Metsastaen / Hunting

Taman paivan teema oli metsastys. Siis paasiaismunien (muovisten, joiden sisaan pistetaan karkkeja tai muita yllatykksia). Eras naapureistamme oli jarjestanyt munanmetsastyksen ja kutsui ystavallisesti meidan tytot myos mukaan. Voin kuinka kivaa se olikaan. Ja silla aikaa oli paasiaispupu loikkinut meidankin pihalla piilotellen munia. Nyt on kylla sellainen yliannostus vaanhtokarkkeja ja muita herkkuja pistelty poskeen ettei tosi. 

Oli ihana aurinkoinen paiva. Lampimimmillaan mittarissa komeili +16. Ah ihanuutta. Mina leivoin kakun ystavalleni. Lupasin sen hanelle tehda kun han aloitti paaston 40 paivaa sitten (ja kertoi kuinka edellisena vuonna oli syonyt kokonaisen kakun yhtena paivana :D). Kuvaa en talla kertaa napannut kun oli kiire toimittaa se perille.

Saimme viela eilen kutsun ystaviltamme menna tanaan heille syomaan. Lupasin tehda jalkiruoan ja eilen illalla varkkasinkin mokkajuustokakun. Tytoilla oli hauskaa kavereitten kanssa ja nukkuvat varmasti 12h. Heratys kuitenkin seitsemalta kun on taasen koulupaiva. Vanhemmatkin nauttivat. Ruoka ja juoma oli todella hyvaa ja seura viela parempaa. 

Today's theme was hunting. Easter egg hunting (pastic ones with little surprises like sweets and stickers in them). One of our neighbours had organised a hunt and was to kind to invited\ our girls to join. Oh what fun it was. And while we were hunting the Easter Bunny had hopped through our tiny back yard and left few more eggs for the girls. Such an overload of marshmallow bunnies and other goodies.

It was gorgeous sunny day. +16 Celsius at the highest in the thermometer. So wonderful to feel the warmth. I baked a cake for a friend. I promised to make her one after the lent was over (she had just told me how she ate a whole cake in one day last year after lent). No picture this time as I was in a hurry to deliver it.

We did get a last minute invitation from friends to go and have dinner with them today. I said I'd bring dessert and made a mocha cheesecake. Girls had so much fun with their friends and I'm sure they will sleep 12h. However, wakeup call is at 7am as school is back on tomorrow.  Grownups  enjoyed as well. Lovely food and drink and even better company.

Pupu kaupassa / Bunny in the store

Tormasimme ruokakaupassa paasiaispupuun. Se jakoi lapsille suklaanamuja muttei suostunut sanomaan mitaan. Vilkutteli vaan. Samainen pupu jutteli kylla kovin innokkaasti kaupan henkilokunnan kanssa. :)(Esikoinen ilmoitti minulle etta pupu puhui aikuisille.)
Ihana aurinkoinen paiva. Lampoa +13. Tuntuu kevaalta. Istuin teekupin verran rappusilla katsellen ja kuunnellen paivaa.
Kotona nayttaa paasiaiselta vaikkei se edelleenkaan tunnu silta.

We bumped into an Easter Bunny in the store. It was giving small chocolates for children but did not speak to them. Only waved. The same bunny, however, was extremely talkative with the store personel. :) (My oldest pointed out that the bunny was talking a lot to adults.)
Beautiful sunny day. +13 Celsius. It feels like spring. I sat with my tea cup on the front steps watching and listening to the day.
It looks like Easter at home but it still doesn't feel like it.

