A house with a view!
Cuckoo!
Today I have for different reasons been stuck in my house for most of the day.
But that was not as bad as it sounds because I'm surrounded by the most beautiful spring view I could ever have wished for.
The speed in which nature now changes into its summer costume is almost audibly.
I just can't help but thinking the world is sometimes so beautiful and to have all this prettiness right outside your door...
I'm so grateful that I live and therefor able to experience all this beauty.
I have said it before and I'm saying it again:
To live is not enough!
Sunshine, freedom and a little flower we also must have:)
And that's good enough to make me feel good!!!
tjingeling
Painted ceiling!
Cuckoo!
In my search of inspiration for making my youngest daughter's room to a true Bella room I came across this swedish apartment where they have turned the concepts up side down.
Instead of putting colours on the walls they painted the ceilings and kept the walls neutral.
Beautiful in my opinion but that also requires high ceiling to begin with in order to avoid a suppressing feeling...
What I also love is when nature has been brought in and in this case it's not only the big plants but also branches in a vase that I think add something extra to the rooms. It's both fun and decorative...
To the list of things I like I would also add the BIG dining table surrounded by my favorite Danish chairs :)
Wonderful inspiration and a beautiful apartment!
Although I think I will keep Bella's ceiling white it feels refreshing when people dare to break the conventions...
That's me!
Rebellic from a distance:)
Tjingeling
( pictures from Wrede)
Sparkle and glitter!
Cuckoo!
I think that I in a previous life have been a magpie!
Everything that sparkles and glitters catches my eye and I want to bring it home and add it to my existent pile...
So when I stumbled over these crystal glass bowls and plates in an antique store I just could not resist but to buy them. The sun was shining straight on them so I was completely dazzled by all the sparkles and my heart skipped a beat in excitement...
Not only do they talk glitter to me!
They are also willing to carry all sorts of stuff in them.
I put hair bands, jam, rings, nuts, sliced cucumber or keys in them.
The possibilities are endless!!!
How great is not that? An ordinary thing being embraced by all that beauty...?!
I know that everything that glitters is not gold but this is definitely good enough!
Beautiful, heavy and with a history from the passed from different homes, they have now ended up in my house with the only purpose of spreading a sparkling edge to my everyday life!
I can not complain at all!!!
tjingeling
Cougar pride day!
Cuckoo!
A wonderful weekend in the sign of the spring has passed!
A never-ending source of dedicated parents from the school had on the Saturday arranged for the annual Cougar Pride day.
A fun-filled day, for especially the lower grades at the school, that covered everything from face painting, cookie decorating, flower making and duck tape bracelets to human bowling, bouncing castles and karaoke.
And if you got hungry or wanted to get high on sugar there were plenty of opportunities to satisfy those needs too:)
The most important and exciting "activity" for Bella was to be able to enter the stage in the auditorium dressed as a star and sing songs that made her feel like a superstar...
Proudly contributing to her star feeling was her mom that acted like the biggest fan standing right beneath the scene singing along, taking picture and cheering:)
Meanwhile Olivia was hanging out with her friends who were there doing nothing but people watching and Alex just came along to say hi to his pals that were working at the stations there and then left...
Max chose to watch different sport games with his friends instead and hubby was travelling.
To Bella that did not matter at all!
She considered it "her" day and she told me later that she had the best day ever!
I don't think the participating schoolparents could have asked for better ratings!!!
Sunday now and we just got back from a wonderful burger place where we filled up our tummies with burgers, truffle fries and milk shakes.
No need to eat anything more till next weekend:))
tjingeling
Baby cuddling!
Cuckoo!
No matter if it is a puppy, a chick or a human little baby!
The helplessness, the disproportionate tiny body or the innocent look at those small creatures immediately creates a need in me to protect them.
In this case it was a little tiny Esmeralda, not even a day yet that caused all those feelings in both me and my two girls...
It must be something in our genes because even Bella was "aww"ing and "ohOh"ing and both of the girls put their absolute mildest face expressions on when they were holding this little nugget.
To see all that love overflowing my kids and distributed to that baby who from now on needs to build up her own "love bank", got me almost in tears.
Such a beautiful and unselfish action and they did it without even thinking about it, the action was just there, naturally.
