Week In Review - Ten Things Of Thankful (95)

I'm the queen of procrastination. So instead of writing about taxes and taxation right now, I'm being thankful for so, so many things last week, since indeed it was a wonderful week!

1. Spring having arrived. Once again. While we were still scratching ice off the windshield earlier this week, I actually got carried away when the temperatures rose to balmy 70 degrees on Friday and bought a swim diaper for Calvin.

(c) Life, Unexpectedly

2. Our driveway being DONE!  I bet Clark will call for pictures again, and I was definitely thinking about him as I watched the workers laying the bricks. There will be pictures, I promise, but I have to admit, there aren't any yet.

3. Getting to celebrate 9 years of marriage to my wonderful, wonderful husband. I wonder how many people placed a bet we would not even see our first anniversary, given the shotgun wedding we had not quite 5 months after meeting each other. But we both simply knew in our hearts that we belonged together. Happy Anniversary, my love! I a looking forward to many, many more years together!

4. The girls loving to spend time outside. Even though the backyard is little more than a mud pit (actually, it is exactly that, although dried up at the moment), they spend hours there every day playing with the neighbors' kids and returning as dirty as they can be, and equally happy.

5. Calvin's 8-month birthday today. I can't believe that it's been 8 months since we brought this beautiful little boy home. He's been the source of joy and severe sleep deprivation, but if we know anything in the haze that's our brain right now, then it's how much we love this amazing little guy and his equally amazing sisters!

6. The person who turned in my wallet that I had forgotten in the shopping cart (thanks, mommy-brain) at the store on Friday. All the cash was still where it was, and everything else as well.

7. Violet having a bunch of wonderful friends, who helped making her 5th birthday party very, very special!

(c) Life, Unexpectedly

8. Our house not being trashed after said party. I really have to say, those 5 and 6-year olds were really well-behaved, picked up after themselves, ate as if they were starving, and tried to maintain an inside-voice. The birthday with the 7-year old was much, much more stressful!

9. A playground we can see from our house, and two children who are now about old enough to go to the playground by themselves - at least for an hour or so while I do some cleaning around the house.

10. Having just generally awesome neighbors. We have a pretty good mix of older and younger people, and all of them just enjoy having a community of neighbors to chat with, to support each other, kids to play with for our kids. We are really lucky and happy to live here, even though we still miss our old neighbors who have become quite close friends.


What are you thankful for this week?

Week In Review - Ten Things Of Thankful (94)

I'm late and the link-up is closed. Life happened (and I'm happy it did), so I simply could not find the time to write my thankfuls for last week on time, but still I feel the need to write them anyway. Tonight, after a few very, very busy days, I finally have the time to sit down and ponder over last week, the good things, the not so good things, what I've learned, and that after all is said and done, I'm thankful for everything!

Last weeks thankfuls:

1. Having an awesome neighbor who gives me a lift to work every day. I asked her if I could hitch a ride with her for the month of March, as I missed to re-apply for my bus pass on time and buying individual tickets both ways would have been immensely expensive. Since Wednesday, I have an active monthly bus pass again, but my kind neighbor still offered to give me a ride to work (we work at the same building) so I can sleep an extra 30 minutes every morning!

2. Getting an email from the wonderful Ivy that my gift to thank her for the beautiful necklace and charms she had made for me has finally arrived. And she likes it, which makes it even better!!

3. Spring break. Lily has two weeks off from school over the spring holidays, which means no afternoon class on Monday, and all other appointments and activities for both girls are also canceled due to the holidays. We as a family definitely enjoy the free time that's opening up!

4. Get-togethers with friends. I spent two afternoons this week meeting friends of mine. It felt so good catching up!

5. Open conversations with hubby. I am so, so thankful that we can talk openly and on eye-level about our feelings, our fears, our emotions.

6. Watching Calvin around other kids his age. Last time I met my friend and her now 9-month old daughter, Calvin was only a few weeks old, and both babies were lying on their blanket without any interest in each other or the toys (of course). Now, they were playing so nicely, even though it took Calvin quite some time warming up to the two girls who were at the play group. Is he going to be a shy one??

7. My boss being flexible and allowing me to switch some days around so I could both work an extra day last week to attend a department meeting and take an extra day off when our friend from the U.S. is coming for a visit later this month!

8. Lily learning the benefits of being always honest. We've had some issues about telling the truth recently, and it was extremely frustrating. In the past, I always knew that I could trust Lily unconditionally; if she said something, I knew that it was true; but due to her lying to me (and being caught lying) a few times in the last months, sadly this deep trust is gone. But it seems that talking to her about how it is important to always tell the truth and that she would never get into as much troubles for admitting to having done something than if she's lying to me about it. The trust is definitely coming back, and I am so, so glad about it.

