A Day Exploring the Alzette Valley in Luxembourg

 I woke up today with a feeling of renewed promise. Its been barely two weeks since we moved out of our home in Northern Virginia and started the complicated journey to what will be our residence for the next few years. Yet, we've been told our home could be move-in ready as soon as later this week. I'm looking forward to the stage where we can completely empty our suitcases and stow them in the basement. I'm looking forward to buying houseplants. I'm looking forward to setting up a cozy place we can call home. And it turns out that may not take very long.

It was also very rejuvenating to enjoy a weekend around town with my boys. I've probably mentioned how convenient the public transit system is here, but it has made getting around our new digs so easy. Saturday was another day of gorgeous 70 degree weather, so we hopped on the Bus 3 and rode it into the city. Getting off at the Fondation Pescatore stop, we had only a minute walk to the Panoramic Elevator of the Pfaffenthal (and yes, I did have to look up the proper spelling.) This smooth glass elevator travels up and down 71 meters between the city and the Alzette Valley, which features historic churches, classic Luxembourg architecture, and plenty of places to stroll and explore. 

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The elevator is free to ride, and despite it being mid-day on a Saturday, it was not crowded at all. You can even stand on a section of the elevator that has a glass floor and look down. But why would you, when instead you can enjoy the incredible views around you? This is one thing I should mention that I truly appreciate about Luxembourg so far: its a VERY accessible city for teens and kids as it is very unlikely you will encounter long waits for sites, buses, or even tables at the restaurant. Short walks and short waits ensures much less teen grumbles, speaking from experience.

When we reached the bottom of the elevator, the streets and neighborhoods in the valley

were pleasant and fun to explore. We took our time and eventually followed our appetites to the Bar Brauerei, a Bavarian and Luxembourgish themed brewery and restaurant located in what appeared to be a spirited nightclub/pub location. Sitting outside under giant sunshades, we enjoyed their own pilsner (really refreshing!) and had a hearty lunch. The Bar Brauerei offers traditional Bavarian dishes and also local Luxembourg dishes, and the staff were delightful so I definitely recommend this for families visiting the valley. The boys went with good old beef burgers (18-20eur) but Phil and I tried the local dishes instead. 

After the late lunch we turned up Clausen, and walked to the entrance of the Bock Casemates. At that hour of the afternoon there was a small line, and after waiting five minutes we were informed that the tours were all sold out for the day. Fortunately, as we waited, Phil went online and purchased four tickets for us for the last entrance of the day! Lucky us, but there was some grumbling around us as some families with small children were visibly annoyed. As the tunnels and caverns are small, and the staircases are tiny in some places, they

limit the amount of guests every 45 minute period. It does make exploring the tunnels more pleasant to have fewer people in there with you. And certainly safer. I recommend buying your tickets over breakfast that day, or perhaps while sitting down at lunch so you aren't disappointed! 

Since we had a few hours until our admission time, we walked just a few steps away to enter and admire the beautiful art and structure of the Eglise Saint-Michel and then requested seats at the unconventional Cafe Froid, located up the Rue de la Boucherie. Close to the National Museum of History and Art, the cafe is an eclectic collection of worn library chairs, benches, throw blankets and stools. Our order of iced tea, bier, espresso and my new favorite aperol spritz, were brought out on an antique tin tray and squeezed onto

our table already occupied by a plant potted in a teapot and several antique reference volumes.

Finally getting into the Bock Casemates, the boys immediately went into explorer mode,

and we could barely keep up. The tunnels were fascinating, and thanks to the cool breezes that day, it was more than enjoyable to roam through the tunnels, check out every vault, and marvel over the few cannons they've strategically placed to remind you that this was, in fact, at one time a formidable defensive structure! 

An UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Bock Casemates are in fact just a part of what once was over 23km of underground passages and galleries that have served many many purposes since the beginning of their construction. At the very least, the views on both sides of the Bock are pretty incredible. I would wear comfortable walking shoes, aand prepare to duck at times if you're any taller than me! The admission is not free, but only 8eur for adults and 4eur for kids 4-12.

The whole day turned out to be more relaxing than I expected, and from the whole experience I have learned a few handy things:

1. Don't rush from Point A to Point B. The city is very walkable, and you will have plenty of time to stop and look around. Take a detour down an interesting roadway. Poke your head in a chapel and appreciate the architecture. And for gods sake, stop by a cafe and learn to love slowing down.

2. Take advantage of good weather any chance you can! The region can get stuck in some rainy spells, and I've heard last summer they experienced extremely hot temperatures. 

Tickets for the Casemates are available at luxembourg-city.com. 

A New Chapter Begins: Luxembourg!

