366 Challenge 172: Black & White

We went to IKEA on Sunday. The children played in Småland, while O and I did an express tour through the store. Amazing how much you can squeeze in in 45minutes, when you are used to having two little people with you. We tried all sofas, looked though all kitchen tables, got some nice wooden venetian blinds for the living room and cutlery and plates as well as the usual candles and paper napkins. On our way to the car, the children spotten the carousel and had a go. I tried this in greyscale (in photoshop *update, no it was Paint Shop*) and usually my children are so fair that a grey scale photo just ends up like a grey blur, but this one I liked.

*Tick - another theme down.*

366 Challenge 3: Soup

I have had a very busy week, working from home is a great thing, but when you move house, it's not just your normal stuff that has to be reorganized, getting work organized and up and running is quite time-consuming, but we are getting there.

Anyway, the other day we had soup for lunch. I had the camera out, as J was doing quite a funny song and I was hoping to get a good shot of her doing so. But they were also eating at the same time and today I just realized that I had this photo.

J was eating tomato soup and since the whole family now is cutting carbs, I wanted her to have cream in her soup, but she refused. Then C *who has become quite a wiz at handling his 3year old sister* said: "J.., would you like pink soup?"
J nodded enthusiasticly to the prospect of having pink soup.
C: "Just pour in the cream and then mix it carefully and you will have pink soup!".
J poured in some cream and sat then and stirred and stirred. "Pink soup!!", she exclaimed and ate it all up.

Here she is "miskar", which is a swenglish word, she has made up. A mix between the english "mixing" and the swedish "vispar".

PS. We don't have a dining table yet, so we use our patio furniture. And no, my children usually don't wear helmets for lunch, but that particular day, I had the honour of being accompanied to lunch by two superheros...

366 Challenge 93: Feminine

I love taking photographs of roses. This rose, my daughter received for her 3rd birthday in July. I think a pink rose is quite a good theme for the feminine theme, it's delicate, feminine and it stands strong. It's petals has a remarkable ability to collect water and therefore, it's a very selfsufficient and intelligent flower. All the characteristics you would wish your daughter to possess as she grows up.

Today, while the boys of the family are driving through Denmark, we are going to have a mother-daughter day. I hope that you are having a great day too!

366 Challenge 135: Surf

A minimal Swedish surf, carefully stroking the sandy beach. I also tried to do some shots for the footsteps theme, but I only managed to get some photos of the tracks of a Heffalump stomping across the sand..

This photo, I took the last time we went to the beach in Sweden. It was a lovely afternoon, a little bit chilly, enough to give us the autumny feel. O and I sat on the cliffs watching the children play. We had just had a yes on the house we now live in and we were very happy sitting there giggling and feeling very smug.

We have decided that O and C will go to Sweden tonight, to pack up the car with the last of our stuff and then drive here through Denmark. I am realizing that I have become a serious lens-addict as I actually get a lump in my throat just thinking about getting my battery charger on Sunday! :)

366 Challenge 1: Sparkle

This is a photo I took one evening when we went to the beach this summer. I just love watching the sea and O was pushing the children on the swings and I turned my lense to the water. I love the sparkles on the water. A good reminder of the summer that was.

I am also so happy to let you know that this move has for sure put the sparkle back in our life. C has now been going to two different activities, one being a movie making class and another going back to his old gym. He definitely has got his sparkles in his eyes back, he seems so happy and content here as if the move back has made him "forget" about Edinburgh. We talked about it the other day, he was having a particularly difficult day and he told me that he felt as if he had had a really bad dream. And when he woke up, he didn't really remember it all, but then something reminds him of the dream and it all comes flooding back. We had a Scottish removal company helping us with the move and these guys were brilliant and very good with the children, but C had this dark look in his eyes for 2 days afterwards and that's when he told me about his "dream" and that he knows that some things trigger his memories and feelings.

Anyway, he has had a couple of really fantastic days, I feel as if I am definitely getting my boy back. He is going to his gym class tonight and yesterday, when we went there with J and he tagged along all the teachers came up to him and chatted and he was almost another boy in the evening.

