Happy Boxing Day!

One of my favorite things about Christmas.. two free days after Christmas Eve to just be lazy.
The stores won't open until tomorrow, and I will be hitting the sales then.
But today, I'll chill.

But who's thought up the name Boxing Day though? I prefer our Tapaninpäivä.
Much more civilized.

OK.. I've been thinking. I know I said I'd make this blog bilingual... It's proving to be an effort and a half. I can barely keep blogging entries every few days, let alone then translating it all. So to all my Finnish readers, a sincere apology. I hope you'll still stop by.

Want to see some photos?
I've got plenty here from Christmas Eve. How about we start that morning?

Cute new jammies, don't you think?
No, not Niina, me! Comfy too.
I'm opening the last advent calendar window and Niina's showing of Lenni the Bear I got from one my boys at school :)

Now I can never figure this out... why are all the other stocking filled to the brim with stuff and hang heavy on the lower shelf, while mine has one thing inside... I need to teach a few life lessons to that elf...

The anticipation...

Aaarrgghhh.. no make up, I haven't even brushed my hair. Just don't look close, ok?
That one thing turned out to be a CD by Suburban Tribe. My old classmate plays drums for them.

New dollhouse stuff!

And that would be a sneeze.
Heh.
And some good music... Nickelback.
I recommend.

A new keychain with bright LED lights.



All set and ready for dinner.

And there was plenty of that. Come to think of it.. it's the third day running and we still have plenty of that..




Then there was a knock on the door...

Santa!


With lots of presents!

Just for you, Tawny.
Mmmwwaaaahhhhh!
I had the best time talking with you last night. And obviously Jordy didn't let you have the computer as there's no email from you.


It's Lola!
One of the funniest little girls ever.
There were new Charlie and Lola books also.

Saara finds the new Sims Castaway PSP game!

After the presents were all opened, I drove to the cemetery.

I did have my tripod with me, this one is a bit distorted because of the strong wind.
I still like it though.
I love finishing off a hectic Christmas Eve in a quiet peaceful place lit by thousands of candles.




First candle for my Mom.
Third candle from the left.

So what did I get?
Apparently I had been extra good.
Because I scored.

A new scanner/photo printer!
Happy happy joy joy!
I'm thinking this goes together with that box filled with KI Memories goodies I got last week... and I don't have work until Jan 7th.
Sweet.


Saara's liking her new geomags. She also got a new tunic, DVDs and giftcards to favorite stores.

Oneof Niina's favorite presents was the super snazzy pink RV for the Bunny family. Along with those jammies, they have a penguin on there and she's really into penguins right now. She also got some Playmobils, a 200 piece puzzle and a figureskater Bratz.


25.12.
Yes, I will continue this photo a day until the end of the month and not stop at Christmas like I did last year...
The Bunny family is allpacked and ready to hit the road.
Oh the adventures they'll have!

Iloista Joulua! Happy Christmas!

24.12.

Sweet

20.12.
Niina's Christmas party at school. She and Samuli said the 11th verse of "12 Days of Christmas".
So sweet how they held hands...


21.12.
My favorite cookie tins.
I bought these at Target during our US years, they came filled with mini Snickers bars.


22.12.
Wish you could smell this...
aaaahhhhh..


23.12.
The tree is up.
I'll show you pictures in better light and detail photos of the ornaments later during the holiday.

Now I'm off to bake bread and sew the last present.
I have a to-do list an arm long...

Just three more days...

..of school. Yippee!
Saturday afternoon cannot come fast enough.

Today was our church rehearsal and oooohhh booooyyyy....
The band got there nearly 40 minutes late as the middle school kids were late. Then we realized we have been teaching the 1st graders the songs (they are performing the nativity scene) in a much faster tempo than the band plays... it was a circus.. we have two more days to get these kids to learn the lyrics...ack..

We three kings of Orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar, field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star...
WHHHOOOO-OOOAAAAAAAAA STAR OF WONDER, STAR OF NIGHT, STAR OF ROYAL BEAUTY BRIGHT, WESTWARD LEADING STILL PROCEEDING, GUIDE US TO THY PERFECT LIGHT.

