Chocolate Pumpkin Mascarpone Mousse with Crunchy Oats and Raspberries

I know the title as itself is a mouthful! You must try this healthy dessert! Yes, yes, no doubt it’s healthy after all the Christmas & New Years feasting… or is it just me. Without further ado,  here is the recipe! (OK, take a look at glasses! This recipe is for five small glasses, not big … More Chocolate Pumpkin Mascarpone Mousse with Crunchy Oats and Raspberries

Linna in action!

This is good! I like where it is going! Sometimes Linna likes to help. Whenever I ask – she doesn’t want to help. She likes to come and help every time I keep my mouth shoot and ignore here. Nice! Now I will have new tactics! I will start cleaning something and I hope, I … More Linna in action!

Banana muffins

Never had banana bread or cake.. or muffins before! Everyone is jumping high and sharing success with banana bread and I was like “No way!”. I don’t like baked bananas… There is a recipe for baked bananas and add ice cream on top. Crazy! Not for me! My favorite pancake recipe includes mashed banana… there … More Banana muffins

Happy New Year!

I have spent some time thinking about what my priorities will be for the year 2018… First of all, I want to summarise the year 2017!     Have you already taken some time to get your priorities in order? I’d love to hear from you all in the year 2018 too! Happy New Year! Ilze

Date night!

I’m late on blogging today cause yesterday was the first time in four years I and Janis went out without our girls! Just two of us at a local youth party!     We met few friends and Janis brother there 🙂 It was like a “local” party with entrance fee and free food 🙂 … More Date night!

Happy Mail Day #7

What I got in the mail I mentioned in yesterday’s blog post? The best thing I could get after such a crazy&stressful  morning I had two days ago! Tea and cookies from my blogging friend GrumpyTyke! What a lovely box! Thank you!!! It was right on TIME! Really! How did you do that!? I had real Yorkshire … More Happy Mail Day #7

Crazy Morning

“Beautiful sunny morning!” I said to Janis. “What’s the date today!?” asked Janis. I lost my voice! I had a very serious appointment, that can’t be missed… “OMG! it’s 14th of December I had an appointment yesterday!!!” I run to the computer, then bookshelf. Looked for “important” papers! And went back to the computer. “What … More Crazy Morning

Cones, Spruce cone

Saw something in the top part of the electricity pole… near our house. Just lead by curiosity I went out and took my camera with me. What can it be? Finally, the closest spruce is having wonderful cones this year. I don’t know if it’s planted there, but it’s not very high 2,5 meters.. or … More Cones, Spruce cone

Sad girls…

…they were sad when I said “NO!” to snow angels and jumping around in snow cause they were all dressed up for going to Gulbene! Yes, we have separate cloth for city and home! Otherwise, you can’t survive in the countryside! And it doesn’t matter actually, cause when I told, that we are going to … More Sad girls…

Monster Truck!

My new neighbor Lāsma and I we had a walk a few weeks ago. I have three girls and I went outside for walks constantly.. in the mud, in the snow, in the sand… Never ever had a problem! But look at this! 🙂 This was funny for a moment, but actually – got a bit … More Monster Truck!

Hand knitted socks

Hand knitted socks are something our family love! All my girls have wool socks to wear in boots when going out in winter. When we have to wait until our central heating heats up the house, wool socks are just in time!  My mom makes all our wool socks! More than 20 pairs per year!!! Starting … More Hand knitted socks

Happy Mail Day #6

Another thing for cardmaking. Not just “another thing”! Something I wanted for ages but wasn’t ready to spend 105,- Euro! Now it’s here and I got it for a half price cause it’s used but it was written: “Condition: Like” I usually don’t believe but this time it really is “like new”!!! Bargain! Introducing, my … More Happy Mail Day #6

Savoury Eggy Bread

Another breakfast simple savory breakfast food! This one even doesn’t need a recipe, but I will post it anyway. This is something my mom made for breakfast when bread got “hard”.  We never wasted food (we can’t afford that!) and now I don’t waste food cause I thought well! That is how I grew up – … More Savoury Eggy Bread

Happy Mail day #5

Decide to number my happy mail days… reason!? Can’t name the reason… Anyway! Happy! Another metal die for cardmaking is here and I promise myself to use it whenever have time to make a card! This variety of different sized rectangles with a stitched edge was my dream ever since started the card making.It’s mine … More Happy Mail day #5

Oh, it’s a full moon!

Girls were driving me crazy at the weekend! I couldn’t explain why! They were so active and challenging! Fighting with each other, running, jumping, banging head and believing that they can fly… form sofa to armchair! Helmī was the craziest, the most active, the fastest, the crybaby and the extreme sports winner for sure! I would say discoverer … More Oh, it’s a full moon!

Happy Mail Day #4

It’s interesting how I made friends by blogging! Last week I received lovely watercolor prints made by my blogging friend Jodi from USA! She is such an inspiration to me! When I first saw her blog I wanted to grow up and be like her! Now I know, that everything is in my hands! She is … More Happy Mail Day #4

First Sunday of Advent

Today is the First Sunday of Advent.  We lighted the first Advent candle and had time together. The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming,”. The Advent season lasts for four Sundays leading to the celebration of Christmas.     In Latvia, we are celebrating “Christmas” on  Christmas Eve and Santa will come on … More First Sunday of Advent

Happy Mail Day #3

Yes, Yes, Yes! It feels like I’m back to cardmaking! I began to order die cuts and embossing folders, get creative and spend time in my craft corner! Usually, I have to wait from 3 weeks to 2 months for the package to travel to Latvia.  The best part is to receive it finally and to open … More Happy Mail Day #3

Hate doing laundry!

