Friday Favorites 03.05.2024

Happy Friday, everyone!

Did you have a good week?

Mine was not bad. My husband went back to work yesterday (after one month off) and so I’m still adjusting to our new routine. I started working again after maternity leave next month and I’m still navigating the changes that come with working part time while taking care of two babies all day long.

My favorite things from this week include:

1. Dalila’s birthday party

This was technically last week, on Saturday, but I’m including it here. Unfortunately, some of our favorite people couldn’t attend so we were a smaller group than last year (about 16 people, instead of 30+) but we still had so much fun. We also ended up having to have the party inside because it was very cold, windy and rainy, but we made it work. I have no idea what we would have done if everyone had come the party as we certainly can’t fit 30+ people in our house. We went with a cat theme since cats are one of Dalila’s favorite things. Here’s some pictures:

Yummy food

Party favors (assorted candy)

The most delicious red velvet cake

More cats!

2. Pizza date with friends

On Monday, we went on an impromptu pizza date with our friends (Olívia’s godparents) and it was really great. The pizza was good and the company was even better.

3. Annie in Paris by Carmen Reid

I’m a huge fan of the Annie Valentine series and I devoured the new book in two days. Annie is a frazzled, busy, fashionable, funny mom of four and I can 100% relate to her (except for the fashionable part).

4. Olívia rolling over and Dalila owning everything around here

So far she’s just rolling front to back (probably because she hates being on her tummy) and it’s the cutest thing. As for Dalila, she has started saying “it’s mine” about everything, especially her sister’s toys. She also tried to brush her sister’s non-existent teeth last night, which was the funniest thing ever.

5. Banana Bread

I have *finally* made a good enough to eat banana bread. I wish I had taken a picture but Rui and I literally ate the whole thing in one afternoon (I’m honestly hopeless around carbs) so it didn’t live long enough to be photographed. Dalila thought it was “yuuuck”, though. I’m definitely making this recipe again next time I need to save a couple of bananas.

Weekend plans include working (only 4-5 hours total), house cleaning, grocery shopping, laundry and celebrating Mother’s Day on Sunday.

I hope you have a lovely weekend!

See you on Tuesday.

Love,

Cheila

Linking up with Momfessionals

Friday Favorites and Weekend Plans 05.04.24

Happy Friday!

It’s supposed to get to 25C today (77F for my American friends) and this mom is in a Spring cleaning mood.

My to-do list is looking XXL right now, so I’m getting on it as soon as I finish this post (and my coffee).

These are my favorite things from this week:

1. My husband is home on paternity leave

My husband has been home with us and will be for the whole month of April. To be honest, this has thrown me off my routine a bit, and I don’t quite know what to do with myself. I’m supposed to be using this time to catch up on work but, instead of working through my long overdue projects, I’ve been either spending time with him or feeling like I should be helping him with the girls because he’s sick (sinusitis) and Olívia is both teething and recovering from her 4 month vaccinations so things are extra challenging right now. Hopefully, we’ll get into a better routine next week and I’ll use this time to actually catch up on work and reestablishing my business.

2. I FINALLY started tackling the garage mess.

I have to start working there tomorrow as it doubles as both our offices, and I could never work there surrounded by all the mess, so I have started to clean and organize it. I can now see my desk again and I intend to spend a few more hours declutterring this afternoon. Honestly, there’s a bunch of things I could probably sell but I feel like just donating or throwing everything away.

3. It feels like Spring.

Have I mentioned how warm it’s going to be today? It’s sunny and beautiful and I wish I could spend the day outside, just laying in the sun and being lazy, but I’ll take what I can get and just dry my laundry outside.

4. We went on a family pizza date on Wednesday

It was only Pizza Hut at the mall but it was convenient and fast, Olívia slept the entire time and Dalila behaved really well, so we got to eat in relative peace for once. I also got a small pizza instead of a medium one because I’m working on my relationship with food and trying to cut back on my portions.

5. I got an email from a blogger friend

Daniela at Mama on the Move and I have just started exchanging emails and it’s so nice to talk to my friend. We had realized we’re kindred spirits while chatting in the comment section of both our blogs and so we decided to become email pen pals (email pals? Keyboard pals? What do you call it?). I’ve always loved to make new friends and to connect with fellow bloggers, so this is extra exciting. Back in the day, I used to exchange letters and postcards with a few blogger friends and I miss that kind of interaction. If you ever feel like chatting, drop me a line at pinkfordays@outlook.pt.

When it comes to weekend plans, I’m working both mornings (two old students are coming back and I have a new one starting tomorrow) and then I plan on tackling some more cleaning and spending time with my husband and babes.

That’s enough for today. I better get on with deep cleaning my bedroom now.

I’ll see you back here on Monday.

Enjoy your weekend!

Love,

Cheila

Linking up with Momfessionals

Friday Favorites and Weekend Plans 29.03.2024

Happy Friday, everyone!

It’s a public holiday here (Good Friday) and I’m taking the rest of the day, tomorrow and Sunday off from blogging. I’m focusing on balance and on trying to be more present and enjoying the little things more, so I’m taking the weekend off to focus on nothing but my little family. I’ll see you back here on Monday.

Before I go, I’m leaving you with my favorites from this week.