Pitka pitkaperjantai / Long Good Friday

Paiva on ollut tosi pitka. Tuntuu kahdelta paivalta pistettyna potkoon. Isanta oli havinnyt toihin ennen kuin herasin puoli seitselmalta isomman neidin ilmoitukseen etta han menee alakertaan. Selva. Kommin perassa. Kaksi minuuttia sen jalkeen pienempi herasi. Se siita rauhallisesta hetkesta aamuteen parissa. Siita se sitten alkoihin. Pienemmalla on silman alla komea naarmu, seinassa komeilee kaksi isoa ruuvin mentavaa koloa (pikkuinen vahan rynkytti alakerrassa vauvaporttia itkuraivarissaan silla aikaa kun kavin auttamassa isompaa valitsemaan vaatteet - takaisin kun tulin niin portin toinen puoli oli irti seinasta), koira sai Hakka vasarasta paahansa, neidit ovat kunnostautuneet kinaamisessa, pienemman lounas lensi lautasineen kaikkineen lattialle kun neiti paatti ettei han syo enempaa (tata ei ole koskaan tapahtunut aikaisemmin: olin ihan kauhuissani mutta koira sai herkullisen lounaan) jne. HUH mika meininki taalla taas!
Isommalle olin eilen luvannut askarteluhetken. Ja niin sita sitten askarreltiin. Vaikka on kaikenlaisia askarteluideoita ja tarvikkeita kotona niin joskus sita on kiitollinen valmiille pakkauksille, joissa idea ja tarvikkeet valmiina. Niinpa siis tehtiin kukkia jos jonkunmoisia ja niista syntyi hieno kranssi. Oikein ihanan pirtea variensa puolesta. Sopii paasiaiseen oikein hyvin. Olihan se pistettava paraatipaikalle takanreunukselle.

The day has been very long. It feels like two days back to back without a break. My husband had disappeared to work before I woke up 6.30am when our oldest came to let me know that she was going downstairs. OK. I shuffled after her. Two minutes later the little one woke up. No chance of a quiet morning tea. And then it started and it went on and on. The little one has a handsome scratch under her eye, we have two holes in the wall where the screws for the baby gate went in (the little one had been shaking the gate in her crying fit when I went upstairs to help the older miss pick her clothes and when I came down the other side of the gate was off of the wall), the dog got his share as he was hit on the head with a wooden toy hammer (luckily not very hard), both misses have been at each other the whole day, the little one decided to throw her lunch with plate and all on the floor when she decided she was done (this has never happened before: I was shocked but the dog happy as he got an extra treat), etc. SIGH! What a day!
I had promised to do some crafting with the older one. So, that's what we did. Even though I have good amount of ideas and supplies for crafting I love readymade crafting packs with the idea and materials ready. We did all kinds of flowers and out of them a beautiful wreath. So happy and colourful. Very suitable for Easter. Of course we had to put it on the mantle for everyone to see.

Paasiainenko? / Easter?

Taalla ei tunnu yhtaan paasiaiselta. Meille ei ole tulossa ketaan. Me emme ole menossa minnekaan. Ei ole rairuohoa (that was my own stupid mistake as I realised it too late again). En saa mammia (olisin voinut tehda itse mutta arvatkaa vaan tuliko mieleenkaan etta mammi pitaisi tehda noin 5 paivaa ennen syomista). Suklaamunat taalla on harvinaisia eli emme saa Kindermunia/yllatysmunia (muista suklaamunista puhumattakaan). Pashaa ei saa kaupasta enka saa edes tehtya kun en saa kaupasta rahkaa. On aika pohko olo. Pienia asioita mutta kuitenkin tarkea osa paasiaista meidan perheessa. Sama juttu oli palmusunnuntain virpominen. Sekin on jaanyt taalla asuessa. :(
Vaikka koristeet on esilla niin paasiaismieli on jossain muualla kuin taalla. Elan toiveessa etta joskos se viela tannekin kerkeaisi. Nyt iski taas koti-ikava!

