Blog-tember Challenge: Day 28 - My Year in Five

I have not written a post for the #blogtemberchallenge in over a week now and since the month is almost over, this will be my last post in this series. I have fallen off the bandwagon the last few days due to nursing a head cold over the weekend and just being busy with life. Also, some topics were just not my cup of tea and I left those days out on purpose. Overall though, I enjoyed this blogging challenge and I hope you did too. Did you learn something about me you didn't knew before? 

Today's prompt asked us to show the top 5 pictures that illustrate our year so far:

ONE:  Spending lots of time with these two fun and crazy kiddos. Life is exhausting with them but I wouldn't want to trade it with anything else.

TWO: Moving across States every year can be tiring and draining. This time around, I am having a harder time adjusting and I am officially worn down from being constantly on the move. 

THREE: Spending 8 weeks this summer in Germany with the kids was awesome. We had the best summer ever and loved being with our family and friends. But the highlight was to see my little brother getting married. 

FOUR: Do to his new work and then moving to another State and spending all summer in Germany, we have spent way too much time (almost half the year) apart from our main man. The kids missed their Daddy and I missed my hubby and we are overjoyed to be back together in one place finally. 

FIVE: We have a kindergartner! Amelia loves school and I'm as involved with her schooling here as I was when she was in transitional kindergarten last year. 

What has your year looked so far? Thank you for following along in this challenge. 

Playing Catch-Up

It is time to play a bit catch up on the blog as I have not gotten the time to post some pictures in a while. For the past 2 weeks, I feel like all I do is catch-up on everything. Somehow the days are flying by...The #blogtemberchallenge is fun but also takes up time. So instead of posting a favorite recipe today, I will post what we have been up to lately. While Derrick was gone on a business trip the week before last, the kids and I stayed busy by doing fun things in the afternoons. One afternoon we visited the playground and the kids made quickly friends with two other girls and were imagining to be pirates at high seas:

While it was very hot outside (still in the 90s F here), we decided it is best to stay indoors. So we visited the local library twice that week. On Thursday, they had a project afternoon and the kids learned about the 3 R's- reduce, recycle, reuse. Since it was only my two kids there, it was very tailored to them. They listened to stories about recycling and each made their own poster board out of recycled materials.

We also played dress-up at home, puzzled, read stories, colored and created new words with our banagrams. 

Captain Underpants and his loyal subjects (Amelia dressed me up like a doll):

That same week, Elliot had his first play-date at a local gymnastics place. For one hour, the kids were allowed to run around and try out everything in the gym: trampolines, balance beams, the vaults, and the floor mats. Of course, Elliot and his new little friends had a ball: 

By Friday evening, we were all exhausted and happy that our main man, aka my hubby, was back home. We spent the weekend doing some chores around the house, volunteering at the local consignment sale, and spending some one-on-one time with the kids. While Elliot and Derrick were at the park, we girls grabbed our paintbrushes and got creative. Amelia made some pretty pictures and I'm working on a sign for our front door. 

My favorite picture of the week, even though it is blurry:

During the week when Amelia is in school, Elliot loves to spend some one-on-one time with me. Often I don't take the time and stop to play with him but this week, I made an effort to spent at least 30 minutes a day just focusing on him. It takes effort but is so worth it... for both of us. 

He is reading his train books to me

Coloring our little hearts  out

On Wednesday morning, we had another MOPS play-date at a nearby park. The playground was awesome but it was oh so hot. Elliot enjoyed eating his picnic lunch under the shaded shelter and playing catch with his friends while the moms enjoyed chatting a bit.

Since I like to be involved in my child's schooling and help out around the school, I agreed to be the room mom for Amelia's class room. A room mom is the liaison between the teacher and parents and helps out with events and fundraisers. Since the decorations in her classroom lack a bit, I decided to try my hand at a Fall door decoration. I think it came out pretty good. The kids and her teacher loved it. And Amelia was so proud of it because she helped me glue on the leaves (which have the names of all her classmates on them).

