We have not officially had a snowstorm here in Denmark. This last weekend, DJ & I were certain it was beginning... the flakes were huge and fast and sticking! Then by late that day, it was melting already. Some of the snow has stuck around, as the temps have stayed pretty low and it hasn't rained again, but we certainly are not experiencing deep snow, or even the kind good for playing in. My kids, however, who have rarely seen the sight of snow, still this it's pretty cool. And we found a big field nearby that was gorgeous.

While we were out today, all Colin kept talking about is "watching the trains over the water". What he meant is from this small ledge right behind our house. I have no idea WHY he wanted to do that today so badly, but why would I possibly say no! While they were watching the trains, I snapped this cute shot of them and thought I'd share.

For those who have been dying to see the rest of our home, sorry for the delay! Here's the final edition: the bedrooms & upstairs bath. 

If you missed the other parts, click the links for: 1. the entry, 2. the kitchen, 3. living / dining room

Master Bedroom
The bedrooms in this home are very nice, the ceilings are extremely high, which gives the feeling that they are bigger than they really are. The windows are ginormous (remember the photo from the outside on my first home-tour post?). We have not bought curtains yet, but since our room faces other houses & the parking lot, I rigged up a ghetto curtain with an old duvet cover and packing tape just for a bit of privacy. 

It's working fine... Since it gets dark so early (3:30pm) and the sun doesn't rise until nearly 8am or so, it's not crucial at this time for darkness. By the spring when the sun is up at 4am until super-late, we'll finally invest in curtains. However, whenever it's a full moon or a clear sky, it can get pretty bright at night in the evenings. I still wake up almost every night (seriously, it's annoying!), and sometimes I just lay in bed and stare out at the giant moon in the window. 

Our room also came with a built-in wardrobe, which is a huge bonus for Denmark housing. We bought a dresser, and all of our clothes (us & the kids) fit in these two items. I am NOT showing off the inside of the wardrobe, but imagine baskets, and stacked-up piles of clothes. It's not ideal, but everything fits so we're making it work! Someday maybe we'll get the kids their own dresser and our storage will have a bit of breathing-room. But the bonus of this is that it also forces us to focus on the items we need, and what we ACTUALLY wear. No need for an entire walk-in closet full of stuff we never ever use.

Bathroom
I have a love/hate relationship with this bathroom. It's simple, and spacious-enough in european bathroom standards. Plus, we have storage under the sink - a huge bonus. And it's beautiful - the tile on the counter, shower, and floor is a gorgeous italian marble. But that's where the hate comes in. I had no idea how to clean marble, but basically... you don't. Harsh cleaners will actually deteriorate the marble. So I have to scrub (& mop!) this bathroom with warm water and soft dish soap. It's tedious. And I'm not completely convinced it's ever cleaned. Certainly not disinfected well. But once again, I am trying to take good care of this house, so I don't want to mess it up by using the wrong cleaner or something. At least I CAN use real cleaner on the toilet and sink, but I have to be cautious and clean up carefully!

Besides the inability to clean the shower like I'd want to, this shower is amazing. Just like I mentioned in my post about the kitchen, the owner of this home put in the best of everything, it seems. This shower head is magical. The hot water goes out in about 5 minutes, but for those 5 minutes it's the best shower I've ever had.

I started giving the kids showers when we moved to Denmark. Having a bathtub is also very rare. I was nervous about how they would handle it - but it's become a really fun nightly activity! I made up a song ("shower time! shower time! it's time for SHOWER time!") that we sing when I give them their showers. They actually will not take their showers unless I am singing it the whole time. It's pretty catchy. Maybe I'll capture it on video someday. :)

In the bathroom we have a washer & dryer. Another luxury in this country. And once again, we have a VERY NICE washer & dryer. This is another example where I didn't ever know the "nice" stuff could be worth an upgrade. I feel spoiled. First of all, it's actually quite convenient to have the washer & dryer in the bathroom. You don't have to carry the dirty clothes anywhere. Just toss 'um in & start a load! Plus, Colin LOVES getting out of the shower when the dryer is running because it makes the room SUPER warm.

