
When it is not homework, it is fun.
As a summer activity, we are collecting flowers with the girls to press them. With my mum, they are also catching bugs to inpect and draw.
Anything to keep them engaged in reading and writing.
When the sun is setting, between dusk and darkness, there is a moment when the light turns blue. And the world stops for a heartbeat.

When it is not homework, it is fun.
As a summer activity, we are collecting flowers with the girls to press them. With my mum, they are also catching bugs to inpect and draw.
Anything to keep them engaged in reading and writing.

We had a very relaxed office afterwork today. The weather was fantastic, so we ditched some other plans, headed to the park with picnic blankets, and ordered pizzas. To top it all off, the coworking space we work in had some beers that were about to expire. We were happy to dispose of them.
After several shorter nights, I was planning to leave early. But it was pretty easy to convince me otherwise. Again.

Girls’s night out.
For dinner, Alanna and Kiara chose a sushi – one of their all-time favourites.
After dinner, we headed to a Hevisaurus Musical. I think Hevisaurus is a concept that could really only exist in Finland… Its a band dressed up as dinosaurs, playing heavy metal for kids. And they are pretty good too!
Alanna especially was into every song. She knew the words to half of them and danced passionately to the rest.
As did most of the audience.
I am not sure if I’ve ever seen that many 5-8 year olds headbanging before.
Räyh! is their best song. Or the ballad, ‘Goodnight, Last of the Mammoths’ (Hyvää yötä, viimeinen mammutti). Both are worth a listen.


One of the big clichés in psychology is that happiness comes more easily if you can find childlike joy in small things.
Unrelated, I stopped today to blow dandelion fluff. A dog walker gave me the evil eye. Probably because adults should know better than to spread weeds.

Every spring, the circus school Alanna and Kiara go to puts together a final performance. The performers vary in age from 3 to 20+, and in skill from total beginners to the performing group, but the energy and enthusiasm are always there.
Unfortunately, the lighting looked great live but was less kind to photography. Any presentable picture required at least a fraction of a second of stillness, and there wasn’t much of that.










With a long weekend of Vappu celebrations and sun behind us, no one plans a trip to amusement park on the Sunday when the forecast promises rain.
Except us.
And it came together perfectly: the weather stayed clear, the rides were practically empty and, best of all, the girls had finally passed the next height limit, which opened up a whole host of new rides.
To use girls’ own words: ” Everything was the best!”.









We have a huge glass terrace at the back our our house. During summer, it is the most-used “room” we have. It is our dining room, living room and outside patio – all wrapped into one. In fact, it was one of the main reasons we bought the house to start with.
The glass roof is fairly flat and keeping it clean(ish) of leaves, pine needles, pollen and dust is no small task. Not that I am too pedantic about it… And a good thing too. About five minutes after completing my task, a gust of wind brought down a fresh rain of rubbish.
Oh well.
You probably noticed I am cheating a bit in my 365 challenge here. This picture was taken by Kiara, not me. I guess the ones below should be my official entries, but who cares.



As said before, escape rooms are a thing in my family. The idea of going to Tallinn for an “escape trip” started off as a joke. But turning jokes into reality is also a thing in my family (e.g., annual the-most-useless-useful-Christmas-present competition).
One weekend, four rooms. Three of the rooms were actually hard, one was… an experience… We escaped three of the rooms, but are now trapped to a haunted orphanage for all eternity.
Luckily there was drinks after.







The Day was finally here. Harry Potter birthday!
The house was packed – at first with wands, owls, floating candles, Gryffindor colors and golden snitches. And later the chaos was completed by 127 excited little wizards and witches (or that is what it felt like).
The Herbology lesson (plant your owl pot) was popular, as was the Potions lesson (mix different color juices) and Levitation class (on the trampoline). But nothing was as eargerly anticipated as the opening of the Honeydukes candy shop after the other food was finished.
Our little witches loved the day – but I am happy it is a whole year to the next kids birthday!










Girls’ birthday party with friends is finally this Saturday. They are currently fascinated with Harry Potter world, so I promised to organize a Potter-themed party.
I wanted each of the little wizards and witches to have their own wand. Wooden chopsticks, some hot glue and spray paint can do magic.