So this is how Summer Begins

That's summer laziness, full speed ahead, to you.

The folks we made the beach home exchange with in January are coming to stay in our house while we head out to visit Farfar and the fam in Dalarna for Midsommar. The last few weeks have been full of getting finishing touches on the house... we have been there almost two years now. Which means we are essentially settled but have lots of nice details to fill in yet. You see your house differently when you have to get it ready for someone to open the kitchen drawers.

Getting the summer hammock up

Enjoying any bit of warm we get, the water balloon stash

Discovering the wonder of the garden hose

Wouldn't you know the sink faucet cracked when trying to replace a gasket the day before we left people to stay at the house. So while Swededaddy played plumber and installed a new faucet, the girls and I headed to the village pool. It was actually really nice, even though the day before I had sworn it was too freezing for me to think about swimming for another month at least.

Baby's first shot at the wading pool, she loved it!

It was an ice cream day

Finally headed out way later than expected, so we stopped at a Stuga/camp ground to over night. Sweden has these cute inexpensive cabins all over that make good spontaneous accommodations for road trips, so long as you are not traveling on a big holiday weekend when they will be prebooked. 500kr a night, and they had a restaurant that served decent food.

Last year we took the train to Dalarna, and I was looking out the windows thinking how great it would be to stop at some of the pretty lakes along the way. When this road trip turned epic, like the day trip that took three days, my wish came true. Careful what you wish for. The trip was nothing like planned, but good. Except for the all of us getting a cold part, and moving in slow motion.

Lake front camping.

Neat wood monkey bars

Sweden has lots of beaches, there is lots of waterfront on its many lakes. Great places to play with little people, as sand is always a hit and shallow water easy to manage and usually a bit warmer than the ocean. A nice way to break up a drive.

The Lake Front

Beach bums

Sticks, also always a hit

Us, on a ferry

Geraniums on the ferry

The stereotypes of a place should always be evaluated at a road side souvenir shop. As expected, Sweden is moose, trolls, vikings, and Pippi.

Oh Sweden!

Road food: smoked fish, strawberries, and shrimp.

Despite our best push, we had to face we just were still not there yet. We decided to overnight at a second stuga. SwedeDaddy and I were both feeling sick, and simply had no will to do an all night drive. This one was only 400 krs, and was bigger. You can make coffee and eat breakfast in the kitchenette before you launch again. But you have to bring your own sheets and duvet covers, which we had anyway.

Finally, day three of travel for a nine hour drive, we get there after dinner! We thought we might leave early Monday, and never left till Wednesday, and instead of getting there Wednesday night arrived Friday evening.

A three hour tour, a three hour tour.....arriving at last.

But where ever we went, there we were.

And now here we are, for two weeks, for Midsommar.

Finally free!

Yay!!!

And yep, that is a fleece suit.

Let the Midsommar Festivities begin.

Actually, I am hoping there will be just enough time for me get over my cold first.