Busy Week

I can't believe another month has gone by....WELCOME to October!  One of my favorite things about living in Atlanta, was Autumn.  The colors, mixed with the hilly landscape, and the cool weather, was amazing.  I didn't realize that Stockholm has a beautiful Autumn as well.  Yesterday was our weekly walk around Djurgarden and the scenery was amazing.  The weather was chilly, high 40's, but the sun made it feel a little warmer.

Lori and I stopped for a quick photo on our favorite walking bridge

It takes us about two hours to walk from the school and then around the island.  We always stop in the same cafe afterwards for fika or lunch.  Twenty American women in a small cafe.... well... you can imagine the noise level.  This week there were four Swedes eating in there was well.  The men at the table would not stop staring at us.  I'm absolutely certain they were in shock by the amount of yapping taking place.  Whenever I'm surrounded by Swedes, you can hear a pin drop.  They are not a chatty bunch.  I'm sure these people will NEVER come to this cafe on a Friday again.  (They did not know we were taking a picture of them.. Lori was posing in front of them.)  

It's not a clear picture... but look at their faces

Last weekend, Steve and I were able to go out to dinner ALONE for the first time in months.  Oh how we miss our wonderful babysitters back home.  The International School provides a babysitter list that only family's from the school are allowed to use.  Many of them are teacher assistants.  They all have references as well.  We also have a friend here that has a regular sitter she uses.   Sam is her name and she's  in college here in Stockholm.  Sam is originally from France and has lived here for three  years.  She was available last Saturday night, so we used her.  She was so good and the boys really liked her.   We are so grateful that we found Sam.  We were missing our date nights.

This was our view from the table

Trattorian on Kungsholmen is where we ate.  The food was delicious.  Something we are slowly getting accustomed to here in Stockholm is the service when we're out to dinner.  In America the waiter comes to your table as soon as you sit down.  They take your drink order, talk to you a bit about the menu, then leave you for a while to make decisions.   We sat down, marveled at the view and the fact that we were alone for the first time in three months, and were excited to order a glass of wine and chill out.  Twenty minutes later, we still had not met our waiter.  Our bliss wore off and we were starting to get antsy.  The manager comes over and asks if we would like to order a drink.  When he walked away, I looked at Steve and wondered why the manager came over before the waiter.  Steve looks at me with a smirk and says "because I was eyeing him down....and he finally got the hint".   Our drinks arrived, we waited another ten minutes or so and our waiter finally came to our table.  A quick hello... and "are you ready to place your order?"  A much different experience than we're used to, but.... still a great time.  We were not rushed, the dinner was delicious, and we were able to sit there for as long as we wanted.  They expect you to stay....where as in America, they'll push you out the door if it's a busy time.  Reason being..... American waiters work on tips and Swedish waiters work on salary.   I will mention, after he brought our food, we did not see him again.  We had to track him down for another drink and the check.  hahaha

The bar/lounge attached to the restaurant was really cool.  It was a very chilly night outside, so walking into Orangeriet, with it's warm and cozy atmosphere, was perfect!  We tried to snap pictures, but they didn't do it any justice.  In the center of the room was an enclosed fireplace with all the crackling and coziness that comes with it.  Surrounding the fire, were groups of couches and tables, depending on the size of your group.  The entire lounge was enclosed with windows overlooking the water.  We loved it so much, we had a drink there before and after dinner.  This will be a must-see for our visitors.  We hear that in the summer, it has a different vibe with tables along the deck surrounding the water.  

Post dinner cocktail at Orangeriet

We loved that we could walk to and from the restaurant.  It was quite chilly on our walk home.... but I actually enjoyed it!  

Steve left for London on Monday so I was solo again.  Soccer is my only stress when I'm alone.  Jake's practice is a ten minute train ride and then a mile walk once off the train.  It starts at 6:30 and ends at 8;00.   Dragging Chase to his practice at night is horrible.   It's tough after a full day of school to come home, eat dinner, and head out into the cold.  We are trying to figure out a bus that will drop us closer to the field, but haven't been able to do that yet.  Normally, Steve takes Jake and I'm home with the other boys.... but when he travels, it's another story.  This week one of Jake's coaches offered to drive him home afterwards so I didn't have to wait there with the boys.  Rumor has it, they practice outside through out the winter months because their fields are heated!  

We have been using a carpooling service called Sunfleet.  We pay a monthly fee and  reserve cars online whenever we need them.  We have our own access into the garage where we pick up the car when we're scheduled.  It has been great so far.  We use it mostly on weekends when the boys tournaments are outside of the city.  I was going to reserve a car this week to take the boys to and from practice until I learned that most of the cars here are NOT automatics.  Those of you that have seen me drive a stick shift (going up the hills in Buies Creek in Steve's Tercel) know that  this is not an option.  Steve actually wants me to practice so I can drive here.  hahahaha... I think he forgot how much damage I did to his car in college and how everyone got whiplash when driving with me.  For now, I'll be walking the distance!

