First Joy Pockets in Forever

Glad to be participating in Joy Pockets this week. Want to share your joy pockets? Head on over to Mon at Holistic Mama and join in the fun. We all need to find the joy in our lives, no matter how cleverly hidden at times.

Here are mine this week:

• "Hi, my name is Russell. I'm a Wilderness Explorer from Tribe 54. Are you in need of any assistance today sir?" Our 5 year old reciting lines from Up! What a memory this kid has!
• An overnight trip away with the girls.
• Waking up to THIS in the morning, set on a very old stove in a very old B&B: 

• A thoughtful and creative husband:

• The smell of cozy sleep on the little man every morning.
• That the burglar didn't choose our house.

Lots of love for a joy-filled week ahead.
Jenn xo

It's a New Year

Did I read something about them switching the date for the end of the world?

Anyhow, apologies to those that check in every once and awhile in hopes of a new blog post from me. Truth be told, just haven't been inspired to write like I used to be :-(.

Change is in the air here in Sweden. A move back "home" to Canada is imminent, though not tangible...yet. Still, the thought of it fills me with a mixture of "yes!" and "no...". You see, after overcoming the year of "Get me outta here!", you start to acclimatize. People, places, food, friends...it all becomes familiar and wraps around you like a cozy blanket. Those initial struggles to make your way, they become distant and at times, laughable memories.

Life IS good in this country. There's a sense of security here but always the gentle pull at the heart strings from our family back home. The longing.

When we do leave, it will be with a heavy heart as we have made a life for ourselves here in this place so far from where we came from. We have been truly blessed. Over the past six years, we have done what many dream of doing and few will ever actually do. We have lived in two vastly different countries and experienced their cultures, the good and the not-so-good and the downright BAD. We will return back to Canada changed from this experience. I am thankful. Thankful especially for the wonderful start we have given our son. For the strength in our marriage. For the courage. For the knowledge that we can make it on our own.

And I thank you all for sharing our experiences with me. Now to take the little man off to his swimming lesson, my favourite part of the week.

Much love from Uppsala,

Little Man enjoying a Christmas morning tradition, Swedish porridge, grött. The one who finds the raisin gets a special prize!

 

Montenegro, Summer 2010, our visit back

(Swedish)Jenn xo

Tis the Season

I  love Christmasy time, don't you? We got all the decorations up the 2nd last weekend of November and have been enjoying bright lights and relaxing by the glow of the fake tree ever since. We've been to and had our share of parties and though I swore we were "done" until 2012, I managed to invite the neighbours over for some holiday cheer this Wednesday night. Well the families of the three little kiddies the little man enjoys playing with.

We will not be "home" for Christmas this year but I'm ok with it. After a month spent in Canada this summer, I'm still running on family steam and am just as happy to relax cozily here in our home away from home, Sweden. We'll spend Christmas Eve (which is the day they really celebrate here) with our Swedish "family" and then feast on our turkey Christmas Day.

Temps have been unseasonably mild the past few months with only two baby snowfalls. A request to Santa via Facebook status to please send us some snow for Christmas was met with snowfall #2, thanks Santa. And with sticky snow, my uber creative husband gets his hands wet. And voila! Most people build snowmen, hubby creates snowangels :-).

Hope you're all enjoying the very best of the season: family, friends and food!

xo

Two weeks with Mary Poppins!

I've been silent over the past 2 weeks and for good reason:

On October 23rd, a special reunion took place between these two:

For two weeks, we all enjoyed her company, her love. She was Joseph's Nanny for the first two and a half years of his life in Montenegro. We were blessed. We are blessed. She celebrated my 35th with us.

She saw and experienced Sweden for the first time, and some Canadian traditions too!

We hosted a Halloween party here for little man's class..16 kids! Couldn't have done it without her.

There's a lot I couldn't have done without her.

Or my darling husband for that matter: Master Pumpkin Carver and Costume Maker.

From Uppsala to Stockholm to parties and The Butterfly House, we couldn't have asked for a more fun-filled 2 weeks with our dear Tanja.

Whether on-the-go or relaxing, she was what we all needed...a good dose of family.

And today we didn't say Goodbye, we said, "See you soon." Thank you Tanja for two wonderful weeks. xo

Joy Pockets in October

Glad to be participating in Joy Pockets this week. Want to share your joy pockets? Head on over to Mon at Holistic Mama and join in the fun. We all need to find the joy in our lives, no matter how cleverly hidden at times.

Here are mine this week:

A little boy learning to read by sounding out the sounds

A diminishing cough (taken directly from Mon's pockets but also my Joy Pocket)

Montessori

2 more sleeps until this:

Grateful to have the power and desire to give someone the warmth and love they deserve.

Red leaves and crisp air

Share with me your Joy Pockets
Jenn xo

Snuffle...Sniffle...Hi!

MIA due to combo of insanely busy with work and nastily ill with a dreaded head, chest cold. In between, been planning a Halloween party for the little guy's class (that kind of crazy must the result of this nasty cold), the arrival in 1 week of our dearest Tanja from Serbia and my 35th Birthday Party! Plus decorating for Halloween and wishing my niece Audrey a Happy 1st Birthday. She's awesome. Suck a beautiful little girl. Bro's stingy with the pics but generous lately with video. So here's one of Baby Girl eating peas for Thanksgiving Dinner (Canadian Thanksgiving, was last week). And a few pics of us enjoying our meal for 3 here at the house. Did I mention that our turkey kicked some serious butt this year? Hubby said it was the best he's ever had and he never enjoyed white meat until this meal. SCORE!

So there's a little recap of what's been goin' on here. Now excuse me now while I go blow my nose and collect my kid from the neighbours. Have a fab week readers (all 5 of you!) xo

And the little Birthday Girl!

Joy Pockets again

Glad to be participating in Joy Pockets this week. Want to share your joy pockets? Head on over to Mon at Holistic Mama and join in the fun. We all need to find the joy in our lives, no matter how cleverly hidden at times.

Belly laughs shared over creme brulee with two special ladies.

Having my cappuccino unknowingly spiked with salt.

Enjoying the travels of friends.

Some long overdue Daddy & Little Man time involving a waterslide, with no Mommy in sight.

Working so hard my eyes close in sweet defeat, mere moments after my head hits the pillow.

Canadian Thanksgiving!

Finding the box of Halloween decorations.

Have a great week! xo