February Goal Review

• Get all my new jobs up and running - done!
• Finish sorting upstairs in the house done!
• Launch my online Dawanda shop - completely forgotten.
• Continue with Paleo and exercise - tailed off with all the work etc.
• Crossstitch and video every day - done!

Zumba

Really missing my zumba class at the moment. This is one of my favourites though.

Make it Monday - March Birthday Cards

This month, I decided to put in a little more effort and using stamps, coloured card, Gonis paint pen and relief stickers, came up with a birthday design based on my favourite xmas design.

I like the different colour adaptations and I think they look cute!

Weekly Wisdom

You can do anything but not everything.

The Saturday Update

We have had a crazy week here. I started working mornings four days per week teaching German to immigrants. It's not the course with literacy that I was expecting (so no training this weekend) and the ability spectrum is huge so it's been a challenge on one hand but brilliant to get back into the classroom on the other. Plus, we had an unannounced inspection on Thursday - my first ever!

I've been tutoring afternoons still, which I really enjoy but it does't leave me much time to catch my breath between Monday and Thursday.

Isabella and I went to the dentist - our best visit yet and I treated her to lunch afterwards. Joshua had his latest round of jabs, for which I softened him up by taking him out for breakfast.

I'm also finding my feet with my new role at the kindergarten. That has involved lots of meetings this week and it's a bigger job than I first thought but on the whole I'm enjoying it.

Looking after myself has gone out of the window a bit with no time for zumba and paleo. I'm hoping to find my balance again soon.

More of the same next week!

Links!

Important message from teachers.

Made me laugh.

Yum!

Wow!

Respect.

Of course talking on the phone is important!

100 best movies on Netflix.

Beautiful kitty.

Paleo Update

For a month I've been following a paleo diet now and I've lost a stone. For most of that month, I have felt really good and full of energy. I've also been cycling more and getting to at least one zumba class each week.

Since Monday, things have been manic here and due to the lack of time for planning and preparing meals, I've missed lunch regularly and I'm feeling terrible. There's not much you can buy ready made that fits in with paleo and today I gave in and took Isabella to the bakery for lunch.

I plan to follow paleo as much as possible - for example, I love my banana pudding breakfasts - but not be too strict with myself. I'd like to lose about another stone this year but for the moment, I'll be happy to maintain my current weight.

In the holidays I plan to follow paleo again and try to bulk prepare some meals for after that.

Common sense

Recipe: Paleo Coconut Bread

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1 capsule vanilla essence
• 3 tbsp honey
• 350g ground coconut
• 1 tsp baking powder

Instructions:

1. Mix the eggs, vanilla and honey until fluffy. 

2. Mix in the remaining ingredients.

3. Transfer to a baking tin and bake at 180℃ for 45 minutes.

Make it Monday - 1SE Video

One of my daily new year's resolutions was to refresh my attempt at using this app (search for 1 second every day video), to keep a record of our family.

I don't want to share the video here as I don't publish pictures and videos of the kids publicly but I'm backing up fairly regularly and so far I love it! I'm only sorry I didn't stick with it last year.

I'm making sure we all get on there (although there's a clear bias towards the kids), and capturing big events as well as day to day occurences.

Putting it on my to do list has definitely helped me to remember to use it more.

Really, I can't recommend it enough. Here's where I first heard about the 1SE app if you want to see an example.

Weekly Wisdom

The way you speak to yourself matters the most.

The Saturday Update

What a long week! The weekend was nice and quiet.

On Monday I had a lovely Skype catch up with by best friend and her gorgeous baby.

I did all my afternoon shifts and I'm really enjoying teaching kids that want to learn again. I also started some online training for my tutoring, which was interesting.

I only made it to one zumba class but it was fun and I did some practice at home with the kids for fun.

On Wednesday I had a meeting at the Kindergarten and was elected on to the committee - I've been busy with WhatsApp and meetings ever since but it feels good to be making myself useful again.

Next week is going to get really crazy since I am starting my new morning job on Monday, doing all my afternoon shifts and I'm away starting a new training course next weekend! Fingers crossed we get through the week in one piece!

Links!

Travel inspiration.

A novel way to procrastinate or un-block!

Sweet.

Focus.

A lesson on (not so) sexist linguistics.

Loving this new show on Netflix.

What an inspiration.

Beautiful winter photos.

Carneval

Here in Germany it is carneval week.  It has a religious background related to lent and to be honest, I don't know why it is more of a European thing and not really celebrated in the UK.

Carneval is very big in Cologne but it is celebrated all over the country.  For us it has become more of a thing since we have become parents.  Every nursery, Kindergarten and primary school celebrates somehow.

It's a bit more reserved and open in the nursery - they are celebrating all week and the kids can dress up if they want.  The room is decorated and they had a special mid-week buffet.

In the Kindergarten tomorrow is the big day.  The kids are all dressing up in costumes (Isabella has chosen to go as Princess Elsa from Frozen - probably one of many) and having a big breakfast buffet.  There will no doubt be games and songs and who knows what. 

