Better Together

Changing blogs.

2011-12-30T23:23:00.003+01:00

I guess you've noticed that I haven't posted here for quite some time.
I just thought I'd let you know that I've decided to move my blog to Wordpress, and start blogging in Swedish. The reason for the latter is that we have moved away from family and friends, and our blog will be a way for them to stay updated about us. I really want our parents and younger members of our families to be able to follow the blog, and that will be a lot easier if it's in Swedish.

I hope my English speaking friends will understand and that you will stop by the new blog now and then. You can always use Google translate (it will be semi-understandable at least), or a returned missionary, who has served his mission in Sweden, if you would happen to have access to one of those ;)

So for now, it's over and out, and welcome to http://merarydgren.wordpress.com

Gaelic Blessing

2011-02-07T23:23:00.006+01:00

Deep peace of the running wave to you
Deep peace of the flowing air to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
Deep peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the gentle night to you
Moon and stars pour their healing light on you
Deep peace of Christ the light of the world to you
Deep peace of Christ

(dont't forget to switch off the music player in the right hand column)

Just a thought...

2011-02-06T22:15:00.004+01:00

I watched "Robots" with the kids the other day. It wasn't the first time, but this time something stood out to me. This simple robot, made out of scraps and hand-me-down parts follows his dream to become a inventor. He leaves home and seeks out the place where it all can come true. As he stands at the gate to the great building he wants to enter, he looks up and sees something that's written above it: "You can shine no matter what you're made of".

I've always felt that I want to be so much better than I am. I look up to so many people and wish I were a little more like them. But I'm starting to realize (and it's about time) that I am okay the way I am. Heavenly Father didn't intend me to be anyone else. He gave me my strengths and my weaknesses just the same way He gave everyone else theirs. I just need to make the most out of what was handed to me.

A scripture came to my mind as I was pondering these things. In Matthew 5:16 it says: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." That's all it's really about. Doing good, loving and serving others.

That way we can all shine no matter what we're made of.

10 years since our first dance!

2011-01-02T11:22:00.009+01:00

On New Year's eve ten years ago, Jens and I danced our first dance together. We didn't know each other and after the dance we didn't talk any more that night.

But a week later we were dancing again, this time at a youth conference. We talked and talked all night, and it felt as though we had always known each other.

After the dance, Jens spent the rest of the evening talking to another girl (he wanted to play hard to get) and I was devastated...

The next day at testimony meeting we looked at each other - and that was it!

A few days later we went on our first date and watched Billy Elliot at the movies. After that we were an item.

Ten years have passed. Ten years, one wedding, four kids, three homes, and thousands of hours of talking, dreaming, laughing, crying and praying together.

I feel so blessed to have Jens in my life. He's my best friend, my no. 1 supporter and the one who pulls me down from the clouds when I need to get my feet back on the ground. He's a loving father, a responsible provider, and a faithful son of our Heavenly Father.

Thank you for giving me the best 10 years of my life, and here's to 10 more just as good!

Big day for my big boys

2010-12-19T11:45:00.005+01:00

Alvin and Ivar turned 8 on November 29th, and on December 4th they were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The boys had been looking forward to it for months and when the day finally came they were so excited! And I was too!

Since I'm the first in my family to be baptized into the Church, I was so happy that my sons made that same decision. On Jens' side of the family, our children are the fifth generation of Church members. And now there is a second generation on my side as well. That is pretty special!

What made it all even better was my family being able to come. My mom and Folke, my dad and my sister Merit and her family all came to witness the big event. None of them were able to be there when I was baptized almost 13 years ago, so having them there meant a lot to me.

The program was beautiful and the Spirit was so strong. When it was time for the actual baptisms, Alvin stepped into the water first, since he is 13 minutes older than his brother. Ivar stood by the funt and watched as his brother was baptized by his father. Then it was Ivar's turn and Alvin sat on the edge of the funt while he was baptized. Egon thought the ceremony was so funny, he laughed the whole time...

The boys were then confirmed by their father and welcomed into the church by the Bishop, who is also their father's cousin!

It was a day our family will always remember.

Pretty fall pics

2010-12-19T11:39:00.012+01:00

We've had snow for a good month by now, but I thought I'd share some fall pictures of Lovisa and Egon that turned out really well.

Flash-back! First day of playschool!

2010-12-19T09:21:00.016+01:00

One sunny August morning it was time for Egon to start preschool, the same school where Lovisa was now starting on her last year.

He was so excited he practically ran the whole way!

Finally he was a "BIG BOY"!

He started playing as soon as he got in the door.

Look at him going wild with the meatballs!

First lunch at preschool!

Egon has loved playschool from day one. He loves his teachers and you can tell that they love him and all the other children. I'm so happy that my kids have teachers who really love what they do. Egon has made many new friends and has learned so many new things.

I'm back!

2010-12-15T09:59:00.004+01:00

Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in a day. It's been a real challenge for me to keep my head above water the last year and a half. Being a wife, mother, homemaker, translator and full time student all at the same time has been exciting and fulfilling, but also draining and overwhelming. A lot of the time I've felt as though my life was made up of nothing but demands and I've felt guilty about so many things. (A mom-thing, I know...) But I know that Heavenly Father knows our situation and knows why I have had to go to school at such a busy and important time. I know that I've truly been blessed this whole time. I've done the best I've known how under the circumstances, and I know that my Heavenly Father has filled in the blanks.

One thing I decided not to feel guilty about was not writing on my blog. For a few months now, I've been dreading having to try and catch up on everything and start writing where I left off so that there wouldn't be this big gap in the blog. But then I thought about it and realized there are bigger things to worry about!

I'm just going to start where we're at right now, and maybe, if I suddenly feel a surge of energy and inspiration, I might just throw in a few flash-backs here and there.

For now: Here's a christmas song for you! (Don't forget to turn off the music player to the left.)

Wow!

2010-08-16T22:51:00.003+02:00

I can't believe a whole summer has just gone by, and I haven't managed to make one single post here! I'm still alive, so everyone exhale! I guess things haven't really calmed down since the kiddos got out of school... I will post lots and lots of summer pictures real soon.

Right now I'm sitting here thinking about the fact that Egon starts playschool tomorrow. That means I will be all alone for a few hours every day. I will be able to focus on my last semester of school and on work, so that when I do get to see the kids I won't have to feel distracted. Sounds great, doesn't it? But what will I do without my little man at home with me? He's so much fun to be around and it's so great to hear his wise comments and laugh at his wonderful sense of humor! I will miss him so much! I've been so busy all summer that I didn't see it coming, and now I'm sitting here all teary eyed, wondering were time went... My little Egon has turned 3. My baby is officially no baby anymore.

Inspiration

2010-05-17T09:32:00.007+02:00

One of my friends shared this clip on facebook, and it really moved me. What an inspiration she is!
This is what life is really about!

(Remember to turn off the musicplayer to the right)

Life

2010-05-17T09:01:00.003+02:00

Lately I have been so preoccupied with life, that it feels like I've forgotten how to enjoy living it. As much as I enjoy school, it has taken up so much of my energy and I've been feeling guilty for not having enough patience with my kids, for not being able to keep up with all of the housework and for not taking better care of my spirit. I've even been feeling guilty for not writing here more often. With only two more school assignments to go before the summer, I'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I'm looking forward to spending more time with my family this summer. I'm going to try really hard to let go of all of the musts and shoulds and enjoy being a mother and a wife. I'm also going to put the Gospel back where it needs to be in my life. I miss going to the Temple regularly and making scripture study part of my daily routine even if it only is for a few minutes.

I am so grateful for my family and for their love for me even when I least deserve it. I love watching my kids grow and develop every day. They are such amazing little people! I truly look up to each and every one of them, and feel blessed to be able to call myself their mother. Yesterday, as we were getting ready to go to Church, the kids almost got upset with each other because they all wanted to help me carry something to the car. Things like that don't happen every day, but I realize that I need to appreciate it more when they do. I know that when I try to focus on the sweet moments of every day, they seem to grow in number.

