tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6610282773233441642024-03-21T16:16:00.023-07:00a tiny growing houseatinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-25748579494497160672015-02-20T06:03:00.003-08:002015-02-20T06:03:58.857-08:00And just like that here I am againIt's been a long time since I've noted anything in this little space. Fo the most part life just took over and Winter came to Vermont in the strongest of ways. We've enjoyed loads of indoor time and are at this point truly feeling the cabin fever. It's hard to enjoy winter when the the temperatures read -20F! Not every day but it's been three weeks now of brutal temperature off and on.<br />
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So what do we do to combat the feeling of wanting to curl up in a ball and hibernate? Well, lots of board games, go fish, zingo and a ton of drawing and alphabet practicing. Faris is starting to really speak a lot and put long sentences together. It's adorable he asked Hamza the other day worried that he was not feeling well: " <i>Hamza, what's the matterey?" </i>I just about peed my pants. He is so concerned about everyones well being. It's the sweetest!<br />
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Hamza on the other hand is so smart, I know every mama says that about their kids but really I am in awe of the amount of information he retains. He loves to learn about the human body and is quick to pint out where certain organs are, I mean really, the spleen! He is just so interested in science and is developing great math skills. He's starting school in September and I think he's more than ready.<br />
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We are playing with the idea of selling our home and buying a slightly bigger one. We like small living so the next house shouldn't be much bigger but what matters to us is that it's walking distance from parks and schools. I also need sidewalks to run on and think that it's so bizarre that this country has no sidewalks in many towns. I guess it's the Europen in me talking.<br />
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I've also been working on a project I can't share yet but it's been many months in the making. It's exciting and scary at the same time but its been my dream for a very long time. Seeing things unfold and happen for me is giving me the biggest thrill.<br />
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We're off to ski this Sunday, the mets are suppose to be 30F!!! Crazy, I may even put sunscreen on :)<br />
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<br />atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-7429998476154130372014-10-21T13:25:00.000-07:002014-10-21T13:25:48.159-07:00 little lion man- a birth story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It was September 21st 2009 and I had just returned form my Americorp position. Tired and emotionally exhausted I plopped myself on a large lawn chair opposite from my mother on their tiny porch. For a while we just sat there, tired listening to the leaves on the trees.<br />
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That summer we had decided to move back home to Vermont. We wanted a slower pace of living and more nature surrounding our future child. We also knew that having my parents near was going to be a big help to us. Due to a really bad job market, Amer was unable to find a job and since my due date was nearing we decided that I was going to move and he'll follow as soon as he gets a job.<br />
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I suffered from insomnia and anxiety during my pregnancy partly due to two previous miscarriages and being afraid that this one will end badly as well, I pretty much worried all the time. Moving to a new environment, changing my doctor and moving back in with my parents made this pregnancy a pretty difficult one. I slept one to two hours a night and had a nervous feeling in my gut almost 24/7. On top of this I was not happy with my "job" and pretty much knew that I was going to give it up once the baby arrives.<br />
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That day I had talked to my supervisor and pretty much pored my heart out to her telling her the difficulty I've been having with this job and that I thought it was not the right match for me. Of course she understood but I was just emotionally drained after that day that I couldn't wait to go home and just unplug on my parents porch.<br />
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After sitting there in silence for a while I complained to my mom about my swollen feet and how it was the first day I felt<br />
they were swollen and how being at five weeks before the due date it was the first time I felt heavy. I also mentioned that I think I peed myself a little a few times that day and how I thought pregnancy was just strange and a bit grows. She said that I should go check if the "pee" smells like pee and if it had color. I went upstairs and when I came back I nonchalantly said that no, there was no smell and that I think I did it again. She said I had to call my doc and that it was most likely not pee. Sure enough, it was not pee and fifteen minutes later we were in my moms honda on the way to the hospital.<br />
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It's strange how we remember many details right before the hospital and right after the baby is born but somehow the blurry part to me is the thirty six hours in-between. I was placed on pitocin right away and given an IV. My water broke shortly after that but labor progressed slowly. I consider myself a person with a high pain tolerance but I have no tolerance for hunger, that was what made me weak and tired. I called my husband to let him know that he should leave New York as soon as possible because I was not sure how long this was going to take and wanted him to be there just to hold my hand. He was in Burlington three and a half hours later ( it usually takes five and a half hours) Countless hours later, lots of position changes, ice chips and nurses changing shifts I was becoming weaker. The pitocin was not working properly so they had to turn it off and give me 45 minutes to rest before they try it again. Once they started it up again it seemed to be working and it started kicking my butt. All I remember is that it was late and I was tired and hungry, the nurse had checked my progress and after more than twenty hours I was only 5 cm dilated. I decided that it was time to surrender and take the epidural because the babies heartbeat was becoming irregular and the docs were not happy with the stress the baby was feeling.<br />
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I remember getting the epidural and fifteen minutes later all the pain was gone, so strange and unnatural, all of it was just gone. I slept for a while which seemed to help a lot, the nurse woke me up to check me and she proudly said that I was at 10 cm and ready to push. A swarm of doctors, students, NICU docs flooded the room as I pushed as best as I could. No pain, no pressure, all I had is the monitor to look at, that's how I knew when to push. After forty five minutes of pushing the doc raised his head and said " if he doesn't come soon, I'm going to have to use the forceps" his heartbeat was irregular and he didn't like it. I gathered all my strength and pushed hard. I felt like my head was going to pop off but that's ok because the next push he was here, our little lion man. Screaming his lungs out, the doc was happy to pronounce that he looked healthy and his lungs sounded great.<br />
