My New Life as a Housewife

FITB FRIDAY!

2012-02-10T16:41:00.002+01:00

Hello!!
It's Fridaaaaay!! Woo-hoo!!
This week was so long and stressful, but it finally came to an end! YAY!
Our porch is almost finished {you can see the process in pictures, here and here} and I couldn't be more excited!! More pictures will be coming next week! I promise!

Link up with Lauren!

1. I started my blog because I wanted to document our life, first as a engaged couple and then as a newlywed couple. To remember all the adventures, anecdotes and experiences we're living together.

2. One thing I love seeing on other blogs honesty but also a positive attitude about life. Life is not perfect. But it doesn't mean you can't be happy. There are so many things to be grateful for. I love finding inspiring stories.

3. Something I love about blogging this kind and encouraging community. It's wonderful to have a place to share experiences, be honest and vent and get feedback from others who let you know that you're not the only one that's ever gone through this before. It's a great support system.

4. A favorite blog post of mine is probably my one year anniversary. So many memories. I just love it.

5. Something my friends in real life know about me that I've never before mentioned on my blog is Hmmm... I don't know. Maybe that I'm too shy? Or that I try to avoid social events? Or maybe that I have stage fright? Or that I used to be very competitive and was kind of a Hermione Granger when I was a student? Okay, forget what I've just said. I didn't say that and you didn't read it. It never happened. 'Kay?

6. My new favorite blogs to read are New favorite blogs?? Let me think... E, Myself and I, and Tales of a Young Housewife... I'm sure I've found some more new great blogs recently... but I read so many blogs daily, that I can't remember all of them.

7. Some things I tend to avoid doing on my blog are being overly negative, and sharing things my husband doesn't feel comfortable with. This is a public blog, but I want to respect his privacy.

I found this video on Facebook and thought it was funny! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Porch update: day 2

2012-02-10T09:47:00.001+01:00

From the kitchen. It was 28º F outside. Too cold for me. I preferred to stay inside to take the first picture of the day.

Oh, some sun! Let's go outside to take some pictures! {although it was still freezing!! 32º!}

I know, I know. My garden is a mess and a disaster.

Almost done!!

They are going to put some glass here next week!

YAY! Almost finished!

Porch update: day 1

2012-02-09T13:16:00.001+01:00

{I'll be updating this post today with new pictures of the process}

Our old porch is gone forever... {This picture was taken from the kitchen... it was too cold to go outside to take pictures!!}

{This one was taken with my cellphone}

Midweek Confessions

2012-02-08T19:55:00.004+01:00

Hello!!

It's Wednesday! Only two days left until our Valentine's weekend!

Meanwhile, let's be honest and share some confessions!

Link up with E!

1. Tomorrow our new porch will start to be built! This makes me feel extremely excited and also extremely anxious: it will take two or THREE days to be finished... eeek! This stressed me out.

***

2. Also maybe in two weeks some more staircase remodeling works will take place. And you know how much it will take to finish these works?? ONE WEEK. I'm about to die right now. ONE WEEK. With strangers and dust and dirt in my house. And meanwhile I'm supposed to work and write articles. Yeah, sure.

***

3. I think I should have considered this before starting all these remodeling projects. {facepalm}

***

4. Sometimes Stitch is a liar. And that makes me mad.

***

5. I'm addicted to pistachio nuts, pop corn, pizzas and fries with aioli. Healthy, right?

***

6. Guess what I had for dinner yesterday? Sandwich + fries with aioli. And today I'm having PIZZA for dinner. I love eating healthy food {but I had a big salad for lunch today...}

***

7. I still have some Christmas decorations in the living room. And I have no excuse. I just forgot to put them away.

***

What are your confessions?

11 Questions

2012-02-07T22:07:00.000+01:00

I was tagged yesterday by Breann @ Life and Love of a Parrothead.

The Rules:
1. Post the rules
2. Post 11 fun facts about yourself
3. Answer the questions the tagger gave you in their post & then create 11 new questions for the people you tag.
4. Tag 11 people and link them in your post
5. Let them know you've "tagged" them

11 Fun or Random Facts About Me

1. I change my mind about style, fashion or decoration at least twice a week. I may think skirts are cool and then the next day I may think they are the worst invention in history.

2. I love being a SAHW and freelance writer. It really makes me very happy.

3. I'm unable to take naps. I can't. Even if I'm really tired or sick. I can't sleep during the day.

4. With any big change, I feel really anxious and can't sleep.

5. I had a car crash when I was 19. It was not my fault, though. But it caused me a whiplash injury. I'll never forget that moment. It was scary.