With Bella's constant kissing and Olivia's fingers that did not want to let go of that tiny wrinkled little hand I was not surprised when they dropped the question...
"Mom since we don't get a puppy, can we get a baby instead"???
I must say that it was tempting to say yes to that...
Luckily Ajax is travelling and if he would get a text on his phone saying " honey hurry home, I'm broody"! he would definitely find an excuse to travel even farther away:))
And the difference from baby cuddling and coming back home to teenage fight immediately broke that magical spell anyway...
But those tiny little hands...
Tjingeling
My little bath nymph and her foam animals!
Cuckoo!
Is there anything that gives a small child more satisfaction than water of any kind?
At least my kids have probably been everything from seals to gold fishes in their previous life.
If there was water...they were in:)
Sometimes with their clothes on...
Bella has been no exception although she always stayed with the mermaid theme.
When the mermaid state left her, she suddenly felt a little bored in the bath.
It was not as exciting anymore...
This is when the capsules were introduced to her.
But not any capsules...
Magical capsules!!!
Capsules with a surprise!
When those capsules come in contact with the water they dissolve and leave behind a small shapeless piece of foam.
After a few minutes in the water this piece of foam has grown into a perfectly shaped wild foam animal.
Different coloured capsule means a different animal means a lot of excitement and fun!
By the time the capsules has transformed into an animal shape and Bella into a raisin the water is cold but the mood is on top!
We leave the animals to dry on the edge of the bath so they are ready to play next time it's time for a bath and I bring a smiling and fragrant little girl to bed.
Who needs a mermaid when there is water with a surprise!
Can a bath be better?!
Now I need to figure out how to make the shower more interesting...
Tjingeling
Spring gala!
Cuckoo!
Not only did I have my beautiful friend visiting this passed weekend but me and my husband also attended MKA's yearly spring gala!
A big fundraising party in a relaxed and informal setting sprinkled with tulips:)
The whole night was about mingling, drinking ( food for hungry people like me) and bidding!
The prizes, raffle baskets, and the auction items were of outstanding quality and all donated by extremely generous people so all the phones that were used for bidding were practically on fire:))
But this huge success would not have been possible without all those parents ,under the lead of my friend Anya, who invested all that time to make this event come true.
The dedication, the leadership and the organisational skills that Anya possesses made me realize that we were dealing with a superwoman...
And through her gentle guidance the success was borned...
She did an amazing job with every single detail thought of.
My job was to sell raffle tickets and while I was selling and at the same time admiring the result of what the team under Anya's hand had accomplished my very romantic other half appearently made business on his own...
He surprised me when the evening was over with a basket filled with perfume extravaganza and a cultural weekend in NY.
(More specifically a guided tour at the Art Miami New York weekend with a night in a hotel).
It was only for two people though so I'm afraid we will have to leave the kids at home...YAY!!!
Life is still good:))
tjingeling
No, now there are flowers!
Cuckoo!
Busy weekend with the school's Spring gala and friends!
I just said good bye to a beautiful friend that came all the way from Holland just to spend some time with me in my new kitchen:)
That is love to me!!!
And I think even the nature felt all that love and decided to celebrate our friendship by dressing all the trees in flowers...
The Magnolias are just magnificent and puts a romantic touch to our garden.
Unfortunately it is only a short period of time that they are available for admiration but it seem they made an effort to last a little longer while my friend was here.
Our time together has been lined in pink and white, although its been raining cats and dogs out in the real world, but that is the impact a good friend has on me...
So now my garden is full of flowers, the air is filled of fragrance and my heart is filled of beautiful friendship!
Life is good!
tjingeling
Delete blood cancer!
Cuckoo!
Yesterday we were invited to a black tie gala in the city.
An event with the purpose of raising money to "delete blood cancer"...
It was wonderful to change my usual "pyjamas" to something more dressy and feminine:)
My babysitter probably thought the same because she also wanted Bella to take these pictures ( she is the one hiding in the back). Maybe she will use these as a proof that I actually wore something that far from leggings and a tank top.
Anyhow, little did I know these event would cause so much tears so I think I would have been better off wearing a nicely wrapped towel...
So many sad stories and luckily a couple of happy endings too but omg what an emotional roller coaster I hit that evening.
