tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27674493540294990662024-03-13T22:58:52.076+01:00The Swede LifeSwede Dreams Are Made of ThisSwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.comBlogger271125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-33794166155653407182020-10-07T00:31:00.006+02:002020-10-07T00:45:56.061+02:00So...how's that leaving Sweden right before the Pandemic feeling for ya? <p>When we moved from Sweden to USA in summer 2019, we calculated out loud it would be better to be in Sweden "if something really serious happens". Well HELLO 2020! We were just getting in the groove of our new life in Florida when the pandemic hit. Yes, we feel less secure in USA without the social safety net of Sweden. Our income from my husbands job is secure, but we are so much more vulnerable in the US. And healthcare is so expensive. Even with "the good insurance" covid would be a financial disaster if nothing else if we really needed care. But all in all, we are still glad to be in USA. I do better in my own language, and own culture. The isolation we are experiencing mirrors what we experienced in Sweden, and we are socially starved, but we have also become accustomed to life amongst ourselves, with out regularly seeing many others from our time in Sweden. So, while we were really ready for a more social existence, I find that doing something really emotionally hard like navigating a pandemic is something I prefer to do in my own country, even if it is less secure in many ways. The pandemic has forced us into circumstances we would rather not be in, but at least I can fully understand and engage with the choices we have. We had an array of options of how to approach school, and I am glad we have choices that allowed us to stay with the schools the kids were in last year but learn remotely. So we are home, hunkered down, kinda lonely, but living in the sunshine, in english. It is autumn and I got a bit of a flash back to Autumn in Sweden when (not) back to school shopping with my daughter in an H&M, which is a Swedish store, in a mall, that made me feel like we could have been back in Sweden. I got that feeling of what it is like to expect the cold and darkness to come, and felt grateful to realize that is not what October means in Florida. In Florida, the hard months are June, July, and August, when it gets SO.HOT. September is a bit of a shift, and October is not the time to hunker down, but the beginning of the good part of the year, and comes with a feeling of release. Soon, we can open the windows. Soon, my walks in the forest by the river will be less sweaty, with fewer mosquitoes. Bike riding will be fun again. We can have fire pits nights, and camping. Soon, the local farm stand will be back with bouquets of fresh grown lettuce and kale, strawberries will be ready to pick, and oranges, and grapefruits will not be far behind. So it feels good to be looking forward to fall in Florida with blue skies and milder temperatures, in spite of the fact that we are covid capital of the south and in the middle of a total political shit show. Cause at least the sun is shining, and I can follow the story, and make small talk through my mask. Halloween's coming, and there will still be socially distanced trick or treating in our neighborhood, Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Pancakes and Muffin mixes are making it smell like fall, and it's not long before the Thanksgiving-Christmas month, which should be a peaceful quiet one thanks to the virus. And... the first of advent our puppers will turn one year old! It was the right year to get The Family Dog. We made that decision pre-pandemic, and the puppy has proved proved to be a wonderful distraction and good fun for the kids during all this time at home. So, while I have to say we had some suffering and grieving to do to reckon with pandemic living, we're doing all right, thanks. <br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZXSUeP5njqanzvx4f8ZX04z6XRH3bS-YDUa9TWNfEO1mkXMcw8WdIAlvETe5yr3ME9rZ7sDbiyjy2l22Y8XM-hOcTBImcsrr9Nxm7WkMdGS_Qsnuqmy2oWYqoIpl2c98Hozf4Ch3eZOX/s4032/MVIMG_20201004_171356.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZXSUeP5njqanzvx4f8ZX04z6XRH3bS-YDUa9TWNfEO1mkXMcw8WdIAlvETe5yr3ME9rZ7sDbiyjy2l22Y8XM-hOcTBImcsrr9Nxm7WkMdGS_Qsnuqmy2oWYqoIpl2c98Hozf4Ch3eZOX/s320/MVIMG_20201004_171356.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-31868807349874565232019-08-26T18:09:00.002+02:002019-08-27T03:16:30.275+02:00Sweden Round 2: 2016-2019So, how did that go?? <br />
<br />
Great. We did it. We sold our US house, moved to Sweden, and now have returned to USA. We returned July 1st and spent 4th of July 2019 still jet-lagged swimming in sunset waters and watching fireworks from the seaside of Siesta beach.<br />
<br />
During our three years in Sweden we: <br />
Hosted Swedish family at Thanksgiving gatherings, spent 3 Midsommars in Dalarna with family dancing around maypoles, had two cozy snowy New Years in Dalarna with family (and one NYE watching fireworks over Denmark from the Swedish shore at <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/nimis">Nimis in The Free Republic of Ladonia),</a> went on a 10 day backpacking trip in the Arctic without my family, camping-roadtripped in a VW van for a month in Norway (midnight sun! Vikings! glaciers! fjords! trolls! summer snow sleding in July! the WORLDS BEST STRAWBERRIES! Saltstraumen Maelstrom! ) drank too beer with my dad's siblings in German beer gardens of Frieberg, saw Hamilton in London, saw three fireworks shows for Guy Fawkes Night in England, picnicked at the cliffs of Dover, spent Halloween touring the Harry Potter halls of Cambridge University and trick or treating in Cambridge (the Cambridge Dodo! A plague themed Haunted House in a castle!), spent my son's 8th birthday with Stormtroopers at Disney Paris, and rode carousels at night with the kids under the lights of the Eiffel Tower, watched the parades of Fasnacht in Lucern, spent my 15th wedding anniversary at Neuschwanstein Castle, snowtubed upside down in a 360' loop-de-loop and sledded down the world's longest sled run in the Swiss Alps, and gathered with the extended Swedish clan in Gränna, Öland, and Lysekil. <br />
<br />
Poignantly, this blog's last post was made about the 4th of July in the USA. July 4th 2016 turned out to be a day I was called to a birth as a midwife, and I missed hosting my mom and grandma for the last time at my house before we moved. My daughter made the blueberry and peach pies in my absence, served the family, which I enjoyed when I returned at 4 am exhausted. It was the last gathering I would have of my family - my mother and grandma died while we were gone. This highlights the burdens of birth work, even at a part time schedule- on-call, personalized midwifery takes over your life. You can not be certain to make any scheduled event.... for years ..."unless I am at a birth" was the caveat for everything. Now it is reason I am searching for a new career. Once I had kids, the cost for the time spent away, and the absence of time I could just nap and make up for lost sleep, meant American midwifery ceased to be a manageable lifestyle. <br />
<br />
In that vein, I enrolled in the Master's in Public Health program as I hoped I would. I am glad it was only the day I was accepted to the program that I learned apparently my plan to move across the world for a MPH at Lund was a bit of a long shot. It is the most competitive Master's program in Sweden. I was one of 50 accepted, out of 1400 applications! I started in 2017, and am still finishing it up this year, from USA, because of course work I missed when I returned to USA to help with my mother's death/ estate. <br />
<br />
The kids made an admirably smooth transition to Swedish school. I got teary watching them the first day, seeing a little girl take my then 7 year old daughter by the hand as the class walked away into the forest for their morning walk. We lucked
out with lovely (the best!) teachers and a beautiful school, and the kids made great friends. They
are all fluent Swedish speakers now. Me, not so much.... school+family
loss+general sense of displacement meant I had little energy to focus on
learning Swedish. <br />
<br />
I was correct in thinking before we left that three years in Sweden would afford the little kids a low pressure Swedish childhood full of nature, play, and freedom. That we could sneak in three years with our then 5, 7, and 11 year old, and step back into USA life with some nice experiences, and them more matured, and able to handle US schools. The kids are back in school now, and two weeks in they are trying to get up to speed with the intensity of American school. It is all business and no play with lots of homework by comparison. I do not mind them stepping up to the more rigorous education. I believe they are up to the task, and they will adjust just fine. We moved back to a small neighborhood with tons of kids that love to be out playing, so they still have lots of free time, movement and play in their life. <br />
<br />
And I was right that Sweden is not a place I fit in, but a fun place to go. I was smart to enroll in the Master's degree program to keep me occupied in English while there. Going to school with millennials was a thing to do, but not a place for me to find community or friends. Once my classes ended in January, I felt very isolated and lonely. I went into the start of last school year last year willing to fit in and stay in Sweden, but by March I was clear we needed to pack up and head back to USA. In Sweden I am a foreigner in every situation, full of awkward and lacking connection. I depend on my husband to do everything in Swedish, and I become a half functioning person, unable to navigate some very basic parts of my life. I can do that about three years before it takes it toll, and my soul starts dying. It was time to come back. <br />
<br />
I am so glad to be back. I was afraid about how it would feel to return to US- we left while Obama was president, before the last election. But this is still where I am from. Here, things are easy and people are nice. My experience of Sweden is things are hard, and people are weird. I am grateful to have a life of ease again, where I can fully participate in all areas- understand the kids playing at my house, have small talk at the deli counter, get the big stuff -the administrative stuff of life- done in my language. Florida in July was not hell, either. I loved the lightening, the warm rain, the swimming pools, and watermelon. My oldest daughter fell right into the old group of friends, and my little ones have been both seeing old friends, and making new ones in the neighborhood and school. <br />
<br />
Being in Sweden for me is like going underwater, scuba diving.... I can dive in, love the chance to look around and see a new world, but I am not of that world. I do not have what it takes to be part of that world. It's a nice place to visit, but not a place I experience BELONGING. So I come back, to USA, to participate, to fully function, to belong. <br />
<br />
Will I be back? Maybe some day. We always say give us three years and see how we are.... we came back for USA highschool which lasts 4 years. Maybe we'll return in 4? I will finish my MPH, maybe go to American nursing school. If I get an RN in USA, I can probably work as a midwife in Sweden. Now I am in the system, I can take Swedish Language as a distance University course, and improve my Swedish BEFORE I live there again. So with my existing midwifery education + two year USA RN + Swedish language maybe I would be eligible to work as a Swedish midwife, and possibly find a place in society for myself. That is how I imagine I would approach the next chapter of The Swedelife. <br />
<br />
Now I am back in my hometown, with out the family roots I always had. This is where I used come home to my parents. Since my
mother and grandma died while I was gone, I find it is still home, even if not a place where
my family lives. It is a place to root my own children, swim in the gulf, see people I know when I am out, call on their help when I need it, and read the paper. We even got a dog. We are set up to stay, maybe work through retirement, but still open to returning to Sweden some day. So it is, learning to live with bits of our hearts in two countries. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-68620520930075945462016-07-03T23:35:00.000+02:002016-07-04T03:49:17.924+02:00Independence DayToday, it is nearly 4th of July in the USA, and my family is swimming in our warm 85 f swimming pool, in our sweet home, on a nice sized private lot in my hometown, prepping for having my mom and grandma over for 4th of July, and A MOVE BACK TO SWEDEN.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXc_LteIW19q39VgM3EPsvWeVhc7ngfJ96Y_krAqL5NVz0qVq417_taXsSLYzZ2SRCiLMG8e2l1uDamMR10Eq_UZczUnefCeiZecYN4tdP1EXMbDKU-aNKF8hGYdiJ6yGMxcywiV1f4-YS/s1600/home.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXc_LteIW19q39VgM3EPsvWeVhc7ngfJ96Y_krAqL5NVz0qVq417_taXsSLYzZ2SRCiLMG8e2l1uDamMR10Eq_UZczUnefCeiZecYN4tdP1EXMbDKU-aNKF8hGYdiJ6yGMxcywiV1f4-YS/s400/home.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xjX1gTFYxY0FmDGqanxI0IRzk3v-YmQDC2DMqMNjcVoSKid3a67nmPbByaOynsY4m-AA31Fu-j_vTiBpjrCDZ0CAFllicGW9m2xCUdFW0ps5iG5xYOqb30LCOfROS0K-RRmfLc4y6sYx/s1600/pool.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xjX1gTFYxY0FmDGqanxI0IRzk3v-YmQDC2DMqMNjcVoSKid3a67nmPbByaOynsY4m-AA31Fu-j_vTiBpjrCDZ0CAFllicGW9m2xCUdFW0ps5iG5xYOqb30LCOfROS0K-RRmfLc4y6sYx/s400/pool.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div>
<div>
We moved to Sweden 7/22/2008 and left on 9/11/2012. The last weeks got crazy, I ended up in the ICU for a group A strep infection on my leg, cut the road trip to Norway out of the plan and went straight home to Florida. I remember the Florida heat those first few days.... Sending kids out to play, and only being able to stand out there a few minutes before being soaked in sweat, having to run back in to the cool air conditioned air to escape the humidity and the heat. We stayed a week at my parents, then got a beach condo, and enjoyed some Florida pool and warm gulf water while we commenced a search for a job and a house.<br />
<br />
Our SwedeLife house sold, and we found we were in competition with investors for the residential properties in our little Florida town. Houses were being snatched up before making it to market, and we ended up renting next to some old friends. We thought that would be great, but soon learned families with school age kids are busy-busy-busy, and even being next door the children seldom had time to play. They were out at 8:30, back at 4:45, and had 15 minutes on the street before the 7 year old had to spend an hour on homework, then off to bed..... the house had problems that made us sick. We ended up moving into five places before we were able to find a home, and even then, we ended up with a house with major undisclosed problems.<br />
<br />
Returning was not what we hoped. Relationships had shifted while we were gone, baby friends had grown to busy school aged friends, moms once at home and ready to get together had gone back to other pursuits. The ready made circle of friends I expected to support me was no longer intact. It took sometime before I realized we needed to forge new relationships, and create a whole new life. It seems dumb, now, looking back that it took me so long to know there is no 'going home', but you are always making a new path.<br />
<br />
No one told me it is easier to be a stranger in a strange land, than a stranger in your own country.<br />
<br />
Readjusting to my life in my "home" was awkward, and painful. I expected to fall into a comfortable, familiar place, into the loving arms of family and friends that were excited to have us back. But in reality the whole thing was kind of like this:<br />
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXc_LteIW19q39VgM3EPsvWeVhc7ngfJ96Y_krAqL5NVz0qVq417_taXsSLYzZ2SRCiLMG8e2l1uDamMR10Eq_UZczUnefCeiZecYN4tdP1EXMbDKU-aNKF8hGYdiJ6yGMxcywiV1f4-YS/s1600/home.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wPOgvzVOQig/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wPOgvzVOQig?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Two years after we returned, <a href="http://naomihattaway.com/2013/09/i-am-a-triangle-and-other-thoughts-on-repatriation/">I found a blog that explained repatriation really well</a>. When you leave your country of origin, it is like you leave a country of circles. You, a circle, go to a new country, where everyone is a square. You adapt and change under the influence of the squares, you stretch and your edges become different. You return back to circle country, and are no longer a circle. You are a little bit circle, a little bit square- a hybrid new shape, a triangle. What I know now I did not know then, was by leaving my country, I would never quite fit in either place ever again. It is interesting to realize the people who have become our friends since moving back are mostly people who are in cross cultural relationships or have lived internationally. We instinctively found we are now most at home with other triangles.<br />
<br />
A few of us who left Sweden at the same time, from Ireland, Australia, and USA all related very much to that post, that idea, nearly two years after we were back, and thought, yep, that really is how it is. We all saw our lives in the words, and felt like 'well, that would have been helpful to know!!"<br />
<br />
I
came back just in time though. Part of returning was because of family
health concerns, and though we had no way to know it at the time, we
made it back in time to spend the last year of my father's life with
him. We have been with my mom while she was very sick, grieving, and
adjusting to some new medical treatments that now have her doing pretty
well.<br />
<br />
Kids
have done great settling into various programs we patched together:
home schooling, home waldorf programs, charter schools, the public
school I went to as a kid. Everyone has managed to get what they need. My husband got work in USA, I returned to being a part time self employed midwife while homeschooling.<br />
<br />
We
have had a hard few years, and a lonely few years, and overall they
were easier done here than there. We have finally gotten comfortable in
the life we have built upon return.<br />
<br />
Then this spring, there was one particular moment when I thought "maybe we should go back to Sweden". I
was with the homeschooling group for my 7 year old, my 5 year old also
in tow, standing with half a dozen adults one Friday afternoon, watching
our kids play on a pile of dirt. And as endearing as my children
playing are, I thought, "I used to be able to let my kids play in piles
of dirt and I did not have to personally supervise it, when we were in Sweden". After 11 years
of parenting, I am feeling like I want to spend some time pursuing
things that matter to me, and watching kids play in the dirt is not my current life dream.<br />
<br />
My
little kids are home schooling in USA because we really prefer the
Swedish way: play based, movement rich early education, and academics
later. We loved our Swedish Waldorf school for my first daughter. And
when we did come back to USA, she fell into the school academics without
any difficulty, and was more physically developed than her peers, and
was better off from never having been asked to do academic work she was
not developmentally ready for. So doing the math, we still have a 5 year
old, and we still have two years left before he reaches that age of 7
when we feel we can put him in American school with out damaging him. So
it was we started considering what it would be like to move back to
Sweden.....<br />
<br />
In
so many ways, it has been great to spend these difficult years in USA
where I could easily make new friends, participate in groups, and enjoy all the
USA has to offer. Family. Life with my school aged daughter in English,
and my culture has meant I can chaperone field trips, and understand the
nuances of life. The abundant craziness of Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, shopping at the Dollar
Store for Helium birthday balloons at 9pm, the glory of warm gulf water beaches and warm swimming pools. My mom. Setting up a facebook event for camping, and
having a load of families sign up, and join us for a weekend in the
woods. But these years were lonely, and full of grief, too. My dad got cancer and after five short months of treatment, died. Our house,
now fixed, was bought with a load of undisclosed problems that cost us
$50,000 and had us strip it down to the studs, and move in unfinished.