It doesn't feel like Easter here at all. No guests coming to us. We're not going anywhere. No Easter grass (that was my own stupid mistake as I didn't remember it in time). I cannot get mammi (I could have made it myself but i didn't even think that I would have to make it c. five days before eating it). Chocolate eggs as I know them are very rare so we are without Kinder/ surprise (or any other) chocolate eggs. I cannot get pasha from the store and I cannot even make it as I cannot get quark from the store. It's a weird feeling. Small things which are still important to our family Easter. It was the same thing with Palm Sunday and the Finnish traditions of decorating pussy willow branches and going from door to door wishing well and getting treats in exchange for the branches. That too has gone while we've lived here. :(
Even though I have the decorations it just doesn't feel like Easter. I'm hoping that it would get here still. I'm desperately home sick again!

Voihan raka / Oh bugger

Taalla on molemmat neidit rakataudissa. Pikkuinen erityisesti karsii kolmatta paivaa siita etta yskittaa ja nena on ihan tukossa. Kaikki keinot on kaytossa, yskanlaakkeesta, Vics vapo rub salvasta, vaahtokarkkimaitoon (vaahtokarkki on kuulemma yksi parhaita yskan taltuttajia ja tuntuu se tepsivan ainakin jos saa sita juotettua neidille tarpeeksi. Ja kun on kurja olo niin kankattaa ja itkettaa ja nuhjutetaan koko ajan mamissa kiinni.
Paivaunista pikkuisella ei tullut yhtaan mitaan tukkoisen olon takia. Yllattavan hyvin neiti on kuitenkin jaksanut. Odotan koska se vasyneen kiukkuaminen alkaa.
Kaytiin vahan ajelullakin tyttojen kanssa. Luulin etta pikkuinen olisi nukahtanut autoon mutta ei. Ajelun kohteena oli myyntiin tullut talo, joka paperilla naytti oikein hyvalta. Halusin nahda paikan paalla minkalainen talo itsessaan oli. Talossa ei sinansa mitaan vikaa (vaatii vahan nykyaikaistamista ulkopuolelta) mutta tontti ei innosta ei sitten patkan vertaa. Matkalla nahtiin myos kymmenen villikalkkunaa kopottelemassa jonossa tien yli.
Nyt odotan vaan neitien kuukahtamista ja etta voimme jatkaa Taru Sormusten Herrasta triloagian katsomista. Eilen ei onnistunut kun meidan pienimuotoinen "marttakerho" kokoontui meilla.

Both misses have cold and that means lots of coughs and runny noses. Especially the little miss is suffering from it (third day now) as she's completely blocked. All possible ways to relieve her are in use from cough medicine, Vics vapo rub and warm marshmallow milk amongst others. And you know how it is when the small ones are not feeling well: they are cranky, crying and clingy.
She was not able to sleep her nap. I'm amazed how well she's had the stamina to stay up. I'm waiting for the tired crankiness to kick in.
We did a little drive with the girls. I thought that the little one would have fallen asleep in the car but no. We went to see a house on sale which seems very good on paper. I wanted to see with my own eyes the area where it is and the house and plot themselves. The house seems ok (needs some updating on outside) but the plot is not at all good. On the way we also saw ten wild turkeys marching in a line over the road.
Now I'm just waiting for the girls to go to bed so that we can continue the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Last night it was out of the picture as our small crafty/knitting/crocheting club met at our place.

Ei ihan / Not quite

Ei nyt oikein tuo muumimamma meininki jatkunut tanaan niin kuin kovasti toivoin. Sain kuitenkin siistittya paikkoja. Se oli hyva se.
Seuraava projekti puikoille on jo tiedossa. Vaaleanpunaista kevaan kunniaksi. Aloitan sen kunhan tytot saadaan nukkumaan ja Taru sormusten herran toinen osa pistetaan pyorimaan. Ollaan katseltu pariin iltaan jaettuna ensimmainen osa ja tanaan olis tarkoitus jatkaa. Tykkaan kovasti trilogiasta. Upeasti toteutettu kokonaisuus.
Huomiselle mietin kovasti miten sita aamupaivan kayttaisi isomman ollessa koulussa. Meneeko kauppareissuun vai olenko laiska ja menen vasta keskiviikkona? Suuria elaman kysymyksia. Heh!
Haaveilin koruistakin. Ja pistin kyselya mun "hovi"koruntekijalle onnistuisiko mun ideat. Kevat on ehdottomasti tulossa kun mina mietin koruja ja hiuksetkin mietityttaa. Pitaisi saada jotain uutta ilmetta. Mutta kun ei ole ollenkaan tietoa etta mita se jotain olisi. Pitaisi olla helppoa kun aikaa ei pahemmin ole hiuksia laittaa naiden meidan neitien kanssa.

