Christmas parties with school friends, Christmas parties at work and Christmas parties with best friends. That pretty much sums up the past few weeks for me. Swedes really live it up for all of December and I am happily joining in on the fun.
I met up with some of my "new" friends from school for dinner one night after work last week. We had decided we wanted to do something social outside of class since we had been having so much fun together during our breaks. It is a fun group because everyone is in the same boat. All of us immigrants, working during the day and studying Swedish at night, wondering how the heck we ended up in this freezing cold country. We ate a fantastic italian dinner, drank wine and went around the table telling our embarrassing "once I said this in Swedish but meant to say this" stories. There were some pretty great ones that made me feel better about all of my Swedish slip-ups.
The bank I work for was recently named number one Nordic Bank for financial analysis (the section of the bank I work for). They threw out all the stops for our Christmas party this year because of it. All 125 of us took a boat out to the archipelago, where we were greeted with a champagne toast by the head boss and a spectacular fireworks show! It was incredible, and was followed by an even more incredible three course dinner. We were entertained by a vocal group that also had some pretty funky dance moves, and then danced the night away ourselves to the DJ. It was pretty fun to see some of my ever-so-serious co-workers let loose.
Saturday night, Klas and I had some of our closest friends at our place for appetizers and a little Secret Santa exchange to keep the festivities going. Nothing fancy but we had a great time. I made pigs in a blanket, which were a big hit. Klas kept calling them pigs in a towel :) Christmas music and laughter filled the apartment all night long. Doesn't get much better than that.
Since our camera is still out of working function, I don't have any pictures to share from all this fun, but I hoping to get some from some of my friends (hint hint to those of you who were there...with a camera) and am hoping Santa brings me a camera for Christmas in the meantime (hint hint to my husband).
December 14, 2009
November 29, 2009
Glad första advent
I've spent the day hanging up what little Christmas decorations we have and listening to Christmas music. I couldn''t help myself. I was putting the little mini ornaments on our little mini tree and couldn't resist blasting Mariah's All I want for Christmas is You.
I am well aware that we are still in November but today is first advent in Sweden, a tradition that counts down to Christmas by lighting a candle every Sunday on the four weeks leading up to Christmas. I think I also need to feel the holiday spirit to be more okay with this horrible weather we have been having. And lastly, since Klas is on tour for the majority of December, I will spending a lot of time at home alone and the decorations help make the place more cozy.
So there is my list of excuses for decorating for Christmas in November :) Happy first advent everyone! Glad första advent!
I am well aware that we are still in November but today is first advent in Sweden, a tradition that counts down to Christmas by lighting a candle every Sunday on the four weeks leading up to Christmas. I think I also need to feel the holiday spirit to be more okay with this horrible weather we have been having. And lastly, since Klas is on tour for the majority of December, I will spending a lot of time at home alone and the decorations help make the place more cozy.
So there is my list of excuses for decorating for Christmas in November :) Happy first advent everyone! Glad första advent!
November 22, 2009
Catching up
Where do you start when you have taken such a long sabbatical from the blogging world? It doesn't seem practical to just start writing as if nothing has changed or happened over the past five months, but its not easy to try and catch up.
Instead of writing a chapter book, here is a list of some of the things that have been going on in my life here in Sweden.
- Klas and I took a trip to Copenhagen in the beginning of July to go to the Jazz Festival there. It was such a good trip for us.
- My family and some very special friends made the long trip to Sweden in August and I was finally able to share the beauty of this special city I live in with those who matter most to me in the world.
-We went to Skiathos, Greece for our honeymoon which was by far the best vacation I have ever been on. We are already looking forward to going back.
Instead of writing a chapter book, here is a list of some of the things that have been going on in my life here in Sweden.
- Klas and I took a trip to Copenhagen in the beginning of July to go to the Jazz Festival there. It was such a good trip for us.
- My family and some very special friends made the long trip to Sweden in August and I was finally able to share the beauty of this special city I live in with those who matter most to me in the world.
- The reason everyone came was of course for wedding! Klas and I were married on August 22 in Årsunda, and it truly was the best day of my life. (more posts on the wedding to come!)
-We went to Skiathos, Greece for our honeymoon which was by far the best vacation I have ever been on. We are already looking forward to going back.
