tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18899165324128175942012-01-06T03:17:57.098+01:00Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.comBlogger781100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-17417306957261942492011-03-10T21:36:00.042+01:002011-03-11T01:53:52.131+01:00

This past Tuesday the weather was so nice in Brussels that I decided to take Reagan to the Abbaye du Rouge Cloitre (aka Red Abbey) to explore the grounds and most importantly the playground, Reagan would say! The area around the Abbey is very pretty with a few ponds where people can fish or watch the ducks and geese swim by. However, Reagan found it more fun to throw sticks in the water. The

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-76372537670086934872011-02-08T21:17:00.018+01:002011-02-11T10:39:40.388+01:00

Last week Reagan and I, along with two of my girlfriends, Melanie and Dana, and their toddlers, Lincoln and Finley, decided to venture out to Technopolis. It's an incredible science center in Mechelen just outside of Brussels and caters to almost all age groups, with an emphasis on preschool through high school students depending on which area of the facility you visit. Though, anyone would

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-21981270101495398282010-06-12T20:05:00.024+02:002010-10-16T00:38:56.946+02:00

We stayed in a cute Bed and Breakfast in Reeuwijk called Pax Tibi for 2 nights while we toured around mostly the western region of the Netherlands. It was pretty neat to see canals everywhere in this area. We even had to cross over a mini canal to get to our B&B. Anyway, the owners, Marian and her husband, were very kind and extremely helpful. They even were able to provide a baby cot for Reagan

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-65297182270628641042010-04-25T10:20:00.020+02:002010-06-12T02:51:29.830+02:00

I was counting down the days until the big April 15th tax deadline, so Reagan and I could spend more time with Shannon (aka Daddy)! We had planned a little get away in The Netherlands to celebrate this occasion. First we went to Keukenhof Gardens which is located near Lisse and only open from mid March – mid May every year. It’s an amazing garden displaying beautiful Spring flowers. We’ve

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-54402885126103436302010-04-19T15:07:00.023+02:002010-04-19T22:44:46.196+02:00

Our Easter was pretty low key. We got up fairly late, well as late as Reagan would let us, and went to the St Andrews Church of Scotland. It's only a 10-15 min walk from our apartment and one of the few English speaking churches in Brussels. Reagan wore a cute flowery Tommy Hilfiger dress that one of my neighbors sold me from her little girl when her family moved back to Italy this past November.

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-31518508880648684622009-12-02T23:27:00.012+01:002009-12-03T23:42:51.537+01:00

Over the last few months I've tried to bring Reagan to as many playdates as possible so she realizes there's other people out there besides her mom! Luckily, she loves these gatherings, not only because she gets to see other babies, but she gets to play with new toys, as I think she's getting bored with the ones we have at home. I also enjoy chatting with all the mothers and bouncing ideas off of

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-3849841560727986662009-11-16T11:37:00.012+01:002009-11-19T23:49:09.558+01:00

For Halloween we attended a party at one of our friends' apartments, Leah and Nathan's (Nathan works with Shannon at Deloitte). It was nice that they also included children though Reagan was the only one who came. Luckily, she was a little angel and slept over three quarters of the night in their spare bedroom in her cozy car seat. Thus, Mom and Dad were able to enjoy a few drinks and yummy

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-69248641627585525212009-11-16T11:35:00.021+01:002009-11-24T21:39:32.998+01:00

One Friday I convinced Shannon to take off work and head up to the Polish Pottery Outlet in The Netherlands. I've been itching to go back ever since I went there in April. They have such a great selection and I always have fun rummaging through the aisles. Reagan was very patient with my indecisiveness, but after 2 hours, I think I was wearing on both her and Shannon! Below you'll see pictures of

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-16526781258642190092009-11-05T23:02:00.024+01:002009-11-24T12:42:48.740+01:00

Here are a few shots of Reagan when she was 1, 2 and 3 months old. Shannon and I set up photo shoots for her the first 2 months, but had some of our friends take some more professional like pictures for her 3rd month. We were so happy that they were able to drop by our apartment one weekend and capture some great shots of not only Reagan but the whole family. A BIG thanks goes out to our friends

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-47821739618752045842009-10-29T22:51:00.014+01:002009-11-04T23:18:12.367+01:00

