Work

This conversation took place while I wasn't around, but I had to share it with the world:

R (3 years old): "dad, what do you do when you're 'at work'?"
Dad: "well, honestly, I sit a long time at my desk and talk to a lot of people all day"
R: "hmm... but dad, we have a desk at home, why don't you work there then?"

Kids are so smart. I tell ya.

Different person, same conversation

"How old is she?" Asked the old lady with the cane, in the underground train.
"9 months" I answered.
"She's so sweet. Oh what a lovely time, my grandchildren are already so big... I miss these times..."

I have a similar conversation with people everywhere I go.

Enjoy this time now, don't wait till it's too late, and your kids or grandchildren are already all grown up.

My recipe for a perfect weekend

The sun came out and all the ppl came out of their holes. Suddenly anything irritating is much more bearable, it's much easier to spend the whole day with the kids.

We haven't done anything special this weekend, but the fact that we spent most of the time outside, in the sunshine, you can see that the kids are enjoying all this time in the fresh air.... We were just strolling around town yesterday, sitting for food in a small cute café, and I had my hair cut, it looks so much nicer now, which also makes me feel better about myself.

Today we went to the zoo with a friend of mine and her son, the two boys were having so much fun they did not want to go into the stroller and have a nap even though they were both really tired.
We had lunch in the garden, with R's sister who's here for a very short visit, and had some Italian ice cream for dessert. That and the sun light, wow, what a difference in the mood it makes. Unbelievable.

So there you go. All you need is some sunshine, fair temperatures, family or other ppl you love, and some nice activities outside, and you're set.

Enjoy spring everyone,

It's finally here.

Hysterically Quiet

These moments are very rare.
He's resting in his bed, listening to music.
She's sleeping in her bed.

Oh and here he called me.
told you it's rare.

Now you understand why I haven't been writing here lately.

Staying home with two kids is definitely not easy. It also leaves you with no time for anything but taking care of your children. There's always one kid that really needs you.
If you also need to make sure there's something for you and for them to eat, 3 times a day and some snacks, then you're really out of breath.
You're just always engaged in something. It could be "just" holding a baby trying to help it fall asleep, or if it's "just" sitting next to the table helping your older kid eat, or if it's "just" playing with your kid in his room, so that he gets some time alone with you.
It's exhausting. Really.

We got a kindergarten place for R, but he's only going to start in fall, till then I'm "home schooling" him while his baby sister is also home.

There are some magical moments. Yes.

But a lot of the time I feel tired, frustrated and sometimes just overloaded. I think that a 2 year difference between siblings is not optimal, especially, if not exclusively when the older one still doesn't go to day care.  I see other parents of siblings that are both home, and when it's a year difference, it's almost easier, since the older one hasn't yet hit those terrible, horrible twos.
When it's 3 years and more, the older kid can already go to kindergarten (meaning- will have a place in a governmental day care place, by law) which gives the again new mom (or dad, whoever stays at home) a bit of time alone with the baby, which is something I really yearn for now.

I don't know if any of this makes any sense, after the 10 minutes of quietness I had, I was disturbed by multiple reasons. So... I hope you understood at least a bit of it.

Sometimes in bed, just before falling asleep (if that doesn't happen in 2 seconds) I "write" a whole post in my head, but then I never really write it down.

So I hope I will come here again soon and write some of my thoughts.

Have a good week everyone!

Back into me

When you become a parent your priorities change completely. You start thinking about the well being of your kids and somewhere along the way you forget your own.
It's normal of course. But it's only when you do something for yourself again, that you realize that you've missed it.
It's when you suddenly look into yourself, and recognize an old friend you haven't seen in a long time. The deeper you go inside and the nicer what you're doing is, the more familiar and comfortable it gets.
You suddenly miss that person, that being, that feeling. You try to plan more time for yourself, more activities you enjoy doing alone, without your kids.

It's not easy for me to plan these things. I want to but I also want to continue breastfeeding (and I still do!), my son still doesn't go to a daycare for all kinds of reasons, and there is no family close enough to help be with him during the week. 
That leaves me the weekends only, when Rob's home and can stay with him. Just that on the weekends I would like to spend time with my family, and so I usually don't plan anything else.

But I must. Because I enjoy it so much and it revives me.

What is work

It's been a year since I stopped working. In Germany you go on maternity leave 6 weeks before your due date. In the end I gave birth about a month after leaving work. 

It is kind of amazing that still nowadays ppl ask me "so... What do you do all day?" and it's not only men who ask that. Some friends also asked me if I don't go crazy at home with my son for so long. 