9. A washing machine. Seeing the piles of laundry a family of 5 produces and the state of said laundry after certain two girls return from their play in the backyard caked with mud (and absolutely happy, which makes me absolutely happy), I'm so glad that I don't have to handwash!!

10. Most importantly: Getting to celebrate Violet's 5th birthday. She has grown to be such a wonderful, caring, sensitive person over these years, thinking about others first and making sure that everyone is taken care of. In the face of her challenges, she's always brave and positive and never complains a single time. It is such an honor to be your Mami, my sweet, beautiful, lovely girl! We all love you beyond words!

What are your thankfuls for last week?

Funny Things Children Say And Do

It is so funny to be around children sometimes (or most of the time). This is why:

I try a new recipe, chili loaded baked potatoes.  Lily eats a little bit and then puts down her fork.
Me: Lily, do you not like it??
Lily: Mami, I KNOW you've tried hard....
Thanks, love!!


When Calvin was only a few weeks old, I pick up Violet from kindergarten, carrying Calvin in my Moby wrap.
Violet's little friend to her mom: Mommy, Violet's mom stuffed the baby back in her tummy!!!!!


Me doing chores around the house with a white clay facial mask on.
Violet (startles a little as she sees me): Mami, you look beautiful!
Me: Violet, don't lie to me!
Violet (starts grinning): Ok, just kidding, Mami, you look ABSOLUTELY ridiculous!!!!
Thanks for your honesty, Sweetie!  :-)


Telling Violet that she's going to get a little brother.
Violet: But I don't WANT to be a big brother!!!!!
After explaining to her that she'll always be a sister, she was fine about getting a brother.


Lily and I talking general stuff.
Lily: Mami, on which planet do zombies live???
Very random, but alright..


With which gems do the kids around you enrich your life??

Week In Review - Ten Things Of Thankful (93)

Today was a crappy day, weatherwise. But still, we could see the first tulips bloom. Can't wait for more sunshine again and the spring to arrive for good!

This week's thankfuls:

1. My poor, poor musical upbringing. My mom's firm control over the stereo plus my late birth ensured that I missed out on so many awesome performers and great music that I get to explore now!

2. Selling my entire box of clothes Calvin has already outgrown. Our neighbor's daughter is having a boy in May, and the grandma-to-be was just so enthralled by all the little outfits. It's absolutely bittersweet for me, but it's also good to see all those things go to a good new home and adorn a brand-new baby boy soon!

3. My new relationship with my sister. Before the big blow-up a few years ago, whenever we met we had a constant sub-conscious competition going on; after spending an afternoon together, I felt incredibly drained and tired. Now, this has all changed. I am actually looking forward to meeting with her, all competition is gone, and I truly enjoy spending time with her again.

4. Another Sunday with our proven formula 1 afternoon / 2 families / 3 courses. It's always so much fun sharing a delicious meal and wonderful conversation with our great friends!

5. Breakfast and a shopping trip with my great friend. I felt stressed with my list of things I had to accomplish, but she managed to calm me down and we did everything that was really important.

6. Violet having tons of fun at her swim class, is losing her fear in the water and actually managed to make a few strokes all by herself on Friday.

7. Some nice afternoons this week. I could pick up Lily from her afternoon ethics class, take the kids to a few trips to the playground, enjoy the sun shining on my desk at work.

8. Getting to look into Calvin's smiling face in the morning.

9. Taking a step back and making the gift of sleep to myself. On all the evenings before my office days, I managed to get to bed before 10pm and get a somewhat decent night's sleep. Nothing feels better than being rested!

10. Being for once on top of planning Violet's birthday party. The party supplies and the gifts are ordered, the guest list drawn up, the invitations about to be printed. No last-minute, panic-induced organization this time around!

What are you thankful for in the last week!!

Influential Women

The magazines are full of women who, whether we want it or not, influence our lives. By sheer exposure, it is suggested to us that their way of living, their bodies, the point of view is desirable. So, let's check out current covers of the three most popular US tabloid magazines, those we cannot avoid because they are staring at us at every checkout lane, every gas station and in the nail or hair parlor:

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Seriously, apart from their personal stories or challenges, which one of these women serves as a positive role model? Which one of them do we want to be influential? Who of you wants their children model themselves after them?

Quite honestly, I don't think that any of them is a positive role model, and none of them should be as influential as the media makes them. There are many, many more women in this world who should get the exposure those celebrities get, to provide positive images of women in this world, to empower all women, and to have someone our children can look up to.

Here are a few women who are and truly deserve to be influential:

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Malala Yousafzai, a young Pakistani woman who fought for girls' right to an education from her earliest teenage years on. Despite being shot in the head by Taliban extremists to silence her forever, she survived and keeps fighting. For her activism she earned the earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.

