moi moi finland, hello america

Well... for those of you who don't know, the team lost in game 7 of the quarterfinals on Monday night, putting and end to their season.  It was a little earlier than hoped and it was too bad they couldn't pull out a win and keep going.  But, on the bright side....

WE'RE COMING HOME TO THE U.S. of A.!!!

(nope, no excitement in that or anything... not one bit ;) )

I wish it was as simple as heading to the airport and jumping on the next flight, but unfortunately, it's not.  Stuff has to be packed up and moved to the rink for storage.  The apartment needs to be cleaned out.  Laundry has to be done.  Our car needs to be returned.  Maddie needs to go to the vet to get her papers for back home (this is about the only thing we have completely done so far... haha).  Keys to our apartment, cell phone cards, TV card, have to be returned to their proper owners.  Hubs has team meetings.  Planning a time to see our friends here before we take off.  Tickets have to be booked (...minor detail).  All of that wonderful, fun stuff that is even more fun and wonderful when it stands in the way of getting home!

I despise packing and moving (someone remind me again why I picked a lifestyle that requires I do this twice a year again?  oh, that's right, a cute boy brainwashed me into thinking it'd be fun ;) )  but I'm keeping my eye on the prize:  4 wonderful summer months spent at home, with family and friends, eating all of my lovely American foods, trips to Target whenever I feel like it, drying the laundry in a ¡dryer!, driving a car (warning to those of you I will be sharing the roads with back home: this girl hasn't driven in 7 months!) buying milk by the gallon so we don't have to go to the store every. single. day.  Don't get me wrong, I like Finland a lot, and I'm sure come July I will be more than excited to get back.  But no matter where you're from, I think we all can agree.... There's no place like home!

We don't have an offical date of arrival set yet, but it will more than likely be sometime this weekend or early next week.  The hubs is acutally at the rink right now for meetings and figuring all that good stuff out and we hope to have our flights booked by tonight.  I know I kept talking about our European trip we were going to take at the end of the season, but, for several reasons, it's just going to have to wait :)  We may decide to take a trip somewhere warm once we get back, but we'll see how we're feeling.  Right now we need to just focus on getting home first. 

So, off I go to continue packing and cleaning.  I'm still waiting for my personal assistant to come and help me.... but she just never seems to show?  Not sure what's up with that ;) 

Moi Moi Finland, see you in 4 months :)

Hello America, can't wait to see you!!

packing for a season in europe... dun dun dun

As I'm sure many of you remember, a while back I wrote a post about How To Move to Europe With Your Dog.  I got a lot of positive feedback about it, and I'm so happy that I could pass the info on to those needing it- hopefully it can help some more of you along the way, too!  In that same post, I also promised I'd write a post about packing, what to bring, etc. and I'm finally getting around to posting it.  Hopefully it will come in handy for any of you hockey ladies heading over to Europe next season, or at least make you a little less clueless (like I was) about the whole process.  [Though, it's definitely not just for hockey ladies.... Students, travelers... anyone moving to Europe for a several month period of time will probably find this information useful as well :)] 

When I came to Finland this year, I checked 4 bags and brought one carry on.  Since I was traveling separately from my husband, some of the stuff in these bags was his, but I'll admit... most was mine.  I think I did pretty good though... I use pretty much everything I brought and don't think I've really ever thought of anything that I left at home that I wish I had here with me (guess that means it's time to get rid of some of that stuff sitting in my parent's basement!) 

I think the general consensus is that hockey bags are the easiest to use for your move to Europe.  They're lightweight (well, at least before you add the clothes, shoes, makeup, etc) and you can fit a lot of stuff in them.  You just have to be very careful to keep them within size and *weight* restrictions.  Don't just go buy the biggest ones you can find.  And most people would agree, the ones with wheels make life much easier! (your significant other will probably give you crap for wanting a hockey bag with wheels.  If he does, politely remind him how much work you do for him, and that you'll probably be making a move with these bags on your own at least once.  I don't know about you, but I'm NOT carrying 4+ bags through an airport, up and down apartment stairs, etc. by myself).  As far as how many bags, that's up to you and how much stuff you feel you need or want.  Remember, when you head back home at the end of the season, you'll definitely be coming back with more stuff than you came with (ie: my husband got four winter jackets from the team this year.  FOUR!!  That's like, 3/4 of a suitcase right there!)  And if you're like us and spending multiple seasons over here.... well, let's just say I don't even want to know how much stuff we're going to have by the end of our time here.  But, it is nice to be able to buy some stuff to make our place a little more "home-y" and know that it will get more than a few months use out of it.  We'll probably end up either donating a lot of it or passing some of it on to other teammates or friends over here.
(TIP: If you're so lucky to have visitors at some point, send some stuff home with them!)

