For yesterday, Starbuck’s had its Grand Opening in Finland.

At the airport.

35 minutes away.

And you can bet Henry, my friend Anna, and I were on the first bus we could manage out to the airport to help the good people of Starbuck’s celebrate.

We were rewarded with free coffee samplers, free bakery samplers, and the pure joy of knowing we’d be able to find a consistently good decaf latte in this country.  And the throngs rejoiced.

It’s not that we don’t have coffee here or that you can’t find good coffee (if you look hard enough), it’s just that… well, it’s just that it doesn’t have pumpkin spice in autumn, it doesn’t have gingerbread at Christmas time.

And it just doesn’t taste like home.

And that, dear readers is why Starbuck’s arrival in Finland is so important to me.  It tastes like home.

Yes, we have some American chains here- Pizza Hut, Subway, and McDonald’s.  But, people.  I NEVER eat at Pizza Hut, Subway, or McDonald’s in America.

Why have Pizza Hut when you can have Papa John’s?  Or Subway when Schlotzsky’s, Dilly’s Deli, or Cousins is around?  And McDonald’s??!   If I’m going to clog my arteries, I’ll choose Jack in the Box any day, thankyouverymuch.

But Starbuck’s.  I drink Starbuck’s like it’s going out of style.  When I go back, I drink it at least three times a week.  When I’m in any city with a Starbuck’s, I track it down.  When Olli goes out of town, he brings back their decaf ground coffee.

I genuinely LIKE Starbuck’s.  So that it’s here- even though it’s quite a trek across city lines to get there- is so unbelievably comforting.

First, I’m going to finish this final slice of Lovebird Pie.

Then I’m going to wake up tomorrow and head to Starbuck’s for their Grand Opening and a Salty Caramel Latte.

And THEN I’m giving up sugar again.

It’s not so much for weight loss (although I wouldn’t mind losing an inch around my thighs…) but more for my skin.  As much as I enjoy having breakouts like a 15 year old, I’d prefer NOT to have them.  And I remember that during my last sugar diet, my skin improved.

Also, I kind of feel like junk lately.  And there’s really no logical explanation since the weather has been gorgeous (usually the culprit if I feel exhausted), the kids are sleeping really rather well, and life is actually pretty great.  But my mood and energy levels have been zero.

And, no, I’m not pregnant.

So, I’m going to go off sugar, see how I feel, and report back to you.

After this piece of pie and an amazing latte…

Because this has been the best day for a long time.

For starters, everyone slept in their designated beds last night all night long.  AND both kids slept until 7:50am.  Hallelujah.

Mothers’ Day gifts included a genuinely beautiful hand-picked bouquet from Benjy; a hand-painted placemat also made by Benjy; some refrigerator art by Benjy, Henry, and Olli; and a Snickers bar.

Church was great- Olli was totally on top of things as the kids ran helter-skelter (we don’t have a Sunday school as such, just a creche in the back of the church.  This is both good and bad.  Another blog post topic, I think).

My in-laws came over.  My MIL brought lunch, my SIL brought chestnut chocolate fudgy awesomeness, and I made lovebird pie (strawberry meringue).  I ate and ate and ate.

And then the pièce de résistance, a family outing to the local amusement park after naps.

Henry, although initially terrified of all rides, found himself thoroughly enjoying everything just a few minutes in.  He especially loved the horse ride, gaining enough confidence to wave at the passers-by.

He even went on rides without his Mommy and Daddy!  I told Benjy to keep an eye on him during the train ride- Benjy took his job seriously.  He grabbed onto Henry’s coat and didn’t let go.

Benjy’s favorite ride were the Semi-trucks.  Because they look like Mac.  You know, from Cars?  We’re a Pixar family.

Dinner was burgers and fries.

Then we walked home (You guys.  I can WALK HOME from an amusement park.  That’s how rad it is living in the city), changed into PJ’s, watched the last 30 minutes of Toy Story (it’s Benjy’s favorite part- when Buzz realizes he’s only a toy and falls and breaks his arm.  It’s our routine starting point.  And Toy Story is our current routine movie), tucked the kids in bed, and now, if I can stomach it, I’ll dig into some pie and veg until bed time.

I can’t tell you how big a smile I’ll have on my face as my head hits the pillow tonight.

Best. Mothers’ Day. Ever.

Today it’s raining.

Yesterday it wasn’t raining.

Yesterday, I was supposed to go to the brand new Starbuck’s that just opened up at the Helsinki airport (just a 35 minute bus ride away!).  This is the first Starbuck’s in Finland.  Let’s hope it’s not the last.

Anyway, I was supposed to go there yesterday, but as I said, it wasn’t raining.

I’ve lived in Finland long enough to know that you can’t waste the non-rain days in a bus across town.  You need to go OUT and you need to go OUT NOW.

So instead, Henry and I had a date at a hillside cafe on the bay.

Just Henry and I.  Benjy was with my MIL (bless her!) and Olli is out of town.  Again.  Olli has been either out of town or sick for the past month.  I told him I’m keeping score.

