Wild Rose Cottage

Vacation

2009-06-14T21:38:00.004+02:00

I am going to take a very interesting short vacation!!! Yeah!

And then I have so many things to tell you and lot of photos to show you.

A Beautiful Life Friday

2009-05-29T11:00:00.000+02:00

Another Friday and another beautiful life post about the beauty in our life hosted by Melissa@The Inspired Room.

As I joined Melissa's Friday party I planned to improve each month and I actually did improve, grow and learned a lot. For the month of May my goal was self esteem.

Well I must admit that this month I was too busy with "enjoying the joy" in my life. Spending time with family and friends, having fun with my son and enjoying the precious simple everyday beauty. But then again what could be better for your self esteem then happy moments with people you love.

My son at his elementary school on the day of his administrative admittance.

Some self picked cherries.

Quiche Lorraine.

Some roses from my mom's garden.

An sight of a beautiful intruder who stayed for a visit a whole two days.

The wonderful sight and smell of elder.

And the opportunity to gaze into a wheat field. So calming!

The photos are not in any particular order and they are showing just a small part of our joyful moments this month. Hope you will join Melissa's A Beautiful Life for some very inspirational posts.

Start Living!!!

2009-05-19T10:29:00.008+02:00

This morning as I enjoyed my morning coffee I was thinking about my attitude toward living my life. I have self-critically admitted to myself that I am always spending too much time trying to plan my life and I always imagine every situation of my life in the most vivid detail. Waist of precious time.

I love to be organized, to have a plan, to have goals, but with my imagining life the problem lies that everything stays just a plan. Most of the things I never bring to reality, never fulfill my desires.

After such a profound realization I seat at my computer and on my desktop homepage a quote of the day appeared:

"It's time to start living the life you've imagined" - Henry James

That was so weird, but I guess I got my answer - get out there and Start Living!!!

A Beautiful Life Friday

2009-05-15T21:37:00.006+02:00

This week I was so lucky to have a little time to enjoy some very small ordinary moments. Beside the time spent with old and new friends the smallest thing made me happy - Lavender!

I was looking for it to beautify my terrace and finally I did.

The beauty of sitting on my sunny spot on my terrace looking at my lavender, reading a favorite magazine and enjoying my morning coffee was the highlight of my week.

Now you can join this A Beautiful Life Friday hosted by Melissa @ The Inspired Room or hop over to see all the other wonderful posts.

From a child's perspective

2009-05-06T10:32:00.013+02:00

The other day I was with my family at my mothers country house. My son took the camera and I just let him snap few photos. It turned out that he took more than "few", but what amazed me was actually what was catching an eye of a six year old.

Look for yourself!

Maybe we should let our kids show us the world around us and allow ourselves to see the world from a child's perspective!

The rainbow

2009-05-05T16:13:00.005+02:00

After every rain there comes a nice sunshine, and sometimes you are lucky to see the magical rainbow. My personal blogging rainy month was the last month, but as you can see the rainbow just appeared.

The last few months I had a problem expressing my thoughts and I was wondering very often who would read such unimportant thing that happened in my life. Often I fund my post to be somewhat negative and since I started this blog to find the positive side of living I am certainly glad I made this brake.

Even that I still don't know what should I write about I am so impatient, excited and eager to share with you some of my very trivial moments.

Spring cleaning

2009-04-02T13:56:00.004+02:00

The last few days finally the weather become much better and warmer. The trees started to bloom, you can see everywhere tulips and daffodils and you can smell the spring in the air.

As much as I would like to sit and enjoy this great weather I am getting very busy. I already mentioned my long project to-do list which waited this nice weather and first I will start with my spring cleaning.

It is not a favorite job to do, but afterward it is always nice to sit and enjoy a clean and crisp house ready for celebrating Easter. Oh I look forward to Easter, and you?

This weekend

2009-03-23T08:57:00.005+01:00

This weekend the spring came and I actually didn't even realize it. Well according to the weather here there is no way anybody could come to that conclusion. I am really tired of cold wind and rain. I need to feel a warm ray of sunshine on my cheeks, to pull up my sleeves and to do all my to-do projects (they all wait for some nicer weather).

I am also delaying my spring cleaning and it is really getting on my nerves, because for me spring cleaning means taking everything out of the closet (in my case out of the boxes) and take it outside on my terrace and then clean every single corner of the house. But because of constant rain there is no way I can start it yet.

So this weekend went by, we couldn't spend time outside, nothing has been done and the project list is getting longer. Eventually it has to get nicer and warmer, right, so patience is asked!

