Travelog for: Tapio (Tapsa)

Hi,

My name is Tapio, but all my friends call me Tapsa. I'm a Finnish moose. My twin brother Henrik has been travelling around the world for a long time and now finally I would like to see the world myself too. As Henrik and I are twins I have the same wishes as he has I love coffee (especially latte) and chocolate I'm looking forward to getting some new adventures

Hi Mom!

Guess where I am?!!? I am in the USA! 

I got here this morning and was greeted by some other TV's. It was such a nice welcome. My host-mom, Monica, told me they are getting ready to celebrate Halloween here and go trick-o-treating. All I know is that we get LOTS of CANDY!!!! Yum 

When I arrived I was greeted by Tealc, Leopold, &UrselHH (who also arrived this morning). Tealc is Monica's at home TV... he hasn't traveled out of NC yet, Leo is from Oregon, and UrselHH is from Germany but was visiting in Newfoundland, Canada before she arrived here in the states.

Monica said she bought us some surprises for Halloween and will have to find UrselHH and I a costume so we can go trick-o-treating. I can't wait. Maybe I can be a mummy?

Tealc told Ursel and I that his mom bought us some Halloween stuff. Take a look at what she got us...

I am tired, and it's been an exciting day getting to know my new friends. Tomorrow is the BIG SCARY night... HALLOWEEN!! I can't wait...

I promise I won't eat too much candy so I don't rot my teeth!

Love you and miss you,

Tapsa

P.S. Host-dad, Adam, said the chocolate bar you sent was delicious. He stole it from me! 

BOOOOO!

Did I scare you mom? This is me ready to go trick-o-treating! Didn't Monica & Tealc do a good job on my costume? I am a mummy!! I added the big sunglasses for fun. Monica said I could if I wanted to

Tealc, UrselHH, Leo and I had so much fun trick-o-treating last night. We got lots of candy. I made sure to share mine with my new friends. Monica said we all had to share the candy with each other and not eat too much otherwise the candy would rot our teeth and hurt our bellies.

I think I want to stay here in NC for a while. Monica and Tealc are such great hosts. (Host-dad, Adam is nice too!).

Take a look at our costumes and all the candy we got!!

Hey Momma-

Sorry I haven't updated in a while... my host-mom has been real sick and was in the hospital for about 10 days. She apologizes for my absence in updates. She was able to take me to a few cool places in the last couple of weeks though. I was even able to complete one of my missions!!!!

Guess what mission I was able to complete, mom? Come on guess!.... Give up? Boo... you would have gotten it right I am sure. Well, I will tell you...

I got to see a mountain!!!!! YAY! 
How cool is that? It was beautiful and it was a lovely day to take in the fresh air!

Take a look at the pics from the drive up to actually seeing the mountain up close 

We didn't stay long because host-dad brought the dog and he didn't want to have to drag him around the mountain so we just walked around and took some photo's. Either way, us toys had a ball of a time.... Take a look

Hey Momma-

Guess what we did today? We went and looked at Christmas trees! Not just any trees but specially decorated trees! They were all so very beautiful. My host-mom took us to the Festival of Trees sponsored by Brenner's Children Hospital. It was an auction and the trees were all decorated and sold to those who wanted to sponsor the hospital. They also had lots of things for kids to do and see. It was great to see all the cool  decorated trees.
There were also some reindeer that we were able to take a ride on. So much fun! (Of course they weren't real , but still cool just the same)
We also saw large nutcracker and gingerbread man and my host-mom even let us play in some presents.
It was a fun filled afternoon. Host-dad even came and was the photographer for us.

Take a look at all the things we got to see...

Hey Momma-

Monica (host-mom) took us to her work last night! We had to stay up all night long, because she works the "grave-yeard shift". Basically it's all night from 11p to 7 a. How she is able to stay awake for such long periods of time I do not know. It was hard for me to even stay awake.

Monica took us to work because she said they have already put the Christmas decorations out and it would be great if we could see them since they are so beautiful. Also she told us that she was awarded Employee of the Month for November so she wanted us to see the beautiful sign they had hanging on the bulletin board in her honor.

Monica was right about the decorations mom! We got to see a christmas tree with presents,see some friendly snowmen, sit by the fireplace and even see SANTA!!!! How great it was to see SANTA! I didn't think he was real but now I KNOW he is!!!

While at work she also told us a bit about what she does- Monica is a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) who takes care of the elderly. She let us clock-in the time clock and even check out the lights that she has to answer when one of the old folks rings their bell.

Monica gave us the grand tour. When I get old, Momma, I want to live there and have Monica take care of me! I even got to learn how to play checkers!! We need to play that game alot when I get home so I can show you how good I am and beat you. HA!

I'd love to visit her work again, maybe in the daytime so I am not sooo tired. Now it's time for me to take a nap so I can recouperate from last night.

Talk to you again soon!

Hello Momma-

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Today we are celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday here in the US. Basically, Monica told us, is its the one day a year that everyone uses as an excuse to eat and get fat. HA! She is off work, luckily, so she is going to be cooking for her family. Host-dad's mom and younger brothers are coming by to celebrate and enjoy this holiday with us.