 Years and years ago I began this blog to share my adventures as a young mother, my shopping tips, cool places I discovered, and then eventually our time in Thailand. There was also knitting, of course. Unfortunately, I just wasn't the talented writer I thought I would be. Or perhaps I was trying to be like all the other bloggers I followed and admired. Without the camera skills, ring lighting, and understanding of image crafting, I fell waaaaaay short of what I thought a blog should be. 

However, when you get so close to fifty years of age, your perspective changes a lot from the days where you had to feed, nurture, please and appease, and usually try to meet others' expectations. In short, I worry much less about what others think, and more about what others need. My sense of self is centered far more around what I can contribute to make the world a better place and how I can be my happiest self. The second part sounds a bit selfish, but when you take into account that my children are old enough to take care of a lot of things themselves, it does make sense. Now that they're teens, they follow my lead, but don't neccessarily need to be led. And I'm really enjoying that.

We miss you Don & Michelle!

So that brings us to the present: We've moved to Europe. Only one week ago. As I type, I'm sitting in the bright airy kitchen of an unoccupied embassy residence in the suburbs of Luxembourg City. Its close to noon, and the bright white and tiled rooms are still cool from the night air. The boys are in their (temporary) rooms; Nate working on his Gundam model kit, carefully brought in our luggage from VA, and Philip watching YouTube on his phone. The house is furnished nicely, the fridge filled with basics from a grocery store just a fifteen minute walk away, and the beds made with linens from the welcome kit supplied by the embassy for us to use until our shipment of belongings arrive. Yet, we're not settled. Our actual assigned home will be ready for us in about a week, so its not time to totally unpack and make ourselves at home. Yet.

Its a great opportunity for us to acclimate, though. There are so many changes to learn and adapt to. Like navigating the public transportation system until our car arrives. Settling into new and quite complicated trash schedules. Or even just learning how to visit the grocery store without being total fools. There are hundreds of new habits I've learned, and things I've noticed in just a short week. Such as how the bus will not stop at the next bus stop unless there's someone waiting there OR you ring the bell before the stop. (I had a brief moment of internal panic as we zipped by our stop, until I remembered that pretty much EVERYTHING in this city is within walking distance anyway.) I've already become used to measuring ingredients and fruit in kilos instead of pounds (yay!), and have found the polite way to enter an establishment by saying a polite "bonjour" and then apologetically letting them know I don't speak French. Its worked so far. Note to self: Learn some basic French.

I could get used to this!

If any of this sounds intimidating, I have to tell you its absolutely not. Luxembourg has been probably the easiest country to move to or visit. Its beautiful here, the people we encounter are all welcoming and kind so far, the bus and tram and free and easy to use, the sidewalks are clean and walkable, the food is not only familiar but delicious, and we also had the GREATEST crew of people to help us get here and ease the entire process. We had a wonderful social sponsor (probably the best I've ever known), work sponsor (also the best!) and all the advice and wisdom from the two people we have moved here to replace. 

Replace is a terrible word for it though, as they are truly irreplacable. As we said goodbye to them yesterday a bit of sadness crept in because although we had only known them in person for a few days it was apparent we would have really enjoyed being at this assignment with them if they could have stayed. But that's the nature of the job: move somewhere new, meet the most incredible people, move on again and hope you cross paths with them again someday.

As for today, we are probably going to walk through a nearby park and stop by the newest shopping mall. We've been discussing maybe taking a bus trip out of the city to go explore some pretty town or take a scenic hike. I have tons of paperwork to go sign, and some ideas to jot down about the newsletter I'm going to be working on. There's an art museum and park we keep passing on the tram that has caught my attention, and I'm still trying to replenish a work wardrobe that is seven years and two sizes out of date!

And of course, there will be knitting.

My handsome guys

This Blocking Controversy

 

Its crazy but the knitting community has gone through serious infighting over the last few years, sometimes over very serious matters such as racism and inclusivity. I don't feel that any of these matters have been resolved or improved at all, but I could be wrong. This week the issue has been one of less gravity, but still important to me because its has been an issue in my knitting skills for a long time.

Blocking.

For the non-knitters, blocking is the process in which you lay out and shape your finished garment, ensuring the colorwork or fabric texture is shown to its greatest advantage. A few days ago a well-known knitting pattern designer tweeted a short rant: Your project is not finished til it's blocked properly. Don't show your unblocked lace and say you're packing it up as a gift. 

The knitters in Twitter did not recieve this "knitsplaining" very well, and I admit it annoyed me as well. Not only did I not follow this woman (thank you hashtags) but have long been irritated by the handful of designers that take to Twitter to rant about their customers. Her vagebook-style message thrown blindly in the twitterverse landed on hundreds of knitters who do not deserve her criticism. To be fair, she did apologize, but not without the usual wishy washy poor-me messages about how cruel people were to her. 