Two things about the toilet. 1) I think it's pretty cool that it mounts to the wall vs. the floor. I always HATED mopping around the spot where the toilet was attached to the floor. Know what I mean? This is so easy to clean under! 2) See the panel on the wall? That's where you flush. When we first got to Denmark we had know idea what the two buttons were for. Then it was explained to us -- it's a full flush & a half flush. Such a easy way to conserve water when you only have a small load to flush down the drain! 

Colin & Katelyn's Bedroom
Our kids have a great living space. They are certainly not lacking in toys, which is CRAZY considering how many we got rid of before the move. I wanted to create a room for them where we could store ALL their toys, so that the living room could actually feel like a realixing space for us to hang out in the evenings. (vs. what we use to have in our old home, which was toys, toys everywhere!!!). Mission accomplished. This shelf is fantastic, and thanks to the giant ceilings in this house, it fits great and is big enough to store almost everything.

Another change from moving was that the kids started sharing a room. And, we got them bunk beds. Once again, I was a bit nervous about how they would handle it, but it's the best decision we could have made. They LOVE the bunk beds, and sleep SO WELL. I think it's even better because we can tell them "be quite, Kate/Colin is sleeping" and they actually listen. But... they like to act like monkeys and swing from the bed. NOT the safest thing, but they sure think it's fun!

The kid's bedroom has the best view! You can see the walking/cycle path out back, and the lake beyond that. Over the lake is the train track, so sometimes we can even see the trains passing by in the distance. Is there anything more amazing to give a little boy like Colin than his own room with a view of a real train? I think not.

And just in case anyone is thinking "oh my goodness, her house is so organized and so clean"... the picture below is what it actually looks like most of the time! I just made a rule that we clean up everything before bed, and that is helping to keep me sane. I do love being able to say "go play in your room" and steal a few moments to myself. Even if it means it looks like this...

Lately, as things are beginning to feel "settled" in our new home, DJ & I have been talking about the possibility of me getting a job, even just part-time. Once the kids begin school in the next month or so, I will have the time and ability - and there are some options for an english-speaking foreigner around here. It sounds so great - being able to interact with people over the age of 4. Doesn't take much to get me excited about sitting behind a desk again...

I'm that girl. I've been working since I was 14 years old. I got a "real" job at Starbucks the week after I turned 16. I went to college and went back to work just months after starting school because I missed it. 

So many moms dream about being the stay-at-home-mom. That wasn't ever my dream - doesn't God have an interesting sense of humor? Seriously. I don't even think I am GOOD at this stay-at-home-mom job. 

So my mind wanders, and thinks of the possibilities of working for real. You know, where you get out of your pajamas each day? And they pay you? It's such a foreign concept to me... been years since I had to do that. :)

But then... we go to the doctor. We had an appointment at the dietician yesterday, and I brought a food journal of what Colin eats. He does NOT eat as much food or the ideal types of foods as he should. He needs way more calories in his diet. I try to get him to eat, but the boy wants carrots with dip... carrots with practically zero calories and none of the fat that he needs, and dip that probably isn't even gluten free. His diet needs work. And that's my job. To make him better food, and teach him to eat it.

It's not a very exciting job. It involves planning daily, shopping often, and spending practically all my time preparing (and then cleaning up) meals, and snacks, and meals, and snacks, etc etc etc. I don't enjoy it, but I have to do it. And I need to learn how to do it better. Like, instead of relaxing at the end of the day, I should PROBABLY plan the next days meals to ensure he's getting enough fat and calories to excel and properly grow.

And this isn't even considering that I am extremely slow-moving in the morning, so it's sometimes 10am before we've even finished breakfast & morning breathing treatments and medicines. I have to learn how to get started earlier. How to kick-start my day and treat this "stay-at-home-mom" job as a real thing. Like a day with an agenda.

Maybe if I that it like a job, I'll be better at it than I think I am right now.

Colin is becoming extremely funny to me lately. Mostly because his "logic" is so serious, but SO silly.

Today we were at the doctors office, and he INSISTED in sitting in the blue chair, because (obviously!), his shirt was blue. Tonight for dinner I asked him how many slices of pizza he wanted, and he declared that "I am three, so I need three pieces." 