Over the past 2 weeks, we enjoyed the company of a new house guest. When I bought a basil plant for my kitchen, I noticed that a caterpillar came with it. So we scooped him up and made him a new home. He ate and ate and ate (my poor basil and parsley plant where his favorite food) and about 10 days ago he turned in to a chrysalis. The kids checked every day on their house guest and yesterday, a butterfly (it looked more like moth) had emerged from the chrysalis and was sitting on the sticks. So when Daddy got home, we all released him. This was a great learning experience for the kids about the cycle of life and we found us already a new roommate to occupy the glass jar.

As you can tell, our past two weeks have been quite entertaining and by the end of the week, we all are usually exhausted. So since Amelia had started school in August, we created the tradition of having an indoor picnic and a movie on Friday nights. The kids love it and it all keeps us calm and happy and the drama to a minimum. 

Happy Weekend to you all!

Blog-tember Challenge: Day 20 - Motherhood is hard

Today is all about what we believe and what we want others to know about. It is personal and many things came to my mind but I settled on this topic because I live it day in and day out. The prompt is:

Something you wish more people knew or believed.

I want people to know that motherhood is hard and that being a stay-at-home mom is not a vacation. It is the toughest job I ever held and so underpaid and physically draining but also the best job in the world ever. Being home with my kids means that I can be there for all their big milestones but it also means that I am present for every tantrum and argument and crying fit they throw (and believe me these outweigh by far the milestones). These precious little children can rob your sleep, exhaust you and leave you brain dead. Sometimes, even loneliness creeps in because you miss having adult conversations and dressing up. Motherhood also means to give every day, all day long all you have and more and be available for 24+ hours a day (as I'm writing this my 2 year old is sitting on top me wanting his mommy). There is no personal time off, no bathroom break without someone interrupting you (if the kids don't show up, the cat will), and no chitchat at the water cooler. The days seem to pass slowly but then the weeks fly by and at once our babies are all grown up.  While I never imagined being a mom and staying home with my children can be this exhausting on so many levels, it also brings joy to my heart...their belly laughs, their spontaneous hugs and kisses and the fact that every morning they wake up with a smile, ready to start off anew. While mommy guilt is a serious condition and can ruin any good day, my children also teach me that there is no right or wrong way to be a mom. As long as they can feel the love and know we do our best, they are good. 

Yes, Motherhood is hard, never ending work and nothing what I ever imagined but also everything I never knew to hope for. 

Blog-tember Challenge: Day 19- Posts from the Past

Happy Monday! The weekend went by way too fast but hopefully the week passes by equally as fast. Today's prompt in the #blogtemberchallenge is: A list of your favorite blogposts you have written.

1. ABC's of Motherhood  My compilation of what motherhood's means to me in 26 letters.
2. Treasures  Read about why we took a year off from the hectic lifestyle to just...live.
3. Christmas Gift Ideas  Last Christmas I compiled a list of some toys that foster creativity and imagination. 
4. 25th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall  Paying Tribute to the end of the Cold War and the Fall of the Berlin Wall
5. 5 years and loving him more and more  A tribute to my hubby on our 5th wedding anniversary.
6. Our First Boating Trip  Making new family memories on the lake
7. Happy 5th Birthday, Amelia  My little girl turns 5!

Since I wrote over 240 posts in the past 2 years, it was not easy to choose just a few. But these 7 are a good mix of family adventures and personal stories and definitely favorites of mine.

Blog-tember Challenge: Day 18 - Making Life Easier

Happy Sunday, you all! In today's #blogtemberchallenge we are asked to talk about a product that simplifies our life. It didn't take me long to decide which product I want to talk about. You all know I love to bake and these baking pans by USA Pans just make baking anything so much easier and enjoyable. 