Life is good!

Funny things they say...

2010-04-15T10:41:00.004+02:00

Egon (watching the dolphin show at the zoo): "I love the dolphins! I want them in our house!"

Ivar (7): "Mom, were you born in the 1900's?"
Me:"Yes."
Alvin & Ivar: "WOW!"

Lovisa (5) to Egon (still in diapers): "What are you thinking about? Or are you pooping?"

Egon (constantly): "Can I have something?" (meaning food)
Me: "You just ate!"
Egon: "I will give you a KISS! ... There, NOW I can have something!"

Ivar (to his dad after hearing a famous singer being called "Sweden's coolest mother of four"):
"She's the coolest mother of four?? I think they're exaggerating. Maybe she has four kids that listen. Imagine having four kids that DON'T listen!"

Playing in the snow

2010-02-07T14:14:00.010+01:00

Lovisa's "baby sister"

2010-02-07T13:55:00.008+01:00

Lovisa is a really girly girl who loves to play with dolls, dress up, and so on. In a family with three brothers she ends up playing on her own a lot. Lately she has been talking about how much she would love to have a baby sister, saying that it's no fun being the only girl.

Well, now she seems to have taken matters into her own hands...

2009 New-Year's letter

2010-01-28T09:26:00.021+01:00

Jens finshed school in may and continues to work on his feature film script. He is planning on finishing it this spring, and after that he will start contacting production companies and TV-stations to have it made into a movie or a TV-series. He is still driving buses for a living. It's not a job he particulary enjoys, but it does pay the bills. When he's not working he helps out around the house so that his wife can go to school. Last spring he went to a mission reunion in SLC and met up with some good friends. He also had the opportunity to attend General Conference. He really enjoyed that trip! He is a passionate road biker and can brag about having broken his collar bone riding down a mountain in the French Alps. Not many can top that.

Toini enrolled at the University of Stockholm in August to study translation. She has classes a couple of days a week and studies as much as she can at home. She loves it and feels as though she finally got it right. She will be done in december of this year. During the year she underwent two surgical procedures to her lower back, but unfortunately still isn't pain free. She continues to try and lead an active life nonetheless, road biking and running as much as her body allows and is looking forward to biking in the French Alps again.

Alvin 7 started 1st grade in the fall and is enjoying school and all of his friends. He is quite the ladies' man. During the year he had three girlfriends. At one point he had two at the same time. He is a sociable kid who likes to talk (wherever did he get that from?), and spend time with his siblings and friends. He loves to create and is, among other things, a skilled lego constructor. Together with his brother, he goes to swimming classes and is getting better and better at swimming. His goal is to be able to swim all by himself when we go back to Öland this summer.

Ivar 7 is also in 1st grade and he loves to read and write. But his favourite subject in school is maths. This is a mystery, because neither one of his parents have ever been any good at it. Ivar is pensive and thoughtful child. He loves to write little notes of appreciation for his mom and dad as well as stories. One of his stories goes something like this if translated:

"Once upon a time there was a big sea monster that lived deep down in the see and it devoured people it loved meat and ate loads of fish. But one day another sea monster came, and this sea monster was good. And they started to fight and at the end both of them had died.
And everyone in the city lived happily ever after!"

Lovisa, almost 5 is a happy and outgoing girl. She loves playschool and has a whole bunch of friends there. During the year she has grown more and more interested in letters and numbers, and is now able to write quite a few words and read signs. Lovisa loves to bake and cook. She also likes to play shop. She sells everything from cereal to underwear. Lovisa loves inviting friends over or going to their houses. She especially likes birthdayparties - especially those with a princess theme.

Egon, 2.5 is a very sweet little boy. He is very good at expressing himself and loves to talk. He wants to do everything himself, no matter how hard it is. Right now he is either a puppy or a kitten. One morning at about 3.45 we heard the door to our room open and in comes Egon, on all fours, meowing! Even half asleep he was a kitten. The other day Egon stumbled on the edge of the livingroom carpet and fell down. He cried for about 15 seconds and then he looked at me, teary-eyed and said: "I didn't hurt myself. I just broke my leg. It doesn't matter."

As a family we enjoyed several trips last summer, the camping trip to Öland probably being the highlight. Jens and Toini of course enjoyed their trip to the French Alps in May. What a beautiful place to go road biking! Meanwhile, the kids had a good time, staying with cousins and grandparents back home.
Another exciting thing is that we got our first pets: rabbits Teo and Emilia. They live in our back yard, in a house/cage that Jens built for them.
At the end of the year we went through an exciting adventure called "Water damage". Jens and some kind helpers had to tear out our entire kitchen and hall way, cupboards, floors and all. For a couple of weeks there was nothing but concrete floors. The family moved in with Jens' parents, where we ended up staying for over three weeks. Jens worked day and night the entire time, and we were able to move back into the house the night before Christmas eve. We were so grateful to be able to spend Christmas at home.

Update and conception theory...

2009-12-06T20:57:00.004+01:00

Right now my posts are few and far between. The last two weeks we have been staying with Jens' parents while our house has undergone some serious... remodelling. Due to water damage we no longer have a floor in our kitchen our hallway. I will post some pictures when I get a chance. I am so frustrated about not being able to live in my own house. This whole ordeal has made me realize how lucky we are to have a home of our own. That's really nothing you can take for granted. I'm also very grateful to my inlaws for their letting the whole gang move in with them. Hopefully we will be able to move back home in about a week. I would love to be able to spend Christmas in our own house...

On a happier note I have to share something Alvin said yesterday. We were driving in the car and the kids started talking about how babies are conceived. Alvin gave us a whole new idea of the process. "A seed falls down from Heaven and lands on the mommy's sandwich. And when she eats the sandwich the seeds goes flying down into her belly." Then he remembered that he had learned about it at school and that it didn't happen like that after all.

Happy Halloween?

2009-11-01T21:57:00.010+01:00

Halloween is a fairly new tradition in Sweden, and one that I'm not extremely fond of. There's nothing cute about the Swedish version of Halloween. Not all kids go out trick-or-treating but those who do are almost all dressed up in scary costumes. The whole idea with Halloween is to be scary. Last year we kept our celebration to a family Halloween dinner, and that was our plan this year as well. But then Lovisa got it in her head that she was going trick-or-treating. She got out a paperbag and put on a princess dress. The dress was cute in and of itself, because, as you probably understand a princess is a rare sight when Swedes celebrate Halloween... Well, I guess I don't have to tell you that the dress made me give in to her and then, of course, Alvin and Ivar also wanted to go. The boys put on their skeleton costumes, the same ones they wore for our Halloween dinner last year... But they didn't want to go out without masks, and since we didn't have any I decided to paint their faces... When at last the three older kids were ready to go, Egon decided he was going with them. So we got out a wig and a bathrobe and made him into a little...man, very similar to the Easter-look previously posted... Keep in mind: it took about 15 minutes from the decision was made until the kids and I were ready to go. With a little more planning, we will probably do a lot better next year because I guess Halloween is here to stay.

When we got back, Jens had made dinner: The Italian dish "Uovi al purgatorio"- "Eggs in Purgatory". We thought that would go along well with the general ambience of Swedish Halloween... What it is is eggs in a meet sauce that you eat with thick slices of bread. It sounds weird, but it's really tasty.

So, Happy... or should I say Scary Halloween!

The newest addition to the Rydgren family

2009-11-01T21:37:00.006+01:00

In September Jens and I came accross an add on the internet with a picture of these two baby rabbits. The owners were giving them away for free, and even though we had decided to wait a little with getting the kids a pet, we simply couldn't resist them. We let Alvin and Ivar name the black boy-rabbit, and Lovisa got to name the beige girl.

The boys picked the same name they always do, for teddy bears and when they play house: "Teo".

Lovisa named the girl "Emilia". We tried to get her to pick a different name because she kept forgetting what she had named her. But she insisted. So Teo and Emilia it is.

