Halloween 09

Sorry about the delay -- see, we lost our camera awhile back, and have been relying on other people to take pictures for us. Our phone pictures have not been that swell. But we bought a new camera today finally!
Here are the finished masterpieces:




Mama

The big question

Today, the question came earlier than I could've ever imagined when BB asked, "How can Mama get a new baby?"!!! I was so shocked, it took me a minute to try to think of something to say, but by the time I was about to speak (I don't even really know what I was going to say), BB had lost interest and moved on to other things. !!!
Meanwhile, I'm still sewing with only one day left (I don't remember that much from 7th grade home-ec with Ms. George (I know some of you will appreciate that), but I still have and am using my sewing kit from then! Now that I think about it, I was robbed. When I got to 8th grade, they started making everyone take shop!). And I was never that interested in sewing before now. Except when we made our own skirts that time at "Aunt Net"'s. :)
Ahh, memories!

Mama

Pumpkin Time

Last week we bought a pumpkin. Not a big one, about 800 grams. I couldn't believe how far it stretched when it came to all the things we made from it, though.
I was first inspired by this recipe for pumpkin lattes (thanks, SE!). As far as I know, you can't buy canned pumpkin here in Finland except for if they have some special theme month or something at a grocery store. So, I've learned how to make my own. Nothing to it really.
So, other than the lattes, which turned out to be very good and very big (if you make these, you'll need a lot bigger cup or glass than a normal coffee cup), we toasted the seeds, made pumpkin pancakes (served them with a sprinkling of sugar and a dollop of whipped cream rather than syrup), pumpkin soup (the best I've tried -- I halved the recipe since I was just cooking for two), and yesterday, pumpkin muffins (I reduced the brown sugar a little and added oil).
Yesterday, I took BB down town to get material to make Halloween costumes. I've started sewing them (an experiment for me since I don't know that much about sewing), so we'll see how they turn out. Also, we got a bigger pumpkin to make our Jack-o-Lantern. That'll probably be tomorrow's activity. The lady at the market who sold us our pumpkin thought BB was so cute that she threw in a pie pumpkin for free. So, we can continue experimenting with pumpkin recipes this week!

Mama

Fall sestina

It's time again for color
As Maple sheds his leaves
and seeds, they tumbling fall
and just then frozen dew drops
are disturbed by a whisper
of the north-west wind

It's chilly now, the wind
and makes our cheeks color
wings beat a silent whisper
as the summer's bird leaves
the temperature drops
at the end of fall

Birch lets a leaf fall
and it dances with the wind
the sun glints in silver drops
brightening every color
but it soon leaves
the world in a grey whisper

Birch and Maple whisper
about the coming fall
as summer leaves
with a cold wind
their plumage in full color
soon every feather drops

Who times these random drops?
In what language does he whisper?
How does he choose the color
of polychromatic fall?
Where does his mystic path wind
and twist now as he leaves?

In the trees the tired leaves
are splashed with heavy drops
and the ever colder wind
is not no more a whisper
but the roar of storm in fall
that paints the sky with violent color

Say farewell to color with the leaves
They fall among the icy drops
and summer is just a whisper in the wind

-Pappa

Three!

The dirt cake!


Nice presents!


Milk carton dump truck craft (http://www.origamimommy.org/2009/07/recycled-milk-carton-truck-tutorial-.html)


Out for a spin


Devising a plan . . .

Berrypickin'

It's been the time of year where many Finns spend hours upon hours in the woods picking berries and shrooms. Our kids are a bit too small yet to do it properly, but it was such a great year for berries that we took them out to see where berries come from, at least. We have a large wooded area just outside our house that was absolutely packed with blueberries.

LS went straight for them...


...and ate them straight from the bush!

BB picked a few and ate them. Hopefully, next year we'll actually go out and fill up a bucket or two for the freezer!

(Point of information: because of the old-as-a-rock Every Man's Right anyone in Finland is allowed to walk and pick berries and mushrooms and any non-endangered flowers on any uncultivated land not immediately next to someone's residence. Same goes for camping, although you need the landowner's permission to make a fire. See more here.)

There and back again

We spent most of our summer in the United States. What a great trip! We had a family reunion, a wedding, and sadly, a funeral. We enjoyed the hot weather. We swam, ate watermelon, and even attended a Lutheran church to compare it to our services in Finland. We went to the zoo, the lake, and the mountains. We did a lot. Unfortunately, there were people I wanted to see who I didn't get to. But, we got to spend a lot of time with my family, and I loved it.
And now we're back. My mama and her mama came back with us and stayed for two weeks. It was great showing them our new house and our daily routine -- how we live. It also made the transition easier for me.
Pappa started work today, so it's my first day back to work, too, as nanny, cook, cleaner, and playmate for two adorable kiddos.
I will include some picture highlights from the summer to sign off for now.

Mama

Reuniting with a friend from the webcam

They really made use of this pool!


Looking at the reptiles, the snakes were LS's favorite!


Group shot


Loving that watermelon (in her mama's old bathing suit)!


What a duet!


Falls Park, Greenville


This year's tractor photo-shoot


Where does the water come from?


Dressed for the reunion, observing the progress on the sunroom,
still under construction