From the start of my knitting journey up to just a few years ago, blocking was mystifying and frustrating to me. Google searches gave me numerous different answers on how to block my sweaters and lace. Attempts at each one of them gave me varying results. And I really wasn't interested in buying wires, mats and pins to add to my collection of supplies that I truck around the world. I resorted to pinning my sweaters, on top of a towel, on my husband's side of the mattress while he was away on business trips!

Later I discovered the top of my hope chest provided almost enough room and firmness to pin and shape one item at a time, and I've stuck with that method since. If I exemplify the majority of knitters, it means that figuring out how to soak and block is a confusing and difficult process in learning this craft. Criticism IS NOT appreciated, even if you have it all figured out.

For the record, I soak my finished item in a steel bowl filled with tepid water for at least 20 hours. Removing it carefully, I roll the item into a big beach towel to remove moisture, then take a fresh towel to cover my blocking pad (see above). Then, I carefully shape my knit on top of that and pin it at the desired shape, leaving it there until its dry. 

And I don't care what R says about when to show your creation- Its done when you think its done!

Three Little Things for Thursday

 It's a dreary rainy day here in Virginia, but I'm glad I get to snuggle up with some of my favorite things. I'm a big fan of my mother's quilts, worsted weight yarn projects, and I'm back on a green tea kick lately. 

Today I just thought it would be nice to dedicate a post to just three little things. Any little thing, as I'm not in the mood to think up a category. 

• On The Needles I'm starting up a pretty colorful neckwarmer/cowl called Moonwake, designed by Andrea Mowry, to use up some mini skeins I recieved in a subscription box. It was crazy of me to think I needed a monthly delivery of rando yarn, and it only took me a few shipments to realize this wasn't for me. So yesterday I laid out all the yarn I've held onto on the floor and sorted it by weight, and I plan on knitting up as much of it as I can over the next four months. 

I'm thinking mitts with scandinavian designs, some cowls and intricate winter hats...I also pulled out my one WIP that has been hibernating for a few months, the Reina de Picas top by Valentina Bogdanova. It's always been a wish of mine to attempt one of her lacy beautiful sweaters, and after I finished the trickiest part-the lace yoke-I just stalled.

• On My Mind The boys just finished another semester of school and its just a relief to see them do well. Even Nate, who tested the art of procrastination this term!! did really well. Philip had his courses readjusted for next year so he can take French and stay on track to study Mechanical Engineering someday. And last night we attended the military recruitment event at his school and learned allllllll about the application and selection process for the military academies. He shook hands, asked questions, and recieved some pretty awesome information about how to achieve his goals. I'm proud of these kids. 

• On The Horizon Its time to start thinking about our summer plans, summer camps, travel plans, and getting home somehow to visit family. My deep winter retreat with Mom in Freeport -NETA SPA- was cancelled this year and that stinks because I dearly value and need that time with Mom. Its a long weekend where I get her alllllll to myself, and we dine and drink and talk talk talk. And I usually come home to find the boys were up to shenanigans, enjoying a bit of time away from me. I'm just looking forward to getting back "home" and hanging out with Mom this summer. And the rest of our family is cool too. 

I'm also discovering all the interesting things we can do on weekends or long weekends from our future home in Luxembourg. This week I got a map (it helps me, I know I'm ancient) and a journal to start writing down destinations and activities that the kids would like. We were worried that they would get sick of castles and wineries, so I'm finding out about all these incredible fun outdoor adventures we may have. Ever since our time in Bangkok, I also really like finding places to shop, explore and eat that maybe aren't quite as popular as other places. So far, I found a little town that's not even marked on the map that is in a valley of waterfalls! You can hike all around them, and chill out in the town that is away from most of the tourist spots. I can't wait!

Working Through Sleeve Island Amid Friend Drama

 

I've been thinking a lot lately about the kinds of friends we meet in our lifetime. We move so often that we are constantly finding new friends, developing different kinds of relationships, and sometime unfortunately leaving behind people that don't remain true friends at all.

Sometimes you don't see the red flags until its too late. And sometimes you see them almost immediately. This last year was the former- we made friends that we thought we would love forever, but learned too late that we were replaceable. Last week I saw the proof: a photo posted on social media of four smiling women, on a girls' trip, and I was not there. It stung, and for a day I couldn't remember what it felt like to feel joy.