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In the early hours of September 24th 2009, Hamza was born. He was so tiny, 5 lb 6 oz 19" long. I stared at his chalk white face and was in awe of this tiny human being that I brought into this world. He was everything. We spent the next five days at the hospital due to his blood sugar levels being low and even had him stay in the NICU for one night. I struggled to get him to nurse in the hospital but I kept being persistent and after a week or so he was doing much better even at his tiny size.<br />
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Hamza is a joy to be around, he brightens every room he walks into, he is the light in our home and he is the best of both of us. My birth story is not very pretty or even happy in parts but it's real and it brought our little lion man to us. His name Hamza means strong like a lion!<br />
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<br />atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-39751931501929033222014-09-22T18:18:00.000-07:002014-09-22T18:18:52.143-07:00Head clearing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On some days a hike is a cure. We hiked up Mt Philo on Saturday, it was windy and moody but strangely freeing. Hamza climbed alone ahead of all of us, he never complained and felt the energy going. Sometimes we work long days, our evenings look identical and we long for the weekend. I find that weekends sometimes fly by and I am left longing for one more day. This was not one of those weekends mainly because of this head clearing hike.atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-20691706691028546292014-09-04T18:31:00.002-07:002014-09-04T18:31:18.080-07:00Our life latelyI feel a seasonal switch happening around me, its an organic natural change. The leaves on the very top of the maple trees are turning red and my evening runs go well into the sunset. Our youngest child is now in preschool and adjusting to a new environment, his new home full of nurturing and learning. Our mornings are yet to find a rhythm again, somewhat chaotic, we seem to be settling into the new routine. I have a hard time getting up in the morning, always have, always will. Once I'm up, I'm ok but getting there is hard work and the later the sun decides to come up the harder it gets. I'm not sure if I ever mentioned that I've signed up to run a Marathon in October and the training is becoming harder due to the days being shorter already and getting up at 5:30 am means running in complete darkness. That freaks me out, I run short runs so I don't have to run in the dark. Fall is the best season for running and I plan to use this time to enjoy some trails before the snow covers them up for the winter.<br />
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Also it feels like a good time for shifts and I may be ready to make a few, I want to set some goals, resolutions if you wish. I'm not one to make new years resolutions (who keeps them anyways) but when I feel the urge for a shift its mostly a shift I've needed for a while. Creativity, Simplicity in Living and Nurture is what I wish to have more of in my life. Not in this order and not that I don't have it already but I am seeking to make changes that will introduce more opportunities to invite these energies into my life and fuel me in a positive way. So cheers to the changing season and changes following the red leafs on the maple trees. Oh how I love the colors and smells of Fall.<br />
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Here are some random pics snapped in the last few weeks! Have a great September...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage carousel, Faris was not sure about it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVm5ErvkaMKXc8tTb6pRQ9NWW3xTBlmS2e4m2u0JGmrXmvE22acEZVn8xykkwqw23IknxkUJ2xA3PshDkuQfY7TehuWbDZB4muv10VeDh-Yw8hH0yaoS-TH0OeKm9PzTQ5qIlL-lpGwKbB/s1600/IMG_4601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVm5ErvkaMKXc8tTb6pRQ9NWW3xTBlmS2e4m2u0JGmrXmvE22acEZVn8xykkwqw23IknxkUJ2xA3PshDkuQfY7TehuWbDZB4muv10VeDh-Yw8hH0yaoS-TH0OeKm9PzTQ5qIlL-lpGwKbB/s1600/IMG_4601.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ticandaroga at Shelburne Museum </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">little helpers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IM4-E7RLvp_-T8S_kU6K-YA4DiFjjnneh6ytI4QF_WPx12WTSWJFbwL68k_rDLHUzsJdZPfj2BCTOPzLzgSqDP8hGsFKEL8x25jNJuURh4TYkkTnd24SCs7jva_M6UXJYDN6Ypauvosq/s1600/IMG_4670.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IM4-E7RLvp_-T8S_kU6K-YA4DiFjjnneh6ytI4QF_WPx12WTSWJFbwL68k_rDLHUzsJdZPfj2BCTOPzLzgSqDP8hGsFKEL8x25jNJuURh4TYkkTnd24SCs7jva_M6UXJYDN6Ypauvosq/s1600/IMG_4670.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"He enjoys to lay on the floor and play, doesn't he" said his teacher new teacher after the second day.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">great a building and handling a hammer, so proud of him</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">laundry, foot and trains</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">slowly making some changes in their bedroom</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">jumping, always jumping</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Uay5PMIsEo-yUUYD7D21TdULBczeLkFJ-4INhu_62OceCBXSweu42oHJT9pQrqvENVI56FfNRv7jEb64v-H1jcyuOrQg8w9AY6EQExKF9fY-DoKigu9615-4GIqfDgNV8XRsSjZki_DR/s1600/IMG_4707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Uay5PMIsEo-yUUYD7D21TdULBczeLkFJ-4INhu_62OceCBXSweu42oHJT9pQrqvENVI56FfNRv7jEb64v-H1jcyuOrQg8w9AY6EQExKF9fY-DoKigu9615-4GIqfDgNV8XRsSjZki_DR/s1600/IMG_4707.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">first day of school</td></tr>
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<br />atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-81671318548307500342014-08-20T19:41:00.000-07:002014-08-20T19:41:08.164-07:00Berlin you've been greatI am not the kind of person to do a city guide parse . Although I like to travel and promote travel with kids, I don't think that I am focused on places, like street names and building names as much as emotional experiences while visiting new place, therefor I forget to write down the name of a place or the part of town where the best pastries are or other foods and drinks. So you'll have to excuse me for not providing accurate names of places or locations you'll have to take my word for it and find out for yourself! Some are listed but most are just pretty pictures :)<br />
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Our trip was wonderful and very relaxing. Because we managed to stay for almost three weeks this turned out to be a good way to equally see places and spend quality time with my in laws who we stayed with the whole time while in Berlin. In our culture it's customary to stay with friends and family if they happen to live where you're traveling to. This works out great because as you may know lodging is quite expensive no matter where you go. Luckily or unluckily due to the conflict in the Balkans in the 90's many people immigrated all over the world so we happen to have friends everywhere, including Berlin where my in laws currently live.<br />
