Summer-end party

The last weekend before school starts again (which marks the start of Autumn, too - at least for the families who have schoolkids), we managed to go to Pille's place. It's a yearly tradition for some years now, but last August, we weren't able to do it because of our newborn triplets.
This time, we went there just two us - Erik and I. We have been out and travelling with the boys so much during the summer, that we decided we wanted to have one trip to friends, where we do not need to look after the kids, but just enjoy the party and take part of the sportsgames which are usually organized at Pille's place. Erik's mom looked after the kids and we could go! :)
As always, there were loads of delicious food and nice talks with our friends. The sports games weren't so active this time - only men drew the longbow and shot the target; for women it was moto-sports in schedule, but after 2 trial drives (by me and Pille), we decided it was too dangerous for us and this was cancelled. Maybe next year, we need to pick up safer sports again!
It was a lovely Saturday out in Käbiküla and hopefully, we all meet again... after some weeks already.
Some of the guests + Pille's family in front of Pille's house:

Our dinner with delicious food, wine and beer:

Marju, her son Märten and Pille's daughter Marit:

I managed to complete one circle with the motor-cycle and stayed on it till the end:

Men shooting:

Pille's new dog Peits (I think his name is written "Bates"):

Visiting friends, hosting friends, travelling...

Summer is so busy! We visit friends, friends visit us, we travel... It's lovely! I never thought I get used to go out with my triplets and don't make a problem of going alone to somewhere with them. I thought it would take at least one more year! But our boys are brave and they are quite good in the car.

When we got back from Muhu island (lovely 2 weeks there!), we went to a trip with Eda, Andres and their kids. I was nervous - the first longer trip with the boys, being away for 2 nights... first destination, in Soomaa Rahvuspark, without electricity and running water (NB - my boys still eat milk during the nights, so I have to have hot water to fill their bottles + water to wash their bottles during the night). But we managed with it and the next night was like a paradise - in an old loghouse with all comforts, in very south of Estonia, in Karula Rahvuspark. We enjoyed it a lot! And the road back - 310 kms - wasn't that bad. When we were at home, we were really sastified - we did it! With 11-months-triplets!
Our first destination in Karusekose, near River Raudna:



The sauna-house where we stayed overnight (we slept in the attick with the boys):
All of us in the morning - our and Eda's family:

Our second destination Järvenukka in Karula Rahvuspark near River Ähijärv:

It was in the middle of the woods and we could pick both wild strawberries as well as blueberries:

This is the house where we stayed at:


On the way back, we made a stop in Tartu and let the boys out from their safety chairs, so they played in the car for a while:

When we were home again, we visited Karin and Simon who is just 1 week older than our boys. They live about 15 kms from us but we had never seen Simon, although we have talked about visiting each other for many times. Now, finally we met him and the boys had fun together.
At Simon's place in Laulasmaa:


After that, we were visited by the other triplets' family - Maarja and her kids Erich, Hindrik and Astra.
The downside of visiting each other (the triplets families) is the fact, that we can't help each other with the kids - both have hands full with our own ones! 6 babies in the house, with only 2 moms, is quite a lot! Luckily the day was very hot and beautiful and our boys spent most of the time in the pool, which gave me and Maarja some chances to talk to each other, too. We were joking, that after some time, we could have a cup of tea and a plate of cake in peace, while our 6 children play with each other... after 4-5 years or so! :) Well, I'm sure one day we get to this point, when it's finally easy with the triplets... or am I too optimistic?
We will not be bored in the coming weeks either. On Sunday, we're taking another road trip for 3 days with our neighbours. And then, it's time for PARTY.... yes, the triplets' 1st birthday is SO CLOSE now!

11 months old

Ralf, Fred and Sten turn 11 months old today. Those lovely benches with names are the birthday gift from grandpa and grandma.
We are staying in Muhu island right now, for 2 weeks. The first week has been absolutely beautiful - only warm and sunny days. Boys have enjoyed playing with water. We even managed to go to the seaside:
But as it was too much of organizing (needs 3 adults), then mostly the boys enjoy their little pool in the garden, where they three fit very well. They splash so much, that besides them being all wet, it's usually me who is wet, too, in the end!

Fred is like a fish in the pool. He has no fear and almost swims, moving very fast in the water. Ralf and Sten like to sit and make splashes with their hands. Every day, they go to the pool at least twice. They can't imagine their life without the pool anymore! Luckily my friend Eda managed to buy a similar pool to our garden in Tallinn, so we can have similar fun also when we are back at home.

Every day, I pick wild strawberries for the boys. Sten and Fred absolutely love to eat them. Ralf is sceptical, as about every new food. So he prefers to taste one or two, but never more.

Ralf and Fred are now on their feet. How much fun this is for them! Putting them to bed is such a big task... they stand and jump in bed as long as they are out of energy... which usually lasts for at least an hour, especially Fred... sometimes I feel like he never gets tired!