After a few days alone with my boys, I usually need some type of therapy.  This week, my therapy was shopping!  I needed (or maybe just wanted) more sweaters.  Lori and I hit the stores all day on Wednesday.  It was not only fun, but did the trick of rejuvenation .. I was then able to handle the rest of the week without Steve here.  We laughed about how different the customer service is when shopping.  In the states, you can't even peek your head into a store without the sales person attacking you with the daily sales and offering her help.  I was always slightly annoyed by this...but obviously very used to it.  Here, it's the complete opposite.  We actually had to run after one of the sales girls for help, and both Lori and I swear that she looked at us quickly  and picked up her speed as she walked away.  Maybe she heard us talking and felt intimidated by having to speak English.  Many people I talk to here mention in the course of conversation how terrible their english is.  I am amazed by this.... because I think they speak great english.   I'm so envious of all the people  I meet that speak more than one language.  

Of course we stopped for tea in our travels... coffee and tea cafes are EVERYWHERE.  The one problem I'm having when shopping all day.... finding the restrooms (or toilet... which is the appropriate word for it here).  There are very few public toilets in Stockholm.  They are not advertised like they are in America.... AND... when you finally find one, you had better have at least 5 Kroner.  Yes, toilets are not free!  This makes for an interesting time with the boys.  There have been many times where they are about to pee their pants in a store and I'm searching through my bag for coins.  Did I mention that at restaurants the restaurants are often coed?  There's no going to the restroom with your girlfriend and chatting while you put on lipstick.   I have to share bathrooms with boys at home.... the last thing I want to do is share them with strange men!  Yuck!!!!

Wednesday, was supposed to be Abba Museum day.  Yes, I love Abba.  The Dancing Queen album was a hit in our household growing up.  Now I live in Abba country!  Our children go to the school that the Abba family attended.  There is a huge picture of them at the front entrance of the office.  Claudette's sister is visiting from D.C so Lori and I decided to tag along with them since we have never been.  The museum opened at noon and I had to be at fika with the parents of Jake's fourth grade class at 2:00.  Since 90 minutes is all that is needed in the museum, I decided I could make this work.  I volunteered in Chase's class that morning, during Orienteering.  I ran home quickly, showered, and planned to take the bus to the tram and meet the girls in front of Abba at noon.  All was going according to plan, until I jumped on the bus going the wrong way.  I have NOT mastered the buses yet.  I've learned that you need a sense of direction to master this task because you have to know which direction to take the bus.  That is my big downfall.  I was actually so confident that I took the right bus, that when I realized I was on the wrong bus, I almost started to cry.  So now, I'm further away from the museum and I had to be there in 30 minutes.   All the routes according to my phone said 45 minutes.  I called Lori to tell her I wasn't going and she suggested jumping in a cab.  Why didn't I think of that!  I was standing next to a cab stand so I jumped in with a lady driver.  Of course, my luck, she had only been driving here a few months and had never been to Abba.  Guess who had to show her how to get there?  She cut my fair in half because she felt bad.    I arrived at exactly noon and I was able to jump to the front of the line with the girls.  I was so excited as we were waiting, listening the music.  We go inside the shop, only to grab a number.  I ask Claudette why the number.... she laughs with a "you have to take a number to buy your ticket".  The swedes love a number ticket!  We were numbers 19-22.  By the time we got to the front, the first tour was sold out.  We had to wait until 12:45 for the next showing.  What does that mean for me?  I can't go in because I had fika at 2:00.  I was so sad!!!  I missed the fun!  Of course Steve won't be caught dead in an Abba museum, so I'll have to wait for my first visitor.  Hurry.... someone come visit me!!!  

I mentioned that I volunteered during Orienteering at school this week.  This was so fun and such a great way to teach kids navigation and team work.  Each grade does this a bit differently, but the general experience of the day goes like this.  The children are split into groups and given maps.  There are various locations on the map that they have to find.  The older students had a more advanced experience and their orienteering lasted the week.  The elementary students did it for a few hours.  They left the school and walked to a park where the course was already set up by the volunteers.  I experienced it with the preschool children and it was so cute!  I took some pictures of Chase reading the map with his friends and finding the animal pictures that were hanging from various tress on the course.  

Ms. Jeanna passing out the maps

Chase and his friends found the horse

Chase and I waiting for instruction

After all of this activity, one would think that a certain three year old boy would crash at the end of the day and fall asleep without any problem!  Not my little guy.  He's in bed by 7:30 and still awake at 10:00.  The boys are all sleeping in the same room.  Their bed times are staggered, so up until this point, the sleeping arrangements have not been a problem.  Now that Chase has decided to not sleep, when Smith and Jake get into bed, it's a big party.  The other night, Steve was in London, I was so tired from a long day, and the three of them are having a wrestling contest on Jake's bed.  Needless to say, I was not happy and gave them all a piece of my mind (I'm putting it kindly) which then helped them go to sleep.  This new trend is driving me crazy!  The boys have not had screen time in quite a while.... and it won't return until they learn how to go to sleep at night.  It's times like these that I miss my house!

