Homemade Diapers

I wanted to show off my pretty homemade diapers, I made the pattern and cut it out on 100% cotton fabric. I was going to sew them also but found out that my mother-in-laws sewing machine is so old that it only sews a straight stitch and this required a zigzag stitch, so we asked our neighbor and koobara (wedding witness) Nicki to sew them for us and she kindly did so.

Leftover Turkey

I made some good use with our leftover Turkey.
1. Turkey and Stuffing Pizza
2. Turkey and Mushroom Cream Pasta
3. Turkey Dumpling Soup
4. Cranberry Milk Shake
All very good, Arthur says that I am the best cook.

The History of the Galopollo

I was admiring the view of Meteora.
When a man started chasing me.
I got caught and he hung me upside down.
Then he slit my neck, someone else will have to take over the story.
Arthur and I watched as Kostas defeathered our feathery friend.
I cleaned the rest of him up and put him in a salt brine bath.
Then I cooked him, nice and tender
We put him on a plate with stuffing, potatoes and gravy.
Arthur had a plate full.
So did Nick, Mara and Katerina.
For my first time at cooking a Turkey all by myself, I must admit I did a pretty darn good job. He weighed 7 kilos, about 15 lbs., he didn't take as long as I thought he would to cook, perhaps being a very fresh bird they don't need as much time, it took me 2 1/2 hours.
Galopolla, means french bird, either the Greeks don't like French or they think the turkey sounds like a french person talking, you take you pick on what you think.
Merry Christmas too all !

HELLO

Say Hello to our Sunday Dinner!

More Snow

So much great snow you need a big fire to stay warm.
Another day of snow, we are only 670 feet above sea level or 200 meters.

Who Needs a Fridge

Who Needs a Fridge,

When you Have Snow.
photo courtesy by Arthur Sakkas

Baby Quilts

Both Arthurs mom and Arthurs auntie made beautiful knitted baby quilts. It's hard to get a good picture of them, they will probably look better wrapped around a baby so we will post some of those pictures when the time comes. SO these pictures don't do them justice of how wonderfully soft and comfy they are, take a look. Aunties on left, moms on right.

My First Snow Days

First Day of Snow

Second Day of Snow

Crazy Cats Fighting in Snow

The snow just keeps on falling, it's a beautiful snow with large flakes. It is also a dry snow the type that you can pick up with your hands and form snowballs without your hands getting wet, of course this does not mean that your hands won't be cold.
This is my first snow in my new home of Kalampaka, Greece.

Appointment Today

Today we spent 5 and half hours waiting to see the doctor for our appointment. It was a long day, but the baby is fine and he is predicting that it will come on Jan. 31, I would also tell you how much I have gained but I don't want to take all of the fun of betting on my Web baby shower.
He also gave us a name for a women that does the breathing Lamaze (don't know if I am spelling this right) class, but I don't know how beneficial it will be to me if it is all in Greek. So as a question to my sister-in-laws, do you think I should go to a class if I don't understand? Did you guys go to classes, did they help or did everything just miraculously happen? Or should I just buy a book from Amazon.com? Would love anybodies feedback.

Bowling and Pool

I can't bowl, the ball is too heavy and I can't play pool, too much bending over. So Arthur and I played a little table soccer and had a coffee, we really wanted a strawberry milkshake (they make really good ones) but they don't have ice cream in the winter months, what a bummer. This is a picture of our local bowling and pool alley, lots of screaming kids and smoking parents, I think it is the same no matter where in the world you are.

A*%holes

I'm just venting, but we just had the most evilest man inside our shop. From France, of course. They seem to grow them ugly there, we even had a French women this summer that stole sheets from us and she said she had a bed and breakfast in France. You would think that she would now that the sheets don't come with the price of the room.
He said he is writing a book, well I hope it keeps future people like him away from here. EVIL, EVIL, EVIL.

The results are in

14 people voted that I have a bigger belly and 4 people voted Arthur had a bigger belly. One month ago I would have to say that Arthur was the one with the bigger belly, but after this recent photo I will have to say that I am the one with the bigger belly.
Thank you Mom for the pregnancy clothes, they are really coming in handy now. We have our doctors appointment this coming Tuesday, so I can't wait to see how much I have gained. Of course the baby is healthy and having a wonderful time kicking and punching around, perhaps a future swimmer or kickboxer. Sometimes he even has his kicking timed with my breathing - breath in = kick, breath out = kick and so on. If your a real betting person you can go to my web baby shower and enter in the contest of when you think the baby will be due.
http://www.webbabyshower.com/mara/
Good Luck, P.S. as a hint the normal period of human gestation is 40 weeks, if we go by that the due date would be January 30, so please don't say that I will be 4 weeks late, I would hate for anyone to be that overdue, especially myself.

Breastfeeding Video

I read Leslie's blog and was broken hearted by the article she has linked on her website and couldn't wait to see the video so I looked it up, the link is to the side. I think it is a great video and I really like the music, Arthur just thinks Americans are crazy for reacting sooo wierd to something that is sooo natural. Personally I can't wait to breastfeed, I'm hoping it will make my boobs smaller after all is said and done, plus it is the healthiest thing the kid can eat and it's free! http://leagueofmaternaljustice.com/pressrelease.html

Weekend Entertainment

Have you ever asked yourself "What can we do this weekend that would be fun?" Well here in Greece we have the answer for you "Test drive a car on the main street with water on the road!" Boy doesn't that sound fun, it did to many Kalampakians, who turned out on Sunday to drive a Subaru on a watery roadway with cones to dodge.Here's the guy in charge of keeping the roads wet.

The spectators watch as a driver speeds down the road to break suddenly to see how well the car and breaks respond.