Starting 2015

First of all, I would love to wish you all a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year 2015. May all your hopes and wishes for this year come true!

2014 has passed, and I can proudly announce that I've been quite successful with my New Year's resolution. I'm sure there were less than 10 days in 2014 where I did not shave my legs, I call this a success.

This year, my New Year's resolution will be: getting fitter and healthier, meaning eating better, and excercising more.The only reason why this holiday wasn't a huge weight-gaining disaster for me was nursing our very hungry boy!

As to start out right, hubby joined me in the very popular 30Day Plank Challenge (wish me luck!!):

(Source)

2014 Is Here!

It's finally here. Last night's celebration was very nice. Violet, who's been a little under the weather the last few days, fell asleep around 9:30 and after waking up about a half hour later wanted to go to bed. Lily played all night with our friends' kids and properly enjoyed herself. The food was plenty and absolutely yummie. We listened to some music, had great conversation, and at midnight, we went on the balcony to burn our sparklers and watch the firework. Lily decided to stay in her room and watch the firework from there before joining us in the living room.

This morning we had a nice family breakfast with traditional New Year's pastries, and kept it quiet for the rest of the day. I slept for most of the afternoon on the couch cuddled up with Lily, while Violet enjoyed feeling better again. We had left-overs for dinner, called our families and made puzzles together before bath time.

So, since 2014 is here, what do I expect from this coming year? What do I hope for it? I wish for health for our family. I hope for finally some things to go right at the building site and a move by early spring. I hope for Richard to get his school and college transcripts soon and to get a good job. We are looking forward to Lily starting elementary school in fall and Violet starting year 2 in kindergarten. To watch the two of them grow, learn, have fun. I hope to have an overnight date with Richard sometime this year, or at least a few more "normal" dates with just the two of us. I am looking forward to time to spend with family, friends, and new people I hope to meet.

I hope to finally be able to organize better, to purge properly and finally have a tidy home. I want to cook better, eat better, dress better, and shave my legs every day. I want to be more patient, stop to breath more often, be kinder, more content, and less stressed. I want to see my days as gifts, every day, and make the best of them.

What are your resolutions for 2014?

Happy New Year, and may 2014 be the best it can be for you!

Good Bye 2013

Another year has passed, I can't believe how quick 2013 came and (anlmost) has gone. Joy at I Can Say Mama created this wonderful link-up to wrap up this passing your and welcome 2014

Gained or lost weight?
Both. I found out during a routine doctor's visit that I had gained about 3kg from the year before. Then the bronchitis let me lose a whole lot of weight. Now the weight is going up again due to holidays

Predominant feeling in 2013?
panicked; the house was sometimes just too much. There were panic attack, there were tears, there was the wish to just get out of everything.

Predominant feeling for 2014?
optimistic; some time this year we'll move. It will be a little sad, but also exciting. Moving into the home where we'll raise our family, that is our very own.

Something you did for the first time in 2013?
Broken a bone.

Something you did again in 2013 after a long pause?
Ride a bike.

Something you unfortunately did not do in 2013?
Move

Word of the year?
Why?  - little children, you know  :-)

City of the year?
Erlangen, my favorite town!

Hair longer or shorter?
longer

More or less money spent?
much, much more!

Highest mobile phone bill?
we only have pre-paid phones  :-)

Hospital stays?
No real stay, but one trip to the emergency room due to a pretty deep cut.

(Fallen) In love?
Every day  :-)

Most called person?
My friend Kathrin

Whom did you spend the most beautiful time with?
the family

What did you spend most of your time with?
Work, spending time with the family

Song of the year?
No clue  :-)

Book of the year?
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

TV show/movie of the year?
Doctor Who.

Insight of the year?
Life is easier if you keep your cool.

Three things you totally could have done without?
Incompetent architects, town officials dragging their feet, delays.

Most beautiful event?

More short-sighted or more far-sighted than 2013?
More short-sighted, as usual.

The most dangerous thing you did?
I don't usually do dangerous things. I' boring..

The most expensive thing you bought?
A house.

The most delicious meal or food you ate?
The special crock pot tomato sauce Richard makes. It's beyond delicious!! And since I've finally bought a crock pot again this year, I finally got to enjoy that goodness again

The best party?
The wedding we were invited for. So much fun getting to witness two people joining their lives because of love.

The most important thing you wanted to convince somebody of?
Not to be scared.

The most beautiful present you gave to somebody?


The most beautiful present that somebody gave you?
Diamond earrings from the hubby. And of course all the crafts from the girls.

The most beautiful sentence someone said to you?
I love you.

The most beautiful sentence you said to someone?
I love you.

How will you celebrate New Year's Eve?
With another family we are friends with. We have been celebrating together the last 2 years and will continue the tradition.

