Sub-arctic Winter

 Icy cold weather. Enjoying the sub-arctic winds for a few days... Tara posing by a little "waterfall".

This is Daddy used to go swimming in the summer.

 Please notice the sun in the photo above! This picture was taken around noon-time, and the sun is no higher than just above the tree-tops! ;)

Do what Jesus did - walk on water. Dad and WC trying out the ice.

WC and his new wool hat. Very warm and perfect for cold winter days!

Guitar hero!

Warren C and Daddy playing together on Dad's Gibson guitar, signed by Per Gessle.

Today we played through some of Mora Träsk's songs in Swedish. And we also played the following, very popular, tunes:

"(Jag vill vara din) Margareta" (chorus at 0.50)

"Alla känner nå'n från Göteborg (Rally)"

"Dom är ledsna (för att de inte är från Göteborg)"

WC was also head-banging to Dad's version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit"! For real!

Goodbye Christmas Tree!

The Red White and Blue proudly displayed on top of our spruce, instead of a star.

 It is time to say goodbye to our Family Christmas Tree! Here are some of our ornaments. Call us corny - but we believe in eclectic x-mas trees.

No American X-mas tree without a large Cheeseburger (thanks Sista S + D-Rock!)

Baby's first Christmas Teddy bear in cart.

"Goodbye tree!" Our son has been very good to the tree this season.

Feline family

Wittgenstein sucking up to our son.

WC and Wittgenstein playing Jack in the Box.

Relaxing at Daddy's manicure parlor

Nietzsche sleeping on Mommy's chair.

Herring plate!

Herring - Or what Swedes have for Christmas dinner. The first part of the "Julbord" consists of fish. In this picture you will find that we have boiled eggs cut in half and garnished with Kalles kaviar (red cod roe caviar). On the top of the plate is Tara's homemade bread with butter and in the middle Tara's homemade Janssons frestelse (a kind of potato gratin/casserole with anchovies). The rest of the plate is packed with different versions of pickled herring: "Brantevik herring" (a rather sweet pickled herring), Dill herring (as the name suggests, flavored in a dill brine, and Onion herring (the most traditional form of pickled herring). Yum yum! Served with a glass of cold Porter and snaps (for more about the all-important Nordic snaps ritual - read this). For Christmas we prefer a very bitter dram called Gammel Dansk.

Some famous Swedish snaps labels.

The Duck Song!

A duck walked up to a lemonade stand
and he said to the man running the stand.
"Hey! Got any grapes?"

The man said "No we just sell lemonade. 

But it’s cold and its fresh and it’s all home made.  

Can I sell you glass?"

The duck said “I’ll pass”. 

Then he waddled away. (waddle waddel). Till the very next day. (bop bop bop)

When the duck walked up to the lemonade stand
And he said to the man that was running the stand
"Hey.  You got any grapes?"

The man said "No, like I said yesterday, 

we just sell lemonade okay?
Why not give it a try?"

The duck said "Goodbye".
 

Then he waddled away.  He waddled away.  He waddled away
Till the very next day.

When the duck walked up to the lemonade stand
And he said to the man that was running the stand
"Hey.  You got any grapes?"

The man said "Look, this is getting old.  

Lemonade’s all we’ve ever sold. 

Why not give it a go?"   

The duck said “No.”

 
Then he waddled away.  He waddled away.  He waddled away
Till the very next day.

When the duck walked up to the lemonade stand
And he said to the man that was running the stand

"Hey.  You got any grapes?"

The man said "THAT’S IT!!  If you don’t stay away,duck,  

I’ll glue you to a tree and leave you there all day, stuck.
So don’t get to close!" 

The duck said "Adios."

 
Then he waddled away.  He waddled away.  He waddled away
Till the very next day.

When the duck walked up to the lemonade stand
And he said to the man that was running the stand
"Hey.  You got any glue?"

"What?"

"You got any glue?"

"No, why would I– Oh!"

"Then one more question for you:
Got any grapes?"

And the man just stopped.  Then he started to smile.  

Then he started to laugh.  He laughed for a while.
Then he said, “Come on duck, let’s walk to the store.  

I’ll buy you some grapes so you won’t have to ask anymore.”

So they walked to the store and the man bought some grapes.  

He offered one to the duck and the duck said “No thanks”. 

“But you know what sounds good? It would make my day.
Do you think this store, do you think this store, do you think this store…  has any… lemonade?”

Then he waddled away.  He waddled away.  He waddled away.

Chord progression (throughout the song):

C                     C         F                G
A duck walked up to a lemonade stand
    C                      C      F                G      
and he said to the man running the stand
C  C   F            G      
Hey. got any grapes?

