Daily Jamie

Valves & Fittings 4 Eva

You know by now that I'm a dork in my personal life, but I also happen to be a professional loser. This picture is my proof, obviously. Do you like my logo'd button-down? How about my prideful stance? And what about the fact that I'm standing next to a time capsule? My company donated a valve to the A Day In The World project (which, incidentally, is the opposite of lame as you'll see if you follow the link) so that they could inject a gas into this time capsule that will be used to preserve a book of photos and a laptop for, like, a billion years. Give or take. As the totally unsubstantiated marketing and communications director of my organization, I am responsible for posting photos like these on our Facebook page. I think I'll skip this one, though, and try to at least maintain some semblance of coolness on that particular social network. Since, you know, I blew it a long time ago here. 

Daily Jamie

Finally We Fika

Something miraculous and wonderful has happened in my family. My husband, who has always hated all things coffee, has become a latte drinker. He has finally come around and I couldn't be happier because all he wants to do is fika. Until a couple of weeks ago taking a fika was lower on his list of things he likes to do than visiting Ikea the weekend after payday and now he's the one suggesting coffee breaks. Around this time last year, in fact, he could handle less than a minute of such coziness so you can imagine how thrilled I am with the change. I believe the harmoniousness of our family is only going to increase after this development and I'm not even joking. 

Daily Jamie

Mailbox Surprise

Like a kid, I look forward to checking the mail every day. There's always the hope that there will be something fun in the box, something other than a cell phone bill or H&M invoice. It doesn't happen that often, but it did today. It seems that on Thanksgiving my family in Cleveland all wrote sweet notes to us on the inside of a greeting card sent by my grandparents. It made me feel so, so good. Like, weepy good. This one is going on the fridge behind my favorite magnet. Forever.

Daily Jamie

Profile

Look what Selah made me for my birthday! I know I'm a little late mentioning it, but I got this lovely gift in the mail a few days after my birthday. I love it and I just know it's going to be a keepsake that Jamie's future wife and kids are going to treasure as much as I do.

Daily Jamie

For The Last Time

This afternoon Råsunda stadium, the home of our beloved AIK, was opened up for fans to take apart. AIK will be playing in the new Friends Arena next season and Råsunda will be demolished soon so the football fans were invited to take whatever they could carry. The Swede, who had been gearing up for this event for weeks and came bearing a backpack full of tools, walked out with twelve stadium seats and a chunk of sod from the field that we'll plant at the cabin, where we know it will stay in the family for generations to come. Then, as it grew dark and was time to leave, he took a moment to shed a tear, packed the seats that he and his friend Emil sat in when AIK won the derby the fall of 2009 into the Volvo, and said good-bye.

Daily Jamie

In The Swedish House

Last night, Sarianne, Magnus, The Swede and I went to a Swedish House Mafia concert at the new national arena, Friends Arena. Yes, your instincts are correct. We are too old to go to a house concert. It was basically like clubbing with thirty-five thousand others and old or not, the atmosphere was something to be appreciated. And now that we know how awesome the arena is, we'll really being looking forward to Melodifestivalen 2013 where they'll be playing music that's much more our speed.

Daily Jamie

McThanksgiving

I don't typically actively miss America. I mean, of course I miss my friends and family and certain places and foods and conveniences, but unless I purposely delve into homesickness (which I don't) feeling sad about living so far away from those things is by no means an everyday occurrence. On Thanksgiving, however, I ache. I've tried recreating the meal with some success in years past but the atmosphere in my grandparents' house on this day is irreplaceable. And listen, okay, I'm not trying to make you feel sorry for me or anything, but I'm not even doing the meal this year and since The Swede is away at a very important football match this evening Jamie and I had McDonald's for dinner. And the only similarities to a real Thanksgiving dinner were the good company and the awful feeling of fullness and overindulgence.

Daily Jamie

Home Cures

Poor little Jambo, in addition to the three-month-long-(so far) cold he picked up at preschool, has a stomach bug. It's not too bad, thank goodness, but it's certainly nothing we want to hang on to and due to the 48 hours healthy rule at his school, it's costing our family at least three days from work. I googled around a bit and learned that blueberries are supposed to help so poor little Jambo got his favorite treat. Hears hoping it both put him in a good mood AND cured his tummy bug.

Daily Jamie

You Are What You Read

It's the end-ish of November and I've just started Christmas shopping.  A couple of books I ordered for Jamie arrived in the mail today, one for the football-loving Swedish half and one for the hip-hop-loving American half. They're both pretty hilarious and I have to credit Linda for tipping me off about the hip-hop one, though it's problematic that it seems to be awfully racist. Am I just overly sensitive because I spent a semester at Vanderbilt Divinity School? Anybody wanna weigh in? Selah?

That's Entertainment

It's Dexter and Homeland night at our place and I'm afraid I can't be bothered with anything else. If you follow these programs you surely understand. See you tomorrow!