And this is how happy Egon is about his new buddies!

Happy moments

2009-10-23T20:25:00.004+02:00

So I guess some of you may be wondering where I've been lately... I've been really busy! Between the family, school and everything else that makes up my life, I've had little time to get my thoughts organized enough to get them down in my blog. But in between all of the musts and needs, there are many happy moments worth remembering, so I'm going to write a few of those down.

The other day Alvin stood in front of the mirror looking at himself up and down as if in awe. Then he said: "I've never been this tall and handsome - and I'm only six years old!" (His original words in Swedish were: "Jag har aldrig varit så lång och ståtlig - och jag är bara sex år!") My little boy is starting to realize that he is growing up...

Lovisa has always been very helpful, especially around the kitchen. Lately, she has started making lunch boxes for Jens as soon as we have some left overs, which is good, because we do try not to throw away food. The other day we were in a hurry so Lovisa, Egon and I had oatmeal for lunch. I know that's sad, but what makes it even more sad (and really funny at the same time) is that after Lovisa had finished, she took out a lunch box and scooped up the about five spoon fulls that was left in the pot and put it in the fridge. I don't think I need to add that it never was eaten.

One Sunday at Church, Alvin and Ivar got a lollipop from a cousin. They really enjoyed them, but Lovisa, who didn't get one was very upset and lay crying on the floor. So Ivar ate a couple of bites off his lollipop and then gave the other half to his little sister. I thought that was a really unselfish thing to do, and I was so proud of him.

2-year-old, Egon felt Jens' chin and asked: "Do you have a beard?" ("Har du skägg?") Jens said he did and that he needed to shave. Egon put his little hand on his own cheek and said: "I'm smooth. I have shaved." ("Jag är len. Jag har jakat mig.")

Today Jens and I were listening to Spotify on the computer. I got nostalgic and put "Now that I've found you", a really cheezy song with Michael Bolton, that we danced to at our wedding. So we started dancing in our small guestroom/office. Lovisa came in and Jens picked her up and danced with her. It was such a sweet moment, and it made me appreciate all of the blessings, especially the four little people blessings, that have come into my life since Jens and I met almost 9 years ago.

Cute question

2009-09-05T20:41:00.005+02:00

Lovisa is such a cute little girl! Tonight, as I lay beside her in her bed for a little while, she turned to me and asked: "How many grandchildren would you like to have when you grow up?" What cute question! And how nice to know that I don't need to grow up until I'm a grandma! I was starting to feel a little bit worried about the fact that, as a mother of four, I still don't feel like I've "grown up"...

Lovisa is always talking about how many children she wants to have. The latest number was 90. I think she has about 15 names picked out already! It always makes me smile when she talks about her childbearing future, but I try not to discourage her. Life and biology will do that all by themselves. I just think it's great that she thinks that being a mother is something that great to her! It really is the best job in the world!

Blueberries

2009-08-31T16:04:00.011+02:00

Our adventurous trip to Öland part 2

2009-08-30T20:37:00.022+02:00

The day we arrived at the camping site was a sunny day! How promising! We met up with my sister, Merit and her family, who were spending time at her husbands family's summerhouse on the island. We starting putting up the tent, which took a little while, since it was the first time we did it... As we were working on that the sky got darker and darker, and pretty soon the first drops of rain started coming down. As soon as the tent was up it started raining for real! And it kept on raining... Pretty soon the rain turned into the worst thunderstorm in years on the island... Water started flooding the tent, but luckily the part of it where we were going to sleep remained dry.
The rain continued the next day, and we started to wonder what we had gotten ourselves into. Six people in a tent in lashing rain?!
The following day it started to clear up and the whole camping idea didn't seem so bad after all.
We spent the week swimming in the pool and in the sea, playing in a huge playground, visiting rock formations on a beach, playing beach volley ball and spending time with some friends, who were there the same week. It did rain some more, but we really enjoyed ourselves, and Jens and i were pretty darn proud of ourselves for having pulled it off!

Our adventurous trip to Öland part 1

2009-08-02T22:07:00.015+02:00

This year we decided to do something we've never done before. We packed our car and headed down to Öland for a week in a tent! What an adventure that turned out to be! To sum it up in a few words: car breakdown times two, seeing old friend, rain, rain, rain, sun, and lots of fun! So let me back it up for you. One sunny thursday morning, only about an hour and a half after the scheduled (or at least hoped for) departure time, we started what we thought was going to be a seven hour trip down to Kalmar, including potty and food breaks. I wish we had taken a picture of the car with all of our stuff crammed into it. We felt pretty good about ourselves as the car rolled down the hill...until it stopped after about five minutes and wouldn't start. We had to get Jens dad to tow us to the nearest garage to get it fixed. About an hour later the mechanic got it started again, without even knowing what he had done. We were happy to be on our way again and not having had to pay for the sort-of-car-repair. After that incident, the drive went smoothly. The kids were pretty happy and we didn't have to stop too many times. Then about twenty minutes from Kalmar the car broke down again and there was smoke coming out from underneath it. We were stranded at a bus stop and had to call my friend, Ragnar, who we were going to stay with for a couple of nights. Luckily, he had access to a minivan and was able to pick us up. After that he and Jens took the car to another garage. As it turns out, the car hadn't been fixed at all the first time, and I consider it a real blessing that it made it almost all the way to Kalmar! The kids were such good sports through the entire ordeal. The whole thing really seemed to be one big adventure to them. We got the car back friday afternoon, right before they closed and were able to drive it to the camping site on Öland the next day as planned...

In the meantime we spent the Friday enjoying beautiful weather in Kalmar in the company of our friend, Ragnar. We went to a playground/farm where the kids ran around for hours. Ragnar bought us all ice-cream! Thanks again for that!

Hold the presses!!

2009-07-05T22:54:00.005+02:00

After several days of eating difficulties, bleeding gums, and emotional turmoil, Alvin lost his front tooth, last Friday, July 4th at approximately 3:30 PM.
The proud 6-year-old comments on the event:
"I'm going to have mommy teeth now!"

Dressing up

2009-07-05T22:37:00.008+02:00

Watch out for the hairy Spider Girl!

And her little less hairy Spider Brother.

Mommy's little angel...

Notice the skirt...!

Mom and son date

2009-07-05T22:20:00.005+02:00

We have a reward system in our house, where the kids collect marbles in a jar. Every time they help out around the house, or do other nice things that require a little effort, they get to put a marble in their jar. When the jar is full they get do chose an activity to do with mom or dad.

A week or so ago it was Ivar's turn to chose an activity and he chose to go miniature golfing with me!

We had a lot of fun, and Ivar really did great for not having played before. I, on the other hand, didn't do so well. And it wasn't just to be nice to Ivar either...

Finally summer!

2009-07-05T22:07:00.006+02:00

After a few weeks of cold weather summer finally arrived! We rode our bikes to a lake nearby and the kids went in for the first swim of the year. The water was pretty cold, but they enjoyed it nonetheless. Lucklily we have had some really warm weather for a while now, and the lakes have warmed up enough for me to get in the water!

Egon has turned 2!

2009-07-05T21:46:00.006+02:00

On June11th our baby Egon turned two! Where did time go?
Egon is such a sweet little boy. He has the cutest smile that makes my heart melt. Egon is always up to something and rarely has time to just sit still. He loves to play with his brothers and sister and enjoys "helping" his mommy in the kitchen... He is very affectionate and loves to cuddle and kiss for a minute or so, before a new adventure calls for him. At the same time he is an extremely strong-willed child and gets very upset when he doesn't get his way. He is great with balls and learned how to kick a soccerball as soon as he could stand on his own. This is a talent he did not inherit from either his mom or his dad...
Egon is a happy little boy and I really can't imagine what life was like before he came along. I'm so glad he did! Happy birthday, Egon!

Egon was so excited to get a soccerball for his birthday. Nothing could get his attention away from it...

...although the red wheel barrow came pretty close!

School's out, in case anyone didn't notice...

