2 europeans & a baby

October, time for birthday parties

2011-10-30T09:14:00.003+01:00

ELENA TURNED 7 ...

... AND EMANUELE TURNED 7 TOO!

Walking in Brussels

2011-08-25T13:09:00.008+02:00

Comic Strips Museum of Brussels

2011-08-25T13:00:00.004+02:00

Greenhouses of Botanic Garden

2011-08-25T12:41:00.005+02:00

National Botanic Garden of Belgium

2011-08-25T12:28:00.003+02:00

This summer...

2011-08-14T16:21:00.004+02:00

Villa Pallavicino

2011-07-24T11:18:00.007+02:00

Our relaxing living

2011-07-13T18:36:00.013+02:00

Welcome to our home...

2011-07-13T16:01:00.006+02:00

FRONT OF THE HOUSE AND FRONT GARDEN

BACKYARD GARDEN

LITTLE "FARM"

6 months later...

2011-07-09T17:49:00.012+02:00

Since my last post, 6 (almost 7) months has passed by, between the move to the new house and Anita's first year of school... For the rest we are fine and don't have news, but I'm sure that the new house and Anita school upgrade will be enough! I have a lot to tell and so many pictures to show that I don't know how to begin... Well, maybe it's a good idea to begin with the neverending story of the new house.

We planned to move in december and we started the moving of furnitures and so on, planning to move definitively the 7th january with school restart. 2 days before, thieves came in and stole the new washing machine, the new oven, the new boiler, 3 eiderdowns... They broke the back door and the basement door... and "luckly" we found the new refrigerator on the street! Needless to say that it was a very bad experience and a big adventure, and that it cost us lot of money, days and energies. We had to came back to the old home and wait for the doors change. The end is that we moved definitively on 19th january. The first night it was strange, we were very tired but we slept very well!

During the winter and the spring we saw the new house under the snow, the rain, the sun and the hail. But we loved it and we are every day more happy of our choice and our new house. We love especially the garden, to eat outside-work outside-study and play outside. Our neighbours are young, nice and all with children, so Anita has 5 new friends to play with, from 3 to 7 years!

The first 2 pictures to celebrate it are:

a special after thunderstorm with 2 wonderful rainbows
Brandon, the new guest of the garden!Of course, I have a lot of pictures to post, from the garden and the inside...

About Anita, she ended her first year of school without problems and with a very g ood valuation. She likes especially italian, english, maths and informatics. Her teachers are wonderful, and the class too. They are already a big group of friends, especially the girls who decided meet also on holidays for playing afternoon together. So one day per week we meet other girls and parents, and the last day of school we went all outside for a pizza.
They! During a birthday party...

A special afternoon...

2010-12-20T14:22:00.005+01:00

Anita turned 6 (CAN'T BELIEVE IT!) last 14th december, but we celebrated the birthday sunday afternoon. We went to watch Toy Story 3 and then to an icecream place for the cake.

It was a very special afternoon that she shared with her best friends.

The big black hole!

2010-12-13T10:55:00.001+01:00

Surprise: second tooth out!

2010-11-10T11:51:00.003+01:00

First tooth out!

2010-11-04T16:32:00.003+01:00

It's almost 2 months that I don't blog, but I have a very good excuse: we are VERY busy busy busy with the move! (I will post the pics of the new house as soon as possible). And now I also have a news to let you forgive me... Yesterday Anita lost her first tooth!

I'm sure I don't have to say that we are more excited than her, if it's possible. It was a while that her front teeth moved and her friends already lost one or two, so she couldn't wait for the Teeth-Fairy! We put the tooth in a very beautiful Teeth-Fairy box that my cousin gave to Anita and the last night the fairy arrived and left some money. This morning, when it was wake-up call for school, Anita was already awake and was sitting on her bed with her box and the money in the hands!

Btw, now some school update... The school is going very well. In her class Anita found some friends from preschool and she met the others during the break. The teachers are all so good and nice. She has one for italian, english and most of the subjects, one for maths and one for science and geography. Then they have a professional instructor for gymnastics, the same that Anita had at preschool.

For the moment the subjects she prefers are: italian, english, maths and computers. And she can't wait to read!

1st day of school

2010-09-13T10:06:00.008+02:00

4... 3... 2... 1... GOOOOOO!
A new adventure's begun! Today is the 1st day of school for Anita and also for us, because we are very excited!
After a good breakfast, some pics and then ready to go!

Another few pics in the garden of the school...

...and then ready to go in her classroom, received by her teachers with a beautiful hawaiian necklace!

In her class she found another children from pre-school...

The last pic: "Ciao ciao and enjoy her first day of school!". The school is officially started!

Tomorrow...

2010-09-12T21:45:00.002+02:00

Tomorrow is a big day... Tomorrow is the Day! Tomorrow Anita will start the school! We are all SO excited!

Preparing for the move...

2010-06-27T14:28:00.003+02:00

This is only a little part of all the boxes we have to transfer...

PS: no compassionate comments, thank you! :-)

Anita's graduation pics

2010-06-21T11:44:00.011+02:00

The celebration

*****

With her friend Emanuele

With their teachers Elisabetta and Vera

Her fantastic teacher Elisabetta!

With Lina (her "third" grandma) and Giovanna (her godmother)

With mom and dad

With grandma Teresa

With her friend Irene

Something finishes and something starts... It seems like yesterday when Anita started the preschool and it's already ended. Next step: the school!

