Sihteerikkona / Secretary

Osa syntymapaivakukistani sinnittelee viela. Uskomatonta mutta totta, ruusu on niiden joukossa. Nyt jo nuupahtamassa.
Koulu alkoi siis keskiviikkona ja tanaan oli jo eka vapaapaiva. Opettajien koulutusta tai jotain. Edessa piiiitka viikonloppu. Ja neidit taas toistensa kimpussa. Oi sita 1,5 paivan ihanuutta kun ei tarvinnut olla poliisina.
Puistoilua, piirtamista, legoilla leikkimista ja kinastelua. Mina puolestani olen kaynyt lapi kasan papereita ja leikkinyt sihteeria, kirjoitellut shekkeja, liimaillut postimerkkeja jne. Tama sihteeri tarvitsee viela laatikon, joka on tarpeeksi iso kuljettamaan lajan tavaroita Suomeen.

Some of my birthday flowers are still going. And believe it or not, one of them is rose which is now wilting.
As I already told, school started on Wednesday and today was first day off. Teacher training or something. Looooooong weekend ahead of us. And the girls are back to bickering. Oh the bliss of 1,5 days of not being a police.
On one hand, there was play ground, drawing and colouring, playing with Legos and bickering. I on the other hand was pretending to be a secretary, writing checks, putting stamps on envelopes etc. This secretary is still short of a big enough box to post a pile of stuff to Finland.

Pilleripurkkien kesytysta / Pill bottle taming

Meidan keittion tasolla seikkailee ees sun taas epamaarainen lauma purkkeja. On lasten vitamiineja, on paria sorttia aikuisten vitamiineja, on Pikkukakkos purkkaa ja -pastilleja, aspiriinia jne. Jos ne ei ole kaden ulottuvilla ja nakyvissa niin ne unohtuu. Mutta se kaaos, kun purkkia ja purnukkaa on valilla siella ja valilla taalla.

Nyt on tama villi lauma kesytetty ja niilla on oma koti. Tein niille kankaasta korin. Koria voi kayttaa kummin pain vain eli jos kyllastyy yhteen "luukkiin" niin sitten kaannetaan kori ympari ja taas mennaan uudella, tuoreella kuosilla. 

Omat kankaani oli ohutta puuvillaa eli tarvitsin sinne valiin tukikankaan. Valitsin ehka vahan liian paksun mutta eipa tuo pahakaan ole. Pysyypa ainakin pystyssa. Jos kankaiksi valitsisi tukevaa sisustuskangasta tukikangasta tuskin tarvitaan. Pinterest on taynna erilaisia kangaskoriohjeistuksia. Eika ole muuten vaikea projekti. Tutkailin niita useampia ja sovelsin sitten niista. Lautanen, viivotin ja laskin oli hyvana apuna etta saatiin oikean kokoiset palat. Oranssin kankaan kanssa taisi tulla joku mittahaikka koska se vaikutti jonkun verran isommalta. Mutta se ei tassa menoa haitannut. 

Varit korissa ei ehka osu ihan meidan keittioon (meilla enemmankin punaisia kippoja esilla) mutta oli niin kauniin syksyiset kankaat. Ja koriahan voi kayttaa muuallakin. Voisinpa vaikka tehda toisenkin korin, joka istuu paremmin keittion varimaailmaan. 

PS: Valitettavasti kuvaushetkena keittio ei ollut kuvauskunnossa. HAH!  Kaansin myoskin korin reunan vahan alemmaksi ettei purkkeja tarvitse kamalan syvalta kalastella.

Our kitchen counter has been home for a random bunch of pill bottles. There's children's vitamins, adult vitamins, aspirin, xylitol pastils and gum etc. If they are not visible and handy you forget they exist. But the chaos they create in not desirable.

Now this wild bunch has been tamed and they have a home. I made a fabric bucket/basket. It's basically double sided so when you get bored with one side flip it over and you're good to go with a fresh look again.

My own fabric for this were think cotton so I used some interfacing in between. Maybe I chose a bit too thick interfacing but it's not bad at all. At least it will stand upright on its own. If I was to use thicker canvas type home decorating fabric I don't think I would need interfacing. Pinterest is full of tutorials for fabric buckets. And it's not a difficult project by any means. I had a look at several tutorials and then went from there modifying my own way. A plate, ruler, and calculator were a good help to determine the right size for all pieces.  I must have measured the orange fabric a bit off as it seemed a bit bigger than I meant it to be. But it really doesn't matter in this project. 

