Brest

After 4 nights in Paris we took the train to Brest to visit my old friend Karin. We have known each other since we were 2 and even though we haven't seen each other for a few years it always feels like yesterday. Karin picked us up from the train station and took us straight to their house. Jakob got to meet their cute cat Milou. He was SO friendly and wanted even wanted to sit in Jakob's lap. Adam wasn't so keen though...

The kids getting ready for a first dinner together. Vincent, who works for the French navy was out working the first two days, and Adam had the flu and had to take it very easy the first few days. I was just happy to be there and spend time with Karin and the kids and enjoy their house and France.

Walk in the area

Karin, Vincent and the kids live in a really beautiful area on the countryside about 30 min drive from Brest. They have built a great house only a couple of minutes walk from the Atlantic ocean.

A typical night with the kids in Brest.

After dinner the kids went crazy most of the nights. They ran around the tables, threw themselves on to couches, chairs, floors etc and chased the poor cat.

The time they spent relaxing on the couch normally didn't last for more than a few minutes...

unless they were eating ice cream.

The night ended with reading a book before they all went to their own bed and fell asleep after us only having to go back a couple of times to tell them to stay in bed. Overall it went really well.

Day trip

One of the first days, when Vincent was still away, Felicia was in school, and Adam home sick, Karin and I went to a really nice beach with Anna and Jakob. There were also some old stone buildings that we looked at before going to the beach.

The area was really beautiful and reminded me a bit of Ireland.

Playing doctor.

Jakob LOVES playing doctor at the moment. Felicia and Anna gave him a doctor's kit when we arrived and he used it as much as he could. When Felicia wasn't there, he was running after Anna and asked if she wanted to play doctor with him. Sometimes she said yes, and sometimes no.

A day on an island!

One day we took a day trip out to a really really beautiful island. We drove through some nice country to get to Roscoff where we took a short boat trip out to the island. When on the island we went for a walk but stopped quite quickly on an empty beach for picknick lunch that Karin had prepared for us all. Yummy! the kids got to run around and play a bit as well and the dad's took the kids for a walk on the beach and climbed on some cliffs.

More photos from the island...

Vincent, Felicia and Anna

The best photo I could get of the 3 kids.

Waiting for the boat to take us back to the mainland.

Jakob and Felicia

Jakob really really liked Felicia and looked up to her, and wanted to do everything she did. If Felicia was around, Jakob didn't want to play with Anna at all and pretty much told her to go away. Poor cute Anna.

If Felicia can do it....

...I can do it!

Felicia acted like a great big sister and looked after Jakob and of course Anna really well.

Jakob really liked holding his hand on Felicias leg when he was sitting next to her... hmmm... not sure what I think about that...

Felicia riding

On our last day in Brest we went to a riding club to have a look at Felicia's first ever riding lesson. She did SO well. She really liked it to she wants to continue. Jakob enjoyed watching her and he also got to pat a horse after Felicia's lesson.

Going home...

After 10 days in France it was time to say goodbye. We had to get up before 5 in the morning to get to the airport in time for an early flight to Paris. Jakob was amazing, happy but tired when we woke him up, easy to get dressed and get in to the car. Tried to run away a couple of times at the airport in Brest but Karin was there with us and could keep an eye on him when we were checking in. The first flight to Paris only took 55 min and was no problems at all. On the second flight, between Paris and Stockholm he fell asleep before we took off. I gave him a book with stickers (the same that helped him to fall asleep on the train to Brest, the magic book) and after concentrating on that for about 10 minutes he dropped the book and was asleep. He slept the whole way and only woke up at the gate at Arland. Adam and I was very happy :-)
The trip has been great but it was nice to come home again.

Happy Birthday Adam!

Today is a big day, Adam's birthday! Jakob stayed with mum and dad last night so that we could go out and celebrate. We went to a really nice restaurant here in Luleå, Cooks and had a great night. It was also nice to get to sleep in in the morning and relax before picking Jakob up. Around 10 we went to pick him up and as always it is so nice to see him again even though it has only been a night and a few hours. It always feels like he has grown, is talking more etc.
The rest of the day we all spent at home. Adam opened his presents and later in the afternoon we had mum and dad over for dinner. I made Adam's favourite dessert. Now we are about to watch tv for a while before going to bed.
More photos from France will come very soon....

Back from France!

A few days ago Adam, Jakob and I got back after a great holiday in France. Below are some photos from Paris but there are more to come from our stay in Brest on the west coast of France. Overall the trip was great! we loved Paris and were lucky to have really good weather, sunny and fresh with beautiful autumn colours. The only negative is that Adam got sick and had to take it very easy when we got to Brest. Could have been the swine flu, who knows, but so far the rest of us are feeling well.

The train to Brest...

After 4 nights and some great days in Paris we got on the fast TGV train to Brest. Jakob was so good on the train! he played games, looked at people around us and tried to talk to them, watched cows and horses through the window, ate sandwiches etc. He was very tired but it took him until nearly the end of the trip before he finally gave in...

He had a very nice 45 min kip before we got to Brest and we were all very happy about how the trip went.

Sightseeing in Paris

Jakob and mummy outside Louvren.

Jakob and daddy. I love this photo.

Looking at the famous Eifel tower

Trying to see the Arc of Triumph from a distance.

After lots and lots of walking we finally got there...

Enjoying Paris

A couple of times Adam and I managed to have lunch when Jakob was asleep in the pram. This photo is from one of those occasions but since we stayed until Jakob woke up again I made sure to save some food for him to eat when he woke up. The delicious choclate mousse that I had was gone long before that though....

Jakob in a Park in Paris.

Jakob in a playground that we went to two times. It was fun to se the difference between him and the French kids. I have to say that Swedes are good at dressing kids in clothes that are approriate to the weather conditions. In Paris fashion seemed to be more important, even for children.

Montmartre

One day we walked from the hotel to beautiful Montmartre and on the walk we passed this cemetary.

Jakob did great sitting in the pram when we were walking around but we made sure that we stopped for breaks to let him play or eat.

We didn't make it up to Sacre Ceur but there was a playground at the bottom of the hill where Jakob could play and Adam and I could enjoy the atmosphere and the views.

Paris!!

These "things" (don't know what they are called in English) could be found everywhere in Paris and Jakob loved looking at them going around around and around. He kept saying he wanted to try and once we even bought a ticket but when it came to his turn he was too scared. In the end we had to give his ticket to another family.