About two weeks before Halloween we attended the American Women's Club of Brussels Halloween party organized by the Mothers of Young Children group. Even though Reagan was too young too participate in the activities, we thought it would still be fun to acknowledge her first Halloween. Reagan was a little pumpkin thanks to one of my friends in the States (Charity) who mailed me a cute

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-54412460462859075462009-10-29T22:49:00.014+01:002009-11-02T00:58:57.482+01:00

I've always wanted to check out one of these traveling textile markets, so one of my friends, Leah, and I, along with Reagan, headed to Hasselt, Belgium, to see what they were all about. I think we were probably some of the youngest people there, but it was still a lot of fun. I'm not sure Leah was too thrilled but am fortunate she came along as she was a big help with Reagan and even hauled her

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-5712856191372731842009-10-29T22:46:00.009+01:002009-11-05T22:56:26.812+01:00

Earlier in October Shannon and I had the opportunity to attend the US Ambassador Gala Dinner organized by The American Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and the The American Club of Brussels. This event was to welcome the newly appointed US Ambassador, Howard W. Gutman, to Belgium. Deloitte, being the good employer they are, sponsored a table, and luckily one of Shannon's clients couldn't come so I

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-21876905242948936042009-10-29T22:44:00.007+01:002009-10-30T01:15:16.399+01:00

Thanks to one of my friends, Marcie, I heard about this interesting event in Belgium: Europe's Heaviest Pumpkin Contest. Another friend of mine, Dallas, and I, along with Reagan, decided to head to Pachthof Stroykens in Duisburg (about 20-30 minutes from Brussels) to check it out one lazy Sunday afternoon. I miss going to pumpkin patches and other Autumn outings back in the US; and I thought it

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-68968849472456994112009-10-01T01:08:00.019+02:002009-10-16T00:24:30.988+02:00

When Shannon asked me if I wanted to play in the annual American Club of Brussels golf tournament at the prestigious course, Golf Château de la Tournette, I was ecstatic! Only a few questions ran across my mind...would it be possible to find a babysitter for Reagan and would I be able to handle leaving her for the first time; oh and would I actually be able to swing a club?!? Luckily we found a

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-22200921768276957522009-09-30T21:58:00.011+02:002009-10-06T21:42:37.833+02:00

At our last prenatal class in May, we planned a reunion with all of our newest additions for September. One of the couples, Joe and Etain, offered their place and we all brought snacks while they provided refreshments. I attempted a speculoos cheesecake which turned out pretty good. Anyway, it was fun to see all the cute little babies and their tired, yet delighted new parents! We shared stories

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-30139738971253899062009-09-30T21:57:00.015+02:002009-10-10T23:08:55.757+02:00

Every first weekend of September, Lille is the capital of bargain-hunting! The Braderie de Lille is Europe’s largest flea market, and certainly one of the most well-known events in France and abroad. Between one and two million visitors stroll up and down the city streets, entertained by music and the numerous performances that take place from Saturday to Sunday. Also you will see many people

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-38121660806944676432009-09-30T20:36:00.018+02:002009-10-01T00:35:37.635+02:00

After settling in back at home, we had a steady stream of visitors for the first few weeks. It was fun introducing our little one to all our friends and most importantly to her Grandmother (my mom) who flew all the way from Nebraska to see her newest grandchild.We tried to take pictures of all of Reagan's visitors, but we missed a few here and there. For instance, Shannon's coworker, Sara,

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-77620367249175842362009-09-01T23:23:00.013+02:002009-09-02T15:02:25.286+02:00

At 1 week old we thought we should integrate Reagan into our desire to travel about every weekend. Thus, we loaded up the baby gear and headed to The Annevoie Gardens, just a little over an hour away between Namur and Dinant. Some of our friends, Stephanie and Rick Cohan, went to them earlier in the Summer and said they were pretty neat. We agreed after seeing the beautifully groomed gardens and

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-24610200661590917552009-07-26T08:31:00.052+02:002009-08-10T01:20:01.453+02:00

Below is Shannon's email that he sent out to our family and friends after our precious baby girl arrived. Go down further to read a little extra on our 1st week as new parents."Sunday (July 19) was a long day for the Meyer family (Ali more so than Shannon), but everything turned out wonderful in the end. Let's step back and give a little history first though (condensed version).Ali was four days

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-12096246878686967932009-07-25T08:50:00.041+02:002009-07-26T23:01:06.502+02:00