If we leave this chapter of life behind us, I will welcome a
fresh start.<br />
<br />
My husband can work here, there, anywhere. I am a Swedish citizen now,
and while I speak basically NO Swedish, I can go to University tuition
free and there are a load of English language Master's programs I am eligible for, and make a career change from 24-7 on-call clincal work to public health work. It has been exhausting to be an on call midwife again, and I am
looking at ways to translate my passion for birth into a job in policy, so I can make birth better, but to also
sleep at night, and have a regular schedule. I have applied for Master's programs in Sweden. We enrolled the kids in the
Waldorf schools in our region. We are patching up the last fix it ups on
our Florida home, getting it on the market, and getting ready to have a
last holiday with family for 4th of July.<br />
<br />
We are crossing fingers all the moving parts will come together so we are back in Sweden for the start of the new school year.<br />
<br />
When
we left in 2008, we said "let's give it three years and see how we
are". We stayed 4 years. When we came back to USA in 2012, we said
"Let's see if we can sell the Swedish house, and get a US job, and see
if we can spend the stay at home toddler years in USA, where there are
so many at home moms, then see how we are." It has been 4 years. Now in
2016, looking at school aged kids, my desire to get back to work and
improve my professional prospects, weighing the value of family
relationships on each side of the Atlantic, two sides of the family an ocean apart, two cultures we want our kids to know, we are looking to
return to our Swede Life.<br />
<br />
Master's
for me. Swedish language and culture for the kids. Play school for our little
guy. Midsommar maypoles with my husband's clan, and the perks and
hardships of Swedish life, things we know now we are in for. When we left before, I was starry
eyed and unsure what we were heading for. It was 4 years in Sweden with two
pregnancies and newborns. Now, it will be school for me, school for
kids, and hopefully me finally learning Swedish. Now, I know
what it means to be "a triangle", and will adapt more like the child of
divorced parents who has to bounce between two households. Rules at mom's
are different than the rules at dad's. Instead of comparing the two cultures
I live in, I can just accept that USA has wonders and irritations, and Sweden
has upsides and downsides, and know they are just different. I can just make the most of either place
while there.<br />
<br />
We are looking foward to Waldorf schools, forests, lignon berries, midsommar, snow, dark skies and
starry nights, and the challenges and discomfort of being outside my first language and
culture. I leave my cultural comfort zone and take a bold step, a new path, in pursuit of new set of wonderful adventures. We have a trip to Norway we never got to make, and look forward to traveling around Europe once again. We are thinking, give us
three years, we will see how we are....<br />
<br />
So this 4th of July/ Independence Day, we are making plans for a Swede Life, once again.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-71108517924082313192012-09-07T17:11:00.000+02:002012-09-07T17:11:07.309+02:00Swede Life for Sale! Now my dream life can be yours.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7r7Qs9w7UMS2926_s313LoOdeHGvnAtmvAlbUFro0rZII0gn7CuBarG904__m_ytOsSrMbUMaKUYek3e2JyzMyO8tDRmzLoM6Evvdr03_z61nPlaWtCPyn8OZE5wSwBHxunxcw6U8uJHr/s1600/house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7r7Qs9w7UMS2926_s313LoOdeHGvnAtmvAlbUFro0rZII0gn7CuBarG904__m_ytOsSrMbUMaKUYek3e2JyzMyO8tDRmzLoM6Evvdr03_z61nPlaWtCPyn8OZE5wSwBHxunxcw6U8uJHr/s320/house.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><a href="http://www.hemnet.se/bostad/villa-6rum-veberod-idala-lunds-kommun-navervagen-5-4199798">http://www.hemnet.se/bostad/villa-6rum-veberod-idala-lunds-kommun-navervagen-5-4199798</a><br /><br />Dear Universe, <br /><br />Please help us find another home with character, wilderness, where the kids can play outside with nice neighbor kids. We have loved this magical home, and expect the next owners will too, but believe the best is yet to come!<br /><br />Thanks for The Swede Livin'.<br />SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-44551802724740458702012-08-11T01:45:00.000+02:002012-08-11T01:50:18.825+02:00Those Weird Elitist Homeschoolers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hXc0JUGHG7RjSrHG7-Uq1cJeVjzVdLADsrs06XKcJ_gfVGMu3T5U5Ai52rzPaXJaQf8IrQgY6Xs0wMYp9JBgF09tyQYsvE7xrHRVRubLPqcKGBD9bu7UDGQkp8xTbTBo-gziBrEMEMs7/s1600/homeschooled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hXc0JUGHG7RjSrHG7-Uq1cJeVjzVdLADsrs06XKcJ_gfVGMu3T5U5Ai52rzPaXJaQf8IrQgY6Xs0wMYp9JBgF09tyQYsvE7xrHRVRubLPqcKGBD9bu7UDGQkp8xTbTBo-gziBrEMEMs7/s400/homeschooled.jpg" width="366" /></a></div>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-37145637430692757062012-08-03T18:31:00.000+02:002012-08-03T22:37:02.507+02:00It has been Swede.We are moving back to the USA, for a time, for good, who knows. But we have decided are leaving as fast as we can pack, to get out before school starts. At this point we think we will rent the house out, and hope for an eventual set up where we are part the year in Sweden, part the year in Florida.
I apologize for not putting up more wonderful pictures of our last year in Sweden. Since the third baby came, life has been simply lived and not blogged about. Everytime I think I will just put up a few pictures I get overwhelmed, so many beautiful places, so many fun things in those photo files.
In spite of the good times, fresh air, clean water, and Pippi adventures, we are going back to Florida for now. As lovely as Sweden is, I have felt a little like I was living at a high altitude when here. I am functioning at diminished capacity, like there is something missing that keeps me from really thriving. I am really looking forward to going back to where I understand everything and can participate fully in all parts of my life. It will be like getting fully oxygenated once again. Like they say....
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7KtAgAMzaeg?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
We have gotten to know and helped with family, my kids are fluent in Swedish, we have all lived the Swede Life. We had two babies here. It has been good, and we are looking forward to seeing what life has in store for us next.
Maybe we will be back, but for now,
Cheers.SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-84150440913403357412012-07-29T02:20:00.001+02:002012-07-29T02:27:42.448+02:00More in support of the Swedish home schoolers, an article from July 27th edition of The Wall Street Journal on the new fusion education, Roam Schooling. <br />
<div class="col10wide wrap padding-left-big">
<div class="articleHeadlineBox headlineType-newswire">
<h1>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1895936922">My Education in Home Schooling</a></h1>
<h2 class="subhead">
<a href="http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10000872396390443343704577549472535089552-lMyQjAxMTAyMDIwODAyODg3Wj.html?mod=wsj_valettop_email#articleTabs=article">Teaching kids at home can be terrifying, but it's sure to grow as families demand more choice</a></h2>
</div>
</div>
<div class="mastertextCenter" id="articleTabs_panel_article">
<div class="padding-left-big">
<div class="col6wide colOverflowTruncated" id="article_story">
<div class="article story" id="article_story_body">
<div class="articlePage">
<h3 class="byline">
By <a href="http://online.wsj.com/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=QUINN+CUMMINGS&bylinesearch=true">QUINN CUMMINGS</a></h3>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066" name="U7164985284ZNE"></a><br />
I don't know how most people spend their second morning home schooling. I spent mine hyperventilating into a paper bag. After less than 24 hours of educating my child at home, I was struck by the realization that I wasn't up to the task and should move immediately to Plan B. Except I didn't have a Plan B.<br />
<div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D">
<div class="insetTree">
<div class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget" id="articleThumbnail_1">
<div class="insetZoomTargetBox">
<div class="insettipBox">
<div class="insettip">
</div>
</div>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066"></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066" style="background-color: white;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="174" hspace="0" src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/RV-AH655_HOMESC_D_20120727172336.jpg" vspace="0" width="262" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066" name="U716498528429H"></a>For two years leading up to this I had watched my daughter convince experienced, well-meaning teachers that she was incapable of mastering long division when, in fact, she simply didn't like long division. Alice's ploy raised a larger concern: At age 9, she appeared to be cruising along in school without actually doing any work. To my sorrow, it appeared I had given birth to myself, another pleasant slacker fated to a lifetime of successfully studying for midterms between classes until barely paying attention stopped working. Alice wasn't learning how to learn, she was learning how to coast. Maybe I could wait and see if she came to learning on her own. Or maybe she needed a different kind of education. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066" name="U7164985284VLC"></a>Her father and I checked out a few middle-school programs known for their rigor. Each promised to challenge Alice academically but also promised hours of homework every night. I'm greedy. I want my child challenged, but I don't want her staying up until 2 a.m. every night translating "The Aeneid." I knew we had a small window of opportunity to teach Alice to love learning, but I also knew there was an equally small window for her to be a child. Her academic options seemed to lie on either side of a wide chasm: a fluffy pillow on one side, a jackhammer on the other. I tried home schooling because I couldn't find a better alternative. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066" name="U7164985284TS"></a>It turns out I'm not alone. Today in the U.S., some two million children are home schooled, growing at an annual rate of 7% to 15% for over a decade, according to the president of the National Home Education Research Institute. The term "home schooler" once implied "isolationist religious zealot" or "off-the-grid anarchist who makes her own yogurt." Today, it also means military parents who hate to see their kids keep changing schools; or the family with a future Olympian who ice skates five hours a day; or your cousin whose daughter is gifted but has a learning disability. The average home schooler is no longer a sideshow oddity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066" name="U7164985284X3B"></a>"I could never ever teach math," more than a few parents told me in horror at the very idea of home schooling. Or science. Or a foreign language. But mostly, it was math. Here's my secret: I can't teach math either. Once they start calling them integers instead of numbers, I recoil as from a fat, angry snake, which is why Alice takes an online math class, with great lashings of help from her father.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">But the biggest thing people want to talk about is socialization. Everyone is worried that I keep my child in a crate with three air holes punched in it and won't let her have friends until she gets her AARP card. There's a long answer, of course, but I'll sum it up this way: Homo sapiens have walked the Earth for at least 130,000 years and, in this time, they learned to be human from their elders, not from their peers. Mandatory education in the U.S. is less than 150 years old. Learning to be a productive adult human by spending a third of every day with other kids might be a good idea, but it's too soon to tell. I'm still unsure that the people best equipped to teach a 14-year-old boy how to be a man are other 14-year-old boys.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066" name="U7164985284MPD"></a>In fact, home-schooled kids are just as socialized as other children. They certainly seem to grow up to be, and feel, fully engaged. One study, by a Canadian home-schooling group, found that 67% of formerly home-schooled adult respondents said they are "very happy," as opposed to the general population's 43%. Another study, published in the Journal of College Admission, found that home-schooled students perform better on their ACTs, have higher college GPAs and are more likely to graduate in four years.</span><br />
<div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D">
<div class="insetTree">
<div class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget" id="articleThumbnail_2">
<div class="insetZoomTargetBox">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066"></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066" style="background-color: white;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="174" hspace="0" src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-TY080_0727ho_D_20120727204457.jpg" vspace="0" width="262" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="targetCaption">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066" name="U7164985284NAG"></a>I shared many of the negative preconceptions before we began home schooling, but I can see now that my kid is as socially well adjusted as the dozens of other kids she hangs out with. (Her mother still needs work.)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066" name="U7164985284AZG"></a>As we approached the end of our first year home schooling, we asked ourselves whether Alice should continue the experiment or return to what many of our friends still call "real school." At this point it no longer seemed to us like a binary decision. It was less a matter of either/or than of how-much-of-each. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066" name="U7164985284KH"></a>I suspect that many Americans will reach the same conclusion as they adapt to new social and economic realities. Online classes have already become part of an extended curriculum for many students. In the iTunes version of public education, relevant learning experiences will originate from the large redbrick building down the street, from a recreation center downtown, from a music studio in Seattle or a lecture hall in London. As our habits evolve, it won't be home schooling as we've known it, but it won't be brick-and-mortar schooling, either. I call it "roam schooling."<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066" name="U7164985284MIF"></a>Imagine that your high-school junior spends half of every day at the brick-and-mortar school up the street. Two afternoons a week, he logs into an art-history seminar being taught by a grad student in Paris. He takes computer animation classes at the local college, sings in the church choir and dives at the community pool. He studies Web design on YouTube. He and three classmates see a tutor at the public library who preps them for AP Chemistry. He practices Spanish on Skype and takes cooking lessons at a nearby restaurant every Saturday morning. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066" name="U71649852849H"></a>Is this home schooling or regular school? Who cares? He's learning. More important, his curriculum hits the basics but also works for him. Nobody expects all young people to download the same 20 or 30 songs on iTunes. Why should they be limited to the same dozen or so classes for school? And if you think that public education will never change because it's too big, I'd point out that the music business looked like an invincible Goliath before digital technology raised its slingshot. <br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2767449354029499066" name="U7164985284R0"></a>Some lessons are best learned at a kitchen table, others in a lecture hall, a chemistry lab or a gym. It would be nice if students everywhere had access to every option, and more of them will, I expect, over the next decade. With each passing year, the division between home schooling and institutional schooling will continue to dissolve. We will go to the education, and the education will come to us. The bad news is that it doesn't work that way yet. The good news is that we get to build it. <br />
<br />
<cite class="tagline">—Adapted from Ms. Cummings's "The Year of Learning Dangerously: Adventures in Homeschooling," which will be published on Aug. 7. Follow her on Twitter: @<a href="http://twitter.com/quinncy" target="_blank">quinncy</a>.</cite><br />
