friday feelings & pralines

Nothing feels as good as this. Half  lying on top of the bed with the window wide open, smelling the summer rain, and listening to a bit of Norah Jones in the background. Friday feelings indeed, good people of the world. Friday feelings!

It's not a total doss evening, I have actually made my own marbled chocolate pralines. I even went above and beyond my beginners status and plopped in a hazelnut or two. Having just sampled one, I can tell you they most certainly are delicious, and now that I know that I dont totally suck as a Chocolatiere I'll get some better quality chocolate to do it next time. Probs end up working out more expensive than buying the darn things, but where's the fun in that?? This she says having been to hell and back with frustration, grating up 400g worth of chocolate super super super fine and hurting poor fingers, and then realising it was actually rather akward constantly stirring melting chocolate sitting in a bowl in a pan of boiling water X2 (for the dark and white chocolate). 

I've said it before, but domestication just does not seem to become me. Y'know, the bits that are essential like cooking = total BOREDOM to me. Baking is fun. Cleaning I manage ok, better than some, worse than others, lagom as we say here in Sweden. Homemaking, rather than housewifing befits me more appropriately methinks. And seeing as we are speaking of making I shall mention that I have an upcoming project, or three, that require a sewing machine, fabric, lace and fabric paints, Homemaking stuffs. There are some poor cushions on our sofa screaming out for prettier covers, and its something I have been wanting to do for ages but just not had the right inspirations. Now that I do, I just have to make poor hublet take me to the shops tomorrow, but saying that maybe leaving him and the kiddies at home would be the best and make for uninterrupted glorious browsing at Ohlsson's Tyger alone. Smart aren't I.

Anyone else have any projects on the go?

golf balls, marbles and sand

In 9 weeks and 2 days Lily turns one. A whole year old, crikey! Then, dear friends, it is truly back to normality as I will return to work, kids will be in nursery and the real puzzle shall begin. Byebye to the 1000 piece puzzle we've been laying since the start of maternity leave, hello 3D multi-tiered masterpiece special edition puzzle. Hello indeed.

Years and years ago, I remember getting an email about a professor talking to his students. He had an empty jar, some golf balls, marbles and sand...

Without saying a word to his students, he removed the lid of the jar and filled it with golf balls. When no more golf balls fit he closed the jar with its lid. He then asked his class, “Would you say that the jar is now full?” His students observed the jar and concluded that the jar was indeed full. 

The professor then proceeded to open the jar up and started inserting marbles into the jar. The marbles started to fill the gaps between the golf balls. After sealing the jar, he asked his class once again if they thought the jar was now full. The class concluded that the jar was indeed now full.

The professor opened the jar a third time and started pouring in sand. Obviously, the sand started filling the gaps between the golf balls and the marbles. He then sealed the jar and asked his class a third time if the jar was full. His class chuckled and replied in unison, “Yes, it is now full!”

The professor opened the jar and emptied two small cups of coffee in the jar. The liquid had completely filled the gap between the golf balls, the marbles, and the grains of sand. He then began his lecture.

“I hope you realise that life is very much like this jar. The golf balls represent the important things in life, like God, family, loved ones, health, things that you care intimately about. If we lost everything else in life, our lives would still be ‘full’. The marbles are the other things in our lives that are important, but our happiness shouldn’t depend on them. Things like our work, our house, our car, etc. Finally, the sand represents everything else; the small stuff.

“If we were to have filled our jar up with sand first, there we wouldn’t have had enough room for the marbles or the golf balls. If we use all our life and energy on the small stuff, we won’t have any room for the important things.”

After a brief moment of silence one of the students asked, “Professor, what does the coffee represent?”

“Ah, I’m glad you asked,” replied the professor. “It means that no matter how full your life is, there is always room for a cup of coffee with a friend.”

25

A birthday is a birthday. A day that is all yours, attention and gifts to be lavished, however great or small, and the best thing of all, is that you get to decide what to have for dinner.

The old saying goes that age is nothing but a number, and my age is never something I have really thought about. Getting to 16, then 18 were milestones that were longed for, and then 19 came, 20, 21 , that was a another big one, but to be honest I got more swept up in the hype of it than actually excited for being 21. In fact, my 21st was rather low key, Mark took me out to dinner, my brother met us out for drinks, and dear mother in law cooked a lush roast and got a cake. Perfect.

At 22 I became a mother, and I got married. At 23 I moved abroad for the second time (albeit back to Sweden that I left at  age 10). At 24 I was mamma to two daughters, with a husband, in Sweden, with my Volvo. A shiny, pretty white Volvo V70 sport infact, and a pain in a$$ to keep clean.

