Oh my! I figure out how to post a picture! Beach season has come ... !

Okay, I would like to post more pics in the days to come ... this is on a beautiful beach a few miles from where we live. Because we were homeschooling, we could get out here by lunchtime, and have the beach almost to ourselves! First couple times were too chilly to swim, but they have since been swimming a couple times!

Summer!

Summer is really here! We've been to the beach several times, enjoy sunshine almost every day, and are not doing schoolwork (tho' I have told the kids they will be doing some math drills and math games from time to time still.)

Miss N has arrived from America (my niece) to spend the summer here! Lucky us! And hopefully she will have an awesome summer here (summer in Finland is typically really fun.)

I would like to start posting pictures from time to time, but have no idea how ... I would appreciate some instruction in that area! :-)

The cute saying of the week (I posted this on fb already) - Mr. C (4 y.o.) was in the store with me, and was fascinated with the 'dummies', wanting to touch the fingers and asked lots of questions about them (probably just as fascinated that Mom was calling them 'dummies'!!) And as we were leaving the store, he saw some in the display windows of another store and said, 'Hey Mom, look! I see some more stupids in that store!' Oh, did I get a good chuckle (behind my hand) over that! Then when I said, 'Oh, yeah- there are dummies in that store, too!' he said, 'Oh, yeah- that's what they was, dummies!'

K- I have to get ready to go to a big 'kirpputori' (flea market- that's how the Finns sell items like Americans do at garage sales.) A and I will go, and take the girls with- should be fun!

Welcome camping season!

We gave the camper a 'spring cleaning' on Friday, and headed out to a campground for the weekend. We enjoyed it much, and then got rained out this evening- would have stayed till tomorrow. Oh well! It was snug and cozy in the camper yesterday evening- some kids playing a game at the table, I started a super easy knitting project, Ami and a couple of the kids were zoned into the internet world (checking on hockey scores, etc.!) We managed to get all of us arranged to sleep in there! Last summer quite often the 3 older boys would sleep in the van, but it was a bit chilly, and then we were a little reluctant to have them in there when it was just some random campground.

Can't wait till our next outing in it! This time I only forgot a few minor items when packing- our big blanket (mine and A's- he was not so impressed, since he had even asked me if our bedding was out there ... I had brought sheet and pillows, and was coming RIGHT back in to get the blanket. I was sure it was out there. oops!) Also forgot a pot (but remembered the frying pan, which will now live in the camper for the season), a brush, paper towel ... but, we survived!

Two birthdays

Eleven years ago today we were blessed with our firstborn. Four years ago today we were blessed with our last child (or so it seems!) Seven babies in exactly seven years. Seven times blessed!

Our parenting journey started with a brilliant child- and one who was always on the move. He literally was checking out the delivery room with much interest (I didn't know this was unusual, as he was our first! A nurse also came to tell me, when bringing him from some procedure in the nursery before we left the hospital to bring him home, that 'This baby smiles. I am supposed to be thinking, when parents say their newborn smiles that babies can't really smile. But this boy DOES smile already- he focuses so intently on me when I talk, and I know he has smiled at me!' Those were not her exact words, tho I put quotation marks, but exactly her message. And he really did smile that young- not all the time, not every day, but he did smile from the start. I could write many examples of how amazingly alert and attentive he was ... but not today! :-)

There were literally several people who told me from time to time, when this boy was young, that they could just sit and watch N move all day long- because he was continuously moving and investigating everything. And with a very sunny disposition. He has had some challenges in life (like his mother!) but handles himself beautifully well, all things considered. He is quite confident, yet quiet in certain situations (for example will go to camp or sleep over at someone's house, without hesitating or looking back- yet may be very quiet most of the time while there), he has a fantastic grasp on two languages, makes friends easily, and quickly and easily learns any type of sport he takes an interest to. How is it that this 7 lb. 7 oz baby has grown in a mere 11 years to 5 feet 2 inches, with a size 8 men's shoe? Oh, how we love this boy!

