Working up an appetite

There´s a restaurant we love in Guadarrama called La Chiminea. Friends of ours introduced us to it, and we can´t stop going! We went on our own, then went back with our parents, and again with friends, and Tall Guy even booked a team lunch there for work. Like its name says, there´s a chimney. and of course a fireplace, so my favourite time to eat there is on a fall or winter day, when it´s lit. Meals consist of huge portions of Spanish appetizers and local meat.

a view of the monastery through the trees

There was no fire on our last visit, but it was fun all the same. A friends reunion with a group of people we hadn´t seen all together in a while, and children were included. That´s a great thing about Spain. Children are almost always included. Anyway, before the meal, which we knew would be huge, we decided to take advantage of being out of the city and did a nearby hike. 

This hike starts and finishes at a restaurant, although not the one we ate it. It´s in the neighbouring town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, and is called El Paseo de La Horizontal. If you´re in town, just ask for El Horizontal and the locals will be able to direct you. It´s not a huge walk, about 5km, and it´s pretty easy, under an hour and a half, fairly flat terrain, but the views of El Escorial and Madrid are noteworthy, and if you happen to be carrying someone the whole way, you´ll be hungry at the end!



We walked by old granite distance markers, copses of young chestnut trees, staggering pines, and over clear streams. We passed a shrine to, appropriately, Our Lady of the Way, and even saw a dear. It was very peaceful until Tall Guy said, "we´ve got to hurry, it´s almost time for lunch!".

the shrine to our lady of the way

Day 29: Don Limpio (Mr Clean)

It´s Superman! No, it´s Spiderman! No, wait, it´s... Don Limpio!

I´ve been watching all month, hoping to see someone rappelling down the side of a building, and finally on the third-last day, one caught my eye.

According to Spanish E-How, "the job of a window washer can be very exciting and well paid. From the 50th floor of a building, the window washer likely works with a partner and they share amazing views. However, working on scaffolding and with other elevation tools, it is one of the most dangerous jobs out there. If you decide to pursue a career in window washing, prepare to face regularly all types of weather and dangerous conditions."

Wow. It really does sound like a job for a super hero. Enter, Don Limpio, what the Spanish call Mr Clean. 

Lower floor windows are usually washed by "regular" cleaning assistants. They clean everything, including windows, both inside and out. Hourly, they can´t charge as much as a dedicated window cleaner, especially if he or she has completed certification with the International Window Cleaning Association. I had no idea that was a thing! Smart idea - you wouldn´t want to get all the way up to floor 112 only to realize you didn´t know how to make your washing cart go back down... Also, the higher the floors, the higher the charge, up to 25 euro an hour. 

This is a job that doesn´t get thought about unless you actually see someone doing it, or it hasn´t been done. Who goes around noticing streak-free windows? Dirty ones, yes, they get a comment or two. For businesses, it´s about good showcasing. Who would window shop through streaky windows? For homes, it´s about good housekeeping and the satisfaction of having the sun filter in without reminding you of a task you´ve left undone.
 
This window washer was checking the sealing along this glass encased elevator at El Corte Inglés on Serrano in Madrid. Note rooftop café. There is also an indoor space on the floor below, where, when the weather is not the best, you can enjoy some pretty sweet city views through streak-free windows.

Day 11: Snack and Shop

We had been window shopping all morning (actually, we had been picking out hideous outfits to photograph) and it was time for a snack. 

"Let´s go to the Corte Inglés cafeteria", she said, "a snack and a great view!"

Having never been, I readily agreed.

The cafeteria was pretty standard, same for the food, but the views were pretty cool. A few months later, we headed back. One major difference between Spain and North America is that Spaniards don´t seem at all worried about liability issues. Up, up, up we went on the elevator, and out we walked into a construction scene - no floor, no lights, cables hanging down from the ceiling, no one to forbid us from walking around (no workers, it was snack time, remember?)... Not wanting to be electrocuted in Spain, we left.

the terrace

Renovation has since been completed, and the cafeteria is no more. Instead, it´s a "gourmet experience". High end grocery and about a dozen food outlets, plus an outdoor terrace now make up the space.

i kind of want this...

