Perjantaiaamun rauha / Friday morning peace

Aikaisten aamuherailyjen jalkeen tuntuu ihan uskomattomalta etta aamulla kun katsoin kelloa ja se naytti 08.11, molemmat tytot vetelivat viela sikeita ylakerrassa. Siina vaiheessa mina olin jo ollut ylhaalla tunnin verran. Mika sen on, etta kun saisi nukkua niin ei nukuta? Olenkin nauttinut hilaisesta aamusta, teesta, saan lukea postit rauhassa, ja kurkistaa blogimaailmaan.
Tanaan Kiitospaivan jalkeen Amerikka sekoaa shoppailusta. On nimittain Musta perjantai (Black Friday) ja tama paiva on omistettu shoppailuille. Kaupat on pullollaan hyvia tarjouksia ja ihmiset jonottavat tuntikaupalla saadakseen juuri sen tietyn halutun tavaran. Mina en sinne hulluuteen lahde. Kaikki shoppailut, jotka tanaan teen teen ne netin kautta. On ihan sulaa hulluutta lahtea siihen kaaokseen. Ja illalla uutisissa taas kerrotaan kuinka jotkut ihmiset saivat aikaan tappelun jonkun ihan alyttoman tavaran takia.
Paasemme tanaan nauttimaan ystavien seurasta. Iltapaivalla perhe autoon ja hurautetaan tuohon lahelle ystavaperheen luo. Meille on luvattu ihanaa kanapiirakkaa (chicken pot pie). Alusta alkaen itse tehtya. SLURPS! Lapset saavat leikkiseuraa mika onkin hauskaa. Oma olo on viela vahan niin ja nain mutta tungen itseni niin tayteen kaiken maailman droppia etta parjaan.
Kavin viikko sitten IKEAssa. Pitaa saada tuota alakerran sisaantuloaulaa laitettua toimivaksi. Eli eilen sitten kasasin hyllykon.
Vanhempi neiti laskee paivia siihen kun Momi (aitini) tulee Suomesta tanne. Mina toivoisin niita paivia olevan muutaman lisaa niin etta saisin taman huushollin luovan kaaoksen edes jonkinlaiseen jarjestykseen..... Aidin huone sentaan on mattoa vailla kunnossa (niin ja siita silitettavien pyykkien pinosta siella huoneessa en sano mitaan).
Marraskuun toinen paiva Meksikossa vietetaan kuolleiden paivaa. Olen saanut uuden ystavan tana syksyna ja han on sielta. Hanen miehensa (saksalainen) oli tyomatkaltaan tultua tuonut tuliaisiksi tallaisia sokerista tehtyja, koristeltuja paakalloja. Mekin saimme yhden, tosin nain jalkikateen. Arvatkaapas kuka on kinunnut etta se pitaa syoda HETI?!

After all the super early morning wake-ups these past few weeks it feels quite unbelievable that when I looked at the time in the morning it was 8.11am and both girls were still sound asleep upstairs. At that point I had been up for an hour. What is it that when you have a chance to sleep, you can't? So, I did enjoy fully my quiet morning, tea, I got to read e-mail in peace and have a peak at the blog world.
Today, after Thanksgiving, America goes crazy for shopping. It's Black Friday and today has been dedicated to shopping. All shops are full of great offers and people que hours and hours to get to these limited amount offers before they run out. I'm not going into that craziness. If I'm doing any shopping today it will be online. It would be complete madness to go out into that chaos. And in the evening in the news we'll hear how people have fought over some silly things.
We get to enjoy today company of friends. We've been promised some lovely comfort food: chicken pot pie. SLURP! The children will get to play together. My own feeling is what it is but I'll take whatever to keep me going during this afternoon.
A week ago I went to IKEA. I have to get the hallway coming from the garage into house to work somehow. Now it's everything but. So yesterday I put together a shelf.
The older one of our girls is counting days until Momi (my mother) comes from Finland. I wish there were few more days so that I could get this creative chaos of ours in some kind of order. :D Mum's room is pretty much ready. Just have to put a rug in there (and I'm not saying anything about the pile of clothing waiting to be ironed in this particular room). Novemeber 2nd Mexicans celebrate Day of the dead. I have made a new friend this fall and she's from Mexico. Her husband (German) was traveling in business to Mexico and brought some gifts. These skulls are made out of sugar. They were kind to give us one of these skulls, even though it came after the actual day when we returned from Ireland. Guess who has been wanting to eat it RIGHT NOW?!

