New Quilt Store Opening in Israel - Cuteness on a bolt!!!

I am just days away from opening my fabric store. There are not many places in Israel where you can find good quilting-quality cotton and most of them are not for kids and babies. But this is about to change... Check it out: www.sewadorable.co.il and www.facebook.com/sewadorablefabrics

Mamatography - Week 5

The big trip... we went to the Red Sea for a few days. Here is the story in pictures:

Day 1: Ready or not, here we come. Miss C got a new car seat before we left which we marketed a bit (too much I guess) as a princess seat, since she insisted on crown, veil and wand... :) We stopped at a beautiful Alpaca farm on the way, where C got to actually ride one. She got a little scared and so we took a walk with this beautiful animal.

 

Day 2: Beach. I was looking forward for years to swimm with the dolphins and I finally did. Actually I snorkeled with them. It was unbelievable. C and E had to stay on the beach and when I left (after I explained what is about to happen) C got very upset and woke up E. It was very hard to hear them cry, but I had booked it and it truely was the first thing I did for myself in years. I knew they were well taken care off and safe with their grandparents, so I went. Afterwards, everyone was happy again and we had so unhealthy snacks.

 



Day 3: Aquarium. It was raining and nasty so we went to the aquarium. But after the storm, the view from the hotel is beautiful (my father-in-law took this one with his iPod). You can see Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia from here... not on this picture but in actuality.

Day 4: I did not take a picture that day. I was very pre-occupied with thoughts about a little girl that passed away in the community that we left before we moved here. You can read her story here. http://ayeletgalena.tumblr.com/

Day 5: Driving back home. Baby got a high fever that day and a 4 hour drive took us more than 8 hours with all the stops. It was terrible, because she was crying so much and all I wanted to do was take her out of her car seat. Thank G-d my husband does not elt me do that when my emotions take over. However, when we were about half way a camel crossed our road.

  

Day 6: Finally home. We take baby to the doctor and she still has an ear infection but the fever broke. We make some yummy food and prepare for Shabbat. And we finally have our first tooth after months of teething!!!!!!!

Day 7: Shabbat. The day of rest. We love our day together. Lots of cuddles, walks, games. No TV, phone, computer or other distractions. But good food, naps and seeing friends. After Havdallah and before bedtime, the kids cuddle a bit and it was just too cute for words.

see you all next week....

Mamatography - Week 4

Day 1: A storm is brewing over the ocean. After lunch with the grandparents we wanted to go for a quick walk on the marina and we almost got blown away. I could not believe how quickly this storm would turn into a dangerous situation until it almost picked me up and threw me against a wall. Luckily, we made it inside very quickly. Our garden is growing very nicely with all the rain.

Day 2: Mess and more mess - or how I learned since I have children. The wife of my Rabbi has a print out on her frigde: Excuse the mess, I was busy playing with my children. Well, obvioulsely I was very busy... playing and not cleaning. :)



Day 3: Miss E pulls up into standing with help and loves it. She is now almsot 9 months, not really crawling but army robbing slowly.

Day 4: And Miss C asked for pancakes for breakfast so I made a lot knowing the grandparents would come over later also to eat breakfast with us. The waffeles make a great snack for baby-led weaning babies.

Here is the recipe:

150gr white flour, 150 gr wholewheat flour, 2tbsp brown sugar, 4 large eggs, vanilla extract and milk until it makes a smooth batter. Fry as pancakes or in a waffle pan. The waffles can be frozen and reheated in the toaster.
 

Day 5: Miss C asked me to take a picture of her and I took very nice ones of her smiling but nthen she got distracted by stuff on the ground that we then examined together.

Day 6: I am making a surprise for C for our car ride next week. I holds crayons, pens, a sketch block and her favourite Hello Kitty Pen.

Day 7: C is sick. She had a fever all day. We are not sure if we can go on our little vacation now.

Mamatography - Week 3

I have a confession to make. When I signed up for the challenge I was hoping I would get past the first three weeks, but I was not sure. I love my Cozi app on my phone and during my pregnancy I used to keep a journal every week. But since E was born I hardly wrote anything. But this is so much fun! Especially since I know I will share with this special group of mommies around the world and I love all of your pics. So, please keep them coming. So, here we go:

Day 1 - Looking through my sewing patterns. I finally feel well enough again after 8 months of bulging disk, sciatica and hip bursitis to THINK about sewing again. E helps me get some ideas. After I took the folder away and distracted her, she pulled herself up on the mattress.

Day 2 - Healthy Snacking. I am proud that I am still nursing my baby after all the pain I went through. I always made sure, to take safe meds for her and she keeps me going to do all my exercises and acupuncture etc so I don't need surgery. C made herself her first sandwich. Two warm wholewheat pitot with butter. The butter melted and it was a mess but who cares she was proud of it.

 

Day 3: I did sew something. :) I made two very quick peasant dress and top for the girls with this beautiful fabric from Riley Blake, who I adore, and a pattern by Leila & Ben. I am a Pinterest addict and I have a huge stack of projects lined up once I feel like myself again! And just BTW: WE HAVE A CRAWLING BABY!!!!!