I mean... it makes perfect sense in his little boy brain. I love this age. :)

How we get around is one of the biggest adjustments we have faced since moving to Denmark. We knew it would be different than the states, and, personally, I think it's way better. 

We don't own a car. We don't want to own a car. (ok, sometimes DJ does. But I don't!!!) We don't NEED a car. The public transportation system is incredible, and bicycling is the preferred method in this city. This is an interesting video that gives a glimpse about getting around in Copenhagen.

Most of all, we use the train. Our town is on a train line that travels along the coast, straight down to the center of the city. So it's EASY. It's about a 700m walk to the station from our house, and the trains have cars created for strollers and bicycles. We can easily get on, and if it's not crowded, the kids love sitting in their own seats and looking out the windows.

I think my favorite thing about riding the train vs driving a car is that I am WITH the kids. We sit together, I can talk with them, we can eat snacks, I can relax (sometimes!) rather than having to focus on driving around. Plus the kids are free to move... no restraints of a carseat. It just feels so much better than before...


Typically I am traveling with the kids, but the rare time I am out by myself, I REALLY love the train. I bring my headphones and a book and can truly just relax for 20-30 minutes while the train takes me where I'm going. And when it's just me, I can sit in the regular train cars with really comfortable seats!

We also take the bus quite often. The trains cover a lot of ground in the city, but sometimes (especially on a rainy day) it's easier to hop on a bus at the station and ride for a few blocks than walk to the final destination. 

I'm honestly not a big fan of the busses. They serve their purpose, but I find them stressful. There is a spot on the bus for strollers, but it's not a lot of space and if the bus is crowded, it's hard to get on and off. I spend the whole time holding on tight to the stroller because every stop is jerky and the brakes don't hold well in those conditions. It's just not fun or relaxing. It's a means to get us around, so I guess that's ok.

If the weather is decent, my preferred method of transport is just walking. In Nivå, there are cycler/pedestrian paths to get all over the town, so we never have to go on a road with cars at all to get around. In the city, walking means we get to see the beautiful city, and we can stop at the parks & playgrounds that are scattered ALL OVER the city on random streets. I love it. And I always feed GREAT on the days I have walked several km and don't even realize how far we've gone!

The only thing missing from our lives right now is a bike. We still need bikes. We're saving our money now, but know that the day is coming soon to join the Danish way of transport. I am looking into my options of traveling with the kids - either getting a bike with one child seat and teaching Colin to ride HIS bike alongside me, or getting a bike with TWO child seats (which, I am still trying to find out if it's allowed??!). We'll see. It'll be fun though, and I look forward to traveling back and forth even faster than my feet can carry me!

So before January is over and the holiday's are in the far past of everyone's mind, I thought I'd take a post to share with you how we celebrated our holiday's here in Denmark this year - since I never wrote much about it before!

It turns out, I mostly took photos of our food! So you can see photos of our various celebrations via what we ate!

THANKSGIVING
As you (probably) know, thanksgiving is a US holiday - but we decided to bring a bit of festive food and love to our new friends. We had a couple danish friends and one of DJ's swedish colleagues join us for dinner! I made a turkey (from boneless turkey breast - there's no WAY i was sticking my hand inside a whole turkey...), ate some veggies and introduced sweet potato casserole to the group!

I seriously wanted some pumpkin pie, but could not find pumpkin in any stores - so I made apple. It was a delicious meal, especially considering it was my first thanksgiving I ever cooked, and it was not as easy to find basic foods as it is in the states. (like sweet potatoes, and cranberries!)

CHRISTMAS DATE NIGHT
DJ & I took one evening the week before Christmas to actually go down to the city, by ourselves. It was a nice evening to stroll the walking street all decorated for Christmas. We decided to enjoy a casual dinner together and spent our night at a small Irish Pub, enjoying good beer and grub - I tried this traditional lamb stew, and I liked it!

CHRISTMAS COOKIES
I love making sugar cookie cutouts. I have done it every year of my life, and I think it has to be the best fun for all kids. So I made sure we continued this tradition - and I know they had a blast making, and eating, our creations!

