Our 14th Wedding Anniversary at Ratsstube in Sinsheim

So, as usual, it's only my husband who remembered that our wedding anniversary is fast approaching, Meaning, he told us over dinner the night before :-D To the great disappointment of the girls, who always planned a surprise and wanted to shower us with gifts during this special day.

But because of too much happening around us, aside from moving into a new home and the still new experience of owning a coffeeshop and bakeshop, the girls forgave us for not giving them enough time to prepare something. They were happy to know that their Papa already know where to go for the special day.

And after a long walk in which they complained a lot (and I was grateful that I decided to change my high-heels into flats); we discovered the Ratsstube. We hesitated to enter the premises first because there was a sign that says no dogs allowed inside (arrgh!).

But because Rikki is a good girl (and maybe there's no other dogs around); they gave us a place in the spacious garden area.

And here's our dinner in photos:

Ratsstube Hotel, Restaurant and Butchery

Ratsstube

Our Aperitif: Hugo and Non-alcoholic Hugo for the girls

My Starter: Scallops with Mango

Valentine's Day 2015

A snowy Valentine's Day spent in a Black Forest camping ground

Prosecco cooling....

Valentine's Dinner inside our caravan, table decor courtesy of the girls...

A special Valentine's Day gift from the girls.

We hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!

A Photo Review: Brekers Restaurant in Callantsoog, The Netherlands

We decided to go to the Bekers Restaurant for our 12th wedding anniversary dinner during our vacation in Callantsoog this summer break.

Bekers Restaurant is located in Helmweg 9, 1759 Callantsoog, The Netherlands.

What impressed us about the restaurant? Well, I admit, seeing the restaurant's name plastered in most holiday brochures and posters around town intrigued me already. And then it was pure chance that we passed the restaurant when we were looking for the nearest grocery store.

I was impressed by the place plus the fact that they have a big porch area where costumers could enjoy dining el aire libre. Then when we stopped to check the extensive menu card, the mouthwatering items sealed the deal.

Our first mouthwatering appetizer, those dips
 are great and the fresh bread, too!

Your Quirk Quotient

Always neat and proper

What is your quirk quotient?

 I googled the phrase on top and what do you know, I got all kinds of hits.

Quirk quotients for picking up the latest styles and trends, quirk quotients to explore the wacky side of life, quirk quotients to keep one creative, quirk quotients to have a modern home, quirk quotients to keep up with the Kardashians ( ok, the last one I just made up J)…

It seemed most of the articles that focused on quirk quotient talked about the list of how to have a wonderful lifestyle, to be popular, to be creative, to be stylish, to be, you know, up there being loved by everyone because of your quirkiness made you special. Well, that could be.

But I would rather talk about the quirky side of the quirk quotient. Nope, we won’t choose between what is good or bad. There would be no positive or negative. There would be no do’s and don’t’s. I simply wanted to explore on personality quirks, which could be someone’s pet peeve, or anybody’s chance to show off his cute character or somebody’s else’s special way or but could also be on everybody’s list of irritating things they encounter daily or some quirks could also indicate a medical condition.

Read here.

Valentine's Day 2014

Yey, another day filled with hearts!

How do I know Valentine's Day is approaching? Because I am not allowed to go inside the girls' bedrooms, especially when they are both busy doing something (you know, like a surprise).

First, our doggie Valentine

Oh well, I have to create surprises of my own, too. But first, we all had to agree that the main Valentine celebration would be during lunch time.

I would have loved to go out for dinner but celebrating heart' day at home has become a tradition, as well as creating those Valentine surprises. What do we have for Valentine's Day this year?

Our 12th Wedding Anniversary

On our way back home from the Baltic Sea camping grounds

IC said it best, "how awful that we are spending your 12th wedding anniversary in the car!" I totally agree with her. It is a far cry from our past wedding anniversary celebrations: fine dining, all of us fully-made up and yes, relaxed.

Well, we had hoped to extend our camping along the Baltic Sea but the place is just fully-booked. Therefore, we had to spend our wedding anniversary folding our tent, packing our bags and saying goodbye to their newly-found friends in the camping ground, and then, driving back home (an almost eight hour drive!).

