Lost in Pippi Land!

Update!!

2010-11-16T08:36:00.004+01:00

Hi my whole 3 blog readers. Well its been almost a year since i last updated and since then a lot has happened I guess now is a good time to update!

I have lost around 40 pounds...give or take! I feel great and even had to buy new everything! Im still using my old stuff until I just cant use them anymore! 20 more pounds to go :=)

Im almost done with my swedish studies and will be out in the word trying to find a job come June 2011!

We traveled around sweden this past summer which was great! I got to see more of this gorgeous country and see some great history!

Here are some picture I took over the year!

Im fat!!! Thats the truth!

2009-12-31T10:19:00.002+01:00

At 36 I find myself at the heaviest Ive ever been! 230 lb. (104 kilos). I got into a weight loss program run by the city of Malmo!
We are using a book called the The Complete Beck Diet! I have to exercise one hour a day, pre plan all our meals and work my ass off for this! I will lose 50 pounds....Its might take me 6 months it might take more....either way our lifestyle must change! Paulus will be doing weight watchers because it worked for him in the past! He needs to work on losing his pot belly and get healthy too. Jake will be pleased because this means long walks everyday!

I will post my progress as I achieve my goals.....

I will not buy any new clothing until all the clothing I have in boxes under the bed fit me again.....I was a 14-16 when I moved here in March 2005 and this past summer I bought a size 20 capri pants...I hope to never put those on again unless I pregnant!

I look so forward to wearing all my cute Ralph Lauren and Eddie Bauer stuff again :) Ive missed wearing skirts and shorts!

Tomorrow my journey begins :)

Its been awhile!

2009-09-01T20:46:00.001+02:00

My 2 whole readers. I know its been a while since I last posted in April.

Stay tuned for new blog enteris Coming Sooon!

Its been a while! But Ive been tagged!

2009-04-22T21:28:00.002+02:00

8 THINGS

I was tagged to do this '8 Things' list by my little sister..Nancy... THANKS :)

8 Things I am Looking Forward To:

1. Seeing my sister and her family in June! I cant wait to hug them all!

2. School ending for the term on June 9th!

3. The summer like weather we are going to have this weekend!

4. Going to the doctor to see why we aren't pregnant after 2 years of trying!

5. Trying to find a summer job!

6. Being in a place where they speak English!

7. Knowing that I get to shop for good quality clothing for CHEAP prices in the states!

8. Playing with my niece and nephew!!! Swimming, shopping, and American History! What more can one ask for!!

8 Things I Did Yesterday:

1. Applied for 2 jobs.

2. Ate pizza for dinner.

3. Watched a bird build her nest in a tree near my bus stop!

4. Took a nap!

5. Took Jake for a walk in the park.

6. Chatted with my friend Nicole.

7. Read a kids book about blue whales in Swedish.

8. Went to bed early.

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:

1. Find a cure for Lupus.

2. Get pregnant.

3. Speak better Swedish

4. Have tons of energy to exercise each day!

5. Fly home 4 times a year so I can watch my niece and nephew grow up! in person instead by looking at pictures.

6. Convince my sister that I love Sweden:) and that I will come and visit her when I can.

7. Get a college degree!

8. To travel more!

8 Shows I Watch:

1. Law and Order SVU
2. Bones
3. Hells Kitchen
4. Top Chef
5. Oprah
6. NCIS
7. Grand Designs (BBC)
8. CNN International

8 People who are tagged:

Im not tagging anyone....If you have time...:)

Fruit Loop!

2009-02-09T16:13:00.003+01:00

The more I read about this story the more angrier I get. What kind of doctor would let this be done? When I first heard the story I was happy for her and thought what a miracle:) How wonderful to bring so many children into the world. 8 is alot but when you get IVF that is sometimes the risk you take. Then I heard that she had 6 more kids at home, that she was unemployed and lived with her folks! I was SHOCKED! What type of fertility clinic would allow this and how did she pay for this? Why didn't anyone send her to a shrink or just flat out say NO!!

OK I'm not a mommy and so I don't really have the right to have a opinion but what about these poor kids...Yes I'm sure they will be loved but what about school, clothing and just plain everyday things. She admitted in this video that she was struggling to support for 6 other kids....I don't know what the world is coming to?

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

In Loving Memory!

2008-12-26T08:47:00.004+01:00

Lois Marie Avriett-Murphy
Nov 1941 to Dec 24, 2008
My mom passed away with my sister at her side!
She will be missed by many!