This bakeware is made from aluminized steel and has a special coat on it so that your baked goods don't get stuck on the pans anymore. There is no need for greasing the pans before baking and the muffins, cakes, brownies (Yes, even brownies slide right out; just rinse and done), etc slide right out after baking. I also use them for baking chicken chicken breasts (coated in mayo and cheese) and there is not much clean up either. No more scrubbing of baking pans...yeah. I love these pans. There are a bit pricier than your regular baking dishes but make great gifts for the baker in your family. Over the course of the past year, most of my bakeware is now all from USA Pans. My most often used and thus my two favorite baking pans are: The Half Sheet Pan for baking cookies and the Cupcake Muffin Pan for making breakfast treats to baking muffins and mini meatloaves. If you are looking to simplify cooking tasks and clean up less, I highly recommend these USA baking pans. It's a game changer. 

Blog-tember Challenge: Day 15- Life is an Adventure

Today, I wanted to take a day off from the #blogtemberchallenge but then this prompt came up and I had to write a post about it: What is the craziest adventure you have ever been on?

Well, I didn't need to think long about this one as truly my biggest adventure thus far was moving to the U.S. when I was just 19 years old. The day of my high school exam, there was a note on the blackboard that stated: Who wants to be an Au-Pair in sunny Florida? 

I told my mom about this note even though I never wanted to go to America. Yes, I did learn English in school and I also spoke fluently French and I loved France. Anyhow, my mom nudged me to reply and chat at least with this family and over the summer, they decided I was the Au-Pair they wanted for the next year.   Now, you must know that I was born in East Germany and my mom never had this opportunity so she wanted to make sure that I see the world and get out and take advantage of what is being offered. I, on the other hand, had a plan of staying in Berlin to study and pursue a career. 

Saying goodbye to my mom at the airport

But God had a different plan and so on August 31, 2001, for the first time in my life, I boarded a plane and flew to Washington D.C. On the way there, I even spent 30 minutes in the cockpit, chatting with the German pilots and enjoying the beautiful view over Greenland. My new host family welcomed me in Orlando after a rough day of delays but we all got along right away and I felt that I made a right choice. 

Thankful for my great host family

Being 5,500 miles away from home and living with people you just met, can be hard. Some days were better and some were worse: homesickness, language issues, 9/11 happened and shook everyone to the core, and children testing my patience. But after a while, I settled in and enjoyed being there and even got offered to stay longer with my host family. I agreed under the condition that I had to start working on my BA degree as well. And now, it has been 15 years since I came to America. If my mom would have know that I would stay, she would have never let me go.

My parents came to my college graduation

I completed my AA and BBA degrees (always while working a couple of campus jobs or babysitting and in between taking a year off to work at different companies) and after graduation in May 2007, I got my first real job as a Credit Analyst at a bank in West Palm Beach. While working full-time, I also completed my MBA and met my husband in 2008 at a fundraiser I organized for the American Cancer Society. We got married in 2010 and had our first child in 2011 and our second child only two years later. 

Our Wedding, 3/7/2010 in Berlin

Since I have been in the States, I have moved 9 times and together with my family we worked our way from South Florida to NC and now to TN. What started off with a fun, one year adventure after high school, turned in to this long, crazy journey (called my life) and I share it with the people I love the most. Our goals and dreams have changed but we are still on an adventure, pursuing our own happiness (hence the blog title). We are not sure where that will lead us or what happens next, but we trust and follow HIS lead and find our happiness along the way. 

My FAMILY

This journey was so different than I have ever dreamed my life would be but that is also the fun part about adventures. You never know where it will lead you and who will come along for the ride. I met lots of wonderful people along the way, who helped me, guided me and most of all loved me. Without them, this adventure would have never happened the way it did. 

Blog-tember Challenge: Day 14- In the Mood for Fall

After skipping yesterday's #blogtemberchallenge, I'm back today. Yesterday's prompt (If you could switch lives with someone for a day, who would it be? Why?) was a good one and I thought hard all day who I would want to be and came up with....nothing. I can't see myself being someone else, not even for a day. A lot of people mentioned Joanna Gaines or famous authors or Kate Middleton or even the president, and while I think these are fabulous people, I also think I don't want to be them. I am who I am: happy, sad, confused, excited, fulfilled, insecure, loving, lonely or something in between.  

