L'enfer où Paradis?

Last full week of our long beautiful summer in France. Time has passed as sand drifting through my fingers, much too quickly. I try to hold on to the keep-sake moments in time: walks with Eliot on the beach trails in Pornic, Croisic and Noirmoutiers, shared meals with family inspired by the French cuisine, late afternoons in Croisic beach witnessing the joy of Eliot discovering the vast space, new textures, smells and salty tastes. He has been thrilled! As I write the post it is his 14 months birthday. Over the summer he has grown from a baby to a tiny (and quick!) little toddler. With his cute sideway walking, giggling, and communicating clearly his likes and dislikes he has captured the whole family under his charm😍 This summer will stay in my mind also through the shared moments with friends (new and old). Without exception, in every place we have encountered curiosity and kindness confirming the French can be indeed very warm and helpful people ready to compliment the children, consolate an unhappy one or simply smile with encouragement. I have enjoyed to witness the closeness of families of often three generations at the farmers markets carefully selecting the prime ingredients and later enjoying the lunches together around the long garden tables. I have enjoyed observing the "same" families in Sunday messe, dressed in their best, trying to keep the children calm during the ceremony. It has been comforting to see the struggles all of us parents carry in our efforts to raise our respective tribus to grow up civilised ones. What a relentless and definitely not always gratifying quest! Yesterday I asked what my children will remember most of this summer. Each of them mentioned the historical theme park Puy de Fou we visited the previous day. "Everybody" had been recommending the place and indeed, it was probably the most impressive theme park we have so far been. The list went on with fishing, games on the beach, catamaran camps and new friends. As my last long holiday before returning to work, we wanted to offer "the best summer" we could for our family. To keep my records positive, I hesitate to write about the inevitable travel fatigue, the disputes over ipads and the frustrations for various important and less important reasons. After two months of travelling, I am not sure we feel much more charged with energy for the fall either and the couple times can be counted with one hand fingers. Looking forward to find home , own bed and the good old routines!

Gratitude in my heart

It is difficult to believe a year has passed since I strolled the narrow streets of this idyllic French village with my new born. At the time, we were living truly tough moments with my little baby boy. At hardly 4-weeks we were already travelling, despite the health problems we both had. The nights were at the time long and days hazy with the fatigue. However the old town had something healing over us and offered a much-needed nurturing and peacefulness in to my heart. I recall sitting in the bench opposite to the pharmacy as my husband was relentlessly searching for yet another help for the white nights (probably the french equivalent to colic-relief!). The empatic looks of the elderly as they witnessed us in our vulnerability. I still feel my heart melting going back to those memories. I think this place will always stay special for us. The first destination for my amazingly cute little boy, already 13 months now! The baby year went quicker than ever before. I feel ever-grateful for having had the opportunity to share those days in full presence for my baby and my family. The long soothing walks to Stockel as my baby finally fell asleep. It was a tough year too. Many challenges to manage in the business of the daily routines of an XXL family. I am grateful for my husband's courage, perseverance and patience with it all. I am grateful for the siblings smiles and energy and helping littles hands in everything. I am grateful for having the clarity now on the next steps to take, balancing between the family, work and my own interest. I thought I had a dream, and during the year, after reflecting on the idea from all sides, concluded it was not my dream or the time was not yet right for that dream. I have achieved a role, a career to follow now, which is a great one, and will help to provide for our family. I hope it will offer the best we have in terms of our resources: whether in presence or financially. But mostly, I am grateful for the guidance I now receive in my path, making choices eminate from my heart and feeling great gratitude for all we have.

My baby boy turns 10 years !

Our wonderful first week of holidays was culminating yesterday to Elias's birthdays - full 10 years!! We all remember so well his 5th birthday in Sarzeau, our first summer to discover the Atlantique coast (where we have since returned every summer!). We had carefully planned the day well in advance. Thoughtfully selected gifts (kite, lego-set, underwater camera) brought from home, cake prepared the previous day (gâteau au yaourt au chocolat avec des m&m) and a superb programme planned for the day. We enjoyed the thrills of singing, enjoying the croissants and cake, and opening the gifts. He was so very happy about everything! The morning became a bit busy as the kids were registered for their very first regatta. What a great experience for them and sense of achievement to win their medals, bags of candy and receive applauds in the sun! At Elias's wish we had reserved the very first crêperie outing to celebrate his big day and we enjoyed delicious lunch in a small crêperie close to the château in the old town. The afternoon we spent at the "Grand plage" of a near-by village and Elias got to try his new kite. What a power in such a small kite as it almost blew him away! I believe his plan is to practice for kite surfing😊 In the evening we headed to the "marche nocturne" in the harbour. Elias was so pleased. He wanted to walk next to me, kept hugging me and repeating how perfect day it had been. My amazing baby boy. We had eyed an open air cinema for the late evening, but as it started to rain we promised to move it indoors home cinema party. And so we did, at 10pm still throwing a pyjama party with chips, kids bubbles, cake and watching together an episode of Survivals 🥰. We were all so tired and happy after such a day full of activities! A perfect birthday for a perfect little dear boy of ours ! All of us including baby Eliot slept deeply the night despite the thunder storm raging around us! Feeling very blessed having these wonderful little beings with us. Thank you.

Back to beautiful France

The first week of our 7 -week long summet holidays is behind! We are back to beautiful Pornic, our favorite place in France. The trip was long and the holiday house had reserved some unpleasent surprises (momified pizza in the oven, insects, d-u-s-t, and no wifi), but once these were sorted out with the landlord we dove surprisingly quickly to our holiday mode à la française! For children, this means long afternoons at the beach, where the big ones can walk by themselves, catamaran stages with new friends and evening walks in the old-town prized with a gaufre à la sucre or an ice-cream at the Fraiserie. For us, it means long walks to in the old town, popping-in to art galleries, visiting markets and attending the Sunday messe. For us, the city has all we can wish for: family friendly, safety, beautiful beach and walking trails, the castle and its old church, the markets..and the friendly people. The first night our friendly neighbour came to help us with unloading the car and tonight we were invited for "an apero" at his place. Every mornibg he has popped in to check if all is ok, bring a paper or little bouquet of flowers. This elderly man truly warms our heart by his interest to us the "foreigners" and brings a welcome balance to the dynamics of the kids when the tensions rise. Thank you Jean, thank you beautiful idyylic Pornic for welcoming us back. Perhaps we will find here our holiday haven we are secretly dreaming of.

My baby turns 15!

I still have difficulties in realizing (or accepting?)that my baby girl is 15! We have just cleared the house from a bunch of beautiful, rosy and noisy (!) teen-age girls. In they came with their wonderful girl energy, setting the table full of goodies, hanging the pink guirland and 15 balloons for perfect photoshoots and indulging with the piece-of-art cake my daughter had baked her-self. We had worked on the background with my hussy husband for the success of her afternoon by doing the carefully selected shoppings, clearing the livingroom and organizing activities for the little siblings. We were both impressed by the joy and spontaneity of this international group of young women. The few Finnish girls invited seemed to be as well 😁 Looking at my girl with her friends I realized she is really more european than finnish or estonian which is reflected by her group: her friends were mostly French-speaking, a collection of intelligent and fun persons from the various school classes, swimming team and so forth. It was so wonderful to see her happy surrounded by her friends! The celebration started already last WE when I took her to a surprise pampering trip to Helsinki. We stayed at her god-mother who arranged everything a girl can hope for: from shopping to indoor skydiving and home made chocolate mousse cake! Admittedly, turning 15 festivities were spectacular and set the standards high for turning 18..Happy birthday our love!