Day One of BLOGMAS- Where Have I been? Spilling the tea..

HIIIII Everyone. I am back.

I just finished my MASTERS program, while working full-time with four children one being only 2 years old. It was a challenge, but now I have more free time. I've been doing yoga and meditation to rid myself of all the extra stress and negativity.

If you don't know, I now live in the United States and I am no longer married. This is a whole new world I've been adjusting to for the last three years. You'd think I'd have it down by now, but I still learn everything the hard way. I believe I learn things the hard way in order to help others in a  empathatic, non-judgemntal, caring way. I find myself to be very wise although I also feel very naive. Oh well.

I've tried several times to create a new blog, but I just couldn't. I wanted to leave the past in the past, but the past is what has made me the woman I am today. The woman I was then is much different than the woman I am now.

I am still totally a foodie, a beauty junkie, traveler, and lover of photography. It's all about finding time and saving enough money. All these things I will continue to share along with my family and other aspects of being a working mom doing the damn thing. There are many things that makes my situation quite unique that I will not elaborate on right now. However, when I hear or read about women in a similar situation as mine, I get so giddy- haha. But we are so damn busy to even spark up a proper greeting or at least I am. I am too busy for anything especially with older kids getting into everything outside the home and a baby who gets into everything inside the home.

So why did I decide to do BLOGMAS? Well, I am kind of a youtube junkie and I love when my favorite vloggers do vlogmas. It's where they vlog everyday. I know some people find it trivial to follow "regular" people, however, I love it because I am nosy and look for inspiration everywhere haha. I feel like blogmas is a way to get back to blogging, but also hopefully inspire that mom who doesn't think she is doing enough- which is me almost 100% of the time 65% of the time hehe.


Day 1 was a day at home. I work all week so I enjoy my rest. My son had a soccer day that my boyfriend who is also his coach took him to. I stayed home and did my yoga as well as meditated, played with the babies.

 I also decided to dust some old cookbooks off to use. My kids ask me why I don't use them anymore. Well it’s sad, but I thought I didn’t  need them and the internet is so much easier when I need to tweak a recipe or find one quickly. After going through them I didn’t realize how much I missed them! So this week, I am cooking straight from the books.  I did my meal plan and as I work 40 hours plus over time- which is an additional 10-20 hours a week- so the more simple the better.

This is the very first cookbook I bought over a decade ago. I look at it now and when they say basic it's truly basic haha. But the recipes are easily tweakable and we all enjoyed it then, so why be boujee about it now haha.


Also we haven't done any decorating for Christmas yet, but Elf Skywalker has decided to pay a visit today.

The kids were cautiously excited. The baby just wants the candy haha.

I also to bring some christmas cheer in this home, I decided to bake cookies every weekend and everyday during the 12 days of Christmas. So that may mean making some dough in advance haha.

I made Ina Garten's Pecan Sandies. I also added Hershey kisses to some because.....why not?

The kids and the elf enjoyed them.

Thank you for reading and see you all here tomorrow <3 p="">

Mama's Last European Christmas 2012

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas (if you celebrate!) and are continuing to enjoy the holidays! After my last weekend of class, we a seemed to be busy celebrating nonstop! It was exhausting, but certainly worth it! In the past I usually ask my husband if we could go somewhere long after all the money’s been spent on presents and mass amount of food. So this year, we planned all of our Christmassy trips in September.

 

Starting off with Switzerland, which we wanted to visit since the beginning of the year, but circumstances prevented that. We originally wanted to go to Salzburg Austria my last weekend of school, but the hotel prices were exorbitant! Surprisingly, we found a cheaper hotel in our price range in Switzerland that weekend! We planned for Switzerland, originally to be a weekday trip and Austria to be a weekend trip, but our funds had a different plan- the change was certainly fine with us!  So I finished up my Anthropology final and we packed up and hit the road. We got a great deal from Hertz for our rental as the original car we reserved wasn't in! It was nice comfortable ride and didn't hurt our wallet, especially as we were on our way to a very expensive country! And best of all my oldest was there to enjoy the trip. We had a great time! I will go into greater detail about our trip to the transport museum in another post! We visited two Christmas Markets one underground and another close by the bridge. 