So... getting down to the biggest question.  What to pack?  Let's break it down into these categories:  Clothing, Accessories, Shoes, Health & Beauty & Misc. Goodies.

CLOTHING:
*Jeans - wear 'em almost every day
*Leggings - a close 2nd to jeans, especially when comfort is my priority!
*Dress Pants - I brought a pair or two of nicer dress pants for anything I would need to dress up for.  They have come in handy once.
*Sweaters - pretty much my daily go-to.  It's freeezing in Finland, so lots of layers is the key!
*Tee's - long sleeve, short sleeve... anything I can layer with the sweaters!
*Blouses - a no brainer
*A nice dress or two.  We had to dress up a few times this year for team events (Christmas party, etc.) or just going out with friends.  This is where the LBD comes in handy... so versatile! 
*Socks, Undies, etc. - I probably have 2 weeks worth... maybe a little bit more of socks.  They're fairly easy to squish in between things (or put in shoes) when packing your bags!
*Workout clothes - I have probably 5 or 6 different "outfits" and just mix & match them.
*Pajamas & lounge clothes - I brought a few sets of each
*Jackets & Coats:  I have lived in my black North Face Metropolis parka this winter.  Also have my long pea coat and several other jackets & coats - Finland is COLD so I didn't want to be lacking in the coat department!

I guess the general idea is to pack stuff that is logical.  The other ladies (here in Finland at least) do not get all dolled up to go to the games like many back in North America do.  You can if you want, but you might get some funny looks.  I also know that many arenas in countries like Germany, France, etc. aren't fully closed in, making for a rather cold environment in December and January!  Plan accordingly.  And even though it may be Summer & warm when you're heading over, don't waste a bunch of space packing tons of summer-y clothes.  You won't use them more than a month, and it won't be warm enough yet in the spring time to wear them.

ACESSORIES:
*Jewelry - cover the basics first.  Simple stud earrings, & a pair of hoops or 2.  Simple necklaces and bracelets that will go with everything.  Your favorite watch.  Once you've got those covered, start adding in the extras as space allows.  If you have a different pair of earrings or watch for every outfit... good luck! try and narrow it down to the most versatile  pieces.
*Purses/Handbags - Bring a couple of your favorites, but leave the rest behind.  Take the biggest one as your carry on so it doesn't take up suitcase space.  Bring some sort of satchel/crossbody bag, as it will be perfect for traveling around & sightseeing.
*Scarves - I don't think there's a day all winter that I didn't wear a scarf.  They're lifesavers in the bitter cold, and a cute accessory to the perfect outfit.  I have probably 12 here, some that I bought here & some that I brought from home.  As with everything else, just go for versatile- what will go with the most stuff?
*Mittens/Gloves & Hats - In the bitter cold of winter, mittens were not optional!  Bring a couple pairs.  Same goes for hats, though I'm not a big hat person.  I usually just used my hood on my North Face to keep my head warm but my hair in somewhat decent shape!  I also brought a couple casual hats as outfit accessories and a baseball cap or two for when I run outside in the sun.
*Belts - Bring a couple of your most versatile (starting to notice the trend yet...? :) )

SHOES:
*Sneakers - one or 2 pairs for working out, walking around, etc.
*Flats - one or 2 pairs.  They're perfect for fall and for walking around, and you'll be excited to pull them out again in the Spring (if it gets warm enough before you leave!)
*Dressy - one pair, 2 max.  You'll probably only be needing them a couple times, don't waste the space in your suitcase (and don't say I didn't warn you!)  Make sure they're ones that can be worn in Summer and in Winter.
*Boots - aside from my actual winter boots, I lived in them.  I have a few pairs of flats and some that are higher.  But let me tell you... with all of the ice & snow, the flats have moved to the front of the closet.
*Winter Boots - I LIVED in my Ugg Adirondack boots this Winter.  They were so perfect for walking around in the snow and ice (as I've mentioned before, they don't do a great job cleaning off the sidewalks & roads)  and were so warm and comfy.  If you think you'll make it all winter without a pair of (cute) winter boots, I suggest you think again :)
*Summer-y - one or two pairs of your favorite summer sandals will do.  They're small enough to fit easily in your bags, but won't get used past the first month or two (at the most). 