6. One of Stitch's nicknames is furry spaghetti. Yep, and I called him like that sometimes.

7. When I was 7 or 8, I used to go and play with lambs and sheep in front of my house. My parents had just moved to a new area of the city and there were some fields and some farm animals in front of our house. I loved it.

8. I hate sweating. Therefore I hate summer.

9. I think I saw a ghost in our honeymoon. MJ thinks I'm crazy. But I swear I saw a man standing next to our bed one of the nights during our honeymoon cruise. Then I screamed and screamed and ordered MJ to turn on the lights. And there was nothing. But I'm almost sure I saw a ghost.

10. I'm scared of almost any animal or insect that flies: pidgeons, parrots, bees, wasps, butterflies, moths..

11. Christmas is my favorite time of the year. And I hate March: there are too many birthdays {my brother's, my mother's, my mother-in-law's and my father-in-law's!} in only 1 month and I don't have enough time or ideas to buy presents for everyone!

Questions From Breann For Me To Answer

1. What is your biggest "quirk?" I don't like chicken. I can eat it, if I'm hungry. But I don't like it.

2. What is your hobby and why? Blogging, photography, watching some series like Modern Family or Downton Abbey, playing with Stitch, playing Wii with my husband... Why? I don't know. I just like it. :)

3. If money were no object, what would you do with it? (i.e. travel, build a house, etc) I would adopt a baby from a third world country. Also, I would buy a land lot and build our dream house, with 4 or 5 bedrooms, 2 or 3 bathrooms, a huge kitchen, and a basement and garage. Oh, and a big back yard with swimming pool.

4. What do you hope to accomplish this year? Remodel some parts of our house and be a better wife.

5. What is your favorite Superbowl party recipe? Hmmm... we don't have Superbowl here, in Spain. And we don't pay too much attention to sports in our house... So we don't have any special recipe for that kind of events.

6. What is your favorite color? I love many colors: blue, pink, gray, brown...

7. What recipe do you like to make over and over? Mmm... macaroni and cheese. I love it!

8. What was your favorite childhood book? Harry Potter!

9. What did you want to be when you grew up? A doctor. In fact, my favorite toy when I was 4 was a skeleton. I could name all the different bones of the body. And I used to go everywhere with that skeleton {True story}. And then I changed my mind and wanted to be an English teacher.

10. Who should win at the Oscars this year? Hmmm I don't know who. But I think Puss in Boots should win!

11. Ryan Gosling or Justin Timberlake? Justing Timberlake. Hands down.

Questions for you

1. What is your most embarrassing nickname?
2. What makes you anxious or nervous?
3. What is your biggest fear?
4. Facebook or Twitter?
5. Dogs or cats?
6. What is your favorite recipe?
7. What are your resolutions for 2012?
8. Books or magazines?
9. What is your favorite color?
10. Worst part of the day?
11. Favorite part of the day?

I tag:

Alaina @ View From Down Here
Irene @ Me he perdido
Tatiana @ Living Life and Loving It
Rachel @ Dreaming of the Country
Elizabeth @ David and Elizabeth
Jessica @ You are my color
Jillian @ Teenage Bride
Maureen @ Adventures in the Underground
Amanda @ La Blondie Peruana
Mere @ Moments with Mere
Rebekah @ Life with the Edwards

Weekend Recap

2012-02-06T20:31:00.000+01:00

I could sum up my weekend with just three words: painting, painting and more painting.

We haven't finished our remodeling projects yet, but the good thing is that everything is turning out better than I expected!! Woo-hoo!

As I told you, on Thursday I finished our new shed. Ugh. It was so so heavy! But I did it!! And on Friday I proceeded to organize all the gardening tools, bikes and other stuff we had in our garage and old porch. It was a lot of work. But it was worth it. :)

This picture was taken with my phone... that's why it's so blurry!

And then on Saturday and Sunday we painted some walls of the staircase. I wished I had some BEFORE-AFTER pictures... but I forgot to take a photo of what it all loooked like before. Sorry! Just imagine every wall was white and full of holes and cracks.

Sorry these ones are blurry too. At this moment, my camera battery was dying... And yep, the stairs are all covered in dust. But don't worry, I already cleaned everything. Ha!

So this was our weekend! Exhausting, but so rewarding :)

How was your weekend?

Fill-in-the-Blank Friday!

