The Baker's Blog: August 2015

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Sorry for the lack of posts!

It has been pretty busy in the Baker house as we are getting used to Evelynn's school schedule (I haven't seen 5:45am consistently since my days at Starbucks...zzzzzz) and preparing for our move to Billund...thus the lack of blog posts. Once we get past that, I should be better about posting photos and the latest news.

This past week Uncle Aaron came for a visit as he's finishing out his summer traveling throughout Europe. Both girls couldn't get enough of him, recruiting him for Duplo sessions, doctor sessions, reading books and art time. We had beautiful weather, although we didn't get out much since the girls weren't feeling well. We had hopes of taking him to see the reindeer, but ended up making a visit to the sand park, had a few walks around Vejle and a visit to Billund with Joel. It was so nice to see him and hear about some of his adventures from his trip. And the three of us beat Super Mario World together in our nightly sessions while the girls slept :)

He read about 8 Curious George stories in a row...I can barely make it through 2 :)

Attempting to make a stop action movie with the girls

Drawing Evelynn's portrait

This week we are gathering quotes and looking into options for movers to help pack and transport our belongings to the new house. We officially sign the rental contract on Friday, so we should be able to move next week if we can get someone scheduled to help. I'll post photos of the house once we get the keys! We have also had several showings at our apartment in Vejle, looking for someone to take over our last three months here. No luck yet, but yesterday we had someone come by that seemed interested, so hopefully we'll hear back from them today.

The logisitics and craziness of moving 3 times in the past 4 months has pushed my brain to the limits at times, but we are looking forward to getting that much more settled in the house in Billund. We'll be gaining back 1.5 hours of commuting on the bus each day, be within walking distance to all our regular activities throughout the week and be in a quiet neighborhood where we'll deal with deer instead of party goers at 3am :) We'll only be a 10 minute bus ride to the airport...so if anyone wants to come visit, we'll be nice and close ;)

Daphne is setting up her Duplo game while Evelynn is at school. She is participating in a focus group for Duplo with me over the next few weeks.

Just a casual outing to the post office and grocery store with these two ladies

Playing with balloons Grandma and Grandpa sent for E's birthday.

Rainy/sick day movie snuggles

Apparently the back of the couch was not cushy enough....

Monday, August 17, 2015

International School of Billund - Day 1

Today was the first of many "first day of school" at ISB and as far as what I've gathered from Ev, she loves it! We started prepping Sunday night since we have to get up by 5:30 to get out of the door to catch the 6:57 bus from Vejle to Billind. Hard boiled eggs and coffee were prepped for breakfast, snacks and lunch for Mommy and Daph since we were hanging out in Billund all day, and clothes laid out for a quick change in the morning. We made it out the door with a few minutes to spare at the bus station!

Walking to the bus at 6:45am

Waiting for the bus :)

Once we got to school, we located an empty cubby for Ev to store her backpack, shoes (kids wear "indoor only" shoes while inside and change into outdoor play shoes) rain gear and spare change of clothes. Her teacher, Gaby, had set out various craft options for the kids to do (beaded jewelry, play dough, etc) so E made a bracelet. There are about 15 kids in her class with 1 main teacher and 3 assistant teachers. After a few minutes Ev said I could leave and come back later...apparently she was really ready for school after all.

One corner of Evelynn's classroom

Daphne and I met another international mom for coffee (her daughter is in E's class) and she offered a lot of information about activities and groups I could be a part of in Billund to meet people. We spent some time at the park, had lunch, visited another park and also the library till 2:00 when Ev's school day was over.

This girl loves dirt and sand

Exploring in the forest

The Billund Library had a fun little play area for kids to use

Daphne spent most of her time taking care of her baby

Daphne was exhausted but very excited to see her sister. Gaby, Evelynn's teacher, said she did really great today and didn't seem to have any issues transitioning to a full day. Hooray! Ev said they learned about houses and read the Three Little Pigs. She made a "hay house because that was my favorite" out of Lego. They played outside and there was a ladder that was hard "that will get easier when I practice and grow bigger." She made two friends but couldn't remember their names and learned how to change her shoes herself. Sounds like a good busy day to me! She's already looking forward to tomorrow 👍🏻

Evelynn's house of hay

first bracelet from school (apparently I'm not supposed to to see until Christmas, but her hiding spot wasn't very hidden..shhh)

Happy girl on the bus ride home

Thursday, August 13, 2015

More good news!

