From Finland (and Texas) with Love

What a surprise I received in the mail last week! I was truly touched by such a kind gesture from Pirjo of Finland… Look at all these lovely things she sent me from her country (and I can't wait to take a look at that dvd)!

Oh my gosh, those Smoothie candies are very addictive…

Or should I say "were" very addictive. 🙂

And look what she made for Sophie! Soph loved it!

And look what else Sophie is having fun with…

A reindeer! From Finland!

Did you see that hand-written note Pirjo enclosed in the prior photo? Well, as happy as I felt when I was reading it, something stopped me up short…

Did you catch it? Let me help you out, just in case you didn't…

THE 'G' WORD!!!!!!!! PIRJO, I THOUGHT FINNISH PEOPLE HATED GAMES!!! Okay, I didn't really think Finnish people hated games, but I was hoping they did. Needless to say, Mike was positively thrilled to find out that a woman all the way in Finland was thinking of him. Well, he's got a woman right here in Nebraska (with Smoothie candies stuck in her front teeth) who's thinking of him, all right: thinking how she's going to pretend that game got lost in the mail, should it ever arrive.

Moving on to more lovely things… look what else Pirjo sent!

Much of what Pirjo mailed was tucked away inside this handmade bag. :)  And I have no idea where she got the notion that I like crowns (teeheehee), but what a grand surprise this was!

What a sweet, generous person you are, Pirjo. I thank you from the bottom to the top of my heart. And so does Sophie! 😉

But wait! Joann from the great state of Texas sent my Sophie a little sumpm-sumpm too! (Good grief, all my mother's friends ever did for me was tell my mom, "You know, no offense, but Paulette could really use some discipline.")

If you have school-age kids, then you've no doubt heard of Silly/Wacky Bands. They're the new Beanie Babies, which were the new Cabbage Patch Dolls, which were the new "Vote Mike for Class President" buttons that were all the rage in the 1960's. (Or was Mike fibbing about that?) Except I refuse to camp out overnight for them and beat off other crazed moms who are after the limited edition ones. Anyway, here are just a few of the Wacky Bands Sophie has, including some of the ocean-themed ones that Miss Joann from Texas sent to her. Thank you sooooo much, Joann! Sophie was absolutely thrilled!

I'm disappointed that I haven't been able to post much lately – I'd been meaning to get on here and thank you (and post some more reader finishes) much sooner, but our days around here have been very busy since school started – and noisy! We're getting some things done around the house and the contractors are out before the roosters crow, waking us all up with the hammering and painting. This was what I saw when I walked into my dinette area this morning…

All of the framed samplers in my house are hanging crookedly on their walls now, but that's okay. There's work to be done, so hammer away, contractor-men! Even though it drives the Yorkie crazy and she does nothing but bark for 9 hours straight.

I have a facial tic now.

(Btw, before I posted that last sentence, I had typed "I have a facial tick now.")

Thank you again, Pirjo! And thank you for the Wacky Bands, Joann!