Visitors!

This morning we had two visitors - moose calves. The mother was no longer with them. We suspect that she fell in love with a new man, and is off establishing a new home with him! So these two are now on their own! Noelle was so giddy when she saw them, laughing and chanting! Like they were long lost friends...

Busy day working!

It's been a busy day for busy bees! Noelle keeps saying "busy" all the time, meaning that she is so busy from the time she wakes up in the morning, until she goes to bed at night. Today we have been running errands, and Noelle slept the whole time! She fell asleep in the car on the way out, and woke up on the way home, so she probably enjoyed the running errand day!

Besides running errands, we have been driving our tractor, riding the wheel barrow, watched morfar cut down a tree (the motorsaw was a little scary for Noelle), we have also walked a lot (with a tight grip to my fingers...) We had fish, potatoes, and peas for supper, and Noelle ate most of all of us! It's been a busy day for our busy bee!

Checking out the wood, makes for good burning when it gets cold!
Noelle parked her tractor next to our car!
Noelle riding the wheel barrow, scary at first, but a delight after that!
Checking out the garden! All the carrots are gone now. Probably in Noelle's belly!

Checking morfar put stuff for the bonfire they will have at the end of October. I think that Noelle has my tendency of blinking at the right moment of the picture snapping...
This tractor is so much fun, but gives mother a sore back!
Crawling around in the grass. We check her for ticks every night! She already had one in her ear...
Found a piece of bark and a rock. Who needs toys?
Morfar cutting down a tree... Derek doesn't know it yet, but he's going to help cut down a super duper big pine tree. That will be a first! I will snap some pictures of that moment...
Happy is what happy does!
Our cute little girl.
Sitting on the philosphy stub. I have spent many hours sitting on this one...
Wheel barrowing!
And more wheel barrowing!

Fun times in the bathtub!

Noelle was laughing for a good ten minutes!

Noelle eating an apple!

More activities in Sweden!

More activities... view from our balcony!
Looking at ourselves on the camera!
Derek is studying - or is he checking out Elisa's facebook page (as he doesn't want to get his own)?
Noelle is crawling under the table while dad is "studying."
Derek showed off his muscle strength rowing our "yacht" over to the island, Ramson.
We, Noelle and I, are enjoying the ride! Or at least I am, Noelle is not too keen on her life vest.
Our yacht!
We are learning about poisoneuos (spelling?) fungi... this is flugsvamp in Swedish. Not sure what it is in English, anyone knows?
We are learning not to fall into one of these ant stacks...
Knowledge is quite tiring...
And, bike ride again!
Noelle found an apple. I heard some chewing, and saw her eating this apple.
Flower power!
Enjoying a beautiful sunset!

Activities in Sweden!

We have done lots since our arrival in Goteborg. We have picked blueberris, blackberries, chantarelles, looked at cows, climbed some rock, picked flowers, watched some moose, and of course just being a busy bee. Noelle's latest word is "bitte" imagine that her first word would be in german (I guess that's natural since her last name is German). When she wants something, she says "da, daa." She eats lots, and has so much energy. She can stand on her own, without holding on, for a minute. She walks holding on with only one hand. She is our little sweetheart, and gets cuter everyday.

Why isn't this thing moving? Come on mother!
Noelle is taking the farm life serious. She already got her own tractor. Loving it!
Three generations.
Noelle is helping with the gardening again! She loves to explore the grounds and are climbing all over the place.
We really live on the countryside! Here are two calves with mother moose right outside our bedroom window. They are eating our pears. Father moose was standing a bit in the background. Magnificent animals!
We got a bicycle seat for Noelle, so we went on a bike ride! Noelle liked the ride, but not the helmet!
Of course we had time for cuddle time on the couch!
Our new car! Ford Focus Combi Flexifuel - so we are now driving an environment friendly vehicle!
Noelle is helping mormor (maternal grandmother) with the gardening.
The other kids got their own dining area. The two older (or should I say young adults) took care of the younger ones.
Noelle got to sit with the grown-ups (so did Viggo 4 yrs).
We had a family party with cousins and second cousins! Lots of fun and Noelle loved seeing the older kids!
Crawling in the grass.
Lots of chanterelles (kantareller) all growing on Elisa's parents lot!
We also picked chanterelles - which is the gold of the forest! They are scrumptious on a sandwich!
We will live in this house starting September 27th. Elisa's aunt Birgitta is gracious to let us live in her modernized summerhouse! We have lots of room and beds (and a flushing toilet) so come visit!
We picked up Noelle's new bed, which we got from her second cousins. The youngest is now three years old, and is not interested in sleeping in a crib anymore!
Morfar Hans is flying with Noelle!
On our way from Taby (suburb of Stockholm) to Goteborg. We stopped for a little picknick and stretch of legs. Noelle did great this long car ride. This is some old castle in the background, but the name escapes me at the moment...

Walking (with support)

Noelle is getting closer and closer to walking. She walks holding hands with us, and with something to support her. Can't believe how fast it goes! Scary...

In Sweden, finally!

We have now been in Sweden for a couple of weeks, and so far all is going well. Derek started school this past week, and getting accustomed to Goteborg, which is where we will live. Noelle and I are enjoying the countryside (quite a contrast from Chicago), and of course spending time with morfar (Elisa's father).

We were in Taby outside of Stockholm for the first few days, and spent some time with Elisa's old childhood friends. They are so lovely, and I feel so lucky to have them! Pretty amazing considering that I have been gone for ten years! Talk about great friends. Louise organized a welcome home brunch for us, so that we could see everyone. One surprise was that Jenny got married the day before! It was a secret for everyone except the parents - so congrats to Jenny and Erik!

We also went for dinner at Jeanette and Tobias for some great pizza, and Noelle and their daughter Isabella had a great time together. Noelle enjoyed crawling after Bella while Bella was running around! Too cute!

With dad in the woods!
We met Paula, Thomas and their little Selma!

Noelle in Vasa Parken in Goteborg.

Proud papas - Derek and Tobias with their girls Noelle and Bella!
Family of almost five! Can you believe that Jeanette has two boys in there! She looks absolutely fantastic!
Two little princesses in a princess tent!
Bella and Noelle - note that Noelle is standing on her own. She does this pretty often these days. No walking yet though!
Hello!
What a great walking thing!
Good times in the laundry basket!
At Louise's new apartment for the welcome home brunch! Noelle reaching for some pear soda (but that's not an option for her).
Berries are very good!
Babes checking out the stereo system!
The newly weds - Jenny on the left and Erik on the right. Our great host Louise in the middle and her sister's fiance Jonas in the background.
Stereo system again - that was the best toy ever!
Dinner with Ekestorm's. Noelle got a dog from Ann-Margret and Sven! Thanks!
Opening her gift, the paper was a lot of fun, and tasted pretty good too!
Mormor (Elisa's mom), Elisa and Noelle.
Kathrine and her litte son, Valdemar - at his namegiving ceremony.
Love the balloons!