After officially deciding to enroll Evelynn at the International School of Billund, we started keeping our eyes open for potential detached home rentals in Billund (they are few and go really quickly...which is why we ended up in Vejle). Well yesterday, a homeowner advertised on an internationals Facebook page that there was a 4 bedroom 2 bath detached home available in September. I quickly emailed him, praying it wouldn't already be under contract by the time he responded to me. Apparently we were the first and were able to schedule a time to see the house today (which worked out perfectly since we were already in town for an event at the school). The home was built in the 60s and has been owned by the same family up until this year. It is about a 5 or so minute walk to the international school and approximately the same to Joel's office. The bedrooms are small but big enough for the furniture we currently own. There is a large living room with fireplace (looking forward to some hot chocolate and a good book this winter)! There is a separate dining room and a decent galley style kitchen (which is getting a brand new stove...hallelujah!). Off the kitchen, there is a wet room which includes the laundry space. There is a massive backyard that butts up to a forest and includes a green house - currently growing some delicious grapes. After spending about 30-45 minutes with the owner (who also happens to be a dentist on the next street over and has lived in Billund for 20 years), we decided it would be a perfect place to start setting up a more permanent home in Billund. He will be emailing us a contract in the next few days and we'll be giving notice to our apartment in Vejle. Seeing as we just moved June 1st, we're just going to power through this last move and stay put for awhile :) We are really looking forward to living in Billund and feel like it will be a huge benefit being so close to work and school in a very family oriented community...and it doesn't hurt that it will save us quite a bit in rent and bus fees! We'll have easy access to Legoland, Lalandia (indoor kids play), the international airport, the bus can easily get us back to Vejle and we'll have more time to participate a little more regularly in local clubs (Joel is looking forward to playing some badminton and dodgeball).

Daddy and his girls exploring the street where the house is located. So much more peaceful :)

After looking at the house, we headed over to the international school for an informal meet and greet with staff and families with students enrolled. We had the chance to meet Evelynn's teacher, Gaby. She was extremely friendly and I think will be a great fit for Evelynn. We officially start on Monday, so here's to hoping all goes smoothly :) They had several activities, toys and play spaces available to the kids. Both girls enjoyed some freedom to explore and play with other kids.

Streamer time

The girl can't resist the bricks

and built herself a chair

and requested sister to test stability

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Good news!

After finishing our first week with Evelynn at the Danish school, we ended our Friday with news that a spot opened up for Evelynn at the Billund International School today. We were told there would not be a spot for her until Fall of 2016, so it came as a big surprise. We had enrolled her in the local Danish school expecting her to stay there for one school year. Now to figure out the logistics of getting to and from Billund on a daily basis until we can move there. She will most likely ride the bus with Daddy in the morning since he is already en route to work (about a 5 minute walk apart) and I (along with D) will pick her up in the afternoon when she's finished.

If you're interested in seeing more information about the Billund International School, you can go to their website. Evelynn will be in the K2 classroom and the various themes they'll be studying throughout the school year are shown in the photo below.

There is quite a bit of construction and change happening at the school over the next year. This is the first year since they opened in 2012 where they have access to the entire campus/buildings on the property. It used to be an old public school and previous students have been gradually moved over to another location. During our tour, they mentioned a few exciting projects they'll be completing in the next few months. They include expansions to the kindergarten and primary playgrounds (one will give the students the ability to climb from one end of the school to the other without touching the ground). They are also creating a large loop the kids can bicycle around. They have built a central creative/play zone that will include drama, music, art and creative Lego play as part of the curriculum. It is all very exciting and I think Evelynn and eventually Daphne will really enjoy it. There is also supposed to be a close knit group of parents so I am hoping to become part of that community as well.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

First Day of School

Big girl heading off to her first day of school!

Today we started our introduction into school and so far Evelynn can't wait to go back. I didn't know what to expect since this was my first time interacting at a Danish public school. It took us less than 10 minutes to walk there, parked our stroller, took a few photos and went inside. We were welcomed by the first teacher who saw us and she walked us right up to Evelynn's class. Each day around 9:30 her class has a snack (bread, butter, fruit and milk) and they talk about what will happen during the day. Ev was a little shy initially and kept close but eventually moved to her own chair at the table and had a snack. They serve snacks and meals family style with the teachers around the table so that the kids can learn traditional table manors. They also encourage them to clean up their own dishes and food when their finished. Hoping to adopt some of this tactic at home too!

