What bugs children see

Totally amazes me how different children see the world.  They notice the smallest of things.

 

Here they stopped me to look and talk about the real big bee in the middle of an apple blossom.  A loooooong discussion about animals and honey making took place, and I cannot even begin to describe the excitement they experienced when they came across the green, weird looking bug to the right. 

Preschool day + cowboy = Spiderman

Sweden celebrated preschool day today, and he went as a proud American jeans loving cowboy.  He came home with a Spiderman face :)

With bugs come silly boys

It is time to go look at spring bugs, but not until they check out what I have up my nose.

Walk towards the light...

Anïas, Illïus, Xavier and me were trekking on our bikes through the woods next to the children's school (Fokusskolan i Nyköping) when the sun was setting.  We took this surreal photo with the iphone.  Walk towards the light children hehe... or alien abduction?

A stick is never to big

So Illïus and Xavier hauled a huge stick the size of a tree into the house to 'keep' for later. It just cracks me up. All my five boys (the eldest is now 17) have grown up with a love relationship towards sticks.

Here I am asking my youngest boys to promptly carry the 'small' stick outside.  Illïus thought it was a good idea to just save him some trouble and toss it over the balcony railing.  I managed to stop them before it fell over.

Choose the right... uhm, or the right timing

So Anïas, Illïus and Xavier are sitting for a group photo they want to have of their newly made Choose-the-Right badges.  We had been talking and reading a bit about examples of things one can do to choose the right.  In short, be good to oneself and others.  If one looks around today, it is becoming increasingly evident that people are more unaware and less kind to others.

 They worked hard on these badges, cutting, painting, threading.

So this picture below is the 3rd try of getting a picture when all are looking at me.  Xavier decides to eat his banana AND look at me, and Illïus decides to make a RANDOM infomercial WHILE looking at me, and Anïas is just reveling in his crazy little brother's ingenious pranks (Their elder brothers Duncan and Liam are such goofballs that this is probably to be expected).

Anïas tries to sort the brothers out.

Illïus is now ready, but oh that sweeeeeeheeeeeet banana.... muuust ....haaaaave  ..... 

Anïas is trying his best to keep it in.

Then, the unthinkable happens (or does it?) Xavier rips a fart and it is all over with as you could imagine.

... and time goes by

... and goes by

In the end, they all sat there admiring their good works, and Xavier got to finish his banana.  I got a bunch of pictures that could not be more perfect.

Mom... I am stuck... moooooom?!?

 Xavier in a crafty mood + paper + glue = good times

Xavier, did you touch the nummies?

Where the heck did all the frozen blueberries go???  Xavier?!

-It wasn't me

Andy lost Woody!

Found this rock today that apparently held Woody hostage.  Wonder where Andy went.

Xavier creating a bunch...

Mom Camilla and Dad Jeffrey. 3 Apr 2012.

Xavier's arsenal of robots. Mar 30 2012.

 

The last snowman standing. Mar 2012

When the iPhone gets hijacked...

Illïus on the lookout for mom while older brother snaps a picture.

Little brother Xavier wants in on the action and the eldest one takes a picture.

They are still in the clear, so Anïas has to pop in for a quickie as well.

Then I came...

... enough said.

My husband brings the greatest of gifts

This gift, was hidden away from all prying eyes for nearly a week until Jeffrey exclaimed this morning, "Oh honey, I have a gift for you.  I forgot about it.  I bought it when I was in Örebro".  He disappears and comes back.  "Varsågod!"  and hands the gift over.

Here it is good folk, eat your heart out.

 HEY! Stay those wanton eyes... it is all mine.

We don't have Burger King here in this little dinky town.  I cannot even recall what a Burger King burger taste like.  My middle son Anïas was made on Burger King.  Those were a goooooood tasty 9 months.

How to play with a train track

Anïas, Illïus and Xavier have been raised with many toys that are 'unfinished', created or made up. As they grow older it is apparent to teachers and children around them that their minds work in a different way. Fantasy, imagination and inventions happen daily. Anïas has a very mathematical mind, Illïus a creative and boundless mind, and Xavier and adventurous, task driven mind.
I have heard from school teachers and grownups alike that 'he' is amazing in coming up with ideas; 'he' always stretches the limit; 'he' gets everyone involved and going.

