Christmas holiday on ice!

So, finally it was time to take the girls skating. Emma had been going on about it a long time, how she missed playing in the snow, skate on the ice, etc. On Sunday, she went to Winter camp at school, where they played indoor hockeyand Emma scored two goals! The coach said she was very strong and should consider playing it more seriously. She was so pleased with herself. The only thing was that the other goalie started crying when Emma scored the second goal and she didn't quite know how to deal with that. Apart from that, she loved the winter camp. They played basketball, hockey, dodgeball and did swimming, all in the same day.

So, anyway, on Wednesday I decided to take them skating. Isabelle was nervous and said she didn't remember anything from last year, but on the ice, she was great. No problems at all. She was so happy and incredably cute skating (skitting) down the ice. Emma was super and I loved it myself. Could almost imagine I was on Kottlasjön back home. The good thing was I didn't even have to wear gloves. The temperature was so nice. And I could buy a superb latte at the café next door.

So far, it looks like Emma is going to have an ice-skating party for her birthday in January. We'll see...At least she can invite the whole class then. Last week she wanted a 'makeup-nailpolish-haircolour and glamour party'...for girls only. Oh yes, here you can find anything you are willing to pay for. You can even have your own 'exotic animals-party' with a real zoo coming to your house. Maybe that will be next year...

The day ended with pizza in Vapiano together with daddy.

Anna

Happy Christmas!

It's been a wonderful two days of joyfull social events, family fun and lots of food and presents. Yesterday morning the kids woke early as always and quickly checked their stockings for

presents. Santa had brought the girls pink MP3players and they were so happy. James got a car. Isabelle also checked that Santa had drunk his whisky and ate his cake, which he had of course. Oh, yes, she is a believer, no doubt. She even asked the Indian guy delivering our fish and chips the evening before, if he had seen Santa on his way. The guy said no, so Isabelle said: If you see him, can you tell him where we live? After breakfast we listened to Christmas carols and opened presents. Soooo many presents! Santa brought them both from Sweden and England. James was very happy with his garage and his ball table. Kept him entertained for ages.

After a quick swim in the pool it was time to cook the big turkey dinner. A swedish family came to share out Christmas eve and we had a great time. After dinner, it was finally dark, and Santa came. Emma is kind of still a beliver, bit is asking more and more questions about Santa. Like how can he really fly with his raindeers? And why does he come both at night and the next day? So, we had to be clever. I messed up anyway, when he came in the evening, he brought Isabelle a wallet, that Emma had helped me buy... What an idiot I was. Emma obviously noticed, but I kind of got myself out of it, by saying that Santa must have bought the same...she didn't look like she completely believed it, but at least she didn't ask anymore questions. It's as if she really wants to believe that he is real, but sort of knows that he isn't.

Today has been a relaxing day. We have downloaded music on their MP3s and played cricket in the park. Then it was time for turkey dinner number 2 at the neighbours. Mould wine, turkey, ham, stuffing, veg, homemade yulelog and lots of pink champagne. We were spoilt!

So,thank you Santa for making it a wonderful family christmas, without the bigger family and the snow. And thank you my gorgeous husband for buying me a danish Skagen watch in steel and a food processor with the works!

Merry christmas to you all!

Anna

More christmas spirit (food)

We are getting closer and closer to christmas and I still feel very relaxed about the whole thing. It doesn't feel like real christmas anyway. But yesterday me and Jon went christmas shopping for the kids and started to discuss what was really important about it, about christmas I mean. And of course I said food. And of course Jon said to be able to go running everyday...no seriously we agreed that I definitely find traditions more important than him, but the most important thing is that we are together as a family and that we can create our own traditions, with or without snow or daddy Lindström's herring.

So, this morning I decided to have a very realxing day with my oldest daughter. I realised that I hadn't spent much quality time with her lately, on a day when neither of us is stressed, grumpy or tired. So what did we do? We went to IKEA to have Swedish meatballs :) Or actually Emma had meatballs and I had a christmas plate with herring, salmon, prawns etc. Not a patch on pappa's food, but still ok. We had a great chat about all kinds of things and I realised that she is very good company when she is happy...she also admitted that she likes Dubai more and more but she still misses her friends and family very much. At the moment she is mostly concerned with the fact that there is no snow, so we agreed that we would go to Dubai mall next week for a session of ice-skating!

By the way, here is Emma's christmas list for this year:

1. seven 100 bills

2. An i-pod

3. a powerwing scooter

4. a dress without arms.

5. a mobile

Either it's going to be an expensive christmas or a very upset daughter on Christmas day. Which is the worst I wonder?

When we talked about why we celebrate christmas, Emmas said: because we should get presents....because Jesus got presents...because he was born, right?. I love the way she came to that conclusion, bless her!

Good night and don't let the scorpions bite, as we say here.

No, that's a joke.

Getting into that christmas spirit...

The last 2 weeks we have been buisy trying to get into the christmas spirit. Or at least I have. When I read all your messages about snow and glögg and lussebullar I get depressed. Or no, I try to make the best of it. We have made ginger biscuits and decorated them, toffee, and christmas decorations for the tree. Yes, we have a tree and it is already dressed. It's plastic of course. And I have made a candle holder for advent candles, it's quite beautiful actually. And we have been to the Swedish church, where I had glögg (mould wine) and Emma had christmas porridge with cinnamon. Then we went to the girls' winter concert at school. So sweet and lovely. Emma looked quite shy and worried, Isabelle was giving it all she had. Quite a performer (what else is new). Then I have been wrapping christmas presents and obviously buying christmas presents. Big garage for James, an activity ball for Isabelle....

But where is the snow and where is the cold? It's just impossible to get that special feeling. I don't even go near the pool at the moment. It just doesnt agree with me.