Baking frgal with Pavlina and Michele

Pavlina and Michele came over yesterday to spend the day with us. We enjoyed some yummy pizza, then while the kids napped Pavlina and I started the frgal dough. Frgal is a Moravian specialty dessert that even Pavlina hadn't eaten before (she's Bohemian). After naps, the dough had risen enough for everyone to have fun rolling it out and spreading on the filling.
The dough I rolled ended up slightly rectangular - Magdalena's, on the other hand, was the roundest one! I told Pavlina that Magdalena learned from the best - her Babicka!
After the dessert was done, we all went out for a walk. Michele didn't want to stay in his stroller so Magdalena held his hand to help him along. "He's my friend!" she declared several time. They are just under a year apart in age and play together so nicely. :-)
Magda's photography skills are improving! She shot this super cute photo of me and Pavlina in the park before we headed home.
The frgal with poppy seed filling. The other one had plum jam and was really tasty but looked terrible because I left it in the oven too long!

Pope Benedikt XVI

On our way to Mala Strana to see the Pope, we perused the bazaar in our square where Magdalena found this stuffed mouse for 10kc. A photo shoot was in order afterward so that she could show him off. :-)
The couple standing next to us at the barrier are from El Salvador and speak perfect English. We chatted the whole time we waited on the Pope's arrival (about an hour) and he snapped this family photo for us. Too bad Magdalena wouldn't look at the camera! The sun was extremely bright and she was playing shy too.
The Pope is barely visible in this pic, but if you zoom in, he is all in white with his arm upraised looking in our direction.
Part of the Papamobile is visible between the police officers. It was awaiting the Pope's arrival from the airport so that he could ride up to the castle after the ceremony. Benedikt came in a darkly tinted car so we couldn't really see him as he passed right in front of us (we could have touched the car had the barrier not been in place).
Some of the barriers to keep out cars...and the portable metal detector that the ceremony attendees had to pass through!

Zoo Praha

Monday morning we met up with the Hornback family for a grand Zoo adventure! Gracie and Magdalena are two peas in a pod and couldn't get enough of climbing, yelling at the animals, and hopping in and out of the wagon that the daddies (Petr and Stephen) took turns pulling. When we visited the Emus, Magdalena said, "See he's a nice animal" to which Gracie replied, "No, he isn't."
Stephen pushing the girls in their private carriage.
Charity and Zoe.
Petr and Magdalena transporting Gracie who was being like Mary Poppins and her umbrella. :-)
And, since there aren't any aardvarks in Zoo Atlanta, we were all very fascinated by the very ugly-tailed, but cute-faced creatures as they slept cuddled up together.

Palacinky III: the taste test

Palacinky II: spreading the jam

Palacinky I: attempting to get jam for the crepe

Petr made palacinky (crepes) for our dinner one day last week and again for breakfast on Saturday. The first time, we recorded Magdalena's discovery of the wonders of such delicious food! The videos tell it all, so enjoy. :-)

A Friday afternoon stroll

Even though Magdalena was made and born in Prague, she doesn't remember much, or any, of the sites since we left her hometown when she was only 1 1/2yrs old. So, to "refresh" her memory, we took a stroll through Vaclavske Namesti (Wenceslas Square), Stare Mesto (Old Town), and across Karluv Most (Charles Bridge). In Old Town's square we watched the Astronomical Clock strike 4 and Magdalena was entranced. She called it the "Jesus Coo-coo clock." In Tyn Chapel, as we looked at paintings of Jesus in Mary's lap after his death on the cross, she asked me why Jesus died on the cross. She also asked why the people were mad a Jan Hus (John Huss) and burned him. So, she had lessons in history and Christianity.
Checking out Charles Bridge - the live music, boats floating underneath, and the crowds all seems unimportant to Magdalena after she saw a bottle in the river. "That's not supposed to be there. Who put that bottle in the water?" She kept repeating. Then, the kicker, "It can be recycled!"

Watching the boats and hot-air balloon with Daddy (Charles Bridge statue in background).
The new kids' playground just off of the Charles Bridge. Magdalena had a lot of fun playing there. We'd read about this new addition to Prague's parks, but hadn't yet visited it. I think it was a winner and we'll be going back!
A picture Magdalena took of Prague's "Venice Canal." Some people actually do ride little boats up to the doors of these houses. Also, the aforementioned hot-air balloon needed to be documented!

Simona and Max

Simona and I hadn't seen each other in several weeks due to us both being busy, so we found time to hang out Monday evening. She needed to walk her dog, Max, and Magdalena needed to get rid some of extra energy from being cooped up all day because of rain. She loved running with Max and throwing his ball to play fetch. Simona and I enjoyed talking and watching our "kids" play together. :-)

Oh, Happy Day!