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If you are looking for a place with great history and amazing culture this is the right place to be. It is also a very green City, almost a fifth of the City is covered with trees. There are almost 2500 public parks and gardens in the City which is great when traveling with kids.<br />
Most of our days were spent at the playgrounds and parks in the morning, then we would go back to the apartment and have lunch. The kids would be wiped out by then and most of the time naps followed lunch for both of them. Hamza doesn't nap any more but this trip was so active that he almost voluntarily took naps. While they napped we would sneak out and do some sight seeing or go meet up with our cousins who also live in Berlin.<br />
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I also enjoyed running in Berlin and seeing the City from that perspective, it was quite different and I would recommend to be active when traveling in part because I ate my weight in pretzels, döner kebabs and falafel while there but also to see it from the perspective of a local. Berlin has a large Turkish and Arabic population, if you like middle eastern food thats where you'll find the best shawarmas, lentil soups and haloumi cheese sandwiches.<br />
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One of our favorite places was the <a href="http://www.visitberlin.de/en/spot/labyrinth-childrens-museum-berlin" target="_blank">Children's Museum</a>, we visited twice while there. The kids enjoyed exploring and taking part in interactive games such as a make shift construction site equipped with a crane and safety gear, I think Hamza forgot for a moment that we existed we had to drag him out.<br />
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We did one trip to Lego Land which was crowded and below ground ( lower levels, no widows) so I didn't care for it much myself, however the kids loved it and thought it was just awesome.<br />
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Since traveling with little kids can also mean finding entertainment and doing things that are interesting to them we've made sure to sneak in some alone time and snapped some pictures along the way. We had some great coffee at <a href="http://barn.bigcartel.com/" target="_blank">The Barn</a> ( super trendy, too cool for us, everyone has a beard and no one smiles unless something is very very funny), we saw some great pieces of art at the <a href="http://www.maedchenschule.org/en/home.html" target="_blank">Ehemalig Jüdische Mädchenschule </a>and visited the famous <a href="http://www.mauerpark.info/" target="_blank">Mauerpark Flea Market. </a> A few days were so hot that we decided to join many others at the neighborhood public pool. The pools are clean and there is enough green space to make you feel like it's a real beach or a large park. Some even have large playgrounds as well as bouncy castles if the kids are taking a break from swimming. A great way to spend the a hot day in Berlin indeed.<br />
I really can't say enough about this city, it has great architecture, amazing shopping and plenty of entertainment for kids and adults. It's place we'll visit as much as we can in the years to come.<br />
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Auf Wiedersehen Berlin!<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>* Although my husband and I both speak German there is no need to be shy if you don't speak it, most people speak English pretty well. I think this is the case in most European countries especially big touristy centers.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>* You'll have to pardon some of the blurrier images, all pictures are taken with my trust iPhone (one day I'll own a camera, until then this will have to cut it)!</i></span><br />
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<br />atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-78955635045428955792014-08-18T18:13:00.000-07:002014-08-18T18:13:21.502-07:00We are back!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;">We are back! Jet lagged and all, we flew in late Thursday night and wen't straight to bed. The kids woke up at 3:30am and we were on our way home by 5am. Yesterday, Faris came down with a cold and this morning I woke up with sinus pressure and a runny nose. While I try to recover and sort through the Berlin pictures, here are a few images of a trip to Shelburne Farms back in June which I forgot all about. I guess I meant to blog about it but it totally got pushed to the side. We absolutely love this place and try to visit a few times every summer to enjoy the beauty this farm has to offer!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer in Vermont</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOTww4c81b3u4xN11L-4YSStT3QEJ47uGfSbVN68UI_emh-rJlrs7cHvy-GGelxHfbIiE5X_FImQpPmEHrs80Ljr3DC9TX-IP5F6SYflTXmPsYop3jd62WOrur5-vLJ6e2bD2IErLbKJZ/s1600/IMG_3847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOTww4c81b3u4xN11L-4YSStT3QEJ47uGfSbVN68UI_emh-rJlrs7cHvy-GGelxHfbIiE5X_FImQpPmEHrs80Ljr3DC9TX-IP5F6SYflTXmPsYop3jd62WOrur5-vLJ6e2bD2IErLbKJZ/s640/IMG_3847.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">making music</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzhra-2pTTbX0IRTG-qbgX0r89VsbGQZQNHBmyPT5AOTDP81DPgYiskTklINssLlFBD2w2tPI8Ry0_MT7NMb1uZPAwB2mfngZ7mZPNudsg5bC_ZpOYnGVSNNr-m8PVyWgJtak3QyrywKq/s1600/IMG_3853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzhra-2pTTbX0IRTG-qbgX0r89VsbGQZQNHBmyPT5AOTDP81DPgYiskTklINssLlFBD2w2tPI8Ry0_MT7NMb1uZPAwB2mfngZ7mZPNudsg5bC_ZpOYnGVSNNr-m8PVyWgJtak3QyrywKq/s640/IMG_3853.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He loves animals and is so very gentle with them</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His therapy session. Shhhh do not disturb!</td></tr>
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atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-6376395761946244712014-08-13T06:54:00.001-07:002014-08-13T06:54:51.360-07:00Berlin Playgrounds Rock!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sorry for the silence, we choose to stay away from the computer as much as possible while on vacation so we can be present and aware. We are still in Berlin and fully enjoying the last couple of days here! We'll be flying back home this Thursday and are already a little sad about leaving this amazing city. </div>
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While in Berlin, we wanted to take in all this city has to offer, including amazing playgrounds everywhere you turn. They are made for kids to be adventurous and test their bodies abilities without having to make parents sweat. I wish we had more playgrounds like these in the US. They sometimes feel too safe and at times boring, it seems that Germans trust their kids more and let them explore without having to hover over them. I guess there is always the liability issue in the States as well which is too bad.</div>
