Joulu tulla jolkottaa / Christmas on its way

Niin sita ollaan niin lahella joulua etta alkaa vahan hirvittamaan. Mutta yritan olla stressaamatta. Olin tyttojen kanssa 16 paivaa yksin kotona kun mies oli tyoreissussa ensin Euroopassa ja sitten Intiassa. Onneksi Daddy on saatu takaisin kotiin. Nyt voi joulukin tulla kun ollaan kaikki taas saman katon alla.

I cannot believe that we're so close to Christmas that I'm starting to get panicy. But I try not to stress. I was alone with the girls for 16 days while my husband was travelling in business first in Europe and then in India. Luckily we have Daddy back home now. Christmas can start coming now that we are all under the same roof.

Koristeluita tehtiin tyttojen kanssa pikku hiljaa niin etta tulisi edes vahan jouluinen olo ja olisi mukava nauttia tasta joulunodotuksesta. Esiin otettiin myos meidan rakkaat koivutontut. Jutta niista loytyy TAALTA. Ne on jarjestelty uudetsaan vaikka kuinka moneen kertaan. 

We decorated the house bit by bit so that it would feel at least a little Christmassy and we could enjoy the holiday season. We also took out our loved birch elves. Story of these elves you can find HERE. They have been re arranged several times since these pictures. 

Pikkuisen ollaan askarreltukin. Viela olisi ajatuksissa muutamia juttuja askarrella mutta enpa tieda tuleeko tehtya. Katsotaan miten aikaa on. Pikkuneidin joulujuhla on nyt perjantaina mutta isompi neiti kay koulua aaton aattonakin viela puolikkaan paivan eika heilla joulujuhlaa olekaan. Sita kovasti kaipaan taalla. Koulun joululuhlia. Enkeleita, jouluevankeliumia, tonttutansseja, suomalaisia joululauluja. Niissa on vaan se oma ihana tunnelma. Isomman neidin koululla on talvikonsertti, jossa kaikki oppilaat esiintyvat. Valitettavasti vanhemmat eivat ole kutsuttu tahan tilaisuuteen tilanpuutteen takia. 

A little bit of crafts as well. We're planning on few other craft things but we'll see if we make them. Depends on time management. Little Miss has her Christmas celebration at he school now Friday. but Big Miss won't get out of school until 23rd mid day. They don't have Christmas celebration at her school at all. I do miss them terribly. School Christmas celebrations. Angels, Christmas gospel, dancing elves, Finnish Christmas songs. These occasions just have such a special atmosphere. Big Miss has a Winter Concert where all students perform. Unfortunately parents are not invited due to lack of space. 

Joulupukin apulainen on ollut myoskin tyossa. Yrittanyt paketoida lahjoja niin ettei kaikki jaa viimetinkaan (niin kuin yleensa jolloin viimeisena iltana paniikissa lahjoja kaaritaan paperiin). 

Sant'as little helper has also been working. I've been trying to wrap some gifts so that all is not left to the last minute (like it usually is when I frantically try to get all gifts in gift wrap on the last night).

Olenhan mina tottunut olemaan lasten kanssa yksin kun mies matkustaa mutta talla kertaa jotenkin tuntui pahemmalta antaa toisen menna Pariisin terrori-iskujen ja "lento-onnettomuuksien" jalkeen. Koko ajan piti olla puhelin lahella. Ja aina vannotin laittamaan minulle viestia kun oli laskeutunut. Isommalle neidille ensimmainen viikko oli tosi rankka. Han stressasi Daddyn reissua jo etukateenkin. Masu kipea, itkuja, halipulaa.... Voi toista. 

Ensimmainen viikko meni ihan mukavasti. Toinen alkoi jo vahan tokkia puolen valin jalkeen. Ja loppuaika sitten..... Noh menihan se. ;) 

I'm used to staying home alone with the children while my husband travels on business but this time it felt worse to let him go. Why? because of all the commotion in the world: Paris terror attacks and "air accidents". The whole time I had to have the phone close by and on. And I made him swear to let me know after every flight that he had landed and was ok.  Big Miss took the first week very hard. She was stressing about the trip even before Daddy left. Tummy aches, crying, wanting hugs and cuddles..... Poor baby.

First week went ok. The second week started to get "sticky" after the half way. And the rest..... well, it went. ;)

Itsenaisyyspaivana piti tietysti katsella linnanjuhlia. Tytot eivat siita valittaneet vaikka alussa vahan katselivatkin mukana. Onneksi ystava tuli kaveriksi katselemaan pukuloistoa. Oli muuten suomalainen kaveri niin ettei tarvinnut kamalasti selitella tavallisen kansan iloja Suomen itsenaisyyspaivana. 

Kaksi kynttilaa sytytettiin yhdessa tyttojen kanssa ikkunalle ja puhuttiin siita miksi nain tehdaan. Kaikkialla Suomessa. Suomalaisissa kodeissa. Kaksi tarkeaa kynttilaa. 

Finnish Indepedece day was on Dec 6th and of course I was watching the president's reception. The girls didn't really care for this even though they did watch if for few minutes in the beginning. Luckily my friend came to keep me company. She was a Finn so she appreciated one of the traditions how ordinary Finns celebrate our independence day.

Two candles were lit on the window sill with the girls. We talked why we do this. Everywhere in Finland. In Finnish homes. Two important candles.