HEALTH & BEAUTY:
*Medicines - I made a kit of the basics - cough & cold medicine, ibuprofen/tylenol, airborne, vitamins, benadryl.  Take them out of the boxes if you can so they fit easier.  If and when you get sick, have a headache, etc. you'll be glad you have something to take that is familiar and that you can read the label of! 
*Cosmetics - I decided to bring 1 or 2 of everything so I had enough to get me through the first bit and get a sense of what I could find around here.  The department stores have most major cosmetic brands - MAC, Clinique, Dior, Chanel, Clarins.... etc.  as well as the smaller drugstore brands like Maybellene, Cover Girl, etc.  I personally use Bare Minerals, which is, of course, like the one brand that isn't big around here.  You can find it, but it's really expensive (a regular size foundation powder is 56 euros compared to $25 at home!)  so I ended up having my mom send me some more in a package mid-season. 
*Hair Products -Same as the cosmetics.  Bring enough to last you a month or two, and after that you should be able to find what you're looking for.
*Hair Styling - As far as hair dryers, straightening irons, curling irons, etc. go, in my opinion, your best best is to invest in some European tools.  If you're going to be spending more than one season over here, it's definitely worth it, and you won't risk ruining your stuff from home.  If you insist on bringing your stuff from home, you will need a special converter (if it's not dual-voltage) so make sure you get the right one (I believe it's a 2000 watt converter, but don't quote me on that) but keep in mind that it won't work the same.  My fancy schmancy straightener from home would only heat to one temperature (Fry!) and blow dryer only had about 1/2 the power as it does at home.  Not to mention I've heard stories of sparks flying out of them and stuff....  Save yourself the trouble, packing space, and fried hair... invest in some inexpensive but decent styling tools over here.  (one thing I should note though... I have had an impossible time trying to find a regular old curling iron in Finland.  I plan to buy a new dual voltage one at home this summer to use in both places.  In the meantime, I use my straightening iron to curl :) )

The general rule of thumb I use for this stuff is that if it's a European-produced product (Kerastase/L'Oreal, Chanel etc), it will be cheaper here (or the same price)... if it's a USA produced product (Clinique, Bare Minerals, Redken, etc) it's better to stock up on at home.

The key is to be flexible.  If you can't find exactly what you're looking for, there will most likely be something similar.  If there is a product or two that you know you cannot live without, bring a little more of that and a little less of something else.

MISC. GOODIES:
There are tons of gadgets and things that will make your life in Europe easier & more enjoyable.  Bring or invest in what you can, or what you think will be the most important to you.  I'm sure many of you already know about a lot of these things, but every now and then I run into someone who has never heard of something & really wished they would have known, so bear with me! 

*Computer/iPod/iPad etc. - self explanatory
*Digital Picture Frame - the perfect way to have lots of pictures of family and friends with you without actually hauling them all around.  One simple frame and you've got them all right there with you in your new home!
*DVD's - we brought some DVD's with us and are lucky to have a DVD player that will play them, but from what I understand not all DVD players over here will play American discs, so pack them at your own risk.  You may be better off sticking with the Sling Box (below) and renting/buying movies on iTunes.
*Skype - no brainer.  Video chat with family & friends back home.  Skype to skype calls are free, or you can call landlines or cell phones for a really low cost.  You can even set it up so that you have a North American phone number for family and friends to call you guys from their cell phones or landlines without long distance fees. 
*Amazon Kindle - I'm a person who likes to have a book in my hand, but the Kindle is very logical in this lifestyle.  You can download pretty much any book in the palm of your hand.  A selection of books in English vary depending on country/city (some have none)  and packing a bunch of books in your suitcase takes up extra space that could be used for something else (like another handbag!)
*Camera - another obvious one.  We just invested in a good SLR.  A decent camera is a must have when you're traveling the world!  You'll have wonderful pictures of all of the places you have been, plus family & friends will probably be wanting lots of updates and to see what life is like in Europe!
*Sling Box - Your tv channels from home... on your screen in Europe!  You'll be able to watch every single show just as you would at home.  You connect it to your cable box & internet in North America, and can log in online to watch your home tv from anywhere in the world.  Get the adapter to plug your computer into the television & it will be just like you're on your couch in North America.  Don't worry about the time difference - you can still DVR and everything just as you would at home!  You can also watch on iPads, smart phones, etc. when you're on the go. Here's the website to find out more about it (*note: those of you who have lived over here are aware that most American shows are blocked from watching online over here... so if you were planning on foregoing the Sling Box and just watching online, unfortunately you won't have much luck)
*Google Talk - most of the same features as Skype, but I found that I can use it to call phones in the U.S. for FREE.  I also use it on my Android phone to text friends and stuff.
*Face Time - similar to Skype and Google Talk, but for Mac/Apple users.  I don't know much about it because we haven't made the switch to Mac yet (will be this summer though!) and have Android/Blackberry phones, not iPhones.  But, from what I understand... it only works Apple to Apple.
*Phone apps - Kik messenger uses your data plan to text anyone, anywhere in the world (they must download it also, it may only work with Androids & iPhones, not sure).  Skype Mobile works similarly, but you can call also.  Google Talk can be used to text, too.  TuneIn Radio lets you listen to any radio station in the world on your phone.  Google Translate comes in handy when you're out and about (think: grocery store!).
*GPS - If you don't have some sort of GPS program on your phone over here, getting an inexpensive European GPS might be a good idea.  Navigating the streets of a foreign country are hard enough with the road signs, manual cars & different rules of the road... you'll find your way around much easier & be more comfortable driving here if you have something to give you directions along the way.  Wait and get it over here though... it will most likely be cheaper than the ones with European maps at home.

