PROJECT SUMMER HOME

  Finally we got our hands on the main cabin at our summer home! It is about time to renovate it, we´ve had it for nearly four years now. Easy does it, we´ve learned. Living in and getting to know your property is the key to successful remodeling.

  The ice finally melted off, and we were able to go there by our boat. It actually feels like summer season has started already!

Looking at this picture of our boat bay, it also looks like summer too! But in reality, it was only a bit above freezing...

Signs of spring have arrived here too.

Flag up to show summer season has started! Yay!

The project begins. This is the main room, I guess it could be called the living room. So far we´ve already taken down the old bunk beds and half paneling on the walls. The bunches of panels are awaiting installation.

Originally this room was the kitchen, which we turned into a bedroom two years ago. Now it is getting another makeover.

When it comes to survival in cold and windy weather, something´s got to give. In this case it is style... =)

It was not all springy sunshine, we also got cold rain (and occasional sleet).

An unfortunate creature on the shore...

I got a tip from a Kentuckian friend of mine to try out Jack Daniel´s. Wow, so different and tasty from the Scottish or Canadian whiskies I´ve tried before. Really yummy, and surprisingly girly. Me like. Thanks Carl!

I was actually able to be helpful!

After two days of work. We built a whole new bedroom and added a window to it too. Now there are two bedrooms, in which three of us can sleep (we´ll see where the fourth one will end up... on the couch maybe?).

This is the first bedroom after makeover (the one that used to be kitchen.).

The new, second, bedroom. Here the color of the walls is quite close to the original. We used breathable and non-toxic wood wax for finishing the wood paneled walls.

In between the bedrooms we were able to squeeze a tiny toilet. It will be an eco-friendly waterless one, but more about it later.

  Phew, that was a lot for one long weekend! Now we just can´t wait for the next one!!!  =)

HAPPY THIRD BIRTHDAY

  We celebrated our daughter´s third birthday with closest family and friends.

  Here´s the dress I made for her, just for the occasion:

The dress was paired with medium grey pants, alike the color of the sewn-in belt here, and topped off with a silver necklace she got from her godmother when she was born.

Besides being pretty, the fabric is also stretchy and comfy. The pattern is somehow pressed into the fabric. They can make neat things these days!

I trimmed the neckline with a strip of the same fabric, stretching it a bit when sewing to prevent neckline from drooping.

The belt continues all across the back too.

I could not resist making myself one too! I lined mine from waist down with nude fabric to prevent it from clinging to my legs when I walk. It shows through here slightly, but when I put the tunic on, and wear a nude bra, the color of bare skin will continue all the way down to the hem, and you can´t see the petticoat at all. I also wore grey pants with my tunic.

I asked my talented son if he knew how to make origami balloons. The answer was an immediate "yes", and he started folding paper right away without looking for instructions! I was impressed.

He first made some sort of a cube and then blew it puffy, just like you would a normal balloon. These look quite artistic actually. Really nice!

The most important part of any party, food! First we served a main course of vegan spaghetti bolognese with small veggie bites on cocktail sticks (a huge favorite among kids!). Then we tuck into this table of strawberries & cream, home made coconut cookies, popcorn, double chocolate cake, and marmalade.

I made gluten-free double chocolate cupcakes for my son and my sister. The recipe was vegan, so it was easy to just switch the regular wheat flour to gluten-free one.

Happy, happy birthday my love!!!

  Funny thing is that, initially I never even wanted kids. Boy am I so glad I thought out of my box and gave it a shot! My life would be so dull and empty without those two awesome individuals! They rock!

THE LONG EXPECTED DAY

  What a great first day of Christmas we had!

It actually begun yesterday by getting a nice spruce out of the forest. It´s a great tradition we have had since childhood, and continue now with our own kids. The natural trees are far from perfect, which only adds to the excitement! This is the one we chose.

Year by year I have cut down on decorations, and enjoy the tree itself more and more.

It snowed all day long.

And we took all the fun out of it!

My son doing a front flip into a pile of soft snow!

We also had time to play games inside together.

Heating up our old traditional log house sauna, which was built after the WW2. Sauna is an essential part of our Christmas tradition. When I was a kid I would go roll in the snow, but no more baby! =)

In the evening we had a Yule feast, and Santa came to bring gifts to us all, and we watched a bit of Hobbit 2 (a good reminder before hitting the movies to see the final part).

  By midnight we were all ready to hit the bunk. What a great day, and the party continues tomorrow!

P.S. The parkour outfit I made for my boy was a hit! He wanted to wear it immediately, and even wanted to sleep in it! That makes me so happy!

PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS MORNING

  I woke up before the others, lit candles and enjoyed a moment of peace.

The weather outside is perfect for X-mas!

Only one more day left in the advent calendar. We recycled this calendar from years back, when we originally bought it to our son. He once was a huge Lego fan, and got to play with this calendar on two years. I stowed the tiny pieces back inside it, and now years after our daughter has had lots of excitement and fun opening it. Handy!

It is our tradition to decorate the tree on X-mas morning together, while waiting for the breakfast rice porridge to cook up (I think I´ll whip up a chocolate smoothie for myself and have a tiny bit of the porridge, for my stomach´s sake).

 May the fun and celebration begin! Happy, happy Christmas!

