From Facebook November

Nordea, our bank, sent us a letter stating that Dan's debit card MAY have fallen into the wrong hands. They took the liberty of ordering him a new card and making sure his current card is cancelled in one week. We need to go downtown and get the new card. While I appreciate their vigilance, the card is NOT in the wrong hands and a phone call/email verification of this would have been much nicer (and more efficient for them, I would think) than all the cancelling and such.

Lauren, after seeing 'Somebody to Love' on my iPod: MOM! You have Justin Bieber on your playlist! Me: Uh, no. That's the one by Queen.

We're hosting girls from the International School of Belgrade this weekend. I said Belgrade is in Serbia and everyone disagreed with me. Google proved me right. Again.

I don't understand the need for gloves and hats when it's 50 degrees. This is balmy compared to what's coming, people!

Red Solo cup. Get out of my head.

Me: If you need something from the store, write it on the list. (Later) Random family member: Did you get _____? Me: Was it on the list? RFM: No. Me: Well, there ya go.

Trying to teach my kids that they should always choose each other and be stoked to be on the same team. I would choose my brothers and sisters for anything-sport, game, battle of wits, work detail-and know that I would have the very best on my team. And we would kick butt!

Dan stumbled across this nugget and shared: 'If you want to stay comfortable for the next 20 minutes, stay where you are. (Bed, watching TV, on FB) If you want to be comfortable 20 years from now, go workout.'

Derek: Ugh. You smell like Taylor Swift. Lauren: Well, you smell like Usher.

I'm over being upset when people don't say excuse me in public places. However, I will never get over people (usually men,) trying to get past me by pushing me out of the way. It's not a big push, but HEY, you don't need to be touching me. Ever. Use your words!

Friday evening around 6 I got a call from the ortho's office. Ortho was sick and was cancelling D's appt for Monday. Then today, Sunday, a national holiday where everything is closed, got a call from the ortho's office saying they got another ortho to come in and did we still want to come in on Monday. Yes, please. And way to take care of things after hours. Impressive.

When emptying the dishwasher, I still take care of the silverware first in case a kid toddles up and grabs a knife.

Wow. Been up for less than an hour and already questioning my decision to get out of bed.

Run=feeling much better about life.

Dan's flight gets in at midnight. He's taking a taxi home b/c I was sure I'd be fast asleep by then and unavailable to pick him up. Better get to bed! :)

Dinner conversation: Well, you never know. Seahorse could taste better than burnt brownies.

Dan: OK, shut up. I'll pray.

A little Bobby Brown this morning. Bustin' my moves and Lauren says "Mom, there's a window." As in the whole world can see you. Stop it!

Had to explain to the children that there is a big difference between 'the way French people kiss' (peck on each cheek) vs 'French kiss.'

Derek: That's some nice singing, Mom. Me: Really? Derek: No.

Dan is at a three-day business training. Every day they have 'physical activity' time. Today he was going to Pilates. Can't wait to hear how that went!

If we were the judges, Dartmouth would've gone home.

Pumpkin pie in the oven. Wow, food brings back powerful memories.

School, work, meetings, grid search for butter, feasting. Happy Thanksgiving!

Dan: You know what day it is? Derek: Friday. Dan: It's ALSO the Nebraska-Iowa game. (And as a special treat to Dan, ESPN America is carrying it!)

It cracks me up to hear the kids yelling at the TV because the Hawkeyes are sucking. Dan has raised the next generation of Iowa fans.

Dan is off to Atlanta today. Wish we fit in his suitcase.

Thanksgiving II

A lovely Thanksgiving celebration with friends!

Our hostess Addie with her beautifully set table.

Kids playing Rock Band.

Appetizers!

The guys staked out the chairs by the appetizers and thus we named the room the 'Man Cave'.



Kids' table.
Derek, Skyler, Bailey, and Lauren.
(Bailey, what's with the knife?)



Adults-
Cindy, Kimmo, Sauli, Tim, Pia, Dan, and Addie.

Addie's Buddy Holly-esque glasses.
Tim, our host, rockin' the specs.

Lauren.

Yeaaaahhh, I make these look good.

Kimmo.

Skyler.

Cindy. She loved 'em so much I think she's going to get some of her own!

Stern Dan.
Or pouty?

We had a wonderful time.
Thanks for having us over, Fords!

Thanksgiving I

Friends Emily and Devin Hendriksen invited us over for Thanksgiving. It was YUMMY!

Kid table

Dan, Lauren, Emily, and Devin.

The Riders, Derek, and Devin again. :)

Pies and later arriving guest, John and Hanna.

Shoe dryer

Didn't know these existed until last year. Lauren's friend brought one on their trip to Lapland. Everyone wanted to borrow it to dry out their boots.

Picked up this one at Clas Ohlson for 25 euro. Not a bad price. Since it's an appliance I'm not familiar with, I don't trust it yet. I hope we don't look back at this picture and say "Oh yeah. A couple of weeks later it caught on fire and destroyed a huge area of the floor." I'm sure it'll be fine. At least that's what I'm going to keep telling myself. That and never have it on unless one of us is in the room. Looking forward to dry shoes and boots!