It´s a great stop for a bite to eat if you´re shopping in the area - we like the tiny, grass fed, locally sourced hamburgers from Hamburguesa Nostra - and a nice grocery store for browsing. I happen to love looking around in grocery stores, and this one even has some Canadian fare - maple syrup, smoked salmon and Crystal Head vodka. Yeah, because that´s what we eat...

Day 4: Gau&Cafe

We hopped on the motorbike and sped off to Lavapies, a neighbourhood I hadn´t spent much time in. After twisting and turning down narrow, meandering streets, we parked outside an industrial looking building.

"We´re.... here?" said Tall Guy, clearly as convinced as I felt.

No signs, but we pushed open a door anyway and walked into a student common area, bulletin boards covered in curling papers, an idle photocopier, some vinyl couches, empty pop cans on the window ledge.

We stopped and looked at each other. Then we spied some people coming from the back corner of the room. Aha! An elevator.

Up, up, up we went.

"NOW we´re here," he said, and this time I agreed.

www.gaucafe.com

At the top there is a small bar and indoor seating area, and a glass door leading onto a softly lit terrace, every table filled despite the chilly night.

The building is actually more interesting than first meets the eye. The more modern structure is built around the original Escuelas Pías de San Fernando, and dates back to 1729. Apart from the cafe, the complex houses a university library.

a view of the ruins from www.citylifemadrid.com

Okay, okay, the views aren´t stunning, certainly not as spectacular as I expect they would be from the top of Edificio España, but there is something magical about the terrace at gau&cafe. Maybe it´s the semi-secret location, or the intellectual ambiance, but I felt I had been transported and was dining at some in-between place, neither here nor there, nor now nor then. A sort of Spanish Mary Poppins kind of thing, up there with the chimney tops. María Poppins? And the food was good. We had a tower of crispy eggplant and zucchini, and a sweet and tangy lamb couscous. Tall Guy wanted carrot cake, usually a favourite of mine, but this one had chocolate icing, and had me wishing we´d gone for the cheesecake, or perhaps just ordered a piping hot manzanilla - chamomile - to wrap our hands around on the cool fall night.

May Days

check it out!

Does time go by faster the better things get? It sure feels like it - in the blink of an eye, my Teeny Little Super Guy has grown nearly ten centimeters and gained two kilograms, and gone from being a cute and sleepy newborn to being cute and bright eyed. He even smiles! May was a great month, and despite spending hours and hours staring at Super Guy, I did some other stuff as well.

my first mother's day flowers

This month I've been reading magazines and baby books. There was a great interview with David Suzuki about climate change in Reader's Digest and some good picnic-type recipes in Chatelaine.

What's Going On In There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life by Dr Lise Eliot is a great companion to The Wonder Weeks. It more fully explains the "leap periods" babies and children experience. I feel I can better support Super Guy now that I have a better idea of the changes he's experiencing. For example, a few days ago his nap pattern changed - he seemed to be sleeping poorly in the day and only seemed happy in my arms. I whipped out the brain books, and sure enough, Super Guy was due to experience a "leap" and would soon be able to recognize patterns and separate his interpretation of sensory experiences. I let him be cuddly and brought out toys and activities to support this leap during our play times, and voila - much less stressful for both of us.

super guy freaking out at the pacifier

Not everyone likes to read, and that's okay - with The Wonder Weeks, you can purchase individual chapters for e-readers, or download the app that sends a message to indicate the likely onset of a leap period. 

I've also been putting the rocking chair to good use, reading to Super Guy every night before bed. We finished When We Were Very Young and are now into Winnie the Pooh, by A.A. Milne. I'm aware that he's only seven weeks old and doesn't understand all the words, but I do think he picks up on tone of voice and I like that we're carrying on with our reading routine, which I started when I was three months pregnant and his ears were just developing. It's a lovely, cozy time of day that I hope he will come to treasure as much as I do, for the books and our time together.  

I've been watching a lot more than reading this month - seasons five and six of Friends (my favorite episodes are part of these seasons, including leather pants, crazy running, pottery barn and the triplets). I watch an episode or two while David and I have breakfast and some down time (we get up early, he eats, we play, then he eats again and I have breakfast while he has a little nap).