Thursday was Chocolate Festival Day!!!  A group of us went to Stockholm’s Chokladfestivalen.  I took lots of pictures to give you the full effect.  Lakrits (licorice) is so popular here.  It's the real deal though.... not twizzlers.  True, black licorice... and I love it!  There were so many things to taste and look at.   As we walked around... this is what we saw:

dipping marshmallows in dark chocolate

 

White chocolate fountain

how about some wine tasting in the afternoon

These truffles were AMAZING!  Very unique flavors

These next three pictures are all candy!

I know I have mentioned Östermalms Saluhall in my past blogs.  This is my favorite place to shop.  The food is so unbelievably fresh and the butchers remind me of home.  It's very crowded. With the number of mini restaurants and cafes though out, many people eat here for lunch as well as shop.  There is also an amazing juice bar that sells mostly organic food and snacks.  Each time I'm inside, I realize that I need to shop here more.  It's not a direct path for me so getting here is not easy.  But... well worth it once inside.

fresh produce at Saluhall

Yesterday I bought pork chops on the bone.  They are huge and so fresh.  They also have prepared food if you're in a hurry or don't have time to cook that day.  I bought hummus that had great flavor, not garlicy at all.  I wish I had brought my cart so I could have bought more.  We went after our walk, so we bought only what we could carry home.  The walk home for me is about two miles.  I walked halfway and then jumped on the subway.  I need to find a direct bus route so I can shop here in the winter months too.

Amy, my American cafe owner/friend  is still open each day.   She hasn't sold it yet.  I love her soups.  I pick up a cup every day as we walk home from school.  She always gives the boys treats from the bakery.  Yesterday was Kanelbullens dag  here in Sweden.  These are Smith's favorite!

Throughout the city, the fresh smell of cinnamon buns was inhaled by all.  The school had them fresh and hot for all the students.  Yum!!!

Friday afternoon was "shop for warm winter coats day".  I have been shopping alone looking for the best stores to buy the boys' coats.  I settled on Lindberg, a store dedicated to warm weather clothing.  Shopping with my boys is always a challenge.  It's on top of the list of things I hate doing.... right next to cleaning bathrooms.  We did manage to find coats for Smith and Chase.   One thing positive I will say about shopping with boys, they know what they want and they don't change their minds.  I on the hand, can't make up my mind when I shop and tend to buy one of everything OR walk out the door with nothing.  :(  Everyone has been talking about Hestra gloves.  They are the warmest around and a MUST for the brutal winters here.  I still have to buy a pair for Steve an I, but I found a pair for each boy yesterday and swiped them up before they sold out.  They are quite pricey... over $50 a pair so the kids will not wear them to school.  Many of the moms I've spoken to have this same rule.   Chase got his full mask hat, which he refers to as his Super Hero mask so he's all set for winter.

We were meeting Steve at T-Centralen after work to shop in one more store and then get dinner.  Central Station, in any city, is huge and busy and here in Stockholm it's no different.  I get turned around every time I'm there.  So, the boys and I walked in circles (large circles) for about 20 minutes in the cold until I could figure out where we were meeting Steve.  They were all starving and tired so you could imagine what we looked like.

One of my goals this week was to find the tennis center.  I went running and finally found it.  The best part of this story is that I had passed the street it's on many times and never realized that was the building.  I decided to stop in and get some information in person, always easier than translating over the phone.  The man at the desk was not friendly and shoved a pamphlet in my face and told me to go to the website.  GREAT!!!  Now I'm on my own again.  I really miss tennis and I'm hoping to one day find a team.

My goal this week is to go into SATS, the gym here that I'm interested in joining and possibly teaching at.  I'm a bit intimidated to workout in a Swedish gym.  I want to take classes but I'm afraid of looking ridiculous because I won't know what anyone is saying.  I also don't know if they will want an English speaking instructor.

Random thoughts and comments:

1.  Check out the fancy garbage trucks they have here:

2.  Jake's class is studying food and healthy choices right now.  His classroom teacher and IT teacher had each student set up their own Pinterest page.  They are posting all types of food, recipes, and things related to healthy eating.  It's such a great idea!

3.  In music, the fourth grade is learning to play and sing the song, Wavin Flag by K'NAAN.  He loves when he gets to play the drums.... April, maybe he'll take after you.  :)  Needless to say, this song is permanently stuck in my head.  

4.  We (Jake) hosted our first Swedish (non English speaking) friend.  He is a brave soul to come over to our house knowing that nobody speaks Swedish.  The boys had a great time.  They always do when they're together.  Liam and Jake have had a few play outings at his house because his parents speak both languages.  My favorite part was when Liam came over with an iphone with google translate downloaded.  He actually used it a lot.  Here's a picture of the crew playing Play Station.

Jake and Steve are at Jake's soccer tournament today.  I missed it because Smith woke up with a fever and sore throat.  I'm hoping this will go away on it's own.  If not, I'm sure my next blog will be a good read after having to find a doctor and figure out how to make an appointment.......