Work-Trip to Spain and Ireland
[Photos taken on 22 May to 31 May 2017, posted online on 4 October 2017. So. Far. Behind. Myself.]
I decided to combine two work-trips into one. I began by flying to Madid, Spain, and working there few days with a colleague, after which I flew straight to Dublin, Ireland, and worked a few days there with another colleague (98 images total!!!).
Monday 22 May 2017
Goodbye Iceland, for now!
A Tale of Two Trips (Laugarvatn & Paris)
[Photos taken on 28 April to 1 May 2017, posted online 7 August 2017. Bjarki’s room has been rearranged!]
In opposition to all the social research which indicates that looking forward to trips for a long time is good for the soul, we sprung Anna’s confirmation trip to Paris on her, giving her less than a week to anticipate it!
Mostly this was because we had the hardest time deciding what to give her that she would like, especially since mostly she wanted a horse! But, as it was becoming apparent that we would not be visiting Paris during our upcoming trip to France this summer, Anna was sad, so to Paris she got sent!
Now, as Finnur and Anna were going to be away, I decided to utilize our designated weekend at the Laugarvatn summer house, but worried about Bjarki and Emma arguing nonstop. Therefore I borrowed two kids as playmates, the middle kid of my oldest brother, and the son of my brother Pétur, who also tagged along, but avoided the camera somehow! (39 images total)
Friday 28 April 2017
Anna and Finnur stopped by my workplace to hand over some misplaced car keys.
Mom-Morning, Dinner, 2nd Birthday, and a Walk
[Photos taken on 24 April 2017, posted online 5 August 2017. Emma’s room has been purged of unwanted things and tidied!]
The week after Anna’s confirmation:
Emma’s daycare had a mom-morning, my dad and company came for dinner, we celebrated my nephew’s second birthday, and I went for a late evening walk. (13 images total)
Monday 24 April 2017
Daycare likes to ask the kids questions in preparation for certain days, like when moms or dads stay with them for an hour in the morning to socialize and look around. Here are questions regarding “mom”.
Anna Sólrún’s Confirmation & Party
[Photos taken on 23 April 2017, posted online 30 July 2017. Since the last post we’ve spent 10 days in France, and a week at a summer house!]
Anna’s civil confirmation day was a beautiful one.
The civil confirmation, held by Siðmennt, the secular ethical humanist organization of Iceland, is a version of the religious confirmation/Bar & Bat Mitzvah/Rite of passage concept, and consist of a 12 week course where various topics are covered, while encouraging critical and philosophical thinking.
At the end of the course there is a ceremony where some of the kids perform, a speaker holds forth, and the kids get certificates for completing the course.
Afterwards there is traditionally a celebratory party! (A large majority of kids in Iceland still get religiously confirmed, but the secular group keeps growing every year.) For the kids, it’s all about the gifts, but for the parents it’s a chance to show off their awesome kids, surrounded by friends and family.
Here are 66 photos from the day. Click here to see ALL the 124 photos!
The proud parents outside Salurinn, the auditorium where the ceremony was held. It was the third and last such civil ceremony of the day.
Confirmation Day Preparations
[Photos taken 17 to 22 April 2017, posted online 5 July 2017. The summer holiday looms!]
The week after Easter Sunday was in large part spent preparing for the big (80 person) confirmation party we were about to host the following Sunday.
We tried to keep things fairly laid back, but there was a test-hairdo appointment, old photos to sort through and get printed, finalizing decorations, finalizing food matters, hiring a helper, sorting out flowers, actually setting up the room, etc., etc…
I’m pretty sure we spent more time organizing this party than we did organizing our own wedding! But it was (mostly) fun, and nobody quite freaked out. (25 images total)
Monday 17 April 2017
(Second Day of Easter = Public Holiday)
That Monday I took off to a new cafe in Hafnarfjörður to finish picking out old photos of Anna. I think that’s Bjarki sliding down a hill on the screen though!
Walks, Visits, and a Rock Opera
[Photos taken 04 – 15 April 2017, posted online 01 July 2017. I sure hope the next update isn’t in August!]
The first half of April included Hrefna (me) taking lots of walks, Pétur and Fannar visiting, seeing a rock opera, visiting Finnur’s parents’ summer house, and going swimming, while trying not to freak out about organizing the upcoming confirmation party for Anna. (55 images total )
Tuesday 04 April 2017
Pétur and Fannar came over for dinner and a soak. Fannar turned out to have a small infection by one of his fingernails. so we tried to protect it with a plastic bag. Aaaalmost succeeded!
Hrefna’s 40th Birthday!
[Photos from 01 March 2017, posted online 8 May 2017. Tick, tock, tick, tock!]
I turned 40 years old the other day (ahemm, two months ago!). Let’s all pause to let that sink in.
I’d gone back and forth on the party/no party question and then the “what kind of party”, but as our schedule started lining up (the following weekend got completely filled up!), it became clear that a small gathering at home after work, with ‘bought ready food’ would be ‘it’.
I pat myself on the back for at least celebrating the day, as it was tempting (easier) not to. I’m pretty happy about the age upgrade though, and I expect to become very mature in the coming days/weeks/months/years. Any time now really. (16 images total)
Hrefna, 40 years old, and perhaps missing a few marbles.
Emma Ósk 4 Years Old
[Photos from 12 February 2017, posted online 12 April 2017. On Easter break, at a cafe. Mmmmm.]
After waiting, with varying amounts of patience, for her birthday, Emma’s fourth birthday finally materialized. It happened to fall on a Sunday, so we invited some family over to celebrate. (17 images total)
The formal birthday cake.
2nd Day of Christmas Mini-Family Party
[Photos from 26 December 2016, posted online 07 March 2017. Fueled by carrot cake!]
My uncle and wife hosted my mom plus kids, spouses, and grandkids for a lovely afternoon at their place. We ate too much, the kids played, the adults chatted, and a board game got played! (15 images total)
A feast!
Living Room Photo Studio – Christmas Edition
[Sunday 18 December 2016, posted online on 17 February 2017. April weather, and the days are getting long. Good stuff!]
Three years ago, my brothers came over and I took photos of them and all the kids, which we (Pétur and I) made into a book to give mom for Christmas.
Since then, one grandchild has been added to the mix, and they’ve of course all gotten older, so we thought it was high time to make a new book with the grand-kids.
We were short on time so we used a local printer, with a local program, which doesn’t offer nice pdfs to view online, but if I do recreate the book, I’ll post a link to it here.
Until then, here are some of the photos. Oh, and the older generation also found themselves in front of the camera, but unfortunately we were missing brother Bjarni, who was busy (and also, kid-less!).
Pétur performed the photoprocessing, he’s a hero! Below are a few of the photos that made the cut, here are the rest. (27 images total)
Bjarki and Anna “debbing” (isn’t that what the young ones are calling this pose?)