L (almost 6 y.o.) says to C (4), 'Do you think it's true or false that God made people out of dust?' C: 'True! Se'eosly (seriously). He did!' L then says, 'That's why our chairs and stuff are so dusty - we're made from dust and we sit on the chairs!' Heh!! :-)
I ask C, 'Should we bake something?' Of course he wants to! So he runs to wash his hands, then comes to ask, 'What are we gonna bake?' I told him I was thinking of makings some sämpylä (buns?), and he quickly puts that thought down. Bad idea. So what's his idea? 'Corn on the cob!' I told him we don't have any. 'I know we don't have any', he says. 'Let's make some!' Haha! He's seriously 'looking' for a recipe in the cookbooks! :-) .... We decided to surprise the others and make some doughnuts - good compromise!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Summer's flying by ...
How do people create the time to write on these blogs? I thought to do this as a sort of diary for the kids for ... eventually! But they don't get much detail, the way I blog ...
Today is Miss K's birthday. Of course Mom then starts to think about these seven years ... she was one sick little gal, at birth- (respiratory distress, and ?? I can't remember! Thankfully these stresses fade over time!) She's a sweet, independent, smart little lady. She has a style of her very own (she can take inventory in her closet, and come up with cute outfits I would never dream of!) She is very much a dolly girl. She loves, loves to take care of her dolls. We chuckle still about how one day (right around her 2nd birthday) she was sitting outside on a little chair, caring for her 'baby'. The 'baby' was a plain old chunk of wood for the sauna stove! But she cared for it so tenderly! :-)
She has had 'tummy' issues, which have caused much distress to her, I'm sure. But she never complains about it. As the 'tummy doctor' in Helsinki was finally determined to diagnose her so he could treat this issue, she had to go through some horrid testing- but she did not complain one word. Thankfully he was able to diagnose her, and we are able to treat her, so she is quite normal now (with her bowel functioning ... with meds, that is.) After several years of treatment, hopefully her body will be completely healed and the meds can be left behind.
Mr. A took the kids swimming so I could put her birthday cake together (our kids all prefer 'fruit-filled' cakes ... sometimes with candy on top, but often choose berries - so this one has lots of strawberries in and on it!) Soon my quiet moment will be interrupted with kids looking for a slice of that cake! Her 'real' birthday party will come in a few days, because I'm not feeling well (hopefully do not have strep throat.)
Anyhoo ....... our summer. Of course the biggest highlight is suviseurat. This year there were more than 80,000 people camped there - our days surrounded by hearing God's Word over the loudspeakers that are situated everywhere, and singing between the sermons. And meeting friends, eating ice cream :-), and ... just camper life, in general. We love the traditions we have already established from the years we have been able to attend these big services- the kids love to sell ice cream and pick up garbage from around the grounds, and earn an ice cream for doing that. We love the salmon soup, the rice porridge, seeing how the grass goes from tall on the first day, to trampled flat over the time there. I love to watch the campers roll in. We like to get there on Wednesday (the earliest they let you park there), and I am always fascinated as I watch throughout Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, as some tens of thousands of campers continue to pull in for the highlight 'vacation' of the year, for many others as well.
We actually took two weeks this year (our 'vacation'), starting from camping one night at St. John's Services, then continuing to Mummo and Ukki's (and Täti's!) for a few days. Then on to 'suvi's', for almost a week- from there we went to Finland's longest beach for a few days. Awesome vacation!! Lots of work for Mom (and Dad), but well worth the work, for the time spent and the memories created!
We were lucky to have one of our nieces here from America for the summer- she also got to experience suvi's, and Finland's summer, in general. I think she has enjoyed it- and we have sure enjoyed her!!
This summer has again been warm and sunny- so we have been swimming lots. We've picked blueberries a couple times, and should get there again soon! The kids and I all enjoy our time in the berry-woods (we call it 'our' blueberry woods, because we've never seen anyone else there!) Kids sometimes pick berries diligently, and sometimes just spend time enjoying nature. And I am fine with either!!
This past weekend we were at our last 'big' services for the year. We were there from Thursday evening until Sunday evening. The weather was a bit on the warm and humid side the first couple days, but ... better than cold and rainy, I guess!
Ok, I'd better get the table set for eating birthday cake soon!