I'm also nearly done the last season of Mad Men. It seems like things are in motion for some good wrapping up of various story lines. I hope so, because I'm in it for more than the fashion at this point. 

a beautiful rose in parque santander

Tall Guy and I watched Fargo, a very well-done miniseries related to the movie. There are lots of big-name actors, including Colin Hanks, who looks so much like Tom! Good writing, good acting, filmed in Calgary, so great scenery (go Canada!). Billy Boy Thornton was so creepy Tall Guy and I both did a little shiver when a guy with a similar haircut to his character passed us on the sidewalk. We're looking forward to the next season, which will also air in the format of a miniseries, with a whole new cast, thirty years before this season.

May was a big month for celebrations - two babies made their entrance (one was due the same day as Super Guy, and the other was due three weeks before), my brother, father, grandmother, and four friends had birthdays, there were two wedding anniversaries, and I celebrated Mother's Day twice, once on the Spanish date and once on the Canadian date, and my mom was even here for that one. Also, my brother and his fiancee will be moving back to Canada to go to teacher's college!

capturing super guy's hand and foot

I've been out and about with Super Guy quite a bit. It was great to have my mom here - we went out for lots of walks and even some shopping and a haircut (for me, for 99 cents, an opening special at an Oh My Cut! next door!). We went to Las Vistillas, a park I had never been to, for some live music during the San Isidro celebrations, and went on my favourite Madrid walk a few times (from our place to the palace, passing through Plaza Espana and Sabatini Gardens, returning through Parque del Oeste and the Templo de Debod). We ran errands, organized the nursery, and restocked the freezer.

I take Super Guy to Parque Santander a few times a week, sometimes just the two of us, sometimes with a friend. The water feature, complete with a wooden deck, provides a seaside simulation, complete with people tanning in swimsuits, that will do when you can't get to the actual sea. We've been sticking to the path through the gardens rather than running, and thousands of roses are in bloom and the lavender is about to come on. A feast for the eyes and nose. 

We made it to church twice this month, once with my mom for Mother's Day, and then today with a friend and her four-month old daughter. It was great to have three generations at the Mother's Day service, which focused on Julia Ward Howe and the original intent behind the holiday, and we sang a song she wrote, Battle Hymn of the Republic. As Canadians, we knew the song but had never sung it before. It's a song that makes me think of Elvis. 

the first balcony meal of the season

Lots of good eats during May - we went to El Barril on Andres Mellado, a very good tapas choice if you're in Madrid (and if you go later on at night, the fresh seafood is half price). Although it is well-known because of the fresh seafood, I highly recommend the roasted artichokes. They were amazing! Such a clean, springy flavour, light on the oil and a nice pinch of salt.

I met some friends for lunch at La Nicoletta, an Italian chain I'd been interested in trying for a while, since Tall Guy often mentions it (there is one near his work and they have a lunch menu). I had a truffle and mushroom pizza. It was enormous and tasty and I ate the whole thing.

a really good burger. i made it.

On the home front, my mom brought me some new recipes. I love the gluten free mug muffins (I am so boring, my favourite is the plain one), and she made a giant batch of giant meatballs (the sauce gets a taste boost from Bragg Liquid Aminos).

I tried a Chatelaine burger recipe that is going in the remake pile - you just shape nice, fresh ground beef into patties and sprinkle with salt. Easy and very tasty. 

really, who needs to make snacks when you can just have these?

We scarfed down a batch of the best gluten and sugar free brownies I have made to date, thank you, comfy belly. I followed the recipe, but mine turned out more cake-like than fudge-like, which I like better anyhow. I also read a review of someone who used date paste instead of honey. I bet that was good, too!

Finally, cherries are in season. Hooray!

April Roundup

My latest post is from Friday, April 10th. For some reason that day I felt I needed to get it done, otherwise I wouldn't. A pricking in my thumbs, mother's intuition, call it what you will - that night my precious star was born, and I haven't been on here since then. I've been changing diapers (about 158 so far), cuddling, singing, taking pictures, napping, crying happy tears, and just enjoying being a mom. April is my birthday month, and now it's also my son's birthday month - extra special!

going to church

After a bit of a hiatus on the linkup, I'm back with Leigh to share what I've been into this month (a heads up - it's mostly baby-related):

Reading: I reread my Hypnobirthing book. It's so calming, and I found it helped me stay relaxed and focused during pregnancy as well as birth, helping me to see the process for what it is - a natural, normal, albeit amazing part of life. It was a good tool for helping me stay calm and open minded during the actual birth (more about that later).