The greatest coping mechanism I have in my toolbox came out to play the next day: gratitude. It was hard to tune out my feelings of hurt and rejection, but I embraced the good things I had all around me. I chatted with my family. I bought a disgustingly large amount of girl scout cookies. I baked something that smelled incredible for my kids' dinner. I snuggled our big smelly dog. I watched game shows and shouted at the TV with my husband. I made plans to decorate for the next holiday. All the things that brought me joy, I savored and walked away from the things and people that did not.

So I suppose this post is my attempt to close the book or turn the page on this sad chapter and start anew. I've been thinking quite a bit upon all that's happened and I've come up with two lessons learned:

1. Its ok to walk away from the people who have hurt you and not look back.

2. People who speak badly of others are telling you more about who they truly are.

ok maybe 3

3. I'm a really bad liar.

 

WIP Wednesday

Its always bittersweet when the boys go back to school. I love the peace and quiet and uninterrupted time I get to take care of chores, errands and calls. I hate the worries it raises about the boys going off for the day. The older they are, the worries become stronger: are they getting along with their classmates? Are they respectful of their teachers? Are they safe on the bus? Are they happy?

Yesterday we were shopping in Target and my oldest suddenly became very anxious to leave. He had christmas gift cards to spend, and had decided to use them all on a great set of headphones. However, before we finished shopping he wanted nothing more than to leave. Quickly.

It turns out he spotted a student that he seriously disliked, and explained to me later that the boy's friend had pushed one of his friends almost down a flight of stairs at school. And I could see he was mad. It was the first time I had heard ANY details or hint of high school strife and fights. It made me realize how much in the dark you can really be when raising kids, no matter how close you are to them. And we are really close.

 In the mornings after the boys get on the bus or on their bikes to go to school these things run through my mind.

Its relaxing to return to these projects as well, and although it slows me down I've been switching between the Whitmoor Sweater and my Seaglass Tee. Both are mindless knitting, but have been beautiful to watch as they grow so they are very rewarding!

My dearest hope was to have these ready to wear at NETA SPA in Freeport this February, but with Omicron spreading so much, I may only get to model them at home or at my parents' farm for some very uninterested cows. 

moo

My Finished 2021 Projects

 

Happy New Year!!

It certainly was a wild one. It was also my sixth year as a stay-at-home mom, which was EXTREMELY helpful since the boys spent the previous school year mostly remote. Maybe on a later post I'll think through some of the learning experiences I have had in the last year, but for now let's keep it positive with a knitting post!

In regards to knitting, I've come a long way in the past year. I've learned that I tend to be braver about wearing my handknits when I have more amassed.  So I definitely amassed them.  Its hard to count how many I've made in my life, as they're scattered everywhere around the house right now, but it would be approximately a dozen.

I've learned to stick to the colors I love to hold in my hands, not the colors that are on trend or what any color quiz predicts I should wear. 

So here are my precious handmade items of 2021, clockwise from top right:

• Pagan Sky Sweater by Zanete Knits: I love wearing this softy as its made from baby alpaca yarn my husband shopped for and carried home from Peru. He's sweet like that.
• Untangled Crop designed by Handmade Closet: I JUST picked up the Flying Fibers Yorkshire Medley and Rosy Green Wool at New York S&W Festival in October and got straight to work on this!
• Kira Slipover (in the center) designed by Monique Chan: Such a pretty finished vest, from Periwinkle Sheep Highland Wool on Cloudborn Fibers Highland
• Hinterland by Jennifer Steingass: I believe this is the third design of hers that I've knit and I used a bundle of minis from Dancing Leaf Fiberworks that were perfect for this yoke
• Sorrel Sweater by Wool & Pine Designs: I cannot lie, I am a HUGE fan of Kim Dyes Yarn, a local indie dyer. This was made with her Brioche DK.

That wraps up last year! Its just thrilling to lay out the squishy soft sweaters I've made and see that they represent a fantastic variety of independent knitting designers and yarn dyers alike. Its easy to grow fond of your tried and true favorites, but not hard to stretch out and support new creators as well. Going forward, I really hope to test out new designers and I still have a cabinet full of yarn to do it!

Why I've Gone Crazy for Shakshouka

Welcome back, my funny little blog! I never believed I would attempt blogging again, until we entered this endless pandemic. I kept reading advice on how to weather the ups and downs, the changing situations our society is undergoing and one suggestion stood out to me: start a journal.

Since the month of March it all began (for us) I have failed to write down a single word, and now those days where we remained completely at home, struggling to get the boys through remote school, being incredibly PAINFULLY distant from the rest of our family, feels like a foggy memory. We're in such a different world now; a place where we take a test before going to a Thanksgiving gathering and friends alert us when they've had contact with someone infected so we can watch our symptoms and act accordingly.

