Tagged: holidaze

31
Dec
2023

RETROSPECTIVE

he best thing about 2023 was the fact that the world was opened up for travel again. Anders and I made the most of it, though much of his was for work, of course. I went to the US for the first time since 2018 and got to see both my mom’s and my sister’s new places. We had our epic tip-to-tip trip in the Tesla during the summer from the very southernmost point of Sweden, to the very top. I’m already looking forward to some travel next year as well: back to the US in the spring, and somewhere...

31
Dec
2023

THE STORY OF THE FROG LAMP, NEXT LEVEL

The saga continues. If you have never heard the story of the frog lamp, stop what you are doing and read this first: The story of the frog lamp HIlarious, no? Definitely yes! Cut to pre-holidays 2023. The frog lamp, technically Sammy’s, has not been seen in some years. John and Simone moved to a new house 7 years ago to accommodate their growing family and at some point the frog lamp was relegated to the attic. I do not understand how anyone could bear to hide away the awesomeness that is the frog lamp, but apparently not everyone has...

30
Dec
2023

FULL UP

We drove down to Germany on December 10, staying in a little unmanned hotel outside of Hamburg. It was a long drive and good to break it up, especially since we drove down in a rain and windstorm that lasted 4 days. We had a wonderful week in Hopferau, at my brother John’s house, warmly welcomed by the entire family. The week included Jakob’s 10th birthday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day (with Karin!), a walk into Füssen to see the town and the church and castle, a walk around Schwansee, and exploring the village on the sunny day before we left....

19
Dec
2023

EK FAMILY CHRISTMAS LETTER 2023

2023 had Anders traveling pretty much constantly. He went to Iceland and up to Umeå in January for work, and then down to Canazei for a week of skiing, getting to see Karin while there, and then on to Kumla, as well as multiple trips to Tingsryd, Landskrona, Kivik, Tomelilla, and even the UK and Denmark later in the summer. He’s really enjoying his role as a Field Service Engineer, still at Tetra Pak. Liz did some traveling on her own, heading to the USA for 4 weeks in mid-March. She started with a week of vacation, then worked from...

13
Dec
2023

VACAY!

I’m on vacation, woo hoo! Yesterday was my last week of work until nearly the new year. I started it off right by leaving work early and getting a fabulous massage from Emily, then I picked up sushi on the way home, and ended the evening by creating and publishing a crossword puzzle. Today, I have finished the last of the household chores and cleaning that was on my list, and I will leave in about 1.5 hours to pick up Martin and then head to the airport to get my mom and Danely. The holidays have begun! I thought...

09
Dec
2023

FEELING FESTIVE

Once the tree is up it really starts to feel like Christmas is coming. We went this morning out to Sjöbo and found another perfect tree at the same place Anders went last year. It’s up in the stand now and resting a bit before Anders puts the lights on. Then I can start decorating tonight, and continue tomorrow, though I’m a little worried I won’t get it done before Wednesday. Tomorrow Anders is going with his sister to his uncle’s house to bring him a Christmas flower and have fika, then he is stopping at Martin’s to help with...

04
Dec
2023

SOON THE BELLS WILL START

My friends Kathey and Russell are on their way to Antarctic right now. It’s their 7th continent, which means they’ll have been to all of them after this. Quite an accomplishment, even if it did take them 36 years. (technically, I think it’s taken them their whole lives, since North America was first and that is where they were born, haha!) They are posting photos and diary logs on Facebook and it is very fun to keep up with their adventures from the warmth of my home and comfort of my sofa. I’m fascinated by travel stories and accounts of...

27
Nov
2023

C IS FOR 22 YEARS OF COOKIES

I just made Rice Krispie Holly Bar cookies for the AIC Holiday Cookie Exchange which is tomorrow evening at the last monthly meeting of 2023. I’ve been organizing the cookie exchange every year since 2001. That’s 22 years worth of cookie exchanges. Incidentally, the same amount of years that Debbie has been organizing the wreathmaking workshop that I attended last week. Rice Krispie treats are a go-to cookie because they are fast and easy and they make a lot with minimal effort. Mine are Holly bars because I color them green and sprinkle red hots liberally on top before I...

25
Nov
2023

ADVENTALICIOUS

When is it officially the holiday season? Is it Halloween that really kicks things off at the end of October, sliding through All Saints and All Soul’s Days, to Thanksgiving (if you’re American)? Here in Sweden, it’s often First Advent which starts the holiday season and all the Swedes are sure to have their advent lights up in the windows and white lights twined around trees and house edges. But First Advent this year is next weekend, which puts Fourth Advent right on Christmas Eve. Do you even know what Advent IS? For many people it’s the start of a...

19
Nov
2023

25 YEARS OF TURKEYNESS

We had our annual Friendsgiving yesterday and per usual, I did not take one single photo of the event, and apart from the kids, no one had their phones out at all, so there is no virtual record of the evening. We invited 28 people and ended up with 24, which turns out to be pretty much the perfect number, actually. With two long tables filling up the living/dining room, and everyone talking, it made for a very crowded, loud space, but it was so fun! Lots of laughter, and non-stop talking, and even after the buffet was opened, everyone...