Bringing Up Bebe, by Pamela Drukerman. This was a gift from a friend, and a great read for during Baby's first days at home. Ms Drukerman is an American living in France, and her observations about French parenting are useful and in line with my style, An example - there is no separation between "kid food" and "adult food". Kids should be allowed and encouraged to enjoy lots of flavours from childhood. Some ring true for Spain, such as snacks are for snack time, and snack time happens once a day. If you eat properly at meal times, there is no need to have a bag of squashed cereal floating around in your purse or diaper bag (phew! I hate crumbs). Her comparisons of French and American parenting styles are often humorous, and anecdotes aren't long or rambling, an easy book to pick up for a few minutes here and there when I had time/was awake.

What to Expect in the First Year. Given to me by the same friend, this is a nice book to reference, with lots of lists and good information to use as starting place. I also just like reading about babies, and found this one kind of fun just for that.

Eat, Pray, Love. Elizabeth Gilbert. A reread, but I do love me some armchair travel! I love Italy, and India is on Tall Guy's and my to-visit list. Indonesia's relaxed pace and reverence for children is extremely appealing (what, babies are carried until they're a year old? And it's socially acceptable? I could totally go for that; I never want to put my little one down!). 

Chatelaine and Reader's Digest. Thank goodness for magazines! It's great to start and finish something in one sitting. I have a stockpile of RD which I had been saving for during labour (reading light, funny articles is supposed to be relaxing), but it was over so quickly there wasn't time. As for Chatelaine, can I just say that the weekly grocery shop and meal planner is fabulous, especially at this stage of our lives? 

Be Family to Your Friends, a lovely post by Fiona Lynn that will ring true for anyone living abroad, but especially resonated with me this month.

Going: There were lots of changes in this month's schedule thanks to our early arrival - all of them worth it. 

fragrant lilacs in the park

During Easter holidays, we went to "de billidge" (the village, specially to Tall Guy's family farm) and went on a few lovely day trips, which you can read about here.

My next big excursion  (big as in life-changing, not far or exotic) was to the hospital! In Spain, mothers and babies stay for 48 hours after birth. Since that would have brought us to a Sunday, we stayed an extra day (no discharges on Sundays). They don't call babies bundles of joy for nothing - I am so in love! And the hospital stay was very positive - my doctor and midwife were of course on hand (one or both of them checked in on us every day), and the nursing staff were lovely. There was a sofa bed in my room for Tall Guy, and of course we had our newest family member to keep us company.

Since our homecoming, our trips have been mainly to Parque Santander here in Madrid, where until only a few weeks ago I was running on the track. I had no idea that around the outer edge of the track, there is a beautifully landscaped walking path! Lots of fragrant, colourful plants and flowers, benches to sit down, water fountains, and even a cafe. 

We did get to church on my birthday, and also out for lunch. We went to Sagaretxe, a pincho bar in Madrid. Pinchos are rounds of baguette with different toppings, and also great baby food. Not for the baby, of course, but when you have one - they're already made, so you just pick the ones you want from the bar, and you can eat them with one hand.

pinchos. my favourites are brie and jam, and baby eel and pepper.

We also went out for hamburgers one night at New York Burger. A good burger, but really slow service. REALLY slow. So slow, Baby ate twice before we ate once. And while it was a good burger, it wasn't better than The Good Burger, which is faster and has frozen yogurt for dessert, so...

Eating: I really didn't feel the need to "eat for two" during my pregnancy. I ate enough (okay, probably more than enough!) but my appetite was nowhere near as voracious as it is now that I am feeding my Plus One as well as myself. I am a bottomless pit! Thank goodness for a fully-stocked freezer (and the bakery downstairs...).

vanilla cake with berry jam filling

Maybe because of his early arrival, but a true, strong nesting instinct didn't kick in until AFTER baby. I made lasagna and vanilla cake (May's Chatelaine) for a triple birthday lunch (me, my mother in law, and baby!). I made a giant meatloaf just because, and mashed potatoes and peas to accompany. I also made lactation cookies from bellybelly. It turns out I'm a regular ewe for my little lamb and don't really need them, but the coconut flour adaptation sure is yummy, and the extra help certainly can't hurt.

i made two - one for the freezer!

