Reflections on 2013

As the year draws to a close it's only natural to start looking forward to what 2014 will have in store for us and in the days before the New Year this is very much on my mind. I continually make resolutions that I cannot or do not follow through on so I'm thinking of some other ways to be mindful and grow. As I begin to think about what has happened this year it was full of adventures and exploration and I thought now is the best time to look back on 2013 and what a year we had :)

• We welcomed in the New Year in Panevezys, Lithuania visiting Lina's parents. Lithuanian new years come with huge amounts of fireworks set off wherever and whenever which is equally beautiful and terrifying. 
• I turned 29 in Brighton and surrounded by good friends. 
• Lina and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary on February 7th. 
• In March I left my job of 2 1/2 years with Refuge and started working with Rise in Brighton. Around the same time I started working part-time in a young people's homeless housing project and volunteering with Allsort's Youth Project supporting young LGBT people in a weekly drop-in. 
• We also went to Venice! it was a bit rainy but mostly beautiful :)
• Linas, Urte, and their girls came to visit us in Brighton for Easter. 
• In May we had our annual cycling trip with our friends and camped in the New Forest in the South of England. It was a great combination of cycling, exploring, and spending quality time with friends. 
• In June we moved from our first Brighton flat (which was very damp:( ) and moved into a unique flat in the center of Brighton, we are still really happy about the move and are making it more like us everyday!
• July was really busy for us and mother nature brought us a hot sunny month here in Brighton. We went to the Mumford and Sons Gentleman of the Road festival in Lewes. It was a great atmosphere full of folksy people and awesome music. We also spent some time in London including heading to London Pride and meeting up with some great friend we don't get to see too often!
• Then we went on a Cornish adventure! We went by train and bicycle to Cornwall for our friends', Belinda and Ella, outdoor Tipi wedding. The weather was beautiful as were the brides! We had lots of fun exploring the countryside and beaches by bike, camping, and meeting Bel and Ella's friends and family. 
• August brought us Lina's 30th birthday complete with a karaoke birthday party and a trip to the USA. We spent time with family and friend's in Wisconsin including hiking, canoeing, camping, cycling, a wedding shower, and my dad's birthday. Then we stopped in NYC on the way back and saw Ina and explored new bits of the city. August also brought us our first Pride in Brighton!
• In September Kristen and Mike came to stay for a few days on their European tour, it was great to catch up and get to show them Brighton and London. 
• October meant more travelling as we went to Rome with Lina's parents. We spent 5 days so had plenty of time to slow down and explore the city. This trip came with plenty of people watching and gelato. In October our good friends, Linas and Urte, made a big move to Milan, Italy which was definitely bittersweet for us!
• We celebrated Thanksgiving surrounded by friends at our place with everyone bringing delicious food. We basically ate a lot and were in a bit of a food coma :) We visited the World Aids Day 100 artist private viewing where Lina, our friend Sarah, and I were showing work and ended the day watching Fried Green Tomatoes. 
• December has been a whirlwind of lots of work, spending time with friends, and preparing for Christmas. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas with our friends Tautvydas and Asta and Asta's mom and it was again full of lots of foods, drinks, and games :)

There was lots of good and great things in our 2013 and I hope that we can continue to make time for what makes us happy and keep surrounded by loving and supportive family and friends. So far I know that 2014 will bring my 30th birthday, a trip to Milan, and my sister's wedding in Bermuda so I think we're on the right track! :) 

xBecky

A quiet Christmas

I have to admit that there was some sadness about this christmas as we weren't with our families but overall liked our quiet Christmas. We started some new traditions like buying new Christmas pajamas, baking Christmas goodies, and sharing our childhood holiday movies. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with our friends and ate plenty of great food, had a few drinks, and as always played board games. I'm sure there wil be many busy and loud Christmases in our future... So today I'm grateful for the quiet moments cuddle up on the couch and walks along the beach :) 

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Happy holidays!!!

Much love this Christmas from a somewhat rainy Brighton :) 

( a cozy Christmas morning in our new Christmas Jammie's!)

Inspiration

Christmas inspiration

We spent this Saturday exploring the Christmas art and craft markets in town. Found lots of inspiration for working towards becoming an illustrator and selling my work. I'm excited about the holiday season and what the future may hold!

World aids day exhibition

Lina and I had the opportunity to fill a last minute spot in a 100 artists got world aids day exhibition here in Brighton. It was equal parts exciting and nerve-racking deciding what to draw and figuring out things such as framing and pricing. I still feel that I have so much to learn both creatively and practically but being pushed in the deep end did improve my confidence and increase my motivation to really give this artist thing a go. 

( Lina's photograph is in the top left corner) 

Last night was the private opening of the exhibition and there were many familiar faces from Brighton and a eclectic array of art pieces. I felt proud to be a part of this group for a great cause. 

No matter what happens from here I'm proud of what I accomplished and am inspired to move forward trying to become an artist. 

