Sanoja / Words

Taitaa se tonttukin tarvita unta.
Olen tanaan hammastelyt pienemman neidin kehittymista puheen suhteen. Valilla uusia sanoja ja juttuja tulee ryppaana ja valillla taas "junnataan" (jos noin nyt voi sanoa) paikoillaan. Parin viime paivan aikana olen huomannut kuinka aina joulupukin televisiossa nahdessaan neiti hohottaa "HO HO HO!" Hassua ja ihanan sopoa! Samoin aina kun poistun huoneesta han ilmoittaa "Mummy go" (valilla peraani itkien, valilla taas ihan tyynesti ilmoittaen). Tama on ensimmainen kahden sanan yhdistelma. Ja tanaan neiti topakasti ilmoitti minulle "Kaappi kii" kun isosisko oli jattanyt yhden keittion kaapeista auki. Olen tainnut hokea kaapin kiinni laittamisesta aika lailla. :) Kuinka ihanaa huomata kehitysta.
Vetta satoi koko paivan. Ei kovin joulumielta kohentava saa. Paistaisi edes aurinko. Huomenna pitaisi keksia jotain tekemista kun isommallakaan ei ole huomenna koulupaivaa. Muutamia ajatuksia onkin paassa, kaikki tosin riippuu saasta.

Apparently elves need sleep as well.
I have been wondering the development of our little ones speech. Sometimes new words and other things appear in short space of time and sometimes we're "stuck" (if you can say so) in place. During the past few days I've noticed her going "HO HO HO!" every time she sees Santa on TV. So funny and adorably cute. Also every time I leave the room she announces "Mummy go" (sometimes crying after me, sometimes very cool with the idea). This is the first two word combination from her. And today she promptly told me "kaappi kii" meaning close cupboard after her big sister left one of the kitchen cupboards open. I think I've been telling her to close cupboards many many times. :) How lovely to see her develop new skills.
It was raining all day. Not much of a weather to promote Christmas feeling. If no snow, I wish it would at least be sunny. I need to think something to do for tomorrow as our eldest has a day off from school. I have few ideas but they all depend on the weather.

Ei piparitaloa / No gingerbread house

Jaahas. Meilla ei taida olla mitkaan herkut tallessa. Tana aamuna Marme Laadidaadi loytyi halailemasta IKEAn glogipulloa. :)
Piparit leivottiin sunnuntaina. Tanaan oli koristelun vuoro. En yksinkertaisesti jaksanut mitaan erikoisempaa. Ihan vaan pikeerilla aariviivat. Muumien silmat eivat tosin onnistuneet ollenkaan. Tulin myos siihen tulokseen etten tee tana vuonna piparitaloa. En jaksa ruveta stressaamaan siita. Voin tehda toisen satsin pipareita jos niikseen tulee mutta taloa en lahde vakertamaan. Olishan noita ideoita vaikka kuinka mutta mutta mutta. Taas liian myohaan liikenteessa ajallisesti. En halua olla ihan stressaantunut jouluna. Tekemista on ihan tarpeeksi ilman piparitaloakin.

I see. None of our goodies are safe anymore. This morning Marme Laadidaadi was found hugging an IKEA glogg bottle. :)
We baked gingerbread cookies on Sunday. Today it was time to decorate. I just didn't have the enrgy to start making any fancier decorations. Just outlined the cookies. The Moomins' eyes did not come out well at all. I also came to a conclusion that I'm not going to make a gingerbread house this year. I just do not want to start stressing about it as well. I can make another batch of gingerbread cookies but not a house. I do have plenty of ideas for one but but but... Always too late time wise. I don't want to be run ragged come Christmas. I do have plenty on my plate without a gingerbread house.

Sininen hetki / Blue moment

Voitteks uskoa: meilla on lunta maassa. Eilen alotti iltapaivasta mutta ei sita paljoa tullut. Sen verran etta maa on valkonen. Mutta pitihan se heti ottaa kuva sinisesta hetkesta. Ehdottomasi suosikkihetkeni talvisin, kun on lunta. Naapuritalokin nayttaa ihan siniselta (on oikeasti harmaa). Tanaan sataa vetta, eli lumet sulanee hyvinkin pian. Ei mitaan hehkeita kuvia kun nappasin ne terassin ovelta.