Even though my due date was July 13, I figured I'd go late especially since my mother was 1-2 weeks late with all of us children. Shannon and I had a pretty laid back weekend where we ended up doing some shopping, going on a few walks, eating at a Thai restaurant and watching a movie (Wild Hogs, I believe). I also made it to my weekly Wednesday Farmer's Market at Chatelain with some of my friends

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-23623129360196520512009-07-01T00:01:00.011+02:002009-10-01T16:52:52.970+02:00

During April and May we had a series of eight prenatal classes to help us prepare for the arrival of our little one. These classes were offered through the BCT (Brussels Childbirth Trust Organization). I definitely thought the classes were beneficial as you touch on a variety of topics from CPR, breastfeeding, breathing, pain medications, stages of pregnancy, diaper changing, bathing, crying baby

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-54924744386453569842009-06-30T23:59:00.047+02:002009-07-08T13:59:45.743+02:00

After returning from our Norway trip on Monday, I was a bit exhausted and didn't know if I'd be able to make it down to the American Women's Club on Tuesday (May 26) for a 'supposedly' important meeting as one of the volunteers had stated. Thankfully, I ended up taking the Waterloo bus down to the club and to my shock, my fellow Gift Boutique volunteers had actually planned a Surprise Baby Shower

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-20473985863825611772009-06-30T18:07:00.015+02:002009-06-30T23:21:26.605+02:00

After the Waterloo Antique Market, we went to the Hallerbos Forest to enjoy the carpet of blue flowers that covers the forest floor for a few weeks each Spring. They are referred to as bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) which are spring-flowering bulbous perennial plants with flowers shaped like tiny bells. They thrive under the beech trees of the Hallerbos in late April.We, along with

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-76799313957062706932009-05-27T07:59:00.014+02:002009-06-30T22:57:26.052+02:00

Shannon and I have ventured down to the town of Waterloo a few times before realizing that they have a great Sunday morning antique market. Being antique buffs, we were excited to hear about this market from the American Women's Club of Brussels and even more thrilled that it's only around 30 minutes away. You can find a bit of everything here from tables, old coffee grinders, hardware (old

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-60038957448541333342009-05-16T07:41:00.038+02:002009-05-27T07:58:15.965+02:00

After Shannon had dropped off his cousin, Christine, and her friends at the airport, we decided to head to the annual Flower Show: Spring in Groot-Bijgaarden (aka 'Floralies: Printemps à Château de Grand-Bigard' in French). It's basically an amazing flower exhibition which goes on for one month (Apr 9 - May 7) at the castle of Groot-Bijgaarden where over one million bulbs of tulips, hyacinths,

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-88919549247205790652009-05-15T16:01:00.013+02:002009-05-15T22:43:25.450+02:00

Shannon's cousin, Christine, and some of her friends were doing a European trip and decided to stop through Brussels for a few days. They began in Berlin, Germany and then went to Prague, Czech Republic and finally took another train to Brussels, Belgium, where Shannon picked them up and brought them back to our place. I had a few quiches from Les Tartes de Francoise along with a speculoos cheese

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-4502066541016899072009-05-15T15:02:00.016+02:002009-05-15T22:28:33.462+02:00

We didn't really have big plans for Easter except that Shannon's cousin, McKenzie, from the Virginia / Washington DC area had a short layover in Brussels before heading down to Dakkar, Africa for work. We picked her up from the airport and went for a quick breakfast at Au Vatel in Place Jourdan and then just walked through the market on the square. We even had time to show her our apartment and

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-69184642495681867342009-05-07T16:40:00.029+02:002009-05-15T00:32:58.472+02:00

For over a year we've lived by this beautiful abbey where we often take several walks and jogs, but we haven't ever taken many pictures of it, so here's my best to show some of its charming characteristics especially during the Spring.It is a former abbey called the Abbaye de la Cambre and is nestled in a lovely little wooded area in Brussels, actually in Ixelles, our neighborhood. It has

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-123828788074529532009-05-07T16:40:00.012+02:002009-05-08T11:59:35.515+02:00

Since this past October we've been fortunate enough to drive a Series 5 BMW thanks to Deloitte and Shannon's package of perks! We're grateful for this opportunity since we wouldn't be able to afford this luxurious of a car in the US. Plus, this is one of Shannon's dream cars, so I guess he can live it up for a few years! Reality will sink in when we return to the US; though, we're enjoying it

