The Ten Commandments Of Health

"One, wash your hands before you eat.
Two, brush your teeth after every meal.
Three, see your doctor and your dentist.
We all need checkups no matter how good we feel.
Oh how lovely life will be if we keep the
Ten commandments of health."
- Sesame Street

It is recommended that every child visit his community nurse regularly for growth checks, immunizations, dietary plan, and developmental milestones. Little saw our nurse 3 weeks ago for his 18 month check-up, receiving his MMR and current measurements (12.4 kg & 86.5 cm). Then we were told to return today so the doctor could complete a physical exam.

This morning we were greeted by a young woman who spoke wonderful English. She watched Little and Big interact with the toys and eachother, then completed her exam which included heart & lung sounds and belly & testy check. That was it...we were out in 15 minutes after receiving our "Lapsuusian Terveyskortti" (little blue book that has his measurements and PE findings). It is not recommended to be examined by a doctor again until the age of 5, unless requested by the nurse or something is wrong.

Help

"Help! I need somebody.
Help! Not just anybody.
Help! You know I need someone.
Help!"
- The Beatles


With Daddy out of town for a week, all technical support for our internet is lost. And with my stretch of bad luck...we lost all internet connection yesterday. That means no phone calls (Skype), TV (Slingbox), surfing, news, weather, e-mail, blogging, and about any thing else I enjoy doing in my little spare time. I immediately called him on the other side of the Atlantic hoping he could spare a minute and help me. He patiently guided me through the steps of 'rebooting our router' but the outcome was not good...still no connection. Waiting for a panic attack to start (I have never had one but this seems like a good time) I accepted the fact I would be without communication to the outside world until Friday. What will I do?

First thing this morning, I walked to the computer repeating a few Hail Marys and turned on the router. After the 5 long seconds it takes to warm up...I saw Yahoo's Homepage and did a 'happy dance' for myself!

The Day, The Week, And The Weather

"I remember the day and
the week and the weather.
The smile on your face...
Can you remember...?"
- Firehouse


As Grandma's visit is winding down to her final days we took her on a long walk to the beach, followed the waters edge, and ended up at one of our favorite parks where we enjoyed a McDonald's picnic and blue skies. We stayed as long as possible, leaving just before 'someone' had a meltdown caused by an overdo nap time. A strange day in Helsinki...no coats or hats required. The weather was perfect and I was even comfortable in short sleeves. So amazed on how nice it felt, as soon as we got home I went online to see the current temperature...68! Then feeling even more curious I typed in our old zip code in Texas and guess what the current temperature read...68! I realize the sun is just now rising there and we are at our daily high, but it was nice to share something for once.

We have had a great time with the extra love and attention Grandma has given the past week. She and Daddy are taking off over the Atlantic on Saturday, leaving behind a quiet (okay maybe not so quiet) and lonely house.

Weathervane

"Well the tree lie down beneath you.
The grasses bow & sway.
The sands rise to meet you.
The ocean it makes way...
Spin around, spin around,
but always face away.
No more weathervane.
I'm gonna be the wind."
- Kris Delmhorst



Saturday morning we boarded the Super Sea Cat to travel 51 miles south to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. We decided to spend our 6 hours winding through the cobblestone streets, exploring the panoramic views of "Old Town" from the surrounding city wall, and feasting in the Town Hall Square. The network of streets date back to the 11th - 15th centuries and the buildings mostly from the 14th & 15th centuries. Tallinn is greatly known for its preserved medieval atmosphere.


The colorful walls of each building, topped with a unique weathervane had us all enamored. Each with it's perfect 'sky blue' backdrop, told a story of the quarters below. Not only were the weathervanes extraordinary, every entry door had a distinctive appearance.

After miles on foot, a mini-train ride to lighten up the boys, and an Italian lunch...we returned to the Super Sea Cat for our quick 90 minute journey back to Helsinki. It was a memorable side trip I would recommend to anyone visiting this part of the world.

It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere

"Pour me something tall and strong.
Make it a hurricane, before I go insane.
It's only half past twelve. But I don't care,
it's five o'clock somewhere."
- Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffet

The creativity of everyone at home has amazed me! The care packages that contain an endless supply of Starbucks, Easy Mac out the wazoo, and nick knacks for the boys surprise us weekly. But today my best friend topped it all...a true "Texas Happy Hour" care package! El Fenix chips, salsa, and Margarita Mix, margarita salt, 2 margarita glasses, Velveeta cheese, rotel, chewy pralines, chiclet gum, and little paper umbrellas all included.

Today, Friday, at 5:00 pm....we sat down for happy hour, just like we used to back home. Thanks A & J!