Coming home

The trip was cut short by a week after I had an accident on a bus in Copenhagen.  I spent 5 days in the hospital while trying to heal and make arrangements with our insurance to bring us home.  We did travel home first class, which made things a little better for both of us.  Pictured here is the Copenhagen airport with tall ceilings and things very grand and sleek, but not ornamental at all.

The security here was very low key.  We were not searched or insulted or made to feel ill-at-ease at all.  It was a very nice experience in a wheelchair (if you don't count the pain when having to move).

 Because of our first class status, we were taken directly to the SAS first class waiting room, where there was a huge smorgasbord, free for all first class passengers.  The picture shows a variety of things we could choose from--all delicious.  Here you can see meatballs, potato, lox, sausage, lemon and bread.
After managing to get into the plane and the seat, we were treated royally.  The seats tilted back all the way and were very comfortable.  The trip began with a special before-dinner drink, which we chose with cranberry juice and sparkling water.  Next came the warm wash clothes.  Then a five-course meal with sandwiches and other appetizers, salad, main dish choices with hot rolls, dessert choice.  Everything was delicious, and they continued throughout the flight to offer cookies and candies and drinks--none of which I could stuff myself with any more. 

  Below is a shot from the airplane high above Denmark soon after leaving Copenhagen to return home.  Our stop in Chicago and trip home to SNA was a very different story, but we got home safe and sound.  After that, recovery took about 10-12 weeks with the help of my wonderful children and ward members.  I was able to return to school about 4 weeks after I came home.  Now as I write this, it is four months since the accident and I feel completely healed.  It was a good trip, with some major complications.

 

From Stockholm to Malmo and beyond

This picture of the beautiful sunset was taken on the train crossing the ocean from Malmo, Sweden to Copenhagen.  We traveled from Stockholm to Copenhagen in a five hour trip, arriving in Copenhagen, Denmark about 6 pm.  The trains are comfortable and roomy.  You can bring your own snacks or purchase a few in one of the compartments.  We enjoyed a lot of beautiful scenery, a good time to chat with each other and other passengers.


After arriving in Copenhagen and finding our room (pictured below), we took off the next morning back to Malmo and the surrounding towns where the Carlson family lived hundreds of years ago.  I wanted to go to the individual towns and visit the churches and do a little genealogy, but time was so limited and we ended up taking a train from Malmo to Helsingborg and back, making a stop in Landskrona, midway.
I have put together a book of the trip, where a map shows each little town, about sixteen, all located around Landskrona, where our ancestors lived.  In the book, each town's church is pictured, and I have added the names of our ancestors who were born, married or died there.  I think it is a good way to keep track of the events and those people who were our ancestors.

 In Malmo, we started out at the information office outside the train terminal (pictured above).  They were very helpful.  The Swedish archives were located about a 15 minute walk from there where we might have found out more, but we decided to get on the train and take a look at the area and try to get to the little towns.  Unfortunately, we we didn't see the towns up close except for Landskrona, where we tried to get around, but without a car we needed to take the buses, and no one, although they wanted to help, seemed to know where the little town of Saby was located, even though it showed on the map to be just outside of Landskrona.  We found an area called Sabyhoms with this street sign on the outskirts of town, but I believe the Saby we were looking for was still beyond and we had no way or time to get there.

 This is the Landkrona train station.  It was a cloudy day and frightfully cold.  We found some lunch in the grocery store next to the station, warmed ourselves and waited for a bus.  The grocery store was fun to see.  They carried about everything, like a Target, but had a large section for food, and a huge display of danishes, cookies and cakes (always a big fascination to me).

 The next day we traveled to Odense by train to find Andrea's family ancestors.  This was in the opposite direction from Malmo.  When we arrived it was snowing and very cold.  But the sun came out shortly and it was a beautiful day.  This church was one of many in Odense, but I love how this picture turned out.  We didn't travel much in Odense, but went to the Archives where Andrea found some helpful info.

This is me sitting on my twin bed, with the down comforter on Andrea's bed, but folded up on mine.

Scandinavia Trip

I'm finally getting around to blogging about the fateful Scandinavian trip.  Now that the bones are healed and things are back to normal, AND I can navigate the pictures on my computer, I think I can actually continue.  Most of the houses are small, with many apartments or individual homes that are often shaped like square boxes.  Very few homes are 2-story, but the apartments were multi-stories.