Jack Frost!!!!

2008-11-22T11:25:00.003+01:00

Hi! Well winter finally make its way to Skåne! It wasn't a lot of snow but enough to make many of us happy for a change from the rain and darkness! We usually don't get snow this early so it was a treat!

Jake and I got up early and went for a long walk to take pictures! It was nice at first then the wind picked up and we made or way home!

We are expected to get more snow this week and then it will all melt away again until Feb. But like many of my expats friends we are all hoping for a White Christmas:) Which hasn't happened in these parts in 10 years or so?

Have a great weekend!

Maggie

More Leaves!!!

2008-10-18T18:04:00.005+02:00

Paulus and I went to Lund this afternoon after we had separate outings in Malmo for breakfast....Paulus played his Hero Clicks and I met up with a bunch of other Expats for a yummy American brunch here in Malmo!

www.southernkitchencafe.se

It was nice to see everyone and meet some new people....We were a big group of 22 and we all stayed a few hours...Lots of fun and very noisy. Looks like this might be a monthly thing..Lots of us don't see each other very much because of school,jobs and life. But it sure was fun:)

When we left at 1:30 the place was filling up with people....I heard a lady say in Swedish....Where did all these American come from? :)

Here are some pictures I took of the leaves in the city park in Lund...Hope you enjoy:)

My Favorite Season!!

2008-10-15T08:37:00.002+02:00

I love Autumn...The leaves,the crisp cold air and the colors.I remember as a child in California waiting for the leaves to change and wondering why it happened so quick. Because we really never had a fall like you see in New England.

Well here in Malmo Fall has come slowly and now all the leaves are turning red,orange,pink and all the colors of fall....In some parts it looks like someone just painted the landscape. Its very nice. Plus its getting cold and crisp. Soon the leaves will be replaced with ice and snow...Until then I'm going to enjoy it while its last....The wind will do away with the leaves shortly...So Ive taken a few pictures for my 3 blog reader to enjoy!

School Daze!

2008-09-07T17:31:00.004+02:00

Hello my 5 blog readers! I know Ive been away for a bit but Ive been busy trying to get on a schedule with school and stuff!

Well I like my school. Its a different atmosphere then the adult school I was going to in Malmo. Its a more like a JC collage and there are more serious students. I will say that we are not challenged as much and its a very laid back type of feel Which is great but I must improve my Swedish....especially with my speaking!

The program I'm in is for adults with ADHD and dyslexia...There are only 3 of us that are leaning Swedish as a second language! ME, a women from Iraq who was just diagnosed with Dyslexia over the summer and a man from Jamaica. We work in a group and since the other 2 have lived here for many years they speak very good and inspire me to do better.

I'm going to school all day from 8:20-2:10 M,Tues and Friday and from 10:10-3:50 on wed and thurs!

I'm taking Swedish
Math...which I HATE WITH A PASSION!!!!
Swedish government
A writing class
and High School English which is quite fun and well I got a good laugh when I didn't know what a adverb was!!!

Paulus and I are now speaking a bit of Swedish at home and trying to do it more and more! My goal is to be speaking Swedish together all the time by next year!

For those of you that understand svenska here is the link to my school

www.malmofolkhogskola.se

Have a great Sunday!

ME

Our Summer in pictures:)

2008-08-15T11:46:00.004+02:00

Well summer is over for us..Its getting cold and soon the leaves will change. But we had a good summer.

We spent time with friends, spent time together and even got a new family member added to our clan. We went to Denmark for the day and spent many nights watching movies and staying up way past our bedtime:)

There was some sad news. I lost my Aunt Rita to brain cancer and my MIL lost her mother this summer also....My FIL spent a few days in the hospital with Pneumonia and our little niece was born with a heart condition which she had surgery for last week and is doing good.

But for the most part it was fun. We even have planned our summer vacation for next summer. USA here we come:)

Here are some pictures Ive taken over the summer. Hope you enjoy them:)

Its one hot summer!

2008-07-28T19:05:00.002+02:00

My whole 5 readers.

Its HOT....This morning it was almost 80 at 9am. Ive found that home if the best place to be with the sea breeze and the windows open. We took a short drive inland to Lund this afternoon and It was so warm we came home. Paulus dad is sick and is in the hospital. He has been doing to much at home and just wore his self out but he will be fine and home on friday. But I found it strange that the hospital room had no AC and that you have to eat in a dining room with the other patience's. You only get a tray of food sent to your room if your unable to walk or such.