Preschool graduated

2010-06-20T15:17:00.001+02:00

20th june 2010

Anita at home

2010-06-03T11:04:00.003+02:00

This week Anita is at home with fever and ear infection... Ok, after 2 days of antibiotics, she has no more fever and no more ear pain. I preferred she stayed at home because next week at school they will have the trip for the end of the year, so she must be ok.

The advantages of being ill? You can eat on the sofa and watch cartoons all day long!

Gym show!

2010-05-19T13:39:00.008+02:00

Last sunday children of school made their annual gym show. For Anita, it was the last because next year she'll be at school. It was very funny to see the children but also a little sad to think that it was the last... Of course, children were so good!

An emerald in the garden

2010-05-10T10:35:00.005+02:00

Yesterday, taking a promenade outside between a storm and another, we found this wonderful creature... that we let come back on the grass. Doesn't it seem an emerald?

Mother's day

2010-05-09T10:10:00.003+02:00

Happy Mother's day to all my friends moms!

These are the work Anita made at school...

...and the flowers Anita and daddy gave me as present!

Fantastic weekend for Anita

2010-05-03T11:06:00.011+02:00

The last week end was really wonderful for Anita because she spent the all week end with her best friends.
We started saturday afternoon with a playdate with Irene, and in the meanwhile we received the unexpected visit of Emanuele.
To entertain the children, Alain made some of his experiments with water and ice...Touching the water to feel the hot and the cold... Obviously the children were happy to put their hands in the water!
Then they tried to put in the water some ice made with Coca-cola and saw that the water became brown.
This is for the italian friends who know what is Gaia Scienza: ecco a voi il professor Mario Tozzi e il Trio Medusa!
Finally, he showed that warming the water it becomes vapor!After the experiments and a good break with pizza and cake, they played and made some drawing.

*****

Sunday afternoon we celebrated Lisa's 5th birthday. Needless to say that the 2 girls had a lot of fun playing together, dancing and jumping on Lisa's bed!

Finally it's spring!

2010-04-12T10:52:00.004+02:00

Saturday we ate outside for the first time! The weather was so beautiful: warm but with a light air. It was really a relaxing and funny saturday afternoon: everyone with his favorite activity!

Gaasbeek castle

2010-04-08T12:48:00.006+02:00

The only tour we could make was to the wonderful Gaasbeek Castle who was near our hotel. It was very agreeable to walk in the parc, but just for awhile because the cold nordic wind let us go back home quickly!

Return to Belgium

2010-04-08T11:49:00.008+02:00

Our trip is going well, weather a part. Anita had a lot of fun playing with "oma" Jacqueline and saying "hallo!" to her cat Mieke. Besides she couldn't wait to take the airplane because "it was a lot that we didn't take it!". Of course, she sat near the window to see the lights and the little cars and houses. She always enjoy to eat at the airport and visit the duty free.
Our souvenirs:
1) Anita at the airport, the first it's at Malpensa international airport of Milano, the second at Zaventem international airport of Bruxelles
2) The weather... rain, wind and hail!3) Our beautiful hotel in the countryside with a very big room and a big bed all for Anita4) Of course, oma Jacqueline

School works for Easter

2010-03-31T11:10:00.003+02:00

These are the works that children made for Easter. We wish HAPPY EASTER to all! We will spend ours in Belgium eating and eating chocolate!!!

It seemed spring but...

2010-03-29T14:27:00.004+02:00

Yesterday it was a wonderful sunny and warm sunday. So we spent some time in the afternoon outside and thought: "Yeah, finally the spring is here!"

Instead today is another cloudy day... I wonder when the spring will come...

3 sleeping beauties

2010-03-27T13:38:00.002+01:00

(Pay attention: there is also a little cat in the arms of Anita!)

Relax in CHIAVARI

2010-03-17T10:22:00.009+01:00

We spent the other days of our long weekend in Chiavari relaxing, walking and eating good fish... Luckly, after a cold winter also on the coast, we found some very warm and sunny days! there was already spring and it was wonderful!

GENOVA - La Città dei Bambini e dei Ragazzi

2010-03-17T09:25:00.011+01:00

Our long weekend started in Genova.

After a good lunch and a promenade, we visited La Città dei Bambini e dei Ragazzi, where children can experiment with science, technology and so on.

We started with "Hands in the Water", where children can learn the water's behaviour.Then a little break with the "Touch screens" where Anita played with dancing vegetables.And then the "Building Site": Anita liked to experimet how our new house is built. And this is the part she liked the most.

We saw also the "Turtles and Ants space", and the "Soap Balls"!

We really spent a fantastic time together!

Welcome spring!

2010-03-10T13:58:00.003+01:00

Yesterday it snowed again and now it's still snowing... So we decided to go to the sea for some days looking for the spring, because it seems that it doesn't want to come to us! See you!

