Sledding (before the face injury)

Check out Alba's face before I push them down...

Wonderland

Today has been straight out of a travel add for Sweden in the wintertime. We went to a small lake and Inara got to try her new ice-skates on. Hot chocolate with marshmallows was on the menu per Inara's request.

Merry Christmas 2015

Just a few pictures and movies from today!

Best wishes:

First and last picture taken of the gift opening. Alba screamed like Maria had cut her when the picture was taken.

At the park later in the day. Notice how Alba is pulling the flesh from my bones, a sign of extreme fatigue. That happens when you get up at 5:30 in the morning after having gone to bed an hour and half later than usual.

Gingerbread

We have been sick - again. So, we stayed inside all weekend. Today we made gingerbread cookies.

Also, snuggles on the couch while snacking on peas.

Thanksgiving Crafts by a Swede

Kids have been sick, so we had to stay quaranteened today. Tried making some Thanksgiving crafts. No idea what I'm doing, but they enjoyed it. Especially after I threw in some spaceships for good measure. We also went to a nearby park for a couple of hours to get some fresh air. It's getting a bit chillier finally, about 2 Celsius (36 F) today.

Back for Now

Performance

Inara vs. the gastropods

Maria has grown weary of her adoring public, all seven of you, so there has been a long time since there has been a post. I have decided to remedy this. She complains of time and not enough sleep but we all know this to be code that she doesn't like you.

In anycase I will present you something that has recently recaptured Inara's imagination:


The snail. No, not this snail in particular. Who even knows where this snail is from. Seriously.

Her primary fascination lies with the garden snail and the park snail (I'm translating from a Swedish identification book so if the names don't jive you can just deal with it). The park snails are about .75 inches in circumference and the garden a bit smaller. Inara will go out and collect literally every snail she can find. People that live in Idaho won't have an understanding for how many this can be, but it is well over 100 snails.

Alba's fascination lies with not really touching the snails but wanting to be a part of what Inara is so excited about. She has become a snail spotter. She will stand and scream "dar dar" at the snails until either Inara or I pick them up.

Maria's fascination lies with having nothing to do with snail/slugs/worms. She is conflicted and tries to pretend she wants to help. Maria is terrible help since she refuses to pick up or even properly guard the snail bucket(s). When the snails make a break for it she will just stand there and scream "dar dar" until Inara and I come and hussle the snails back into the bucket. Inara gave Maria a handful of flowers to hold that she'd mixed in a snail, because you see the flowers were for the snail to eat. Maria's response was predicable and the poor snail got more air time than any snail deserves.

At this point every snail has been collected a few dozen times an then released. And by released I mean dumped in a pile on the playground and forces to 'race' to the bush. I can honestly say it is about the slowest race I've seen. It is nearly as boring as Nascar or golf. Its almost like they don't even know they are racing.

The prize is generally a handful of grass dumped on them, so I can't see why that wouldn't motivate them. Most do eventually finish unaided however.

Oh interesting fact, slugs always crawl with the wind because it helps them dry out slower. Keep that one handy for Jeopardy.

Anyhow. I leave with you with these images and video.

Notice the 'winner' nearing the finish line. This snail was rewarded with a handful of rotting leaves.