Yesterday

Yesterday, we woke up to snow, snow and snow. At least, it was above 0C so it wasn't a permanent-kind-of-snow but- still- ugh!! I had to run my summer movie in my head (you know the one that you play in your mind that is full of warm weather, soft sun and beaches... OK, maybe it is a Canadian thing?). I have decided to boycott my winterboots for the rest of the season- I am stubborn- so I was just glad that my running shoes were still dry when I got to work.

Here is wishing for a better today :) Hope you all have a good one xox

Yups.... more snow!

At least, the sidewalks were staying fairly clear :)

Argh!

ROAR!

Someone feels the same as me ;)

Quiet start

Even though we really like that the boys are involved in lots of sports activities, after a whole winter of it, it is kind of nice to get a break when the seasons wind down (before the next ones begin!). Oliver's swimming is now finished so there are no more early Sunday morning rush-arounds so, today, we got to enjoy each other's company (and video games... who the heck am I kidding?) in the early morning sunshine. I had the chance to catch up on some of my favourite blogs, have some coffee and listen to the boys actually playing together (and not fighting... but that didn't last too long!).

Wishing you all a cosy and peaceful Sunday xox

Flash back to past trips...

This afternoon (to take a break from cursing the latest snow fall... yes, again!!!!!!), I took a look at some old photos from the first time that we went back to Scandinavia as a family of 5. We have gone back since but I am amazed that Andreas and I survived the plane ride with boys at these ages (I guess that I should be happy for the sleep deprived numbness)! In these pictures, Alexander was 5, Nicklas 3 and Oliver 3 months. Oh yes, I was also about 5 years younger too ;) I am looking forward to seeing how the boys experience their trip this summer (if you haven't read my blog before- we are going to Sweden and Denmark in June). Needless to say, we are all very excited! Maybe even more excited than I am right now for warmer weather.... and that is saying A LOT!

Happy Friday to you all xox

At the Copenhagen Zoo

Jokers!

Tired boy...

We're so excited to be at Tivoli!

Partners in crime...

He looks so calm... looks are misleading ;)

Guess other people feel like I do....

While I was driving the other day, I saw that someone had posted this sign. How appropriate! Guess other people feel the same way that I do ;)

Wishing you all a great week! :)

North Pole, just up ahead!

This is what it looked like on Saturday :P

Helping children with homework

When the children were very young (before going to school), I had visions of me, taking the time, to thoroughly explain school topics to my boys. I thought, heck, I am a teacher and they will benefit from my "insight and patience". Flashforward to today, homework has turned me into a ranting and raving lunatic. Apparently, they do well in school subjects WHEN THEY ARE AT SCHOOL but the second they get home, it is like they have never seen the work before.... ever! I get blank stares and "I don't get it". They argue with me as if I was the one that assigned it! If they were one of my students, fine- argument well directed.... However, this is NOT the case! I want to yell (and actually, I think that I have... multiple times....): IT IS NOT MY FAULT THAT YOU HAVE THIS HOMEWORK!!! PLEASE DO NOT TAKE IT OUT ON ME!!!! Seriously....

To solve the issue, I regularly buy wine boxes. Andreas has started making "Homework" beer... it works too ;) I like to think that I am a little bit more patient ;)

Well... off I go... to homework land :)

Ready-

set-

GO! ;)

I still have hope!

Given that it has been snowing all day long, I thought that I would post this perfect summary of our weather ;) I still have hope.... it is WAY warmer (around 0C) and the air doesn't hurt my face! I am wrapping up the busy day with a glass of wine and some cosy time at home with all my boys....

Happy Saturday night to you all xox

Happy first day of spring!

Even though it is not SO spring-like here (to all my friends in Denmark who keep telling me about how warm it is there and how many flowers are up in their garden.... thanks for the reminder!!! (*Please note touch of sarcasm in aforementioned statement*). I feel encouraged by the arrival of spring. It isn't imaginary... it is actually here... seriously! We made it! I feel like I should get a medal ;) Or a trophy ;) Or even a damn t-shirt (I survived the stupid winter of 2015) ;) Haha! Wishing you all, from the bottom of my heart, a very happy spring xox

Oliver's ode to spring!

