Jacksonville Zoo, IKEA Trail life, and Christmas time...

We left Miami and went back to Ormond. It had apparently been really rainy and bad weather in Ormond while we were gone. Miami was perfect!

Last night in Miami. These two really don't need their own beds!

Finishing up the Christmas crafts that they made with farmor. So cute! We got some with us to Ormond, for our tree :-)

And so we are back in Ormond and back to school, for another two weeks. The Zoo in Jacksonville had a good deal in November, kids free, so I decided to take the boys. It was truly a great day. The boys did really good and we even went to the new IKEA (in Jacksonville) on the way home. Marlee and Noah got to play in SMÅLAND but unfortunately Gabriel was too short (it goes by length here, in Sweden it is by age). He was very very sad but did fine with me and Rafael, going through the store. We even got several compliments for how good the boys behaved!!!??? Even after a day at the zoo. My goodness, some days they make me pull my hair out and some days they just make me so happy and proud. Just like all kids, I guess :-)

While the boys made me proud, IKEA disappointed me. I know it is new so I hope they will "shape up", they had the staff was not that good and they had no Swedish Christmas food or Christmas decorations. It was also the first single-floor IKEA I have ever been to.

Gabriel

I reeeeeally don't like snakes... but they fascinate me.

They surely fascinate the kids, too :-)

Baby giraffe!!

Tried to take some Christmas pics. This was by far the best one.

This one, not so good... but it tells the truth..

Swedish dinner at IKEA!!!!

I had to though away the plug for the bathtub, it broke, so we (the kids) decided to get clean outside :-) So much more fun!!

 

Grinding the bitter orange peels for the Swedish ginger bread dough

Marlee and Noah has participated in Trail life this past semester, which is like the boy Scouts. Last Sunday was their last day and they had a dinner and ceremony where they got their badges. It was very well made and so cute.

Watching turtles at a pond... while Marlee and Noah had Trail Life (before the dinner)

Marlee getting his badges

Noah getting his badges

I have prepared the boys' advent calendars this year, too. However, since there are three boys getting gifts now I am mixing them up and they do not have one "calendar" each. I only prepare a few days ahead. Marlee and Noah are getting a remote controlled car that you build. Kind of like Lego. However, Noah was a little "creative" today and hid the (soft) antenna inside the "main body" of the car so we might have to open it up and try to get it out in order for it to work when they are done... We also had some minor issues when I woke up this morning that I mention below...

Last night...

This morning... Gabriel got up before everyone and opened ALL the present, except his own for today...

We have also created advent candles for the windows that will be "lighted" each Sunday in Advent. It give me flash back of my time in 1-3rd grade when we always did this for Christmas :-)