2012-02-03T13:46:00.000+01:00

Oh my God! I'm alive! I can't believe I was able to get up this morning, have breakfast and write 5 articles today! My body is sore and my hands full of blisters and wounds... But I could get up this morning {cough, cough, at 8:30 AM, cough, cough}. Which made me almost cry in pain but also feel proud of myself... haha

Anyway. Today is Friday! So let's fill in the blank!

Link up with Lauren!

1. If money wasn't an issue, the first thing I'd cross of my life list is have a baby and sell this house, buy a lot and build our own house. With 4 or 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Oh, and a big backyard with swimming pool, please.

2. Cleaning the house, learn new languages, being a SAHW and making DIY projects is something I like that other people think is weird.

3. If my life were a movie right now, the title would be "A Freelance Writer Zombie... She can't move right now, but she'll find a way to eat your brains". Yep, that would be the title. I bet I'd win an Oscar .

4. Three things I am looking forward to this month are Valentine's Day , my finally remodeled staircase and a new porch! .

5. My favorite song to sing in the shower is hmmmm... Adele's "Someone Like You". .

6. If I found out that the production of McDonald's fries was ending this month, I'd go out and buy as much as I could tomorrow.

7. One thing I'll never grow tired of is eating popcorn and ice cream and watching TV with MJ in the evenings. Okay, I said 3 things instead of 1, but I can't choose only 1.

Have a great weekend!

P.S.: btw, there's a wonderful giveaway @ View From Down Here

Midweek Confessions on Thursday

2012-02-02T20:15:00.003+01:00

It's Thursday! I can't believe today is already Thursday! YAY!

Let's confess a few things today, ok?

Link up with E!

1. I thought that we would have finished one of our remodeling projects {the staircase walls} today. Ha! I was wrong. In fact, and to be honest, I have no idea when we'll finish that project. Maybe in two weeks? A month? Ugh.

2. I'm using the fact that we're remodeling our house as an excuse. My floors are dirty, covered in dust and plastic... But I don't clean, because it's going to get dirtier tomorrow, and the next day, and the following one... since we'll keep remodeling the house. So I don't clean. I don't vacuum. I find it useless. It's going to get dirtier anyway the next day. So I'll wait to the weekend to do some vacuuming and cleaning.

{via}

3. Yesterday we ordered this shed and today we received it. I was at home, and MJ was at his office. So obviously, I couldn't wait until he was home this evening to put up the shed. Even though the assembly instructions said clearly that 2 people were needed in order to set it up. But I thought "Oh, I'm sure I can do it!". Yep. And I could. Almost. Except for the roof. I'm too short for that. But everything has its consequences. And this time, the consequences are that now I have an 80-year-old lady's body. I can't move. I can barely type this post. And all of this because of my impatience.

You can see a little bit of what I could accomplish today...

4. Don't get me wrong. I don't mean to complain. I'm very happy and excited with all of the remodeling going on and how everything is already changing... But being at home, working as a freelancer and as a SAHW, means that as soon as I have some free time, I can't sit and relax. No, I have to start doing things by myself. I'm very active. I need to feel productive. I need to feel useful. Do we need to paint the roof? I'll do it. Oh, look! We have just received a shed! I'll set it up before MJ comes home to surprise him and make him proud of me {yep, I thought that}.

So these are my confessions today. We'll see if I can wake up tomorrow and write another post. I don't think I will. If I don't post, don't worry. I'll be in bed. Trying to recover from what I did today.

Hope you have a good day!

Gotelé

2012-02-01T11:47:00.000+01:00

Oh you don't know what gotelé means?

Lucky you!

See, in Spain, it's typical, common or maybe fashionable to have gotelé walls. And what is that? you may ask. Well, I've been trying to find a term to translate this, and have found different possible translations {stippled walls, textured walls, stuccoed walls, Artex...} , but I'm not quite sure which one is the best to use in this context. So I thought a picture would be a better description of what gotelé is:

This is gotelé. {via}

And that's what we have in every single house in Spain. Included mine. Obviously. In every room. And let me tell you something: it's a pain in the neck! You want to paint the wall? Sorry, but the gotelé is going to make it difficult for you. You want to put wall paper? Sorry, it's not going to happen. The previous owner decided to use the wall for shooting practice, and you have a gruyere cheese instead of a wall and you want to fix it? Sorry, but it's not going to turn out good. {Believe me, I've tried} {And btw, why do previous owners decide to use their walls for shooting practice? or maybe they thought it would be fun to have a wall full of holes? Please, I need to know}

{via}

And when the walls are cracking and the gotelé is falling down, you cannot just paint again. Oh, no. You have to call a professional and pay thousands of euros to have a decent wall. And you know what? That professional will paint the wall... with gotelé. Obviously. Because that's what people do in Spain. Gotelé everywhere. Olé!