Children tend to get frustrated and bored with Anïas, Illïus and Xavier before they get to know them.  This is because my children play with rules for the day.  A perfect example is playing with trains...  This example will give you a hum of what I am explaining.

 Illïus spent about 30 minutes making happy, sad and angry faces with his train rails.  This is a portrait of his older brother Anïas.

Joy to the creative and outside-of-the-box thinkers.  I pray they will be able to cling to this quality they all possess.  As long as I am around I will remind them and encourage them to think differently than what is in a textbook, or play according to given directions on a package.

The sandy beaches in my bath tub

Illïus and Xavier had emptied their shoes out in the bath tub today! I could hear their bigger brother Anïas scorn his younger brethren. The bathroom door shut and lots of mumbling could be heard. As I was invited into the bathroom a few minutes later, this is what I found... a present they said.

How can one get upset at that?

Meow, serve me!

Well, me, Anïas, Illïus and Xavier cracked up over our cat Tusse 'furball' after he neatly placed himself on a kitchen chair, eagerly awaiting his turn for breakfast.

Xavier was convinced he was after the ham.  I can almost hear Tusse's thoughts, "Dang! they caught on to me."

Meow! low calorie cinnamon bun

When my grandfather died at this home a few years ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to inherit this lovely cat. He is incredible kind. Anïas, Illïus and Xavier have all taken turns in dressing him up;  carry him around like a Raggedy Anne doll; stuff him in small places; cuddle him to death; drag him into several different beds at night;  squeeze him and poke him; deathgrip him with showers of love; rough play and fast moves. This cat has been put through all possible scenarios of family hood.  He really deserves trophies.

My husband Jeffrey was not at all a cat person before Tusse pawed his way into our lives, winning us over with each wag of his whisker:

• When one is in the bathroom, he is in his litterbox.
• When one open the fridge, he sits below asking for stuff.
• When one open a cabinet, he wants dry food.
• When one read, he sits on the ‘read’.
• When one pulls out the laptop, he sits on it.
• When one turns the computer on, he lays on the keyboard.
• When one goes to bed, he is already there.

Enough said I think. The only thing he does not control is the lock on the outer door.

Illïus and Tusse sleeping.  Illïus wasn't tired and just wanted to sit.  Well that worked out well don't you think.

Oh sledding we will goooooooooho ho hooooo

Within 5 minute walking distance from our apartment one can stop by St:Mauritz.  It is an old leftover ski hill.  Each winter it proudly displays a HUGE graveyard of broken sleds and other winter equipment.  Our landlord has actually been there with the tractor to remove all debri, and we are not even into our 3rd week of sledding.

Each winter St:Mauritz can cross off another limb broken against its' hillside.  Statistics show that dads flexing for their children, followed by young male adults trying to impress female folk tops the break chart.

Children, women and girls just normally shake their heads and hope no one gets hurt.

This time we are paying homage to our Liam.  His old swedish friends Lasso and Lavko wanted to give him some snow cheer and made a small film for him.  Wish you were here Liam for this.  It was great fun. 

Lasso, Lavko, Anïas, Illïus and Xavier

*notice the theme song Illïus is busting out, and Xaviers verbal finish.

 Anïas, Illïus and Xavier

 Anïas, Illïus and Xavier

Illïus is going down!

Well, sort of.  First, here he is getting pumped up for the hill run.

Next, is a small movie of Illïus cruising the hill.  Like all of our children, they always for some reason create theme music while playing games, sports or just having fun. Ask any one of them, they will all tell you it is the truth.  I think it is genetic.

  Illïus going down St:Mauritz

It's crrraaaaaazy! again...

So as we were biking to school, our buddy showed up again.  Of course we had to stop to say 'hi'. 

Illïus points out the way Crazy is chillin' and with a laughter states that "CrazyFrog is glad to see us again."

What mouse bit the cake?

Xavier, did you touch the cake?

-No

-Are you sure?      A long pause

-Yes

-So you didn't steal any chocolate cake?

-No

-Xavier, go look at your face in the bathroom please.

Xavier runs into the bathroom and comes back after moment.

-I didn't do it.

-Now you sound like someone we read about. Who is it that talks like that?

Xavier gets the book 'No David'.

-Sorry mom.

I laugh.  -It's okay honey.  Just don't do it again, ask first.