Anita's school

2010-02-12T08:59:00.006+01:00

The friends who usually read our blog will remember our dubts about the choice of Anita' school. Well, last week we visited the public school near us (5 minutes walking). We also had a meeting with the director and the teachers who explained the timetable and the education planning. Well, all our doubts were driven out...
The school is big enough to have to refectories, one for 1st and 2nd years and another for 3rd, 4th and 5th. They have a library, computer room, art laboratory, gymnasium, english laboratory. And the thing Anita liked the most is that there is a big garden where children can play in the summer.
Children can choose between 2 timetables:
1 - from monday to friday from 8.30 to 16.30 (with 2 hours of break to eat and play).
2 - the same but with wednesday afternoon free.
The real difference is only for 3 hours of school, in which they do only practice and extra things.
For the timetable, we still have some doubt, because we would like the wednesday afternoon free to let Anita rest a little, but in this case she would miss something. In any case, she already asked to stay at school for the break.
But the most interesting thing is what they study... The basic courses are the same for all 5 years: italian, maths, science, history, geography, english (no mothertongue teachers but skilled), computer (skilled teachers), art, music, sport.
But for each course they have some extra from the 2nd year...
Italian -> journalism, theatre.
Sport -> swimming, basketball, orientering, athletics, tennis, soccer, handball with skilled instructors.
Music -> chorus, extra lessons with teachers of conservatory.
Science -> ecology, nutrition, emotional education, astronomy.
Our feeling is that they study a lot of innovative and interesting things, especially because the public school hasn't funds; all these projects seem a miracle... maybe thanks to very good teachers.
Besides, last saturday it was possible to vist the school with the children: children of the last year welcomed us and explained the activities, Anita had the possibility to make some laboratory of art, computer and gymnastic and meet the teachers. And finally, she also received a gift! Needless to say that she loved the scholl! We also met a lot of children of the preschool. It was very funny!
We really like this school! And this is our choice!

Kitchen stories - the movie

2010-02-11T08:53:00.013+01:00

The cast: Anita, Lisa, grandma Teresa and Lina.

Direction & camera: mom Barbara.

The story: 2 little girls, after school, want to try some cooking experience and, with 2 old women's help, they can make some good products. The girls have a lot of fun and the old women too. At the end the girls and the old women eat what they cooked and play together!

The moral of the tale: in a kitchen there's no gap between the young and old women!

*****

What they realized: mini rolls with chocolate, biscuits and orange mini tart.

And after all that working, a good break tasting the result of the cooking, some playing and a funny Little Einstein dvd...

Leonardo's workshop

2010-02-01T11:27:00.007+01:00

In these days the weather is very cold. Yesterday it was a very cold but sunny sunday, so in the afternoon we decided to make a promenade in the centre and go to visit the exhibition Leonardo’s Workshop. His Codices, Machines and Drawings. It was very interesting to explain to Anita who Leonardo was and what he did, to try to build some of his machines and finally to have the Inventor Certicate. She had a lot of fun building the machines with Emanuele.

The best moment was during our promenade in the courtyard of the castle when Anita said: "It's very beautiful, it SEEMS a castle!"

Sunday experiment n.3

2010-01-25T10:31:00.003+01:00

Ingredients:

- a little girl

- a grandma who likes to cook

- a winter sunday

- 3 eggs

- some flour

- some sugar

- oil

PROCEDURE.

Knead the ingredients, cut the cookies and fry them. Sprinkle with icing sugar and taste.

Conclusion. Yummy yummy!!!

Sunday experiment n.2

2010-01-25T09:51:00.009+01:00

Ingredients:
- a little girl
- a dad who likes everything is scientific
- a winter sunday
- some water
- 2 handkerchiefs
PROCEDURE.
1) Put a child's hand in the water.

2) Rub the hands.

3) Notice that it's easy to dry.

4) Put a handkerchief in the water.

5) Weigh a dry handkerchief and notice the weight.

6) Then weigh the wet handkerchief and notice that it's absolutely heavier.

Conclusion. The handkerchief absorbs the water, the hand don't!

Sunday experiment n.1

2010-01-25T09:35:00.011+01:00

Ingredients:
- a little girl
- a dad who likes everything is scientific
- a winter (cloudy and cold) sunday
- some water
- some coins
PROCEDURE.
1) Explain the procedure to the child.

2) Put a coin in a glass completely full of water.

3) Observe that the water stays in the glass.

4) Put another coin in the glass and observe that the water still stays.

5) Observe the satisfied face of the child!

Conclusion: to make experiments with daddy is very funny!

Doctor Mike

2010-01-22T08:51:00.006+01:00

In this period Anita is really addicted to "Dr. Quinn, Medecine Woman".
The series begins in the year 1867 when Doctor Mike (as all call her even if she's a woman) goes to live in the small west town of Colorado Springs. Here she's the only doctor of the town, so first she has to convince people that a woman can be a doctor, then she becomes a kind of hero because she cures everyone who need it. She also becomes a friends of Cheyennes, and from them she learns to use the medicinal herbs.
Watching the serial, Anita took a great interest in Dr. Quinn, in medicine and in the every-day-life of a doctor and she begins to say that she wants to become a doctor! Mom and dad agree!

Sadness

2010-01-15T10:33:00.002+01:00

The children of Haiti need all of us to come back smiling...

Funny pics

2010-01-11T10:20:00.009+01:00

The first is the crafting activity result by the Crafting Kit that Lisa gave to Anita for her birthday: it was very funny to realize some Happy 2010 card, an angel and some decorations.

The second is a dummy nostalgia with a dummy candy arrived with Epiphany. This is was even more funny!

