Just finished some homework

On ethics and morals.
Yawn...
Next week it'll be law.
Double yawn.
This is all for the night school so I can be a afternoon club supervisor.

I took my camera with me the other week so I can show you the views I have every Wednesday.
Once I hop off the tram I head down this lovely walk.

See the church peeking through the trees?
That's where I'm heading.

I'm right by the sea :)

Time to cross the street because..

..the view is so much nicer on this side.

Plus the traffic is hidden :)

The Finlandia House all white and pretty.

OK, time to get up these steps.

And walk right by the railroad for a couple minutes.

My school is the red brick building you can faintly see on this side of the street ahead.

That was at 4.15pm.

This is my walk back at 8.30pm.
Same stretch of railroad.

The view across the water in the dark.

The lit Finlandia House. Sorry about the bad photos.. I had my point and shoot.

Cross the street again.

Then I turn in another direction because my bus stop is not where the tram stop was.
I was wondering about the bright lights reflecting on the building ahead.

The parking lot was filled to the brim too...

Oooohhh yes... the Finland-Germany football match (that's soccer to you you stateside folks) was being played at the Olympic Stadium. It ended in a 1-1 tie, which to us is equivalent of winning seeing that we are not a big football country.

If you are drunk and disorderly in town the police will quite likely drop you off to sober up in this jail ;)

The Finnish hamburger chain.

My bus stop is right round the corner.

I have to admit this night school is tiring. Makes for extremely long Wednesdays. But it's all about attitude isn't it?
So far so good.

What made me happy today

* being silly with the kids at school

* quality time at the hairdresser

* a full moon

* an episode of House, MD

* and oh yes, I'll be an aunt in the spring :D

From 12.99 to 13.00

Last night..

..and this morning.
Is there a difference?
Seems that it is a huge step from 12 to 13.
My first baby is a teenager.
How did that happen?
Where did 13 years go?


Saara was born on a Saturday at 7.53pm
This is her two days old.



Quite a difference this time, right?

(Did you know vests are back in?
Seems like the entire 1980's are in all of a sudden...)

Guess what?

I'm still sick.
One of those flus I can't shake off. So no work for me today. Just rest and then night school. Drugged. Sounds like a plan to me.

I think the little refurbishing I did in the bedroom yesterday is now biting me...
At least I now have time to show you the results.
Ta-daa!

I moved the ugly chair out and brought in a pretty one.

New little rugs.


Found the top picture in my closet... just don't ask.

I changed the finials on the curtain rod.
The mirror has been there for a while, I need to paint it though.
Black or silver?
Give me your opinion, please :)
Oh and that is the unfinished dollhouse/shopping center in the corner.

Light airy curtains made way for dramatic black.
I love the mirrors on there, those were originally Christmas decorations I bought dirt cheap for Mika's 40th birthday party last December. They've hung there ever since.

mmm... more pictures waiting to be hung on the wall.
What?
The shelf in the mirror?

The trashman will pick that up today.
It's a piece of a desk we bought in the US in 1996 and never used. It was stuck in the closet holding shoes or something. I have no idea why it made the move to Finland, I was sure Mika would toss it. But over the Atlantic it travelled. Why I didn't toss it out then is a also a mystery. Instead I stuck it in another closet for years and years.
But I promise you, it's gone now.
Ba-bye.

Anyone need a chair?


This little fellow has been with me a loooooooooooong time.
Hey, it's fall, it's cold, I'm ready for Halloween.

Moving on.
Want to help me decide something?
I want to reupholster the white chairs in my dining room.


(heheee.. love how the doorway frames my fridge and freezer)

I want a little more color, but also something that won't clash with the wallpaper or the ummm.. ..ryijy. The lovely wool wall rug thingy... no idea what it is called in English. My mother-in-law made that.

I've spent quality time browsing lovely fabrics on the Designer's Guild website and these made the final round.
1. 2.
3. 4.
5.6.

Pretty stripes and some funky snakeskin velvet.
Which is your favorite candidate?
I have a personal fave but I'm not revealing it to you yet...

Randomness

That's what this post is all about.

*I've had the worst flu since Thursday. One of those that turns your brain into snot and makes you light headed. I had a horrid night last night, just tossing and turning.. I'll be taking a nap in a bit..
I'm still off work today.

*Look at us... all dressed up last July for a wedding :)


*Who decided skinny jeans had to come back in fashion??!?
It is nearly impossible to find jeans that I can pull up past my knees. Sigh.
I feel like throwing a temper tantrum that would make a two year old jealous.

*Does Niina look pleased or what?


Not just every girl gets their bedtime story read to them by their English teacher ;)
Sam came to visit on Thursday and my voice had pretty much left town by then...

*It's too cold.
I have to start looking for warmer coats for the girls.
Hrrmmmpphh.

*I start night school tomorrow.
Hope I can get some sleep or I'll be in trouble.

*Have you heard of these Webkins pets?


Niina got hers from a friend in the US. The dog came with a virtual version too, so Niina can play with this cutie online too. The catch?
The website is only free for the 1st year... sneaky that.

*My laundry line looks sad.

The coating has started to peel off the cord, it was only replaced three summers ago. The previous cord lasted for 15 years. Come next summer I have to feed in a new cord.
Let me tell you.. it takes FOREVER.
While I have to pull the old one out I might as well spruce the stand with new paint, what do you think?
Any thoughts on color? Or should I just go with something that blends in...

*Here's some color for you:


*And while we are perusing the backyard, how about this jungle?

I've just left these be behind my mom's old house. I find it hard to motivate myself to make this prettier as it'll be torn up anyway in about two years.

*It is official.
From tomorrow morning on until 2018 I'll have a teenager in the house.

*Here are some sneak previews of scrapbook pages that'll pop up here and there.







*Talking about scrapbooking in Finnish for a little bit:
Yritän saada taas työpajaa pystyyn jossain vaiheessa. Tällä hetkellä se luokka joka oli käytössämme on remontissa ja ties milloin on valmis. Ja mulla alkaa myös nuo opiskelut tällä viikolla, joten pitää katsoa mihin repeän..

*I'm doing a little facelift in our bedroom.
I have a few pics of the room in it's old state (taken a couple years ago) here, here and here.
Hope to bring you new pics in a couple days. But don't be surprised if it isn't until the weekend, I have a very busy week.

*What am I doing then?
Tomorrow is work and night school. Not to mention Saara's 13th birthday.
Wednesday I have a doctor appointment for Saara at 8am and parent's evening at school at 6pm.
Thursday and Friday I'll be in Jyväskylä (a 3 hour train ride a way in mid Finland) for some training. The school is sending me.
Saturday is the school Sports Day starting at 9am.

*Hope I get a chance to breathe...
Through my nose... now that would be a treat.
Heh.