right now, while doing that. And I'm wearing warm socks and a sweater after taking a bubble bath with my daughter a couple of hours ago. 

 

 

What I'm trying to say is, that you should try to enjoy the little things, when you can, I guess.

Like this last sentence, this post is a little bit all over the place, but I hope you caught the vibe.

Let me know what you think. Can't wait to hear from you.

Thanks for visiting my blog, 

Mery

PS: Since we have a Jack Russel Terrier... maybe I should try to have a tea party with her next? ;)

Our dream wedding (August 2018)

Wow. It's already the last day of August, so this is another last minute blogpost. 

I've been working on an exciting new project, while trying to take time for self-care and obviously still taking care of my daughter and the household full time. So it's been a lot. Busy busy. 

It's also my husband's birthday month! Happy Birthday again, baby. So in honor of our wedding and his birthday I'm dedicating this post to the man of my dreams and our dream wedding day two years ago!

I hope you enjoy this little throwback as much as I do every time I look at pictures of our perfect day. 

I'm trying to choose pictures that haven't been posted a quadruple times on various platforms already. Don't expect any group photo and couple shot déjà vus.

All pictures and our wedding trailer were taken by talented Arkadiusz Klimek 

- otostudio.eu & otostudio on youtube -

Location

We celebrated our destination wedding in Lagow, Poland in a beautiful old castle. The castle is being used as a hotel these days which allowed us to stay and celebrate on the premises. It is truly a magical place. The vines in the courtyard with the decorations of our choice made it feel like a midsummer night's dream. The castle is also located on a peninsula between two lakes, which makes it even dreamier to spend a long wedding weekend there.

Zamek Joannitow in Lagow, Poland

For our wedding colors we picked white, blush, navy blue and gold. To us these colors have a royal appeal and matched the castle atmosphere perfectly.

I'm inserting some pictures I used for inspiration. I obviously had multiple Pinterest boards with hundreds of pins, but this is basically what I was referencing when it came to the color scheme.

 

We had golden wooden numbers, as well as golden frames with pictures of us on each table.

The table numbers matched our age in the pictures. I found this adorable idea on Pinterest and just had to do it. Look at us cuties, when we were 3 years old!

All of our signs and cards were handwritten by my talented husband. Truly a man of many talents.

Getting ready with the bridesmaids 

My beautiful dress is "Arlene" by Spanish bridal design house Pronovias.

The most comfortable wedding shoes I could've picked. 

No one could see my shoes until I changed after midnight anyway. 

In my flats I also wasn't taller than my groom - so sneaky! 

Getting ready of the groom

My groom getting ready. This is one of my favorite pictures ever of him. So handsome.

This is such a great but simple flatlay idea. I love it. 

And I love how we were both wearing special socks on our wedding day. 

Our emotional wedding ceremony 

I really loved the room our wedding ceremony took place in. The walls and ceiling are designed so intricately and give it vintage vibes but the flowers and the decorations made it look fresh and modern.

Next up: Double chins and vows.

Look at us married people. 

Time for champagne and cake

I came across the concept of the "Groom's cake" and I loved it. 

Since the traditional wedding cake usually depicts the bride - white, tulle, pearls, flowers - some couples have another cake, which is supposed to represent the groom. Since my husband is from Colombia he wanted a coffee cake. It looked minimalistic and most importantly it was delicious. 

I still dream of all the delicious desserts on this dessert table also known as a candy bar. 

We actually had this table full of cream puffs, mini pavlovas, mini tarts and cream filled golden eggs, as well as a actual candy cart with store bought candy. All the kids (and adults!) loved it!

Candy time!

Reese's cups, white chocolate Schokobons, old-fashioned Lollipops, center shocks, Hershey's kisses and vegan gummibunnies. Yummy!

A couple of group shots...

This one must be my favorite one of them all! I had to share even though everybody who knows me has seen it. I'm sorry. And we love you guys!

Uh-oh! Hehehehe

Our first dance

Will you still love me, when I'm no longer young and beautiful?

I know you will.

The only game... 

The shoe game was the only game we allowed at our wedding. Solely because we find most of the wedding games inappropriate or just not fun. We believed that after spending so much time, effort and money we should be able to enjoy our day to the max and not feel awkward or weird about anything. 

The game is very easy. We were asked questions and had to answer by lifting up our or our significant other's shoe. Most of the time we lifted up matching shoes, but there were a lot of laughs when we didn't. Entertaining and fun game for everyone, the couple and the guests. 

Here are some examples for questions via fun squared.

And that is it for now, guys!

Maybe I'll make another wedding related post next year in August. Or I won't. We'll see.

Before you go...

Don't forget to watch our Wedding trailer! 

You'll love it, I promise.

Thank you for visiting my blog today. 

I really appreciate it!

I hope you enjoyed the post.

Mery