Slovenia & The Lipica Stud Farm

While we were on vacation we had the opportunity to go to the Lipica Stud Farm. This was the orginal home of the Lippizan horses. I loved it! I was able to ride and take a lesson on a lippizan stallion. While riding him, we passaged! It was fantastic!

During our time at the stables and stud farm the Austrian Ferrari Club came to the farm for a tour. Needless to say, Joel and Ross loved it! Evidently, Joel and Ross walked up the line of cars and Joel named each one. Which was easy since they were all Ferrari... until he hit a Mercades. He got that one right as well.

I have fallen in love with the Lippizan Horses and I am hoping that Ross and I can get one soon!

Croatia

We just got back from Croatia. We stayed in a gorgeous home named, Villa Giselle. We went on this vacation with our dear friends and neighbors. I don't know what to say except that I loved Croatia and I really want to go back... as soon as possible! Here are some pictures!

BCT Articles & Feedback

So, you may be wondering why I have not been blogging, the answer is simple, I have been writing articles for the BCT. However, I realized that I should just post my articles here so that you can read them as well. (If you want to read them... no pressure!)

Here is the article that I wrote for the May BCT Parenting Pages and what a member wrote in rebuttle. I think she missed the point of the article. I guess that it would be rude to invite her to coffee time that we will be hosting at our house in a few weeks!

Here is the article!

Caffeine: A Love Story
By: Blair Weikel
So, I must be honest, I love caffeine. I love my daily Coke Zero and a cup of coffee. When I worked, I often started my day with a Starbucks coffee, drank lots of water, after lunch had a Coke Zero, and went back to drinking lots of water. In fact, my students, who were 12-13 years old, would get worried if I did not have my Coke Zero on my way back from lunch. They would remind me that I should grab one in the office. That way, I would not get crabby (I would always joke that I was always crabby, but it probably would not hurt). When I got pregnant, I cut back to decaffeinated coffee, still drank loads of water, and I continued to drink my Coke Zero. I continued this regiment while breast feeding, although, I did cut back on the Starbucks…I started brewing my own coffee. I am actually a pretty good barista! Now, we live in Switzerland and I have continued my ways. I have flipped a little, I start my morning with my Coke Zero, drink some water, and then once Joel is down for his nap, I brew my coffee (half decaffeinated and half caffeinated) and sit down to enjoy. I know that this may be blasphemy, but I would like to talk about the benefits of caffeine.

I must admit that my research is flimsy on this subject, I have used the following sources, Discovery Fit and Healthy: “How Caffeine Works[i],” Health Mad, “The Benefits of Caffeine[ii],” and WebMD, “Coffee and Your Health[iii].” Yet, from my research here are a few things that I can laud about caffeine. It turns out that caffeine has a link to decreasing Parkinson’s and type two diabetes. The risk of colon cancer is also seen to decrease with caffeine. Plus, a benefit that I can attest to is that caffeine elevates your mood and makes you feel good. This is the real reason that I love caffeine, I love the way that it makes me feel. I love the fizz of a Coke Zero when it hits my tongue. I love the smell of the coffee when I scoop it into my French Press; I love way it raises to the top when the water hits it and after four minutes cannot wait for my first sip of coffee. Just writing about it makes my mouth water. Another, often unladed benefit of caffeine is that it is often consumed socially. I think that the benefits of this startling statistic are really key as a mother of young children.

So, now that you and I know the benefits of caffeine, I must take action. I know that I will make much more of an effort to join other moms and friends at coffee hours. Keep in mind that many coffee houses, here in Basel have play areas so my son will have just as much fun as me. With this new knowledge, I feel obligated to plan more neighborhood events for the ladies living near me; after all, I should make sacrifices for my health and the health of my friends. I should attend more ladies nights and end the evening with a cappuccino. Once again, it seems like a small price to pay for staying healthy longer. Also, when I drop my child off for forest school, I will make more of an effort to go and enjoy my Coke Zero or a to-go coffee with fellow Moms. After all, I have not read any studies about how running errands is good for my health, but I am pretty sure that this little “guilty pleasure” of caffeine can only make me happier and strengthen my love of my new home. Now, I must run, it has been four minutes and I need to go and press my French Press.
[i] (http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/drugs-alcohol/caffeine5.htm)
[ii] (http://healthmad.com/nutrition/the-benefits-of-caffeine/)
[iii] (http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/coffee-new-health-food)