And it's awful. I tell you. You can't do anything with this ksdnfue@kbfladskbye#dsnw {= insert the longest insult/swearword you know here} gotelé. And one of our remodeling projects is to paint the staircase walls, which are cracking and are in a very poor state. And guess what? They were painted using the gotelé technique, obviously.

So we had the brilliant idea to get rid of the gotelé. Once and for all. Because we're tired of all the inconveniences it causes and because we think it's the cheapest way to fix the staircase walls.

Ahem.

Well, I've been working on those walls since yesterday {my hands hurt, my arms are sore, I'm sweating like a pig... -btw, do pigs sweat??}, and all I can say is... who the hell invented gotelé?

Anyway. Hope you have a good day!

{Please, don't tell me who really invented this technique, because I would kill him, and then I'd go to prison and wouldn't be able to finish my remodeling projects... and that would kind of suck}

Ten on Tuesday

2012-01-31T17:18:00.000+01:00

1. After starting remodeling the porch, we have decided to remodel our staircase too. Today I've started this second remodeling project, after writing some articles... let's see how it turns out. I don't have very high expectations.

{via}

2. Modern Family and Downton Abbey are my favorite shows right now. They are just great.

3. In spite of what I said in no.1, I'm pretty excited about all the remodeling projects we're starting! Can't wait to see the final result!!

4. I've been a total failure baking cakes recently. They turn out tasting very good, but not as they are supposed to taste. It's frustrating! And I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.

5. Because of all the remodeling projects going on and my work, writing articles, translating and/or giving classes, my house is a mess. Again. Ugh. But I can't complain. I'm pretty happy with how things are now.

6. I'm also determined to organize better my kitchen. Right now I don't have time, so meanwhile, I'm browsing Pinterest for ideas.

{via}

7. MJ & I are studying German together. Every Thursday we spent the evening reading texts, doing exercises, studying vocabulary and reviewing grammar... I love doing this kind of things together! It reminds me of our college years. :)

8. Last week, I finally went shopping with my mom, and she bought me a coat, a skirt and a T-shirt {she's awesome, I know} :) And she only spent about €30!

9.I've been singing this song for weeks...

10. I'm missing the rain and snow from previous winters. I never thought I would say that. But after a sunny winter with no rain, that's all I want now. A rainy afternoon, drinking coffee while watching TV. Sigh.

Why do Mondays exist?

2012-01-30T16:10:00.001+01:00

I've been working this weekend {therefore I forgot to take pictures}, and the least thing I wanted today was to start a new week...

Oh, well.

It's Monday. I hate Mondays.

In particular, Mondays where I wake up at 6:00 AM and start working at 6:30 AM, and can't have lunch until 2:30 PM. I hate those days.

And today is one of those days. It's Monday. And I've been working for... 8 hours nonstop. Phew.

And 8 hours in front of my computer. My eyes and my head are about to explode. And now I have to walk Stitch, clean and organize the house and go shopping.

Friday... where are you? I need you to come soon.

Well, that's all I have to tell.

Work, work, work.

But at least, I'm excited about our new remodeling projects! YAY!

{Sorry it's such a lame post... I'm very tired and can't write coherent sentences... and it's only 4 PM!}

How was your weekend?

Fill-in-the-Blank Friday!

2012-01-27T16:07:00.002+01:00

Link up with Lauren!

1. My favorite place I've ever traveled to is Paris or Florence. Both are beautiful cities. And so romantic!

2. Brazil is somewhere I'd love to go someday.

3. I pass the time on a plane (or bus, or car ride or train) by sleeping, eating, reading or talking to MJ .

4. My three must-haves when I travel are an cellphone, snacks and my wallet

5. My favorite travel companion is my husband MJ :).

6. The craziest thing that ever happened to me while traveling is {well, it didn't happen to me} witnessing a coati stealing the passport and wallet from an Italian tourist and throwing them to the Iguazu Falls.

7. The most exotic food I've ever tried while traveling is Hmmm... I don't know. We eat snails here in Spain. I haven't tried anything more exotic than that.

Have a wonderdul weekend!

How Pinteresting!

2012-01-26T17:33:00.000+01:00

I've been addicted to Pinterest for a week or so... But it's not my fault! There are so many cute things and ideas out there!! At first I wasn't sure about the whole Pinterest thing, but now... I waste my time browsing through Pinterest and finding recipes, decoration tips, or just amazing quotes... I just love it!

