OUT AND ABOUT.

the air is getting chilly and there’s finally “smell of snow”… so far the winter has been warm and sunny, which is fine to me. but this morning, when i woke up and i’ve seen the snow on our mountains, i felt relieved. winter is here.

i took this picture during my morning walking. as part of one of my 2014 resolutions i try to go for a walk every morning. it’s a panacea for your mind and a way to get back in shape before may (there is a bet between me and my husband…)

LINKING WITH:

OUTDOOR WEDNESDAY

4/52

"a portrait of my daughters, once a week, every week, in 2014"

Zoe Tiare: so sweet…

Alma Aiko: and finally she has learnt to sit up by herself!

this week favorites: lamb loves fox (of course… she is a genius!), the sweet oana’s child and … baby, the light in these pictures, this b/w made me nostalgic…

Taking part in Jodi's weekly portrait series

GOOD MORNING.

a simple morning, chatting with a dear friend and amazing mama, having breakfast with cappuccino and homemade muffins (made by her), while our two little princesses are playing. being a mother is a very hard job sometimes, but thank god there are people that help you along the way!

FAVORITE PHOTO FRIDAY

FRIDAY FINDS

BIRDS.

 

every time i go to pick up zoe at the nursery school, i witness the same scene: 20-30 birds, dancing in circle above me, for ten minutes.

i’m sorry you can’t hear the wings’ sound…  sometimes nature amazes me.

  

linking with wednesday around the world – from communal global. to see who else is joining click the icon below.

and finding serendipity

14 SIMPLE WAYS TO BE HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER IN 2014

source

i was browsing around the web yesterday when i found out this interesting article "14 Simple Ways to Be Happier and Healthier in 2014". some of the advices are honestly corny but some of them made me think...

'gather your family health history': discover if there are any recurrent disease could be useful (maybe not so happy though!).i think i'll do that and i'll seize the moment to talk also about the past, my grannies, their lives... know where we start is important in order to understand where we are going.

'listening, not hearing, to others': avoiding interruptions and stop finding problems in any story we hear. being interested and happy for others needs practice.

'learn new things': not only for the learning sake but to keep your brain trained.

'eat breakfast': i'm working on it... i'm not a morning person but definitely a lazy one so my breakfasts normally are coffee and cereals. I'm adding new combos ( porridge, budwig cream...) if you need other ideas check here.

'step away from facebook': that was surprising... an american university found out that you feel worse shortly after perusing facebook... what do you think?

'be nice': when you do something for others you feel better too.

the other suggestions include eat healthily, buy local, walk as much as you can, and practice some gym.

anything else?

3/52

"a portrait of my daughters, once a week, every week, in 2014"

Zoe Tiare: one whole week without going outside. four long days with fever, then cough, now otitis…

Alma Aiko: bored, on daddy’s legs.

it’s time to start to elect the best of the previous week: these four beauties (how can you do with four Kate?!!), Alva’s portrait, this picnic scene with a big tummy.

Taking part in Jodi's weekly portrait series

INDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

my girls are slowly getting better but these days stuck in the house have been hard. i had no idea of what to do with them, i was tired, zoe didn't want to eat or play, she just kept asking for TV...
now that everything is (almost) over, i want to be prepared if it will happen again. i googled "how to survive when your kids are sick" and i found out some very good ideas! i can keep them in mind even for rainy or snowy days!
six stupendous stickers activities for kids (my daughter loves stickers! why i didn't think of playing with them?!)
this article from bon appétit is christmas  related but spending time in the kitchen with the kids can be fun in any season!
reading is what we do most of the time. zoe loves reading and alma is starting to enjoy watching a colorful book with different textures.
the bookstore of coos & ahhs is full of great ideas and i have already saved a couple of title for my next shopping! 
other random ideas from the web:
drawings,
indoor obstacle course around the house (see here for some inspiration)
printable activities pack
anything to add?

KISS THE RAIN.

 

 

 

stuck at home, with my feverish daughters. these are hard days… i have to admit!  outside it’s raining… let’s start from here to find some inspiration. (images from pinterest)

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"a portrait of my daughters, once a week, every week, in 2014"

Zoe Tiare: my feverish girl… first disease of the year.

