shhhhh

The sudden quiet in the house is palpable and welcome. Just seconds ago we had music going, Greg complaining, my in laws talking and the cacophony of noise simply invaded every fibre of my being.

Gregory was taken for a ride with his grandparents while I erm..finish cleaning the house and Dave finishes some home improvements upstairs (i.e finally installs the gates properly on our stairs). We also started dismantling the Christmas decorations and have left only baby Jesus in his crib on our sideboard. The house during Christmas felt like it was cluttered with the many bits and pieces around. And since you might remember me saying that I intend to make my house a home finally, this is where I start doing so!

I already have 3 boxes filled with stuff that I will put up on a garage sale me, my sister & mother decided to organise. There will be more by the end my purging is over LOL but it feels good and the house already feels lighter :)

I can't wait for the new year to start, for me a new year always feels like a new beginning.......ok no I should go and finish my cleaning before little pup shows back up again!

thankful joy

This morning I watched my son playing happily on the roof and was filled with thankfulness and joy.....his smile and laugh and his serious blabbing with anything that catches his attention made me see the beauty and perfectness of a growing life.

Now, I just felt as joyful and thankful....Greg is slepping happily on me-secure that I am there when he wakes. My husband is near playing his video game and me am here writing away. It's so nice being together even if in our seperate worlds. Enjoying a different but simple family moment and knowing that it will stay warm and sweet with me for as long as my memory takes.

I have no other wish but to hold my family near, finding that perfect balance and savour our moments together!

christmas week pictures

christmas menu recipes

Asparagus gratin ( for 4 people)

12 asparagus

6 pcs roast ham cut in half

3 oz cheddar

2 tsp mustard

1 1/2 oz plain flour

15 fl oz milk

breadcrumbs

flaked almonds

Preheat oven. Peel the asparagus and cook in boiling water for 4 mins. Now in a dish place the asparagus rolled in the ham. In a pan melt butter add flour stirring, milk , mustard and cheddar. Stir 2 more mins and place on top of the asparagus. Sprinkle bread crumbs and flaked almonds and bake till golden.

Roast Chicken

1.5 kg chicken

8 fl oz white wine

1/2 oz butter

8 fl oz chicken stock

for the stuffing: 1 oz butter

2 celery sticks finely chopped

1/2 tsp dried taragon

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tsp grated lemon rind

4 oz bread crumbs

1 onion finely chopped

Preheat oven 180 degrees celcius, in a pan melt 1 oz butter and cook onion till soft combine with it the herbs, rind, breadcrumbs and spoon into neck cavity. Place the chicken in a flameproof dish add the wine, stock & extra butter and cook for approx 1 and a half hours or till skewer comes out clear, basting frequently.

Rosemary potatoes

1 kg small old potatoes

5 springs rosemary

olive oil

sea salt & pepper

Preheat oven, peel potatoes and make deep diagonal cuts almost cutting right through. Strip rosemary from stalks and chop them. Place potatoes in a roasting tine sprinkle the roasemary, salt & pepper and olive oil abd bake approx 1 and a half hour or till golden brown and cooked through.

Braised Red Cabbage with apples

900 gr red cabbage

450 gr apples peeled, cored and chopped small

450 gr onions chopped small

1 clove garlic chopped small

1/4 whole nutmeg grated

1/2 tsp ground cinammon & ground cloves

3 tbs brown sugar

3 tbs white wine vinegar

10 gr butter

Preheat oven, cut cabbage in quarter and remove hard stalk and shred rest of cabbage. Next arrange a layer of cabage, chopped apples, onion, garlic and mixed spices and carry on till casserole is full. Add the vinegar and butter on top and cook very slowly for 1 and a half hours stirring around twice while cooking.