An Advent building so CUTE.

One of the biggest ones I've ever seen!  Switzerland was expensive, but the kids had a wonderful time. They said it was their favorite trip of all the trips we've taken. Of course the kids choose the most expensive place as their favorite!  Here are some photos from that trip!

Happy School is overrrrr (sorta)

I also tried a new protective style after my crazy hairscapades in England! I wore a beanie with either a satin bonnet or a baggie for deep conditioning under! my hair was happy!

BEAUTIFUL Lucerne (Luzern) Switzerland

A SWEET older woman took our picture. The kids a re a bit more cooperative with strangers lol.

Gluehwein

With all of the road trips, I should have called my husband Clark lol

My cuties love Merry-go-Rounds another find at Christmas Markets!

Beautiful Chapel Bridge

My baby James Dean

A few days later, we went to Salzburg, Austria. My husband had a lot of work to do the day we were supposed to leave so we got a late start.

We drove our own car here as we just got some new tires and the trip was only a 2 day trip. We experienced every kind of weather on the way there. My husband wanted to turn around and go home, but me, I am determined to finish what I started. And while we were there, we didn't regret it one bit. We had an amazing time. Friendly people, not so expensive, it was a beautiful town, one of my favorites of the year and we've been to A LOT of places this year in and outside of Germany. We are hoping to go back when we visit Munich for one last time in 2013.  Here are some pictures from that trip!

Kinderpunsch

Gluehwein and Kinderpunsch

Mommy Daddy time at the Toy Museum (making a separate post about that!)

Old Town

At the Christkind Markt

When we got home, the next day we went to see Santa Claus. We had to get cracking on our own Christmas traditions. And while we’re doing a lot of them later than usual, we got them ALL done lol. At the same time it wasn’t exhausting it was nice and our kids had a wonderful time!!! We did a craft talked Santa, wrote Santa, baked for Santa, that dude is SPOILED. As Santa is my husband, He deserved every bit of it!!! Check out Mama’s Christmas 2012.

Santa Claus at the Ramstein Community Center looked a little young and thinner this year;-)

Kids with their crafts

Christmas Eve Dinner

Letters to Santa

Santa is generous!

Christmas Morning!! I love this picture!

She got ERIC!

Nosepick break hehe

Crazy!

Breakfast

Dinner!

Christmas was s magical this year! All the work was WELL worth it! Hope you enjoyed your holidays!!!!!

Check out more pictures on my flickr page.

My Children's Video Message to Santa Claus

Christmas means way more to me than buying or receiving presents. It's mostly about being thankful and spending time with my family. This Christmas is one I am the most excited about because we didn't do Thanksgiving, though I do not regret that one bit! I was anxious for Christmas, I wanted to decorate with the kids, bake with them, and do loads of Christmas crafts. However, I was in the final weeks of my first semester for most of December, so my holiday spirit kind of got soured.

But once school was finished, we got into some holiday cheer. We started our holiday traditions a little later than usual this year, but we got them done and had a fantastic time doing them. 

Last year I made a wonderful Christmas video. It was like a culmination of our Christmas and it got lost after my hard drive failed. However it did not deter me from trying again this year. We didn't get much footage this year, but we did make video messages for Santa Claus. People may say, Christmas is too commercial, it's not all about the presents, and some Fat Man Santa is getting all the credit blah blah blah! BUT the kids talking to Santa, all the extra crafts, getting presents is all going towards wonderful memories the kids will have. Also traveling, going to various of Christmas themed markets,  etc will stay with the kids. My children  have seen a lot this season, and they are so thankful and remember everything! My goal in Christmas is to make it as memorable as possible, so that when we are older the kids come over with their family they can see the many pictures and videos and appreciate the effort mom and dad put into making their Christmas magical and do the same with their little ones(if they have some)! 

I hope you all enjoy these videos

JJ's Loves Mario!