We had dinner in a resting area, and it was fine dining Burger King style :-) So my husband said, promise, we would make up for it on Sunday (it's a Saturday). What happened on Sunday? We stayed in bed until Rikki woke us up at almost 11 a.m.

60

My husband turned 60 today.
He was not enthusiastic greeting this day.
I guess, it's the round thing :-)

And his mood didn't miss the girls.

With her gift, MC gave Papa a short note:

Lieber Papa
alles Gute zum Geburtstag!
60 Jahre ist nicht zu alt.
Und die anderen können sagen was sie wollen!!! :-)

(Dear Papa, happy birthday. 60 years old is not to old. And the other people can say what they want!! :-D)

We all agree. It's not how old you are, but how much you enjoyed life :-)

The early morning candle blowing highlight.

So, I guess we would be celebrating tonight. And then tomorrow, and then on Friday, and then on Saturday, and then.... you know, just enjoying life.

Dear Papa, thanks for your patience in waiting for girls who doesn't have anything to wear. Thanks for driving us all over despite your wife having her own driver's licence. Thanks for cooking for us even though we sometimes complain on what you serve.

We love you!

Valentine's Day Breakfast

It's Valentine's Day and my girls have been looking forward to this day.

A few weeks before, they went shopping for gifts. A few nights before, they kept on reminding me about THE Valentine's day.

Last night, IC and MC voluntarily left me in the kitchen earlier than usual (they have a week school break), as if prodding me to start preparing. In fact, they asked me if they are still allowed to go down, an hour after they left me. You know, like asking if I am already setting the table, doing the decorations, laying down the surprises :-)

Our Valentine's Day Breakfast Table

Okay, okay, I got the hint. I told them they are verboten to go down because Valentine's day is about to start. I started baking the cake. I started creating paper hearts. I started setting the table. It was around 11 p.m. when I finally got to bed.

Heart-shaped Marble Cake

Then this morning, I woke up early simply because I could hear the girls partying in their rooms already! I decided to start early, feeding the dog and doing the final touches for our Valentine's breakfast.

Happy Birthday, Mein Schatz!

On the bridge in the Felsenmeer (Sea of Rocks)

Du bist der Beste!!!

ALLES GUTE ZUM GEBURTSTAG!

Hearts

A day before, I already told the girls over and over that tomorrow is Valentine's Day. I don't want to hear them grumbling that they were not able to prepare for that special day. For us, it has become a tradition to celebrate Valentine's day at home. Actually, it is not as big celebration as in the Philippines.

I know that they would want to see hearts all over the place. Well, I am prepared to indulge them.

Valentine's Day came. I prepared heart-shaped sandwiches for their school snack boxes. They got heart-shaped cake pieces for breakfast.

Lunch time. I cooked pork mixed with potatoes and cabbages. I served it with rice topped with a heart-shaped bell pepper with a side dish of a heart-shaped toast with a heart-shaped cheese slice.

The table decor is filled with hearts, too, which included the heart-shaped perfumed candles and the heart-shaped glass coasters.

For dessert, the kids wanted a heart-shaped scoop of ice cream; which of course, is impossible. At least, they loved the dessert, if not it's shape.

Well, my girls loved the heart-filled lunch. My husband loved that I have a sekt ready. The girls got their kiddie wine while I poured sekt.

My Valentine gifts? The usual :-D

A huge orchid plant from my husband, a mini orchid plant from MC and an unusual no-pot 'real' plant from IC who said, 'Mama, you need to water that plant because I forgot to do it yesterday!!).

But the hearts didn't end there. At night, I discovered a love letter filled with hearts from IC tucked under my pillow, for a heart-filled sweet dreams :-)

My Husband Cooks

One of the things I love about my husband? Is that he won't hesitate to take-over in the kitchen -- cook and clean, too.

Just a few weeks ago, we had last-minute lunch guests. A lovely husband and wife team ( I kid you not).

