Happy Friday folks! Sorry for the here and there this week. Let’s just say that once we thought we were in the clear with jetlag we had some throw up action and we have a 2 year old that is persisting to get out of his bed. As in from 3Am on over and over and over again. In addition to the crazy sleep stuff we have had that bi-yearly surge in defiance and attitude from a certain oldest child and tantrums and teething from a certain 2 year old. It is a recipe for some insanity I tell you.  It is getting better SLOWLY but we are so very tired…thus, less posting about fun things!

But for some Friday fun I thought I would tell you about Canton!  For those of you that are not from Texas (I’m not technically, but I claim the state for my husband) you may have never heard of Canton.  Canton is a town in Texas that hosts First Mondays. It’s about 2 hours outside of Ft Worth where we were recently visiting my family. Here is the link  for First Monday Trade Days in Canton. I linked you to the Shopper’s page. I love how they give advice on how to dress in layers, etc. It is quite a mission to go to Canton but really worth it if you can get friends to go too!

It’s the most amazing flea market ever and it’s HUGE. There are organized pavilions of goodies plus lots of outdoor setups with lots of lots of junk treasures!!!You can find just about anything at Canton. Kitchen gadgets, house decor, clothes plants, pets, and on and on. And for the most part the food is all fair food like kettle corn, corn dogs (known as Corny dogs in Texas), turkey legs and funnel cakes.

I have been a couple of times and when I realized that the timing would line up to go over our Texas trip I was delighted! This time I went with my mom and my sister-in-law Tina and her mom, Lisa. We left groggy and excited at 6:30 in the morning. We picked up Lisa and headed to Starbucks…and then to Chickfila. Caffeine and nourishment. We were set.  We chatted away as we drove and arrived in time to be some of the first in the parking lot and in the shops. It was chilly when we started but warmed up quickly. We could not have asked for better weather. Did I mention that Seth graciously told me to go and had the kids for the day?!  It was SO nice to have a day away not worrying about feeding the kids, nap vs. no naps, yada, yada. And it is rare that my mom is off work and able to get away, so it was a huge treat that she came!

It was fun going to Canton this time around knowing we will have a home of our own soon to decorate. I came away with 3 botanical prints, a few vintage dishtowels, an old door (not a full size but a smaller one) that I hope to turn into a coffee table if Seth humors me, an old Dr. Pepper crate, an old wire lamp shade frame and some other little treasures.

Here are a few shots from the day. I didn’t even take my camera because I didn’t want it to weigh me down and hold me back from any spectacular deals….so Tina kindly snapped a few shots on her iphone. Next time I will force myself to take my camera because you just can’t imagine what all you see!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

this is a baby goat someone had dressed up for a walk around canton. we thought for sure she was selling it. I’m telling you, you see the strangest things at Canton. You could spend a day just people watching! Of course it might have been more exciting to me in terms of people watching after living in straight-laced Switzerland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

redneck wine glasses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and here is the old door, can’t you all just see the potential?! Tina bought a full-sized door and drilled it into the wall as a headboard.

If you are ever in Texas swing by Canton.  In a couple of years I am going to try to talk my other SIL, Stephanie into flying to Texas with me for another Seckinger/Dyer ladies shopping day!

In other shopping news, I talked Seth into driving to Heidelberg tomorrow to do our 4 month monster shopping trip at the base. I cried the last time I finished the 3 overflowing carts so I thought he might be better to go this time…never mind the fact that a 5 item list at our grocery store can be a shopping challenge for him. I wrote the list yesterday and it is both sides of an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper.  I’m not sure if I feel worse for him or for me being home with the boot camp kids.

Hope you all have a great weekend whatever your plans might be! I am hoping for health, sleep and some snow!

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A while back our friends Daniela and Miguel invited us over for brunch. Daniela is Swiss and promised to make us Rosti! We have had it from the grocery store and restaurants but I have never been brave enough to attempt it at home. It was such a treat. Daniela had a yummy spread of bread, jams, cheese and rosti with over easy eggs.

