Peonies Make Me Happy

Thanks to my very verbal love of peonies, this weekend I ended up with three bouquets of them!!! My family and friends know how to put a smile on my face :) The giant fluffy one is from my mom's garden. She has quite the green thumb. Something she didn't pass down to me. I'm just glad I get to reap the benefits and stare at this beauty all day long! Also, Henry didn't quite understand what he was supposed to do with these gorgeous flowers. In fact, he tried to take a big 'ol bite out of one of them like it was his breakfast! I put an end to that quickly! 

{Photos © Liz Denfeld}

Our Big News!

I feel awful that it has taken me so long to spill the beans.. It just took much longer than we expected to lock things down, and I didn't wan to jinx it... But finally I can tell you all that...

We’re Moving to Amsterdam!!!

Some of you guessed it a couple weeks back :) Needless to say, we are so super excited to embark on this adventure. Corey and I fell in love with Amsterdam after we spent a couple weeks there (and Corey proposed!) in 2009. We always knew we wanted to live abroad before we owned a home and had kiddos, we just weren't sure if we could actually make it happen. This proves that if you put your mind to anything and put in the effort, you can make dreams come true! Cheesy, but it's the honest truth.

So you'd like some details? Sure! Here's what we know. Corey will be studying for his MBA at the University of Amsterdam and also working. I was lucky enough to keep a job on the team I'm currently working on at my company, just located at the European Headquarters in Hilversum, so my transition should be pretty smooth. Corey's MBA program is two years, so we'll be over there for at least that long, but probably more like three. Neither of us is on a definitive work contract, so we can pretty much come back whenever our hearts desire. We'll be moving over at the end of July (exact dates are still being worked out) and Corey starts classes in September. And oh, how could I forget the most important part? Henry! Our sweet little man will most definitely be joining us in Holland. Maybe he'll even get the chance to go back to his French roots (French Bulldog, get it? ha. ha...).

Anyhow! I truly appreciate all the excitement and anticipation leading up to the announcement! I couldn't ask for a better group of readers and I really hope you guys will stick around and follow along on this amazing new journey in our lives.

{photo credit}

{Last} Weekend Snaps

The weeks are passing so quickly, I hardly have enough time to keep up with weekend snaps! The weekend before last was blissfully warm with temperatures in the 80s. We spent most of our time lounging by my in-laws' pool and dining al fresco. Here are a couple pictures from that weekend!

{Photos © Liz Denfeld}

I'm in Love with a Camera Strap

Isn't it beautiful?

{But it here}

Happy {Sunny} Weekend!!!

You guys. Do you want to know what I'm doing this weekend? I'm going to wear a bikini and lay by a pool. Whattttt??? No, I'm not going on vacation. It's actually going to be a whopping 85 degrees in Portland tomorrow. Can you tell I am beyond excited? So if you need me for the next couple days, you can find me by my in-laws' pool, sipping a marg and reading a book on my lovely iPad. Life is good. Hope you have a lovely weekend yourself! 

{via}

Formspring Friday!

Do you ever plan on going back to school for a graduate degree perhaps?

Right now it's not in my plans. I don't really need it for the career path I'm in at the moment. And to be honest, while I was a good student, I don't miss school AT ALL. I get chills just thinking about all the reading and paper writing and exams. Ugh. I hope I never have to do that again :) I think very highly of people who go back to school and work. They are bigger rockstars than I'll ever be!!!

How does your husband feel about how open/public you are with your blog. I enjoy blogging but my fiance does not feel comfortable having our lives documented.

My husband is similar to yours in that he's not always comfortable in having our private lives documented, but he realizes that I enjoy doing it and that it makes me happy, so he supports me. Ultimately, he is excited that we have a little journal of our lives together that we'll be able to look back on and read in the future! It's already fun reading back to the posts before we were engaged and planning our wedding, etc. He has gotten more and more comfortable with it as time has passed. He was never outwardly opposed to it. If he had been, it would have been impossible for me to continue and feel excited and happy to blog about our lives every day. I hope this helps you in some way!!

What is your favorite brand of jeans?

Paige Premium Denim and J Brand fit me the best! Love them!

What is your make up routine? You always look fresh and natural!

Thank you so much! I start with Kiehl's tinted moisturizer, then brush on some Mac Studio Fix Powder, then Bare Minerals Faux Tan, a little Laura Mercier concealer and finish with some Bad Gal lash mascara and Dior black eyeliner! On nights out I wear some Mac eyeshadow to spice things up a bit :)

What kind of coffee do you drink? Just regular coffee or lattes?

When I take coffee from home it's just regular coffee with some vanilla coffeemate creamer. If I get it from our little coffee shop at work, it's a 12 oz. Americano with one pump of vanilla. And when I'm at Stumptown or another coffee shop that knows what they're doing I like a wet cappuccino with a little vanilla... YUM!

what are your working hours at your job like? i'm curious as to how you juggle your work, photography, travel and pursuing all your interests at once:)

I am lucky to have an awesome work/life balance. I typically work 8-5ish with a lunch break where I usually work out or come down to our apartment to let Henry out! My photography kinda takes a backseat in the winter time because by the time I get home it's dark and I prefer shooting in natural light. My job is very understanding of travel and so they make it easy to take a couple weeks off to go travel the world. I definitely feel lucky to have a job I love at a company that is so supportive of all my other hobbies and interests!

If you've ever wanted to ask me a question, feel free to pop over to my Formspring page and ask me anything! It's totally anonymous, so don't be shy! 

More {Memorial Day} Weekend Snaps

Before last weekend, we had spent the four weekends before it buried in loads of plans. All wonderful, but at the same time exhausting. We decided not to plan anything for the long three day weekend, and it ended up being utter perfection. We went out to delicious meals, walked a ton, spent time with family and just recharged. 

What? Do I have something on my face?

Scrumptious dinner date at 50 Plates. Hello mint julep!

We like to walk. A lot.

We walked all the way up to Pittock Mansion. Twice.

*Walking in the West Hills is not only beautiful, but also a great workout for your bum!

We enjoyed a fancy dinner at Laurelhurst Market. If you're in Portland you must go. It's insanely good!

And Corey surprised me with my first peonies of the season. He was congratulating me. I hope I can tell you why soon :) I know, I know. I've been saying this forever. But trust me, it's good!

{Photos © Liz Denfeld}