One more thing - I am so curious who looks at this blog. Anyone willing to admit it, and if you are willing to share your address (I understand if you do not care to, if you don't personally know me ... I do not share my address to just anyone!) I will send you a Finnish chocolate bar. To everyone who responds (I dare to do that, because there are not very many people checking in here! But I am curious enough to promise delicious Finnish chocolate to all who respond! :-)
Today is Miss K's birthday. Of course Mom then starts to think about these seven years ... she was one sick little gal, at birth- (respiratory distress, and ?? I can't remember! Thankfully these stresses fade over time!) She's a sweet, independent, smart little lady. She has a style of her very own (she can take inventory in her closet, and come up with cute outfits I would never dream of!) She is very much a dolly girl. She loves, loves to take care of her dolls. We chuckle still about how one day (right around her 2nd birthday) she was sitting outside on a little chair, caring for her 'baby'. The 'baby' was a plain old chunk of wood for the sauna stove! But she cared for it so tenderly! :-)
She has had 'tummy' issues, which have caused much distress to her, I'm sure. But she never complains about it. As the 'tummy doctor' in Helsinki was finally determined to diagnose her so he could treat this issue, she had to go through some horrid testing- but she did not complain one word. Thankfully he was able to diagnose her, and we are able to treat her, so she is quite normal now (with her bowel functioning ... with meds, that is.) After several years of treatment, hopefully her body will be completely healed and the meds can be left behind.
Mr. A took the kids swimming so I could put her birthday cake together (our kids all prefer 'fruit-filled' cakes ... sometimes with candy on top, but often choose berries - so this one has lots of strawberries in and on it!) Soon my quiet moment will be interrupted with kids looking for a slice of that cake! Her 'real' birthday party will come in a few days, because I'm not feeling well (hopefully do not have strep throat.)
Anyhoo ....... our summer. Of course the biggest highlight is suviseurat. This year there were more than 80,000 people camped there - our days surrounded by hearing God's Word over the loudspeakers that are situated everywhere, and singing between the sermons. And meeting friends, eating ice cream :-), and ... just camper life, in general. We love the traditions we have already established from the years we have been able to attend these big services- the kids love to sell ice cream and pick up garbage from around the grounds, and earn an ice cream for doing that. We love the salmon soup, the rice porridge, seeing how the grass goes from tall on the first day, to trampled flat over the time there. I love to watch the campers roll in. We like to get there on Wednesday (the earliest they let you park there), and I am always fascinated as I watch throughout Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, as some tens of thousands of campers continue to pull in for the highlight 'vacation' of the year, for many others as well.
We actually took two weeks this year (our 'vacation'), starting from camping one night at St. John's Services, then continuing to Mummo and Ukki's (and Täti's!) for a few days. Then on to 'suvi's', for almost a week- from there we went to Finland's longest beach for a few days. Awesome vacation!! Lots of work for Mom (and Dad), but well worth the work, for the time spent and the memories created!
We were lucky to have one of our nieces here from America for the summer- she also got to experience suvi's, and Finland's summer, in general. I think she has enjoyed it- and we have sure enjoyed her!!
This summer has again been warm and sunny- so we have been swimming lots. We've picked blueberries a couple times, and should get there again soon! The kids and I all enjoy our time in the berry-woods (we call it 'our' blueberry woods, because we've never seen anyone else there!) Kids sometimes pick berries diligently, and sometimes just spend time enjoying nature. And I am fine with either!!
This past weekend we were at our last 'big' services for the year. We were there from Thursday evening until Sunday evening. The weather was a bit on the warm and humid side the first couple days, but ... better than cold and rainy, I guess!
Ok, I'd better get the table set for eating birthday cake soon!
One more thing - I am so curious who looks at this blog. Anyone willing to admit it, and if you are willing to share your address (I understand if you do not care to, if you don't personally know me ... I do not share my address to just anyone!) I will send you a Finnish chocolate bar. To everyone who responds (I dare to do that, because there are not very many people checking in here! But I am curious enough to promise delicious Finnish chocolate to all who respond! :-)
Friday, June 17, 2011
A few pictures ...
Sunday, June 5, 2011
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!
Friday, June 3, 2011
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!
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!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
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!
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!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
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!
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!
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