Grace

Destination: Marianske Lazne

Published on May 14, 2014May 13, 2014 by Grace1 Comment

Between all the visits and my husband’s busy work schedule these past few days, we were able to squeeze in a short trip to Marianske Lazne, one of the most popular spa destinations in this country.

It is located in the Western part of the Czech Republic and is a 2-hour drive from our place.

This town is made up of romantic colonnades, cozy hotels, and places for varied seasonal sports activities.

The city is quite small, and it is enough to walk through it in one day. Our main goal was to go to the Krizovy (Cross) spring pavilion.

It is the main pavilion in the Colonnade where one can taste the spring waters from the 6 different springs in this town.

There are 6 main springs in Marianske Lazne, all of them with different ionic concentrations and each one believed to cure different illnesses.

Here you can see my husband enjoying his cup of the spring water.

We then proceeded to walk towards the fountains. Jakub was having the time of his life running around, jumping and what have you.

Its tranquil gardens were awe-inspiring and certainly adds to the beauty of the place.

The architecture of the colonnade itself is very remarkable. It speaks volumes of the grandeur of this place.

Walking around town, the buildings also didn’t fail to impress. Even regular houses were already quite grand.

This one even looks like a castle in a fairytale.

Not sure if this is a house or a hotel. But either way, in my eyes, the architecture is impressive.

Anyhow, I’m glad we visited this place. I hope that the next time we come back, it will be for a week of relaxation in this beautiful place.

Got Whipped?

Published on April 25, 2014 by Grace6 Comments

I did. It was Easter this past weekend.

In keeping up with Easter tradition here in Czech, the females in my family were whipped by the males. It doesn’t matter what age, gender is all that matters.

Here, my sister-in-law got whipped by her own son.

Even my very young daughter got her share of whipping too.

Luckily, her Tata kept a watchful eye and held her close for comfort.

And yes, it may sound way too weird, but the rationale behind the whipping actually makes a lot of sense.

It is done to ward off bad spirits and ensure good health all throughout the year, for the person whipped . More about this practice can be found in my previous post here.

Meanwhile, when we got home, it was time to eat the choco Easter bunny that Jakub got from our Swiss friends.

At first, he was a bit hesitant to eat it as he had been attached to it after waiting too long for this moment.

Here he is giving it one last kiss.

But in the end, his love for chocolate still prevailed.

Crunch! Off went the bunny’s tail.

And of course, he wasn’t the only one devouring this tasty treat. His chocoholic mama “helped him out.”

No wonder somebody escaped from her play gym.

Anyhow, I hope you had a great Easter weekend!

Babies Bonding

Published on April 16, 2014 by Grace2 Comments

These past few weeks, I consider myself lucky to have been visited by good friends. On my last entry, I mentioned about the Swiss family that visited us. This past week, our good friends from Innsbruck came by for a visit.

My friend Melba, with her daughter Nat, came and stayed with us for a couple of days. Nat and Michaela were born a few months apart. It was the first time they met.

It was fun seeing the girls bonding with Jakub.

It was also interesting to see them talking to each other in their own little world.

We got them identical bows, and placed them together in a mat for a photo shoot.

But it was a little bit difficult to get them to stay still and look at the camera. Something else is always more interesting.

Until finally….

…Bam! We eventually managed to get the coveted shot.

But more than anything else, the visit was more valuable for the mommies. It was very therapeutic for Melba and I to talk about our experiences in raising kids in a multicultural household, adjusting to life in a foreign land, and most especially about adjusting to life as a stay-at-home mom.

We never got the chance to visit a lot of places due to the weather and to the children’s moods, but I had a great time just chatting with Melba and seeing our kids playing together.

At the end of their visit, Nat’s dad and her grandma picked them up. Obviously, they have been missed.

Luckily, we managed to get a group shot before they left.

I wish we were closer so a visit like this can be done more often. But I can’t complain. At least we get to see each other almost every year.

