Daily Jamie

July 8th

July 9th

The Last Days

Tomorrow we're heading home and we've spent our last couple of days squeezing a couple of hours out of some friends and family. Like Lauren, for example, who you haven't seen on the blog before because I haven't seen her since right before I moved to Sweden four years ago. Crazy. We were friends and choir dorks together at Marietta College and saw each other every now and then in the years after college before I moved. Here she is, seven months pregnant and cute as a button!

And here is her husband Josh, who has been with Lauren longer than I've known her, and who is equally awesome. I'm so excited for their baby, who has pretty much the most hilarious parents ever.

After our morning with Lauren and Josh, we met my cousin Austin and his girlfriend Lisa for lunch at Chipotle and forgot to get a picture, which is unfortunate for you because they are a ridiculously attractive couple. Aside from them and Austin's parents and my grandparents, I hadn't seen any of my extended family during this visit. My grandma and grandpa were kind enough to rectify that tonight, though, by inviting my uncles and aunts and cousins to their place for dinner. Not everyone could make it, but I did get a nice, thoroughly-missed taste of the Maruna family volume as everyone shouted to be heard over one another. Hopefully it was enough to wear Jamie out for our long day of flying tomorrow.

Daily Jamie

July 5th

July 6th

July 7th

Lately, With Friends

We took a break from all of our lazing about to spend time with Kate, Cary, and their families this weekend. On Friday we went out to Pickle Bill's  on the Erie lakeshore and celebrated Kate's adorable sister Abby's birthday. 

As usual, it was like we'd never spent a day apart since the last time we saw each other in the fall of 2011.

The evening was lovely and between the boats, ducks, fireworks, and pretty girls, there was plenty to see.

Cary and Abby's mom Petra was so sweet to invite us to their party. We had such a good time.

Then, on Saturday, we met up with Kate and went to an art festival nearby. It was extremely hot, though, and the Swedes couldn't take it so we took them home and Kate and I went out to dinner, just the two of us. And it was just like the old days.

 

Today we went over to Kate's parents' house and had breakfast with them before heading to the zoo with Cary and Kate's sister and her husband. I loved, loved, loved getting to spend time with these girls and their wonderful families.  

Daily Jamie

July 4th

July 5th

The Fourth Of July

Choo choo with Grandpa Ray.

We haven't been doing much during our time here in Cleveland besides hanging around at Mom and Ray's, which is exactly what I had hoped for but which does not lend itself to very exciting blogging. Yesterday, though, we went to the annual Fourth of July picnic that my grandparents host following the hike my grandpa leads in the morning. The Swede went on the hike (I learned my lesson years ago and stayed on civilized ground) while the rest of us set up the picnic/chased Jamie around the park.

Grandma Joyce is a classy lady.

Sure love my mom.

Jamie saw about a dozen trains go by while we were there and kept yelling, in Swedish, "big car!" 

It rained for a few minutes, but otherwise it was really nice. We got to see some of my grandparents' friends who we hadn't seen in years and spend a little bit of time with my Aunt Mary and Uncle Larry who were also on the hike. All in all, a very fun Fourth.

Daily Jamie

Vacation

Dudes, I think I'm going to take a little break from regular blogging while we're in the States. I'll try to get the Daily Jamies up on a regular basis and maybe pop in for some updates from time to time, but I'm going to take it easy for the most part. Thanks for understanding!

Daily Jamie

June 28th

June 29th

June 30th

July 1st

Daily Jamie

June 26th

June 27th

The Business Cas Fashion Show

We're on vacation!!! Here's the last fashion show from the gym at work until I go back in - wait for it - FIVE WEEKS. Aaaaaaand Sweden is awesome.

When I wear outfits like this one, that feature blue and white, I usually add my red and blue ribbon belt (which, unfortunately you can't see in this picture) and then think to myself as I'm getting dressed, "this is my American outfit." That whole sentence actually goes through my head. I am a loser.

I debated buying this top for a while because it cost a bit more than I usually like to spend (as in, like, more than fifteen dollars) and, well, it's pink leopard so, yeah, there was some internal debating going on. I'm glad I splurged, though, because I love it like a sister.

This dress is one of the longest-running items in my wardrobe. I bought it six years ago and it still ends up in the rotation from time to time. I always wear it with Kate's mom's vintage leather belt that I ripped off from their yard sale years ago and love it with my leopard pumps. I'm in a leopard phase, if you couldn't tell.

"This is my American outfit."

I'm not wild about this outfit and think it makes me look super short, but it got the job done. Also, I think it's funny that Jamie always touches the beading on the top and says, "aj, aj, aj!"

Oh, and guess what? We're going to Cleveland tomorrow! See you in the States tomorrow!

Daily Jamie

Daily Jamie

Sommaren Är Min

It's summer in Sweden! I've said it before, there's no place I've ever been that's better than this country during summertime. Summer belongs to us here and Astrid Lindgren knew it. All the Swedes know it, and it's one of my favorite things about them.

Here's a decent, but poorly-rhymed translation of Pippi's summer song, which starts at 1:50.

And now I want to sing
that summer is nice
and the trees are so fine
and the ground is so green
and the flowers are beautiful
and the hay smells good
and the sun is so sunny
and the water is so wet
and the little bird flies
in and out of the nest
and therefore I want to sing
that summer is mine.

And I also want to sing
that butterflies are good
and all the sweet mosquitos
I also want them
and I'm brown on my legs
just as it should be
and therefore I want to sing
that brown legs are good.
And I have new freckles
and speckled summer skin
and therefore I want to sing
that summer is mine.

Daily Jamie

June 20th

June 21st

June 22nd

June 23rd

Molsta Midsummer 2013

We just got home for a wonderful, long, midsummer weekend in the country. There was swimming and dancing and eating and walks and football and afternoon naps and just generally a lot of fun. Here are a few pictures, but the real show was captured by Elin in this video.