Sledding

Since we got home we have had, what I consider, a good winter, lots of snow and not too cold. Ok, some more sunshine would not be so bad :-) And we got that today. I realised that I had not really seen the sun since we got home and wow, it felt good!

 

Noah while Marlee was sledding



After sledding Marlee ate three!!!
bananas with yoghurt!

 

The last two days have been warmer and a lot of snow melted. When it got cold today again the roads got all icy and it was pretty much possible too sled down any hill, it did not take much inclination to make the sled move. However, it was nicer to go into the forrest, which me and Marlee (and Noah) did.

Notice the icy road!

THE SUN!! :-D

Going up-hill

...and then down!

 

 

Christmas Eve

Christmas arrived and I all the most important preparations were finished, such as a tree, main decorations, food and christmas gifts. We all went to gammelmormor (great grandma) to enjoy Christmas lunch with her and mormor and morfar. Mormor had prepared all kinds of yummy Christmas food and we left completly "packed". Aside from eating a lot of good food we also exchanged christmas gifts with gammelmormor.

At gammelmormor's

A book from gammelmormor

Noah with gammelmormor

A while after we arrived home mormor and morfar came over to celebrate Christmas with us. Morfar actually came late because he "had to go back home to get some sheets" and strangely enough Santa came by before morfar arrived!! Santa delivered gifts for everyone and soon after he had left, morfar joined us. :-) Unlike, the US, as far as I have understood, the children here get to meet Santa on Christmas Eve and we do not normally have the socks to which he delivers presents in the US. We do have some pictures/videos from Santas visit but unfortunately we cannot find them at the moment. Marlee was a little scared at first, when Santa knocked on our (little) door but was soon his wind up self.

After Santa had left and morfar arrived we all hade a good steak for dinner (not traditional) and exchanged presents, which took a few hours! I have very split feelings to all the things Children receive today, and they are way too spoiled, but I DO enjoy giving my children things that I believe are good for them and I DO enjoy seeing them so happy when they get surprised, such as wrapped presents :-D I am not proud to say it but it was pretty fun at the time that Marlee's most commen phrase this night was "Another one!" with such exitement every time.

Cristmas dinner

Opening presents

 

 

 

'

MERRY CHRISTMAS / GOD JUL

I want to start by saying

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

or as we say in Swedish

 

GOD JUL!

 

Our Swedish Christmas tree

Now I want to take the chance to apologize for the very long break since last time I posted something. I am very sorry. We have been way too busy, probably more busy than what is good for us but now we are soon going to sit back and enjoy Christmas! And for you, who are reading this, I just want to say - Get ready for my longest post so far!!!

 

Dec 5

We all (Alex, Marlee, Noah, Cory, farfar and I) went to Santa's Enchanted forest, which is an amusement park in Miami, only open during the winter. Wow, how fun!! It was the first time Marlee got to go on a real Merry-go-round and a ferris wheel.

Making a puzzle, still anaware of what the evening has to offer...

Starting out light, a merry-go-round

Going up the ferris wheel!!!

 

Dec 7

Went to Miami beach to have lunch with one of Alex's old colegues. After the lunch me and Marlee enjoyed a swim in the ocean. It was great!! The waves were pretty big but Marlee was brave and went in with me.

 

Having lunch at "The place" on Miami beach.
Marlee is busy playing Angry birds...

Me and Marlee going swiming

A little surfer dude on the beach! :-)

 

Fancy houses and yachts on one of "the islands",
Star, Hibuscus or one of them..

 

Dec 8

Christmas time!! It was time for us the celebrate Christmas before leaving Miami. Cory came over. We all went into the hot tub, which was very niiiiiiiice!!!! Even Noah could go in before it got too hot and after getting used to it he enjoyed it, too. Being smiley as always :-D

 

My Darlings in the morning. They are just the best
little boys in the whole wide world!!!

Oh, yes!! Playing with one of the Christmas gifts with Cory

Marlee insisted to sleep with his new "carry on" that
he got from farmor and farfar...

Dec 9
Our very last day in Miami!!! We decided to  make Marlee tired and went to Pinecrest garden with Lucas, Lucia, Alex and Jorge. We had a very goo day with them there. After the park we had to go home and pack. The plane left the same night...

Visiting the peting zoo with Lucas.

Dec 10

Arriving home to Sweden and the winter!! After a loooong trip we finally made it back home to Sweden with all our bags!!!!!!!!! Marlee was not feeling good at all when we got home. He had a cold when we left Miami and it just got worse during the trip home. Poor thing! The only thing he wanted to eat was the fruit pur'es farmor had gotten him in Miami. Good we had them!

 

 

Dec 15
We had hardly gotten rid of the jet lag when me and the boys took the car down to visit my sister and the newly arrived cousin, Ailo. He was born in the end of October and about two month younger than Noah. It was the first time for us to meet him and that was exiting!

The Drive to Skåne, where my sister lives normally takes about 7 hours. It took 11 for us due to the weather, the children and not having a working window cleanier on the car.. But we made it and we arrived safely! The trip back home took "only" 10  hours...

Winter Sweden!

Ailo and Noah

Noah in his bed

Sleeping Ailo, playing Noah

Ailo, the little man

Brother love!!!

Multi tasking!

 

Noah at 2 am. Still jet lagged and not ready to go to sleep...

 

 

 

Dec 20

Back home and ready to play  in the snow!!! It has been great since we got back, I think. With lots of snow and just a few degrees below freezing.

 

 

On the kitchen floor

 

Dec 22

Visitin Sofia, Aman and Mobi. Baking Christmas cookies.

 

 

Marlee and Mobi are helping Sofia

 

 

Fairchild garden

The children and I went with farmor to Fairchild tropical botanic garden today. It is a very nice garden with all kinds of plants and they also have a butterfly "house", which was our goal for the day. It was really nice!! There was even small Hummingbirds with the butterflies.

Marlee looking at the pupas



Marlee found a friend to check out the
butterflies with. They both had their
little chart with the different species on.



A Hummingbird



Different butterflies and orchids that we saw



They let some more butterflies
out while we were there

Chocolate plant with cacao beans

A pineapple plant

Going to Pinecrest garden

Today I took the children to Pinecrest garden. A place where they have a petting zoo, nice playground and a "rain forest" with a lot of fish and turtles. Marlee got to pet some animals and we all had a good time!

After a late dinner I left with Noah to do some shopping while Alex went to see a friend. Marlee stayed home with farmor and farfar.

Piggy at the petting zoo. A really FAT pig!

And sheepes

Mr goat was also pettable

Watching the Christmas decorations

Some fish are checking out Marlee's hand

Visit by Nancy

Alex's friend Nancy (that he got to know in Brasil) came to visit us!! She spent two days here and we made a nice trip to Shark Valley (no sharks only gators) and a boat trip to Key Biscayne. I am really happy that she had the chance to come visit us and next time I hope that Joel (her husband) can come, too. At the moment they live in Virginia.

We also had Alex, Jorge and their children Lucia and Lucas over for dinner this weekend. It was nice for Marlee to get to play a little.

Hello gator!!

Well, I did not feel like reading that sign anyways!

Alex, Marlee and Nancy in Shark Valley

Nice birdie in Shark Valley

Boat trip to Honey moon harbour (Key Biscayne, Miami)
Mario is chilling with Noah

Noah is enjoying Nancy's company

Part of Honey moon harbour. I could live here...

Marlee has gotten obsessed with Angry
Birds and Nancy was so kind to
download it to her tablet.

Swimming in Honey moon harbour