<div class="articleVersion">
A version of this article appeared July 28, 2012, on page C2 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: My Education inHome Schooling.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-21293889789151389812012-07-13T00:03:00.000+02:002012-07-13T00:04:00.873+02:00How does a homeschooler change a light bulb?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Rn_0q1-Uyf0JLQJYYRw6i-uSD2LO5fbkZwLfKdrSSCmSeG2AHQpChqSddA2zyVduLj1_G-r0C0vDmVgu4gkxhsKMPD2PnFaYqarooQHT_Zeuf5eA4aJhqqFRfgaXmhGVsWj1Mf8SOKaa/s1600/hslightbulb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Rn_0q1-Uyf0JLQJYYRw6i-uSD2LO5fbkZwLfKdrSSCmSeG2AHQpChqSddA2zyVduLj1_G-r0C0vDmVgu4gkxhsKMPD2PnFaYqarooQHT_Zeuf5eA4aJhqqFRfgaXmhGVsWj1Mf8SOKaa/s400/hslightbulb.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>
<br />SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-61334786098840430182012-07-02T23:42:00.000+02:002012-07-04T02:04:47.395+02:00<h2>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_387174090"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Home-schooling in the modern world: Success of home-schooled children</span></a></h2>
<a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002652185_woman29.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By Shaunti Feldhahn Syndicated Columnist</span></a><br />
<br />
Like many critics, I used to feel vaguely sorry for home-schooled kids. What a shame, I thought, that they might be deprived of the well-rounded education and social skills to become integrated, productive members of society. I never thought to question why cafeteria food fights or the predatory pack habits of teenage girls would be better for molding productive members of society.<br />
<br />
This uninformed, critical opinion lasted precisely until I met my first home-schooled children several years ago. Within one month I met five home-schooling families, and their 13 children were among the most polite, well-adjusted, socially adept and academically advanced kids I'd ever seen. Being home-educated seemed to have given them a confidence and maturity — and yes, social skill — far beyond their years. They had many friends, but didn't seem dependent on their peers for approval — a far cry from what I remember as a kid.<br />
<br />
I've since learned that these kids were not the home-schooling exception but the rule, which makes me wonder how anyone could look at the data and say it deprives kids of anything. In a landmark study by Dr. Brian Ray of the National Home Education Research Institute, among 7,000 young adults who had been home-schooled, 74 percent had attained some college courses, compared with just 46 percent of other young adults — and 82 percent said they would home-school their own kids. On the social front, almost twice as many home-schooled adults as those in the general population were active in their community (71 percent to 37 percent) and "very happy" with life (59 percent to 28 percent).<br />
<br />
In 1998, a Home School Legal Defense Association's study of 20,760 home-school students found that: "In every subject and at every grade level (on standardized tests), home-school students scored significantly higher than their public and private school counterparts." Younger home-schoolers performed one grade level higher than their public and private school counterparts, and by eighth grade, "the average home-school student performs four grade levels above the national average."<br />
<br />
Obviously, home education doesn't fit every family. But the evidence makes me think it's the kids who aren't home-schooled who may be missing out, not the other way around.<br />
____________________________________<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/arts/artsspecial/museums-welcome-home-schooled-students.html">A recent article in the New York Times "Home Schoolers Do Not Just Stay Home"</a> gives a picture of what modern home schooling looks like in practice, and how museums across the USA have developed programs for home schoolers.<br />
____________________________<br />
This Infographic on the realties of home schooling can be viewed here:
<a href="http://offers.degreesearch.org/infographics/homeschooling-by-the-numbers/"><span style="font-family: inherit;">http://offers.degreesearch.org/infographics/homeschooling-by-the-numbers/</span></a>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXuyEyzldL8kX4S-0hyj8dF6FRDdhdOnSOvEWDIEfGeG_RmDduucqAQgwjADzI1tga4ncdN3B6-VAHY57BiqQ4dHHc5bOW2SE9QQ6UqIOW75aiMNzoW4B0G0VDgrlVXUSQDkscEIcaUNW/s1600/homeschooling-infographic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXuyEyzldL8kX4S-0hyj8dF6FRDdhdOnSOvEWDIEfGeG_RmDduucqAQgwjADzI1tga4ncdN3B6-VAHY57BiqQ4dHHc5bOW2SE9QQ6UqIOW75aiMNzoW4B0G0VDgrlVXUSQDkscEIcaUNW/s640/homeschooling-infographic.jpg" width="290" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Home Advantage Infographic can be viewed here:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.coursehero.com/blog/2011/09/08/infographic-the-home-advantage/"><span style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.coursehero.com/blog/2011/09/08/infographic-the-home-advantage/</span></a>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiisMn-gQcEoo3A1xGOv3EO-LdolPk148JyZdPIRzhD-qbkX9IclUIU96IzgpiNnFFU_rzVPNfEPK9A8Hhu5y3LrXlvPyRJAUAPZlFmb2GqpkRJtSRZqly3rcGykRzPePMu1Z1q7BqFR9/s1600/CourseHero_HomeSchool-01-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiisMn-gQcEoo3A1xGOv3EO-LdolPk148JyZdPIRzhD-qbkX9IclUIU96IzgpiNnFFU_rzVPNfEPK9A8Hhu5y3LrXlvPyRJAUAPZlFmb2GqpkRJtSRZqly3rcGykRzPePMu1Z1q7BqFR9/s640/CourseHero_HomeSchool-01-1.png" width="182" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-56171460513021680192012-07-01T00:50:00.000+02:002012-07-01T22:29:46.224+02:00Swedish Home Schoolers Need Your Help!<br />
<br />
Anytime an authority grossly misunderstands and forbids a fundamental freedom, I just can not keep my mouth closed about it. I hope you will spread the word in your circle, and through your blog about this...<br />
<br />
Sweden has made home schooling a crime. People are refused meeting to even discuss approval of their plans to home school, and their requests for meetings are met with fines of $20,000 per kid per year instead. There are a number of cases in Scandinavia where social services takes the children from parents like that of Dominic Johnson and Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya in Norway, so parents here are afraid not only of fines but that their children will be removed from the family and put in foster care. This means they do not feel safe to stay in the country and fight the law with acts of civil disobedience, but must leave the country to insure their family is safe. This impacts me because the one family we see on a weekly basis home schools, and will move away this fall. They are relocating the technology company the husband runs to USA. We will miss them, and are sad to see the great lengths they must go to make a choice freely available to responsible adults and parents through out the rest of the free world. It worries me even more, as the response of the average educated Sweden here is not indignity, but to defend the move to outlaw homeschooling. Puzzling.<br />
<br />
We also are undecided about our plans for the future, and have been trying to work out a life that involves living part time in Sweden, and part time in the USA. Our schedule will not sync with the school year, so we would home school. My home town in Florida has a very active home school group we could be a part of, even some Waldorf home schoolers. But, it would not be safe to stay in the Swedish system and not follow the school enrollment rules, so we are looking at just making the move more full time to USA so we can home school and be free to travel, with out the burden of the Swedish schedules.<br />
<br />
There are only about 100 families home schooling in Sweden. I easily know that many home schoolers myself. I know it is a fun, exciting way to provide individualized education. In the age where we can work anywhere, certainly people should understand children can learn anywhere.<br />
<br />
The following is a message and video about an action to raise awareness about the situation for home schoolers in Sweden.<br />
Latest updates are available at: http://askofamilycamp.info/?page_id=199#eng<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IDDD2ob8iKE?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
"For many of you this may be a new concept, but here in little old Sweden the government have passed a new law making education in schools compulsory unless you have exceptional circumstances. This means that home educating has become increasingly difficult, and has left many people struggling with councils, local governments and the government. In many cases the situation has forced them to leave the country due to the pressures and fines placed on them because of their desire to home educate. The laws passed go against article 2 of the European convention of human rights.<br />
<br />
So what is actually happening in Sweden today in 2012 is that families are fleeing their home country due to a new law that have been passed. This law goes against the Human Rights and is robbing the families of their right to freedom. Sweden, previously known in the world for being a safe place for refuges is now creating its own. And this just because families want the right to educate their children at home, something that has been proved through research over and over again just as good as any school – and often even better.<br />
<br />
So we’ve had a new thought about how to try and raise awareness over the situation of home education here in Sweden. We thought we could end the Askö Family Camp by setting off on a “Walk to Freedom”. Well, our thought is to walk from little Askö to Åland which is about 170 km to the ferry in Stockholm. This represents the sacrifice made by so many of the Swedish home educators who are leaving the country they love with the endeavor to find the freedom of home educating. Åland, a Finnish island of the coast of Stockholm, has different home educating laws and home education is not prohibited and also the official language is Swedish. So by walking from Askö (“Sweden’s international home education camp”) to Åland where many people are fleeing, we hope to portray what people are going through in order to achieve this freedom.<br />
<br />
We were hoping to walk via Eskilstuna, Strängnäs and Södertälje on our way to Stockholm to try and make awareness in some of the bigger places on the way. Stockholm, being the capital is of course very important in this sense. We would get the ferry from Stockholm to Åland because if we don’t it’s a pretty long swim out in the Baltic sea.<br />
<br />
With many educators moving to Åland, we are hoping that this will symbolise the struggle that some of you have gone through and that to find Freedom you actually have to leave Sweden. This, we believe, will make a powerful message to send out to society, the media and the government and will help promote awareness of the issue.<br />
<br />
Well if you’re up for being a part of this please let us know. We’re hoping that families, parents or anyone that is interested will join. It should be a fantastic adventure, challenge and will give us all another opportunity to promote and make awareness for home education here in Sweden.<br />
<br />
The intention is to walk the whole distance in 5-6 days and of course get the ferry from Stockholm. We were thinking to start the last day of or the day after the Askö Camp has finished on the 13th July.<br />
If you just want to walk part of it, the start, the end, meet us at places we aim to be (if we get there), walk just a little, drive with us or carry equipment, then please feel free to join us, the help and support will be much appreciated. If you can or cannot join us but wish to help or get involved in the walk to freedom here are a few suggestions:-This is a short list of possible ways to help, if you think of anything else please let us know.<br />
<br />
-spreading the word (inviting friends, family or sharing on other blogs and forums)<br />
-If you know of any contacts (people within the media or potential sponsors)<br />
-Financial aid (help with cost of ferries and possible support vehicles)<br />
<br />
And, the more the merrier, so we hope many will join us and turn this into an awesome manifestation!"SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-14790825127004917172012-04-29T00:06:00.001+02:002012-04-29T01:15:04.185+02:00<h2>
Demeter's Grief</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned / Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned."</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- William Congreve</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGykJ6rlFwuWEiGyqLrEgTaGe6Jl8uScydps6Z6x6eigafV4WJX3V9JN3356vb2DJHwZbxFairhEmUJPnwbfmuAyvOpjAssJzKbMtHNKPCy3z5ohhnGwbI7ApIMhwqnGCKVGt9qCaxeaG/s1600/demeter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGykJ6rlFwuWEiGyqLrEgTaGe6Jl8uScydps6Z6x6eigafV4WJX3V9JN3356vb2DJHwZbxFairhEmUJPnwbfmuAyvOpjAssJzKbMtHNKPCy3z5ohhnGwbI7ApIMhwqnGCKVGt9qCaxeaG/s320/demeter.jpg" width="293" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As a maiden midwife student I really related to <a href="http://www.mythicarts.com/writing/Persephone.html">the Persephone story</a>- the idea of exploring the underworld, finding magic in the star arrangements of the jeweled red pomegranate seeds. There was a romance in finding out what lies beneath, exploring the unknown and dark. I saw it as the necessary work for creativity, a metaphor for all birth. Going deep and emerging new. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Initiation.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, perhaps it is partly that I am a mother, I see it from </span><a href="http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myths/greek_goddess_demeter.htm" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Demeter's side.</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The tragedy of her daughter taken while picking flowers. Both the mother, and the midwife in me can feel under my skin the potential depth and power of a mother's grief. Demeter, so devastated she shuts down the green of the world for the length of her daughter's absence...every single year!! Now, after my first few winters, I get that that imagery is no joke. Winter, a grieving mother. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Death was more fun when it was a myth, instead of a season. Winter was new to me when I moved to Sweden. I had never owned a coat or seen the leaves change in Autumn until we lived here. I am from Florida, where Americans go to evade winter and death in their retirement by playing shuffleboard in the eternal sunshine, and lounging on inflatable rafts in swimming pools like Ponce De Leon's fountain of youth. I am not sure I am cut out for these winters. Maybe I am just bad at it, lacking training. Maybe it is just been a part of having babies, being home with kids in a country where few other mothers are. Not having anyone to talk to, not a single soul sister who knows what I mean, if you know what I mean! Maybe I just lost all the sparkle, creativity, or power I ever had and just suck now, and forever. Is it the Vitamin D? Will St. Johns Wort help? These are the questions you ask yourself after a while if you live somewhere where the sun may set at 3:30 in the afternoon. Shouldn't I relish the cozy quiet and warm my hands and heart sipping tea by the light of my wood stove, and knit in my rocking chair? I have the knitting needles, the awesome wood stove, the red cabin the woods, the tea. Why then did I spend my winter asleep, in agony of loneliness, or on facebook looking for something it can never give me? This makes me very cautious of my favorite escapist pursuit, planning alternate lives. If I can not enjoy this one, what makes me think any of my other invented options will help?</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Winter is long, hard, and on a psychic level I become immobilized like Demeter, not sure I can have faith in the return of the light and delight. The last days of winter are like the end of labor, when you are lost and not sure you can really make it- it is just too much, it is not okay, it is stupid, and will never end and is probably not worth it anyway...as a midwife if a woman expresses that in birth, I recognize it as a signpost and feel a little rush of joy, for I know it means she is about to start pushing and the baby will soon come. The babies really do come come, despite the moment of doubt, and winter does end, despite the bleakness within and without. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The spring is really, really springing here, a rebirth, and not one that came to us with out labor. Today was truly warm, the first rabbit ears of young leaf buds are showing more than just a little bit, and the rhubarb has hit the point of rapid unfolding where you can see changes in it's growth from the beginning to the end of the day. Really, it is over. I am remember what it is that is okay and even good about this life in Sweden. Words can not say how my body responds to the sight of a little more young green on the birches. </span></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, as spring really comes upon us, I feel the sap running in my veins again, life returning, and can imagine how Demeter felt when Persephone returned. That, is also no joke, the joy a mother feels when her long lost child returns. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIcePhSzCMdFFUcxTDwW-mgmC40epHxmejj06eJU_UWINyvck3FAfUDXg1r9HeXXCt8WESKKysg5j8WWBUKOO8z4AhZVUPKTzeFuTz1U6WiHxbmVGpChXGzUM23jM-2d0rxkEQH_vOjdt/s1600/return.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIcePhSzCMdFFUcxTDwW-mgmC40epHxmejj06eJU_UWINyvck3FAfUDXg1r9HeXXCt8WESKKysg5j8WWBUKOO8z4AhZVUPKTzeFuTz1U6WiHxbmVGpChXGzUM23jM-2d0rxkEQH_vOjdt/s320/return.jpg" width="232" /></span></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spring. Part of the cycles. Birth/Growth/Death, Maiden/Mother/Crone.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-32255844410737723492012-04-28T02:44:00.000+02:002012-04-28T02:46:03.861+02:00<h2>
