Hejdå Sverige (Bye Sweden)

We weren't suppose to be leaving Sweden until the end of August, but Billy was a needed man back here in the States. The Dallas office contacted us the beginning of July and asked how we would feel if we left early. They weren't positive at this point but they said to be prepared to leave sometime soon. So Thursday, July 9th comes around and they tell us that we will need to be back for the next week. We got our flight plans finalized on Friday night. We left on Monday, July 13. Here we go again, packing, packing and more packing. We had mixed emotions about leaving early. It was sad to cut our amazing experience short, but we also felt like we were able to see and do most everything we had planned. I know that Kenslee was very ready to get back to her friends and her purple room.

After 26 hours of traveling we made it back to the good ol' US of A. It was the longest day of my life. The kids did really well considering the circumstances. We had a 8 1/2 hour flight from Stockholm to Chicago. In Chicago we had a 4 hour lay over, which turned into a 10 hour lay over. The kids were so tired by this point. We decided to eat our 4th dinner and then lay the kids down on the CLEAN airport floor. By this point you just don't care about much. We did lay Kens on our diaper changing mat, it worked. They finally got the battery fixed and we were back on the plane again ready to go. Billy was nice enough to upgrade me to first class, with out the kids. It was SO nice! I didn't feel too bad, the kids slept for Billy the entire time. I got my fifth dinner, and a warm towel. That warm towel is the most amazing thing after a flight. Finally, after all of this excitement we made it to our final destination...UTAH!! Our families were nice enough to let us come live with them for awhile. We were homeless until now. We had people living in our house until August 14. It was so fun to be able to see everyone in Utah! We are missing you all so much! I will do a post of Utah next.

We are LOVING being back in our house. There is just something about your own place and your own stuff. Oh...my bed is FANTASTIC!! No more Ikea foam mattress. Cade is out of our room, hallelujah! We love having our friends again, we sure did miss you guys!

Here are some pictures of our last few days in Stockholm...


Our apartment was on the first floor. The elevator was too small for our stroller, so these are the stairs I would haul the kids up, then go back and get the groceries, then bring the stroller on up. It was quite the process. I would try to only leave the apartment once. So once I was out I had to do everything I needed and wanted to do for the day.
The Hiss (elevator)
This is right outside our apartment. The grocery store is right on the corner.

The is the door into our building. 28 Kungsholsgatan.
These are our windows, the three on the left. The two black windows were the family room and the white, is Kenslee's room. We had my mom bring black sheets to hang for their visit. It stays light almost all night during the summer.
This is by our apartment, one way to the Tunnelbanan.

Police Station across from our apartment

Radhuset, across from our apartment
Gamla Stan
A Street known as "hell". This is not the popular place to live. It is considered a "sketchy" part of town.
This street is "heaven". This is right across from hell.
Kens making herself comfy while we pack.
Cade was having so much fun helping us pack.


Sad to leave Sweden. I had to buy a flag for Kenslee. We went to Skansen on their national day and they gave us little flags. On the train ride home, she was waving it back and forth saying, "Welcome to Sweden, Welcome to Sweden." All of the Swedes were looking at her. Me and my mom couldn't stop laughing. She did get a few smiles from some people.

This was a fun little activity that Kens and I started. We would do a letter a day and some activity that went along with it. If we would have stayed for the entire time we could have made it through the entire alphabet.
Cade thought this was so fun. He would slip under the crib and back out. He did it for a long time.
Kens wanted to join in on the fun.
A picture of my brother with a Smart car. You see these everywhere.
This is a fox statue that is on our way to Gamla Stan. I am not sure what it is about, but we thought we would get a picture. My mom is a fabulous photographer. (notice our heads)
Storget Square and the Nobel Prize museum.
We went out of the room for a minute, and we heard Cade fussing. We went back in the room and we found him stuck on the suitcase. He didn't know how to get off. He looked like a beached whale. Kens joining in on the fun again!
The Three Crowns.
The symbol of Sweden.

