KIDS IN AMERICA

THE LAST WEEK

2012-02-18T18:06:00.000-08:00

was busy, sunny, and peaceful. Here is a summary in pictures.

On Valentine's Day we were very busy at work, but we managed to make some time for a small coffee-break-celebration. Small but beautiful.

Samuel is "reading" (=turning pages and licking them).

Everything that he discovers needs to be carefully examined.

Favorite toys that are toys.

Favorite toys that are not toys (according to adults).

Weekend + sunshine = Family trip!

The first picnic of the year. We love our Como neighborhood with Como Park and Zoo. And we love this weather!

So much to look at!

Homeward bound.

ANOTHER SUNDAY WALK

2012-02-12T13:01:00.001-08:00

Samu (in Marko's old baby clothes), would you like to go for a walk?

Sure, what shoes should I wear?

Where are we going?

Are we there yet?

Oh, the Stone Arch Bridge. Pretty.

Hello Mississippi.

Good trip. Thank you!

EVERYDAY LIFE

2012-02-09T15:27:00.000-08:00

Business as usual has been the motto of the last weeks. With one exception: Hanna is taking her prelims. (This is why she has been neglecting all of you, dear friends!!! Please keep in touch, send her happy thoughts, and, if you can/want to, reconnect with her in the beginning of March, when she will have a little "break".) Other than that, Samuel ...

has new favorite hobbies like looking out the window,

still enjoys taking baths,

loooves vegetables (here zucchini), *mjam!*

brushes his 2 teeth with passion,

likes to be bounced to sleep,

and is a great help in the kitchen.

Greetings from preliming Hanna

FREUNDSCHAFT

2012-02-04T19:21:00.000-08:00

Once a year, in early February, a group of best friends and believers in red gather to celebrate communism and friendship. This year called for a special event because a new member was introduced into this unique circle. Here is to the left! Friendship forever!

The perfect venue: Cuba in Minneapolis

Happy friends

RED!

We are not just any random club. We have a logo, dammit! (Thanks, George!)

Take the cookie!

I think it's safe to say that this was the best friendship day food ever.

Engraved memories.

WARM

2012-02-04T19:07:00.000-08:00

Yes, we've had some incredibly warm temperatures here. In fact, one might say winter has not yet arrived in the Twin Cities. Or spring has come early. But what Marko does here still seems a little over the top (no offense). Be that as it may, we like winter, but we are also happy not to have to worry about whether or not we can take Samu outside.

MY FIRST MEAL

2012-01-29T13:13:00.000-08:00

Three words: Rice cereal, messy and fun! Only why do they call it "solid" food? There was nothing solid about it.

SUN

2012-01-29T12:28:00.000-08:00

When the sky is that blue, the sun is that bright and the temperatures that mild, work and school need to be abandoned for a while - even if it's only for a quick walk. We love those spring-like temperatures!

ELECTIONS

2012-01-29T09:16:00.000-08:00

are always a little nerve-racking, but rarely as exciting as the Finnish ones! We have our own ideas about who of the two remaining candidates that run for presidency will support the rights and voices of minorities and stand up for social justice. And we are happy to see that the youngest Finnish citizen around here shares our opinion ;-) Well, in our household, the president has been elected.

HOORAY!

2012-01-17T13:07:00.000-08:00

Finland has a new citizen. And a great one at that!

Translation for non-Finnish speakers: Kansalaisuus = nationality, Yhdysvallat = United States, Suomi = Finland

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

2012-01-17T05:21:00.000-08:00

To be honest, it has been difficult for us so far to see the similarity between Samu and Marko that everyone else seemed to see. But then Marko got his baby book from his mum and what we found in there was almost shocking. See for yourselves ...

Samuel, a little over 3 months

Marko, about 7 months

HOMEWARD BOUND

2012-01-15T05:11:00.000-08:00

After a fantastic month in Europe, we had to turn our backs on you again, Finland and Austria.

Before we left, we enjoyed some last visitors an visits

[It would be great to add pictures of Heli + family and Jenni + girls here ... If you have any, we'd be grateful if you could email us some.]

And so the crazy trip home began - in the middle of the night, in the middle of a snowstorm. Two days of trains, taxis, planes and cars. For the most part, Samu enjoyed it a lot.

Fascinated by his reflection in the window.

Trainrides are fun!

Enjoying the view from the plane. Goodbye, Finland!

Let me eat the camera!

We are grateful to be home safe and happy, with bags full of gifts and heads full of beautiful memories. Thank you to all who have hosted us, fed us and spent time with us, above all our families! See you in the summer!!!

LIEKSA

2012-01-09T04:34:00.001-08:00

On on of our daily walks we were lucky enough to catch some of the rare winter sun rays, and for a few minutes even see sun and moon at the same time! Beautiful Lieksa!

FRIENDS

2012-01-09T04:22:00.000-08:00

An essential part of our European holidays is going to Joensuu too see Marko's college city, but most importantly old friends and their children. Good memories, old ones and new ones. Thank you, dear friends, for giving us a warm welcome and having time for us!

