Recipe: Paleo Tuna Bake

Ingredients:

• 300g tuna
• Onion
• Red pepper
• Chopped tomatoes
• Parsley
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Seasoning
• 6 eggs

Instructions:

1. Chop the onion and pepper and combine with the remaining ingredients apart from the eggs.

2. Transfer the mixture into one or two baking dishes depending on the size.

3. Crack the eggs over the mixture and bake in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes at 180 degrees.

Make it Monday - Candle Holder

This week I did my first Gonis presentation, at my Mum's in England. It went well. It wasn't perfect but considering how much translation and use of the exchange rate was involved, I was really pleased.

We made this candle holder for my Mum as a hostess gift. It showed off different techniques and four Gonis products including the candle holder, the crystal which is painted around the inside using the permanent glue, the temporary glue, used to attach the ribbon, and the deco pointer used to decorate the ribbon.

I was really pleased with the finished item and will be doing it again.

Weekly Wisdom

When the one in whom you believe in 

Puts their faith and trust in you,

You've found the one and only love

You'll share your whole life through.

The Saturday Update

We've had a manic week.  At the weekend we went away for our fifth anniversary on our first date night in way too long.  On the Sunday we celebrated a family birthday.

On Monday I visited my new school which seems fantastic.  I met some of my new colleagues.  I went out with some girlfriends in the evening which was refreshing and fun despite the heat.

We celebrated my father-in-laws birthday on Tuesday with some family time and cake.

Wednesday was spent packing and driving back up to the in-laws ready for our trip to England.

Isabella learned to swim on Thursday in Opa Siggy's pool before our evening flight to Manchester where we arrived around midnight.

Yesterday was spent rediscovering Manchester, eating brunch at Affleck's Palace and making our way on a chaotic train to Wakefield to meet family and get ready for my sister's wedding today.

So excited for a family weekend and showing my mother-in-law a few bits of Yorkshire.  I'll be sharing some of it with you next week.

Links!

Glad I won't look like this tomorrow.

I'm so guilty of Tsundoku!

Can't work this one out but I hear it's good.

Number 2 is the best headteacher!

Perspective.

I love elephants.

Absolutely.

I'm so glad Facebook wasn't around when I was a teenager.

July Goals Review

Here's how this month has gone:

• 3 DIY projects - done!
• Get on top of the garden - nope.
• Catch up with the crochet - done!
• Keep up with the videos - missed one day...
• Get back on the Paleo track - done, except while on holiday.
• Three exercise sessions per week - on the way but the holiday corrupted me
• Enjoy some quality family time - done!

Not a bad month, and it has been crazy busy.  Looking forward to August.

Gonis

As I have mentioned, I've recently decided to become a Gonis rep.  I was at a party last October and ordered a few little bits which I used to create some Christmas cards and gifts.  While at that party, I also booked my own, which unfortunately, has yet to happen due to illness and work commitments.  As it seemed so difficult to organise a party, I decided to do it myself.

I'm not always a fan of these companies but Gonis is very flexible and fits in well with my own hobbies so I am keen to get started once I get my head around the business side as well as the creative one.

My first party is going to be on Monday in England.  Unfortunately Gonis hasn't really hit England yet but I'm hoping to tap the market and build up  a customer base there too.  I have a further three parties planned in August.

It's something that I can fit in on an evening or weekend around work and the kids and it fits in with a lot of the things I do already such as making my own cards and getting creative with fabric.  I'm looking forward to the new ideas and projects I can do around here.

So far I have worked on cards and candle holders using Gonis but I am looking forward to trying more and keeping you up to date soon.

Recipe: Honey and Mustard Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken thighs
• 3 tbsp mustard
• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Seasoning

Instructions:

1. Combine the ingredients and use to marinade the chicken for at least two hours before cooking.

2. Cook at 180 for 35 to 45 minutes.

Make it Monday - August Birthday Cards

I'm currently preparing for my new sideline as a Gonis rep.  I combined the prep for the first presentation with getting my August birthday cards ready and I love the results.