Not quite the same drive as yesterday even though I so wished. I did manage to tidy things around here. That was good.
Next knitting project is waiting. Pink for spring. I'll start it after we get girls to bed. And we'll continue watching Lord of the ring part two. The few past nights we've watched the part I dividing it as it's so long. I love the trilogy.
I'm contemplating what to do tomorrow morning while the older one is in school. Should I use it for a run to the grocery store or maybe just be lazy and go on Wednesday? Life's big questions. Heh!
I was dreaming of jewellery. I did send a query to my very own jewellery maker if my ideas would be something she could create. Spring is definitely here/coming as I'm thinking of jewellery and what do do with my hair. I need something new but I don't have a clue what that something could be. I should be something easy as I really do not have much time in the morning to do anything to it with the misses of mine.

Muumimamma meininkia / Moomin mamma in action

Muumimammahan saa aikan hirveesti aikaiseks vaikkei koskaan valttamatta nayttaiskaan silta etta tekisi yhtaan mitaan. Viime yona ja tanaan pistin sitten topinaksi. Kun en eilen saanut niita ompeluksia/virkkauksia saanut tehtya niin sitten tein niita yolla. Vahan on univelkaa kun isompi tuli jo 5h younien jalkeen herattelemaan kuuden pintaan.
Mutta nyt on niin mielettoman tyytyvainen olo kun sain tehtya poyta- ja kaitaliinan, isommalle pyjamapoksyt ja viela saatua sen hamosenkin valmiiksi. Tykkaan poytaliinan kankaasta tosi paljon. Vahan varia elamaan. Pitaisi hankkia sita vahan lisaa viela niin etta saisin tehtya tyynypaallisen tai pari sohvalle sitomaan teema yhteen.
Hamonenkin on oikein kiva. Tykkaan siitakin kovasti. Ja sain sen valmiiksi ennen kuin ilmat ovat lammenneet sellaisiksi ettei hametta voisi pitaa paalla. Taytyy myontaa etta siita tuli aika reilu vaikka mittojen mukaan tein. Keksin pujottaa vyotarolle kapean virkatun vyon jolla saan kurottua ylimaarasta pois. Mutta eipa tuota tietaisi jos en olisi kertonut. En saanut apulaiskuvaajaa mitenkaan auttamaan eli jouduin ottamaan kuvan itse. Pahoittelen kuvaa.
Ja paiva kruunattiin tietysti pullalla ja teella. Voitteko kuvitella, minulla ei ole omaa muumimamma kuppia. Se olisi sopinut nyt oikein hyvin tahan mielentilaan. Jatkuisikohan tama mamma meininki huomennakin?