Well, they arrived from the Philippines a few days earlier. The husband is in Frankfurt on business, the wife for pleasure, of course! These are good friends of mine; and my husband knows them very well, too!

IC is actually the godchild of the wife and is looking forward to the visit; just like her big sister, MC. Both looking forward to the presents, too :-D

My husband said they are in Germany so they would have real German food. I didn't disagree especially since that means he would be cooking!

That same morning, he got busy for his lunch guests the next day. He listed down the menu and shopped for the ingredients.

Early morning on our lunch date, he informed us of the menu: Mashed Potato, Rotkohl (Red Cabbage), Kotelett (Cutlets). There's various cheese, cold cuts and fresh tomatoes as appetizers. Drinks include sekt, alcohol-free beer and radler and for the girls, apfelschorle and water.
He prepared the ingredients and cooked all alone. I tend to disappear from the kitchen because he uses a lot of kitchen articles (pots, pans, utensils, etc) and I hate disorder when I am in the kitchen. Every once in a while I check if he needs help in clearing a space... and that's when I am given the chance to tidy up after him. (And yes, he cleans up afterwards; but sometimes I just cannot help throwing things into the dishwasher as soon as he is done with something.)

The girls and I helped him by decorating the dinner table. We used apples as place markers and placed leaves, nuts and apples as decor; and added our gifts for them (consist of homamade preserves).
My husband's lunch was a success. All the plates were empty but there's enough space for dessert.

The dessert is my creation: colorful glass dessert. Simply because my husband is not a sweets fan. His dessert is usually of a scoop of ice cream with chopped fruits and whipped cream on top; or a bowl of chopped fresh fruits.

My husband cooks. He's got his own favorite recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He bakes, too. Speaking of which, he absolutely hates frozen french fries therefore he makes time to choose the right potatoes, peel them, chop them and cook them. And most importantly, he cleans the kitchen afterwards.

Back from the Hairdresser

I told the hairdresser I wanted a wash-and-wear hair style.

No fuss.

Just a spot of gel or a spray of mousse and hair done.

Something like this...

But the hairdresser said it is too short for the coming autumn. What with the ears all free and not to mention the neck and throat!

Well, I am easy to convince.

So I ended up looking like this...

And then I woke up :-D

Oh yes, it was not a dream. I indeed have a shorter hair.

But I look better than the one in the pic, that's according to my loving husband!

10th Anniversary

I am making sure I won't forget this time!

The past wedding anniversaries, it was always my husband who would remind me.

And so I guess, our anniversary story remains the same...

Because last week, he was calling our favorite hotel-restaurant for a reservation and I was looking at him perplexed. You see, we have more than enough harvest in our garden that we said we won't dine out nor buy fresh veggies and fruits for the next months.

That he was calling the hotel-restaurant where we celebrated our wedding in 2001, didn't even register. I was going to tell him to cancel the reservation when he said, 'Of course, you would forget. It's our 10th anniversary, mein Schatz!'

Ooopsss...

And so today I am making sure. I have scheduled this post :-D

Mein Schatz, Happy 10th Wedding Anniversary!!! Ich liebe dich sehr!

This anniversary is extra special because of what we have gone through the past years, not easy, no, not easy -- but see, we are still together. And I hope to be celebrating forever with you and the girls.

As usual, our wedding anniversary would be enjoyed with the girls. Who, I am pretty sure, are already preparing their outfits for the day. I would love to wear my wedding dress, I hope I'd fit!

Love and Bikinis

It happened while posing in front of the mirror wearing my bikinis...

I was feeling a bit naughty and so I asked my husband, 'Darling, do you think my bikinis shrunk or do I need to diet?'

And so he said, 'I think that your bikinis need to diet.'

Love and bikinis.

Love is blind.

Love is bikini blind!

But I am not. Blind that is. So I packed my bikinis to go on a diet first.

And declared my love to my husband. Who, I know now, is definitely bikini blind!

P.S. Just in case you need oversized clothes in Germany, here.

Our 9th Wedding Anniversary

August 10, 2010 at 6:30 am -- Not yet fully awake, I saw my husband leaving what seems to be something white near me. Squeezed between the sleeping girls, I cannot move to find out. You see, the night before, the girls and I decided to have our special bonding night where we camped in front of the living room and watched TV until late.