Alma Aiko: my little caterpillar.

Taking part in Jodi's weekly portrait series

A DAY IN PICTURES

   

my first solo parenting day since when alma was born. giulio was in tel aviv for three days. i was scared about being alone with the girls but i thought “hey, my mum or giulio’s mum can come and help”. well, they were both in bed with fever and i was alone.

this was yesterday and i have to say that i enjoyed every single moment in the morning. and every single moment in the afternoon. we jumped on mommy and daddy’s bed, put socks to alma a hundred times, went for a walk, made bubbles, bought fresh bread (and ate it all coming back home), played with every single toy in their room, took a shower.

but around 6pm i found out that zoe had fever… last night was a nightmare between a baby that still eat every 2,5 hours and a crying scared toddler with 38.8°c. and today was even harder because alma wanted my attention as well!

giulio has just came back. breath and reboot.

WINTER SALES

i’ve learned the lesson in years of shopping: never buy something if you are not more than sure that you need it! years ago i used to buy clothes or shoes on sale just because i saw them… then i came back home and found out that i already had tons of that and no what i really need.
last saturday here in italy we opened the sale winter season and i’ll buy something next weekends. these are what i want and need (images and products are just examples… i’m not going to spend a fortune!)
1:: i really need a parka! i wish i could wear a white one but… kids+white=a mess!! this one is from the north face
2:: i love dolly shoes!! i have a couple of pair but there is always room for one more! (cafe’noir)
3:: jeans! a passepartout for day and night (diesel) 
4:: a silk pyjama (i love everything in this olivia von halle model – except the price!)
5:: a silky dress in yellow. i’m always looking for dresses.. unfortunately find one opening in the front for breastfeeding is not easy! hello designers.. that’s something to think about! (orla kiely)

GOALS 2014

for the 2014 as i already said i don't have big changes in my mind but some little improvement to our current daily routine:
:: snap more family pictures, all the four of us. i made a photo album last year with all the pictures of just me and giulio around the world. turned out that there are countries (not towns, but whole countries!) with just one picture of the two of us together! not mention the pictures of the whole family! for the next year this has to change! And i really want to take them manual as much as I can!
:: i keep my intention to read one book for month... in my mind this sounds absolutely fair but let's see the reality!
:: taking a picture per week during the last year was sometimes hard: i was in a rush, bad weeks, no ideas, no camera when I needed. but looking behind i'm proud of what I made and i want to continue the project for 2014.
:: my research into the veggie world is not finished and i want to keep experimenting vegetables and grains.
:: something i really want to do is travel. it's my biggest passion and i'm looking for see the world through my daughters eyes. i'm not talking about faraway places, but weekends spend with the family discovering new beauties nearby.

1/52

 

"a portrait of my daughters, once a week, every week, in 2014"

Zoe Tiare: attracted by christmas lights.

Alma Aiko: morning cuddles.

i’m here again, another year of portraits… one of the best challenge of the past year. thank you, jodi.

Taking part in Jodi's weekly portrait series

welcome!

So I'm starting with a new blog. [m] as Me.

This blog is about me and my life and my research... For the first time in years I don't know what to expect from the new year. Seven years ago I was waiting for my wedding, the year after I decided to go back to the university, then our big round-the-world trip and while we had our New Years Eve in Cuba I said 'it's time to have a family'. The year after I was pregnant and then came our first year in three. Last New Years Eve I was pregnant again. And the 2014 will be our first year in four. 

But I've no big plans or changes in mind for this year.

And this. sounds. good.

No expectations means a lot of possibility and less pression. I'm a perfectionist so I always feel the responsibility to do things the better way possible. But not this year. This time I want to live, laugh, enjoy and be me.

Actually I have a plan, nothing "physical" but more mental: understand what's being me means, discover new sides of my personality, change what I don't like and accept what I can't change. Find my way. Being the best mom I can. Taking pictures every time I can.

So [m] as Me, as Woman, Wife, Daughter, Photographer, Cook, Nurse, Friend. And as Mom.