Thursday, February 24, 2011

Dad's funeral

Dad's funeral was held in LuleƄ about a month ago, the day after we arrived from Australia. The ceremony in the church was of course very emotional but also nice. We had organised a soloist who sang the Swedish song Stad i ljus and Somewhere over the rainbow so from now on I will always think of dad when I hear those songs.


Jakob and Moa did really well at the funeral. To me it is important that Jakob and Isak are involved in everything in our lives and I will always try and be as honest as I can to them. Even if it is tough at times and a part of me just want them to not know about any scary thing in the world. The thing is though that I think death can be more scary if you don't talk openly to them about it. Jakob asks about morfar sometimes. He asks where he is and if he is still in heaven. He asks if I know when he is going to die and when mummy and daddy are going to die. He doesn't get sad and it doesn't seem to worry him. I am sure we will have many more talks like that when he gets older and I am sure there will be times when it will make him upset. But at the moment he just seems curious about it and tries to understand.


One little flower for each one of the four grandchildren to put on the coffin.








Thursday, February 17, 2011

Winter!


This is what we came back to after 3 months in the sun. Cold air and lots of snow!

Going home...

The trip home was long but went really well. Jakob is getting used to flying and it is just getting easier and easier to travel with him. Isak was more active on the way home than on the way over but we stuck to our plan to let the kids play as much as they wanted at the airports, and sleep as much as possible on the planes.









A group of young students got absolutley crazy when they saw Isak in this trolley. The just couldn't stop touching him, talking to him and taking photos of him.


















At the airport in Stockholm we couldn't stop Isak from falling asleep. He was exhausted. The second night after we got home he slept for 16 hours!! from 6.45 in the evening until 10.45 the next day. Jakob didn't handle the jetlag as well as Isak and woke up around 4 in the morning and wanted to play for over a week.






Leaving Australia

After 3 months of travelling we went to the airport for a long journey back to Sweden and our house.

Buffet lunch!

Lunch one afternoon with Adam's family, his grandmother, aunt and her husband and Adam's cousin. The place we went to had the most amazing dessert buffet I have ever seen. Dougnut machine, ice cream machine, chocolate mousse, pavlova and about 20 different cakes and other sweets.

Julie, Ben and Isak

Ben and Julie cuddling with Isak. In April we will find out if the baby in Julie's belly is a boy or a girl...

Annette and Lukas

Annette lived just around the corner from us when we lived in Glenelg North. It was nice to see her and her little Lukas again.

Work

This is where I worked after I graduated as an engineer. The company was called Schefenacker when I started, changed name to Visiocorp after a few years and is now SMR. They make mainly car mirrors but also door handles and a few non automotive products. I really liked working there and it was fun to see the place and all changes again and to meet some of the people I worked with. I also went out for drinks one night with my old boss and some other work collegues.


Dave and Fiona

Dave and Fiona came up to Gawler one day together with their Samuel who is only 9 days younger than Isak. He is so cute.

A day in the city!

When Adam and his dad had a day playing golf and drinking beer with friends Jane and I took the train from Gawler in to the city. Jakob was very excited about the train ride...



It was a 40 degrees day so Jane took Isak shopping while Jakob and I had some quality time together by the river in Adelaide. We had a picnic and kicked a ball and took a walk to the library.


Later on Caroline and Oscar came to see us together with Carolines sister Jeanette who was here visiting from Germany. We had a drink at one of my favourite cafes in Adelaide, right by the river.


Isak and grandma.




Gorge Wildlife Park!

One of my favourite places in Adelaide is Gorge Wildlife Park. I don't really like zoos and the way animals are kept in cages but I can't help liking to watch the animals and see Jakob getting so excited. This place is a small family owende park up in the hills and just the drive to get there makes it worth going, it is just beautiful.
Jakob and I cuddling a coala.


Feeding the kangaroos is just so much fun.








When we were about to leave we happened to walk past a few kids holding snakes and Jakob got to pat them.



Pizza

One day we were invited to Adam's parents friends that also live in Gawler. They had a real pizza oven and we made the best pizza!!





Trip to the hills!

Our friend Caroline and her family used to live in Glenelg but bought a house up in the hills after we moved to Sweden. Adam and I and the kids spent an afternoon up there one day and we had dinner together. Isak and Carl got to meet for the first time...

And Jakob and Oscar saw each other again after 2 years apart.

Lynda


Adam and I saw our friend Lynda a few times during our stay in Adelaide. She came up to Gawler and we also had dinner at her place on the beach. The view from her apartment is just amazing...

Jakob and Erik

When working with the Swedish club in Adelaide I got to know Yvonne. She was born in Australia but has Swedish parents, she looks very Swedish and speaks great Swedish. We were pregnant at the same time and had our boys with only a few weeks apart. She also had a second boy not long before I had Isak. It was great to see them again and Jakob had lots of fun playing with Erik and his cars.


Child care in Glenelg

Jakob and I went to visit his old childcare centre one day. He fell asleep on the way there and I had to wake him so he was a bit sleepy and shy when we got there. A couple of his old carers were still there and I think he recognised them and also the baby room where he used to spend lots of time. After sitting in my lap for the first 10 minutes he wanted to get up and started to play a bit and I am sure he would have spent the rest of the day playing there if he was allowed to.









Friday, February 4, 2011

Update

Finally I am slowly starting to get back to updating the blog again. This is the start but there is more to come...

Brothers

As long as Isak doesn't take Jakob's favourite cars or destroy a game he is playing the two brothers have quite a lot of fun together.


My second home...

I managed to squeeze in a quick visit to Ikea, my second home when we lived in Australia.

Jakob and I

Jakob and I spent one afternoon together at an indoor playground and cafe. Even though it was nothing like Leos he really loved it. And the best of all, he got his first ever tattoo!

Family photo

Adam, Jason, Nana and John holding Jakob, Hugo and Isak



Jakob and Oscar

Jakob and Oscar playing together one day in Gawler. I wonder if they remeber each other. They spent a lot of time together when we lived in Adelaide so I am sure they do.