What will you have for dinner?
Chili and lots of finger-food

What drinks will be in your glasses to clink?
Champagne and orange juice

Will you ignite any fireworks?
Maybe, not sure yet.

What are you going to wear? Comfy or glamorous?
Comfy with a little bit of new-diamond-earrings-glamour

Did you have any resolutions for 2013? And how about 2014?
I made a little list of 25 things I want to do before turning 30, if that counts as resolution. Besides that, I usually don't do them, because I don't want to stress myself. My daily resolution is to make that day as good as possible.

What are your wishes for the new year?
Health for our family, a good, fulfilling job for Richard, happiness.

In one word: 2013 was...
... a challenge, but a rewarding one, with plenty of opportunities to learn and grow.


Thank you very much for coming up with this quiz, Joy! And a very Happy New Year to you!!

2013

Happy New Year everyone! I have been off the blogosphere for a couple of weeks due to visitors from the U.S. and the general sickness in our family afterward. I am still not 100% recovered but getting there in due time I'm sure.

Today, we have started in a new year together with good friends, food, and conversation. The firework was awesome and the girls couldn't have been better behaved, we really had a great evening; this morning we started with a family breakfast after what is considered sleeping in for the girls, followed by Toy Story 2 and playing Mr. Potato Head afterward. I feel very lucky and grateful having such a wonderful and supportive family.

On the other hand, we are starting this new year with the realization, that things will not be the way we expected when we decided to move to Germany 3 years ago. Don't understand me wrong, we are very happy with the life we have built for ourselves. I am thankful for the job I have, the benefits we receive, our home, the new friendships we built, etc. But one of the big things I was looking forward to was, that the girls would grow up with an extended family as I did: caring grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. This was the ideal for me, and I was excited that the girls would be able to share this experience. Well, today I stand once again corrected. I had to learn again that blood family cannot be relied upon. There were two decisive events in the past three weeks that proofed that more than anything. I have made excuses and tried to understand for too long, but that will stop now. I am finally at the point where I know that the fight for acceptance and acknowledgment is futile and that I will no longer waste any energy towards it. We four only need each other, and the family we have built over time. And even though it is sad that the girls are obviously loved more by their "adopted" grandparents than their blood ones, we are thankful that we have all those wonderful people in our lives who love those girls as if they were their own blood. And it is comforting for us to know that no physical distance will ever change the lasting bond we have formed. We love you all and consider ourselves happy to have you in our lives!

Our plans for 2013: Build a house and move; find a way to visit with our family in WA and NM; spend more quality time with the girls; spend more time outside; be happy.

Updates 2011

It's been a while since I've written on here. A good 3 months to be exact. To be honest, I missed it, and there are so many things floating around my brain at times that will hopefully have the chance to come out bit by bit. I stopped writing last year because I was seriously burned out; oftentimes it was the choice between sleep and writing, then I was at a point where it wasn't much of a choice any more. Working 40+ hours a week and still being a hands-on mom to two little girl, a wife, daughter, sister, and friend just took a lot out of me. But my desire to write has become stronger and stronger, and here I am.

What has changed since last year over here? I got my contract with Siemens and due to the better salary and more time off (how do 30 days sound?), we'll be able to treat ourselves to a trip to the States in March/April and spend Violet's first birthday with her Grandma Cat. We celebrated an awesome Thanksgiving (late, since everyone had to work on Thursday) with family and friends; during our 4 years in the US, Thanksgiving has almost become my favorite holiday, because it focuses more on spending time with each other than consumerism. And of course I have this special memories of my first Thanksgiving celebration with a special young man and turkey stir fry back in 2005 :-) The Yule holiday was finally as picturesque as could be. We had tons of snow, which "forced" us to stay home for Christmas Day instead of visiting my family; Lily decided to make up for it with a spontaneous trip to the playground, facing down thigh-high snow and a somewhat hesitant and snotty Mami. New Years.. Well, what shall I say? We slept through it. I remember thinking: "That's not normal" when a former student once told me that she and her family had slept through the night at New Year's Eve, and here we are. But to be honest, there are so many New Year's Eves to come, and sleep was just more important at that point.

During this last months I managed to reconnect with some old friends and make some new ones, start and complete some projects, laugh, cry, and pick myself up again. It's not always easy managing everything, but seeing the love in my girls' eyes makes up for everything. Right now, Miss Violet is starting to walk and Lily is getting ready for starting kindergarten next Tuesday. I can't believe how fast time flies and would give a lot for it to just stop for a while, but then again I can't wait what each new day brings. And while reflecting on this past year I can't wait for what this new year, which is almost a month old already, brings (hopefully less change than last year!). A belated "Happy New Year" to all of you!