So this Christmas when we were making our wishlists I had a big request: I wanted a tablet and keyboard so that I may get back to sharing my thoughts and experiences on here. With three years in Luxembourg in our future, I'm hoping to get away from Instabragging and Facegarbling, and get more into sharing helpful travel hints and experiences. 

But back to the present. 

Our family has since relocated to Northern Virginia, right in the middle of the pandemic, and has settled in despite all the challenges. We found a great place to live, right on the cusp of horse country, great schools and activities for the boys, and a wonderful group of friends for ourselves. Myles the diplodog is still limping around, and doesn't realize he's in his elder years at all yet. In fact, with a daily stream of anti-inflammatories and CBD treats, he's living his best life.

One of the things I love the most about living here are the incredible Thai and Vietnamese restaurants that are plentiful out in the burbs. Its also fantastic to live in a diverse community, and we are just 10-15 minutes away from two international food markets. I really like to explore with food, and my current fave flavors are garam masala and anything sweet yet spicy. Its easy to cook healthier meals without becoming bored when you can change the recipe with a few special ingredients, and I'm always keeping in mind that my husband prefers things spicy/hot, whereas I favor spicy/flavorful.

Which brings me to shakshouka, which I've read is a Tunisian and Isreali dish that is absolutely delicious. The base of this stew-like meal is a simple combination of simmered tomatoes, peppers and onion with flavorful spices and eggs dropped in to poach lightly. My husband had it once over the summer and I've been obesssed with recreating it ever since. The best part is that the base is simple and delicious already- all you have left to do is season or tweak it the way you like. So Mr. Spicy/Hot can get exactly what he likes, and I do too!

I don't have an exact recipe that I follow anymore, but you can find a great version here:

www.allrecipes.com/recipe/213717/chakchouka-shakshouka

Now that I have my trusty skillet, I have a few ideas for creating some delicious twists on this that will help us eat healthy and fresh:

• This morning I seasoned the tomatoes with garam masala, salt, chili pepper, cumin and garlic. When it reached a boil I turned down the heat and added diced potato and chopped fresh kale. After the eggs were finished, I topped the dish with a tiny bit of crumbled bacon, chopped cilantro and some avocado.
• Sriracha and green peppers with a side of steamed bok choy?
• Season with Sofrito soup base, cumin and chili powder and top the finished dish with a crumble of cotijo cheese
• Add fresh spinach, zuchini noodles or top with microgreens for crunch

With a side of toasted whole-grain bread to soak up the juices, this meal is always satisfying and filled with nutrition. I'm just hoping this will help us recover from all our holiday indulgences. With New Years Eve just a few days away, I thought we'd focus on some healthier habits so we're all in high spirits for 2022!
 

If You Were To Ask Me

If you see me around, I hope you don't see anything to be concerned about. There's not much reason for me to not be smiling. I feel full of hope, energy, and most of the time motivation. There are some major events coming up, including my husband coming home for a few weeks, a major exam or two, a beach getaway, and of course my first half marathon. Finally.

These are pretty much the fuel I am using to get through each day. If you add that with the love and companionship of my boys, my friends, and my family, you can be sure that I will get through this. But its not always easy.

If you were to guess that is not the entire story, you would be correct.

If you were to ask me what is on my mind I would tell you I'm frustrated and worried. We have only half a year left in Thailand, and don't know where we are going next. We submitted our "wish list" back in August, and watched some of our favorite spots drop from the list week by week. And still no word for us. But I am trying to be patient and flexible. It isn't easy though, when you are anticipating moving a family, dog, all your posessions and career to a completely different country. There are questions about renting a house, buying a car, locating schools, locating job openings. Imagine doing that every three years, and not until about a month or two before you actually move. Yuh.

If you were to ask me what is on my mind I would tell you I'm a little heartsick. Both my boys are doing well in school, but both get frustrated easily and lash out. I call it the "mountains out of molehills" effect, because most of the time they are just fine. They make friends. They're happy. They are always in good moods at home. However, if someone cuts in front of them, bumps into their table, you name it-they lose their cool. But only at school. I wish they could tell me why. I wish I could help them, but I can't be there all the time. I wish I knew what leads to this negativity and anger, but I do the best I can to support them and work with them.

If you were to ask me what is on my mind, and have a little more time to spare, I would tell you I'm nervous. Two years of an unaccompanied tour is something challenging to adjust from. I build walls when my husband is gone so I can cope. Some people let their feelings flow, but I just cant do that. So I embrace having that "stiff upper lip" and soldier on until we are through. The walls have to come down though, when he returns to us, and thats hard. Its good at the same time. Yet, its not always smooth, and sometimes you worry if you have any feelings left at all.

In the end, I would tell you that this is all alright. We chose this, and I would rather have these challenges and always have the unknown twist around the next corner. We are fortunate, and as tough as I get inside, I never stop thinking that. I'm lucky to have such a wonderful life and such loving family.