<b>Even Cowgirls Get the Blues</b></h2>
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JahZJ_e2Wd4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<br />
“How can one person be more real than any other? Well, some people do hide and others seek. Maybe those who are in hiding - escaping encounters, avoiding surprises, protecting their property, ignoring their fantasies, restricting their feelings, sitting out the pan pipe hootchy-kootch of experience - maybe those people, people who won't talk to rednecks, or if they're rednecks won't talk to intellectuals, people who're afraid to get their shoes muddy or their noses wet, afraid to eat what they crave, afraid to drink Mexican water, afraid to bet a long shot to win, afraid to hitchhike, jaywalk, honky-tonk, cogitate, osculate, levitate, rock it, bop it, sock it, or bark at the moon, maybe such people are simply inauthentic, and maybe the jacklet humanist who says differently is due to have his tongue fried on the hot slabs of Liar's Hell. Some folks hide, and some folk's seek, and seeking, when it's mindless, neurotic, desperate, or pusillanimous can be a form of hiding. But there are folks who want to know and aren't afraid to look and won't turn tail should they find it - and if they never do, they'll have a good time anyway because nothing, neither the terrible truth nor the absence of it, is going to cheat them out of one honest breath of Earth's sweet gas.”<br />
― Tom Robbins, Still Life With WoodpeckerSwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-13467471345578360782012-03-26T13:23:00.000+02:002012-03-26T13:25:50.026+02:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Jonas Himmelstrand Interview -<br />March 4th 2012 - Sligo, Ireland<br />by WellBoyFilmsIreland</span><br /><br />Interview with author and mentor Jonas Himmelstrand dicussing his reasons for leaving Sweden for a life in exile in Finland, due to the Swedish Local Authorities' alleged persecution of his family for engaging in homeschooling. Jonas has long been a critic of Sweden's much-vaunted child-care system and has travelled the world speaking on that topic as well as the benefits of attachment in childhood development.<br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" width="480" height="270" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/xpjiqx"></iframe><br /><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xpjiqx_jonas-himmelstrand-interview-march-4th-2012-sligo-ireland_news" target="_blank">Jonas Himmelstrand Interview - March 4th 2012 -...</a> <i>by </i>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-39177759769265924222012-03-05T10:14:00.045+01:002012-11-08T06:20:26.211+01:00It was a long dark winter.Cabin fever, defined: For the second winter in a row, for nearly 6 weeks, the only adult I spoke to who knew my name was my husband.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wMFKmE5dl1k" width="420"></iframe></span><br />
<br />
There are no stay at home moms in Sweden. For me, this means raising kids here has been a surprisingly lonely prospect. 92% of children are in daycare after age 18 months, and according to Jonas Himmelstrand, the advocate for parents at home with children and leader of the group <a href="http://www.haro.se/english/">Haro</a>, <a href="http://www.mireja.org/Resources/110630_child_well_being_brussels.pdf">"Home care is discouraged, and in a sense socially marginalized. P<span style="font-size: 100%;">arents will be persuaded, during medical checkups of children, on government institution home pages </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">and through media, that children above one year of age need day care for their development, and that parents need work for their well-being."</span></a> This contradicts <span style="font-size: 100%;">my cultural givens, personal experience, as well as <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/199403/in-the-name-love">developmental psychology</a> that children under three do best with their parents. That being home with your parent is best if at all possible certainly until age three, and best if at least until school age. <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&cts=1330947524783&ved=0CE4QFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencenewsline.com%2Fpsychology%2Fsummary%2F2012013023000058.html&ei=laVUT66pHoml4gSkpNjPDQ&usg=AFQjCNH_Ed9lMCVGKZj1Uqv1-JIFaJQD2Q&sig2=HlXKVK8mW91nt90gOGpdOQ">A parents nurturing makes the brain grow more.</a> Children can also thrive with a care giver who really knows and loves the child. We had a wonderful nanny when my first was young, she no doubt loved my daughter and their relationship enhanced my daughters life and development. But our school here does meet that criteria for my youngest. Even with a 4:1 ratio of kids to teachers at our Waldorf school, it is not warm and nurturing enough for my three year old who clearly prefers home. I get it, I see the teachers do not understand her context, at the end of last year they did not recognize the word she calls her big sister who she plays with at that school everyday. In other words, they do not really know her, and could not be the caring personal assistant a young child needs to navigate the world. We benefit from the Swedish preschool by using the Waldorf school as a drop off play group for my girls, especially valuable in the absence of relatives that could watch the kids a few hours or friends we would play with if parenting in the more social world we had in Florida. And my 6-7 year old really does do great with a group of kids she can play hard with often. I am mostly home with my kids, but very few others are. I often find myself longing for the community of mothers and families I had in the USA that made this work of raising kids light and fun.</span><br />
<div>
<br />
The one good friend I have here who has kids is a german literature professor. Education and language are her natural skills, and she spends lots of one on one time with her kids, so it did not surprise me that her kids had learned to read and write german, english, and swedish by age 4. Her oldest will reach school age this year and is not a fit for the swedish school system, since she is far advanced of the typical swedish child. So her family wishes to continue to teach the child at home, but since Swedes do not value being at home with young children, they are down right suspicious if you wish to be at home with an older one. My friend and her family will relocate to USA, shall I say flee, as if they stay and<span style="font-size: 100%;"> do not enroll the girl in school they will face fines and even the threat of imprisonment. </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">I was rather hoping that the education law that passed in June 2010 and banned home schooling would not be strongly enforced, but Jonas Himmelstrand the voice </span><a href="http://www.presskontakt.se/pressreleaser/visa/pressrelease/462484/swedish-home-education/6AFCCDFB-61C8-AEB5-E512-1CBBA1760743" style="font-size: 100%;">of the Swedish home school movement and attachment parenting movement just fled the country under threats and fines of $26,000 a year for not enrolling his children in school</a><span style="font-size: 100%;">.</span></div>
<div>
<br />
This place is pretty, oh the red barns and canola fields and children skipping to school through the woods!!...but today I feel rather condemning. People do not socialize. Having barbeques here to extend my social circle results in quiet stares, and comments like "wow, this was such an interesting thing to do, why thank you!". I miss my friends, my people, and no matter how crazy the US is, at least you can be yourself and find someone to go along with it! I have a baby about to turn one, I am going to be doing this taking care of young kids thing a few more years and I can not<span style="font-size: 100%;"> stand to do it in isolation like this. Back home in the Florida sun there are people who love me who could meet me at the beach, or hang out and have a cup of coffee with me while our kids play, and provide the simple connections that sustain me.</span><br />
<div>
<div>
<br />
I was admiring <a href="http://walkslowlylivewildly.com/2012/02/29/wind-of-change/">someone else's bloggy life from afar</a>, dreaming of her town of Nederland, CO thinking maybe with more sun, English language, and friendly Americans this gig of being at home in the forest with kids w<span style="font-size: 100%;">ould be more fun. But then she picked up and moved from loneliness. Funny how the pictures can convey the dream with out the emotion. I want to catch this blog up with all the pictures of the living the dream in Sweden, it has been good, I will fill in the blog so it is a record of our time here... but I think the clock is ticking, a count down towards our next phase of life....</span></div>
<div>
<br />
We came here to get to know family, immerse myself and the kids in Swedish language and culture, and help out family. We have done what we came to do.<br />
<br />
Sorry, got a three year old who wants me to drive her pretend train to IKEA. Not much time for blogging these days, so the story is not told in full!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/o_LdqKIQ5Uo" width="560"></iframe></span></div>
</div>
</div>
SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-74191772115964687512011-11-29T22:10:00.007+01:002011-11-30T06:24:02.038+01:00<span class="Apple-style-span">Still Swede. </span><div><br /></div><div>Being busy with three kids and a lot of travel adventures, as well as some grumpy feelings about plagarism of<a href="http://www.thelocal.se/blogs/theswedelife/#"> the blog name</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/telstar/470293452/in/faves-swedish_institute/">photo ideas</a>, and <a href="http://www.sweden.se/eng/Home/Lifestyle/Reading/20-things-to-know-before-moving-to-Sweden/">some content</a> have kept me off the blog circuit.</div><div><br /></div><div>But....I am returning from a long USA trip, and my dear friend has made me swear if I am going back, I will at least show her how it is going.</div><div><br /></div><div>So expect me back once again! </div><div><br /></div><div>But help me out...is this a mom blog, a Sweden blog, an expat blog, a midwife blog, a food blog, or a waldorf blog? I have periodically been of the mind to tighten it up and limit my ramblings to a more concise topic. Seeing other people take my blog name and my ideas and bring them to outlets like The Local and Sweden.se makes me wonder if I should do the same. So far this blog is just me and my not very well orchestrated thoughts off handly whipped out in a quick unartful post on stolen time between nap time and dinner time. </div><div><br /></div><div>What do you think I ought to do? </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-74356725818819019992011-06-09T16:52:00.008+02:002011-06-09T17:35:49.605+02:00<b><span class="Apple-style-span">Sweden in May</span></b><div>This is Sweden in May. It is the prettiest time in Skåne. I had to show you right now. I am doing the mega blog catch up and looking at my blog covered in winter pictures is deceptive and depressing. I must tell you how pretty it is here right now! So no matter that I am writing the easter post in drafts, let me fast forward to let you know it is green and alive here. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The Swedish flag, in Canola and Sky</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4PQj9EegWetshaTIP-q6HoJc9cIffLYVmxP8ajTFltvaSMKqx9_mwYBdY-LBdP2RnCRS8SEwGgFE2LaIeMET60AAmxjkpgVIDWsjd2soMJJldWcSt4Ij7dJSNEJQRB62YiPtgGR8mU6B/s320/DSC03770.JPG" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616242351355742210" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The House in March from the Road</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsrfLXMPnj8ngRWErbRChsKhlrVAgJbLqtor_09enFj0HezLWSm7RvtDCS8j6LBkUMhq8uUhEEl0fnYoKH6eKlxiviVDfoggwtm_yWtSXo1v5WHKXS9Z-wSP5OzIa5SCZtY39C6AMX7iX/s1600/DSC_0012.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsrfLXMPnj8ngRWErbRChsKhlrVAgJbLqtor_09enFj0HezLWSm7RvtDCS8j6LBkUMhq8uUhEEl0fnYoKH6eKlxiviVDfoggwtm_yWtSXo1v5WHKXS9Z-wSP5OzIa5SCZtY39C6AMX7iX/s320/DSC_0012.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616242342584490370" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The same view two months later, in May, all lush and full of life. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOmkRsm9Z_B7-fiHaaNw46Lod26wTgnSbZ4eMx9v5mX2n0x7AHoZiYtC2IGpZnq6qFBqJ1QSBtQiv-69AyjgIfzpKZtoLPS1yzyX1ib6DCfZ2sFVmwVt4Xs6cXFk01HOGXdwqOslxmvZY/s1600/DSC_0392.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOmkRsm9Z_B7-fiHaaNw46Lod26wTgnSbZ4eMx9v5mX2n0x7AHoZiYtC2IGpZnq6qFBqJ1QSBtQiv-69AyjgIfzpKZtoLPS1yzyX1ib6DCfZ2sFVmwVt4Xs6cXFk01HOGXdwqOslxmvZY/s320/DSC_0392.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616242326270845698" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Liliacs</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGB5O9LvefD56Y23RDnMvdE_uYQcXgHLU6XnLkHp0fppjhHj6FNXMGfAgFlgXz09-q1faoMq6sxOrnE01hzI6hWBoV-oNozVCzjgkaJmLNDUhxZBwXHuic69hzYnTYr0s3XKuEMjchR3-/s1600/DSC_0395.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGB5O9LvefD56Y23RDnMvdE_uYQcXgHLU6XnLkHp0fppjhHj6FNXMGfAgFlgXz09-q1faoMq6sxOrnE01hzI6hWBoV-oNozVCzjgkaJmLNDUhxZBwXHuic69hzYnTYr0s3XKuEMjchR3-/s320/DSC_0395.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616242315353549810" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Liliac hedge</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDefonmMj31WE63YWWx-bSTnYLWdOes6cjX8YsI3C0ynZqXDWUJOy3p5H0qj35OL7QnnrNTaxJ2UlmsLFgdVB_azJ2a0df9khO4V42Kn9bRDxBq8imFfN9WUj6OVhdycqP6ZxDGWNUhEL/s320/DSC_0404.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616241311153668194" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The view in our yard from the swings to the hammock</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDefonmMj31WE63YWWx-bSTnYLWdOes6cjX8YsI3C0ynZqXDWUJOy3p5H0qj35OL7QnnrNTaxJ2UlmsLFgdVB_azJ2a0df9khO4V42Kn9bRDxBq8imFfN9WUj6OVhdycqP6ZxDGWNUhEL/s1600/DSC_0404.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIAsvxktNRtOJOGLwToiIP9Q2JKcvgRdDh-7vxB-xO2grfrPpZWdKmsJbEgBAZkFb2S91T4xVoYgcoKfqUXIzanSKSizM2va9olWPw2NPwtC0GfWpgVbCyRkPakqoVXQTZK3Da1pzIU_Z/s1600/DSC_0190.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIAsvxktNRtOJOGLwToiIP9Q2JKcvgRdDh-7vxB-xO2grfrPpZWdKmsJbEgBAZkFb2S91T4xVoYgcoKfqUXIzanSKSizM2va9olWPw2NPwtC0GfWpgVbCyRkPakqoVXQTZK3Da1pzIU_Z/s320/DSC_0190.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616241302874928098" /></a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">The view towards the trampoline in May</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIAsvxktNRtOJOGLwToiIP9Q2JKcvgRdDh-7vxB-xO2grfrPpZWdKmsJbEgBAZkFb2S91T4xVoYgcoKfqUXIzanSKSizM2va9olWPw2NPwtC0GfWpgVbCyRkPakqoVXQTZK3Da1pzIU_Z/s1600/DSC_0190.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPMOtM0-tzONRw7VLSsmyPU6_209GgDl98UOcXEhO2A6xnl1k3qPaR7cqR0NnAwPSHX433AdJpQrvLlrgy0x5RPhnNtx6TYYJ6XaYGU4TczAv6cVx-lMw5oJryfhHdkFAChlijdhfCcuT/s1600/DSC_0397.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPMOtM0-tzONRw7VLSsmyPU6_209GgDl98UOcXEhO2A6xnl1k3qPaR7cqR0NnAwPSHX433AdJpQrvLlrgy0x5RPhnNtx6TYYJ6XaYGU4TczAv6cVx-lMw5oJryfhHdkFAChlijdhfCcuT/s320/DSC_0397.