Can you believe: we have snow on the ground. It started snowing yesterday afternoon, but not that much. Only so that we have a covering. But I did have to take pictures of the blue moment. My favorite moment with snow. Even our neighbour's house looks blue (in reality it's gray). Today it's raining so I'll have to say goodbye to the snow. Not any glamorous photos as I took these from the terrace door.

Pe, la, su kuvina / Fri, Sat, Sun in pictures

PERJANTAI / FRIDAY

Marme Laadidaadi loytyi vessasta.
Marme Laadidaadi was found in the bathroom.

Joulukekkerit tyttaremme luokassa.
Christmas party in our daughter's class.

Vanhemmat paasivat katsomaan balettituntia.
Parents got to watch the ballet lesson.

LAUANTAI / SATURDAY

Tonttuneiti hurjasteli autolla.... tosin siita en saanut kuvaa vaan auton kuva on otettu Sunnuntaina.
Elf miss was speeding with this car.... however, I don't have a picture of it and this pic of the car was taken on Sunday.

Kirje Joulupukilta Korvatunturilta.
Letter from Santa Claus from Korvatunturi.

Momi kilkuttaa puikoilla villatakkia, jonka minun piti tehda.
Momi is knitting a cardigan that I was supposed to make.

SUNNUNTAI / SUNDAY

Ei taida olla meidan vaahtokarkit turvassa.
I don't think our mini marshmallows are safe.

Perhepotretti.
Family portrait.

Piparit on paistettu. Koristelu edessa.
Gingerbread cookies have been made. Need to decorate them still.

Talon naisvaki kasitoiden parissa. (Minakin olisin kuvassa sukkaa neulomassa, jos en olisi kameran takana.)
Women folk of this house knitting. (I would be also in this picture knitting a sock if I wasn't behind the camera.)

PS: Valitan kuvien laatua. Paivanvalo on ollut aika kortilla (harmaata harmaata). Ja valaistus eri paikoissa ollut loisteputkia, jos jonkinmoisia. Kavimme me lauantaina Bostonin Baletissa, mutta sinne en raahannut kameraa ja kannykan kameralla otetut kuvat ovat julkaisukelvottoimia. ;)

PS: I'm terribly sorry for the picture quality. Day light has been very scarce (gray, gray). And the lighting in different other places has been fluorescent. We did go to Boston Balled on Saturday but I did not take my camera with me and unfortunately the pictures taken with my phone camera are not fit for publishing.

Kyyneleita valtoimenaan / Free flowing tears

Olen sanaton. Kyyneleet ovat valuneet valtoimenaan moneen otteeseen. En pysty kuvittelemaan milta tuntuu niista vanhemmista, jotka eivat saa enaa koskaan rutistaa lastansa syliin, kertoa talle rakastavansa tata yli kaiken. Tiedan vain etta omaa sydanta rusentaa. Haluan pitaa lapseni lahella. Halata, suukotella, kertoa rakkaudestani, olla paastamatta heita laheltani. En haluaisi vieda isompaa ensi viikolla kouluun. Haluan rakentaa lasisen kuplan ja pitaa molemmat sen sisalla. Miten maailmassa voi tapahtua jotain tallaista? Tanaan palavat kynttilat meilla niille pienille rakkaille ja aikuisille, jotka menettivat henkensa jarjettomassa kouluampumisessa.

I'm speechless. My tears have been flowing freely several times today. I cannot even start to imagine how those parents feel who cannot ever again hug their children, tell them that they love them over everything. I just know that my own heart feels crushed. I want to hold my children near. Hug them, kiss them, tell them of my love, keep them near me. I don't feel like taking the older to school next Monday. I just want to build a glass bubble and keep them both in it. How can something like this happen in the world? Today our candles burn for those little darlings and the adults who lost their lives in this mindless school shooting.