For breakfast these days a smoothie alone just doesn't cut it. I've been making steel-cut oats with different toppings. Tall Guy's favourite is pear, cranberry and almond, and I'm a little bit boring, with raisins and a little bit of milk.

Thankful for: With my own family far away, and not visiting until next week (the idea was that hopefully I would have given birth by then!), I am so thankful for my friends and Spanish family, especially my Spanish Madre - my host mother from when I was here on exchange as a teenager came to the hospital the night Baby was born to check on me. She came to see us every day while I was in hospital, and has been popping by with afternoon snacks and for walks ever since. 

love.

"I know you have your husband and in-laws, but it's not the same," she said, "I'm here as your family." 

She has known me for nearly 14 years, from when I could barely string together a sentence in Spanish and would blush beet red with embarrassment when I had to give anyone "dos besos".

I'm also thankful for Skype, for being able to connect with my family and friends back home and in other lands, to share with them the joy that is my son. Even my grandma has seen him, thanks to a cousin and her iPad.

My church family has been carrying us along in their prayers during the whole pregnancy, and continue to do so now. Another language wouldn't stop me, but I am thankful to have an English-speaking church.

The Cantonese-Meatball Datenight Combination

I'm 13 for 13 in Fun February. It's hard to believe we're halfway through the month! On Tuesday my to-do list was quite long, so I scheduled in some vegging out time as a reward, catching the latest episodes of The Big Bang Theory, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Modern Family. On Wednesday, the fun was culinary - I made pizza for dinner. My favourite crust recipes can be found here. For toppings, I went with chicken, red onion and mushrooms. Yummy! And yesterday after work I had a friend over for tea. We both agreed it was great to have an at-home visit (Spaniards usually meet at a bar or cafe) and we plan on visiting more at each other's homes.

Today's fun was date night organized by Tall Guy - a trip to Ikea to pick up some furniture for Baby's room, followed by dinner at Royal Cantonese. We had a good time at Ikea - it wasn't too busy, we knew exactly what we were looking for, and we were on a timeline to get to dinner. Everything we wanted was in stock (I checked before, but we still ended up with the last bookcase!) and the checkout line wasn't very long. 

Baby's crib - safe and sweet

Next, we headed to Royal Cantonese, an out-of-the-way restaurant Tall Guy scouted out. It's well-known among Madrid's Chinese residents as having some of the best, most authentic Cantonese food in the city. Other patrons include famous Spanish actors, and even the old king's sister. A fun, low-key atmosphere, friendly service and good food made for a nice dinner out, worth the trek to Usera.

Royal Cantonese, Calle Olvido 29, Madrid

The menu was a mix of things we recognized (shrimp dumplings, Peking duck, Singapore Noodles) and things we weren't sure of (jellyfish salad, roasted tripe). Our waitress made some excellent suggestions - new things, but not too strange, since Baby doesn't seem to enjoy overly exotic flavours. My favourite dishes were scallops and rice noodles on the shell, a very flavourful meat and vegetable dumpling, the roast duck, and dessert - homemade egg custard tarts. 

A Capital Lunch

the emblematic roman bridge

We took a detour on the way home from the farm, stopping for lunch in Cordoba, one of my favourite Spanish cities. Steeped in history, so many peoples have left their mark on this place. Unfortunately, not much time for wandering around today, but we did enjoy a delicious meal at Taberna San Cristobal, a restaurant Miguel's dad became a fan of while he was in university, and that I'd been to a few years ago with my dad and brother. It was fun to go back!

We went a little overboard when we were ordering, but everything was really good! Here's what we ordered:

• Ensaladilla Rusa - a Spanish version of potato salad. There's a kind of tuna in it, and the vegetables are diced.
• Gambas fritas - very barely lightly breaded fried shrimp with garlic mayonnaise
• Berenjenas fritas - crispy slices of eggplant served with dark honey drizzled on top
• Salmorejo - a thick soup of tomato, olive oil and bread, served cold, topped with hard boiled egg and Iberian ham

I shared a San Jacobo (a breaded chicken and cheese dish) with Tall Guy, and the four of us shared a pine nut custard for dessert before our waiter brought round a plate of pestinos - sweet anis flavoured biscuits. I can't recommend any wine this time, but Tall Guy's parents enjoyed the "fino" (a fragrant white). 

