Our next stop in Sicily was the town of Balestrate, where we stayed at the lovely B&B Casa Ruffino. Our host Guiseppe was beyond helpful and so generous, even with the little English he spoke. Upon our arrival, he served us a plate of Italian pastries and fresh juice. The pastries were some of the best I have ever tried, basically fried sweet dough stuffed with ricotta cheese and a little bit of chocolate. He then mapped out the city for us, directing us to his favorite restaurants, towns nearby with tourist appeal, and of course, beaches.

I’ve got to talk about the sensational breakfast at our B&B. This was quite a treat. Every morning we would mozy downstairs around 10am to a complete feast. Local cheeses with honey drizzled on top, tomato slices served with local olive oil, bread and jam, cured ham, eggs, fresh fruit, etc. You could take what you wanted and leave what you didn’t, and Guiseppe was always there offering you more food. And after all that, a plate or two of pastries would be brought to the table. We learned that first morning to save room for dessert!

Most of our days from here on out were spent on the beach, but we always found time to visit sites or different cities in the afternoon. In Segesta, we saw the Doric Temple and the theater.

We spent half a day in Palermo, which I wasn’t wild about. Probably because the traffic getting in there was horrific. Cars swerving in and out of lanes, and no one watching where they were going. We walked around the city for a few hours, took some pictures, but didn’t visit any of the museums.

We also had the chance to visit the Monreale Cathedral, which was pretty amazing with all the golden mosaics.

And on our last day, we stopped at Erice, an ancient town on top of a mountain overlooking the city of Trapani. Here we enjoyed more gelato and panoramic views.

My take aways from Sicily: Absolutely gorgeous scenery. I loved the mix of turquoise sea, mountain peaks, and green rolling hills. There was always an opportunity for a panoramic view. The people were awesome, super friendly and spoke little to zero English, which didn’t bother us at all. Hardly any tourists, which was also a plus. Great food, and cheap food! The pistachio gelato is the best I’ve ever had, and the ricotta filled pastries are out of this world. Any of the seafood pastas are delicious. The weather for the most part was perfect, high 70s and sunny. The towns were not fancy, and could appear sort of cheap, but we didn’t go to Sicily for luxurious shops or overpriced restaurants. We really went for the beach and relaxation and it was the perfect place for just that. I would especially recommend Casa Ruffino for the easy accommodations and the ever so gracious host.

We got back from Sicily late Monday night after spending almost 6 beautiful days in the Italian sunshine. Garrett planned the trip from start to finish, like most of our vacations, and it was awesome. He took some cues from me, and remembered that I wanted relaxation time and definitely plenty of beach time. Our vacations tend to be jam packed and constantly on the go, so this was a nice change of pace.

Though, we weren’t exactly lazy either. Every day included some type of adventure and a good bit of movement to get our hearts pumping. I guess neither of us are very good at sitting still for too long! The first two nights Garrett had us booked at a wine farm B&B out in the country-side near the town of Alcamo, Tarantola Agriturismo. At the time of booking, he didn’t realize “country-side” sort of meant out in the middle of nowhere. The scenery was beautiful with lush vineyards surrounding us, the only downfall was the twenty minute drive on a half-finished road to our B&B.

So while the winery we stayed at was out in the middle of nowhere, the remoteness did feel peaceful and we definitely felt one with the outdoors and our surroundings. We spent the first afternoon hiking around the vineyards in our backyard. We climbed up to the top of a hill where we got a beautiful view of the rolling hills and even spotted a shepherd herding a pack of sheep! We sat under a huge tree and just rested in the sun for a while, listening to nothing by nature.

The hit of the wine farm was definitely the dinners. The staff cooked up fantastic, Sicilian 4-course meals with ingredients fresh from the farm. The style was rustic and gave you the sense that you were eating grandma’s cooking. Here was our menu the first night (keep in mind we never knew exactly what we were eating, as most of the staff didn’t speak English): For an appetizer we had couscous with fresh vegetables, a plate of sauteed zucchini, and fritters filled with zucchini flower and melted cheese. The pasta course was simple but delicious – rigatoni in a broccoli sauce. And for the mean dish, there was some type of flat iron meat that had great flavor, served with a simple salad. After the main course, we were always served fruit – apples and oranges. And then came the dessert. The first night we had little fried dumplings stuffed with sweet ricotta cheese and dusted with powdered sugar

Above is a picture of breakfast. Toast with butter and two different kinds of jam, fresh juice, coffee and tea. And a few Italian cookies thrown in for good measure.

