Happy Birthday!

This morning for breakfast I had my birthday cake.

I was too sick yesterday.

Thanks to everyone who called. Sorry I missed you, to those who called during my various napping sessions.

Best gifts:

My husband keeping the kids quiet while I slept.

My girls making me cards

My son smiling at me.

Simple pleasures.

I'm going back to bed now.

The art of taking a photo with Ed

I have an aunt named Edie. We all call her Ed.

She is such a fun lady. She is the aunt who has travelled around the world and has her own slide projection machine. If I had had the time this trip round I would have made her set up the slide projector and dig out the slides of the archaleogical dig in Israel, the trip to visit our missionary cousins in Indonesia, the California trip with my Grandma and, of course, always a hit with the kids: the photos of the giraffes licking her head in Africa.

She is a pro at taking pictures...and hiding in them! Here she is with my sissie trying to dodge me as I take photos.

And here's why: Ed is sneakily trying to hide her eye that looked a little bloodshot. She probably got this from some incident with the youth group she leads, no doubt.

This is a desperate attempt at avoiding her eye in the pic...but good for a laugh

Oh, Edie, you are sneaky. With this loving pose, you look like the angelic aunt that sings soprano hymns in Finn and gives good hugs...oh wait, that is you--go au naturelle. Very clever.

Gotcha! Happy sunshine face.

All that's missing is the famous family camera shot where everyone in the picture is asking if the flash went off.

Sleeping...er..beauties?!?

Since I was only in town for two days, Lori Ann and her girls decided to come and stay at Mom's house so that we could soak up every possible minute of fun. Lori Ann and I trumped Mom and took over her bed.

We said g'night at least 15 times and then would start off with, "Hey, did I tell you..."

And after a few conversations, we reflected on the fact that the room we were in was the first room we'd ever shared as siblings...and then we giggled late into the night recalling all our games of Old Maid and sneaky stunts pulled on each other to get the other in trouble!

So the following pictures are the result of not many hours of sleep.

'

Note how Lori Ann's eyes are closed

We tried the photo again. Lori Ann purposely opened her eyes wide, while I closed mine.

Third attempt. Didn't work so well...

We then realized that our third sister was missing from action so we thought we'd put her in the bed too. We're trying to mimic her smile in this photo.

This is what happens to Finnish girls when they get no sleep.

Scrabble laughs

Scrabble is mine and my Grandmother's game. As early as age 10, Grandma would get out this exact board and she would teach me how to make the most of a Triple letter score, to save my 's' for big point words and where to put my leftover letters at the game's end

Last weekend, as I spent the day at their house, Grandma got out the well-worn board and said,"Well, do you think you can take on this old lady ?"

To which I responded, "Do you think you are ready to take on this ol' pregnant girl?"

And thus the games began.

No one, with the exception of my brother, can make me laugh as hard as my Grandma can. When she gets bad letters, she says, "Curses!" When she she has too many i's she says, "What am I going to do with all these damn sticks?!" And when she gets letters that are hard to work with she says,"Well, how is anybody supposed to make a word around here?" So, it's a regular comedy show.

My favourite part is when I put a word on the Triple word score. Then she gestures her hands as if they were around my throat and says, "Kill!" You have to see her do it to understand.

I caught her giggling in this picture. And even though she was losing at this point, she was giggling!

And here's the final product. I beat her by a score of 100 points.

The last time we played and I tried to help her find a spot to make a word, she eschewed all aid and said, "I'm not some old lady who needs help you know?" And then when I won, she was kind enough to guilt me with the knowledge of, "Sure, beat an old woman with no mercy."

Visits with Gigi

This past weekend I had the wonderful pleasure of being in my home town (thanks Mom!)

One adventure found me at my Grandma's house--or Gigi as the great grandchildren call her.

My Grandma has always had a home filled with wonder. From childhood to parenthood, I find myself still fascinated with the little treasures that made her home my haven growing up.

For old time sake, Grandma humoured me and pulled out all the old favourites:

Grandma's spoon collection--collected mostly by friends in the form of gifts

The picture below is all the stir sticks she gathered from her different visits. She has some from airlines, hotels, casinos and vacation spots. After looking them all over I said, "Grandma, you are quite the drinker!" and she answered, "Actually, I'm quite the thief."And then she showed me which ones she actually took from bars that were along the beach without ever ordering a drink!!!

