Sundays family fun - Lille

Dh and me have enjoyed every second of our little break from reality. Yesterday we checked in at the novotel hotel. Dh spoiled us with an "executive room". Lovely room, cute bathroom, nicely made bed ... just wonderfull. But we soon took off to visit this cute little town, which perfectly (sorry lol) fits dh and my profile. Lots of shops, among one adorable cookery shop where I just had to buy my new specialised chocolate frosting decoration equipment :), bakeries and restaurants of all sorts. On top of that the second best art museum after the Paris Louvre is situated here! We didn't get to visit becuse of All Saints Day, because we were led to believe they woud be open ... but off course ... Anyway,Lille will be revisited ... and i it is up to DH and me ... very very very soon!

Saturday blessings - anniversary

Yes ... any excuse is good for lots of celebrations. So we are taking this five year anniversary excuse with us aaaaaall weekend :)




Kids will go to the seaside with my aunt and grandmother for a spoiling extravaganza. DH and me will drive off to Lille in France ... that is when he finally gets out of bed lol! Check out where we will be going (click pic):




So as usual the fun part is taken care of. For the homeblessings? Well I am doing some laundry while dh is sleeping in! And OK BTF .... off computer and off with my magic wand to put out the fires!

Foodies Friday - Halloween muffins /menu planning

Well I am a "she" ... have been planning and plotting for weeks about making some "Halloween muffins" ... In my p* world I would make them early as a trial in sweet harmony with the kids. Muffins would turn out gorgeous an delicious ... and I would bake an extra batch later on for my D(ear) S(tudents) ... Oh well :) I made them this morning, just before leaving for school lol. Couldn't find my quantity of baking salt, because I always seem to forget writing it down on my recipe card, recipe book was at a friends house ... luckily @mominisrael helped out. I made my batch of white chocolate coated chocolate chip muffins... but had to drop the Halloween spider, because it was to difficult to draw for me. I made one with a cobweb, which I actually liked ... but had to leave it to that because .... I ran out of dark chocolate frosting lol. Aaah kids at school were thrilled anyway ... and there is always next year :)

Friday

Italian restaurant: Tagliatelle with deer and mushrooms for me and dh took ravioli with mushroom filling.

Saturday&Sunday

Trip to France .... :)

Monday

Vegetarian pasta.

Tuesday

Fish-sticks with mashed potatoes and broccoli.

Wednesday

Chicken drumsticks with bulgur, and mixed veggies in tomato sauce.

Thursday

Potatoes, vegetarian burgers, and cabbage.

Friday

Leftover friday

Toddlers thursdays - mommy and daddy break

Kids are staying with my family this weekend. They left Wednesday evening after dinner and we will pick them up Sunday evening. DH & me have our 5 year anniversary and are going on a trip to Lille, France. To be honest, although missing them ... I really enjoy the sudden freedom when my kids are not home ... I can't imagine life without them and although they are not here ... almost every conversation is about them lol. Almost every plan includes them .... But still, sometimes I wonder how life would be if there never was a break with me-time and possibilities to recharge batteries for longer then the usual potty break :) ... Is there something that I am doing wrong, that makes parenting sometimes so tiring? How did and do mothers cope when there never is a break? And how did, do they collect their thoughts to evaluate their life when these sweet little toddlers among these never-ending homeblessings seem to always need our attention. Or is it true as some of my older female family members are saying and is the problem my lifestyle expectations. Is it so that a mother isn't supposed to workout on a daily basis for an hour or more a day, is it so that computer time and finding friendship on the net isn't a mommy thing, blogging a luxury that we should sacrifice to save energy for our family, meditation , study , working outside the home, ... do I exaggerate? ... Or will these 4 days without them give me the space to look for ways to balance everything out in a new way?

Wordless wednesday - zone

Is it only my livingroom that seems to have transformed into a playground?

Lifestyling tuesdays - my hometrainer&me

Sports have become hugely important in my life lately. And this tunturi hometrainer (not exactly the same as in the pic) has lived in my bedroom the last six years. But for a month or two it finally gets some regular attention since a very long time.

