A belated happy new year to everyone one of you! We spent new years eve and new years day at our friends house like we have done the last two years. This was third time around so I think it's safe to say we have established a new years eve tradition.

While we enjoyed breakfast...much like the one here

the girls played around in the house with the laundrey basket, the dolls and just about anything else they found usable in the house. Love how they can turn any house item to the perfect prop for their game.

Not until we put the last Christmas cookies on the table did they stop and sit down with us ... before they continued their play.

Thank you for coming by! I am looking forward to share bits & pieces of 2013 with you.

Wishing you all a merry and peaceful Christmas.

Warm hugs to you all.

The smell of Christmas

There is nothing like baking gingerbread cookies to get into the Christmas spirit. Presents are bought, decorations are out and now the house smells like Christmas.

Less stress than last year (meaning I began preparations earlier), still there are always some last minute chores. Mine is to get to the post office in time to send the three last presents.

Besides that, the last days before Christmas will be spent with our kids, listening to our favourite Christmas music and making one or another Christmas decoration. Not because we have to, just for the fun of it.

I am hoping these moments, different from our every day life stress, will become part of their childhood memories.

How is Christmas coming along in your house?

cold days muffins

calls for muffin making. I love good old plane muffins. No sticky creamy icing. Just soft, tender, and airy muffins. To eat while still warm or to dip in a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.

HERE IS the how's:

Preheat the oven to 180 C degrees. Beat eggs & sugar together until you have a light mix. Melt butter on low heat and mix in the zest of lemons (the heat will extract more of the lemony flavour from the zest). Let it cool a bit. Pour in the slightly cooled butter to the egg & sugar mix.

Measure up flour in a separate bowl and add baking powder. Stir the flower into the egg, sugar and butter mix. It will be thick. If you think it's too thick add 1-2 tbl spoons of milk. Your muffin mix is ready!

 Place the pan with the muffins on the middle shelf in the oven (preheated) for aproximately 20-25 minutes (depends on your oven so keep an eye on them), or until the muffins have turned golden. Allow to cool on a rack for a few minutes. Enjoy!


We are in the process of building a new entrance to our town house. Besides picking lamps, and storage systems to our new entrance, muffin making is just what i need to make December go faster.

You are almost right...

…but he is not on is way.

He is here!

After trying for several years the “natural way”, last fall I underwent IVF treatment in the pursuit of our second child. In November we finally succeeded and this summer, august 2nd our little boy arrived.

I know people usually share news like this a lot sooner. I had several reasons for holding back. One of them was worrying if everything would turn out well. Perhaps because it took us a long time to become pregnant I had more “what if everything doesn’t work out” thoughts during this pregnancy.

For each milestone (week 12 when risk of abortion is reduced, and then later on week 25 when the survival rate for premature babies increases) I have thought "now is the time to share", but then changed my mind
- just in case. Well no more just in case. He is here!

See how much he looks like his sister

He came five days prior to due date. What started and almost finished like a normal birth (v- birth) ended up in a dramatic C-section. I prefer v-birth a hundred time over c-section, but due to the circumstances I am happy the doctors made the decision they made. We spent six days at the paediatric intensive care before they let us bring our little bundle home. I have enjoyed every single day after that.

…do you think one can kiss and hug a baby too much?

blue and white

The mini sweater I began knitting in October is almost done. I am definitely in a serious stripe phase. I just love stripes, both knitting them and how they make a garment look.

The downside to stripes is the binding off. Now the fun begins…

By the way, did you notice the colour of my mini sweater?