Kiitollinen / Thankful

Tanaan taalla vietetaan Kiitospaivaa. Mina olen kiitollinen kahdesta tyttaresta, joita rakastan niin paljon kuin rakkautta tassa maailmassa on. Olen kiitollinen miehesta, joka seisoo rinnallani, niin yla- kuin alamaessa, tukien minua ja joka rakasaa minua sellaisena kuin olen. Olen kiitollinen siita, etta olemme yhdessa. Olen kiitollinen, etta olemme kaikki terveita (flunssia ei lasketa ;P). Olen kiitollinen siita, etta minulla on edes muutama ystava, jotka ovat pysyneet elamassani vaikka valimatka onkin laittoman pitka.

Today we celebrate Thanksgiving here. I'm thankful for two daughters who I love as much as there is love in this world. I'm thankful for a husband who stands beside me in ups and downs, supporting me and who loves me as I am. I'm thankful for that we all are together. I'm thankful for us all being healthy (not counting colds ;-P). I'm also thankful that I have at least few friends who have stayed in my life even though distance between us is illegally long.

Kontin taytetta / Filling for the sack

Mainitsinkin etta olen saanut muutaman projektin paatetyksi. Sain kuin sainkin pikkuneidille tarkoitetut Kanoko-housut paateltya ja viimeisteltya ennen Irlannin reissua. Olisin kovasti halunnut kuvia viipottajasta housut jalassa mutta kun nuo on tarkoitettu pakettiin ja pakettin pukin konttiin. (Muuttelin vahan ohjetta housujen pituuden suhteen ja laittamalla housunlahkeisiin joustinneuletta.)
Reissussa mukana oli Enkelin hiuksia (Sensations Angel Hair - lankaa), joista syntyi kaksi kaulahuivia. Nekin joululahjaksi. Kuvista naette kuinka ihanan pehmea ja untuvaista lanka oli. Se tuntuu niin unelmaiselta hyppysissa kun sita tyostaa mutta se tuntuu viela ihanammalta kun huivin kiepauttaa kaulan ymaprille. Namakin kaaraistaan joulupakettiin.

I did mention that I have finished few projects. I did finish the little miss's Kanoko-pants before Ireland trip. I would have liked to get photos of her running about in them but these are meant for the Santa's sack. (I did change the pattern to get the required length and also added ribbing to the legs.)
With me in Ireland I had some Sensation Angel Hair yarn, which turned into two scarfs. Those as well are going to be wrapped for Christmas. From the photos you can see how lovely and feathery the yarn is. It feels so dreamy in your fingers when you work it but it feels even dreamier when you wrap it around your neck.

Kuvaton / Pictureless

Irlannintuliaisina tuli sitten flunssa. HUOKAUS! Nenaliina tolloja on villatakin taskussa, verkkarin taskussa, hihassa..... Ihan missa vaan. Noosi on tukossa. Vedet valuu vaan silmista. Valilla aivastuttaa niin maan vietavasti ja sitten nena muuttuukin Niagaraksi. Nena on kaiken niistamisen jaljilta punainen kuin Petterilla. Aristaakin. Huomenna siirryn ihanan pehmeisiin puuvillaisiin kangasnenaliinoihin ettei nena ole ihan rikki. Isoaidilta ja isoisoaidilta saatuihin. Joukossa mukana myos isan kasin ompelema keltavalkoruudullinen nenaliina. Valilla miettii etta raaskiikohan niita kayttaa mutta kun tietaa sen ihanan pehmoisen puuvillan hellivan nenaa niin kylla ne kayttoon tulee. (Tamanhan te kaikki halusitte taatusti tietaakin. ;-P)
Kameran akku on parasta aikaa lataantumassa. Tiedan. Olisi sen voinut pistaa aikaisemminkin mutta se on vaan jaanyt ja jaanyt. Puhelimen akku on kanssa finito ja latauksessa. Siella olisi ollut pari kuvaa. Mutta enpa olisi voinut niita tanne koneelle ladata. Pitaa raivata tilaa silla masiina parjaa etta muisti loppuu. Pitaa siis siirrella juttuja muualle.
Jotain kasitoita sain valmiiksi. Kuvaan ne huomenna. Paassa pyorii miljoona ideaa. Ja lista tehtavista on aikamoinen. En vaan tieda mista alottaisi. Joululahjat menevat etusijalle. Suomeen menevat paketit pitaa saada postiin joulukuun 3. paiva. Joulukortit on tekematta. Jotenkin tana vuonna yleensa niin jarjestaytynyt mamma on ihan hunningolla. Se ahdistaa. Mutta joskos tama tasta. Huomenna on kiitospaiva. Vietamme sen ihan oman porukan kesken. Vahan juhlallisemmin syodaan muttei sentaan kalkkunaa paisteta tana vuonna. Viime vuonna aitini oli taalla ja silloin tehtiin ruoat viimisen paalle amerikkalaisittain kiitospaivan perinteen mukaisesti. Tana vuonna saastyy maha.