Our second day we drove out to Zingaro Nature Reserve for a hike and some beach time. The view of the water on our drive was breathtaking. Garrett and I were shocked by the  terrain in Sicily in general. We saw tons of green, rolling hills and miles upon miles of vineyards, but we also saw tall mountains surrounding the beautiful, turquoise Mediterranean Sea. At the Zingaro Nature Reserve, we parked our car and headed to the trail head. We ended up hiking for about an hour before walking down to one of the coves where we could sit and enjoy the sun and the water. Unfortunately, as soon as we got down there the weather turned and we were caught in the clouds and even a bit of rain. Too cold to test the water out, though all the French children were splashing away in it. We headed back up the trail and made our way to the car. The day was still a success, we were both just so happy to get some hiking in. The Nature Reserve boasts it’s wild life, including the beautiful flowers and various species of birds. I had a large black snake slither right in front of me on our path, so I guess I experienced that wildlife first hand!

Back at our home base we enjoyed another delicious dinner cooked by our hosts. Our starter was a large plate of sauteed peppers, and finger foods of fried cheese, and pizza bread. The pasta course stole the show, spaghetti with pesto and lots of parmesan cheese. For our main course we each got a link of sausage and of course, a garden fresh salad. After fruit, we were served some sort of delicious ricotta cake. Another fantastic meal cooked with love from the kitchen.

Next up – Casa Ruffino at Balestrate.

It has been a long, cold and dreary winter in Belgium. And it’s safe to say that we’re experiencing some cabin fever over here. The spring that we long for and look forward to so much in February and March, has yet to arrive. After spending nearly all of Easter Sunday holed up inside our apartment, Garrett was more than ready for an outing on his Monday off. It turned out to be the best day we’ve had in a while, despite it still being so darn cold!

We’ve been meaning to visit the Westmalle abbey for quite some time. Not only is Westmalle one of our favorite beers, the abbey is located just 25 minutes from our door. Just a short drive out of Antwerp will transport you into the country. Several walking trails surround the abbey. And of course, there is the Westmalle cafe to stop and have a drink.

It ended up being a sunny day in Belgium. Guarded by the trees on the trail, we could get away from the wind and really feel some warmth beam down on our faces. Let’s be real, it was still cold, but we walked a lot to keep our blood pumping.

After a long walk, we headed into the cafe. Garrett ordered the Westmalle special – a mix of the dubbel and the tripel. I enjoyed a hot cocoa with a decadent dollop of whip cream. Hit the spot! 

Our outing took up most of the afternoon. Back at home, we enjoyed our terrace for the first time this year. You could say we were excited about the sun! Though, after about five minutes we moved our party inside. Still too cold to celebrate outdoors. 

It was a fabulous day and I am convinced that getting out of the house makes a HUGE difference in how I’m feeling physically (pregnant or not, but especially these days) and the sun contributes to that. Just to drive 20 minutes outside of the city and see some trees and greenery was a real treat. A nice end to our holiday weekend.

And not much to show for it yet. I will say that we took this picture yesterday, after a particularly rough day of sickness the day before. I have a picture from the previous week where I swear my belly looks a bit more round. But, all and all not a lot of change.

When we found out. It seems like forever ago that I took the at home pregnancy test. All it took was one, and we knew. To be quite honest, I would have been SHOCKED if the test was negative. The two weeks leading up to confirming my pregnancy, I just knew something was different. I didn’t feel bad, but I could tell some changes were happening in my body. Still, when you get that positive sign your heart explodes a little.

