Dominosteentjes

Graag wil ik jullie even dit filmpje laten zien. Mijn zoon is de laatste tijd enorm veel bezig met dominostenen, hele coole dingen maakt hij ermee. Hij maakt er ook toffe filmpjes van zodat iedereen kan meegenieten. Hier is één van zijn filmpjes:

 

Hij zou het heel erg leuk vinden om wat extra abonnees te krijgen op zijn YouTube kanaal of wat extra likes op zijn Facebook-pagina! Bedankt om te kijken!

Nieuw project!

Ja, 'k weet het, het is hier bijzonder stilletjes geweest de laatste tijd. Maar ik heb niet stilgezeten, hoor. Ik stel jullie, met lichte trots, mijn nieuwste project voor: www.yogathings.be: handgemaakte yoga spulletjes. Neem zeker eens een kijkje en kom regelmatig eens terug piepen, want ik zit nog boordevol ideetjes om het aanbod uit te breiden!

Indrukwekkende wolkenhemel

Hebben jullie een tijdje geleden ook die prachtig gekleurde wolkenhemel gezien? Het duurde maar een paar minuten, dus je moest snel zijn, maar het was zo ontzettend indrukwekkend. Alles baadde in een oranjeroze gloed, echt een heel speciaal gevoel.

Fotoalbum

Ik ben al een tijdje lid van the Insiders, een netwerk waarbij je gratis producten mag uittesten en via mond-aan-mond reclame kan meehelpen om ze bekend te maken.

Deze zomer was ik één van de zovelen die gratis een fotoboek mochten aanmaken bij Albelli.

Ik heb gekozen om een fotoboek te maken van onze vakantie naar Frankrijk. Omdat ik zoveel foto's had en niet kon kiezen, heb ik gekozen het boek automatisch te laten opvullen met de foto's die ik had. Dit werkt heel goed, slechts hier en daar moest ik nog wat aanpassen. Tenslotte tekst toevoegen en klaar was kees. Je krijgt ook een online fotoboek dat je kan delen met familie en vrienden.

De bestelling en levering was heel erg vlot en ik ben heel erg tevreden van het resultaat. Ik heb een vrij dik boek en toch is het stevig en van goede kwaliteit. Zeker een leuke herinnering aan een mooie vakantie!

Renovations

This year we are having some major renovations done to the house. We will be laying a new roof and having all our windows and front door replaced. A lot of work, because having new windows means that we will have to replace some ceilings and paint a few rooms again. Pictures and updates will follow around the month of May.

Now we are working on our attic. Our attic is quite large and we will be making it a place just for the two of us. There is a dressing and a small bathroom. The rest of the attic will be used for our bed (when the kids are a bit older). We will be installing a small seating area where we can relax and read and a desk where I can do some of the crafts I like for which I don't have the space right now. And last but not least, one area will serve as a relaxing place where I can practice my yoga, tai chi and meditations. I am sooooooooooo much looking forward to this, having my own sacred space to relax.

A few weeks ago, the concrete floor has been put in and it gives a whole new look to the place. Now, a lot of painting has to be done, doors have to be put in, the bathroom has to be installed, the floor has to be laid, the staircase has to be finished,... still a lot of work, but we are slowly getting there.

This picture shows our attic viewed from the entrance, in the back, you can see the dressing room:



The next picture shows the attic from the other side:


So you now what we are doing these days, this afternoon I will be painting, fortunately I like painting, it clears my mind...

Winterwonderland

This is the first time in a very long time, that we are having a real winter! Yesterday we went to the farm where the pond was totally frozen and people were skating on it.

List

Sinterklaas has left the country, so it's getting time to get ready for Christmas and Newyear, a time to contemplate. On Lilith's blog, I saw this list of things you already did in your life. The ones in bold are the things I already did:

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity (I give something to charity every year, but more than I can afford, no...)
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (making jewelry, sewing, crocheting...)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Mmmm, 17 out of a 100... I've still got some work to do!

Me-time

Homemade lemonade, oatmeal-raisin cookies and the newest Ariadne At Home with the fitting title Tijd voor jezelf, (Time for Yourself), and the old letters of a penfriend who I have just found again in Facebook, what more could I want?

Details in the fabric

The last few days, I have been listening a lot to this great song by Jason Mraz: 'Details in fabric'. Our yoga teacher played it for us and the lyrics are just beautiful. Hope you like it as well!

Calm down
Deep breaths
And get yourself dressed instead
Of running around
And pulling all your threads and
Breaking yourself up

If it's a broken part, replace it
But, if it's a broken arm then brace it
If it's a broken heart then face it

And hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way
Hold your own
Know your own name
And go your own way

And everything will be fine
Everything will be fine
mmmhmm

Hang on
Help is on the way
Stay strong
I'm doing everything

Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way
Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way

And everything, everything will be fine
Everything

Are the details in the fabric
Are the things that make you panic
Are your thoughts results of static cling?

Are the things that make you blow
Hell, no reason, go on and scream
If you're shocked it's just the fault
Of faulty manufacturing.

Yeah everything will be fine
Everything in no time at all
Everything

Hold your own
And know your name
And go your own way

Are the details in the fabric (Hold your own, know your name)
Are the things that make you panic
Are your thoughts results of static cling? (Go your own way)

Are the details in the fabric (Hold your own, know your name)
Are the things that make you panic (Go your own way)
Is it Mother Nature's sewing machine?

Are the things that make you blow (Hold your own, know your name)
Hell no reason go on and scream
If you’re shocked it's just the fault (Go your own way)
Of faulty manufacturing

Everything will be fine
Everything in no time at all
Hearts will hold

First autumn walk!

Last weekend, we had our first official autumn walk in the forest! It was a very sunny, but rather cold day. Here are some impressions:

New look!