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Many German parents sit quietly on the sidelines watching their kids and observing how they handle obstacles. They do help their kids if one structure becomes challenging, however they quickly exit to let their children keep on playing without adult supervision. </div>
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Hamza truly enjoyed the freedom we gave him to explore and really excelled at obstacles. Faris was a little more careful and stuck with sandboxes and small challenges. It was great watching them from the bench without needing to intervene too much.</div>
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Playgrounds included zip lines, super long swings and crazy fast slides. Some even had themes like an Aladdin themed one ( not so much disney, but more like wood camels and tent like wood structures). </div>
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We fully enjoyed spending time at these playgrounds and would recommend if traveling to Berlin to look up some playgrounds close to where you're staying. I am sure you'll find that there are a few within walking distance from where you're staying!</div>
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The pictures below are from a playground in a very busy part of town and seems to have been adorned with lots and lots of graffiti. Most others are not.</div>
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<br />atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-48249510487154192952014-08-01T14:04:00.000-07:002014-08-01T14:04:20.974-07:00Travel with kids- Berlin Part II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am writing this post sitting in a pre WWI building at Bundesplatz in Berlin while sipping on a glass of cold water with slices of fresh lemon. Ah, I love Berlin!!! So far the trip has been a dream and we go to bed feeling a good tired and hoping for even better adventure the next day. As promised this post is all about the planning of this trip and how we got ready for it!<div>
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<b>At Home-</b>We have a tiny house but even a tiny house has to be prepared before you leave for a three week trip. We love to leave our house knowing we'll return to a clean and happy place. The last thing we want to do is clean and do laundry as soon as we get back from our trip. So here are a few things that we do around the house before we leave:</div>
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<b>Sheets</b>-All bed sheets get exchanged the morning before we leave so we have fresh new sheets when we return ( this is something I picked up from a friend and it is totally worth it)</div>
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<b>Laundry</b>-We leave no laundry behind. There will be plenty to wash when we return so minimizing laundry is key.</div>
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<b>Dog Sitter</b>- My parents usually take Kooba but asking friends to house sit or take your dog is also a good solution. I am not a fan of boarding the dog since we have a anxious little lady but that is certainly an option for many families. </div>
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<b>Garden Care</b>- We have a small garden so we have to have someone watering it and picking the goodies once they are ripe. If you have a friend that wants to care for the garden you can offer to help themselves in the garden as much as they would like. It's hard work to water and weed so that's a nice gesture in return.</div>
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<b>Bills</b>- We make sure that there are no outstanding bills so things are not waiting for us when we come back. It cuts out some anxiety. </div>
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There is much more that could be done around the house depending on the size and pets but in our case its easily manageable and we like it that way. One of the reasons we live "small" is because we love travel and experiences are what we value much more than materialistic things.</div>
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<b>Packing</b> - We are not great at it yet but with time we're improving our skills. This trip we are packing two suitcases, stroller and one carry on. Ideally, one suitcase would be best. The less we have the better. It's so much easier to travel with less. Most places we go have a washing machine so we do laundry a couple of times per trip (also depends on the length of our trip). Here are is how I pack the kids:</div>
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<b>Clothing</b>-I bring enough for a week for the kids, for example 5-7 top and 5 bottoms. For the little one I usually bring a couple more just because he's more prone to spilling and drooling. I bring a couple of pairs of socks each and a jacket each ( most of our travel is done in Spring and Summer when the clothing is not bulky). I also bring two pairs of shoes for each kid, a sneaker and a sandal. Swimming shorts and hygiene stuff such as shampoos and toothbrushes. We bring little cosmetics for us and bring only as many diapers as we need for a few days. Cosmetic items such as shampoos and diapers are all purchased when we arrive to our destination. Because of the fact that most of our travel is to places where we have friends and family, we end up not bringing towels or bed sheets. This reduces our bulky luggage by a lot. </div>
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When I pack for myself I adhere to a much stricter rule, a few dresses and a pair of denim cut offs paired with 2-4 tops. Two pairs of shoes, few pairs of underwear and a couple of bras. One bikini is usually enough if traveling to a city but if I go to a beach I bring a couple more. I keep cosmetics to a minimum and bring only the necessary items. If it's hot I hate wearing make up so a bit of mascara and some lipstick is usually enough during the day while we explore. I suggest making plans of what outfits to wear so you can figure out what accessories to bring. I usually bring one pair of earrings and one necklace, that's pretty much it.</div>
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My husband is the ultimate minimalist so he brings quite a bit less and usually takes up only a quarter of a suitcase. </div>
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<b>Travel Zen</b>- Haha, not so much when you have little kids but the idea is to visualize the trip and prepare yourself mentally. Once the plane is in the air there is nothing you can do. Try to stay calm because your child feeds of of your energy entirely. Here are some tips:</div>
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<b>Take off/Landing</b>- Ears popping is really uncomfortable for kids, if you don't want them have gum or lolly pops, you can give them a toothbrush to chew on, my kids love brushing teeth and receiving a new toothbrush in the flight kit is like a present to them. For my nursing mamas, they'll give you a separate seat belt for the baby that attaches to yours so nurse that baby each time the plane takes of or lands. Start nursing a few minutes before, once a baby is nervous it may not want to latch on and then you have a screaming baby, not fun!</div>
