Luke Thompson & Lydia Cole NZ Tour

Luke, Lydia, & Phil
Photo by Christopher Lane at the Walton St Cafe
This morning my handsome bearded man left to go on a journey and tour across New Zealand with the likes of Luke Thompson and Lydia Cole with all their instruments. I'm so excited! This is going to be an amazing tour you won't want to miss. Tickets are selling fast (I'm looking at you, Wellington!!) so hurry hurry and get your tickets before they sell out.


I'm so proud of you, Phil!! You're the most amazing man I know. I'm the luckiest lady on the planet.

Seriously, y'all. If you have the chance, don't miss out to see Phil play! He's pretty awesome.

If you haven't already, check out van der Wel music, Lydia Cole, & Luke Thompson

ALSO check out Lydia's new video. Because it's gorgeous*. And you'll thank me for it.


*Gosh, just listening to it again and it's SO GOOD!

EDIT: EEEK! I forgot to mention that I'm singing along with Phil at the Te Awamutu and Tauranga shows. COME SAY HELLO! <3

Colored Wooden Playing Blocks

Dear Reader,

My name is Philip van der Wel: husband to Talia Christine van der Wel, and papa to Audrey Eleanor van der Wel. I love them with all of my heart, particularly Talia.


Introductions aside, I make no claims to be a carpenter in any sense of the word. I do, however, love to work with wood. Six or so months ago I decided to fashion some wooden playing blocks for Audrey; like the ones I, and so many of you I am sure, played with as children.

I searched through my meagre timber collection and found a few bedraggled posts I had previously collected from a neighbor's landfill-bound trailer, which looked to be the right dimension for blocks.



I took to them with 80 grit sandpaper and was pleased to find a beautiful grain beneath the weathered moss-covered exterior.



I decided on lengths (four times the width, three times the width, and so forth), cut each to size, and rounded the corners. You will notice I dangerously cleverly devised a bench-sander by clamping my upside down belt-sander to a saw horse.




I was happy so far, and tempted to keep them al naturale. I decided to let our daughter be the judge, and placed her amongst the blocks.





Her initial confusion turned to elation, and then quickly to disinterest (or rather re-interest in whatever else was within her reach).

In the end I did color them. I mixed green, yellow, red, and blue food dye with boiling water (in separate containers), soaked the blocks for ten minutes or so, and let them dry over the next few days. We were a little worried about the color leaching onto our offspring and their (future tense) clothing but thankfully our worries were not realized.




Colored wooden playing blocks.

Fin.


Thank you all for taking the time to read my first ever (multi-lingual) blog post. I am going to make an effort to document more projects, big and small, so you'll be hearing from me now and again.

On a side note, Audrey rarely plays with her blocks. I take comfort in the aesthetic value they add to her toy corner.



Phil, the Husband

Date Night: Parade

I love this time of year in Hamilton. When you wake up in the morning you'll often catch sight of a hot air balloon drifting along. It's startling and beautiful. This is the time of year for Balloons over the Waikato. There's lots of hot air balloon festivities, and best of all, lots and lots of hot air balloons.

Friday night Phil and I went on a date! We drove out to Cambridge to see the parade. They drove around with the baskets on trucks and fired off the flames. You could feel the heat standing far away. The sun was setting and it was the perfect backdrop for fire. In some of the pictures, it's hard to tell where the sunset begins and the flames end. Gorgeous.






All in all though, there wasn't much to the parade. It was neat seeing how the fire worked for the balloons, but it was a bit lackluster. Still, it was so nice just standing next to Mr. van der Wel and holding his hand. Taking a few photos. Hanging out with just Phil. I love that man. Date: success.

After the parade, we decided to go to Burger King. A treat! A favorite spot of ours.* We ate burgers and fries until our hearts' content. And talked. And laughed.

It was really nice. I love that man.






Early next morning, we drove to Hamilton Lake to watch the balloon competition. IT WAS AMAZING! I took a billion photos. Easily.

Also. Just noticed how awkwardly I hold hamburgers. Awesome. haha

xoxo
Talia Christine


*Note: BK is different in New Zealand than it is in the States. It's better. Trust me.
.... Also. I really like fast food. Don't judge me.

Hello to a Great Moustache

You might recall that Mr. van der Wel shaved his moustache around this time last year for a more somewhat clean shaven look. I married a handsome handsome man.

After that he grew the beard out and has sported it for some time. Phil has facial hair growing super powers. He just shaved it off and said hello to his moustache. It's a great moustache.

It rules so hard.








Seriously.

xo
Talia Christine

The only downside is that Audrey is a bit shy around Phil now. She doesn't recognize him without the beard. Awww :(

Re: Love Letters

Photo by Courtney Santos

After I wrote Phil a love letter, I woke up the next morning to find this in my e-mail inbox. It made me cry, in a good way.

I love my husband so much. More than anything.

---------------------------

Dear Lamb Shanks,

I cannot believe it has only been one year!

It feels like we have been through so much together already... I think it feels like we have, because we actually have, and you know what? I still love you more and more each day.

I remember after we began chatting again in 2009, I was washing the dishes at Simon and Lydia's (Simon was drying). I was trying to figure out if my feelings for you could have the longevity required for spending a lifetime together. It was then that I realized that each time we chatted, each time we talked, each time you typed me an e-mail, and even each time I thought of you, I loved you a little more than the time previous. The more I knew of you, the more I loved you.