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616241295317241314" /></a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">The Canopy on the walk near our house</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPMOtM0-tzONRw7VLSsmyPU6_209GgDl98UOcXEhO2A6xnl1k3qPaR7cqR0NnAwPSHX433AdJpQrvLlrgy0x5RPhnNtx6TYYJ6XaYGU4TczAv6cVx-lMw5oJryfhHdkFAChlijdhfCcuT/s1600/DSC_0397.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMG1rnnp41Ptnj9Gvr6-e6-dluhcjDps0RpyOx5UfucTBewbAMzaMIFX8F6QJ09THeBuTgUffakWEGX_YlxhPVQjkZvv9V5kSzpI9a6OnSjohDHU9GSorNwyMv-ym45D_ze6QrX0iLJU4/s1600/DSC_0217.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMG1rnnp41Ptnj9Gvr6-e6-dluhcjDps0RpyOx5UfucTBewbAMzaMIFX8F6QJ09THeBuTgUffakWEGX_YlxhPVQjkZvv9V5kSzpI9a6OnSjohDHU9GSorNwyMv-ym45D_ze6QrX0iLJU4/s320/DSC_0217.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616241286066720002" /></a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Our Rhubarb and Apple Tree</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnlgnPDPJi-PY_x-6Nvw3gWLwpd7bLMrRUHj49w_NrQKaWdVqHZy674nv_0QKwHaabOH4ztq0RcLA_z2OZHo-kE3lWYGCargWPGOQ_F9FkqbDhXk2Wk522AcWa3BlO8rWppVRG669Ts99/s1600/DSC03771.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnlgnPDPJi-PY_x-6Nvw3gWLwpd7bLMrRUHj49w_NrQKaWdVqHZy674nv_0QKwHaabOH4ztq0RcLA_z2OZHo-kE3lWYGCargWPGOQ_F9FkqbDhXk2Wk522AcWa3BlO8rWppVRG669Ts99/s320/DSC03771.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616241276425124722" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Apple Blossoms in my Yard</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDpDz6LQcHGp_ZZropAMf3QqUNhJAJ403eVNkuFjVmjwN-s0dtYMAqO6kGijbH_OhBynSLkX0Plb746MKRedh_9_5ELuzbeTDrJ6IPs8leX3-HglEC_2RGaSC7uMdnGoOyaGHQn6r6cjS/s320/DSC03773.JPG" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616239678496714098" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">At the university in Lund</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRG0RK1ElMMqOVL-V2BvpPfcfv8yamXvfAeiQzhFsJzo_rrxN2NeXGBNJSpUp-7CcBvI05HU29kPRewDvktAAz5EGYA2QYw6U-TA-3pNLitCrVB_DcD2eWy5iEStLzi91lhi0SPlcioCJ/s1600/DSC03766.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRG0RK1ElMMqOVL-V2BvpPfcfv8yamXvfAeiQzhFsJzo_rrxN2NeXGBNJSpUp-7CcBvI05HU29kPRewDvktAAz5EGYA2QYw6U-TA-3pNLitCrVB_DcD2eWy5iEStLzi91lhi0SPlcioCJ/s320/DSC03766.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616239670547084434" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">So many Tulips</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cZCyTutZh1HviLyQQ9ayIQidASR3fNhVGAVB3yFkI5rLjxfvq5AwcHm4TqmqILtsEyizmy0kVGFQXM05GKvwR1uGs43UAO0SmCo5U5ubsHpbDk5O3ykwdH-VK_Mz6a7T1M2_OV1-guwq/s1600/DSC03765.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cZCyTutZh1HviLyQQ9ayIQidASR3fNhVGAVB3yFkI5rLjxfvq5AwcHm4TqmqILtsEyizmy0kVGFQXM05GKvwR1uGs43UAO0SmCo5U5ubsHpbDk5O3ykwdH-VK_Mz6a7T1M2_OV1-guwq/s320/DSC03765.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616239661631479554" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tulips</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCnDGcTB2Zuqz8XV-rcqb4Pim_YdL0U3zaKvTfJf_6cqG8SQ9hTjzdwRxFfphThgY8QNJAJnSLvkvpObFslF_7i9496QE3ZSpovNKw4KMtftY9clo-uXoQZhQKTNuLuMBY2jU6LF9z6sq/s1600/DSC03756.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCnDGcTB2Zuqz8XV-rcqb4Pim_YdL0U3zaKvTfJf_6cqG8SQ9hTjzdwRxFfphThgY8QNJAJnSLvkvpObFslF_7i9496QE3ZSpovNKw4KMtftY9clo-uXoQZhQKTNuLuMBY2jU6LF9z6sq/s320/DSC03756.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616239655127527650" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3wuOF8dZCealHRKqvQrQe4DkqD6Y3K0lfNVDb4_wJogyF_HxHHOPhH4SUUAod8I2kyt3aLYYg2bozrnXmuYHlgR1A4XguVhS5TWrASjPH34y9_JMI4uche7yNe44rWZU2G17cRYqjDUw/s1600/DSC_0026-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3wuOF8dZCealHRKqvQrQe4DkqD6Y3K0lfNVDb4_wJogyF_HxHHOPhH4SUUAod8I2kyt3aLYYg2bozrnXmuYHlgR1A4XguVhS5TWrASjPH34y9_JMI4uche7yNe44rWZU2G17cRYqjDUw/s320/DSC_0026-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616239646019701842" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hawthorn flower</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJZlUEhcVZWmkCe5flESBO_orNnzSDBqom7Ia9RkimqfZ9OYKryusLmDw3dATfxFv88mOHmwrMkRrc_hYC_y3CypENc26vnUiJ8BDys3XJAo5SjmdeYZrloByWVExbICgbXtcy82kBG0S/s1600/DSC_0021a.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJZlUEhcVZWmkCe5flESBO_orNnzSDBqom7Ia9RkimqfZ9OYKryusLmDw3dATfxFv88mOHmwrMkRrc_hYC_y3CypENc26vnUiJ8BDys3XJAo5SjmdeYZrloByWVExbICgbXtcy82kBG0S/s320/DSC_0021a.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616238848539279330" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">So many dandelion wishes!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81zITeRONlC7UOq-Dc-_SVOdJQFlbF2e-lnBp0HNtXZJmMbNQtMAE1Izl-4bbtrz_ZUPShYZUnUtJMkJM9VxbLuZe72Pvko_T7W0GTyCOsrHVazkoJi6cHQr1tgl6pnitk71vJWi_2nD8/s1600/DSC_0054.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81zITeRONlC7UOq-Dc-_SVOdJQFlbF2e-lnBp0HNtXZJmMbNQtMAE1Izl-4bbtrz_ZUPShYZUnUtJMkJM9VxbLuZe72Pvko_T7W0GTyCOsrHVazkoJi6cHQr1tgl6pnitk71vJWi_2nD8/s320/DSC_0054.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616238835571784626" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_RHGzEcp-6jS0M6iDXvyE3HLPCQJ_KcojSxB56GhXIj0BRhr6CFI4Tqpw0u_v3hlOtj-h07ggMNi0poB2jdSsPWu-XmPfAQPStnhuOgsP-TwOqtNbzAJNkuWpLhReU897T8lGv2P6AGI/s1600/DSC_0264.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 291px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_RHGzEcp-6jS0M6iDXvyE3HLPCQJ_KcojSxB56GhXIj0BRhr6CFI4Tqpw0u_v3hlOtj-h07ggMNi0poB2jdSsPWu-XmPfAQPStnhuOgsP-TwOqtNbzAJNkuWpLhReU897T8lGv2P6AGI/s320/DSC_0264.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616238827341233314" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">But the thing about Swedish spring flowers, is they are over as soon as they start. A brief and brilliant beauty. Leaving you wishing for more. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzB7P4k-7PcQdjw4lXi74OmaAucH90kZVrAU3_v0OUC8sHaicIf9xPNb6FCQF9oEc15QCy9p6hzpoqinNADajQ4y3Ly3znHx7jpJ9nMDdyqVlkWFNA6-CXjQSOOUx8zoTJD2OyhSo66L_x/s1600/DSC_0259.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzB7P4k-7PcQdjw4lXi74OmaAucH90kZVrAU3_v0OUC8sHaicIf9xPNb6FCQF9oEc15QCy9p6hzpoqinNADajQ4y3Ly3znHx7jpJ9nMDdyqVlkWFNA6-CXjQSOOUx8zoTJD2OyhSo66L_x/s1600/DSC_0259.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzB7P4k-7PcQdjw4lXi74OmaAucH90kZVrAU3_v0OUC8sHaicIf9xPNb6FCQF9oEc15QCy9p6hzpoqinNADajQ4y3Ly3znHx7jpJ9nMDdyqVlkWFNA6-CXjQSOOUx8zoTJD2OyhSo66L_x/s320/DSC_0259.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616238821377134338" /></a></div></div></div></div>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-10076787620331659072011-06-09T13:43:00.012+02:002011-06-09T16:50:31.994+02:00<div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>The Waldorf School</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b></b></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCHJNkVGz4on0tkYA-4Q1A_i-VcCOEHo1iAtsgZsTKrtRQr-bcsUrxaToPuj4-8JUL4_RtbzFBsdMWKfzj45UH1dsudo8PmVyiZ_IDNZQprlAr-seIdhb2DGKnnJHUvKyO5QTQ7F8ym3O/s320/DSC_0043.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616232413367060114" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">A big part of this spring has been the Waldorf school. SwedeGirl is on her third year at this play school, and it was SwedeBaby's first year. I hoped to have her settled in by the time the baby came, and it worked great. At the end of pregnancy it was icy, dark, and gloomy out and I wanted to curl up and hibernate. The kids went off almost daily to school to play, sing, be fed, and go outside with someone who could bend over more easily than I to get their boots on. After the baby came, their attendence helped keep them busy and entertained while I laid in bed nursing and recovering. This worked very well. The children got to play, I got to gestate. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">The 6 year old can climb up the big tree</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vfxGVGdT_HWg4AHXn6pnd0IhIrAnObWUfWE-D_BVvaFm-pyVtKK8E7wE4oVQIbpV3JevHjEN9LmvVUs7U1a5qoCxKyhyPhJSQ9qlJj8ODKpuuclCw4HhtQ6c20QuEIx3OSx5elkOgAlu/s320/DSC00333.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616195894565691554" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The two year old does well on this nifty branch climbing structure.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJoBmf5BnS7iS3WGxXkUJEdvWzlj1-SzFHiiwGX9PJxBHGvi2AURniSYBaF3uTNAHvM7fud71VzooOk8HoYeO-BsuAP0NdWf41LI9sk2p1Cy-179tpEOi5RcXMdiNmYd6dZLKomEhzYBd/s320/DSC03620.JPG" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616195353493966386" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">They mostly just do free play, but they do do a few projects at the school for the 4-7 year olds. They planted plants, made soap, colored, and made wet felted balls this spring. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Spring Grass for Easter</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJoBmf5BnS7iS3WGxXkUJEdvWzlj1-SzFHiiwGX9PJxBHGvi2AURniSYBaF3uTNAHvM7fud71VzooOk8HoYeO-BsuAP0NdWf41LI9sk2p1Cy-179tpEOi5RcXMdiNmYd6dZLKomEhzYBd/s1600/DSC03620.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickQC1QZA2uMKA7su54vgERUALIQgCdsEZXqJ7cP91kxO39vxgnLltTHwdKMnI1Inrll72mIetz4E4zixyW98g_tYXfjMhwQTswHTQjM_mvt6EqAZ2YugRNgXRz2UuOJImoCalQ0tj4t8K/s1600/DSC_0021.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickQC1QZA2uMKA7su54vgERUALIQgCdsEZXqJ7cP91kxO39vxgnLltTHwdKMnI1Inrll72mIetz4E4zixyW98g_tYXfjMhwQTswHTQjM_mvt6EqAZ2YugRNgXRz2UuOJImoCalQ0tj4t8K/s320/DSC_0021.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616195343850301298" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Each Wednesday they pack a lunch and go on a walk, and have a picnic lunch out in one of the nearby wild areas. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpZy_f_wQQr9KBff6rpDA3zV0muqN9VxDbR_FNpaJuQEd9xiAf6xJsNCKwZv3PcNKw9YbC69fLKmYIa3a_VQAKFHNqbwcYkUSSwbkAJchMM7B5Ba2_l59wnvxwcUzDZvzFWGJN6ArMU4v/s320/DSC_0364.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616195909638431202" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The little kids eat at the picnic tables on the playground when it is not wet out. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSaZUS-KjeugmVTiEq8SHaTh7v6-ksXL-yjKNl6nd6EdDp0ziHFEEIGbUfPOqvUANokzj-Qt24WcDOVUVItu0sErijZn-lt8Kx6MCk5GKYhFfEe09opb4a3paZKOhOLAhYzYJwxPo1sGh1/s320/DSC_1041.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616195931094629666" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The day goes like this:</div><div style="text-align: left;">8:00am- School Opens, Oatmeal Breakfast served until 8:45am</div><div style="text-align: left;">8:30- Free Play Indoors, teacher may be working on a craft or project the children can help with. </div><div style="text-align: left;">10:00- Circle Time. Little ones do finger plays and songs, the older ones do games and songs. </div><div style="text-align: left;">10:30- Tea Time. Children get warm herbal tea in teacups, rice cakes, skorpa (hard toasted bread- crackers), knackebröd (like swedish bread like wasa crackers), with butter or sesame paste. </div><div style="text-align: left;">10:45- Outdoor Playtime. </div><div style="text-align: left;">11:30- Lunch Time. Organic Vegetarian lunch prepared by school cook and served at the classroom dining table. On Wednesday the go out for picnic wit ha lunch packed from home. </div><div style="text-align: left;">12:00- For Little children, nap time. They nap in pram style strollers lined with sheep skins. For older children, it is quiet time- they lie on sheep skins and are told a story. After the picnic outing in the winter, the children get warm foot baths and foot massages with lavender oil. </div><div style="text-align: left;">1:30 - Snack Time. Fil (fermented milk like kefor), Proviva (fruit soup with cultures), something baked by the school cook, or fruit. </div><div style="text-align: left;">2:00 - Free Play outdoors, teachers may be doing work in the garden or yard the children can help with</div><div style="text-align: left;">4:00 - School closes for the day.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">SwedeGirl carried this chicken around the whole day</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhqbZk2wcRfR6_6s-nikEYyIJFqnajpay_FQb4-ZXCkW0Ikfndq_m7mv7G-o4RTDbncHVzquk2xs_6Unhg-7HqI7AdXfjGqsUtKNaoIXDt3YTVPuoNOmLt5Q7bgNNU6uooNL-dIzCSoTq/s1600/DSC03619.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhqbZk2wcRfR6_6s-nikEYyIJFqnajpay_FQb4-ZXCkW0Ikfndq_m7mv7G-o4RTDbncHVzquk2xs_6Unhg-7HqI7AdXfjGqsUtKNaoIXDt3YTVPuoNOmLt5Q7bgNNU6uooNL-dIzCSoTq/s320/DSC03619.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616195332479266930" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The old hen house is a play house now</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjio7AD97Q9DKxDnBnLttpGvnQHFHesk7ZAp8yONpPJHLuCf4lkL_aOCIHN1BRopNHtHuBjo9YDvqsS2pABOYKVtAny6BzpK8OZiXlaUb1uNN-_ciKFqUxIprkyJQtswAXLfXEkTq9pik3n/s1600/DSC03622.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjio7AD97Q9DKxDnBnLttpGvnQHFHesk7ZAp8yONpPJHLuCf4lkL_aOCIHN1BRopNHtHuBjo9YDvqsS2pABOYKVtAny6BzpK8OZiXlaUb1uNN-_ciKFqUxIprkyJQtswAXLfXEkTq9pik3n/s320/DSC03622.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616195320284236258" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjio7AD97Q9DKxDnBnLttpGvnQHFHesk7ZAp8yONpPJHLuCf4lkL_aOCIHN1BRopNHtHuBjo9YDvqsS2pABOYKVtAny6BzpK8OZiXlaUb1uNN-_ciKFqUxIprkyJQtswAXLfXEkTq9pik3n/s1600/DSC03622.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>The kids love the chickens, and pick eggs and feed them</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuyW-nk4L3CbZZv7QkgnV8WkhlRfWf16CrTicHVrAa2F9DIApX8pCI_TRPAqCPK6eXGKk44qhUBSkb5EeC0ICtd8nD5Wg1qsuKxzYKhGUEYGX1UsY7amanbeodzfNQc_HdUmOi7ogO1Wt/s1600/DSC_0203.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuyW-nk4L3CbZZv7QkgnV8WkhlRfWf16CrTicHVrAa2F9DIApX8pCI_TRPAqCPK6eXGKk44qhUBSkb5EeC0ICtd8nD5Wg1qsuKxzYKhGUEYGX1UsY7amanbeodzfNQc_HdUmOi7ogO1Wt/s320/DSC_0203.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616195313873076418" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The new hen house was designed and built by the 8th graders as a class project. <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjvNIZaDEj35xVh36Ys34paPfYJ3mEC19zVYYFN_Nf3JRTLn8jmZsiORRjLtUbG-7jDRMlsFswrAiW-gJ0RiN9OTyj_bsh0VZNz3vSDLn342AkLVlo_x-nqNgI7_mJazxAOgVlUH2jg43/s320/DSC_0081.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616194473660158258" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The play ground, SwedeBabys class room is in the building in the background. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrq3GaR9pu3w-hn1QcgntwaokGKSYcdiGEXYjxPHycItHQCzJrpBo7IGct1mPy82cxc4p6hCKk_TKGe2GtnQ8lbHk05Oz22m5GaXRa4S9mXcM8A1_YDBxVzRro7bzYeJZm_SxIpgwdc5DM/s320/DSC_0202.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616184987651487666" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My Kids love lots of just Sand box time</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXRs3laKTUdgZMbiwZWuLQaYPORJszlMKg1vJFyqpx2hLsJWa5oMpAFM55c4c38EUKY5S5QLTMdEVPr3oYQmva_BiDaccyjx4a6ZFNW95LswvwoX2ibrHyh9CW0S-VIW1b57TPZqfVi3P/s320/DSC_0365.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 179px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616194465197997794" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The school leaves out boards, wooden pallets, old cable spools, buckets, wheel barrows, shovels, garden tools and cutlery the kids use for all kinds of things. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1aKNuAEI_CnwlVDxNLMxF_nGVK7E-kf7xJUY5lhpKgINAaJgdTZ4UOYD_j9On1rjkGW-x2DpuGoh4icPRz2dfOH7QfeRcdepTX5AM0PgvxhK3RotY4d7rQh9fAPhudfDY9IEjuuAPezd/s320/DSC_0923.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616195921458611282" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">They make pretend soup and soap</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb24dl74LBzEnYFZLnCa0zfBvociKC1Rj4yTg7YfLAF1meF6HqBvLyE_0bTfaQhYdB7rircSJJyp9DkN92fgWSRM2KoWzI-1LFIkJwy7Bt_ZCr_qA2b-G1srDjS0LFIyWRFXjUOfDj76jr/s320/DSC_0206.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616194482760459762" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Sunny Sandbox time! </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQd5mRiRWbMo0urYL9NjhexE_9Kq0T1KybF1VYrBepHOUe8CQ8CyyxctCH-y7jRnSQ_XRMMBK6fCTeWH70ih0QmmFIu_iSWbW3qCLAxiL7tL22xjy_vVxRaCpK4ZH9OzgR38ZmPxE8jqUC/s1600/DSC_0209.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQd5mRiRWbMo0urYL9NjhexE_9Kq0T1KybF1VYrBepHOUe8CQ8CyyxctCH-y7jRnSQ_XRMMBK6fCTeWH70ih0QmmFIu_iSWbW3qCLAxiL7tL22xjy_vVxRaCpK4ZH9OzgR38ZmPxE8jqUC/s1600/DSC_0209.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQd5mRiRWbMo0urYL9NjhexE_9Kq0T1KybF1VYrBepHOUe8CQ8CyyxctCH-y7jRnSQ_XRMMBK6fCTeWH70ih0QmmFIu_iSWbW3qCLAxiL7tL22xjy_vVxRaCpK4ZH9OzgR38ZmPxE8jqUC/s320/DSC_0209.