Delve into festive occasions and cherished traditions, from holiday celebrations and special events to meaningful rituals and cultural practices.
Yesterday, I submitted my Business Plan and had a little party at home :). Actually, it was because of Ronalds (Helmī godfather) who came to us from Germany! Today we used Ronalds as a personal driver and went to Gulbene for a walk.. or so we thought! The weather was so cold and windy and terrible, … More Cold, Windy but Lovely!
.. So it’s on Sunday! The big day, when Linna will be 4! A lot to do, but started with My Little Pony inspired banner… Ilze
Let’s introduce Ronalds! He is Janis cousin…and that is the “furthest relation with us” he owns. He is also something closer, he is Helmī’s God Father! Since Ronalds is living in Germany and having a busy working schedule he visited us once a year. It is not like we can’t call each other or do … More Ronalds
This day is special. Special to me. Not because 35 is a big deal to me but because I realize, that self-love and confidence finally have arrived. I don’t know why it took so long! Being me is the best thing ever! My blogging friend Jodi can tell you, that I’ve been through … More Happy 35th birthday to me!
Mario & Nora visited us on Saturday after Nora had choir show in Smiltene. We had a lovely time chatting inside cause weather outside was rainy & windy! Sunday morning I started with coffee and made Tuna tortilla wraps. After that, there were chatting & chilling! I was too relaxed to look for my phone, … More Sunday
Yesterday we were in Smiltene & Valmiera. We went to the choir show to meet two friends – Mario and Nora. Mario is a friend of a youth day and Nora too! Nora was singing in the choir near to us so we can’t miss the opportunity to meet! After the show, we came to our place … More Oh, what a surprise!
Since my mom was there we did all “preparation” for today! In Latvia, you don’t need to invite people to you name day – friends can visit you without invitations. But in real life – they would call to “greet” and you can suggest to “meet” ;). After all the cooking and house cleaning, mom … More Happy Name day… to me!
Grandma is here so all the girls have a day off the kindergarten. As always we have a ton of chores to do and Marīte is 100 times quicker than me… She wanted to fold laundry, but before that girl is giving her SPA. Linna covered her arms with Weleda regenerating hand cream while Nelle … More Ome Mārīte / Grandma Marite
Receive a package from GrumpyTyke was a huge surprise as itself! Impatiently I cut and rip the package apart from the box… even bigger was my surprise seeing this: “Not to be opened until 27 JAN” OMG! Noooooo! I’m not good at this! Once I convince all my family to celebrate Christma Eve at 23rd of … More Surprise!
Or should I say – Home alone with Linna? Last week was interesting! Interesting cause we were apart from each other! Janis went to Riga to sign a new contract with a new IT company. And stayed in Riga for two days. As you know Nelle has time with me on Mondays, after School of … More Home alone
There is something about my feelings right now… … I can’t believe how much things have happened this year! ONE year! The first year of this blog that I made a year ago… I can’t express my feelings in English, so I hope to share a few “facts” :). First of all… I’ve started this … More My newbie blog 1-year-old already!
This might be the last I’m sharing from that beautiful Christmas morning. I bet it can get boring! Forgive me. Previous pictures you can find here and here. I hope you liked it! No more 🙂 Ilze
Yesterday I’ve shared beautiful pictures of our Christmas morning. I will share few more… I’m glad I postpone breakfast for everyone and run outside with the camera. I was a bit selfish but not all the guests and family were up… so… not feeling that guilty 🙂 So beautiful! Ilze
We woke up to a beautiful view on the Christmas morning. Mother Nature really knows how to decorate 🙂 I thought I will write something more about this morning but going through the pictures… there is no need for words. Enjoy. I hope to share more pictures later on… Ilze
Girls stayed at grandparents house cause we had the date night (one in 4 years!). I slept only a few hours before girls came home from grandparents. I was tired and sleepy and tried to deal with dirty kitchen and dishes. Janis took two older girls out to have fun in the snow. After they came … More Yesterday’s PJ party
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!
