The last few months have pretty exciting in the Johnsen household. We recently revealed the gender of our baby to family and friends - if you didn't know already we are having a girl! She is healthy, growing and already kicking. Felt her first kick, unofficially, on March 21st (riding my bike around and couldn't tell if it was her or not) and officially on April 7th (it was definitely happening!). We are doing great (done with the nausea, fatigue and feeling like I am always starving) but I hear that can change again once the third trimester rolls around so wish us luck!
Besides some crazy recent travel we are also in the process of moving. Our friends Jeff and Nidia are moving to the States in May and will be leaving their beautiful home behind. We couldn't pass up the opportunity to live there! The move should be relatively easy and we are looking forward to the change and new view of the city. Future post and pics to come!
Kirk made it out for round 2 of snowboarding in Chamonix, France. This time he was accompanied by our friend, Ben. The weather was perfect - conditions were superb and the weekend couldn't have been any better. What a great way to turn a work trip in Geneva into a weekend on the world's best mountain for skiing/snowboarding.
Shortly after Chamonix, Kirk headed off to Kiev, Ukraine for about 5 days for a Nike commercial shoot. It was his first trip to the Ukraine, and sounds like it's a pretty interesting place. Classic Eastern Block, and still a ton of growth ahead for this country. Some of the neighborhoods he was shooting in were pretty dodgy, and the production company gave him a disposable phone (burner) to use while he was there, so he said he felt like he was in the Ukrainian version of HBO's The Wire. He even went to a big football match while there - Dynamo Kiev vs Dnipro (Dynamo won 2-0). Overall it was a very successful trip and shoot. The commercial can be seen here:
Shortly after Kirk got back, our friend Savinay made it to Amsterdam to visit us on his way to Spain to visit a cousin. We met Sav back in 2007 when we moved to Santa Monica. Many great memories with our buddy, Sav - I am just happy we can create more in Amsterdam. We definitely did the usual - a little bike, boat, drinking Heineken, eating bitterballen and splitting a slice of apple pie!
Since we are moving we decided to throw one last gathering and turned it into a "gender" reveal party! We asked our guests to fill out whether they believed our baby was a boy or a girl. Once we received all of the votes we handed out cupcakes (the cake color under the wrapping did the revealing for us - pink for girl). Most guessed boy (about 75%) so it was huge surprise for everyone to find out we were having a girl! Sharing the news was fun - hearing the news from the technician for the first time was fulfilling and the happiest I have ever been since marrying Kirk. We are so thrilled about this little lady.
Kirk's work, W+K, recently celebrated their 20 year anniversary. The Founder's Day celebration started with a trip around the shores of the Netherlands on a huge ship, then ended in a castle they rented out with a DJ and dinner. There were various costume themes throughout the night - it was a blast.
Being pregnant does not mean the traveling will stop. For the Easter holiday we flew to Reykjavik, Iceland with our friends, Ben and Erica!
Some tidbits about Iceland - population of 320,000 and about 60% of the population live in Reykjavik (which happens to be the world's northernmost capital in western Europe). Iceland is roughly the size of Kentucky. For food, they are known for their lamb stews, yogurt, and fish. Reykjavik is spread across a peninsula with a panoramic view of the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. Iceland is the least densely populated country in Europe. It is easy to get away in this city. Within a 45 minute drive you are well outside the city exploring huge waterfalls, geysers, natural springs, volcanos, mountains, dogsledding, horseback riding, whale watching, and the list goes on.
Up the street from the Station we walked around the Cathedral (Hallgrimskirkja). This is a Lutheran parish church and the largest church in Iceland.
We walked along the waterfront and observed the Sun Voyager statue. This sculpture depicts a dreamboat, an ode to sun.
For dinner that evening we had a table at The Fish Company. It was extremely tasty - I think I had the best dish - cod, with bacon foam and mashed potatoes! The gang sipped on Viking beer and we kept warm in the cozy atmosphere!
Sunday morning we had an awesome brunch at Laundry Mat. Kirk and I split the the Dirty Brunch - breakfast potatoes, fried tomatoes, greek yogurt and muesli, bacon, sausage and pancakes and rye bread. Amazing meal and a good way to start off our day. Today's adventure involved a popular tourist route called the Golden ring. The drive overall is about 300 km with stops in Pingvellier, Geyser, and Gullfoss.
The Pingvellier (Thing Fields) is a very popular destination for its rift valley that marks the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge).
Last stop, Gulfoss. The Gulfoss (Golden Falls) is a massive waterfall and noted as the most popular tourist attraction in the country. We walked down the side, propped ourselves on a safe landing and watching the water power it's way down the many crevices.
Had to help ourselves to fish and chips at Icelandic Fish and Chips!
The Pingvellier (Thing Fields) is a very popular destination for its rift valley that marks the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge).
In Geyser, we visited the erupting spring Strokkur. We watched the fountain geyser eject from the ground about every 4 minutes and up to 20 meters high. The depth is about 75 feet where the water contacts the hot rocks and gets to about 248 degrees Fahrenheit. Geysers are pretty rare (only exist in few places on Earth).
Had to help ourselves to fish and chips at Icelandic Fish and Chips!
Final day, we made our way to the Blue Lagoon with some side road stops to explore the landscape which is quite beautiful - moss covered black rocks, flat lands, snow-capped mountains in the distance, with no sign of wildlife. My mom said it reminds her of what the moon would be like.
The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa located in a lava field. There are various temperatures throughout the lagoon - luke warm, cold, hot and piping hot. We all managed to find sweet spots and cover ourselves in silica mud. You place the mud on your skin for about 5-10 minutes or until it hardens.
The water is rich in minerals (sulphur and silica) and supposedly help people suffering from skin diseases. The Blue Lagoon also hosts a Research center focusing on cures for skin ailments.
It was hard to leave such a beautiful place. Highlights had to have been the Blue Lagoon and the food with out a doubt! Thanks for the great trip, Erica and Ben!