The colours in the basket at not really compatible with red which spots in our kitchen but they had such beautiful autumn colours. And I could make another one which would sit better in the colour world of our kitchen.

PS: Unfortunately at the time of taking the photos our kitchen was not in a condition to be photographed. HAH! I also turned the edge of the bucket down a bit more than visually nice so that we don't have to go fishing for the bottles from very deep.

Eka paiva... / First day...

...ekaluokalla. Mamilla taisi olla pasmat enemman sekaisin kuin isommalla neidilla. Tanaan on itketty (molemmat) ja vahan huudettukin (molemmat). Nauruakin on riittanyt. Aamusta tuli taasen vahan ennen lahtoa "Ma en halua menna kouluun!" purkaus mutta onneksi se jai ainokaiseksi. Koululla mina olin se joka itkea tihrutin silmalasien takana piilossa. Eihan sita nyt sovi nayttaa etta aitee itkee kun toinen menee kouluun. Jos minun itku olisi tullut huomioiduksi niin siitahan se poru olisi vasta noussut ja neitikin olisi aloittanut. Mutta ei sille vaan voinut mitaan. Ekaluokan aloittaminen, oli se sitten missa pain maailmaa tahansa on iso askel. Mina mietin kovasti mihin se aika katosi. Vastahan tuo oli pikkuruinen nyytti laitoksella kainalossa. Ja nyt aloittaa ensimmaisen luokan.
Tama koulun alku taalla on kylla tosi repaleinen. Eka paiva oli puolikas. Toinen jo kokonainen. Perjantaina ei ole koulua ollenkaan. Maanantaina ei ole koulua kun on Labor Day. Tiistai ja keskiviikko kaydaan koulua. Torstaina on Rosh Hashanah eli juutalaisten uusi vuosi ja jostain syysta meidan kaupungissa se ei ole koulupaiva. Perjantaina on taas koulua ja sitten onkin jo viikonloppu. Taman jalkeen koulu alkaakin sitten rullaamaan ihan normaalisti ilman tallaista katokonaisuutta. Suuri osa kaupungeista alueella aloittaa koulun vasta ensi tiistaina. Mutta meilla siis tallaista sillisalaattia.

... of first grade. I think mummy was more upset about this than Big Miss. Today we both have cried, and we both have yelled a little. We have laughed as well. She did have "I don't want to go to school!' moment in the morning little before we had to go but luckily it was the only one. At school I was the one who was crying behind my glasses, trying hard not to show it to her. It would have been a disaster to her to see mummy crying. But I couldn't help it. Starting first grade, where ever in the world it is. is a big step. I keep wondering where the time went. Only moments ago she was a little bundle in my arms at the hospital. And now she's starting first grade.
Our start to this school year is very ragged if you can use that word in this context. First day was half day. Second one will be whole. Friday there's no school. Monday is Labor Day. Tuesday and Wednesday are normal days but then Thursday is Rosh Hashanah, jewish new year and for some reason our town doesn't have school on that day. Friday school again and then we are at second weekend. After this craziness school starts rolling normally. Many town in the are doesn't start school until Next Tuesday. But we start with this little bit of here and little bit of there attitude.

Tee aika / Tea time

Mullahan on tee aika aina! :) Siksi ehka ihastuinkin naihin kankaisiin niin etta piti saada kaikki. Minako muka kangashamsteri? Ei ikina! ;)
Halusin tehda niista jotain keittioon. Ja niista syntyi kaksipuoleisia tabletteja poytaan. Valiin laitoin ohuen puuvillavanun. Tikkasin reunoista vain koneella. Ajatuksena oli etta olisin viela kirjaillut jotain johonkin kulmaan mutta kuviot ovat aika sahakoita eli eipa sielta olisi varmaan mitaan nakynyt. Jai siis talla kertaa. Viimeisessa kuvassa on ehdoton suosikkini naista.

I always have tea time! :) Maybe that's why I fell in love with these fabrics so that I had to have all of them. Me, a fabric hoarder? Never! ;)
I wanted to make something for the kitchen using these fabrics. End result was double sided place mats. In between I put a thin cotton batting and then I top stitched around the edges. My thought was to embroider something to the corner of each place mat but as the prints are quite busy themselves you probably wouldn't be able to see it at all so I left it out. Last picture shows my favourite print out of these.

