Fantasy Farm Land

Our train ride from Copenhagen to Sweden was amazing! We rode through farm land and seaside the whole way here. The country side was like every fantasy I have had about farming...farm after farm, so quaint with beautiful red barns and fields where it is peak haying season. The fields are full of rolled bales of golden hay. So many houses have a very unfamiliar look to them, very Swedish looking in my imagination, and it really exists! The fields and small patches of forest that dot the fields are just beautiful. Towns and small vacation "colony lots", little settlements of brightly painted cottages all clustered together surrounded by gorgeous gardens of flowers and vegetables...flowers in all the windows, and the sea nearby...it looks like a little fantasy! Malin's husband Alf beat her to the train station too pick us up, and he came to us with arm open and huge hugs. He is just as wonderful as we had hoped! Their home is awesome. We drove down a shady road into the woods, and came out at the end into the most gorgeous valley where their home was built. They have giant hills and forest surrounding the back side of their house, but with a big field with sheep in it between the house and the hills. Their house is so cozy, clean lined Scandinavian with earthy touches, really lovely. They cooked us a fantastic meal, salmon with a sour cream lobster sauce, YUM. It's 8:00, kids are really ready for bed. So blessed to be here, so stinking happy. :)

Love you all! Xoxo

Let the Scandinavian Adventure Begin!

Hi all! After a year of planning, we are almost in Sweden! i can hardly believe this is happening. Matt worked so hard to make this adventure possible for us. We spent all summer checking out books about Sweden, Scandinavian folk tales, books about Denmark...it was great. We were having a travel adventure before even leaving...months of Scandinavian social studies and history, MANY travel and history DVD's! 

We had a great flight, felt very short, actually. I sat with the children, and Matt was given a seat with more leg room. He was really happy to be alone in his row too! I looked across Briana, to Brandon, who had the window seat, while we ate our dinner. He stopped, looked at me with a huge grin and said, "Mama, this is SO cozy!" The kids and I were traveling in our p.j.'s, so once we finished with dinner, they snuggled with their pillows and blankets and watched movies. Once the movies ended they quickly went to sleep, with Bri's pillow and head on Bran's lap. One of the cutest things I've ever seen them do. The kids slept, and I went to sit with Matt. I knew he wouldn't even attempt to sleep, and he'd signaled excitedly for me to join him. The plane got dark as most people slept around us, but Matt wanted to share the moment with me, and we gazed down in awe at the lights of Dublin as we passed over Ireland...it's as close as I have ever been! We were giddy and toasted to Ireland with our breakfast couisants (sp?) while the kids snoozed. 

Amsterdam was really cool to see so close up from the air, as we neared the airport. Red tiled roofs on quaint row houses, wind mills, the modern kind, many solar panels in fields...interesting mix of old world and new technology! We hop our short flight to Copenhagen, Denmark in a little while. Then our 2 1/2  hr train ride to Sweden. We just has some great yogurt with granola, and are feeling so wonderful! 

Will write more when there is more to tell. Love you all. Sending hugs. 

our love- Matt, Brig, Bri, Bran