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

Merry Christmas 2008

Santa Conny is visiting us before he takes his reindeer all the way to Sweden!

Today it is the fourth advent. No snow in Cincinnati, but -13 C (wind chill -25 C). In Scandinavia there is a tradition to light a candle for each advent, and in our family we have one more advent tradition: a Christmas carrol sung by each family member, starting from the youngest. Jonatan sang "En sockerbagare", Johanna "Frosty The Snowman", I did "Soihdut sammuu" and Benke "Nu är det jul igen". Maja sang a little bit of everything and danced to all songs.

During this past week we've said so many goodbyes that I've lost the count. last day of school, last soccer game, last training session with Mojo Runners, last, last, last. It's been very hard on everyone. The movers were here and the shipping was sent to Europe. I've been telling people we're practically but not mentally ready to move. However, since about two days we've all felt that we're getting there also emotionally; so, old friends and family, we are good to go and practically on our way!


Half of Julie's 24 cupcakes. Given to me after a hard workout at the gym.

So, a very merry Christmas to all of you around the world from all of us in the empty house in Ohio!




//Hanna

Kids' goodbyes

Johanna and Jonatan had a Going Away Party for their friends on Lucia Night, Dec. 13. Monster Mini Golf was the spooky spot, glowy ghosts and sceletons combined with a round mini golf and tons of other games. Pizza, brownies, cheese curls and soda gave the boost. The kids had a blast, thanks for coming, everyone!