The current situation with teeth: Fred - 2, Ralf - 2, Sten - 0. :)

Summer in my garden - peonies

Finally, I can write a post about peonies - all of them are blooming now, also the latest one - "Bowl of Beauty", which showed its first opened bloom 3 days ago. Last year - here - I have written down all the peonies I have, only 1 is missing which I bought later when the post was done. It's called "Mother's Choice" and will certainly be one of the highlights among my peonies once it will bloom well (may take some more years; this year it only shows leaves and no blossoms at all).
This summer is surely a summer of peonies - all of them have SO MANY blossoms. I guess the snowy winter really suited for them.
The first peony which opens in my garden, is "Rubra Plena", a deep red very early peony. This year, it showed its first blossoms in June 3:

The two next peonies in full blooms were "Festiva Maxima" and "Sorbet":

I got "Sorbet" accidently - I bought a deep red peony "Peter Brandt" from "Hansplant", but when it showed its blossoms a few years later, it was not "Peter Brandt", but "Sorbet". I was a bit disappointed, because I wanted a nice assortment of red and white (Festiva Maxima), but now I'm used to it. However, I am still thinking of have a red peony in this flower bed as well.

"Sorbet":

"Festiva Maxima":

I have another "Festiva Maxima" together with "Edulis Superba" (pink one, which you see in the following photo), "Karl Rosenfield" (it is later, so in this photo, it doesn't bloom yet) and "Sarah Bernhardt".

"Edulis Superba":

My peony "Boule de Neige" which is white, but has a yellow heart and some red stripes, is still small, but her blossoms are already quite lovely:

"Karl Rosenfield" is indeed a catchy peony - with its deep red colour and yellow heart, it looks just beautiful. Its blossoms are not very heavy, so it doesn't bend to the ground like many other peonies do.

"Karl Rosenfield":

It has both double and half-double blossoms, I do not know why it's so - whether the plant is still too young and the half-double blossoms are a "fault" or it is just it's speciality.

In this photo, there are 4 different peonies together, but from distance, it's hard to distinguish them, except "Karl Rosenfield" which is much darker than other 3.

"Sarah Bernhard" - so beautiful... I have 2 of them, but one doesn't show blossoms, yet.

The latest bloomer among peonies in my garden is "Bowl of beauty". I find it more special than others, because it's Japanese-blossom type peony and therefore different. I like it a lot:

I have 2 plants of them, the second one started to bloom just this year. I do not know what to think, because the blossoms are like that:

Doesn't look like "Bowl of Beauty" at all... but something with simple blossoms! However, you cannot trust the peony blossoms during the first summer. Sometimes, it shows the right ones only when it's bigger and stronger. So I won't make any conclusions, yet. If it remains like that also next summer, then obviously the seller sold me something else!

Peonies are so beautiful, but when it's hot, they bloom too short time...

A wet day

Today, we had a wet day. First - it was finally raining (good for the nature and our garden!). Second - we took the boys for a swim to a sports centre. It is NOT easy to go a place like this with triplets. I had so many things with me! Everything times three. Towels, napkins, clothes... And when I plan something like this, I need to know who will come with me and the boys, because alone, I cannot go with 3 babies... So my mom and our nanny Pille (+ her 9-years-old daughter Matilde) joined us - for each baby, we had an adult. The car was full - no free seat! :)

It was the first time for the boys to be in a pool. Yes, they knew what water is - we bath them twice a week, but it has always been very shortly (as we have 3 babies to bath) and they have never really played or swam in water. So now it was time and they enjoyed it. At first, they looked very curious and maybe a little scared - so big pools and so much water - but they got used to it quickly and later looked like small fish with a smile on their faces. :)
Going out with triplets, you realize that there is always lack of something. In the dressing-room, there were only 2 places where to put babies when an adult puts her clothes on. So we couldn't put all three babies away to wait us. In the cafe, there was only 1 child chair! So our plan to feed the babies after the swim didn't work out, it was wiser to come home. I'm now thinking - can we ever go out to eat: are there anywhere 3 nursing chairs available?

Apart from those little details, we had a lovely day out and after having 2 successful days out of home (yesterday, we went to visit another triplets-family), I think we are ready for.... ZOO! :)

PS - Peonies and irises are blooming right now... beautiful! More photos soon.

Container gardening

Finally I'm here to post something about my garden... I can't believe I haven't done it before... and half June - the lovely summer month - has already past! It has been a very hot and a very dry start for the summer. This has resulted short time duration of blooming of flowers which should be bloom in June - for instance, the early peony (Rubra Plena) bloomed only for a week (with cooler weather, it would have bloomed at least for 2 weeks) and the lilacs have almost finished blooming.
This year, due to lack of time, I decided NOT to do much changes in my garden. I just try to keep it in order (which isn't always a success either, having so small kids to look after 24 h). But I do my best!
However, I decided that this year, I invest to container gardening. I have wanted to do it already before, but different pots, baskets and ampels are not very cheap, and summer flowers - which bloom nicely, but last only for 1 summer - are quite expensive as well, especially when you need to buy a lot of them. But nevertheless, I decided to do it - with a thought, that next years, I have all the containers I need and only have to buy the new summer flowers.
Here are some photos of my containter gardening: