Snow white

I’m looking out of the window, watching little magical snowflakes quietly, purposefully, gently, falling to the ground. It’s beautiful. It’s cold.

It’s calming to gaze on from the warmth of my room, exciting too for little kids just breaking off from school and skipping along with glee. Their thirst finally quenched for long they waited. December came and there was nothing, Christmas day too. “Oh! What is Christmas without snow?” they asked. Now they smile for it comes with the New Year!
Mich is bouncing off the walls as usual, looking forward to snow ball fights; Amani's first snow experience and she doesn't quite know what to make of it. Judging from her brother's gymnatics, she figures it's something to be excited about.

I love snow when it first falls. It’s fresh. It’s new. It’s crisp. It’s clean. It’s White.
Reminds me of David’s prayer in Psalm 51
“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow”

Isaiah 1:18
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

So when snow falls, it is a reminder that I have a redeemer whose blood cleanses me from my sin and guilt, leaving me pure and clean - whiter that snow.

Aging with(out) the Stars.

You know that time is doing its thing when suddenly the Baroness in “Sound of music” looks young and nicely shaped. Leisl, Captain Von Trapp’s oldest daughter reminds you of your days in high school and Gretl, well, little Gretl is another version of your daughter. Yup! You’ve been around that long, and your favorite movie characters have kept themselves looking feisty.

You reminesce on good times by watching “Gold Finger” and you can’t get over how young James Bond was and yet at the time, he and Captain Von Trapp were your dad’s age mates. We will skip Arnold and Willis in “Different Strokes” because Louis and Mr. Jefferson are now your contemporaries.

I cherish the emotions that get triggered when I watch these classics. I imagine life as an elevator and these movies a constant. At the beginning you are looking up, 10 years later you’re face to face; in another 10 years your gaze is slightly tilted downwards, 10 years after that you are literally bowed down looking at your feet. In quiet moments you wonder whether a) you look as good, b) you have accomplished as much, c) you've used all your talents adequately d) if it’s too late and your window has closed.

The "What to expect" series book review

Books: What to expect the first year and What to expect the second year.
Authors: Heidi Murkoff, Sharon Mazel, Arlene Eisenberg & Sandee Hathaway

After reading “What to expect when you’re expecting”, you bring baby home and wonder what to do with the cute buddle of joy (sometimes not so much joy).

Well, Heidi Murkoff wrote another book “What to expect the first year” she has done the research for you. She points out  baby's development month by month and blends it with the mother's (and fathers) challenges and questions at this delicate stage. Having all this information sprinkled with questions from parents makes it all more real. Parents are able to identify.

Possibilities and questions

Wow! The New year is here!
I enjoyed December thoroughly.

My daily schedule revolved around waking up around 6:40am read 7:00am, taking a bath, dressing Amani up, packing Mich’s snack and making sure he got to school before 8:00am. Amani and I would then walk back home. On warm days we would take a stroll, on cold days we would dash home and have breakfast after which she would look at me as if to say “aha! And now??” “Can the games begin?”

Hot cross buns!

Well not exactly, but don't they look YUMMMY?

I was so excited when I pulled these out of the oven. I was so proud of myself – I baked bread!
Some of you chefs are thinking "duh!!" But I've got reason to celebrate; a) the buns taste delicious b) the kitchen is not exactly my preffered place of choice c) and most importantly, baking buns used to be a family tradition.
Mum baked bread when I was a kid. We never spent money on bread because there was always home baked bread. The whiff of yeast and flour would fill the house and when the buns were ready mmm mmm! they smelled super delicious. She would glaze them over with some blue band to make them shine and voila!! (big sigh)
Special memories!

On this day 12/27/11, I was able to relive those memories - over 15 years later (that was the last time I baked bread).

You rock mum!!
Thank you for teaching me and giving me the book of recipes. It’s old and falling apart but it works wonders still.

Happy New Year!