Experiment n° 2

2010-01-04T10:30:00.009+01:00

Yesterday afternoon Anita wanted to do another experiment. I think she likes especially to play with water and have the complete attention of daddy. On the other hand Alain was so happy that he has already planned to let Anita work at CERN!
Btw, the 2nd experiment was still about floating and sinking objects. First the preparation: water, a potatoe, an egg and some explanations...Checking that both of the objects sink...Then let's try the same putting some salt in the water......and checking that now both the potatoe and the egg are floating!After the explanations of Alain, Anita decided to go to the Dead Sea for a vacation!
After that, they did another experiment with a little paper clip that, of course, immediately sank. But when Alain put the clip on the water with a fork and Anita saw that the clip was foating, I'm sure she was thinking that this is a spell and daddy is a wizard!

Happy (scientific) 2010!

2010-01-03T09:44:00.011+01:00

Happy new year to all! We have started the new year nicely at home with Disney movies and reading and playing. It was a very quiet 31st december that we liked a lot!
Now I explain why "scientific" 2010... Yesterday we went for a walk in the centre and visited a new big bookshop: we found some interesting books, in particular one with experiments to do with children, that Alain wanted to buy and immediately use!
The first experiment wanted to test different objects floating or sinking. Anita had a lot of fun and liked to try, test and discover new things! And also to play with water! After some explanations and the preparation of the objects, the experiment can start...First they try with a teaspoon and an old plastic spoon of Anita... Anita had a lot of fun seeing that one was floating and the other sunk!Then they try with some other objects: differents tops, peanuts peel, wood, paper, plumage......and it was interesting to see that the objects did what daddy told!
Finally, they checked the heavy objects and the lights, the floating objects and the sinking.The last experiment was with oil and dishes soap... For Anita it was very strange and funny!I'm curious to see the next experiment they will do!

Christmas time

2009-12-28T10:00:00.004+01:00

This year we had a very quiet family Xmas. We didn't eat so much, we spent the afternoon playing "tombola" (bingo) with Anita who now knows the numbers, and watching Xmas movies and cartoons. It was so relaxing and pleasant that we thought to make the same for the end of the year.

The day before Xmas, Anita wanted to open at least a present, the one of his friend Emanuele! And then I gave her another to spend the afternoon with daddy while mom and grandma was busy in the kitchen. Obviously she appreciated both: the Hello Kitty stamps kit of Emanuele and the Dolls House of mom and dad.

Then in the Xmas morning she found the big present from Santa Claus: the Winx camper! She loved it!

Our new favorite

2009-12-23T18:12:00.007+01:00

You better watch out,

You better not cry,

Better not pout, I'm telling you why:

Santa Claus is coming to town.

He's making a list,

And checking it twice;

Gonna find out

Who's naughty and nice.

Santa Claus is coming to town.

He sees you when you're sleeping.

He knows when you're awake.

He knows if you've been bad or good,

So be good for goodness sake!

Oh, you better watch out!

You better not cry.

Better not pout, I'm telling you why:

Santa Claus is coming to town.
Santa Claus is coming to town!

In these days we like this song and like to dance it around the table...

Merry Christmas to all!

Anita, Barbara & Alain

Cold sunday

2009-12-21T09:32:00.007+01:00

Since the temperatures of these days are from -12° to -2°, we spent the sunday at home. In the afternoon we built the Box of the Secrets (birthday present to Anita) all together.
And what is it better than a hot chocolate in a frozen day of winter?!

Children feel the cold

2009-12-19T09:08:00.006+01:00

Yesterday we had the first snow of the winter, only a couple of centimeters, but the temperature is under 0 and all is frozen.
This morning, when we woke up, there were 2 children who wanted to be warmed a little...

Our Christmas tree

2009-12-17T09:09:00.004+01:00

What would we like to find under our Xmas tree? Only peace and health, and much time to spend together with family and friends. But if someone wants to donate us a cruise, it will be the same for us! Merry Christmas to all!

Making off

2009-12-16T08:54:00.007+01:00

The birthday party for Anita was very beautiful and funny for all, but we made the preparation in a week! Especially thinking about the journey of the treasure hunt. Here the making off...
First of all, we tried to find a treasure chest, but we didn't. So we built one by ourselves with a old box of an external hard-disk and a newspaper.
Then I coloured the chest...
Here our treasure chest ready for the hunt!

Then the preparation for the hunt, thinking of the indications and writing all... The most difficult thing was to put the indications around the house because after the party immediately Anita found 2 and we had to change the places!

The toilet papers ready for the final of the hunt...

And finally, saturday afternoon I prepared the cake, composed by 3 different cakes, one of chocolate and 2 normal.

I composed the cake and filled with cream and chantilly....

Then I put the chocolate on the cake and decorated with Mickey Mouse, pirates of sugar and whipped cream.

What a wonderful afternoon...

2009-12-15T14:16:00.011+01:00

Here the pics of the party we made on sunday for Anita's birthday. First of all the protagonists of the adventure:

1) Matteo

2) Lisa with mom

3) Davide with mom

4) Emanuele with mom and dad 5) Greta

6) Martina and Matteo with mom...7) Irene with dad
8) The pirate AnitaChildren had a lot of fun with the treasure hunt and with their balloon swords!

Greta reading the first indication...

The team of Emanuele and Davide singing to have the other indication...

The last indication to find the treasure: to dress one of the team with toilet paper like the mummy! Davide almost dressed...

...and Matteo who broke all the paper!
Finally they found the treasure! A treasure of gold coins... of chocolate coins! And after all that running and playing, finally time for the cake and the "Happy birthday to you"!

It was a really good party!

A little 5 years old girl!

2009-12-14T14:20:00.008+01:00

Today Anita turns 5! And this is cake I made for her when she comes back from school, even if we celebrated her birthday yesterday afternoon with all her friends. It was such a funny party with a very funny treasure hunt. I will post the pics...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANITA!