Spiced cheesecake

4 eggs

200 gr spiced biscuits

750 gr rikotta cheese

200 gr whipped cream

150 gr caster sugar

100 gr butter

vanilla essence

Crush biscuits & combine with melted butter. Line base of a hinged cake tin with buttered baking paper & pour mixture in it and leave in fridge. Blend cheese in blender and add sugar plus essence. Seperate eggs, blend yolks with cream add to cheese. beat the whitrs of 2 eggs only till soft peaks form add to cheese and pour into cake tin. Bake approx 1 hr or till firm.

hope you enjoy doing them and eating them just as much as I did.

memories in the making

I did 3 days of cooking and baking and enjoyed it! was meant to take pics of all to show you in pics all about it.....but forgot. However, our Christmas Eve dinner party was I believe a success and the food if I may say so myself came delicious. Here is my menu and how I planned the event....

Planning: essential for this type of thing! First I found someone who could care for my sweet little pup.....Although generally speaking he is quiet, to spend 3 days inside and to be exact in the kitchen would have been too much for him! So I left him with MIL every morning while I cooked.
Next, I baked some goodies for my guests on Mon morning, baked the desserts on Tues morning and cooked the chicken on Wed morning. Thursday, afternoon I than did the veggies (potatoes & braised cabbage) and just before ppl started arriving put the entree to cook!

Menu:

Asparagus gratin

Slovak soup ( provided by my cousins)

Roast chicken with roast potatoes & braised red cabbage

Spiced cheese cake & chocolate pudding

all recipes will be posted up next!

Christmas day was spent with Dave's parents and visiting my grandparents were I also met most of the family there. It was a nice first Christmas with our baby boy who ain't so baby anymore! We didn't take any pics really but will also post some random pics of the week soon!

Christmas Eve Greetings!

I made it!

Yesterday I finished all my preperations for tonights' celebration with our friends. All that remains is some last minute things plus making myself pretty ha!

I will take some pics later and post them so that you can have a peek at my house. It's satisfying even if tiring to do everything without too much stress and knowing that is well and the night will be a success :) Also my cold is nearly history which is even better!

I wish you all a great Christmas tomorrow.....remember that this feast celebrates the birth of our God and the beginning of the new testament and isn't about the presents and food and drink :) but its a celebration none the less that equals also such. But keeping in mind the real value of Christmas is important!

be right back

I will probably have no time to blog this week.....just so ya know I haven't forgotten you :)

But don't worry I have some recipes to put down for you people and more news to write....that is once the christmas rush is over!

I wish you all a happy Christmas

Hugs and blessings

What are your resolutions or the coming year?

I don't usually make any new year resolutions to be quite honest. However, this year its going to be an exception :) I was doing an article for the mamascircle site and have read a couple of articles this week that made me realise that I truly need to focus on my relationship with hubby!

So my first resolution is that me & Dave spend real quality time together. And my second is a continuation of the first and that is to communicate more as sometimes we lack that!

That is what is on my mind for next year....the rest, can all wait and well usually it finds its way when the timing is good :) so I needn't worry!

How about you? are you doing any resolutions and what are they?

fear and surrender

Sometimes I realise that even now at the age of 28 I still try to make myself accepted. That I still feel out of place when I meet up with the girls. I fear the rejection and yet don't know how to get to be accepted. I laugh with them and talk but ultimately I don't feel one of them.

When I meet with my old schoolmates, I still feel like I am the odd one out. I realise how many things happened that I was never aware of .... was never asked to participate in. It hurts!

This fear has been with me since secondary school and although I tried to change many a time I never managed much. I realise that what I have to do is surrender.....accept that I am me an individual who doesn't compromise her true self to be liked and if I stop trying, eventually some amazing friends will emerge.

Now all I have to do is actually surrender but the ego is strong and not easily persuaded! In the meantime, I will continue with my refuge- the internet- which seems to provide with a lot of interesting characters and is much easier to befriend.....

In love with life

I hadn't realised how tensed and upstrung I was before I walked out that door to take my puppy to the swings near us. So I let the cold wind work its magic - I felt at peace and inspired!