I'm sure there are tons more gadgets I could add to the list... but these are the main ones in my mind.  If you have another favorite, please share! 



So, that's my take on packing for a move to Europe.  Surely everyone is different and might prioritize different things, so take or leave whatever you'd like :)  Hopefully it's not too intimidating or confusing.  Feel free to let me know if you have any questions, I'm happy to help in any way I can!  If you have any tips to add to the list, or a list of your own to share, please leave a comment and share your ideas! :) 

(I will also be posting this information in my "Moving to Europe?" tab at the top of the page for easy access) :)

wednesday's words to live by / hockey update

Happy Wednesday!

________________________________________________________________________

Hockey Update:  The guys won Game 2 on Saturday to go up 2-0 in the series, but lost on Monday.  They're still up 2-1 in the series and play Game 4 at home tonight, which will either put them up 3-1 (meaning they'd only have to win 1 more game) or the series will be tied 2-2.  It's been a very physical series and makes me cringe watching a lot of it.  J has come home with many battle "wounds" (bumps & bruises) over the past few days (I would post a picture but I don't think he'd be too pleased...).  Hockey fans may like lots of hitting and physical play... but not this girl, not when my hubby is the one out there!

(some pictures from Game 2... from my

phone so they aren't the greatest quality!)

game 1 down, game 2 tonight!

A quick update for family & friends (and anyone else who was curious):  The team won their first playoff game last night 1-0.  Since it was an "away" game (even though the arena is right next door) I did not go.  The game was sold out, not many (if any) of the other wives & girlfriends go to away games, and I figured one night this weekend was enough hockey for me :)  

Game 2 is tonight at home and it looks like this one is sold out too (13,500 seats... that's pretty big for over here!)  I'm sure it will be a rowdy and intense atmosphere, since it is playoffs, sold out, and against their biggest rival team..... and seeing as it's Saturday, and boy these Finns can DRINK!!   Looking forward to a fun night of hockey, hopefully the boys can pull off another W :)   For those of you who aren't aware, you can check the live updates of the game here (I even already google-translated for ya, beware though... some of the names/penalties etc. translate pretty strange!)

Check back soon for more updates and some new (hopefully more interesting- sorry, my life's just not that exciting right now!) posts :)

wednesday's words to live by

Happy Wednesday!

a big win & a nice relaxing weekend

Well, the guys did it!  They won 4-1 Thursday night, finishing the league in 6th place out of 14 teams and securing their spot in the playoffs.  That gave them a week off before their first playoff game on Friday the 18th.  It's a best of 7 series, and the way that the standings work out they play their big rival team (same team they played in the Winter Classic game) which will make for some very interesting and exciting games, and hopefully some great crowds.  With both teams being located in Helsinki and their arenas being 5 minutes from one another, the travel isn't too bad either! ;)  Nothing like sleeping in your own bed every night (well, in our case, I use the term "own" very loosely). 

