Family Home Evening

Saku really likes family home evening. We have a lot of room for improvement in many areas of parenting, but we have been very consistent with FHE.

Saku likes his special FHE chair and we usually do one story out of the scripture art book.

This week, we did it outside and I have to say that while it was nice; it was little distracting.

We talked about prayer. Saku's prayer is pretty much this "Rakas Taivaan Isä, kiitos päivästä. Isi and äiti come to visit us. Thank for the food. Bless the food. In the name of Jesus christ Amen". The "isi and äiti come to visit us" is from the two weeks he stayed with grandma and granpa.

Every once in a while, he says a prayer randomly while playing and tells me to "read your scriptures". And "fold your arms". He will keep us on our toes.

More Isi

Dear Isi,

Are you coming home soon? I keep calling out for you when I am supposed to be napping or going to bed and it would be nice if you would be here for one of those times. Though I guess, you probably would agree with äiti on the fact that I need my sleep.

I have done facetime and called you few times. Usually I say "hey isi, how are you doing? talk to you later, bye". I also ask many questions now. "where are we going?" "what are you doing?" "what are you watching?" "what do you hear?" I hope you have some good answers when you get back.

Today I made äiti laugh as I told her that my tummy wasn't feeling well. She said that maybe I just needed more food. I had to tell "I don't agree". I did drink about half of a Costco smoothie and kept saying that it was "delicious".

I have been a lot better about sharing with Eerika. I think Eerika and äiti have been a lot happier because of this. And I didn't have to do any time outs today. Either I am getting better about listening or äiti is picking her battles more carefully to make sure she has enough energy to take care of us until you get home.

There were few silly pictures of me from yesterday, but the computer isn't working that well.

Hopefully tomorrow I can show them to you.

Guess what? I love you.

Saku

One Day We Will Actually Have a Fall Day

We were hoping to enjoy a fun fall day at a farm forty minutes away from Tucson. The temperature was around 95 degrees that day and there wasn't very much shade, so we did not really feel like we were celebrating the fall. However, we had a good time. We just let Saku run around and enjoy the outdoors. I carried Eerika in the baby bjorn most of the day while letting her get down and dirty every once in a while.

Alia, Brian and their boys came with us as well. We did a pumpkin patch trip three years ago before we had any kids. Oh how quickly life changes. Now we both have two kids!

You gotta love this stage when the babies get mobile and eat so much dirt!

While the boys enjoyed the petting zoo, they also enjoyed chewing/sucking their fingers. Seriously disgusting!

Our little family at the pumpkin patch. We took a little hayride there and Saku was excited about "the farmer" who rode the tractor there. We carved the pumpkin and it got moldy within three days, so I am not sure if it was worth the investment of six dollars.

The wonderful thing about kids is that they dont mind the heat. So Saku was in heaven the whole time there. And because we just wanted him to have a good time, we had a good time as well. I have learned to not have my own agenda when we are doing things with the kids and then everyone seems to have a good time.

These two boys just melt my heart. They are loud and crazy together. Just what boys are supposed to be. While Saku is little more on the wild side, I have to say that Cameron might be louder. I didn't think I would ever say that.

We didn't go there quite as prepared as we should have. Since it was such a hot day, we were so thirsty and drank all of our water very quickly. Ironically, I was proud of the fact that we brought delicious sandwiches as lunch...and then Alia informed us that there was a sign that said "no outside food". We ended up eating them anyway and bought some snow cones. My first snow cone ever. So if nothing else, our trip will always be remembered as the first time I had a snow cone.

More than Just Surviving Sunday

Dear Troy

Since the 16 hour time difference between us might make it little more difficult to FaceTime and skype, I figured I would try to post few things about our days here.

The Good:

I made it to church on time.

Both of the kids diaper rashes are doing so much better.

We had a great time walking around the neighborhood and looking at Halloween decorations.

I was able to get Eerika to take a little nap in my arms. I just dont have your magic.

The pumpkin bread is so good.

Eerika wore an adorable "big girl" outfit to church and her bow was on the whole time.

I wore my new skirt and I really like it.

Both of the kids were in bed by 7 pm. (no nap for saku and only two short ones for Eerika)

The Bad:

Eerika had pooped while we drove to church. I didn't notice it until I had carried her (while balancing on my hip) and got poop on my arm, my shirt and my skirt. I might have smelled like poop for the rest of the three hours.

Saku unscrewed the light bulbs off our night lamps and hit them together--shattering one of them on our bed.

Saku pushed one of his closet doors off its place so it doesn't slide now.

And I had to go into "time out" after I raised my voice at Saku as he was pushing on that door and I was worried that it would fall on Eerika and I.

I have eaten half of the huge loaf of pumpkin bread.

Eating dinner by myself stinks. I made those good costco raviolis and they were not that great this time.

The funny:

Josh (Anderson) asked Saku "what is dad doing in Japan?" and Saku told him that you ate goldfish and octopus.

I got a new toy-I mean I took out the ironing board and since Saku has probably never seen it, due to my lack of ironing, he told me "new toy, pretty cool". Yes, I am quite the lucky woman.

I asked Saku something today and he answered "sure, yeah,probably". How did we manage to create such a hilarious little boy?!

Saku has "found" the train in his closet. He will go and sit in the bumbo and pretends to ride a train. I got to be one of his passengers as I sat on the toy box.