Garden corner

2009-03-16T16:29:00.002+01:00

I have planned to try to plant and grow a mini garden on my terrace. I read that some vegetables can grow quite happy in containers. So I will try to plant some vegetables and of course some of my beloved herbs.

I don't know much about growing vegetables but I believe this is going to be an interesting challenge for me. From what I have read I think I should start with planting some carrots and radishes.

The weather is still quite cold, so I think that maybe I should wait a bit longer - OR what do you think!?! If you have any tip or suggestion it would be very welcomed.

Image credit: www.mymobilegarden.com & www.lets-get-gardening.com

A Beautiful Life Friday

2009-03-13T16:27:00.002+01:00

The monthly goal for March would be simplify! Everything - my money, food, cleaning, the home - in order to have more room for some simple everyday joys.

I usually have a pretty good idea how to achieve my goal (in theory) but in reality that is quite a different story. So I will not concentrate how to achieve simplicity I will tell you what I did this week.

I cleaned my house and I kept it clean by quick 15 minute cleaning.

I started a yoga class giving myself some ME time.

I had some time with my new friends.

I had a wonderful spontaneous girls night (so much fun) with old friends.

A week full of joy!

Please visit and join A Beautiful Life hosted by Melissa @ The Inspired Room and get inspired with so many other creative ideas how to live a more beautiful life.

Yoga

2009-03-12T10:51:00.005+01:00

I planned it for a long time but I was always finding reasons not to do it, but I finally decided to do a very good thing for myself.

I joined a yoga class and I loved it. I need the movement and stretching and it feels so good. I didn't even know that I had some muscles ;)

I also find it so refreshing to get out of the house by myself knowing that I am doing something good for me. Tonight is my second class and I can't wait!

Photo credit: Google image

In few words ...

2009-03-04T08:44:00.004+01:00

Lately time is passing too quickly and too many things to do. So much about my organization! Well actually I did get things done in my home and I am actively searching for a job but just my blogging stayed somehow on a short run.

In short:

~ The sun came out and the ice melt down! The days are still not warm enough but it starting to look like an early spring. Yeah!

~ Like the weather my mood improved and I am bursting from energy so I used it to get out of my garage some stuff for my terrace. Now I can sit on my terrace with a cup of coffee and daydream and plan my garden corner which I need to start soon.

~ I went out on Sunday with my son and we enjoyed the wonderful weather and the sunshine.

~ I had planned all my projects and I need to start them otherwise I will never finish any of them.

~ I had a big fight with my ex about the unpaid alimony! Pure stress!

Now I need to go and visit all of you and do my catch up reading. I promise to get back to my regular blogging schedule and to be a much better blogger.

Stubborn winter

2009-02-24T19:18:00.003+01:00

I am finally feeling much better and getting back to the normal everyday activities. The only thing that I miss right now would be some nice weather, sunshiny mornings and some tulips.

Well it seams that we'll have to wait for some time because the winter doesn't' want to go away. Everything is covered with snow and well preserved under a crust made of ice. It looks like it is never going to melt away.

A Beautiful Life Friday

2009-02-20T17:37:00.006+01:00

The last two weeks have been so unordinary and I couldn't find piece of mind to make a decent post, I have even missed last weeks A Beautiful Life Friday. To make a long story short here in Serbia we have a virus epidemic. First my son got it now it is my turn. I must tell you I never felt this sick, this one is more than a seasonal flue, this one gets you down. So I sincerely hope you can find forgiveness for being a bad blogger.

Today is another A Beautiful Life Friday hosted by Melissa @ The Inspired Room and which I don't want to miss. My goal for the month of February is organizing and I already mentioned that I need to use planners and calenders in order to bring some organization into my life. This is a must for me!

Another thing that is helping me is something that is still in progress but eventually it will be a huge contribution to my organized living. I bet you all have heard about the Fly Lady and her genius simple technique so there is no need to explain to much.

A year ago or so as I was reading every single word on her site I decided to make a control journal. A binder with all the necessary information, all in one place.

I fund that the menu planning section is the most precious to me, because it seams that I never know what to cook. Nightmare for me! So I made a huge list of meals as an idea which helps me to decide on the next weeks menu.

I have also simplified my breakfast and I am telling you what a relief. Here in Europe we usually have lunch as a main meal and breakfast and dinner can be something more simpler, but then again I like for my son to have variety. If he had a sweet breakfast then the dinner should be something more "saltier" if you get me. So I was always trying to make it balanced. So my "genius" breakfast idea is actually serving the same breakfast every morning except Sundays. So on our breakfast table you can find honey, homemade jams, liver pasty, eggs, ham and cheese. On Sundays I make some waffles. So far it works wonderfully for me because it is ready in no time, I don't have morning stress and I feel good that I am giving my son the option to choose what he wants.