WHAT IS BETTER

2012-01-09T04:07:00.000-08:00

than Christmas? A second Christmas! That's what we had in Lieksa. It was just like the original one, including ...

joulukinkku (Christmas ham),

Christmas tarts and decorations,

joulu tonttu ;-)

gifts,

and Christmas lights.

THANK YOU for such a nice, unexpected second Christmas!

BAPTISED 2

2012-01-05T03:37:00.000-08:00

As promised, here are the good pictures of the baptism. Many many thanks to Jakob and Benedikt!!!

The before pictures

From Samu's perspective

Grandparents and priest waiting for the ceremony to start

Friends admiring the beautiful program booklet

Good listeners ;-)

Thank you for the music!

Touching words from godfather Jakob

Samu and his godfather

Blessings for Samu, who was totally excited about this ritual

We baptised Samu together: The priest, Marko and Hanna. Good teamwork!

Anointment with chrism

Lighting the baptismal candle

The precious, historical baptismal robe

After the religious celebration a more secular one: Thank you, Mama and Papa Ennser, for the delicious and festive banquet!

The poster of good wishes for Samuel. (For those who missed it, you still have the chance to sign it. Just let us know.)

LINZ

2011-12-31T15:09:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought that one day, we'd pack up our stuff and son, hop on a train and go to Linz for a few hours? Well, we did, and we had a very good reason: Evi, who came to meet us from Salzburg. Thank you, Evi, for a super great afternoon!

It all started here, in the brand-new old train station of Vienna West.

Samu's first train ride. An adventure for all of us (and some fellow passengers)!

Enjoying Linz, enjoying Evi. Samu seems to like loud, colorful and cheerful women ;-)

Thank you, Evi, it was so so good to see you! Thank you, Linz, for being actually pretty cool.

Thank you, Theresia, for making the train ride so much fun with this little dragon. We love her; and you should leave your contact in the comment section for all the future orders you will get from this post! ;-)

POST-CHRISTMAS REUNION

2011-12-31T13:51:00.000-08:00

After so many years the (in)famous Dunstkreis was finally complete again for the main event of the year: Armin's Christmas Banquet. Thank you, Armin, for the wonderful dinner. It's a mystery to us how you manage to feed a crowd of (about) 15 people delicious food like that every year. Once again, you outdid yourself. Thank you everyone, for such nice evening!

Good people, good food.

The risotto tasted like vanilla!

I admit I forgot the names of most courses. But this one was aloe vera yoghurt with violet ice cream. Sounds like shampoo? Tastes amaaaaazing!!!

VIENNA

2011-12-31T08:11:00.000-08:00

Due to exhaustion (ours and Samu's) we only spent very little time in Vienna. But the time we had was awesome! Here is one highlight: Schönbrunn palace, zoo and Christmas market with Astrid, David and Jonah. Thank you for a great afternoon, guys!

Samu's first subway ride

Schönbrunn palace (not castle! ;-))

Fascinated by sea creatures

Big little and little big animals

Fur

Prairie dogs ;-)

Christmas market and friendship without borders

BAPTISED

2011-12-27T04:53:00.000-08:00

We didn't stop celebrating after Christmas: Samu's baptism took place on December 26. It was a very moving, inspiring celebration that included beloved family and friends, beautiful music from our youth and childhood, many lively children and a priest who knew how to deal with them, a great godfather, fantastic wine and food and much much more. More pictures (the good ones) are coming up, but here are some first impressions.

Ready for the show!

On the way

A beautiful christening robe that has a history of its own. Special thanks to Samu's Finnish grandparents!

The most beautiful baptism booklet ever! Thank you to Kobi and Kathi!

Lighting baptismal candles

Fathers and children

Samu was the perfect baby: Wide awake and totally excited during the ceremony, fast asleep during the banquet.

CHRISTMAS

2011-12-27T04:06:00.000-08:00

was very, very special this year: All four Ennser siblings and the two grandsons were united at the festivities in Langenlois. Samu loved his first Christmas. Even more than the tree and the wrapping paper he enjoyed the attention and company of all family members.

Christmas celebration

A Christmas kiss from grandma ;-)

Finally time for presents!

LANGENLOIS, OH LANGENLOIS

2011-12-25T13:20:00.000-08:00

You are beautiful! We loved our pre-Christmas walk in Hanna's hometown.

Special thanks to Klaus and Elo for lending us their stroller!

GOING HOME

2011-12-25T12:42:00.000-08:00

... for Christmas: With only 30 kilos of luggage, a mostly happy baby and a desperate need for a vacation we headed towards Europe, our first destination being Austria.

Langenlois has so much to offer: The two cousins, grandpa and grandson, aunts and nephew finally met. Samu is being entertained and taken care of by many wonderful people. And there is always something new to discover.

Four men on the stairs

"Where is the nose, Elias?" (He knows it all!)

Sing us a song, you're the pianoman, uncle Laurenz!

Carpet games

Uncle Laurenz can show you fascinating things.

Cousin Elias and aunt Verena ♥

Opa knows what the crocodile says.

WHEN

2011-12-19T22:05:00.000-08:00

your baby wakes you up on Sunday at 6 am after 3 hours of sleep, you can either whine about it (which, admittedly, we did), or turn a crappy morning into a wonderful one, e.g. by taking a little hike up a hill and watching the city wake up in a beautiful sunrise. What a perfect wake-up!

