Stora Norn

This is our new paradise on Earth! It's old, quiet, simple, beautiful. No TV. No computers. No telephone. There's a lot to do, but we're not in a hurry. Can't wait to meet the New Year 2010 here!!

Welcome, friends and family.

Our web album is yours: http://picasaweb.google.se/Sandelowskyalbum/StoraNorn#

//Hanna

Prime Time

We've been fortunate to take part in two different weddings this summer:

Congratulations to Birgitta and Francisco who got each other in Positano, Italy, May 31.
We combined the wedding with a lovely vacation. Italy was twice as beautiful and romantic as I ever dared to imagine. More pictures of the trip to Italy at:

http://picasaweb.google.se/Sandelowskyalbum/PrimeTime1WeddingInItaly

The next wedding was held one week after. Our dear friends Sara and David said their vows to each other June 6. We were honored to host this wedding which was held in our garden! A very chilly day, but very warm inside of our hearts. David, we'll never forget your love song to your beautiful bride! It cannot get any more romantic than that - Benke couldn't take any pics from his tears... so this time, a word has to tell you more than a 1000 pictures. Some more pics of the wedding and Sara's bridal shower at:

http://picasaweb.google.se/Sandelowskyalbum/PrimeTime2WeddingInVendelso

Love is in the air,
//Hanna

Blog update: Summer 2009!

Hey friends and family!

We're sorry we have been terrible on blogging lately. It's been 100% back to reality in terms of returning home from the USA. No more X time for sitting by the computer, for example. Both in good and bad ways, that is, of course.

We're having some nice and relaxing vacation days at the moment. We rented a little cabin in the countryside (Dalarna) with a lot of fun activities - the cabin was a part of a farm. Benke & Per biked 300 K on a tandem (Vättern Runt), I did a swim meet of 3000 m in an ice cold river (Vansbrosimningen, 15,5 degr C) - which is totally surreal but true. We've also spent some good days at home and the surroundings.

As known, a picture tells more than 1000 words. Look at http://picasaweb.google.com/Sandelowskyalbum/Summer2009

Enjoy your summer,

//Hanna

Benke & Johan

One of Benke's best pals is Johan Hjort, an emigrant from the United States of America. He totally LOVES to live in Sweden. Look how well Benke and Johan dance together.










//Hanna

Vasaloppet

So I did it. Vasaloppet, 90 km cross country skiing. Thank you Benke for your support ("and love..."), which included driving me 450 km back and forth, providing me with sandwiches and "Kick Ass Baby!!" It took me 9 hours 17 min. Thank you Grandma Laila for babysitting.

//Hanna

Maja 2 years Feb. 21

Teaching cousin Christina and Johanna how to be a birthday star.







This was my first birthday party with my whole family here in Sweden! I felt confident and experienced, in other words very calm and cool - I did have my debute party already last year. With Biba, Gabby, Elisa, Linnea and Mimmi and families in Cincinnati. So I'm a pro now. I handled it all with style: the cake, the presents, the smiles and the thank yous. Gosh, I am so fantastic! And two frickin' years!

//Maja

Hey - long time no see!

This is the proof of getting back on track back home in Sweden: no more frequent updates on this blog. So from now on I promise to get my act together a little bit more on a regular basis, because blogging is after all fun. As long as you keep in mind not to chitchat bullshit, or in other words, just keep on typing irrationally until your fingers bleed; in fact that is just what I'm noing now... Besides, I'm not sure about the fun thing either; my fun is necessarily not your fun. Taking risk of being concidered a pathetic and totally histrionic looser, I'll still go on typing. Well, what I'm trying to say is if I don't have anything of value to say I'll instead put in some pics of what's going on in our lives.

Next month Benke and I will make a trip to Nepal to visit my sister. I will blog!

//Hanna (Blondin-Bella)

Good bye USA - hello Sweden! We're back home. Happy for getting back to our family and old friends but equally sad to leave some great friends behind. Excited to get back on track with our old school and work, but a bit nervous about getting back to the hectic life with cronical shortage of time. I might have been bored at times in Ohio, but as expected, you realize how good you had it first after you don't have it anymore. As it comes to the weather; we moved from gray to gray, so there's not much more to say about that.

We're settling slowly but surely. Out first shipping with winter clothing, computer and Benkes bicycle came 2 weeks ago, and the major shipping with Ratatouille, John Deere, Klippan sofas and Billy book cases is due this Friday. We're desperately trying to find an empty spot for all this junk! I already sold some of our old furniture and Benke has made a miracle in the basement getting rid of most of what's been in there for years. We hope to get started with the construction of a new extention to our house some time next month. There's tons of paper work and planning to do first, and we're in the middle of it right now.

I'm having some difficulties adjusting to seriously limited time for exercise. No more long walks or runs in the middle of the day with Maja in the stroller. No more morning classes at the gym. Benke, on the other hand, has a better chance of biking now since it's so easy to mountain bike here and we live right next to a national park. Jonte has started at karate, he loves it! Johanna plays soccer with her old team. Both the big kids continue with the Scouts. Maja goes to daycare, she seems to like it and the bugs seem to like her: she's been having both a cold and a stomach flu since she started 2 weeks ago.

We've had some visitors from Finland already; Mom was here to help us getting setteled. Thank you for that! Dad turned 70 Jan. 19; congratulations! Also, congrats to Minna on your birthday Jan.17 and Camilla Jan. 19! Kati, Sampo and their friends Mia&Artturi came to see us last weekend. Suski with her family will be here this weekend. Busy time, but fun!

//Hanna