P.S. Sorry for the blur photos, but with my fever and foggy vision I noticed when I uploaded it. Promise better photos of my Home Journal next week.

A Beautiful Life Friday

2009-02-06T09:20:00.002+01:00

~ Organizing ~ this is the key word for the month of February. This is something that I really need to work on because all though that I like to be organized and I like to know what I am supposed to do next, life happens in between. I hope that I can achieve my monthly goal here at A Beautiful Life Friday hosted by Melissa @ The Inspired Room to bring more structure and organization in my life in order to have more time for some beautiful living.

I like to plan and somehow it gives me the feeling that it is in my control no matter what happens, even that most things in life can't be planned. So I use planners, agendas to take track of my everyday activities, but they are more than just a calender. As a single mom I need to write down my chores, groceries, my child's visitation schedules and his activities, family activities, special fun moments of the day, funny quotes and sayings, reminder... oh so much more than a calender.

Even that I use my planner everyday I need to make it more useful to help me be even more productive. And I believe that I fund a way to achieve that. Few days ago I fund a fun online family calender at cozi.com which makes the daily organizing even more fun and much easier. Just what I need, to write down everything from a short entry for my journal so that I don't forget it, my to do list, my grocery list, my menu plans to my calender ... everything in one place. I can print it, send an phone message or even an email. Becoming more productive! :)

So my first step toward a more organized life would be planning and making my agenda and online calender work for me to be able to achieve more things in just one day.

Last week

2009-02-05T18:45:00.002+01:00

Nothing really and everything happened last week, but where should I start.

I turned 34 and got my reading glasses!!!

I got lovely Birthday presents and went shopping and fund wonderful jeans (yeah, finally) and many other wonderful stuff.

I am searching for a job and I am ready for this big change.

I have some long forgotten feelings and lot of butterflies in my stomach and it is not because spring is getting closer! ;D

And the best part was ...

... my son was happy to be back home again and so was I. He grow so much, he was the best- pirate and praised to be the best boy there. Can you imagine the proud mommy!?!

Love/Hate

2009-02-04T18:33:00.002+01:00

The last few days I have a love/hate relationship with my blog! Then I guess that it is just a stage trough which almost everyone goes true.

I find that there isn't too much to be told and then again there is so much that I need and want to tell you.

So I hope you can forgive my half-hearted posts.

My greatest present

2009-01-31T09:28:00.006+01:00

Today on my 34th Birthday my greatest gift of all just arrived from his preschool vacation.

I'll make this a shortest post ever, because I have to go and coddle now and listen to the cutest stories.

A Beautiful Life Friday

2009-01-30T23:12:00.003+01:00

I had a huge problem posting my post for today and at the end I had to delete it because it was messing up my whole page (some blogger error which I didn't know how to fix and I still don't have a clue what happened).

Today is A Beautiful Life Friday hosted by Melissa @ The Inspired Room and I am trying to be regular in posting my goals. But my today's inconvenience is forcing me to improvise and to try to remember what I wrote. Or maybe not!
Why should I get excited about just some text that was written nicely exactly describing everything that I wanted to say today. So I can strongly agree with Melissa with what she wrote today, that we should remind ourselves that things and stuff we do doesn't have to be perfect.

I will allow myself to be imperfect with my post today and I will defiantly practice it in the next months to come.

P.S. Thank you Melissa for hosting A Beautiful Life, I had great fun this month writing about my own ways toward a better life and by reading other great posts.

"Me time"

2009-01-25T13:13:00.005+01:00

Yesterday my son went on a winter vacation with his preschool and suddenly my days are so long. It seamed like eternity to me while waiting to call in the evening to see how everything went on his first day.

Now I have a whole week of ME TIME and I starting to think maybe a little too much time for myself! But I will use it wisely, I promise!

I will focus on stuff that I usually don't have time to do and on some beauty-spa moments. Of course I will also enjoy planing and preparing my 34th Birthday Party on Saturday.

Slowing Down

2009-01-23T13:15:00.003+01:00

Today is time for some beautification of your life and since it is Friday please visit Melissa@The Inspired Room where she is hosting this great event.

For the month of January my motivational goal would be Searching. Searching for some answers before I really start to fulfill my goals for this year.

The last week I have searched how to start my journey of creating a more beautiful life.

Before all the steps that I will take I for sure will need to slow down, to became aware of everything and everyone around me. To stop and to relax, take a deep breath and gather my thoughts and be aware what I wish to accomplish.

