The last one.

December 15, 2013 Stockholm, Sweden

 "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." -Winnie the Pooh

Thank you A.A. Milne.

I could not better summarize my feelings for leaving the beautiful city of Stockholm, and Lidingö, Scandinavia, my friends, my Swedish host family, kanelbullar and fika (it's up there in favorite things), the challenging and quirky Swedish language, Kirsten, the silly traditions on Julafton and Midsommar, and most importantly, the two kids that have exceptionally changed my life, Ella and Gabriel.  

I am so proud of Ella and Gabriel's English.  I think back to last October, when the kids and I sat in silence while eating dinner, compared to now, when, Johanna, Andreas, Ella, Gabriel are all sitting, having a conversation in English, exchanging stories of past things, telling each other what we are excited for, it brings me such joy; they changed my life.

This blog served its purpose, to have a compact place where I can look back on all my amazing memories while living abroad, and update friends and family while away from the US, so this is my last post. 

I have to say that my feelings are mixed about my return.  It is very bittersweet, but I will be back to Stockholm sometime soon.

I can't possibly say goodbye to anyone or anything in Stockholm because it is too hard.  So a simple, "See you soon" must suffice for now.

<3 <3 <3

Puss och kram.  Hej då!

Thanksgiving in Stockholm

...Or should I title this one, "The Thanksgiving almost disaster that struck Stockholm"?

Last Thanksgiving, I flew to Germany to spend a relaxing, long weekend with my sister in law, Tiffany.  I was in charge of one thing, the sweet potatoes.  No problems there.  Andreas expressed desire about wanting a real thanksgiving, made by an American and having a big turkey, but his request was denied.

Well, this year, he got what we wanted.  A 5 kilo turkey, and 4 american girls (who had never made a full Thanksgiving meal before) cooking dinner.  Despite what good friends Kirsten and I have become, our host families and children had never met each other.  When I'm not with my own family, I am with hers, and when she is not with her own, she is with mine.  This was our chance to get the two families together, the ones who have greatly impacted both of our lives.  Haley, Kirsten's cousin was visiting from the US, as well as my friend, Kelsey. 

All of us four girls are similar in personality, a little OCD about things, we like to be on time, we are put together and organized, etc.  Friday night rolled around and we were feeling pretty good about the progress for Saturday night's dinner.  Cranberries were done, desserts were mostly baked, table was set, etc.  Saturday morning, Kelsey and I woke early to prepare the turkey, and bake one last cake.  Seeing as neither of us had ever cooked a turkey in our lives, we were googling, pinteresting, tweeting, and facebooking everything imaginable about how to clean and cook a turkey.  

Kelsey and I just about died when we originally picked up the turkey, and the neck comes shooting out the bottom into the sink.  If only that was our biggest problem.  Johanna and Andreas were both out of the house at this time doing some last minute errands with the children.  I put the cake in the oven, checked it, it was not done, so I put it back in for 5 more minutes.  5 more minutes.  5 more minutes.  Finally, I realized something was wrong.  Usually the oven blasts you with heat the second you open the oven door. Not happening.  Panic strikes.  

THE OVEN IS BROKEN.

PANIC.

Naturally, Kelsey and I freak out.  I call Andreas, he claims, "It's not possible for the oven to break". 

I call bull shit.

The clock is now noon, the time when the turkey has to be in the oven in order to get it done by the time the guests arrive.  

Plan B:  I ran across to the neighbors house to ask to use their oven.  The woman is American, so she had to understand.  The problem was, they were having Thanksgiving the same night and their turkey needed to be in the oven too! But luckily, they had a few hours to spare, so sure enough, I ran across the street with a raw turkey in my pajamas to the neighbors in order to put it in their oven until ours was fixed.

Lets just say, I knew what I was going to say I was thankful for at the dinner table that night. 

Andreas and Johanna were able to fix the oven as soon as they got home, and thanksgiving was saved! You think I sound dramatic?  No really, you try cooking thanksgiving dinner for 13 people.  The turkey cooked and turned out surprisingly well.  All adults admitted to having doubts about dinner, but were all pleasantly surprised.  

Here's what we have to show for ourselves:

Visitors in Sweden

This fall, I was so lucky to have a marathon of four wonderful visitors.  Two of which, had never been to Europe before.

 Välkommen till Sverige, Danielle, Chris, Tiffany, and Kelsey!

Välkommen till Stockholm, Danielle!

 Dala häst and Kirsten.

View from Monteliusvägen with Danielle. 

 Capturing the picturesque view of Gamla Stan from Södermalm.

Hours after Danielle's departure, Chris and Tiff arrived in Sweden for the first time from Germany.

It had been years since the last time I saw Chris.  Time spent with him is always so special.  

Tiff and I.

Oldest and youngest sibling in our family.  Emily- 23.  Chris- 33.

Of course I had to take Chris and Tiff out in Stockholm, and have them meet the girls!

Princess tårta with a mustache for Swedish father's day.

Big brother, little sister and espresso martinis.

 I love when everyone special in my life meets each other.

The last push of visitors came one week after Chris and Tiff left.  Välkommen till Sverige, Kelsey! <3

Directly from the airport, we went north to the small town of Hedemora, where Kelsey's relatives live, in the county of Dalarna.  

Dala horse ring a bell?

They come in every color!

Dala factory.

Dala horses are hand carved and hand painted. It took this woman 3 minutes to paint a large Dala häst.

Smallest Dala horse in the world. 

Largest Dala horse in the world!

I enjoyed seeing another part of Sweden, but I was eager to return to Stockholm and show Kelsey the Sweden I know and love.

Kelsey overlooking Strandvägen. 

 Beautiful Biblioteksgatan lined with Christmas lights.

Gamla Stan.

Monteliusvägen in Söder.

Fika.

Gamla Stan.

 Christmas market in Gamla Stan.

Glögg, my favorite drink to warm you up in the cold weather.

Kelsey in front of the Royal Palace.

 Kungstragården ice skating rink.

One of the many amazing sunsets we see from Lidingö.

Naturhistoriskamuseet with the kids.

 Crazy kids.

Walking around the old cobble stone streets of Sweden as preserved in Skansen, a museum and zoo in Stockholm.

Kristina, Kelsey and I enjoying one of our last days together.

 Biblioteksgatan at night.  Thanks for visiting me, Kelsey, I miss you already!