I really love my hometrainer now. I exercice most mornings for 20 to 30 minutes and every two weeks he gives me a test to monitor my improvements ... thats when our love hits a rough patch ... I really hate him for his honesty :/ During the first test he announced my cardio age ... 67 ... euh .... that's only a 34 years difference :( .... Ok by now I have reached the age of 57 ... still not what I am aming for but at least I'm getting younger. My last test was this weekend, but no improvement ... guess I'll have to be a bit more patient ...

Monday Flylady Blessings - evening routine

Last week before autumn holidays! Thank God! I love my job, but this term was way to long! Especially considering that my wings are a bit broken ... But no whining ;) Babystepping it, because it's the only way!


So lets resume my first steps:


Laundry: the folding and putting away keeps haunting me


Swishing and swiping: ok for toilets, but bathroom is getting out of control :/


And what do I blame lol : my evening routine. I just want to go to bed because I'm so d* tired ... But BTF. If my bbr is the problem ... well lets address it.





For this week's goal: 1. BBR: a) teeth


b) 15m laundry (getting scared though ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Mm_e5CDpc ;)

2.MR : adding: s&s bathroom

Sunday? Family fun! - Sea (II)

Well last weekend was so relaxing ... I just had to do it again lol ... this time with dh, the kids and dear friend. Sun, sea, lots of shels, pancakes, icecream ... and two very very tired kids who are now snoring peacefully in ther little beds... who needs toys?

Saturdays blessings - Halloween walk

This morning I want to get lots done ... the lazy way :) So...
plan and play disguised as blogging ;)
laundry reboot
launch kids
room rescuing
baking
Plan and play II
We "travelled" to Denmark for a crafty spooky afternoon. Which set the mood for ...

Our evening Halloween Walk, organised by the parent board (DH member), as a way to raise money for the school. I promise pics :)

I hope I can fit in a 15m decluttering long-term miracle in the office area tonight ... so I can balance work and fun better this week!

Foodies Friday - comfort food /menu planning

I'm running out of energy lately ... I'm balancing in between babystepping and trying not to drown :/ One more week and we will have our autumn break at school ... wieeeeha :)

But in the mean while ... I have been in deep need of comfort food. So my food and mood book is put aside a bit lol! To tired to look up the healthy fixes :)

So tonight leftover friday was levelled up with home made chicken nuggets :)

Next week?

Saturday

Chicory with red sweet pepper, potatoes and ricotta spinach sauce.

Sunday

Chinese rice with mushrooms.

Monday

Spaghetti from freezer.

Tuesday

Chili sin carne with tortillas.

Wednesday

Potatoes with haricots and fishsticks.

Thursday

Quinoa with tomatobased sauce, carrots, nuts, artichokes.

Friday

Leftover friday.

Toddlers thursdays - sad

Two days ago a friend passed away. She was about my age. With this cute little two year old. Today for toddlers thursday ... I just want to honour her. What a blessing to have known her ... what a blessing just being here today with my kids ... I can kiss them and hug them, cuddle them ... I just wished that I could pass one of her kisses, cuddles on to her little boy right now ...

Wordless wednesday - Tips?

Any tips to put my new purchase to good use? ;)

Lifestyling tuesdays - yoga

Tomorrow I will be going to my weekly yogaclass. After recovering from my illness last year. I realized I had lots of stress-related problems. When I learned that through the brestcancers survivors group, we could sign up for yoga and relaxation ... well I didn't have to think twice!

Ok, I still have a long way to go, banning useless stress out of my life ... but I can highly recommend it to everyone! For now babystepping it and only doing exercices during class. But I soon hope to have a routine, where I can add a little yoga everyday! Anyone joining in? :)

Monday Flylady Blessings - swish and swipe

I'm happy to say that my laundry and me have made up last week. I'm quite happy! So I'm ready to ad a new babystep. My swish and swipe routine is in need of some brushing up! So ... I'm off to check if my supplies are in place! I'll ad a pic of my s&s toilet basket. I bought it when we moved back into our house two years ago after the renovation works on our house. It has blessed my S&S routines most of the times ... so a little fabulous making focus will get me going once again :)

This is a small perfume bottle/spray. I fill it up with a mixture of water and cleaning product.