And our youngest was also our biggest baby- just don't ask his exact weight just now, because I can't remember! I believe he was just over 8 lbs, tho. :-) And he delighted us with crying long and loud after he was born- music to our ears after having the previous 3 babies not breathing after birth, and needing immediate, intensive respiratory care. This one was healthy- what a blessing!! He is ... our baby! Everyone would still like to dote on him- but good thing he is too independent to take all the service he is offered! C is also a delightful boy. He is in a stage now where he talks. And talks. And talks!!! And so many of the things he says are just so delightful. Fresh impressions from an innocent mind! These days he often responds with, 'Of course!' to many things. For example today he and I made a quick trip to the local grocery store for a few birthday party items. First thing he saw when we went in the door were fresh-cut flowers, and he told me 'Of course we have to get flowers!' I asked him, 'Oh, do we?', and he again said, 'Of course!' And he says it with a little laugh, like he's wondering how you could have misunderstood this thought before! :-)

He is typically quite cheerful, thankful, expressive, and loving. A big difference between the first-born and youngest. The first-born does not share many details of his inner-most thinking. Or of most aspects of his life. We will communicate his basic needs, protests to requests to things he does not want to do, and things that are really exciting, or really important. Mr. C, the youngest, talks all the time. We know what he has dreamed, and what he might have dreamed, and what he would like to dream! We know who said what to whom, who may have said what to whom, and who he wishes had said what to whom! But- he is delightful. Everyone loves him!

I should go back now and write a post on each child who has already had birthdays this year- and then for the remaining couple who have birthdays later in the year, write at their birthday time.

And now- Good Night! I must go to sleep! I will not go to sleep with a pet called Zeep. (Or however Dr. Seuss said it!) Instead I will get the delight of sleeping by my hubby, after having him away for a couple nights. Another great blessing in my life- my hubby!

Ten fingers

Mr. C. (almost 4 y.o.) woke up this morning, and immediately lifted his hands in the air to look at them. He then counted to ten, then said, 'Yes! Ten fingers!' I'm not sure if he had dreamed he lost some of them, or was he just appreciating something important - but it was cute to see! :-)

We've enjoyed lovely weather lately - playing at the park, dragging dirt in and not cleaning it up very well ... but appreciating the nice weather while it is here. Never know in Finland if this is the only sunny, warm weather we'll have all year! Although I have had good fortune, and the summers I have been in Finland have been warm and sunny. Hope my luck holds out!

Supper for breakfast

Mr. C is a little Finlander! He 'needs' his solid 'supper' every day, and really looks forward to that meal. This morning he woke up and looked at a few books to get his day started right, and then told me he is hungry. He also loves 'puuro' (porridge) and I was offering to make him some, and he said, 'No, I want supper.' (In a rather whiny voice.) I asked if he wants me to warm up some spaghetti left over from last night's supper, and he said, 'No!!' Then thought for a minute and said, 'I want meatloaf and mashed 'atatoes!' He wasn't going to be satisfied when I said I can't make that yet, but could probably make it for supper later in the day - he settled for watermelon then, when I couldn't get the meat and spuds for him!

Life's going by like a blur!

Whew! It's been a long time since I posted anything - once again! At least 3 months, I think, because I don't think I have talked at all about Miss B coming to spend a few months with us. Well, she came - and went back home already! Three months went by fast, and it was action-packed. For her even more-so than for us!

I will highlight a few things from the time she was here:
*Lots of skiing. B probably went 4 or 5 times; our older boys maybe a few more times than that.
*Some skating.
*HopLop once.
*A made a trip to America, with N and D in tow- as well as a Finnish buddy and his son. They were in Mn for a few days, and then drove to Az for about 5 days - total trip time 9 or 10 days.
*From that trip, A was able to determine that the economy there is not yet improving. We won't be heading back there any time soon. So ... we start to consider how we should spend the next few years, while we wait for the economy to improve so we can move back. Let's see which way our path, pre-paved by God, leads us.
*C potty trained! Yipee!!
*Miss B got swept off her feet by a gem of a young man - and now hopes she will be able to get paperwork to come back here in the fall, and live longer than 3 months! She had a great time here (not because of us, but because she acquired a whole bunch of really good friends here!)
*A has had lots of work. We are thankful.
*Spring is trying to spring! The kids are loving playing out many hours/day - I love this time of year! (Well, except for the mud and dirt that comes in, by the truckload, it seems!)
*Homeschooling is going alright. We've slacked off somewhat, but partly because I have learned which areas which child should be concentrating in, so try hit those harder, and lots of their other lessons are just lessons learned thru reading, experimenting, etc.

Oh, that must be enough for one 'quick' catchup post, hey?!

Wonder if I'd figure how to post a pic or two on here? Let's see ... !