Ompelusten parissa / Amongst some sewing

Aikookohan tounttuneiti sailoa itsensa pidemmaksikin aikaa vai onko tama purkkiin sujahtaminen vain tilapaista?
Eilen sain ommeltua muutamia lahjoja valmiiksi silla aikaa kun aitini vei lapset ulos. Tahan mennessa olen lahinna vain piirtanyt, leikannut ja muuten valmistellut sopivaa hetkea niin etta sitten vaan surautellaan koneella. Tunnin aikana syntyi pari kaurapussia, seka kolme kaksipuoleista pantaa. Ohjeet loytyy TAALTA. Nelja kaurapussia odottaa viela taytteita kaupasta ja kiinniompelua. Ja sitten jos on aikaa ja kiinnostusta ja puhtia niin olishan tuolla vaikka mita ommeltavaa. :) Huomenna kuitenkin pitaisi tehda piparitaikina viikonloppua varten valmiiksi. En tieda mina paivana keretaan piaprit leipomaan mutta piparisouvi olisi edessa. :)

Does our elf girl intend to preserve herself for longer period of time or is this just a short visit to this particular jar?
I got some sewing done yesterday while my mum took the children outside. So far I've been just drawing, cutting and getting everything else ready so that when I have a chance then I just sew. I made two oat bags (the ones you can heat in the microwave and use for sore muscles) and three double sided fabric head bands. The instructions to the headbands you can find HERE. Four more oat bags are waiting to be filled and sewn up. And if I have time, motivation and energy then there are still lots to sew. :)
Tomorrow in amongst of everything else I have to make gingerbread batter ready for the weekend. I don't know yet which day we will make them but it's a weekend job. :)

Lukutoukka / Book worm

Lamppufetissi / Light fetish

Onkohan meidan tonttutytolla joku lamppufetissi, kun se jo toisena paivana keikkuu lampussa?
Tanaan olen paketoinut lahjoja. En kaikkia vaan joitain. Pitaahan jotain jattaa viela viimetippaan, eiko? Mutta on ihana tunne kaaria rakkaiden lahjoja paketteihin.
Illat tayttyy kynttiloista ja niiden luomasta ihanasta tunnelmasta.

I wonder if our elf girl has a light fetish as we found her sitting in a light fixture for the second time since she came to our house.
Today I have been wrapping gifts. Not all of them. I do have to leave some for the last minute, right? But I love wrapping gifts for loved ones.
Evenings are filled with candle light and the lovely ambience they provide.

Kalenterikiipeilya / Advent calendar climbing

Ei ollut meidan tyttoset asialla. Siis kalenterikiipeilyssa. Ei tytot vaan Marme Laadidaadi. Siella se oli juuri kymmenennen paivan vieressa mutta ei ollut ilmeisesti kerennyt viela viemaan kalenterin yllatysta.
Puikoilla on harmaa sukka. Olen monesta muustakin blogista lukenut nyt ihan parin viime paivan aikana siellakin vasattavan harmaita sukkia. Sydamilla koristeltuina ja ilman. :) Taitaa tuo perinteinen harmaa vaan jotenkin iskea suomalaiseen sydameen.
Tanaan oli ystavani syntymapaiva. Tarjosin hanelle syntymapaivalounaan, joka olikin kivaa vaihtelua arkipaivaan. Olin tehnyt enkelinhiuksista (langasta jonka nimi on Angel Hair) kaulaliinan. Ja varikin osui just eika melkein rouvan vaaterepertuaariin. Mikas sen mukavampaa kuin kuulla etta lahja on mieluinen.

It was not our girls doing this adven clandar climbing. Not the girls but Miss Marme Laadidaadi. There she was just next to the 10th day pocket but had not yet gotten to confiscate the surprise in the pocket.
I have gray sock on my knitting needles. I've read from few other blogs as well about gray socks within past few days. Embroidered with hearts and without. :) I think the traditional gray just has its special place in Finnish hearts.
Today was my friends birthday. I treated her to a lunch together, which was nice change in my every day life. I had made her a scarf out of angel hair (yarn called Angel hair). The colour was her favourite and fits her style to the dot. What is nicer than to hear that the gift is appreciated.

