November Goals Review

• Try two new recipes - done!
• Sort the kids rooms and clothes - done (and need to do again!)
• Plan Joshua's birthday - done!
• Fly a kite - not done - too many coughs and colds to brave the weather.
• Host two mummy meetings - done!

One year!

Somehow, our baby turns one today and I'm left wondering where the time has gone. He is such a joy and brings light to all of our lives.

The stages have flown by. The year started out tougher than I expected as Joshua is so different to his sister. He was and is much more clingy and we were almost inseperable for six months which was exhausting.

He is such a funny little character though. I think he gets a lot of it from observing his sister but he does make us all laugh. He's walking, playing and eating for himself at the moment and starting nursery next week!

Today we're celebrating with family and I'm feeling reflective and grateful. It's so true what they say - the days are long but the years are short.

Recipe: Ginger Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 125g butter
• 50g sugar
• Few drops vanilla essence
• 50g ginger powder
• Pinch of salt
• 75g rice flour
• 100g spelt flour
• 1 tbsp milk

Instructions:

1. Mix the butter and sugar until soft.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

3. Roll out to about 5mm thickness.

4. Cut into shapes.

5. Bake at 150℃ for 25 minutes.

Make it Monday - Christmas Tea Light Holders

 While Mum was here I got cracking on the first of my Christmas gifts so that she could transport them back to England.

 First we went to Ikea and stocked up on glass tea light holders.

 Then I got out my gonis stencils, relief paste and some spatulas and Mum helped me whip up forty of these holders with the help of some mulled wine.

 I love these designs and made up different pairings to gift to different friends.

 It's an effective technique. I look forward to making some non-Christmas ones next year.

Weekly Wisdom

Fitness isn't a punishment, it's a blessing. Nutrition isn't restrictive, it's healing.

The Saturday Update

We've had a busy week with my mum here.

Sunday started with a lovely Skype catch up with my friend and her new baby. Mum arrived at lunchtime and the kids were over the moon.

Nico went away for his school trip on Monday. We had a quiet morning and took the kids out for cake after Kindergarten.

Tuesday was an adventure with a trip to Ikea, visiting a new kindergarten class and treating the kids to ice cream.

We kept Isabella off on Wednesday and went into Bremen. They are getting ready for the Christmas markets. We had lunch, did a spot of shopping and visited the cathedral.

Thursday was busy with the car going to the garage. We walked out for a coffee and food shopping. In the afternoon I picked up Nico and we had a takeaway.

Yesterday was an early start to get Mum to the station. Then I drove out to pick up a prescription and enoyed a nice breakfast out with Joshua. I'm exhausted and not feeling 100% so the weekend will be about recovering and sorting the house out.

Links!

Isabella's just getting into games, I look forward to this in future years.

An intetesting point.

The secret to success.

Relationship truth.

Love this cozy office.

I love traveling by train.

What an amazing story of karma.

Funny parenting tweets.

Fun video

This is scarily addictive viewing!

Advent Ideas

In the last seven years, I've learned that Germans take advent to a whole new level. It's not just about chocolate (although there is that), parents find different ways to treat their children daily in December.

Last year we found a 24-piece jigsaw, which was fun but difficult for her to understand, and four little toys for the weekly one.

This year we've got Playmobil mad for Christmas and I'm planning to break up one of her sets into 24 pieces. I can't wait to see her face.

I'll be putting toys for both kids in the weekly one too. I'm looking forward to cracking on with that next week although my head is spinning at how fast the days are going right now!

Recipe: Carrot, Leek and Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 litre stock
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 carrots, grated
• 1 carton of mushrooms, chopped
• 1 leek, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp thyme
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:
1. Fry the onion, leek, carrots and mushrooms in the butter for five minutes.
2. Add the garlic, thyme and seasoning for about a minute.
3. Add the rice for a minute or so, followed by the wine.
4. Add the stock, ladle by ladle until it is soaked in and the rice is no longer crunchy.  Check the seasoning, add the cheese and serve.

