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.

Crochet!

My new crochet course finally arrived and I'm loving it!

It's the same company as the knitting course I've been doing for two years now. They also send wool to make a patch each fortnight or week and at the end, you sew them into a blanket.

The first issue has two patches and as it's easier than knitting while feeding Joshua, I've finished them already! It's very therapeutic and I'm so happy learning something new.

Make it Monday - Meditation Cushion

In the October holidays Nico and I finished our first joint project - meditation cushions.

We've both been getting into spiritual hobbies; yoga for me and tai chi and meditation for Nico. The cushions really help to make things more comfortable.

We found this tutorial online and altered it a bit as we want to make seperate covers so that they're easier to wash. These are filled with chaff (the by product of wheat) and zip up. I think it took two days but was easily possible in one. I broke a needle on the zip but I was being rather gunho - slow and steady is a better idea.

Isabella loves them so I'm looking for a child friendly version - a beanbag seat maybe? - to make for her.

Weekly Wisdom

Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.

Family Time

So we're exactly two days into our new routine and while they have been a really productive two days, or maybe because they have been so productive, I'm exhausted. Then again I'm eight months pregnant and Isabella has been home from nursery. During my first pregnancy I wondered why we get six weeks of maternity leave before the birth, now I know!

Our new routine has had one big positive though - we've finally started eating dinner at the table together on an evening. When we were both working, we were just glad to collapse on the sofa in front of the TV. Now I have time to prepare something.

Isabella loves getting to sit at the big table, which I figure is good practice to gradually get her out of the high chair. We really talk about our days and, without the distractions of TV or the internet, we really listen to each other. I feel like it's brought us closer after just two days and it's something I really want to keep up.

Tonight is pizza night!

Diary

When my Gran passed away last year, there was a small nice surprise for us in that we found her  diary from 1945.  My Gran had a really interesting life; I've written about it before.  She told us lots of things.  She always got the most excited when talking about her wartime experiences.  This was not because she condoned war, but because it changed her life - it got her away from home, away from working in the mills, and exposed her to a whole new range of people.

We thought we knew everything about her but the diary was something none of us had seen and has a range of snippets that we had never heard about, including two marriage proposals!  The down side is that it's one of those tiny diaries with half a page per day and there were many occasions when reading it where I was desperate for more, and wished I could call her up and ask her. On the other hand I bet she is laughing away up there at keeping us guessing.

Like most teenagers, I kept diaries in the past and threw them away after a few years when I found them embarassing.  Now that I'm settled down as a mother, I've often thought that nobody would be interested, it's certainly not 1945.  However, there may come a day when Isabella wants to know how things were when she was small and mummy and daddy were growing the family and setting up house.  And so, for a little over a week now, I've been keeping a diary.

I try to write as much detail as possible - who knows whether I'll be around to explain my musings, or be able to remember the context if I am around.  I find it therapeutic to write a page or so at the end of the day.  I wish I had started earlier - especially since Isabella changes so quickly and I want to record that too, but better late than never.

I bought a beautiful notebook to inspire me to write and I love it so far.

Hobby Room Clearout

These views have been driving me mad for a while. After a year in our house, there are some corners that have become dumping grounds and really need some TLC.

This week I finally got round to sorting out the hobby / utility room. It looks great and I feel more like going in there and making things now.

Make It Monday - Denim Dress

After six months on my to do list, I finally finished this Wiksten dress this week.

I purposely made it quite plain because I still see myself as a beginner - especially when it comes to clothes - and I didn't trust myself to use anything with a strong pattern. I also made it in the largest size so it's a little baggy but warm, and perfect for autumn and winter. I plan to dress it up with some bright accessories and that's why denim is so good - it goes with any colour.

There were lots of new techniques involved - basting stitches (by hand and machine), setting sleeves and adding the collar. It's not perfect but for a first dress it went way better than I thought.

The pattern is really well explained and easy to follow despite the new techniques and I would definitely order there again.

For now I have a couple of easier projects lined up before another new dress.

Lemons!

Look what Nico discovered while we were in the hospital - those lemon seeds DID take and are shooting up now. I can't believe I waited for months before giving up on them and then they appeared! Just little more patience now.

