SNOW!

Last week it snowed for the first time. Well, the second time, really, but the first snow didn't last. This time it stayed at least long enough so we could play snow games. When the thick white flakes started falling, we got dressed and ran outside. Both kids and adults were thrilled.

 We learned from last winter that stocking up on art supplies is essential for surviving the big snowstorms. So we did. 

Painting with our kids always reminds us how much they have changed: Samu, who used to be a shy and introvert boy, has grown into a pretty confident child who loves to draw, paint, sing, write, dance, and express himself in a myriad of other ways. Sofia is now the one who likes to play by herself, often sits in her reading corner with a book, and does not want to be disturbed. She also paints very differently, using mostly brown and grey tones and her skin as a canvas. She does it with such sincerity that we don't dare to interrupt her.

 

 

Samu keeps impressing us with his reading, writing, math, and knowledge of science. He knows the planets, can replace letters to form new words, and associates letters with their different sounds (Unlike in Finnish and often in German, one sound does not correspond to one letter in English).

To kick off the new semester, Hanna attended the School of Education' retreat, featuring an excellent workshop from the Center of Race & Equity in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. Among many other things, we learned about the most common obstacles of students and faculty of color on US campuses.

On Saturday, Matt, Kate, Abraham, and Charlotte came to visit. Some of our favorite people here! We do not only get along really well with the parents, we also love the intimate friendship Abe and Samu have developed, and of course, the show the two always-happy girls put on is just huge crowd pleaser.

Samu - Sofia - Charlotte - Abraham

 Marko's salmon strudel (Anneli's recipe!) was a gigantic success -- as was the collaboratively decorated table cloth ;-)

On Sunday, we packed up our Christmas decorations, thinking about what our life will be like when we unpack them the next time ...

 And on Monday (Martin Luther King Day = holiday), we were treated with another lovely layer of fresh powder snow.

 We bought two sleds and drove to the closest hill we knew - in Millenium Park. It was extremely windy, but the kids did so well! Samu loved it after the first time and would not stop running up and going down for an hour despite the wind.

 Sofia was less confident and took a while to make friends with snow. But soon she also insisted on going down by herself.

 Fun for the whole family!!

 After a little break at home to thaw and eat ...

 ... Samu and Hanna went on another trip to build snow people. Although there was only enough snow for snow faces, they were satisfied with the results.

Welcome, snow! We are so excited that you are here.

To end Martin Luther King Day appropriately, Marko and Hanna are watching the movie Selma tonight -- and highly recommend it.