Loves to paint!

2009-12-06T13:49:00.004+01:00

Definetely Anita loves to paint! This morning... some others rolls of paper, new colours and fun! Also daddy spent a great time, I think he also loves to paint! This time Christmas style!

Decorating in the rain

2009-11-30T10:57:00.006+01:00

Yesterday we started with our Christmas decorating, but we couldn't put the light outside, that are our best, because it was raining (well, now it is still raining!). Besides, this year we decided to make the tree after Anita's birthday, because 8/9 children in a room with a big tree doesn't seem a good idea!
On the other hand, the blog has already his Christmas look.
This is the "welcome" that I put on the door. it is made by a straw garland that we bought at Ikea and the felt garland that we put inside in the last year.

Birth drawing

2009-11-27T08:55:00.004+01:00

Yesterday afternoon after school Anita made 2 beautiful drawings about her with me and daddy. In the first, of course, there are only happy mom and dad, because she wasn't born yet, she was still in the bell. In the second, she's a newborn in the arm of mom.

I think they are 2 of the most beautiful drawing she had ever done. And luckly she didn't ask how she arrived in my bell yet!

School choice

2009-11-23T09:39:00.002+01:00

Saturday we went to an open-day in a school of our town. The school is private, it was created by a group of parents and family some years ago. The first year there was only a class of 11 children, this year in the first class there are 18 children. They have one teacher for the main courses (italian, maths, ...) and skilled teachers for music, english (mothertongue) and gymnastics. Children have school in the morning from monday to friday and 2 afternoons per week for the primary courses. The other afternoons they can make laboratory, other activities and sports. The only negative: it's on the other side of the town, we would spend 10/15 minutes by car.
On the other hand, there is another school near us, 5 minutes on feet. This school is public, so free. Children stay at school from 8.30 to 16.30, with wednesday afternoon free. There is one teacher for all. English is not with mothertongue and there isn't the possibility to make sport. Maybe someone will think: "Why do you want to make 15 minutes by car if you have a school near you?"
Well, this is the school we would like for Anita: a school where children don't spent 8 hours per day at the desk like in an office. A school where the english teacher is mothertongue and not italian. A school where it's possible to make sports. With a modern management but traditional methods and skills...
I would like to know what do you think...

Usual november (sun)day

2009-11-23T09:04:00.005+01:00

Yesterday it was the typical sunday of november: without sun but not really rainy, not so cold but humid... The perfect day to stay at home and spend the afternoon between a book and a hot chocolate. But, if you have children you know that this is IMPOSSIBLE!

To spend the time with Anita we created a home-bowling. We spent the morning painting the pins made with the rolls of toilet paper. In the afternoon we made the ball with paper of old newspapers and then we could play!

It was very funny! And we didn't become crazy!

November

2009-11-17T17:48:00.005+01:00

November is the worst month for us: the days are shorts, it's often raining (even if this year we have a "warm" november)... We spend the time at home playing, watching tv (the new preferred are LITTLE EINSTEIN cartoons) and trying some interesting activity for Anita. For example, last sunday we went to the city theatre for the show "BUBU SETTETE" (keek-a-boo) about the typical fear of the children: wolf, dark, ... It was a show for children and we went all together with Anita's friends and their parents. After that, all at us for a afternoon snack and some playing. It was such a good afternoon and evening.
For the rest, swine flu is arrived also in Italy: so many cases, few serious. Last week we had something but we don't know if it was a big cold or a little flu, because in 2/3 days we were recovered without problems.
And finally we are waiting for december because this is the month of Christmas and Anita's birthday! This year we are planning to make a party at home with a treasure hunt!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T14:01:00.009+01:00

In Italy we really are not in the habit of "trick-or-treating", but children celebrate Halloween at school. It's the occasion for a party! We celebrate it with some decoration, drawing, reading some frightening story... This year we found a new decoration: a little ghost that, every time we open or close the door, starts to scream!
Waiting for the "frightening" movie Ghostbusters, Anita is patchworking an Halloween house...
Have a funny Halloween day!

Emanuele's 5 years

2009-10-26T09:12:00.003+01:00

Yesterday we celebrated Emanuele's 5th birthday. We're invited for a cinema (ICE AGE - Dawn of the Dinosaurs) and then at them for a dinner party. It was such a wonderful afternoon and evening and children had a lot of fun. I don't have many pics, and the few aren't so good, owing to the camera and to Alessandro's led lamp with all those colours!

Cinema photos

The Power Rangers cake made by Barbara

Emanuele and Anita with Sara

Fun with daddy

2009-10-21T08:41:00.003+02:00

Since last saturday Alain worked for an important project, yesterday he could stay at home to work in the morning and with free afternoon. Anita was SSOO happy that daddy could bring her to school and go to pick her up. And she was also happy to play with him after school. They prepared some decorations for Halloween and some beautiful butterflies, that always arrived on my head! They had a great time together!

Elmer the elephant

2009-10-19T09:06:00.008+02:00

Last week children of of the last year of school went to the Children's Library to listen to Elephant Elmer's story.