Then this week something happened and some long forgotten butterfly moments made me totally slow and relaxed. So I guess that I have accomplished my goal! :o)
I am kidding, but I for sure need to slow down to be more aware of ordinary everyday moments.

"Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going to fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why." Eddie Cantor

... and some craft time

2009-01-18T09:58:00.011+01:00

With all the holidays my days were slow and then after the holiday season is officially over everything accelerated. Now I have some very busy hectic days and I guess it means that I have relaxed enough.

In few days my son is going with his preschool on a winter vacation to the mountains. This will be his very first trip without me. I know that he is a big boy, that he knows to take care of himself and that he will be fine, but I am getting the feeling that it will be much harder for me then for him. LOL I know I sound like a possessive mother but the first time is always the hardest, or is it maybe every time like this?

To prepare him for this trip they gave me a list of things he should have. And let me tell you the list is 2 pages long and most of the thing I still need to buy. So you see why my days are so busy.

But the two of us did manage to have some craft time and we made an ant hill which will be our fun science project as soon as the spring comes.

I hope your days are less hectic and filled with fun and joy.

A Beutiful Life Friday

2009-01-10T11:56:00.004+01:00

Melissa at The Inspired Home is hosting A Beautiful Life Friday with the purpose to live a better, more fulfilled and happier life in 2009. The idea is that each moth has a word (goal) that you can focus on and improve the way you want.

I find the idea absolutely fantastic because that way I can persistently work on myself and all my goals with the support and creative ideas of so many other great ladies.

My motto for 2009 would be Enjoying Positive Living, trying every month to change and improve my life more positively by making it more beautifully.

January: Searching - Since I am searching for a job it would be a perfect moment to search also for all the inspiration for the rest of the 11 months.

February: Organizing - total new direction in organizing my day, meal planning, quality time with my child and decluttering.

March: Simplify - my life, my money, my home, more room for everyday joy.

April: Everyday joy - simple pleasures that bring smiles, special moments with family and friends.

May: Self esteem - something just for me, the way I see myself, the way to improve and grow.

Jun: Healthy habits - drinking more water, enjoying delicious food, experimenting with new recipes, kitchen gardening.

July: Living in the moment - wherever you are, be there! Fully and mindfully.

August: Optimism - learning to embrace more positive view of life.

September: Routines - since my son is coming into the first grade and we will need to adopt many new routines to manage school days it is perfect time to embrace more of other useful routines.

October: Count your blessings - seeing things in our life the way they are, accepting them and acknowledge them.

November: Passions - finding what moves me, keep me going and makes me dream and live a beautiful life.

December: Art of giving - sharing love and kindness and the beauty of giving from the heart.

I believe it will be an interesting journey with so much beauty. Thank you Melissa for this magnificent idea!

Holiday days are over ...

2009-01-10T09:26:00.015+01:00

... but holidays photos are still here!

I am somewhat glad that the holidays are over. We celebrated our Orthodox Christmas very nicely and cozy with family and friends.

This is the very first year for my son and even for me that everything was in a old traditional way, as my grandmother has explained and passed on to me our family traditions.

We went to my mother to celebrate Christmas Eve

It started when the traditional oak tree/branch (badnjak) is brought into the house.

On Christmas morning "Bozic Bata" (Santa Clause) left some sweets in everybody's shoe.

Nikola had the honor to be "polozajnik" the youngest guest, the one who shakes the burning oak log and when the sparks fly up, he recites his best wishes for the family. He also wished for his grandmother to be fat... (that is a very silly song witch is recited for generations!)

From his great grandmother Nikola received a specially made cake for being "polozajnik" the youngest and the first guest.

On the second day of Christmas we had snow and all the children where outside on the only hill in the neighborhood. I wished there were much more snow because snow fun is the best what can happen in winter, but kids didn't complain at all.

Are you having fun? OHHHH Yeah!!!! Are we going home now? NOOOOOO, No, No way!!!

Real fun way to end a holiday! I leave you with this snow angel hoping that you have enough snow to make one too, just because it is so fun to make one.

Do you get Spam Comments?

2009-01-08T08:47:00.005+01:00

I don't know about you but the last few day it seams that I am having a problem with my comments. I am getting much more comments, and that isn't a core of the problem because I wouldn't want you to think that I would not like to receive more comments.

I always get very excited to read a new comment since I only get few but these that I received the last few days are quite questionable. One is even asking me to give my phone number!!! One said that he needs more information about me and stuff like that. Not to mention that there are two Chinese sites leaving me weird comments.

Did anyone have the same problem? If you did what did you do? How can I stop it?