These are my latest findings...

This is my dream kitchen. Don't you love it? {source}


What about this?? Dear Santa Claus, I want this bathroom for next Christmas. Thank you.

Or what about this one? {source}

Isn't this room beautiful?

{source}

Great storage idea! {source}

For the guest room, maybe? {source}

What about you? Are you addicted to Pinterest?

Midweek Confessions

2012-01-25T17:00:00.000+01:00

Link up with E!

Even though I'm super excited about our new porch and all the remodeling process, I'm a worrier and I'm feeling nervous, worried and anxious all the time. I think of all kind of unfortunate scenarios and lots of "what if" flood my head. It seems like I'm unable to enjoy any exciting moment in my life! Ugh.

***

Today I had lunch with my MIL and had a pretty good time. However, I didn't tell my mom I have had lunch with my MIL because I'm sure she would be jealous... {she would have loved to come with my MIL... but since my mom is sick, I preferred not to tell her about our plans}. And now I feel bad about it. I'm a bad daughter. I know.

***

I think I'm starting to be addicted to Pinterest. And that's not good...

***

I'm happy I made the decision of quitting my previous job. I used to worry about what other may think of me as a part-time freelancer and a full time SAHW. And you know what? I don't care. I know society puts a lot of pressure on what we should be doing, but I don't care any more. I don't care if my old classmates are working full time as translators in New Zealand or in Germany. I don't care if that girl has a very successful career or if that guy who used to be one of the worst students is now a famous interpreter. I'm happy with this change and my husband is happy too. And that's all that matters.

***

My biggest dream is not to be rich {although that would be great}, or to travel around the world {which would be awesome too}, or to be famous {I don't like that}, or to have a dog, a cat, a monkey and a horse {though that would be sooo cool!}... no, my biggest dream is being a mom. I know babies are not all smiles. Being a parent is hard. Really hard. It's a lot of work. And a endless learning process. For the child but also for the parent. But I'd love to experience all the bad and also GOOD things that motherhood brings.

***

And just because I wrote this, I don't want you to think I'm pregnant or I'm trying to have a baby. Because that's not the case. #justtobeclear

***

For all those people who ask my husband when we're going to try for a baby. Answer #1: it's not your business. Answer #2: it's not your business. Answer #3: it's NOT your business. Now if you ask that question, I won't say "it's not your business", because that would be rude and impolite. But what do you want me to say? The truth? Do you really want to know the truth? What if we don't want to have kids? Or what if we're not going through our best financial moment? Or what if we can't just conceive and are infertile? Do you really want to know? Don't you know you may be hurting our feelings by just asking those nosy questions? It's not your business. And it's starting to make us feel pretty uncomfortable.

***

Wow. I didn't want to sound angry or upset, because I'm not. But since this is a confession post, I needed to get it off my chest.

What about you? Any confession you want to share?

Ten on Tuesday

2012-01-24T16:18:00.002+01:00

1. I'm tired of hearing my neighbors fight. They've just come home from work, and they are already shouting! Ugh. I'm about to leave a note in their mailbox saying "Please, choose one: divorce or marriage counseling? Love, your anonymous neighbor."

2. Trying to focus on writing articles while my neighbors are shouting and fighting is not easy. Not at all. And the fact that I'm trying to understand what they are saying or why they are arguing is not helping either. #proudofbeingnosy

3. Our project of remodeling our porch is under way! Today we're paying a deposit and choosing the colors and style, and maybe in a month we'll have our new porch! YAY!

4. Tomorrow my MIL will come and spend the day with me! We'll have lunch together, so I'll have to finish my articles before she arrives. Which means I'll have to wake up at 6 AM to have time to write all the articles and organize/clean the house before she's here!

5. I love this print I made. Feel free to download and print it if you want!

I got the idea from Pinterest

6. Why is everyone pregnant or having babies? Is this some kind of baby boom?

7. My mom and I will go shopping this week. I don't like going shopping, but if my mom insists on paying everything, I can't say no.

8. I have no idea what we could have for dinner tonight. Any {easy&quick} suggestions?

9. I love that MJ & I are going to spend the rest of the afternoon/evening together, choosing the porch colors and going grocery shopping.

10. Is it weird that I love going grocery shopping with my husband BUT I hate going alone?

Weekend Recap

2012-01-23T16:29:00.004+01:00

This weekend was pretty good. With a few exceptions. But all in all, I can say this weekend was a good one.