Well. What do ppl who work in an office do all day? Sit on their chairs and stare at the computer? Talk on the phone? How is that more productive or worth more than taking care of a child? Let me ask something else: why do we call it a job, when a person gets money for it (nanny, kindergarten teacher, care taker) but a person who stays home with their child "doesn't work"?

Those were my thoughts for the anniversary of my maternal leave. 

It's been one of the most exciting, exhausting, interesting, full of events years.

under the weahter

Although the sun is shining at the moment, the weather is not great. It's really cold outside, and it seems like winter has decided to come back big time after not really doing a good job in February.
Taking the baby out in this weather is not really nice, I don't like packing him with a million layers, because he absolutely hates it, and going in and out of stores for example is a nightmare, since the difference in temperatures is way too big.
This doesn't agree with my need to go out and breath some fresh air once a day, see the world and go out of my cocoon. People I urge you to give birth in spring or summer!
My mood is also a bit swingy at the moment. Sometimes I feel really good and then it takes only one word from someone and I feel crappy again.
But the baby is sweet. It's hard being with him alone the whole day, but he's so cute and nice that I feel blesses with that.

knock on wood X 3

Changes

I hope that this post will be one out of many posts I write in the near future. Now, I have some more time.

Yesterday was my last day at work. Why? Because in Germany mothers have the luxury of staying at home starting from 6 weeks before the due date. This is a real blessing, since I am still studying at the open university (I think I forgot to mention here that I got a very good grade on my essay last semester :-)), and since with every day of pregnancy it gets harder and harder to rush to work and stay efficient there...

I must say, I have no clue how women in Israel work till the last day before they give birth. I'm only in the middle of the eighth month, and already feel how heavy it is and how complicated it is to move from one place to another. So as it sounds- I'm glad to have this chance to stay home now, focus on my studies and above all- focus on what's good for my body and for the baby. I guess it won't take long before I start nesting and taking care of everything for the little baby we're expecting. It's really exciting.

I have tons of little tasks I want to take care of, knowing that later I won't have time for. Like arranging the photo album from Argentina, finishing to knit my scarf, and starting to knit a nice blanket for the baby. I want to go over my closet and throw everything I haven't used in the last year or two, and I want to start reading more about the birth, although we just finished a preparation course for couples at the birth center I want to give birth in.

My mom is coming to be here for a month - she scheduled her flight for a week before the due date. In the beginning I thought it might be a long time- but with time and after a few talks with her, trying to be as open and honest as I can- I realized that she's really only coming to help us. We will just have to continue being honest with each other, telling one another exactly what we expect.

I'm quite excited about these first few weeks that we'll become a family, and I want it to stay our experience as a couple plus one as much as possible. I think it's important for the future.

So, hoping this is not the last post in a while,

have a good weekend everyone!

Growing

So this post will be one that will be a compensation for all these days that I haven't written a word...

First I'll start with saying that it's so obvious that I come here to write as soon as I have some work to do for Uni. I keep looking for escape :-) I have an essay to hand in, and I have another 3 weeks or so to finish writing it. I've only read some literature so far and found some articles. So let's hope that I actually get to write this assay. I need to write 15 pages in German. Wish me luck.

Other than that, we had some nice activities lately, for example we went on a weekend with Rob's family, a bicycle tour that was dedicated to Rob's dad, who loves riding his bike. It was a birthday present from all the kids. I, of course, lazy me, didn't ride the bicycle, but I was in charge of the picnic car, so I met the happy family on the way each day bringing them some food. I also had all their belongings in the car- since we slept in 2 different hotels that weekend. It was a really beautiful weekend, I took amazing pictures, and it was honestly fun driving alone in this absolutely inspiring scenery. It was in the area of Stuttgart,  in the Swabian Alb. I really recommend  going there if you have the chance.

Other than that- I just had a tooth pulled out, one of my lower wisdom teeth, which has been there since I'm 18, so it was really hard to let go. I'm still recovering, but I didn't suffer from much pain since they took it out, so I guess I was lucky there. But the whole procedure was a bit complicated because........ well....... because...........


I'm pregnant :-)

yep.

And that's one of the reasons I haven't written here in a while. The first 3 months were horrible. I had sickness throughout the day, and lost 4kg just because of that. The last month was much better. I'm starting my fifth soon, and I feel ok.

Anyway, I wonder who of you is reading this and will now know the news. My Israeli friends all know already, but you guys around the world - I haven't had the chance to tell you, and was actually wondering if I should even write it here on the Blog or not. I decided that I should, I mean, at some point I would have written that I have a baby, and that would have been even funnier no?

Now I just hope and wish for, as they say, a "boring" pregnancy, and a healthy baby!