A Swiss-Filipino Family Came to Town

Published on April 7, 2014 by Grace1 Comment

I didn’t realize that it’s almost been a month since my last post. Life has been going at full speed and I hardly have time to pen down my thoughts.

Anyhow, we had some guests from Switzerland last week. It was my friend Mayette, her Swiss husband Thomas, and their very cute daughter, Thomara.

I’ve known Mayette since my university days, and we recently reconnected after knowing that both of us are married to Europeans.

After a long trip to and from Sweden, they decided to swing by Czech Republic. Jakub had a blast when he got an early Easter bunny, with nothing but the best chocolate – Lindt.

Their daughter Thomara is only a month older than Michaela, so they are technically batchmates. It was funny getting the two babies to meet.

Looking eye to eye, they look like they couldn’t believe there’s actually another person the same size as them.

We finally got them to look at the camera, but were unable to goad them in eliciting a smile.

There was a little bit of movement, as they got curious about the other.

But after putting them in the car, they both went down easily.

My little boy on the other hand, acted like an older brother.

He was happy to look after the girls while their parents were busy taking pictures.

And here he is happily posing for a photo with our guests.

We brought them to Kutna Hora and to Prague, but three days was not enough to see everything.

They did say they were going to come back and we are really looking forward to that. Otherwise, we will have to visit them in Switzerland.

M’s first Visit to Grandparents

Published on March 10, 2014March 8, 2014 by Grace3 Comments

Last weekend, we visited my in-laws in Moravia. It was Michaela’s first visit to her grandparents. The trip took us 2.5 hours one way and it was her longest car trip yet. Both her and her brother behaved so well. She was sleeping most of the time which made it a very smooth one.

When we got there, she immediately warmed up to her grandparents. Here she is playing with grandpa….

…and posing for a shot with grandma.

It was also my father-in-law’s birthday celebration, so the following day most of our family came by.

She was quite apprehensive with Aunt Romana and Grandma Marta (mom-in-law’s sister).

But she comfortably fell asleep in Aunt Hanka’s arms.

The boys didn’t care much about the new baby. They were busy doing their thing — running around.

This is the usual scene. The usual suspects in action. Where am I? Doing what I like best —taking pictures!

And of course the day is never complete until somebody cries.

But all in all, the visit went very well. Our little princess was happy for the most part.

I hope your weekend was great as well.

Let’s Go to Vegas: A Guide to Sin City

Published on February 26, 2014February 26, 2014 by Grace1 Comment

This year, I am opening a new category in this blog called “Travel Picks.” In this category, I am collaborating with travel experts and fellow bloggers on their favorite places to travel.

My first contributor for this series is Kendra Thornton, a mother of 3 and an expert traveler. Before being promoted to the full time position of mom, she was the former Orbitz Director of Communications where she was able to travel a great deal. She now lives in Chicago with her family, where they are her number one priority in everyday life.

Kendra and I have come up with this article about Las Vegas, her favorite place to travel. So if the travel bug has hit you already, then let’s go to Vegas.

Over 40 million travelers head to this oasis in the Midwest for some excitement and daring entertainment. Las Vegas is an incredible vacation spot known for its casinos and celebrity shows. It’s where you can see Britney Spears perform live or catch the famous Cirque du Soleil “O” show on the strip. There’s so much to do in this town, and these are just a few of my favorite places when travelling to Sin City.

CSI Fans: Get a Closer Look
If you love the show “CSI: Las Vegas,” you can get an up close look at the television program at CSI Las Vegas at the MGM Grand. You get to experience the show and truly become apart of the crime scene experience. Visitors enter into a crime scene, collect information and help solve the case. Of course, it’s not always so obvious who the killer is.

Relax at Mandalay Bay
When traveling to Las Vegas with friends, there’s always one day when you need to just unwind and take a chill pill. Mandalay Bay’s Beach is perfect for that. There are several pools here with nearby tiki bars. You can grab a floating tube and just float for hours in pure bliss. Kids also can enjoy the wave pool, lazy river and water slides.