CHRISTMAS EVE
Christmas in Denmark is traditionally celebrated on Christmas Eve with a large meal and then children dancing around the tree and opening gifts. We did the meal! DJ really wanted to have a semi-traditional danish christmas meal, including the duck, rødkål (a sweet red cabbage side dish), and sweet potatoes (not "sweet potatoes", but actually sugared white potatoes). We had our danish friends join us for dinner again, and they said we did a pretty good job making the dishes - for our first try AND not knowing how anything was suppose to taste!

DJ also made a classy version on his favorite christmas dish: mac & cheese! It was a HUGE hit with our danish friends, who said that it tasted VERY american. And we're pretty sure it's the reason our bellies were all so full by the end of the night. 

CHRISTMAS DAY
We had a nice quiet Christmas day at home, complete with presents under the "tree" (we did not buy a real tree this year!) and a yummy breakfast as a family. Then pretty much we played with toys all day long - it was nice. We had a chance to Skype with both our families, which was wonderful, as this was our first year away from the family and we missed everyone! This was PROBABLY our only year celebrating Christmas in Denmark. The PLAN is to take some time off in December and visit the states each year for Christmas. Hopefully that's when we'll be making our first trip back in December 2012!

NEW YEARS EVE
We were warned about new years: the fireworks are insane. We tried to prepare ourselves, but had no idea what to really expect. We knew our kids would not make it to midnight, and doubted we would last ourselves! Our real hope was that we could all sleep THROUGH any craziness (i know, we're party animals...).

The fireworks began around 8pm, and just kept on going. People all over the town would set them off and we could see them from our windows. I fell asleep early (no surprise) and at midnight woke up to watch the show for a bit. It was absolutely awesome. I'd never seen lights coming from every direction before. I loved it, then... I went back to bed and thankfully fell back asleep even thought the bright burst and loud cracks were literally in our parking lot. The kids? They slept all night.

PUMPKIN PIE
Pumpkin pie is my favorite of all. It equals the holidays to me. I was SO bummed not to have it for thanksgiving OR christmas. So for new years, I finally found canned pumpkin in a nearby town, and I made these delicious treats, gluten-free crust and all, for the whole family to enjoy. And for any bakers out there, there is no evaporated milk here, so I used heavy cream instead. I will never make pumpkin pie any other way again. You should try it like that... BEST. PIE. EVER.

NEW YEARS DAY
We brought in the new year twice, once at midnight, and again at 6am when I woke up with the kids and we watched online as the celebration happened in new york city. Funny how 6 hours never feels so far apart until a day like that... our new day begins when the previous day ends for most of you reading this. 

And while you were curling up into bed calling it a night, we were enjoying our delicious banana pancakes! Happy 2012 to you all. Maybe next year, some of you will be in our happy holiday photos. We miss you back there. :)

Apparently every kid - especially over the age of 3 - is enrolled in a day care. I have been asked by everyone WHEN my kids are going to start day care. Not if... but when. The danish culture is that both parents work. And the day care system is created to accommodate that. 

There are many public schools in the area for children 0-6 (and then they start regular school). Basically, as I understand the set up, they all operate under the kommune (receiving funding from the kommune as well), so the structure and policies are fairly standard from one school to the next. There is still a small monthly fee to attend, but no where close to what daycare costs in the states (once again, due to taxes).

I began the search this week. Basically, I can narrow it down to my top 3 schools, and then the children will be placed in a facility within 3 months time, based on availability. Since I am not working currently, I'm in no rush to get them enrolled. AND my mom is coming to visit for a few weeks in February so I don't need to start them in school until March. It's good timing. Gives me plenty of time to visit all the facilities and make the best decision as to where they should attend.

Every day, Colin wakes up and talks about going to school!  They love being able to go into the rooms and play with toys and be around the other kids. I know that it will be SO good for them once they are really in a place and begin to make friends, and learn danish too!

I have 8 possible schools to view, and have seen 3 already. (2 out of the 3 were awesome!). Plus I have 2 more appointments this week. Hopefully by the end of next week I will have made my decision and can move forward submitting my paperwork.