Normally day starts with loading and unloading a washing machine… hang cloth for air-drying… iron/fold and put “in place”. Imagine that?! Right every day – once or twice a day. I hate doing laundry and especially if all my effort is down the drain cause may be “the water is too hard” or “the washing powder isn’t … More Hate doing laundry!

Card Making

Handmade Christmas cards aren’t cheap but they are unique and made by a person, not a machine. I started to make cards when I was pregnant with my first girl in the year 2012. I’ve been through a lot of phases since then: had time, didn’t want to see cardmaking stuff, had time and loved … More Card Making

Very Free Range

A few days ago we were visiting Janis uncle and talked about how easy/hard is to keep free range chickens for eggs. I know I’m not that type of person who can remember feed animals every day, and clean after them… As kids, we have rabbits at my grandmother’s house. Me and my brother we … More Very Free Range

Linnas Godfather

Our beloved Linna’s godfather visited us on Monday. We chatted about life and how you get used to “unnormal” things pretty fast… And it’s true! In the first, you might think that something hit you very hard but after few times you get used to it! What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. Linna was … More Linnas Godfather

Dress & Shoes or….

I hope you remember my strong commitment to buying new shoes and a dress as an award for finishing DIY Kitchen units project! Sorry, but this time (as all the other times) dress & shoes were switched to vintage porcelain tea/coffee set… Well. It came almost complete but I’m used to it… There was only one … More Dress & Shoes or….

18th November – Latvia’s Independence Day

18 November is the Independence Day of Latvia — there were no borders set, a group of dedicated nationalists proclaimed an independent Latvian state on this date in 1918. Several months after this courageous step had been made, military interventions still went on — the Russian Empire did not want to lose this important territory. This day is … More 18th November – Latvia’s Independence Day

Latvian Gray Peas

My previous blog post was the recipe for gray peas. I shared it without thinking about “gray peas” as itself. Big Gray Peas are easy to get here in Latvia cause it turns out is something completely special. So special that have been enlisted in the European Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) list.     Gray peas are … More Latvian Gray Peas

Dark & Unpleasant

This pond is in the Janis parents property. In the spring I love to walk to the pond and sat in the swing and watch how Nature wakes up. Few days ago I took my walk and can’t believe my eyes. It was so dark, so mystery, so unpleasant…. I took the picture and walked away … More Dark & Unpleasant

Puddle selfie

Yesterday wasn’t a good day. It felt like “Friday the 13th. I got a headache. All girls were crying and didn’t wanted to go to kindergarten. I guess they had a wonderful weekend. Mondays are hard in this household especially when the weather is gray and rainy. I had a short walk, a bit longer then … More Puddle selfie

10th of November – “Mārtiņdiena”

—wikipedia Mārtiņi or Mārtiņdiena is an ancient Latvian winter welcoming holiday when the time of pieguļa and shepherding came to an end. According to a solar calendar, Mārtiņdiena marks the midpoint between the autumnal equinox (Miķeļi) and winter solstice (Ziemassvētki), and is celebrated in the middle of November. Mārtiņi ended Veļu laiks (Time of the Dead) and started Ledus laiks … More 10th of November – “Mārtiņdiena”

That Green Wall

This is how it will stay until spring… Have no time to continue and I’m not sure if I need to continue. Now that wall looks rustic cause there are few places where I couldn’t get the green paint of. Ant that wall already looks better in my opinion… Well, doesn’t meter! Christmas decoration will … More That Green Wall

Just an apple!

I’ve been amazed by Mother Nature many times before. This one is something I needed so much! I walk outside to take the picture of snowman – shared yesterday! And saw this! That the only one apple in the tree (this year we had only a few apples, wasn’t a good ear for apples!) made me … More Just an apple!

Snowman

We had first snow on October 26.  That snow didn’t stay for long, only two days! When girls saw the snow in the morning (together with the deer family) they wanted to stay home and build a snowman! So, why not. We build two small snowmen and by that time it was raining, so we placed them … More Snowman

Pumpkin & Lentil Soup

I guess there are hundreds of ways how to make a pumpkin soup! This is one of my favorites since it requires only one pot and when it comes to boil you are free (if you have good pot otherwise – stir occasionally). I think this is a super simple & delicious recipe. Ilze  

Frosty & Cold Morning

Brrr…. this was a surprise for all of us when we opened our eyes on Saturday morning and saw frost! Unexpected! Completely unexpected! The previous evening was beautiful and warm. I’m happy I was outside capturing all the beauty! Cause it was the last time this year we could enjoy the beautiful Latvian autumn colors. … More Frosty & Cold Morning

Making Apple Juice & Apple Sauce Using a Steamer Juicer

In my family, we never used Steamer Juicer for apple juice instead we used a cold press and then heated the juice in a big pot. Steamer Juicer was used for cranberries and currant. Steamer juicer is a great way to make homemade apple juice and sauce at the same time! I discovered it last year! … More Making Apple Juice & Apple Sauce Using a Steamer Juicer