Apr
20

Happy colourful thoughts

by Sofia   -   in Random

Toivottavasti viikonloppusi oli hauska! Meidän oli ainakin aivan täynnä iloista väriä. Jostain syystä tuntuu, että kaikki oli erityisen värikästä. Valitsin värikkäitä kukkia, tilaamani uudet keittokirjat saapuivat ja nekin olivat täynnä väriä ( ja roimasti inspiraatiota). Ystävämme tyttären nimiäisissä oli kauniin väriset somistukset ja tarjoilut ja itsekin leivoin sinne kirkkaan pastellisia kuppikakkuja. Kävimme myös pyöräilemässä ja äänestämässä, sekä maalailimme vesiväreillä. Tässä vähän näitä harvinaisen värikkäitä onnen aiheita.

Did you have a good weekend? We were bicycling, went to vote for our favourite candidates for the parliament ( election time in Finland) and enjoyed some fun times at our friends baby´s party. I was also getting plenty of inspiration from my new cook books that arrived on Friday. It seems there was so much colour in our lives this weekend from flowers to smoothies to cupcakes made for the little baby girl and her pretty party decor in pinks and yellows, light green and baby blue. It was such a pretty party! Here are my happy colours from the weekend…

All of these books were so inspirational but the Love Bake Nourish was definitely the prettiest. Gorgeous book! I found the Deliciously Ella book the most inspiring though and kept reading it every chance I got.

Kumquats are so pretty. These had quite a thick skin though.

Apr
13

Happy thoughts

by Sofia   -   in Random

Miten kauniisti aurinko onkaan hellinyt meitä viikonloppuna. Piirtänyt aamuisin keittiön valkoisten puukaihdinten läpi raitoja seinien kaakeleihin. Hymyillyt meidän kasvoillemme leikkipuiston penkillä kun suljimme silmämme ja kuuntelimme lasten leikkien iloa. Läikehtinyt kuppimme reunoilla kun istuimme hetkeksi ruokakaupan eteen asetetuille tuoleille nauttimaan vastapaahdettua kahvia ja valtavia suklaakeksejä ennen viikonlopun ruokaostoksia. Se vilisteli lempi ruokakauppamme mustavalkoisella lattialla ja seurasi meitä koko matkan kotiin. Aamulla se kiipeili untuvapeitolla ja kuiskutteli korvaan, että on aika taas nousta. Mutta ensin vielä hetki pyjamassa, pieni pää molemmissa kainaloissa kyhnöttämässä kunnes pappa muuttuu kiipelytelineeksi ja mamman on aika nousta aamiaisen valmistukseen.

What an incredible sunny weekend it was in Helsinki! We went to the playground with some friends and I can´t tell you how glad we were to finally put on our mid season outer wear. We still have the pretty sorbet coloured coats from Racoon from last spring that fit super well so we just bought some bright coloured pants to match. My kids look like the selection of an Italian Gelateria. Pistachio and lemon with some bright raspberry and sweet strawberry. Happy and fun colours! A lovely dinner at a friends house on Friday night was just what the doctor ordered. Kids jumped on the parents bed and made summersaults from the windowsill. Also happy and fun. On Saturday I took the kids grocery shopping with me in Anton & Anton. We started by buying cookies and coffee and sitting in the sun for a midmorning snack. After that buying groceries was much more fun! So it has been about fun really for us. And just enjoying the great weather to the fullest. Parks and evening runs. Now we are waiting for the big table and chairs to come out to our courtyard so we can do our first outdoors dinner there. Always a treat! Here are some other things that have made me happy lately…

This avocado & mint scented candle is beyond amazing. It´s fresh and delicious. My favourite at the moment. I keep it in the kitchen but sneak it in the bath and put it on our tea tray too as it´s kind of addictive really.

Mar
27

Namusia

by Sofia   -   in Good things for kids  Random

Palmusunnuntaina käy taas oven takana rapina kun pienet noidat hiippailevat pajunoksien kanssa namusia itselleen virpomassa. Virpomisperinteessä sekoittuu Länsi-Suomalainen pakanaperinne jossa pukeudutaan noidiksi ja Itä-Suomalainen ortodoksiperinne jossa pajunoksat siunattiinn lauantaina kirkossa ja sunnutaina niillä virvottiin onnea ja terveyttä sukulaisille ja ystäville. Nykyään pienet trullit liikkuvat yleensä naapurustossa ja virpovat itsetehdyin oksin toiveenaan ehkä enneminkin hyvä karamellisaalis kuin terveyden toivominen. Suloisia pikkuisia noitia, pupuja ja kissoja odotellaan kuitenkin myös meidän ovemme taakse ja heitä varten on varauduttu namusilla.

This Sunday we are expecting little witches to ring our doorbell. They come bearing decorated pussy willow branches and chant an ancient song wishing health and happiness. As a reward for the branches they get sweets that the children put in little baskets they are carrying around with them. This tradition actually mixes two old traditions. It was a pagan tradition to get dressed as witches and an Orthodox tradition to bless pussy willow branches in church on Saturday and then give them to relatives and friends on Sunday for good health and good luck. Today these traditions are combined and I doubt many of the children or even the parents really know the old Orthodox custom behind it. I only learned about it as an adult. But we are more than happy to receive pretty branches and give Easter candy as a reward. I have a whole candy bar ready for the little ones. The only problem with living in the centre of Helsinki is that all the front doors for the buildings are locked so receiving as many chanters as in suburban areas is not very likely. But our doorbell has rung a few times in the past years. So we are optimistic. And waiting with these so do come by…