I encountered an unexpected problem in this process. Choosing the right school is going to be difficult because there is so much to LIKE about each school, verses selecting our school by which one we can tolerate the best. Or afford. Whichever school we choose is the same price! It's all about preference, and location.  

I'm getting excited about this next step. Because once they are in school, I can also take danish language classes. And maybe someday, I'll actually get a job. Who knows! The future is wide open. :)

Before writing this post, I did a (small) bit of research on the web about other point-of-view's regarding socialism, as well as what socialism actually is. I understand there are pro's and con's of it on a large-scale.

But here's the thing: I don't really care about the politics of it all. I don't really care about the governmental workings in Denmark, or in the US, or anywhere. And I am sure a ton of you are scoffing and rolling your eyes at me right now, thinking "how can she NOT care about something that impacts everyone's lives and the future of our world." Answer: I'm too busy trying to live the day-to-day to focus on everybody else's future. And maybe that's not the BEST perspective to have... but it's an honest one.

What I can say for sure, is I have noticed many pros of the Socialist society here in Denmark, especially in regards to healthcare. So as you read on, keep in mind I am speaking about my situation alone. And from my limited grasp on the society and governmental makeup as a whole. 

So chill out. And take a stroll in my shoes for a minute...

Healthcare in Denmark is provided, free-of-charge to all Danish citizens and those with the right to reside in the country (like us). This means we can go to the general doctor, specialists and hospitals as needed, free of charge. The kids are able to go on a very regular basis to their specialists, and I do not have to worry about the co-pay or lab fees. I don't have to stress about creating a savings account for unexpected procedures or hospital stays (which, in the states, have run over hundreds to thousands of dollars over the last few years). It's not an issue here. And the removal of that HUGE burden gives me hope. 

Now I understand the healthcare is not really free. It's paid for in taxes. REALLY REALLY REALLY high taxes. But here's the thing... we would be paying these taxes whether or not we were going to the doctor monthly. Whether or not we were USING the services these tax dollars are providing.

But we are using them. WE are the people that OTHER people are paying taxes to help! 

It seems so simple to me... We are all working together - paying our part - to help society as a whole. To help the people who NEED it. Rather than some people getting richer and richer, and others barely scraping by because of unsurmountable and unavoidable expenses... it's a system created to help your neighbor. For the good of all. 

Let's get personal... See the giant stack of envelopes in the photo? This is the mail I received the other day from the Danish Medicines Agency. Over the last few weeks, I have been working with our doctors and social workers to figure out how we would pay for our remaining medical expenses.

MEDICINE IS NOT FREE. For the average joe, it's no big deal. You're not paying any insurance premiums like in the states, so there's not problem paying a little for the one time you get sick and need an antibiotic... but for Cystic Fibrosis... this is hard. CF meds are very expensive. The regular monthly maintenance meds can run the equivalent of THOUSANDS of dollars a month. And let's be real: no one can afford that. So the government helps... we just had to ask for it, and wait.

We were just approved for full coverage of nearly 30 medications. When I received these letters, I just stared at papers. I just laughed to myself. I was amazed. In awe. Completely shocked. I am so use to having to BEG insurance companies to cover certain drugs. Then still having to pay a (high) monthly co-pay in addition to the monthly expenses to even have the insurance in the first place. And we STILL were denied at times, even with letters and phone calls from doctors. IT WAS STRESSFUL. SAD. IRRITATING. AND HARD.

Because when the health of your child is on the line, you can't ignore the sickness. You can't just decide NOT to get the drugs. You have to. Even if it means you go in debt. And turn gray before you're 30 years old...

So now... our policy we are approved for is to meet a base out-of-pocket level each year (about $1000 per kid), and then everything else is covered at 100%. BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!!!!!

We ALSO met with a social worker at the local kommune, and we have been approved for additional assistance. 

    >>>We will receive a monthly grant to assist in the remaining expense of medications. Meaning... by next year we have ZERO out of pocket cost for medications. 

    >>>We will receive a monthly grant to help assist in the EXTRA COST OF FOOD for the kids due to Cystic fibrosis and the needed additional calories per day. Food is expensive. And basically, they are helping cover the difference between our kids and a "normal" kid. I think this is amazing. It's no longer "our issue" since we have sick kids. There is an understanding that it's not our fault we have this extra expense, so they're helping us out!