I have been experimenting with blogger lay-outs, it's something I wanted to do for a long time and now I made the time to do it. Hope you like the result!

6!

Last week, our little girl turned 6! Where is that little baby? In September, she's also going to primary school and she will be learning to read and count. Time sure flies by, before we know it, we will have teenagers in our house, all the more reason to try to enjoy all those little moments. Here is the birthday girl, with the crown that her teacher made her in school:

At her birthday party, we had 13 children of her class coming over. To make our lifes a little bit easier, we had a storyteller coming over. She told them the story of little witch Wijsneus and the magical stones. She told how stones can help you and at the end the children each got to pick their own stone. A huge success! More information can be found at www.heksjewijsneus.com (in dutch). Here you can see Witch Wijsneus in front of the chest of stones:

Enjoying the sun

This weekend we had the most beautiful weather. We spent almost the whole weekend in our garden. I find gardening so relaxing. It washes away all those thoughts that keep coming and coming. At this moment, I am outside typing this, enjoying the last bit of sun of today, because as of tomorrow, the weather will be much cooler again. I will leave you today with some photos of this weekend, all things to be grateful for:

1. breakfast with cereals and yoghurt:

2. blossoms of our apple trees:

3. seeing what those little creatures are up to:

4. mowing the grass:

5. making this heart of straw:

and there were even more things: having dinner with a good friend, getting an e-mail from a good friend from the past,...

Hope your weekend was also filled with lots of things to be grateful for!

33

I know, I didn't post anything yesterday, but it was my birthday and I didn't want to spend it behind the computer. Yes, I got 33 years old yesterday! And these were the things that made me smile:

1. I had to leave home for work very early, but I got a call from my kids at work wishing me a happy birthday
2. I had brought some cakes with me to work and we all enjoyed it during an extra long coffee break
3. my husband got me a nice bouquet (I already got my real present some weeks ago) and my children each gave me a beautiful rose
4. we had a very nice family dinner out, so I didn't have to cook myself
5. when driving home from the restaurant, we were all the way accompanied by the most beautiful rainbow, it was just amazing, the perfect end of a beautiful day!

A sea of bluebells

Last Saturday, we went for a walk at the Hallerbos (near Brussels). This time of year, it's abolutely beautiful out there, because almost everywhere you see, there are bluebells. It's a real sea of bluebells. I hope you get the idea from this photo, because you really have to see it with your own eyes.

And here are my five things to be thankful for today:

1. I had a very good conversation with my therapist this morning

2. I made crayon cakes with my kids this afternoon, no photo yet, because they are still cooling down

3. I weighed myself this morning, finding out that I have almost reached my ideal weight

4. we left the car at home, taking a bike ride to the municipality house for new identity cards and we were home just in time so we could take shelter for a typical april shower

5. our neighbour lady brought us pancakes this afternoon

Gratitude month

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." -Melody Beattie

I am hereby declaring the following four weeks as Gratitude Month! The last few weeks I have been struggling with myself, I don't want to go into details about this, but I already had two depressions and I don't want to have another one. I am suffering from gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (what a big word) and am having trouble sleeping. I have been thinking alot the past few days and still have a lot of things to deal with. But I feel the time has come to actually do something. I feel that I have a lot to be thankful for and still I'm not happy. How is this possible? Therefore I want to start this gratitude journal by posting each day five things to be happy about, the little simple things of life that we so often take for granted. I'm hoping to keep this up for at least one month. Anyone interested in joining me?

The day is only half yet, but these are my things to be thankful for today:

1. today is the warmest day we have had this year and I'm enjoying the sun as much as possible
2. starting this gratitude journal
3. my new work computer
4. someone who showed a real interest this morning in the way I've been feeling
5. the big cuddle I'm going to give this two precious kids when I'm fetching them from school later today

Pfew, I find it really sad that I had to think so hard for finding five things, hope it will start getting better and better.

Answering comments?

I have been asking myself this question for a couple of months right now. What do you blog owners do when you get comments? Do you just read them or do you also answer them? I am not answering them at the moment, but maybe it's impolite of me and I better start answering them. Can you help me out on this one?

Some redecorating going on

The last few days, the weather has been really beautiful here, beautiful clear blue skys and a warm spring sun... aaah... I just love it! Yesterday, I even could sit in my garden (with my coat on) enjoying the sun and relaxing. It let me realise that I really missed that during the winter, I just feel lots better when the sun shines and when I can go outside in my garden. I'm very much looking forward to Spring and Summer. The sun also gets me a lot of extra energy and I started doing some redecorating inside the house. I painted the brown beams of our chimney, bought some new items and just had fun...

Here are some pictures of what I did. This is the chimney, the brown beams at the bottom, I am painting white at the moment:

Some details:

Then I also redid the hallway sidetable, I have to admit that the flowers are fake. Normally I am not a fan of fake flowers, but these ones are really gorgeous, you can hardly tell the difference.

And finally a cute spot at our front door:

Hope you are enjoying the sun as well!

Absence

Here I am again! Sorry for my long absence. January really was a month to quickly forget! I first had a food pipe infection, then a stomach flu and lots of other things went wrong around here... My daughter also became ill just when my husband was away for business and so on and so on... Let's hope February will bring some good things!

As a result, nothing really crafty came out of my hands. I did start a sewing course yesterday and my first project will be a skirt for my daughter. Looking forward to that!

I have nothing crafty to show you, but will end this little post with a picture of the latest family additions Whiskey and Cola:

Happy newyear!!

Okay, four posts on one day, I am breaking a record here!

But I couldn't stop blogging without wishing you all the best for 2008!

I hope all your dreams come true and wish you lots of love, friendship, joy, creativity and last but not least, a healthy 2008!