School Days Are Here Again!

Although there isn't a hint of fall in the air, and even though I don't feel the urge to tackle new projects and start scratching items off of my to-do list, the new school year has arrived and there's no going back! It feels strange to be gearing up for fall activities and discussing homework and gym clothes in the month of August. I feel cheated somehow, knowing that if we were in Canada, we would still be enjoying the hot, sticky days of late summer. But...your day will come! And when it's early June, and we're finished school...whoo-hoo! (Or "boo-yaah", as Graeme would have me say!) So, it's back to stuffing backpacks full of healthy snacks and signed consent forms, back to rushing around in the morning with a toothbrush in one hand and a hairbrush in the other, back to raised voices saying, "Hurry up, Elise" and "Graeme, stop bugging Renee and go wait by the car"!

We've started at a new school this year and we are heading into the city to get there. Our routines needed to be orchestrated like a battle plan so we could maximize the amount of sleep the kids could get in the morning and coordinate the pickup of three children at three different times each afternoon. I can't wait for our routines to fall into place and for the newness to wear off! The kids quite like the morning commute...digging their passes out of their bags...people-watching on the subway and bus...standing, bracing their legs as they sway in the crowd of commuters. The days are long, and they are happy to return home for a rest before the afterschool activities begin.

Graeme has started this year off in a quiet way. He hasn't made friends as quickly as he did at his old school. It seems that the other children are also quietly adjusting to the new school and new language for some. It's only a matter of time, I'm sure! For now, having two good friends in the neighbourhood is enough, he's not lacking for social time. Renee has begun to display an amazing confidence that has made this transition very smooth for her. She has approached this new situation head-on, and even having to wait by herself at the school for 90 minutes until her classes start wasn't daunting. Elise has found herself in a class full of bubbly, happy girls, just like herself. Her teacher looks like a surfer and rides to school on a skateboard, but we think he'll keep her on her toes. They're off to a great start!

So, while I'm tacking up schedules and labelling gym clothes, measuring last year's running shoes and rinsing out tupperware, hunting for pencil sharpeners and filling out forms, I'll be thinking of you back in Canada. Enjoy your last breath of summer and make the season last as long as you can!

Our Visit to Varmland

We spent 3 nights in the sunny city of Karlstad last week. From our home, it is about a 3.5 hour drive. We really miss having the van when all five of us go anywhere together! With one car seat and three growing children squished into the rear, it is a recipe for aggravation! We packed a lunch and stopped at a roadside picnic area to enjoy it (very Swedish--they don't do roadside restaurants). Kris and I regretted forgetting to fill up our thermos with hot coffee! We made our first stop in a lakeside town called Karlskoga, about 45 minutes outside of Karlstad and in the area of the country known as Varmland, which translates as Hot Country. They do receive lots of sunshine here, and it is common to see the typical Swedish red-painted barn-style houses and fields full of cows and horses. We planned to have a visit with Kris' former boss from home, a Swede named Jonny and his wife, Inga-Brit. They welcomed us into their amazing home on a steep hill over a lake, the name of which escapes me. Kris and Jonny got caught up and discussed common acquaintances, and the kids explored amongst the rocks and gardens on their property. We spent the afternoon enjoying their gracious company, then scrambled back in the hot car to finish our drive to Karlstad. We were booked into the Scandic hotel and the kids were thrilled to discover an indoor pool there. Kris and I were apprehensive about how the five of us were going to get any sleep in the tiny room, which contained only two twin beds (movable, at least) and one murphy-style twin bed. Somehow we managed! We left the car at the hotel that evening and walked a short way into the downtown. We ate dinner outside at a pizza place and enjoyed watching the local pastime--cruising around town in refurbished cars, windows down, music playing! We said NO! to ice cream (promising some the next day to celebrate Elise's birthday) and walked back to the hotel, swatting at mosquitoes and jumping out of the way of cyclists the entire way. On an aside, we almost lost Graeme to one of the many cyclists zooming along the waterfront pathway....He let go of Kris' hand, and like a flash crossed over into the bike lane to get a closer look at something that caught his interest. A woman had come up silently behind us on her bike and she had to brake hard to avoid hitting Graeme, who never noticed her but stepped directly in front of her when Kris yelled his name. She was obviously startled and Graeme cried at the close call. I hope he learned his lesson!

We spent Friday touring around Karlstad. We explored the city park called Mariebergskogen, a child's wonderland of animals, play structures and beach. We grabbed a hot dog for lunch and after a few wrong turns arrived at the parking area for a short hike that would take us to overlook Lake Vanern, the largest lake in Sweden. There were lots of people laying out on the smooth rocks, sunbathing and swimming in the cool, reddish-brown coloured water. Our next stop was the beach so that we too could cool off in the refreshing lake water.