"Elmer is an elephant, but he's not like the other elephants. They are all grey, otherwise he is a patchwork of lots different colours! Although Elmer keeps all the other elephants happy, making them laugh and playing tricks.
One day Elmer leaves his herd and go into the jungle. He comes across a bush covered with grey berries, the same grey as the other elephants. He shakes the berries to the ground and then rolls himself until he is the same grey as the others.
When Elmer returns to his herd, no one of the other elephants recognize him. However, after a while he notices that all the other elephants look unhappy. At a certain point, Elmer shouts, 'BOO!' All the elephants laugh with Elmer when they realise it is him.
Then it begins to rain and all the grey is washed off and Elmer comes back to his patchwork colours. All of the elephants agree it was one of the best jokes that Elmer had played on them! They decided that each year they will have a special day where all of the other elephants will decorate themselves and Elmer will paint himself grey."

This is a great book to teach children about the differences between people and that being different isn't a bad thing. It demonstrates that people have different qualities to offer.
After that children coloured a draw and discussed about the story. They had a great time and still talk about Elmer! Everytime Anita makes some drawing she wanted to colour Elmer!

How we spent the anniversary

2009-10-06T08:38:00.005+02:00

First at all, Alain could escape from the office and be at home at 6.30. Anita was so happy that immediately captured daddy to play! After a good dinner, we enjoyed the rice cake (now I can reveal what kind of cake was): it's a cake that we always eat in Belgium, I found the recipe on Internet (cake of Verviers) and I tried. The result was appreciated! Then we played a little with Anita and saw a little of tv. The end of the evening? Well, that at 9.30 Anita and I were both sleeping on the sofa!

And this is the wonderful gift that Anita gave to us! A special paint of mom and dad!

7th anniversary

2009-10-05T11:12:00.005+02:00

Seven years together, a wonderful daughter, some travels and a new house passed by and it seems like yesterday that we celebrated our first anniversary. To celebrate the day, I have a special cake in the oven (I hope it will be good, because it's the first time I try to make it!).
CAKE UPDATE: The cake seems very good! I will post the pic tomorrow.

Satisfaction!

2009-10-01T10:50:00.006+02:00

Finally I finished my big (= long) project: an alpaca wool stole for autumn/spring instead of a jacket that can be a warm shawl for winter too.
It took some time but now I am very satisfied of my work and I can't wait to dress it!

Honest scrap

2009-09-29T08:43:00.006+02:00

I've been tagged from my friend Grace of Erbaviola.com for the HONEST SCRAP. (Thank you!)
You have to tell 10 things "very honest and very personal" and tag another 10 people.
So, 10 things of myself...
1) Every time I try to be on diet, after 2/3 months I leave. I like too much to eat!
2) I dont' like fruit. I eat watermelon, apples and bananas, drink orange and grapefruit juice, but I really hate pears and peaches! Only the smell make me feel sick.
3) I am "Google addict". Everytime I need to know something, I search it with Google.
4) I have a personal pocket diary where I write everything: appointments, shopping list, reminders for Anita's school, ...
5) I have a very good visual memory. I can remember everything I see. This helped me a lot during the tests at the University and let me study less as possible.
6) I hate to be waked by Anita when she want to go to the toilet in the middle of the night and see that Alain sleeps like a log!
7) I can wait to be in the new house! When we have been in the building site, I could imagine my house already furnished and lived.
8) But, I still have some doubts about the colour of the new sofas: orange or red?
9) I would like to have a house by the sea, nothing special, only a little apartment with a little terrace when I can sit and watch the sunset on the sea.
10) I would like to open a baby parking for 1-6 aged children with activities and music and painting laboratory and so on.
Now the lucky friends who could do the same... Well, I don't think to have 10 to tag, I think I choose less people but very worthy! Btw, the "winners" are 5 special woman:
1) Ainy of Happiness is a journey not a destination, because she's a very nice and outgoing woman and mother.
2) Elisabeth of The Anderson family, because she and her mom are so nice people that it seems to me to know them.
3) Rachel of The Mollet family, because she's very sweet with her 2 beautiful daughters.
4) Cathy of Van Biesen family (our friends in Belgium), because with 3 little children she needs to be tagged!
5) Francesca, who doesn't have a personal blog yet (I'm trying to persuade her to open one, now this is the occasion to do it!) but she can reply on Facebook, because she's a normal mom like me who try to raise her daughter with laughs and words.

A day in a farm

2009-09-28T09:29:00.011+02:00

Yesterday we went to visit a farm in the countryside with Anita's friends from school: Lisa, Emanuele, Davide and their parents, all together. It was a fantastic day! First at all, the weather was perfect, typical of september: sunny but not so warm like the summer. Besides, the place was very beautiful, the children liked very much and we parents also!

The morning started with a visit all around the farm to meet the animals: ponies, that receive so much hay from the children,

goats,

cow Carolina, who was very nice.

Then the farm-owner explained the milking to children.

Someone wants to try to milk Carolina, like Lisa, someone else was busy to pick flowers, like Anita.

And finally they learned to make cheese with the milk.

Farm - afternoon

2009-09-28T09:20:00.007+02:00

After lunch, children could play a little in the play-area, and then they did a trip on the gig! It was very funny to see all together on the gig taking each the hand of another. After the trip they could eat the cheese made in the morning, very good! We spent a great day all together, the perfect beginning of autumn!
Here some nice random pics of the children...