Paulus is on vacation after having to work most of the 1st week of it and yesterday. We have a few day trips planned but nothing big. With it being so hot and the sun being my new enemy. We are not going to Denmark as planned and well the zoo is out because the skåne animals don't like the heat either.

Tonight we BBQ steak for the first time and it was perfect and yummy. My swede is a great BBQ chef even though he is a novice:)

We also went out and bought a Nentiodno Wii.....Its our new toy and well worth it. Its given us many hours of supermario kart and Im sure we have wasted many brain cells in the process.

Have a great day

Maggie

Odd News Monday!!!

2008-07-14T16:16:00.002+02:00

OK......I don't need to say more....Not in 100,000,000 years would I use this....I recycle and separate my trash but when it come to my period I would never be able to do this....I know its a gross thing to talk about but we are all adults here:=)

http://www.thelocal.se/13036/20080714/

Have a great monday!!

Odd News Wednesday!

2008-07-09T14:23:00.003+02:00

My 3 readers....I think I'm going to blog about odd news I find in my inbox quite a lot....Something to make you smile,laugh or just gross you out! I know I'm such a kid!

Here is a story that was the headline in some of the major Swedish papers this morning.....Gotta love the swedes....

http://www.thelocal.se/12928/20080709/

Maggie:)

Been Busy!

2008-07-08T19:26:00.002+02:00

My nice sister pointed out that I haven't written a entry in a while....I will update soon...

So stay tuned and please come back and visit:)

Maggie

Give me a break!

2008-06-19T21:53:00.002+02:00

This made me laugh...I mean if she lost a eye then I could understand!

Random Shots!

2008-06-16T14:27:00.002+02:00

Need I say more!

2008-06-11T11:47:00.006+02:00

I let Paulus do something that I said I would never allow in a flat....I think he must have slipped something into my morning coffee! I don't need to say much the pictures will say it all for me....Thank God most of it is USED and the new stuff he got a good deal on....I will post the finished product when done!

Summer in Malmö and More!

2008-06-09T15:53:00.002+02:00

Hello all my 3 readers....No..Just kidding....This past weekend Sweden was the hottest country in Europe....It was I think 85 degrees in Falun up north...But because the sun comes up at 4am its very warm by 9am...Yesterday and Sat it was HOT in Malmö...Plus is very dry and we need rain.....But not like last summer where it rained for 4 weeks straight. It looks like relief is on the way...Today is a perfect Swedish summer day. I was in town this morning and met up with Misfit Duck for Fika. We both got new camera's so we had to try them out. Here is a collections of pictures I've taken over the last few weeks.....

Hope you enjoy! More to come later!

I promise I will update!

2008-06-09T08:54:00.001+02:00

Ive been busy and I thinking on something to blog about....I have a few ideas but just need to sit down and write them down.....Its been a cray week and I need a 3 day NAP and then I will be ready for anything......

Maggie

I've been tagged by Nancy

2008-05-30T19:39:00.005+02:00

I guess once you start playing tag... you'll eventually get tagged back! This time I was tagged by Nancy.! This one is a bit different that the last one though.

This time around you must list 6 random 'quirks' about yourself. Also, you must list the rules (as I just did) and name 6 other victims that must follow suit.

Quirk #1
I have a thing about the coffee pot. I use it every morning for my cup of java...I didn't drink much coffee in the states but here they drink it like water....I only drink tea in the winter...but that is another quirk! I will check to make sure I have unplugged the coffee pot at least 5 times each day...Then I always check right before I leave the house....If I don't check I will spend the whole day thinking about it...Sometimes I can even convince the swede to come home and check on his lunch break..Each time the thing has been unplugged and even cleaned...I know I have OCD.:)

Quirk #2
I love maps....but I cant for the life of me read them. I know that I will get lost but I still always want a map for directions....Now If I have written out direction with left and right on them I can find my way...But if you tell me its North,South,East or West...I have NO IDEA!!!! My family that have had the pleasure of traveling with me know what a problem it is..but they still love me....but if Ive been to a place before I can usually find my way back.:) There are exceptions...just ask my wonderful sister in law and her hubby...:)

Quirk #3
I talk to myself...I guess that is a quirk!