Her responce:
Dear Editor,

I am responding to your article printed in the May 2011 issue of Parenting Pages on Coffee written by Blair Wiekel. I found myself feeling quite worried about Blair’s health and particularly that of her child when she mentioned that she drank Coke Zero, and coffee during her pregnancy and breastfeeding period. I am deeply concerned about the use of Caffeine in pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and particularly concerned about the consumption of diet drinks, such as Coke Zero, as mainly due to its Aspartame content. Caffeine increases blood pressure and heart rate, and it is very well known that an increase in blood pressure during pregnancy can cause serious health issues, and even be potentially fatal. Foetuses are unable to detoxify the caffeine and changes in foetal heart rate and breathing patterns have been noticed in studies even when the maternal caffeine intake was moderate to low. One study showed that only a small amount of coffee during pregnancy can affect the heart function of the child for his/her entire lifespan. Caffeine has also the potential to have an increased risk of miscarriage, birth defects such as cleft palette, increased risk of SIDS and low iron and calcium levels in the mother. Caffeine readily crosses the placenta and is also present in breast milk. Decaffeinated coffee may not have the caffeine affects coffee, but it is usually packed with chemicals that are used to remove the caffeine from the coffee, so I wouldn't recommend it as an option. Aspartame, the artificial sweetener used in most diet soda drinks, including Coke Zero, has been noted to have several detrimental affects on health, some of which are headaches, migraines, weight gain, brain damage, cognitive skills disruption, retardation, neuro-chemical changes in the brain, behavioural and mood changes and of particular interest to the parenting community is that studies have shown it to cause an increased risk of pre-term delivery and birth defects.
I can appreciate that many mothers enjoy getting together for a 'coffee', however I would strongly recommend that those that are pregnant or breastfeeding choose a healthier alternative such as herbal tea. I strongly believe that we would all be better to avoid Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners altogether.
I would be happy to put together some information on how to reverse the damage done by these toxins to the body if your publication is interested.
Sources:
www.mercola.com
www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-12/foas-ald121608.php
I will withold her name.

I would love anyone elses thoughts on this!

Geneva Auto Show and Montreaux

(Chateau in Montreaux...really beautiful and good tour)

(It was a bit crowded as you can see! This is only 1/2 of the show)

(my type of family car - with 600hp)

(BMW concept car)

(Joel "driving it")

(the kids getting a better view of the new Ferrari FF)

(Great American things in picture above!)

Blair gave me (Ross) a wonderful birthday present of going to the Geneva auto show with our friends. I was very excited as there were many new premiers scheduled for this show including hte new Ferrari FF, new Lambo, new Mercedes C coupe, new Audi A3 sedan, etc, etc. Plus the usual fun things of Aston Martins, Maserati, Porsche, Koenigsegg, etc. It turned out the traffic was a lot heavier than expected. But we got there and got to see lots of great cars! A few selected pictures above. Joel loved playing in the cars but having 3 boys under 5 didn't make for easy moving through the heavy crowds but the girls took the young ones to play so the big kids (me included) got to stroll through a bit faster. Then we stayed in a nice place on the French side of Lake Geneva/Leman and drove along the lake on the way home on Sunday. We stopped in at Chateau Camillon which was really great. A great birthday gift!

Ross's mom vist - Gruyere and Zurich

We had Ross's mom in town for a week. It was a wonderful week. On the first weekend we went to Gruyeres. It is a stunning town. And we had beautiful sunny weather to see the alps behind the town. If the scenery wasn't nice enough, you have the added benefit of it being home to Gruyere cheese. We did a tour with a tasting (really samples but not complaining). And it is also home to Callier, the oldest Nestle chocolate factory. And the tasting there is incredible. TONS of chocolate. Probably more chocolate than I've had in a 10 min period in my life. Including Halloween.

During the week, it was fantastic to have Jean around. Joel loved playing with her and we loved having the help! We went to the zoo, Grun 80 (a park), went shopping in Germany, and went to the Tingley museum. And we had 2 dinner parties with neighbors to celebrate our birthdays.

Then on the next weekend, we went to Zurich. It was really a great city. The city had a great vibe and energy (like a big city). And had pretty rivers and lakes, churches, and cobblestone streets. It was a great way to wrap up a wonderful week. Thanks for coming Jean! Joel really misses you and so do we!

Joel's birthday party at Oke Dokie

Joel had a wonderful birthday party at the indoor playground in Lorach Germany called "Okie Dokie." Just 30 of his closest friends (including parents). Strangely, barely an American in the bunch outside of his Aunt Mary who came over on an amazing flight deal as part of Joel's mom's upcoming birthday. It was amazing to have Mary in town. We had such a great time with her and so did Joel. And the party was a huge success despite our navigations system taking us the wrong way and making us more than a few minutes late. The best part was the mechanical bull which all the parents took turns on! Very funny pictures!