Anyways, here we are, halfway thru the month of September and soon the official start of autumn. I can't wait. Today's prompt: Create a Mood Board, falls right in line with how I feel. Waiting patiently (or not) for the best season of the year to arrive. Somehow, it is still 90F degrees here every afternoon and we are hoping for some cooler temps to reach us soon. My mood board is all about fall: harvest decorations, Halloween treats, wearing leggings and plaids, and taking life at a slower pace. Somehow, cooler weather means more relaxing and resting the soul more than during our busy summer months. Thus, reading books, playing games, staying warm by the fireplace and hanging out with my favorite people on a lazy Saturday afternoon are all things I love doing during fall. 

Blog-tember Challenge: Day 12- Books

I took the weekend off from the #blogtemberchallenge but now I'm back to full force. Especially since today's prompt is about one of my favorites things: books. We are to name a book we just read, one we are currently reading and one we want to read. As you know by now, I love to read and I have several running book lists. So far, I have read 14 books this year and it could have been a few more, if I didn't binge watch Parenthood this Spring. Since I mentioned before that I just finished Glennon's book Carry On Warrior (Thoughts on Life Unarmed) and I loved it, I figured I will instead include my most favorite book I read a few months ago in the list.

1. A book I just read: 

Recently, I read the best book in quite a while and it is called Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay. I loved, loved the book so much that I had to buy it since I had to return the other one to the library. I could relate so much with the main character, Sam, and her love for books as well as her fears and hidden emotions. About the story line: Samantha Moore loves Jane Austen and frequently quotes her characters when she is nervous or doesn't want to reveal her true feelings to others. The chapters are a series of letters, written to an unknown person, about Sam's happenings in life, similar to diary entries. This book captivated me from beginning to end and is well written. I highly recommend it. 

2. A book I'm reading now:  

Currently, I'm reading A Different Beautiful: Discovering and Celebrating Beauty in Places You Never Expected by Courtney Westlake. This book is so much more than about her daughter Brenna who was born with a severe, life-threatening skin disorder. It is a book about being reminded to see the world and especially other people thru the eyes of God and that nobody is perfect but we are all different and beautiful in our own way. A very uplifting and inspiring story. Read the book and follow Courtney on her blog to learn more about her daughter's disease and how this family is raising awareness for it. 

3. A book from my list: 

Honestly, my must read list is quite lengthy and there are a few books on there that I can't wait to read, so this is not an easy choice. So here are my top 3:

1. Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton  - her memoir and Oprah book club pick
2. Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty - discovered her books this year and love her funny but  intriguing and with a catch stories
3. Present Over Perfect: Leaving behind frantic for a simpler, more soulful way of living by Shauna Niequist - I always can use a reality check; kids are growing up too fast and I don't want to miss out because I'm constantly busy with ...(what??)

4. Bonus:

Another book I wanted to mention is Bad Karma written by the German author David Safier and was my favorite read during the summer. This book is very funny as it follows a former tv personality thru her afterlife as an ant, a guinea pig and a beagle. While I laughed out loud many times, it also made me think about my own Karma and how I live my life and whether or not I deserve something better in the "afterlife". A definite page turner! (If you can, read it in German)

And now I want to know what are your favorite books? I'm always looking for new suggestions. Happy reading!!!

Weekly Happenings

Even though we had a short, 4-day week, it felt like we were constantly on the go and getting things done. I met a new friend for coffee on Tuesday night and also went to my first LulaRoe party, where I purchased a couple of shirts and a pair of leggings (I got a few leggings of the same material at Marshalls the other day for a steal) for myself and a pair for Amelia too. The clothes might be a bit pricey but they are so comfy and soft and I can't wait for it to get cooler so I can wear them. 