Having Audrey is a real test for me, and I feel like I could be dealing with it better. But you, you are absolutely incredible! Your have a commitment and patience I could only dream of. In the wee hours of the morning, when you have to walk with the mad and sad girl out of our room, I am amazed to hear you chirp to her, "Hello, my sweet thing!" or something to that effect. Your love for her is so easy to see, and I can only hope to be as good a Papa one day to our children, as you are a Mama.

And through it all: through the pain of labor, the hardship of recovery, the lack of sleep, the crying, the hormones, etc. your love and commitment to me shine through always as clear as day.

I count myself the most blessed to have you as a part of my life.

Thank you for loving me. You are certainly the best one.

Love of loves,

Husbear.

35 Week Baby Belly

Mama's Wearing: Vintage dress, thrifted

Yesterday was Mother's Day here in NZ and though the Bean isn't here yet Phil treated me to a delicious dark chocolate bar and a home cooked dinner to die for. We had bacon wrapped eye filet steaks, baked potatoes (for me), rice (for Phil), steamed broccoli and green beans. He gave me a back rub and we watched Masterchef.

With only 5 weeks to go until the due date we are savoring these evenings together as a small two-person family.

These days I can feel the little Bean's legs and feet against my belly. I can feel the heel and sometimes I'll give it a little tickle and the Baby moves the foot away. SO SWEET! Around 33 weeks the baby was breech but finally did the ol' flip around. I am so thankful!

Thank you for the wonderful day, Husband! I love you so much!! I appreciate everything you do for me, like helping me in and out of bed and getting me the hot water bottle for my back. I cherish the sleepy morning kisses you give me before you go to work and the little texts throughout the day. You are my love and I am so incredibly lucky to have you in my life. You're the best one.

♥
Talia Christine

Happy Mother's Day to my own wonderful Mama! I miss you so much and you are such a good Mama to me. Thank you for raising me and for loving me all these years.

New Job (and back to regular life)

Phil started his new job this morning! I took a bunch of pictures as Phil was getting ready to leave. I'm so proud of that man.



Phil finally got a job with the company he's been wanting to work for for ages.
It's just a hop-skip from our house and Phil can walk to work (and did this morning!).
Congratulations again, Love!

In preparation for the coming week, Phil resigned his job on the kiwifruit orchard and spent this last week at home with me. It was sooooo wonderful spending this week together! I took a break from blogging to soak up every minute with that man. He's the best. He really is.

I have lots of updates and things to do! I've got a whole to-do list that should help with my settling back into regular life.

Have I mentioned that I'm 32 weeks? Only 8 more to go until Beansy's due date! AHH! I'm SO excited, but that means I've only got 8 weeks to go to knit some things for Baby. I've got to get knitting!!!

xoxo
Talia Christine

P.S. - Where does time go? This pregnancy is going by so fast.

Goodbye to a Great Moustache

This weekend we said goodbye to Phil's moustache. He started growing the moustache in early March shortly after he proposed. It was the only other time I had seen his (nearly) clean shaven face. I asked him to grow the moustache for the wedding and it had been growing out ever since.

He asked me to snap a few photos to document the occasion.




I love love his moustache. It looks incredible and he sports it so well.





But even without the moustache he is oh so handsome. And look! He has an upper lip!

I've decided that he looks more awesome with a moustache but looks more handsome without it. Either way, I've scored.

xoxo
Talia Christine

P.S. - He's growing out a beard soon. Just to warn you, it's going to be epic.

Wedding Photos

Remember that time we got married? Me too.

Every girl has her dream wedding. Sometimes her dream wedding changes from time to time as the things we fawn over changes, but the dream is there just the same. I had my dream wedding. I married the love of my life and my best friend.
Some dreams are worth holding onto.











I love you Philip van der Wel!!

With Love,
Your Wife (always)
Talia Christine van der Wel

Happy Birthday Week: Tuesday and Wednesday

If you've never celebrated your birthday week, you are really missing out. I have the best husband and the coolest friends anyone could ever ask for. Seriously I do. Just ask anyone ;)

Tuesday:

My actual birthday day!

My incredible husband went in with some family and bought me a stand for my loom!!! Yes, you heard right. I now have my dream stand for my Ashford rigid heddle loom. It's gorgeous and NZ made. It's just the bare wood and Phil is going to stain it for me. Amazing!!!



It has room for the shuttles and it's at the perfect angle so my back wont hurt. No more sitting on the living room floor when I'm weaving something up! Love love love!!! This was the biggest surprise! I had no idea! Thank you Husband and family. You are simply the BEST!!!
I am blessed to have you.

Jess also stopped by on Tuesday for a surprise visit. She came bearing gifts and brought me some balloons!



She brought me the most gorgeous mini-cupcakes. They are soooo yummy! I love how little and cute they are! I've eaten a couple in one sitting. Don't judge me. It's my birthday week.

Inside the wrapped gifts were two pieces of gorgeous fabric.



Aren't they divine?? I squealed when I saw them. I looove crafty gifts and have already been brainstorming on what I could use the fabric on.


Wednesday:

Wednesday I came home from work to find this little gorgeous package waiting for me.



And I find minty hot chocolate mix inside!!



I had mentioned loving the minty-chocolate combo a few days ago and wanting some minty hot chocolate but not having any. Can you believe this girl? Sweet as pie. She's a real keeper.

I am spoiled and I am loved.

Thank you all for your birthday lovin!

XOXO
Talia Christine