Thankful

Thanksgiving away from the US tends to feel a bit surreal for me, especially with social media exploding with the excitement of the four day weekend. I definitely miss being home for the holiday and all of the over-eating, board games, lazy sofa time, and the comfortable feelings that come with being back home. 

This year we are celebrating a Brighton thanksgiving on Saturday with friends that are becoming dearer to us every day. I am happy to both embrace change and settle more into our life here by the sea. 

This year I'm thankful for...

My partner and best friend that continues to push me every day

My always supportive family

Our Brighton life

New friends and old friends all around the world

That I can continue to make a living helping others

That I'm exploring drawing again and taking big risks doing it

That we still manage to explore new places on a limited income

That it's getting even easier to stay in touch with family and friends

The quiet moments huddled on the sofa with blankets and American TV

Being able to read and read and read

Beautiful nature to gaze at and explore

And finally that our future continues to be bright and that the opportunities are endless! 

❤️

Berry and Bee

So I'm starting to get into drawing/illustration and am trying to sell some Christmas cards this holiday season :) my blog is still very much under construction but go over and have a look if you have a sec! 

Come visit: www.berryandbee.blogspot.com 

Also, I'm making something for the World Aids Day exhibition in Brighton, more on that later! 

Thanks for your support :) 

Life lately

It seems like time is speeding up and the weeks and months are flying by far too fast. Since coming back from Rome we've had a weekend in London, visitors staying at ours, and plenty of catching up with friends. 

I've been a bit emotional as a couple of our friends are moving to Italy. They've been our family away from home since we moved to the UK so it definitely feels like the end of an era. We had their leaving party in London a couple weeks ago which was full of fun :) and Urte and the girls came to stay for a couple of days before they got on the plane. It was, as always, a bit exhausting but also full of little adventures and making memories. We are sad to no longer have our little family a train ride away but are excited for they're new adventure and our future trips to Milan/Monza!!

We've also had some great nights in and out with friends in Brighton including games nights, pub time, and last night a soup night :) I feel lucky to have met some great people over the past year and have really enjoyed connecting with Bel and Ella. I also spent a good night out with a group of work colleagues for the first time and it was interesting to spend time with them and see a different side of them too! I hope for more fun work nights in the future :) 

I feel like we've really found our groove at the moment and have a good balance of time with friends, work, and some quiet time... Although do wish there was more time in the day :) 

Roma

Last week we visited Rome for the third time. After we visited a few years ago we both fell in love and both wanted to bring our parents to visit! This trip we visited with Lina's parents and stayed in a small apartment just south of the Colloseum. The weather was beautiful and we had plenty of time so also visited a park for an afternoon and were able to see all if the major sites. Lina and I also had a lot of time for people watching while her parents were exploring different tourists spots :) Here are a few of my phone pics from the trip, as always it was inspiring to be in such a historic and beautiful city!

Sunny at the Panteon

Piazza Novana

The Colleseum

San Pietro Piazzo

The view from our apartment

Pont Sant'Angelo

View over Rome

Smiles :)

Lunch outside in the beautiful little streets on our last day

Ode to gelato

This week we've been wandering in Rome, Italy with Lina's parents. I'll have plenty of pictures to share but first wanted to share our love of the great Italian treat :)

Out first taste was in the Piazza Navona...

Then we had a bite at the Colloseum...

And Lina and her parents had some in the park...

Then we found our favorite so far!!

Had a bit with the pope...

And some more in St. Peter's Square

And our last bit of heaven was just before a walk up a hill to see beautiful Rome!

All in all I think we painted the town with delicious Italian ice cream :) 

Ps- yes dad, this entire post was to make you jealous ;) 

Summertime in NYC

On our way back from our vacation in Wisconsin we got to spend a few days exploring New York City. We've been a couple of years ago during christmas time but this trip was completely different. We decided not to have many things on our list to see and instead take it slow and try to experience the atmosphere and vibe of the city.

We were lucky to have a friend to share her apartment with us for a few days! This allowed us to better get to know the city with her first hand knowledge as well as explore a different part of the city as she lived in Washington heights in the north of Manhattan. 

What was more evident to me on this trip was the huge disparities in incomes and how people lived. We arrived in to NY at night and changed buses in Harlem. As it was a hot summer day many people were sitting on the front stoops and children were playing on the sidewalks. It felt like we had stepped into a film! It was great to get to see the diversity and vibrancy of the different neighborhoods but equally saddening to see how huge the gap is between the rich and the poor in this city.

We left Manhattan for a bit to explore Prospect park in Brooklyn and were surprised about how much we missed grass and space after a day of wandering in Manhattan. The park wasnt extraordinary and we walked a bit too much but we were happy to get to wander around a bit and get a feel of where my sister was living for awhile. 

We walked across the Brooklyn bridge and rode on the Staten Island Ferry, we searched for China Town, had an amazing Mexican dinner at a friend's restaurant, and visited the Stonewall Inn. Two things that really stood out for both of us was the 9/11 Memorial and the High Line park.

