It was just one of those days...

... It started out all right, great actually. I managed to get the boys out the door and to pre-school without so much as raising my voice, little Ella was sleeping by the time I got back so I had a nice relaxed breakfast and then hit the shower. I had time to blow-dry my hair so I was thinking "wow, this almost never happens!". Then, I thought I was dreaming when I decided to also straighten my hair! See, I was on my way to meet my new mummy friends (UK English, mind you) and was in the mood for looking nice. Well, it wasn't to last, for I bent down to pick something up from the floor and as I got up I bumped my head on the open bathroom cabinet door, it flew off its hinges and smashed into pieces on the bathroom floor. Well then... I can't afford to get a new cabinet right now, so I'm looking at this as an option:

source

Streptococcus!

We've been hit. Will accept donations of chicken broth.

Baby Ella is here!

A week old today, she is a bundle of gorgeous calm and content :)

(Looking just fabulous on her way home from hospital, wearing the beautiful outfit her great-grandmother knitted for her)

A cute story

My next door neighbours are an older couple from Sri Lanka. They have a granddaughter my son's age and whenever she comes to visit them, they play together outside our house. Last summer, they (the granddaughter and my son) decided to be very helpful and picked all the rhubarbs from our garden. I spent the weekend making jam and as a thank you I walked over to my neighbours and gave them a jar to give to the little girl. The grandmother was so happy with this, that in a few moments, she came over to my house with a bag of home-made Sri Lankan sweets and this beautiful dress that she had just brought back with her from home. I was so thrilled!

Well then...

... I guess I'm back! I feel like I owe you an explanation. The reason for my absence is just plain old tiredness from working full time, being a mother of two energetic little boys, and, oh yes, this little gal:

We're so excited! 

I'm still here...

... don't worry ;)
I'm just hibernating, taking a bit of a break and concentrating on work, private projects, family and myself. I'll be back :)

Sleeping bear by Eiko Ishizawa.

Feeling sorry...

...for the lack of posting
...for myself

I've been coughing my guts out for the last four weeks and I finally gave in and got an appointment at the doctor's. Been feeling soooo tired, sick, sweaty, sticky, ugly, awful... I've been going to sleep at the same time as my little boys, between 8 and 9 pm and sleeping through till 7 in the morning, still feeling I want some more sleep. Now I dream of the perfect bedroom, and guess what! Design*Sponge has a best of bedrooms roundup! Here's my favorite:

As a sign of my sickness, I would even let hubby roll the TV in there for me... oh no, did I just say that?!

PS I don't even know what day it is, so the weekly schedule is out the window for the time being.

An unpleasant encounter

I started yesterday off by being chased down the street by a mad man swinging a huge chain lock. Seriously! I almost feel like I'm telling a lie when I say this because it seems so unreal. On my way to work I noticed this man going after a young boy and stopped and as I was afraid he was going to attack him I started fumbling for my phone. That's when he saw me and came after me, swinging the chain. I was walking down Reykjavík's main shopping street but it was early and none of the shops were open yet. I ran and I ran, trying to get cars to stop and help me, but no one would. Finally I saw a guy opening up an optical shop, pushed myself past him into the shop and finally found my phone and called the police. They came and got him, but get this: they then let him go, 'because they didn't have anything on him'! I got the police to drop me home since I wasn't about to go back out on the street where this maniac was still on the loose. Today I found out that the same guy just continued up the road an proceeded to throw rocks into the windows of a bank and damaged 6 cars before a security guard overpowered him! Needless to say, I was a bit shaky yesterday, but I'm fine now. Not walking to work anymore though!

(art by Banksy)

Bad day

Had a bad experience this morning... will write tomorrow...

in the meantime, this picture from 'Just call me S'

Summertime!

Well it's been summertime already for some time, but as of today, it's official! I'm off work for two weeks and I'm starting by going to a friend's summerhouse and after that, who knows? Some camping maybe, or just Reykjavík City chilling! Would love to hang out poolside!

Photo by Nesta Usa found on Flickr.

Sorry for the lack of posting...

... I've been snowed under at work. But I managed to come across this cute picture by vanouxe.

I'm selling my sofas!

No, not the sofa in this picture! But this is the picture that made me decide to finally go ahead and do it. I want a living room like this! I desperately neeeeed a living room like this! I swear I went weak at the knees and my heart skipped a beat when I saw this picture over on poppytalk. 

So. It's decided! Below is a picture of my sofas. I'm also going to change the curtains, get some light-weight white ones. Sadly, I can't do anything about the floors right now, but I would love to have white painted wooden floors... aaah, one day, one day!

...

I just can't get over how perfect that living room is... *sigh*

This week in pictures

Sorry for the lack of posting yesterday. My little Sam is ill and I fell asleep while nursing him to sleep. So today I feel all nice and refreshed after 12 hours of sleep. So anyway, this is the post I meant to do yesterday, my week in pictures.

On Sunday I celebrated my birthday

On Tuesday I went and bought a new pair of shoes

On wednesday the biggest Gym in Reykjavik had a great deal on monthly memberships, so I went and joined. So far I've done an 'abs and back' class and a 'Salsa fitness' class. Watch out Jane Fonda, here I come!

