Mother's Day

So, it's Mother's Day in Sweden today and I got two tops from my lovelies this morning. :) Much more needed than a bunch of flowers or a sweet treat. :D I'm a sucker for practical gifts, flowers are lovely but...the money could be better spent. Boring? Possibly...but I'm sensible to a fault! ;)

It was a really sweet surprise! :) I had honestly not been expecting anything at all... And I'm in desperate need clothes that fit so any type of clothing is very, very appreciated! ♥


I hope your day was lovely too!

♥ E.

ESC winner 2010

The winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2010.

Lovely Lena with the lovely twang!

Lots of great songs this year...! :) Other favourites, of mine, were Cyprus, France and Iceland.

A well deserved win for 19 year old Lena from Germany! :)

(video clip from youtube)

♥ E.

Morning Walk

The weather this morning is just beautiful, there's a promise of rain but I've got my doubts about that forecast...
As usual when the weather is good we opted for a walk rather than taking the bus down to "dagis" today. I then took the long way home, takes about half an hour if I keep up a good pace, and took some pics with my phone :) to share...

I know what it looks like and to me it's nothing special but other's might think it interesting to see... so here's this mornings walk in a few pics. :D There's plenty of houses along my route but I just chose to take the pics where I'd not end up snapping one of people going about their morning stuff... :)

Almost at dagis, Erin in red and Anton's head/hat in the left corner. :)

I've already made it half way home already ( and already come up the BIG hill, will take a pic of it next time!) when I thought of sharing my walk... :)

Finally a bit of a downhill! :)

As good as home now, just round the bend to the left is our house. Neighbours garden starts just behind those bushes in the left of the photo.
Perhaps I'll do the same again soon, but walking the other way...? :) I try to make these walks as "interesting" as possible, 'cause honestly I'd rather do something else...! ;) :D

♥ E.

School's over...almost...

June must count as summer surely so with only a few days left of May I must be allowed to feel a little bit summer:y. ;)

Today's the last day of school! :D Alright, alright, I do have another 5 weeks *gasp!* of English but since it's a distance course I'll not have any more classes in school...! :D

But before I'm done I've got to retake an exam that I missed a few weeks ago, my "favourite" subject - Math! :P Not too worried though, haven't even studied for it!?! :D Unless anything remarkable happens today I'll get a VG (passed with merit grade, links to wiki's page on academic grading in Sweden) as a final grade in Math and all I need to complete my application to Uni is a G (passed). As far as I know, not even bothered anymore, I'll get a VG in all my other subjects too, not great or fabulous but not bad either. :)

I'm also, quite happily, being cheeky enough to not go to two out of three classes today...! I'm SO done, fed up, with that school... I've got my diploma, I'm moving on...and very happy to do so. :)

Lovely Mommo and sisters have offered to take our little ones away for the evening/night and do something fun tomorrow before the ESC-final tomorrow night when S and I'll join the "party". :)

It'll be the second time since we became parents that we'll sleep "alone", without our early birds! ;) :D ...and...I feel we should do something but can't even remember what we used to do for "grown up fun"...so saaad...! *lol*

♥ E.

Running out of steam...

School term is over on Friday. Yaaay!! Finally!

Technically we can still hand in last minute stuff 'til Tuesday but last classes are on Friday and I'm NOT going back there! I'm not even bothered about what my grades will be...just send me an email and let me know! :I

I SO wish that it was The End before summer, but I still have 5 more weeks *deep sigh!* of English which I'll not be putting any effort into whatsoever...! I feel SO empty at the moment, like I have nothing left to give in any of my classes AND all the little things that have been bugging me this term are just getting to be tooo much and I feel ready to explode... I'm SO done!

(image from yourebeautiful.tumblr.com)

♥ E.

30 + interest ;)

This weekend we had a small BBQ/"Garden Party" for Stephen. A "30 + interest"-party since he never had a 'do' last year. :)
It was GREAT! Family and friends...big and tiny were all (or at least seemed to be !) having a good time in the Summer Sun. :) Brilliant! Sandwiches, coffee, cake, wine, beer, snacks and BBQ-ing and more beer and wine...
By the time the sun set (9.30ish) the last people were heading home and a fantastic day ended.
Thank you to everyone who truly made our day! ♥


Birthday Boy opening pressies!

Mommo pushing Miss E. about.