Needless to say, we were stuffed! I couldn't even drink a tiny little cup of coffee. Before we could face 380 km in the car, we needed to go for a walk. The light from the setting sun bathed the yellow stone of the city monuments in gorgeous light, and we spent a pleasant while strolling round the historic city. 

strolling by the alcazar

Talk to the Animals

I love spending time on the farm. A walk in the fresh air, cute little animals, hearty homecooked meals, evenings curled up by the fire... 

We drove down to the farm yesterday, and we have quite the to-do list, but we made sure we had time for visiting the animals, and a few hours of uninterrupted reading/lazing/cake-eating by the fire. The mastiff puppy is enormous and still growing, the donkey is as loud as ever and there's a new batch of little lambs to watch.

how sweet are these two little guys?

Mum Abroad 5: Eating for Two

Eating for two - hooray! Pizza, a bowl of cookie dough, and a family sized pack of chips, great! Or not. Eating for two is about mindful eating, knowing that what I eat, Baby eats. It's getting enough quality nutrients to keep both of us healthy. Morning sickness and food cravings and aversions, a busy schedule, remembering what's forbidden, advice from well-meaning friends and relatives in a new culture, and eating a fixed menu at work are challenges but not insurmountable problems during this time when diet takes on new importance. 

It takes a lot of work, and sometimes it's a case of fighting mind over matter to grab something fresh instead of that bag of chips or all three croissants from the 3 for 2 deal at the bakery, but it can be done! Affirmations, an idea list on the fridge, making time for food, and personal experience with how food changed my quality of life, and my greatest motivation for healthful eating - knowing I'm making nutritional decisions on behalf of Baby. All of these tools have helped me make good decisions, keeping treat foods as real treats and fresh, whole foods as staples. 

Fail to plan, plan to fail is a saying I learned when I started learning about really good nutrition. I take that to heart and use a meal planning system my cousin introduced me to. It's great! You write meals you like on sticky notes and keep them in a folder. Then, you just pick out the ones you want to stick on a laminated week plan, and shop accordingly! Sticky notes are the key as they allow for movement. If I've planned something for, say, Wednesday, but don't feel like it at the last minute, I can just switch the notes around, choosing something I do want from another night, since we have the ingredients for the whole week. I also get my school menu a week ahead and can see what meals are Baby-friendly and the days I'll need to pack a lunch or an extra snack.

In general, we eat well, but once we'd decided we'd like a baby, I kicked things up a notch. A handful of extra greens in my smoothie, omelet or salad to get enough folic acid, extra servings of good fats (salmon, avocado, seeds and nuts), and taking extra care to avoid foods with a high toxic load. When we learned Baby was on the way, I cut out caffeine, limiting myself to the occasional decaf coffee, decaf Earl Grey tea, and a daily treat of dark chocolate. Before Baby I enjoyed a glass of wine now and then, but I'm not a huge drinker (we're talking a bi-weekly beer, people!), so cutting out alcohol wasn't a hardship and gives me the peace of mind I'm doing everything I can to protect Baby.  

Food safety means a lot of cut-outs as well - we like a lot of unpasteurized dairy products and raw or lightly cooked egg dishes, not to mention smoked fish and home-cured meats! I'm allergic to pregnancy-approved antibiotics, so no poached eggs for me at the moment. It's not worth the risk. I've never been a fan of rare meat, but now I take extra care to make sure it's been cooked to the proper temperature (contrary to popular belief, thoroughly cooking meat does not destroy the protein, but it sure does cut down on the risk of food-born illnesses!).

Cravings are a special hurdle of the pregnant. Suddenly you feel you just can't go on without chowing down on a dozen peanut butter cookies, or a family-sized bag of chips is all you can stomach. While I don't want anything crazy, I've had a lot of cravings for foods from my childhood. With the exception of a late-night box of macaroni and cheese, I've been able to come up with healthier substitutes: Steel cut oats for porridge, buckwheat pancakes, and brown rice cakes with almond butter and homemade fruit-only jam. To help control cravings, I skip the sugar, which only fuels more cravings, and have mini meals throughout the day to keep my metabolism fueled. I also keep busy, since I tend to go for junk food if I'm bored.