THE BEST

2011-12-19T21:50:00.000-08:00

way to keep cool and keep things in perspective during the last week of the semester: Playing with little Samu. For a few moments, you forget all the stress ...

Thank you Ingrid for the most beautiful Marimekko balls! We all love them and play with them all them time. (Yes, all 3 of us.)

Toes rock.

IT TOOK US

2011-12-11T15:02:00.000-08:00

over four months to finally introduce Samu to this group of wonderful people. Thank you for a fun Chinese night, friends! Thank you for hosting it, Kaishan! And thank you Siri for knowing the answer to almost all questions.

Somehow our men didn't make it onto any picture. Ooops.

WE ALL

2011-12-11T14:22:00.000-08:00

need a break sometimes, especially before the last week of the semester. Perfect timing for pikkujoulut (Christmas party), especially when it's hosted by the most creative Happy Family and their newly adopted gorilla. What a great night!

Samu, meet Estrella, Estrella, meet Samu.

Party!

(Countries represented: USA, Jamaica, India, Ivory Coast, Japan, Denmark, Finland, Austria)
Parents chatting, children chewing.

Father and son

Estrella

The artist (aka Santa) and his masterpiece.

If partying is what gets him to sleep, maybe we should party more. ;-)

Thank you, Ben, Ingrid, Johanna and Estrella for a perfect night! Thank you Samu for being the perfect party baby!

A BIG DAY

2011-12-11T13:51:00.000-08:00

for Samuel: First, he got a new outfit, and this time we went seasonal and dressed him up as poro (reindeer). Then he sat in his high chair for the first time. A completely new perspective! And then he met Santa Ben. Pretty exciting!

It's so much easier to be important from up here!

Watching isi (daddy) cook

You know Christmas is very close (or over) when Marko starts writing Christmas cards.

Happy poro

Santa Ben, have you lost a reindeer?

Ben, you are our most favorite Santa ever!

REMEMBER

2011-12-08T18:05:00.000-08:00

that little baby that slept through most of the day? Barely! Samuel has become super active. He is awake a LOT and when he's awake he is really awake. Several hours of literature, sports, walking and music lessons per day are a must. What a perfect way to release stress at the end of the semester when things at school/work are crazy.

Fun with mum, dad and toys

Samu's favorite new item: the mirror

Everything is a rattle.

Finally ...

HIGHLIGHTS

2011-12-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

of our week, which consisted mostly of work and very little sleep, were skype chats with family members, putting up our Christmas tree, and walks in the snow. We can't wait for this stressful time to be over!

Awwwwww!

Let the season begin!

Thanks, Mum and Dad, for doing this to me and calling me "Elton".

Even we you get carried walks are just exhausting.

ON THANKSGIVING

2011-11-27T11:05:00.000-08:00

we are grateful for the hospitality we have encountered here. Thanksgiving in Menomonie has become a wonderful tradition. Thank you for the tasty food, the warm and cosy atmosphere and, most of all, the friendly and fun company! We had a great time.

Mountains of deliciousness

Jenna and George 'starving'

Samu in good hands

Game time: Marko's drawing for "The turkey doesn't like Thanksgiving."

THANKSGIVING

2011-11-27T10:44:00.000-08:00

is also about watching the parade, experimenting with food and making a total mess of the kitchen. We mastered all of those this year.

THANKSGIVING

2011-11-25T15:16:00.000-08:00

at Martha's and Dave's included: great food (duh), great drinks (yay!), wonderful company (including dogs), an emphasis on nouns, revengeful cows, goat cheese and commas, political incorrectness, inappropriate children's books, and stomach pains from laughing. We had a blast! Thank you so much!

UNCLE KOBI's PICTURES

2011-11-20T21:03:00.000-08:00

are so pretty that they deserve to be posted for no other reason but their aesthetic value. Our street, city, campus and community have never looked better. Enjoy!

Our street

Our city

Our campus

Our community

RESUMING

2011-11-20T20:35:00.000-08:00

walks with Jenna and George was just what we needed after conquering the workload of the past weeks. The sunny winter Sunday was perfect for a walk next to the Mississippi.

THE FIRST SNOW

2011-11-20T20:27:00.001-08:00

usually brings something exciting, according to Marko. This time it was a new car! When our old one 'Esmi' started to develop transmission issues, we started looking for a new one. And now we proudly present our new old Mazda Protege 5. Complete with stick shift and cassette player. Huzzah!

Goodbye, Esmi. You were a wonderful first car.

Welcome, Fritzi! Isn't he a beaut?

Apart from the new car excitement, Samu was a bit suspicious of the new element of snow. Where had all the colorful leaves gone that moved in the wind and made that exciting rustling noise? This white stuff was just cold and way too bright. After a few minutes, his skepticism turned into curiosity and we took our first long walk in the snow. Beautiful...

and exhausting!

MID-WEEK AT PHALEN

2011-11-13T16:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks to our flexible schedules we can afford to take a sunny Wednesday afternoon off and work on a grey Sunday instead. This is what we did this week. It was so worth it! We finally introduced our son to our favorite lake in the Twin Cities: Lake Phalen. We watched geese, inhaled the crisp autumn air and enjoyed the sunshine.