Despite a performance by Kesha and a very nice goodie bag I'm completely drained today.
Just play with the thought of one of your children standing in front of that horrific problem that the only way for that child to survive is to get new bone marrow.
But unfortunately there are no donors...
So the fond got a small money donation from us but the world will get another bone marrow donor and hopefully I will be able to give a future to someone who is lacking that very same!
Hippy happy weekend!
Tjingeling
Sunny kitchen!
Cuckoo!
Our kitchen is the new living room!
As the heart of the house it is the scenery for the whole family's drama, passion and love.
It is also the playground for the sun!
It just throws its rays into the kitchen without any mercy.
It reaches into the darkest point and plays with the gold in the ceiling, the wood on the floor and glossiness of the tiles.
Together it creates a dance that wipes out the bad moods and instead replaces it with a glow that makes both my heart and mind smile.
I just can not but feel happy!!!
My kitchen and the sun!
What a wonderful combination:)
Tjingeling
A future star!
Cuckoo!
In my camera (which so fortunately has returned back from being left at the airport) I found a few pictures from our holiday.
A few pictures on a future star...
She climbed, was thrown, swung and twisted like she had never been doing anything else before.
I kind of wonder where she got that gene from... My husband? Lol:)
It was a "fast and furious" show but she kept the high standard all through and always with a smile:))
The pictures really "sucks" but our memory from that show are of the more quality...
Happy kids means happy parents means happy holiday!!!
All these trips and experiences we do I keep in my memory bank and now and then I make a small withdrawal.
This I will then distribute in portions when I feel there is a need for an extra smile:)
Tjingeling
A greek dream!
Cuckoo!
Bella found an old photo album from our time in Greece and it immediately triggered a chain of wonderful memories.
The life we had there, the food, the nature and of course all beautiful friends, both Greek and international, will forever be a part of that happy corner in my heart:)
Inspired to maybe one day go back to visit I browsed the web to find vacation homes to dream of and I came across these two homes on Syros ( which I have never been to) that are for rent...
I can definitely see my self in one of those lounge chairs contemplating life while enjoying the sea, the nature and the serene environment.
No musts, no traffic and nothing that is calling for attention...
Just life it self!
Not only is the outdoor irresistible but also the inside of these two houses are absolutely stunning.
Simple and earthy and does not compete with your brain activity at all...
Pure relaxation but in style:))
Yes Greece, I have a feeling we will meet again!
tjingeling
(Photo by Ioanna Roufopoulou)
House rules!
Cuckoo!
In this family we have constant discussions about chores, expectations and that this house is not a hotel!
Constant discussions about all the demands our kids have on us parents that they seem to think come with the job as a mom (or dad)
"why can't you do that you are only home, or the mom, or they have homework"!!!
We have a schedule for each week what each child needs to do.
We remind them every day every week about reading that list.
We have one on one talks.
Still we are forced to have family councils ,
because my kids seem to suffer from both selective hearing and sight!
They don't seem to get what is expected from them in order to get an easier life in our house.
This author Kristen Daukas seems to have the same kind of discussions at home and what she wrote to her kids I am happily copying her on.
Kids READ!
Yup!
Could not have said it better myself!
Tjingeling
(letter from kalaslotta.com)
Spring pictures from Ystad
Cuckoo!
In the abspence of spring flower at this side of the world my parents sent me pictures from my summerhouse city of an aspiring spring in bloom!!!
It is such a beautiful time of the year when nature really is making an effort of waking up after the winter...
And to do it in style!!!
This blanket of blue squills that covers the ground at the "North Promenade" in Ystad makes my heart beat a little faster, my brain to start yearn for the summer and my tummy to get this butterfly feeling.
It is so fantastic to have all this beautiful time in front of me...
Both spring and summer within reach!
Meanwhile im happy with just a vase full of tulips!!!
Hippy happy weekend!!!
tjingeling
On my kitchen shelves!
Cuckoo!
In my new kitchen I really wanted to have open shelves mixed in with top cabinets.
I loved the idea of having an open space to display beautiful things like plates, bowls and cups.
The messy person I am I completely forgot that I have a tendence to overdo things.
But I do it in a very subtle way so it is difficult to notice until the shelves sag...