Mawa She has a HUGE crush on Eric from the Little Mermaid. She wants him under the tree

DD's He loves trains and respectful people 

Mama's Christmas 2011 via Instagram and Camera +

For those of you who do not follow on instagram or twitter and those who ignore me on either.  A little of my Christmas via my iPhone. Instagram is my favorite app, and I share a lot and the folk I follow inspire me tremendously. Hope you enjoy!!

Pre Christmas
1st day of Christmas Chewy Sugar cookies from www.cooksillustrated.com

So good they were gone in less than 2 days....

Mincemeat mixed up- I shredded the apple this year also added some of the syrup from my homemade candied clementine peels.


Rich Brioche Ingredients


My little man the Tony Montana of flour. Seriously the leftover flour after I kneaded the dough he went to town on...sigh


Made delicious Buttered Pecan Scones from Dessert for Two. Helped my husband get in the mood to wrap some pressies...he really enjoys wrapping presents.


Some truffle prep (before i covered them in chocolate) for How Sweet It Is's Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Truffles. Soooo good. I used cocoa crispies as well as rice krispies in the dough. They were gone in an hour. Sigh



We did a lot of crafts and spruced up our living room this month. To reward my family, I made Joy the Baker's Red Velvet Christmas Cupcakes. Really good, so good I only got one!! Thank you family ;)


Random bath time 'take a picture of me mommy' flick.


Some of the interesting 'snowmen' from one of our craft night. We are proud anyway and display them...in the main bathroom, but still...people will see them.


Homemade Potato Thyme Rolls ready for the oven!


Cranberry anxiously waiting to be turned into cranberry sauce!


On to the goose aka Bertha Mae!

The toasted star anise, szechuan peppers, cinnamon stick, cloves, and fennel ready to be turned in a powder in the coffee grinder (i don't use it to grind coffee just spices!)


The goose all massaged with orange, lemon, lime zest, and my 5 spice powder! Inspired by Gordon Ramsey! Must work on my scoring technique, though!


I then stuffed the bird with a pricked apple, foie gras, rosemary, sage, orange, and of course seasoned with salt.


Put in the fridge, then sat at room temp about 30 minutes before roasting the next day


More prep
With my homemade brioche loaves, I made savory bread pudding with brioche, bacon and leeks!


First time ever making collard greens because they're usually ALWAYS out at the commissary! Not this year and I put my foot in them!


Oh Christmas tree


My Santa Man enjoying mince pie and a spiked mug of homemade eggnog!


Our living room featuring another craft!


As close to a white Christmas as we were getting this year...


Faking on Christmas Eve...can't fool santa!


LOVE my footed pajamas! Bought these from Walmart back in November and they actually fit my tall self!!! Santa likes them a lot ;)


Hamhocks and Collards....mmmmmmmmm. I put way more collards in, by the way, this is half way through.


Bertha Mae! If you enjoy the dark meat on an poultry, you will enjoy goose. So damn good and the fat that drips out is amazing. It's a gift that keeps on giving!!! More people need to get on the goose train ;)


Crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside goose fat roasted potatoes! We will make this again with the saved goose. If you don't have goose fat, use crisco. What makes goose awesome is that it has an insanely high smoke point so no disgusting fumes and it gets REALLY hot.


Dinner!


Spiced Goose w/ honey
Goose Fat Roasted Potatoes
Collard Greens and Hamhocks
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole (i had a photo of the process the iphone literally died I had to run to the repair dude's house. Luckily he fixed it for me quickly!)
Savory Bread Pudding with Brioche, Leeks, and Bacon
Orange Cranberry Sauce
Potato Thyme Rolls

I also made A chocolate mousse pie, but we were too full to eat it. Still waiting for us in the fridge! I also took a lot of photos with my camera and a even more video. Look for a video from me after the new year!!

Thank you all for reading! I really hope you all are having a grand holiday!!!! 

Love Sommer and Family


spent most of the day in our jammies! well my daughter in the play dress we got her for Christmas.


from my own camera- Me and my son. He's with his family again for Christmas :(