After securing the playoff spot, the guys were given 3 full days off to rest.  Friday they all went bowling and to "sauna together" (yes, that is acutally a proper term here)  along with some other team activities.   I went to see the movie Burlesque with one of the girls.  It was cute, and left us wondering exactly how old Cher is.  We knew she definitely doesn't look as old as she actually is (thank you plastic surgery) but she can definitely still sing!  (She's 64, for the record)

The rest of our weekend has just been relaxing.  Yesterday, we went to the Sokos Flamingo hotel & entertainment complex.  They have a Spa & Wellness center, indoor waterpark, bowling alley, movie theatre, mini golf, lots of restaurants & shops (it's attached to a mall) among other things.  We thought a nice relaxing day at the spa sounded good.... you can buy a 4 hour pass and use all of their warm water pools, saunas, etc.  There are restaurants and bars inside the waterpark area & spa area and it's a nice place to hang out, kick back & relieve some stress.

    

Flamingo Spa

Today includes grocery shopping & some other errands.  Nothing too exciting going on here (as you can tell) and just wanted to write a quick update about the game, but I promise to post something exciting soon!  Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

the last game of the season... already??

Holy moly, I can't believe how time flies.  I've been here for over 6 months, and J has been here for 7 1/2 (and no, we still can't speak the language...)  Tonight marks the last game of the regular season, and it's a big one.  I mentioned briefly the other day about where the team stands and briefly explained how the playoffs work.  They won on Tuesday night, but so did the 7th place team... keeping J's team in 6th place by only two points.  So... if we win tonight, we're automatically in the playoffs.  If the 7th place team loses tonight, we're also automatically in the playoffs.  But, if we lose and they win, we'll end up out of the top 6 and have to play in the playoff qualifying round (starting Saturday, I believe).  Fingers crossed that they can just pull off the win (it will be a challenge... they're playing the top team in the league) and there is a nice little break between tonight and playoff time. 

This is when hockey gets really exciting.  When the games really mean something. My old coaches would kill me for saying that, because "every game means something", but you can't disagree.  I used to find myself getting caught up in the excitement of close games, but this year more than ever, I've found myself in the simple, boring routine of going to the game, watching, cheering for a goal, shrugging off a loss, and asking "What's for dinner?" before we even leave the rink.  Not sure if it has something to do with the language barrier, or if I'm just finally being desensitized to the emotions of the game after 24 years.  But today... I'm excited.  And nervous, too.  I love when fate lies in the hands of one single game.  That's when it's really interesting to me.  I know the outcome of this game won't have a huge impact on our life, no matter what it is... but hey, who doesn't like to win? :)

Better go take my pregame nap, tonight I may need all of my energy tonight.... ;)

Go Jokers!

i'm realllllllly not into politics, but....

I think I've seen these pictures before...?



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Egypt?  nah, that's not it....



Lybia?  Yemen?  Nope, and Nope.



Oh, that's right.  It's WISCONSIN.  Sorry, I wasn't able to recognize my hometown with all of the protestors swarmed all over the place!

Some of you may or may not be aware of what is going on in Wisconsin right now, but my guess is that every American is to at least some degree.  It's only been all over every news channel for about a month now.  For those of you who don't know, the *very basic* rundown of it is that Wisconsin elected Rep. Scott Walker for governor in the recent 2010 election.  His promise: to repair the Wisconsin budget, which is, like the rest of the country, in deep deficit.  Sounds great, right?!  At the time... yes.  That is, until Walker introduced his budget proposal a few weeks ago, resulting in the largest uproar Wisconsin has ever seen....

In order to cut spending, Walker's bill takes away the collective bargaining rights of state employees, forces them to pay a larger share of their health care and pension plans, and results in about an 8% pay cut.  So, basically "repairing" the state's budget by significantly destroying the personal budgets of  hundreds of thousands of families all across Wisconsin.  Not only will it significantly hurt public employees' salaries & benefits, it also takes away so many of their Union rights.  This, in effect, will hurt major aspects of the Wisconsin public.... an extremely large one being EDUCATION. 

After the recent election, the Republicans hold power in the State senate, however, they need 20 State Senators present for a bill to be passed (there are 19 Republicans).  The Democrats, to demonstrate their opposition to aspects of the bill and try to protest immediate passage and buy some time to compromise and rework it, fled the state to Illinois so they could not be forced back to congress and thus resulting in the passage of the bill.

Now, this morning I have woken up to news that the Republicans found some sort of loop-hole and are inches away from passing the bill, even without the Democrats present. 

Obviously this whole mess has caused tremendous outrage across the state and country, resulting in hundreds of thousands of demonstrators protesting around the State Capitol and across Wisconsin.  The teachers Union urged it's members to call in sick in protest when the bill was first introduced, and thousands of school employees did, forcing many public school districts throughout the state to close for a day or more, and I would not be surprised if it happened again now that they are moving forward with the bill.   

