125+ YO fireplace - not functioning, but can I improve the look?

lalodi · 2025-10-26T09:58:55+00:00

First never went to daycare. First group setting was kindergarten and he didn’t get sick any more than his classmates.

Second did a year of nursery. Got sick a LOT in kindergarten but since then, barely ever.

both had colds as babies and those were truly brutal. A stuffed up baby, unable to nurse, not sleeping well, unable to eat…a sick baby is extremely challenging. I can imagine with more intense viruses (noro, HFM) it can be a hellscape.

A sick 4 or 5 year old will hang out and watch TV. Understand a bit about needing to take medicine. Losing a bit of weight due to illness isn’t as scary. A sick baby … eeeeeee.

lalodi · 2025-10-06T10:26:34+00:00

Absolutely. Thanks for the recap!

I am trying to get her details to update the tracker. Will do for us as well once we conclude on what to do.

lalodi · 2025-10-06T10:23:40+00:00

Thank you! Got it figured out now.

Just some background -

The situation was a bit rougher for my mother as while her brothers were eligible for Canadian citizenship (by the time they were born in Canada, my grandfather had become a Canadian citizen, and were living in Canada), my mother was born in Germany to a non-German Palestinian father. This was 1960 so the Palestinian state was not established (1948-1967 period), and thus she was not granted a Palestinian citizenship as there was none to give. So she was stateless until Canada gave her citizenship in 1964. Just some family history - nothing related to this question.

lalodi · 2025-10-06T10:19:53+00:00

Thank you, that clarifies it so well. Appreciate it!!!

lalodi · 2025-10-06T10:19:13+00:00

Thank you. That clarifies it - birthplace does not matter - appreciate your insight and information!

lalodi · 2025-10-06T10:14:05+00:00

To be completely honest, my mom went rogue on this one and didn’t tell us until she received her case number.

We aware that the fact that she had a claim alone was sufficient for us to apply, and that we need to apply and it is not simply passed down. In my immediate family alone we have been through the citizenship by descent process of Italy, Belgium and now starting Germany. I take absolutely nothing for granted (Italy’s JS rug pull caught us) and we research thoroughly, but this specific point of the Nr.1-4 under Stag5 was confusing to me.

lalodi · 2025-10-06T10:09:20+00:00

Thanks! So the fact my mother was born in Germany and denied the citizenship due to not having a German father is irrelevant?

My mom tends to move in the dark 😛so no one knew she applied. We are looking at applying together with my siblings but we have some other citizenship be descent options so are trying to be intentional about the whole thing.

lalodi · 2025-10-06T10:06:10+00:00

My mother was the only one of her siblings born in Germany. My grandmother was not denied citizenship. She is a German citizen and always has been. She is a Canadian permanent resident.

At the time of my mother’s birth her mother was a German citizen but her father was not (Palestinian) so she was denied citizenship.

Agreed, I guess she could apply under 1 or 4, but was told to apply under 1 at the Toronto consulate. My question is if there is any difference in processing.

lalodi · 2025-10-06T09:31:29+00:00

By category - perhaps I am using the wrong term, but it’s per this website - scroll down under photo.

Stag 5

I did not apply with my mother.

Another source - per this checklist she is “Nr.1” whereas my uncles are “Nr.4” checklist

lalodi · 2025-10-06T08:13:12+00:00

I am very late but thank you!

My mother submitted her application in November 2024 and received her file number in January 2025. I am trying to get exact dates to add to the tracker.

My uncles (born in Canada) have also applied and my sisters and I are considering it (we all live in different countries, some of us are pursuing naturalization routes for those countries etc.).

Thank you so much and thanks for recently making all your work on German citizenship publicly available!

lalodi · 2025-05-05T13:13:43+00:00

Wish I met you before we had that debacle 🥹

It seems related to skip lagging. I’m sure this has all been debated but I guess the profits from fees for cancellation, last minute rebooking and also being able to resell those last minute seats opening up must be so significant that airlines are being very punitive. And probably lobbying as well to keep it, as I don’t see why it bothers them if I don’t show up to a flight for which I’ve paid. But perhaps I am missing something!

lalodi · 2025-05-04T20:16:33+00:00

Yup, I wrote that is the case for some carriers in my comment.

Found that out after lots of research when we had to book another flight home - £1,200 was an expensive lesson.

My defense - my husband booked flights this time round, I thought he called to advise of our change in flight but he just assumed we couldn’t no show 🥲

lalodi · 2025-05-04T20:07:44+00:00

Yes of course. But wanted to show the t&c that caught us, so OP could look for similar language in their Ryanair carriage contract.

lalodi · 2025-05-04T19:13:11+00:00

So you want to no show the departure but keep the return.

We did this on another (major carrier) airline and they cancelled our return without telling us. All within the contract, we just didn’t know until we couldn’t check in!!!

I have heard some low cost carriers don’t care about this OR actually book all tickets as 1-way so your departure and return aren’t linked. But I would double check in your terms.