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-54299249977703107362009-05-06T11:24:00.019+02:002009-05-06T23:42:59.588+02:00

Finally, after trying to find a time that worked for both of us, Stephanie and I organized a trip up to the Polish Pottery Outlet in The Netherlands (aka Holland) on a Friday when we both didn't have French class. They're only open on Fridays and only during certain hours which I think are from 9:30 - 2:00, but you should always call ahead to make sure since I heard that they are closed for a few

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-61857217551175335092009-05-06T09:46:00.017+02:002009-05-06T11:21:51.040+02:00

I must have a nose for chocolate because I always seem to stumble upon chocolate shops as I'm walking around Brussels which isn't too difficultconsidering we live in a country known for its chocolate! On this particular day, Stephanie and I were headed to Schleiper, a huge craft store, similar to Hobby Lobby or Michaels, and ended up walking by Zaabär's Chocolatier who happened to be

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-45713669171229626542009-04-21T23:01:00.019+02:002009-04-22T23:20:34.969+02:00

Since it's hard to stay in the house on such beautiful Spring days, I find myself looking for reasons to go outside and what better way to enjoy the weather and even get some exercise than to cycle in the forest near our apartment (Forêt de Soignes). Shannon and I went cycling a lot last year and have gone a few times this year when the weather has cooperated. Otherwise, if he's working, I go

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-54699536020889757322009-04-20T17:46:00.015+02:002009-04-20T20:09:44.036+02:00

Going to markets is becoming a way of life for me which is already the case for most Europeans. I especially enjoy going to the Châtelain Market on Wednesday afternoons and usually end up meeting up with some girls for drinks or lunch and then a stroll through the market to get our weekly goods. Stephanie and I are regular market goers and are always up to try new ones, but we make it a tradition

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-63095011838441702852009-04-13T11:24:00.015+02:002009-04-14T08:45:07.799+02:00

Stephanie Cohan and I have been trying to figure out a good day to make a Mexican lunch with some of our Japanese friends and finally made it work out on Saint Patrick's Day of all days! I met these girls at the French Language Schools Amira and CPAB over the last year and have had fun getting to know them.Several months ago, we had a Japanese lunch at Takako's apartment and now it was our turn

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-59663212613906029142009-04-13T11:22:00.026+02:002009-04-28T19:12:59.414+02:00

As most of you already know, Shannon and I are expecting our first child mid-July which we are extremely excited about! We've been busy trying to prepare for the arrival of our little one by going to baby expositions, baby sales and registering (photo on left is not our baby's bedroom, just a cute example!)Back in January, we started acquiring baby equipment like a car seat and stroller. We found

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-10341571855910563222009-04-13T10:26:00.012+02:002009-04-13T20:02:27.678+02:00

My friend Dallas had told me about the Creativa Exposition awhile ago, and we decided it would be fun to check out. Her friend Sarah also came along and had some extra discount tickets, so it ended up being very reasonable to attend.There was about every type of craft you could imagine at the Exposition. We saw several booths of beads/jewelry, flower arrangements, purses, cooking/baking equipment

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-69630870006901618852009-04-02T20:39:00.025+02:002009-04-11T19:42:51.383+02:00

The second week of my parents' stay, we showed them around Brussels and a few other places only a short jaunt away. Some of the highlights of Brussels included: The Sablon District, Grand Place (Market Square), Royal Palace, Manneken Pis, remains of the old town wall, Rue des Bouchers (restaurant row), Saint Michael Cathedral, Cinquantenaire Park, Beer Mania and our apartment and surroundings (

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-79719415502133772962009-04-02T20:38:00.008+02:002009-04-06T10:57:40.773+02:00

Since Shannon had a meeting with his client, Nike, in Hilversum, we decided to ride along and take the train from there to Amsterdam which ended up only being a 20 minute commute. First, we had to find the train station in Hilversum after Shannon dropped us off on the road leading to the center of the town; luckily it wasn't too difficult (he didn't want to be late for his meeting which he

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-70984427761559110342009-04-02T19:42:00.019+02:002009-04-04T20:12:10.704+02:00

I can't believe it! My parents finally made the big trip across the pond! I always knew my mom would come, but I figured it would take some coaxing to get my dad over here. Luckily, Belgium is known as 'Beer Country' which helped a little bit! They arrived in the morning of February 24 at the Brussels Airport where Shannon and I were waiting for them. I think my dad was one of the few with a