On Friday I was starting to feel under the weather but I was quite excited to start a remodeling project...{I'll talk more about this later this week}

On Saturday we went for a walk to a park {picture 1& 2} and later we were invited to have lunch at my in-laws and... Oh my God! My MIL is such a great cook! The food was delicious! Hmmmm... I think I ate too much. But I couldn't stop eating. It was too good to say no! After spending the rest of the afternoon and evening with them, we headed home. With our car full of leftovers! YAY!

On Sunday, I woke up feeling even worse... I was officially sick. But that didn't stop us and went to a nursery to buy some plants for our garden {picture 3 & 4}... And it was such a beautiful day! I'm glad we decided to go. :) We had some yummy leftovers for lunch, and after that, I decided it would be a good idea to review some German lessons {yep, even though I was sick}, while MJ was playing computer games. And then I had the brilliant idea to try to make some cupcakes, using my new mixer.

Do you remember I cleaned my kitchen in depth last week? Well, on Sunday, after being for only 5 minutes in the kitchen... my dear clean kitchen turned into a mess of flour, eggs and chocolate. I'm not going to go into details... that would be very embarrassing. And I don't want anyone to laugh at me. But so that you can imagine better the situation: my kitchen was a complete disaster in only 5 minutes.

MJ found me laughing and crying at the same time. I didn't know that was possible, but I was actually laughing AND crying! I was laughing because I found hilarious that everything was covered in flour, eggs and chocolate after cleaning the kitchen in depth the other day, but I was crying because my new trousers were all dirty and I didn't have any other trousers to wear. Oh well...

MJ helped me clean the mess and I could finally make some cupcakes {5 & 6}. YAY!

It was not the best weekend, but it wasn't so bad either.

How was your weekend?

Friday!

2012-01-20T16:18:00.002+01:00

It's Friday! Woo-hoo!

And although today I'm feeling under the weather, and I'm impatiently waiting for my paycheck, and I have to drive to pick MJ from work... I'm happy because we're about to start one of our remodeling projects!

We're choosing our new future porch! YAY!

Not this one. This is just an example I found here.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

My Essentials

2012-01-19T17:27:00.000+01:00

Since my boss is a little behind and hasn't asked me to write any articles today {yet}, I decided to clean my kitchen in depth and organise all the cabinets. And then I thought it would be a great idea if I shared some of the things that have become essential in my routine. So today I'll talk about things that make my life as a housewife easier. And maybe they are useful for you too!

Cleaning wipes

{via} Sorry it's in Spanish.

There are many types. I use all purpose cleaning wipes, bathroom cleaning wipes, and mirrors/windows cleaning wipes. They work wonders and so easy to use. Thanks to them, I can clean all the furniture, kitchen, bathrooms, windows and mirrors in less than an hour!

Robot vacuum cleaner

{via}

While I'm writing a post, or my articles, or reading a book, this little thing is cleaning the floors/rugs/carpet of every room. And I can forget about it. Isn't it awesome?!

A good mixer

{via}

My first mixer was just a bad one, and it wasn't very useful. But this Christmas I got one of the best gifts ever. A good mixer. With tons of accessories and options. It doesn't have to be very expensive. My mom got mine for only €30-40! And with just one simple thing, like a mixer, I can do so many different dishes and desserts. I just love it!

A ceramic knife/peeler

{via}

I didn't know they existed! But they do, and they are great to cut anything. Meat, vegetables, bread... Anything and everything. Even your finger, so be careful! Another advantage is that these knives/peelers don't need sharpening! My father-in-law bought one for me and he told me it was very cheap!

Ziploc Bags {or any other brand}


{via}

I started using these bags some months ago and they are great! You can use them to freeze vegetables or meat, or to organize your make-up bag, for trips...

Lint roller

{via}

Having a pet means your animal will be shedding at least twice a year, which results in tons of hair everywhere: floor, rugs and... sofas and your own clothes. To face this I bought a cheap lint roller, and I've been using it everytime Stitch is shedding.

What are your essential items to cook or clean?

***

P.S.: I've updated my Etsy shop with new prints! Go and check them out!

Midweek Confessions

2012-01-18T13:08:00.001+01:00

Link up with E!

I've eaten pancakes and crêpes for two days in a row... Maybe that's too much? I don't know, but I'm planning more crêpes for Saturday and Sunday. They are too good to say no.

I don't like having showers in winter. It's sooo freezing cold in this house... that having to be naked, even with hot water, is something to be avoided.

