WELCOME!!

Blogger Boss needs to decide what this is going to say about how crazy her life is & how she loves coffee & walks with her hubby.


Thursday, July 26, 2012

Wrooom!

Summer is swooshing by.
I think it might be the rain that's making the summer go by so fast.
It's leaving us behind as it runs down the streets in whimsical patterns.
Yikes.
I'm NOT ready for fall yet!
I thought we were just getting started.
I'm always a bit lost...

Anyway.
We've lived in our house for a year now.
I just noticed this a few days ago as the 1st anniversary quitely zoomed by.
Our house hasn't changed too much thou.
We still have lots to do around here before we can call our house "done", (not like a house is EVER done!!)
but Hubby has been way too busy working elsewhere, and when he's at home, his extra time is spent on work related paperwork.
At times he also enjoys spending time with me and the kids, (obviously!!), so our house has been way down on the priority list for a long time.
We are hoping to change that soon thou!

What else??  Oh yeah, our 1st anniversay in our house came and went, and with that the 1st anniversary of when I found out I was pregnant with Star.
Well, at the end of June I got a final report from my Dr, saying that I am now healthy, and that I can try for another baby if we want.
It worked.
A year after finding out we were expecting Star, I'm finding myself pregnant again.
I'm just at the early stages, but I still want to share these exciting news.
We need prayers that all will go well this time.
And if they do, God will bless us with another child at the end of March!!
The kids are very excited, and so is Hubby and I.
If we plan on moving next summer a new baby won't make it easier, but how fun to have a new litte person to bring back with us!!

Sooo... as usual in this household, full speed ahead!!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Summer in Suomi

So.  Maybe we are not hitting any heat records.
Maybe we haven't had lots of beach-weather days.
But.  Finnish summer is still beautiful.
I like how the nights are cool, no a/c needed (although a few times I wish we had one... it was really muggy a few days ago)
The sun sets, but it's never really dark all night.
(we are at the same latitude as Anchorage, Alaska)
The kids can be outside without getting burnt or dehydrated.
They've been picking lots of berries and wildflowers, biking, (they have amazing and safe biking trails all over), rollerblading, playing horses outside etc etc.

Going places there's rarely a crowd.
I've seen packed beaches and parks in my life, so when Finns ask "Was the beach busy?", they mean
"Were there other people than you?"
No wonder this country has more summer cottages per capita than any other country I know!
Finns like solitude.

I can see why, although 3 other families on a beach does not make it crowded in my eyes!!
Going to a Finnish "mökki" (cottage) means driving 30 min out of town, 15 minutes spent on a 2-track road barely useable to cars.  When you arrive and open the door the only thing you hear is the sound of nature.
Not your neighbours lawnmower or kids shouting.
No cars or boats can be seen or heard.
Just birds, and the wind in the trees and mosquitos.
Lots and lots of those.
They'll find your ears as soon as you step out of your car and keep reminding you of their precence for as long as you are out there.
The mökki is always on water.
Beautiful lakes with clear water.
Usually little islands are scattered in the water, and in the distance you might see another mökki.
If peace and quiet is your thing, well, this is it.
So... what do you do at the mökki then??
Sauna and swim.
And grill sausages.
Maybe if you have a boat (a rowboat, one with engine would disturb the peace), you take it out on the lake.
And you might do some fishing.
Mostly you enjoy the peace and quiet.

Well.  These last few months I've been very homesick for Canada, and we are making pretty official plans on moving back next summer, God willing, but I do have to say I'll miss many things about the Finnish summer. The huge amounts of wildflowers, the ice-cream, the nature, the berries, the sauna's at the crisp lakes, the peace and quiet... Aaaaaawwwwwwww....

So wherever you are, spending your summer, I hope you enjoy yours too.
Here we enjoy ours immensely, since we know we are heading towards cold and dark months in just a short while...

Monday, July 2, 2012

I'm still here....

Julyyyyyyyyyyy!  Like hello???
What is going on.  Somebody call summer and tell it to slow down a few notches!
I'm still in no shape to hit the beach...  What happened??
In the spring I made these promises to get into shape and yada yada...
And here I am.
Pasty white, hairy legs, dough belly intact.
Yukk.
Sun??  Heat?? Hello??
I think we need to have a chat.

Ah well.
I am healthy.  I am happy.  I have a great life surrounded by my awesome family who takes care of me in the most loving way.  Really.
On Saturday my Hubby took me clothes shopping (1st time in 3 years??for real!!)
We were gone all Saturday afternoon and had our big girls babysit.
Our oldest actually suggested us going out for the day, and my Hubby had the same idea, so I had no say :)
We had a delicious lunch at a little cafe we never visited before.
I tried on hords of clothes (something I actually can't stand, but anything to keep Hubby happy)
Seriously!!
He LOVES shopping for me.
(not for himself, in that aspect he's very normal)
I HATE trying clothes on in public fitting rooms...
After squiggling in and out of X nr of dresses, pulling every muscle I own out of place...
I did score a few good deals.
Now I just need to go and have my neck adjusted!! (JK)

Coming home 4 of the girls had picked 3 pints/liters of wild strawberries!!  Wow!
YUM-MEE.
The house was picked up and all the kids were sitting down eating dinner.
Pork chops with french fries and bearnaise sauce.
Thanks to oldest daughter.
I just stood back and looked at our gang.
Nicely seated at the table.
"What a great family I have!" was the thought that came to mind.
I felt so blessed and thankful.
Thank you all again for making me feel like the most appreaciated mom and wife.
Even with my pasty complexion and pudgy belly ;)