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616194500615179922" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">This is their best friend, my girls share a playground so they usually play together, and this little girl is almost always at their side. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgda3-9EIJcvTn2jPOXOiOX7zXml60NHBCAX9wiY4eIbBcRCzi1SK4dQahIO9_yF2KjVEeJO1jbh1u-VUE6v7lVsXtPogPNUS21LkSS8iHmlxUcx9RoXy7oZHV8zKR-hgDaYGdW9EtRKAxz/s320/DSC00354.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616190744727650562" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Wooden boards make a balance beam.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb24dl74LBzEnYFZLnCa0zfBvociKC1Rj4yTg7YfLAF1meF6HqBvLyE_0bTfaQhYdB7rircSJJyp9DkN92fgWSRM2KoWzI-1LFIkJwy7Bt_ZCr_qA2b-G1srDjS0LFIyWRFXjUOfDj76jr/s1600/DSC_0206.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8E3NyJivsrZnN4JqW9I_pNaC5Pdh3YnL2-9C7UkKdqWUgPp1cZgEG3kXK58pqohVRrHxpQoO6mZMoVMQmg_jJqaZo36_EOOZyDcuu2WLwg9qXdNDIznnLVHyL2aoYRUTdz_xk6T2Ymg1/s320/DSC00335.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616195905123866322" /></span></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">The rope swing</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8QEOniL4vSD_YdDbB8bs-Tn7W_RqGEFORAuMFpU3_GoQI1OSwquTlwC29iPB5A9eEBOrJGomikxaddg2IO1eLGYnCSzfGqUeFblJYMdk56owrATmxnrdC4H5V3dV6qHGPLY0mWapCzKr/s320/DSC_0827.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616194461407242850" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">SwedeBaby's classroom</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_s1Flw4hOvrFL9g5crRr4ANhUhZ1P7HkaS22ikt3KGuXUZJDBYCUlOJpK-CR1PaGVg7O7dCwmAnc75grzq88AhG8ceSn4XAp7S4Dp9K7eAkiJ9LakP_uvCN3qemqbLACp0Vvg4Yxz4VB/s320/DSC_0441.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616190038586691218" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFVp0SFYW7h26O6PhYezJUg_UOHaILqdBn9gHFmCPwlWW0KrdBR7Ln5oCSQEAwwS_X6_4Kak99wm9PDZSmhfSdR8sHfZ95COtGqLbVsxF-YkpJFTwwvjlXVXhViKYcfenwGZcVeQkljZr/s320/DSC00015.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616189996875001794" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px; " /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">A little kitchen</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7U5jOiPKnKtUUfJ439WQcA_NlwML7pjhyphenhyphenFr89Z6F1k3JgjDcAvvlQp1QRSmkxX_aHbBpW_gbuorODITrMRDqt3JBt9d1Dx-uegJ4dzuHOlDKGvUoqeUMz3BPYe_rTOhteoFUxYQnDoIVv/s1600/DSC00335.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tsa1jJ4bc22AdAlCBpIVv-9yX0S1qjsJ8djymIGMtpTJI9i4p9l82-ITqFyFjEP4ZbKuSLN9hqyCudoLjlmBkIz730AreJwzNW-_hErogg0T7js6u4z4HNKLQ8Gg_6huc7D132xgb8Ud/s320/DSC00017.JPG" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616190026075661794" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A farm</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9vg-OaMbJcvqfDjSyHgtY9KKL3i0ZIz5FGnieXh3I4ef-NAE5gHoAUk6XBG-fjG2xNH-jrSt0c4v2b1GyEtNl4dGbhi4077Ux2A5FBGvLWYy_j4BO8zzS2mKSweCIVI0m3mIlcjVqoQq/s320/DSC00016.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616190015509212946" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Playthings</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3hjXDlYhdnQ_-uHofITQQGbiMHAx9wkR8EjXPnwH4SkQBKu9E2vplCEBVYHR8S-5m9bVzloFiyfL92DXyhIEu3Hd0CxoryZ1hwra0hgIF3K8iVqTs8GDvO7nYF10tKbMjecovxagxqua/s320/DSC_0830.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616184951925607410" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The adjoining classroom</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHC29h7X3XBYcdRazr_LX7BezDQMgytS9AuKeybUroM8DjMJN1G7qJK07M-UbMNw7NluR-7ORm7diChg0w0ez6T7FGcd0SzVxdGxVvr6hVvvc92Yn_UBR4dwouCkSz9yoEldsMow9hyphenhyphenc7Q/s320/DSC_0829.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616184968077805890" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The shared eating area</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33eH7FI26bJGPB9pDQXMLnZYUPlHYYtk6rYNzOYOergWRWcGxv_ZlquGP1xuSx79icUlc-E6_ubzFFPZeIhrpORibJAfw_CjbzQHWBOOfW-T_1hg9_hsk92L1v9bRJ49RLuUEFgpsZz_Q/s320/DSC00014.JPG" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616190010353079442" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Dress up time!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7U5jOiPKnKtUUfJ439WQcA_NlwML7pjhyphenhyphenFr89Z6F1k3JgjDcAvvlQp1QRSmkxX_aHbBpW_gbuorODITrMRDqt3JBt9d1Dx-uegJ4dzuHOlDKGvUoqeUMz3BPYe_rTOhteoFUxYQnDoIVv/s1600/DSC00335.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcOuDu8SyPTc6apqRs6twIeNmufQKXKbND0wuBeZAUGVWq08pB3XjjWa6tPCOqi5YsAJ_NXvglexqQDb3D4lekZ-Nhyphenhyphen74xkc56-HlP3d8C9LJ_aebf0WHAYcnmG2oNg2KRzAcE7p0S4u0/s320/DSC_0831.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616184955952867058" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There is a very deliberate and spiritually grounded method to everything in a Waldorf school. To learn more about Waldorf -Steiner Education, you can read a short summary about it <a href="http://www.steinerwaldorf.org/downloads/earlyyears/More_details_about_Steiner_EY.pdf">here</a> or read these original sources- lectures from Rudolph Steiner, the philosopher who founded Waldorf Education. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://wn.rsarchive.org/Education/IntWal_index.html"> Introduction to Waldorf School Education</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wn.rsarchive.org/Education/EduChild/EduChi_index.html">The Education of the Child in the Light of Anthrosophy</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wn.rsarchive.org/Education/GA311/English/AP1982/KinChi_index.html">The Kingdom of Childhood</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://wn.rsarchive.org/Education/Educat_index.html">Education</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://wn.rsarchive.org/Education/SpGrEd_index.html">Spiritual Grounds of Education</a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-63072733737922418892011-06-09T11:24:00.014+02:002011-06-09T21:29:52.017+02:00<span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Getting Outside in the Early Spring</b></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">April 17th, waffles on the porch!</span></b></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqujLDIl25IUtVHHC7uOm8OlLhUQcgyudEUYNCDc52iOIHszJL_w1yZK6S9ekk5iyNobOFgol0DNBq3-B5UbScuYOJVqrGTAxxyi-ZFS4D47KQSRil6K-WxWcPNU2akiykbszjyHdfo78L/s320/DSC_0230.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616158623943453330" /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Initiating the porch in the spring time is a huge deal! It is wonderful when it becomes warm enough to eat outside. When we can open up our house, our world expands three fold. We have a fenced yard and we can leave the doors open and let the kids run in and out. The front and back yards are like new rooms to expand out into. And with the ice gone we return to 'street play'- things like chalk, stroller walks, and bike riding. And the neighbors who we have</span> not seen all winter are out in the sun, playing and tending their yards, and the kids have friends to go see.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">The first street chalk of the year!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ESJsl_dJnP8A6WNM0IlUDFme84ad8Zm6hYIYcFuUOxruU5m6sN3EUR_ebrsKI730z_q8TBeN8edOkTWbCQKWoMl5jNSUZuuvaH5DeoSvK58eMT1BKURW7ogKvP-aXXO8C3PVLRwZWf1-/s320/DSC_0006-1.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 150px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616166663245621458" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A neighborhood walk, the nearby field we get snowballs from in the winter and wildflowers later in spring. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqenfO0tYC8m4LFhqnywWGYRS74JYoMu4vE4iftJx6E_dt-d4TaHIVoipr-bzkT172fTKYH-OoRvdyoPPvdfvotEQuLeQyZRySSU1JONVbfkRDlKg51n7YLdVd47JjnLbFhG25S75ZasL-/s320/DSC_0051.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616182104766604978" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A stroller walk, parked next to the big pines for a nap</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigb6OQyqawb168PypYOmq4i8RstrpuqiwmGPcb8ICENbzsRJw2yxoS3heLMvQec6Pj_Fh0I_PQEZNitiR8hexdWkoC_D5GvdhqlQLlMLLPQ-7qufiyllpqORLHR-5MwL7vTj5L9AHEW8A-/s1600/DSC_1192.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigb6OQyqawb168PypYOmq4i8RstrpuqiwmGPcb8ICENbzsRJw2yxoS3heLMvQec6Pj_Fh0I_PQEZNitiR8hexdWkoC_D5GvdhqlQLlMLLPQ-7qufiyllpqORLHR-5MwL7vTj5L9AHEW8A-/s320/DSC_1192.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616165875489479874" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The baby swing, after the ice and snow but before the leaves return.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZahY6rNnqJLoKAFaouZx7YoEm8kINcEeEJ48oUsDxC46RuWgkNQ2yaRQHcdsIeQOUiY21y0BBiwf1zT6k0hR8c2vW_WTuJSzduwjoYR5vvo4u5lpVEyIqSCESeLy5a39i0Go31PXxPJAK/s320/DSC_0754.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616158616516995586" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Digging in the potato beds and collecting yard waster in wheel barrows are fun spring activities</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigb6OQyqawb168PypYOmq4i8RstrpuqiwmGPcb8ICENbzsRJw2yxoS3heLMvQec6Pj_Fh0I_PQEZNitiR8hexdWkoC_D5GvdhqlQLlMLLPQ-7qufiyllpqORLHR-5MwL7vTj5L9AHEW8A-/s1600/DSC_1192.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFDHM9dDS-bCEaTjj1rzSfdiTkBzJ41eqNmzhanm25kqXCY4LRAmYwXcFAk9WgtsTjM5FBIQo-EbhHZKhUN075oyEfxbC6r-cgqo_MCKEB9qnO3Ryy3letv39VgHEPvr9R3b01DeM5SY-K/s320/DSC_0069.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616158607752550114" /></a></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">A little bird house in your soul</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdvgu16prxahfU16EfB3lRgADWXyR5Ht-FQdynm7bYES8USIBQAjCrSKEa7OpcqY9nf90e9auPJ_zt2xt_ufmBlxgPdsEEnOTcYXEld5QqNgWrEKFIYkRy8x8NqlbbYqF3pu2qiHjlesJ/s320/DSC_1110.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616158106168436226" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The hammock before the leaves</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrDfQ2C_Qaz1kDB6ZhaVKxQBAF0IaU12rmIuMGE8bS-AlmSNwjKVSgud59McVHqz85wSuxEG5uOqpOvbHTj1u1z64mgolL_6YwX4mLI4_jgEnd2At7rfg1vOsbg-wuMpMZzK4HdasY8Hj/s1600/DSC_1158.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrDfQ2C_Qaz1kDB6ZhaVKxQBAF0IaU12rmIuMGE8bS-AlmSNwjKVSgud59McVHqz85wSuxEG5uOqpOvbHTj1u1z64mgolL_6YwX4mLI4_jgEnd2At7rfg1vOsbg-wuMpMZzK4HdasY8Hj/s320/DSC_1158.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616165864925753058" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Now they are old enough to go out and play as sister playmates! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-4t7ARbQ5zrUHiWmB5aGPLtSi_WqTdSOD_FSUSvwH6bkz0hGfV_K8TPumy4eNVnRmQ_tsECldy5drRJzag5OwE0zRBGDk6Fq8ElIGlEuOPyW-nJiugKPEwI1VHuvIocamsscTJr4fxEi/s320/DSC_0903.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616158095084331826" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The 'fort' in the pines, a bed tent...</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzlYoTmPQB68i_1AcH5dhxJKzcmjzgEyT7lYvxorzPbFDOIHtZGDK60SoeFC65lc2TY6TY8r5w0LZ-Sm-IE9FLJogqokBXCv7j0wkbwTeGwzFxQoznZth0vHkgVg1XXhT8WPueaYxrFyS/s320/DSC_0204.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616165883077260674" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">SwedeGirl made a sign declaring the fort her club house and invited the neighborhood kids over to play. We have two little girl neighbors the same age as SwedeGirl,one has a little brother, and we have a same age boy cousin living three doors up the street. It is wonderful to have playmates right next door! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XIz8RcM7cI46czTYdDt-XWdA4BZMqaouWNhYB7sfuKgwEMmQ4W4Ub_VKVG2mNkQ3bDGm3fyhfiSBzh-gjYLeSW0ZZNO2oZVBlhzFdsnnHYDOYPNc4MQDS0oACbFgDGnYRNUHUVp2PFZK/s1600/DSC_0236.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XIz8RcM7cI46czTYdDt-XWdA4BZMqaouWNhYB7sfuKgwEMmQ4W4Ub_VKVG2mNkQ3bDGm3fyhfiSBzh-gjYLeSW0ZZNO2oZVBlhzFdsnnHYDOYPNc4MQDS0oACbFgDGnYRNUHUVp2PFZK/s320/DSC_0236.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616149993752146370" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Swingset fun in the backyard with the neighbor kids!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyfctL2AyoZCB1DbpbcaYCF9djJdMeKGyD30u76rND4jHtSfz8Ekq7C66TFwl-oZT9_3vRVx_usDvmY0mh9riwvZiVTRnJ07vAAIWXugZIC-ukubRe9OEQx_-kIZMaZqlJomsVEtt6sJl/s1600/DSC_0238.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyfctL2AyoZCB1DbpbcaYCF9djJdMeKGyD30u76rND4jHtSfz8Ekq7C66TFwl-oZT9_3vRVx_usDvmY0mh9riwvZiVTRnJ07vAAIWXugZIC-ukubRe9OEQx_-kIZMaZqlJomsVEtt6sJl/s320/DSC_0238.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616149986777746834" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">And solo ninja climbing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyfctL2AyoZCB1DbpbcaYCF9djJdMeKGyD30u76rND4jHtSfz8Ekq7C66TFwl-oZT9_3vRVx_usDvmY0mh9riwvZiVTRnJ07vAAIWXugZIC-ukubRe9OEQx_-kIZMaZqlJomsVEtt6sJl/s1600/DSC_0238.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMr95qd9yMfF3Sr0yY4lLQT6tn2DvTD4tZtW2C_jVeXk96q4imWjXAMAWwiXuhcAa44KKua4nkWfGw9P4fNnEiTrcvVo9DG2CiSVLJyEng2h3Xbgp5DTVgJOLRq8q4F3RY0CISUCgCIVc-/s320/DSC_0264.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616182111241402178" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Biking at the neighbor's house</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCnfzD93uXVlkv36gy941W-x5DudcE5QCVfvJQuP0VHVzXoQ_4xKG7ZPBCEnbQENGN8HRofT2pTNf7kGTD8YD2fdHoBchwKuym-dHOIK1mi5iKC4eFkD2bpxE-0nB1JVh_JPzAqCMq6BL/s1600/DSC_0019-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 271px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCnfzD93uXVlkv36gy941W-x5DudcE5QCVfvJQuP0VHVzXoQ_4xKG7ZPBCEnbQENGN8HRofT2pTNf7kGTD8YD2fdHoBchwKuym-dHOIK1mi5iKC4eFkD2bpxE-0nB1JVh_JPzAqCMq6BL/s320/DSC_0019-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616149976527345122" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">SwedeBaby is in on the biking now she is 2! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZwzja5qT7myocwcaVCTOxoQSuAJWkHhh8vkkL01Mxoa5A9lI5OSw1P48GPVrWsFu-rVJ9w2bM3bBcs9O_5X7pGU34HIfHYWQ71IMbY4kyag_PLPboDbR7EevYghaq3FffWm9rycV6Fhq/s1600/DSC_0657.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZwzja5qT7myocwcaVCTOxoQSuAJWkHhh8vkkL01Mxoa5A9lI5OSw1P48GPVrWsFu-rVJ9w2bM3bBcs9O_5X7pGU34HIfHYWQ71IMbY4kyag_PLPboDbR7EevYghaq3FffWm9rycV6Fhq/s320/DSC_0657.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616149964826619586" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">With her sisters help it is even more fun.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifs0vdOCEXJLXgU4WdKgtNKuEW65RUzRv6bTpnJpnBehtXmOjcjujp_Q7Qm0VTG0I6x2S68-0A6oz0diCLGsT1kZgEz7uxpA14JT3HWl_17nBrcnzQT0-xzRdcwIEOS1w58DT5O7GQp8Ec/s320/DSC_0035.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616182095637130050" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Spring meant a return to bouncing</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK50OZRvAjXBqzYIj-wdiOvTlQFqemD3dwaFSAflO3NDMfWVvARmAAjkmnQHoR32zSj2CMUEvep6qdgUeOOL8huGKtgfuK2JbKHvDoYSMWOQTq3nEMd2ghYHt_ovC651sMCQMlyWWHPt2U/s320/DSC_0840.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616165859004956034" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Static-y! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALr6gTmlC3bdpC9TRD-ViE4oqdX8nSHCpMVawqYRkNW3a5Bd5of2AUHL5nb0SxX50jADLbfFeqhZLQKBfzITinX5JrzeWPXAg_7CJJUMNZ6uEP9j_NphTU650xZ0sEqmjmchm4kylR8ig/s1600/DSC_0833.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALr6gTmlC3bdpC9TRD-ViE4oqdX8nSHCpMVawqYRkNW3a5Bd5of2AUHL5nb0SxX50jADLbfFeqhZLQKBfzITinX5JrzeWPXAg_7CJJUMNZ6uEP9j_NphTU650xZ0sEqmjmchm4kylR8ig/s320/DSC_0833.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616149963460872994" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">And SwedeBaby is a bouncer now too, by now she is very good and knows how to hold her own with the big kids on the trampoline as well.</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">A return to outdoor life was so welcome!!</div></div></div>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-30766404513324300002011-06-09T02:07:00.005+02:002011-06-09T02:33:07.815+02:00<div><b>Return of the Sun: Swedish Spring in Flowers</b></div><div>Swedish Spring is a succession of small reliefs that come with the budding of each new kind of flower.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Once the sun returns the days get longer noticeably fast.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhMFrAz3eLyXCN88Lf8lN_evRTA8sX0vDrsi5Yq_b4Al-tWKn_UOA8Y2CkwNYHbAhj46EQq216bsNXbXy3m-1U5FSwjiFcjehXJoZknL8bQrdZIm32sqL3IcT2rDlcPfKwgiUJXtQbQHs/s320/DSC_0072.