Is this really the United States of America?  I am very sad for my state, and cannot believe that a thing like this is able to happen in our country.  It has ripped the state of Wisconsin apart and who knows when, if ever, the state will be united once again.  One thing is for sure - the public education system in Wisconsin is going to hurt big time as a result.  Looks like the hubs and I better start saving for our unborn future childen's private school tutition ASAP!  (or we could just stay in Finland forever? kidding, family & friends! ;) )

It's a sad day in Wisconsin.

For the record, I do not define myself as a Republican OR a Democrat.  I don't like to debate politics, and most definitely don't like to argue about them.  I just want what is best for my city, my state, my country... whatever that may be.  But THIS, is certainly not it.

wednesday's words to live by

Anyone who knows me knows how much I cherish music, lyrics, quotes, poetry, sayings, and basically any words that I can relate to or that touch me in some way.  I thought it would be fun to express this area of my personality here on my blog and hopefully inspire you all (as well as myself!) so I am going to start posting different "words to live by" each Wednesday.  I have a collection of hundreds of quotes, sayings & lyrics, so it will be hard to narrow it down to just one or two each week, but I'll start off with these: 

Heard Lee Brice's song for the first time in a while last night (Finland isn't exactly big into country music, so I have to use the TuneIn Radio app on Android... if you don't have it, you must get it!  You can listen to pretty much any radio station anywhere in the world!)  The words touched me just as much as they did the first time I heard them.  They are most definitely Words To Live By!

what's going on

Thought I'd write a quick post to update on what's going on in the C & J household/world this week.

* J's last 2 games of the regular season are this week... Today & Thursday.  The team is currently in 6th place, and need to stay there to be guaranteed a playoff spot.  They play the top 2 teams in the league this week (including Mrs K's hubby tonight :) )  so it will be no easy task. 
Here's how it works: Should they end up anywhere from 7th-10th place, they will play a 3 game mini-series with one other team to determine which will move on to the playoffs with the Top 8 teams.  If they can (*fingers crossed*) stay in 6th (or higher!)  they will get a little break during this "qualifying round".

* Today is my last day "alone" for the regular season while J is away for the game.  Mixed feelings about that one! ;) 

* We're still brainstorming ideas and plans for our end-of-the-season trip.  It's just so hard to narrow anything down!  But I'm sure no matter what we decide, it will be wonderful. 

* I plan to start packing some of our stuff up and sorting out what needs to come home with us for the summer and what can stay here until next season.  It's crazy to think how soon the end of the season has come... but hopefully we still have several more weeks left! :)

* The weather in Helsinki is finally warming up a bit.  We're hanging right in the 30's F.  Not bad considering less than 2 weeks ago it was -20 F! 

* I'm working on plans for my future S.I.L's Bridal Shower in June.  Can't wait to make all of the creative ideas in my head a reality... I just looooove being a hostess! :)

* Also in the works are a couple new blog posts (of various topics) and hopefully a new blog design!  Be sure to come back and check them out :)

* Continuing expanding my photography skills!  It is quickly becoming a cherished hobby of mine.

* And last, but not least... keeping up with our shows!  The Bachelor, American Idol, NCIS: Los Angeles, Glee, Kourney & Kim, Teen Mom... etc.  Wow, am I a reality tv w*ore or what?  I guess I just throw them in along with all of the National Geographic, Viasat Explorer, Hockey & other sports programs J makes me watch, for good measure :)

Hope everyone is having a great start to their week!  Soon it will be SPRING!!

 

new camera... woo hoo!

We've been in need of a new camera around here for a while now.  The plan was to wait until we got home for the summer since everything is much cheaper there than it is in Finland.  But... we caved and got one here.  Between some frustrating camera experiences lately (the Winter Classic, Stockholm trip... among others) and the fact that not getting it until we got home meant that we wouldn't have a good camera to use for our EuroTrip, we decided that it was worth the little bit extra that we'd spend on it here.  Plus we know it will be a great investment for the future, with all of the traveling we will be doing and for when we have children :)

We had a fairly good idea of what we wanted (a Nikon) and have several friends who have various cameras in the Nikon SLR series... so we price shopped around a couple places and bought one the same day.  The same place that had it on sale also had it with the dual-lens set, which is almost always cheaper than buying the 2nd lens separate.  The biggest challenge was asking questions about it- most sales people do speak English, some better than others... but aren't always ready and willing to explain the whole camera and it's features to us (understandable... I don't exactly have my Finnish camera terms down either!)  But, we got really lucky, and the guy we asked to help us was from the UK.  SCORE!  We picked his brain for a while and ended up taking home the Nikon D3100.  The manual, on the other hand... is in Finnish.  Thank goodness for the PDF file on the website (what would we do without technology these days... seriously?!)