We always have good snacks on hand, so I don't get "stuck" walking home passed the bakery or burrito place with nothing ready at home. We've got fruit, vegetables, dips, and lots of GFSF homemade baked goods in the kitchen, so no excuses there. 

To sum up, healthful eating at any stage of life is a decision that must be made multiple times a day, and it's not always easy (trust me - I live next door to a bakery. I know.) but it is always worth it. Feeling the effects of good food decisions over time makes it easier, and the end goal - a healthy family - is the best motivator and reward. 

December Roundup

January 2015! I know it’s going to be a wonderful, exciting, and likely exhausting year – we’re waiting for the arrival of Baby in the spring – but now it’s time to look back on December. Thanks to Leigh for faithfully hosting the What I'm Into linkup. It's so nice to have a space for reflection, and motivation to do so regularly, not to mention checking out what others have been into!

Going: We stayed in Madrid this month, with one long weekend on the farm. As usual, it was filled with cute animals, fresh air, deep sleep, books, and good food.

little lambs - pretty much the cutest things ever!

Doing: Resting! No voice again in the weeks leading up to Christmas holidays (I hope this is not a Christmas tradition!), which meant missing a choir Christmas party and also school. I needed the time off though. When rest really is the only curative option, and there’s a tiny person involved, you take it more seriously. I spent my days on doctor-prescribed bed-rest actually resting in bed, and rather than feeling disappointed about what I was missing, I concentrated on relaxing and feeling better, the healthier and more positive option for both Baby and me. Excitingly, all of the rest meant lots of time to feel Baby moving around!

I was well enough to attend the last day of class and also our Christmas festival, where my students either sang shouted their little hearts out or stood there, frozen, on the stage, for our two songs. Fortunately, no one peed, no one ran away, and no one cried. All in all, a successful programme. 

I love singing Christmas carols, so I'm happy my voice was back to sing in a bilingual, bicultural Christmas Eve service. It was beautiful - our voices joining together in our own languages, singing Silent Night in the dark, warm glow of candles. Christmas away from home is never the same, but it can be wonderful in its own, new ways.

Catching up with family and friends is always on the agenda, but especially in December. I was especially pleased to visit with a teacher friend who moved back to Ireland, but came to Madrid for the holidays. I also received a special gift from a little friend, the son of a friend of mine. This little boy loves Hot Wheels cars, and he gave me one "for when the baby breaks out of your stomach." While I hope the birth is more gentle than that, I was so touched that he would give one of his favourite toys to someone he hasn't even met yet.

one advantage of a mild winter - flowers on my balcony!

Reading: A lot! A friend gave me a bunch of baby books she no longer needs, and I’ve started flipping through to see what the first few years have in store. Favourites are The Wonder Weeks (how to support Baby’s first 10 documented mental growth periods, scientific but accessible), How Children Learn (a great read for people who work with children, not just parents), and a week-by-week pregnancy book published by the UK pregnancy centre (informative but not overly medical, so no freaking out!). 

On the Christmas side of things, I’ve been curling up by the tree, re-reading my favourite stories – an L.M. Montgomery Christmas anthology, and reading Tolkien's Father Christmas Letters to Baby.

On the fluffy front (think – unwinding in the tub after a day of managing 3 year olds hopped up on turron, a Spanish Christmas candy, and the countdown to Epiphany, when the Three Wise Men bring them gifts), The Un-Domestic Goddess. I’ve read it before, and I’ll read it again! 

I finished The Pilot's Wife by Antia Shrieve. Such a compelling story about loss and relationships, and moving on, touching on the history of the IRA.

the new year's eve spread

Watching: Way too many episodes of The Big Bang Theory. I watch, I laugh, I fall asleep. Perfect, really, for this time in my life.

I’m also up to speed on Mad Men and looking forward to its final run starting in January!

We went to the cinema (taking advantage of pre-child time) twice last month, taking in Angelina Jolie's Unbroken, and of course the last installment of The Hobbit. I loved Unbroken! While hard to watch due to the sheer inhumanity of some of what happened, the story of Louis Zamperini is truly remarkable. A good pair-watching for The Railway Man, as both deal with overcoming extreme situations and, what seems even more difficult than their acts of survival, forgiving enemies. 

