Corina is a blogger and local mama who’s originally from Germany. We’re so glad she’s here!
Get to know Corina better with this little Q&A (and don’t miss her idea below for a fun back-to-school tradition for the kids!):
Kids’ names and ages:
Tristan (5) and Kyra (2)
Where are you from and what brought you to Northwest Arkansas?
I am from Germany and why we moved to NWA 5 years ago is a long story, but to keep it short, my husband (who is from the area) was stationed in Bamberg, Germany where we met and fell in love. After he left the Army we decided to try a new start close to his family in NWA.
What are some of your favorite family traditions that you carried over with you from Germany?
There are so many German traditions we have in our family. One tradition is to give every kindergarten kid a Schultüte. This is a cone filled with candy, school supplies, and other goodies to make it a little easier for their first day of school. (Read more about it on my blog here: http://corinatime.com/2017/07/27/german-schultuete-for-your-first-day-of-school/)
You can watch Corina share about the Schultüte here:
Another big difference is around Christmas. We have an Advents wreath with 4 candles representing the four advent Sundays until Christmas; which we celebrate on the 24th, not the 25th. For us, the Christ kind (like the angel of Christ) that brings us all the presents comes on Dec 24. On December 6 is St. Nikolaus day and Santa will drop by to bring us sweets in a boot or sock we place outside our home (not a traditional American stocking, an actual boot or sock).
We try to have a little bit of both American and German traditions at Christmas. We let the Christ-kind come on the 24th to drop off the presents from Oma and Opa in Germany then Santa brings the rest on the morning of the 25th.
Tell us what your blog is all about:
My blog www.corinatime.com is all about creating the best life for me and my family. I write about my journey into the minimalism lifestyle and how my entire way of living shifted.
While going through all those changes, my family started to see the benefits of this lifestyle and their more relaxed mom. I write on my blog how my family and I live more intentional and meaningful by simplifying everything. My goals are to show my readers how to live with less stuff and how to spend their time on more important things like creating memories with travel.
What’s the funniest thing that happened to you as a mom most recently?
The funniest thing that happened to me in my mommy life was when I was in a room full of people during a volunteer meeting for a non-profit organization and my 2-year-old decided she didn’t need to be clothed. She had been playing behind my chair when someone started laughing and I turned to find her wearing nothing but a smile and quite proud of herself.
What have been your go-to things to do with the kids this summer in NWA?
The things we love to do in the summer is splash bath at Charlie and Willie George Park in Springdale, meeting with cousins and friends at the playground, going camping at Devil’s Den, canoeing and going to visit the local farms to pick strawberries and blueberries. We love to create memories and to spend time with friends and family. This is what really matters.
What about time for yourself? Where’s your alone-time happy places?
Well, I love to write so I guess writing is part of my me time, but if I need a break or need some time for myself, then I wake up early and have a cup of coffee and read a book. Mostly though, I love to travel and do things with friends and family. Talking for hours around a campfire and getting lost in endless conversations; that is my happy place.
How did you and your husband meet?
My husband and I met on my 21st Birthday in a Pub in Germany and I absolutely could not stand him. But somehow, with the help of friends and despite the language barrier (I did not speak much English when we met) we started to understand each other better and better.
So, it’s fair to say it was love at second sight with the help of a German to English dictionary and lots of pointing and hand gestures. Lol
What’s a meal you make over and over for your family (or a restaurant that’s your saving grace)?
I cook lots of German dishes but the two dishes my family really likes and I do very well are Lasagna and Schnitzel.
If you could magically have a new skill, what would it be?
If I could have a new skill, I would love to speak more languages. I just love to travel and to visit other countries and speaking the local language makes that easier.
What’s something your friends might not know about you?
Hmmm, that is a tough questions to answer. I am actually a very shy person. It takes me a long time to get to know someone and to open up because I choose very carefully who my friends are and to whom I open up to. You could say I am very cautious. So, now my friends know that you guys are super special to me. {Thanks, Corina! That’s sweet 🙂 }
If you got an unexpected gift of (a lot of) cash, what would you do with it?
I would donate some of the money and then travel, explore and just have the best time with my family.
What’s your favorite way to unwind at the end of the day?
The best way to unwind for me is to listen to music, read a book or listen to podcasts.
What do you most want people to remember about you?
I would love if people remember me as the tiny German lady with a drive for adventure and as the person that was there when they needed someone.
One word to sum me up: Love. Nothing means more to me than my loved ones.