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-85200176634068634572009-03-22T18:21:00.018+01:002009-03-31T12:21:10.785+02:00

Every once in awhile Deloitte has off site standardization meetings, where the spouses are invited along. I love going to these outings as it's fun to see some of Shannon's colleagues, plus explore another town or one I've already been to, in this case. Last year's meeting was in Ghent while this year was in Antwerp. We stayed at the Hilton right in the center of town, so everything was within

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-15764551419922142092009-03-22T18:15:00.025+01:002009-03-29T22:37:42.188+02:00

I guess I don't have too bad of a deal when I get to ride along with my husband to Amsterdam for the day while he conducts a training in the Deloitte office there. I have been there a few times and really enjoy the uniqueness of the city. Since I didn't really want to roam around Amsterdam by myself, I asked a friend of mine to join me, Dallas. She's a very outgoing and extremely nice gal who

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-29679697365062317782009-03-22T18:12:00.014+01:002009-03-29T09:47:47.688+02:00

We found the Walnut, Iowa of Belgium, but only better! It's in a small town called Tongeren which holds an antique market every Sunday morning, basically from 6 AM - noon (it is an hour’s drive from Brussels, between Leuven and Liège). My husband and I really enjoy antiques, not that we can afford everything we want though! Sometimes it's hard going to these kind of places when you don't have

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-90382821163117522992009-03-22T18:06:00.011+01:002009-03-25T23:18:22.202+01:00

Since some of the museums are free in Brussels, we thought we'd check out the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History located in the Parc du Cinquantenaire. It turned out to be quite interesting with lots more stuff than we envisioned from weapons and war memorabilia to tanks and airplanes and even some paintings and sculptures. We weren't able to see everything since we arrived

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-13833780549842249952009-03-22T16:27:00.006+01:002009-03-22T18:04:24.097+01:00

During the week a few of us Deloitte wives (Stephanie, Leah and I) decided we wanted to venture out for a short excursion to the Dutch town of Maastricht, Holland (aka The Netherlands). We began our adventure a bit shaken up because we were stopped by The Netherland police just after we crossed the Belgium border. I guess they were only doing random checks, and luckily two out of the three of us

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-9546470842879563572009-01-31T22:17:00.014+01:002010-07-19T00:21:47.286+02:00

One lazy day we decided to head to Luxembourg to do the driving tour of the "Valley of the Seven Castles". We asked our visitors Christina and Stig from Norway if they wanted to come along, but they decided to spend their day in Brussels visiting old friends and catching the last bargains during the January sales. Plus, I don't think Europeans get near as excited about castles as Americans! It's

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-40442235251085501492009-01-31T22:07:00.015+01:002009-02-17T09:48:48.749+01:00

Somewhere I had heard that the town of Veurne, Belgium was worth visiting, so Shannon and I took a road trip there one Saturday. It is a very old, charming little town 6 km from the Belgian Coast and close to the French border. One of its most famous inhabitants was the surrealist painter Paul Delvaux (1897 - 1994). We enjoyed walking around the city and taking pictures of all the cute old

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-91957992760946642162009-01-31T21:54:00.030+01:002009-02-14T09:35:31.659+01:00

One morning after attending a going away party for a lady who I volunteered with at the American Women's Club in the gift boutique, I decided to check out some castles in the countryside near Brussels. (Remember, I don't have the car often, so when I do, I try to take advantage of it!) First, I visited the Chateau De La Hulpe which is just on the edge of the Soignes Forest. ("Chateau" means "

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-31877149435580325442009-01-31T21:53:00.014+01:002009-03-21T23:38:46.984+01:00

Since Shannon will be busy in the coming months with tax season, we decided to take a quick trip to Paris to start off the New Year in style. Though, to be honest, I was a bit exhausted from our holiday travels the week before to Germany, Austria and Switzerland and was dragging my feet, but it proved to be a good time. Our main goals were to visit The Louvre ('Musée du Louvre' in French) and the

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-73614490551561873342008-12-29T14:16:00.013+01:002009-04-02T16:05:43.803+02:00

Some of our good friends, Rick and Stephanie Cohan, hosted a Holiday Party on December 12th for friends and Deloitte coworkers of Rick and Shannon's. There was a good turn out and we had exceptional food, mostly Mexican style appetizers since everyone seems to enjoy that kind of food; plus, we don't get it around Belgium very often. Stephanie made guacamole, quesadillas, chili con queso, pico de