2009-07-05T20:57:00.009+02:00

I really have some catching up to do, but I thought it would be nice to post some pictures of the kids' last day of school...

First off, we have Lovisa. Her playschool had an outdoor worknight/show. All of the parents helped out around the front yard, painting, planting, cleaning, and building new toys. Of course, we had our hands full just chasing after our kids. Oh, well... At least we were there!

But the food was good... This was probably the only time they were all gathered in one place.

When the work was done, the kids sang some summer songs for us. Lovisa did really well. I can't believe what a big girl she has become.

For the boys last day of school, their class, The Hedgehogs, put on a show for us. I was amazed at how much the boys sang. They have a tendency of getting distracted when they are supposed to sing in front of a large group of people...

These are The Hedgehogs, a class of 24 6-year-olds. This fall they will split up into three classes of 1st-2nd and 3rd graders. Alvin and Ivar will be going to different classes. Alvin will belong to The Squirrels and Ivar to The Mooses... I hope we are making the right decision. It has been a difficult one to make. I think it will be a good thing for them to go to different classes. Finally, their teachers will get their names right the first time. And the boys will be able to stand on their own two feet and have friends of their own. They are so different and they are good at different things. This way they won't be able to compare themselves to each other all the time. And if it doesn't work out, the teachers have assured me that they will move them back together.

I thought it was so cute, the way Lovisa took care of her little brother during the performance. It actually made Egon sit still for four or five minutes before he ran off again. He is such a restless child...

Our two big boys with some of the things they have been working on this past year. They deserve their summer holidays!

Biking in France

2009-06-21T23:37:00.008+02:00

At the end of May, Jens and I got on the plane to spend a week road biking in the French Alps with 12 other team members. We left Alvin and Ivar at their cousins' house and Lovisa and Egon at Grandma and Grandpa Rydgren.

I seriously couldn't have asked for a better trip! The weather was great, the food was great, the company was great, and the biking... oh, the biking was AWESOME! We climbed mountains on those bikes! Hills I would never have thought I could climb. And when we got up there, the view was incredible!

In all honesty, the biking wasn't enjoyable all the time. It was really hard work. And it wasn't risk free either. Going down a hill, Jens went down and broke his collarbone. For the second time in three months! Luckily, it was on the last day of riding, so he didn't miss out on any biking on the trip. But he will be unable to practice for at least a month from the time of the accident.

While we were down there I got to practice my French, since a lot of people didn't understand English very well. What a great feeling it was to be able to make myself understood! It gave my French-speaking-confidence a well needed boost!

Biking in the Alps taught me a couple of things. It taught me that a soar back doesn't have to stop me from doing something I love. It taught me that you can do just about anything if you put your mind to it!

During the trip, Jens and I got to spend some time together without having to worry about the messy house or the laundry or the kids' fighting. Being away from the sometimes" groundhog day" kind of life at home was good for us. I missed the kids so much, but I knew that they were having a great time away from their "groundhog day" kind of life too..!

When we got back after a week, I could hardly wait to see them again! Absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

Double the fun - double the frustration

2009-06-21T23:08:00.005+02:00

Being a twin must be such a blessing. To always have your best buddy right there, by your side. To have someone who's closer to you than anyone else. Including your mom...
At the same time it seems like it is also very difficult. Alvin's and Ivar's relationship is very up and down. One minute they are hugging and holding hands, and the next they are crying and screaming and strangling each other. I guess that is a part of finding their own identity and claiming their territory.

For the most part though, they are best friends. I remember once when they were only a year old and I was pushing them in the stroller. It was freezing outside and we were on our way home when I realized that Ivar had lost one of his mittens. Alvin looked at his brother, and then he took off one of his mittens and gave it to him.

Another time, more recently, the boys were fighting. Alvin was hurting Ivar really bad, and I got mad at him. After a little while, Ivar came up to me, all teary eyed, and said: "I wish Alvin would stop hurting me." I said that I did too, thinking that he meant that he was tired of getting beaten up. But then he said. "Because when he does, you get so mad at him." Even when his brother hurt him, he felt bad for him when I got mad.

I remember one more occasion when the loyalty between the boys became very apparent. We had been having dinner, and all of the kids were going to have ice cream sticks for dessert. Alvin started misbehaving and after a few warnings, he had to leave the table without ice cream. Even though he could understand why his brother couldn't have an ice cream stick, Ivar couldn't eat his. That's how loyal they are towards one another.

Being the mom of twins is an adventure. It really is double the fun. But also double the frustration.

Spring pictures.

2009-06-21T22:41:00.013+02:00

Gratitude

2009-06-02T12:20:00.007+02:00

The other day, I came across this short clip of a talk by Elder Henry B. Eyring, one of the apostles of our church. It really touched me. If I look carefully at my life, I don't think one single day has gone by where I can't see the hand of God reaching out to me or to one of my loved ones. Not just in the big things in life, but in the little things as well. Often I can see the hand of God reaching out through a friend or family member. Someone who knows me and my needs or simply feels inspired to reach out a helping hand. I have learnt that when I stop and think about ways in which I have seen God's hand in my life, I am able to more fully appreciate His presence and His love for me. If there is one thing I want my children to learn, it is this.

Maundy Thursday

2009-05-14T09:49:00.021+02:00

In Sweden, Maundy Thursday is a fun day for the kids. They dress up as witches, chimney sweeps, or easter men and go around knocking on doors. At every door they hand over an easter card that they themselves have drawn, and in return they get candy for their easter eggs. Although I can't remember my candy ever getting as far as the actual egg...

This year, in lack of better outfits, the boys dressed up as cowboy easter men. It's all about being flexible, right?

Here's a picture of the gang, before they went knocking on doors.

They looked so cute!

The first door. They were all very excited.

This is the candy they collected. They even got a carrot. What amazed me the most was not the fact that they got a carrot instead of candy, but that they were excited about it!

A few days later, Egon walked up to a house in our neighbourhood and rang the doorbell. He kept saying "jinga dodis", "ring candy"... The poor child! How was he supposed to know that you can't do it every day?

Sunny saturday

2009-04-26T00:12:00.013+02:00

I have gotten a little bit behind in my blogging. This is from the first saturday of April, when my mom and Folke came for a visit. Jens was away in Salt Lake City for a mission reunion and General Conference, so it was just me and the kids. It was one of the warmest days of spring so far so we decided to go to Tyresta village for ice-cream!

It was the first out-door ice-cream of the year, so it was a big deal for the kids. They savoured every bite.

After having finished the ice-creams we went and looked at some animals on the farm.

Egon kept calling everything "doggy" or "vovve" in Swedish. This little "doggy" was a hen...

This poor rabbit was fed by my charitable children. The sign that said: "Do not feed the animals" did not receive very much attention, I'm afraid. I think it was ok though. It didn't really eat much. Dry sticks didn't seem to be its' favourite dish.

I like this picture of Lovisa. She looks so determined and confident - Lovisa in a nutshell!

Before we headed home, the older kids just had to climb the big "mountain". Here they are, all three of them, after reaching the summit..!

In the meantime, Egon sat in his stroller. Not too excited about it. I guess he wanted to climb the mountain too. Here's my mom and Folke. We really had a great day!

Playing house

2009-03-30T22:24:00.008+02:00

Today Lovisa wanted me to play house with her and Egon. I got to be the mom, Lovisa the daughter and Egon the little brother... I asked her what she wanted me to do as the mom and she said: "Well... clean, cook, wash the clothes... You know what to do!" What an exciting life I must be leading in the eyes of my little girl!

Birthday tulips

2009-03-30T22:07:00.004+02:00

Tulips are my favourite flowers. Especially red ones. These were from Jens on my birthday.

Dressing up

2009-03-30T21:35:00.008+02:00

Egon loves to dress up. If nothing else he always walks around the house in someone else's shoes, rubber boots or - his favourite - Lovisa's black shiny Sunday shoes. When he's wearing those, he walks with tiny steps and puts his feet down really hard - almost as if he is tap dancing. He loves the noise they make...

