Chrismas 2008

We have certainly had a really nice Christmas... and our fair share of fun stories to share.
We've posted all our Christmas pictures here... there are some videos too (be patient they take a while to start once you've clicked on one). Wednesday, Christmas eve we celebrated in our house with some friends. We had some beutiful food, drinks and great times.

Ah the old "some assembly required"... Isabella little kitchen took approximately 10 man hours to complete.

This is the first Christmas Isabella really understood present and had so much fun opening, hers...and everyone else.

Brunch at Grandma and grandpa's on Christmas day

Silly hats part of the brunch

Happy family in front of the Christmas tree

Isabella's favorite gift came from aunt Jess, a baby bed and high chair.

Picking up our Christmas tree
Isabella has since Christmas been busy feeding baby and putting her to sleep
On Friday we went for a hike but it was pretty muddy
We also went for a bike ride on our new bikes
Isabella loved her helmet so much she wore it to dinner. They say most accidents do happen in the kitchen, better safe then sorry

Boy I really need my dose of coffee. Isabella loved foamy milk
Daddy and Bella loading up the tree

A modern day women needs a modern kitchen with all electronics, even a micro...in pink!

God Jul or Merry Christmas!!!

James, Fredrica & Isabella sending you all love and light hope you all have a great Christmas.

Hair salon's creative ways to help nature

One thing that is the hardest for me to admit is that every time I go to get a haircut I help destroy the environment. I try to use salon's who use Aveda products. A matter a fact, in London I use to go to a Aveda hair salon. When I went for a haircut the other day I noticed a sign saying "This salon collects old nylons and hair clippings to make bolsters to help suck up oil spills on beaches". Wow!! I think that is a very creative way to use something most people would consider garbage and use it for something so good.

Future Entertainer?

Isabella has many skills... she can entertain dolls, dance (only to one Swedish song, Trance Dance's You Gonna Get It????) and paint master pieces.

Mom teaching Isabella a Swedish song and dance


This seriously is her favorite song and she always does the same dance

An artist hard at work

So this is it?

I have plans to go out with my friend Jessica on Saturday and she texted me asking if I was up for it. I said yes but I have plans until 7pm. She responded isn't that little bit late? Oh what party animals we have become when 7pm is considered late.

Doing the frog dans at the Swedish school Christmas party

I beginning to see how people get stressed out around the holiday's and it has little to do with trying to get ready for Christmas. It's because of all those darn Christmas parties. Since I teach at m0re than one yoga studio I therefore have more than one party to go to. James has one and Isabella although only two years old, has one with her Swedish school. Off course this is also when friends want to have a Christmas bashes of their own. I know, I sound like the Grinch but I'm all partied out. On Sunday me and James actually had to convince our self we were going to have fun and actually it worked and we did. It was Isabella's school's Christmas party. For this event we had to make 100 meatballs and volunteer to help set up for the party. It was held in St. James hall in La Jolla. We ate Swedish Christmas food and danced around the tree. The most fun part was when James was talked into getting up on stage and sing Christmas songs....in Swedish. Not by him self, with 10 other victims. They did great.

Isabella in a dress from Joseph
Mom (little bit tired) and Bella all ready.
Cleverly they had an area for the kids to cut, past and color
Dad and Bella matching getting ready to dance the frog dance (traditional Swedish song which you usually have a couple of drinks to enjoy)

Enjoy the dancing around the tree, we sure did!

we're going foodie

I don't think it's secret we love food, to look at it, read about it, too cook and most important so eat it. I guess it was just matter of time before we started to write about it and now we are on our food blog; http://www.sunnyyogakitchen.blogspot.com/. We had a lot of people suggest we get a food blog going to they can easy get the recipes and as you can see we have most adorable sues chef so please enjoy!

Hmmm it's important to test the quality of the food

Concentrating intensely on what she's doing

It's broken

Isabella thinks a lot of things are broken if they don't work the way she wants them to. Today she was having raspberries and if the could not fit on her finger or if they left some red juice on then she handed me the berry with a "it's broken".

Swedish Sankta Lucia celebration in Balboa Park

It was time for the International Christmas nights in Balboa park again. This year we had much better luck with the weather since last year it was super cold and down pour rain the whole time. Last night we're walking around in short sleeves. we came mostly to see the Swedish Sankta Lucia celebration.

Lots of people showed up but it did not feel that crowded actually

One of the many beautiful Christmas trees in the Park

I guess even Santa feels the bad economy since this one charged us $2 to have our pictures taken with him. But it was worth it.

bring a little help from your friends

We usually are good with donating both time and money to help others, especially around the

holidays. One cause we like to help is Toys for Tots. The Toys for Tots http://www.toysfortots.org/program is founded by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and its job is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted. In Fredrica's class one of her Students Natalie's husband is Marine and we talked about organizing a Toys for Tots free by donation class where anyone can come and take a class in exchange for a toy. It happened this Saturday and we had a bunch a fun and raised many toys to make some kids have a brighter Christmas. This year especially its very much needed with the economy on a down spiral there are more children in need than ever. Thank you all of you who participated and a specially thanks for Anthony & Natalie. Thanks for your service. Also a big thanks to Andrea Liddle for helping out teaching and Debbie Flynn to let us use her yoga studio.

Anthony a proud marine who collected the Toys on behalf of Toys For Tots

Debbie Flynn, The owner and her Grand-daughter and daughter

We had a lot of kids participating which made the class more the fun. Anthony and Natalie's son in Warrior

Reach for the sky, Debbie and Anthony in reverse warrior

Little Yogini did so well, isn't she just adorable?

calming body and mind with breath work is important specially aroun dthe holiday

Sonya flying high with confidence

The artist way

Isabella loves to paint....on everything but not paper usually.