The 9/11 Memorial was really beautifully made. I wasn't sure what to expect but was incredibly impressed with the fountains. There were two enormous fountains made into the ground where the towers once stood. It really impacted me to see the space and how the water seemed to disappear far below. I felt that the artists who created the memorial really created a space for reflection and emotion that everyone could relate to. I feel emotional now thinking of standing there touching the names of so many lost

and thinking about the tragedy that broke so many hearts. 

The High Line was a totally different but equally New York experience. Lina and I both fell in love with this urban park built on an old train line. It felt like a place with some breathing room in an otherwise gray and concrete landscape. There were loads of exotic plants, places to rest and chill, and interesting bits of art all along the way. We took our time exploring and taking pictures and it was definitely one of out favorite parts! 

All in all, on this trip we impressed ourselves by not shopping, not exploring anything super touristy, and really just spending our time taking photos, journaling, wandering, and being together! At the end we were ready to sleep in our own bed and get reaquainted with Brighton. I loved our time in Wisconsin and NY and look forward to our next American trip :) 

Autumn arrives

Summertime has passed and Brighton has become largely gray and foggy and life is both speeding up and settling down. A couple weeks ago we came back from two great weeks in Wisconsin and New York. It was busy but full of lots of little adventures and family time. It was a nice mixture of home time and tourist time in NY. 

Travelling has a way of showing you new things, remembering moments of your past, and showing you what is great about your current home and life. I'm not sure where this journey will take me but I do know that I'm happy right now.

The past few weeks have brought up lots of memories of LaCrosse and the people that meant a lot to me then and now. It's reminded me of how much time has passed but also how much that time shaped me. I got to visit the campus, spend some time at riverside park, and help my little sister move into the city that  I loved. Kristen came to visit on her European tour and it was really great to reconnect. It's good to be reminded of how important it is to keep in touch with the important people in your life. 

Now to move confidentially into the future... I've started working full time and my workload is expanding in interesting but overwhelming ways. I'm still volunteering and am learning more about working with young people. Our closest friends are leaving the UK for new Italian adventures which is both sad and exciting. We're visiting Rome next moth with Lina's parents and look forward to a relaxing trip and good food :) 

I'll post about our holiday soon and try to be better about posting and connecting with all of you that I care about!  

Becky lately

I realize that I've been pretty slack in updating over the past months, so I thought I'd share a bit of an update for my friends and family afar :)

Summertime in Brighton is great. It's so different to be living by the seaside when the weather is nice. Surprisingly we have had nearly a month of hot summer weather! We took advantage of the warm weather to spend lots of time outside either at the beach, at a music festival, and a weekend away in Cornwall.

Work life has been good but busy as of late. In my main role, as a domestic abuse caseworker, I'm settling in and have been here for about 4 months. Working as an outreach worker is really different than my previous roles and I have  a lot to learn but I'm liking it a lot. As this role isn't full time (30 hours a week) I'm doing a few bits on the side. I'm working as a relief worker (someone they call to cover shifts if someone is sick or one leave) at the young person's homeless hostel and also at a young mothers homeless hostel. I've been getting more shifts lately which is positive and there is not a lot of pressure as I am a casual staff member :) I am also doing some small shifts at a community centre in Brighton but am still feeling out if I like it and want to stick with it or not. I've found it interesting to do a couple different roles rather than just one full time post and am enjoying the flexibility of it.

A big change for us over the past couple of months is that we moved house. It was kind of a stressful time for us because we weren't finding a place that was perfect for our needs in our price range and we had already given our notice to the flat we were living in. Although a bit nerve-racking with finding places and missing out of them for one reason or another... we eventually found a pretty perfect place for less than we were paying before. We're now living very centrally in a flat with a lot of character. We are still trying to get settled in and need to buy bits and pieces but are really liking the process of making it our own. It's a different, and loud, experience living in the centre of town but we are really liking being so close to everything and only a couple of blocks away from the beach!

We recently went to Cornwall, England for a long weekend of cycling, camping, tipis, and to attend our friends' beautiful wedding. It was our first time in Cornwall and we enjoyed being out in the countryside and going to the seaside. I'll write more about our trip later with more pics!

We also went to the Gentleman of the Road Stopover festival in Lewes, a few miles away from Brighton. It was a two day festival that Mumford and Sons organized. We had great weather and there was a really great atmosphere at the festival. We definitely enjoyed the music and all of the quirky bits that they had around. 

Now I'm looking forward to Brighton Pride tomorrow. It's our first time being here for pride since we moved down! I'm going to be walking in the parade with a young peoples' LGBT organization I volunteer with and it will be a blast :) My first time walking in a pride parade! and we're also getting really excited about going to Wisconsin and NYC in a few weeks! 

So there's our quick update but I really hope to be updating more regularly and sharing photos and creative things as well! don't be afraid to leave me a comment :)

love

Becky