One thing I love about living in another country is celebrating these traditions.  I do miss our UK festivities like Bonfire Night but there is a lot to celebrate here too.

Love

Recipe: Beetroot fritters

Ingredients:

• 500g beetroot
• 1 red onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 eggs
• Cumin
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions:

1. Grate the beetroot into  bowl. Chop the onion and crush the garlic in. Add the eggs and seasoning.

2. Form 'patties' and fry in a hot pan. Flip after a few minutes.

Make it Monday- Glass Painting

Last week I finally tried my new glass paints that Nico bought me for Christmas. I tried them out with some of the jars we saved to make into tealight holders.

I used this lovely turquoise colour and one of my Gonis stick on stencils. The paint is a bit watery. The free-hand designs I tried ran and dripped too much. It even ran with the stencil but I quite like the effect.

Apart from that slight hiccup, things went well and I'm thinking of other projects with glass painting.

Weekly Wisdom

Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.

The Saturday Update

After another false start with my main job, I've had a lot of time on my hands. I used my mornings to finish sorting the office, get chores done and squeeze in an extra zumba class.

All of my afternoon jobs are up and running and I have some really nice students too.

On the whole, the kids have had a good week with lots of playing and learning. Nico is on a training course at the moment so I've had a lot of extra time with them too.

I've squeezed in a bit of crafting too with crochet, crossstitch and even some painting. Paleo is going well and I'm at my lowest weight since I was pregnant with Joshua.

More of the same next week!

Links!

What an inspiring young lady.

Putting this on my to read list.

An important message for mothers.

What a commute!

Crazy transformation.

Fun librarians.

Adulting.

My current favourite at Zumba.

Currently...

...enjoying the winter sunshine.
...making lots of progress.
...struggling on the work front.
...reading a new (to me) Ken Follett.
...getting better at Zumba.
...loving watching the kids and their progress.
...being more crafty.
...feeling busy, busy, busy.

Reading Review

Strange Fits of Passion - Anita Shreve

This novel tells the story of a woman fleeing domestic abuse.  It is clear from the beginning that there is going to be a dramatic climax to the story and it didn't disappoint. 

The book is set in the seventies and that is quite telling in how the topic of domestic abuse is dealt with. 

I enjoyed the story and how it was told from different points of view. 

The Saint Steps In - Leslie Carteris

Another in the Saint series, this was a nice little mystery.  This time it was set in America and while I am still getting used to the style of Charteris' writing, I enjoyed the story and trying to figure out what was happening.

Bill Bryson's African Diary - Bill Bryson

This was a short but sweet little read.  I like Bill Bryson's writing and his diary of a week in Kenya to raise money for CARE international did not disappoint.  I can only recommend it!

Recipe: Fruity Mince Curry

Ingredients:

• 300g mince
• 1 onion
• 2 eggs
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2cm ginger
• Chopped tomatoes
• Curry powder
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• 5 dried apricots
• 100ml orange juice
• 3tbsp coconut milk
• Handful red grapes

Instructions:

1. Chop the apricots and boil them in the orange juice to form a chutney.

2. Brown the onion, garlic and ginger. Add the mince, cinnamon, curry and seasoning.

3. Add the tomatoes and chutney to form a sauce. Chop the grapes and stir them in. Transfer the mixture to a baking tin.

4. Combine the eggs and coconut milk and pour over the mince mixture.

5. Bake for 25 minutes at 160℃.

Make it Monday - Crochet Owl Hat

This weekend I got stuck into my new crochet book and made this cute hat for a little girl's birthday.

It was quick, easy and fun, I'm enjoying crochet more and more and I can't wait to try another new project.

The plaits are especially cute.

Weekly Wisdom

Learn to be your own best friend.

The Saturday Update

After a false start with work this week, (too few students attended the course for it to run) I had more time than expected on my hands so I have spent some time organizing our office which means upstairs is closer to being done in my big clean project.

The kids had a good week, both back at Kindergarten and nursery with new staff and making lots of friends.

Nico had semester holidays on Thursday and yesterday so we had a couple of trips out for shopping and lunch. We felt like we'd lost a limb without the kids but it was very peaceful and also nice that we could pick them up together.

After a lot of back and forth this week, my Gonis party for today has had to be put on hold due to illness but hopefully, I've found lots of people for when it does happen.

I've had two days off paleo after losing 8lbs in January but I'm getting back on it again because I do feel much better on it!

Next week I'm hoping for a full course so I can get going with work and find a routine again.

Links!

Watching this and considering this.

Funny photos.

What a wonderful project!

Having stopped taking my phone to bed, I can relate to this.

Good advice.

Parenting.

An eye-opening story.

One of my favourites - inspirational as ever.

February Goals

Here's what I'm hoping to achieve this month:

• Get all my new jobs up and running.
• Finish sorting upstairs in the house.
• Launch my online Dawanda shop.
• Continue with Paleo and exercise.
• Crossstitch and video every day.