News from school

2009-09-25T09:03:00.002+02:00

Yesterday evening we took part in the annual meeting of Anita's school that presents to the parents the teaching program, extra courses, holidays and so on. Normally children follow some extra courses like gymnastic, english and swimming pool for 3rd year.
Well, this time we had a special surprise because, apart gymnastic and english, children of 2nd year can follow a Music and Singing Course and children of the last year a course of Pet Therapy! The course, that a vetenary will do together with his dog ,wants to teach to children to respect pets, love them, feed them and of course play with. Even if Anita love and play with Alex, I think she will learn some good "trick". We are enthusiast!

Celebration

2009-09-21T10:52:00.006+02:00

Sunday there was the celebration of our church. Every year the celebration consists of the religious program with children who and funny part with shows for children, music, lottery, and so on. For Anita, the best part was friday afternoon after school with the Magician Show and yesterday afternoon with the lottery and toys with Emanuele.

Here we go again!

2009-09-09T09:23:00.008+02:00

Yesterday was the 1st day of school. Anita couldn't wait to restart to meet her friends!
This year is the last, next time she will restart at the "real" school. Anita is so happy to go: new experiences, new friends, new things to learn... but also a little sad to leave her friends and teachers.
This year she will go on with the english course and does also the "Big children's island": it's the special preparation that children of the last year do for the school. For that, she has her special penbox and folder, of course of Winx Club!

A picture with Lisa and Emanuele to celebrate the 1st day!

La Torbiera - random pics

2009-09-07T09:44:00.007+02:00

Last sunday before school

2009-09-07T08:39:00.011+02:00

To celebrate the last sunday before going to school, we thought to plan a tour in a very beautiful and relaxing place: the faunistic parc La Torbiera. The place is wonderful, completely inside a wood. The only sounds are the birds and the children! There is also a little lake, paredise for pelicans and swans.
But the thing to notice is that is not a zoo but a place for the animals, the most completely free to going into the parc (ok, not the siberian tiger!). In fact, the first thing you notice at the entrance is the warning: "This parc is for the animals, do not disturb them!".
Anita had a "Bambi experience" with some fawns and told that this was her preferred. The thing we liked the most was the quiet and the beauty of the place. After our tour we had a picnic under the trees that was really funny. Enjoy the pics in the next post!

Morning-date

2009-09-01T13:55:00.008+02:00

This morning Anita had a special playdate with Lisa. Needless to say that the girls had SO MUCH fun! They baked, painted, played and ate them-selves bread! Nothing is better than eating something that you did by yourself! And of course they asked to do it again, so next cooking-date before Christmas to make biscuits! See... So beautiful to see those little hands dirty of flour and water...

The bread is ready to be cooked!

Waiting for the bread: some relax playing with jewellery and painting outside... "And finally we can eat our bread!!!"

Last week of vacation

2009-08-31T09:30:00.006+02:00

This is the last week of vacation from school for Anita, next tuesday we will restart with our works: school and preparation for the move, that we stopped in july and august because of the warm.

What did we learn on vacation? Well, in particular Anita learned to make pics with her personal camera...

Strawberries & tomatoes

2009-08-25T10:31:00.005+02:00

This morning Anita made a gardening experience with grandma Teresa, planting organical strawberries and tomatoes seeds.

It was a special gardening kit for children, a first trying for them that we found in a children shop with wood toys, natural wool dolls, furniture for children... The shop was a beautiful surprise.

Needless to say that Anita liked this activity!

Little miss angel

2009-08-24T09:37:00.000+02:00

Paparazzi!

2009-08-24T09:30:00.002+02:00

Anita's new activity: to take pics to everything like a real paparazzo!

Poncho!

2009-08-12T09:39:00.002+02:00

Definitely Anita liked the poncho I made for her!

Baking with grandma

2009-08-12T09:32:00.002+02:00

Monday afternoon Anita didn't want to take her nap and wanted to help grandma to make bread and focaccia. The result was that we made a very good snack!

Homemade is trendy!

2009-08-04T13:47:00.005+02:00

I've already told that we make a lot "homemades", like yogurt, cakes, bread and so on... And now that we took a stop from the moving preparation we are also knitting. All these things are an interesting hobby for us, but now it seems that the "homemade" in general is becoming trendy! So, we are trendy too! And this is the last creation (still work in progress): a mexican poncho for Anita.

Activities against the warm

2009-07-21T10:12:00.012+02:00

Eating cherries

A new dress for Anita, made by grandma Teresa
A bag for my crafting works Drawing with daddy who took some days of vacation...

...and creating a little sheep

Ended works & tests

2009-07-09T13:52:00.008+02:00

Finally I finished the scarf and cap for Anita. I like the little woman in red, even if she didn't want make the pic: too warm to dress scarf and hat, but finally we did it!

When Anita saw her cap, she wanted to make a ponpon to play with, and this was our activity of this morning, using some wool of old and finished works...

This is me cutting the wool (pic made by Anita)...

...and this is the result!

And finally I did some tests to make mitts... fingerless for me to use especially during the move, red for Anita...

Summertime 2

2009-06-30T09:58:00.007+02:00

Other activities:

Hula Hop and dancing (also with this warm!)

Spring/summer look for Tata (finally ended!)

Homemade coffee yogurt for daddy

Fresh rice salad (Insalata di riso)

Cherries

2009-06-29T14:16:00.001+02:00

No no, it's not lipstick on her face... it's only the proof she really LIKES cherries!

Summertime

2009-06-29T14:04:00.004+02:00

Now that Anita is at home and officialy on holidays and that it's beginning to be very warm (this morning when I woke up at 7 there was already 22°!) so we couldn't go outside in the afternoon, we decided to leave the packaging for the move and make something different to spend our time...