He wanted to wear Lovisa's princess dress one day. I could hardly get him to take it off when it was time to go to school to pick up the rest of the kids! He kept saying: "tool tlännin", "cool dress" in his baby Swedish.

A couple of days ago he walked into the kitchen looking like this! He had found one of the old play wigs. About ten seconds after this picture was taken, Lovisa pulled it off, and he started to cry!

Baking Buddies

2009-03-27T20:38:00.009+01:00

Just thought I'd post a few pictures of Lovisa and Egon baking raisin rolls. I have no picture of the end result. But the fun part is making them, right?

Lovisa's cute toothless grin! She loves her lady bug-apron.

She is such a good baker. She even knows how to make the rolls round.

Egon is having a moment here. He is so happy to help!

He loves to bake and he really gets into it.

Egon made this one. One day his rolls will be round too...

The national Semla-day

2009-03-03T21:26:00.007+01:00

Tuesday, February 23, we celebrated Fat-Tuesday here in Sweden. It is our word for Shrove Tuesday, the day preceding the first day of lent. The only reason Swedes remember Fat-Tuesday nowadays, however, is because this is the day when we eat "Semlas". A Semla is a sweet bun spiced with cardamom and filled with almond paste and whipped cream. Of course, some people start eating Semlas after Christmas and eat them well into March.

We decided to have them for Lovisas family birthday party last monday. We thought it would be easy enough for her to eat, and it was after all the day before Semla-Day!

Lovisa couldn't wait until her princess party to dress up as a princess...

Egon is enjoying his Semla!

In loving memory of two front teeth

2009-03-03T20:30:00.009+01:00

The day after Lovisa's 4th birthday, she went to playschool. She usually doesn't go Fridays, but she really wanted to bring a cake to playschool to celebrate her birthday. At about 9.30, one of her teachers called and told me that Lovisa had had an accident and hit her mouth. They said that she had a fat lip and that they couldn't really tell whether or not she had hit her teeth. I called the dentist and they said that we could come, but that we didn't need to get there right away. So after talking to Lovisa, who by that time was happy again and really wanted to stay and have her cake, I decided to take her to the dentist and have her teeth checked out in the afternoon instead.

When I came to pick her up, I immediately noticed that her two front teeth were pushed in. I hurried to the dentist, crying, feeling so guilty for not having taken her immediately. The poor thing! The dentist tried to comfort me, saying that they see these things all the time, and that they usually don't have to do anything about it. She told me that they were going to do an x-ray of her teeth and that we would probably be able to go home and wait for a few days, to see how the teeth would react. But as they tried to get her to bite down on the exray thing, they realized that she couldn't get her bottom jaw behind the front teeth. That's how far they were pushed in. The dentist then consulted a collegue who determined that there was nothing they could do. The teeth had to go.

I had to go behind the chair so that Lovisa couldn't see me cry. I asked if it would have made any difference if I had brought her in sooner, but she told me that it absolutely wouldn't. That comforted me a little bit.

Lovisa got some kind of medicin that made her really tired. They said that it would help her forget the pain and discomfort of having the teeth pulled out. After that they numbed her gums and then pulled the teeth out. Just like that. I had to sit and hold her hand and smile and tell her what a brave girl she was being while all along I was having to try really hard not to burst into tears again. It was so awful to see her scream and cry like that.

She got to keep the teeth in a red little container. She was so proud of them. Then she got to pick out a toy from the box. She picked out three rings. I told her how proud I was of her and how big she looked now that she had lost her front teeth.

As it turns out, Lovisa has handled the whole thing extremely well. The only thing that upset her was that we had to postpone her princess party two weeks, until she can eat normal food again. But this Saturday the two weeks are up and she is finally having the party!

I, on the other hand, was pretty traumatized by it and have really been grieving those pretty front teeth. It may seem silly, since they were baby teeth but the thing is that Lovisa got her teeth really late, at 18 months, so she only got to have them for 2½ years and will probably be without for a few years. Good thing she looks just as cute without them! Like a lion cub, is what we tell her.

Before...

...and after.

2009-02-22T21:55:00.000+01:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Lovisa's birthday

2009-02-22T20:24:00.008+01:00

Thursday, February 19th was Lovisa's 4th birthday! What a big girl she is!

According to family tradition, we sang her the birthday song while she was still in bed, and brought her breakfast and presents.

We had given the children the day off from school and playschool. After breakfast, we took the bus and subway to Junibacken, a kids' museum on the island of Djurgården in Stockholm. At Junibacken you can see and experience characters and environments from the children stories by Astrid Lindgren and others. All the kids had a great day!

A beautiful story

2009-02-15T16:03:00.005+01:00

Last November Jens and I attended the beautiful funeral services of a baby girl, whose family is dear to us. During the services a friend of the family read a version of this story. It offered such comfort and understanding of Heavenly Father's love for his children. It has stayed with me ever since.

The Silversmith

Some time ago, a few ladies met in a certain city to
read the scriptures and make them the subject of
conversation. While reading the third chapter of
Malachi they came upon a remarkable expression
in the third verse.
"And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

One lady's opinion was that it was intended to
convey the view of the sanctifying influence of the
grace of Christ. Then she proposed to visit a
silversmith and report to them what he said
on the subject. She went accordingly and without
telling the object of her errand, begged to know the
process of refining silver, which he fully described
to her.

"But Sir," she said, "do you sit while the work of
refining is going on?" "Oh, yes madam, " replied
the silversmith, "I must sit with my eye steadily fixed
on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining
be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver
will be injured."

The lady at once saw the beauty, and comfort
too, of the expression,

"He shall sit as a refiner and purifier
of silver."

Christ sees it needful to put His children into a
furnace. His eye is steadily intent on the work of
purifying, and His wisdom and love are both engaged
in the best manner for them. Their trials do not come
at random; "the very hairs of your head are
all numbered."

As the lady was leaving the shop, the silversmith
called her back, and said he had still further to
mention, that he only knows when the process of
purifying was complete, by seeing his own image
reflected in the silver.

-Author Unknown-

Nella Fantasia

2009-02-15T15:18:00.003+01:00

A friend of mine posted this song on his blog, and it really moved me. I hope you will enjoy it too.

The lyrics in English:

In my fantasy I see a just world,
Where everyone lives in peace and honesty.
I dream of souls that are always free
Like the clouds that float
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul.

In my fantasy exists a warm wind,
That blows into the city, like a friend.
I dream of souls that are always free,
Like the clouds that float
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul.

A spectacular discovery

2009-01-23T17:16:00.009+01:00

The boys have been learning about dinosaurs in school lately. Naturally there has been a lot of talk about different kinds of dinosaurs at our house. But Alvin shared the most interesting fact with us: "In 2001, dinosaurs found the skelleton of a 50 year-old man." He is so funny!

Musical fun!

2009-01-23T16:43:00.016+01:00

Saturday two weeks ago (I clearly don't write here often enough) I took Alvin, Ivar and Lovisa to the Consert House in Stockholm City. There we were able to listen to Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf", performed by the royal filharmonic orchestra.

It was the kids' first experience of listening to classical music live and they actually enjoyed it. They had a story teller reading the exciting story and that made the whole thing a bit more interesting for the kids. I loved the consert. It reminded me of all of the conserts I've listened to or played in over the years. I really miss it.
After the (30 minute...) concert, I had a surprise for the kids. I had told them that there was going to be a person there that they would enjoy seeing. They were so surprised when their favourite kids TV personality, Nassim Al Fakir, walked out on the stage!

He led the several hundred kids in singing and dancing. It was a lot of fun. When he was done he was going to be standing in the main lobby to see all the children and write autographs. I think we stood in line for about 20 minutes before it was our turn.

Lovisa walked right up to Nassim and hugged him! Ivar whispered: "His hair is really messy, but he is funny anyway." They they got his autograph, and they were so proud of it!