NEWS FROM SAMUEL

2011-11-13T15:53:00.000-08:00

While his parents do not have much to tell about their life (it's all work, work, work...), our little boy's life is quite an adventure. New things are explored and learned every single day. The latest favorite pastimes include ...

twisting and turning on the side to track people (especially daddy) walking by, ...

eating giraffes, ...

cuddling (or fighting?) with bears, ...

talking to the Samu in the mirror and ...

falling asleep in the bathtub.

What a life!

UNCLE KOBI

2011-11-08T19:01:00.000-08:00

is not only a great uncle but also a fantastic photographer. See for yourselves! Aren't these better than the ones from our foto shooting? Thanks, Kobi, for these precious memories of a wonderful week.

FAMILY

2011-11-06T08:01:00.000-08:00

is what we miss the most here in the U.S.. Imagine our excitement when we heard that Hanna's mum and little brother are coming. And last week it finally happened. We mostly hung out together and introduced them to our family life here. But we also managed to get out and do a few little trips, for example to the Mall of America and Lake Como. Until we receive more pictures, here are some from Lake Como and our night out at Kitty Cat Klub.

Very fond of each other: Samu and his grandma

Sunset walk at Lake Como

One of the perks of having a grandma around: You can go out! Kobi was the perfect company for Hanna and Marko's first night out after Samu's birth.

LADIES AND THE CITY

2011-11-01T21:56:00.001-07:00

What is better than New York City? New York City with sorely missed friends from far away (except Gudrun and Evi who we missed a lot). NYC was the perfect place for a reunion with the Parhamer ladies. Thank you so much for coming to the U.S.! We still can't believe that you actually made this long trip. Hopefully you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Views from the Staten Island Ferry

Occupying Wallstreet

Occupying Brooklyn Bridge

These were just a few impressions of an absolutely perfect day in New York. Traveling back home, we knew one thing for sure: We'll be back.

NY is a must C

2011-11-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we fell in love. Our new love is loud and silent, colorful and grey, sunny and rainy, tiny and huge - it's everything! We love you, New York City! Thanks for a perfect weekend.

We were a bit nervous about our little boy's first flight, but he slept through most of it.

We arrived in the rain, but we didn't mind it. Everything was so exciting! Here is our first view of Manhattan, right outside our hotel. Wow!

This is how we spent 4 days. Samu slept almost all the time, occasionally waking up for a feeding.

Times Square

The next day was absolutely beautiful, so we enjoyed a perfect view of the city from the Empire State Building. And Samu enjoyed the highest situated meal of his life.

After this impressive experience, we really needed a break from standing in line and enjoyed a very late breakfast ...

before we hopped on a tourist bus that took us to the next sights:
the Flatiron Building (and Marimekko!), ...

famous streets, ...

pretty neighborhoods in SoHo,...

Ground Zero and Trinity Church, ...

the iceskaing rink in front of the Rockefeller Center, ...

and back to Times Square, which was very close to where we lived.

That day made everyone happy, especially Samu.

The next day, a snowstorm surprised us and many New Yorkers. But we stuck to our planned route and hopped on our bus again.

Even though it meant freezing and getting soaked, we just had to see her: Lady Liberty.

The immigration museum on Ellis Island offered great insights into the American psyche.

After more sightseeing on this long and adventurous day we returned to our hotel exhausted and freezing but happy.

FAMILY FOTO SHOOTING

2011-10-23T19:37:00.000-07:00

For Hanna it was kind of fun, to Marko it felt pretty awkward. Here are the results of our first ever family foto shooting. We leave it up to the reader to judge if it was worth $60.

Note to selves: Next time, no make-up, no dressing up, and especially no posing!!

THE SILENCE

2011-10-22T17:09:00.000-07:00

of autumn evenings around Lake Como is astounding. A beautiful sunset, some sleepy ducks and a few late walkers ... - a peaceful picture ...

that was very suddenly interrupted when a cloud of birds lowered itself onto the lake - the geese had arrived! On their way from Canada to the South the decided to have a sleepover at Lake Como. Their landing was an impressive (and loud!) show that we watched in awe.

FRIDAYS ON CAMPUS

2011-10-22T15:15:00.000-07:00

Enjoying the great views:

redecorating ...

and getting stuff done. This is the Bolivian-French/American-Chinese-Israeli-Austrian work group in action. Great group working on a not-so-great assignment.

FALLING FOR FALL

2011-10-22T13:36:00.000-07:00

During these wonderful fall days, Samu spends a lot of time being carried around like this and checking leaves, people and lights.

We also showed him some of the pretty fall flowers ...

nice places to sit ...

as well as the neighborhood library (above) and Hanna's beloved and much admired absolutely all time favorite dream house (below).

FIRST OUTING

2011-10-16T07:33:00.000-07:00

Fall is the perfect season to get out for the city and spend a weekend away from computers and cellphones, e.g. in Redwing. From Samu's perspective the first outing must have been wonderful: First, he got to take a long nap in the car.

When he woke up he arrived at this beautiful hotel with lots of new things and people to admire him and to stare at ...

but also with a lot of familiar people and things.