It's All About The Tunes

Pardon me while I humblebrag, but there are just three days, one class, and a crazy 12K between me and this:

To get there is going to require a little bit of mental fortitude and some great tunes, so I'm going to share with you my latest run compilation, guaranteed to keep you running, and with a big smile on your face. Enjoy!

1. Player (feat. Chris Brown) -Tinashe
2. Secrets (Radio Edit) - Tiesto & KSHMR
3. Last Chance - Kaskade & Project 46
4. Five More Hours - Deorro & Chris Brown
5. Headlights (feat. Ilsey) - Robin Schultz
6. Can't Stop Playing - Dr. Kucho! & Gregor Salto
7. The Veldt (radio edit) - Deadmau5
8. Help Our Souls (Urban Contact Remix) - Nihils
9. Language - Porter Robinson
10. Dancing In My Head (Tom Hangs Remix) -Eric Turner & Avicii
11. On My Way -Axwell Ingrosso
12. Zonk -Dimitri Vangelis & Wyman
13. Levels -Avicii
14. King -Years & Years
15. Hello -Martin Solveig & Dragonette
16. SLVR -Steve Angello & Sadko
17. Love Myself -Hailee Steinfeld
18. Fun -Pitbull
19. Lean On -Major Lazer

Pumpkin Everything

A few people asked for my recipes for the snacks I've been creating for the kids. Some have been good- some not so good! I'm worried that the real reason my boys ate these up is the fact that they were very sweet, so I recommend that when you add the agave syrup, start with 1/4 cup and add more when you stir in the millet and oats if you think it's needed. I also suggest you cut these smaller than your supermarket variety granola bars! There's a lot packed into these sweeties.

Pumpkin Spice Bars

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (all natural is best)
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 can pumpkin purée
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 cups puffed millet (or base grain of your choice)
1 cup rolled oats
1\2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tbsp chia seeds
1\2 cup white or dark chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350*.

Butter the bottom of a 10X10 baking dish

In a microwave-safe bowl combine the peanut butter, agave syrup, salt and vanilla extract. Microwave on High for about 1 1/2 minutes. When you take it out, give it a good stir!

Pour your can of pumpkin purée in and the remainder of spices while it is still bubbling hot and mix well.

In a larger bowl combine all the remaining ingredients.

Pour your pumpkin mixture over the wheat and millet and stir throughout. If it's a bit squishy, add more oats until your batter becomes pretty thick. Press it into your baking pan to about 1/2 inch thickness or whatever you prefer and bake in the over for 20-25 minutes.

Remove and allow to cool. If it's not firm enough to cut, chill in the fridge for a few hours.

Cut, wrap or just enjoy!

Celebrating Songkran in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai was a lot of fun during Songkran. We did the whole supersoaker-waterfest in the old city for a day, and decided after that we would fill our trip with some sightseeing. Having lived in Thailand for almost two years, we knew it would be pretty easy to find a driver with a minivan who could take us around to the typical tourist destinations for pretty cheap. I just asked a few friends who had been there over the past year, and they were all glad to share the contact information for their drivers. So, the next day we piled into "Mr. Su"s van, and set of for Doi Inthanon and Wat Inthanon, perched at the top of the highest peak in northern Thailand. The weather was gorgeous, and the drive was pretty exciting thanks to the people on the side of the road still throwing water at cars, but when we got to the top you couldn't see far. I guess they burn brush and clear property by fire, so the smoke spreads from afar and gives the sky a pretty thick haze.

It didn't matter, except we all became a little congested. Wat Inthanon has gorgeous gardens to ramble around, and afterwards little Nate strolled quietly into the temple on his own, kneeled down, and prayed to Buddha very respectfully. He still doesn't understand what he's doing. Or does he?

We stopped by a waterfall for a lunch break, and later stopped by a roadside stand for some fresh fruit- it was an easy, rambling day. We also stopped by the "long-neck village" which wasn't what I wanted at all, but oh well-I think Mr. Su was just trying to make us happy. Unfortunately, the karen tribe tourist stop isn't really our thing. I actually had a village that I had asked him to take us to: one which didn't have any souvenir shops or an entry fee, just villagers going about their farming, weaving, cooking, etc. Our driver must have thought his idea was better for us. Oh well...

We also spent an few hours the next day on a shopping trip, so I could pick up a few baubles, some hand-painted umbrellas, and some real Thai silk. The silk shop was our favorite, because they boys could actually see the life cycle of the silk worm up close, all the way to seeing them boil the cocoons and spin the thread out of them. 