That's it for now, told you this will compensate for a long time not writing...

Paradox

It's a really beautiful weekend. The weather is amazing. Especially after a month of rain and gray and cold weather. The sun is shining now, and it's getting warmer by the hour.

But I'm alone this weekend.

Rob went to Budapest for a stagdu of a friend that is getting married in August. I must admit, except for the fact that I'm spending this weekend alone in Munich, I'm jealous of him for being there with friends and having fun. I've never been there.

Sometimes it feels lonely, but not in the sense of being alone with yourself, rather not having anyone to do anything with. I've tried calling friends from here, but because I didn't want to make plans in advance (wasn't sure how I'd be feeling this weekend), I'm stuck.

Germans need to plan everything in advance. Being spontaneous is not really their thing. I really miss that about Israel. There I could have had plenty of plans made in the last minute. Just call a friend, and if their available you can join them in whatever they're doing.

I've asked one of my colleagues at work, the one I like most and get along with the most, what she's doing this weekend. I've mentioned that I have nothing to do... She told me what she's doing and didn't even think about asking me if I want to join. I know it's not personal, but it is quite annoying to always feel like a 3rd wheel, so I just didn't ask if I can join. Just didn't feel comfortable.  That's Germany, and maybe also other places in Europe. People won't just invite you to do something with them. Even if you like each other and even meet sometimes outside of the work place.

So I'll try to do some things at home that I've planned on doing, like cleaning up a bit, washing the dishes, doing the laundry. Maybe start my new assignment for uni. I might take myself and some study books and go outside somewhere in the sun and read.

*sigh*

Remind me next time when Rob makes plans to go for a long weekend somewhere- to make my own plans. I should have gone somewhere too.

NEW

We got our couch!!!

It's actually a sofa-bed, but it's great. It's comfortable as a couch and as a bed (well, not from our own experience, but was the most comfortable one we tried in the stores). It's red and it's really nice! It's so nice to own your own couch, you can't believe it. We haven't had one since we were in China, there we had a really bad and ugly Ikea (we think) couch that used to sink in the middle, where ppl sat on it most of the time.

And what else is new?

We got tickets to Argentina!

We're going for a honeymoon there for 3 weeks! I'm so excited!
Now all we have to do is decide what we wanna see there and what we'll have to leave for the future, hoping we'll be back there at some point in our lives, coz Argentina is huge and seems like there's way too much to do there! Any tips will be appreciated.

So that's really nice, I wish you all a great week!

The return

Hey!
Last night we got back from a 9 day visit in Israel, in which we had a big wedding celebration. The evening went really well, it was short and fun.
The week after that we spent with Rob's family traveling around Israel.
In the first few days the weather was just shit. really. It didn't stop raining, and the temperatures were really low for the season. I couldn't believe it. We were there on the only 4 days that it rained in this month. It was warm and sunny before and after we were there. That was really annoying.
At least we got about 2 nice days, and spent them on the dead sea and in Tel-Aviv.
We both feel like this visit was too short, and that we didn't get to do what we like doing when we're there. We were basically tour guides, and went from one place to another very often.
We were so busy all the time, it felt like we don't get to see or do anything. I would have loved to stay there for another few days, just in Haifa and in Tel-Aviv, enjoy the sun, the people, the food and all. But we had to go back home...
Hopefully we'll have a nice visit next time, which will really be considered as a holiday...

and to something totally different:

I have really happy news,

I passed the exam!!!

But since I already missed this semester, I guess I'll have to sign up to the next one and start one semester later than I wanted. On the one had I feel like it's a serious waste of time, and on the other hand I feel like it's going to be good for me to have a semester off of studying hard after a year like that. So I'll try to get the most out of this free semester.

Next week we're getting our new sofa bed, which we ordered more than 2 months ago. Everything takes ages in this country. really.

So have a great week you all,

it's always weird going back to work after so long that I haven't been there.

long time

Wow it's been more than a month since last time I wrote here.
I guess that it means that life is boring :-)

There's really nothing new in my life. Well I signed up at a cheap gym,
and I hope that I'll be able to go there twice a week, on top of the once I go to Yoga classes.
Other than that I was a bit ill this weekend, but now I feel a bit better,
and since I'm not the only one at work that is ill- I'll go today for a few hours to help out.

Tomorrow is Rob's birthday! Can't tell you what I bought coz he might read it before ;-)

We're planning the wedding celebration in Israel, and the trip with Rob's family there.
Most of the stuff is already organized.

So just came in for a quick hello and to say that really, life is all the same and therefore there's no news!

Have a nice week everyone!

