Hooked on Sweets!

So for my restaurant name for Restaurant Day - I've decided to call myself "Hooked on Sweets".
It's a bit of a play on Poppeli because it's a yarn shop and I also thought of a crochet "hook"!

Anyways, just an FYI - this Friday (16th) will be the last time I am baking for Poppeli for THIS YEAR!
Poppeli IS open on the 23rd - but the store hours aren't the regular ones...so we decided I'll sell this Friday and start again in 2012!!!
I will also be hosting monthly contests if there is enough interest - where YOU can win FREE cookies!!!

It's simple - go to my Facebook Page for Hooked on Sweets, "LIKE" it before January 1, 2012 and share it with your friends and get them to "LIKE" it too!
The more people who "LIKE" Hooked on Sweets - the more contests I can hold!

And for those without Facebook, I can post the contest in the store and possibly through Poppeli's blog (we'll see about that...I have to check).
And of course, through one of my blogs...I may have to make a new blog just for Hooked on Sweets...we'll see!

Anyhow!  The first contest will begin January 1st, 2012!
A winner (must be living in Finland) will be chosen at random.

Oh and this week - I'll be baking something sweet that melts in your mouth...and something baked but not sweet!  There's a limited supply - so be sure to pop into Poppeli Friday between 10am-5pm to get your goodies!!
Check back Thursday (or Friday morning) to see what I will be selling!!

If you live in Jyv�skyl� and are interested in having some goodies baked for yourself for Christmas - orders MUST be in before December 22nd!!
What a GREAT gift idea for the last minute person you forgot to shop for...or your neighbour...or for a stocking stuffer!
Just send an email to: hookedonsweets(at)hotmail(dot)com
I offer cellophane packaging and a wide variety of ribbons or stickers to seal the bag closed.
Prices may vary.

Thanks again for all of your support!

Free NCIS online!

I don't know about you - but I miss American TV shows.
I'm not a huge fan of reality TV shows - but I do enjoy shows about cooking, animals and police shows...one of my favourites was NCIS!

(I don't have a digibox so I won't be a couch potato...and to save more money!)

Anyways, a friend of mine pointed out that there's this site that allows you to watch free episodes of some of your favourite shows online!

http://www.ruutu.fi/ is the site and it only displays an episode for so many days before changing it!

Enjoy.

After-Labour in Finland + a funny nurse appointment

So after you deliver a baby - you get a diaper bag in your room. The diaper bag is by the Libero brand and it's packed with goodies. It's lime green by the way. Each year they come out with a new color I was told.
There was a 10 pack of diapers, a package of wipes (64), a little hat, a few coupons and pamphlets, a change pad, a hardcover children's book (Ratatouille - in Finnish), a pair of disposable breast pads, a little bottle of oil for cracked nipples...and a soft toy that rattles that you can clip on to something. I think that was all! It was crazy! I don't think you get that in Halifax.
When we left the hospital they didn't inspect the car seat like we were expecting them to.
The standard stay is 2-3 days after deliver depending on the health of your child, your stitches (or c-section) and your general health as well. I checked out early after 2 days because V�in� was put in ICU - so even if I did stay in the hospital - I'd still have visitation hours between 8am-9pm. Or I could go home and use the bathroom in private (I had a room mate my 2nd night there) and eat my own food. Not that the food wasn't good - as it was really good. But I usually ended up missing their tea/snack times and breakfast as I would be nursing V�in�. Everybody got the same food - you just had to go during a certain time frame to get it and then put your dishes away afterward. Breakfast (the one time I had it) - was oatmeal and an apple. Lunch is usually a bigger meal (i.e. fish, potatos, veggies) and supper was always a soup. BLEGH. I'd prefer soup for a lunch personally - but that's alright. It was all delicious - considering it was hospital food. It's really amusing seeing a bunch of women in these robes, socks and sandals with their hair all messy and looking like they walked out of the gym (aka tired)...shuffling into a line up for food. Almost like a weight-loss club atmosphere. Haha.

Even the restaurant/cafeteria that was attached to the hospital (yet had it's own entrance as well) - didn't look like a cafeteria. Unless you counted the people eating that were wearing scrubs or some sort of medical-looking outfit.

We had an appointment at the Neuvola the other day and the nurse, Katri, asked how the labour was and so on. I told her all things considering - it went very well. 5 hours isn't a big deal compared to some women who go for at least 20 hours or more!
She smiles and says, "Do you think you will want another baby soon?"
Once I managed to scrape my dropped jaw off the floor - "Definitely not. I only want one right now. The pain was just a little too much for my liking."
"Oh but it gets easier with the 2nd labor and multiple labors after the first one. The first one's the hardest but after that - it just gets easier."

SHE TRIED TO SELL THE IDEA OF HAVING ANOTHER 9-10MONTH PREGNANCY/X-AMOUNT OF HOURS LABOR TO ME. This being an issue as she's not going through the pain for me. HA.
I just told her - oh well maybe in 5 years.
"So you'd like to start contraceptives soon then?" Katri
"Oh yes - as soon as possible. I don't want another baby any time soon. Thanks."

More random things....

People are really into cross-country skiing here. So much that during nice and sunny days - you can see people walking with their ski poles. The more hard-core roller blade with their ski poles.

There IS a bowling alley here in Jyv�skyl�!!! Where exactly - I don't know. Tim read it in the tour guide book.

Prices vary in grocery bags (depends on the material it's made of) - from as low as 15 Euro Cents to 1 Euro.

For insurance purposes - when you are not using your washing machine - you have to shut off the water tap.

A "baby-sitter" is a baby's seat to occupy them...not a bumbo chair -but a chair that entertains the kid....I have no idea what they're called in Canada.... Here's a pic of one:

http://www.maternityandbabyshoppingmart.com/babybjorn/Bjorn-Baby-Sitter-BLRD-Lg.jpg

Only in Helsinki is the mother/care-giver with a child able to get onto a bus for free...this blows chunks.