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<b>Entertainment/Sleep</b>- My kids usually sleep on planes, I don't know what it is, poor air quality that knocks them out or just the fact that most oversees flights we choose are in the evening not sure but I am lucky to have good sleepers. For those who don't, prepare in advance, new toys or new games they've never seen before are the best. Choose something that they can build or color or put together such as puzzles, coloring books and science toys. All these can keep them busy for a while. If all else fails make sure to have some good movies downloaded on your tablet or phone. None of these are ideal but planning it out a bit in your head may help you keep them busy for a while. We also brought a couple of small pillows this time which worked out great ( which was actually all we put in a carry on plus a change of clothes and empty water bottles). </div>
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Last but not least, enjoy your trip! If you are miserable your kids will be too. Go with the flow, if one day turns out to be a disaster go back to your room rest up and enjoy your next adventure. Long trips are not for those who want to be in full control over each and every moment in their life. S*** happens, pardon my French, and flights get delayed, kids get cranky and that place you wanted to visit the most happens to be closed for the season because of renovations and won't get to see it on this trip. It is what it is, enjoy it and realize that it is a gift to be able to travel with your kids, many people can't because of financial or other reasons so have fun and don't focus on the little things because ultimately they don't matter.</div>
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Bon Voyage! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night before, packing table. I like to see it all together!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did I mention we had a five hour car ride to NYC the day of our trip! We are crazyyy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love travel and he does too ( not sure about our passengers )!!</td></tr>
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atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-4727186298100903852014-07-24T19:37:00.001-07:002014-07-24T19:37:34.404-07:00"Ich bin ein Berliner!" Part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">me and my sleeping baby boy last on our trip to Croatia</td></tr>
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At one point in my life I lived in Germany, many, many moons ago! I spent my wildest teenage years in the famous Nuremberg roaming the streets with friends, smoking cigarettes, wearing Docs and listening to Nirvana, ahhhh the 90's. I left Germany in 2008 and was devastated to leave my friends behind, it was really tough for me and I was not quite sure if or when we'll ever go go back to visit.<br />
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Fast forward many years, and I'm now married to this handsome guy who's parents still live in Germany, BERLIN to be exact! This year we're going to take the kids for a two and a half week trip to spend sometime with their grandparents. I visited Berlin while we were still dating and after we got married as well and I fell in love. This time is slightly different, because of the kids we'll have to plan our days if we want to see everything we plan to see. Amer's parents are excited to give us some alone time too, so I'm really excited to make a list of places to see without kids.<br />
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We're leaving in a few days and I've been making list, packing lists, places-to-see lists, running maps(!!!), and to-do-at-home-before-we-leave lists. Anyways, did I mention how EXCITED I am!!!! I miss Germany so much, the clean cities, the always on time U-Bahn and the Turkish street food!!! SO much goodness!<br />
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I will document the process of a minimal and simple travel plan, packing list and travel itinerary. I believe that travel should be easy, no one needs a million pieces of clothing and cosmetics, we do it for convenience but in reality it's a burden. We love to travel light, so I've been thinking and came up with this : two pieces of luggage we'll check in and one small carry on. We may bring the stroller or the Ergo but that's not decided yet. I will buy most of the bulkier stuff there such as diapers and shampoos and since my in-laws have a washing machine in their apartment I plan to bring a minimal amount of clothing.<br />
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I do plan to share my travel experience here and hopefully help some parents who want to travel but find that the idea of traveling with small children is too daunting to even try. I promise it's not hard at all it may take some planning but once you've figured it out and you have the right mindset ( most important step ) then the journey can begin!<br />
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BERLIN here we come!<br />
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atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-55913545330689719222014-07-21T19:45:00.000-07:002014-07-21T19:45:25.094-07:00That day will come...The day will come when one of my children will ask to be told the whole story, when one of them will want to know the truth. That day is the day I dread the most. I dread it because in that moment the world as they know it will drastically change and become the word as we know it.<br />
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I believe in kindness, truthfulness and honesty. I believe in equality and most of all I believe in coexistence and peace. I want to believe that most people are good and that the good will always pre vale. I want to believe this so badly... but the truth is I can't. I was ten years old when I found out that having a different name can mean the difference between life and death, that the basement is the safest place in my home and that a "camp" and a "convoy" have no longer the same meaning as they did before. I won't share the whole story here this is not why I intended this post to be about. We were refugees, immigrants, permeant residents and finally new Americans. We have been blessed to have found a good life in a safe place and where people welcomed us with open arms. This is deeply valued in my heart and the hearts of my family and friends. However, I can't help but feel a deep nostalgia when I can't go and visit my "home" in Bosnia. This year was especially hard since we got to spend a few weeks visiting last summer and all the memories are still fresh. I can't help but think what my life would have been like if only...<br />
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I dread the day when my sons ask to be told the whole story, when they learn about violence and real guns that kill people and leaving home and not knowing where you're going. That I dread the most! I wish that I could shelter them from ever finding out, but I can't. However, I will pour every ounce of my being into making compassionate caring people out of them.<br />