The world after the exam

Yesterday I had my exam. Hopefully the last one on my way to a Masters... I have a good feeling about it, but you never know how petty people are about the answers, so I guess I'll just have to wait and see... I only need a bit more than 50% to pass it, and now I'm crossing my fingers, hoping I did...

Right now I'm so tired, so exhausted, I think I haven't felt so tired in months really... All the pressure of the wedding and this exam just comes out as if it were Lava from a volcano...
Tomorrow I plan on sleeping in as long as I want, since I'm only working in the evening. I hope that will be the solution to this tiredness.

Now we have to start taking care of things that we left for after my exam. Like writing thank you cards for all the people who came to celebrate our wedding and party with us, like planning the wedding party in Israel, which is getting closer and closer, like maybe even printing a small wedding album, like helping Rob's family plan their trip to Israel and so on... The list doesn't end.

So I'm still alive, didn't go anywhere :-)

Now that I have time (and went shopping and bought myself some after-exam-nice-clothes) I really feel like cooking and baking!!! The Jewish holidays are coming, and I hope I have someone to host here and cook for. After a few experiences of doing such holidays at Jewish communities, I realized that I prefer doing it with a small group of ppl, whom I love and enjoy being with, and I totally enjoy home made food better than the kind that ppl make in masses for a big holiday dinner at the community.

Anyone up for a Gefüllte Fish?

I'm a bad blogger. I know.

Here I am sitting at home, not doing much, cleaning the house a bit (finally), backing cookies (will put pictures too), eating too many cookies, planning stuff (will tell you about at some point, not the time yet), and basically just doing nothing. Oh yeah, I also go to work everyday... lol...
It's unbelievable how easy it is to do nothing all morning. Just do nothing special. Just waste time...

The exam was ok... Rob sat with me the whole weekend before it, and helped me recite it all a million times. In the end of the day- he was so exhausted! I can't blame him... I awe him at least half of my points, that's for sure! and now all I have to do is wait for about 2 months and see if I actually passed. I only need over 50% to pass- so lets all cross our fingers very tight and hope for the best!

So... other than that nothing new. Rob and I are going to Israel in 10 days, for 9 days. We're gonna be at Nadav's wedding- and just see family and friends. Haven't been there in 6 months, and I feel like it's really about time I go...

Here are some pictures of the cookies I made- it's the easiest cookies to make in the world, and they are so dangerous! I can't stop eating them! All you need is puff pastry dough (like in this link) and sugar. Nothing else. I also added cinnamon to half of it, but you don't have to.

In German they're called "Pigs ears"


In Hebrew some call them the same


But some call them "Elephant ears".
(Pigs aren't Kosher! lol)

Sympathy pains

I'm having sympathy pains. For my computer. Apparently it's really sick. And so am I.
Let's start with my computer: My display is Kaput. We went to the shop today (yes, although I'm sick, I just really wanted to know what's wrong with it and to get fuxed already) and they told us as following:
The company that makes my computer doens't send the parts anywhere. They only take repairs in certain places. That means that I'll have to send it to Holland or to the Czeck Republic. That will cost 135€. Just for sending the damn thing! Then, for the check up, just to let me know what exactly is wrong with it, they're going to charge 110€. Just to check it! Then, each working hour will cost 150€. A persons hourly wage! Then since it'll take way too much time and money to fix it, they will probably just put a new screen. Which costs about 400€. Just the screen!

Do the math. It adds up to at least 795€. With that money I can get the best lap-top in the world. That's bullshit!!!!!
So I might have to wait till I'm in Israel to fix it (my computer guy told me that he might be able to do it, and obviously for about less than 10th the price) and use an external screen until then.

That sucks.

On top of all that I'm sick. But really sick. The whole shabang. I have an infection in my throat and my tonsils hurt just about all the time. I've been in bed for about 3 days in a row, and I'm not going to work nor to German lessons for the whole week. The worst part is that it actually really hurts all the time. grrrrr.....

So that's my update. Not very happy but well... I will survive.

Let's put it this way: I'm better off than a lot of poor ppl that live where I come from. And I'm not only talking about Israelis. Also.

Stupid country of mine.

Haven't they realzied in the past few years that:

WAR DOESN'T SOLVE ANY PROBLEMS!!!

I'm not saying that they shouldn't have reacted in some way to the missiles that were being shot at Israel in the past 8 years constantly, but it seems like they know no other way than the violent kind. And that's even sadder than the war itself.

Farewell. Be good. Don't start any wars.

Peace.