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-22588729791832309242008-12-20T08:34:00.018+01:002009-02-04T22:40:22.947+01:00

We decided to hit some German Christmas Markets one weekend since we heard they had some of the best in Europe. German Christmas markets, which are called 'Weihnachtsmarkt' in German, are outdoor markets held all over Germany in the month leading up to Christmas.First we went just across the Belgium border to Monschau, Germany: a delightful small Bavarian-styled town nestled in a valley in the

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-18439898324532180712008-12-20T08:32:00.013+01:002009-01-05T12:11:25.014+01:00

It's very common in the month of December and sometimes even at the end of November to see Christmas Markets spring up throughout the city. They are usually outdoors; though some are under huge covered tents. My neighbor's sister-in-law, Anna, was visiting from Serbia, so the two of us and her nephew (my neighbor's son) decided to head out one evening to the Brussels' Christmas Market downtown (

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-14811881955781347482008-12-20T08:28:00.015+01:002009-02-03T20:07:56.559+01:00

La Brasserie a Vapeur is one of the oldest steam-powered Breweries in Belgium. It's located in the tiny town of Pipaix where we almost couldn't find it because it wasn't as flashy of a building as we were expecting. Two other couples also came, Rick and Stephanie along with Nathan and Leah, who are coworkers of Shannon's and their wives. We all appreciate good beers and had heard a lot about

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-49566462871177433802008-12-20T08:26:00.021+01:002009-01-05T10:11:34.666+01:00

Even though Thanksgiving is obviously not celebrated here (it's mostly an American / Canadian holiday), we were still able to enjoy a few festivities that come along with its special day. The American Club of Brussels hosted a Thanksgiving feast at the Sheraton Hotel for all those, mostly expats, who didn't want to miss out on the tradition (I believe around 100 people were there). Shannon and I

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-22188998948940710782008-12-20T08:26:00.017+01:002008-12-31T10:36:20.862+01:00

Since it had been a long time since my friends and I had gotten together for a wine and cheese gathering, I decided it would be my turn to host one. Every once in awhile a few girls get together and enjoy a night away from the boys (They actually played poker at Stephanie and Rick's apartment which is a block behind ours). Anyway, everyone usually brings a bottle of wine and some cheese to share

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-63465294569829869762008-12-20T08:24:00.019+01:002008-12-30T14:50:28.289+01:00

Since Shannon was working today (on a Sunday!), I went on a road trip with some of our friends, Rick and Stephanie, to Diksmuide, Belgium to see a WWI memorial (1914 - 1918). The town of Diksmuide (aka Dixmude) has been rebuilt due to heavy bombing during the First World War, which reduced the town to rubble. We visited the Pax-tower, the Crypt and the IJzer Tower which form the European Peace

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-10659110623914558612008-11-30T13:22:00.021+01:002008-12-19T00:33:56.910+01:00

It was finally time for our annual (free) trip home for the year. We scheduled it around Shannon's Deloitte GES conference in Chicago at the end of October. I actually flew back a few days before Shannon so I could make my friend, Charity's, 30th Birthday party and see my friend, Megan, from San Francisco who happened to be back at her parents in Pender for a quick weekend (unfortunately, I don't

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-46334683707191768112008-11-30T13:21:00.017+01:002008-12-05T16:05:57.926+01:00

Since one of my friends, Stephanie Cohan, had a gal coming to visit her, we decided to do a girls trip to Champagne, France on the weekend of October 12. Also one of Shannon's coworkers, Stephanie Clark, who we also hang out with quite a bit, came along since she appreciates good champagne. Unfortunately, we had just missed Harvest, but there were still a few grapes left on the vines since they

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-30789482994114144822008-11-24T13:47:00.007+01:002008-11-24T15:11:15.086+01:00

On Sunday, October 5, I ran the ING Brussels Half Marathon. It was actually a Full and Half Marathon, but I hadn't trained enough for the Full Marathon. The weather was around 45 - 50 degrees Fahrenheit plus a little rainy and windy, but I forced myself to still compete in it. I noticed there were a lot more men than women running in the race. The Half Marathon started at 10:30 AM while the

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-7586897660258349902008-11-17T23:42:00.008+01:002008-11-22T17:32:33.790+01:00