Next, the kids had the opportunity to try some musical instruments. We walked around in the many rooms and corridors, up and down the gigantic stone stairs and looked at many different instruments.

They tried woodwind and strings, but they enjoyed the brass instruments the most.

By the time we were done playing instruments and walking up and down the stairs to find them all, the kids were hungry and tired.

Good thing they had hot-dogs and fruit juice. With a little food in our tummies we took the bus home.
What a great day!

Winter fun

2009-01-11T21:00:00.015+01:00

Last week we finally had some real winter weather! Tuesday, Jens took Alvin, Ivar and Lovisa to Svartsjön (Black Lake) so that they could go out on the ice. They thought it was a lot of fun to be walking on the lake where they swim in the summer!

Alvin offers Lovisa a helping hand.

Hot chocolate and lusse-buns.

The next day we all went sledding on a slope close to where Jens went to school as a kid. It was a really nice day but freezing cold. The kids enjoyed themselves and had a competition to see who could go the furthest.

The kids were excited to try out their new sleds.

Of course we brought some hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls to keep us happy and warm.

New Years Eve

2009-01-11T20:44:00.005+01:00

We spent New Year's at our house. We had a nice dinner and then we watched "Nanny McPhee" and ate snacks and delicous chocolate pralines which were made for the occasion. The kids got to stay up as late as they wanted, but the last one was out by 10.20 pm... The rest of the night Jens and I had a nice and quiet evening to ourselves. I love New Year's! It gives me such an energy boost to think that a whole new year lies ahead, and I can make it a great one!

Christmas

2009-01-04T20:36:00.010+01:00

In Sweden most people celebrate Christmas Eve more than Christmas day. We try to celebrate both, using Christmas Eve as a festive present-opening and eating-loads-of-delicious-food-day. Christmas Day we try to keep more calm, reading the Christmas gosple, and talk about the person who's birth we are celebrating. Of course, the kids also play with their new toys and we more delicious food..!

This year we started the celebrating in our house, opening presents and eating rice porrige with cinnamon and sugar, like the rest of Sweden.

Egons favourite present this year was a panda bear. He calls it "Nanna" and loves to carry it around, pet it and kiss it.

Egon also enjoys his new harmonica, and the rest of us get to hear him enjoy it!

Alvin and Ivar were very excited about the note books they got. Why buy expensive gifts when they get this happy over a note book..?

We went to IKEA a few days before Christmas, and Alvin and Ivar saw a pile of blue cuddly sharks. Alvin got really excited and cuddled one, but then he remembered that he was six and probably shouldn't want a cuddly animal for Christmas. Then he spent the next couple of days saying that he didn't want a cuddly animal.

But this is how happy they were when they got them! Maybe they weren't too big after all?

At one o'clock it was time for Christmas dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Rydgren's. It's amazing how great food tastes at Christmas.

At three it was time for The Donald Duck Christmas show on TV. An interesting tradition that we shared with over a third of the population this year. After that most of the family went for a walk while a few of us cleaned up and got out the dessert.

After dessert it was time for Santa to come with his sack of presents. This year, Grandpa Rydgren played a trick on us. Usually the person who is supposed to dress up as Santa says something about going to buy a news paper, when he leaves. So Grandpa Rydgren said that he was going to do just that, and walked out the door. All the kids screamed when the doorbell rang. When they opened the door, Grandpa came in with the NEWSPAPER! A few minutes later, Santa came in the door, and everyone was so excited!

One of the presents the kids got was a puppet theater. What a fun present! Lovisa also got a cute apron with ladybugs on it, so now she's going to help out even more in the kitchen!

Christmas was wonderful this year, for all of us. Thanks everyone for making it special!

At last the fourth candle was lit...

2009-01-04T20:28:00.005+01:00

...and Christmas was near!

Egon is getting ready to blow out the candles.

Gingerbread cookies

2009-01-04T20:02:00.015+01:00

Every year, a couple of weeks before Christmas we bake about a ton of gingerbread cookies, using our secret family recipe. We also make hearts to hang in the window. Everybody gets to decorate his or her own heart.

Christmas Letter 2008

2008-12-18T16:01:00.017+01:00

This passed year has gone by faster than any year so far. A couple of high-lights from the year were our week in Toinis family's summer cabin and our trip to Småland and Öland. There we stayed on a farm and the children got to help take care of all the animals. While we were there, we also visited the beach and an old castle, dating from the 12th century.

Being a family of six, there is always something to do, something to look at, something to worry about and something to laugh at. We realize more and more as time goes by how blessed we are to be part of this family. Every individual brings to it his or her special spirit and personality, which makes it a colorful blend.

Egon is develloping fast. He just turned 18 months and he never rests. Constantly moving from one place to the next, he is trying to quench his thirst for discovering and learning new things. He is fascinating to watch, and very demanding to keep up with. Egon loves to play with his siblings, and always falls for their silly attempts to make him laugh. When he does, you have to laugh with him. His laughter is just so contaminating.

Lovisa continues to be a headstrong little girl. When she has set her mind to something, good or bad, she will not budge. She is always up to something, and leaving her on her own for very long can prove disastrous. Last fall, Lovisa started playschool three days a week, which she enjoys very much. Lovisa loves to sing and play house. In addition to her dolls, her "babies" include a rabbit, a ragdoll, a horse a sheep, a polar bear and a dog. Lovisa is a very happy little girl - a ray of sunshine in our home.

Ivar is a very studious boy. He started school this year and he loves it - especially maths. He is also very fond of playing computer games where he can learn new things. This year the boys have been taking swimming lessons and Ivar is excited about learning how to swim. He is very good at taking care of his little brother and is really patient with him. It is very important to Ivar that things are fair, to him and to others. When he thinks that something is unfair it really upsets him.

Alvin is very creative and loves to do crafts. Recently he gave his mother a "jewellery box" made of two ice cream boxes and some string. The other day he asked why she still hasn't started using it. Alvin also enjoys school a lot and especially playing with his friends. He likes swim school even though he wishes he could learn how to swim a lot faster. Alvin has a real roller coaster temper. He can go from happy to angry in a matter of seconds. But when he is in a good mood, which is most of the time, he is a joy to be around.

Toini has had a busy year taking care of the children and trying to adjust to having children both in school and in playschool. She continues to be a stay-at-home-mom, and is also working a few hours here and there as a translator of TV and movies. It is such a blessing to be able to work from home. Toini has also developed a couple of new interests this past year. One of those interests is blogging and the other is road biking, something that she was introduced to by her husband.

Jens continues on his script-writing course, closing up on his last semester of four. He has been focusing on a script for a feature film for children which he hopes to finish this spring. It is fun for him to work towards what he really wants to do. In the meantime, he still works extra as a busdriver. Last April Jens took up road biking, which he absolutely loves! Now he eats, sleeps and breathes road biking and bikes.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

from the Rydgren Family

Lucia celebration

2008-12-17T20:25:00.010+01:00

Here in Sweden we have a tradition that we share with about ten other countries. This tradition dates back to the late 1700s and is named after Lucia who was born in a Syracuse, Italy, around 283 AD. Lucia was girl with strong faith in God. Emperor Diocletianus persecuted Christians and when he heard of Lucia he saw to it that she was tortured and killed for her Christian faith.

Every year on December 13th Lucia is celebrated by a procession. Or rather, by several thousand processions throughout the country... A young woman representing Lucia, walks at the head wearing a white gown, a crown of burning candles on her head and a red sachet around her waist. Following her are young women in white gowns with a burning candle in one hand. The candles have ever since the birth of this tradition been used to spread light in the midwinter darkness .

Originally that was it, but nowadays the tradition has become a mixture of things that have to do with Christmas. Now there are men in the procession as well, dressed in white gowns and cone shaped hats with gold stars on them carrying a gold star in one hand. They actually represent the three wise men who came to visit baby Jesus. There used to be a day in January where they were commemorated, but now they are represented in the Lucia procession instead.