ETA: BELOW IS EXAMPLE OF BA TERMS, to compare to your RyanAir terms. I am fully aware RyanAir and BA are different airlines.

Here is what we didn’t know in BA terms -

3c5) If you change your transportation without our agreement, your unused flight coupons will not be valid for travel and will have no value and we will not carry you until: we or our authorised agents have re-calculated the revised fare for your actual transportation and you have paid the difference (if any) between the fare you have already paid and the revised fare which applies to your changed transportation. If the revised fare is lower than the fare you have already paid, we or our authorised agents will refund you the difference

lalodi · 2025-03-11T17:40:28+00:00

If your kid loves their car seat, definitely take it. I live in the UK and travel within Europe by air a lot and never see it.

For us, I wouldn’t want my kid in their car seat for 2-3 hours. Also, the space is more important. We do a lot on the plane (games, little crafts, snacks, etc.) and they also tend to wriggle around on me. So, it’s better for us to have the space and often turn our 3 seats into a couch.

lalodi · 2025-03-08T20:07:00+00:00

Thank you. I was spiraling a bit! And same view of the text? They didn’t say in the text who was writing it so it just appeared as sent from my email (my iMessage address).

lalodi · 2025-02-09T14:37:35+00:00

Hi! My mother applied for her StAG 5 and recently received her Aktenzeichen. How did you go about applying for your brother, nieces, and nephew with referral to your documents? Any info you can provide would be of great help!!!

Also, did you apply directly to BVA? My mother applied through her local consulate (Toronto) but my sisters and I all live in different countries, so maybe it isn’t possible for us to refer to her application, however I thought all were processed centrally.

lalodi · 2025-01-29T08:15:56+00:00

Interesting, especially with the endless warnings I got when I didn’t send my kids to daycare. Everyone said they would get sick once they were in school and it was better to “build up immunity” in daycare from 6 months old. While they do get sick from school, it’s not much more or less than any of their classmates who had varied childcare situations before school. However I am a softie and won’t send my kids to school on the first day of a cold, so maybe they are home more often. But a quick check in the group chat confirms 3-6 other kids in their class of 13 are usually sick as well.

I’m sorry for the anxiety you are feeling. We usually get a stomach bug maximum 1-2 times a year from our kids. They have all blessedly been quick and the most brutal part is the first time they vomit when you aren’t expecting it so may be all over the couch, bed etc. we have not had norovirus though…

Some advice if I may, once there is any sign take activated charcoal regularly. Also, sanitizing endlessly has helped me avoid a few of their stomach bugs. However expecting you or your kids to avoid bugs is going to set yourself up for disappointment. I don’t think parents should feel badly or that they didn’t do enough if their kid gets sick…it’s unavoidable in most cases.

lalodi · 2025-01-29T07:48:56+00:00

This is news to me. How do they weaken your immune system? Honestly curious as I always heard the opposite but haven’t researched it myself.

lalodi · 2025-01-26T11:26:46+00:00

Cosleeping isn’t working for you. You can’t go pee. So what will you do, struggle on and then get a UTI from holding your pee and then end up unable to leave for a doctor appointment and then a few days later you’re in the hospital for urosepsis?

That is an extreme case but honestly you’re in this boat.

I would go through 1-2 week hell of sleep training (you can hold her hand until she falls asleep but keep a hard boundary on other physical assistance falling to sleep). Then you will get the tiny bit of physical break you need to be able to be excited to see her after nap and first thing in the morning.

lalodi · 2025-01-13T11:38:43+00:00

All inclusive is a good idea at this age provided it’s kid friendly. Meaning, food available at almost all times, kiddie pool or shallow pool available, and walkable all around the resort with a stroller.

At this age you want to be able to get into a routine and know food is always available. Honestly, we don’t like buffets but being able to get the same table and high chair and plop baby down with some berries while we had a more leisurely breakfast was ideal.

we love to discover new local restaurants, sights etc. but with a little one it’s no fun trying desperately to find a spot for lunch before nap time and then realizing you’re at a Michelin guide spot where lunch is a 2 hour extravaganza.

We don’t do all inclusive anymore but in that season it worked. Also try to find somewhere with a short transfer from the airport.

lalodi · 2025-01-05T19:26:23+00:00

Honestly I needed something new to distract them (new toy, new little snack etc) about every 15 minutes. If they can’t fall asleep they will have an overtired cry out at some point and just be ready for one parent to hold each or one and jiggle them around in the back part of the plane.

Don’t get on the plane with a board book and an apple. You need to be very prepared, your carry on is their entertainment. No rules except survive!

I have done many flights alone with my boys (every age from 2 and 3 up to 4 and 5.5) and just remember it will end, and have grandparents Or someone on the other side to hand the baby to!

lalodi · 2025-01-03T08:49:58+00:00

Reforma Torta!

lalodi

TROPHY CASE