If Ikea is selling Paaskmust, then it is a good sign!

The path out of winter!! Full speed ahead ;)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Cool Leprechaun (ie: Alexander), Happy Leprechaun (ie: Nicklas) and Grumpy Leprechaun (ie: Oliver) are ready for celebrating St. Patrick's Day at school... Wishing you a very Happy St. Patrick's day from the Canadian/Swedish Leprechauns!

Are you also Irish for the day and celebrate St. Patrick's Day? If you are, have a good one. If you don't, have a good one as well..... XOX

Booked and ready :)

Andreas and I decided to, perhaps foolishly, put ourselves and our 3 boys on a 8.5 hour airplane ride ;) I have to clarify that the trip is far from foolish but the "getting there" is. Have you ever wished for teletransportation? I have... EVERY TIME I AM ON AN AIRPLANE WITH MY KIDS. It is not like they are worse than other kids but I just put so much effort into them NOT being those kids on the airplane that everyone tells horror stories about ;) I become like a frantic one woman entertainment centre.... Do you want some crayons? Colouring book? Snacks? Stickers? Wine? Just kidding about the wine.... that was intended for me ;) I am just hoping that, this time, Oliver will like his onboard entertainment more (and running in the aisles less). The last time we went was 3 years ago (he was 2) and there was a very good reason why we waited 3 years ;)
Anyway, we booked our trip to Sweden! YAH! While we are there, Andreas and I are going to do an adult trip to Denmark to visit friends. We have not, in our 10 years of marriage, had a "trip away", even if, for Andreas, it is only a weekend. I will be staying for a few days more ;) Mamma time!
It will be fun.. and we are all really looking forward to it. I managed to get the passports all ready (not the one in the photo- which could actually work for Denmark- but the real ones) so we are booked and ready!

Happy Sunday :)

Friday walk

Now that the weather is a little bit more user-friendly, it has been so much more pleasant to walk. Since I had a meeting at a neighbouring hospital, I decided to walk there and enjoy the return to life ;) Here are some glimpses of my trip!

Wishing you all a cosy weekend :)

Look! No boots :)

I love this door way!

Detail from an apartment building... it makes me dizzy!

Picture of desperation ;)

This is me, trying to clear all the snow from our balcony. I am desperate to sit at our table and drink coffee and the snow is simply not melting fast enough. I love my shovel ;)

Action shot

Glimpses of Tuesday and a little lesson about being Canadian

It felt so nice yesterday to drive in with the window down*. Nice, warm air... ahhhh... I got home early so I made a coffee and sat outside in the sun for a while. It is SUCH a pleasure to be able to endure the outside again ;) More to come today...

* For non-Canadians, here is a little lesson: when the weather starts to get "nice" (ie: above 0C), Canadians are known to over exaggerate the temperature. For example, most sane people would not drive on the highway with their windows down when it is 2C. We do. I saw it everywhere. There were people actually wearing shorts... with their boots. One of them was even my friend... a relatively sane man. Even by our standards, however, it is not sandal weather yet. The snow crytals hurt, in a sand/small rock kind of way, when they get in between your toes ;) Most kids in the playground have taken their jackets off in temperatures that make most non-Canadian mothers shudder... It is not because we are particularly tough or anything.... just desperate ;)

Have a good day! XOX

Yes, I was in non-moving traffic ;)

My "new" Nespresso... that will be another post ;)

Please note: this is an actual sidewalk, sans snow ;)

Beautiful sky

My coffee....

Almost barefoot outside ;)

Welcome, daylight!

OK.... changing the time for spring confuses my body but, heck, I am loving the fact that, at 7pm, it still isn't dark! It gives me hope ;)
This week promises to be above 0C. I am happily watching snow melt :) OK.... European friends... I am very aware that you have NO snow and flowers already but I appreciate every centigrade climb :)

Hope you all had a great day! XOX

Welcome spring

It is 6:15pm and still light out :)

Happy!

Cool dude!

Funny dude!

Crazy dude!