After taking many pointless pictures around the apartment, of the dog, the half dead flowers on the table.... I decided to take it to the game Thursday night to give 'er a try and test my skills.  I can't tell you how much fun I had taking all of the pictures and editing them on the computer.  Looks like I may have found another new hobby!! :)

Here are some of the pictures I took.  I'm pretty proud of how my first sets came out considering I barely knew how to turn the thing on 5 days ago! ;)




Helsinki Cathedral




Senate Square in Helsinki




A row of colorful apartments on a street in Helsinki




View of the sun setting over the Baltic Sea
along the Helsinki coastline




Our precious pooch, Maddie




The hubs at work




Who knew I was a sports photographer?




Lots of cool action shots




#2 in your program, #1 in my heart <3



fill in the blank friday

I followed along last Friday when Laura @ There she is participated in the "Fill in the Blank Friday" hop hosted by Lauren @ the little things we do and enjoyed reading what she had to say.  I've recently found several new and interesting blogs through linking up, and I thought it seemed fun and a good way to share a little bit about myself so I decided to give it a go this week :) 

1.  The phrase or punctuation I overuse the most is :  definitely the smiley face.  I don't know why... but I can't help it.  Seeing that little guy always puts a smile on my face though, so I guess I just do it in hopes that it does the same for other people :)

2.  Today I am thankful for : our new camera.  I am only just beginning how to use it, but it's already becoming a fun hobby for me and it's fun to think about all of the memories it's going to capture over the next several years :)  (check back tomorrow to see some of the pictures I've taken with it so far!)

3.  My best friend is : most definitely my husband.  We share so many moments together- romantic, funny, special, memorable, sad, happy, angry, random.  No matter what it is, I know that he's always by my side and will always do everything in his power to protect me and keep me happy & safe.  I feel so lucky to have been blessed with such a wonderful man.

4.  A quirky thing about me is : I love lots of ice in my drinks.  I fill my cup up with ice & fill the cracks in with my beverage.  I hate coffee.  I almost always grab items from the back of the shelf at the store- never the front one.  Oh, and I have to have things left on even numbers (like the volume on the tv or radio), unless it ends in "5".  Then for some reason it's okay in my book...

5.  This weekend I : will be cheering on J in his game on Saturday, getting chores & errands done, and possibly checking out a place to live for next season... and the usual Sunday evening Skype dates! :)

6.  Something that worries me is : that my horrible month of February will continue into March... but it's looking fairly optimistic so far :)

7.  On my night stand you would find : a lamp, a book, lotion, lip balm, & at night - my cell phone.

eurotrip 2011

Well, I think we've come to a decision on our end of the season trip!  We have such a long list of places that we want to see in Europe... and only so much time (and money!) to do it.  So, we narrowed it down to two separate trips that we want to take by the time our contract is up in 2013. 

Trip A:  A Mediterranean cruise around Spain, Italy, Greece and that general area.  There are lots of other places that the cruises stop, including Portugal, southern France, Monaco, Croatia, Turkey, etc.  so we'll see when it comes time to book it which one we pick.  It also depends on how long we go for. 

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Trip B:  Travel throughout Western/Central Europe, including (at least some combination of) the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland & Austria.  We will probably fly from Finland to one of these places, take a train around (J found this fabulous site that seems to have great train multi-day/country train passes), and then fly back to Finland when we're done.  We're hoping to make it to all of those countries in one trip, but as we plan out the logisitics, we'll see if that's realistic or not.  We want to see as much as we can, but don't want to feel rushed in and out of cities either! 

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and the winner this year is......

TRIP B!

We figure that this is the best option for us at this time, for a lot of reasons.  We've started to research into places to go  and things to see.  I think our biggest challenge will be making the actual travel plans- what hotels to stay in, getting from place to place/when, etc.  We want to have things farily planned out, but at the same time don't want to have too tight of a schedule.  If we're really enjoying one place, we don't want to have to only spend one day there.  Or if we hate another, we'll move on to the next.  We want to take full advantage of our ability to be young and spontaneous while we can! :)

So many of you passed on some great tips of things to do and places to see when I first posted about the trip, and they have come in very handy so far and they will all be put to good use!!  THANK YOU!!