The Battle of the Five Armies was entertaining, but really, one book into three movies? Obviously a marketing ploy to drag the franchise on as long as possible, because the battle scenes in all three films could have been shortened. Two would have been fine. Or three shorter movies. During The Unexpected Journey, I got so antsy I opted for watching the second installment at home in case I wanted to take a break! I'm a fan, but I guess I'm not die-hard enough to enjoy the excruciating fight-scene details...

thanks, husband, for the waffle iron!

Eating: While I’ve been enjoying lots of tasty food, I’m not overindulging, despite the tradition of December being a food month. It’s just not worth jeopardizing Baby. 

I enjoyed a girls' lunch out, with some memorable mushroom croquettas at La Caña in Madrid, and a lovely stuffed trout at my work Christmas meal at Baden, also in Madrid. I highly recommend both if you're in the city. Baden has a bar and cafe-style seating as well as a formal dining room, and La Caña is great for a meetup with friends.

In the holidays, I hosted all the meals (exciting to be able to host now that our place is renovated and we have a nice space for entertaining!) but we went Spanish for the Eves and Canadian for the Days, with seafood buffets prepared by my mother-in-law and a roast turkey and tortiere French-Canadian dinner prepared by me. We try to keep things naturally sweetened and gluten-free so all family members can enjoy our Christmas feasting. With the exception of some traditional Spanish sweets (polvorones, a lard and flour ball, and naranjas confitadas, chocolate covered candied orange slices, we did pretty well).

grapes ready for the spanish countdown, gingerale for toasting!

And that's my month in review! We started January with a bang, and things don't look like they'll be slowing down any time soon, so watch out, 2015, here we come!

Lemon Zinger

It's been a loooong week at work. A long month, actually. For non-teachers who are jealous of Christmas holidays, don't be - there is a reason for this. We need the time off after spending the month with children who grow wilder by the day (they've been singing screaming Christmas tunes since the week after Halloween). They are endearing, but really, we're having a hard time getting anything done when, after explanations, "any questions?" is met by "When are Santa and the Wise Men coming?"

Well, the workbooks are all finished, the crafts are ready to go home, the report cards are all written, and with only one more day to go until the Christmas Festival, the carols are mostly learned. (If only they would sing them instead of shout them!)

I know I'm extra-tired this year (younger grade, growing a baby), and it's especially lovely to be sitting by the tree with my feet up, a hot tea and a yummy treat within reach and Christmas tunes playing in the background.

tall girl, you're not in london anymore but you can pretend!

To make these lemon-ginger bars, I merged two recipes from Healing Cuisine. The topping is this one, only I used honey instead of xylitol, and the cookie bottom is half of the gingerbread cookie recipe from Elise's Christmas e-book, which you all should buy. I made the cookie dough and then followed the lemon bar recipe. Next time (and there will be a next time; my husband loves them, too!) I will use the entire cookie recipe and double the topping to have a larger batch!

They remind me of the lemon-ginger bars I used to enjoy from Leon, a healthy fast-food chain in London. I love the combination of fresh lemon (we brought back 7 kilos of lemons from the farm!) and zingy ginger. It's also great that they are protein-packed and naturally sweetened, good for Baby and me.

Happy Weekend!

Despite the holiday Monday, it's been a long week - I've been off work with laryngitis and a cold, and it's kind of felt like a time warp. Waking up in bed, having a hot lemon tea, a neti pot rinse, and dosing off on the couch. Waking up, having some soup, and falling back into bed.

december rose

Last weekend, however, was great - it started with a Christmas dinner party, albeit a little too long for Baby and me, but fun overall, and I know Tall Guy had a blast. 

halfway there!

Then, we had a leisurely weekend in the country, complete with a crackling fire, books, and hot tea, after a crisp country walk; 

i seized tall guy's "Canada" hat

i could do this every evening!

Roses, lambs and a new puppy; 

the puppy

checking each other out

cute little guys!

and a roast suckling pig dinner to go out in style.

crisp on the outside, and nice and juicy on the inside

Here's to the weekend, long or short as it may be!