That about sums it up. Yup.
Sigh.

Pass me the wine already, please...

16.12.
I went out and bought some Christmas flowers for my table.
All in white.
I'll take another picture when they are in full bloom.


17.12.
All I can say is that after hand drilling 36 holes onto 36 plaster candleholders our biceps knew it.


18.12.
This morning it was all about the reflection.


I had fun...


19.12.
Now what are these three up to?
The one with the orange/yellow hat looks like he might be thinking of some mischief... I'm betting he's the one who hides socks in our house.
And the two other ones are planning something...

These three used to hang in our Christmas tree when I was kid (they do look so 70's, don't they?)

Feels like Christmas

No Finnish today, sorry.
Feel like writing in English.
Listening to Harry Connick Jr singing Christmas songs... I need some glögg now.
(that's spiced hot red wine with almonds and raisins)

I got my Christmas cards sent out.
I'll be crafting and sewing tonight and tomorrow.
I have no idea when I'll get around to baking... next week someday. I still have some presents to get, but I have short days coming up. Love Christmas shopping.
And I have to plan Christmas dinner. Need to research a bit, I'd like to add some new twist to the traditional.

But I won't stress.
Remind me about that in a couple days, ok?

The new gallery has been up at AMLT for almost two weeks already.
Here are some details of my pages.




You can see all of them following this link.

I ended up taking photos of my pages as my scanner is on the fritz...grumble grumble.
***

Photo of the day continued:

12.12.

This is what a sink looks like after you blow some powdered green dye in it.

Kinda cool.

***

13.12.

We took the 1st grade to see an acrobatic dance theater's Christmas play.

We got there four minutes late and nearly didn't get in.

But they took pity on us, happily. We had a fabulous time.

***

15.12.

Frost.

But no snow.

Sigh.

***

16.12.

Today we took a little shopping trip to old Porvoo.

Look at this, it's the Moomin family ready for Christmas! A bit odd though.. as they normally sleep through the winter...hmmm...

***

Lots of beautiful houses, windows and things in this quaint place.

Big and small.

That just might be the cutest Christmas tree I've seen in a while.

***

We stopped by a sweet little cafe.

Mmmmmm....

***

The local historical church is still waiting for new tarred shingles.

The church roof burned in November 2005, when a drunk 18 year old decided to have some fun. His little joke cost him 3 years in prison.

***

Then onto some pretties in the shops.

Oh my goodness, I love these candlesticks.

I need to buy my Christmas flowers next week. White hyacinths are a must.

Shiny glass baubles everywhere...
Oooohhh.. glitter....

This image is just for Suzanne.

*grin*

Sweet fox babies!

And we came across a garden elf sweeping the streets.

Now if there only were snow.

Then it would be magical.

An update

8.12.
Visiting the in-laws.
Funny fuzzy photo, but you know what it tells me?
Niina has learnt to read. I love watching this whole new world opening for her.
Mummolassa kyläilemässä.
On sumuinen ja epätarkka kuva, mutta arvaatteko mistä on kysymys?
Niina on oppinut lukemaan. On mahtavaa katsoa kun uusi maailma aukeaa sivu sivulta.


9.12.
Finally a sunny morning.
If just for a moment.
I know it's hard to grasp if you've never lived this far north. Today the sun rose at 9.13am and sets in just a little while at 3.13pm.
If you're lucky, you'll get a little ray of sunshine. If not, it's this dusky grey blanket.
Vihdoinkin aurinkoinen aamu.
vaikka se olikin vain pieni hetki.


10.12.
Ooohh.. this was fun.
Reflection tricks.
You can see my round lights reflected in the window, and my camera lens reflected in the middle of that.
And that odd bit of blue light? My neighbors' horrid Christmas lights...
Hauska efekti.
Valoympyrä heijastuu ikkunasta ja sen keskellä heijastuu kameran linssi.
Ja tuo omituinen sininen välähdys on naapurini ihme siniset jouluvalot...