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615997190905882450" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The sunshine on the house as spring dawns</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoV7WCRomririX4W9jnNf8hadhi0K6EGrZFAnN-0y0gPdXuVmhA8kLGVuzC68LonuXSnCCDmg1eWauql03Ie5du8BY2pV_ESbV_2s48pLLC2EWa01YVDKWX5ASkIRs7lGM1CcaxG2RdX7o/s320/DSC_0847.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615993857261533058" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Snodrops came out the day SwedeBoy was born, just as they came out the day SwedeGirl was born! The first flowers and the new spring babies, right in sync. They are called snow drops because of the white color, and because they might come out when there is still snow.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GpDJ6D5XgZUQjM1f0fXHpD5hSQGmBIlspVKs9xOsMMP2t13nQGQCknQcgMP1cQmBScEXZFMyjo8-QixjOwWZRSz19s6_qMJNLggknlr7kxIVXvvRoUfv_8PC5Js42EXajQrgNMp0hif3/s320/DSC_0433-1.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615988095858983298" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Our last snow came after SwedeBoys Birth, March 18th.<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltfQ6yx0WSOieEdWlxnK8CKapbPEkHlpoIN0ATprRFl2JxDAqsMJHB2oWN9jDJtCVpoF_NBK0oZ5_gyPevTRrSIA8j3vF6DWOosOEnfFHNmVrkyIMGWlmCkXJqGPs8lZOX-sT3BJFxkI1/s320/DSC_0544.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616000009157398066" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oczFan1MLk-s74mSPpLuo8SWn8m0PxrSRTFkQ1PVXk2wAq1V5ITI_sO4rdlNORRnHRQKIA7Bb-roxBjA_2E2Zv0W-jUqcedUpQ-CgxsRQIWp7G8cOG92WvrPDAGYazDNd3AhNpeRFmfi/s320/DSC_0543.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616000011622566242" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Winter trickers, they also come and bring the yellow color in the early spring when there still may be snow. </div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKNFKNzckvkUJ__rryv3bekqV5cs8kYxodLMD0l5Ik-4SVg8tfVT5CEQwRyYlN2U10L7qA4P8ZFFKxoBOiac7TR35Ex8Y06X6bfqoRpI7sPdtMlrfiP6DqjyczgW1LD4PkShEOpEumDEj/s320/DSC_0649.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615996015091619010" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My first baby wearing outing into the sunny yard with SwedeBoy</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitovpG0iMpIedYM9bDDnLoM9jERlmRDrlQzGR1-RdyzyNDkL4uZYRHfiug5HahynS7oOnpkOtUA2KwpQhmtDDd_zQDPN2OIShRLp67S597y4blLwdUMeP_zJb_-p81ahkwY22l77gW_WZT/s320/DSC03295.JPG" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615987079959878354" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Rhubarb was starting to grow that day.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZFxQ26T58GpLTjP10kIyYfuRE8MTLYjVYs8XWJasiSE51Zimi7mxTvVGQOpDCrZu5vJ2dQq7TteznWZoNauHCGtT3d4i_jy0Noiwe-e9Tt5H7b3aalwzDGg-67jnnpy4CwpVSXTdr_Gz/s320/DSC03301.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615987072278102402" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And the buds emerged on the trees powered by the rainbow light.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGCd3gDBD04muXUCC18p6V9qOzyUIUlDKOyG2UlbK5uJZ1BPglxS1HxndsjtfICIIHl3g-a5O_KO0ahVNbqq3ydwLWx4qQc4UbeivZgW9wI_SyyweNs7dHhW6SJlsR0Lzkf_PzUzeJhPT/s320/DSC03303.JPG" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615987064172155058" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Then, came the crocuses. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZqYQeIgBGv1Po1MsRXcFW1M8K5VdgZsMSRIvUh2By_0E2SDzZuVnR2PVsOh6wvhm8s1Wk6pwkZ3_cqZSU6E7tFAStC_5NS4-c7BlDOmkYzovg-jabFPXPMz-c32ARDVR9up1n_0Nt8gv/s320/DSC_0671.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615987083862623234" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Purple crocus, some of the earliest flowers. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFcC2TfL3BISDYt6qqvnEDUa7A2jqUnqzqqxKk4OS81XolW4W9VcyI7Ehtat68-Ky-F85ZXTIjAw68N-PL-paqxv-ozwzh7UypdIp6s2NxQo22Y_r_cTlfOCTkr_yp11xKvbrhLyktBtB/s320/DSC_0897.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615993849151287330" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Bees came out to celebrate. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZPG2xGK0OTyjnim78FRSufgGJMgeJkcLJCQ27Wr-OgfPi2OHNJk8lUvVQLtUw4f9eeqO_Cc2hm41wus0w43jbn3_3mxR1veGcmDAJoTGL1uwIR6vqRLZg5E_B32mBAFmNtxycrtaQYj2/s320/DSC_1095-1.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 284px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615993828547805890" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Super Daddy, carrying both kids. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBt9fEh_xFfjWVgEd_77_wohFH2Kk9SvNQGgCnNEzJmy0CZdPHurOpWPQygyLeoa2jJmsaxtwjjjT-AGASrTwqQQ6RsCwlj2YQn1-dUOy3QpzE6dQM06XMyAmC32w-qLYMVwNJYPJNYgT/s320/DSC03316.JPG" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615987051896985250" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The day the first daffodil bloomed in our yard, a wave of relief spread, like I been stranded on a desert island and spotted a rescue boat. Spring was finally really coming!! That yellow burst of color was promise the dark and gray days were soon over. </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUbY4Puq2bp-WL7sMzYItwnqYkj6A5KHXPxEBt_3-nBJgJapBBXSsNB4rRgoHt0yKCNTRIWVxiZO_U-5DruiiO_VKWYc0O8xSM3DKaUgSv2ZObHm218FMNXxQMAT5ZipfxH87FhQcWCHG/s320/DSC03314.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615986027653614946" /><div style="text-align: center;">Yellow is happy!!! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNB6KWhZ-5E9_SdDcS4SQLTiKsE5aireNMs1jtsjY27Mrck0ytW5N8uQ-l6HIFlkVE1vUvBnkliGjtl8w2DxR6xMvHhL8o76ISW_V0hf6rWRsAO_G9c6Uymlc8kytDKLtzdyM0gaFnVUGy/s320/DSC03318.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615986019252786306" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Springtime of your Life. </div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJA6RQ6xpHOLLwrSIb3R_jJaetxXdfi5B0Rb3JSwEJIpxcKiJA2Chmm1vto0hVAvftQDi-kP5F00FS6yOUY5g1NM_9KrwwtjR5eY5XtGzBAmIvuj5LLak6XuBQ7mJyoSpyeM9CDIGBBtj/s320/DSC03331.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615986009581887922" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In town it is warmer and the flowers come sooner, that same day the daffodils were bursting all over Lund. </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlh5aV1VBmqyCLi7KNXI55ls63qZkZkSo-qj9wEU2tJMQFmEwPxLZ6IU7x7HBkCyLIBBKfxDtQaU-zOBm8ykXdwU3KzsP3vEMjY2aMDBV_jTWILK5lMIQpwArhIRjNq_HHjWtGv1PbMNw/s320/DSC03344.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615986006449583650" /><div style="text-align: center;">There are fields of these early purple flowers in Lund. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qYHHFy_8Hi-NOWKA_mfHxM2bUeuRzwigVcIbURq26x0YsACto5dn-UI7o3yRrXXngLUUGXx7kAgKn0hEwHNAFxTgg9gZ_EArblWoYJdmpe4ytV8BfKTfgN7RO1HP7eBP2kmXL3Dmhg_p/s320/DSC_0864-1.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615993834709103170" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">SwedeBoy! </div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hW0muP_pBRmGziePi01lilZU3GWg-7jS3iddR27JqgDazmLWaczTIvAzvm_bN1a4XJANLUIDHSjjkkaciCTQJNjObBaqs3Y_6lRjrz9L3eK2wMTMMIS47BiywaDyTkzo8HF17NW4e1z0/s320/DSC03319.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 229px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615986037458769762" /></div><div>Twelve days after the last photo above of the Rhubarb buds was taken, it has grown this much.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7UT9hb56l5IgAf7QM7-ic9wu-bZ8SY8meYgf-BvWl5wB5AzRsM-0BY_T-K2MpDHvUqNQWC8i52Jrm88blz_nD7f4jsEcdSidUeNlY8ibo8ppsJSuuIJ8WqZMyrg4WugLVrRm0GRloyBu/s320/DSC_0225.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615994254472513442" /> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Once the sun starts shining, everything bursts open in the warmth and light. You feel the power of the life force when what looked dead the day before unfurls an entire perfectly formed leaf. Coming from the tropics, I never really understood the inner work that goes on in winter, and the sudden outward power of spring. Truly, in the darkness of winter things rest and take shape then, like a new baby spring forth fully formed.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I was just waiting, waiting for our baby and for the dead gray to be replaced by green. I felt relief on a deep body level when spring arrived this year! </div></div></div>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-25698977294669738732011-06-09T00:19:00.000+02:002011-06-09T02:25:23.584+02:00<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>Meet the Family</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >One of the onderful things about our life in Sweden is living three houses away from my husbands sister and her family. They came on SwedeBoys third day of life to meet him.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbCZVcBP-bIDpboFoBB1gFKnZ-Ub7NbEL9cUyZ74BDCGmbN2EbeNj82P9aeG0On7ZEL4V2yAsS3inqDLE25LQ5-aJE04ZfS86PiAt2IWNrsgox_D5WfC1v-SkPPczGiye5qtq99iirr9D/s1600/DSC_0492.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbCZVcBP-bIDpboFoBB1gFKnZ-Ub7NbEL9cUyZ74BDCGmbN2EbeNj82P9aeG0On7ZEL4V2yAsS3inqDLE25LQ5-aJE04ZfS86PiAt2IWNrsgox_D5WfC1v-SkPPczGiye5qtq99iirr9D/s320/DSC_0492.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616008573207120194" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFoWRHh2lTSIsDszOGuZrvnRSSww941CuezHhNTtFFnUXRu54W9eX-WPIfJFBCmA31tnQgCLVnKPEMdBqloYzsghGiNQETbQkzLSsUSsYcHHPuxnJTHNDVGSqDdSk48hyGz4Y2QxvN43o/s1600/DSC_0493.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFoWRHh2lTSIsDszOGuZrvnRSSww941CuezHhNTtFFnUXRu54W9eX-WPIfJFBCmA31tnQgCLVnKPEMdBqloYzsghGiNQETbQkzLSsUSsYcHHPuxnJTHNDVGSqDdSk48hyGz4Y2QxvN43o/s320/DSC_0493.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616008561491660898" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">SwedeBoys first gift, a Spot doggie, an initiation to snips, snails, and puppy dog tails for him. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8IO8PRwzP3kWH39uPkXC-Y3FPNabheICAUPPoovWvLw3lsZ06NwYdLKqKFul1Qzb2MyiK8WLz7WdHgwapqADO5FeuX7pGS2n0bBkdFKBY0qLH1Y5F5-z6dkik1coPXU7pgDibROkyGce/s1600/DSC_0496.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8IO8PRwzP3kWH39uPkXC-Y3FPNabheICAUPPoovWvLw3lsZ06NwYdLKqKFul1Qzb2MyiK8WLz7WdHgwapqADO5FeuX7pGS2n0bBkdFKBY0qLH1Y5F5-z6dkik1coPXU7pgDibROkyGce/s320/DSC_0496.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616008553613877186" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpcXkHPlPwZLWIsCxcJwGeB-tE7j48DCYslAJ8xqxVF-2yHUeE-IsyXvocz9xxMwF5zfYEwSl-LVID8ny_Obkukbny4yhiGdHYZ6X-YCYhtxxlgsuHSiysW6f99Qpm5y7YBYfHHzbLh-ml/s1600/DSC_0499.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpcXkHPlPwZLWIsCxcJwGeB-tE7j48DCYslAJ8xqxVF-2yHUeE-IsyXvocz9xxMwF5zfYEwSl-LVID8ny_Obkukbny4yhiGdHYZ6X-YCYhtxxlgsuHSiysW6f99Qpm5y7YBYfHHzbLh-ml/s320/DSC_0499.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616008547533271730" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbHzHxJOjNmw1FoPaP9PXP8621Mg9w3DweHfkIPCzBrFSBqaN0TSgBiyhdYQEFhBlPYbQSEO1h3Gb8RKjcQN-qg3DUYvuK4D1BQqY28CeK9HdXlgyMKKqdkblnr7GH5b_zqVjTAbWtkwR/s1600/DSC_0497.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbHzHxJOjNmw1FoPaP9PXP8621Mg9w3DweHfkIPCzBrFSBqaN0TSgBiyhdYQEFhBlPYbQSEO1h3Gb8RKjcQN-qg3DUYvuK4D1BQqY28CeK9HdXlgyMKKqdkblnr7GH5b_zqVjTAbWtkwR/s1600/DSC_0497.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 228px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbHzHxJOjNmw1FoPaP9PXP8621Mg9w3DweHfkIPCzBrFSBqaN0TSgBiyhdYQEFhBlPYbQSEO1h3Gb8RKjcQN-qg3DUYvuK4D1BQqY28CeK9HdXlgyMKKqdkblnr7GH5b_zqVjTAbWtkwR/s320/DSC_0497.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616008542444558626" /></a></div>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-23358035280449066992011-06-08T23:43:00.004+02:002011-06-08T23:57:35.453+02:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; "><b>SwedeBoy, it is.</b></span><div><div style="text-align: center;">The Zero Years Old Birthday Party. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbFSqtIrjhB66AdvSYpasL-QEMUYJr5_-m__5J3DmxnOa_tWcWLdkbhSDo5iu85XSYr9TtduZ5YYLUmDGYhFzAb5WJtRaSJ9J0Xt5zGPEZa281Jf_nqLBh_5GQ4odEXsag47bMjm1h_5U/s1600/DSC_0803.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 228px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbFSqtIrjhB66AdvSYpasL-QEMUYJr5_-m__5J3DmxnOa_tWcWLdkbhSDo5iu85XSYr9TtduZ5YYLUmDGYhFzAb5WJtRaSJ9J0Xt5zGPEZa281Jf_nqLBh_5GQ4odEXsag47bMjm1h_5U/s320/DSC_0803.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615969212185854242" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The girls put on a birthday party for the new baby. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqBhTR9d4L_sfUNYNJS9UmgRpOIFWyaMVgUXibjXMWdSC1gxjpMcJ69kWJ-2tq6OusTPssiHxWi2ky-Zau-fBo_K1ZaSCTMM6GQS8mfaIkbLiSC4ttGLtWo372CGdoZu44R30a6Ea5RFr/s1600/DSC_0791.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 228px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqBhTR9d4L_sfUNYNJS9UmgRpOIFWyaMVgUXibjXMWdSC1gxjpMcJ69kWJ-2tq6OusTPssiHxWi2ky-Zau-fBo_K1ZaSCTMM6GQS8mfaIkbLiSC4ttGLtWo372CGdoZu44R30a6Ea5RFr/s320/DSC_0791.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615969096656175266" /></a>We made our favorite stand by birthday cake, <a href="http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/184/HERSHEY'S%20%22PERFECTLY%20CHOCOLATE%22%20Chocolate%20Cake.aspx">Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake,</a> it never fails. It works fine with the gluten free wheat starch flour sold in Sweden.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3c9YGWGO0x1al5j3WiR_8JDV0GWkaoBPm_3g0BC3SigGndequ3xlb7EcyiIACwtbAr2OUoI9vhAPMz0tP34oC4CPvqw1eo6p-ZyFNEoqvbWcCZ02plFS4iiV0MGyxEMZUFC5evFayZZy/s1600/DSC_0795.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3c9YGWGO0x1al5j3WiR_8JDV0GWkaoBPm_3g0BC3SigGndequ3xlb7EcyiIACwtbAr2OUoI9vhAPMz0tP34oC4CPvqw1eo6p-ZyFNEoqvbWcCZ02plFS4iiV0MGyxEMZUFC5evFayZZy/s320/DSC_0795.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615969087365385810" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Hats courtesy of grandma. The children insisted we wear them every time we ate from this cake. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIUhh2dfZ_Nxh9ChEqhYYwpaMdEOBIozzCOpJIC7deDAUZx9xHiXD0dbK01CrYjqORNVYDPEMyJVXgTPx8Dw9cMGXIOh3vdCySz4AWMJHonh7mpqKjOfK5gogCgKRxGLhl4-Bq-cyeVFP/s1600/DSC_0812.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIUhh2dfZ_Nxh9ChEqhYYwpaMdEOBIozzCOpJIC7deDAUZx9xHiXD0dbK01CrYjqORNVYDPEMyJVXgTPx8Dw9cMGXIOh3vdCySz4AWMJHonh7mpqKjOfK5gogCgKRxGLhl4-Bq-cyeVFP/s320/DSC_0812.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615969081374598850" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Nanny was there! </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpmiqdx32PjaHYa8I1tGKSzyAKqbN0gxU7ycstFyVoxhhBVyVZzsVPGUfJ7RWi_Dp4oL6u3vVeR9jiwu6ffV7yNclGIWSZNA2wxDB_-PLWX07xPqP8GX9hDFU6-a7BZ_KkAWenOqYoUff/s1600/DSC03214.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpmiqdx32PjaHYa8I1tGKSzyAKqbN0gxU7ycstFyVoxhhBVyVZzsVPGUfJ7RWi_Dp4oL6u3vVeR9jiwu6ffV7yNclGIWSZNA2wxDB_-PLWX07xPqP8GX9hDFU6-a7BZ_KkAWenOqYoUff/s320/DSC03214.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615969069768730978" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Yum, chocolate covered 2 year old. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxibt7cG_Wri48p7Phw1_UPSaB3Jk_P0S68LQrKk2RzY8lyDb1o_V6aPDDBcevNyrsD33-4ca6bbzNomCBcSYV7GwbPeocJXAvJKAzvWZ1QG_RIXIaU35C75Bnid7iAAkA1MCH5WB1xITe/s1600/DSC_0820.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 229px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxibt7cG_Wri48p7Phw1_UPSaB3Jk_P0S68LQrKk2RzY8lyDb1o_V6aPDDBcevNyrsD33-4ca6bbzNomCBcSYV7GwbPeocJXAvJKAzvWZ1QG_RIXIaU35C75Bnid7iAAkA1MCH5WB1xITe/s320/DSC_0820.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615969067001216338" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Welcome to the family, SwedeBoy! </span></div></div>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-25673529964815254892011-06-08T23:01:00.006+02:002011-06-08T23:34:08.071+02:00<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; ">Grandmas.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">Looking over the story of spring in pictures, I have to say my mom came to visit. It was </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">wonderful to introduce the baby to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">my mom, and have her help as</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "> we got set</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">tled with the baby.</span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjk0Z2Ktxq4lpv-uGBW4sFKRiQnWt9MGP8YBIbwq-GB0zGXn98L1OyCSWMikDRSk120bvJNRMuIKJzcpytbzxgr8aSe55WshTjEv68Oz8z8xL_RZRiYBD7Z1bWPPAEkvhIKU6Nx11rnZYI/s320/DSC03266.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615960505552109298" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><div style="text-align: center;">My husbands mother, FarMor, with the baby too!