The late summer flu and me

Alyssa learning to walk at Malmgård

I see piles and piles of tissue everywhere around me...They were either from my hubby or my little one or me...It's quite sad that we all happen to be ill around the same time leaving us out of energy and tad more crankier than usual. The little one is thankfully getting better and hubby is at the peak and I'm somewhere closing in on the peak. I have a doctor's appointment today so I can have her check me up and give me some sick papers. I know my colleague would say what's the point as I'm working anyways and should just rest. I am afraid that if I let go I'll lose control of a project that's spiraling like a tornado. It has some good days and some bad days (okay it has more bad than good), however it has thought me something important. I've learned that if I've never faced failure I'll never know success. So this was one of the lowest points project wise but I take it with a spoonful of sugar (lots of grunting and whining and oh complaining out loud) and write it off as an experience. I'm probably a sucker for pain if I said that even if this was terrible it was rather enjoyable experience, in a way I got to meet new people, weeded the ones I didn't want to work with in the future and the ones I'll gladly give good feedback and hope to be on the same team again.

So...I'm sitting infront of my computer watching chats pour in telling me to get well soon and then asking for help with work. The concept of sick leave to some people is non existence, same goes with weekends and personal time. I guess I have myself to blame for letting people reach me too easily. I know how irritating it is when you need help and there is no where to turn to, hence I've tried to make life easier for others thus making mine a bit more complicated. A wise person told me once that if I keep giving there will always be people who'll keep taking until there is nothing left of you to take from. She also told me that I should sometimes be selfish and hold on to some of the things that are mine. Time is one of the things she told me is precious and I should never give it away for granted as that's one thing you can't gain back. She's right. I've wasted quite alot of time as a youth (I don't know many that don't) and when you come to a certain age you wish you'd have the time you've lost.

No matter. I try to not worry about the time I've lost and try to enjoy the time I still have and make the most of it. I told myself if there was something I really want to do. Just Do it! (very Nike but who cares) Of course most of the things I want to do involves €€€ and some even lots of it (e.g. travelling). I'll just have to balance it out with the things that cost less € and save up so I can enjoy doing the things that cost more €€€. In regards to finances, a few years ago, the biggest fear I had was that I'd lose my job. Now my biggest fear would be to continue this rat race without accelerating in my career. Then I ask myself...what do I wanna do? The same old stuff, or just the same old stuff with a few fine tunes? I then realize without the support from my employers I won't be able to do anything more than the same old stuff, if I'm lucky I'll get some fine tunes in the turbo if you know what I mean.

I haven't been actively searching for options to advance in my career. I definitely want an option to gain more €€€, the problem always with earning more €€€, I tend to splurge as much as I make (minus the bills, cost of living...grmbl grmbl grmbl...ANYWAYS). If I could spend the way I did when I had € I could save € and life is great! Which will bring me to my next topic....stay tuned.

Is it the end of August yet?

I have been waiting for the end of August since the beginning of July. Reason being that I haven't had much of holidays and I don't quite like the heat plus my project needed me to be working during the month of July. I kinda like strolling into an empty floor and having the entire office space to myself. Not to mention the parking spots available is amazing since I could park literally ANYWHERE ^__^. Now that all the rested grunts are back at work it will take a while until they settle in. I wonder why people get so easily irritable after they've had a long vacation, I should be the one grunting (I am...) due to not having any.

I always assume that it would be easy with children but juggling work and a baby it's quite a chore. It would make sense to be a stay at home mum but that would mean we would have to move out of our semi-dream home. If you ask a friend who recently visit she'd appreciate my home but for some reason I'm not so. This is again another halfway home just like all the other houses we've had. We are overweight IT geeks that know nothing about building. Even hammering a nail to the wall would give us a blue thumb. It's quite a risky business to start obtaining a land to start building while being 5-6 months pregnant. So I started a search for something more towards our price range and found this little brand new idyllic home. The size was enough, some wasted space and the layout was so and so. The kitchen was not what I dreamt about but it will have to do for now. I'll try to obtain pictures from my dear friend Angie as she went around to take photos of this messy abode.

At this moment nothing matters but my little one's happiness :). My kitchen can wait :o).

Daddy giving the birthday girl a kiss!

