A Few More Birthday Pictures

Zita walking back to school with her friends after a lunch out. They are such sweet and chatty girls! I loved getting a chance to know them a little better. 

 the first round of singing...

And then a second round so we could sing in English

A New Year in the Alentejo

We drove to the Alentejo on New Year's Eve and spent a few days in relaxing solitude.

 

 Having bottle fed calves around is always the best draw for the kids. These calves are so tame and sweet; just look at this soft pinky nose! Sebby was terrified, but he'll come around.

 

 

 This is Moojie's hat from our years in Scotland. I couldn't cope with the cuteness factor.

 Here is Zita giving an afternoon bottle.

 

 Seb was thrilled with the horses and all things horse-related. Their muching on hay made him crack up into baby gigges, which in turn made us all laugh right along with him.

 Every one of our children goes through a ride-in-the-wheelbarrow phase.

 Both of the big chimneys have huge stork nests resting on top. Strong winds weren't enough to knock so much as a stick to the roof below.

 Pec the dog is a member of the family after 4 months on the farm. He adores having the kids around.

 It rained all day every day, and when it wasnt raining, the mist was so thick that it might as well have been raining.

 Either I'm getting old or Sebby is particularly heavy, because my shoulders were in serious pain after one walk with him in this backpack.

That's okay because Pai's shoulders are a pretty comfy spot!

 

We stopped in Vila Viçosa on our way home. The last time we were there, it was a hot August day and little Moojie had just turned one. These are all drive by pictures because of the rain.

 

The best part about going away after Christmas is coming home to discover presents all over again.

Birthday Frosting

I get asked about frosting more than any other thing that I make. I have narrowed it down to two go-to recipes that work with pretty much any cake. The chocolate recipe can be found in Joy of 

Cooking under Chocolate Satin Frosting. 

This vanilla recipe is the disputed original and true frosting that is supposed to be paired with red velvet cake. That point is irrelevant however, because it is just so gosh darn tasty. 

Using an electric mixer, it fluffs up like marshmallow fluff, but retains the buttery goodness of traditional butter cream. Yes, there is heating involved, and it dirties one bowl plus your mixer attachments, and a saucepan, but it really is easy peasy, and worth the extra cleaning.

http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/thate28099s-the-best-frosting-ie28099ve-ever-had/

I hesitate to show my grainy iPad  photos, but anyone can look at the link for the real deal. 

Below is one cup milk wisked and heated with 5 tablespoons flour and vanilla. Yes, flour. Just go with it. 

In the other bowl, cream granulated sugar with butter until completely smooth and uniform. 

Mix them both together, and you have vanilla frosting good for spreading, piping, eating straight out of the bowl, topping cookies or cupcakes, and good for filling too. Do read to proper recipe because this post just gives a basic idea and omits a few key intructions. 

Sebby approves!

I gave him a quarter of a cupcake so I could clean the kitchen and prep for dinner. 

By the end, his hair was covered in red velvet crumbs and frosting. 

The rest of the pictures are on my camera and not yet uploaded to the computer, so these will have to do for now. 

Our Baby Girl Is Eleven!

I'm taking Zita and her friends to lunch today and tonight is the big family celebration.
Lots more to come on Zita's festivities!

A Misty Afternoon in Sintra

With the wisdom tooth saga and Sebby's fever quarantine behind us, we wanted to get out of the house and move our legs in fresh air. We hadn't taken my mom to Sintra yet this visit so to Sintra we went. 

This particular afternoon was cut short by rain, but it was still worth the visit. We waited out the rain for a bit under this little shelter, but a cross wind meant soon we were cold and wet and ready to move along. 

Before the rain started pouring down, the kids did some exploring around this pond and had fun playing Pooh Sticks in a rushing natural spring. 

Seb slept through the whole thing so I held him until my arms were breaking. He is one heavy boy! 

 For anyone interested, this pond is a short walk across the street from the entrance to Moserrate Palace:

http://www.parquesdesintra.pt/en/parks-and-monuments/park-and-palace-of-monserrate/ 

Hard Rock Cafe And a Walk Through Lisbon

Going to Hard Rock Café has somehow become tradition when my mom visits. I recognize everything wrong with eating here while in a European country, but sometimes a family needs a loud child-friendly restaurant with free refills, abundant fries, and the comfort of feeling like we are in the States.

It was so dark in there that we were all blinded when we went outside. 

On our way to the Hard Rock Cafe, we stopped in the Principe Real neighborhood to check out a house/palace called Embaixada. I only have two pictures, but the house is beautiful; It's a little hidden gem in the heart of the city with a café and botique shops.

What better way to end the day than our yearly walk through the Chiado for Santini ice cream?

 

 

Christmas Pictures

Freddy was the most enthusiastic and earnest gift giver this year. He went shopping with my mom and bought gifts for each and every family member. He was so excited to give out gifts and watch everyone open what he chose. 

I got this beautiful heart shaped alarm clock that now has pride of place on my nightstand. 

Moojie got a can of tennis balls from Freddy, and he gave Zita a bracelet making kit. I'm already wishing I had taken more pictures on Christmas morning.

We did Christmas crackers over breakfast of cranberry blueberry bagels. The jokes are so entertaining to read out and it keeps the mood lively and full of laughs. 

Whereas last year had a strong tennis theme, this year was an apparel and electronics years for Miss Zita. She's top to toe in new things, but was happiest to join the rest of her school in smart phone ownership. 

We had Christmas  lunch at my brother in law's house where we had a third and final round of presents and another big meal of shrimp bisque and duck rice. 

Freddy and Zita helped my mom set the Christmas breakfast table at night so I could spend my Christmas morning enjoying the moment. I already miss the perks of pampering that come from having my mom here.

 When we are back to civilization, I'll write my annual best gifts of 2013 post.