The Men doing their thing... ;)

Anna, Seppo, Mommo, Sanna + bump and me.
Looks like I'm having a conversation with myself! *lol*
♥ E.

Aaaahhh... :)

Today was another warm and clammy day, rain and (even better!) thunder and lightning was promised and duly delivered! :D

I'm now sitting at the computer with the window wide open feeling the slight chill that the pouring rain brings... In the distance I can still hear the thunder rumbling and I'm in heaven! I just adore a good thunder"storm"! I bet the ones I've experienced aren't nowhere near as amazing as they have to ability to be but I loooove it when you see the flash of lightning and then immediately hear that enormous crack of the thunder... It's a hard noise and it's loud and it almost make me jump but instead I glued to the earth and it's just sooo coool... :)

I wish we could get at good thunder/lightning without the "heat" though...being hot and sweaty really isn't my "thing"! :] No, instead give me this almost cold but still only cool rainy weather any day!

There's a Swedish (?) saying that goes "Det finns inga dåliga väder, bara dåliga kläder" - (terribly translated "There's no bad weather, only bad clothing") and that true for me...

Bring on the wellie boots and rain gear! :D I can take them off when the rain stops, but I can't really peal my skin off when the heat's on, now can I...?! ;)


♥ E.

Clara!

I've been following the blog underbaraclara now for a while and Clara's such a cool creative gal, with spunk and...*not finding the right words* ...well I think she's just plain awesome...! :D Even though I don't always agree with her ideas she's inspiring in the way that she has an opinion on things... She shines...! ;)

Her inspiring (initially "only" a fashion) blog has gotten her work on the radio (sharing old-fashioned "housewifely" tips on everything from cleaning to baking and sewing) and now recently her own magazine - which is basically her blog put into paper. I "missed" ordering the first issue of it but the second one I wasn't going to miss! Super handy to pay via text message and it arrived in the post today! Yay! :) I have only flicked through it so far, and still managed to be inspired, but will take time to read every single word before bed...


I also got my English C book in the post today, blah!, not even opened it yet! ;) I really should get started with it as I'll be working and studying at the same time... :/

Today's been a lovely day outside, sunny and warm (that 22C and about 71F, warm in my book! ;) ), though I've been feeling quite rubbish and stayed home from school because of it... Thought I was getting the kiddies recent tummy bug but nope, not yet at least! My stomach been growling and making horrible noise all day but still behaving well... *fingers crossed* that it's just been a bit moody and not unwell! :)

It's amazing how quickly the leaves have turned green in the last few days! From tiny buds to gorgeous lime-green leaves. It'll not be long now 'til the the apple tree blooms...! :D Love, love, love...!
Stephen even mowed the lawn today, the for the first time of season, it could probably have been done last week ;) but I looove the scent of freshly cut grass...

Now I'm going to make myself a cup of tea and plonk myself on the sofa, reading my Clara-magazine!

♥ E.

Pride

(image by Chis (?) from kattitingeling)
Small things like the Pride flags at the top of the Avenue in Gothenburg makes me proud. A small gesture like that isn't actually small at all considering the controversy these HTB (LGBT) parades still causes in many countries...

♥ E.

Kalevala

(image from www.adlibris.se)

I've started reading the national epic of Finland, the Kalevala. It's an epic poem, which has made me more than a little bit hesitant to read it. Getting started with it, I'm only at the fourth runo - "the fate of Aino", I've found it not at all difficult and even a pleasure to read...! :)

I'm looking forward to get to know the only slightly familiar characters of the Kalevala more. :) This epic poem has been, and is, an important cultural inspiration for the Finns and it's an interesting way of getting a bit more "in tune" with my Finnish roots.


(image from wikimedia, the Aino triptych by Akseli Gallen-Kallela)
♥ E.

Curves!

Doing a bit of self esteem boosting on polyvore (i.e. a Big Is Beautiful-set) and ended up wishing I had more curves to flaunt...! ;) :D

New favourite quote!

~ Marianne Williamson
Yes...? Who are you not to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous!? :)
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." ~ Marianne Williamson

♥ E.

They've got the shot!

