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Halloween is a bit of a mixed bag here—although it’s a real phenomenon, not everyone in Hungary pays attention to it. But just try to ignore it when you have a little one around… haha 😀 The story goes that on October 23rd, Ruben turned six months old, and that weekend, I gathered the family for a small celebration to mark our little one’s half-year milestone. That weekend happened to fall right on All Hallows’ Eve, so naturally, we embraced the skeletons, ghosts, and all the spooky fun that comes with it. From that moment, it became a tradition, and over the years, we’ve perfected our celebration of the “gate…

I’d like to share with you the highlights of our Sunday trip—at least the morning part; the afternoon adventures will have to wait for next time—which we spent at the pick-your-own apple orchard in Berkenye! For weeks, we’d been talking about how fun it would be to pick sun-warmed, juicy, “lipstick-red” apples straight from the orchard for a pie. But until Sunday, our weekends had been fully booked with other plans. This time, however, we decided to spread out the housework over the weekdays (not the best decision, considering it’s only Tuesday now…!) and drove off to Berkenye, the unofficial fruit paradise. The weather was on our side, so we…

I just can’t help but brag about this topic, because it’s so rare for a child’s talent to shine through so clearly by the age of three—in something they’re truly good at. And not just measurable by results (though those are definitely impressive too (: ), but also in balance, diligence, calmness, and fulfillment—without which, what would it all be worth? Although I don’t know much about archery myself, I can see how much this sport continues to build Ruben up. You all know he has his own personality, opinions, determination, and attachment to the things that matter to him—but we mustn’t forget he’s still just a five-year-old. And as…

One of Our Summer Friday Afternoon Bakes:  Finally Unveiling the Giant LEGO Man! This silicone cake mold has quickly become one of my favorites (right after the life-sized LEGO figure ice cube tray, which we also used to make the birthday chocolate LEGO figures). I can almost smell the lemony cake batter, which is perfect on any summer day paired with homemade black forest lemonade! What you’ll need: How to make it: Beat the margarine and sugar until fluffy, then add the vanilla and eggs and continue mixing. Combine the flour with the baking powder and your chosen flavoring, then gently fold into the wet mixture. Bake at 190°C (375°F)…

Hello, Autumn! Hello, new feelings! Since the weather cooled down while we were in Tihany, I’ve felt autumn in the air—a change that surpasses the turning of any other season. It marks the closing of freedom, of summer, of another version of myself, and the beginning of a constructive, fulfilling, and promising new period. My second job is starting up again (which I wasn’t willing to touch over the summer, but now the thought almost calls me), I’ve enrolled in my new semester courses, and this morning I packed all the necessary and unnecessary things into Rú’s kindergarten locker to calm myself down. Speaking of kindergarten and my golden-haired boy—this…

Dated: Aug 16, 2017

Hi everyone! I want to share with you a truly summery smoothie recipe that became our favorite after the very first sip! While shopping, we couldn’t stop picking out fruits—we craved the tastes of summer cold and juicy. Then we thought, why not turn these delicious fruits into a drink for an even bigger experience? It turned into quite a fun kitchen adventure! Ruben, as always, was a total partner in our culinary creativity, and this is how our best family smoothie recipe came to be: Red Smoothie (4 servings)  (Measuring cup: a handful of a 5-year-old boy) Dated: Aug 5, 2017

It feels like a thousand and one years ago since we last had a truly “parenthetical” day with my golden-haired one—just the two of us, doing whatever we pleased all day long. How I would give anything for those days before kindergarten (not that we don’t love kindergarten now), when we went on playground adventures, visited fairs, learned nursery rhymes, and sometimes even indulged in ice cream for a mid-morning snack. Though no summer after that will ever bring those exact moments back, we still embraced last week’s trip to Vác with a mix of familiar and new feelings. We splashed in the fountain, conquered playgrounds, and hunted for ladybugs…

We’ve been toying with the idea of getting Rú a pet for a long time. I definitely wanted something with soft fur, cuddly, actively affectionate, and from which our little one could learn some responsibility—feeding, watering, litter training, vaccinations, and so on. That ruled out reptiles and fish right away. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough free time for a dog, so among smaller mammals, a cat came closest to meeting our expectations in size, owner needs, basic cleanliness, and ease of care. A coworker at the office wanted a kitten for her daughter, and with one of my students, we recently followed the latest litter’s growth with some brief cuddles.…

From Thursday to Tuesday, Sunday was the only day I didn’t have exams, and as such, I simply couldn’t let it go to waste. The brilliant sunshine, warm air, and the gently warming water of Nyírjes gave us the perfect morning! At noon, the moms invited us over for a lunch with tárcsás cooking, which hopefully gave Rú a chance to plant his curly parsley seeds—have you ever soaked compact soil in warm water? We were amazed when a dried soil disc, about the size of a fizz tablet, suddenly swelled into lush potting soil right in our pot! Now all that’s left is to nurture this delicate herb Dated:…