And a few days later Joel had his 2 year old doctor's appointment. He's a bit over 3 feet tall (93cm) and 33lbs (15 kg). So we've got a big kid on our hands! He's so much fun. The past 2 years have gone so fast!

Happiest Toddler on the Block & 1-2-3 Magic Book Reviews

I wrote this book review for the BCT Newsletter and I wanted to share it. I love these two books!

Phelan, Thomas W. 1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12

Karp, Harvey Happiest Toddler on the Block

My son, Joel, just turned two. This is a polite way of saying that my mild mannered delightful child had slightly shifted. It is true that he is still a marvelous child, it is just that he had developed a little bit more of an opinion about, well, everything! As a former teacher, I thought that I could handle this new step with finesse and tact. As it turns out, what works with 13 year olds does not work as well with two year olds. However, I feel like I was very lucky to have friends with wonderful kids who are not afraid to share their secrets. In this case, the secret included two books: 1-2-3 Magic and The Happiest Toddler on the Block. I have to admit that I read both books over break and I have already seen results.

The first book that I read was, The Happiest Toddler on the Block. I found it to be a fast and fun read (for a parenting book). Dr. Karp, a practicing pediatrician, has written a book that allows you to see the world from your kid’s point of view. While a few of his ideas do seem a little silly, when I put them into practice I saw results. The author advocates some really fun and innovative ideas like introducing “pillow talk” and “personal stories.” I will summarize these two ideas, but keep in mind that the book is full of great strategies for getting your child to feel like they are winning and still accomplish your goals.

Pillow talk includes spending some time before bed just talking about all of the positive things that happened during the day and all of the exciting things that will happen the next day. Joel loves summarizing his day and it is funny to hear him talk about the events that he thinks are important. For example today, right before bed, he told me all about the wind and all the things it blew over. He also loves talking about things that we have done throughout the week. This also gives me time to explain to Joel what is going to happen the next day. I think that he likes to know his agenda just like I appreciate knowing mine. Plus, since we have started doing this, Joel wakes up excited about who he is going to see and what he is going to do.

The personal stories are also a really neat idea. It involves telling your child stories about things that you think are important for them to learn. Dr. Karp explains that you need to be just like Aesop. The key is come up with really fun and interesting non-human characters, use lots of descriptive words, make sure that your content is not scary, and that end the end there is a moral. My husband and I tend to make sure the conflict in the story parallels some conflict we are having with Joel. We like to focus on actions that could have positive and negative consequences. We have told stories about throwing things down the stairs, throwing food, putting on hats, holding hands in the road, etc. One of our favorite stories was about “Muffin the Mouse who hates mittens, but who needs to wear them so she can play with her manatee friends on the Matterhorn snow drifts.” Joel seems to like these stories a great deal and he even has started requesting certain characters. He really loves the Okapi who can fix anything that is broken.

The nice thing about this book is that there are probably a dozen techniques like this that you toddler will love. I know that I am planning on keeping this book on my shelf as a reference. I would recommend it to anyone.

1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12
The other book that I read was 1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12. This book came highly recommended to me by my old pediatrician and several of my friends and former colleagues. They all said that this book will work, though it is more of an owner’s manual than a novel. As I read it, it reminded me of what I would have done in my classroom with my students. The idea could not be simpler and the key to the simplicity is consistency and calmness. The author, Dr. Thomas Phelan, is a child psychologist who explains that you have to set perimeters and then (this is the key) stick to it. You can’t make exceptions and under no circumstances may you lose your temper. You have to be the adult. Kids love to watch you melt down. You have to stay calm under pressure, otherwise, you should sell tickets and pop-corn because your child loves to watch you blow.

The great thing about this book is that it is a step-by-step manual for how to parent during the tougher situations. He spends the majority of the book explaining the steps to timeouts. I was so glad to have this very clearly discussed. I have tried timeouts with Joel and I found them ineffective and I felt guilty that he cried. This book outlines exactly what you need to do and it waylays any guilt that you might feel. I am so glad that I have had the chance to read this book so that I have a plan. Since we have started using the book, my son Joel has gone to time out and I am seeing changes. This book is not magic, but it is a very simple and proven strategy to make sure that your household is run by you. From teaching, I know that kids love and need structure. I hope to use this book as the frame in which to raise a very confident and happy child and will always have a place on my book shelf. I think that I might even by a copy for my next classroom.

Overall, I would say that it makes sense to read these two books together. The complement each other very well. 1-2-3 Magic is like the bones of raising a child. It is clearly written and it is just fundamentally sound. The Happiest Toddler is a wonderful book full of lots of new and interesting ideas on how to foster cooperation and fun into parenting.