I'm the NRA (again)!

Our son showing his colors and making a statement to defend liberty and support the Second Amendment. (Here is a photo from last summer on the same theme.) Mom and Dad used to live as stone's throw away from  The National Rifle Association headquarter in Fairfax, Virginia.

 When will PopPop take me duck hunting in Texas?

New Year's Eve 2010

Our New Year's platter: lobster served with crème fraiche, red onions, red and black cod roe, slices of lemon, and toast. We washed it down with a nice, dry Chardonnay - Blason de Bourgogne 2009. Later, at midnight, we had some Champagne (Nicolas Feuillatte 2004) while watching the fireworks from our window. More than half a foot of snow fell between 10 PM and 2 AM, which created a wonderful winter landscape in the city streets (see below).

Fun to do indoors in December

Drawing with Daddy with my new crayons!

Taking my Brio dachshund for a walk in the apartment. (To the tunes of "I want a dog".)

First of Advent

 

 Sweden celebrates First of Advent by putting electrical candlesticks in the windows and start opening our advent calender. And so do we. 

 Read more about it here:

By the time December comes round, Sweden has very few hours of daylight. The sun drops out of sight in the afternoon. The first Sunday of Advent comes as an eagerly awaited sign that Christmas is approaching. Although by then, of course, the world of commerce has made sure we know what is coming — sales campaigns begin in mid-November and Christmas shop windows and street decorations are already in place.

Our son opening his own advent calender, assisted by Mom.

Coffee for the Holidays

Seasonal coffee. Dunkin' Donuts Pumpkin Spice!!! Our X-mas gift from Aunt and Uncle Angelo: Sista Sarah and D-Rock.

Fun in the snow during X-mas!

Our son loves the slopes in our neighborhood.

Dad joins in the fun on his old Snow-racer by Stiga.

It's fun in the su... snow!

In a country where snow-plowing is not an everyday business in the city the streets are perfectly prepared to go sledding. In the picture above WC is pulled by Dad across the tramcar tracks.

Yet another snowfall buries the cars down below in snow. We saw plenty of fresh snow in between Christmas and New Years Eve.

Merry Christmas, dudes!

American Christmas Day in our home

In the morning: Santa left presents under our Christmas tree!

WC opening presents by the "fireplace" with Farmor and Farfar.

Farmor and WC posing by the Christmas tree.

A young version of PopPop! WC in a US Navy Pea coat.

Our table set for the Turkey dinner.

Our table in its standard Christmas outfit.

Junior Jingle Bell Rock between two cousins. Frosty the Snowman playing the piano is an old Hallmark gift from MomMomMom and PopPopPop.

God Jul!

God Jul 

from All of us to All of You!
 

Season Greetings

The Nilssons

Swedish Christmas celebration

Swedish Farmor with WC and his cousin.

 To celebrate a real Swedish traditional Christmas evening, we went to Aunt and Uncle Nilsson's house outside of Stockholm.

Plenty of spruce and fur trees heavy with snow. And the streets are as white as the surrounding.

Our son, watching for when Santa is supposed to arrive.

Our hosts, Aunt and Uncle Nilsson, with the delicacies prepared for a traditional Swedish julbord - a seasonal form of a smorgasbord. Lots of herring, pickled herring, salmon, achovis, Jansson's temptation, ham etc etc.

Two cousins enjoying gingerbread cookies and milk.

Santa and Warren Christopher

Swedish Santa finally made it to our home to meet with our son and deliver a whole bunch of Christmas presents.

Santa is on his way!

"There is no bad weather, just bad clothes," say the Swedes. And winter is just another season. Right now the thermometer shows  -6°F (-21°C) in Stockholm. With winds that reach 16 ft per second, the wind chill factor pushes the quicksilver even lower, to -26°F (-32°C)! The picture above is from a country road just south of Stockholm. If you want to see a wonderful video clip from a snow-clad Sweden (showing Santa leaving his home in Swedish Lapland)  you have to click here!

Farmor's birthday!

Farmor had her birthday, and we just had to give her this kewl Urbanista design called Dramaten, color: The Pink Panther. Hopefully it will be a good help during her grocery shopping trips (since we kind of "stole" her old one).

Comments are now available!

Happy B-day Debra! To celebrate your birthday we are now opening up for comments on our blog - something you have been very keen on pointing out to us. So... here it is! Our posts are open for comments from everyone (though we will use a moderator function)! Just click on the comments section below each post.

And have a very happy Birthday!

/Tara and Kim