Marbeilla

We have all fallen for Marbeilla. How can you not not have your heart melting in front of the breathtaking scenery of sun lightning the sea against the dramatic mountains. During the past week, everyday has given reasons to like the region more. We have done hikings in villages of Ojen, Istan, Camino de Cuesta. All with the kids, although my husband has done a fair share of carrying the pushchair up the mountain It is such a contrast to the concentration of wealth of Marbeilla to immerge onself in the modest mountain villages, only 30min. drive from Marbeilla, as was the case for Ojen and Istan. The kids are as equally mesmerised by this Southern Spanish lifestyle. They have tasted the tapas, listened to traditional Spanish music and enjoyed of course the sun and heated pool of our house. Incidentally, we have rented a house at the best area of Marbeilla, the Bahia, in a close guarded residence, 5 min. from the beach. The house has everything a family with kids could wish for. As we learned, we have the priviledge of living in a russian oligarcs summer residence. Who would have thought as we hastily reserverd the place just two weeks before leaving. In honesty, it was the fenced pool and kids playground in the garden which blew me away. We took the dreaming to the next level by visiting a model house for sale not far from Bahia. We were welcomed by a warm serbian lady, who presented the house to us, with a pool and view to the sea and mountains alike. A three-year concierge service would be offered free on the 1.5 million house. We were all ready to swap our Belgian house for this tastefully designed dream house! All in all, as the sun sets on this last day of this particular year, I could not wish to be elsewhere. (Except of course with the extended family up North!). We will soon leave this decade behind, a decade for me of building my life and family, buying a house, changing career, giving birth and raising four beautiful children. I could not feel more grateful and blessed. With humbleness I bow to the next decade to bring us as many happy moments of sharing, love and health. Welcoming to us a prosperous New Year 2021!

Going against the crowd at Christmas

"We are probably staying at home, although my husband still dreams of going somewhere warm." I tell my neighbourg asking our plans for Christmas. This is the enieme time I tell this, to other neighbours, teachers, our friends. Everybody are wondering what to do this year, after the year "Horribilis" as some have called it. So despite the recommendations and the inconvenience of having to get covid -tested, we decided to take the risk and buy flight tickets and rent a house in Spain. It turns out Marbeilla is the warmest bet thanks to its micro climate, snugged between the sea and mountains, just as we love it! I find a seemingly perfect house close to the beach with a heated swimming poo, kids playground in the garden and we hesitate no longer! For the first time, it was possible to put a euro figure to the risk we took. Should one of us get a positive result in the test, the trip was off. No insurence covers covid, at least not ours. In the next days, I meditated daily to get the negative tests. We filled in the bureacracy, booked a test time and on a Sunday morning 72h before our departure, we packed our babies and drove to the airport for a test. Kids were so excited and brave. Everything went smoothly. We celebrated the bravery by stopping at the boulangery to get some comfort pastries. It always makes a merry group. I refused to consider other alternatives and packed our suitcases. In the evening, we got the results, one by one getting the confrimation this is actually happening! I was so relieved! The night of our departure finally arrived. Kids were extremely concerned what would happen to their Christmas gifts, would Santa find his way to Spain? Well, as it turned out, he was thinking of all, and as we woke up the kids 3am to leave to the airport, they discovered all the presents already waiting for them under the Christmas tree. What a Joy!! The journey to Spain turned out to be horrible. Not because of covid or bureaucracy, everything went flawlessly: the airports empty, no lines to wait, personnel very friendly. It became a challenge, because of banal illnesses that had been staying put the whole year, and decided to emerge just now, at this day of travel. My son threw-up first time at home, second time in front of the security check ("euh, no symptoms of covid, this is just travel sickness"), third time at the plane. My daughter started to complain she had pain in the bladder. My baby threw up in the car and was already on antibiotics for an erupted ear the day before. So in a word, we were all sick. Fortunately, my usual medical arenal for traveling was as complete and came to a real use: we avoided going to the hospital. With a handful of sleep in our hand, we visited Malaga, drove to Marbeilla, went to do grocery shopping (including Christmas meal) and finally could go to our new home for the next two weeks. We entered by a guard by the gate to a luxourious residence area. Our house turned out to be gorgeus, the best actually we have ever had. A smiling buddha welcomed us at the front yard, sending blessings to us for our whole stay I hoped. Evening sun was casting last rays of light to the mountains, as we put our babies to bed and congratulated ourselves for the once again little heroic challenge we had taken. It seemed already worth it.

