Hello from Lilla Edet! We got up early and Ulf took us to train station in Stockholm through local subways to get the fast intercity train to Gothenburg Sweden. It was good to just watch the countryside, sleep, and relax for 3.5 hours before meeting more family and having more adventures. It was a very smooth ride and we got to experience walking between the train cars. It's not like it used to be when you had to walk outside but still a little scary and loud. We were met by Maria, her 11 year old son William and Ken and Lorretta. We then did a little shopping before being taken to Maria and Robert's house in Lilla Edet about an hour north of Gothenburg. More family and more stories of family trees and the relatives ... read more

Today was Alicia's16th birthday and one I'm sure she will never forget. Our last day in Taby was bitter sweet but mostly sweet. The bitter part was just the fact that it was the last. It is hard to know when or if we will see these wonderful people again. Camilla showed the girls how to make amazing cakes without using a box mix:) They were truly gourmet. She had them mixing, cutting, spreading, and having girl time in the kitchen. Ulf 's mother, the matriarch of the family, came today and shared stories about the family history to add to what Ulf had already shared with us. She may understand English a bit but does not speak it so most communication was done through Erik, Ulf, and Gitta. We took a walk to the beach ... read more

Days are going fast!... read more

Today was rainy so we went shopping at the closest mall:) The only stores I recognized were Holister and H & M. They had plenty of of places for the girls to shop but different stores. They also have a grocery store and a liquor store at the mall. Sweden doesn't know the word mall but they call them shopping centers. Yesterday when we were at the grocery store, they had small machines at the door that you could take along with you while you were shopping and scan everything you want to buy as you put it into the cart. You just put your credit card through the machine and scan each item as you put it in your cart. I suppose this means less waiting in the check out line. Erik taught us a ... read more

Today we went to visit the brother of Ulf who we are staying with. These brothers are cousins to Ken. Knell and his wife have a beautiful house over looking the waters of the Swedish archipelagos. One of Kjell's daughters, Natalie, was there to meet us too. She is Annika's age. Kjerstin, Annika, and Natalie went swimming in their pool and Annika and Kjerstin taught Natalie how to.play Marco polo:) We experienced a Swedish grocery store also as Ken, Lorretta and us made supper. The store wasn't much different than any large store in the States except they were all speaking Swedish. We have not had much of a language barrier here though. All Swedish schools teach the students many languages starting about third grade. They like practicing their English skills with us and we are ... read more

Our excitement today was our excursion to Stockholm. We experienced buying a 24 hour public transportation card for each of the family. Of course Eric told us how to do it but he made us go in and do it ourselves. He would be a good teacher:) We took train, subway, and tram with our cards. Amazing the architecture in Stickholm. Many buildings are older than the whole US country as we know it. Had a coffee and roll break on an old ship turned care/hostel, went to Vasa ship museum (amazing huge oak ship that sank and was retrieved from ocean hundred of years later), walked through old town atea, royal family's castle, did a little shopping.a lot of walking, and took loads of pictures. Hopefully I can download some pictures for you. Ta -ta ... read more

Flew into Stockholm and cousin Ulf found us right away. We drove to Taby, near Stockholm, to their house. We we're warmly welcomed and feel very much at home. Strong coffee was a welcome sight after an all night flight with a few hours of sleep. Gitta, Ulfs wife was at work but their son Erik and his girlfriend Camilla was there to meet us as well as Kens parents who flew in a couple days earlier. Sweden's land is very much like northern Wisconsin and Minnesota. Eric and his friend Adam took us on a 10 minute walk to a lake where Ken, Alicia, Annika, and Kjerstin jumped in and swam a bit before we took a hike through the woods, and meadows full of flowers. We were led to a spot next to the ... read more

We are sitting in Newark airport waiting for our flight to Stockholm. There is a group of college age students sitting near us passing around the guitar and playing. Maybe we will meet them again in a hostel somewhere. The teenage girl talking to Alicia, Annika, and Kjerstin is dressed in red white and blue and said she just went to high school in Indianapolis and is going back home to Germany. The older couple behind us is from Germany living in Hilton Head SC and going back to Germany for visit. A bird just flew by us and I heard a young boy tell his dad "No really! It was a real bird!" The cultural adventure begins and we haven't even left the States yet WHAT??!! We are boarding in 10 minutes and I just ... read more

Drove to Chicagpso we can just take shuttle to airport in morning. Two hour flight to Newark, short layover then on to Stockholm Swedan. Girls are super excited and I need to stop worrying and start having fun!... read more

Planning for this trip has been very time consuming! Hopefully all the time we put in getting ready will mean a safe and good trip. It is a little scary though. We're packed and ready for an early start to drive to Chicago area for flight out on Tuesday. We have been trying to go to bed early and get up early to try to start with the time zone change already. It's hard to get up early when we just finished school and should be sleeping in:) Deb... read more