On October 3, Shannon went to a GES (Global Employer Services) 'Away Day' in Antwerp (GES is a service line of Deloitte that Shannon works under). Unfortunately, it was only for Deloitte people, so I wasn't able to attend. It was a Wild West theme, hence the cowboy photos below. Shannon actually fit the role fairly well, coming from a country background and all. It was a day full of team building

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-54430813559367256482008-11-17T23:40:00.026+01:002008-11-30T13:15:56.906+01:00

Since Shannon is going through withdrawals of being away from his brother's gun business, Run-N-Iron, he researches all the possible military / gun shows in Belgium. So far we've been to two of them. The most recent was in a town called Arlon while the other one was located in La Gleize. I didn't take any photos in the auditorium packed with military goods and guns, but I got a few of the

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-13414609843998878252008-11-17T20:49:00.015+01:002009-01-05T18:50:46.437+01:00

It's kind of sad to say, but it seems like everyone is on an assignment in Brussels, so it's hard to meet genuine people. Even though it was for a short time, I was lucky enough to meet a girl named Christina in my French class at Amira in March. We clicked right away and ended up hanging out with each other quite a bit. Christina initially had moved to Brussels in January (I think) to be closer

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-1497222487747800602008-11-14T17:57:00.053+01:002009-01-05T19:01:22.957+01:00

For our anniversary Shannon and I went to Burgundy, France for a week-long boat trip with three other couples at the end of August. We boarded the boat around Dijon, France and then cruised down the portion of the Saone River located on the northern side of the Burgundy region. We had rented a gigantic boat with 4 mini bedrooms, kitchen, casual dining table and patio tables with chairs, 5

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-58270733540438946572008-10-08T11:30:00.009+02:002009-01-05T18:49:55.330+01:00

Every two years (on even years) a special event takes place at the Grand Place in Brussels known as the 'Carpet of Flowers'. A million or so begonias are arranged to make a beautifully designed carpet covering 300 m2 in the center of the Grand Place. This is certainly an extraordinary achievement. This year, it was a traditional carpet portraying 'the end of the Middle Ages'. It was the work of

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-80380501073755908222008-08-13T14:54:00.013+02:002008-10-08T11:19:07.945+02:00

Recently, we were lucky enough to have our second guests in Belgium. Our friends Brett and Emily Meyer from Omaha traveled to Europe at the end July through the middle of August initially for Emily's work in London; though, they were able to make a wonderful vacation out if it! It was nice of them to stop in our neck of the woods for a few days, so we could show them the best of Belgium along

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-14370932392919149442008-08-13T14:11:00.010+02:002008-10-04T12:42:31.164+02:00

One Sunday we decided to stroll out to a few cities in the Flemish region of Belgium (north half) that aren't quite as touristy, but beautiful in their own unique way. We first began in Antwerp which is only 30 minutes from Brussels. You might have heard of Antwerp being referred to as 'The Diamond City' (No, that is not the reason why I wanted to go there! Shannon was thankful!). Actually,

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-74903131705736910122008-08-13T12:40:00.025+02:002008-09-17T21:31:11.072+02:00

We decided to venture out to a town in Belgium that is considered to be one of the most unique and top tourist cities in Belgium. This amazingly well-preserved Gothic city is called Bruges and is only 1 hr NW of Brussels. One of Shannon's coworkers, Jonathan, was nice enough to give us a little tour of this charming city. Besides taking in all of the beautiful canals within the city, we made

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-61926067182990973342008-08-12T09:25:00.078+02:002008-11-18T21:55:46.201+01:00

At the end of June Shannon had a Deloitte Conference in Athens, Greece, making it a good reason to extend the invitation to myself and thus create a vacation out of it! While Shannon attended his conference for a few days, I became acquainted with the ancient world of Athens. When his conference was finished, we ventured out to a few areas outside of Athens including Delphi and two popular

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-68767133807304486752008-07-29T22:35:00.035+02:002008-09-02T22:32:29.000+02:00

As most of you know I went back home at the end of May (Shannon had to stay and work). I wouldn't say I was homesick, but there were a lot of things going on back home which I wanted to be a part of. I was also excited to see family and friends and bring them a taste of Belgium goods, like chocolate and beer and even stroopwafels from Holland whom my sister-in-law, Kathy, loves which I didn't

