There is a fine line between creating a magical childhood and ensuring your children know what is real.
For example, how do you explain that dinosaurs were real, but dragons are not? That blue whales and giraffes exist, but unicorns are imaginary? That bats are real, but vampires are not.
We have spent time explaining that bears can sleep the whole winter, that caterpillars can dissolve into soup and emerge as butterflies, that geese can navigate across continents, and that some lizards can grow back their tails.
Kiara, especially, is obsessed with crafts. We buy sellotape in bulk because – and I am not exaggerating at all – she uses five or rolls per week. She comes up with very practical and innovative designs and can surprise me with real out-of-the-box ideas – some of which really work.
Alanna does crafts when the mood strikes, but she is more interested in drawing – comics especially.
To build on this, I dug out my old sewing machine and we spent a happy few hours testing it out. Alanna made a beautiful dress for her doll. Kiara sewed a little pouch and a pillow.
After work, I took the girls for a swim. The hot weather is about to turn, so felt like the thing to do.
While getting ready, Kiara fussed about her swimsuit, her hair and her swimming bag. She wanted to look cool in case she saw her friends.
When we got to Oittaa, she spotted the Angry Birds playground. Luckily, at that moment, the playground and splashing in the water still felt “cool” enough.
I wish I would convince her that there is plenty of time to be big yet.
I admire children’s dermination to have fun once they decide they are going to have fun.
I took Kiara and Alanna to a nearby sports-focused amusement park today. The temperature climbed above 30°C and the park had practically no shade. Even so, we stayed for more than 7h and tested every climbing, jumping, pedalling, lifting, shooting, running and balancing activity available. Considering the park has more than 30 different jumping castles alone, that was no small feat.
Most of the other kids gave up, and by late afternoon only a handful of the hardiest ones were still around.
At the endof the day, we popped into a nearby supermarket, bought swimming costumes to all three of us and went for a swim. Lake water has rarely felt so good!
We are still not beach people. But Matinkylä Beach is exactly the right distance for a family bike ride on a hot day.
The kids spent about 15 min in the sea. Even though they love swimming, the salty water seems to take away half of the fun. But they did spend the next 2h climbing, running and playing.
The best thing about cycling to the beach is that 90% of the sand falls off on the way home.
Alanna and Kiara are at their most creative when it comes to inventing reasons to postpone bedtime. More often than not, giving in to one extra thing helps to move things along.
One of the favourite distractions is listening to “just one last song” before brushing their teeth. It’s a great and joyful idea – if you can actually stop at one.
Several years ago, my dad decided to get a quad bike for the summer cottage. He said it was to help with work around the yard, but none of us siblings believed him. We were convinced it is just his latest toy.
But admittedly, it has turned out to be really useful thing to have around. The yard is big, and there is a never-ending list of things to do.
The girls think it is the best toy ever. They especially love the adventure rides they take with ukki along the nearby dirt roads.
He passed away back in January, but we wanted to bury him at the summer cottage, the place he loved more than any other in the world.
Merlin came to our family a little over 10 years ago. He was an intelligent and curious little pup who simply could not fanthom that anyone would not love him as much as he loved them. There was nothing he loved more than being included in… everything.
He was especially certain that all hadedas (type of ibis) thoroughly enjoyed the one-sided game of tag he invented. (Except for the one that decided to chase him back).
Merlin was very obedient, calm and caring. Nowhere was it more evident than in the way he cared his two “sisters”, when they arrived. He kept bringing his favourite puppy toy to the babies, although he clearly found it rather strange that they did not play with it for months.
As they grew, he remained endlessly patient, no matter how loud, rough, or devious they became – even when they stole his food. For his entire life, he kept an eye on them. It caused him great concern whenever they disappeared from sight on walks (for example, to kindergarten or school).
The move from South Africa turned his life upside down, but in Finland Merlin discovered his inner husky. Rain or darkness no longer bothered him. And he absolutely loved snow. And forests. Most of all, though, he loved the summer cottage.
Merlin was a very special little dog. Six months after his passing, we still unconciously reach out for him every day. We miss him tremendously!
Alanna suggested that we light a candle to Merlin every year on his birthday. She said he was such a brave dog that his soul was half fire. So through the candle, he will hear us singing Happy Birthday to him.
Finns are always surprised when the weather is good at Midsummer. Although, I could be a spoilsport and note that every single one of the five Midsummers since we moved bach has been beautiful.
Then again, I still remember the years of +9°C and rain, so I mostly let people enjoy their weather debates.
Anyway, it is hard to capture the essence of Midsummer in single picture. I cheated and made a collage. Good food, good drinks, the midnight sun, summer…
Blue Moment 