By my reckoning, the only thing I have left to cross off on the list "Things to do in order to become a fully fledged out-and-out adult" is to buy my our own house. And guess what...that is still some time away lol.

Crickey, I have been busy enough eh, and now I think would like a little time to just land and grow more into myself as the adult that I am, the mother that I am, and the wife that I am. All quite different parts of me, yet very much equal in importance. So ponder as I may, and worry about what it means to be a grown up and become older, I am now heading to bed to catch up on some beauty sleep. Oh, and slathering on some moisturiser to keep my youthful dewy glow *sarcastic*

please note my super cool pose at 25. Oh so mature ;)

moose farms, beaches and happiness

Life is for living. I'd bet a million quid on the fact that most of us have used this phrase at least once in our lives. To live is to breathe, and smell the sun drenching everything in warmth. To feel, every colour of the flowers, the grasses and the skies. To live is to be, taking the time to stop, look around and appreciate what you have and love it.

taken whilst picnicking at Älgens Hus, Bjurholm

Today, like everyday, we have been so busy it is untrue. Unlike last week though, so far we have avoided A&E. We ended up there twice with Maia, once for high temp and next to NO food or drink and no weewee's or poops for 15hours (scary) and a second time with severe swelling to face and limbs with a rash, that went as quickly as it came, and practically disappeared whilst we were sat in assessment. Strange. Thankfully, we were at a BBQ where a friend of our hosts is soon to be a qualified paediatric Dr, thinks Maia has slapped cheek and not a severe allergic reaction. Thanks GP and A&E for nothing. When we inquired about how/why this allegic reaction (the rash) was coming and going at such random times and circumstances, we were met with a shrug and sent on our way. Anyhoo, Im over it...

So, yes. Busy, busy, busy. We took a trip out to Älgens Hus today to see the Kings of the Forests. The kids weren't really all that interested in it, but it was a nice day and we had a lush picnic out in the sunshine and the girls were all lovely behaved. Sort of. Good considering they werent fussed on the mooses and just wanted to run around and scream which wasnt so nice for the baby mooses who were only at most 3weeks and youngest 1.5 weeks old. Didums.

After a quick turn around of dinner, it was shoes on again and off to Revet  for evening play at the beach. Wishful thinking it would turn our little angels into peacefully sleeping beauties before their little heads even touched the pillows. But it was a valiant try and very very fun one too, Mark releasing his inner merman and James Bond, dunking of some over eager children in the water who then realise that maybe it wasnt so fun lol. Little cuties. I am awed at how well they have taken to eachother and play together, considering they were all but strangers when they first arrived. Blood is thicker than water they say, and maybe there is something in it...

 Someone once said, that happiness is wanting the things that you already have. Its so true.  Cheesy, I know. But still. A happy thought to leave you with, G'night!

just a quick hello...

Bejeezaz, Friday has come round mighty quick. An eventful week will make for fast passing of time I guess. We have fitted in visits to A&E, a water adventure park, Nationaldag celebrations, BBQ on the beach in the drizzle, removal of wisdom tooth and possibly another doctors appointment on the horizon today. Oh, and we are due for a BBQ and play at Nydala Lake Adventure Park with the Wattses and the S-A's. Jolly good stuffs!

So not much time to update at the mo, bu hopefully I will find some later on this evening when all kidlets are conked out and sleeping peacefully after a fun packed day <3 Enjoy the photos instead from Gammlia Open Air Museum where we went on Wednesday and then later at Revet for a BBQ

Cracknells on tour

Shoot me down for sounding a fool, jumping the gun and jinxing us from here to Kingdom come, BUT, the house is surprisingly quiet with five children in it. In this very moment, Lily is snoozing, Rebecca cuddling mummy in sofa, and Bethany, Megan and Maia are drawing at the dining table.

 Yes, ok, its only been one full day, but still. Things are going great. Logistically, we've had to tweak things a little here at home and have moved out all of Maia's toys into the ''Office'' corner of the living room, still very much a concept idea, and very much on the hunt for *the* desk. Difficult, as we have polar opposite opinions as to what this ultimate desk looks like. Mark wants classic scandinavian chic, and me, chic of the shabbier kind.

So far, we have enjoyed an afternoon at the beach, and last night's bedtime went ten times better than the night before. Fingers crossed things go the same way tonight, or even better (dare we hope?! ). Today Kerry, Rebecca, Lily & I are off to a loppis, so I best get me skates on and get dressed- leaving in half hour!