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-4171068596046959912008-07-21T13:17:00.039+02:002008-11-14T00:51:14.927+01:00

Finally I've decided it's time to show you pictures of where we live! I took pictures of most of the rooms except our bathroom/toilet room, extra bedroom and tiny office area. I've also included photos of our apartment's surroundings. Our apartment is very small compared to American standards, but we're getting along just fine! The toilet room (yes, it is in a separate room than our bathroom)

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-79011564842327238162008-07-08T23:00:00.024+02:002008-11-14T00:51:16.343+01:00

Since Shannon and I both like to camp, we decided to take a mini adventure to the Ardennes which is located in the southeast region of Belgium (mostly French speaking). The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests and rolling hill country, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France. The region is typified by steep-sided valleys carved by fast-flowing rivers, such as the

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-37833089054973352832008-05-21T03:54:00.014+02:002008-11-14T00:51:17.891+01:00

Since there are so many holidays in May in Europe, Shannon and I decided to take a little trip to the eastern border of France to a region known as Alsace for a few days. This area is a major white wine producing region which enticed Shannon and me to find out more about it since we both enjoy fine wine! A few of Shannon's coworkers have been to this area and really enjoyed it as we did as

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-50574541987354701682008-05-21T02:36:00.012+02:002008-11-14T00:51:18.600+01:00

Some background on Queen's Day: Queen's Day is a national holiday in the Netherlands on 30 April. It basically celebrates the birthday of the Queen of the Netherlands and is supposed to be a day of national unity. The tradition started on 31 August 1885 on the birthday of Queen Wilhelmina. Since 1949, after the ascension of Queen Juliana, Queen's Day is Queen Juliana's birthday on 30 April;

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-44536730129947650102008-04-30T01:51:00.017+02:002008-11-14T00:51:30.893+01:00

This past weekend Shannon and I and two of our friends traveled up to Keukenhof, Holland where they are known for having the most beautiful spring garden in the world. Kuekenhof's park is only open for 2 months out of the year (roughly Mar. 20 - May 20). We arrived around 1 PM and had a picnic lunch in the parking lot on a grass field because we decided it wasn't worth carrying our coolers and

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-84494076306977032892008-04-30T00:05:00.026+02:002008-11-14T00:51:33.061+01:00

The Royal Greenhouses of the Monarchy are only open 2-3 weeks of the year around the end of April and early May, so we thought we'd better check them out. They are located in Laeken, Belgium which is basically a suburb of Brussels. This is actually where the King and his family reside while his official palace is in the center of Brussels where he exercises his prerogatives as Head of State.Not

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-72521470626708206772008-04-28T21:51:00.019+02:002008-11-14T00:51:34.000+01:00

After only being in Belgium a few months, we decided that we needed to try the best beer in the world, which according to critics is made here. This style of beer is called 'Trappist' which is made by 7 different Abbeys, but WestVleteren Abbey in the Flanders Region of Belgium is regarded as having the best Trappist beers. There are 6 Trappist monasteries in Belgium (Orval, Chimay, Westvleteren,

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-72995714503132918432008-04-06T22:05:00.017+02:002008-11-14T00:51:34.814+01:00

Sorry it has been such a long time since I have last blogged, but I have a good reason! We have not had internet access since February 29, so basically ever since we’ve moved out of our temporary housing. We actually still do not have it at our new apartment, but I was able to go to Deloitte’s office today with Shannon since today is considered a Belgium holiday (Monday, March 24) and thus no one

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-60694377690219794892008-04-06T21:46:00.013+02:002008-11-14T00:51:36.547+01:00

Since it's raining outside today, I figured I'd update my blog. I unfortunately have to admit it rains over half the year in Belgium! The weather varies from 31 to 71 degrees Fahrenheit with your coldest months being December and January and your warmest months being July and August (They use Celsius, but it probably wouldn't make sense if I stated those numbers). All in all, it's better than

Ali Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12831214745689600278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889916532412817594.post-3562674906895853082008-04-06T21:28:00.033+02:002008-11-14T00:51:40.584+01:00

I thought I'd share a little info about our new life in Brussels. First of all, the countries that border Belgium are The Netherlands/Holland, France, Germany and Luxembourg. Belgium is basically made up of two regions, the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders in the North and the French-speaking region of Wallonia in the South (Brussels is a mix of both - signs are in both languages). There's also

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