A Boat Ride to Drottningholm

We woke up last Saturday morning, to a light rain falling from a cloudy, overcast sky. Our plan for the day was to take a boat ride to Drottningholm, the home of the Royal Family. Two colleagues of Kris' were in town, so our party of eight grabbed umbrellas and jumped aboard. In this picture, Lorne, his wife Cyndi, and Karl, happily pose for a snapshot I guaranteed them would end up in the blog. See how happy they are to be included!

The boat chugged along rather quickly. We soon left the city skyline behind and then I was amazed at how alike the landscape was compared to the Thousand Islands and Charleston Lake. There really wasn't much difference, the only one I could see was that there seemed to be a larger variety of trees here, so there were more shades of the colour green.

We toured the palace, the gardens and the Chinese Pavilion (Kina Slott). There were impressive paintings and wood- and stonework throughout the rooms of the palace. The Chinese Pavilion was the most beautiful to me. There were lovely tole paintings on the walls, still vibrantly coloured like when they were first hand-painted.

On the boat ride back, we took this picture of Stadshuset, the City Hall here in Stockholm. Atop the tower is Sweden's heraldic symbol, Tre Konor (three crowns). This is on our list of things to see here. Apparently, there is a room where the annual Nobel Prize dinner is held and it is something not to be missed.

In the middle of this picture and with the rounded roof, is the World Trade Center, where Kris goes to work each day.

Spring Concert Season

It's Spring Concert season at the school. That means clean faces, shiny hair and tidy clothes. When you're six, and your favourite pastime is practicing riding a two-wheeler in your muddy yard, that is nearly impossible! In this picture, Graeme is posing with some of his classmates and his teacher, a lovely British women who's love of children radiates from her. When I think about where each of these children call home, I'm astounded by the variety: Holland, Sweden, Canada, Australia and the United States! We recently celebrated International Day at the school, and there were 22 countries represented. Graeme can recognize the Pakistani national flag, and give an accurate description of Australian Aboriginals. What he'll take away from this experience, I don't yet know, but his outlook on life is widening and he's learning acceptance of different people and their cultures. If only all children could have this experience--what a different world we could live in!

Elise and Renee posed for these pictures on our front deck. Elise's dress couldn't possibly have been that short when we bought it....she's growing up so fast!

Don't you love Renee's boots? She has a different style than Elise, and posing for pictures doesn't come as naturally to her.

The school year is winding down here. The children receive their final report cards next Friday, the 29th. There is talk of end-of-year parties, award ceremonies and class trips. Not to mention, money is being requested by PTA members for such things like presents for teachers, gifts for children leaving, and a classmate's new baby sister born last week. This time of year has become such a hectic time, now that the kids are older. Life gets a little frantic trying to squeeze all of these "final" activities in. We are anticipating our trip to Canada this summer and I know that one of these days, I'm going to have to lug all those suitcases out of storage and start shoving summer clothes into them. This weekend is a long weekend, Thursday is a Public Holiday and the schools are closed on Friday as well. We are booked solid from Thursday's BBQ with friends on the island of Vaxholm, Friday's BBQ with our neighbours, Saturday's scheduled boat trip to the Royal Palace and Sunday's Medieval Festival! We are happier here when we have lots to do on our weekends. Even so, I'm sure we'll still find time to sit out on our front deck and breathe in the sweet smell of the lilacs blooming in our garden! Happy Spring!

Elise Enjoys Her Team-Building Experience

With a knot in my stomach and a tear in her eye, I said goodbye to Elise on Saturday afternoon as she set off on her first team-building experience. I had my reservations about sending her away by herself, overnight with a group of people we didn't know all that well, some of whom spoke little English. Elise didn't want to go when we first brought up the idea, and I had no intention of making her go unless she was willing and interested. After talking with two of the moms who speak excellent English (they have both lived in the United States), Elise and I were reassured that she would not be left out in any way.

The team posed for a picture before they set off in 3 boats into the Archipelago (it might as well have been the wide, blue yonder for all I knew!) The intention was to travel by boat to their campsite, set up camp and have dinner, eat candy, climb trees, swim (brrr!), sleep (as if!) and set sail for home after breakfast the next morning.