Elliot and I also toured a couple of preschools in the area but I'm still deciding which one to choose. He is on the waiting list for my favorite one and I think, we might just hold out till a spot opens for him there. We would like for him to go two days a week and here, normal preschool hours are from 9am - 3pm, including a lunch and a nap at school. 

On Thursday, the kids had their semi-annual dental check-up and cleaning. We found a really great family dental office near by and the staff and dentist were so sweet and loving that it felt more like we were at the carnival  instead of at the dentist. 

Both kids did great with their check-ups and got an excellent report. It was Elliot's first time for his teeth to be cleaned (since he refused to open his mouth at the last visit in February) and he looked like a pro. 

Little dentists in training: 

 

As a reward for their good behavior and healthy teeth, the dentist gave them a each a balloon, some little tokens, a t-shirt and stickers. I told her that I expect the same treasures at my dental check-up. :)

Before Amelia had to go back to school, we stopped for lunch at Chick-fil-A. The kids love it there and I know that the food is as good as it can get. Once in a while, we all need a little treat and this is there favorite spot. Also that same day, Amelia had a reptile assembly in the gymnasium with the whole school. It was her first assembly and according to the teacher, the class did a good job of sitting on their bottoms and listening. They learned about snakes, lizards and turtles. 

I also signed up to be a co-room mom for Amelia's class and will help out with different activities throughout the year such as volunteering, party planning, being a liaison between the teacher and the other parents and fundraising. I have lots of ideas and can't wait to be more involved at her school. To be honest, the school system here is by far not as good as the one in NC (or FL) and while her teacher is friendly and a veteran in the school system (teaching for 21 years), she is not as loving and nurturing as I would like her to be for those kindergartners. The class room is very crowded and decorations are limited so I hope to spruce it up a bit. I just have to learn to accept that it is different here and offer my support and help when I can. 

Upcoming events at Amelia's school

The weekend came and went and we made the most of it. Between shopping for new bedding and reusable water bottles for the kids and doing some chores around the house, I also put some Fall decorations up (mainly in the dining area but we will add Halloween decorations in October). 

I captured this beautiful sunset on Saturday evening in our backyard: 

On Sunday it finally got a bit cooler and so we went to the park to run, bike and collect some acorns and throw rocks into the river. We spent over an hour at the park and it felt great. 

 

As mentioned last week, we also were invited by Lisa and her family for a get-together at her house that evening. The food was delicious, the company great and the kids had a ball. In fact, time passed by so quickly that I totally forgot to snap any pictures. 

While Daddy is away on business this week, the kids and I will make the best of it. Solo parenting is never easy nor as fun but by keeping meals simple and our regular routines and staying busy during the day, time will pass quickly until he is back home again. Monday started already off  with a bang as it was my first MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting this season. I really enjoyed it and met so many nice ladies and I feel that it will be a great year with lots of new friendships, things to learn and events to attend to. Now, it is time for school pick-up and an easy afternoon at home. I will need to tag a lot of consignment items this week as the Fall sale is coming up and we have plenty of stuff to sell. Once again, change of season also means decluttering the house and getting organized. Wish me luck!

Preschool Graduation Mementos

Due to our move to Nashville , TN in the middle of May, Amelia was not able to attend her preschool graduation. However, this week my little girl received her precious graduation mementos from her favorite preschool teacher, Ms. Susan. She was so excited when she unpacked the box and delighted to find so many pictures of her former classmates and teacher. Right away, two photographs were hung up over her desk. It is safe to say that she misses her friends and Ms. Susan a lot. 

The poem, the bible she received from her preschool and the lovingly made binder all brought tears to my eyes. I'm still sad that we had to miss her graduation but I'm thankful that she has all these precious things to remind her of her wonderful year in transitional kindergarten at Central Preschool in Mooresville, NC. 

And here is my little preschool graduate with her cap and medal:

We are so proud of you, Amelia and certain that you will go your way wherever it leads you. Or as Dr. Seuss says:

You're off to great places, 

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting,

So...get on your way!