I hate going to gas stations alone. I don't like it. Period.{I had some embarrassing moments in the past... which I'm not going to share here. Not yet} I always want MJ to come with me.

I talk to Stitch and I want to believe he understands what I say. Things like "Stitch, do you want to play?" or "C'mon, let's go upstairs". I'm not crazy. He understands what I say. I'm sure.

I don't like talking on the phone. It makes me feel nervous. I mean, if someone calls, it's okay. But when I have to call someone {except family and friends}, I start feeling anxious. Tell me I'm not alone!

I have compared the similarities between having a dog and a baby more than once. Babies win, though. They can learn more tricks in the long term. They can even speak! And you can take them to restaurants, hotels, planes...

Ten on Tuesday

2012-01-17T17:18:00.002+01:00

1. It's being a productive day! Laundry, lunch, shower, writing 5 articles, walking Stitch, preparing dinner... It feels good to do so many things!

2. Tomorrow I'm having lunch with my parents! So excited!! And maybe I'll go shopping with my mom later... I'm seeing a new pair of boots in my very near future...

3. And on Saturday I'm having lunch with my in-laws! My MIL is going to cook one of my favorite dishes! YAY for cool in-laws!

4. I'm so happy to finally have some plants and flowers in our balcony!

5. I love when Stitch decides to have a nap on my lap. :)

6. We're still considering which remodeling project will take place first. New porch? Or new garage door?

7. Yesterday we had the healthiest dinner ever: huge pizza and pancakes. And I'm proud of it.

8. However today was time to have some salad for lunch. Boo. It was good, though.

9. Can't wait to try a new recipe! I've seen this on Pinterest, and it looks so yummy!

10. I updated my Etsy shop last week, and added new prints! And I'll be adding some more this week!

Let's talk about...

2012-01-16T16:20:00.001+01:00

... cats. I'm not a cat person. Nor is MJ. We have always preferred dogs. But we never made the decision of never having a cat as a pet. Until this weekend.

And do you know why?

{via}

Well, it turns out MJ's allergic to them!

We didn't know until this Saturday, when we were invited to a friend's house. My friend and her fiance are getting married this spring and they asked me to be their photographer. YAY! So we were there, talking and drinking some chocolate in their living room, surrounded by my friend's beautiful cats. 4 cats, no less. All of them pretty cute. And sweet. My friend was talking about the advantages of having a cat instead of a dog, and MJ and I were starting to actually consider the option of adopting a cat... until MJ started sneezing. Ha!

Soon after this, he had a runny nose, sore throat and red swollen watery eyes.

As soon as the cats left the living room, MJ started to feel better. But when the cats returned, MJ's allergic reaction came back too.

We didn't say anything, and let my friend think MJ had just a cold. We didn't want her to feel bad or guilty.

But just when we were back in the car, MJ said "WOW, I'm allergic to cats and didn't know about it!". And it was then when we made the decision. We're not having cats, it's not an option... if I want MJ to stay alive. And I do. {Obviously}

So, this is our news from the weekend! Exciting, isn't it?

{Although we could consider the option of buying a hypoallergenic cat if that even exists...}

Little tips to be a good wife

2012-01-13T15:31:00.000+01:00

After more than a year of marriage, I can't complain. Our married life is pretty awesome, actually. And I know I'm a lucky girl. I married the most wonderful {at least most of the times} man in the whole world! But during this first year of marriage, I've also learned some important lessons to make that "happily ever after" come true. And today, since I'm in a good mood, I'll share with you some of these lessons to be a good or better spouse/partner:

♥ Don't make important decisions without taking into account your husband's opinion. Even if it's about decorating the guest bedroom. Guys aren't very interested in decoration {at least MJ isn't}, but since you're living under the same roof and sharing the same bank account, he'll love to know what you're doing with that room and that money. Right? Right. So do share your plans what him and make him take part in the decision.

♥ If you want or need some new clothes, don't make him go with you. Just go alone, with your mom or some girlfriends. Otherwise, you'll make him suffer. Guys hate going shopping, unless it's to buy some video game or new TV.

♥ Surprise! Surprises {good ones, please} are great excuses to break the routine and make your spouse feel special. Don't wait to long to surprise your husband with a special dinner, a trip or a little gift. It doesn't have to be something big. Just a detail to show your partner how much you care about and love him. I prepare special snacks for MJ once a week (cookies, sweets, pies, etc.), or I clean the whole house and organise all his things, let him buy a new game for Wii...