Around 8 am, I woke up and almost forgot about that something white. It fluttered on the floor. I saw it was a letter. I saw it was an anniversary love letter!

Oh my, shame on me. I completely forgot our wedding anniversary. When I told the girls, they also complained saying it is unfair. 'Why did you not tell us earlier? Then you are to blame if you wont get any gifts from us,' they said.

To atone, I declared that the whole day would just be a family day, as every wedding anniversary celebration we had. The girls could choose where we would go and do during the day and I could choose where we would have dinner. Everybody agreed!

Traditionally, we always celebrate our wedding anniversay in the hotel-restaurant where we had our wedding reception; but since we are in the Philippines and not in Germany -- we just enjoyed the memories of that day and that place.

We went to SM Mall of Asia, the largest mall in Asia -- and had a beautiful wedding anniversary celebration while enjoying shopping and stuffing ourselves with the tasteful offers in the different restaurants and food stalls around the mall.

Since I was the one who forgot our wedding anniversary this year, I paid everything :D Which was rewarded with, 'Mama, when is your next wedding anniversary? Let's do this again.'

That's precious!

A Mom = A Wife

When something goes wrong,

A mom must keep her cool. Hugging her kids to her. Telling them it is alright.
A wife must keep her cool. Hugging her husband to her. Telling him it is alright.

When something goes right,

A mom must cheer to tears. Hugging her kids to her. Telling them they are the best.
A wife must cheer to tears. Hugging her husband to her. Telling him he is the best.

When nothing goes,

A mom must find her cool and her cheers. Hugging her kids to her. Urging them to go and have fun!
A wife must find her cool and her cheers. Hugging her husband to her. Urging him to go and have fun!

It's our 8th

Eight years ago, I realized I found the man I wanted to marry.

Eight years ago, the man I wanted to marry realized he wanted to be married to me.

Today, we are celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary.

The yearly wedding anniversary tradition was to dine in the hotel/restaurant where we had our wedding reception nine years ago. We always celebrate with our two girls, since they are the blessings from our being together; since they sealed our marriage with additional love.

What are we going to do tonight? Let's wait and see. All I know is that waking up together is already a celebration.

I am so Beautiful

My husband gave me this bunch of flowers last week.

Why? Simply because he saw it and he thought of me.

And you know what? He made me feel so beautiful and so loved.

Spontaneous actions are the sweetest, right?

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Our Valentine's Day

The kids were 'secretly busy last night.

MC and IC quietly slipped out and armed themselves with color pens, paste and papers; some glitters and decors, too. And they warned me: do not go in our rooms and that I should come only when they call for help.

This morning, I woke up being tickled and kissed. Then the girls and my husband gave me these cards. I got an invite to my favorite restaurant from my husband and the girls gave me their Valentine-flavored cards.

MC wrote everything by herself. My seven year old is making me real proud :D

She wrote:

Für Mama, alles gute fur VPalentinstag,

wünschen wir dir

14 Februar 2009

Liebe Mama

Rough translation:

For Mama, we wish you a happy Valentine's Day

14 February 2009

Dear Mama

Another gift is this orchid we got yesterday from Ikea. I knew it would be my Valentine's day gift but of course I pretended not to notice.

Now I gave my husband a cap and a bottle of sparkling wine that we would drink tonight and I gave the girls a stick on tatoo with glitters and chocolate-shaped chocolates. After all, Valentine's day is not only for lovers but for families, too.

How did we spend a family-filled Valentine's day? Since it snowed last night, we decided to go with the kids to the mountains to sled.

How sweet it is to be loved?

Love comes in small and simple packages, too.

My hubby brought me home a surprise. A second hand pocket book in English.

You cant always find used books in English here. And I do love books.

In turned out that an officemate of him is selling her collection of English books. He thoughtfully grabbed one as a surprise for me.

And there's more. He asked his officemate to give him a list so I could choose more books.

Oh, yeah, how sweet it is to be loved!