Happy Finnish Girl

Pulla! I love pulla!

I just got back from a visit to my hometown (photos to come) and my Grandma and I went to the bakery across from my favourite restaurant, the Hoito.

Just a side note, I love the Hoito's panukakku (pancakes) and order them well done or extra crispy with strawberry soupa. I didn't get time for any karjalanpiirakka but I did make it to the bakery to purchase my favourite coffee bread-pulla!

Oh sweet cardamom, how I love thee!

A night with Miss Iz

My friend Inez came over last night. She is our adopted family member.
Peter and I love adopting college students, feeding them, encouraging them, hanging out and hearing about the drama of learning to live life on your own. Our family gets bigger every year! And Inez is as quirky and crazy as the rest of us, so she fits in perfectly.
Here's some things Inez and I learned last night:
*Jesus is the best (naturally, this is a given. But when you really look at what He's done in your life the past year, you come to the conclusion that "Jesus is the best")
*When it comes to decorating sugar cookies, there is no such thing as too much icing or sprinkles
*Foam gingerbread houses can be finicky--nothing a bottle of glue can't fix
*You can't have pizza without cheese
* You can't go wrong with a Jack Johnson song
*Soy products offer Noel Nog...because egg nog just wouldn't make sense
*The Nanny Diaries is a movie worth skipping
*Jesus is the best (Again, some truths are obvious but bear repeating)

Boyca!

(Can any sane Finnish person help me spell Boyca properly)
Today is my bro's birthday.
So...HAPPY BIRTHDAY to:
the Jeffmeister
the only boy member of the Sister Club and Jeff
Fej
Jefferoo
Phat Phil
Jefferina
Unca Jesse
Pooh Bear
BG
Finnigan
Claude
Mistah Reeeepo
Jefs
Jeff! (but say it in that tone Mom would say it in whenever you would flip her on the bed to show her who was boss--haha)
and....
Crackers.
Miss you bro.
Love,
Patch
Favourite Jeff quotes: Hey! These Oreos are 25% less fat. Oh, I get it. If I eat 2, then it's 50% less fat, eat three and it's 75% less fat. Hey, after 5 Oreos, I just start losing the pounds!
Release the hounds
Whatever (said like Dylan from BH 90210)
Dear Allie i am writing you an e-mail because you claim that i never
write.... that's probaly because i never have so i guess you have a
point there.

Happy Birthday! X0X

we'll always come out on top with God on our side! -Pippi Longstocking

Our girl Pippi knew what she was talking about.

Mom, you're the best!

I was unable to post yesterday. So, here it is today!

Happy Mother's Day! I love you, Mom.

My Mom lives far away from me. Last year I was privileged to be with her for Mother's Day. We bought flowers at the greenhouse and had a very poignant and memorable conversation.

If I was with my Mom today this is what I would do:

1. Watch a mystery movie (her fave)

2. Rub her feet with Peppermint Foot Lotion

3.Find a palm tree and sit under it

4.Make all of her salads, Japanese wings,rice pudding and perogy lasagna and eat it with her

5.Get out the Carman tunes and dance the day away

6.Do something to embarrass her in the grocery store--reminiscent of my teenage glory days

7.Buy some drumstick icecream cones and eat it

8.Work on a crossword puzzle together

9.Burn a brush pile and cut down some trees

10.Light some candles and worship the Lord!

I miss you Mom and wish you a day filled with happy wishes and lovely things.

Mom, you're the best! hehehe.

Jenny...let me telllllll you!

This post is dedicated to my girl Jenny.

Jenny just got the position of 2008 Fashion Week Director for STRUT. I am soooo proud of her.

Jenny and I met on the way to a Rebecca St. james concert almost 10 years ago this month. I immediately sensed that God wanted to create a special friendship. I asked the Lord what I could do to make a step forward and He told me to sow into her future. All I had with me was a roll of film. I gave it to her saying that it was a seed of faith sowing into her future and she surprised me by saying, "My dream is to be a photographer." She is so talented and amazing.

Her friendship has been so dear to me. We haven't seen eachother in over 5 years and I think we've talked on the phone twice but we both know that we are eternal friends.

Here's to you, Jenny!

Just for you, watch the sideba video. A perfect blend of my addiction to youtube,your obsession with Extreme Makeover Home Edition and both of our general respect for Kermit.

Love you!

Visit http://mcqueenphotography.blogspot.com/