Then he got a loooot of attention and play time with Jenna and George.

What Samu didn't know: After he fell asleep the "wild" pool and sauna partying started. It was so good to hang out and celebrate with each other and friends (and a sleeping baby)!

On day 2 it was time for a hike - up the Barn Bluff.

Up there we enjoyed the great view ...

the wind ...

and a patriotic moment (for 3 of us).

Back in downtown Redwing it turned out that we had landed in Shoecity Central. And shoes they had - nice ones, and big ones!

The world's biggest boot

Shoemanic or not, Redwing is pretty.

As we learned, no fall trip to (nearby) Wisconsin is complete without visiting a cheese factory. We have to admit fresh cheese curds are indeed delicious!

Thanks for a great ruskaretki to our friends and comrades Jenna and George!

WHAT ELSE

2011-10-10T20:38:00.000-07:00

can you do on a beautiful autumn weekend? Well, you can just hang out in various positions:

If you are too lame to go to the zombie pubcrawl yourself, you can at least watch your friends get ready for it:

You can say goodbye to your garden and your last harvest.

Or you can have some rocket fun in the park with big and small children.

Thank you, friends, for so many enjoyable moments!

WALKING

2011-10-10T20:14:00.000-07:00

around a lake is one of our favorite things to do on weekends, even more so if we have great company. This weekend's speical guest: Betsy the dog. Welcome to the group, Betsygirl!

EVERY YEAR

2011-10-10T08:30:00.000-07:00

we dedicate at least one post to the beautiful fall colors. It seems after three autumns we should know what to expect and be used to it. But the truth is, every year we are amazed by the intensity of the colors and the beauty of the fall sunlight. (Unfortunately much of it is lost in the process of uploading pictures). This year, we get to enjoy it all in summer temperatures (25°C and up). All these pictures were taken right outside our front door.

UNCLE BENEDIKT

2011-10-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

...was here!! Even though it was way too short, we spent two great days together. It felt wonderful to have another family member visit us and meet our son. And Bene kept him well entertained. He seems to have a lot of practice with little boys ;-)

First we checked out the U f M campus, ...

then we walked around Lake Calhoun in glorious fall weather ...

and stopped for an icecream shake - hmmm!

From Samu's perspective it must have been a lot of fun too.

Hanna received a lesson in nighttime photography.

And uncle and nephew bonded.

All we can say is THANK YOU, Bene, for visiting. We loved to have you here. And now: More visitors, please!!

ZOO

2011-10-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

Watching animals is almost as much fun as watching babies. It took us more than 2 years to start going to the Como Zoo in our neighborhood, but now we can't get enough (and visited twice in one weekend). Good stuff. (Oh yeah, the baby? Slept all the time. He was really just our excuse to go.)

FAVORITE PASTIMES

2011-10-02T19:01:00.000-07:00

Samu, what do you like? Oh yes, reading ...

looking at trees ...

and flying! All right, we'll keep doing those! ;-)

COLD

2011-10-02T18:28:00.000-07:00

It's actually not that cold yet, quite the opposite, we've had a few very beautiful and warm fall days. Nevertheless, pikku Samu has his first cold. Wrapping the little dude up really well has helped so far. Get better soon, poika!

HISTORIC ST. PAUL

2011-09-25T15:47:00.000-07:00

Sunday with Jenna and George have officially become a tradition. This time we discovered historic St. Paul. Very F. Scott Fitzgerald!

CITIZEN

2011-09-25T09:04:00.000-07:00

Now that Samu has received his brand new US passport (which is according to the brochure that comes with it the door to world domination), we thought it might be a good idea to start citizenship education. As you can see, he already has the basics down.

Samu, how do you feel about Barack Obama?

And what about G.W. Bush?

FALL CELEBRATION

2011-09-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

One of the perks of living in a co-op are big parties - like the fall celebration.
After the common cleaning chores are done ...

the fun begins: Candy floss, ...

corn, corn, corn everywhere (and lots of other delicious food), ...

mass zumba for the party crowd ...

and face painting of course. In all, a very fun night. Thank you, CSCC!

SCHOOL

2011-09-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

Now that school/work has started for us, Samu receives some schooling as well. Once a week, we attend a baby massage class, and then there is a lot of homeschooling. Samu's favorite subject is children's literature:

When it gets to exhausting ...

Samu takes gymnastics with his Dad ...

or some other kind of break ;-)

LATE SUMMER SUNDAY AFTERNOONS

2011-09-11T16:10:00.000-07:00

... are the best. Jenna and George are the best. Samu is the best. Lake Como is the best. Enough said.

Ooops.

FACES

2011-09-10T17:50:00.001-07:00

Samu at 6 weeks = one kilo heavier, five centimeters taller, a little cranky (growthspurt?) and with an endless repertoire of funny faces:

ST. PAUL

2011-09-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

After a long and busy work week our well-deserved weekend had finally come! So we dropped the school/work-related books and papers ...

replaced them with some pleasure readings ...

had some rest ...

and headed out to St. Paul. After some initial trouble to find our way through several loud and dirty construction sites, we managed to find a few parks, the farmers' market and other cool places to enjoy. (Note to selves: Avoid downtowns in hot weather!)

