DREAMS

I kind of hate the saying "If you can dream it you can do it." I can dream of winning in the lottery all my life, but there's really not much I can do to make it happen.. Some dreams are meant to be just that, dreams. And some dreams would require way too much work to come to reality, work that you don't have the capability, drive or resources to do. Those dreams are better as just dreams because they give you a little break from your drudgery, and anyway, reality might not live up to expectation. I began thinking about dreams when I thought about any possible new year's resolutions that I should make. I usually make them and break them every year. But I guess those are also not dreams, but goals. I never made a dream map, which is another thing I think is BS. If you want to make something happen, just call it a plan, and do it. Dreams are in a different category, in my mind. ...anyway, according to another school of thought you should put all your dreams out there in the universe, and they will eventually come through. So here goes, in no particular order, these are the things I'm dreaming about.

I dream about
- working only three days a week
- a house on the beach with a yoga studio overlooking the ocean
- a real Finnish sauna
- having time to cuddle and read with my kids every day
- having time to chat and cuddle with hubby every day
- getting a daily massage
- traveling somewhere warm when it's cold
- having a lunch date with a friend at least once a week
- having more time to hang out with friends in general
- being able to eat chocolates and not gaining weight
- having a 20/20 vision
- winning in the lotto
- owning my own successful business
- being the CEO of my own life
- a sewing studio (and time to use it)
- being able to create beautiful spaces
- having a pool
- living on a vineyard and biking every day to a near-by farm stand
- living on the Finnish coast line
- a flat stomach and no cellulite
- running a 5K and getting a medal
- going to a luxurious spa for a week
- having time and money to travel around the world with my family (in first class)
- grooming Coco as the real poodle lady she is
- being able to ski really well and doing it in Aspen, CO
- giving my own super cool TED talk
- inventing something completely new and original (and becoming a billionaire as a result)
- donating all my money away after I've become a billionaire
- being able to laugh so much I almost pee in my pants every day
- seeing my kids grow up to be happy, successful, and balanced human beings
- not caring about what anyone else thinks
- being able to make a positive difference in people's lives
- being a really good singer
- having the most perfectly ordered and beautiful closet / dressing room
- having peace of mind

Ok, that was fun! I had to stop myself as the list could go on and on. What do you dream about?

Saint Lucia

The Saint Lucia is probably the only catholic saint being celebrated in the lutheran protestant church. It is an old Swedish tradition that has held on in Finland even after Russian occupation and then almost 100 years of Finnish independence. Saint Lucia brings the light on December 13th to the darkest of times. It's a beautiful tradition that my daughters have also been part of. My middle daughter got the honor of being Lucia this year, and carrying light and hope into the darkness. I love the Lucia song too, and think it's one of the prettiest christmas songs.

Nothing puts me in a Christmas mood like the Finnish Christmas Carols at the Finnish Lutheran congregation at St. John's Church in the West Village. I love that little church and it's down-to-earth atmosphere. For me it's important that my kids know Christmas is not only about presents, but that it is one of the most important Christian celebrations, and the feeling of Christmas is more important than any present.

OOTD

I had a fun (busy) day today. I was honored to get invited to a Finnish Independence Day celebration held by Finland's Consul General in New York. The reception was held at the Consul General's residence on Fifth Avenue by Central Park. I mingled with some good old friends, and met some new ones too. I enjoyed walking through the city to the event, and seeing all the Christmas decorations. I made sure to pass by the Bergdorf Goodman windows, and they are just as amazing as every year. I have to go back to the city to take some pictures. I wore an H&M lace top and tuxedo vest, Ann Taylor skirt, Tory Burch boots and Balenciaga bag (which I left at the coat check at the party, though, because it's too big to lug around a party).

Movies & Parenting Principles

The Holiday season is also a movie season. It's so nice to cuddle up in a movie theater when it's cold outside. I know there are summer block busters too, but I'm never into going to the movies in the summer. I've recently been to see two movies, first the Fantastic Beasts with my hubby and 14 year old, and then the Trolls with my 6 and 8 year olds. I went through quite an argument with my husband who wanted to take the little girls to see the "Beasts" too, which is a PG 13 movie. It was never an issue for the oldest one, because we both knew that she was not ready to see the more scary rated movies before her time, but for some reason, my husband thinks it's ok for the other two (we haven't shielded them quite as much as we did the first one).