The thing is I really like my blue and white cups and bowls.
I think they are beautiful to look at and perfect to drink from.
And we should surround us with nice things...
Therefor I wanted to display them on my shelves so I can enjoy them and also have easy access. ( I have a hotwater tap just below for my tea)
The problem is now that I started of with empty shelves thinking I will keep it simple and just display a few vases and urns but instead I have ended up with full shelves.
And suddenly there is nothing left of "keeping it simple"!
If I know myself right I'm probably not done yet either...
Everything I find beautiful just happens to find its way up to those shelves.
Im also thinking of adding some nice glasses, containers for small things and a jar with utensils too?!
Just to stir it up...
Why keep it simple?
I mean there are still space left!
In my case it is definitely towards "more is more" instead of "less is more".
And I love it!
Any objections to that?
tjingeling
The dream catcher!
Cuckoo!
I have a daughter who is now in a phase where she thinks and analyses more, worrys a lot and dream more.
And those dreams are not always of a good character...
Difficulties falling asleep or interrupted sleep has been the effect of that.
Till I bought her a dream catcher!!!
A dream catcher is said to protect the sleeping person from negative dreams by catching the bad dreams in the web while letting the positive slip through. The good dreams will then glide down the feathers to the sleeping person below and distribute them evenly and soft during the night.
The bad dreams would get caught up in the web and just evaporate when the first rays of the sun strikes them.
Is it not such a wonderful story?
Bella immediately took that story to her heart and has since then been sound asleep every night without any interruptions.
A peaceful sleeping child is like cotton around your heart!
If they then still are in the age where the cheeks are visible from behind, with long eyelashes resting on their cheek and a messy hair smelling from a floral shampoo...Thats a wonderful bonus:))
I feel so grateful to so many things recently and that dream catcher are definitely among those things...
tjingeling
Today I'm happy!!!
Cuckoo!
I have a little lump in one of my breasts!
But today I found out it is nothing to be worried about!
I AM SO RELIEVED I just want to tell the whole world!!!!
This picture will have to visualise my happy state of mind today!
Before going on vacation I had a mammogram and ultra sound done!
Just before we left I first got an email telling me they found a little lump, then at the hotel I recieved several messages on my phone telling me to call the doctor and then finally a letter waiting for me at home confirming everything.
Gulp!!!
I consider myself being of a positive nature.
But it was so hard trying to think good thoughts and pretending to myself and everyone else everything was normal, because the "what if?" had so much power and proved to be very strong.
My thoughts were just thrown from the good side to the bad side and then back again the whole time...
I could not feel any lump or had no pain, no swollen lymph nodes or anything that would tell me there would be something wrong with me, which to me was a good sign, but obviously the ultrasound was trying to burst that balloon...
These passed weeks has had me in the worst emotional roller coaster ever.
I think it was the " not knowing" that was killing me.
I thought if I knew I suffered from something serious I could have dealt with it in a proper way.
Made up a plan...
But when you don't know, that is difficult.
I tried to not think about it.
(I can't tell you how many thoughts that crossed my mind during these weeks...)
I tried to think positive thoughts.
( I'm healthy, I'm good, there is a sun behind the clouds.)
I tried to act as normal as I could.
( that means being weird according to my kids)
And I managed very well.
Till the evil "but what if" decided to show its ugly face.
Then I fell again...
But today all fear disappeared!
Today I could enjoy the beautiful spring day without any clouds...
Today I'm so grateful for all and everything!
Today im so grateful to life!!! ( even though I turned out not to be in danger at all)
Happy feet enjoying the sun!
I can't really tell you what shined the most... My mind or the real sun...but life looks bright no matter:))
Tjingeling
Easter Sunday!
Cuckoo!
This weekend has offered sunshine, a lot of birdsong and a traditional swedish Easter smorgosboard for good friends I n a wonderful mix.
Today Sunday I was cooking Easter food the whole day while the boys were doing a spring clean in the garden and the girls were painting eggs.
They used metallic colours which made the eggs look so cool I did not want to crack them and eat.
They deserved to look beautiful a little longer so we never touched those but could instead let our eyes enjoy the more:)
Since the weather was nice I was able to keep the doors open for a while.
