Home – Blue Moment

Day 76: Snitches, cauldrons and skateboards

April 22, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, Festivals, Kiara, TraditionsTagged 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, Children, Home, KiaraLeave a comment

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!

Day 71: Jumping up, up, up…

April 16, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, Espoo, Home, Kiara, OutdoorsTagged 365 Project, Alanna, Children, Espoo, Home, Kiara, Outdoors, SpringLeave a comment

Last year Santa brought the girls a trampoline. I was a bit worried it wouldn’t be used much, but I didn’t need to worry. Last summer, there was barely a day that girls didn’t go jumping, at least for a bit. Most days, there would be several friends bouncing with them.

We set the trampoline up again today (you have to take it into storage for winter). Thirty minutes later, you could already hear the laughter of four little girls.

Day 70: Raking

April 15, 2026April 15, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, Espoo, Home, Outdoors, StuartTagged 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, Espoo, Home, Outdoors, SpringLeave a comment

Raking is pretty far down the list of my favourite things to do. But there is some satisfaction in having a tidy yard. At least it has been dry, which makes raking easy. Keeping girls at task was harder.

Day 67: Warm Milk

April 12, 2026April 12, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Everyday objects, Family, Home, TraditionsTagged 365 Project, Children, Everyday objects, HomeLeave a comment

Warm milk has been a part of our bedtime routine since… well… since the girls were just born. We transitioned from mother’s milk to cow’s milk and from bottles to sippy cups to normal cups – but the routine stayed. It is a taste of calming down (most nights).

Day 61: A Peanut A Day Makes A Happy Parrot

April 6, 2026April 6, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Animals, FamilyTagged 365 Project, Animals, family, HomeLeave a comment

My sister has a parrot, a yellow-naped amazon called Niki. Occassionally, when my sister and her husband are both travelling, Niki comes to stay.

98% of the time, Niki is a very easy – and quite fun – houseguest. The only two exceptions are the times she starts loudly (and I mean loudly!) protesting for being excluded from the flock activities (eg., if she can’t see the dinner table from her cage) and when she needs to be moved.

For some reason, Niki does not like men. Any men. Even my sister’s husband is smart enough not to try to touch her. So, getting her from her “visiting cage” to her tiny travel cage is my problem. And Niki typically does not want to go into the travel cage.

Over the years we have become good enough friends, so she does not seriously try to bite me anymore. But it is a delicate balance of cajoling and being firm. And bribing. And in very tough spot, bribing a bit more.

Ps. My sister can handle her well. I guess Niki and I still lack a certain bond…

Day 56: The Second (Of Many)

April 2, 2026April 6, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Alanna, Family, Festivals, Home, KiaraTagged 365 Project, Alanna, Espoo, family, Home, KiaraLeave a comment

Girls’ birthday always ends up being multi-day affair: the celebration during the actual day with immediate family, followed by family birthday with exetended family, and last (but not least) the party with friends.

The good thing about twins is that you do this once a year.

Day 49: Forts

March 26, 2026March 26, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Alanna, HomeTagged 365 Project, Alanna, Everyday objects, HomeLeave a comment

There is something wonderfully whimsical about building a fort. I have rarely found anyone, child or adult, who does not get swept up in the excitement of putting one tohether. The more elaborate the better. And you always need a string of fairy lights.

Some people prefer forts with open space, but I adore ones with nooks, crawl-thru-doors and piles of pillows. I have always dreamed of having a secret room in my house – one you can only reach through a closet, low tunnel or a trapdoor under your bed. Maybe building a cramped fort is the closest I’ll get.

My chances of secret room would likely improve significantly, if I preferred a less modern-style house.

Day 47: Mud

March 23, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Everyday objects, HomeTagged 365 Project, Everyday objects, HomeLeave a comment

Spring. Mud.

Inevitable.

Day 41: Surprise

March 16, 2026March 20, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Everyday objects, Home, MakroTagged 365 Project, Everyday objects, Home, MakroLeave a comment

Stuart brings me flowers often, at least a few times a month. He has done so for as long as we have lived together. Even now, it is always such a nice surprise

Day 39: Totally Useless Facts

March 14, 2026March 14, 2026Posted in 365 ProjectTagged 365 Project, HomeLeave a comment

I am a sucker for totally useless facts. Did you know that a seashell has an IQ of 8? That means it isn’t smart enough to attract or hunt food—but it is smart enough to eat it if something happens to land on top of it. Or that with an IQ under 80, you can’t chew gum and walk at the same time.

Well, now you know. And a day when you learn something is never completely wasted.