We had some CRAZY weather while driving back to CO yesterday

We were driving along i80 through Nebraska from Iowa where we spent the weekend (both Drew and I's youngest brothers were graduating from high school) when all of a sudden the clouds were super low. I was driving and the boys were both sleeping.

I had actually just taken this picture- trying to capture both my boys sleeping the same way. 

The first thing I noticed besides the low clouds (which I also tried taking a picture of) were horses in a field to my right just sprinting in a circle. Animals always seems to know when crazy weather is about to happen- and sure enough, within 3 minutes of seeing the horses running around, the wind picked up and it started to rain. 

clouds before the weather got crazy

I pulled over and told Drew it was his turn to drive since I HATE driving in the rain, and I'm So glad I did, because within minutes the rain got harder and our car was shaking HARD from the wind. We found a station talking about the weather, and the guy kept saying " Pull over and take cover, tornado warning and possible funnel cloud spottings" and then rambled off a town we had passed just minutes before. 

Freaking out hard core at this point. I jumped in the back to be next to jasper while Drew kept driving. This probably sounds dumb, if the weather guy is telling you to get cover, you get cover. But the thing about driving through Nebraska with 37 miles to the nearest town- there IS no cover. So our options where to keep driving, trying to outrun the storm which was moving at an alarming rate, or pull our car over to the side of the road, and waiting it out next to miles and miles of fields. We chose try to out run it. 

I was praying HARD in the backseat, terrified. And having grown up in Iowa, where tornado watches and warnings were totally norm I am not usually afraid of them. We had a basement with rooms in the middle of the basement with no windows. I always knew what to do. But driving through tornado weather with no car or town in sight with my son in the car? Was down right terrifying. 

All of a sudden, the weather guy stopped talking and gospel music came on. I felt immediately at peace, which sounds crazy, but all of a sudden I was calm. And then the wind died down and the sun came out. 

Apartment Hunting: Stockholm

I found another amazing apartment. I find myself spending hours browsing real estate for sale in Stockholm. Can you tell I want to move there badly??

I love looking at furnished homes, gives you a look into their lives. And it's so much easier picturing our stuff in there when I see someone else's stuff.

 The balcony. I don't mind the view too badly either! It's not water like a lot of views from Stockholm homes, but at least these buildings have character.

                                                                         Court yard

 How sweet this this room? Jasper is a little young for a bed so high up, but in a few years? He'd love this!

 I can picture us having picnic lunches in this big grassy area, and the boys playing soccer while mamma lays out reading a book. Bliss.

31 days

31 days till I board the plane for Stockholm, Sweden.

31 days till I have to kiss Jasper goodbye for two weeks. Thinking about this honestly makes me not want to go.

I don't know how I'm going to leave my baby boy. Someone (probably my mom) will have to shove me through the gates to go.

I know it will be really hard leaving him, but I also think I need and deserve this time. I spent all day, every day, 7 days a week, going on almost 4 years taking care of this little boy. It's my favorite thing in the world. But Sometimes mamma needs a break. And while this was longer than I wanted to go (was originally going to be just gone for 10 days) but hubbs convinced me to stay a full two weeks. We are spending so much money to go, that it made sense for us to stay for a few extra days. Plus those last few days are the only time it will be just the two of us. The rest of the time we are with other people. So a few days of alone time on our honeymoon will be nice.

The difference with this time around, is that I know I can do it. I know I can be away from Jasper for more than a day at a time. When I did this back in January for 10 days visiting my dying grandmother I thought my heart was physically going to break from the separation. I had a hard time taking deep breaths when I thought about leaving Jasper.

But I did. And he did great. And I did fine. I'm not going to say great, but I think that had to do with the circumstances. They were much different circumstances. I was leaving Jasper to spend every day sitting in the hospital with my dying grandmother. I knew this would be the last time I would see her on earth. Every minute was emotional, so when I would think about Jasper (about every 2 minutes) it would make me even more emotional. I broke down crying every. single. day. But still, I was fine. I survived it just fine, and Jasper had a great time with grandma. Plus he got so many presents from Sweden he was already asking the next day when I was going to get more stuff for him.

This time Will be different. THis time my trip will be filled with Stockholm, and friends, and a wedding, and Swedish countryside, and a road trip, a boat trip, a fun filled island, beaches, Shopping, amazing swedish food, warm weather (not -15 degrees that I experienced in January) meeting high school friends, hostels, hotels, camping sites and so much more. I will miss Jasper so unbelievably much. It will hurt. Badly, leaving him. I will probably even cry almost every day I'm there. But we both will be okay.

And he will have an amazing time being spoiled rotten going in between all of his grandparents, aunts and uncles.

Dreaming..

Jasper and I have been watching a lot of old Swedish movies (the ones I grew up watching, and they were old then!) on youtube. We both LOVE them. And I don't feel guilty for letting him watch TV because it's all in Swedish, so really, it's a language lesson. Or at least that's what I tell myself.