    >>>We will receive an additional grant to cover the high cost of GLUTEN-FREE FOODS from Colin's celiac. Because GF foods can cost almost double the normal versions. So again, they are helping cover the difference.

    >>>We also get grants to help cover various other expenses like travel to the hospital, and the additional cost of laundry since the kids sweat a lot due to CF. It's unreal.

So please understand me... THIS is why I love this system. We are not just being cared for on a base level. We are being TAKEN CARE OF over and above anything I ever dreamed. And it's not just us --- they offer this to anyone who needs it!

All I can do is compare to my own experiences in the states. We made too much money to qualify for medicaid. At one point we even considered DJ taking a lower-income job so we could get coverage, and therefore bring in more expendable income. (ridiculous!). But we didn't make enough money to pay our bills on our own. It was a tough place to be. It meant we depended on credit cards, and family helping us out, just to make ends meet. It meant we lived life in a financial debt-filled hole. 

But now, I see a future. There's light at the end of this long tunnel. I see the opportunity to move forward - or at least get by - even with two kids who have a couple really hard and really expensive diseases. So I'm in favor of this Socialist society. 

Denmark is giving me hope.

*PHOTO: Getting ready for a round of morning treatments. This is DAILY.

*PHOTO: After treatments, all the parts must be cleaned, and then sterilized by boiling.

*PHOTO: I found a store in a nearby town with a HUGE gluten-free (glutenfri) section. AWESOME!!!

*PHOTO: Fredensborg Kommune Rådhus is basically our area's "city hall". This is where you register when you move to a new address, sign up for day care or school, and where I met with the social worker about all this medical stuff.

So first of all, I am loving how so many of you have told me you are enjoying my photo-tour of our home. I don't know if it's because it's just a pretty cool house, if it's fun to read about life in Denmark, or if you just miss our family so much (cause, i know you do!!!)... or a combo of all the above, perhaps? Anyway. I love it. Thanks for reading... (and commenting!) I'll try to keep it interesting as we keep moving on with this little tour! :)

The downstairs floor plan is very wide open. All the rooms blend together, but still have a clear space of their own. The openness is great for playtime. We've built a killer train track on this living room floor, and I can be anywhere and keep an eye on the kids while they are at the dining room table. 

I was so excited to finally get some art and photos on the wall. The ultra-whiteness is very common here in Scandanavia, but a little color on the wall is essential! I still need to get some photos printed for the frames... but the beautification process has at least begun.

Something very european is that no lamps come with the house. We didn't think this was going to be a big deal. You know, get a few lamps at ikea, done. BUT... turns out the walls & ceiling of this place are all CONCRETE. Really, really, really hard concrete.

We had a simple drill which is not the right tool for the job. I borrowed one neighbors hammer drill with concrete bits and STILL could NOT make much progress with these walls. Finally (after hearing through the walls all the struggles we were having with the drill) our other neighbor offered to help me with his SUPER professional drill. He's actually a carpenter by profession, so pretty much took over and hung out lights and my artwork & photos more carefully and precisely than I would have done myself. (I mean, he actually used a level. and measured! so unlike me!! ha.) I know who i'm calling next time...

The stairs are really fun. They spiral up and get really skinny at the central point. Katelyn has found that she can quickly climb the stairs if she takes them on the inside. But... they are also very slippery, and we have all fallen down them and busted our bums more than once. (ouch!)

Below the stairs (and right next to the dining room) is a small little half-bath. Colin thinks it is hilarious that you are under the stairs - especially when someone is walking on them and he's in the bathroom hearing a THUMP, THUMP, THUMP. 

The floor throughout the home are all wood (tile in kitchen & bath) - and I love it. We debated getting a rug or something, but honestly... I don't own a vacuum and I don't need one now. I just use this microfiber broom and mop and have been able to keep the floors amazingly clean. (and I realize I am talking a lot about how i clean, but remember... ours kids have CF and clean is crucial!) I have never been good at keeping things clean. I literally despise vacuuming and would put it off for weeks, which is disgusting. Plus, both DJ & I are allergic to dust - so no carpet is better for our allergies too. Not having carpet at ALL is amazing. A broom I can handle.