The first picture is near where we got off the train to attend church in one of the Stockholm wards.  It was our first day in Sweden (Sunday) and finding the place was quite an ordeal.  But after help from some friendly Swedes, we found the church about 2 hours late, just in time for the next ward to start.  Same songs, same agenda, and actually quite the same building layout as ours in the US.  Only the language and scenery are changed.  It was quite the accomplishment to get there and enjoy the meeting, even if one of the talks was in Spanish, being translated into Swedish.  The ward members were friendly and very helpful, and actually drove us back to town after the meeting.

We had a lot of snow on the landscape while we stayed there, but I don't think it snowed at all while we were there, except for a few flurries.  It was very cold, especially with the wind blowing fiercely at night.  The second picture I think is beautiful.  The landscape, although covered with snow, is gentle and sweeping as this picture shows.

Harbor Cruise at Thanksgiving

 Cambryn, Kate, Morgan, Katie
Audrey and Jake in the background

 Darice and Maylin sittin' pretty in the sunshine.

 Jon and Rebecca and Matthew.
Brooke, Jake and Audrey.

Cambryn, Jessica, Kate, Bristyn,
Morgan and Katie.  In the center of the boat was a big mattress covering the engine.  It was fun to ride on the mattress as it jiggled.

Jon and Josh watching the activities.










Brent, Carson and Josh soaking in the sun on the top deck of the boat.  Such fun kids!

 

 The girls are busy writing notes to each other.  Very cute.  They loved being with cousins.

 

Here are a few pictures of our Newport Bay cruise over the Thanksgiving weekend.  It was a beautiful day and we were warm inside the boat cabin.  We had a 2-hour bay cruise, and everyone went and had a great time.  Even the seals we found as we came to the end of the harbor enjoyed the day.  But further out the fog was thick.  We stayed in the sunshine.  Audrey even warmed up to Ryan on the ride.

What a Time We Had! The Biltmore and NC

I finally got to see and hold my newest grandson, Jonah, but not until Christmas.  He is so-o-o cute and has a lot of personality, and looks a lot like Andrew, don't you think!  I totally enjoyed the holidays with these cute kids and their parents!  Here they are with their funny-looking knit hats that we put together throughout the week.  Christmas was fun and busy with choir practices, missionaries for Christmas breakfast, setting up a trampoline, and my Christmas gift--a trip to the Biltmore Hotel in Asheville, NC.

We traveled about 4 hours away in a beautiful downpour, seeing the country, chatting and playing with Jonah.  Asheville was freezing--but we loved it!  The Biltmore has so much history, and the mansion is elegant and reminds me of Downton Abbey.  The pictures above are Jonah asleep through the 3 hour tour as Maren carried him.  We took pictures in the Stable Restaurant (which used to be the stable) as we enjoyed our very southern lunch which included sweet potato fries, BBQ chicken, pork, collard greens and a good variety of other things.

The Biltmore and grounds when we visited were in the dead of winter, but they're very beautiful.  And what a huge place.  The Vanderbilts employed hundreds of people to keep the place up with many inventions not used by others until about 50 years later.  They also were quite a generous family, planning a Christmas party yearly where they gave gifts to all the workers and their children.  The inside of the mansion is restored and elegantly beautiful, but we weren't allowed to take pictures inside.

This Christmas was a wonderful time for me.  Not only did I love being with the NC Bosleys, but was able to see Grandma and Mike and Jon and Rebecca's family in UT.  I totally missed seeing Ryan and Darice's family this Christmas, but got to celebrate with Brooke and Jake and the girls before I left.  Thanks, everyone, for all the fun and love from all of you.

In addition to all the milestones this year, let me add two more, which I am so pleased about.  Carson and Josh both received the Priesthood and can now pass the sacrament.  What an honor for them.  They both turned 12 within a few weeks of each other.

Fun times at Thanksgiving

We were able to find some time together at Thanksgiving.  We only had a few days, but we managed to fit a lot into those days.  The kids enjoyed splashing in the jacuzzi with their cousins and having a music night where everyone were good sports.  Cousins got to spend time in the backyard and playroom, sleeping all over the house, and putting on a fun play which they made up from scratch and enlisted all the kids to participate in.  They made some good memories.  We had orange rolls for Thanksgiving dinner and WE MISSED THE NC BOSLEYS.

Morgan's Baptism and Maylin's Blessing

Last year, 2012, was quite eventful in our family.  Three new grandkids arrived from Heaven, and 2 grandkids were baptized.  I traveled to AZ for Maylin's blessing and Morgan's baptism, and earlier in the year to NC for Hyde's baptism (previous blog).  Lots of blessings for me.  I love to travel to the baptisms and try to not to miss them.  Here are some pictures taken in AZ.