Computer says noooo

My computer screen went crazy... The light wont go on, and although I see the shadows of what's on it, it's totally dark. I'm writing now from Rob's computer, hoping I'd get mine fixed quickly, knowing that here in Germany everything takes a long time and costs a lot of money.

Since this isn't my computer I'll be short and just say that x-mas was really nice, the wedding in Austria was nice and very long (was a whole festival) and that Goni and Amir were here in the last few days for a visit with their really cute daughter, which was a lot of fun although we didn't do much with them (every day someone else was sick...). One thing that is worth mentioning is new year's eve- we had it in our apartment- I made a spanish dinner with Tapas and Tortilla and we watched the fireworks from here- which was so great!!! Sixth floor rules!!! It looked as if the city is jumping! We could see fireworks from all of our wondows (and we have quite a few of them) and it was a real show.

Today I'm not feeling at my best, and I hope that by tomorrow I'll feel better coz I need to go back to work!

Oh, and I got myself new ski boots and new skis! yey! Haven't tried them yet, so I'm waiting for next weekend- we want to go skiing if the weather allows it.

Will update soon!

Shopping-mania

You wouldn't imagine how many ppl are everyday in the center of Munich. Since I work there- I see it every day. It started about a month ago, as December and the holidays started to show around the corner. Slowly slowly the main streets got fuller and fuller with ppl. Then they opened the X-Mass market, which as it is- takes a lot of space, in which I used to walk to go to work. So there's less walking space, and also a lot more ppl. After emerging out from underground (after taking the metro), I spend twice the time to go to work than just less than a month ago when I started. It's like swimming in oil! You have to really push your way, and move a lot in order to find your way in the crowd.

I promise that at some point I'll take some pictures of what's going on there in the middle of the week in a normal afternoon. You will not believe it. Really.

One more thing you notice when living in Munich, is the amount of money that ppl spend. Everybody's walking around with tons of bags from all shops. It's been like that for weeks already- and the 2 most busy weeks of the year are still to come! It's incredible!

Luckily I'm done with my presents shopping - got something for everyone! Now I just have to wrap it all nicely and that's it. Maybe make some nice cards. But I'm definitely not putting as much effort in them as I did last year. It's way too much work, and takes way too long (and I don't really have much time right now) and in the end ppl don't fully appreciate it. So only something symbolic this year.

Ok, kinda have to get ready for work now.

Till next time!

Getting busy

I started working this week. I work in an English Language school, My job title is the same as it was in Israel, but here the actual work is different. We sit quite a lot of time in reception, and do a lot of office work. I look at this job as an opportunity to make some money and make my way up the ladder a bit. I hope that I'll be able to teach some activities too. I really hope so- coz all I can think about when I see the teachers of the center teaching is: I wanna be there- with the students, and explain to them and talk to them about more than booking them the next lesson.

Other than that, next week, I'm starting with my German course. I really hope it'll be nice, and that I'll meet some nice ppl. I decided that I'm not going to take the one that comes right after it- I'll try to solve that bureaucratic problem next week. This way I'll only take one intensive course, which ends around the middle of January. Till then I'll be very busy.

I got some contact with ppl I'd like to meet here in Munich, but since I started working- I didn't have the time to call and make an appointment to meet them. I should do that tomorrow- if I ever want to make any friends here.

Last Saturday I had a meeting/lesson from the uni, and the teacher was a really nice woman (she's in charge of our courses), who made all the pressure go away (ok not all of it but at least half of it). I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing ;-) At least she is really nice and does everything for us to feel better about these studies.

Still haven't registered in any sports gym, thought I might see how it goes learning German and working at the same time- how much time does it leave me for sports. Worse case I only start doing something like that on January some time- then I'll have time for it and wont feel bad about having a subscription and not using it (plus I'd be able to save a small amount of money by then, and maybe even have some other recommendations about other gyms).

So that's my boring update!

Oh and maybe I should put here a really nice recipe I found online, for the easiest cookies (more like cup cakes) in the world, so... you know what? I'll do it in a new post!

The ability to LIVE

Guess what?

I got the job!!! They're still working on the contract, so I'll only see it next week, but they offered me the job- which is the whole point!

Today I was also given a new visa, for almost a year, and was also told that if I find a job- I can change my visa to a working visa- and work as much as I want!!!

This is so great, it's just such a relief! and it just gives me the ability to actually live here, like any other normal person.

So I'll see how it goes with the new job and the German course that starts in 10 days, and after the first course I might change the second one with a less intensive course- and work more. We'll see.

So happy!!!

Oh and I went shopping this week- for some clothes (to wear at work of course) and I spent a nice amount of money on really great basic stuff, and on my dream boots (from this website), which cost me a lot- but they are just perfect!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!