As a gift from Ireland I got a cold. SIGH! There's tissue papers in the pockets of my cardigan, my trousers, in my sleeve... everywhere. My nose is blocked. Eyes are watering. Sometimes I'm sneezing and sneezing and sneezing and after that my nose becomes the Niagara Falls. My poor nose is red like Rudolph's after all the blowing. It's becoming raw as well. Tomorrow I'll dig up cotton handkerchiefs from my grand and great grandmother. I also have a yellow-white checkered hankie hade sewn by my dad when he was in school. Sometimes I think if I should use such treasures but when you know how the silky soft cotton will help my nose there's no second thought. (I'm sure you all wanted to know all of this about my cold. ;-P)
My camera battery is finally charging. I know. I could have put it to charge much earlier but there was always something and I forgot. My phone battery is dead as well and charging. There I would have few pictures to share. But I would not have been able to upload them to my computer as it keeps telling my my startup disk is full. That means I have to start moving things.
I have some projects finished. I'll photograph them tomorrow. I have million ideas in my head. And the list of things to be done is quite something. I just don't know where to begin. Christmas presents will have to be tackled first. The parcels going to FInland have to be mailed Dec 3rd. I haven't done the christmas cards. Some how this year this mummy is very unorganized (extremely untypical for me in regards of Christmas). It's a bit unnerving for me. But hopefully I'll get a grip on things. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. We're home alone, so to say. No visitors. Just the family. We are going to have a bit more festive dinner but no turkey. LAst year my mother was here for Thanksgiving and we did it all. This year we are saving our tummies.

Hyppays marraskuusta kesaan / A jump from November into summer

Olen tassa pahkaillyt etta laitanko viela Irlannista juttua vai en. Kuvia kylla riittaisi vaikka kuinka. Osa on enaa vain ja ainoastaan mieheni tietokoneella. Pitaisi ne sielta saada kaivettua.... mutta enpa taida alkaa kikkailemaan. Jaakoon siis Irlanti tahan ja siirrytaan asioissa ja elamassa eteenpain. :)
Minulle esitettiin haaste. Peppi Pikku-ketun puuhamaasta heitti valokuvahaasteen minulle. Eli minun pitaisi valita kuusi kuvaa viime kesalta, aihe vapaa. Kuvia esimerkiksi suosikkikasveista, kesän projekteista, onnistumisen ilosta, reissuista tai mistä tahansa kesäisistä kuvista.
Tassa minun kuvani. Ne taitavat kaikki olla kesaiselta Suomen reissulta ja aikaisemmin nahty blogissa, mutta ne ovat niin minun kesaani.
Mina puolestani haastan seuraavat: Hennan Kivitasku - elamani aarteita, Katrin How his knees could bend seka Annan Virkattu lintu blogeista.