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<br />atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-6540925489601328172014-07-14T13:50:00.002-07:002014-07-14T13:50:37.299-07:00Forever Young Treehouse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPXLrNvPPebM4O2ZqLCbQrUQ0eBbLgO1jbIid55ul7-L94m5lmEzRJcunacblv6GdNkVY7PWd1CakbEEqlWEnA2D8Yy7-eNVbvVJcj9XJVlBH-gj5L06fhx8tFH5GBgAWckr8GI_z-IFY/s1600/IMG_3909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPXLrNvPPebM4O2ZqLCbQrUQ0eBbLgO1jbIid55ul7-L94m5lmEzRJcunacblv6GdNkVY7PWd1CakbEEqlWEnA2D8Yy7-eNVbvVJcj9XJVlBH-gj5L06fhx8tFH5GBgAWckr8GI_z-IFY/s1600/IMG_3909.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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My husband was away this weekend so my boys and I spent a lot of time exploring parks and beaches. We love visiting this treehouse and finding little treasures along the way. Mostly, they collect sticks and stones while I enjoy this peaceful time with them...atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-86442721923365058932014-07-07T18:00:00.000-07:002014-07-07T18:00:49.801-07:00Kids gallery wall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I don't know why but I have a hard time throwing away kids artwork. Maybe it's the way they proudly present them to me or the way they focus while working so hard to produce these pieces of artwork, either way it's as their mama I can't help but feel some guilt when they end up in the recycle bin.<br />
I found a way to give them some life before they go away to be recycled and made into something new. The above picture is our playroom/dining room. Doing a little collage of their work on the wall was a great solution to not only enjoy their art but to also create a permanent gallery in our tiny home. atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-38864846683269808552014-06-30T13:37:00.001-07:002014-06-30T13:37:18.621-07:00On having boys...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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These two are always on the go, never stopping as if there is no time to waste and it has to be spent playing, playing and more playing. They are very physical which someone warned me about when I announced thatI was having a second boy but it was not until just a few weeks ago that they started to interact more and be physically more playful with each other. I do hover over them when they do this kind of play but only because it's new and it seems to be taking some time for me to adjust to it. I am sure I'll manage but boy is it crazy loud sometimes. They huff and puff and scream and laugh! I can't imagine having it any other way.atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-11228020785300510642014-06-23T11:58:00.002-07:002014-06-23T11:58:25.794-07:00The Weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We welcomed summer with a bang over here in our tiny house. We had some good company on Friday and Saturday, my husbands twin brother was in town and we got to spend some time catching up with him. While we lived in New York, he was our next door neighbor and most days we'd see each other at least once a day for a cup of coffee or a shared meal. We miss having him around so this was a great treat for us and the kids as well since they just adore having him around.<br />
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Saturday was a day for Farmers Market visits and outdoor play. The day ended on a bittersweet note where we ( my whole family and my husbands family ) watched Bosnia say goodbye to their first World Cup :( But there is a silver lining, this was our first ever World Cup so not too shabby I say.<br />
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Sunday, we spent some time with my parents eating good food, making silly chalk drawings and running with dido (grandpa) who was a good sport making my four year old very happy. We also snuck in some beach time and tried grilling a pizza (or two).<br />
Bring on some more fun summer, we are ready!<br />
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his is lovely</div>
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building legos on the deck</div>
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stripes and quilts went to the beach...</div>
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running is his middle name</div>
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less cheese next time</div>
atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-84893486939225167432014-06-17T18:37:00.004-07:002014-06-17T18:37:49.002-07:00Shared room mini tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Most of the rooms in our home are always a work in progress. I am someone who loves to make a home feel like it's a collection of loved pieces and not a showroom. Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed many beautify done homes where the fabrics matched and the pictures hung perfectly on the walls, but that's not how my home looks like. I have collected many thrifted and vintage pieces as well as affordable practical pieces over the years. One of my favorite places is our kids shared room. The crib is one that was gifted to us from my parents and the twin bed for our oldest is made in the USA. I am hoping to buy the same bed for the little man as soon as he's ready to transition. The school desk and chair was an estate sale find a few years ago, it cost us $3.00! I repainted it and voila a great nightstand it's one of my favorite pieces. The cloud pillows were a project I did a few years back and most of the soft toys were gifts from family and friends.<br />
As I mentioned, the room is still a work in progress but I kind of like the simplicity of it right now.atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-71449112174506011552014-06-12T18:11:00.004-07:002014-06-12T18:11:37.358-07:00Time is on my side, yes it is<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday, I turned thirty four years old. The age, or the number if you will, doesn't really bother me or make me question my existence or anything deep like that. I do, however, realize how quickly years pass after you have children. Now, I know, this is what everyone tells you when you are young and naive but really, it does fly insanely fast. Today is Thursday, I swear yesterday was Monday. This is how most of my weeks go by. Chaos rules the workdays, once the weekend comes you think that it will be this time to relish and take in and get stuff done but it flies even faster than the weekdays did. You are left with unfinished projects and plans not executed and you tell yourself " <i>Next week, I'll get that done next week for sure</i>" or "<i>I'll play with the kids more next week</i>". The thing is, next week is not the solution. Next week is chaos. (sounds depressing I know, I promise it's not, bare with me for a second here...) I guess what I'm trying to say is that waiting and making crazy long to do lists of projects and plans that create anxiety and the feeling of failure is not the solution here, at least not for me and my feelings towards time. I want to make this year a year of less planning and projects, I want to make it less about accomplishing. Instead, I want to work on being satisfied with projects not being done. I want to enjoy the process without the pressure of accomplishment. I want to be OK with it. This year is for placing less expectations on myself. Not sure how I'm going to get there yet though. You see I spent six years of my life as a refugee and probably six more as an immigrant. The status was "waiting ", I always felt that I was waiting for life to start again. So making these lists and having high expectations was a way of catching up on time that has long been lost. A way of saying " <i>see I still accomplished a lot, even though I lost many years</i>". I want to be OK, I want to make piece with time. Time, let's be friends :)<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>For my birthday, I treated myself to new grays-be-gone roots at <a href="http://www.indigovt.com/" target="_blank">Indigo Salon</a> and had a romantic birthday dinner at <a href="http://henofthewood.com/" target="_blank">Hen of the Wood </a>which was out of this world good. If you haven't been, do your taste buds a favor, treat yourself to a great culinary experience!