Globe-trotting

(scroll down for the pictures--I'll write up something on our trip to Sweden soon too)

July 1st set the tone for an international month for us. This year we succumbed to Canadian patriotism and celebrated Canada Day rather than trying to trek down to Montana or North Dakota for the Fourth of July. Even though The Fourth is one of our favorite holidays, it was fun to see the way they celebrate here—more beer, less blue. We enjoyed activities at Wascana Park all afternoon before the fireworks at dusk. The kids danced to the music played by live bands, and while they didn’t quite match the 80’s rockers we enjoyed in Cincinnati (one band couldn’t crank out a single song that didn’t contain tawdry language—it’s a family event people!), the enormous costumed Maple Leaf who made the rounds and hugged all the kids pretty much made up for it—Aaron and I could barely stop laughing.

With that major event out of the way, we sent Theo off to day camp and had Addy and Emerson signed up for an art class every morning for a week. They all had a great time, but more importantly, Aaron and I had some uninterrupted time to work on painting our house! We worked non-stop through the day and well into the night for most of that week and the one that followed, and even then we only managed to get the front and one side fully painted. There were lots of freak thunderstorms that slowed down our progress, but whatever the cost, it is so worth it to drive up to the house without cringing.

Well, after squeezing out every last second of work-time, we quickly packed our bags and our car and headed south. We drove through the night on July 17 to arrive at Bear Lake on Friday afternoon. There we joined my mom and her husband Don at their cabin for a relaxing, fun-in-the-sun filled weekend at the beach. I got to water-ski for the first time in years, and the kids couldn’t get enough of sand-castles or the attention from their aunts and uncles. Chelsi, Sam, and LucyMae, Rennie, Aubrey, and Howie were all there, and we had good times chatting splashing on the beach, riding in the boat, and getting out on the water. Theo even gave tubing a shot.

Back at the cabin, Emerson cracked everyone up with his wry witticisms (he’s such an old soul), while Sera spent her time climbing into baskets and under tables and finding other little spots to hang out. Meanwhile, Addy made the rounds passing out hugs and kisses and looking adorable. Don treated us all to his excellent cooking, and my mom handed out enough candy to last the kids for the rest of the year—I think it’s her favorite part of being a grandma.

After a wonderful weekend, Aaron and I headed down to Salt Lake for our flight to Denmark, leaving the kids with my mom and Don for a few days, and then with my dad. On Tuesday morning we flew out. After a missed flight, rerouting and lost baggage, we finally arrived in Copenhagen late Wednesday morning. We spent our first day falling asleep at outdoor choral concerts at Tivoli Gardens featuring choirs from around the world. The concerts were wonderful, but we were so tired. That night we crashed into bed at The Front, a trendy hotel on the shore. Over the next several days, we squeezed walks to Copenhagen’s castles, botanical gardens, and historic sites between choral workshops and concerts in the amazing churches and cathedrals. Meanwhile, our kids hardly missed us at all (we missed them) between playing on the beach, watching zillions of movies, and going to the zoo with their aunts and uncles.

Following our stay in Copenhagen, Aaron and I took a train across the channel to Mälmo, Sweden. There we stayed in a nineteenth-century hotel on the town square. The building was gorgeous, the breakfast delicious, and we were only steps from a wonderful assortment of restaurants and shops and a stunning thirteenth-century gothic cathedral called St. Fredericks. We spent a few hours strolling along the canal that bisects the city, getting to know the country that my ancestors knew. Then, on Tuesday, we took a train to the little town of Oüsby to find the school house where my grandmother’s grandfather, Swen Swenson taught school in the late nineteenth century before immigrating to America with his family—for more on that take a look at our trip post. The next day we spent a long afternoon in the Mälmo library finding some recordings Aaron needed for his dissertation, stocking up on European chocolate, and enjoying the end of our Scandinavian trip before heading back home to our kids.

When we finally saw them again, we could tell that Emerson had missed us, Theo and Addy were happy enough to see us, and Sera took a few minutes to recognize us—all in all a warm enough reception. We hugged a lot and headed off to Yellowstone. But more on that next month. . . .

A Summer Abroad

Canada Day!

A picnic on the waterfront

At sunset

The younger set

Bear Lake

Endless hours on the beach . . .

. . . and not just for the kids

Copenhagen, Denmark

Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting to get here??

These are the clothes I wore for three days waiting for our luggage to arrive

Kristiansborg Palace

On the waterfront beside our hotel

An old sailing ship they let me tour while Aaron was at workshops

At the Copenhagen botanical gardens

Doesn't Aaron look European? Everyone seemed surprised that we spoke neither Danish nor Swedish, despite the prevalence of English and the high concentration of international tourists--must be the the German (Aaron) and Swedish (Britt) genes at work!

The gorgeous lake at the center of Ousby

After a concert of Britten's War Requiem at Copenhagen's Vor Frue Kirke

Meanwhile . . .

Addy was too busy snuggling the babies to miss us

My sisters and brother took all the kids to the zoo--a favorite outing they haven't enjoyed since we left Cincinnati