(image from google)

It has been done! :) Both kiddiewinks have gotten jabbed and will most likely suffer a sore arm tonight, possibly even a bit of a elevated temperature. They we're both SO good! :) Anton was only "a little bit scared" but also excited to go and was definitely going first, to "show Erin it isn't scary"... awww...what a beautiful big brother he is! :) It clearly stung a bit but no tears and he was SO happy to get his cool dragon tattoo. :D

Erin, currently a very determined Miss No!, had to be carried in to the nurse's and was more "ouch" about the jab but before she started crying it was over and the tattoo, a leopard with a red flower, was a good compensation for the pain caused...

I'm having trouble accessing the internet on "my" computer so I'm not getting to my school stuff and I'm trying to figure out how to, if even possible, to access my stuff on S's lap top (internet's the same on all computers I know! :P) and get it moved over to the "proper" computer (can't write for any length of time on this darned thing!)... Hmm...I'm not great with these things and mostly it works just waiting for a while, possibly restarting the "monster", for "it" to fix itself...! *lol*

No more stalling...! I DO have real books to read too! ;) Then perhaps the internet fairy will have had time to do her thing...! ;)

♥ E.

*breathe*

(image from google)

Today's been...frustrating and tiring and my previous post has been at the back of my mind...

It's so hard sometimes to find that peaceful gratitude for what I have when all my buttons are being pushed at the same time...!

I try to give myself a "time out" to calm down... My dear darling big sis got a good chunk of moaning and whining from me today...*thank you!*
Now that my kiddies are peacefully asleep in their bed's my frustration had run off I'm trying to give myself some time to get centered again.

Getting giggles from my mums name suggestions for big sis's bump... :) She, mum that is, is very much into genealogy and keeps suggesting one ancient (and strange!?) "family" name after the other, Agvilina, Dordi, Emerentia and Zephyrina are the latest girl names to be tired for miniP. :D Sanna's not overly impressed by any of them so far :) although I thought Zephyrina had a interesting ring to it... Zephyr was the Greek god of the west wind, the gentlest of the winds... Perhaps not a first name but as a second or third? ;)

Now it's time for me to have a long hot shower before bed, early start tomorrow. Kiddies are going to the pediatric nurse to get the TBE-shot first thing in the morning! :/ I'm not much for over-vaccinating the little ones but last summer Erin had a least 10 ticks !?! I've never even had one! The risk of getting TBE (tick-borne encephalitis) is increasing and the area where the ticks have the virus that causes TBE also keep moving so since little miss E seems to be very tasty to these nasty parasites we felt it better be safe than sorry. Anton gets the shot since Erin's getting it...! :I

Sweet dreams and here's to a less stressful tomorrow...
♥ E.

"When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy. When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight."
- Kahlil Gibran

Sad and thankful...

I'm in tears writing this...
Yesterday I found out that a young woman died before she ever got to see her firstborn child. He came to this world as she left it and it's just so terribly sad...!

I didn't know her, but I knew of her, she used the same mummy-forum as I do. I think most people there were in chock over hearing the news and wrote so many beautiful things, I didn't know what to "say"...

And, as I sit here with tears running down my face I feel...thankful, that I'm here.
...and bad, 'cause she's not...

...

Take time to give your little ones an extra kiss today, every day, for her and all the others mothers and fathers who are not as blessed as you and I are to know our little ones, who in their turn get to know us...

♥ E.

Award! :)

Cora from Postulations of an Iconoclast nominated everyone for this award.

The rules are as follows: she has 10 questions for me to answer and then I pass along the award with my own questions for others to answer! :D

Cora's questions were absolutely brilliant so I'm being sneaky and changing the rules a bit (as per usual ;)) and I too nominate everyone - to answer Cora's questions! :D Go for it! It really made me think about the Good in Life and whatever questions I would think of would be nowhere near as great. :)

Let me know if you decide to accept the award! I'd love to read your replies. :)

Cora's questions to me...and you if you choose to accept. ;)
1. What moment in your life did you feel that Life wasn't Good and how did you turn it around?
I'm not sure if I've ever had the thought that Life wasn't Good… It's been hard, tough and unfair at times but never not good. Does that make any sense…? When Life has been hard, tough and/or unfair I've not thought that there is anything I could do to turn it around… I've tried my best to keep going because I know it's not going to stay hard forever. I try and cherish the little things and see the lessons learnt from whatever has happened. Trying to see the "whole picture" rather than just my own miserableness has helped too. And when Life's been tough have I've never been more certain of the enormous love and support I have from my family and friends and that's Good, even when Life is unfair…