Daily Jamie

November 17th

November 18th

The Twin Tornados

With Sarianne off at another one of her VIP blogger events in the city and The Swede helping a friend lay new flooring, I had the pleasure-slash-challenge of being a single mother of two on Saturday afternoon. It was not easy. In fact, it was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Just keeping track of where they were was challenging enough, let alone keeping track of my cool. You can't say things like "stay within slapping distance" in this country or someone'll drop a dime. Plus you can't yell at other people's kids and yelling at babies is unbecoming so I really needed to maintain my composure.  

No, in retrospect taking them to eat at Ikea during the lunch rush was not my most strategic move. Two trays of meatballs plus baby-on-the-hip plus "I'm sweating, please hold my coat"wasn't as disastrous as it could have been, however, as we all did make it out of the place. Home was better, simply because of the calming absence of strangers but they blew through all the tricks I had up my sleeves pretty quickly.  It wasn't long before Julia began asking when her mom was coming back and I was considering sterilization. I should probably mention that they were incredibly well behaved the entire time, it's just apparently a lot more work than I'm used to to keep even good, adorable kids fed, occupied, and safe.

Daily Jamie

Death Trap For Cutie

Jamie is a full blown toddler now and operates in extremes. Everything he does is either extremely annoying, extremely dangerous, or extremely cute. Some things, like this cuddly gauntlet, are a combination of all three. 

Daily Jamie

November 24th
Jelly curtain.

November 15th

Inflexibaby

Jamie's preschool is closed today and tomorrow and The Swede had to go to Sundsvall, a few hours north of Stockholm, to set up some stuff in our new office there so Jambo and I decided to tag along. You know, mix it up. We drove up after work yesterday, thinking that Jamie would sleep in the car part of the way and then fall quickly back asleep at the hotel. Not so. It was rough, people, and none of us got much sleep. Those babies, they love their routines and taking Jamie out of his was not the coolest thing we've ever done. The day has gone well, however, minus three restaurant-meal-meltdowns, because we've been fighting to keep him entertained, fresh-aired, and properly-napped the entire time, things that probably would have been more easily accomplished at home. Hopefully someday soon he will appreciate mixing it up as much as we do. 

Daily Jamie

Sooner Rather Than Later

For a few seconds I considered getting huffy about the earliness of these Christmas decorations showing up in our mall and then I realized it's the middle of November. When did that happen? I'm feeling a heaviness on my shoulders all of a sudden. There aren't that many weekends left and there are a lot of presents to buy, cards to be sent and decorations to put up. Time to get to it, I guess.

Daily Jamie

Door Party

This weekend at the cabin we celebrated the installation of a new front door with a Door Party, something which Mama Swede picked up from the show Svenska Hollywoodfruar. I googled around a bit trying to find some info on this tradition, but couldn't come up with anything. Whatever it was, I liked it as it involved pink champagne. And I'm not above cheersing a door.

Daily Jamie

November 9th

November 10th

November 11th
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

Gas

Several months ago, after I came to the cabin a day later than everybody else, it was revealed that they had all had a wonderful time farting while I wasn't there. This whole time they've all been holding it in or sneaking outside to let one loose because I'm apparently giving off the impression that I'm too "fin" (which in this case I'll translate to "fancy") to fart in front of. This revelation was a little upsetting, honestly, because I think I exude loserliness. I mean, yes, it's absolutely true that I've never farted even once in my entire life, but that doesn't mean that I'm offended when others do it. As much a blow as learning of my reputation was to me then, it actually paid off this weekend when Fancy Mara was spared the task of crawling into the attic to lay insulation. Who would even dare ask me to do such a job? Get dirty? Crawl on my hands and knees? I think not. Sarianne and The Swede, however, were born for this so I got to stay inside and spare myself from a broken nail or some smeared mascara. The masks were allegedly to protect them from the insulation and potential rodent droppings. Pssht. I think we all know that they were really protecting themselves from all the farting they were surely doing up there.

Daily Jamie

Daily Jamie

Jamie's proud to be an American today.

Candy Makes The Very Best Packing Material

Birthday week continued today when I picked up a package from Becca after work. And holy cow, it was a load! She had apparently gotten a box that she could ship for fixed price regardless of how heavy it was so over the past couple of weeks, as she filled it, she kept asking me what else I wanted. Everything I suggested was in there and more. Even Jamie got presents! The Swede did too if you count the Reese's cup I'm considering sharing with him. I'm actually a little overwhelmed. And sick to my stomach after too much candy. Nevertheless, thanks Becca!  

Daily Jamie

Experience In A Box

I got a lot of generous and thoughtful gifts for my birthday, from wine and champagne to jewelry, gift cards and books. Some of our friends and our colleagues went in on these "experiences". One is tasting for two, and I get to choose from several options including chocolate tasting, wine and cheese tasting and whiskey tasting. Sarianne has already laid her stake as my plus one. The other is for a certain kronor value so you get to pick your own. What do you think, should I hang glide, pet wolves, test drive a Ferrari, have a spa weekend? Be a stuntman, test fly a helicopter, dive, kite surf, or swim with dolphins? It's just a little bit overwhelming, right? In the best way, of course. Anyway, these boxes are going to make for a killer blog post.

Daily Jamie

The Birthday Party In Instagrams

                                                    

Daily Jamie

November 3rd

November 4th