Pink Jeep Tours in Las Vegas

The main attraction for any Las Vegas traveler is the strip. It’s gorgeous at night, but there’s a whole other side to Las Vegas’ beauty on the outside. Pink Jeep Tours provides an adventure tour that takes you through the sights surrounding Las Vegas. You can take an air helicopter ride or hop into a Pink Jeep from your hotel and zoom across the Southern Nevada desert. Your guide will provide a totally unique experience and even take you on a day trip to the Grand Canyon.
Fine Italian at Its Best
The best Italian cuisine you’ll find in Vegas is at D.vino at the Monte Carlo in Vegas. It’s a gorgeous restaurant with a unique atmosphere that works for both romantic occasions and family groups. They have delicious food like stuffed zucchini, and you won’t find a better wine selection than at D.vino. The restaurant has an Enomatic system that has 18 exquisite selections of wine that are incredibly hard to find anywhere else. You can taste all the wine in 1oz, 2oz or 5oz pours.
Las Vegas is a wonderful place to travel with friends and even family! With its hotels catering to every type of traveler and family, it is a truly a unique oasis. Sites like Gogobot make it even easier to read user reviews so you can feel even more comfortable about your hotel purchase.

A Walk in the Woods

Published on February 19, 2014 by Grace6 Comments

The weather has been slowly getting better in our side of the world, so I took my kids out yesterday for a walk in the woods. Why the woods? Well, you might as well say that I am slowly becoming Czech. The malls are not as appealing as the woods anymore.

Anyway, here are a few pictures I was able to snap.

My little boy is growing so fast, and he really enjoys his new role of being a “big” brother. While I was busy looking for things to photograph, he took over and pushed the stroller of his baby sister.

Tired of doing it the regular way, he is experimenting with other ways on how to move it.

At this point, I took over for fear that he may accidentally flip the stroller with his sister inside. Instead, I asked him to lead the way.

He obliged and even told me: “Don’t worry, mom. I will protect you and Michaela.”

The end of the trail is the entrance to the city center through this bridge.

There was nobody during that time. It is still winter, afterall.

But we did see a fisherman on the river. He was fishing while Jakub was feeding the ducks and swans.

A new set of exercise bars were also built in a little space by the river. I think they finished it last year, but I didn’t see it because I was too lazy to walk towards this side of town when I was still pregnant with my daughter.

When the temperatures finally go up, I think I would like to use one of these bars for fitness.

But for now, I’ll just enjoy short walks with my kids.

Despite the cold, it was a very nice walk. Definitely another day well spent.

How are you coping up with winter in your side of the world?

My Pretty Girl is Pretty Fat

Published on February 13, 2014 by Grace4 Comments

Perhaps the biggest advantage of being a stay-at-home mom is that you get the see your children grow up. I am experiencing it now.

My little girl is growing up fast. At 3 months, she is now 6+ kg. They say that breastfed babies are less heavier than their formula-fed counterparts, but this one is quite the contrary. She is heavier than her brother when they were both at the same age. Just for comparison, here are photos of them in the same outfit.

This was Jakub at 3 months.

And now this is Michaela.

Being a second child, she gets to inherit her brother’s hand-me-downs. I hate throwing away such good stuff, so I am making her wear Jakub’s old outfits. Although, I bought a couple of headbands to give it a little feminine touch.

Even though she is heavier, she is still within the ideal range, so I’m not so worried about setting her up for obesity. I’m pretty sure that when she is able to run, she will be as active as her brother and will easily lose all those baby fats.

Jakub was pretty chubby when he was a baby too. But now he is very lean because he’s getting taller. I actually wanted him to gain a little bit more weight, but can’t really complain because he is very healthy.

Here’s both of them now.

Anyhow, I am happy to have this chance to stay home with them. I will never trade it for anything else in the world.