Kens got to go to her friend Chester's birthday party before we left. She loved her friends Audrey and Chester. We are so glad that they were in our ward. It was so nice to have another American family to hang out with. They were so fun! Thanks for letting us come over to your house and play all the time!

Kens would play out on our balcony every day. She loved it out there. She would make her special birthday soup. It was delicious. There was a little girl that she would play with sometimes out back. She lived on the third floor, so she would sit out there and sing her a song. I wish I would have gotten it on video. She would sing in a very loud, beautiful voice, "best friends, best friends, BEST FRIENDS." She would keep singing in hopes that she would answer. I don't think she ever heard her, or maybe she just didn't' know it was a special song for her.

And the long trek back to the States begins...
Sleepy kids
We absolutely loved our experience in Sweden. We are so glad that we did it. I can't wait to go back to visit!

Cruise to Tallin, Estonia and St. Petersburg, Russia - Part 3

For our last hurrah in Sweden, we took a cruise. If you remember our last experience on a cruise, I vowed to not go on one with kids for a long, long time. But, I couldn't resist this opportunity and I gave in. We hoped for the best and things were GREAT! We left from Stockholm on Thursday and spent the day on the ship. It was such a nice day, we spent it by the pool. Friday we ported in Tallin, Estonia. It was such a fun place to see. Saturday we went to St. Petersburg, Russia. This is where we celebrated the 4th of July. It was so cool to see Russia, I would have never thought in a million years I would ever get to Russia. It is not the prettiest place. It was very gloomy and didn't seem very clean. But, there were some very pretty buildings that stood out. Here are some pictures...

In our room
Swimmining in the pool
You always have to get a picture of the life vests.
Hanging out by the pool
First night at dinner


Kens was so excited about the puppy dog wearing Daddy's sunglasses.

Tallin, Estonia
The Stout Margaret Tower


St. Olaf's Church
At 159 meters it was the tallest building in the world in the 16th century.
The defensive structures of the old town.


Estonia hats made out of lambs wool

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral


Alexander Nevsky Cathedral




The Town Hall Square
The Town Hall


Romantic Catherine's Passage

Viru Gates
I loved Tallin, it had such a fun feel. Someone on the cruise ship said, "I was waiting for Shrek to come around the corner". It was so fun to see a medieval city, it was so old and very neat.

Another towel animal
They didn't last long with Cade around

Out by the Pool on Sunday. It was kind of a long day because it was really cold and we couldn't swim.
This was Kenslee's favorite person. She wouldn't let us cut up her food, we would have to wait for him. He was so nice.
Dinner
Saint Petersburg, Russia

In Russia we had to do something through the cruise. You can't go out on your own unless you had a visa. We decided to do the canal cruise. First they took us to a store to buy souvenirs. It was a place that has been approved through the cruise lines as "safe". You could use your credit cards, and didn't have to worry. Then we got on a little boat that took us through all of the canals around the city. They consider Saint Petersburg the "Venice of the North" because canals run throughout the city.
To be able to tell which canal you were in you could tell by looking at the gates along the canal. They were different for each area.
Summer Garden


Kazan Cathedral
Peter and Paul Fortress
The Cruiser Aurora at permanent anchor
On our canal cruise

Rostral Column
Winter Palace
The State Hermitage

Billy on the bus
Famous bridge
It is a tradition for the grooms to carry the brides across this bridge after they have been married.
Church on the Spilled Blood (Church of the Resurrection)

View of Russia from our Cruise Ship
Watching a show on the ship
Beautiful sunset
This was such an amazing trip. I am so glad we were able to do this and see these places before we left Sweden. Sweden was an experience that I am so glad we were able to do as a family. I absolutely loved the 4 1/2 months that we were there. Living there gave us much more of the cultural experience than just visiting and staying in a hotel. We learned so much about Scandinavia, I can't wait to get back to visit some day. It is an experience that I will ALWAYS remember!