According to sources: At 13 weeks the fetus is about the size of a peach, or 3 inches long. The nose and chin are well defined. The baby may begin to suck it’s thumb! Though you can’t feel it yet, the baby can move, flexing the arms and kicking the legs. The fingerprints are already in place, and vocal cords are developing this week. (What to Expect When You’re Expecting; http://www.baby2see.com/development/week13.html)

How I’ve been feeling: There is no short answer to this one. Around week 6 nausea kicked in hard, and with that came the food aversions. Week 7, all day nausea was accompanied by vomiting (sorry for the tmi). And that has continued on and off for the last month and a half or so. But, I’ve always had some good days thrown in there too. Though “good days” are not exactly pre-pregnancy good day. I’ve felt good enough to go for several long walks (despite not having stepped into a gym in almost two months), and meet with the ladies for coffee most weeks. At week 12 I felt like I hit this milestone and was feeling pretty good. Then this past Easter Sunday I got absolutely slammed with sickness, just like I was back at week 7. Miraculously, yesterday I felt pretty good and progressively better as the day went on! (which usually, I feel progressively worse as the day goes on). I almost felt like a new woman, and Garrett even turned to me and said, “I think you’re BACK!” Today I am continuing to feel pretty darn good. I am hoping that I’ve turned a real corner this time!

Maybe the worst part has been the food aversions. Even the thought of cooking has made me sick, and going to the grocery store has been quite the endeavor. Garrett has been amazing through all of this. He’s remembered how to cook for himself again! Haha. And has helped out with everything and anything. Luckily, things are starting to get back to normal around here and while the aversions are still there, I am eating much more than just saltines and grapes these days.

Favorites right now: FRUIT. I can’t get enough fruit. Strawberries, melon, and nectarines are my latest favorites. I eat an egg every morning, not because that sounds delicious, but because it keeps the nausea at bay. Protein really seems to help, so I’ve also been eating a fair amount of chicken. Other favorites are avocado and tomato salads with oil and balsamic vinegar, anything salty – potato chips, pretzel sticks, popcorn. Milk, chocolate milk and more milk. Lemonade. Toast with butter and jam. Pancakes on the weekends. These little dark chocolate caramels that really help with nausea (dangerous). And everything else depends on the day. I pretty much  graze throughout the day and never eat much at one time. That seems to be working for now.

Aversions: Okay, the biggest surprise… PEANUT BUTTER! What the what!? I’ve only been eating peanut butter on toast for the last ten years of my life, every single morning. I cannot even smell it now. Though, it sounds less disgusting these days, so maybe I’ll have to give it a try. Another weird one is pizza and pasta, but I think that’s because I had pizza almost every night one week when I was particularly ill. Up until yesterday I haven’t wanted cheese at all (probably has to do with the pizza episode). Oh and last week Garrett cooked salmon for himself and the smell alone sent me over the edge. But really, this list is getting shorter. Three weeks ago I would have told you EVERYTHING! Slowly I really am getting an appetite back.

Weight gained and belly bump sightings: 0 lbs gained, but I have finally broken even. I go back and forth between losing weight and getting it back. At my 12 week appointment I weighed exactly what I weighed at my 8 week. I have no doubt my weight will start picking up steam soon. As far as a belly bump, I definitely notice a difference in my tummy. There is a roundness there at the bottom that wasn’t there before. Still not noticeable to others, but I am looking forward to a real baby bump sometime soon!

When we started telling people. All along Garrett and I wanted to wait until 12 weeks to let people know we were expecting. We just felt the risks were too high until then, and we wanted to be pretty confident when we shared the news. But then it actually happened, the positive on the pregnancy test. I told my mom the day I took the test. I told my dad the following week, which ended up being Valentine’s Day, the day my brother proposed to his girlfriend! You can imagine my parents were overflowing with emotional bliss. Then we kept quite until 9 weeks after we had heard the baby’s heartbeat and had our first ultrasound. We told my in-laws, and our brothers. Little by little, my small circle of friends here in Antwerp started figuring things out. I was canceling meetings, not making it to coffees, etc. Most people knew we wanted to start a family soon, so they put it together. But, it wasn’t until after our 12 week appointment (just last Thursday!) that we gave our family the green light to tell their friends and all our relatives. That day was extremely special as we felt an outpouring of love and support from people back in the United States. It was definitely worth the wait. 