This is my s&s basket. I have one in every toilet.

Sunday? Family fun! - Sea

Ooh I so enjoyed my trip. My batteries are recharged. Chatted for hours with my friends. Great food. Some me time... but completely exhausted. will ad pics and comments tomorrow!

VILLA

MARITZA :)

Ready to jump into adventures ...

Sigh ...

That's me during my early morning walk :)

Saturdays blessings - Trip to the coast/Visiting greatgrandma

This weekend I'm having a "mummy-break" :) I get to go to the coast with some friends. While DH takes the kids to my grandmother and will stay there for the weekend. Kids have been asking whole week now when they will be sleeping there .... wonder why ... could it be they get slightly spoiled there lol :)



So allthough we will be divided ... I guess we will all be blessed with a generous amount of fun. The Home will evidently be neglected :/ ... which reminds me (running off to reboot laundry just before leaving!) ... Ok ... now I can honostly say ... BUT I did take care of Mt Washmore :) and I will do some room rescueing if time permits me just before leaving! North Sea: here I come!



These videos were shot last year with the kids:

Foodies Friday - Mussels recipe

This is one of our typical Belgian dishes. It's also DH favourite ... and because it is his birthday monday, I want to surprise him! Mostly he will prepare them ... so I hope I will be up for the challenge. Here is the recipe ...

Ingredients

For 2:
- 2 Kg/4pounds mussels- 50 cl /2 cups dry white wine- 2 onions chopped in rings- garlic six cloves minced (optional)- 2 stalks leek chopped up- 4 stalks cellery chopped- pepper- olive oil or butter - four carrots chopped.

Preparation: Rinse mussels three times in cold water. Divide mussels in two pots/casseroles?. Divide veggies in two casseroles. Fruit onions and veggies in the two casseroles. Divide wine in the two casseroles. Ad the mussels and mix everything wit a spoon. Ad pepper. Put lid on. They will be ready when all mussels are open, about six minutes. We serve them in the casserole with french fries or bread.

Friday

Leftover Friday

Saturday&Sunday

Weekend with friends at the coast! Dh staying home with kids! They will be "fed" by my grandmother :)

Monday

Dh's birthday. Will make his favourite: fried cheese,clams (mussels) cooked with lots of greens and served with french fries, mousse au chocolat)

Tuesday

Grains, chicken, veggie mix cooked in tomato sauce

Wednesday

Spaghetti Bolognaise from freezer

Thursday

Potatos, fresh fish and lots of my green freezer veggies in ricotta sauce.

Toddlers thursdays - bedtime

I love bedtime. Not only mine, but also kid's bedtime :) ... We always have been blessed with our kids when it comes to an easy bed routine. Mostly they are quite happy to go upstairs for there evening story and most of the time they will go to bed without to much of a fuss ... but then there are those evenings ... and mostly they announce a period of days where sleeping isn't there primary concern ... sigh ... knowing that it will pass doesn't always ease the pain ... mostly ear pain lol.







But here is my survival guide:

• when I am more tired than the kids, I sleep in there room on the sofa



• taking one of them out of the bedroom for a time-out (mean while pray that the second one has fallen asleep)



• start putting away kids cloths in chests ... and making them stay quiet. (And pray they will fall asleep when they see that I'm not planning on letting them out of sight)



• reorganizing kids clothes (And pray ...)



• room-rescue kids room (And pray ...)



• begging dh to sleep on their couch ;)

I wouldn't advice ignoring late night parties in the bedroom ... last time I thought I had my fair share of late night parenting and thought that DH could take over 15m later when coming home ... they completely emptied out there closet, poured out their drinking water and emptied all toy bins :/ ... 15 m ... they really are miracle minutes :))

Wordless wednesday - 927

Breast Cancer Walk: 10k :)

Lifestyling tuesdays - Zumba Reel 2009

Just back fom my weekly gym session. And even our group can't escape this new zumba hype. Can you imagine a group of mostly 50+ women ... lol!

It's very hard but so much fun ... ! Never had such a great warm up lol ... but why do my hands and feet rebel against the moves? ;)