Elise slept with 18 other people inside this huge army tent. It came with a heater, but no floor! She was not brave enough (or foolhardy, in my opinion) to venture into the water, but she enjoyed the campfire and marshmallows and the company of the other girls. She successfully managed to look after her needs in nature's toilet, and was so proud of her accomplishment!! I had sent along extra clothes, just in case!

It was very cold in the morning and all anyone could think of was heading home. They dismantled camp and were all packed up and ready to go ahead of schedule. I was so glad to see her! She had a smile on her face and said that she had had a good time. We were both glad that it was over, and proud that she had participated. Elise has recently been given opportunities like this one to stretch her wings and gain some independence, and she is passing with flying colours! It's so hard to let her go and trust that she will be alright, but knowing that she's a better person for trying makes it all worthwhile!

Victory at the Stocksundsloppet May 17, 2009

I thought about calling this post, "Bursting with Pride", but decided that wasn't the right title because it wasn't my day to shine, but Graeme and Renee's. They both were keen to enter their respective races in the Stocksundsloppet and give it their best shot. Graeme raced first at 10am. He ran against boys and girls born in 2002, 2003 or younger. He was so funny at the starting line, holding his arms in the flexed and ready position, eyes fixed straight ahead. I wasn't so confident that he would understand what was going on around him, but he did just fine. There were four commands spoken before they were off and the kids leapt from the starting line like they had been held back by a rubber band! Graeme jostled for position as the field quickly approached a bottleneck and he escaped unscathed, unlike a few unlucky children who tumbled on the bumpy ground. He ran out of my sight and before I knew it, he was back again, completing the 500m course very quickly. He ran through the chute, received his medal and a big hug and kiss from me. He finished in the top 10 or 12 runners and deserved to feel good about his performance.

Renee ran her 2140m race at 10:30. She ran against boys and girls born in the year 2000. Renee stood nervously at the start line, in the second row of runners and behind the boys. I was glad to see her there, knowing that the boys would take off fast and lead the way, considering she wasn't sure of the course. I was so happy to see her return to the finish area, holding her own in third place! Wow! I loved how they used a child-sized picnic table as a podium. They announced her name and she took her place with the other two girls. They were each awarded an engraved trophy and a big cheer went up as they lifted their prizes.

I am bursting with pride for them because they have the confidence to enter contests like this without expecting to come out on top. I love that they were eager to participate and that they smiled the entire time. I hope that all of my children develop a lifelong love of activity and the willingness to participate irregardless of the outcome. They are off to a great start!

Renee's 9th Birthday Party

We had a difficult time coming up with a way to celebrate Renee's 9th birthday with her friends. We thought of having a Spa Day at the house, going to a pottery studio to decorate bowls or having the kids to a bouncy, jumpy, sweaty kind of place like Graeme. None seemed just right. Renee wanted to invite all the girls in her year, which was fine with us, but 14 nine year old girls seemed hard to please! Too old for the play places and too many toenails and fingernails for me to paint! So we came up with the idea to have pizza and watch a movie at our house. Renee loved the Beverly Hills Chihuahua movie so we had Baba and Poppa bring it over from Canada to play on our Canadian DVD player, as it wasn't yet available here. We finished the organizing and breathed a sigh of relief that we had planned a party that was different than the others. Well, that sigh of relief ended in a cry of frustration when our brand-new Canadian DVD player stopped working!!! We tried everything to get it to work to no avail. Oh, no! Kris came to the rescue with his idea of playing the disc on my laptop which would be connected to the tv and to the speakers that we used with our old desktop computer. It worked! Fingers were crossed for the big day!

The big day arrived and the doorbell started ringing, and ringing and ringing! What had we gotten ourselves into! The guests visited with each other, played a game, ate pizza and then squished together on the couch and on pillows to watch the movie. Renee enjoyed herself, which makes the party a success in my books. She received some lovely gifts, including lots of crafty things that I've been helping her make. Kris and I were so glad when that last guest left and we looked at each other and smiled...we've conquered! We survived! Never again!!