Merry Christmas to you all! I’m glad to be with you all here in the WordPress! Thank you for stopping by and inspiring me every single day! Ilze
The night before Christmas is today! I have to be patient until 1am and then I meet all our extended family :). There still something to do, but I feel relaxed and ready to celebrate. May this Christmas season be merry! Ilze
I shared an inspirational (it was for me!) blog post a few days ago with pictures of Christmas decorations from previous years. Now I want to share this year’s Christmas decorations. As you know I decorated two times this year! And I actually didn’t want to make a second “round”. I hope you are ready … More This year’s Christmas decorations
Yes! You can be grounded and relaxed over the holiday season! 7 years ago I become a wife to my wonderful husband and since that year I’ve been hosting Christmas party for the close family…. that is getting bigger and bigger! When we started 7 years ago there where 8 people: Me, Janis, Jani’s parents … More Relaxed and Grounded over the Holiday season!?
This years house decoration was like a rollercoaster! I made all the natural decorations (as I did before, cause I really love natural material)…. then I had to take them off, cause it felt like I have some sort of allergy… then I had to think about decorations again… And do it again! But after taking … More Decorations and our Christmas tree
This one is my first card after I finished those 55 identical Christmas cards… Thought I couldn’t touch that embossing folder anymore. But it wasn’t that bad! I had few minutes (free time!?) upstairs in my craft corner and made this: I used my new Dahle and it was precise – perfect cut! This is … More Handmade Christmas card
Our quality time together continues with the baking of gingerbread cookies. Girls loved this activity too! I start to think that they are a bit like me after all 🙂 I really enjoyed doing it, I still remember how my granny (a bit grumpy lady) explained to me that I need to cut cookies starting from … More Baking Gingerbread cookies
We spent some quality time together with girls in the kitchen. Nelle and Linna asked if they can make gingerbread cookie dough… and I said: “Why not! Go wash your hands and look for the apron!”. This time Hemī didn’t want to listen to me and didn’t followed our simple rules so she stayed with … More Making gingerbread cookie dough!
Was surprised receiving this picture from my mom. She made another pair of wool socks. This time they aren’t that traditional. For the first time, I see she made a different toe! Interesting and I love it! These will be a birthday gift for an old lady. Nice! I almost started an Etsy shop early this week for … More Another Pair (wool 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
So, the Advent is here and my girls started to count down till Christmas. We started at 1st of December. Everything went as planned until Helmī got ill and stayed home and decide to destroy Nelle’s and Linna’s calendars… But I will print new ones, cause girls really love to cut the stripe off every … More Santa’s beard calendar
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
Thanks to my new neighbor, Lāsma (who has a son the same age as Nelle and moved here about a month ago), my oldest girl is registered in the school of art! Last Monday we were in the art school for the first time and she loved it! And now she’s been asking if it’s … More School of Art for Nelle
1st of December… let’s begin preparing for Christmas. I know a lot of you are ready for Christmas already (I mean decorations and advent wreath) but here in Latvia… we are running into a forest for natural material for wreath right before Advent Sunday. Otherwise, it will fall apart. A few days ago the weather … More How to make a salt dough?