Okay, I know this was a long post! There was a lot to catch up on as we’ve been keeping mum for so long. I will continue to track my pregnancy journey with updated posts. And I hope to be blogging again more frequently now that I am feeling better! (knock on wood). I think it goes without saying that Garrett and I are absolutely thrilled to become parents. I have known that I wanted to be a mom my whole life. It still seems surreal at times that this is happening. We are overjoyed and anxiously awaiting October 8.

It’s been awfully quiet over here.

Not a lot of new recipes to share, or any pictures of food for that matter.

No beer tastings, or house parties, or road trips, or anything too exciting since the holidays came and left…

Except this one little thing.

OH YEAH! WE’RE PREGNANT!!!

And this is no April fool’s joke.

Details to follow!

Back in November I visited my mom and dad in Atlanta. I had no particular reason to go, but we had our one free trip for the year that we hadn’t used. Garrett had no more vacation days left, but he suggested I use it to see my parents, if I wanted to.

It may seem like an easy choice, but there are a few reasons why I was so hesitant – and not just because I didn’t want to leave my husband. The last time Garrett and I had been back was for Christmas and New Year’s of last year. We saw my parents in Atlanta, and then headed to Pennsylvania to spend time in Harrisburg with my in-laws, and then to Philly for New Year’s Eve with friends. It was great. We had only lived abroad at that point for four months, but it felt like we had been here for a while. Hah!

The worst part was coming back though. January last year was so hard for me. I felt so isolated and far away from the people we love. My day to day life felt empty without people around me to fill the time. I was down on myself about not having a job here again. The days were gray and mostly dark, and I missed my family.

And not just that, I missed people chatting with me in the grocery store. I missed strangers smiling and waving in the streets. I missed feeling like I really belonged somewhere, and all the conveniences of every day life when you live in your native country. I had never been cynical about being an expat before, but all of a sudden I was… just a tad.

Of course, I came out of it. I picked my life back up in Antwerp. I started seeing my friends more, and making more of an effort to keep myself busy and my days filled. We started planning our trips for the year, and soon enough those trips were at our feet and I had forgotten about the dark days of January. I remembered to appreciate this experience all over again, and not take a second for granted.

So yeah, a year later when I had the opportunity to go back, I didn’t know what to do. Sometimes I feel like Garrett and I live in a bubble here. It’s not until people come to visit or I go back home that I miss anything. And I don’t want to waste time missing what life is like “back in the U.S.” I know I’ll have that again.

The desire to spend time with my mom and dad, and shop for clothes that cost me a fraction of what they cost here, weighed on my heart and I did go back home. And I enjoyed every single sunny, beautiful day in Atlanta. I loved shopping with my mom, sleeping in my old bed, catching up with some of my best friends, eating Mexican food, and letting my dad take “his girls” out to a steak dinner. But when the seven days were up, I was ready. I missed my husband. I missed the bed that has been ours for the last three years. I missed our cat. I missed our life. And I missed Antwerp.

And now we’ve arrived in January again. Garrett and I have lived here for a year and four months. My family has come and gone for the holidays. That first week without them here was tough. This week, much better. I had lunch with 10 girlfriends on Wednesday. We celebrated all the January birthdays with champagne and elegant salads in a beautiful old palace that one can only experience in this part of the world. Our conversations took us into the afternoon, and a cloud of happiness and gratitude has stayed with me all week.

When I was 20 and studying abroad, I made some of the most significant friendships in my life. I met my husband, my maid of honor, and our honorary speaker in our wedding. The four of us formed this unbelievable tight bond through the experience of being so far from home, and learning to overcome that challenge together. The same rings true for the friendships I have formed here. There’s nothing quite like them.

I do still feel like I’m in a sort of bubble. But a beautiful one. It’s not easy all the time, but the people and the opportunities make it exciting and fun. I can’t help but think of all the things we will miss when we leave. And I’ll be singing the same song. Back in the U.S., yet feeling strangely far from home.