Lets go fly a kite

Green Monday in Cyprus is traditionally a day for family get togethers, bbq's picnics and I'm not sure why but kite flying seems to be a compulsory activity on the day too!

Although I don't think I've ever seen a kite in the sky here on any other day of the year, without fail the skies are full of them every year on this day!

Leo has never had a kite before and for some reason thought it would be quite difficult to fly one.   I did have a kite as a child but I don't remember flying it myself, in fact I don't think we had it very long as I seem to remember my Dad got it stuck in a tree!

He redeemed himself though by buying Leo his first kite and joining us in flying it. 

Despite a few failed attempts and several crashes to the ground I think we did very well, even handing over the line to Leo was very successful.

'Καθαρά Δευτέρα'  (Kathara Deftera)  Clean Monday, or  Green Monday as it's more commonly known is a feast day which is always 7 weeks before the Orthodox Easter Sunday and marks the start of Lent.   The 'Clean' comes from the idea of leaving behind 'sinful attitudes and non fasting foods..

Carnival comes to town

This weekend saw the carnival come to town and for the second year running we managed to play a part in it!  Last year Leo and I were just going to watch when at the last minute we realised our friends were walking with their school and joined them and he had such a fab time that I asked my friend who runs a dance school if we could join them this year.

Some of Leo's friends go to classes there so we had company on the float, and the little ones looked so cute in their orange capes to make their superhero outfits, I even got to wear one too!

The older students did a brilliant job dancing along behind us with their synchronized super hero routine.

Leo thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon, and was so well behaved considering how long we had to wait before the parade set off - what a difference a year makes!

Of course I had to be there for Leo's benefit but having a 4 year old is also a great excuse to dress as a superhero and wave at strangers from the back of a moving truck!

We were lucky with the weather as in the morning it has looked like rain was on the way but it stayed dry and we just about managed to miss a very strange dust storm at the end!

We'd like to say a huge thank you to Gemma and the Performers Students for a fab afternoon.

Performers Academy - Saving the world from bad dancing!

You can find Performers Academy of Dance on facebook

Slimming World Update and 'Magic Muffins'

After a few very focused weeks back at Slimming World I fell off the plan in a spectacular fashion this week with a new record of a 4lb in one week!

That's a week with no special occasions, holidays or nights out, my largest gain in all my SW years has been 3lb and that was after a two week all inclusive holiday.

But, Slimming world works, when you stick to the plan and last week I can't say that I did - 2 days after weigh in and a Valentines evening celebration at home with pizza knocked me sideways and I went off the rails somewhat!

Hey ho, after my shock on the scales on Wednesday I've been back on plan.  Superfree, scan bran and lots of water are my weapons this week, and of course my new favourite Slimming World muffins.


After the success of my 'Magic Pancakes' I decided to try a variation I'd seen mentioned in a facebook group, they are fab and I've been making them every few days.

Slimming World 'Muffins'
Makes 24 mini muffins.

35g porridge oats  (HE B choice)
1 Muller light / vitaline yoghurt or equivalent amount of fat free natural yoghurt
sweetener to taste
2 eggs separated


Soak the oats in the yoghurt overnight (or all day)
Add the egg yolk and sweetner and mix well.
Whisk the egg whites until they form peaks
Gently mix the egg white into the rest of the ingredients

Bake for about 20 minutes at 180c in a mini muffin tray

Serve with fruit and yoghurt, or eat them as they are!

You can eat the whole lot if you are using the porridge as a 'B choice'  or count them as 1/4 syn each!

Exciting new network for Famagusta!

How many times have you asked a question to be met with 'Google it' as a response?

These days we have come to expect information at our fingertips, and it came as a big surprise to me when I first arrived in Cyprus to find that Google was letting me down!

I looked for places to go, baby groups to attend, local information, bank holidays, how to register for schools, you name it I looked for it  and for the most part I couldn't find it. 

A while ago, due to my frustration I set up the 'East Coast Mum's' facebook group which in the end had over 100 members, I often shared information I saw online that I thought might interest other Mums, everything from local events to scheduled power cuts and enjoyed spreading the word to those who might not have heard, here it's not always that easy to know what's going on!

Over the last 4 years things have improved a lot but our little bit of Cyprus seems to have always been sadly neglected!

Well, not anymore....

Last week I became the founder of the brand new Famagusta Parents Network

Created by myself, in conjunction with the existing popular Larnaca Parents Network,  the FPN is my new baby!