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
I was surprised to find this die cut on the internet. For me, it is something so Latvian. It is not just a random pattern – it is Latvian symbol – Auseklītis! Auseklis (The Morning Star) Auseklis is the Morning Star (Venus). The symbol is one of many ancient cosmological and magical symbols used in … More Auseklītis / Early Morning Star
This year I made Santa’s beard countdown calendar. A bit different Advent calendar – no presents, no treats – just countdown. I can’t decide whether girls would love to see the date of the day (like a calendar) or answer to the question: how much days till Christmas!? There are Advent Sundays when we lit the … More Printable Santa’s Beard Countdown Calendar
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
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
Someone made a big surprise and visited us on Latvia’s 99 birthday! Thank you, brother! We had a lovely time together. I made Anthill cake, cause it easy to make and don’t need an oven. I printed Latvia contour and assembled the cake to look like Latvia. Everyone liked it and it wasn’t that hard! Anthills … More Celebrating Latvia’s 99 Birthday
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
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
My old-time friend visited us this weekend. We laughed and cried the tears of joy together. Last time he was around here was at our wedding 7 years ago. After that, he visited us in Riga on one of my birthdays about 5 years ago, just before Nelle has arrived. He has been through tuff times … More A visit from a friend
Yesterday we were in procession for the first time! I was surprised how many people were there. Also, girls liked that and I think that this will be our new way how to celebrate “Lāčplēšu diena”. I was so taken away by all the candle lights and was amazed by all the people! Ilze
Lāčplēsis Day celebration was forbidden in Latvian SSR existence, the first time it was celebrated by putting candles into windows in the year 1988. Since 1990 it is the day Latvia honors Latvian Freedom Fighters. I still remember my first candle! I was only 6 years old. I remember how I sat on the window sill … More 11th of November – Lāčplēsis Day
—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”
We were in Salcgriva yesterday for my moms birthday party. She celebrated her 64th birthday and had dinner at home. Just all together: me & my family, brother with his and my mom. She doesn’t like to celebrate or make parties. We had my favorite kotletes (meatballs!? She knows how to make delicious, juicy meatballs for … More Salacgriva / Moms birthday party
Happy birthday, mom! We are going to visit my mom in Salacgriva tomorrow. I hope the weather will be fine! Ilze
Saturday morning I made few cake toppers to add to the flower pots I use for decoration. Also, I printed out few coloring pages, Max & Ruby stickers on plain paper to use for party hats that also I finished Saturday morning. Everyone can color a page or make a party hat or mask of … More Max & Ruby inspired party: Part III
After spending a day to make Max & Ruby inspired birthday garland it was time to start with all the food preparation. I made Uzbek Plov (haven’t made it for 8 years!), Rasols, Crab & Rice salad and bake all the layers for Honey cake. I was busy while my mom helped with dishwashing and … More Max & Ruby inspired party: Part II
Max & Ruby share just about everything. These two bunnies go through life together and share love, friendship, and playtime. As usual, I started with the theme and date for the party and then made the guest list. After I had the guest list, I made the invitations and send them out. Then I start … More Max & Ruby inspired party: Part I
Today we are celebrating Helmī 2nd birthday. I already made Uzbek Plov, 2 cakes that look like Max & Ruby made in one episode. There still so much to do! I’ll be back to blogging soon and will post how the birthday went! Ilze
As you know my daughters birthday party is coming up. I decide to make an easy printable Max & Ruby Garland while two of three were in the kindergarten. Why Max & Ruby? It’s this birthday’s theme. Helmī really loves Max & Ruby series. And we are watching them in English, cause there is no … More Max & Ruby Inspired Birthday Garland
Today is Helmī Saule’s 2nd birthday! I can’t believe it! Oh, well I can believe it but still… 2 years! That’s serious! She’s not a baby anymore! She’s a girl! GIRL! This Monday she had her first one hour visit to the kindergarten. We had to play peek a boo to get her dressed. I had … More My Birthday Girl!!!!