The last “Rentree”

Four school bags washed - check, four water bottles - check, 2 big picnics and 2 smaller ones -check, 5 diapers and spare clothes - check. It is 22 Sunday night and with these closing remarks I go upstairs, get next to my sleeping husband and lightly snoring 2 and-a-half-year old baby and by long I fall asleep. With this anticipation, I will have a smooth first morning of pre-school with my baby and her three siblings. I will even have time to do my morning sports.. I wake up 7:30. I will have 30 minutes to get my "big girls" 7 and 10 woken up, fed and out from the house, 15 luxuorious minutes more to prepare my 5 and 2 year olds. Ok, I can do it I tell my self while splashing water on my face, drinking a big glass of water with my omega 3, B2,6,12 and iron supplements. I put my training clothes and set the water boiling. Meanwhile, I pack the bags and set the table. 7:42, I have to wake up the girls. They are wonderful, peaceful, independent, elegantly flowing downstairs, eating their breakfast, brushing their teeth and out from the door with my husband. I remain with my two adorable pieces of challenge. The confinement has made my morning reflexes slower, my patience with hardship and resistance more fragile. My littles ones are not acting elegantly. They don't dress up in the proposed clothes (2 year old), or do it tooooo slowly (5 year old). They don't like to eat the porridge (2 yo)or eat it toooo slowly (5 yo). Brushing teeth: both like doing it, eating the tooth paste and throwing the brushes to wherever before my "control tour" starts. Ok 8:25. We really have to get out of the door. Now! Kids dressed I have to go to the ladies room knowing the risk I take. 45 sek is long enough for the 2 yo to have emptied her school bag and opened the water bottle which has now emptied on her brand new school items, neatly packed just 45 secs ago. I search a new school bag (fortunate thing so many kids you always find a bag!)and we are ready to go! Go go go! while we run to school I brief my baby about her day, how there will be a new lady wearing a mask to take her, but who is super nice, and she will meet her new class, and eat and play and sleep just as in the creche. And she would see her big brother during the breaks. And then mom will come (and rescue her). Oh my god I felt bad explaining this to her. I have flashbags from 8 years back having gone through the first "Rentree" with my eldest one. I was worried to sick. There seemingly are things that don't change, mom's concern and love for her babies. So I leave her there. Strategically my late arrival means they all leave immeadiately to classes, no frustrating lingering in tears at the gate. My baby cries in the arms of the lady looking at me upset.I turn around and start running towards the woods.
You all know what happens after these dramatic farewells. As I pick-up my babies in the afternoon, I get two wonderfully joyful bundles of love running towards me with the biggest smiles ever, as if they had en to the school forever! The teachers confirm the day had gon very well, it was rather my boy who had been worried about his little sister, whether she would get warm food, somebody to play outside and so forth. He had searched her first thing during the break and run with a big smile to cuddle her! My little prince!I received compliments for having such great kids. Wow, the big moment for the mom. And we leave home, happy and stronger, having the last first rentree behind. Amen, no more times.