It can be a little cold though on the floors - especially in the mornings, and because we have huge windows and no curtains (yet!) to help with insulation. But the floors downstairs are heated, and I am sure that's helping keep the comfort level maintained. 

The living room is simple. We don't have much furniture, because we didn't ship a couch over from the states (sold it!), and we haven't bought the one we want yet. We just have this tiny little one to get by until we make the big purchase. We also don't have a tv (yet). I am totally ok with that, but DJ still wants one eventually. 

For anyone thinking "how could they possibly live without tv", don't worry. We watch everything on my laptop. And, we have worked out access to netflix, so we're still watching american television too.

The door to the backyard blends as one of the window panels. You can see it in the first photo up top (on the right). Our backyard is small and framed by some tiny bushes. And right behind our house is the pedestrian/bike path that we take to the city center (with the stores) and the train station. Behind the path is a row of trees and a large pond. Which means we have peace & quiet. And it's a beautiful view. To be honest, the view is what convinced me that I could like living here vs searching for a place in the city. And being able to take the kids outside and let them run around freely without fear of being hit or getting lost? That's what sealed the deal.

The Kitchen is, without a doubt, where I spend the most time in this house. A good kitchen was a crucial part in our home search. We need a lot of counter space. And this kitchen is fantastic. We could still use a little more counter space (sometimes I seriously miss my gigantic island from our house in NC!) but we've been able to make this work nicely so far.

After we moved in we quickly realized that the owner of this home chose high-quality items throughout the home when it was built. We have very nice floors, counters, stovetop, washing machine, etc. I never knew that the "nice" stuff was really that much better than the standard - but now I do. Not sure if it's always worth it to upgrade, but as a renter in this house, I feel very lucky to have such incredible appliances and surroundings for the time we live here. 

I love the counters. They are a beautiful dark brown wood. No idea what kind of wood it is or anything, but I did have to learn how to polish wood (never done it before!) and it's actually pretty simple. Because the surfaces and items in this house are so nice, I am doing my best to KEEP them in good condition! Gotta be a good renter!!!

This stove is amazing for cooking. AMAZING! When we first saw it, we assumed it was a basic flat-top. Which, honestly, we have NEVER wanted. We loved cooking with our gas range back In the states... but the flat top stove alone was not going to keep us from renting this house. But when I came for the home inspection, the landlord explained to me that this is an INDUCTION range. I had no idea what that meant... but it is INCREDIBLE. [read about induction cooking here!]

Here's what it does. It works by magnetic transfer of heat. Meaning that the pot alone gets hot, not the surface. It's so safe for kids! Plus, it gets so hot so fast, that a huge pot of water can boil in less than a minute. Really, this is the most incredible cooktop I have ever used. And I'd never even heard about induction before! The only downside is that you have to use solid metal pots & pans (since it's magnetic) and all our cookware was partial aluminum. So, we have 2 boxes of pots and pans in the attic that we can't even use, and we just bought a few simple stainless steel pots for now.

The kitchen has this large window sill for items & decor. I have already rearranged what I have on this surface a few times. Rearranging is a bit of an obsession... and I really can't move much else in this house, so the small kitchen surface is probably going to be my constant project! 

Under the kitchen sink is the trash can. Which is really a small metal frame for a tiny little bag. This is normal in Denmark. It took a while to adjust to the idea... and we were overflowing every single bag we had. Ok, honestly, we still do overfill quite often... but I'm getting use to this new trash system. A benefit is that it forces us to take out the smelly trash more often, so we keep the house a bit more fresh than we probably would otherwise.

Just inside the door is this wall of storage cabinets. Only the first one is an actual closet for coats though, so it's a bit of an illusion that we have more storage space than we actually do. But still, I like that it's sleek and clean. And the tiny storage space is still enough for what we need. 

So what do you think? I like our kitchen. Hope you enjoyed this part of my little tour! Next time I'll show you the rest of the downstairs!