All-City Orchestra Concert

Isak participated in the All-City Orchestra concert in the 5th grade violin section. Here are a few pictures and video from the "dress rehearsal." Students all the way from 5th through 12th grade participate in this concert. 

Isak arrives at the Lloyd Noble Center with his class.

The arena during the 5th grade rehearsal.

And HERE is a video of the rehearsal, during one of the songs (Shortnin bread).

And here is the collaborative OKLAHOMA by 5th-12th grade during the performance.

Isak älskar basket! Och spelade baseball.

Isak går gärna ner till parken och spelar basket med sig själv. Tjejerna hänger ofta med ner. Julia cyklar som bara den och våren är ju den finaste tiden i Oklahoma. Vi är glada över att barnen kan vara ute så mycket som de är.

 Isak spelade 75% av en baseball säsong. Mer om detta senare.
Laget upplöstes pga av en komplett galen tränare...

Head lice in April

In April we had our first ever experience with head lice. It was rampant at the school and our house was no spared this time. We treated everyone even though only Isak and Anja were affected, and thankfully not very badly Only a handful of live lice. Still, lots and lots of combing. Poor Anja was RE-infested three weeks later from a classmate. I had no idea how much time one tiny infestation could bring - washing, combing, treating, combing, combing, combing. Only posting the humiliating pictures of the two youngest ones.

One Sunday we tried twist hairdos from Elina's magazine. No more lice! :)

Elina's 9th birthday

Elina turned nine in March and where all the birthday pictures have gone, I have no idea. My camera has been acting up big time and this is the reason for the long absence from the blog, and also for the lack of pictures. I will try to catch us up to date by re-capping a few events from our lives the past few months, even though very few pictures have been taken.

Elina had a birthday party here at the house.
Sofia, Shawnda, Jocelyn, Paige, Sayre, Elina
Abby, Clarissa, Grace, Madeline, Hannah and Frida (Frida and her family were in town from Norway!!)

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.