</i></span>atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-57366299750847109852014-06-09T19:00:00.000-07:002014-06-09T19:00:17.558-07:00Summer is going to be good!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our weekend was jam packed with all kinds of good old outdoor play. Saturday we celebrated our littlest and him turning two! Time flies when you're having fun and he is just so charismatic that every minute spent with him is pure happiness. My heart is full!<br />
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Since most of Saturday was spent setting up and cleaning up after the birthday party, we decided that Sunday would be just a day to be outside and enjoy this nice weather we've been having. The kids and I spent the morning riding bikes and playing in sprinklers. The afternoon was easy going with backyard play and some water table fun. Hamza acquired a dinosaur dig kit form the Smithsonian and spent an hour and a half digging up the bones while I got to lay out for a bit ( thank you Smithsonian, because of you I am not quite as see through as I was before). Being in the sunshine did us all so good. After the winter we've had, I vow to enjoy and take in the sunshine whenever I can get it.atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-60893646348026292552014-06-04T18:44:00.001-07:002014-06-04T18:48:23.909-07:00Birthday boy!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On Lake Champlain at about two and a half months old.</td></tr>
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Time flies when you're having fun. This Saturday our littlest one will be turning two! He is the typical second child, he knows the ins and outs on how to get it his way in any situation. He'll turn on his charm and give you a hug in a minute and all that when he really needs something. He'll even say <i>"Takuu meme"</i> and "<i>you elkommm</i>" all on his own. He's a good one this guy, I think he can stay for a while :)atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-65219490400976787922014-06-02T20:09:00.000-07:002014-06-02T20:09:02.655-07:00Easy kind of weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes we forget how beautiful Vermont can be, I mean we love it in the fall when the leaves are changing colors and in the winter when the snow covers the ground but summer, it can be pretty special. We got a glimpse of summer temperatures this weekend and we decided to just be outside as much as we could.<br />
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This weekend was filled with building boxes and bird feeders from recycled wood and loads of gardening for me ( more like pulling weeds for days). We made easy meals and enjoyed some good company. There is something so good about just being in the moment and forgetting plans and chores.<br />
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We ended our weekend on a high note with burger night at <a href="http://www.breadandbutterfarm.com/" target="_blank">Bread & Butter Farm</a> which is always a huge success in my book. Good food, music and a huge field for the kids to run around. Success! If you haven't gone yet and have kids with loads of energy ( like we do), then that's the place to try.<br />
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Hope your weekend was as sweet as ours!<br />
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<br />atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-46333535825831222162014-05-31T19:32:00.003-07:002014-05-31T19:32:43.092-07:00We have a new deck!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
When we purchased our new home we knew that deck will have to be replaced at some point. The wood was not in good shape and the size was just not what we wanted it to be. So five years later, here we are a brand new deck! Doesn't it look great? </div>
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<br />atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-51929103155085219052014-05-27T18:54:00.001-07:002014-05-27T18:56:46.533-07:00Sun & sand/ Memorial Day at the beach<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlDJmHwsqTAkTTqZ6a760R8Miitu8PTjQK4YAbinpTi3r20_4zDhwiH0mo2cN7AJMAxsQ_mTGlq2FGScre_lgJarT6e3bij70xAlZUJ8UOoSW16TVqZieJ2sgkTMd3T2hB3Sh4ZVHccJO/s1600/IMG_0120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlDJmHwsqTAkTTqZ6a760R8Miitu8PTjQK4YAbinpTi3r20_4zDhwiH0mo2cN7AJMAxsQ_mTGlq2FGScre_lgJarT6e3bij70xAlZUJ8UOoSW16TVqZieJ2sgkTMd3T2hB3Sh4ZVHccJO/s1600/IMG_0120.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">searching for treasures</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">first of many (both self made pedis and sand under my feet)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52_HuOF3nvFkzkbTGfcwORcrPMNEippvon2V1g3LfjS1oQxkOKGSat346MWWYquWAeq0A3sx42DjOT5uSlaaNSNrMXNP2YNAgQxdrEiqcqsGD-7KLrA3H1m0t2k_BanN9UVEYG-575kss/s1600/IMG_0098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52_HuOF3nvFkzkbTGfcwORcrPMNEippvon2V1g3LfjS1oQxkOKGSat346MWWYquWAeq0A3sx42DjOT5uSlaaNSNrMXNP2YNAgQxdrEiqcqsGD-7KLrA3H1m0t2k_BanN9UVEYG-575kss/s1600/IMG_0098.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my boys</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my favorite picture from the trip</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this dude</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">flying kites ( we lost this one because of the strong winds) there was crying involved</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">me and my boys</td></tr>
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We took a short trip this Memorial Day Weekend to the Cape Cod. We love traveling and hope that in the future we can have many more trips together with our children. Trips like these make the every day grind worth while for sure! Our friends invited us to spend some time at their families vacation home in West Yarmouth. We played at the beach, ate fresh seafood and enjoy the sunshine. It was quite windy so we only spent a couple of hours at the beach on Saturday. Sunday was spent relaxing while the kids played and explored. We even collected some "ocean artifacts" so Hamza could share them with his preschool class which happens to be learning all about the ocean this month.<br />
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We came back home late Sunday night and spent Monday working on some projects around the house. We even had some time to take a <a href="http://www.rowvt.com/" target="_blank">RowVT</a> class in the morning and have a mini date with bagels and coffee at Myer's Bagel Bakery.<br />