If anyone has any more tips to share, particularly pertaining to any of the countries on our trip (Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria) feel free to keep 'em coming!  I am a person who much prefers personal references and experiences over something that I read on a Google search :) 

Of course, there are many other places still on our list.  I think these will be our "big trips" that we can only do at the end of the season, but hopefully we can squeeze some other little shorter trips in here and there.  It's such a wonderful opportunity to be over here... we want to take full advantage of it! :)

On a different note... only 3 more hockey games left in the regular season!  Can't believe how fast it has flown.  Of course I am getting super excited for not only our trip... but to GO HOME!!  I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to do such simple things like drive a car, eat a good meal out, wander aimlessly down the aisles of Target, and SEE FAMILY and FRIENDS!  Ahh, the simple joys in life :)  However, first the team's gotta take care of business here, and hopefully that means a good playoff run!
 

HAPPY FRIDAY!

stylish blogger

So... apparently I'm late to the party.  While catching up on some of the blogs I enjoy reading, I noticed that 2 bloggers (and fellow hockey wives) have awarded me the "Stylish Blogger Award" a little while back.

Thank You Mrs K and HM !

I'm new to this award thing, but I guess I'm supposed to share 7 random things about myself and pass it on to other "stylish" bloggers, so here goes:

1)  I love Mexican food.  Not sure why, I'm a white-girl from Wisconsin.  But something about the taste of spiced & seasoned tacos, burritos, nachos, salsa, guacamole, rice et al really gets me going.  Okay... now I'm hungry...

2)  I went to boarding prep school for 8th, 9th & 10th grade.  And it was the best experience of my life.  I know my parents were sad to see me go (and I'll admit, I got homesick at times too), but it is probably the life experience that has had the largest impact on my life so far, and probably always will be.  Many times I regret not finishing high school there, but I know that all of my choices and decisions have made me the person I am today.... and if I had not stayed home my junior year, my husband and I never would have met.

3)  I have lived in 6 different cities, yet my parents have not moved zip codes throughout my 24 years of life.  I guess that goes to show my independence and need to be a "free bird"!

4)  I have a degree in Early Childhood Education, and have worked as a preschool teacher and nanny prior to moving to Finland.  Children are truly my passion.  It's amazing what you can learn from them and such a rewarding thing to be able to teach children and watch & help them grow and develop.  Plus, they don't lie when they say that "kids say the darndest things"... I could write a book of all the stuff kids have said to me!

5)  I also played Lacrosse in high school.  Hockey isn't the only sport this girl has played!  While at prep school, we were required to play a Spring sport as well.  A bunch of us hockey girls got together and the school started a girls lacrosse team (they already had boys) and we were actually pretty good!  Except for the part where we almost got kicked out of the league because we played "too rough".... what do you expect when you put a bunch of hockey players who are used to wearing full equipment out on a field together with sticks and hard rubber balls? :)

6)  I wear a size 5 shoe.  Or 3.5 if I buy the kids sneakers.  So in case you wanted to buy some for me... now you know :).  It is almost impossible to find shoes that fit (that don't light up or have Dora the Explorer on them).  Thank goodness stores like Nordstrom come to the rescue, with their wide selection of small sizes in sophistocated and stylish shoes... and if they don't have them, they'll ship them to your door for free.  On the bright side... I can buy the kids Nike's and they cost half the price... :)

7)  16 is my favorite number.  I don't know why, but it is, always has been, and always will be.  I think I "borrowed" it from my older brother who always had 16 as his hockey number... must run in the family.  I try to get Jeremy to change to 16 every season, and each year, no such luck ;)

Now, for blogs that I feel deserve the "stylish" blogger award (what does that really even mean anyways? haha)... even though I know many of you have already recieved it, I still want to let you know that I think the same :)

Face off: The Life of a Hockey Wife
Following a Fox
Mrs K
TexaGermaNadian
There she is
The Yotes Diva
Travel Babbles: Living the (hockey) life
A Day in the Life
A Day in the Life of a Hockey Wife
Escaping the Single Life
Now that I'm no longer 25
100 MILES HIGHWAY
Tales of a Hockey Wife

I truly enjoy reading each of these blogs... whether you put a lot of time and effort into it or just jot down your experiences and life updates every few days, they are all wonderful to read.  Keep it up ladies :)