Breaking Dawn

Friday. The first installment of Breaking Dawn. We had tickets for the 8.30 showing so we hit the restaurant Bella Ciao first. (Dan: Did you go to that place in honor of the female lead? Uh, no.) Another friend had gone to the 12.30 pm showing, which was the first showing in Finland. She got us each one of these:

Movie was...good. A little shocking in some parts. I guess when I read I don't imagine things as violent.

After the movie, we tried to get back to the car. Apparently P1 is the only parking area opened after the mall closes. We were in P2. We trudged back upstairs to the theater hoping to find some help. Luckily there was one employee there. (This was a little crazy to me. 8.30 is the last showing on a Friday night?) Employee called security and we were escorted through a deserted mall to P2. Kinda like a private tour. Except I felt REALLY stupid.

What makes this especially funny is that the other two girls I was with weren't able to get their car after seeing Eclipse. Oh, the stories we get to tell when we don't know how to read signs in Finnish.

The hat

We bought this hat in Amana, Iowa a few years ago.
Totally worth the price based on entertainment value alone.

Lauren through the years

Lauren's turn.

Also not a school picture.
About sixteen months.
North Liberty, Iowa

Preschool Montessori School of Iowa City.
When we got the pictures, she told us
she was trying to smile like a beaver.
Coralville, Iowa

Preschool Emmanuel United Methodist Church
Noblesville, Indiana

Kindergarten Cumberland Road Elementary School
Fishers, Indiana

First grade CRES
Fishers, Indiana

Second grade CRES
Fishers, Indiana

Third grade Holly Springs Elementary School
Holly Springs, Georgia

Fourth grade HSES
Holly Springs, Georgia

Also fourth grade, spring photos, HSES
Holly Springs, Georgia

Fifth grade HSES
Holly Springs, Georgia

Sixth grade International School of Helsinki
Helsinki, Finland



Seventh grade ISH
Helsinki, Finland



Derek through the years

I know it's probably terrible for pictures, but every year the kids get a school photo we open up the frame, thumb past all the previous pictures and put the newest one in the front. It's fun to see how they've grown. Thought we'd put it here so we can look more than once a year.

Obviously not a school picture.
He was three months here.
North Liberty, Iowa

Preschool at Emmanuel United Methodist Church.
Noblesville, Indiana

Preschool EUMC.
When I asked him what happened to his shirt
he said, "I got a drink."
Noblesville, Indiana



Kindergarten at Cumberland Road Elementary School
Fishers, Indiana

First grade at CRES
Fishers, Indiana

Second grade Holly Springs Elementary School
Holly Springs, Georgia

Third grade HSES
Holly Springs, Georgia

Fourth grade HSES
Holly Springs, Georgia

Fifth grade International School of Helsinki
Helsinki, Finland

Sixth grade ISH
Helsinki, Finland

Changing of the tires

It's that time of year! Time to put on snow tires! Our tires are studded so until the snow comes we'll sound like we're driving on gravel even if we're not.

Last year we had a garage to store our snow tires. This year, since we now live in an apartment, Dan had to find a storage place for them. The place, Vianor, is a garage that also changes the tires for you when needed. I had the pleasure of going there this afternoon as Dan had a meeting.

Tire storage.
Lots and lots of tires.

Three tire changing stations, plus one behind me.
Busy busy busy.
So busy the workers couldn't stop for a smoke break.
They kept on changing tires with cigarettes in their hands/mouths.
Curious.

When I went to the reception desk, there was no one there. I waited for a bit and then this fella popped up from behind the counter.
Scared the crap out of me.
But he was nice and kept looking at me, so I took his picture.
He reminds me of a former neighbor dog, Chief.

Tires are on. Bring on the snow!

Not so little anymore.

Family picture I carry in my wallet.
Summer 2007 at Stone Mountain.

October 2011.
What a difference four years makes!

Derek's adventure in braces. It begins.

Today was Derek's third orthodontist appointment, but this was the day something happened! He got an expander put in. There will be a picture of it further down. (Warning. Warning.) It is a fixed appliance used to force the roof of his mouth open so there is room for teeth to fit normally. (I know there's a technical term for it but it escapes me.) Every night we'll have to turn the 'key' that forces the appliance and his mouth further apart. Sounds painful. Some kids cry. Lauren didn't. Derek didn't tonight. I'm guessing he won't since he has such a high threshold for pain. He did have a person ice skate over his hand once and didn't cry. He's tough.

While it didn't hurt, the appliance being fixed to his teeth has made his teeth sore. He had a hard time eating dinner. I finally gave up and let him have ice cream.

And here's the lovely expander that gets to stay in for...I should know this. A year?

Up next: braces on upper and lower teeth.

Hyvää Isänpäivää!

It's Finnish Father's Day! We celebrated American Father's Day in June (Yes, that trip to London counts as part of your Father's Day celebration...) so we told Dan not to expect anything today. BUT I saw these and couldn't resist!

Reads 'dad' in Finnish.
He offered to model these to increase traffic to this blog.
Declined.