Christmas, Pie and beyond.........

Come fall and I become a kid again that won’t grow up untill a few days after Christmas. And now that the ‘magic’ is slowly but surely disappearing I feel ridiculously gutted and almost a bit sad. How old am I, five? Don’t ask! . This happens all the time that this strange feeling of disconnect takes over me post Christmas, like it’s the very end of a sad but achingly beautiful story……. I always wish December lasted a bit longer!

I hope you and yours had a warm and loved-up Christmas. Mine was as low-key as low-key could be. I did nothing, but stayed-in chowing  chilling with my family all day in my plaid ‘Lumber Jane’ number (one that I wear - too often, too non-strategically). Given my husband-diagnosed hyperactivity, it takes me more effort to chill than not to. But this time I felt unapologetically good while I was at it. Although, I’m convinced that it’s humanly impossible to have a stress free holiday season. No, seriously.

 At the end of the day, I felt so ambitious that I attempted a Banoffee Pie from scratch. To be honest, the whole thing was nothing but contrived because I had scoured teh interwebs for weeks and canonized those perfect no-bake pies on Pinterest. I should have known that I’m not there, yet. Long story short, the Pie odds weren’t in my favor and mine turned out nothing like them. I think I got the taste down though because the men swung by for seconds. And thirds, I swear!  Silver lining - I can now whip up some legit Dulce de Leche if you will. Not everything has to be perfect and everybody should know that. Me first. 

So anyway,  I was fed, kissed, spoilt and appreciated. And that was good enough. What more could I possibly want, when enough contained so much wealth (and wrapping paper:))))))). It was a great Christmas! 

A void might still exist between saying and doing but I AM looking forward to a laissez-faire start to the new year too. My state of togetherness tells me that there are beautiful things on the horizon and but I am ready to wait. 

There are times when you might feel aimless
You can't see the places where you belong
But you will find that there is a purpose
It's been there within you all along and when you're near it
You can almost hear it
                                     - Meet the Mormons 

 
Thank you for stopping by. Until next time, come find me on Instagram and Facebook
xo Renee

Taking Stock - Fall memories......

Howdy partner? It's been a minute since I've been here.....and I missed it. It's also been also a while since I've been contemplating on a picture-saturated entre nous and letting you know where my life was at while I was away. This is it.....

At the end of September I found myself flying on a jet with my tribe. Eight hours and several decadent food choices later I was home in Marburg. If you know me then it's no secret that I'm a sucker for fairy tales, folksy things and dreamy pictures and Marburg is where they all come to life. I never miss an opportunity that comes along to be there, to be swaddled in love. I spent the next six weeks taking it all in, and then decided to lock my pretty darling treasures up in a bottle Koffer and flew back to Muscat. This time around I have had so many whimsy pinch-me-worthies that it makes my heart float with happiness and gratitude. The more I see, the less I know for sure......Making an effort at zooming in at them gently as they continue to multiply......

A cobweb that wasn't short of a magical kingdom // some handmade keepsakes, better known as Schutzengel (guardian angels) in Germany // My bubba and her bubbles :)))) // Christmas cookies that made an early appearance all the way from the town of Aachen and a book about it's historically and architecturally intriguing 'Kaiserdom' (Imperial Cathedral) which also is a world heritage site. Who knew? Not me! I gonna hit up that town someday.

This ultra adorable train is the newest touristie favorite... toots folks around downtown where all the action happens, all the way up to the Marburg Castle of Landgraves where Gothic stories unfold. The driver even has a perma smile, love it! // Ever heard of a Pirate's Schnitzel? This cafe had it covered // Cozy slippers and comfy knits //That Shearling backpack though

That one time when I saw a lone white swan in the woods // The light at the end of the tunnel is what I want you to take away from this picture // Bückingsgarten, the grub - bringing happy hours since 1708 // And there we toasted to another happy year to my boyishly devilishly handsome husband.

I love bringing to life a seasonal table....this was our Fall décor this year in Muscat. The foliage in Oman looks far from it but we can always look past that, can't we? I feel it for sure // Goulash - to warm the inside when it's cold outside. My spin is very unconventional but ridiculously healthy // I've been baking like never before, hashtag Stepford Wife :) On this occassion it was the Banana Almond Loaf. Dang! that was good // We had the little Red Riding Hood over at Halloween and she couldn't get any cuter.

