Medieval Fair

If a medieval person could actually visit the Medieval Fair I think they would find only a few aspects reminiscent to their time period. This event is a bit too filled with goth, ridiculous (and not at all attractive) cleavage, dread locks, hippie clothing and Fairy wings - not all of which I dislike, just not very truly Medieval. But the kids had a good time. Isak loves looking at the swords, and Elina really enjoyed a Lizard exhibit. Here's pictures of the main attraction Isak has looked forward to for 6 months.

getting the harness on

getting hooked up

here we go

finally!

higher than he thought...

How does a Princess Sleep?

Like this.

Brännboll

Det har varit sånt perfekt brännbollsväder i det senaste. Lite lagom kvällsbris med härlig sol. I kväll träffades vi och spelade brännboll med våra amerikansk-svenska vänner Carolina och Matthew och deras 4 barn. Förutom att jag har så ont i fogarna så att jag knappt kan röra mig nu eftersåt, så var det jätteroligt.

Isak blev så exalterad när han fick fart på bollen att han hade lite svårt att minnas alla regler samtidigt och sprang flera gånger (utan att släppa slagträt) rakt ut i ytterfältet och utan att runda konerna. Men han fick kläm på det till slut. Som utespelare var han riktigt bra, dock, och han och Benjamin (som var brännare ett tag) hade bra samspel. Elina var väl ingen större fan utav organiserad sport, medan Anja ville hålla slagträt hela tiden. Tur att vi hade Benjamin och Daniel i andra laget som var lite mer tävlingsinriktade och drev spelet framåt.

familjens mest entusiastiske spelare

Anja, Victoria (med nr. 4 i magen, därav den extrema svullnaden), Mark

Elina och Isak

medspelarna: Matthew, Benjamin, Daniel, Carolina
Christian och Hannah

Spring Break

The first half of Spring Break has been very warm. I guess today began the other half which promises slightly lower temperatures and possibly rain, which I pray we get. Here's one of our favorite spots.

Änglavakt?

Detta är Elinas öga, taget i dag, söndag. I går, på skogspromenad med pappa och storebror, fick hon denna skada. Jag behöver ju inte nämna den som viftade med pinnen vid namn, för det var helt och hållet en olycka, men jag kan ju säga att han använde pinnen som en Lightsaber vid tillfället. Jag tycker egentligen inte att bilden gör ögat rättvisa, för det ser riktigt otäckt ut. Men hon säger att det bara gör lite ont och hon ser lika bra med det som förut. Om pinnen träffat lite till längre till vänster, dock...

Climate shock without traveling

I talked about climate shock coming from Sweden to Oklahoma in previous posts, but to tell the truth, such shocks can be experienced just fine without ever leaving Oklahoma soil. I packed away the jackets and coats, of course, only to suddenly have winter at our door step again. But it will only last a day or two more, they say, and then it will be shorts and sandals again.

Compare and Contrast

Here are pictures to be juxtaposed to the ones from my last post, keeping in mind that the time elapsed between these shots and the other ones is very little. Distance, of course, is another matter.


And here is a picture of Isak with his mouth-in-progress, taken today when he was home from school with a cold and fever (his eyes give his fever away). He has lost a total of 4 teeth now.

Climate Shock

To better illustrate the climate shock we experienced when leaving Sweden this time, I should also have pictures of Elina going to school the day after we got back home - wearing a short sleeve, above-the-knee dress (that Mormor bought for her at Maxi) and crocs in the 80 degree (26 Celsius) sunshine. You will have to imagine what it looked like.

This is what we did the week before.

Giddy Up

Elina fetches 'her' pony in the pasture. "I don't need help."

"This one is not totally gigantic, but big enough for Morfar."

I rode these roads countless times in my teens. Makes me very nostalgic.

My parents' house

My parents, Ingunn & Mikael

Daniella, Nike, Victoria, Anja

Travel, Arrival and Jetlag

What jetlag can look like...

Daniella and Nike

Elina and Anja at the store

It was brutal trip as usual. I never truly remember how awful they are until I am on that long flight, sort of like childbirth, I guess. I completely suppress the bad part. By the third flight I am always exhausted, because traveling with kids means zero sleep. On the third flight from Munich to Gothenburg I felt myself dozing off with my mouth open. Cute.

And the jetlag. I go to bed late, 10 pm or so, to maximize tha chance of being asleep during the NIGHT, but inevitably wake up around 1 or 2 am because my body thinks it's taking a nap, then I stay awake at least 3 to 5 hours. Same for the kids. At least the first 4 days.

But everything else is fabulous. My parents, the rest of my family, my friends, even the shock of going from 70 F (18 C) to snow and frozen lakes (at this time of year). The food, the candy, the TV shows, the stores, the sights - ah! So familiar, yet new again. And never any allergies, like in Oklahoma.

Here are a few pictures. Yours truly has stayed mainly behind the samera because of my 'delicate' state. (Or can it be called delicate when one has already gained nearly 40 lbs at 25 weeks?)

Elina, Nike and Ebba
Ebba, Anja and Elina
Ever patient Morfar, getting his hand bandaged

Soup at Oldemor's place