Is it too cold?

Having babies in a Nordic country brings you to a dilemma sooner or later:

Is it too cold to bring the child out to sleep the day-nap?

How cold is too cold?

My boys have always slept 2.5-3 hours outside, or being precise, in our garden house which is not heated. No matter what the weather is. In February, we always have a cold period and this year, it's this week. My boys are sleeping outside right now and it's -17C.

It is said that there is no too cold weather, but the wrong clothing.

So, keeping that in mind, I have packed my boys in every possible way, when they go out.

First - woolen jumper and woolen pants, woolen socks, normal hat, woolen hat.

Second - warm winter overalls, warm blanket inside their cocoons.

Third - sheep skin inside the baby-pram.

Fourth - sheep skin oustide the baby-parm.

Every day, when I take the babies inside, after 3 hours, they are all warm and happy.

I think I should not worry, that it's too cold?

*****

Apart from the coldness, it's beautiful outside! I just love the first sunny winter days when the sun goes higher again: it shows that Spring is not far away....

Crazy snowy days

It's snowing, snowing and snowing...

Last winter we thought that it's not possible to have more snow on the ground. But we were wrong! This winter - and only the start - has proved that it can be snowier! It has been snowing and snowstorming and there seems to be no end for it.

Yesterday, we couldn't open the gates of our garden anymore. Two of our cars were stuck inside, luckily Erik left our family van outside and we could still drive to the doctor's with the boys. It took Erik a whole afternoon to clean the gates - he had to buy a special snowplough for it.

We will definitely have a White Christmas! :)

Winter has arrived...

The first snow came down in October 22. But it melted away... and we had some dark winter weeks. But this week, it all changed. Just a few days ago, the amount of snow was still reasonable, but today, it snowed FOR HOURS. And it looks like perfect Christmas weather... I fear it's a month too early?!? I hope not...

Just a few days ago, it was still like on the following photo and I could take the triplets pram out. Now, it's not possible anymore and they sleep in the garden house.

Today, I had to make roads for the dogs, too, because they couldn't walk!

On a beautiful sunny Sunday

Photographed by Karin, January 2010

View from our balcony... with an elk!

Photographed by Erik, January 2010

View from our balcony

Photographed by Karin, 10 January 2010

... and 2010 is here!

A Happy New Year to all of my friends! This time, 2010 came with loads of snow. In January 3, the snow record of all times was broken - 62 cm of snow blanket was measured in the Weather Observatory some kilometres from my home. I hope this lovely winter lasts for many weeks!
My New Year's celebration was once again with my dear friends. We had a lovely night together and in the morning, with a sunny beautiful 1st January, we decided to make a short trip to the nature nearby together with our dogs Tony and Bethu. They, as well as us, enjoyed the trip a lot.
Here are some photos.

Photo: The clock has turned 00:00 and it's time to be outside, watching firework and drink champagne!

Photo: We tried to stay still, except Sven, who was moving here and there and that's why he is very "invisible"

Photo: Our small firework inside the snow-cave

Photo: Sven with sparklers

Photo: Nature in the morning of 1 January

Photo: Nature in the morning of 1 January

Photo: Kristi and Eve and my dogs Bethu and Tony

Photo: Here you see thos 0.6 snow blanket...

Photo: Our road took us to the Vahijoa Waterfall (which was frozen)

Photo: I, Kristi and Tony near the frozen waterfall. Yes, everything is covered with the snow in this moment...

Photo: Frozen Vääna River

Photo: Eve during our trip back

Photo: Frozen Vääna River

Photo: Nature in the morning of 1 January

Walkaround in Tallinn Old Town

Today, I and Kristi had our small Christmas party and this year, in a café in the centre of Tallinn. Afterwards, when it snowed so very beautifully, we took a walk in Tallinn Old Town and went to see the main Christmas tree in the Town Hall Square as well as the Christmas market. It was really like in a fairytale!

I only had my little camera with me, so the pictures cannot show all the beauty...

All I can say is that "ESTONIA IS READY FOR CHRISTMAS!"

Photo: Viru Gates - the entrance to the Old Town

Photo: Our Town Hall and the main tree

Photo: Christmas market in the snow (already closed at that late time when we went there)

Photo: Houses in the Old Town

Photo: I sitting in the bench of Tammsaare Park

Photo: Tammsaare Park

It's snowing! :)

It has been snowing quite nicely during the weekend and has brought the Christmas feeling to my heart. I keep fingers crossed that this year, we will enjoy the beauty of white Christmas...

Photo: A fragment of our village today afternoon

Last bloomers in winter

The last two bloomers in the snow were the roses "Red Eden Rose" and "Fantasia Mondiale". Winter has arrived and the nature has gone to sleep...

First snow

The first snow came down on Friday, November 6 - it was snowing ALL DAY long. And it was so very beautiful outside like Christmas had arrived... Unfortunately I was working and couldn't take any pictures of the nature.

Yesterday morning, November 7, it wasn't that nice anymore since the snow started to melt already. I couldn't take nice photos anymore - only some pictures of our dogs and a few in the garden. Here they are:

Skiing weekend

Snow has finally arrived to Estonia for a longer period and anyone, who is fond of skiing, has been able to find a suitable moment to go to the forest. I've always liked skiing. When I was small, I used to go to skiing competitions with my father and my brother. Some years, I've been out skiing more often than in other winters - depending on the snow conditions, of course. For instance, last winter, I was able to go to ski only once!

This weekend we had also the FIS World Cup of Cross Country Skiing in Estonia - in Otepää (south part of Estonia). We didn't travel to Otepää to watch the competitions (but TV was our friend during that time:)). Unfortunately Estonian skiers didn't succeed this year, but many Finnish skiers were really good - and it's almost like our own skiers as Finns are our neighbours.

Photo: http://www.tehvandi.ee/mk/

As the days are so winterly nice, I went to ski twice during the weekend - on Saturday, together with Aune (our neighbour) and on Sunday, with Erik. We have a sports park very close to our home - in Keila - and it has very good skiing tracks. It's such a pleasure to be out in the forest, enjoy the beauty of it and on the same time, breath fresh air and do some activity!