Almost Home...

Well not quite. I don't actually leave until Sunday at 8 in the morning. I am really excited about spending Christmas with my family...it has been 3 years so it is about time. I am sad about having to leave Kai at home though. He has to work Christmas and New Years, so he doesn't get to experience a McCaskill Christmas. I also have some serious Christmas shopping to do when I touch down in the continental U.S. I haven't managed to buy a single thing for anyone as of yet. I plan to keep my page updated through the holidays and take loads of pictures, but the pics may have to wait to January to be posted. Unless of course I can borrow the laptop. Easier said than done!! Lol, and I suppose this year I will make a New Year's resolution. Two actually, but one of them I am keeping to myself. My NYR will definitely be to be a better blogger. We'll just have to wait and see how that turns out, everyone knows I am a procrastinator and the world's worst slacker at times. Enough of my drivel...it's time to go exchange some currency!!!

Cheers!!

Blah...

is a very accurate description of how I am feeling. I feel like crud. For all I know I have the crud. I would get sick the day before my Finnish final, 11 days before my anniversary, and 12 days before I fly home for Christmas!!! The hubby doesn't even want me to leave the apt. tomorrow if I still have a fever and feel bad tomorrow, but I need to go take my final. So whether I'm feeling it or not I am going to pile on all the clothes I can, throw on a scarf and go to my last class. If I am not feeling better by Friday I guess I'll man up and go to the doctor. Sheesh...

Moment of Truth

Tomorrow is the big day. I will be taking my final exam in my Finnish class. I am confident that I will do well, and that I will pass, but I want to do better than well. I have been studying for a while now (and will continue to do so in January), and I really want all of my hard work to pay off. So I am keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow goes smoothly!!

Cute Little Old Ladies!!

All of the apartments in our building are having the locks changed in 2 weeks. Tonight we got the new keys. I was at class this evening so Kai went to get ours. He ended up going at the same time as the little old lady that lives next to us. She is a sweetie and apparently sometime in the past we have spoken some words in passing. Come to find out she thought that my husband was the foreigner all this time. I heart you little old lady neighbor!

Cheers!

Put On Those Walking Shoes

Sometimes I exercise and sometimes I don't. That's just how I am. My biggest problem is motivation and it probably always will be. I complain about my size and the hubby always tells me to do something about it, so I am going to give it (another) try. I just signed up on a site called Walker Tracker. It does pretty much what is says, it tracks how far you walk. It also keeps up with all of the info. that you plug into it and makes a graph of your progress. I don't know if I will accomplish anything by using this site, but I have a little pedometer and figured I might as well use it. I mean it can't hurt to try, right? You can also check out how other walkers are doing and they will help you motivate yourself as well. So here goes nothing. The site is free, and there is nothing to lose (except for a few pounds, I hope)!

Cheers!

Happy Halloween!!

Turku Castle

Back in August, as you can tell by the date stamp, Kai and I went to visit my BIL and his wife. They bought a small apartment in a city named Turku because Meri (the wife) is going to the University there. It is a lovely city and I am look forward to going to back for another visit. Sami (BIL) took us to see the castle that was built there way back when while we were visiting with them. It is over 700 years old. It isn't as grand as castles you would find in France/Germany/GB, but it is impressive nonetheless. Just the fact that there are castles in Finland impressed me! They never actually had a royal family here, so it was interesting to learn about. According to Kai there are 2 or 3 castles here. This one was actually built on an island. As you can see from the pictures though it is now just another part of the mainland. The water receded a long time ago. I took too many pictures to post here on my blog, and I wouldn't know how to pick and choose between them. So those of you who are friends of mine of Facebook will have a chance to see them all next week because I am going to upload all of them there.




View from the back of the Castle.



View after you come in through the main gate.



View of the main gate/entrance.



The front/Entrance.

New Hair

I went and had a haircut this morning (all by myself), and as promised I am posting the picture. Forgot to take a before shot, but imagine about 3 1/2 more inches and blonde hair and you'll have a mental image! It feels so much better having it cut. As much as I would like to grow my hair out, it is just too thin. Once it gets to be a certain length it starts to look 'stringy'. And once it gets to that point I chop it off. Thankfully my hair looks o.k. both short and long. So what do you think?




I just look so excited to be having my picture taken, huh?