Happy New Year 2010

Happy New Year 2010! We have been ultra-busy as usual. For New Year's we travelled to the Central Oregon Mountains and stayed with Heikki's family in Sisters. We went and did all sorts of crazy winter things that kids who live in Texas never get to do! After a loooooooooong flight and drive in (we arrived at 3:45 am which was 5:45 am Texas time!),a few hours sleep and off we went sledding with the kids. We had rented snow suits-whoever heard of such a thing?-and so the kids stayed pretty warm. They did love sledding (the first day Markku was hungry and tired so it took until the second day for him to LOVE it. Suvi really liked it right away.)

Luckily many relatives like Uncle John were there to help us with the kids:

Heikki's family rents a house in the Black Butte area (near Hoodoo ski resort and Sisters, Oregon) every year for New Year's. It is a beautiful area in the mountains with very tall gorgeous trees (except where the forest fires went through...that really bothered Markku to see that). This is a picture of just the Laukkanen family. There were probably at least twice as many total guests at one point or another. We got to see Mikko and Joanna and their 2 kids who came all the way from London, Kaisa and John who are about to have their own first child, Liisa and Johan who came from New York/San Francisco via Sweden I believe (lots of travelling there, never know who is where when), mummo and Bill, Jesse (John's brother) and then all the extended family and friends as well (who are not pictured here):

It was super hard to get everyone looking and there were 2 or 3 photographers so everyone was always looking the wrong way!

Heikki has been dying to go skiing since we left Alaska almost 4 years ago. This was his chance (and his Christmas present), but unfortunately he is not as young as he used to be and hurt his knee the very first day sledding. He was really bummed. Now he wants another Christmas present but I keep trying to tell him it doesn't work like that.
So on our very last day in the mountains we decided it was a good day to try Markku skiing. The age limit was 4 yrs old, and so I did what any parent would do-I lied and made up his birthday. sure enough everything fine....until they asked him how old he is! And he says "3" and shows 3 fingers! They said they were worried at first (I had already dropped him off) but he did really well and was able to learn to ski! We got great video that I am clueless as to how to download it (I have tried on You tube and it keeps saying there is an error after a forever long period of time) so you will have to look at still pictures until I can figure it out (or a loving relative who has a video of it can do it for me!-that would be you John!)

Markku and mummo just before the lesson

Markku ready to hit the slopes!

Suvi is too young to learn but she sure looks cute waiting in the lodge and sledding!

We had to leave and head back to Cathlamet, Washington to mummo and Bill's house after skiing. Here is Markku on Heikki's old bike!

We went on a day trip to the Oregon coast and went through a nature preserve. We were looking for deer and such, but only found this type of John DEERE heavy equipment, which made Markku oh so happy. He has a John Deere video he got for Christmas and sings the songs to me everyday "John Deere, make them nice and strong, John Deere".

Here is another picuture at the refuge showing the Columbia river and the low clouds against the mountains: It is so pretty there.

We then ventured on to the Seaside Aquarium-it was very small but still lots of fun. The kids are playing with the touching poo and pointing at the stingrays:

Needless to say we had a great trip. We loved seeing everyone again-including my sister Jenn who we surprised at 11:45 pm on New Year's eve as we were driving by her house on our way to the mountains! Happy New year Jenn! It was great to get back while Mikko was visiting with his family-they live so far away.

After we returned it was a rush getting back to work and preschool for Markku. One night, Markku decided he needed to help me clean. This is how he cleaned up our living room:

See, the floor is now clean! He said " I know you hate tripping on stuff, I clean up for you!"

More cute Markkuisms: 1. Mommy, Isa is making me cranky. He won't get me more Hee hee milk (soy milk).

2. He stepped on my foot and I said "Ow!". he said, "You ok. " So cute as whenever he gets hurt and has that shocked look on his face I say "You're ok, let me give it a kiss".

3. Marrku tells "funnies" now-he is trying to make jokes! He will say something random and then say "I tell a funny"

4. Not so cute things: he learned to say " I don't care." He says it a lot, like when I tell him to clean up, stop teasing his sister or go to bed. He also says "I hate it" now. I don't like that too much either. Then he says something that sounds like " Freakin Cumquat" when he gets frustrated. I do not know what that means or where he got it...any hints anyone?

Suvi also scratched me the other day and I said "Ow!" She was making these funny smooching noises and then said "Mama, mama" And when I looked down at her she kissed me. She was kissing my owie! It was very sweet.