I used a combination of techniques that were partly new to me.  I did some stencil painting, stamping with a range of colours and deco pointing.

I really like all of these.  I think the flamingo is my favourtie, just because of the colour, which really pops and contrasts with the pointer.

I think adding the pointer to each of the cards really finishes them nicely.  It's my favourite Gonis product at the moment.

I did a couple of cards that aren't pictured here because I am waiting for a different product to dry.  I'm really glad I got around to doing this today and using a few new products and techniques.

Weekly Wisdom

It always seems impossible until it is done.

The Saturday Update

Another week of holidays has flown by. It's been productive despite three of us still fighting off coughs and colds.  

After a quiet weekend I had another Gonis meeting, my starter kit arrived and I have three presentations to prepare for.  I'm really excited about it too.

We had a fun trip to the zoo on Tuesday in the sun.  It was good to spend some time with family and I'm looking forward to more of that now that the kids are on holiday too.

I got on top of things at Kindergarten and while there's still lots coming up there, I feel better about it.

Isabella had playdates all week and she really had fun.  It was nice that Joshua could join in too - including heart tattoos and stick on earrings.

We celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary, although we will be celebrating properly when we go out for dinner tonight.  Our first night out together since Joshua was born!

Yesterday was the busiest day with the end of year celebration at Kindergarten - we drove to a water playground for a picnic and playtime with the staff and other families.  Then I took Isabella swimming with a friend and her daughter.  In the evening we had friends over for dinner - Nico cooked and it was delicious.  A really lovely day.

We've got a busy week coming up with two birthdays and a wedding.  Can't wait.

Links!

I like this ad campaign.

Amazing photos.

I do this and it works.

Food inspiration.

I love this!

Men!

Don't let anyone tell you what you can and can't achieve.

Yep.

Garden Update

 As usual, between work, keeping the kids alive and sorting things around the house, the garden has been the last of our priorities lately.

 Some areas are paying off - the balcony looks great and I love both the pots on the terrace and the purple theme surrounding it.

 However, there's lots to be done - weeding, trimming and planting. As you can see, the veg patch is crying out for attention but at the moment it's too hot to get cracking. It's due to cool down at the weekend and I hope we get out then.

Still, the wild look isn't all bad and Nico's got a fair bit growing - grapevines, tomatoes, pumpkins and berries galore!

Hannover Zoo

Yesterday we spent the day at Hannover Zoo as a very late birthday present to my father-in-law.  It was a fun day and the weather was basically too hot but at least it was nice!

The kids weren't as excited as I expected but I think they were tired early and the heat didn't help matters but fairly early in the day we went to feed the goats. I took Joshua, my brother-in-law took Isabella and Nico took the camera.

It ended up being just the adults doing the feeding as the goats were rather aggressive.  The rest of the visit was smooth. The elephants were the highlight for me but the gorillas were also interesting as well as the water section.

The worst of the trip was the journey due to roadworks and to be honest it wasn't the nicest zoo I've visited in Germany but it was fun and it tired the kids out.

Recipe: Paleo Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• Four courgettes
• One red onion
• Two onions
• Four carrots
• One head of broccoli
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Seasoning
• 1 litre stock

Instructions:

1. Chop the vegetables and brown in a pan.

2. Add the stock and seasoning.

3. Puree with a hand blender.

Make it Monday - Raspberry Rum

Last summer I tried my hand at making raspberry vodka and I drank it over Christmas - it was delicious.

This year, our raspberries are going crazy so we harvested them in the sun yesterday and this time I tried the recipe with rum:

0.7l rum

360g sugar

360g fresh raspberries

I have to shake the jar every day until the sugar is absorbed and then seive into a bottle and put it away until Christmas! I'm looking forward to tasting the results!

Weekly Wisdom

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.  And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.

The Saturday Update

This week has taken on a somewhat slower pace than last week.  After a lovely cycle trip with friends at the weekend, we had a quiet Sunday.