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOS3V3djwRdaXiM4_9AIsKm4T4fEtelibuEPGTAlc_aIaecq5KW3y0dBFPkm-nEP6ViTDTP2wEhkrnAS_veiWKwR7QzpTk3jO8HCMwgkEaTPgycwPxcmCWDY8m8ICAGYHZ1m4bqGnicSk/s320/DSC_0996.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615962915529599922" /></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTo9DpvvK7CvlLSSlnMouzYxxkOHXui276WCAtY4O0-ZRVvqdIKv9dzXnvzkM9naTJ8qAvEXF27UA29MrbtsxTbpAtFF0Hrvxl2KP6gZTlXPlCaRe_oW_wWoac8lash6Bq2pqkaS5_wWY/s320/DSC_0664.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615964687832108994" /></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-55336969632646837282011-06-08T22:45:00.003+02:002011-06-08T23:00:14.207+02:00<span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Blogger c<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">atch</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Up.</span> </b></span><div><br /></div><div>So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">summer</span> is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">here</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">my</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">friends</span> back in Florida <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">are</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">torturing</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">me</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">on</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">facebook</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">with</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">pictures</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">them</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">friends</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">with</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">young</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">children</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">love</span> so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">very</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">much</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">on</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">beach</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">swimming</span> in blue warm waters if the gulf of mexico on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">beach</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">that</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">was</span> just <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">voted</span> # 1 in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">the</span> USA. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">It</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">has</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">been</span> almost <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">three</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">years</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">since</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">we</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">moved</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Sweden</span>, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">we</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">said</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">we</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">would</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">evaluate</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">again</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">three</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">years.</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">With</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">new</span> baby, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">family</span> obligations still <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">lingering</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">Sweden</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">it</span> makes <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">little</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">sense</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">to</span> pack <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">up</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">move</span> back <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">home right now</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">even</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">though</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">those</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">beach</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">pictures</span> make <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">me</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_69">want</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_70">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_71">do</span> just <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_72">that.</span> So I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_73">will</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_74">return</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_75">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_76">blogging</span>, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_77">celebrate</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_78">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_79">life</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_80">have</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_81">built</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_82">here</span>, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_83">once</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_84">again</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_85">use</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_86">the</span> blog <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_87">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_88">showcase</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_89">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_90">others</span>, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_91">mostly</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_92">myself</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_93">what</span> makes <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_94">life</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_95">here</span> so special. I must start <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_96">where</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_97">left</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_98">off</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_99">though</span>, I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_100">will</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_101">take</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_102">you</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_103">through</span> spring in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_104">Sweden</span>, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_105">sift</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_106">through</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_107">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_108">bazillion</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_109">photos</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_110">we</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_111">have</span> taken <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_112">this</span> spring and show <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_113">you</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_114">more</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_115">about</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_116">our</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_117">SwedeLife</span>!</div>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-85628049986525343902011-04-10T02:31:00.002+02:002011-04-10T02:34:48.119+02:00<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Holy</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">crap</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">that</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">was</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">long</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">winter.</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsl7tgSA4MP6GvT-lAqpDxzRGl2c9XPpCXps94e_xj-Pl4x79oiVOXDAJgwlGucQx72uwEarkvKQqjoMRq_E8u48hy8fo8DgRB9HI6-fs8_jmXjTU_qcF206BlgNaXSRqWIkgvPcnRyuev/s320/DSC03153.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593746334047897922" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">We</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">finally</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">had</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">good</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">sunshine-y</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">day</span>, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">some</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">flowers</span>, and I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">could</span> not be <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">happier</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">about</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">it</span>!! I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">am</span> not pregnant, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">sun</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">has</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">peeked</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">through</span>, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">there</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">are</span> buds <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">on</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">trees</span>! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Life</span> is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">returning</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Sweden</span>, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">SwedeLife</span> blog! </div>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2767449354029499066.post-2826078820300719172011-04-10T01:54:00.009+02:002011-04-10T02:24:34.061+02:00<div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">And now we are three.</span></b></div><div>Kids, that is. A family of five.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;">I have been busy making a person, not doing much blogging.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8l4DEWOpx8v6EEqfPMVlcZ8qrhlAUpYMD31MvVcltV4DgWqL73DWQMEDge3PnSvvg4hs0ewmd9OsoSNLFqOqM4c8jw-s4-eSTi5rNaTIqFsyvB1PXQ5RQYn_83OZt4-0wnPqmG-U2XsUB/s320/DSC_0178.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593738209037036306" /><div style="text-align: center;">42 weeks on the dot, on March 13th I began labor about noon and gave birth about 10pm. </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Bj375mY-W8LhVqG4BwkRNZU-XpQOFz-lmemw0wZX-YsRXru3ovC2aR8MlLs5wGbfWk1PEbE45JT33cD7QhGZ0nyWRxGdVv6quqJVSoMalTnF9WzG8ynkb8YZNyFDYWugHkGLMtmldjAA/s320/DSC00395.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 294px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593738579252500466" /><div style="text-align: center;">We had another lovely birth at home. The kids were even here this time.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzlIxalIXWvBeQ1POtEnu7k-UUF8sHL2WsiAAf40bKAvXgJW-lAFCFXGajE1vB6X7UHWdN2bp3nP1VblVmiggYcfXlyj9Vogdpcg6tiQdYJjoqSqEbYsLpbwBJRbERwTpAO_kRCB4SUe5/s320/DSC_0278.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 258px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593741117883599186" /><div style="text-align: center;">I am now a proud member of the 'mom of boys' club, and the 'I had my ten pound baby at home' club! </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwY-YG5hyphenhyphenP2zvl4hQfAl8wtBgngCctbrbQVG9vYI86Q8tEa2TNzdAajrMTyGZgTITxPgHQS5zjoiidQ-8rPW2r6w49kMIQr4Td3od0Uu99iRXzQOFqpD4SVKo5emlEvoWt0WuqkIaNJrfv/s320/DSC_0289.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593738205588704066" /><div style="text-align: center;">I am also a member of the 'I had a c-section' club from the first baby, and then joined the VBAC/ 'I had a normal birth after a c-section' club for the second child. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Home Swede Home Birth</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ALVG6wE0J2JWC4plfGb51vx0KKfh-AI_Qp1sec8pOQ05_6oBS4EyvMTth7gEZeSK4vKo88LJy3k8BhtMNBHnHLQNSDAlvIUg-MGXd9dG-l8DkY6aGgHwefM1eH2Cod7KXLJQ_MVhGBUQ/s320/DSC_0304.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593738197047986818" /><div style="text-align: center;">The birth team- we hired a home birth midwife from Copenhagen, and the same doula from last birth. </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xgXSJz1UsoSru-YtExULCrYYdPoA0mjV5BtSoJW0SqMLKlwVebPhtl1SJaabsq50dU-ZcFgeo-JEsQSTAKzYAcNcMINtb4uR6V3zMle9ma0TpndbDRPY6ltz7Qfs12XdVKObBggyazC0/s320/DSC_0306.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593741119096823954" /><div style="text-align: center;">Baby Hands</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPy5h1BPrQuVodEh8vBzIbT7vKPqz8CnpnLMigpLZGeJaaHAv-aw6aUb_VCC9wrUJyCbibHvyw9jrRwLiuRLd21joXePs-ukb9ST-Ngo1iK6Z2iQOvWZ1DOAivnsOtIfTPwKmKS6MvrSL/s1600/DSC03044.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPy5h1BPrQuVodEh8vBzIbT7vKPqz8CnpnLMigpLZGeJaaHAv-aw6aUb_VCC9wrUJyCbibHvyw9jrRwLiuRLd21joXePs-ukb9ST-Ngo1iK6Z2iQOvWZ1DOAivnsOtIfTPwKmKS6MvrSL/s320/DSC03044.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593738189910361154" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Yawn...</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZmdKU3V6BYxh0sK3jIO8aYIVX6O9dcBqRrKIfnC6mZI9qMaLzTIztSaZQF-AZdZ2CgTWW_lk22kqwjOJachaXX0yId2YjgYOSzQdzXPqb11DIxZZecdq_9lNHfCGlGGw4Q9ccQjEyPi_/s1600/DSC03087.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZmdKU3V6BYxh0sK3jIO8aYIVX6O9dcBqRrKIfnC6mZI9qMaLzTIztSaZQF-AZdZ2CgTWW_lk22kqwjOJachaXX0yId2YjgYOSzQdzXPqb11DIxZZecdq_9lNHfCGlGGw4Q9ccQjEyPi_/s320/DSC03087.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593737672514946050" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQOvAr69ZvCGxp6Y7GL8nJDLeQPAjalBo2fFnSEox84SNWMBBYCC7_pdwNMFnLv_hT2osXEecPg4QeKF6SROKUzIO_SBQGHVQ93cAIlUlqbb46nXhxpSwM70bu2A-Is6Ykt5hhKQnE5fj/s1600/DSC03253.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQOvAr69ZvCGxp6Y7GL8nJDLeQPAjalBo2fFnSEox84SNWMBBYCC7_pdwNMFnLv_hT2osXEecPg4QeKF6SROKUzIO_SBQGHVQ93cAIlUlqbb46nXhxpSwM70bu2A-Is6Ykt5hhKQnE5fj/s320/DSC03253.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593737666585291170" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhssxjUgHMpijyCWNuFxEHRLCAaksSTTEJQ0psSMnDywzYoGMHQF_h3KOQOHWJDc6w8ZsAW_6S8qIHVbTtUEX49sPVmwW-bEP1IGmKK5q3MuMsdHPZEnMUUwI4AmZH3-u0umIUcy4Ug-Rho/s1600/DSC_0349.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhssxjUgHMpijyCWNuFxEHRLCAaksSTTEJQ0psSMnDywzYoGMHQF_h3KOQOHWJDc6w8ZsAW_6S8qIHVbTtUEX49sPVmwW-bEP1IGmKK5q3MuMsdHPZEnMUUwI4AmZH3-u0umIUcy4Ug-Rho/s320/DSC_0349.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593737664773168674" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzERAclL5gRdrzM_5_PcSLppwwRM0YTodpJMrUROXAIT7-k2gyHmgitWEZVHXmQLl8qTEvQB-md6Q_pNCp5SL5-nBgvEYF4tphloTUr1s7lRktjmzOPgIcOl84Xkh7wfrQw8MJ6yLHxKyt/s1600/DSC03247.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzERAclL5gRdrzM_5_PcSLppwwRM0YTodpJMrUROXAIT7-k2gyHmgitWEZVHXmQLl8qTEvQB-md6Q_pNCp5SL5-nBgvEYF4tphloTUr1s7lRktjmzOPgIcOl84Xkh7wfrQw8MJ6yLHxKyt/s320/DSC03247.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593737657878371954" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJn3l-OeFsfYxQYEi7KybVQtM3BBtBqDvpnvutU7OFBNEqBOkdqJsSdfB629r2YW0s98NvkoND35nDD74WEKs-1OD24fPuGOC1aDbSZvqGoC-dsSG82dQKyGMFL8rfvZ4481e0Sap7aJU/s1600/DSC03129.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJn3l-OeFsfYxQYEi7KybVQtM3BBtBqDvpnvutU7OFBNEqBOkdqJsSdfB629r2YW0s98NvkoND35nDD74WEKs-1OD24fPuGOC1aDbSZvqGoC-dsSG82dQKyGMFL8rfvZ4481e0Sap7aJU/s320/DSC03129.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593737656494608402" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Finally settling in, 4 weeks later! Welcome SwedeBoy!!! </div></div>SwedeLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120190870636748590noreply@blogger.com8