I never could decide what I am most drawn to when it comes to Fall - the rustling reddened leaves on the sidewalks, the pumpkins that scream soup-or-décor, the sweater weather, soul-soothing foods, a home that smells like baked goods because I'm actually baking or everything in between. It's all I dream of in a festive season with my birthday and sweet surprises thrown in for good measure. This year I've been more than lucky with fine opportunities making their way to me, more than once. To be completely honest, as I grow older I find the word 'coincidence' more and more meaningless. Things that have come about to shape the kind of life I live or the people I share it with are too special to be random. And random has no place here. It's perpetually reassuring that it's all part of a grande cosmic arrangement because I believe in it.

Hope you had a great festive start too. Ready for Thanksgiving? Oh and it's only 40 days till Christmas!!!!! Exciting times.

Thank you for stopping by. Until next time come find me on Instagram (instagram.com/thestylecradle) because that is where I post the most.

xo Renee

// Mango Chia Smoothie //

So the big word of the moment is Chia. Let's face it, I'm not that achingly regular person at breakfast, especially in the summertime.  So to over-compensate, I have been swinging by my  kitchen to fix this smoothie that I'm gonna show you how to throw in together (literally).  It's super fun to make and tastes so good that you won't be losing interest in it anytime soon, promise! All credits go to Pinterest for enabling Chia drinks in general, this however is my spin on the 'super healthy-super cool' drink:

What

1. A mason jar
2. Chia seeds (white looks better/ black tastes better in my books) - 2 tablespoons
3. Dairy, almond or rice milk - one part or half the jar
4. Fresh mango juice - one part or half the jar
5. Shredded coconut (totally optional, if you like a more tropical version like myself) - 1 tablespoon
6. Stevia or agave (optional again, if you're a sweetie:)).

How

1. Toss the ingredients in your mason jar and give a good stir. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, preferably 3-4 (I leave it overnight). The wait is important because Chia seeds have an outer layer that swells up when mixed with liquid and make the drink gelatinous, almost like a pudding. 
2. Bring it out, stir again and enjoy.

One finished drink (400ml) contains approximately 300 calories: 70 from milk (low fat), 110 from  mango juice and 120 from the Chia seeds .

15 grams of protein, 10 grams fat, 20 grams of carbohydrates and 13 grams of fiber, plus vitamins and minerals.  

I'm yet to find a better and longer filling pick-me-up. Brekkie, snack or dessert, one for all - all for one! 

Give this a try, will you?

xo Renee

 

A little Heart to Heart in the calm before the storm

Hey lovers...... Yeah, it's been a minute. Well, you guys I'm back....and like that she blogged happily ever after. While getting myself ready this morning, I glanced on this heart mirrored trinket that I have had forever, and it occurred to me that this was the perfect day to piece my feelings together and let you know that I am doing okay great. So we have a mean tropical storm - Nanauk - brewing on the horizon, peeps are busy stocking up on supplies & safety and,  yours truly is dropping a note. Go me!  Actually, we went on our grocery adventure yesterday and it looked like humanity with her spilling shopping carts was running a race against time. To be honest, I am a wee anxious to see how nurture holds up against nature, come tomorrow when Nanauk lashes against our doors.  This little heart to heart is me being a renegade to the tempests both inside and outside of me.

The Snow Dream

Howdy...All well I hope. So it might even be safe to say that I have settled in a bit after my first fly out of the year in January. I might be doing this a bit late, but I must because it was just too dang good not to share.

Although any travel of mine borders a bit on excitement and unease, this time I really wanted to embrace the cloud and cold.  I really did. That could be the reason I've been incessantly daydreaming of snow since fall last year. We arrived in Marburg for our little vay-cay and days flew by but the talk/sight of snow evaded us. I was almost coming around to deal with it's not gonna happen, is it?  Then one night husband and I decided to dress warm, horse around downtown and get high like the in pre-Sara days while grandparents babysat, happily. We did all that and while walking home later (much later) I look up and catch these massive snowflakes making their way down, claiming us, trees and everything around pretty quick as if they were on some paint 'em white mission. All that I've been wanting was happening for me right there - the expected, unexpectedly.  In that moment, as I stood there with snowflakes in my hair, all I could think of was the law of attraction - Did my thoughts just create reality? Did I just bring about what I've been thinking about?
 

2014 - the year of endless possibilities ....

Do you know how much a Polar bear weighs? I think just enough to break the ice....Seriously, it was about time I checked in. I hope from the bottom of my heart you and yours had a magical holiday season and an awesome start to 2014.  I did.

In the past, before any year began I was all business with mammoth expectations and never ending resolutions. Some worked out and many failed. Later,  I found myself gnawing on the disappointments more than being happy about the good fortunes that did decide to fall in my basket. And if one were to believe in luck, 2013 was anything but lucky for me. Anyway, that's all behind us for good like Miley's twerks. 2014 is gonna be a very positive swap in so many ways for me.....