Make it Monday - Baby Bunting

As I mentioned last week, I've been making a special gift for the new baby girl of one of my best friends.  I've made similar bunting for her first baby and my nieces.  

This time I was going for a pink theme and while it is a darker shade than I was planning on, I do like the finished product.  New this time, I added some buttons to the ribbon, I think it breaks up the ribbon nicely, while keeping the theme, and with the shortest name I've made bunting for, the little sweetheart deserved a little something extra.

I also added in some simple bunting.  I make the name section double sided, to give it a bit of extra strength.  The extra was single sided with a narrower ribbon, just to tie it in and brighten up her room a little.

Weekly Wisdom

There will be so many times when you feel like you've failed, but in the eyes, heart and mind of your child, you are super mum.

The Saturday Update

We've had a busy old week here. Full of playdates and appointments. It's the first week in a long time that I've not gotten near the end of the to do list...

I have managed to secure some work for the new year teaching English at Kindergarten, get three fitness classes in and keep the many, many appointments so I guess it's been a win overall.

Next week I'm looking forward to my mum visiting while Nico is away on a school trip, getting some crafting done and meeting some new friends.

Links!

What a fun toy!

Sounds like my kinda marathon.

Looking forward to this film.

I hope this is true.

A fun photo project. (no.5!)

Good for them.

Emotional labour.

What a beast of a cat!

Bureaucracy

Reading Review

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain

The last of my children's classics, this one took a while to get into but once I did, I really enjoyed it. It tells the story of Huck Finn and his friend, the runaway slave Jim as they sail down the Mississippi. The language is difficult at times but fits the story.

Nothing to Lose - Lee Child

This was a nice, easy read to break up the classics. Unlike the last Jack Reacher, this one kept me guessing. The books do follow the same pattern, Jack Reacher on the road, gets dragged in to a case, sleeps with a local, solves the mystery, moves on. I personally preferred the first ones with more history and personality involved but the books are fun to read anyway.

The 158-pound marriage - John Irving

I came across this book in the 200+ free collection from the classifieds. I knew and liked the author already from Owen Meany.

The novel is the story of two couples who indulge in some partner swapping. It follows the relationship and looks back on the histories of the main characters too.

I found the histories and the psychological side of this story really interesting. The characters were engaging and the book left me wanting more.

Recipe: Cherry Cake

Ingredients:

• 5 eggs
• 225g sugar
• 1 package of vanilla sugar
• 1/2 tube of butter-vanilla aroma
• 125ml water
• 250ml oil
• 375g flour
• 1 package of baking powder
• 1 jar of cherries
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder

Instructions:

1. Separate the eggs.

2. Combine the yolks, sugar and vanilla sugar.

3. Add the aroma, water, oil, flour and baking powder.

4. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are stiff. Stir them into the dough.

5. Divide the dough in two and add the cocoa powder to one half.

6. Line a baking tin. Add two spoons of each dough in turn to the middle of the tin, adding cherries in between each layer. Start with the vanilla dough, otherwise the layers won't rise properly.

7. Bake the cake at 160℃ for 50 minutes.

Make it Monday - Birth Congratulations Card

A simple but effective one this week. I recently got an acrylic block to use with some stamps I've had for a while. My idea was to use it for Christmas cards but I had another opportunity this week to cobgratulate some friends on the birth of their second beautiful baby girl.

The stamps worked perfectly. I used pink ink of course and while it was simple, I think it looks really effective. I like to use images in threes and I think it uses the space well.

Next week, I'll be sharing the gift I sent with the card.

Weekly Wisdom

If it is right, it happens. The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away.

The Saturday Update

It's been such a busy week, I didn't know whether I was coming or going.

I took the kids to the library on Monday. Tuesday was quiet, I used the time to get on with some sewing.

I baked cakes on Wednesday and Thursday. Joshua's nursery staff came to visit us on Wednesday afternoon and I feel much better about him starting there next month.

The mums from my prenatal yoga course came over for coffee on Thursday. It felt like ages since we saw them. It was great to catch up.