Monica ordered a ham and turkey loaf from honey baked ham. Ham and turkey are the traditional meats they eat for his special day. Monica told us that once when she was younger and living at home they had prime rib of beef for thanksgiving instead of the usual meat. I thought that was pretty strange, but interesting!

Monica got off work last night and barely slept any because she knew she'd be busy cooking today. We helped her make some of the finger  foods and the desserts. It was messy but alot of fun. Monica is a good cook but certainly not Betty Crocker. The desserts were definitely as good as I have ever tasted.

I got to use a handheld mixer and crack some eggs. I think baking and cooking is fun. Maybe when I come home we need to look at finding me a cooking class to join?

I am going to finish helping Monica cook and prepare for the guests to arrive. Then we are going to eat!!!

With love,
Tapsa

Hey Mom

It was so BEAUTIFUL outside today so our host-mom decided to take us outside so we can enjoy the beauty that is Fall.

Monica took us outside her apt. building in the parking lot. There is a big tree there close to the roadsign/stop sign that had beautiful leaves blowing in the wind and leaves around it that had fallen. To her it was the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the outdoors. We sat outside with her for about an hour while she read under the tree.

Monica even let us climb the tree for a bit as long as we didn't get too high up where she couldnt reach.

I wish it was Fall all throughout the year! The leaves falling, the colors changing and the cool but nice temps... ahhh just beautiful!

What a relaxing afternoon outside..

More to come...

Tapsa

Hi Momma

In prepartion for the Christmas holidays, Monica got us Santa hats! Isn't that fun? Unfortunately, she couldn't find one that fit me, but Tealc, Vahla and Ursel got a hat. My antlers were just too big for me to get a hat.... oh well.

Don't we look cute, Momma?

Tapsa

BRRRRR it's so cold outside! It's SNOWING!!!!! Today is the first day of snow here in NC. It is so beautiful falling to the ground. Too bad it's not enough for it to stick to the ground long enough to really play in it.

Host-mom and host-dad were driving around town when it started falling. When they got home it had stopped but us toys were able to get some pictures in the snow around the apartments.

I don't know what happened to the weather. Last week it was so beautiful outside and now it's froze! Yikes!!... BRRR! I don't like this cold weather. Fall, where did you go?

It's too cold for me out! BRRRR!

Tapsa

Hi Mom!

Today was exciting! Guess what? We had another toy join our little crew today! His name is Ollie Kikabeer. He's a little orange bear. We greeted him with the warmest welcome. After he arrived we sat around and talked with him and found out that he is from Netherlands by way of Canada. Hopefully we can show him a good time here in the states. It's getting cold but if he just left Canada, it's warm here. HA!

Love you and miss you

Tapsa

sings *HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Host-Mom... HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you... HAPPY BIRTHDAY dear Host-Mom... HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you...*


You guessed it right, mom, today is our host-mom's birthday! Monica is turning 25 years young. She is 1/4 of a century old!! WOW! I don't think I am ever going to get that OLD...

To celebrate her special day, us toys sang happy birthday to her and wished her well for the coming year. Unfortunate for her that her birthday is so close to Christmas that she doesn't get as many presents.

Host-dad surprised her by sending her a beautiful boquet of flowers with red roses especially themed with a gold vase and red ribbon for the Christmas holidays. Also came a plushie snowman in a bag with a Happy Birthday mylar balloon attached. Isn't he romantic and sweet? At least he remembered her birthday! HA!

Not much happened today b/c Host-dad had to work but he did take Monica out for a lovely dinner at Olive Garden. Unfortunately us toys didn't get to go because Host-dad wanted to be alone with Host-mom for a special night out. We completely understood.

Happy Birthday, Monica, hope you had a blessed day and a great 25th year!

xo Tapsa

Hi Mom!

It started SNOWING!! again tonight. Monica said it was pretty cold outside and the snow was coming down pretty hard but if us toys wanted to go out for a bit we could.

She sat us toys up on her car and we sat and watched/enjoyed the snow fall for a bit. It was so beautiful. The snowflakes weren't too big but big enough to know it was snowing.

After a bit Monica said it was too cold to continue to stay outside so we went back inside.  Monica let us continue to watch the snow from the window. It definitely wasn't the same but it was certainly warmer inside.

I think the snow is beautiful but I don't think I could get used to this coldness. BRRRR!

Frozen,
T

Hello Mom!


Guess what?!?! We went shopping at Walmart today!!! I didn't know what Walmart was, but it sure sounded interesting. Our host-mom said that it is a big mega store that sells groceries, along with clothing and other merchandise. Kind of the catch-all store. I was excited. Monica told us that she had some last minute grocery items she needed to get so that she could finish the desserts she had planned to make for the holiday parties we were going to.

It was so much fun to go to Walmart. We got to play in the aisles and even got to see Santa's toyland. I didn't know he had a shop set up at Walmart!!! Take a look at all the fun we had. Do they have a Walmart by us mom? If we do, we should go more often, I think you will like it.

I can't wait, Christmas is only a couple of days away. I just want to see Santa!

It's almost Christmas, YAY!

Today Monica and Tealc are wrapping the presents that they picked out for Monica and Adam's families. Of course us toys were able to help. We didn't do much helping; we did more playing. Either way it was fun to get to pick out gift bags and tie the ribbons on the presents.

I miss you mom, and can't wait to see you soon.

Lots of love,
Tapsa