Time flies

This was made before Alyssa's birthday party.

 

When I tend my garden I realize how fast time flies... Not too long ago I was sowing seeds indoors in hopes that winter would be finally gone and spring would arrive for me to move the plants outdoors. Now we've had some strawberries from the garden, zucchini's flowering and we've even gotten one from the patch as well as blueberries slowly ripening!

Zucchini Flower

Soon I'll have to prepare for winter. However I'm not going to worry about it yet as summer in Finland has been extraordinary this year :). I think I may have one too many zucchini's and I'll have to give them to our neighbor :). I will move the strawberries as well and we'll redo the garden. So that I have a plot for my veggies :). Next year I'll plant carrots and a little bit more Romaine Salad as well as a broccoli and zucchini. Of course I'll have blackcurrants, strawberry, blueberries and maybe I'll bring home a raspberry bush :).

Sunday comes signifying the end of a weekend

Like many, I feel that weekends are just too short. I have too much to do or too much I want to do but never find the time, since I don't find the time to do the things I want to do I end up sitting in front of the computer doing absolutely nothing. In other words wasting more time.

Today I've decided to digitize some of my recipes so that it's easier to find and I don't lose them so easily. This also means I'm going to be sharing my recipes with many others. I use to hate the idea but then these days I couldn't be bothered. Some people all over the net have grrreat recipes that I've taken to use and because I've been cooking for some time I can tell I won't like something just by looking at the recipe, hence I tend to adjust it and make it my own.

I'm still bad with bread and thanks to being impatient it's not easy to make bread since you'll need to proof the dough for many hours and allow it to rise. I'm getting better at it (the patience part I meant, still suck with the bread). Now to transcribe the meatloaf and the cupcake recipe from my head, this is a bit difficult because measurements are by taste :/.

How many months?

I know it's been forever since I posted here. I've been very busy adjusting with my new life and also trying to kill boredom over Facebook. Hence this blog has been sort of abandoned. I'm currently at work, listening in on a meeting and trying to figure out how to troubleshoot the issues we are having. It proves impossible at the moment with time constraints. Isn't it the most common thing with projects?

I need to get back to the meeting. I'll continue with the blog a little later.

I've made it!

Okay after having some troubles with uploading and etc. I finally manage to do it. I can still improve but for now this will do :).

Go check out my favourite Crimfall track Aubade on my experimental video done for a school I probably will never go to.



Please support the artist by buying the CD. They will have a new one coming out in the near future :).

Travelling...with a baby

I was for the first time travelling with Alyssa when she was about 4 months old. The trip was an adventure to say the least. On the 22nd of Feb 2010, my hubby, Alyssa and I will be flying to Hong Kong for the first time (few nights stopover) and then to Malaysia. As I don't know if I'll have any or much of net time, I'll try to keep up to date as soon as I get a connection.

Right now I'm just a mess with everything, I haven't packed and I'm just stressing over what the baby needs and what she doesn't need. Let's just say it's not easy travelling with kids at any age if you need to bring their entire wardrobe, pantry and toileteries with you. Alyssa was rather tolerant around 4 months on the plane but she's approaching 7 1/2 months she might change a little. I wonder if she will sleep on board or is she going to get irritated again with all the announcements. The good thing is that I'll have my hubby with me on this trip so I don't have to deal with her crying all alone while carrying tons of bags and trying to rock her at the same time.

First things first, I need to pack items I need as well not only for the baby but I figured that I need a few shirts for the baby incase she throws up, poops on herself and other adventures. I'll also bring some laundry detergent in a small bottle so I can wash her clothes if this happens and we can still reuse the clothes. My other worry is her bottles, if she was breastfeeding this wouldn't be a problem but now it is hence we need to pack at least 3 bottles with 4 different teats. I've already bought over 5 kgs of food for Alyssa as she takes bottled food as well as ready porridge. I'm still missing some of the milk she drinks but I'll buy that in a few days but not that many as she'll drink powdered milk if necessary.

Back to what I was planning to do, as now you will see me removing recipes away from here. You'll be able to find them at Samurai Apron

I've also started Baby Diaries, I've been writing some of Alyssa's progresses on her baby book but I should transcribe them to her blog. They can be found here: Babydaze-Babydiaries