LABOR DAY

2011-09-06T17:37:00.000-07:00

Commemorating labor and the its wonderful aftermath seemed like an appropriate thing to do on labor day. Especially in sublime weather and while walking around Lake Calhoun. A very happy family trip!

Lunch break

Samu is learning to smile! *Happy sigh*

And look who greeted us when we returned home: Our terrace bunny Oskar had a baby! (And is therefore probably misnamed.)

WEEZER

2011-09-04T12:42:00.000-07:00

...

SOMETHING NEW

2011-09-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

is starting, and most probably also pikku Samu can feel it: It's getting colder and the parents are getting busier. For the little boy, that mostly means that he gets to wear hats and jackets for the first time and his parents are even more enthusiastic about playing with him during work breaks. And something else is new: About 2 weeks ago, our little boy has learned to flip over from his belly to his back. Fun times ahead!

WEEKENDS

2011-08-24T17:35:00.000-07:00

One important lesson we have tried to teach Samuel is the value of weekends. For the future, dear son, here is a list of parent-recommended weekend activities:
Going for walks in your neighborhood (e.g. Lake Como)

Listening to some music, preferably live (e.g. in the Lake Como Pavilion)

Taking naps

and taking baths. May your whole life be full of beautiful weekends!

NAMEDAY

2011-08-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

Hi folks! Let me tell you about my first nameday. It was today, on August 20.

A lot of things were very similar to any other day: I slept ...

I ate ...

and I slept some more.

Then we took a nameday picture, a tradition we copied from the Kananen family.

And then I spent a lot of time observing my dad dealing with our garden herbs.

That was it, a pretty good day to celebrate a pretty good name. Stay tuned! Samu

SOCCERDAD

2011-08-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

"What shall we do today, my son? I have an important game and I could use a lucky charm."

"Go, Daddy!"

"Well, Dad, you lost, but you played really well, and I napped really well. That's something, right?"

THE SLEEPER

2011-08-12T16:13:00.000-07:00

Our son is a master sleeper. But he won't sleep just anywhere (like his crib). No, what he really wants are warm and soft environments, preferably human bellies and arms. Perfect to meet our cuddling needs.

UNCLE LAURENZ AND AUNT IRENE

2011-08-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

were touring the US and came to visit us this week! We spent some very laid back days with them, showing them around the Twin Cities a little bit, but mostly just hanging out together. They were a great help in our baby-centered household. It was wonderful to have you here, you two. What a way to spend a honeymoon!

Driven to discover ... the U of M campus

Oh, those honeymooners ...

Stone Arch Bridge

Flower power

Storytime

Lake Calhoun. Laurenz and Irene went on a paddleboat ride.

Relaxing on our "terrace"

Our wedding gift for the happy couple: A dinner cruise on the Mississippi

FIRST VISITORS

2011-08-11T21:32:00.000-07:00

Last week, our boy received his first visitors. He seemed to enjoy all of them. Sadly, we don't have pictures of all of those who came, held and admired him - sorry! Thank you for visiting, and please keep coming!

FATHER AND SON

2011-08-06T06:48:00.000-07:00

Hanna can't help but notice the striking similarities between her husband and her son. Body posture, facial expressions, character - everything seems to scream Marko. The two of them sure enjoy each other.

But look at the nose! That's clearly the mother!

HOMECOMING

2011-08-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

has been a great adventure! First of all, because we came home to a power outage. While it was romantic and wonderful to admire our son in candle light all night, snuggle up and share our perspectives of our birth story, it was less romantic to change diapers in the candle light. Luckily the power came back the next day. Ever since, we have enjoyed every second of parenthood. Our son makes it really easy for us. He barely complains and is easy to soothe and patient with all our clumsiness when trying to figure him out. We are totally in love ...

SHARING

2011-08-04T12:59:00.000-07:00

birth stories is a common thing to do within the birthing community we have come to know and value here. This, of course, is the blog-friendly version. For delicate details, ask and you shall receive. Here are the highlights of the most wonderful, magical, transformative 20 hours of our lives:
- On Friday, shortly after midnight, Marko opens a beer to celebrate the end of a long and exhausting work week. Hanna reminds him very gently that he might also think of packing his hospital bag, just in case. She says "The baby might come any day now." In order to really make a point, her water breaks in that second ...
- Only an hour later the surges come every hour, Marko calls our wonderful doula Laura.
- Hanna spends the next 10 or so hours in the bathtub with only a few interruptions. The whole night, all three of them sit in the bathroom (or actually in their own little world), breathing, sleeping, meditating, losing every sense of time. It's the most relaxed night ever. Barely a word is spoken. And: It's truly enjoyable!
- At some point Laura says that the surges come every 1-2 minutes and that they should go to the hospital. So they do.
- At the hospital it becomes clear: Hanna is ready, the baby is right there, he should be out any minute. Hanna gets into the birthing pool, surrounded by the most wonderful team of midwives, Laura and Marko.
- But suddenly everything seems to stop. Is is the change of environment, the baby's hand over his ear, Hanna's nervousness, the all-too-soothing water? Whatever it was, we need to get labor going again. So with a lot of excellent coaching and support from the team, a whole array of gadgets and tricks and, when nothing else worked well enough, a mini dosage of pitocin, the little boy was born. There are no words to describe the moment when one of the midwives put him on Hanna's belly. He was perfect! WE ARE THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE ON THE PLANET.