I had a couple of meetings this week for a new project I'm working on.  I'm feeling excited and creative about it but more on that soon.

Isabella has had a couple of playdates and while we were with friends on Monday I began to feel unwell.  I had something of a Summer cold and Tuesday was terrible.  Isabella and Joshua are both fighting off illness too so there must be something going round.  The weather being all over the place has not helped.

In between, I got quite a lot done for the Kindergarten with a lot of help from Nico too.  It feels good to finally be able to dedicate a bit more time to the staff there while I'm not working.  And of course it is all for the kids.

We got a bit done around the house but not as much as last week and there is still lots to do.  I'll be cracking on with that this weekend because the next couple of weeks are full off day trips, events and our trip to England!

Links!

Cornwall brings back childhood memories for me and makes me excited for future holidays there with our family.

A reminder that it is never too late.

An incredible background to an amazing story.  That group was very lucky.

I'm lucky to have these things in my husband.

So this is going on my wish list!

Made me laugh.

I see you.

Fun book titles.

Terrace Lights

As usual, the big advantage of our holidays is having the time and energy to nag Nico into doing things get more done around the house.  We got a lot done in the first week and especially nice was having some quality time with the children.

As far as jobs around the house go, this was my favourite. Unfortunately we haven't had the right weather to make the most of them yet but hopefully, we will.  The lights were bought last year and we haven't had time to put them up since Summer arrived so I do hope it's not over already.  In previous years we have sat out on Nico's birthday but this year it did nothing but rain.

The lights provide a lovely atmosphere and aren't too bright.  They make the terrace a much more inviting space.  It really feels like things are coming together around here again.

Harbour Boat Trip

Last week we took the kids out of daycare to travel to Bremen and take them on their first boat tour.  We were lucky to have glorious weather that day and a lovely breeze from the river.  We took water and snacks and had a wonderful family day out.

Sometimes, it's easy to forget that you don't have to go far to get that holiday feeling.  I love these day trips and I hope we'll manage a few more.  This one is still one of my favourite memories from last Summer.

I wasn't sure how the kids would react but they both loved it.  They sat and looked for a while and then they ran around and played a bit but all within limits and they were not a bit of trouble.  Isabella was very proud to tell her Grandma all about it on the telephone.  She loved spotting other ships and some of the industrial areas, especially the 'broken down pirate ships'.  They both slept well afterwards too!

For me, it was a sign that we can do more with the kids and it's wonderful to enter this new stage as a family where we can do more and the kids are a little more independent. 

Recipe: Avocado Meatballs with Salsa

Ingredients:

• 500g minced beef
• 1 avocado
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp mustard
• Seasoning
• Parsley
• 2 tomatoes

Instructions:
1. Cut half of the avocado into twelve cubes.
2. Combine the mince, onion, garlic, eggs, mustard, parsley and seasoning in a bowl.
3. Form the mixture into twelve balls, placing a cube of avocado at the centre of each and fry for about ten minutes.
4. Meanwhile chop the tomatoes and the second half of the avocado to make a salsa side.

Make it Monday - Frozen Necklace

Isabella was inundated with Frozen themed craft gifts for her birthday.  Finally, I had time to open some with her yesterday.  The first one we completed was this necklace.  It's actually two bracelets but they can be joined to form a necklace, which she prefers.

Everything we needed was provided but we had to make most of the charms.  I've dabbled with jewellery making but never anything as fiddly as this and I'm really pleased with the outcome, especially since I didn't have the tools.

It was also really fun for Isabella and for me to do something together.  She often sees me making things but can't often join in yet.  This was perfect for doing something together and she has a pretty new necklace as a result.  Really looking forward to crafting more with her in the holidays and making more time to be creative with her and Joshua in the future.

Weekly Wisdom

Do what you feel in your heart to be right for you'll be criticized anyway.

Eleanor Roosevelt.

The Saturday Update

It's been such a wonderful and productive week.  The hen weekend in Liverpool went wonderfully and on Sunday I was honoured to become Godmother to my friends' two beautiful girls.  The weather was glorious throughout.