Koivutonttujen tarina / Tale of the birch elves

Jotkut saattoivat huomata tonttujen vallattua talon kuvan yksinkertaisista koivutontuista TAALLA. Niilla on ihan oma tarinansa, jonka haluan jakaa kanssanne.
Isani teki joka vuosi joulukorttien sijaan ystaville joulutervehdykseksi koivuisen tontun. Tontun pohjaan han raapusti vuosiluvun ja nimensa. Aaton aattona aidin kanssa he tekivat joulukierroksen ja jakoivat tontut ystavilleen. Joka vuosi tonttu oli vahan eri kokoinen tai paksuinen. Vuosi vuodelta tonttukatras kasvoi yhdella ja monet odottivat kovasti saadessaan yhden tontun lisaa. Isani kuoli suhteellisen akillisesti vuonna 2006 vain puolisen vuotta esikoisemme syntyman jalkeen. Ensimmainen joulu isan kuoleman jalkeen oli vaikea. Kaikkein eniten liikutti aidin tuoma kasvoton tonttu. Isa oli sinakin vuonna alkanut jo sahailemaan tonttuja joulua varten. Han ei ollut kuitenkaan viela maalannut niille kasvoja eika pohjassa ollut vuosilukua.
Seuraavana vuonna paatin itse jatkaa isan tonttujen tekoa. Ajatus oli vain lisata tonttuja meidan katraaseen. Ehka viela jonain jouluna vien tradition loppuun ja teen niita joulutervehdykseksi ystavillemme. Kun tulimme tanne jai valista pari joulua etten saanut kasiini mistaan koivua. Mieheni pomon pihalle oli kaatunut yhdessa myrskyssa ennen viime joulua koivu ja kun han kuuli traditiosta toi han minulle oksan siita koivusta. Se oli vain paria paivaa ennen joulua enka kiireiltani kerennyt tonttua tekemaan.
Oksa kuitenkin pistettiin talteen ja tanaan tehtiin tonttuja ja paikkasimme valiin jaanet vuodet. Mina sahasin tontut kasisahalla autotallissa. Esikoiseni puolestaan otti maalaushommat itselleen seka suurimman osan kasvoista. Tonttujoukko on nyt siis ajantasalla, jos niin voi sanoa. Yli jai viela kolme tonttua, joista saadaan seuraaville vuosille oma tonttu.
Ette usko kuinka liikuttavaa oli kun tyttareni sanoi maalauksensa lomassa etta "Mofi varmasti hymyilee meille sielta taivaasta." Itkuhan siina tuli. Ikava on edelleen aivan jarkyttavan iso.

Some of you probably noticed quite simple elf decorations made of birch HERE. They have their own story, which I would love to share with you.
My father made these elves every year instead of sending Christmas cards. To the bottom of the elf he wrote the year and his name. On Dec 23rd he and my mother would go and deliver these little elves to all of their friends. Each year the elf was a little bit different length or thickness. And year by year the elf groups grew with a new addition and was much awaited by some of my parents' friends. My father died rather unexpectedly in 2006 only six months after our first child was born. The first Christmas after Dad was gone was very difficult. The most emotional moment was when my mother gave us an elf without a face. My father had started already making the elves and had sawed them but hadn't yet painted faces or write the year on the bottom.
Next year I decided that I would continue making the elves the way he did. First the thought was just to add to our own little group of elves. Maybe one day I will take the tradition all the way and start making them for our friends. When we came here there was two Christmases without new elves as I had no supply of birch. My husband's boss had a birch fall down on his yard after a storm and when he heard about my dad's elves he brought me a birch branch. Bless him. This was only few days before Christmas and I did not have time to make an elf.
The branch was stored in a safe place and today we made elves and filled the missing years. I sawed the branch with a handsaw and my daughter painted them and made most of the faces as well. So our group of elves is now up to date. We even have three extra ones for the coming years. But you can never believe how touching it was when our daughter said whilst painting that "Mofi must be smiling at us from heaven." Tears burst out. I miss him oh so much!