Holiday book for Anita

Focaccia with onions

Grandma Teresa is dedicating to a suit for Anita

A new scarf, also for Anita

A normal afternoon after school

2009-06-25T11:49:00.004+02:00

Playing with Lisa and learning something from Lina's experience...

... and understanding that is so beautiful to have good friends.

2 photographers

2009-06-24T09:11:00.003+02:00

Yesterday afternoon Lisa came to play. At a certain point we didn't hear them anymore: time to go to check! At the same time, they came to us with my digital camera asking: "Can we see the pictures we did?" WWHHAAATTT???!!! Well, they really had fun taking pics each others!

Homemade pesto

2009-06-23T10:54:00.003+02:00

Homemade pesto (basilic sauce for spaghetti) made by Grandma Teresa with our basil! Yes, of course, today spaghetti with pesto!!! Btw, behind the nice tray I received from my cousin Annalisa for my birthday.

40!

2009-06-21T09:46:00.005+02:00

Today I turn 40! On my God... And this is the gift I received from Alain (I don't like to drive, and since we live in a small town I prefer to use a bike). For the occasion, from 32 degrees we went down to 25!

End of school

2009-06-15T10:25:00.008+02:00

Yesterday we had a celebration for the end of school. Since the school is organized from our parish, there was a special celebration for children and parents in our church, then a party at the school. Children prepared 2 songs to sing during the celebration and they were very good! Then they spent a great time playing together in the garden of the school, like every day... And we discovered how Anita plays on the slide... See the pics!

School trip

2009-06-10T08:54:00.004+02:00

Every year, in june, school plans a trip for all the children.
Yesterday they went to the Teathre "Pane & Mate" (the site is only in italian): it's a very beautiful place in the countryside with a lot of interesting activities for the children, like performances, laboratories, puppets, ... and there is a farm too!
Well, it's obvious that children spent a great day and liked very much the place. Even if they were so tired...
Anita fell asleep at 19.30 on the sofa! And we let her sleep with her clothes...

Tonsillitis

2009-05-28T16:04:00.002+02:00

On the other hand, Anita is at home with tonsillitis and pharynxitis!
Monday afternoon she came back from school with fever and I noticed that her throat was so RED... So we went to the doctor who gave her antibiotics and told to let her at home for some days. Now she doesn't have fever anymore and play like usually. In fact I have to leave to let her play "Bubble shooter"! Btw, she plays better than Alain! :-)

More pics of Greta's party

2009-05-28T14:26:00.006+02:00

Greta opening the presents with her best friends...

Mom Susanna

Matteo

Anita & Martina

Dancing with Lucrezia...

Greta's birthday party

2009-05-28T13:38:00.012+02:00

Saturday afternoon Anita was invited to Greta's birthday party. It was very funny! Even if most of the children were bigger (Greta's friends of school), all participated in the dance and activities planned by Greta's big sister Lucrezia.

Here Anita dressing oma Jacqueline's present from Belgium and ready to go...

...and Greta!

Anita, Martina and Greta's friend dancing and playing...

A beautiful picture of Greta (taken by Anita...)

The cake!!!

The children all together!

After the olympic games...

2009-05-11T10:06:00.003+02:00

ANITA AND HER FRIEND DAVIDE

ANITA WITH HER FRIENDS EMANUELE, LISA AND DAVIDE

Children olympic games!

2009-05-11T09:37:00.007+02:00

Yesterday we had a lot of fun with the gymnastics school performance of Anita.

After all, all the children received a medal and then Emanuele, Lisa and Davide came to us for a buffet. Children weren't tired and played and run again!

We spent a really good afternoon all together. Enjoy the pictures!

Painting outside

2009-04-22T09:52:00.003+02:00

Something that I LOVED when I was child: to draw outside, on the walls and the gate! And it seems that Anita loves it too! Here some pics taken some time ago... The result and the poses!

After Easter

2009-04-22T09:15:00.007+02:00

It's a while that I don't post, so I have a lot to say...
First at all, our Easter: weather wasn't very good and sincerely we was a little down for the earthquake. Otherwise, most of the children from school were at home with chickenpox, so Anita's friends couldn't come. We had a wonderful barbecue lunch and in the afternoon we went to aunt Zori for a coffee. Anita received so many eggs: Hello Kitty, Winx club, etc...
The monday after the weather was good and sunny, so we could stay outside. Anita played with Matteo and Martina (neighbours) and we parents spent a good afternoon chatting!
I don't have pics of Easter, but here 2 pics of the school work: a beautiful rabbit with a little plant that children cultivated at school.
And behind the heart a poem that Anita told at Easter. it was so funny!
In this period, we are busy with our new home. I don't have pics: we still have to download from Alain's mobile. They are building the roof and we are already preparing for the move. We are already thinking about the new furnishings visiting wesites and shops. We already have some good ideas, but now the most difficult part: thinking for Anita's bedroom! She wants yellow, I would prefer something like rose or blue. She need place for toys and dolls and to play, but also place for the dresses. And her room is not very big... we'll see... Anyway, we think to move in autumn and we can't wait to spend the Xmas in the new home!

Silence...

2009-04-07T14:12:00.004+02:00

Yesterday there was a big earthquake in the centre part of Italy... More than 200 victims, 1500 injured, 50000 people without their house... some children dead, a lot of children without parents, a little girl alive because her mom protected her with her body...