Daily Jamie

Missing The UPS Truck

In this country when you get a package in the mail that is even slightly larger than a smaller-than-the-customary-American-mailbox Swedish mailbox, you get a slip of paper or a text message telling you to go pick it up at the nearest post station, most often located in a grocery store. This time of year that system is a real pain in the rear. I took this picture when there were five people behind me, all of whom I felt terribly sorry for as I had three packages to pick up. 

Daily Jamie

He'd been awake for five minutes and still refused to move. Apparently I already have a teenager.

High Wire

The Christmas cards started rolling in last week (including a big stack of our own, which I was pleased to slip into the outgoing mail today) and with them a need to display their beauty. In years past I've just taped them up on the wall and then watched, frustrated, as they all fell, one after the other, on a daily basis. So this year I chose a more resilient method and wove some cute candy-cane-striped package string through the newel posts (thank you Young House Love for teaching me that term) and clipped even cuter miniature clothespins on to attach the cards with. Add a few ornaments as placeholders and voila! And look! I just now noticed that the string matches our Christmas card! That might just be the cutest part of all.

Daily Jamie

December 7th

December 8th

Daily Jamie

Improving On Perfection

 

Is there anything better than a hot dog, really? Why yes, friends, there is and it's called a French hot dog and you can get it for cheap at Ikea. See, it's a hollowed out baguette that you squeeze ketchup and mustard into, then insert the dog and HOLY COW! So dang good. I had an errand to run at Ikea for work today and since it was near lunchtime I treated myself to this bad boy and it was the best lunch I've had in awhile. Well, since Tuesday's leftover green bean casserole anyway.

Daily Jamie

Picture Perfect

When the Johanssons were here on Sunday, Erin was kind enough to get behind the camera for a few minutes and try to snap a family picture for our Christmas card. She was awesome, clicking away, trying to get Jamie's attention, but this is the best shot we got, even with the ice cream bribe. We ended up taking a selfie after they left (thank goodness for the front-facing cell phone cam) and Jamie was so into watching himself getting his picture taken on the screen that it came out pretty nicely. I do, however, think the picture above is much more representative of our life right now as toddler wranglers. So thank you, Erin, for capturing the real us. 

Daily Jamie

4 Rolls x 18 Kids = A Whole Lotta Potty Time

Jamie came home with the cutest little craft last Friday, just in time for the beginning of Advent this past Sunday. In case you're not familiar with the traditions of Advent, one candle is lit on each of the four Sundays before Christmas and this adorable cluster of candlesticks has orange and yellow tissue paper "flames" stuffed inside to be drawn up each Sunday. The cutest, right? Apparently Jambo had a blast making it and I think his artistic skills are really coming along, though he has torn the paper out and ripped it all apart several times since we brought it home. Baby steps, I guess. 

Daily Jamie

Daily Jamie

Friendsgiving 2013

Yesterday we hosted the Johansson family for Thanksgiving dinner and it. was. awesome. It was dark and windy outside and warm, cozy, and full of lit candles and laughter inside.

I had prepared a toilet paper roll turkey craft for the boys to do while Erin and I fixed the grub, but the only boy interested was Svante.

We had Grandma Joyce's never-fail sweet potatoes, which were a favorite as usual, along with two small turkey breasts, gravy, cranberry sauce, walnut bread, and this green bean casserole recipe that I cannot recommend enough. Erin made Yorkshire puddings and it was our first time tasting them and we were very impressed. I think Jamie ate about five. We finished things off with this pumpkin cheesecake, another recipe I'd recommend. And I don't ever brag about my cooking because there is nothing to brag about, but I have to say that I didn't mess anything up to majorly and it was all really good. Svante said it may have been the best meal he's ever eaten. I always liked that Svante.

Best of all, though, was the company. We were sad to see them go at the end of the evening and are already looking forward to next year.

Daily Jamie

What's This About Terrible Twos?

 

The Swede wasn't home and I had a lot to do to prepare for our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, so I was really counting on Jamie's nap today. It did not happen. That's what I get for bragging about my three hour nap on Thursday, I guess. What did happen, however, is that this tired little fella pitched a gigantic, screaming fit from the moment I opened the front door to the moment this hot dog was in his face. In the parking lot in our neighborhood, ten minutes in the car, the parking lot at the grocery store; if I hadn't kept such superhuman composure I'm quite sure everybody who crossed us would have called BRIS on Jambo's behalf despite my clearly being the one they should feel sorry for. The hot dog did the trick, though (that's my boy!), and soon we were in a great mood and primed to run into Axel and his mom who had just experienced the exact same thing with her wild one. It does a mom's heart good to know that you're not the only one standing there frozen while your toddler writhes, screaming, on the ground.   

Daily Jamie

The Business Cas Fashion Show

Today at work, Linda told me that I over-think my outfits after I told her how a certain top made my head look too small. Like I'm the only one who's ever had that problem. Pssht. But I'm obviously guilty as charged. I mean, it doesn't get more self-involved then a regular series of selfies accompanied by an analysis of each ensemble. Nevertheless... 

 

I got this dress at H&M for ten dollars to wear on my birthday night out with the girls. It has a really pretty geometric detail in the bodice fabric and the shoulders and sleeves are transparent so I wore my trusty black blazer over it at work. And I'm going to pretend it only looked this short in the picture. Thank goodness for high den tights, know what I'm sayin'?

I loved this outfit, couldn't wait to wear it again the next week, and look forward to wearing it again soon. Those grey jeans have a ton of stretch and I was so comfortable, plus the leopard heels came through as usual, making me feel like a million bucks in the simplest outfit. 

I forget about this sweater, then find it, wear it, and love it, and finally forget about it again.

This outfit, as so many are, was so much better in my head. I'm wild about each piece individually, particularly the faux-leather-sleeved blazer, which I have to force myself not to wear every single day, but something about all of it put together made me feel less fabulous than I had dreamed. And I assure you, I dreamed and dreamed about this one.

This is a special sweater because it has a specific mission, namely to hide my gut after the dinner party we're hosting on Sunday. The extra bit of length, plus slightly short sleeves are just what I like in a sweater and the sparkle provided by discreet silver thread woven into the front (which unfortunately you can't see in this picture) is what holiday gut-hiding sweaters are all about.

Daily Jamie

I'm Thankful For Sleep

Jamie's school has been closed the past two days for a teachers' meeting, so The Swede stayed home with him on Wednesday and I stayed home with him today. I had looked forward to sleeping in a bit, but Jamie woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed long before sunrise. I had a nap to look forward to, though, and was so excited when he dozed off right on schedule in bed with me after lunch. Fast forward three hours and the two of us woke up in a dark house having taken one of the most glorious naps since maternity leave. Happy Thanksgiving to me!