Jugurttijatskia ja tanssia / Yoghurt pops and dancing

Teimme jugurttijatskia. Vaniljajugurttia, muromyslia ja mansikanpaloja yllatykseksi ja lisaa jugurttia. Tytot tykkasivat tayttaa muotteja eilen. Tanaan niita paastiin sitten maistamaan. Nopeasti havisivat parempiin suihin. Maistoin minakin. Ensi kerralla muromyslia pistetaan vahan enemman samoin mansikoita. Makea jugurtti jaisena ei ollutkaan enaa kamalan makea vaan juuri sopiva. Isomman neidin arvio: "Parasta ikina!" Pienempi puolestaan nautiskeli jatskinsa niin etta se oli ympari naamaa. :D
Tanaan on musiikki soinut ja tanssijalalla pistetty koreasti. Pikkuprinsessa on poyrahdellyt ja poseerannut mita luovimmissa asennoissa. Ja kun kaytiin paivalla kavelylla niin siellakin tanssittiin (katsoin ihmeissani etta miten tuo kavelee noin hassusti ja kysyin asiaa ja pikkuneiti ilmoitti tanssivansa).
Viimeisia paivia ennen arjen alkamista. Keskiviikkona alkaa koulu. Isompi neiti laskee paivia, melkein jo tunteja. Niin kovasti haluaa koulun alkavan.

We made some yoghurt pops. Vanilla yoghurt, granola and strawberry bits for some surprises and some more yoghurt. The girls really enjoyed filling the moulds yesterday. Today we had a chance to taste these. They disappeared relatively quickly. I tasted as well. Next time a bit more granola and strawberries. The sweet yoghurt didn't seem quite so sweet when frozen. Big Miss announced that these were: Best ever!" Little Miss enjoyed these as well and ate hers in a manner which left her face covered with yoghurt. :D
Music has been playing today and we've seen lots of dancing. Little princess has been twirling and posing in the most creative poses. And when we took a walk she danced even there (I was wondering why she was walking in such a funny way and I asked about it and she told she was dancing).
Last days before normality returns. Wednesday marks the start of the school. Big Miss is counting days if not hours until school starts. She's so excited about going on first grade.

Tylsa paiva / Boring day

Aikas tylsa lauantai: olen lahinna viihdyttanyt tyttoja, kaynyt kaupassa ja ollut sisar hento valkoinen. Mieheni makaa sangyssa noidan nuolen kiusaamana  jo kolmatta paivaa ja mina pyoritan koko rumbaa. Reppana oli alkuviikon toissa ja yritti parhaansa mukaan tehda hommia mutta eihan siita tullut mitaan. Eilen tyopuhelut hoitui sangysta samoin kokoukset. Tegnologia on katevaa.
Niin teki mieleni ommella mutta eipa siita mitaan ole tullut. Joskos huomenna. Kaikki on leikattu tata projektia varten (en kerro viela mita olen tekemassa). Nyt vaan pitaisi paasta hommiin, niin kuin pienempi neiti sanoisi.
Keittiossa on esilla sulassa sovussa prinsessavitamiinit, xylitolpurkat seka erityisrasva todella kuivalle iholle. Pikkuneidin kadet reagoivat taas pari viikkoa sitten johonkin ja kuplivat rikki kammenpuolelta. Paivittain latrataan tuon rasvan kanssa useampaan otteeseen. Ihotautilaakari sanoi silloin reilu vuosi sitten etta kyseessa on allerginen reaktio jollekin siitepolylle. Itse sita vahan silloin epailin. Enpa ollut koskaan aikaisemmin sellaista reaktiota nahnyt. Tana kevaana sama tapahtui pariin kertaan ja nyt taas. Olisipa viimeinen kerta. Kadet ovat ihan kamalan nakoiset mutta eivat vaivaa neitia. Taitavat vaivata minua enemman.
Tyttojen yksi ehdoton lounassuosikki on takalainen mac & cheese. Makaroonia juustokastikkeessa. En yleensa osta kaupan valmispakkauksia vaan teen itse. Teen ison satsin kerralla ja pakastan sitten sopivan kokoisiksi annoksiksi. Eipa siita paljoa jaa jaljelle jos mitaan. Kuvassakin nakyva maara havisi.

Pretty dull Saturday: I've been entertaining the girls, dome some grocery shopping with them and been a nurse. My husband is in bed for the third day suffering from sciatic nerve and I'm running the whole show. Poor dear was at work earlier this week trying to manage with it but had to give in. Yesterday all work related phone calls and meetings were done while laying in bed. Technology is so handy.
I so wanted to sew today but not a chance with this crew. Maybe tomorrow. Everything has been cut for this project (not revealing it yet though). Now I just need to get sewing.
We have princess vitamins, Aquaphor and xylitol-gum side by side in the kitchen at the moment. Little Miss's hands reacted again to something few weeks back and bubbled open on both palms. I put Aquaphor numerous times daily on her hands to get them back to normal asap. Last spring our dermatologist said that it was an allergic reaction to some pollen. I really doubted it then. I have never seen reaction like that to pollen. This spring it happened again couple of times and now again. I wish it was the last time. Her hands look absolutely awful but don't seem to bother her at all. I think they have more of an effect on me than her.
One of my girls' favourite lunch is mac & cheese. I usually do not give them the store bough ones but make it myself. I make a gib batch and then divide it into portions and freeze it. And there's hardly any left at any time. The remnants in the bowl in the picture disappeared as well.

