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!
Aðalsteinn Ingi Named
[Photos taken on 21 May 2017, posted online on 24 September 2017. Finnur just spent a week in Japan, will be spending this week in California. Emma is with her grandparents, hence I have time to blog.]
Steinunn and Einar newest son was named Aðalsteinn Ingi on a gorgeous day in May. This link will take you to all the photos, but below are 28 of them.
The cake with the name.
May 2017 Runs On
[Photos taken on 15 May to 20 May 2017, posted online 14 23 September. Spent a long weekend on a work-trip in N-Ireland! (Now two weeks ago!)]
The Ingress game (close cousin to Pokemon Go, played by going to certain locations with your phone) posted a challenge, which involved hunting down about 400 locations in two weeks (before 21 May), and leave markers behind.
Something about that sounded like a good idea, so Finnur and I found ourselves in random locations either after the kids had gone to bed, or taking “the long way home” after work. Very little else got done during those two weeks, and yes, blog posts were put on hold.
Photos got taken, and of course life continued on as usual. Bjarki played his guitar at a spring concert, I tried going out on jogs again (only to hurt my Achilles tendon even more), there was reading, we got visitors, and I even went to a party! (40 images total and 1 video)
Monday 15 May 2017
The view while out on a lunch time jog.
The Way Home via Various South Coast Tourist Stops
[Photos taken on 14 May 2017, posted online 6 September. Always fun to look back.]
On the way back home from the family reunion at Steig, we stopped by various interesting locations, both to stretch our legs, and to visit various Ingress/Pokemon GPS-located stops. We’ve found that be a good incentive to go to places we might otherwise drive right past! (53 images total)
The beach of Reynisfjara, seen from Dyrhólaey. There have been So. Many. Photos. taken of this beach!
Foster Family Reunion at Steig
[Photos taken on 13 May to 14 May 2017, posted online 2 September. I’m in denial about having a nasty head-cold. 27 August 2017. At a cafe, where a girl is doing her math homework, and her (presumably older?) boyfriend is being impatient and a bit obnoxious but still hanging around, occasionally helping. She’s telling him off though so they might make it. ]
Just like three years ago, we attended the family reunion of Finnur’s dad’s foster family. It was held at the Steig Guesthouse, close by the tourist attractions of Reynisfjara, and Dyrhólaey.
We drove there on Saturday, stayed the night at the guesthouse, and then drove back to town the next day, stopping at various places to let the kids out of the car, and, uhm, visit some Ingress locations/tourist traps.
Here are the photos from the family reunion (48 images total).
Saturday 13 May 2017
The view out the car window on the way to Steig. It was a beautiful day! That’s a glacier by the way.
Many May 2017 Missives
[Photos taken on 02 May to 12 May 2017, posted online 23 24 August 2017. School began today yesterday!]
The month of May brought with it good company, surprisingly warm days, endless sunsets, painting of walls, chasing down certain GPS locations for an Ingress game challenge, parties, spring cleanings, and a few jogs/walks as I tried to fix my deteriorating Achilles tendon (injured while jumping up stairs on that foot when the ankle broke on the other side a year and a half ago)!
Not much luck on the Achilles tendon, but Finnur and I both completed the Ingress challenge. Yay! (71 images total)
Tuesday 02 May 2017
Way behind schedule, I finally managed to host a sewing club for the ex-California ladies. It was a lovely evening!
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”.
Confirmation Wrap-Up
[Photos taken on 24 April 2017, posted online 31 July 2017. Today I stained our decks!]
When we’d arrived home after the confirmation party, downstairs was in such a disarray (after the photo-shoot etc!) that I just had to tidy up before presents could be opened. That wasn’t done until 11 pm, by which time Anna was pale with exhaustion, so present-opening got postponed for a day.
She ended up getting lots of wonderful gifts, and a good chunk of money, as is customary. We thank everybody for their generosity!!
Anna had been too exhausted to open her presents the night before, so the bonanza got opened the day after.
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.