We were up bright and early on Saturday. We had come to the purpose of the trip...to celebrate the wedding of Kris' coworker Shahin and his beautiful bride, Lovisa. The kids woke up with butterflies in their stomach this morning, for today was the day that they were meeting a family that had kindly offered to keep care of them while Kris and I enjoyed the child-free wedding. Kris had sent out an email back in the spring to a couple of friends that lived and worked in the Karlstad area, asking for help and suggestions with babysitting. Two very kind offers of help came back and it was decided that the best solution was for the kids to spend the day and night with a family that had two small children. Jan-Erik and his wife Susanne had offered to entertain the children for the afternoon and keep them overnight. We were thrilled by their kindness! We drove from Karlstad to their gorgeous home in Blombacka in time to enjoy a delicious lunch and give the children time to get comfortable with their surroundings. Jan-Erik and Susanne were so welcoming and so thoughtful, and their children so interested in playing together, that Kris and I had no worries about our children. Elise was a little emotional about our departure, but as the big sister who felt a tremendous responsibility for her younger siblings, that was to be expected. We left her with a cell phone in hand and promised to call later. We were hardly on the road 15 minutes, heading to Rottneros park and the wedding, when the phone rang and it was Elise informing us that she had applied sunscreen to herself and her brother and sister in preparation for their afternoon at the beach! She was looking after them very well, indeed!

The wedding of Shahin and Lovisa was a relaxed, lovely affair. They celebrated with both Swedish and Persian ceremonies. Lovisa made a beautiful bride, and Shahin looked very handsome in his white waistcoat! The Swedish ceremony was very similar to a civil ceremony at home, but the Persian style of celebrating was fun to witness with it's sugar and honey. We made and received many phone calls that night from Elise, but they were so well looked after that we never worried. Jan-Erik returned the children to us at the hotel the next morning. Kris and I tried to express our thankfulness for their excellent care of our children. We hope they take us up on our offer to come and visit us in Stockholm!

So our mini vacation to Varmland was over. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the countryside and lakes of the area. We returned home very thankful to sleep in our own beds and looking forward to not having to spend time together in the car again for a while!

Summer Vacation 2009

Make a Smilebox slideshow

We thoroughly enjoyed our summer vacation in Canada! Thanks to everyone for sharing it with us. That's all I'll say...the pictures can do the talking!

Our Three "Fotboll" Players

Fotboll is taken very seriously here in Sweden. At the girls' age, it is a year-round activity, even played outside in the winter. We are glad to have Elise and Renee on teams with Swedish speaking girls and we hope they pick up the language from this. Not understanding the language causes them to feel frustrated at times, especially during game situations when the action is fast-paced and there are lots of loud voices in the air. Overall, they are playing better than ever and are happy to be a part of a team.

Elise practises twice a week for a total of about 4 hours. The team is large, so not all the girls go to each game, but Elise participates in one about every two weeks. Elise's skills have come a long way and her coach is determined to take advantage of her left-footedness. They've won some games, and lost some games, but still the girls are smiling and chatty. They've played together now for a number of years, but have made Elise feel very much at home.

Renee plays soccer with other girls born in 2000 on a team called Stocksunds IF. They practice twice a week and have the occasional game with other teams from the Stockholm area. They are a fun group of girls, mainly only Swedish speaking, but they have accepted Renee onto the team with open arms and try their hardest to communicate. There are two girls from Renee's school on the team, so there is always someone to talk to. Renee is playing really well this year. The extra practice time really makes a difference. During games, they play with only 4 girls on the field at a time, plus the goalie, so even though the field is small, Renee is expected to play both up and back and all-around! At a tournament on May 1st, Renee's team played 5 games, winning 4 of them and tying the last. Renee played better than I've ever seen, and scored two goals. The teams shake hands before the game here, and after they link arms and do a little cheer. We haven't figured out yet what the team is saying, but they look good!

Graeme started playing fotboll in May. He goes to the fotboll pitch once a week, Wednesdays from 6-7pm. There were so many boys from his school, that they created an English-speaking team and so Graeme is in his glory...soccer and socializing at the same time! They spend the hour doing drills and races and they play a short game against each other. Graeme makes up with enthusiasm what he lacks in skill, but all in all, his playing has improved from last year and he really understands the concept of the game much better.

Roaming in Riddersholm

Somewhere along the way I've picked up an "Outings Guide to 33 Protected Natural Areas in Stockholm County". In English, nonetheless! It's been a great resource, helping us plan hikes and picnics close to home. On Saturday, May 30th, we decided to explore #5....Riddersholm. We packed our cooler, grabbed our guide book and set off. We headed north on the E18 and followed it until the road ended at Kapellskar, in Norrtalje, at the harbour that services Finland and beyond. Riddersholm is a large nature reserve located nearby, with hiking trails, a campground and a marina.