A DUE DATE

2011-07-28T18:56:00.000-07:00

can be a really annoying thing, if you think of it as a deadline that puts yourself under pressure because "something needs to happen". It can also be a reason to go out and enjoy a romantic couple evening over the rooftops of uptown Minneapolis.

While the crib and nursery are waiting ...

we are trying to make the best of it and enjoy ourselves and each other at the Uptown Cafeteria.

View on downtown Minneapolis from 35W

Rooftop terrace views

ACHTUNG BABY!

2011-07-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

After a one-year delay, U2 finally made it to the campus stadium in Minneapolis, one of the last stops on their 360° tour. A great chance for all three of us to listen to some of the world's most famous songs only a few miles from our house. Achtung, baby boy, listen up!

The monstrous 360° stage, Interpol, the warm-up band...

... the 3 of us

... and over 60,000 other people.

Balloons are fun, but where's U2?

Here they come!!

Let the show begin!

Bono & Co sure know how to entertain a crowd. Some religious metaphors, their own famous tunes, a breathtaking light- and soundshow, a little bit of megalomania and a few cheesy lines - who would be immune to that?

She moves in mysterious ways.

Some things only Bono can pull off: A message from astronaut Mark E. Kelly, the husband of Arizonan Congresswoman Gabby Gifford who was shot in the head earlier this year. What did he say? "It's a beautiful day."

And of course a song for Amy Winehouse: Stuck in the moment. RIP, Amy!

View from further up where we sought shelter from the pouring rain for a while.

Thank yous and goodbyes. What an awesome show! Thank you too, U2!

OUR SON

2011-07-20T15:51:00.000-07:00

would be so touched and excited if he knew how many amazing people gathered last weekend to celebrate his arrival. We were for sure. Unbelievable, how much time and effort people put into our baby party. We feel truly showered with love! Thank you all for coming and sharing this special time with us! And a big THANK YOU to LeeAnne, Ingrid, Erica and Marina for putting together a lovely party! You're awesome! Look at all these happy party people!

BEING OUTSIDE

2011-07-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

in the crazy Minnesotan (!) heat and humidity can only mean 2 things: a) you have a pool or b) you have a garden. We have both - lucky us!

4 YEARS

2011-07-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

of marriage! The best thing in both our lives needs to be celebrated - by the water as is tradition. This year's location: the romantic Minnehaha falls. Thank you, Marko, for a beautiful evening and the best 4 years of my life.

MORE WEDDING PICS

2011-07-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

because they are so beautiful. And by they we mean the couple, the guests, the pictures and the unforgettable moments. So here are some pictures that were taken on the other side of the ocean.

Fits perfectly.

She said YES - thumbs up!

Waving at us!! We were waving back, even if noone saw that.

Probably talking to Hanna?

A happy crowd and an umbrella crossing the Danube.

Ennser family picture

Awwwwwww!!!

LOVE

2011-07-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

can't be stopped by an ocean. Laurenz and Irene's wedding is the best proof of that. Their wedding touched us as if we had been there. And in many ways, we were:

We received a package with all wedding decoration utensils. So pretty!

Before the ceremony began we had the great honor to chat with a stunningly beautiful bride...

...in a stunningly beautiful dress. Thank you so much for sharing these special minutes with us, Irene!

The vows - so moving, even in Minneapolis tears were shed.

Walk across the Danube bridge. We were there (thanks to Kobi and his iPhone) and didn't even have to walk.

We even had a late-night chat with the couple, family - well, the whole room, really, so we got to see many more beautiful people and ... beautiful rings!

Family picture - unfortunately blurred

Pictures for the wedding album ;-)

Our heartfelt congratulations to the happy couple! We loved your wonderful wedding. Thank you for letting us be part of it. May the memory of this day warm your hearts for years and years to come.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

2011-07-05T19:56:00.000-07:00

Our first independence day was as special as we had hoped. We got a taste of some U.S. American traditions but also did something rather unusual: We watched a soccer game. (Some Minnesotan team against a team from Edmonton, Canada.) Of course, Marko loved it! (Hanna did too, but she can't beat Marko's excitement about soccer.)

Tailgating - another first. Good food, good weather, good people.

"...and the home of the brave."

Musical support

Go boys!

The first goal - not for our team.

Booo!
(It all ended well though in a 1:1.)

The mayor's speech after the game

Waxing (moon)?

Finally fireworks! The mix of patriotic, random and really beautiful songs that accompanied the fireworks will probably remain a conversation piece for a while in our household. So will the concept of national pride and independence day celebrations. How interesting to experience all this! How fun to experience it with such a great group of people. Thanks, everyone!

HAPPY JULY 4!!

STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER

2011-07-04T11:22:00.000-07:00

Let me take you down cause we're going to strawberry fields ... So we did. The fields were bursting with red deliciousness. What fun, especially with our wonderful, fun neighbors!