 

Day 4: We went to visit our dairy farm. This is one of the farms that makes our milk and dairy products. But they also have sheep, goats, chickens, buffaloes, etc. Its a small family-run farm and the farmer Miri explains us how everything works.

Day 5: Enjoy some coffee after physical therapy. We have to drive about 30min one way to this really good physical therapist so afterwards we go to a coffee place to get some good food and enjoy a cappuccino. Daddy took this picture and I really like it (I am usually not in pictures because I really don't like to be photographed and now I am posting two of myself this week :)).

Day 6: Pancakes and Waffles for breakfast. Its the start of the weekend and I made waffles and pancakes for breakfast. Both kids were up before 5:30am so why not... Here is my recipe:

150gr of white flour

150gr of wholewheat flour

2 tbsp of brown sugar

4 eggs (we use organic or DHA-fortified)

milk until it makes a smooth easy to stir batter

Mix well. Use a little olive oil spray to make the pancakes. Serve with fruit, cottage cheese, nutella and peanut butter or whatever else you fancy.

Day 7; After a long rainy day, everyone cuddles up on the couch to read a book. Tonight: The Bear Feels Sick.



Mamatography - Week 2

Hello again, I had a lot of fun this week capturing all those memories... so, without further redo:

Day 1 - Dropping C off in kindergarden. She made some great friend, but this one is extra special. Hugs and kissess. BTW: The skirt she is wearing was one of my first sewing projects.

Day 2 - I need to clean up the kids room. Half of her books are missing... :) But I have spent my time otherwise - e.g., making wholewheat waffles and caramelized apples for E's lunch. She loves them!

 Day 3 - Our garden is growing. Here our rocket leaves.

Day 4 - Mommy is having a rough time with her back, so after she finishes nursing she is being handed off to daddy to put her in her bed for a nap. 

Day 5 - Grandparents are visiting this month. E is still a little shy due to stranger anxiety. We bought this 5lb of French Sour Dough because it would ge really well with the Orange Veggie Soup I made for dinner.

 

Day 6 - We see good friends off to the airport. We have virtually known them for 3 years and became good friends. This is the first time we meet them face to face and we are all sad that it was way too short!

Day 7 - Goodbye Shabbat. Hello new week. C helps to make Havdalah after a very rainy indoors Shabbat where everyone got a bit of cabin fever.

Mamatography - First days of 2012

Here, we go. I initially wanted to do this with my iPhone but the first pictures are rather blurry. We will see how I continue. Enjoy.

Day 1 - Before driving home from Kindergarden, C climbs now in her seat by herself and takes a de-tour to switch on the light. Small things that can make a child so happy.

Day 2 - Grocery Shopping. I love the organic / natural section of our local super market. Its huge and has so mcuh selection.
If I now only could stick to my meal plan... or budget. :(

C has fun with some Montesorri inspired activitiies. She is happy dry-pouring split peas that I make as a soup for dinner. Later, during bedtime, the two sisters enjoy some cuddles. They love eachother so much!

Day 3 - Potting bulbs for our balcony garden. C puts bulbs in the prepared soil that my husband poured into an outgrown bathtub and a broken storage container. Hopefully soon we will have some nice flowers.

Day 4 - Finally, I found a way to make C eat chicken at home. I put it on a stick and call it chicken popsicle.

Day 5 - Making sense of the world. My baby E is going through her sister's pretend kitchen toy box. There are lots of things that make noise, have different textures and she can make a mess at her heart's content since her sister is in kindergarden and won't even know it.

Day 6 - Sunny puddle walk. C enjoyed a nice, sunny walk outside, jumping in the puddles and collecting leaves.



One Vegetable a Day - Butternut Squash Risotto (BLW friendly)

I have been recently diagnosed with two bulging disks and sciatica, which I had for almost 7 months now. A condition that is extremely painful and it requires me to take a LOT of painkillers. In my quest of fighting this and healing my body again, i discovered that eating the right food will speed up recovery. Makes complete sense. So, I am exploring now vegetables. Slowly. Since we have never been friends. I am more of a meat & potato girl who loves sweets, pastries and chocolate.

One veggie readily avaiable here in Israel as well as in the US and other parts of the world this time a year is butternut squash. It is rich in potassium for healthy bones, folate for a strong heart and helps guard against brain and spinal-cord-related birth defects such as spina bifida as well as vitamin B6, essential for our nervous and immune systems. Now this should give my disks and inflammed sciatic nerve a boost...

Here is the recipe:

1. Saute 2 large onion and about 3 cups of finely diced butternut squash in a large pan with some olive oil until onion is translucentWhat do you think?
2. Add 3 cups of risotto rice and cook for 2min until the rice is translucent and you see a white spot
3. Add bit by bit boiling water (if you are not feeding this to a baby you should use vegetable stock) until the rice is barely covered, let it simmer and absorb the water, carefully stirring it once in a while, repeat until rice has a tiny crunch left
4. Add 1 cup of frozen peas, 1 cup of pamesan cheese, crushed pepper, 2 cloves of fresh garlic (finely minced) and thyme to taste (if you do not use for baby-led weaning you add also salt at this point)
5. Let simmer for another two minutes or until the peas are warm and serve
6. If you give this to a baby, make sure you squash the peas and check temperature and size of everything.

We added a little salt and shredded cheese.