Yesterday was the usual madness of baby swim and cleaning but now it's weekend and we've got nothing on followed by a quiet week. I can't wait.

Links!

Free applique patterns!

Blast from the past.

On my Christmas list.

An important message.

I love these insights.

An inspiring list.

Fun wedding pics.

Meanwhile in Europe.

Bullying - whose problem?

One day this week, I was cycling past the high school on my way to pick up Isabella from Kindergarten when I saw two boys in the cycle park.  By this time school was finished, most of the students had left school and there weren't many people around.

One boy had the other in a headlock and they were struggling.  As a teacher, I often see children 'playing' in this way and I know that I am too likely to boss strangers about based on my job.  I often have to remind myself in public that these loud/naughty/inconsiderate teenagers are neither my children nor my pupils and because of that I almost carried on past these boys on this particular day. 

Then I heard the boy in the headlock cry out and I realised, this isn't just two kids messing about, it's one child hurting another and while they're still not my responsibility, if another child did that to one of my children, I'd want the stranger on a bike to do something. 

I stopped and asked the boy to let the other one go.  He claimed it was just a bit of fun but the victim said otherwise.  I repeated my request and as another woman came by from the car park and also confronted the boy, he let go and left.

Part of me wishes I had done more, part of me thinks more would have been overkill and possibly caused more problems for the victim.  However, the whole incident stuck with me somehow.  It made me realise more than ever that parenting changes you in so many ways and gives you a whole new perspective.

Bullying is never going to go away unfortunately but it's something to which I never want to turn a blind eye. The whole incident reminded me of this post from one of my favourite mummy-bloggers whose daughter stood up to bullying in an incredibly brave way.  That's how we should be bringing up our children and it starts here and now.

Parenting Truth

Recipe: Pumpkin, carrot & ginger soup

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin
• 4 carrots
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 1/2 litre vegetable stock
• Curry powder
• Seasoning
• Paprika
• Smokey salt
• Butter

Instructions:

1. Chop and boil the pumpkin and carrots until soft.

2. Meanwhile, fry the onion, garlic and ginger for five minutes. Add the spices for 1 minute followed by the stock.

3. Drain and transfer the vegetables to the fried mix.

4. Blend the mixture. Season to taste.

Make it Monday - Stencilled Candle

My Gonis products arrived last week and I got busy straight away with my new stencils. I'm really pleased with this first attempt with relief paste on glass.

It was the first time I used relief paste and it was quicker and easier than I thought, with a lovely result. I left it to dry overnight.

I'm planning on some more Christmas themed candle holders soon!

Weekly Wisdom

Make it Happen!

The Weekly Update

Despite, or maybe because of the long weekend, it feels like we've had a mad week here.

We spent the bank holiday at Nico's parents' as his Mum had her birthday. It was lovely as ever to catch up with family.

Since then it's been back to the routine - Kindergarten, work, cycling, sport, baby swimming. It feels good and I'm finally enjoying the new season and cooler weather.

Yesterday was Isabella's lantern festival and a good opportunity to get to know the other Kindergarten parents better. The rest of the day was spent preparing for the clothes party we hosted this morning. We had fewer guests than I thought but it was really good and our house looks better for it!

Next week is even busier but I'm feeling ready for it!

Links!

Good advice for me.

Humans matching artwork.

I don't usually like house tours but this is right up my street.

Freaky interior design.

I'd love to eat here.

I've said this should happen for years.

A new-to-me UK blogger I'm looking in to.

The ten worst things in the world.

Currently...

...sorting out baby clothes (Joshua's getting so big!)
...enjoying our wood burning fire.
...cycling more.
...celebrating a friend's new baby.
...accepting the changing of the seasons.
...looking forward to lantern festival tomorrow.
...struggling through my latest read.
...dreaming.

November Goals

Here's what I want to do this month:

• Try two new recipes.
• Sort the kids rooms and clothes.
• Plan Joshua's birthday.
• Fly a kite.
• Host two mummy meetings.