Muumin mamma always get lots of things done even though she appears to be doing nothing. Last night and today I got going. When I didn't have a chance to do my crocheting and sewing during the day I did them during the night. A bit of sleep deprivation because the older miss came to wake me up after 5 hours of my sleep (about 6am).
But I have such a wonderful feeling of accomplishment after I managed to do the runner, table cloth, pyjama pants for bit miss and finish my crochet skirt. I like the fabric of the table cloth a lot. A bit of color in our life. I need to get a bit more so that I could make few pillow cases for the sofa to tie things together.
The skirt is really lovely as well. Love it! And I got it finished before the weather turned too warm to wear it. I have to admit that it ended up a bit too big even though I did it according the measurements and gauge was right. I came up with an idea to thread a narrow crocheted belt on the waist to tie the extra off with. But you wouldn't know if I hadn't told. Unfortunately couldn't get my assistant photographer to help take the pic so I had to take it myself. Sorry about the photo. Not really nice.
And the day was crowned with a sweet bun and tea. Can you believe that I don't own a muumin mamma mug? It would have been so appropriate for this state of mind I have. I wonder if mamma action would continue tomorrow?

Suunnitelmat uusiksi / Replanning

Oli niin suuret suunnitelmat viikonlopulle: omaa aikaa kodin ulkopuolella, ompeluksia kaikessa rauhassa, kokkailua jne. Ei onnistu oma aika kodin ulkopuolella, ompeluksia ehka vahan mutta ei todellakaan rauhassa, kokkailua mutta arkilinjalla (eli jotain nopeeta) mennaan. Isanta on nimittain kipeena sangypohjalla. :( Blaah!
Mun kasityoohjelmassa talle viikonlopulle oli kaitaliinan ja poytaliinan teko (oli ajatus tyynynpaallisesta mutta eipa riittanytkaan kangas), isommalle pyjamahousut flanelista, seka mun virkatun hameen tekeminen loppuun. Saas nahda saanko aikaiseksi yhtaan mitaan.
Ostin poydalle tulppaaneita. Kymmenen istutettua keltaista tulppaania. Ne on niin raikkaan nakoisia. Kylla kukat tuo vaan heti sita jotain kotiin. Joskos nuo istutetut kestais hetken kauemmin kuin leikkokukkina.

I had such big plans for the weekend: some ME-time outside home, sewing in peace, cooking etc. No chance of ME-time outside the house, maybe a bit of sewing but definitely not in peace, cooking but not the original plans (something quick instead). Why? My husband is sick and in bed leaving our girls to me.
My crafting list for this weekend was to make a table runner, a table cloth and to finnish my crochet skirt. I have a feeling I won't get anything done.
I bought some tulips for our kitchen table. Ten planted tulips. They looks to fresh. Flowers do bring that something to a house. And I'm hoping these planted tulips would last a bit longer than if they were cut.

Jaataidetta / Ice art

Luonto kylla saa aikaan mita kauniimpia asioita kylmallakin. Tassa meidan takapihan jaataidetta. Aivan mielettoman upea. Vetaa melkein sanattomaksi.

Nature creates the most beautiful things also when it's cold. Here is some ice art from our back yard. Gorgeous! It almost makes me speechless.

Ihana aurinko / Lovely sun

Tanaan on virallisesti kevaan ensimmainen paiva. Kevat taitaa vaan olla piilossa lumen alla. Ei ole kevaasta tietoakaan. Lumi onneksi on sulanut kovasti aurinhon lammittaessa mutta lumi peittaa maan viela hyvin tehokkaasti. Ihana aurinko!
Tahan paivaan on mahtunut kaikenmoista: maalausta, leivontaa, lounas Rain Forest Cafe:ssa, Lego kauppa visiitti, lapsen vahtina olemista ja kaupassa kayntia. Kyllahan sita jo yhteen paivaan on ihan kylliksi.
Nyt ei jaksa edes ajatellakaan etta ottaisi kasityon esille ja tekisi jotain. Huomenna sitten.

Today is officially the first day of spring. Pring, however, is hiding somewhere under the snow. Not a sign of spring. Snow is covering the ground quite efficiently. Luckily the sun is hard at work on it. Lovely sun!
Today has been filled with painting, baking, lunch at Rain Forest Cafe, visit to Lego store, babysitting and grocery shopping. Quite enough for one day.
Now I'm too tired to even start thinking about taking my crochet project out. Tomorrow then.