Today, she was the only English speaking student in her group (although her teacher mentioned there is one other girl named Ashley - nice name 😊- who speaks it as well). Her head teacher, Janet, translated and answered many of my questions. They were so friendly and explained how they'll work with Ev since she doesn't speak Danish yet. They will mostly speak in Danish and translate for Evelynn so that she knows what is going on. Eventually she'll begin to pick the language up as she interacts with the kids and she is very excited to learn Danish. So Daddy and Mommy better sign up for our language courses soon so that we can keep up!

As long as the weather is nice, they spend most of the day outside. There's a sand area, bikes, a large playground and garden for the kids to explore. They'll have units exploring nature, water, cooking, etc each month. They also do at least one weekly outing on Thursdays, exploring areas around the city. The main focus is practicing social interactions and learning through play/creative tasks. It will be very interesting to hear Evelynn's stories when I pick her up in the afternoon.

Exploring the garden area...and heading into the bicycling space.

She tried to talk Daphne into joining on the two seater, but D was busy playing in the sand.

Filling up a bucket to truck around on the bike.

Ev's first official Danish lunch. Rugbrød (rye bread), topped with fried fish, cucumbers, corn. I think she was most excited about her fancy silver cup. They use real dishes and silverware, so she is feeling quite fancy!

Pointing out her name. Soon there will be a photo too.

For the next few school days, she'll most likely spend 2-3 hours at school until she gets more comfortable/adjusted and then she'll be in for 5 hours a day during the week. It will definitely take some getting used to having a quieter house and one-on-one time with Daphne, but we are all looking forward to it. I was nervous about putting her in a Danish school since we are so new here and none of us are familiar with the language yet, but all the interactions we had to day put my concerns at ease. I think she will be well taken care of and get a lot out of it...and she'll finally have some kids her age to play with!

Evelynn Turns 4!

It's hard to believe our little peanut has officially turned four. How did that happen! She has grown into a observant, smart, creative, focused and TALL curly hair girl.

2 days old

1 year old

2 year old

3 year old

We started out the day with a surprise balloon pile outside her bedroom door. She was quite confused at first until she realized it was finally her birthday (she has been asking almost daily if she is four yet). She requested a puff pancake for breakfast with candles and then we gave her a present Daddy picked out for her. The LEGO box is almost as big as she is. She and Daddy will be building the Friends Heartlake Hotel for many nights to come. After a little building, we got ready for a surprise visit to Legoland in Billund. She was so excited when she saw the familiar Legoland sign. The park was packed (Mommy didn't realize this is the last week of holiday for most children...oops!). We rented a stroller and were off to explore. Evelynn led the way and took us through Miniland. We had lunch at a "mexican" restaurant and then spent the rest of the day in the open Duplo play area. The kids were exhausted by the time we left, but had a great time. Once home, we had tacos with candles for dinner (also requested the birthday girl) and chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter icing with more candles for a birthday treat. We were lucky enough to squeeze in FaceTime sessions with Grandma/Grandpa, Mimi/Papa, Aunt Jamie and two of Ev's best friends from California (Elizabeth and Evie). Evelynn said she had a awesome day before falling right to sleep and Mommy fell asleep on the couch at 9:00pm to Daddy video games on WiiU. Whew, that was a long day...and tomorrow brings Evelynn's first day at school...

Balloon Party

Present time

She couldn't resist starting to build it

We made it!

Happy girl

Ring, ring...is anyone there?

Her favorite activity of the day, the fireman pole.

She thought it was hilarious that sister was in a sink

She loves to climb

Isn't this the CUTEST season pass you've ever seen. Apparently we need to add a LEGO dragon on our camera too.

Dessert!

Birthday tacos (she loves to have meat, guacamole and lettuce on her's)

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Dyrehaven (aka Reindeer Park)

After a filling breakfast of puff pancake (Ev's fav!), we decided to do a little adventuring today in the forest. On our way out, we ended up at the local Saturday farmer's market. There is one farmer, occasionally a jewelry stand, and a Mexican taco truck (which we indulged in...yummy!)

Dyrehaven, we refer to it as reindeer park, has been recommended to us by several people. It was about a 25 minute walk from the apartment. Its a beautiful high 60s today, so it was warm enough and no threat of rain storms. We explored through the forest finding lots of "animals" (aka moss covered tree trunks, D affectionately called them animals), big nasty black slugs, beautiful lush trees and ended at the reindeer park. We didn't realize how close the deer actually would be to us. One ate straight out of my hand. I was blow away with how cool it was. My love of all things Christmasy may have made the experience all the more exciting for me 😉 No sign of Rudoplh, but lots of babies, bucks and a few mama deer. We will definitely be back!