Tama perjantai / This Friday

Aamulla kuuden jalkeen viereen kompiva pieni lampoinen ihminen.

Hopotyshetki ystavan kanssa teekupin aaressa.

Sylissa nukkuva pikkuruinen koira.

Tuuli hiuksissa.

Iltapaivan elokuvahetki tyttojen kanssa.

Puolituntinen ulkona rappusilla lukien ihan itsekseni.

Aurinko varpaissa.

Nopeasti pimeneva elokuinen ilta.

A little warm child climbing next to you little after six in the morning.

A chat with a friend over a cup of tea.

Sleeping, tiny dog in your arms.

Wind in my hair.

Afternoon film with my girls.

Half and hour of my own time, sitting on the steps, reading.

Sun on my toes.

Quickly darkening August evening.

Kuva on tekemani digiscrappaysjuttu joskus pari vuotta sitten.

The picture is one of my digiscrapping LO's I made few years back.

Mihin havisi pari paivaa? / Where did few days disappear?

Pari paivaa on hurahtanut ohi sellaisella vauhdilla ettei ole pahemmin kerennyt blogin paivittamista miettimaan.
Hulluuspuuska tuli takaisin ja nyt on puunattu olohuonetta. Sohvanpaalliset vaihdettu. Lattia jai viela pesematta ja vahaamatta mutta onhan aina huominen. Toivottavasti hulluus jatkuu, lattia nimittain jaa kylla tekematta ilman sita.
Taloasioita on mietitty ja mietitty ja mietitty. Asioita ja vaihtoehtoja ja kysymyksia on pyoritelty paassa niin etta paata sarkee. Eika valitettavasti olla tultu hullua hurskaammaksi. Vahan vaikuttaa silta ettei tamakaan talo ole se oikea meille...... tai siis olisi varmasti jos olisi lottovoitto takataskussa.
Tana aamuna kavimme tapaamassa osaa isomman neidin tulevista luokkakaveresita. Yhden tyton aiti oli  pyytanyt kaikki luokassa aloittavat tytot paikalle muutamaksi tunniksi leikkimaan. Kaikki kahta lukuunottamatta olikin paikalla ja heilla tuntui olevan oikein mukavaa ja kaikki leikkivat kaikkien kanssa.
Sain sen petrolin sinisen koukkuilun valmiiksi. Pitaisi hoyryttaa ja ottaa mallauskuvat mutta ei hirmuisesti tee mieli vetaista villaista paalle kun lampotila on useita asteita paalle 30C + kosteus. Eli se jaakoon viela kuvaamatta ja paljastamatta.
Pari muutakin kasityoprojetia on jo mielessa. Kankaatkin valmiina. Nyt vaan pitaisi paasta hommiin.

Past few days have gone by with such speed that I have not even had a chance to think about updating the blog.
The madness came back and now I've been cleaning the lounge. I changed the sofa covers. Didn't wash and was the floor yet but there's always tomorrow. I hope this cleaning frenzy will continue as I know the floor won't get done without it.
We've been thinking and thinking and thinking house things. All kinds of issues and alternatives and questions have been pondered on. And unfortunately things don't seem to get any clearer. It's starting to look like that this house is not ours either..... well it would be if we had won the lottery.
This morning we went to meet some of Big Miss's future classmates. One mother had invited all girls from the class together to play together before the school starts. All but two were present and they all seemed to have lots of fun playing together.
I finished the bluish crochet project. I just need to steam it and take photos but I don't really feel like putting on anything made out of wool when it's over +30C and humid. So, you just have to wait for the reveal of that one.
Few other projects are on my mind. Fabrics are ready. Now I just need to find the time for them.