So sparkles all around.

366 Challenge 22: Technology

We are finally here (and online again after the move). Last saturday we got up at 3.30am, took the plane to our "new city" and straight to our new house. The house is very spacious, light and I think we are going to have a great time here!!! *Big sigh of relief!*

Just arriving here and starting to unpack would usually be enough to exhaust me for days, but I also had to shock myself with a business trip into the city on Monday. The people I was about to meet had moved to a new location. When I heard the address, I smiled to myself.

I know this is stretching the theme a bit, but here we go:

In a former life (pre-kids), when I had a go at being some sort of high flying business woman, I did my own little fair share of contribution to the techology of the world. I was the project manager of the very genious guys who took part in the invention of bluetooth and infrared technology for mobile phones. As I was going to my meeting (for my current job, not very techy at all!) I passed my "old office" and I couldn't help taking a couple of photos. At this very corner, I had my meetings back in those days.

366 Challenge 121: Alcohol

I took this photo in May and I never ever thought I would post it, but here we go. I was hoping O and I was going to have an evening out and I would drink some gorgeous drink that I would take an amazing photo of, but I am realizing that it might not happen this side of New Year, so I will go for this very natural "whiskey on the fence" shot. :)

I am actually a complete cluts when it comes to alcohol. I have just not ever had the role of buying it. In Sweden it's a whole project as all retail of alcohol is sold by the government *my goodness, it sounds like Russia, thinking of it!*. Anyway, the Alcohol store is only open during "office hours" so you can imagine the queues on a Friday afternoon, everyone trying to get hold of their supply for the weekend. So I have not really bothered about it, having always had friends or boyfriends more interested of going through this hassle for "the perfect bottle of wine".

Since I am at it I can tell you of one of the first impressions I made on O on our first date. We met at university, so we did lab works together for a couple of months (both really interested in that particular course, basically studying together day and night with none of us having the guts to make a move).
Anyway, when we finally realized that we couldn't part *when the course was finished!* and when we were about to have our first romantic night, I was at O's place. I had done myself up (and so had he) and we were both a bit nervous actually. He was just going to fetch something in the other room and asked me to pour the wine. I, who still at 22years of age, still had never opened a wine bottle (not a wine virgin, but just the buying and opening part, I had not done...), thought to myself OK, I can do that!, and simply took out a bottle from the cupboard and poured two big glasses.

When he entered the room, he took a look at the bottle, the glasses and then me, standing there proudly waiting by the wine glasses on the kitchen counter and gave me one of those "you're hopeless, but that only makes me love you even more"-smiles, which I have seen a lot during our (13!!) years together.

Without a seconds though, I had taken a bottle out of the cupboard, screwed the cork off and filled two big wine glasses with whiskey.

366 Challenge 31: Boat

I have taken photographs of a numerous amount of boats this summer, just to catch the ultimate boat moment. But looking back, I have not managed to capture what I was looking for in my boat theme, so instead I am choosing this one. The boats are a bit overexposed, but I really enjoyed this setting and I took loads of photos, that I will most probably use for other themes (reflection being one...)

This is Swedish West Coast at its best and very close to my heart. We walk past these boathouses on our way to our local beach.

Blogger Hints and Tips

You might have noticed my new blogrolls in the right hand column? I noticed this new feature by Blogger the other day as I was going to do something with my settings.

I think it's such a great feature, that I want to let you know about this. You just choose "Add new Gadget" as usual in your Elements Page and choose Blog List. You can choose what level of details you want to show. I think the "Last updated" option is great, not only for your blogvisitors, but also for yourself.

You have to do your blog list all over again, but I think it's well worth the effort.

Fototriss - Färger (Trio of photos: Colours)

This week, all participants on the Fototriss challenge are free to choose from earlier themes. My choice for this week is colours. Hope you enjoy it! Please note that I am just as happy to receive comments in Swedish.

To view more Fototriss contributions, please view here.