11.12.
My Christmas cards arrived yesterday. And they were packed in these.
Way cool.
That's the Italian Alps, night time in Europe, Spain and bits of Norway, Sweden and Finland in winter.
I'm so saving these for some future project.
Joulukorttitilaukseni saapui eilen. Ja kortit oli pakattu näihin.
Mielettömän makeita.
Euroopan osia.
Laitan talteen jotain tulevaa projektia varten.
(kuoria saa kun tilaa kuvia Ifolorilta eli entinen Ifi)

And now?
Off to write all the envelopes...
Ja nyt kirjekuoria kirjoittelemaan.

Photo of the day continued...

6.12.
Independence Day.
Our fair Finland turned 90 years old.
It is a tradition to light two white and blue candles on your window from 6pm to 8pm.


I even washed all the crystals in the chandelier for the occasion.
Took them down thinking, yeah.. this is easy to remember where they go, there are only three different sizes.
Right.
Famous last words...
Had to dig out a two year old photo in the end to get it back together again, LOL!


7.12.
Mary is looking good in her new outfit and is busily decorating her tree already.
I'm quite proud of myself as that is the first 1:12 size doll outfit I've sewn/glued together. But she's so very 1940's chic now.

A few days' worth :)

3.12.
I step on this rock every single morning on my way to work.
Took me two months before I noticed it was shaped like a heart!
Astun tälle kivelle joka aamu matkallani töihin.
Minulta meni pari kuukautta ennenkuin tajusin, että sehän on sydän!


4.12.
Slush.
Welcome to my city, the capital of slush.
If your local you's refer this weather as the Helsinki slush sh*t.
Wearing my trusty goretex shoes to keep my toes dry.
Loskaa.
Helsingin taattua loskap*aska keliä.
Goretex kengät jalassa pärjää.


5.12.
Tomorrow this fair lady of Finland turns 90 years old.
We had celebrations at school today.
And to top it all, we got cake!
These were all desings made by the students.
The chocolate cake was out of this world delicious..mmmm...
Huomenna onkin Suomi-neidon 90-vuotis päivä.
Me juhlimme tänään koulussa.
Kaiken kukkuraksi tarjolla oli vielä kakkuakin!
Kaikki olivat oppilaiden suunnittelemia.
Suklaakakku oli suorastaan syntisen hyväää...

One of today's out-takes

2.12.

Oh yes.

Feel free to knock yourselves over with a feather.

This year I'm sending out a family photo.

I just ordered my cards.

Fashionably late.

Heh.

It's white!!!

I woke up to our first official snow of the year.
Official as in, there's enough for the city plows..ploughs.. oh heck, not sure of the spelling... anyhow.. for them to show up.
Yes, really good English.
It's early on a Sunday morning....
Virallinen ensilumi oli maassa kun heräsin.
Virallinen siis tarkoittaa sitä, että kaupungin aurat lähtevät liikenteeseen.

I'm off to the doll and bear market with the girls this morning.
I can't wait.
Olen kohta lähdössä tyttöjen kanssa Nalle ja Nukke markkinoille...
Olen ihan pöhkön innoissani...

Camera, lights...

Welcome to my photo advent calendar.
Tervetuloa valokuvajoulukalenteriini.
(nice long word, huh?)

December 1st.

First photo of the month.

Joulukuun eka.

Kuun ensimmäinen valokuva.

Because it's so dark...

it's all about the light.

Koska on kaamos...

valo on tärkeää.

I've got my Christmas lights all blazing, how about you?

And be honest now, how many strings?

Minulla palavat jouluvalot täysillä, entä sinulla?

Ja ihan rehellisesti, kuinka paljon niitä on?

I've got a total of 80+120+40+40+40+40 outside.

And 80+40+50+50+50+20+50+120+80+20 inside.

Hey, it's dark here!

Every bulb helps.

*grin*

Numerot ovat samat suomeksikin, ensimäinen letka on ulkovalot ja toinen letka kaikki sisällä palavat.

No kun on kaamos!

Jokainen polttimo autaa.

*virne*