Ei ole totta / This cannot be true

Kuulin juuri etta ensi yon ja huomisen aikana meille pitaisi taivaalta tippua 15-25cm lunta. Taas vaihteeksi! Nyt kylla ahdistaa kun kaikki lumet oli jo sulanut ja kevaan merkkeja alkaa olemaan koko ajan enemman. Ja taas tulee lunta. Blaaah! Nyt alkaa lumi riittamaan jo mullekin. Talvi oli ja talvi saa menna. Kolmen paivan paasta alkaa virallisesti kevat (siis taalla).
Mieheni on kaksi paivaa minilomalla toista ja olin jo suunnitellut menevani kangaskaupoille ja muutenkin ostoksille. On vahan hytina ettei huomenna ole koulua. Ja lumi sotkee mun suunnitelmat. Suomessa ei sotkis. Taalla sotkee.  Suomalaisen on vaikea ymmartaa miten lumi voi sotkea suunnitelmat niin totaalisesti mutta kylla se vaan sotkee. Teiden auraus on vahan sita sun tata ja vaikka itse osaisikin ajaa talvikelissa ja lumessa niin takalaiset eivat osaa. Koskaan ei tieda kuka tulee ja mista suunnasta niin etta kolisee. :(
Vahan jo paasiaistakin ajateltiin. Piirtelin kuviopaperille munia ja isomman neidin kanssa leikattiin ne ja laitettiin ikkunaan sinitarralla. Ihan hauska siita tuli. Vahan vaihtelua lumihiutaleiden jalkeen.  Joskos sita huomenna kaivelis vaikka vahan muitakin paasiaiskoristeita esiin.

I just heard that during last night and tomorrow we're supposed to get 6-10 inches of snow. For a change! It's starting to be a bit too much now especially after all the snow had already melted and signs of spring around. And now more snow. Blaaaah! This time it's enough snow for me as well. Winter was and it can go as well. In three days time it's officially spring (here).
My husband is taking a two day mini holiday and I had big plans to go to look at and maybe buy fabrics and do a bit other shopping as well. Now I have a feeling that there's no school tomorrow and that the snow will mess up my plans. It wouldn't mess them up in Finland. Here it would. It's hard for a Finn to understand how some snow will change things and mess up plans so completely but it does. Ploughing the roads is a bit of this and that and even though you know how to drive in snow, locals don't. You never know who's going to hit you from what direction. :(
We did think of Easter a bit. I drew some eggs on scrapbooking paper and then we cut them out with   the older miss. Then we put them on the window with some blue tack. A nice change after the snow flakes. Maybe tomorrow I'll dig up some of the other Easter decorations.

Viikon paatos / End of the week

Miten huomenna voi taas olla maanantai? Vastahan se oli. Viikko ja erityisesti viikonloppu menivat ihan liian nopeasti. Englannin immeiset palasivat lauantaina NYCista ja lahtivat tunti sitten lentokentalle ja kohti kotia.
Paivan teemana oli isommalle neidille opetella uusi peli nimelta Cat's cradle. Sita sitten opeteltiin, myos mina. Sormet ja lanka solmussa. :)
Lumihiutaleet lathivat tanaan ikkunasta seka lumihiutalepuusta. Nyt loppui meidan talvi. Kevat saa tulla. Nyt keskitytaan seuraavaksi paasiaiseen. Pitaisi keksia jotain kivoja askartelujuttuja.

How can it be Monday tomorrow again? It just was. The whole week and especially the weekend flew past way too fast. The English guests returned from NYC on Saturday and left for the air port about an hour ago heading back home.
Today's theme for our oldest was to learn a new game called Cat's cradle. So we were learning it, me as well. Fingers and yarn all in a tangle. :)
Paper snow flakes disappeared from the window and I also took down the crocheted snow flakes. This was the end of our winter. Next we're concentrating on Easter. Now I just need to come up with some nice easter crafting.