I walked to the swings near our house

The sky was grey and the air was cold

The wind was whispering through the leaves

Caressing my skin, unwinding tired me

I sat on a bench looking at my lovely son

Playing by the pond, oblivious of the cold air

It felt so good being out with the wind

Roaming the garden with its murmuring meanders

My feet touched ground, I felt alive

My body relaxed, I smiled and exhaled

He looked at me joyous and carefree

Intently trying to walk on his two feet

I scooped him slowly in my arms

Kissed him gently on his left cheek

Sat him back in the stroller

And ambled contentedly to our sweet home

It felt so good and am so happy. I hope your day is as blessed as mine!

blog hop sunday

I have been touched by Pagan Culture - thank you Magaly! If you've never been there you should have a look. This witch really rocks :) through Magaly I have learned a lot on paganism which basically has made me question my religious beliefs and made me realise the important things in life. I am still learning about my religion so its a still works in progress!

Also today I am blog posting at Always Carried Away. This is great blog that uplifts my spirits every time I have a look. Her posts are about love and beauty and the pictures she posts are simply wonderful! I hope you have a great birthday this week my dear!



Do have a look at these two blogs I am sure you will enjoy them just as much as I do!

more pics!

Since Marie requested more pics :) here they are all taken last Sunday! hope you have a great weekend!

with mummy

with daddy


with nanna

at buskett

at buskett

fragments on a friday

Its already the weekend and I hardly blogged or used the net this week. It also seems like suddenly Christmas is here and I feel I am way behind for the Christmas eve dinner preparations.

I need to refocus thats for sure! the problem? I don't know seems like I am once more stuck in a rut. Actually no not that - a lot of things that i need to do and simply cant seem to do any....

Now a question to the mothers: Greg who is now nearly 11 months ain't eating properly (or maybe what we deem properly) can some one let me know how their child ate/ eats at this age? thanks in advance!

In the meantime coz my week was very boring and have nothing else to really add I will wish you a great weekend and will pray to have more time and news to write about!

guilty!

Here I am, a mum, that suddenly, her patience cracked and I started shouting and ranting and screaming at my child. A child who looked at me totally uncomprehending and finally dissolved into uncontrolable tears which in turn, evaporated my anger and filled me with guilt!

Guilt that instead of breathing to calm myself out as I know I should do in these situations, just let anger take over at a click simply coz my son was wriggly and I wanted to put his pjs on. My son who was actually starting to feel tired by than so was whiny. The one that smiles and hugs me as if there will be no other day.... but I was tired, we had a long day and I just wanted to relax and in the end I simply flipped.

I know I am not the first one and that it happens coz we are human! But I still wonder about that mama guilt for flipping.....guess there is only one reason for that guilt...we know that they can't help themselves and don't truly comprehend but we, we do! and whether we are tired or not, we are still their parents to take care of them and we should be emphatic and patient. But sometimes, we don't manage and so we have to deal with the guilt!

memorable moments

This is how Greg welcomed his daddy when he arrived home from work!

And before that, he climbed the sofa by himself and took this pose to watch TV :)

Its the weekend and the decorations are up, the presents wrapped and the crib in place..... Greg of course is trying to destroy all LOL!

The weather is horrible...raining and raining since yesterday. Though we did a lot of thijngs at home and felt happy one day is more than enough I guess and with pup trying to mantle down both Christmas tree and crib, looks like it will be a long day!

Looking forward to tonight, meeting some friends, enjoy some wine!

Letter to santa claus

Following mamakat's prompt this week, I was meant to write a letter to Father Christmas...however, didn't have the time and right now I am on a quick reprieve and thought of jotting down a few lines :) plus a quick letter!



Greg is much better but wants a lot my attention - hence no blogging!- was feeling quite tensed and my low on energy and impatient recently. Yesterday at yoga we tried a new posture upon my request and she said that it helps to get you sharp and energized. Anyhow, realised that the past week I didn't do yoga apart in a class so this afternoon on Greg's long nap of 2 hrs I did yoga and man it made such a difference....felt relaxed, calm and recharged again :) so yes I can reconfirm to myself that yoga does help!



So a letter to Santa Claus would have been something like this:



Hi,



It's Christmas again and really I don't need much.... but you know what I have been thinking? When me and Dave decide to try for a 2nd child, can you somehow make sure that this time its a girl? I don't know I didn't quite mind what it was first time round but now that I got my boy, I wish a beauty girl :) it would round my life perfectly! So Santa you know my wish and it doesnt cost you any money!!!



Melissa



What do you guys think of that huh?

wordless wednesday