four simple goals before 2014

one of my favorite blog A beautiful mess posted about this challenge: 4 simple goals for these last two months. as they said these goals has to create healthy, life-enriching habits during the busiest time of the year.
I’m the laziest person in the world in many ways so i want to take the challenge with my four goals:

1. did i mention that I’m lazy?! walking with the girls and my husband give us the chance to talk, have fun, do something together… and exercise! only pros, no cons!
2. I’m one of those person that throw herself headlong in a new project, but loses interest after a while. i have at least three unfinished project and i have to complete them. it’s a weight that i don’t want with me in 2014!
3. it’s easy to find some time to spend alone with alma; i sing to her while i’m changing her diaper or we play while zoeti  is at the kindergarten. but finding some time to spend alone with zoeti seems impossible. she’s a daddy-girl but sometimes she needs her mom too and i really want to create a relatioship between us (before adolescence!). daddy is the one that plays with her and i’m the one that says “one minute please” or “i have to change/breastfeed alma”. it’s not easy for me and definitely not easy for her. So at least once per week i want to spend a couple of hours with her alone… just the two of us!
4. i want to read this book and i already know that meat is something we should try to avoid. but make tasty vegetable for a two years old is not easy! i want to learn more about vegetarian cooking and use more legumes instead of meat.

a car-bag for kids

 credits

Since when I've been to Genova I've looked for tips to keep zoeti busy while I'm driving. Lately I've created our car-bag, a tote bag full of books and simple toys for zoeti, that helps me a lot when she doesn't want to sing or there are no trucks on our way (she loves trucks!)
You know... When you're stuck in traffic with a couple of screaming kids and you just want to die... Sounds familiar?!
Recently I added a items  in my emergency kit: food! Some crackers, a bottle of water, a juice... Believe me: organization is the key with one kid and survival with two!
What do you do to keep your kids entertained while driving?

43/52

 

  "a portrait of my daughters, once a week, every week, in 2013"

Zoe Tiare: first time with a knife! you’re growing so fast…

Alma Aiko: co-sleeping is definitely our thing! sleeping with you and wake up with you is the best way to begin the day!

Taking part in Jodi's weekly portrait series

small tart with ricotta cheese and fig

that’s a super easy recipe!

you need:

figs (depends on how many tart you want to cook)

300 gr of ricotta cheese

1 egg

75gr of powdered sugar

a roll of puff pastry 

mix sugar, egg and ricotta until you have a cream.

using something circular cut the puff pastry to wad some small cake pans. fill with the cream and half fig each.

put in the oven at 180° for 20 min

you can try them with nuts instead of figs!

enjoy!

b-hobo bag review

It took me seven months to chose a camera bag!in Italy you can't find cute, girly camera bag so I took advantage of a recent trip of Giulio's parents to USA to buy one. I was undecided between Kelly Moore, Epiphanie and Jo Totes.
I watched every review I found on YouTube and read every blog post talking about it and then I chose: B-hobo in walnut.

I love the material, the color, the inside and most of all the fact that it looks like a normal bag! I was tired of all that camera bags clearly thought for men, always black or grey, and in Italy you can find only that type.
That's where Internet comes!
What about the inside color? I love it!,
The two straps are very useful: when I'm alone with the girls I use the cross-body one while normally I use the one for the shoulder.
I hold my camera with the 85/1.8 always attached (since it's the lens I usually use) but I keep also the 18-80 (maybe it's time for a wide angle!), some personal items (iphone, wallet…) and there’s still room for some baby clothes and a couple of diapers.
and looks great even on a child!!  zoeti loves mommy’s bag!

42/52

  "a portrait of my daughters, once a week, every week, in 2013"

Zoe Tiare: my little beautiful flying bird! (iphone picture!)

Alma Aiko: your first time in the swimming pool and now i can say that you are my little beautiful swimming fish!

 

Taking part in Jodi's weekly portrait series

dear juliet… one day in verona

dear juliet,
my name is barbara. don’t worry… i’m not writing because i have love troubles: my sentimental situation is a bed of roses! i’m so lucky!
i’m writing to you because i just spent a beautiful day in your city, verona, with my kids, a day dedicated to you. we visited your house (and… sorry… touched your breast as tradition wants!)

we ate delicious italian specialities (bruschette), have espressos, took pictures.

we visited also your grave, in a spectacular cloister.
 

>> the first time we saw restorers at work! <<   

we had fun in your city, juliet… and i just wanted to let you know that!
 

>> in the municipal library, trying to find a book about romeo & juliet (but zoeti preferred this one!) <<

love,

barbara