Re-confinement

How does life look from the European epicentre of corona? Since weeks, Belgium has made the headlines having the propagation rates of covid the worst in Europe. Since the return from the summer holidays, the contamination rates started to rise again, and yet, the new government has been very slow to make but mild restrictions. I have been anxious and frustrated in these circumstances, where the inaptitude of the government has left the responsability to us, the parents. It is tiring to be the parent forbidding dance classes an scout camps. Should I let go and have faith in the system protecting us? 24 hours prior full confinement, with over 20 000 contaminations a day and Belgian hospitals being saturated, I still received the invitation for my daughters' scout day. Because it is permitted. Because there are parents who don't seem to be concerned about the risk they are putting their children and others. Fortunately, my children seem to understand the situation. "This is the worst virus mom in my life time" reflected my 7 -year old silently. "Mine too" I replied. I am always uplifting and confident with the kids, assuring this too will pass, trying to highlight the positives. Overall,I think we are doing fine in this new normal. Today we celebrated Halloween among us. We baked halloween cake, decorated the house, did a tour around the corner in the costumes and watched Charlie and chocolate factory to end the day. Kids seemed pleased. Having the confinement in perspective brings me a relief and I can finally say: "everybody are home honey".

Bretagne - summer 2020

Wonderful day of trekking and discovering the area. We headed to a close-by Port Crouesty. The names here in Bretagne are impossible to recall even for a Finn - too many exotic letters combined to consonants! As we approached the port, the girls were ecxtatique seeing the shops lined next to little crêperies and sea food restaurants. Side effects of the confinement. Their pocket money was clearly burning in their hands. We agreed to head first for our tour of the tip of the half-island, have lunch and then would be time for a well-deserved shopping tour. The trek turned out to be amazing. And popular. It climbed up on the falaises and offered breath-taking vistas to the sea, the busy port, the km long sand beaches. Others had discovered the same trail, but not to have crowds. Kids had snack and we decided to have them a swim at the beach before heading back to the village. The water line was full of sea life! My son came first thrilled holding a living crab in his hand, screaming of enthousiasm. My daughter caught also bare hand the sea worm. Incredible! It makes me so happy to see my kids so full of joy discovering new experiences. Our lunch consisted of THE local speciality: galette Bretonne. My kids have already a favorite one with cheese and ham. I found mine, the salad with salmon toast. My eldest discovered local hand-made scented soaps in beautiful floral shapes, perfect souvenir from Bretagne. After the siesta, we enjoyed still bathing int the evening sun, our home beach was still packed with people. The water seemed cooler, but the water donut was still a hit and I had to open stop-watch to share turns. The evening was special. We have enjoyed the French tv, a novelty to the kids and a documentary on the exotic corner of the world: a Saharian village drowning to the sand storms and the coldest town of the world in Siberia where temparatures descend to -60 Celsius! The kids found both places fascinating and the questions were endless. What a day discovering and expanding horizon for my little love bundles. I am ever grateful for the blessings we have, and being able to enjoy this beautiful house islandand spend time together as family.