When children do the Lucia procession there are also boys dressed as Santa's little helpers at the end, as well as some boys and girls dressed as gingerbread cookies... I have no idea why. Probably just to give the children more to choose from...

Here is a picture of Alvin's and Ivar's Lucia procession. They were Santa's little helpers, like most of the boys.

In Lovisa's procession, like in every other procession with the youngest children, there were about 12 Lucias.

Lovisa, of course, was one of them.

Lusse-buns. It really is December.

2008-12-04T20:30:00.000+01:00

Alvin & Ivar, 6 years old!

2008-12-04T19:55:00.008+01:00

November 29th Alvin and Ivar turned 6! According to birthday tradition in our family, the day started out with the birthday song and presents and breakfast in bed. Or, at least, breakfast in the bedroom... The boys were so excited! As Ivar sat there, opening his morning presents, he said: "This is what life is all about!"

Later in the afternoon they had a birthday party with 8 of their friends! And wow, was that a party...! I didn't get any pictures of the chaos that erupted about two minutes into the party, simply because there was no chance of even getting the camera out. It calmed down eventually, and Alvin and Ivar really enjoyed themselves!

The kids played a couple of games, ate some cake and cookies, and of course, watched as the boys opened all of the presents.

What started out as a mad house, ended up being a fun party. Jens and I were even alive when it was over, two hours later!

The logical thinking of a 3½ year-old.

2008-11-21T18:44:00.012+01:00

Today when we were driving in the car, Lovisa and her cousin Hanna, who is a year older, were talking about thieves. Hanna said that, except for the police, they are the only ones who are allowed to run a red light. Then they started talking about the kinds of things thieves steal: "diamonds, jewellery and pretty clothes". Then Lovisa said, really worried: "I hope they don't come to our house!" Then she lit up, and said: "Oh, but they can't! They don't know the way!" She paused for a minute before she exclaimed: "Fantastic!"

I'm so glad the thieves don't know the way to our house. Because what would happen with all my diamonds, jewellery and pretty clothes if they did?!

Smells nice, doesn't it?

2008-11-20T16:19:00.011+01:00

Yesterday I took the time to bake some bread. I love baking, although I don't do it as often as I should. It really is worth the effort.

Egon thinks so too.

Grandma and Folke

2008-11-09T21:09:00.011+01:00

Yesterday, my mom and stepdad, Folke came for a visit. The children had been looking forward to it the whole week, and they were so excited! It's over a three hour drive from their house to our's so we didn't have that many hours to spend together before they had to head home. But we made the most of it, and had a great time. We ate lunch, played a boardgame, and the kids took them on the mandatory tour of their rooms.

Grandma and Folke treated us to a delicious marzipan cake.

This is a picture of Ivar and Folke. Lovisa said something really cute a couple of weeks ago. We were talking about our parents and grandparents and what their names are/were. After going through quite a few of them, Lovisa asked Jens: "What's your Folke's name?" She just assumed that everyone must have one.

Egon loved the cake...

Visiting Grandpa Åhs

2008-11-09T09:51:00.013+01:00

Last Saturday we went to Arboga for the day, to spend some time with the Åhs side of the family: My dad, my stepmom Kristina, my younger brother and sister, Kalle and Sandra, and my older sister Merit and her family. We had a great day!

The kids spent a lot of time outside. To the left, Lovisa is showing off her harvest and to the right Ivar is at work sweeping Grandpa's driveway.

And finally, a picture of Egon. He had so much fun! He spent the entire day chasing after Flisa, the 16 year-old Yorkshire terrier!

Halloween the Rydgren way

2008-10-31T23:46:00.014+01:00

Halloween isn't that big here in Sweden. There is not a whole lot of "trick-or-treating" going on. Only a vampire and a ghost knocked on our door this year. Even so, the kids really wanted to celebrate it, so we decided to have a Halloween dinner. Grandma Rydgren had come by earlier to give the kids some Halloween candy, and among other things there were some ugly looking spiders that served well as decorations. We even carved our very first pumpkin! Egon loved it and kept oohing at it. Of course the kids dressed up for the occasion.

Baking

2008-10-31T23:34:00.004+01:00

The other day, when Alvin was at a friend's house, I put Ivar's reading skills to the test when I asked him to make chocolate-oatmeal balls all by himself. He read the recipe and got all the ingredients out. The only thing I had to help him with was the measurements. I was really proud of him. But of course not half as proud as he was of himself! Lovisa helped him roll the balls in coconut flakes and pearl sugar. She did a great job too!

First haircut

2008-10-31T23:20:00.004+01:00

I had been putting it off for a long time. Egon's hair had become something of a trademark for him. But when people started asking me how old she is or what her name is, I finally accepted the fact that his long hair had to go. He is just as cute without it, of course. Now he looks like such a big boy!

This is before...

And this is after...

Out of the mouth of babes

2008-10-25T14:09:00.007+02:00

Today at lunch, when we were blessing the food, Egon folded his little hands and uttered the first two words of prayer of his young life: "Ta-ta". That's how he says "tack tack" or "thank you". He has heard the rest of us thank Heavenly Father for the food a thousand times, and he doesn't know that many other words. But I still think it was so profound that this little person said "thank you" to his Heavenly Father. If you were only able to utter two words to Him, wouldn't they be the two? "Thank you!"

It's all about being flexible

2008-10-23T16:20:00.019+02:00

Today was a beautiful day, sunny and not too cold. So I decided to take the kids to the lake after I picked them up from school and playschool. We stopped at our house to pick up the snack and were just about to go when Alfred, a friend from the boys' school called and asked if they wanted to play. I could tell that they really wanted to go, so I gave them their snack and off they went.

Lovisa me and Egon set off towards the lake, which is only about a 15 minute (kids)walk from our house.

When we got there, Lovisa wanted to throw some pine cones into the water. She picked a rock and sat down where the water is very shallow.

About two minutes later she had managed to slide right into the water! She got soaked from the waist down. Here she is, telling me that I really should have brought a change of clothes for her "just to be on the safe side". And here I was thinking I was on the safe side when I had her wear her rubber clothes and rubber boots...

Lovisa didn't want to miss out on the snack and I thought some warm blueberry soup would do her good. So we hurried and ate while she still didn't feel cold. As she was sitting there soaking wet eating her sandwich she said she wanted to go for a swim! "Isn't that what you just did?" I asked. "Yes, but that was with all my clothes on!!" she said. That's what she's looking so mad about in case you were wondering. After finishing our snack we hurried home.

The minute she walked in the door, she fell asleep standing up!
Maybe this wasn't my idea of a perfect picnic. But then again, what is perfect?

What a morning!

2008-10-18T20:44:00.008+02:00

Thursday mornings are really hectic in our house. Jens works Thursdays, so he's usually gone by 5 or 5.30 am. We have to be at school before 8 am for Ivar's gym class, which is about half an hour earlier than other days. Also, Lovisa has her weekly picnic at Playschool, so I have to pack a snack for her to take with her.

Last Thursday the rain was pouring down as we left the house a little late. We ran to school and Ivar just made it to gym class. After kissing the boys good-bye, I dropped Lovisa off at Playschool. Then I thought that I would walk to the post-office to pick up a package. I figured: "How wet can it get?". Turns out I got totally soaked. At least Egon had a rain cover over the stroller.

Just as I passed by Lovisa's Playschool, on the way home, her teacher called me on the cell phone. Lovisa had gotten a bead up her nose! After several attempts they had given up trying to get it out. So I picked her up and walked home to call the doctor. Before I called I asked Lovisa to blow her nose really hard for me, and wouldn't you know it: A green bead came flying out of her nose like a projectile! Since it wasn't even 9.30, we decided to go back out into the rain and walked back to Playschool. What a way to start your day!

Going to the movies

2008-10-18T20:20:00.009+02:00

Wednesday I took Alvin and Ivar to to see Wall-E. They had been looking forward to it for weeks and they were not disapointed. We bought a huge bowl of popcorn and some fizzy drinks - I think that was half the pleasure for the boys! Wall-E was a really cute movie! It's incredible how cute and almost human you can actually make a rusty robot! It was really thought provoking for me as an adult as well. I recommend it to those who haven't seen it yet.