(Picture borrowed from Ambush Studio)

Oh and Face Hunter is in town... haven't seen him though, but have been doing my best to dress stylishly... just in case!

(Picture from Face Hunter - obviously ;)

Stars and polka-dots

For my birthday I made cupcakes with stars and polka-dots. Had a wonderful day with family and friends. Happy 4th!

Everyday saints

Saints for those everyday situations... like losing your keys!

Saint Isidor, the Internet Guide

Saint Zita, the key finder

Saint Disma, the alarm system

Saint Claudius (of course!) for smoking in peace

Wall Saints stickers by Marcella Foschi and Alice Rosignoli are, according to Marcella's web site, actual Vatican approved saints that protect us from our fears or solve little problems. I need you, Saint Zita! What kind of a saint do you need in your life? I wonder if there is one 'for mothers to drink just one cup of coffee in peace a day'...

Some more things I *have* to have!

These last few days I've been trying to get my 17 month old to go to sleep in his own bed. While he's not too unhappy about the new arrangement, he does take a loooong time to fall asleep and if I leave his bedside he will cry. So I've been sitting there next to him, patiently waiting for mr sandman to do his job. So what has that got to do with a lace unitard and a black wedge sandal? Well, while I've been sitting there I've had to entertain myself in some way or other, without disturbing Sam. So I've been thinking about my wardrobe, how I can update it, what pieces I'd really like to get and totally fantasizing about getting a completely new outfit for every day of the week. I've reached the conclusion that the next thing I need to buy for an instant update is this lace unitard from American Apparel (a second life to all my light jersey dresses) and wedge sandals to get with the latest footwear craze... although wedge shoes would probably be more practical as they would take me through winter.

A wonderful day!

I just had the greatest day today. I decided to cycle to work and take Sam, my littlest one along for the ride. He had a blast on his first real bicycle ride ever, and after I dropped him off at his daycare, I rode down Laugavegur, Reykjavík's main shopping street, where I love to window-shop in all the different vintage and unique design shops. I had a good day at work but decided to leave early because the weather was fantastic. Cycled home, picked Sam up on the way and being a little hot and flustered after riding uphill suggested we all go to the beach (yes, really, we also have beaches in Iceland!). We threw some drinks and finger snacks in a bag with towels and blankets and were off (the beach - Nauthólsvík - is about 10 minutes away from where we live by car). We picked George, our older one, up from school on the way and I found out that tomorrow is Pirate Day and I didn't have a costume sorted! Decided to worry about that after the beach. When we got there I quickly got the cool-down I was after, in fact we were all freezing so we decided to go home and cook a nice meal instead. After eating I hung up my grandmother's old clock that my father inherited and I'm just keeping for him. It looks great in our living room! Pictures later :) George played with his friends from next door in the garden and I called my friends to find out if anyone had a pirate costume for a 4 year old. Luckily my friend Ingibjörg had one and she lives close by, so after the kids finally went to bed at around 11 (another story) I decided to go for a run and pick up the costume. Got a nice girl talk with her as well and wasn't home until midnight! When I finally sat down by the computer, I had no idea what to write about. So I decided to tell you about my day :) How was your day, did you do anything fun?

Oh, and the photo shows the service facilities by the beach we went to, a really nice little piece of architecture by an all female architecture office, Arkibúllan.

Reykjavík street style

Still not feeling super and my littlest one still has the stomach flu... so just a few pics of the stylish girls of the streets of Reykjavík

Above - nice details on Ynjunet

Mother and daughter on Sagasig

Floral frocks on Wardrobe Wonderland

I'm heading to the countryside tomorrow, that is if everyone has stopped puking (sorry) so hopefully I can transmit tranquility and chilled out vibes over the weekend... have a nice one!

Summer dreaming

My littlest one has the stomach flu so after he finally fell asleep there was nothing to do but roll up my sleeves and get cleaning, washing and doing laundry. All the while I was dreaming myself away to a faraway beach where my biggest worry would be to choose which bathing suit to wear to all the beach parties.

A classy black one for cocktails at the pool bar

ASOS

Hanging out with my girlfriends poolside (accessorized with a large brimmed hat and a cosmopolitan of course)

Anthropology

Playing on the beach

Anthropology

Of course I've been daydreaming of the perfectly fit body to go with these...

Sharing the love

I'm so thrilled to have found two new blogs that I absolutely love. First up is James of Bleubird Vintage. She's so fabulous, I have a total girl crush on her. She's the mother of two cool kiddos and manages to be cool, amazingly stylish and totally creative. I feel very inspired.

This makes me want to build a teepee in our living room too and play pretty Indians.

Next is the Cherry Blossom Girl. A stylish Parisienne who makes me want to wear dresses and heels and black seamed tights every day.

And look at that pretty printed screen behind her! And the mirror! And the floorboards!!!

And finally, I want these for summer!

I'd pair them with a chunky knit for spring, a delicate knit for summer, my dad's faded brown leather jacket and killer heals. On the days that I'm not chasing after my kids...