They've seen the Harry Potter movies, and some of them are actually PG13 rated. I regretted letting my little one see the later movies in the Harry Potter series, because they are actually quite scary. But I figured, she's seen the earlier movies of the series, she knows the characters and what's going on, and if we watch together at home all snuggled up and cozy, well what's the harm. But I did regret that decision, because she had nightmares after that.

Well, I figured, not again. Now I'm holding firm on this topic. The "Beasts" movie was rated PG 13 for a reason. And just because we are being bombarded by scary violent stuff all over the place these days, I don't want to give up altogether and let a 6 and a 8 year old to see a PG 13 movie in a theater. This is my parenting principle, and so far I'm sticking to it.

They did get to pose with the poster, however, when I took them to see the Trolls (which BTW, is a really nice feel good movie, with a great soundtrack). 

Gratitude and Respect

On this day, December 6th, the Finnish Independence Day, I am filled with gratitude that I was born in a free country, that my grandfathers' generation sacrificed so much and fought in the war to ensure that Finland stays free and independent. My parents' generation paid for this also, being children during the war years and suffering from scarcity. Some of the lessons of the sacrifice have rubbed on me too, although I never had to feel that there wasn't enough of food or everyday necessities. I have a lot of respect for the people who built up Finland after the wars into the prosperous country it is today, a country that is advanced on so many levels - education, technology, infrastructure, freedom of speech and expression, environmentally conscious, safe and secure, democratic with real opportunity for anyone. America has a lot to learn from Finland, if only they would understand to look...

Happy Independence Day Finland! 

Portrait

I love the iPhone 7 portrait photo function. It blurs the background and focuses on the person or object in the center of the picture. I was playing with the portrait function at a birthday party we went to in November, here are a couple portrait shots.

Lookback

Here's a look back to some of the things that filled my time in October. I'm so behind in my posts for the simple reason that it's just been super busy and life has been crazy. October and then November just whizzed by. Sometimes I wonder how I find the time to hold a full time job in addition to all this other stuff that goes on in my life. Somehow I make it work, and even though it's been really busy lately, it's also been good. I've been stressed out of course, but maybe a little less than usual. Or maybe I've just learned to deal with the stress better. I have enjoyed this beautiful fall and been a little kinder to myself too in the process.

We went to a lovely wedding at the De Seversky mansion at NYIT.

I wore my new Samuji dress for the first time. I saw the dress in the Samuji store in Helsinki last summer, tried it on, but it was too tight. After I came home from that trip, I searched for the dress on the internet, and found it in a store in Canada. A couple of clicks, a little wait, and the dress arrived and I am super happy with it.

At some point in October, I started a new easy scarf project. Knitting is the best meditation and so relaxing. But the project has to be super easy where you can just "go with the flow". This is exactly the case knitting this scarf. 

 We had play dates, and baked Halloween cup cakes.

 The softball season ended and basketball season began. Sundays are still busy!

We carved our pumpkins on the eve of Halloween. 

And of course we went trick or treating! 

The yellows were so amazing this fall. They're almost gone now, but I enjoyed looking at them blaze in the sun. 

I agreed to chair the Finnish School parent board. I've been involved for many years, and helping out with a lot of stuff, but this kind of took the job to another level... Like I didn't have enough on my plate already. But I guess I never quite managed the "less is more" lifestyle. Anyway, there's been a lot of fundraising bake-sales, and here are the yummy cinnamon buns we baked for the school. 

And of course, October is the birthday celebration month. This one turned 14 and we celebrated  few times. The above picture is from the celebration with the friends, a dinner at Maggiano's with her squad.

And this is from the family celebration that took place at Eataly. 

Oh yeah, we baked Karelian pastries a few times at the school too. 

There was a lot of horsing around and having a general good time with the fam.