-I started a Swedish litterature and writting course at Stockholm University in September and now go to class in the evening two nights a week. I have made some new friends there and would like to think my Swedish has moved up a level since I started.
- I was finally made permanent at my job as an editor, where I have been working under a temporary contract for more than a year. It is a great relief for me to have more security and to be able to continue doing what I love.
As I think back on the past five months, I realize that some pretty amazing things have happened to me. I have taken a lot of steps in the right direction down my life path and am loving everyday because of it. Life is good.
As I think back on the past five months, I realize that some pretty amazing things have happened to me. I have taken a lot of steps in the right direction down my life path and am loving everyday because of it. Life is good.
November 18, 2009
Oh what a difference five months makes
I can't tell you how strange it feels that my last entry was posted five months ago and was titled Eternal daylight. Partly because it honestly feels like we went on that late-night picnic one week ago, but also because I now, five months later, find myself in the eternal darkness of Swedish winter.
If the sun does come out, it will peak it's little head out for a few hours mid-day but I have not managed to see my solar friend for weeks. I have seen gray skies and I have seen black skies, but no sun. In fact, I have the day off from work today and as I was walking home from the grocery store, I realized I had no sense of what time it was. 2:00? 6:00? 10:00pm? Could really be any of those. I decided that it was just dark and wet o'clock.
Opposites are what make life exciting, and I am trying my best to enjoy this yin to summer's yang. One way to get through the winter is to keep extra busy and I look forward to posting more often!
If the sun does come out, it will peak it's little head out for a few hours mid-day but I have not managed to see my solar friend for weeks. I have seen gray skies and I have seen black skies, but no sun. In fact, I have the day off from work today and as I was walking home from the grocery store, I realized I had no sense of what time it was. 2:00? 6:00? 10:00pm? Could really be any of those. I decided that it was just dark and wet o'clock.
Opposites are what make life exciting, and I am trying my best to enjoy this yin to summer's yang. One way to get through the winter is to keep extra busy and I look forward to posting more often!
June 30, 2009
Eternal daylight
Klas and I went for a late night walk and picnic by the lake tonight. Guess what time it was when these pictures were taken???
Almost 10:00pm!!!! It's very hard to get ready for bed when you can have a picnic and enjoy being outdoors instead :)
Almost 10:00pm!!!! It's very hard to get ready for bed when you can have a picnic and enjoy being outdoors instead :)
June 23, 2009
Little guys
Klas brought these guys home last week. They are my new favorite addition to our apartment :)
June 9, 2009
Losing the lust to blog
If you haven't already noticed, in the past year or so, I seem to have lost that spark and burning lust to blog about my life. There are times when I feel like I have nothing to say and times when I feel overwhelmed by all that I have to share with family and friends that are so far away. My life is anything but dull lately and I think more than anything, I have a hard time getting excited about sitting down at the computer to type up a clever post when I have been sitting at the computer all day long at work!
I guess I am asking those of you who still check my page from time to time to bare with me. I will continue to post when I think it is fun and will try not to feel guilty about it when I don't.
The majority of my free time these days is spent wrapped up in wedding details but Klas and I are also good about making time for each other and we have had some fun times lately. Swedish summer has now arrived, which means we have sweltering heat one day and rain the next, but most of all it means seemingly eternal daylight. I always forget how special it is when we get to this time of year and the days seem to last a lifetime.
Addressing the wedding invites
The forest path by our place. Runs with Klas, bike rides to the beach and forest walks are my new favorite things in the world
Bruce Springsteen consert last week!
Even with this horrible weather we managed to have a good time :)
Our new balcony furniture where we eat breakfast most days. (and there's my bike too)
I guess I am asking those of you who still check my page from time to time to bare with me. I will continue to post when I think it is fun and will try not to feel guilty about it when I don't.
The majority of my free time these days is spent wrapped up in wedding details but Klas and I are also good about making time for each other and we have had some fun times lately. Swedish summer has now arrived, which means we have sweltering heat one day and rain the next, but most of all it means seemingly eternal daylight. I always forget how special it is when we get to this time of year and the days seem to last a lifetime.
Addressing the wedding invitesThe forest path by our place. Runs with Klas, bike rides to the beach and forest walks are my new favorite things in the worldBruce Springsteen consert last week!Even with this horrible weather we managed to have a good time :)Our new balcony furniture where we eat breakfast most days. (and there's my bike too)
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