I HATE KALE- GREEN CHOCOLATE SMOOTHIE

  My ten-year-old son hates vegetables. Cucumber and potatoes are the only things he´ll eat without a suffering face. But behold, Vitamix to the rescue! I have found a sneaky way to incorporate raw leafy greens into his diet, without him refusing one bit. In fact, he now asks for kale almost daily!

Chocolate smoothie, what a perfect way to start the day (and hide greens)!

A high-speed blender makes an unbelievably creamy and smooth texture. This stuff is very different from the produce of an "ordinary" blender, that leaves the smoothie more or less chunky.

The recipe (serves 1):

1-2 handfuls of kale (or other leafy greens)
1 banana
5 medjool dates
1-2 Tbsp cacao nibs
vanilla
3 tsp cacao powder
1/2 avocado
1-2 cups soymilk (for him, for myself I use water)

+ Blend everything until creamy and smooth.

This is satisfying and filling, and keeps us all going until lunch time.

FUNERAL DRESSES

  We attended a funeral recently. Funerals are never fun, but it is fun to plan what to wear to the occasion. Overall I try to keep a positive mind on funerals, thinking it is the last party thrown to the person, and we´re there to celebrate having known her/him and all the good things shared together.

  In the past four years we have been to four funerals, and I thought it was time to make myself a new outfit. My daughter doesn´t have such dark clothes in her everyday wardrobe, so I knew I´d have to make her something in any case. So why not make matching dresses? She is still so small, that it counts as cute. =)

  Here´s the one I made for her:

Instead of all black, which is too harsh and sad for a little girl like her, I chose a more subtle print in grey and black. The fabric is nicely soft, stretchy, and warm for the weather. Even party wear needs to be comfortable to wear, so one can concentrate on partying, not worrying about clothes.

The pattern is a casual one, not complicated. For example, I also made the Bad Piggies dress with it. Raglan sleeves are always comfy.

To avoid dullness I added pompoms to the hemline. And by a great coincidence I found the same kind, but in larger scale, to my own dress.

Like mother like daughter. We both surfed through the ceremony with comfort, ease, and style! And rose a few smiles on the guests´ faces on the way. =) In addition to that, I eased my own sorrow by wearing aromatherapy earrings with bergamot essential oil on them.

I gotta to use this opportunity to share an idea I came up with for the flower bouquet. I wanted to make one myself to show respect for the deceased. Usually the arrangements are directly from the florist´s, are quite pricey, and don´t last long  (especially now that it´s so cold outside). So my innovative own idea was to make a wreath-based arrangement with a center piece in the middle. Here I chose a spruce twig garland and placed a lantern in the center hole. To top it off I added red roses to circle around the lantern. The whole deal is placed on a plywood round to keep it all together. People liked it, and said they especially enjoyed the calming flicker of the candle flame. This is something I will definitely redo in occasions to come, always altering the design according to who´s being celebrated.

SAMHAIN GRAVEYARD

  We have a tradition of going to the local cemetery for a walk on Samhain evening when it gets dark. The whole place is flooded with twinkling candle light. It is absolutely beautiful!

We did not see ghosts, but there is a suspicious looking shadow entering the little church in the back... Lucifer himself?  =)

  None of our friends or family are buried here in this cemetery, or in our home county overall, so these walks aren´t emotional. We simply enjoy the beauty.
  But we do have a funeral on the way, because my dear grandma passed away recently. It´s been three years since the last funeral we attended. My son is unfortunately very familiar with the occasion, but my daughter has never yet been to one. Well, that´s life I suppose. We hurt but at least we get to go on...

SETTING THE MOOD FOR HALLOWEEN

  Even if I did not have kids, I would like the house to be set for Halloween. Change is always welcome, and exaggerating fun is essential, and it lifts up spirits for us all. Here´s what we have in our kitchen:

A little goes a long, and a stylish, way. I don´t like layers on layers, instead keeping it simple and letting the few selected things catch the eye. Sometimes less is more.

The little pumpkin is grown by my sister, and the spider candle holder I originally bought for aroma lamp use. But after I invented aromatherapy earrings a year ago, I have not had the need for aroma lamps anymore.

Somewhat tacky, but fun, jack o´lanterns.

  Also we enjoy listening to Halloween radio to further get into the mood. And it works!

MOVING IT

  As much as I resent exercise, I have stuck with my workout plan. But since the weather got cold again, I did some changes to it. No longer do I only go jogging and walking, I added a trampoline to the schedule too.

  Cold weather makes my lungs hurt when breathing heavily, so jogging outside does not feel good anymore. Instead, I walk briskly (and still jog down the hills to keep the heart rate up) to achieve that same approx. 130 kcal I did when jogging. This I try to do three times a week.

The weather outside these days rather draws energy than gives it to me. Not tempting at all.

   In place of jogging I now jump on my mini trampoline. It really saves me. Now I can still get a good workout, but in warm air, and I don´t even have to get a babysitter to do it!
  What I like to do is get up an hour before my daughter wakes up, jump up and down like crazy for half an hour, take a shower and get the whole biz of exercise out of the way before the day actually begins.

I set up the trampoline in our bathroom along with a laptop and get going. I enjoy watching clips on YouTube, which is something I otherwise never have time for.

  Up and down, up and down! This is more fun than running in the cold, dark rain. I have picked up some moves online to keep the half an hour more interesting.

  Three times a week is what I try to do with this one too. I can mostly get there.

  For someone who has never exercised in her life I consider this a major change in lifestyle. From zero to six times a week, plus Pilates once. Well enough for me!