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Apr 7, 2013
Good morning, sunshine
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Since Baby E decided to wake for the party at 5.50am (excuse me, mister, it’s Sunday…), I got up with him just after 6am and had breakfast with him. I was at a bit of a loose end after that, so I decided to give the new kettlebell a whirl when Husband got up and could keep an eye on the boys. Just a little session, as I am training again tomorrow afternoon.
3 rounds of:
- two-arm kettlebell swings – 12kg
- backward kettlebell lunges – 12kg
It felt good to have done a little exercise but it really showed (yet again) that I need to work on my cardio. My heart rate shot up and I was beginning to be out of breath. Urgh.
And all that lovely sunshine that I saw when I woke? Gone, and it’s only bloody snowing…
Mar 2, 2013
Sephora excitement
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Image from shoppingandfashion.se
In the last few weeks of my maternity leave I had a reminder on my phone, telling me to take the Roslagsbanan train to Täby. Why, you ask, what was there? Sephora is the answer.
Of course, as is the way with reminders (or is the way with me and reminders anyway), I never got around to going.
And then, just before I returned to work, I was wandering down Biblioteksgatan in the city and I saw that Sephora is opening a new branch in Stockholm, just metres away from my office. It opens at the end of March. I think my bank manager might be having words with me quite soon after…
Jan 20, 2013
Week 3 – Project 365
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Little O has developed a new habit in recent weeks, but this week it really started to annoy me. He chews on his jumper cuffs, the edge of his snow suit, his scarf, everything he find, but mainly his jumper cuffs. This lovely green jumper was a Christmas present to him from us, but it now has one cuff that is three times as wide as the other [sigh]…
The snow returned on Tuesday, so he had great fun throwing it, rolling in it and eating it.
On Wednesday, Baby E and I enjoyed our time together and even managed to get in a rare photograph of us together.
Baby E decided to crawl into a plastic tub on Thursday – photo opportunity! On Friday I picked up a new necklace – a little brighter than I normally would wear but fun. We went to a 1st birthday on Saturday and took the tunnelbana there – the views over the city were stunning. And today I was able to get a photo of Baby E doing what he does so much of these days: reaching for my iPhone!
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Nov 21, 2012
All quiet on the Stockholm front
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Hmmm, seems I have been a bit quiet recently. Just realised that I have not posted anything for more than a week now.
The apartment renovation is entering its final stages (after some 20 weeks!) and we’re actually started to live a “normal” life now. We moved the boys into their new bedroom on Saturday, we moved into our bedroom on Monday evening and the kitchen should (largely) be ready to use in a day or two. It feels very odd just to be us in here, rather than having four or five guys working on the place during the day. It’s a feeling I could get used to though!
Baby E has decided to up his repertoire of tricks to include standing up against furniture, which is great fun. And Little O is starting to feel a little pressure as his baby brother can now grab most of his toys.
So that is life with us. How about you?
Nov 12, 2012
Två Systrar & En Kock
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When we took our waterfront walk some weeks back, we discovered a great little cafe at which to stop and fika*.
It is called Två Systrar & En Kock – Two Sisters & a Chef – and is on Kronobergsgatan, one of the streets on Kungsholmen that run down towards the water. It is not so big inside (so pushchairs should be left outside) but they have made up for that with little touches like a box of toys for little ones to play with while you enjoy your fika.
Little O was able to sit and read a book and Baby E enjoyed chewing on some building bricks while Husband and I enjoyed our food and coffee.
The cafe is definitely mysig (another great Swedish word – cosy is the best translation) with candles and flowers on each table and comfortable cushions to relax back into.
The food was delicious, the coffee was great and I loved that they had thought about how to keep the little ones entertained. Highly recommended if you find yourself in the neighbourhood!
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* fika is a great Swedish word for a coffee break accompanied with something sweet – a little cake or bun. The word is twofold and can be used as the noun (“Let’s stop and have fika”) and as a verb (“Let’s stop and fika”). I love both the word and what it represents.
Oct 30, 2012
Parklife
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One of our favourite activities after picking Little O up from förskola is to visit a park, especially at this time of year when the leaves have fallen and can be run through, kicked about and investigated.
Humlegården is located right in the centre of Stockholm and we visit it frequently, mainly because the playground is so great. There are four separate playground areas, three of which are for different ages, while the fourth has an area to play ball sports and – joy of joys – seven swings! And this is why we visit so often. Both boys love the swings and at Humlegården they can often swing side by side.
It is also incredibly beautiful, especially now that the leaves are turning.
I love that we have this park just a few minutes’ walk from home. Once you wander in, the city could be miles away.
Oct 9, 2012
An autumn walk
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I’ve been having a bit of a Hipstamatic splurge recently. So on Saturday, when Little O, Baby E and I took a two-hour long walk while Husband did some work at home on the apartment renovation, I took some pictures of the city in the autumn sunshine.
We headed to Kungsholmen, one of the islands that make up the centre of the city, and down onto the waterfront path.
We walked along the waterfront until we found a playground, where we stopped for a break.
We continued on our walk around the Kungsholmen waterfront, looking at ducks, boats and the turning leaves on the trees.
Then we got our first glimpse of the castle.
As we walked further, the waterway narrowed right down and we passed an allotment patch. Here in Sweden, people built sweet little houses on their allotment (koloni), grow beautiful flowers, fruit and vegetables and often spend many hours there in the summer months.
We actually then left the city briefly and walked a few metres through the Solna suburb of Stockholm, before turning back into Stockholm and onwards towards the castle.
The castle is not open to the public (it’s a military building) but there are cannons and anchors enough outside to entertain a toddler.
And then it was time to head back towards Karlberg station and on into the city.
Days like this remind me just why I love this city so much.
In brief: English, living in Sweden, with my Swedish/Hungarian husband and our sons, Little O and Baby E, and trying to juggle all the different aspects of my new life - the me I was before, the me I am now and the me that I would like to be... 