What Malala teaches us: Courage to the point that not even threats to her life will silence her.

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Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany's first female head of government,, ruling Europe's strongest economy (which by itself is no. 4 in the world) since November 2005. She's a scientist by profession (she holds a PhD in physics), who dared to show up at the Wagner Opera Festival in the same dress two years in a row.

What Chancellor Merkel teaches us: it's not necessarily the looks but resilience and a brilliant mind that makes us successful. Stand up for yourself, no matter who you are up against, and always follow your goals.

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Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space. Working as a assembly line worker at a textile company and parachuting in her free time, she was selected from among over 400 applicants. In 1963, after months of extremely extensive training, she spent 3 days orbiting Earth in the Vostok 6. After her flight, she went on to study engineering and earned her doctorate in 1977.

What Valentina Tereshkova teaches us: No matter where you come from, not even the sky is your limit with the right amount of commitment, hard work, and even luck.

Who do you think is or should be an influential woman?


This post is part of the Strong and Influential Sisterhood project.

Week In Review - Ten Things Of Thankful (92)

This past week just flew by. Obviously I'm firmly back into the new routine. Calvin is getting used to spending a lot more time with Daddy, and he even started asking for him when we're out and he realizes that Daddy's not there (today, at the store: "Dadda??"). My work days just flew by, so did my days at home, and the blisters from my work heels still hurt  :-)

This weeks ten special thankfuls:

1. Beautiful spring weather. The girls have been out playing almost every day, Calvin got to break in his new spring jacket, and I realized that my wardrobe is painfully missing some pastels  :-)

2. Flowers and budding trees all around. This just makes me so, so happy every year!

3. Something very special and beautiful arriving in the mail. Thank you so, so much, Ivy!!!

(c) Life, Unexpectedly

4. Hubby's block of classes is drawing to an end, which means a good week without schoolwork. Yay!

5. A beautiful South African Shiraz to relax with at the end of the day.

6. My husband being incredibly sweet and ordering me the third season of Downton Abbey. I love this show, and have been inexcusably behind on my watching. So I'm sitting here, with my Shiraz, watching the drama unfurl.

7. Having remembered some disciplin and having caught up on laundry. And not just the washing and drying, but also the folding and putting away, which seems to be the harder tasks, it seems..

8. Lily having tons of fun at the Winterwald-Lauf (Winter Forest Race) with her friend. She improved her time from last year by over half a minute, the weather was beautiful (no sign of winter left, even though the race suggests such), and it was an overall fun time!

9. Calvin having a friend over for a playdate Friday morning. We moms had coffee and chatted while the little ones played, took toys away from each other, patted faces and held hands.  So excited to watch Linda and Calvin grow up with each other and be friends!

10. Violet bringing home a beautiful paper flower from kindergarten that she had made all by herself. I'm absolutely thrilled watching her progress so much these days while staying this happy, cheerful girl she's always been.


What are you thankful for this week??

Calvin's Seventh Month

Our baby is growing up; it's becoming more and more obvious every day. Soon, he will stop being a baby and turn into a toddler, with nothing stopping him exploring the world beyond his vantage point on Daddy's or Mami's arm.

Early morning explorations (c) Life, Unexpectedly

His current stats:
Height: He's just over 28 inches tall now. Can't believe it!
Weight: I thought he'd be close to 20lbs, but he's 18lbs and 12oz. Still, no need to go to the gym if one totes this baby all day long!
Clothes size: 9 months, with some 12-months onesies thrown in.
Number of teeth: Still just tons of drooling and chewing on everthing, but no tooth in sight.
Biggest Milestone: He's been eating more foods; when I cook at night, I cook a little separate for him and puree it, so he eats basically whatever we eat as well. He's getting up on all fours and started to even get up on his feet on his 7-months birthday. He also stands up when I hold his hands.
Favorite food: still mommy's milk, but his favorite solid food by far is banana.
Favorite toy: A rattle my friend got him. He can roll it ahead and then follow it. And the crinkly book he inherited from Lily and Violet!
Favorite book: The big board books; they are perfect to teeth on!
Favorite outfit / piece of clothing: He still doesn't really care, and probably won't for a while, so it's my choice, and I absolutely love this mustache onesie his grandparents sent him. Absolutely cute!

Likes: exploring the living room rolling around and robbing forward; playing with his sisters; singing and being silly;
Dislikes: the sun shining in his eyes when out and about in the stroller; listening to a bunch of elementary-schoolers screeching and yelling during dance class; having his accessories to mischief removed from his reach.

Calvin at 7 months old (c) Life, Unexpectedly