My fruit has a new best friend! Yesterday morning, while Magdalena was at pre-school, I hung out at Novy Smichov shopping center with Joanna. We started out window shopping at Marks & Spencer's but ended up buying some peanut butter and canned soups.
Wonder upon wonder, Magdalena wanted to taste the peanut butter! She normally avoids all spreads and sauces like the plague, but when I did a silly re-enactment of smashing peanuts and whipping them into a cream, she wanted to try it. 2 slices of apple and a breakfast cookie covered in peanut butter later she'd had enough, but still said she liked it. :-)

2nd day of preschool

Daddy helping Magdalena get ready for class.
All dressed up and ready to go - accessories included!
Some after school fun with Mommy and her matrushka dolls (Russian nesting dolls). Mommy's crown is compliments of Magdalena, of course!

Saturday Afternoon

As is our habit, we went to Tesco on Saturday for our "big" groceries, i.e. heavy items that require a man's strength to carry home. There was some sort of shopping center gala going on so, I had to take a quick video of it to share the fun-tempo-ed music, a smiling Petr with the TESCO sign in the background, and Magdalena's rapture of it all. (When we arrived there were giant plush apples walking around dancing with the kids, but they'd already left by the time we were heading home and I shot this video.)

Saturday Morning

Saturday morning I had a lovely brunch with some girlfriends to celebrate the upcoming birth of Baby Boy Safarik! Joanna and I met randomly at a park about 3 years ago and instantly bonded. Now we are expecting babies (second for each of us) 6 weeks apart. Even though we haven't been able to see each other as much as we'd like these days, it is so nice to have a friend to talk with about pregnancy, the difficulties of being exhausted from dealing with a preschooler, etc.While I was away having fun, Magdalena and Daddy were home having some fun of their own! Magdalena rediscovered her frog costume from last Halloween and decided to put it on. As you can see, it's a bit small now, but she enjoyed hopping around in it and then watching a DVD in style. :-)

Harrod the Dog

Petr's cousin Jarka has lived and worked on and off in the UK for several years now. She recently purchased a new flat about 15 minutes out of Prague and has enlisted Milan and Petr's help to get things set up for living. Jarka sent this animated doggie home with them yesterday for Magdalena (and a canister full of Lindt chocolates of us!). Since he is from Harrods store, Magdalena said his name is Harrod.
Even though the little creature is already annoying me and Petr with it's barking, it's a perfect gift for Magdalena because she has really been missing having a dog around. Recently, she tells me daily that she misses Cleo and wants her to live with us (as if that will ever happen, knowing how much I LOVE that dog...). She asked me on Thursday for a dog. I told her that after we buy our own house, perhaps she could get one if her Daddy agrees...

Waiting on Deda and Babi

Thursday afternoon, Petr's parents arrived for a long weekend visit. Magdalena was so excited she couldn't contain herself! In the video she's saying, "Here you come, Deda!" over and over again as she dances/jumps/acts like a mad woman! :-)

After about 30 minutes this, she grew a bit tired and thirsty so resorted to just sitting and watching for them as she sipped her juice.

For Elizabeth

Not sure what happened with the quality of this photo, but here you go, Elizabeth! A pregnant belly pic - 33 weeks down, 7 to go! :-)

Note

One of the first skills children acquire in a Montessori classroom is how to roll up a rug or activity mat. On coming home yesterday afternoon, Magdalena insisted on rolling up our bath rug. It took quite a bit of coaxing to get her to leave it put!

školička (preschool)

Magdalena started Montessori preschool at Andilek yesterday. (Andilek is one of the family centers where I will teach beginning in January.) She will be attending every Wednesday from 9am-1pm. As we walked to the tram to go to school I realized that I'd forgotten to take her picture before we left home! I felt like such a terrible Mommy - Magdalena didn't care though, so we decided to shoot a picture after class was over. So, sweater-less, and hairbow-less (she lost it!) here she is with her teacher Michaela. We had to drag the child away to leave, but later she informed us, "I don't want to go back to školka ever again. I didn't have fun!" Crazy child. She bragged about all of the sections of the room - "we sat here...I made worms here...I can run here!" - and what she did while we were in the classroom and playroom. I think she'll change her mind and want to go back next week. :-)
To celebrate Magdalena's first day of school, we had ice cream on the way home! She insisted on having "PINK" and didn't want to share with Daddy - but, then, who would want to relinquish any of their forest strawberry ice cream?? I had lemon, my absolute favorite!