I can’t resist foraging for mushrooms this year! Especially when there are a lot of mushrooms everywhere. I don’t like forage for mushrooms in big/unknown forests alone. But this year to get wild mushrooms you don’t have to drive to the forest. I can forage mushrooms near home. Only 10-minute walk from my home! How can you resist … More Woolly Milk-cap
We receive an invitation to our sibling’s cousins 1st Birthday! They have only one cousin and that’s from Janis side. His name is David and it’s Janis sister’s first child. They were celebrating the 1st week and 1st month and 6 months and so on and now it’s finally a first-year celebration. We were welcomed … More Cousins 1st Birthday
As I told before I have to quit woodworking and start thinking about Helmī 2nd birthday. Also, I already had “theme” for the birthday. It’s “Max & Ruby”! Lovely! This is what I came up with! Simple “Max & Ruby” inspired birthday invitation. It says: “Helmī loves Max & Ruby, come and get acquainted! Saturday … More Max & Ruby Inspired Birthday Invitation
Helmī 2nd birthday is coming soon! Helmī was born on 13th of September. I remember that short night! Only 2 hours and she were on my arms. She will be two years old soon! Two! Time flys, indeed! I remember her first birthday, we were celebrating 2 days. On the 13th and 17th of September. That was … More Helmī 2nd birthday is coming
As you know I love to go foraging for mushrooms and also you know that this year mushrooms are all over the place. Or at least where we live :). What’s my favorite wild mushrooms? These! – Suillus luteus (Slipery Jack) – Leccinum aurantiacum – Boletus reticulatus Schaeff. (Summer Bolete) – Leccinum variicolor Watling – Lactarius torminosus (Woolly Milk-cap) – Lactarius pubescens … More My favorite wild mushrooms
Traditional Latvian kitchen isn’t complete without caraway seeds. Rainy summer day. I and my granny are sitting in the old firewood shed. We are sitting on the table cloth. In front of us is a big pile of dried caraway plant whisk. We are taking them one by one into our hands. Rub the umbel … More Caraway seeds and my granny
We were on the bike ride and found a field full of Yarrow. The good old Yarrow! It’s been used in our family as a cold treat for ages. I remember how my grandmother collected it in the nearest fields and picked every single flower cause there wasn’t plenty!Since we moved from city to countryside … More Yarrow tea
A weed, that isn’t just a weed! Rosebay willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium) is a healthy tea that is known for a century – Ivan Chai. Ivan Chai – a fermented herbal tea made from wild willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium). Fermented willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium) tea was a traditional Russian hot beverage for hundreds of years before it was nearly universally replaced by … More Rosebay willowherb (FireWeed) or Ivan Chai
Jāņi 2017. Celebrated at Salacgriva (my hometown), Latvia. I made floral head wreaths (I don’t know another name!!!) for all girls and me and Jāņi cheese like planned. This time it Jāņi cheese wasn’t that good. The first thing to do when I’ll get back home – find my Jāņi cheese recipe and post it … More Līgo / Jāņi 2017
I wrote about Līgo and Jāņi in one of my previous blog posts. I wanted to make Jāņu siers (cheese), floral head wreath and spend time together with friends. And we did it! Unfortunately, my photos from Līgo are too big for our mobile network. Somehow WordPress app doesn’t want to upload them. ;( I hope to … More Līgo / Jāņi celebration
As I wrote yesterday – tomorrow is Līgo. And if the weather will be nice – we will celebrate it. About Latvian traditions on Līgo and Jāņi, you can read in my previous post. I’m a busy bee today. Time to clean caravan and get ready for tomorrow’s celebrations. First things first – I have to … More Getting ready for Līgo
Jāņi is an annual Latvian festival celebrating the summer solstice. I know that solstice usually is on the 21 or 22 of June, but here in Latvia, we have public holidays on 23 June called “Līgo” and 24 June called “Jāņi”. I can’t imagine celebrating Jāņi in the city. It’s the celebration that requires a countryside. … More Jāņi is coming
I can’t believe it’s already 20th of March! This weekend we celebrated: 3rd birthday of our girl Linna 31st birthday of my husband Janis 55th birthday of Janis father 25th birthday of Janis brother and more… (uncles and cousins, aunts and godmothers) !! We had one big party for all the Birthdays! As usually within … More March: Birthday month
I’m 34 now (almost, at 8:30pm)! Well… I’m surprised! I can’t remember the birthday with mud and rain! It’s usually something between “Snow forever!” or “Wow, It’s getting pretty cold!”. I remember how half of my birthday guests didn’t arrive because of cold. It was -27C for a week and I turned 25 in that freezing winter. … More Birthday Girl: 34
This Saturday, I finally finished making the invitations for my daughter Nelle’s very first BIG birthday! Envelopes: Invitations: This time I chose white and pink, even though I usually prefer cream instead of white — it’s just more my style. But unexpectedly, this color combo turned out beautifully! I’m really happy with how everything came … More Invitations for Nelles 1st birthday
a day in the life of a latvian mom 