2. What moment did you experience the quiet validation that Life truly is Good?
On a bus home from school, listening to music with the sun shining through the window…or was it raining? ;) It was awesome…! :)

3. Has your life turned out the way you hoped when you were little? Is it better or worse? Explain.
Hmm… That's a tough question! Overall I do think life as turned out the way I hoped; I'm a mom, a wife and a good friend. I've traveled some and seen things and learnt from my experiences…yet the joys in life have been more joyous and the hard parts have been harder than I could have ever imagined, so Yes and No. :D

4. What does "Having a Good Life" mean to you?
Loving and being loved.
That's it… Having people around me that I care for and who I know care for me.

5. If you were granted 3 wishes to make your life better, what would they be and why?
3 wishes to make life better… hmmm…
* I'd wish for our finances to be a bit better, I'm not wishing for a pot of gold or anything but having a bit more money saved and a little bit more funds to use when needed because it would make life easier and therefore better.
* I'd give my husband the peace that mindfulness brings, because being in the presence brings so much more than just peace.
…
And I'll keep that third wish for later…perhaps when the little ones are teenagers and need to see that I'm only human and whatever I do for (or against them) is because I love them… ♥

6. What is your greatest dream that you want to accomplish for yourself?
I want to get a degree - in teaching, or possibly social work. That, and being at a weight where I feel comfortable in my own skin…

7. In your daily life, what are the things that validate your own Good Life?
Whatever makes me smile or brings me gratitude… It can be a good old fashioned letter in the mail, a sparkle in Erin's eyes, early morning snuggles from Anton or the silliness of painting my nails a sparkly pink shade. :D

8. What brings you the greatest joy(s)?
My children ♥ , a good book and sparkly nail polish. ;)

9. If you had complete control over the Fates, what would the next 10 years be like?
Not sure that I'd want that control, I quite like not knowing what'll happen… :/
I'd keep everyone I love healthy and safe…but then I'm quite happy to take the good with the bad and the happy with the sad… I'd not like to decide the what's and when's of the rough times and I'd not be willing to be completely without, that's the stuff you learn and grow from you know…! ;)

10. What is your favourite quote about life?
Ah! Just ONE?!? *lol* "Desiderata" by Max Ehrmann is more than a "quote" but it says all that I want to keep with me a I walk my path through life.

I also really love… "Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush, anxious for greater developments and greater riches and so on, so that children have very little time for their parents. Parents have very little time for each other, and in the home begins the disruption of peace of the world." ~ Mother Teresa …'cause I think she right in that we need to slow down and start making the world a better place in our own homes first.

And another really good one is "Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens." ~ Kahlil Gibran

♥ E.

Best under pressure??

Oh I truly hope so!

My history essay's due on Monday and I only got started with the writing yesterday...!? Weekends are almost impossible for getting any schoolwork done with family life needing it's own time. Whatever I've written so far will have to be finished/polished on Monday. No time for first and second drafts here! Get it ready and send it in!! :/ :P

To be honest, I'm glad that I'm (probably?) getting it done at all...! I've obviously made it way too difficult for myself and...yeah...my teacher should have said something but didn't, so I was seriously thinking about not doing it - despite all the research I've done...! Though, now it again seems like I might (unbelievably enough!) manage to get some sort of essay out after all... :/

Feeling quite stressed but trying my best not to totally freak out...! ;)
♥ E.

*

(image from yourebeautiful.tumblr.com)

♥ E.

Back on Facebook!

:)
We went to my aunt's house (our "cabin") on Friday afternoon for a little get-away. Lovely to do something without having to do anything, more than drive there and back... ;)

Kiddie love it there too and they could probably stand and throw leaves and stones into the stream for hours if it wasn't for the fact that the wind was quite chilly...!

So going to the cabin meant "missing" my "log on" date which actually felt OK, I logged in on facebook yesterday instead and that was enough... I thought I'd be logging in everywhere at the same time but...no... :) No rush! I'll get there in due time...

It's been a great challenge and not as hard as I initially thought it'd be. Yeah, I've not kept a strict check on my blog-time but over all I've managed fine without all that extra online time...

The time away from being connected to everyone has given me an opportunity to connect with myself...and that's something we all should prioritise, at least once in a while...! ;)


♥ E.