Family – Page 4 – Blue Moment

Day 161: Cycling Trip

July 28, 2026July 29, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Activities, Finland, Nature, Outdoors, Stuart, TravellingTagged 365 Project, Activities, Finland, Holidays, Nature, Outdoors, Scenery, Stuart, Summer, TravelLeave a comment

Start of the summer holiday.

The girls, carrying their enormous rucksacks, hopped on a bus and headed to Väiski, a scout camp in Parainen forests with 1,800 kids. Stuart and I seized the opportunity, jumped on our bikes and headed for Porvoo. The plan is to cycle to Kotka over the weekend (about 130km in total).

We have cycled from Espoo to Porvoo before, and the route is not particularily interesting. So this time, we decided to take the J.L Runeberg, a museum ship that sails from Helsinki to Porvoo. Great weather, pleasant sailing, cool ship… but too many people.

Porvoo itself, is a picturesque little town with a cobbled old town, good restaurants, quaint shops and a few decent museums, including the old home of Finland’s national poet, Runeberg.

And luckily Porvoo is worth spending a little time in. Our hotel, approx 25 km away, was in the middle of nowhere, with not even a restaurant nearby. Therefore, timing dinner at the last restaurant on the way required a bit of a planning.

The last few kilometers, with the sun setting on our backs, were beautiful.

By the time we opened the last beers on the hotel garden, it felt like holiday.

Day 159: Taking Flight

July 26, 2026July 26, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Alanna, OutdoorsTagged 365 Project, Alanna, Learning, OutdoorsLeave a comment

Alanna often lives in a world of her own making. She sees something, hears something, and you can watch how her imagination take flight. She tells wonderful stories and can become completely absorbed in developing the latest idea that has taken hold of her mind.

Occassionally, this habit can try my patience – especially when we are in a hurry to get something done. But at the same time I hope she never fully recovers from it.

Day 157: Inkoo

July 24, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Activities, Architecture, Family, Finland, OutdoorsTagged 365 Project, Activities, Architecture, family, Finland, History, Scenery, SummerLeave a comment

It has been the first summer that Alanna and Kiara haven’t spent in kindergarten. Despite a few camps and some time at the summer cottage, six weeks of holiday while Stuart and I are still working is a long time to kill.

The girls aren’t, strictly speaking, home alone. Stuart and I have both been working remotely. But they are in charge of their own snacks, lunch and – most importantly – their entertainment. And many of their frieds are out of town.

So whenever we can, we go somewhere. Even if it’s just a dinner and a short walk in Inkoo.

Day 156: Scateboards

July 23, 2026July 26, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, Espoo, Kiara, Sport, StuartTagged 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, Espoo, Kiara, SportLeave a comment

Last summer Alanna and Kiara got excited about skateboards. Stuart and I, on the other hand, have absolutely no understanding of the fine art of skateboarding. We didn’t even know where to start.

The City of Espoo has been running a great initiative called Skateboard Containers, where more experienced skateboarders offer advice to younger or less experienced kids. The girls were bit young, but we took them to one of the containers in Matinkylä.

Rarely have I been as impressed by a city initiative. Two 14-year-old boys took the girls under their wing and patiently taught them for nearly two hours – held their hands coming down, gave advice and encouragement. The spark those boys lit in my girls lasted the whole summer.

This year we’ve had very little time to go practice and many of those skills have gotten rusty. But the excitement is still there.

Now I just need to find them a skateboarding course. As great as the container is, it can only take us so far.

Day 155: A Fox, A Snake And Other Encounters

July 22, 2026July 23, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Alanna, Animals, Family, Kiara, Nature, WildlifeTagged 365 Project, Alanna, Animals, Kiara, Nature, SummerLeave a comment

When Alanna was just about to turn one, we took her to a small zoo. She was absolutely horrified of the goats, but determined to go and pet the tigers.

This popped to my head when we visited a small animal park just an hour from home. The bunnies, horses and wolly lambs were lovely, but nothing compared to the snakes, porcupines, giant tortoises, reindeer – and especially the foxes.

The place was thoughtfully designed – children could interact with many of the animals, but only if the animals chose to. And, since it was quite hot, not all of them did. I think it’s important for children to learn, that animals get to choose, too.

But I was practically giddy when we got to interract with a fox. I’d never been that close to one before.

Always a kid.

Day 154: Homestead

July 21, 2026July 21, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Alanna, Finland, StuartTagged 365 Project, Alanna, Finland, History, Stuart, TravelLeave a comment

Finland has an endless amount of small local museums – old farmsteads, workers’ quarters, historic homes, and museums devoted to wonderfully specific things like pharmacies, tar, logging or handicrafts.

Alanna’ animal camp was even held at one of them: Glims Farmstead Museum. And she was fascinated by its temporary exhibition on the importance of animal poo.

I often joke with Stuart about these little museums, as I have dragged him to probably fifty of them over the years. They may be somewhat “homespun,” but secretly (and maybe not that secretly) I really love them.

Every one of them exists because someone was passionate enough to preserve a small piece of history.

Day 150: With Just One

July 16, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Architecture, Espoo, Kiara, NatureTagged 365 Project, Architecture, Espoo, Kiara, Nature, SummerLeave a comment

Alanna started a week-long Animal Camp today so I got to spend a whole day with Kiara, just the two of us.

It is true that twins rarely get enough individual attention. We try, but…

Many parents of singletons admire how nice it is that the girls always have someone to play with – a home-bestie, as the girls call it. But it is also obvious how excited they are when they get äiti all to themselves. And I keep admiring how easy it is when you just have one wish to fulfill at any given time.

We had a good day: we sewed, did the groceries, read, and before picking Alanna from her museum farm camp, we popped into an old tavern (now a coffee shop) with a beautifully preserved courtyard and garden.

Just the two of us.

Day 149: Beliefs

July 15, 2026July 15, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Alanna, Espoo, KiaraTagged 365 Project, Children, LearningLeave a comment

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.

But humans can’t learn to fly.

Day 148: Crafts

July 14, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, Home, KiaraTagged 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, Home, Kiara, LearningLeave a comment

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.

I was just proud.

Day 145: Big and Small

July 11, 2026July 11, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, Espoo, Kiara, Outdoors, SportTagged 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, Children, Espoo, Kiara, Outdoors, Sport, SummerLeave a comment

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.