Basically rosti is a big plate of hashbrowns, only instead of stirring them to get them all crispy you press them into the pan and they kind of make a hashbrown cake. Cake isn’t the right comparison but you will get the idea. The Swiss don’t only eat rosti for breakfast they eat it for lunch and dinner as well. They top it with vegetables, cheese, cream sauces. You name it they probably have it. Seth has been known to order his with bacon macaroni and cheese on top.    Not the healthiest meal for SURE but a yummy winter comfort food.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After our delicious brunch we decided we better take a long walk to burn it off! We headed out in the chilly fog and enjoyed some fresh air.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jackson begged a ride in the stroller with Anna

 

 

 

 

 

 

every village has a hay bride and groom right?!

For those of you that may want to try to make this here is Daniela’s recipe!

 

 

Rosti

800g (1.75 lbs)  potatoes, not too firm ones, cooked (preferably the day before –> left over jacket potatoes!), peeled, grated

1 tsp salt

3 big spoons of oil or butter
———————————
heat oil or butter in the frying pan

put salt over the grated potatoes

give the potatoes in the melted butter or hot oil, lower heat, stir and fry for app. 15 min

push it down a bit to form like a cake

put a plate on as lid. the idea is that the plate presses down the whole potatoe cake. fry for 5-10 min.

when theres a brown crust, turn it over with help ot the plate and fry the other side for 5-10 min.

serve with fried eggs.

even better: fry 150g bacon cubes before frying the potatoes and mix them in.

 

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When we were in Texas Owen hopped into the Barber’s chair (or rather a little ride in car) for his first hair cut. I know, I know he’s 2 so this should have happened long ago. But for me it still felt too soon. For those of you that don’t know Owen he has the softest, sweetest curls and I am a sucker for them. Jackson didn’t have hair until he was 2 1/2, well he had it but it was super short and practically white so it didn’t get much credit and it didn’t need to be cut until after he was 3. Owen was born with hair and had some very awkward hair for quite some time and once it came it so curly I just couldn’t fathom cutting it.

In the back of my mind I thought by the time I would have to cut Owen’s hair I would have another baby on the way which would mean I wouldn’t have to hold on to those sweet baby curls. Well, the day came, no baby on the way, cheaper hair cut than Switzerland and we went for it.  His favorite word these days for disagreement is ouch! So he fussed at the lady and said “ouch” the whole time. All in all it was painless.  I am not sure we got our moneys worth because I begged her to just trim it and leave some of the curl.

 

 

 

 

 

see what I mean?!  love these curls!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So for now I am thankful we still have some of these “firsts” left and I am embracing this big boy phase. They grow up WAY too fast. When it’s the right time (if ever) to have another little one we will embrace the firsts again. Until then I am watching these curls grow and I am going to try to postpone the next hair cut as long as Seth will let me.

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Disclaimer: Readers may want to secure a Starbucks Peppermint mocha before sitting down to look at this post…oh no, I forgot those are only a holiday special. I totally understand if you don’t make it to the end. The good news is if you make it through this new things are on the horizon!

After our busy first week in Friendswood and the farm we headed on to Ft. Worth. We arrived on the 23rd of December just in time for the Christmas festivities. We spent Christmas Eve at a candle light service and then went on to my sister-in-law Tina’s family celebration. Tina’s mom, Lisa, had a wonderful spread and when Santa lit firecrackers on the front door step the boys found gifts just like the rest of the family. They included us like family. The next morning we got up early and did Christmas morning with the boys, my parents, and my brother Graham and his wife, Tina.  It was a fun week and a half of time together….with way too much food!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Owen was SO tired and kept raiding the goodie table at Craig and Lisa’s. Here he is playing it cool with his 4th sugar cookie!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Santa brought Jackson his much asked for cowboy boots!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

my dad had hand surgery so Tina was sweet enough to cut his prime rib for him!

 

 

 

 

 

 

dance lessons from the family’s best dancer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Owen’s name has been added to my parents will…Bogie will go to Owen if necessary! They were besties!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

antipasto platter at Nona Tata….a fun little place in Ft. Worth. Graham and Tina took us out for a fun dinner while my mom and dad had a night with the kiddos! Thanks, mom and dad!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

post hair cute curl horns

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We missed having my brother Ryan and my sister-in-law Stephanie and their kiddos around! So we swung by DC on our way to Bern…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whew. And if we didn’t look busy enough we slipped in a meeting with a realtor in DC to begin the process of house hunting…more on that to come in the New Year!  Not even ready to talk about that yet!

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