Biscarosse - summer 2020

I wish time would pause. 5th week into our French sea holiday at the Atlantic coast, there is amazingly little sight of travel fatigue, only gentle, dreamy, wavy holiday routine. Weeks are structured by Saturdays, our marathon travel and change of place days, where we pack and clean, prepare our sandwiches and drive, visit the new city close by while waiting for our new home to be ready. Excitement of discovering new house, rooms, share of beds. Ensuring the essentials are there. Emptying the car, getting kids back to car to do groceries. Preparing dinner and beds, sometimes even venturing out for an evening swim. Ending the day with a glass of cool rosé feeling heroes with my husband. The days go by fast. Mornings are often of activities, visiting like today the Dune du Pilate, Europeans’ largest sand dune. It was amazing! As in a desert. It was so hot and I carried Eva all the way up. My Louise Parker fitness regime thanks, the cardio part checked. Kids were thrilled to slide down the sand hills, we run down too with my hubby, side effects of feeling relaxed! We found a superb sand beach called the Little Nice just 5 min. away. The water was crystal clear, it steepened quite quickly and there was a strong current with the sea flowing through to and from the Arcachon bay. I just read yesterday they regularly witness Orcas and dolphins at the Arcachon, which seems incredible. We are indeed next to the Atlantic Ocean! I am thinking of Liisa and understanding a little how powerful the rencontre with such huge sea creatures could be. Makes one speechless. I feel like re-born. After the difficult spring and year of preparing for the competition I suddenly feel connected more with myself. I am not meditating at the moment, neither am I practicing regular yoga, but I am taking care of myself by following a daily fitness and cardio regime (6th week ongoing!) to loose my Competition preparation, Corona, burnout or Vegetarian regime kg I put on last year. Amazingly I woke-up at the gyne check to make an effort before it got too difficult. I don’t have a scale, but I think I am 2 kg close to my normal weight. I feel so much better and lighter. Not to dwell on self-centrism, but I am determined to keep my beach look. My four beautiful children have been carried, delivered and fed with this body, it is my time now to thank, praise and take care of it just for myself sake. The kids are enjoying so much this time together. Of course they bigger, but it is nothing. I love to listen in the morning Elias come to me half-sleeping explaining in an endless row of words about his dream, often filled with sharks, pirates, speed boats. Lately also fears of loosing me, the age of five fears we all have had❤️ He is so full of energy, joy and love for life this little boy my heart swells thinking about him. Estelle is showing to be so clever, tactful, manoeuvring between Elise and Elias, always first one to compromise. It is so lovely to spend time just the Tao of us, which was so difficult to arrange at home conditions. Yesterday she taught me Tammi, and we got both hooked! No tv at this house makes wonders in getting the kids enthusiastic to play board games! Yey! Elise is probably missing home and her friends most. It is not easy being the big sister. Eva considers her the second mom, always ensuring Elise has her share of drinks\fruits/sweets. She calls her Leia, as her carer at the Creche! Elise is growing up fast. It is quite wonderful how traveling triggers discussions of different topics we would probably not discuss, about the environment, geography, sea life, lifestyles..I feel she is observing and absorbing I can feel it! With Eva it is tough. She has her 2 year tantrums and we are tired with my husband. She is not a morning person, does not want to eat breakfast, screams easily in falset, potty training meaning she no longer wants to do her needs to the pampers. So we stop to do the neessary endless times per day: just when our meals have been served, motorways, from our bikes, at the beach, you name it. It took her 5 weeks to learn to like built castles in the sand, but one of us has to be sitting with her. She hates to get to the water, probably feels the 20 degrees of Ocean water is too chill. With all this, she is so lovable my heart explodes. Her little cheeky smile and curly hear, the way she wants to cuddle and she shows love by caressing my face and sighting “ mom” with this sound of love, I would not change one second of this time. I feel this is the best time of our life. Sincerely, without wanting to be dramatic, the kids are small and adorable, we are together, we are healthy, all is well.I miss my family in Finland and Mexico, but I am so grateful for everything I have blessed with, at this moment. Thank you universe, immensely🙏🏻💋

Halloween

Despite the grey sky, the new wave of the pandemic with contamination rates we've never seen before and the looming lockdown, our family is not feeling particularly gloomy. Perhaps, just because of these special circumstances, we have tuned into small pleasures, taking example from our children and sharing their irresistable excitement over..Halloween! The school is indeed organizing a Halloween party, within the class. We have prepared the costumes weeks ago (witch and Alice in wonderland), sweets and cookies are stacked in packpacks. My hands were trembling when I today heard my daughter's teacher has fallen ill, waiting for covid test results. The school has been struggling to find an alternate teacher in our language section, because apparently so many teacher was absent..I cross my fingers and send a little prayer that my childrens highlight of the fall will not be cancelled. All the other excursions have been cancelled for this year, the skiing trip to the Alps is especially hard to swallow for my eldest. They talk about this 5th grade trip since 1st grade! For the rest, I don't see symptoms of great stress in my kids. Life happens in our daily activities. We are excited about my son's first tooth moving, my baby girls successful potty training, my second ones evening gymnastics or the reading diploma completed. With my husband we have grown to love working from home and don't miss one bit our previous rat-race busy mornings. We are humans with the greatest of gifts, the capacity to adapt, to this, and whatever is to come next.