At our wedding, our pastor said, “Love doesn’t keep score.”  When we were first married, we would repeat these words back to each other.  As a joke, of course, because we both definitely keep score.

I digress.

So, I had a date with Henry on this beautiful sunny day at a beautiful outdoor cafe on a beautiful hill overlooking the beautiful bay.  And I wanted to take a photo.

And I knew I’d want to take a photo when I left the house, because I knew it’d be- well, beautiful.

But the thought of lugging my GINORMOUS camera around with me was really too much to bear.  And I don’t have a functioning small point and shoot.  So my camera phone, my terrible camera phone, had to do.

Except that it didn’t do.  And I knew it wouldn’t do.  And yet I left my ginormous camera behind.

Silly me.

Our date was perfect.  Idyllic, even.

But my lousy camera phone didn’t do it justice.

And so, I vowed I would buy a decent point and shoot to help me in such situations.

Except point and shoots cost money.  And we don’t really have a ton at the moment.  And when we DO, we have a long list of other far more important items to purchase.

Starting with plane tickets to Phoenix.

Followed by a hallway cupboard to organize the constant overflow of jackets, hats, sweaters, boots, etc.

And a phone for Olli that doesn’t shut off just because whenever it feels like it.

And a bike trailer, so I don’t spend my whole morning hoofing to daycare and back on foot.

And a laptop, so we’re prepared when this one goes out to pasture (which is imminent, I suppose).

And and and.

Pretty sure the point and shoot won’t turn up for a while.

The end.

A half-eaten tub of cookies is on top of my printer.  My desk is covered with bills, photos, pens, dust.

All the cushions have been removed from the couch and flung on the floor.  A random assortment of stuffed toys have been unceremoniously dumped in the middle of the living room.  Laundry is drying front and center.  Playdough and its various accoutrements have been scattered far and wide.  The fuzzy ends of our Easter pussy willow branches have been stripped and  sprinkled here and there.

My house is a nightmare.

And sadly, this is its state more often than not.

But it’s times like these, filled with crazy-cluttered-despair that I meditate on some of the kindest words I’ve ever heard.

My dear friend Melanie married a lovely man Chris.  They live in England, but both have visited us on more than one occasion.  A couple of years ago, we were to return the favor and visit for their wedding.  Before our visit, Chris turned to Mel and said, “We really have to clean our house, because Sarah’s house is always clean.”

“Sarah’s house is always clean.”  Music to my ears.

Now, as illustrated above, this is simply untrue.  A legend kept alive by Olli’s and my superhuman ability to speed clean minutes before guests arrive.  And Melanie knows it to be untrue, since she lived with us for a few months before returning to England.  That she didn’t laugh in her beloved’s face and debunk him of this myth immediately is one of the reasons we’re still friends.

Because now, when my house is too insane to comprehend, I can reflect on those words.  ”Sarah’s house is always clean.”  And I can be sure that somewhere in this world, there’s a deluded man who believes this to be true.  Bless his heart and his kind, kind words.

Here’s a shout out to my Mom for always graciously accepting the books and bookmarks, and maybe even acting surprised.

And a final shout out to the most boring job ON THE PLANET- working for Hallmark the summer after my junior year of high school.  There aren’t any holidays in summer, folks.  None that require cards, anyway.  And so to entertain myself, I’d wrap gifts.  Honing my skills.  Sharpening my wrapping instincts.

Until I became the mad wrapper who sits before you.

Manna and Jaakko were fantastic.  And up for anything- no matter how cheesy.  Didn’t they rock it?

Let’s start with the slideshow.  Because I love it so much and I haven’t shown you one in AGES.  Make sure your speakers are on.  I also recommend the HD and full screen viewing.  :)

Here’s to rocking and rolling outside Finland’s Parliament House.  Hooray for no open container laws in Helsinki!  :)

I know.  You can’t believe it.  Another stroller.

But, people.  This is IT.  This is THE STROLLER I’ve been waiting for.  It’s my winter stroller, my summer stroller, my everything stroller.

It’s short enough to fit everywhere, thin enough to fit everywhere.  The seat is reversible.  The handle extends.  The front wheels rotate.  The wheels are big and snow-worthy.  The brake is wonderful and easily accessible.  The basket is easily accessible.  It’s lightweight and easy to fold/lift.  It fits the Lascal Buggy Board beautifully.  If ever I should need a double stroller, I can buy the Mutsy Duo Seat (although I doubt I’ll ever go down that route again).

I love this thing.  I love it.  And I’ll forever and ever love it.  Because it really is, really, truly, positively THE LAST stroller we’ll ever buy.

I promise, Olli.  Cross my heart.

I also noticed that sometimes his eyes looked crossed, and other times they don’t.  Strange, considering these photos were taken roughly 1 second apart.  We’re seeing the doctor on Wednesday to sort it out.

But then, after I’m done marveling at the wonder that is my gorgeous boy, I start to think that his head looks like it was superimposed on his body.  Doesn’t it?  Doesn’t it look like I cut and pasted his head?  That it’s really just floating there on some other creature?

I swear I did not photoshop my kid’s head onto someone else’s torso.  Just try to focus on his cuteness and not on the tricks of the eye.