Then we followed the advice of a fellow employee and headed over to the Chiangmai Night Safari. What an adventure! We first stopped for a quick bite to eat outside the gate at the restaurant, where you could watch the tigers, giraffes and zebras right next to your table! In the park you could go on two rides through the animal exhibits, buy carrots and bananas to toss to them, and sometimes even feed them directly from your hand! Once or twice Nate snuggled close, when we passed the more ferocious creatures, but most of the ride was a lot of fun. After zooming through the park in the dark, feeding animals, and watching a phenominal water fountain/light show, we had to return to the giraffes and say some heartfelt goodbyes:

It was also fantastic staying at the Centara, as always. Their boutique hotel on the outskirts of Chiangmai was gorgeous, well-kept, and had great staff there to help us. Our villa was incredible, with room for both the boys and a canopy bed for us, and of course the GIANT jacuzzi tub outside, that we used every day to scrub the dust and dirt off after our treks. I'm just at that point right now where if we must travel, its worth spending a little extra to not be cramped, but instead be just a teensy bit pampered. And have enough room to stash our purchases....

Living the Life, and Loving It

Dear friends, have you missed me? It has been so long since I've shared our adventures, and the past two months have been full of them: events, holidays, trips and parties. There have been so many times where I wanted to write about our life in Bangkok, talk about the nights on the town, and the great people we meet, but it felt too much like bragging. Would you even believe me anyways? Or would you grow disgusted and think me an image-crafter with my "look at our marvelous life" posts? I don't like to sulk, wallow, or depress you with the bad days, but if you don't know me very well perhaps you would misunderstand. So, maybe we have had some bad days, some mysterious fevers and anxious visits to the med unit. There have been fights and squabbling, grownup and children alike. And there are the day to day things you know we all have: the bills to be paid, the car breaking down, the trials and tribulations of an ordinary family.

Its all there, no need to waste your time. We've been through some challenges lately, but all that matters is we are just fine. No need to drive you crazy with any "look at my marvelous life" posts as well. This post is nothing like that. Let me take you somewhere in the middle, just a step above an ordinary day. "A step above" I say simply because if it were ordinary, we would be back in Plymouth, or perhaps watching the swan boats in Boston, instead of speeding boats on the khlong. That was little P a few weeks ago, on our way back from jiu-jitsu. I'm never sure what is more amusing; the look on his face as he waves to the passengers, or the look on theirs when they see a cute little boy trying to get their attention. People here are just. so. nice. to kids. So, for me, that still feels unusual sometimes.

And then there's my honey, striking a pose with one of our best friends here. She helped him throw me a 50's-themed birthday party. It was adorable. Is it normal to have such great friends? I don't know, but we've met people I love so much its going to be hard to let them go. So, I suppose that is a step above the ordinary. I guess I didn't think enough upon that fact that we would say goodbye to the friends we make every 2-3 years. It sure does make you appreciate them so much more.

A few weeks later we celebrated Easter at the Embassy, with a big party and egg hunt. I'm extremely grateful that both boys are well past the "mortally terrified of Santa and the Easter Bunny" stage. No, Nate wanted to go home and come back in his Nemo fish getup, just to keep Mr. Bunny company. He's cool like that. I should have mentioned earlier that he underwent several costume changes at my birthday as well. Nemo-dragon-and back to Nemo. The kid has style.

Definitely not normal for us is the annual Songkran holiday they have in Thailand every year. Its the Thai New Year, and the tradition started with people washing the hands of their elders and buddha statues out of respect, and snowballed into an all-out, no-holds-barred, with blocks of ice waterfight. This year we went to Chiang Mai to see how they celebrate, and it was insane. The roads were like a guantlet, with people packed onto the backs of pickup trucks, armed with supersoakers and buckets of ice water, and the sidewalks lined with people too. Philip totally got into it. Nate, not so much.

So we escaped for a day to Doi Inthanon National Park, hiked, saw waterfalls, and tried to stay cool.  

What Does The Bear Say?

The bear says "Happy Birthday, P" of course. And then our happy campers tie-dyed shirts, shot arrows at a target, ate trail mix, and did all those things that little campers do. That is how we celebrated a 7th birthday. We kept it small this time too. A mom could go crazy thrying to throw monstrous birthday bashes every year, so I asked myself what would make my little man happy and felt that he would love just a day of fun with some close friends.



The snacks: a make-your-own trail mix bar

We threw in a man in a bear costume, just because.



I'll nap right here mom.

He read a story by the "campfire."



Party favors.



The boys played in temporary tents that we made for the occasion. Which we later dismantled, much to their disappointment. There may be a teepee in our future.

That bear didn't stand a chance.

My kids have the most fantastic dad ever.