Saku told me to stay in time-out for five minutes, then counted to 11 and made the time sound. Then I told me that he would go and get me money to make me happy.When I told him that I was already happy, he said that I was sad. I think our emotional coaching is working:)

I love you. Everyone keeps asking me how I'm doing without you here. I am doing well so far but I miss you. I hope you ate some delicious food again today!

Love,

Keiju

Choosing Happiness

I have been married for six+ years now. I knew that I would be with Troy for the rest of my life and all the eternity about month into our dating. I loved how he was so strong and I felt so little compared to him. I loved how he cooked for me. I loved that he didn't try to make me stop studying. I loved that he understood why I cried (and was bitter) when he got a better grade on a test than I, even though I had studied way more. I loved that he really knew me and still wanted it all.

Was our wedding day the happiest day of my life? Maybe I am the only woman (or even a man) who will say this, but it wasn't. It was a special day. I was excited. I felt beautiful. It was a start of this life that has been so good to us. It was a start of eternal relationship that has survived hardships and has let us enjoy pure bliss at times.

More importantly, it is a relationship that endured the routine of every day life.

That while we dream of every day passion and that "I can't get enough of you" feeling that we had during the initial moments of the marriage, we find joy in the fact that we can reach for each other's feet in our bed as our son sleeps in between us.

We might argue or get frustrated over the constant fine tuning of the responsibilities around the house, but we make it a home that is a good place for us.

We get through the newborn phase that for some people is the most joyful time, but for us is a little bit of a struggle. And after we get through those first months, we cherish these two beautiful children that we have and give almost all of our energy to them.

At times, I haven't been so little compared to him, but he cheered me on as I was determined to run off those pounds. And he assured me that those pounds didn't matter to him, but he knew that they mattered to me so he helped me to push myself.

We share the biggest accomplishment of our lives (so far) as we talk about the hilarious and maddening tricks that our kids do, yet we realize the need to be individuals outside of our role as a mom and a dad. Even as a husband and a wife.

I have just realized that we need to choose happiness. It doesn't come in a nicer home, or perfectly behaved kids. It doesn't come when my waist is smaller and my clothes more stylish. It doesn't come in a perfect job with a great benefit package. It doesn't come in adventurous around the world.

It comes in small moments when I know that I am where I am supposed to be. It comes when I look at a bigger picture and realize that some of the small details don't matter at all.

And it comes realizing that not every moment will be good. There will be hard moments, sad moments, and those moments might even become hard periods of our lives. But you can still find happiness in life.

Happiness really comes when I choose him every day of my life to be the one who is the most important person here with me. And then I need to remember to treat him in a way that he knows it.

The attempt of girly photo shoot

On Tuesday, I attempted a cute girly photo shoot with Eerika. As I have said before, we don't do headbands before she pulls them off. Again, I tried to put one on because they really do make her look adorable and girly. However, these pictures will have prove that it was in vain and she will have to use her natural looks rather than accessories to stand out:) Also these prove that I am not the worst baby girl mom "who never care enough to accessorize her baby"

For some reason, I find this picture adorable It also shows that Eerika is starting to more and more hair.

Once Eerika noticed the camera, the photo shoot was over as she wanted to play with the camera.

I was crazy enough to take her diaper off for few seconds because I thought the bare bum and the rolls just looked priceless with the tutu.

"I really don't like having these around my head or neck"

For a sec, she was distracted with a toy to keep the head band on, but of course, i wasn't lucky enough to get a smile or even a look at the camera.
While my model was adorable and somewhat cooperative, I better stick to being a nurse rather than dream of a career as a photographer.

We also made a trip to the doctor for her 6 month shots (yes, little behind the schedule) and got her current stats.

Weight: 17 lbs and 10 oz (36th)

Height:27 3/4 in (67th)

Head: 45 cm (82th)

I think she is 100 percent fun and beautiful.

Mr. Independent

Saku being Mr. independent and putting on his shoes before going to the zoo. They were in the wrong feet, but I didn't want to take away his accomplishment so he wore them like that to the zoo.

While we were in Finland, Saku enjoyed being the center of the attention at Grandma and Grandpa's. It was only 12 days, but he seemed to really grow during that time. His English vocabulary exploded and he keeps amusing and surprising us with witty phrases and comments.

For a day or so, after we got back Saku kept calling me "grandma". He would say "Thank you Grandma" and then correct himself "Thank you äiti".

On our way to Olive Garden, I asked him if he would want some breadsticks. He replied "that's a good idea"

And this morning while driving to a play date, he said "that's a good idea". When I asked him "what was a good idea", He told me "watching a movie". The little man was using a little manipulation tactic.

As I was trying to get him dressed, which is not his favorite activity, he told me "don't fight me please".

He is mostly speaking English. Before our trip, when we would ask him what language he speaks, he would say "Suomi", but yesterday his answer was "English". I speak Finnish to him and he speaks English back to me. It is already difficult to speak two languages, so I am hoping that he will start speaking more Finnish again.

Grandpa's take on Saku was that if we wouldn't be able to open something, we should just give it to Saku and he could find a way to open it.

Grandma said that he is a really smart guy and she hopes that we have a lot of stamina and endurance because he will be a handful. She also wondered how we get anything done with Saku around.

I am grateful that Saku got to spend this time with grandma and grandpa. I was never too close with my grandparents and I hope that Saku and Eerika will have a special relationship with their grandparents.