After all the picking, we took a well-deserved dive into the St. Croix river in Hudson, WI. That's how summer should be.

So there we were, 34 pounds/15 kilos of sweet red strawberries richer. After a little bit of stirring, Hanna went to bed. But Marko stayed up all night.

And the next day, Hanna woke up to find a great surprise:

Now we can look forward to a long winter of strawberries! :-)

SCARY FOR SOME

2011-07-04T11:15:00.000-07:00

(like Hanna), fascinating for others (like Marko) but pretty for all: Minnesotan thunderstorms.

NO WORDS

2011-07-01T17:22:00.001-07:00

except: BIG!

STARTALK

2011-07-01T17:05:00.000-07:00

When a group of Chinese teachers gather to learn about how to integrate culture learning into their language classes, it must be Startalk time. Like last year, it was a highlight in Hanna's summer. Being a teacher rocks, even if you are 36 weeks pregnant.

Group work

Fieldtrip to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Are we wearing them out? Apparently it was not only exhausting for the instructors.

The instructional team

Thanks to everyone for a great summer institute!

HOT HOT HEAT

2011-07-01T16:51:00.000-07:00

has arrived in the Twin Cities. The only reasonable thing to do is stay in airconditioned rooms and go swimming. Luckily it's easy to find a lake around here. Still one of our favorites: Lake Phalen.

LAKE COMO

2011-06-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

We hadn't visited our home lake for a long time and were surprised to find it new and improved. And, we found more: Birds! Big ones and small ones. Walking, admiring nature, listening to the nearby swing band - what a nice Sunday afternoon! (Damn, we are really growing up.)

HOW

2011-06-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

can gardening be so satisfying? No, not just the harvesting, but especially the part where you dig in the dirt and crawl around on all fours. Sandbox revival or adult pastime? Either way, We have definitely become one of those couples who list "gardening" as their hobbies - urgh! (P.S.: Yes, we're back in the US.)

MÖKKI

2011-06-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

No Finland vacation without mökki (=cabin by the lake). The simplicity of mökki life lets us forget all our worries and stress. Life is reduced to its basics: Nature, sauna and food.

Vasta: Makes the sauna experience perfect.

Currently Hanna's favorite food: letut.

Enjoying the night sun during yötön yö (nightless night) and the view (both the photographer and the photographed).

LIEKSA

2011-06-22T16:56:00.000-07:00

Even on a rainy/cloudy day, Lieksa is wonderful and wonderfully relaxing: Garden games, sauna and beautiful scenery. Ahh!

HOW TO MAKE KARJALAN PIIRAKKA

2011-06-22T16:41:00.000-07:00

Our love for this traditional Karelian deliciousness and Marko's wish to introduce our son to it have caused us to finally learn how to make them. And we learned from the best: Marko's mum. And this is how it's done:

The dough is simple: water, rye flour and salt.

Slice off round pieces and flatten them. That's trickier than it looks.

Fill them with rice porridge ...

and fold the sides in.

And with a lot of practice, one day your piirakka will maybe look like the master's.

J-SUU

2011-06-13T04:08:00.000-07:00

High up on the priority list of our Finland trip this year (and every year, actually) was a weekend in Joensuu. Good place. Good people. (Mostly) Good music.

Osuuskaupparock proves: We are not too old for rock festivals. We just bring the next generation along.

Veeti Kallio. According to Marko the most manly Finnish man. Well, not if you listen to the songs though ...

Fintelligens

Pariisin Kevät rocked.

Thank you, dear friends, for a warm welcome and a relaxing and fun weekend!

BEACH AND BELLY

2011-06-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

Pretty (big), huh? ;-)

70 AND GOLDEN

2011-06-06T04:56:00.000-07:00

It was Papa Ennser's big weekend. After his presentation of historical documents from the archives of Langenlois, he was, to his suprise, honored by the mayor and awarded with the golden coat of arms of Langenlois. A well-deserved award.

Music and texts from past times.

Then the big family celebration of Papa's 70th birthday followed. Much of it was videotaped, but only a few pictures exist. Here is a room full of relatives.

Uncle Ferdi's speech

and the big surprise the family had been working on throughout the last months: a Festschrift, featuring articles on Papa's childhood, youth, adult life, publications, travels, cars, achievements, quotes, etc etc. Many old acquaintances and connections were activated to contribute to this book. And it looks like it was well-received.

OASIS

2011-06-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

The Ennser garden is not only a great source of veggies and fruits and a huge load of work, it's also a green oasis to relax in - hmmm!

ELIAS' BAPTISM

2011-06-01T11:07:00.001-07:00

This is the summer of celebrations. Family celebration number one happened last weekend: Elias Paul's baptism. In Langenlois' pretty Nikolauskirche two families gathered to celebrate the brand-new Christian.

Nikolauskirche

Hölli brings the apple tree which will be decorated with good wishes.

Part of the choir

Baptism and blessings

Marko, the tree and many good wishes

Time to get the post-baptism party started: At a Heurigen, of course.

Coffee in the Ennsers' garden - with a big baptism cake.

Everyone was enjoying the summer, the sunny afternoon and the green garden.

The game of the summer: Kubb

Dream team