30 things - Knit a Baby Cardigan

I'm so pleased with this project. I started knitting two years ago and this was by far my biggest project yet. It was the most complex and I learnt some new skills (thank goodness for YouTube).

I'm going to add a couple of buttons but otherwise this is ready for the baby. I kept it neutral for obvious reasons but I plan to make another with the colourful stripes of the original pattern as soon as I know which colours to use.

Now I am just waiting for the zipper to finish my other April project!

1000 posts!

I'm finding this hard to believe but this is indeed my 1000th post! How on Earth did that come around so fast? I didn't realise I'd had quite so much to say over the last four years. Thinking about it, an awful lot has happened in that time - moving to a new country, starting a new job, meeting and marrying Nico and starting a family.

I've tried to keep things relevant and interesting on here with a new zest since the summer break and I hope you are enjoying reading as much as I enjoy posting. Thanks for sticking with me!

Here's to the next thousand!!

New Haircut

So I finally went for the chop last week.  I wanted something more practical for when the baby comes.  I had my hair cut short just once before when about fourteen years ago and couldn't stand the waves but thankfully, then along cam hair straighteners so I decided to give it a go again.  And...

I am really pleased with the results.  It's much easier to deal with so far and cooler for Summer.  It is a big change but I think it's a bigger change for those who have to look at me.  I keep forgetting until another pupil or colleague comments.

I thought I would be more sentimental but it was okay.  After the hairdresser cut off my ponytail there was no going back.  I couldn't let him throw it out though so the above image is what I wake up to at the moment - I can't figure out what to do with it but can't stand to throw it away!!

As it grows back I want to try doing a little more with it.  It's always either down or ponytail with me - even now although the ponytail is barely there!  I need some inspiration!

Reminiscing...

I recently started reading a new blog written by an old school friend.  She recently moved abroad and set up the blog to review her new experiences - ringing any bells yet?

Reading her first post took me right back to those first weeks in Bremen.  I can't believe how much has changed since then.  My life looked very different back then.  I originally only came over for a two year stint but I fell in love...with a man, with a job and with a way of life.  

What hit me more than these big changes however, was how much I take for granted now.  I was almost a little bit sorry to have left the times behind when every little thing was new - remembering to stock up at the supermarket on a Saturday because it doesn't open on Sunday, getting refunded for recycling bottles, paying for coffees when you leave a cafe rather than when you order, the whole school system...and probably a thousand other things that I don't even remember.  It almost made me want to move again.

Everybody should try life in a different country at some point.  Even if it is only for a few months, it can open your eyes so much and completely change your life.  I'll definitely be reading Jessica's blog in the future, reliving those early weeks and wishing her all the best in her new venture.

Nine Days of Nice Update

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	Thanks for your review of Tendure It's good to have your thoughts about it. We're very glad you enjoyed it. Travelers will be happy to know it's worthwhile. We'll email you as soon as your review is published. We really value your contributions, and so does our travel community. Anywhere else you'd like to review? Be our guest. Thanks again, The TripAdvisor Team

As I mentioned in the Saturday update, over the next couple of weeks, I am taking part in Sarah von Bargen's 'Nine Days of Nice'.  On Monday, I posted a review of one of our favourite restaurants in Bremen - Tendure.  It's one thing I must do more of as we really like to travel and document our travels but never seem to leave enough positive feedback. 

Dankeschön!

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Teilen Sie den Aufruf mit Freunden und Bekannten

Sarah's second task was to pay off someone's 'layaway'.  First off, I had to google this to see what it was but even then, I don't know of any German companies that do this and couldn't find a way to do it online, so I decided to change it up a bit.  I wanted to donate to charity, and I wanted it to be a reliable charity that I don't regularly donate to.  After a little research, I donated a chalkboard to a school in Burundi.

I'll be working on step three later today!

Diet inspiration

Just what I needed this month - a little inspiration on the old diet.  What better than the sight of all my clothes - most of which were bought last time I was at goal weight and no longer fit.  After spending a whole afternoon finding space for them all in the flat, I need to justify not chucking out everything that didn't fit.