We now have a facebook group  and the Famagusta Parents Network blog which I hope will be a definitive source of local information on events, activities and facilities in the area.   I also hope that many relevant local businesses will get involved sharing their events with me and spreading the word.

We welcome all original and relevant content, if you would like to contribute an article including a link back to your business page or blog then please get in touch via email.

Of course you can also find us on Google +  +Famagusta Parents Network
                                                   Twitter @famagustapn
                                                   Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/famagustapn/

In the future I hope to arrange events in the community and I have lots of ideas..... it's all very exciting!

Some people may (in fact I'm sure they do) think I'm a little crazy as it is a labour of love and not for financial gain, but I couldn't honestly care less!   I truly believe that this is going to be a great asset to the region and hopefully show the rest of the island that there is more to us than Agia Napa..... and we don't close in the winter!

Silent Sunday

Home Is Where you Make It

Recently I was asked to contribute to the HiFX Expat page, which offers advice to those looking to move abroad. After contributing to their campaign, I realised that I have lots of useful information which I could offer future expats and my favourite...

Let your new country become your home.

People always say that 'Home is where the heart is', this has never been truer than when moving abroad, because if you still consider England to be your home, then that is where your heart will be.

The day we arrived in Cyprus back in 2009 was the day it became our home, from the moment we stepped off the plane we made the conscious decision not to refer to England as 'home'. I figured that every time I thought of it as home I would feel like I didn't belong here and for me at least I didn't think I would be able to settle well if that was the case.

I've met many expats who still refer to England as home even after many years here, they go back 'home' for holidays, they miss their friends back 'home', and things are not like this at 'home'.

It felt a little strange at first always making a point of saying 'In England / back in England' and we tripped up a couple of times before correcting ourselves but it didn't take long,  Remember the saying 'fake it until you make it'?  That was my plan!

It worked, after a year when I went back to England for a holiday, I left after 3 weeks to come home and by then I actually believed it!

I know some people come to see how they like living here before committing to stay permanently and that's fine if that's what they want but I knew if we'd done that it would be likely that a bad day or bad week would have me running for the airport and I didn't move my whole life across the world to have to do it again.

That's not to say we'd never leave Cyprus 'Never say never' after all (how many more cliches can I fit into one post!) Once I'd have sworn blind that I'd never move abroad so who knows what might happen in the future, but for now and the foreseeable future we have no plans to go anywhere, except maybe a bigger house one day!

Image credit

This post is written in conjunction with HiFX.co.uk Expert Expats 

Braving the beach!

It appears that I'm not naturally an 'outdoorsy' person, although I do love to go out (assuming it's not too cold, wet or windy!) once you factor the boys into the equation and the stuff you have to take with you, the best time to go avoiding naps to ensure a happier baby, the decision of where to go - can I push a buggy there, will they walk that far, will I have to carry a very heavy toddler,  etc etc, I often come to the conclusion that staying put is far easier.

I'm realise that is rubbish, and I often 'waste' the fact I live in the ideal place to be outdoors.  I know that everyone else seems to manage ok with 2 or more kids or various ages and they make it look so easy!

This year I WILL get out more. I went from Leo being difficult to heavily pregnant just as he got a little easier to control, then back into buggies and then the very high summer temperatures and then the crawling stage.

It's slowly getting easier, now Louka can walk as he hates to be stuck in the buggy and when he was crawling it limited where we could go.

I forced myself to take the boys to the beach last weekend, convincing myself I didn't care that the sand gets everywhere, and Louka runs away in the wrong direction and then lays on the floor and cries when you try and stop him.  I love the beach in theory, but I find it so much more exhausting than playgrounds or swimming pools, I have no idea why that is!

They had fun though, and I even I did briefly, we managed almost a couple of hours until Louka decided to throw himself face down in the sand as I tried to stop him running away.

My Mum was with us, so that helped as I was on 'Louka watch' while she made castles and roads with Leo and stopped Leo going crazy as Louka instantly demolished everything he did!

Louka spent a long time with a bucket and spade slowly putting sand in his bucket before tipping it over himself.  He tried to eat it several times and poured it over his head but didn't seem overly bothered by it!

We lasted about an hour until Louka let us know he had had enough, we got the message when he laid face down crying in the sand!

Never mind, assuming the weather is the same we've arranged to go with a couple of friends next week and take a picnic, always safety in numbers!