That is a milestone to me in the season cykle when it is possible to let all the fresh spring air displace the dull wintery indoor air and fill the house with good energy.
My table setting for our Easter dinner was inspired by all that spring and went in bright happy colours with some sprinkled eggs on top of that:)
Food was very swedish and very much but I totally forgot to document so these empty plates and glasses are the only remains from that meal.
When your tummy is full of food and your heart is full of love you realise that you are such a lucky guy and that life is actually really good!!!
Kuckelikuuu
Easter breakfast!
Cuckoo!
This morning Bella and I was invited to an Easter breakfast with egg hunt, egg painting and fun with friends!
Being six years old is really such a cute age to be in.
So innocent, so pure and so immediate in their feelings.
My heart just overflows with lovingness watching them take on every task with such intensity.
My friend who hosted had done a beautiful job in decorating, preparing a wonderful breakfast and arranged activities for the kids.
Just coming up with the idea of getting the kids together in a fun way and then follow through is worth respect in my world.
And to furthermore do it in style...
So cute watching all of them run in the same direction looking for eggs, gathering around the same potential "egg nest", see them showing off their treasure and finally just indulge at the first best spot inside the entrance door:)
Phew!
Maximum pleasure in the least time:)
Some painting of both real eggs and paper eggs finished up that morning and gave everybody involved a welcoming boost of Easter, spring and togetherness!
I don't think the weekend could have started in a better way!!!
Kuckelikuuu
Long weekend coming up!
Cuckoo!
Easter is approaching with big steps!
In this household we have kind of missed that though...
Apart from the fact that for us it marks the entry of the spring, we (I) have not made an effort in decorating the house at all.
A few feathers attached to willows in a vase and a drawer full of easter egg candy will do just fine as decoration:)
The candy is the most important if you would ask the kids...
To them Easter is the same as egg filled with candy.
Hmmm where did the meaning of the real Easter get lost?
We have four days of a long weekend coming up next which seems incredibly neccesary since we have had another four long days of hard and tiring work at school (after coming back from spring break) and definitely could need a rest 😜!
The weather has at least behaved and giving us clear signs of an approaching and much anticipated spring with sun, mild temperatures and all these vibes in the air that makes me a little more crazy than usual:)
Me like a lot!!!
This Easter weekend will hopefully be that start of the upcoming warmer season and Im sure it will happen either with or without a fully decorated house so I think I'm good:)
Kuckelikuuu!
New York!
Cuckoo!
When the cat is gone the rats are dancing on the table!!!
A few weeks ago when I was in Sweden the rest of the family decided to take a tour with a helicopter around the city.
Apparently they we're not allow to fly right above Manhattan but it took them around the city which was good enough.
The pictures they showed me were stunning!
The skyline!!!
I can't say why it is so appealing to me but I love the irregular shapes, the mixture of high and low and shiny and mat.
A blue sky and the leftover ice pattern on the river does not make it worse...
Im not born here, I have no relatives living here, I don't have anything that binds me to this city but yet I'm so proud !
It has such a special atmosphere that only can be experienced, words do not give a fair description...
I did not have to be in that helicopter to feel the grandness of New York, these pictures tell it all:))
A tour that showed the city from another perspective and also created a bigger love for New York.
Im happy my family wanted to share this pictures with me so I could put all the impressions I get from the photos in my special New York corner of my heart and let it stay there forever with everything else I have memorised with this city:))
Pure love!
Tjingeling
Wohoooo!
Cuckoo!
Today was a good day!
Today was close to magical!
Today was a day to remember!
Today i got a phone call saying someone found my camera!!!
My big camera I got as a Christmas gift for having been kind the whole year:)
My camera that was left under a seat in the lounge before boarding our plane home from FlorIda.
My camera that I'm getting to know more and more and that hopefully will become a big part of my life.
Sometimes life surprises you!
Im so freaking grateful to all those people who did not take advantage of a left behind bag with a camera inside.
I don't know if the camera was found by the staff or if someone gave it to the lost and found department but that does not matter!
The gratefulness and happiness I feel is the same. And it's huge!!!
The funny thing is that I'm very happy that I'm getting my camera back but I'm more happy that there still is hope for mankind!!!
Tjohoooooo