We ate our lunch by the marina then set off on a short trail that was meant to have many examples of wildflowers and bird life. We misread the map and ended up walking further that we intended, but were glad we did. The kids were a little nervous to discover that we shared the trails with herds of very large cattle! No fences! I was very annoyed to discover that we shared the trails with dog owners who did not "scoop the poop". I discovered this the hard way, by stepping in a very slippery and smelly pile of the stuff, sending it spraying up the back of my shoes and legs! Disgusting! We all also enjoyed seeing the swans swimming and sitting on nests in the marsh.

I am very taken with this style of fence that I've seen here and there. Charming with the wildflowers!

After we orientated ourselves and realized we were unsure where we were but knew that we didn't like the swarms of mosquitoes, we decided that the best course of action was to turn around and go back the way we came. We knew we were close to the seaside, and wanted to follow a short path there to see the sights. We were unprepared for how lovely it was. How interesting to walk out of a dark, moist forest, into sunshine beaming down on a sandy beach! We were amazed by the contrast!

The kids quickly set off to do some exploring and treasure-seeking. Kris and I sprawled out on the blanket and sunned ourselves, just like a true Swede would! We spent quite awhile on the beach, watching cruise ships sail by, finding unique stones, dipping our toes (only our toes!) into the freezing cold sea. When we got up to leave, we marvelled again at what a great find this beach was...quiet, sandy and with a great view. Maybe we'll come back someday!

On our way out of the nature reserve, we stopped to check out this windmill. Graeme got a little too close to the long grasses and wildflowers growing at it's base. He ended up with some bug bites or he had a reaction to something on one of the plants, because he came away from the windmill crying and sporting red, stinging bumps on his legs and feet. Thankfully, they didn't stay around long.

The exercise and sun tired us all out. Graeme had a little snooze in the car on the way home. Elise thought about having a little catnap, but Renee was singing along to the tunes from the Eurovision song competition, so it didn't happen.

Basta Fyran 2009

Elise had the good fortune to be able to take part in a huge swimming competition here in Stockholm this spring. It is an annual event called Basta Fyran, and it brings together 8-member relay teams from 100 schools in the city. Elise and her team competed in April against 7 other teams from our Kommun. They won their race and posted the second fastest time amongst all the schools. This win garnered them the opportunity to participate in the finals, held at an enormous swimming complex in the heart of the city, called Eriksdalsbadet.

I'm not sure if my picture can capture the size of this complex. There were 12 lanes in the pool, a diving platform that I couldn't look at without getting nauseous, and spectator seating on three sides of the pool. The seats quickly filled up with school children revved up to cheer on their school with banners and horns. Somewhere along the way, the organizers have come with the idea to have a prize for the school with the most spirit. I think they were the ones wearing the protective headgear over their ears! I'm sure most people left with a headache that day! The excitement was contagious and our group of students and moms did our part!

Elise's team of four girls and four boys competed in the 9th heat. There were 10 heats with 10 schools in each, 8 children per team....I am so glad I avoided the change rooms! Each child swam one lap, half of them diving in from the platform, the others pushing off from the wall in the pool. Elise swam second, pushing off from the wall and doing a respectable front crawl. She stopped to pull down her goggles after 10 meters...I could only laugh and cross my fingers that it didn't affect the outcome! Her team went on to finish with a time of 2:59. They qualified for the finals and were so proud!
The final race was tough. They were closely matched with the other teams at the beginning, but then some swimmers started to pull away. They finished 8th overall, despite one of our competitors falling off the diving platform! It was a thrilling 3 minutes! They deserved to feel great about themselves, 8th out of 100 teams!! Yeah, BIPSS!!

Medieval Festival in Tyreso

On Sunday May 24th, we travelled south of the city to Tyreso, to meet up with Kris' colleague, Lars, his wife Eva and his son Vigo. They were taking us to the medieval festival in their town, and they assured us of a memorable time! As we approached the grounds of the castle where it was being held, we entered into history, when knights rode and maidens sang. There was a delicious smell of barbecued chicken, colourful tents and garments on display, and joyful music playing.

The kids tried some of the skill-testing challenges and enjoyed rolling and baking their own flatbread that they ate smothered in fresh butter and honey. We watched the start of the show, the highlight of the day. The knights and their horses were so brightly coloured, and they put on an impressive display of their skill. As the afternoon sun began to bear down on us, we packed up the remains of our picnic and headed back to to Lars' home for a delicious BBQ. Lars and Eva were wonderful hosts, and Vigo played so well with the kids despite the language barrier. Thank you ever so much!