1. I’m a complete moron. Seriously, you have no idea how big of an idiot I am. I’ve been complaining here about how I only have about a month to do my remaining 16 driving lessons and to pass my driving exam but, it turns out, I actually have until November. The deadline is a year from the theoretical exam and not six months. Major facepalm.

2. Speaking of driving, I actually had two lessons this week (one of them in the rain, no less) and they went so much better than I expected. I feel like I’m improving with every lesson and I’m starting to feel like I might actually be able to drive some day. Before you ask, “how hard can it be”, let me explain that we all learn to drive a stick shift here and automatic cars are very rare, so it is a bit confusing at first to focus on brake, gas, clutch, stick shift, blinkers, steering wheel. There’s so much happening at the same time and I’m honestly not very good at eye-hand-foot coordination. I’ll get there eventually.

3. My husband surprised me (after I begged him to bring me a little something sweet from the store) with a Ferrero Rocher Easter Egg yesterday and, even though I have mixed feelings about it, it is still making my list of favorites.

4. Olívia is now laughing uncontrollably when we tickle her and it’s so cute and funny to watch. It’s even funnier because Dalila has started to try to copy us and tickle her baby sister. I can’t wait to watch their interactions when they’re a bit older. Hopefully, Dalila will grow out of licking her sister and saying “hmm, delicious” (why are toddlers so weird?).

5. I finished reading Ex in the City by Portia MacIntosh and it was just the funny, light read I needed to balance all the non-fiction I’ve been reading. If you’re into rom-coms, I definitely recommend her books.

6. I’m currently and very slowly watching the documentary “Crazy, Not Insane” (this could honestly be the title of my autobiography), which focuses on why people kill and on how brain damage, childhood trauma and sexual abuse can affect people and lead them to violent crime. I’m only about halfway through it but it’s worth watching.

7. I’m still on a bread making kick and I’ve been experimenting with different recipes. My favorite is this rustic white bread, which turns out so crusty and fluffy that I can’t even wait for it to cool down before eating. I’ve also tried a mixed grain bread (white flour and rye flour) and banana bread. I look forward to keep making homemade bread and baking in general. I’ll probably share my very easy bread recipe next week.

That’s it for today. I’m off now.

Enjoy the long weekend and Happy Easter!

Love,

Cheila

As usual, liking up with Momfessionals

Friday Favorites 22.03.2024

Happy Friday!

How was your week?

Shall we come up with some favorites for this week?

1. On Tuesday, it was Father’s Day. We went out for pizza and gave daddy a little present.

2. On Thursday, I went to my mom’s to spend time with her. My aunt Gina, who I hadn’t seen in a while, was visiting and we went out for lunch and spent a bunch of time catching up. It was really good to see her.

3. One of my favorite authors, Portia MacIntosh has just released a new book Ex in the City, and I’m currently reading it and enjoying it.

4. I’m currently watching One Day and loving it.

5. My husband is going to have the whole month of April off as paternity leave (dads get an extra month when moms go back to work) and I’m looking forward to spending some extra time with him, taking some time for myself and doing a bunch of things around the house while he’s available (Spring cleaning here we come).

6. It’s currently 26 degrees Celsius here and I’m enjoying the warmer temperatures.

7. Tomorrow is our 11th anniversary (we started dating in 2013 and got married in 2019) and I don’t know what we’re doing to celebrate but it’s still one of my favorite days of the year.

And that’s it.

I’m taking Saturday and Sunday off blogging so I’ll see you on Monday!

Have a great weekend!

Love,

Cheila

Linking Up with Momfessionals

Friday Favorites + Weekend Plans 08.03.2024

Happy Friday and Happy Women’s Day!

If you’re a woman, I hope you cherish yourself today and every day.

If you have a woman in your life, make sure to let her know how special she is.

Oof, thank goodness it’s Friday.

We’re all sick and I’m probably the worst of all. Dalila was patient zero, getting all congested a few days ago. Then my husband got it from her and started with a sore throat and congestion a couple of days later. Finally, it was my turn and Olívia’s. Thankfully, all she got was a very stuffy nose, which we were able to relieve with a few nasal rinses. We obviously tried the same thing on Dalila and barely got out alive because she’s a feisty little thing who’d rather die than let mom or dad clean her nose. I still have PTSD from trying to clean her ears a few weeks ago. Since I’m the unluckiest person alive, I got it worse than all of them and have been sick as a dog (Rosa is okay, don’t worry) for the last few days. My poor husband even had to miss work a couple of days this week (probably for the first time ever) because I was too sick to handle two sick babies on my own. We’re a pretty miserable bunch this week so I’m having to scramble for some favorites.

Favorite #1

I’m feeling much better. After a couple of days of feeling like my head was going to explode, how can this not be a favorite?

Favorite #2

Strepsils throat lozenges. Where would I be without them?

Favorite #3

I think I’ve decided who I’m going to vote for on Sunday. I’ve been undecided for months and I’m pretty sure I’ve finally made up my mind.

Okay, I’m going to stop pretending I have any favorites this week. I’m mostly happy the week is ending and the weekend is here.

My sister and Rui’s brother are coming to stay tonight and we’re eating homemade pizza and spending some time together.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

Love,

Cheila

Linking up with Momfessionals