Reminder

After summer vacation, Jamie will be moving on to the big kids' group at preschool, which means that he'll no longer have the same amazing teachers he's had for the past three years. Of course we'll still see them on the playground during drop-offs and pick-ups but they won't be the constant presence in our lives that they have been for so long. The entire time Jamie has been in preschool we've felt that these three women have been part of our team in raising him and literally every single day he shows us in some way or another all that they have contributed to who he is becoming. We typically give them each a small gift at Christmas and at the end of the school year to show our appreciation, but because it's the end of Jamie's time in their group I wanted to get them something a little more special. I've been racking my brain and Pinteresting feverishly trying to come up with the perfect gift, something that would remind them of that one kid and his family who loved them so much. Yesterday I walked into a bookstore looking for inspiration and walked out with three cookbooks: Jamie at Home, Jamie's Italy, and Jamie's 15-Minute Meals. Kinda perfect, right? 

Daily Jamie

June 12th

June 13th

June 14th

Summer, And Friends

It's summer, guys! It's been super warm the past few days, with just enough rain mixed in to keep the grass green. We've been outside almost the entire weekend, working and playing in the yard, The Swede leading a work day at the fishing club, and Jamie and I spending time with friends. First, we celebrated Sukai's fourth birthday! The party was at a preschool next to Linda's place so the kids were in heaven running around, climbing, exploring, and playing ball, which meant we adults (well, maybe not Linda so much) really got to relax and enjoy the day. Linda made the cutest rainbow-shaped cake with mini-meringue "clouds" and chocolate "treasure" and served a delicious Gambian stew that her husband made. Can you believe it's been four whole years? I'm getting teary now just thinking about the day Sukai was born, how I had looked forward to her getting here for so long, and how it felt like the whole world had changed that day because now this new person was in it. And then, to think that this tiny angel would become the vivid, lively firecracker she is today. It's magic. She's magic.  

In other awesome kid news, Axel and his mom had been on vacation in Cyprus for the past week so these two were dying to get together now that they were back on Swedish soil. They were like long-lost brothers reunited. Axel and Jamie disappeared into a play world and his mom and I hung on their terrace enjoying a glass or two of rosé until way past our bedtime.

Daily Jamie

Extra, Extra!

'Member when the reporter came over last week? Well, the paper came out yesterday and we're pretty much famous.

Daily Jamie

Cook-a-long

My SATC gang (I’m the Charlotte) and I usually get together for dinner when one of us has a birthday. Erin celebrated hers at the end of May but instead of the usual, Shaena planned for us to take part in a cook-a-long with a celebrity chef at the Taste of Stockholm festival last Saturday. It was SO much fun, you guys, and the meal that we made was delicious, though I'm convinced it would have been even better if I hadn't had any part in making it. 

Daily Jamie

Catch and release, of course.

Daily Jamie

June 5th

June 6th

The Smell Of Beer In The Morning

Friday was graduation day for the local high school and we had the afternoon off so The Swede, Jamie and I joined Mama Swede's daycare group to watch the students ride through town in the back of huge trucks. The thing about graduation in Sweden is, since the grads are all nineteen and the drinking age is eighteen, the festivities are literally soaked in alcohol. You can't see it, but there was beer just running out of the back of that truck like a waterfall. The whole town reeked brewski for the rest of the day. Needless to say, I'm not looking forward to Graduation 2030.

Daily Jamie

The Icing

The local newspaper came over and interviewed us this evening about how awesome it is to live in our neighborhood. Nowhere near as big a deal as some people in the family, but it was kind of fun. Anyway, since a newspaper reporter and photographer were coming into my home I obviously had to make sure it was extra clean, but I also wanted to add some fresh flowers as well. You know, to make it seem like I really have it together. But look at these hydrangeas I found! They're, like, the Cadillac of fresh flowers! The journalists didn't say anything, but I'm sure they were impressed.

Daily Jamie

June 1st

June 2nd

Mother's Day Morning

This past Sunday was Mother’s Day here in Sweden. Since I didn’t get showered with jewelry, flowers or a champagne breakfast on the American holiday a few weeks ago, I assumed that meant that I’d be celebrated on the Swedish one. Then I brought it up a bunch of times beforehand. Like, a bunch of times. But here was the context, since I’m not typically a jewelry and flowers kind of girl (though champagne breakfast sounds amazing): “Maybe, husband, you should get up with Jamie at 6:00 am on Sunday and let me sleep three extra hours since it will be Mother’s Day and all. Think about it.” And he DID think about it. And I DID sleep in for three extra hours. I woke up just as the two of them were heading out the door to take care of some stuff at the fishing club and luxuriated in the reality that I was going to be able to watch a few uninterrupted episodes of Grace and Frankie on Netflix while they were gone. I took my time in the shower, fixed myself some breakfast, and put on an epie, only to receive a call shortly thereafter from The Swede saying that he was bringing Jambo home because he wanted to be with his mamma. Then I got the best of both worlds. Happy Mother’s Day to me!