Things I Want To Remember

I kind of fell off the Things I Want To Remember bandwagon, but with so many things going on, I decided to start these posts up again.

We are 2 weeks from putting the entire school admissions conundrum to rest. I went from stressed to not stressed, to done. Actually, I think I was done years ago.

Freesia, jasmine, lilies, and orange blossoms are in full bloom with sunny Spring days upon us. That smell coupled with the sounds of still-strong surf bring paradise to our front door.

Pipocas our dog keeps on keepin' on.

Moojie spent the day yesterday at a prayer and reflection retreat in Sintra for an end-of-year trip organized for 9th graders.

(Alzheimer's alert!*) Zita is playing in a local youth orchestra every Saturday morning and loves this new dimension of music.

We are deep into round three of multiplication tables memorization with Freddy. Unlike with the other kids, we watch YouTube multiplication songs which is so much better than reciting them in the car.

Seb has had two tear-free school runs. I hesitate to even write such big news for fear he will revert to his crying ways.

Zita's fan club at a recent tennis tournament:

We are back in a chess phase. These magnetic pieces are great for bouncy young players who have a tendency to bump against the board.

 Zita has discovered John Grisham's young adult series. Here she is waiting for Freddy to finish tennis. I'm reading one to Freddy who gave a pretty comic account of the characters to my mom over the phone. His story telling is so animanted and peppered with funny word choices that it's hard to follow the plot without getting distracted by Freddy himself.

* I can't remember if I already shared this.

Squeezy Dough Boy

16 Weeks

Sebby is drooling like a teether. I felt his mouth this morning and his bottom front tooth is just about to break through the gums. So his drooling is in fact justified.  He is so interested in everything that goes on around him and seems particularly fixated on our food. Last Friday was our first tear free school run, all thanks to an increasing interest in toys. If we can have quiet school runs, my life will change dramatically. Seb is a gem and all, but the whole cry-like-we-are-ripping-off-finger-nails act when we drive just has to stop.

Stats: He's a healthy 16.5 lbs and Carter's 6 month jammies long. Eyes are still 100% blue, but it's still too early for any green to start creeping in.

Always Room For One More...

...on Mummy's lap. The big kids both had plans last night so it was just the four of us. I wish I could bottle up the feeling of two sons cuddled up asleep against me. I wouldn't dream of life getting better than this.

Carnival Break

With such drizzly weather, I took very few photos while we were in the Alentejo. 

On our last day, I went to all the effort to bundle Seb up in his suit and get him in the Bjorn, and right when I reached the bottom of the hill, it started pouring down on us like a fire hose. Suddenly Sebby didn't seem so little as I tried to jog up the hill back to the house. 

 No riding this trip- just grooming.

Seb wasn't exactly captivated or even remotely interested, but he'll get there.

Freddy swiped my wellies!  

 The closest neighbor as seen from the front of the house. Beyond those hills lies the Spanish border, which we rarely cross despite such proximity.

 I brought all of Sebby's farm themed jammies.

Banana Cake

I want to post about this banana cake before I forget how we made it. The cake itself is a classic sponge from the Joy of Cooking, which we make all the time. It's the filling I don't want to forget.

I always let the kids do all of the steps so they get in as much practice as possible.

Stiffening the egg whites

This cake was made, like so many other things, on Caroline's initiative so I had her pick the filling. She found a recipe for banana mixed in with heated condensed milk and it was creamy and yummy, and just right.

We sprinkled each layer with cinnamon before we spread the banana filling.

The cake fell a bit since we didn't let it cool upside down for very long.We added fresh sliced bananas because we´re so healthy and all :)

Whipped cream on top made this the perfect afternoon treat. We are most certainly adding Zita's banana layer sponge to our repertoire

15 Weeks

Is There a Bright Side?

To losing our sea view in our bedroom? There is! Construction here takes years, so Sebby will have lots to look at. All little boys love construction.

I'm not thrilled, but losing one's sea view can be definitely filed under first world problems, or not a real problem.

Mystery Solved

It occured to me as I cut into the third cake in as many days, that perhaps baking could have something to do with my two remaining "baby kilos." In fact, I think they can be more aptly labelled "baking kilos." Oh, but the joy of a hot cakey brownie on a rainy afternoon.

Stuffed Animal Cull

Seb is my resident organizational consultant.

Friday Photo Dump

A mask by Freddy 

 Hanging out at the airport

Pulled a Little Something Together

Guilt and a large display of strawberries in the store today lead to ceremonious cake. I baked the cake, Freddy and Zita decorated it, and the kids and I ate it.
Not exactly a romance extravaganza, but it was a good day nonetheless.

The Only Ball I Haven't Dropped...

...is Sebby. I did nothing for Valentine's Day. Pai has been deathly ill, and being gone meant that I just didn't have baking or crafting on my brain. Zita never lets a holiday pass without pagentry, so with Freddy's help, she made this cake from scratch.

The two of them brought it up to the sala where the fire was going, and served the cake with pride.
She never uses a recipe, and it always turns out. I'm so glad there is another baker in the house, but I'm still full of guilt for not coming through with anything.

The Trip That Wasn't Meant to Be

14 Weeks