Most of the shows take place in a little village, or on a farm out in the Swedish country side, and it has me dreaming of that kind of living. How simple, pure, and beautiful life would be.

How much fun would it be to get on the horse to go into town for groceries? Oh man. I'd love it.

Now I just need to get Drew on board, and you know, figure out how to make it 1940 again, than I'd totally be set.

Weekend!

Did you guys have a great weekend? Our was fabulous- but went by So fast!

Saturday we did our typical Starbucks/park date just the three of us- then it was an early nap so Jasper could go to this second Swedish kids concert. Two guys who have 4-5 kid CD's out in Sweden came again this year ( we  went last year also) and put on an hour concert of their songs (in Swedish of course) and Jasper had so much fun.

After that we went and got new tires put on the volvo- while we were waiting we took a long walk around that neighborhood ( I could totally see myself living in that neighborhood!) while eating ice cream.

Yesterday was filled with more Swedishness (what, that's not a word?) It was Jasper's Swedish preschool graduation. Sweden is huge on graduation. Every year that I 'graduated' into a class growing up was a big deal. Everyone get's dressed up and we always put on a graduation concert for the parents. I remember it often being at the huge, beautiful local church in Ljusdal where I grew up, but also sometimes we had it outside- maybe it depended on weather? Either way- it was a big deal.

All the different classes sang songs (Jasper's class sang with the other classes as well which is good because there is only 7-8 of them in his class and they are 3 and 4 singing complex songs!) and the older classes put on a skit. Pippi Longstocking even came!! Jasper was so excited, it was like he was seeing Rob Pattinson or something..

After the concert/skits it was time for amazing swedish food. I wish I would have been able to take a picture of all the food out, but I was saving spots for us and our friends while the men took the kids through the line first. But it was Amazing. Breads, cheeses, pasta dishes, meatballs, and cake- Swedish cake! Mouth watering.

These are Needs right?

In preparation for our upcoming Sweden trip I just had to look online at some of my favorite Swedish stores. And of course found some necessities. There's no guarantee that these will be in stores when I'm there so Im contemplating ordering them and having them sent to my friends house and have them waiting for me.. The only problem is sizing. It's totally different than here. And I wear several different sizes depending on the store/style. Normally I could just hit small and be okay- but small's in Sweden are sometimes the equivalent to xxs here. Because Swedes? Are small. When my friends were shopping here pretty much the only store they could shop in was Abercrombie and Hollister in their 00 section. Rough.

I've got my eye on these beauties. A necessity right?

Steppin Out Saturday, whoa two weeks in a row??

I actually got dressed in something other than yoga pants and a tank top Saturday AND Sunday- but of course didn't take pictures. Even yesterday I totally forgot to have Drew take a picture of me all day in all the pictures we took of Jasper's Swedish Preschool graduation. So when we got home and Jasper was in bed I had him take one quickly on his phone- which of course turned out horrible. Oh wells.

                          As you can see I obviously wanted to have my picture taken right then.
Dress: Forever21Publish Post
Cardigan: Forever 21
Tights: A shop in Stockholm
Shoes: Dolce Vita for Target

Week in Iphone pictures.

I decided to join in with some of my favorite blogging mamma's and post a week in iphone pics, seeing as I almost only use my iphone instead of my $800 camera now.

 Jasper sipping mamma's Coconut Mocha Frappe- I have become addicted to these the past couple of weeks. Jasper loves stealing sips also.

 At Jasper's buddy's bday party. This picture cracks me up because he's standing there with his arms crossed talking to the adults. Such a little grown up!

 The party was at the butterfly pavilion- and here Jasper is getting ready to hold the GIGANTIC tarantula. I freaked out with just him holding it, I refused to go anywhere near it.

 My attempt at an outfit pic. This shirt/dress is from Sweden, bought in January when I was there but somehow this was the first time I wore it. Tights are from Jcrew and shoes from F21.

                             I got 3-4 inches chopped off. Haven't decided yet if I like it or not.

                                          Best salad in the world- made by ME.

                                        Sleeping Jasper.  Though the flash almost woke him up. Whoops!

                                              Spinach naan pizza. Beyond amazing.

 Jasper and his buddy Riah and Monkey Biz playing dress up.

                      The masterpiece he created at Monkey Biz- it even has feathers.

                                                         Jasper's favorite lunch.

                                   My favorite person in the Whole. Wide. World.

 Today we went to a Swedish kids concert- these guys came all the way from Gothernburg Sweden and performed for all the little Swedish kids. They kids had a blast. And the parents too. Jasper is in the front (laying down) in the red shirt. This was in the beginning before they had the kids up and dancing along.

 These are Everywhere. Medical Mary jane. I love seeing what they are called, this was was called colorado caring health or something weird like that. If you don't see the pot plant symbol at the bottom you would never now what they were selling in there.

Jasper was trying to use the 'big boy potty' today at at Drew's work when we stopped in to scan something- I about died laughing. He's just a tad to short. I took a video that I might post because it's too funny not too. But don't worry, not nudity- his shirt cover's up everything :)