Hulluutta keittiossa / Madness in kitchen

Olen riehunut hullun lailla keittiossa tanaan. Se on siivottu yltympariinsa kaikkia nurkkia myoten. Ei ole varmaan ikina ollut nain siisti. Illalla viela varkkasin banaanimuffinsseja. Mutta siis tallainen tilapainen mielenhairio taalla.
Aamusta suunnattiin tyttojen kanssa koulutarvike ostoksille. Suomalaisena paivittelen nyt toista vuotta tata touhua taalla. Jokainen opettaja lahettaa oppilaille tarvikelistan asioista, joita tulee tarvitsemaan vuoden aikana seka yhteiseen kayttoon tulevia tavartoita. Jokaisella opettajalla on omat systeeminsa. Jotkut opettajat ovat kuulemma niin tarkkoja etta antavat jopa tuotenumeroita tiettyihin kauppoihin, kansioiden vari pitaa olla tietty jne. Mutta nyt on siis tarvikkeet ostettu (kuvan kassit taynna tavaraa) ja olemme valmiina koulun alkuun. (Mina ostin itselleni vahan washi-teippia.)

I've been cleaning in the kitchen today like a maniac. It's now squeaky clean. It's probably never been this clean. In the evening I still made banana muffins. I think I could call this a temporary malfunction. ;)
In the morning we went school supply shopping with the girls. As a Finn I still shake my head and wonder out loud the local way for the 2nd year. Each teacher sends out a supply list to her students which contains the items that the students will need during the next year as well as some items which will be shared in the classroom. Each teacher have their own system and way of doing things. Each one also has their own preferences on supplies needed. I hear some teachers are so picky and exact that they give you product numbers to stores. But now we are ready to start school with all supplies ready (the bags in the picture full of stuff). (I bought some washi-tape for myself.)

Lahelta / Close up

Oli pakko ottaa lahikuvia ihanista kukista, jotka sain syntymapaivanani. Makrolinssin kanssa zoomailin.
Tanaan vietimme mieheni syntymapaivaa. Meilla juhlitaan nain perajalkeen. :) Paivaan kuului tietysti kortteja ja lahjoja. Kavimme katsomassa yhta taloa. Siina olisi kaikki potentiaali pitkanajan kodille. Mutta mutta mutta... Taalla nyt sitten pahkaillaan onko se sita. Onko se sen vaartti? Saammeko sen siihen hintaan etta voimme tehda sen kaiken mita haluaisimme? Tekemista ja korjaamista olisi aika paljon, mutta se on aika ihana.

I had to take some close ups of my beautiful birthday flowers.
Today we celebrated my husband's birthday. We have ours this close together. :) He got cards and gifts of course. We also went to see a house. It would have all the potential for a long term home. But but but... Now we're trying to figure out if it really is that. Is it worth it? Can we get it for a price which will make us able to do all what we would like to? There's quite a bit to do and fix, but it's also quite lovely.

Synttarit / Birthday

Eilen juhlittiin. Eilen oli se paiva kun minun ikaani lisataan yksi vuosi. Eiko voisi jo menna vahan alaspain? :)
Tytot olivat varittaneet ja piirtaneet prinsessakuvia. Minutkin oli kuvaan ikuistettu kruunu paassa paivan kunniaksi. :)
Kakun sijasta kavimme tyttojen kanssa valitsemassa gourmet muffinsit.
Naapuri ilmaantui ovelle suklaakakun kanssa. Kakussa oli nelja tulitikkua. Yhdesta pitaa kuulemma ottaa ihan vahan pois niin kuvastavat tamanhetkisia vuosia. HEH HEH!
Sain mieheltani upean kukkakimpun seka ilmapallon (varsinainen lahja ei ole kuulemma viela saapunut - jaahas). Enpa mina mitaan lahjuksia tarvitse. Minulle kaikkein paras lahja on viettaa paiva rakkaitteni kanssa.
Illalla kaytiin viela ulkona syomassa ettei mamin tarvitse kokata. Mexicolaista ruokaa ja eihan synttaripaivaa voi ohittaa nauttimalla mansikka margaritaa.

Yesterday we celebrated. Yesterday was the day of the year when you add one year on my age. I wish the number could start going down a bit. :)
The girls had coloured and drawn princess pictures. I found myself in one of the pictures with a crown on my head (because it was my birthday, I hear).
Instead of a cake the girls and I went to choose gourmet muffins.
A friend appeared behind the door with a chocolate cake with four match sticks. The advise was to take a little bit off  one of them and then it would represent the my new years. HAH HAH!
From my husband I got a gorgeous bouquet of flowers and a balloon (according to him the real gift had not yet arrived). I don't need gifts. The best gift is to spend the day with my loved ones.
We also went out for dinner so that Mummy doesn't have to cook. Mexican food and one cannot pass one's birthday by enjoying a strawberry margarita.