Cosycactus

mid-week

Nice and easy days we are having thanks in many ways to the wonders of babywearing. The weather is getting milder which is leaving behind lots of huge water puddles after snow melt. The boys must be covered from head to toe in waterproofs since the first thing they do is run to splash in the water. You can imagine the state my front entrance is everyday with lots of soggy (and muddy!) clothes and boots waiting to dry. I tried to put away the snow sledges but the boys wanted to glide over the mud now that the snow is gone.

We are spending time outside also in the afternoons which are nice and light now. We usually eat dinner early at about 15.30-16.00 and then spend some time outside until about 18.30 when we come inside and have some evening snack/supper before going to bed. It is an afternoon rhythm that has worked very very fine for us and which I have used since Matias was small. The afternoons usually glide really nicely.

Lots of seedlings are growing as well! This year we are adding tomatoes and onions to last years veggies which were lettuce, spinach, carrots and potatoes. There is not much more we can grow up here in the north due to the cold summers. But I will be very pleased if we get a little taste of all those greens.

Happy wednesday!

morning frost

We have had a streak of fantastic weather around here. Cold nights which give us frosty mornings and then lots of sunshine. Blue skies against a frost background. The snow level has not gone down but I feel the warmth of the Sun getting stronger each day. In about two months we will have the midnight sun with us again and hopefully some green grass.

I have been so very busy these weeks. I am trying to tie all the loose ends I have at work before starting my maternity leave which I officially start this friday but which I wont really enjoy until I get this manuscript sent to the journal for review. I have set myself easter as a limit. I will not work anymore during or after easter, so whatever is accomplished by then I will be happy with. My due date is in mid april so I only have a few weeks left before the baby arrives and I still need to prepare things at home. I am already getting very tired during the day and are reaching the stage when I am looking forward to get rid of this big pregnant belly and meet the new and fresh little babe.

I have also been leaving my computer at work which means I keep forgetting to upload my photos to the it, and so, posting here and checking out blogs turns out to be done more seldomly than I would like to. I am also way back in uploading my 366 photos but as long as I take a photo everyday, I will upload them when I have more time!

Happy first day of Spring!

 

weekending

The weather was so fantastic this weekend we spent most of our mornings outside in the snow. Don't be fooled by the shining sun since it was about -20 degrees Celsius while we were outside, but the absence of wind makes it totally bearable to be outside for some hours.

We drank hot chocolate fast fast since it becomes stone cold after only a couple of minutes. We (well, read the boys since this mamma and her belly just sit while the fun is going on) also made snow angels, sledged down hills and tried to run as fast as we could on the pristine and untouched snow. It is not possible to build snow men or any kind of structure where we live due to the very low temperatures we have. The snow is just like powder and does not stick together at all. We also managed to clean snow from the veranda at the back of the house leaving a nice and sunny spot to sit and knit (with many layers of clothes on of course!), to sit and drink coffee or just to sit and play with buckets and spades.

Have a great start of the week!

 

weekending

-We made "sunbuns" to welcome the Sun back. We still haven't seen the Sun but it is officially back although it doesn't rise above the trees yet. I am thinking next weekend we will finally see it!

-We ate dropped scones from this book both Saturday and Sunday.

-The boys sled and snow surfed down the barn ramp, so much fun!

-We went to give some food to the roe deer who live in the forest and who struggle to find food during the cold winters here.

I also knitted not one but two tiny hats this weekend! More on that tomorrow. I am feeling extremely productive recently, at least in the knitting front! I am also making progress on my manuscript which I hope to finish next week. It will be a long week with me working against the clock and pappa away on business trip!

But we just might see the Sun after two months without it so it will all be fine!

on skis

I finally found the yarn to knit the Mr. a sweater. It helped it was 50% reduced and that it is a combination of two colors which should give the sweater a tweedy look. I suppose I should aim at getting it finished by next winter. I have only one project going on now and I need to start making longies soon!

Otherwise we finally got the skis out for the boys. Erik is a litte skeptical yet to have something as foreign as skis on his feet, but he will no doubt come around once he sees how much fun Matias has. We hope to spend some time this weekend outside practicing.

Happy weekend!

weekending

- Foggy mornings

- Beautiful winter landscape

- Contrasting colors in the winter light

- My boys for a walk on the "spark" or kicksled

- Cinnamon rolls baked in muffin trays which turned out so much better than just on the baking pan. Thank you for the tip Francesca :)

We are ready for a new week now.

the sledging

It was a lovely and very cold morning with lots and lots of dogs extremely excited and willing to pull anyone who hopped on the sledge. The boys were delighted.

We then took a little walk in the woods to the improvised cafe with the lovely open roof top and indoor fires where we sat on reindeer skins and enjoyed hot chocolate to warm up our cold fingers. A fantastic way to use the few hours of light we have in a day.

We are slowly recovering from some kind of stomach bug. Not a nice one. And not all of us either, just Matias and me. Hopefully no one else will get sick! I hope it is over by new year so I can enjoy a little bit of good food and (alcohol free) Champagne, I haven't been able to eat anything other than dry toast for days. We are planning on eating on new years eve some king crab we received as a gift, although I first have to find our how to cook it and get the meat out of the hard shells.

Hope your week ends wonderfully and with some Champagne to celebrate!

Merry Christmas

There was such a beautiful light today.

I just wanted to share a few photos of our morning walk and wish you a very merry Christmas in case I don't pop into this space before next week.

We are putting our Christmas tree up today, good times I'm telling you!

Until the next time, keep warm and hug your loved ones a little bit longer during these days of Joy.

weekending

Two main things this weekend:

- Time spent outdoors. Winter is being very mild this year. We have snow but the temperatures are between 0 and -5 Celsius, when at this time last year we had -20!

-And finally completing projects which mostly only needed buttons. I have another two tiny cardigans and one cardigan for Matias waiting for buttons to be sewn on. I even have the buttons, I just don't know why I can't be bothered to sew them on! It must be like folding laundry, I always wait until the last minute... And I am nearly done with Erik's cardigan as well, I only need to knit the sleeves and of course the buttons. I am hoping in finishing it this week since Christmas is next weekend (already!!!)

Happy crafting in this last week before Christmas!

randomness

Not really anything exciting to share, just some random photos from this week. 

Lots of games being played by the boys. Even Erik who is only 20 months can join in the pairing/memory wooden game we have. And the puzzles are suddenly being rediscovered. I think Santa might just have to bring a couple more board games to get us through the polar night.

Peekabooing is about the little ones favorite thing right now, so sweet!

I know, I know I said I would not cast on anything big for a while. But I just could not resist myself! I had some lovely yarn waiting for something special in a beautiful dark aubergine color (which is really not appreciated in the photo at all!!!!), and I just had to cast on. I do a row here and there in between other holiday projects.

And well, a day is not complete without a morning trip to the snowy outdoors. We are usually out by 9.30 everyday which is about the time it gets light outside. Even if we just have twilight for a couple of hours, it is necessary for our bodies (and minds!) to get out and grasp the little light we have. Then one can just snuggle back inside and make (even more) pepperkaker. 

Lots of celebrations this week. We have Lucia day, the Christmas party at the boys kindergarden, a friends wedding on friday and then just like that there is only one week for Christmas! Oh my!