♥ Be patient. Your husband is as perfect as you are. Which means, you are NOT perfect. You are human. You two make mistakes and have good and bad days. Be tolerant and patient. Love him for who he is, and for all the things he does for you every single day.

♥ Respect. I think this is the most difficult aspect of the whole marriage thing. As much as you love your husband, marriage is not all about kisses and holding hands and saying "I love you" {which is also important} all the time. You must respect him too. Don't criticize him in front of other people, don't mock him or laugh at him, don't be rude. Insults should be banned. At least they are forbidden in our home. Speak respectfully, with good manners. He's your husband, the person you love the most and the person who loves you the most in this world. Doesn't he deserve respect? Also, be supportive. That's a very important thing in our marriage. If he has a dream, trust him, support him and help him make his dreams come true. I think respect and support are linked.

♥ Be thankful. Say "thank you". Always. And don't take anything for granted. He's helping you to clean the house? Say thank you. He's cooking dinner? Say thank you. It's not so hard. And it'll make him feel good.

♥ Forget about revenge. This is marriage, not war. If he did something that upset you, just tell him. But don't bear a grudge against him and, please, don't try to take revenge on him. He did laundry and all your white clothes are now blue? Well, he had good intentions, right? It was a mistake. That's all. Move on.

♥ Count. Yep, that's important. When all of the aforementioned tips fail, count. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... Until you feel better, then sigh, and count again. This way you'll avoid many arguments and fights. It's not a good idea to argue or talk about a sensitive topic when you're furious. Relax. It will help you to think, before you speak.

♥ No secrets, except for surprise parties and gifts. Enough said.

♥ Surprise parties and good gifts = good wife bonus!!

♥ Go out on a date once a week or once a month, {depending on your budget}. It doesn't have to be something spectacular. Just the two of you, holding hands, and going for a relaxing walk or to the movies.

♥ Be a 5-year-old kid again with your husband. It promises some good moments and memories.

♥ Laugh and smile. It makes everything better.

What about you? Do you have any tips to be a good wife?

Fill-in-the-Blank Friday!

2012-01-13T12:05:00.004+01:00

Link up with Lauren!

1. The last thing I ate was chocolate cookies and peach juice.

2. The last song I listened to was wow... I don't remember. It's been a week since last time I listened to some music! I know. Depressing.

3. Using the letters in my name I can spell {Chloe}...echo, hole, ole, cole, col., Leo, eco, CEO... .

4. If I had to dress in one color for the rest of my life I would pick blue, because as Lauren said, I can't live without my jeans...

5. If you were to look in my bag right now you'd find tickets, grocery lists, my wallet, some pens/pencils... and car/house keys.

6. When I finish filling in the blanks I'm going to clean and tidy up this messy house. I promise!.

7. My all time favorite song to dance to is Hmmm... I don't have any... but my favorite Just Dance3 song to dance is "Let's Go to the Mall" by Robin Sparkles! I'm just a little bit obsessed with HIMYM.

Happy Friday! Have a wonderful weekend!

It's OK...

2012-01-12T17:38:00.002+01:00

Link up with Amber and Neely!

... to be wasting my time redesigning my blog's header and profile picture {check them out tomorrow and tell me what you think!}

... to let the weather upset me.

... to totally forget to cook dinner! Ooops!

... to hate rainy/cloudy days.

... to eat way too much junk food/snacks while watching TV.

... to have nothing interesting to blog about today. Because I'm boring. And lazy. I had planned to write a more interesting post for today, but then I didn't feel like it, so... this is what you get from me today!

... to be too excited about my Etsy shop! I've added a few items!

What's OK with you today?

Midweek Confessions

2012-01-11T17:39:00.001+01:00

Link up with E!

I played the Sims 3 for three hours yesterday. Maybe too much? But I had already finished all the things that I had to do {writing articles, cleaning the house, walking Stitch...}. So I don't feel guilty.

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Being a SAHW and a freelance writer/translator is great, but sometimes it's sooo hard to get up early! All I want to do is to sleep in. haha

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Yesterday I stayed in my pjs all day... And when MJ was about to get home, I felt guilty and quickly got dressed.

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I wanted to clean the guest bathroom, but now I don't feel like doing it. So instead I'll be writing a grocery shopping list and preparing things to go shopping later this evening.

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I have baby fever AND puppy fever. What's wrong with me???

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This is my second post today, and I should be organising the living room instead... #addictedtoblogging

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Today we're having pizza for dinner and I'm way too excited about it. I love me some pizza... Nom nom.