I travelled home on Monday and caught up on some much needed sleep.  It was, of course, wonderful to see the kids and Nico after so long away.  I always miss them so much.

On Tuesday Isabella had a doctor's check up.  It went well and we took her into Bremen for lunch and an ice cream afterwards.  It was such a nice day and it was good to spend some time with just her and us too.

We had a day at home on Wednesday and I worked my way through several things that have been on my to do list for a while - mainly getting the house sorted out and catching up on a lot of crochet.  I also met a friend and we took the kids for ice cream.

We took both kids back into Bremen on Thursday to take a boat tour of the harbour.  They both behaved really well and we really enjoyed it.  Isabella also had lots of play dates this week so she has been very busy and there's more to come next week!

Yesterday, I had a few meetings about Kindergarten and got yet more house work and crochet done.

Today we are meeting friends for a bike ride.  I hope the weather holds out.  I'll be continuing my to do list blitz into the new week, celebrating Nico's birthday and possibly working on a holiday project.

Links!

Beautiful photographs.

This made me laugh.

My friend's new blog.

Good trouble.

I loved this video.

A beautiful property.

How to purposefully try new things.

Godparenting advice.

Liverpool

As I mentioned, we celebrated my sister's hen do in Liverpool at the weekend.  I had never been to the city itself before and I really loved it.  The glorious weather helped and the seagulls also gave it a seaside feeling.

On Saturday we had a wander to the docks, searching for a boat trip.  We didn't find one but there was so much to do and see.  Here's the bride posing on the docks.

Here we both are posing with Liverpool's most famous export.  We had also visited the Cavern Club the night before which was a lot of fun and we met a lot of lovely, fun people there.

It was Armed Forces Day and we passed through the recruitment drive on the docks.  They were also very good sports with so many hen dos on tour there.

Here, an example of some crazy sculptures from when Liverpool was City of Culture.

The Liver Building down on the front where we got a drink.  I can't wait to explore this city more with Nico in a few years.

Here's a photo of my sister and me in our gorgeous apartment.  Can't wait to see her get married at the end of the month.  (P.S. I'm starting to understand why my Gran cut her legs off all her photos!)

July Goals

Here's what I would like to achieve in this holiday month:

• 3 DIY projects
• Get on top of the garden
• Catch up with the crochet
• Keep up with the videos
• Get back on the Paleo track
• Three exercise sessions per week
• Enjoy some quality family time

Recipe: Super smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 apple
• 150g mixed berries
• 5 mint leaves
• 50g sunflower seeds
• 150ml water

Instructions:
1. Chop the apple and wash the berries.
2. Mix everything in a blender.
3. Enjoy!

Make it Monday: Goals!

With such a busy end of the school year and the hen do at the weekend, my creativity has hit a bit of a hurdle.  I've still got so many ideas in my head but I'm lacking the time and energy to get started.  I'm amazed I have kept up my ongoing projects such as the daily video and weekly crochet and Porject Life.

Today, I thought I would share with you some of the projects I am planning on cracking on with in the holidays.  It's always therapeutic for me to get these things out of my head and into words.

1. Sewing - trousers and/or trouser jump suit from Tilly and the Buttons
2. Crochet - catch up on the blanket patches and get ahead on some hats for Autumn gifts.  I also have a ladybird kit to make.
3. Paper crafts - August cards, new Project Life album.
4. Photography - change out our wall photos, Joshua's Dr Seuss poster, update Isabella's photo wall, photo book gift, Isabella's birthday photos.
5. Gonis - I have a meeting on the 10th July to start working with Gonis.
6. DIY - I'd like to jazz up a few things around the house and garden but I'm still searching for my inspiration here.
7. Video - keep up the daily videos.  We made it six months and I LOVE this project.
8. Painting - I still need to finish my oil painting quartet and experiment more with glass painting.

Here's to a productive and creative month!!

Weekly Wisdom

Sisters are different flowers from the same garden.