This Is Not Singapore

This is not the best of Singapore, but its the best I could do. In December we spent almost two weeks driving through New Zealand, then left behind our lovely RV and headed to Singapore.

It was Christmas Eve.

We wore our Santa hats on the plane. We checked into a lovely hotel close to Orchard Road and prepared our stockings for Santa.

I wish I had better pictures to share, but we had to switch gears and enjoy modern spectacles and man-made wonders after two weeks of majestic and unspoilt nature. The city was so dazzling, clean, and uncrowded I didn't know where to look. The Marina Bay Sands Hotel, the Garden on the Bay, the "Merlion!"

The Universal Studios amusement park.

The boys rode terrifying rides (with some reassurance from us at first) and then asked for more. We went to EVERY show. Philip even volunteered to stand in front of a hundred or so people and chat with Donkey at the comedy show. Nate followed immediately behind, and Donkey exclaimed "I thought I was seeing double!"

We spent an entire day roaming the botanical gardens, where we visited the Orchid Garden and finlly stumbled our way onto the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden. I SO wish Bangkok had a place like this. There was a playground, a maze, a sensory garden, treehouse, exhibits and more. It reminded me of the Heritage Gardens we used to frequent back on Cape Cod.

Our time in Singapore was brief, but so eye opening. And it would be so different from the places we are sent to live someday: the wealth was so apparent that the boys could count the high-end sports cars racing by them every minute. But my favorite trait of Singapore was the amount of green space within the city. It was a city for walking and roaming on foot, for lunching on the grass and stopping to smell the flowers. I would absolutely love an assignment here someday.

But our adventures weren't over yet. One more stop before landing back in Bangkok:

Bali

The Best Gift of All

Last night I was browsing a thumbdrive full of over a year's photos, documenting our best times on the town. It was a Christmas gift from a most beautiful, thoughtful friend. All the galas, the plays, the celebrations and silliness. The costumes we wore, the times we danced like no one was watching, the way us together became a "thing" without us ever trying. But that is the way with some friends. (Holly & Dave, I'm thinking of you too.) Sometimes you are lucky enough to have a charmed year or two with a set of people who just make you feel like no matter where you are, you have come home. So the funny thing is that the drive was not the gift; it was like looking at a picture of the gift. It had already been given.

On My Mind Today

1. Fun. I've been thinking about our life together, and one of the greatest things we share is our sense of fun. I suppose we might miss a thing or two by not being good planners. We might miss a little by not being more thorough. And I suppose paying closer attention to details might benefit us, but we aren't good at that. What we are good at would be playing games together, taking chances, not being afraid of looking a little silly. Like wearing Santa hats on a hike. Or waving to strangers and dancing on the sidewalk and dressing in costume for non-halloween events. 

Leaping. And the Franz Joseph Glacier, of course.

2. Trouble. We are living in a bit of a hotbed of politics and culture right now. Its nothing too scary, but its constantly changing, and unpredictable, but at the time exciting. Its also our first time living in such a situation, and probably will not be the last.



 3. My loves. They are growing so fast. One is reading big chapter books and devouring The Hobbit and LOTR movies. The other is coasting on a bike without training wheels already. They adore each other, and their personalities compliment each other. They're also mirror-images of our personalities, so we understand them on such an intimate level. I know when Nate is fighting off tears and I know when Philip's attention will flag. And I know that every time I give them a big smile it helps build their confidence. When I think about it now, I realize there is more wordless communication in our home than spoken.

 4. This dang bird. Its a Kia. And it wanted in our camper. When it didn't get its way it scrambled across our roof and tried to nibble at the kids through the skylight. They found that hilarious. The Kia didn't. It invited a friend over later and the two of them squalked their loud appeals above our heads around 11 o'clock that night. And again a few hours later.

New Zealand wine and impromptu game of tic-tac-toe with river stones.

5. Date night. Its an added benefit of the expat life. We used to enjoy a date night every few months, if we were lucky that bumped up to once a month. In Bangkok it happens whenever we feel like it. Our nanny appreciates the extra income. We have lots of things we can do in this city, whether it involves getting dressed up for a charity ball, or just going out for some delicious grilled seafood at a sidewalk vendor and splitting a few beers. Tonight is one of those nights. I think. I haven't decided yet, but I'm certainly looking forward to some time with my sweetheart.

6. This kid. He's turning seven soon. He's the coolest kid. Loves his brother. Is up for anything. Gives the best snuggles. Has the most amazing shimmering gold hair. Did a yoga class with me yesterday and was so well behaved! Represented us well at the opening of the kids' art exhibit and was charming and well-behaved while chatting with our "boss." Is smart and clever and imaginative, but has the most ATROCIOUS handwriting.