Sort of like going to the zoo...

...except really close and FREE. Okay, so not completely like going to the zoo, but the kids loved it. Elina was in charge of the activity for Family Home Evening and so we went to Petsmart! Our poor, deprived kids had never set foot there. We have an audio book called "The Pet Store Mystery," that the kids love to listen to. It is in Swedish and like many other things that feature Sweden (books and movies), these things don't always exist in the US. When Elina learned that there ARE pet stores in the US, and in Norman, even, she about flipped! Besides, Petsmart is at least 5 times bigger than any pet store found in Scandinavia. I sometimes feel so bad when I realize how their little minds interpret their dual world.

We checked out fishes, water snails, hermit crabs, parakeets, finches, rats, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, snakes, frogs, turtles and bearded dragons (Elina: "Where are their wings?"). And at Petsmart there are always people with dogs walking around the store. And then we had to check out all the pet supplies.

Then we met our good friend, Martina, who was shopping for dog treats.

Nike (knee-keh)

Swedish pronunciation of the name of the goddess of speed, strength and victory. It also happens to be the traditional Greek pronunciation of the same name, Νίκη. This is now the name of Isak, Elina and Anja's sweet, new cousin, born September 26th in Borås, Sweden - same hospital as Isak. 7 lbs, 19 3/4 inches. Aren't newborns the best?

Walking to School

It is still very warm in Oklahoma, 88 Fahrenheit yesterday at 4 pm (31 Celcius), but the mornings have been much cooler (55 F, 12 C). So when we walk to school at 7.40 a.m a jacket is in order. Check out the tired faces! Elina's and Anja's jackets were a gift from Mormor and Morfar in Sweden.

The Weekend

The weekend brought cooler weather. At least Sunday did. It was somewhat like Scandinavian summer. Isak declared, "This is my favorite type of weather."

Lucky for Mark that I am only 5 lbs (2,5 kg) above my "married weight" these days. (He said to write he couldn't manage this during pregnancy, though. [I've gained 60 lbs each time])

We played over at our friends Inger and Steve's house. It was like a pre-Halloween rally. Elina donned a much-to-small dragon costume. Isak found a kimono (??), and Harry Potter took off his robe to climb a tree, while Snow White looked on.

Anja had a good time, too.

Phase One

The robe is done. Only the rest to go.

Game Day

Welcome to campus living. We live in a tiny residential pocket surrounded on all four sides of the campus. This is how it looks during football games. (Seen from the front, everyone who has not been inside our house expects something very small, and though it is by now means the Taj Mahal, I can reveal that it is a four bed, two living, three bath house, which extends toward the back). We used to have another tree in the yard, right where that little black is parked. We took it down two years ago as it was mistletoe infested. Now we have an extra parking spot. Perhaps by the end of this season we will have earned enough parking there to have paid for its removal.

Uncle Craig (center) and Uncle Jim (red shirt) paid us a very quick visit. They actually went to the game, something we rarely do.

Sewing THE Costume

Because the world has seen much greater seamstresses than myself, I am starting NOW on the important Halloween project to ensure that it will be complete in time. It is a head-to-toe Obi-Wan Kenobi outfit as seen above, complete with the Jedi robe with hood in brown fleece, the Jedi tunic in beige linen, the dickey (underneath the tunic), pants, belt, and faux boots of my own design. I bought the fabric a while ago but have been very daunted at the prospect of making this thing because all the child size Jedi-like sewing patterns are out of print.

Anja is going to be Yoda!


With the left-over fleece from Isak's robe I patched together a blanket for Elina. That is what she wanted. (Still don't know for certain what she will be for Halloween). I made the blanket yesterday and after every seam she asked if I was done. I don't know how I am going to be able to make this costume, except late in the evening hours because between Elina and Anja I have more help than I need. Elina randomly reverses for me without warning, and suddenly helps me accelerate by crawling under the table and pressing her hand on the pedal. "I want to help you do it faster!" Anja's favorite is stepping on the fabric I am cutting or on the pattern paper. She's 15 months old and knows that she is not allowed. So she sticks out one foot at the time, slowly, then the other. She's very sneaky, but what can I expect with two older siblings to teach her the ropes?

Expect pictures of the finished product in October some time. Probably the 30th, at midnight.

Something funny: Elina said today she wanted to eat "Chevrolet." After some inquiry on my part she climbed onto the counter top, opened the cabinet and pointed to a can of Ravioli.