Anjas favoritdjur i ordning

1. Giraff och Delfin
2. Hamster
3. Pingvin
4. Igelkott
5. Brunbjörn
6. Pandabjörn
7. Koala

Spring Break in Arklahoma part II

 Anja got to ride. IGNORE the dates on these pictures.
Mark's work camera... not programmed correctly,. because it resets every time the memory card is removed.

 Julia was excited about riding a pony. Until she realized it was not a Shetland pony.
Too high for her taste, this time around. She would only ride when I walked next to her and held her. She also preferred the horse be stationary and not move. :)

 Isak and Elina went with me on the hour-long trail ride.

 Elina really enjooyed her pony - Comanche.

 Isak's pony, Cherrokee (Cherry for short) was rather lazy.

 Smores!

 Anja did not want to be in the picture. But they did well in the car for the most part.

Roasting marshmallows to make Smores.

Spring Break in Arklahoma

Our cabin. We rented two attached one-bedroom units this time.

This is the third time our family has gone on a trip to eastern Oklahoma. (The border are between Arkansas and Oklahoma is sometimes referred to Arklahoma, and now we have officially crossed the border into Arkansas, much to Isak's pleasure - he likes to count the states he has been in). 

We are getting better at traveling as a family. The kids are older and there are fewer fights and less drama. Bed time is easier, too. We (Mark and I) didn't feel like we needed a vacation from our vacation when we came home this time. :)

Elina, where she and Isak slept. 

The view. Kind of a big deal when you come from the prairie. 

When they know mom is looking.

When they think mom is not looking.

Anja's favorite spot.

Grilling hot dogs.



Harmynta! Visste inte att det växte alls i Oklahoma. Jag lärde barnen att äta det.


Bildbeviset att jag var med. Och med ny hatt!


På väg att se runstenen i Heavener, Oklahoma.

En runsten i Heavener, Oklahoma.

 Runstenen har byggts in bakom glad för att förhindra att väder, vind och vandalism förstör den.
Stenen är cirka 4 meter hög.

 Barn med vikingablod.

HÄR kan man se video om runstensparken.

 Julia ville att jag skulle ta denna bilden.

 Mark och Isak poserar med låtsasgevär.

Paradise Road i Arkansas.

Ska ladda upp fler bilder lite senare.

Isak

Isak is 5'3" or 160 cm at 10 years and 8 months. He just is so big to me lately and about to finish fifth grade in a few months. And still, I can't decide if he is tall. I have a clear memory of being 163 cm at the same age. I reached my grandmother's height in 4th grade when I was ten and she was 163 cm, but boys are supposed to get their growth spurt later. And he is taller than all his classmates, except two - but he is more than 6 months younger than both of those class mates. This picture was taken today: Love that boy so much.

Julia pusslar

På Julias lilla förskola så pusslar de varje morgon innan frukosten serveras, och Julia älskar pussel. Hennes mamma är inte fullt lika förjust pga av alla pusselbitarna, och därför hade detta pusslet hamnat långt bak i pusselhyllan. Jag köpte det i oöppnat paket från Vinden. Hon la det pusslet minst 10 gånger den dagen vi hittade det. Jag var ju tvungen att filma. Nagelbitande spänning, bara så ni är beredda.

HÄR.

Cinderella - Isak 5th grade performance

Isak was the King in his last-ever elementary school music performance, "Cinderella." Mrs. Tune, the music teacher, (her name, for real) is a character. The kids are scared of her. The adults are, too. But we also like her. She is pretty amazing in the way she coordinates and organizes these programs, with 149 kids - all but 30 (who couldn't be present for all 3 performances) had some special part like narration, dancing, solo, ensemble, musical instrument or character. For two songs the kids provided all of the music and percussion, using two dozen instruments. And Mrs. Tune can make 900 kids between 4 and 11 years old (that are packed like sardines on the gym floor) be silent with just a few arm movements. Since the school split into two they don't pack 900 kids in there at the same time anymore, but I have seen it done and I have watched Mrs. Tune in awe!

The King was a very small, albeit important, part. I sewed all of Isak's costume except the crown (parents are responsible for costumes), complete with the 3 crowns of the Swedish royal crest on his tunic. He lost his belt after the first performance. Oh well.

Parents also help out with stage decorations, and I created the purple castle seen center stage. I should have used some sort of measuring device, as opposed to relying on by eye, because it is a tad uneven.

Here is the Ball Scene.
(at apc 3:30, when the King has left, a little blond head can be seen in the audience, wearing a yellow flower and a white cardigan. That is Anja.)

Here is the Cinderella Song version 1 (before Isak lost his belt) and version 2 (where the whole royal family is visible, Jonah is the prince, one of Isak's friends.

Scenen innan föreställningen. Inger gjorde pumporna.

Mitt slott. Antagligen det största jag någonsin kommer att rita i mitt liv.

Sam och Isak. De går i samma klass i år. Men från och med nästa år går de på olika skolor.

Matt (som varit i samma klass som Isak sen 3an), Sam och Isak.

Donna kom och tittade på matine föreställningen, och det gjorde även vår vän Jerry Dees, från  San Ramon,  California! 

Han råkade vara på besök I Oklahoma City och tyckte det var jättekul att se Isaks föreställning. "I have been to dozens of elementary school performances," sa han, och han har ju själv 5 barn så det fattar man ju.

Efteråt sa han "This was the best elementary school performance I have EVER seen!" Och inte för att skryta men den var verkligen fantastisk. Speciellt de flickorna som spelade styvsystrarna var helt enorma. De hade solon och sjöng som värsta musikal skådisarna, hade den rätta mimiken och gesterna och allt. Och när eleverna spelade sina instrumental stycken satt man verkligen och gapade.

Sorgligt nog åkte Jerry akut in å sjukhus i San Francisco I GÅR med något som på engelska heter "dissecting aorta." Det är huvudpulsådern som trasats sönder. 80% dödlighet och de flesta dör innan de når sjukhuset. Jag var helt intälld på att han skulle dö när jag fick nyheten i går morse och fällde några tårar ska jag vara ärlig. men efter en 6 timmar lång operation (där de kylde ner honom till 15 grader Fahrenheit!) lever han ännu och vårdas på intensivvårdsavdelningen. Helt ofantligt! Vet inte om han vaknat till ännu, men det verkar gå enligt planen.

Isak, Sofia, Elina och Sam.
Ser ni 3 kronor märket? Det skapade jag! :)