Viewing the Vasa...Our Visit to the Vasa Museet

On Saturday, the 18th of April, we drove into the city to spend some time exploring the Vasa Museet. It is located on the island of Djurgarden and it's impressive architecture establishes it as a landmark visible from the city. The museum is dedicated to the wreck of the Vasa, a 17th century warship, built to sail during the Thirty Years War. Unfortunately, the ship sank on her maiden voyage as she left the Stockholm harbour in 1628. A number of factors were involved in creating this disaster, including the narrowness of the vessel, the number of heavy cannons on board, and the fact that her gun ports were open for an impressive show of power as she set sail. A sudden gust of wind blew up, water flooded in through those open gun ports, and the ship heeled over and sank, drowning most of the people on board. The ship lay in Stockholm Harbour until the 1960's when she was brought to the surface again. The ship was remarkably preserved because of the relatively low level of salt in the Baltic Sea. After the ship was raised, archaeologists pieced her back together like a giant puzzle, and put her on display in this unique museum. We watched a film and took an interesting guided tour to learn about life in the 17th century and how the ship was salvaged then restored.

The ship is on display in a vast room. The lights are dim and the air is chilly. I'm not sure if I imagined it or not, but there even seemed to be a smell of the sea in the room! Visitors to the museum can walk all around the ship, on multiple levels, but the ship itself is off limits (the kids asked!) There are displays of objects found during the salvage, things like cookware, clothes and cannons, and even skeletons of some victims. The dark, damp environment was sometimes unsettling, and you never forget that what you're seeing is the result of a tragedy.

The ship was originally very colorful and highly decorated with intricate carvings in the solid oak. The king of Sweden who ordered the ship built, Gustav II Adolf, spared no expense in the creation of one of the largest and most heavily armed warship of it's time. The stern of the ship is a work of art, entirely covered in symbolic carvings depicting the powerful king and his weak enemies.

We all enjoyed our tour of the Vasa. It is one of the most-visited museums in the city, and it really is a must-see! Nonetheless, we all took in a deep, refreshing breath of the cool spring air when we left!

A Sweet Ride

We had a surprise visit from Mats, a friend of Kris' through work. He squealed to a stop in our driveway with a spray of gravel one Saturday morning. The kids' jaws dropped...did we know someone who drove such a cool car? After we oohed and aahed, Mats offered to take the kids for a spin. The girls climbed in together, Mats lowered his sunglasses, and they blasted off....literally! I'm not sure what the neighbors thought of our shenanigans! The girls returned in a few minutes, safe and sound. I guess it was a bit tense for the girls when Mats stopped the car and unbuckled them and told them they could stand up if they wanted. The girls were quick to say that they weren't allowed and home they came. I'm still not completely sure that Mats was joking!!

Next, Graeme climbed in the car for his turn. Mats did a quick 180-degree turn then offered to Kris to take Graeme for a ride. Kris looked a little hesitant as he buckled up...this was Mats' baby, after all. Needless to say, Graeme had a much more sedate drive in the sports car, and by now, the neighbors had let their children back outside. Thanks for the fun, Mats!

Graeme's 6th Birthday

Graeme started his 6th year off with breakfast in bed (Baba and Poppa's bed!). He was too excited to eat much of his sandwich, so we quickly brought in the presents and the fun began! He was so pleased to receive MarioKart for the DS, Lego StarWars for the Wii and some Lego kits. But he saved the kisses for the humongous PlayMobil castle that Baba and Poppa gave him! Daddy happily left for the office and Poppa and I went to work assembling the behemoth! Hours later and it was ready for play!



Graeme invited his class to his birthday party at Nicki's...a jump around and slide down until you're red and sweaty kind of place. Graeme sat in the place of honour and entertained his guests with his silly antics. It was two hours of non-stop action and Kris and I jumped for joy when it was done! We had survived another party!

Graeme has impressed us so much these last few months with his ability to adapt to the changes we've had. He can handle the school week much better now, and his reading has taken off like a shot. He starts soccer this week (I must remember to have him try on his cleats!) and he's pumped about it. He's grown so much that the clothes he was wearing when we first arrived are now being put away in the cupboard for good. His hair has grown as well...haircuts for boys cost between $30-45 here, and we're reluctant to part with the money! Plus, we like the disheveled look! Graeme is still playing with our neighbor, Sophie, on a daily basis. They have managed to set up a communication system that works for them...Graeme play? Graeme play Sophie's house? She's a spunky little girl, and I think Graeme has met his match!