Lotta & Roland's Wedding

a little sleepy after such a big job of holding the rings...

I just love this shot of Isabelle in the flowers.... looking so cute!


Mattias, The Happy Couple (Lotta & Roland), Malin (Mattias' sister) and our little Belle!



here we the Carlssons are all dress up!
What a beautiful Wedding in Småland! Mattias' mother Lotta & Roland got married in a beautiful herb garden. Mattias was the best man, Malin was the maidron of honor, and Isabelle was the ring bearer, and I of course, was the photographer. More photos to come on our sister site www.blondecowphotography.blogspot.com .
The day was gorgeous with a drizzle or two of rain. The scent from the herbs as you got close was so amazing! They had a girl with such a beautiful voice sing & play piano and when she was pausing all you could hear was the bzzzzzing of the summer bumble bees. They said their vows and it was so personal and such a small group of us which made it really special. After we walked to a cafe where there was a delicious lunch and a "King's Torte" for us with coffee and of course Champagne! Congratulations Lotta & Roland... we love you both! Thanks for a wonderful week in Småland!

Astrid Lingren's World!!!

kisses from Pippi!

What a fun place we visited today! This is Astrid Lingren's World... a fun fantasy place! Astrid wrote many gorgeous children's stories such as Pippi Longstocking!!! Last year she would have been 100 so you can imagine the Pippi hype! This place was an adventure park with trails leading to all of her stories. These Swedish children grow up reading Astrid's stories which their Grandparents would even read. So many smiling faces and excitement and giggles! Our little girl is a big Pippi fan and was in HEAVEN when she saw her from a distance! We have been reading her the Astrid Lingren stories since she was a baby. Then I got that crazy mom adrenaline pumping and darnit I had to get CLOSER!!!!! I pushed my way in and out of little children and their Mammas & Pappas and got right behind her. Then I so crazy lifted her onto a wooden railing over my head and had her balance as I caught my breath and surprise surprise that Pippi took Isabelle from me (thank God as my arms were jell-o) and hugged her and gave her a big KISS! Wow was Belle in a daze the entire day. Kept saying "I hugged her, and kisses! oh Pippi's so cute!" hahahah where these children's imaginations go is what inspires me...

Hiking!!!

some nice wild flower with a bumblie bee

hiking along we go...

here's our mountain girl Isabelle!... after her first real mountain hike!!!

a mountain "bluebelle" very sweet flower

berry break...

Belle & Malin resting and enjoying the view

this is my belly at 18 weeks... WOW! much larger than last time as I recall.... :-)
How beautiful was the day today! We (me, Mattias, Belle, and Auntie Malin) went out to find a cave.... through many trails, and trails less traveled we came across more things than we planned. All & All no cave ... but lots of pretty things! I love a good hike through a forest. Makes me feel like it's a magical world we live in with fairies, trolls, forest animals and berries for the bears. I love how powerful you feel after hiking so high that all you hear is the tops of the trees rustling. Even with my growing belly I felt great after this hike! Our little girl Isabelle explored and enjoyed riding on backs, sits with her God-Mother, and plucking every raspberry and smoltron she could see! She looked for fairies and called the sticks ssssssssssnakes! It was quite a fun day and now my arms can barely lift my cup of coffee.

our week on the lake...

our cottagefishing with Pappa



Belle with her little cat (the neighbor's) but it has the same hair/fur as her!!!
ok... I think sometimes something can be so serene and beautiful that it's way too much to take in. We are staying at a sweet little cottage which Roland (Farfar) stayed at every summer growing up. It's on a lake and it's soooo quiet and peaceful! The birds are tweeting and all you hear is the rustling of the leaves in the tall Aspen trees. There are mountains all around us and the lake is like glass. All of the wild summer flowers are in bloom. Juniper, daisies, poppies, wild roses, and so many more. I wish I could photograph a scent. The scent of fresh, crisp, clean air with a constant breeze of flowers. ahhhh this is the life... at least a vacation life. It's so important to recharge your batteries and let go of things sometimes. Yesterday evening it got to be about 9pm and you couldn't even tell since it was bright as day... Isabelle and I were leaping from rock to rock as Mattias CAUGHT A FISH!!! yes,,,, it was his first fish and now he's hooked! It was just so nice to not care about when she needed a bath or if she would even get one... I just wanted to absorb that moment just then... that's all.

vacker weather!!!

The first day we went to Ystad's Medieval Fair! It was held at a castle from the 1500s!!! how perfect! The sun was shining and the air had a little cool breeze... perfect first day!

Isabelle & her Pappa at the Fair!


us girls at the castle


coffee break!


can you seriously believe this weather!!!


Medieval Fair fun!

on her FIRST PONY RIDE!!! at the Medieval Fair


Isabelle and her Auntie Malin (God-Mother)


in the rose garden by the Monk church. So many beautiful roses with such unbelievable scents! I think I felt dizzy afterwards I smelled so many!

took this one for your Daddy! I remember you loving these flowers while here...



one of my favorite shops tucked away. Lots of handmade pottery, and iron pieces and wool. it's so nice


this one's for Uma & Umpa... Isabelle enjoying an ice cream treat... we went to your favorite ice cream place and had one for you both... miss you!

a really cool old courtyard in town. You see these a lot... well if you explore. There will be a little opening in a wall of homes or shops and if you just peek your head in you will find hidden spots like this...

Isabelle and her Great Grandmother Ebon in the garden

eating our grilled salmon with Isabelle's Great Grandparents...

I can't even tell you how wonderful the weather has been! I really should knock on wood or cross my toes... it's very lucky to have a beautiful Swedish Summer!

It's been very relaxing. I have had the chance to have my feet up and my eyes shut facing the beautiful sun. I have promised myself to do this more often than just on vacation. Just sitting in the garden listening to the birds singing is so lovely! It doesn't really get dark here in the summer time so you forget what time it is.... then you see it's midnight! yikes!

Today we walked into the town square. It was really sweet of course. The farmers had their vegetables and fruits on display. The little kids where squeezing in and out of groups of grown ups and little dogs where seeing what the town had to offer. a sunny Friday in Sweden is quite obvious especially at lunch time. Most Swedes take their vacation in the summertime so the streets are full of sunburned blondes. Bicycles are locked to trees and drops of ice cream cones trail from store to store.

In the evening we eat every dinner outside in the sun porch. You can hear all the neighbors having the same idea. We grilled salmon tonight and had Mattias' grandparents over. It was so delicious. It was stuffed with fresh herbs from the garden and a little salt and pepper. We had a great salad with it using fresh arugula and greens.... so yummy and spicy. The greens were so tasty that all we needed was some olive oil. and now I have to hit the sack.... all this crazy sun gets me tired.