Back from Hibernation

Published on February 3, 2014 by Grace5 Comments

After a very long absence, I am now back from hibernation. Not a lot of exciting adventures lately, as we have been confined at home. I’ve had my own share of motherhood challenges, but everything is ok now. Things are slowly getting back to normal. My new “normal,” that is.

Winter is relatively mild on this side of the globe compared to what the people in the US East Coast is now experiencing. Temperatures are sub zero during night time but has been consistently positive during the day. We’ve had a little snow but it is now slowly melting.

So what’s new? Well, for one. My daughter is now 3 months old and at a stage where her schedule is more predictable. She is getting more and more curious about the world around her and somehow seems to communicate through babbling.

Here is a quick photo I snapped of both my kids.

I am also starting to standardize our daily routine. It is very difficult to manage a household with two very young children. Although I am very happy that my eldest is at a stage where he is completely independent and even helps me out. He is the one opening doors for me when all three of us are out and about for our daily walk in our neighborhood. I haven’t been in contact with the general public since winter set in. It is pretty tough.

I couldn’t just go to a Starbucks shop and get a good cup of coffee these days. Well, there is no Starbucks in this town.

Anyhow, we managed to bring Starbucks home — coffee beans straight from the Starbucks shop in Prague.

It is the perfect pair for these shortbread cookies which we got as a gift from a friend.

We also managed to get a taste of California through this bottle of Chardonnay from Tesco.

There is nothing special about this wine, but it is the perfect pair for fish or pasta on these cold winter nights. Reminiscing our life in California gives me a warm feeling inside.

If the forecast is right, it should get warmer towards the end of this month. Once it does, we will be on travelling mode again. I am anxiously awaiting the new adventures that lie ahead.

Happy New Year to all of you!

Our Very Own Czech Christmas

Published on December 28, 2013December 28, 2013 by Grace9 Comments

Our Christmas this year was spent at home. Jakub is already old enough to understand and remember, so we decided to make it a semi-traditional one.

On Christmas morning, Jakub and my husband helped me set up the table. They made this traditional Christmas decor to adorn the table.

One of the traditions here in Czech during Christmas is the consumption of dried fruit preserves. And guess what? It can also be used as a decoration. I am not really sure about the meaning of this, but it’s supposed to symbolize the world. (Although it looks like a spaceship to me.)

In the Philippines, Christmas involves heavy meals with an abundance of food all throughout the day. Needless to say, it is one of those times when it’s ok to pig out. But here in Czech, people fast prior to dinner with the belief that one is eventually rewarded with the sighting of a golden pig. You can read more about it here.

This is the part of the Christmas tradition that I don’t like. To keep up with tradition, we only had fruits for lunch. By 3pm, Jakub got so hungry he would eat anything. It was quite funny that he kept asking me: “what’s that, Mom? Can I have it?” He would eat onion if I let him. Thus, to end our misery, we ended up having dinner around 4pm , just after sunset.

Another tradition is to eat fish, usually carp, at dinnertime. In our case, we had carp soup which my husband made. I’m not a very big fan of fish soups, but it was pretty tasty.

But our main course was salmon. I don’t like carp that much, so Salmon was a compromise. At least it’s still fish.

A very significant difference in tradition is that Czechs believe that Little Jesus brings the gifts, not Santa. But since we are a multi-cultural household, Santa is still a part of our Christmas story.

It was quite difficult to make the Santa story work since we didn’t have a fireplace. So, I made up a story that Santa got sick and told Little Jesus to bring Jakub’s gifts for him. Jakub bought it. After all, he is only 3. Still very young and impressionable. He had a grand time opening his gifts from Little Jesus and Santa.

Even my little daughter was very cooperative. She allowed all of us to have a decent family dinner and was just watching us from her rocker. She just recently started to smile which really charms me and made me forget all the hardships we’ve been through.

and here’s another priceless moment…

Everything went very well and it left all of us happy and satisfied.

I hope yours was great as well. Best wishes for the coming year!

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