The next day it was Lovisa's turn. Jens had promised to take her to see "Mamma Mu och Kråkan" or "Mamma Moo and the Crow" as they are called in English translation... They are a famous duo from the world of Swedish children's literature. It was Lovisas first time at the movies, and of course she was very excited about it!

Funny things they say

2008-10-14T21:26:00.005+02:00

The other day Alvin was bragging about how much he has grown. He said: "I'm getting really big! Look! I've got hair on my arms and my elbows are bumpy!" It took me a little while to figure out that by "bumpy elbows" he actually meant the veins in his elbow creases...

Today Lovisa was playing with Egon and pretended that she was on the phone with someone:
"Oh, so you have a problem? You have too much candy left over? Well, I can come and help you out with that!" Where does she pick up stuff like that?

Fall, fell, fallen

2008-10-10T19:52:00.005+02:00

The downside of anger

2008-10-09T09:00:00.006+02:00

Before I had kids I used to look at parents getting mad at their kids in the supermarket, in the park or parking lot, wondering what on earth they were thinking. I just knew that I would never get that mad at my children. So what happened?

For the last few years I feel as if I have been angry, frustrated or irritaded all the time. Now, I know that isn't entirely true. Of course there are good days and we have some wonderful moments together, my children and I. But I know I have been angry so much more than I thought I would be. I have been so sad about that, and I have felt so much guilt. Another downside of anger is that it simply doesn't work. If anything it leads to more anger and becomes a downward spiral.

When I talked with a friend about it, she said that she felt the same way, until she realized that her children truly were a loan from Heavenly Father. That it wasn't her job to remold them into the shapes she wanted her children to have. She realized that her responsibility was rather to lead them by the hand and help make sure that their dreams and goals were taking them in the right direction. As the husband of another dear friend reminded her: "We are not here to control our children but to guide them".

How much easier motherhood becomes, when you start looking at it like that! I made a decision yesterday that I will change my behaviour around my children. I've made the same decision before, but I think I have forgotten where to turn for help. I love my children so much and my greatest wish is for them to be happy!

Cinnamon roll day

2008-10-04T20:36:00.013+02:00

Today is cinnamon roll day here in Sweden. No joke. It has been celebrated for nine years this year. Of course this is not the only day us Swedes eat cinnamon rolls. They are enjoyed all year round. But apparently more so on this special occasion... I made a double batch of rolls, to the kids' delight! Oh, I don't mind eating a few myself...

After having been forced to finish their lunch, it was finally time to taste them. Alvin had a difficult time deciding which roll to take. He did manage to pick out one of the biggest.

I think I'll let Ivar's facial expression speak for itself.

Lovisa set her teeth in her cinnamon roll while Egon examined his for a few seconds before devouring it.

A walk to remember!

2008-09-28T19:53:00.008+02:00

Today after church, Lovisa went home with Grandma and Grandpa Rydgren to spend the night. We decided to take our three boys for a walk after lunch. Well, Alvin and Ivar rode their bikes - it's quicker that way. It was such a beautiful fall day! We walked to the village of Tyresta which is the gateway to Tyresta National Park. The village consists of a group of buildings dating back to the 18th century and is a beautiful picnic spot. And it's only a 30 minute walk from our house!

It was windy outside, so we put the raincover on the stroller so that Egon could go to sleep... Well at least he was sheltered.

Playing on the seesaw is perfect when you have a twin brother! I think this one is as old as the village itself...

This is Jens next to some genuine Swedish leaves!

Playtime!

2008-09-18T10:12:00.014+02:00

We found this in the boys' room. Isn't it great how everyone gets to play? Knights, soldiers, Shrek cast, penguins and cowboys. Here nobody gets left out. How equitable!

This worn ragdoll is a hand-me-down from one of Lovisa's friends. Oddly enough, Lovisa loves it, calling it "her baby" even though it's at least as big as her. Here it is, wearing Lovisa's angel wings and skirt. It reminded me of something Lovisa did a couple of months ago. She was wearing the angel outfit with the wings, the skirt and the little gloria that goes with it when Stig, one of our neighbours stopped to look at her. She hurried to take the wings off and said: "It's only me!"

And here we have a future cyclist!

2008-09-18T10:12:00.011+02:00

Egon looks just like his dad in his brother's way-too-big-helmet. He put it on himself, actually. Safety first, right? Luckily he has one his own size too.

Monday morning date

2008-09-16T12:09:00.011+02:00

Since Jens is studying right now, he can be a little bit flexible with his time. So we decided to go on a Monday morning date. After the boys had gone to school, we dropped off Lovisa and Egon at Grandma's and Grandpa's and went on a 32 km bike ride together. Jens has been doing road racing since last April and I started a couple of weeks ago. I have a disc disruption in my lower back so I have had a hard time finding a form of exercise that works for me. It seems like road racing does. And it's fun too!

Background story: There is a family in our Church ward who lost their five year old son and older brother Magnus to kidney cancer 30 years ago. The last couple of years of his life, Magnus loved to ride his bike. Last winter the family felt they wanted to do something to commemorate their son and brother. So they decided to start a road racing team - Team Magnus, a team that raises money for cancer research under the slogan :"Cycling for Life". Now more than 40 people at all levels, including Jens and myself, have joined the team.

Ready for Church

2008-09-14T13:32:00.011+02:00

Egon has a cold so he and I couldn't go to Church this morning. As the others got ready to go I realized (again) that I have the cutest family!

Alvin and Ivar wanted to wear the new shirts and ties that Grandma and Grandpa Rydgren bought for them in the States last week. Thank you Wal-Mart!

Lovisa also got a really cute outfit from the States. Here she is with her precious daddy! Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for the clothes. And for my handsome husband.

Ladies' lunch

2008-09-13T20:14:00.004+02:00

Yesterday Lovisa and I had lunch together after going to "Storytime" at the library. I wish I could do more things like this with just one of the children. (Egon was asleep in the stroller...) We had such a good time!

The circus is in town

2008-09-13T16:31:00.010+02:00

Last Saturday we all went to the circus! The kids were so excited since they had never gone before. Outside the rain was pouring down but that didn't matter! They had such a blast! They especially enjoyed the clowns and the little dog that could ride a horse. The cute girl to the left in this picture is Nellie. She has been staying with us every other weekend for the last two and a half years. She has become part of our family.

Egon enjoyed himself, although I don't think he realized he was at the circus...

Fall has arrived with a few changes...

2008-09-13T15:37:00.014+02:00

Alvin and Ivar started school on August 18th. What a big day for our little boys! They had been looking forward to this day all summer and I thought they were going to be really nervous when it finally arrived. But they weren't half as nervous as their mom. Things have been going really well for them and they love going to school every day. Their school is no more than a 5 minute walk from our house, so that's convenient! They do dancing, art, reading, writing, music, English, maths and gym. Since the school is located right by the forest, they get to spend a lot of time there. I love the way they come home every day and teach me things they have learned at school. They are big boys now. Where did time go?

A week later, on August 25th, Lovisa started Preeschool. She got the same teachers Alvin and Ivar had, so she knew them well. Lovisa has been wanting to start Preeschool for a while now and she was so excited to finally get to go. It was more emotional for me. I'm so used to having her at home with me, I miss her when she's gone. But I know she's having a great time, so I'll need to get over it! And besides, she's only there three short days a week.

In the meantime, Egon enjoys having mommy all to himself. He loves to "help" with the household chores.

Today is a great day to start blogging!

2008-09-13T10:05:00.001+02:00

I've been putting this off for so long! The first post of my blog! I've been trying to figure out what to write in it for so long, I just decided to write SOMETHING and get it over with! Blogging seems to be a science of its own, and I will have to figure it out as I go along. So I guess I'll click on "Publish Post" and get on with it!