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This was a wonderful Memorial Day.<br />
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<br />atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-89634817584885332802014-05-21T18:19:00.000-07:002014-05-21T18:19:16.480-07:00Memories of my grandfather...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOBObL1m1ordkazt31Eiv4_NB3jGSiFrqrlIVrvAW6AGHO52ykjUChoyQlgUZa7GHevpmLMZa2F_gkMaVM5vXRRLSAg0BlU34jYBokI-jOmqXV24HyAAlRyWZAo2N2_jMIAkOrK_L0Hbf/s1600/IMG_3288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOBObL1m1ordkazt31Eiv4_NB3jGSiFrqrlIVrvAW6AGHO52ykjUChoyQlgUZa7GHevpmLMZa2F_gkMaVM5vXRRLSAg0BlU34jYBokI-jOmqXV24HyAAlRyWZAo2N2_jMIAkOrK_L0Hbf/s1600/IMG_3288.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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I was his first grandchild. He married my grandmother at seventeen and brought her home with him. He drove a white fiat. He enjoyed spending time in his flower garden and grew many plum trees. He loved when my grandmother wore high heels ( he was shorter than her). Crossword puzzles were stacked up in the middle of the dining room table with a pen nearby. Because of him I started running at the age of ten. He loved good company and good food. Polenta with freshly chopped onion on top and a dollop of sour cream, was one of his favorites in the morning. You had to be silent when he watched the news. He owned encyclopedias on different mushroom species. We always went walnut picking together in the fall. I inherited his camera...atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-66489109303541987592014-05-18T15:03:00.002-07:002014-05-18T15:10:38.268-07:00Our first family trip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I was not a blogger last year so I never got the chance to document our amazing trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia last June. </div>
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Before every trip I get the case of travel anxiety. I love to travel but the weeks leading up to the trip are always filled with part extreme excitement and part worry about the craziest little things. This trip was a gigantic undertaking: two toddlers (one nursing), flying out of Boston ( three to four hour drive form here) and making our tight connections in London. We also had a driver picking us up from Zagreb to bring us to our first destination which was a two and a half hour car ride. All this is sure to give anyone some doubt if we have lost all of our marbles. So we said to each other that no matter what happened we'll keep a positive outlook and keep moving. So when the day came, all stars aligned and the kids were extremely calm. They slept for most of the trip!!!! All 12+ hours there and back. We even had a security officer at Heathrow pad down our sleeping toddler in the stroller while fast asleep. Anyways, the trip was amazing. Our Family welcomed us with open arms and our time there was spent enjoying the weather and reminiscing about our childhood. </div>
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We spent four days with both of my grandmothers in my hometown Prijedor, after that we went to the beautiful Sarajevo and from there we took a road trip through the Southern parts of Herzegovina finishing our trip with a ten day beach vacation on the Croatian coast. The trip was filled with Nutella ice cream ( yes!), great seafood and air smelling like rosemary, evergreens and seawater. Oh and figs, oh glorious purple figs. </div>
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I have many pictures from this trip and it's so hard to choose which once to use since they're all so great. Here are just a few of them that show the beauty of this reagion. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>***The entire Balkan region especially Bosnia and Herzegovina was heavily hit with extreme flooding and landslides this past week. Thousands of families have been misplaced and there is a shortage of clean water and basic necessities. If you would like to help, please see my Instagram profile <a href="http://instagram.com/tinygrowinghouse" target="_blank">@atinygrowinghouse</a>, I've posted a link where to safely donate to the people of Bosnia. </i></span> </div>
atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-14071806830621358712014-05-14T18:50:00.000-07:002014-05-14T18:50:20.722-07:00Takeout please!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Meals in our home have to be quick easy and healthy. I usually have about a half hour or so to put a meal on the table after a long day. I've developed some quick and easy meals that are my go to's when I'm pressed for time and when my kids seem like they will have a meltdown any moment now!<br />
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I love making a quick vegetable stir fry (pictured above), kale pesto pasta (kale pesto recipe from <a href="http://www.projectlittlesmith.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">mama Smith</a>) , smashed new potatoes and cherry tomatoes with some local free range chicken, veggie pizza with homemade dough ( I make ahead and freeze), Beans and rice with shredded chicken and avocado slices and always some form of salad!<br />
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...and sometimes I just wing it :)<br />
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If I do feel a meltdown coming on before the meal is finished, I usually serve the boys some fruit or light crackers before dinner.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">P.S. Bad pictures above, I know! I take most of them in the evening with my poor little IPhone. I'm saving up for a camera, I promise pictures will eventually be better :)</span></i><br />
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<br />atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661028277323344164.post-73308563599492132352014-05-12T09:26:00.002-07:002014-05-12T09:26:44.536-07:00On Motherhood....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
My husband works on Sundays so it was just my four year old and myself on the sofa early in the morning waiting for the sleepy toddler to get up so we can start our day. He kept leaning in to give me quick little hugs and at one point looked at me and said "Mama, I could hug you forever." </div>
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Later that day while at a bagel shop he finished a sip of milk and said: "This was the best day ever." </div>
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Indeed little man, it was the best day ever! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWXUmRigBQ2zd9JjOV5od0TlFQLYsz7H6UehpSYNF820A8kwAccO0n0LRzvXuFTPGFGglTeKXOnfoX7auOViX6iotTXNDz7fBQwKQmyTdkuZkbp7TzNSIWUpZGIxQd9Lkm5EBsQVoQjWB/s1600/IMG_3198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWXUmRigBQ2zd9JjOV5od0TlFQLYsz7H6UehpSYNF820A8kwAccO0n0LRzvXuFTPGFGglTeKXOnfoX7auOViX6iotTXNDz7fBQwKQmyTdkuZkbp7TzNSIWUpZGIxQd9Lkm5EBsQVoQjWB/s1600/IMG_3198.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />atinygrowinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478352185674133303noreply@blogger.com0