Cotton candy bliss

Believe it or not, we actually missed the faire in Nyköping.  I felt so bad, because Anïas, Illïus and Xavier had been looking forward to the cotton candy more than anything.

 

To our great surprise, one of the largest faires came to our new time this autumn about a week after we had moved in. We found out about it from all the helicopters flying around and I went online to learn 'what may have happened'.  On the city's newspaper feed it told us that the faire was in town.  We quickly headed down and oh joy! cotton candy.

 

 

Illïus got his cotton candy first, and he laughed so hard.  It was gigantic and looked like a smurf hat bobbing when he shook it around.

 

Xavier was speechless over his over sized cotton candy... enough said.

 

Anïas thought his might have been on the smaller size.    Dear me...

Goodbye Fokusskolan

This was the last bit of creation Illïus made at Fokusskolan.  He is now moving to another city and we thank all the staff and friends for the past year.

 

Cookies for a BBQ

We were invited to a friendly BBQ at Liam's old classmate's house.  We decided to bring some chewy chocolate chip cookies.  Duncan and I whipped up a batch with gigantic size chocolate chips.  It really really was one of the best recepies I have ever tried.  Good times!

Becomes about 18 large cookies.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups of any chocolate.  We used regular chocolate candy.
• Cookie sheet with baking paper.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 celcius).
2. Mix flour and baking soda
3. Mix room temperature butter with brown and regular sugar.  Beat until mixed and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, salt and vanilla.  Mix it up.
5. Stir in chocolate chip and get in with your hands if you need to have it all blend well.
6. Drop a heaping tablespoon.  We fit 6 to each cookie sheet.
7. Bake until golden edges but a soft center.  12 min worked for us.  We made a try first so we did not ruin a whole sheet by under or over cooking.  Do the same, save yourself heartache.
8. Remove from oven and cookiesheet, keep it on baking paper.



Welcome Duncan!!! we missed you!

This time, I actually ended up going to the Stockholm airport by myself.  All other motion sick members of the family got to stay home.  I guess I still suffer from bad memories from our last family trip when we got Liam from the airport (previous post).

The feeling of picking up a loved one from the airport is always overwhelming and chokes me up.  All the boys have gotten so big. 

It was a good thing I did not have anyone with me because there had been a train accident on the rails before Stockholm and all train traffic was stopped for a few hours.  Replacement taxis were provided at no extra charge to people that had Arlanda as a final destination, all others had to sit tight :O

My delay to the airport worked out super, because as it turns out, Duncan's plain had a delay as well.  We literally met each other half way through the airport.

Welcome home away from home Duncan!  Love you and love Jeffrey for making all this possible this summer.  Love you my husband!

Welcome home away from home Liam!

Finally!  It has been a long wait for everyone to get a visit from older brother Liam. Illïus and Xavier came with me on the train to Stockholm, and oh boy!  that was a ride and a half!

Our family (except for dad) gets real motion sick and more likely than not, one of us will throw up on a journey. Illïus threw up a few times on the train to Stockholm, and continued on the train to the airport. Thank goodness for the abundance of plastic bags that are attached to every seating row. Xavier's fleece cowboy hat also helped Illïus from images zipping by his eyes.

Illïus and Xavier on the roof of a toy train at the train station.

Needless to say we hit the drugstore immediately when we arrived at the airport, and the ride home was smooth as butter.

Through the years, we have picked up Liam and Duncan at the same exact spot for obvious reasons.  This time however; we moved clear across the arrival hall to prank Liam.  Illïus and Xavier stalked him so he was not lost :)

 

Welcome home Liam, WOW you grew tall!

WE MISSED YOU!