I've been wondering if I should continue my posts from Ireland or not. I have like gazillion photos that I could share. (Death by photo. ;-P) Some of them are however only on my husbands computer. I would have to get them from there..... but I don't think I'm up to fiddling with it. So I'm letting Ireland go and we'll move on in life and in things. :)
I was challenged. Peppi from Pikku-ketun puuhamaa blog threw this challenge my way. So I should pick six photos from last summer, free topic. Pictures of, for example, plants, summer projets, happiness about achievement, travel or any summery pictures. Here are mine. They are all from my Finland trip this past summer. All of them have been seen in this blog before but they are SO what my summers are.
And I'm challenging the following ladies: Henna from Kivitasku - elamani aarteita, Katri from How his knees could bend and Anna from Virkattu lintu blogs.

Meri kohtaa maan / Sea meets land

Meri on jokapaivasta elamaa Irlannissa. On kauniita hiekkarantoja, meren sileaksi hieoamia kivirantoja ja jylhia kallioita.

Sea is everyday life in Ireland. They have it all: beautiful sandy beaches, smooth pebbles and rugged rocks.

Kaikkein majesteettisin paikka talle meren ja maan kohtaamiselle taitaa kuitenkin olla Moherin kalliot. Sanat eivat riita kuvaamaan niita. Kuvat siis puhukoon puolestaan. Sen verran kerron kuitenkin etta tuuli tuiversi niin kovaa etta kuvissan nakyvan tornin luona sai todellakin pidella kiinni hatusta ja nojata tuuleen ettei tuuli olisi tyontanyt edellaan.

Possibly the most majestetic place for this meeting of sea and land is the Cliffs of Moher. I don't have words to describe them. Let the pictures speak for me. But I do have to tell you and that it was so windy and especially by the tower in the pictures that you really had to hold on to your hat and lean into the wind otherwise the wind would have pushed you before it.

Mutkia matkalla / Windy and "squiggly"

Irlanti on kylla mutkaisten teiden luvattu maa. Me saimme osamme naista. Mutta ilman naita mutkateita emme olisi loytaneet kaikkia ihania paikkoja, todellisia aarteita, joissa pysahdyimme matkan varrella.
Irlannin tiet on kaikki numeroitu (pienimmatkin). Tiet on luokiteltu M, N, R ja L. L tiet ovat kaikkein pienimpia. Kirjaimen perassa oli aina numerosarja. Mita enemman numeroita, sita pienempi ja uskomattomampi tie oli. Mieheni keksikin teiden luokitteluille maaritelmat. M: Mostly ok, N: Not so bad, R: Relatively dangerous, L: Leathal.
Mutkatiet ja vaaralla puolella ajaminen (auton liikkeet tuntuvat vierailta takapenkilla) saikin aikaiseksi vanhimman tyttaremme masun kipristelyt. Onneksi ei sentaan ihan oksentamiseksi mennyt.
Kaikkein upeimmat paikat ja nakymat loytyivat naiden pienten mutkateiden varsilta. Vaikkei linnuntieta matkaa hirveasti ollutkaan niin teiden mutkaisuus ja kuinka nopeasti paasi/uskalsi ajaa vaikuttikin siihen kuinka paljon aikaa autossa vietettiin. Ensi kerralla matkan suunnittelussa voi hyodyntaa tata kokemusta.
Tassa vahan kuvia mita naille mutkateilla naimme.

Ireland is really the promised land of windy and "squiggly" (as my daughter said) roads. But without these small and windy roads we wouldn't have found all the beautiful and wonderful places, true treasures, where we stopped along our way.
The Irish roads have all been numbered (even the smallest ones). The roads have been categorised into (from biggest to smallest) M, N, R and L roads. After the letter there was a number. And the more numbers it had the smaller and honestly quite unbelievable the road was. My husband made up definitions for these letters. M: Mostly ok, N: Not so bad, R: Relatively dangerous, L: lethal.
All these squiggly roads added on top of driving on the wrong side of the road (the car movements feel completely different at the back seat) got our oldest to feel squeeze in her tummy. Luckily that was all there ever was.
The most gorgeous places and scenery were found along these small windy roads. Even if the distance didn't feel very long, all the squiggles and then the speed you were able to/or was not afraid to travel in. Next time I'll use this experience to plan things a bit differently.
Here some pictures of things seen on those windy squiggly roads.

Irlannin ovet / Doors of Ireland

Voi kun ovet voisivat kertoa tarinoita. Nailla ovilla olisi varmasti paljon kerrottavaa.

If only doors could tell teir stories. I'm sure these doors would have lots to tell.