Quirk #4
This next quirk is what annoys people about me the most....Believe me I have tried very hard to overcome this and all the therapy in the world will not help! I INTERRUPT people when we are having a conservation...I don't mean to I just have such a strong urge to get my point across I do it without thinking.Its such a problem but most of you don't point it out and understand that I'm not being rude..I'm just a bit strange:)

Quirk #5
I must have the mail box key....I hate if Paulus get the post before me....Ive always been this way...even as a kid...I wanted to be the first to get the mail or the newspaper each day...I'm sure I knocked down my sister more then once running to the mail box...I don't have anything to hide....I just want to check the mail....

Quirk #6
I LOVE THE NEWS! I will watch CNN until the cows come home if given the chance....

Those of you that know me..Thanks for liking me even thought I could use professional help for my Quirks

Let's see... who shall I tag?
Nicole...I know you have quirks:)
Soowan....like your wife said your a newbie but you can handle it:)
And any one else who reads my blog....I know your read it but just don't leave comments.

"Indiana" Maggie Quest To Speak Swedish

2008-05-22T14:40:00.004+02:00

Folks,
As some of you know I was never a very good student...Not because I was lazy but because I did what the voices in my head said too...No really! I have a learning disability and well it came back 10 fold while learning this backwards language called Swedish.

So after another school term of struggle and me still using swinglish (English and Swedish mixed together) in every conversation I have in Swedish I have left my adult school studies at komvux and will be attending Malmöfolkhögskola in the fall.

They have a program for adults with dyslexia and its just what I need to get my brain to work in Swedish...Plus they will help me with my poor English writing skills.

I will be taking Math,English,Swedish,history,a bit of science and some government classes....Its a whole day program from 8:20 to 2pm M-F.

I hope its a step in the right direction...because I need my confidence back:=) So when school is out for summer we will be living in a Swedish speaking household....Ive told the swede that if he wants to have a clean house,a warm dinner and loving wife then he must make a better effort to speak to me like the Swedish chef from the Muppet show!

For those of who läsa svenska here is info about Malmöfolkhögskola.

http://www.malmofolkhogskola.se/

and here is something for all of you:)

Bus Stop Blues....

2008-05-12T09:22:00.002+02:00

One of the great things about living in Sweden is the public transportation. I use the bus everyday and I prefer it to riding my bike into Malmö each morning for class...Plus its a 50 min bike ride on the bike paths and 30 min if I ride in the street....Well we all know that I don't belong in the street....I will end up in the ER with something broken!
So I take the bus...Which most of the time is ok. The bus driver here are not always very nice and at least once a week they miss my stop and keep driving....But for the most part they get me to where I need to go.....

Well here in the boonies of Malmö in Bunkeflostrand they have been building new houses,roads and roundabouts since before we moved here...and well our street is one big gravel pit...This past weekend we spent lots of time outside getting our patio ready for summer and to BBQ.....I didn't really notice the past few weeks that the street was getting wider in one section of the road outside our kitchen window! Paulus pointed out to me a sign pole without a sign,a trash can and a place for a bench on the sidewalk. THEY ARE PUTTING A BUS STOP OUTSIDE MY KITCHEN WINDOW!!!!!!
I will admit I'm annoyed...Just when they are almost done with the houses being build across the street and knowing that it will be quieter...they go and build a bus stop...which means that every 30 mins a big green monster will pass by my open window..but there is a plus side....I wont have to worry about people getting lost trying to find our apt and when it snows I only have step outside my door to get the bus. So I will end my bus stop rant here and hope that the new bus route will be a blessing instead of a nuisance! Off to enjoy the last day of warm weather.

Maggie

Blueskies and Sunshine!

2008-05-09T20:08:00.006+02:00

Sweden is having very nice weather....It was warm all day and barely any wind....Which made it quite summer like today...After work I came home and worked on cleaning up our patio so we could BBQ tonight.....I wiped down the table and chairs,washed the windows and swept the floor...Then it was weed pulling time...well weed pulling was fun when I was a kid..which is the last time I pulled weeds...and well after using a few curse words in 2 languages I got out the kitchen scissors and cut the grass...Yes I should have some garden tools now that I have a outside patio or even better I could have pulled the weeds in Feb when I saw them spout!

So after 2 hours of hard work I was happy when Paulus got home with burgers for the BBQ! Wait we don't have a BBQ...Just a 10 year old electric grill Paulus last used in 1998...So I get the table set outside and wait for the BBQ to warm up! I'm impressed...It still works...10 mins later all the lights go out....When Paulus unplugged the BBQ all the light worked again....So tomorrow we are heading to the store to buy a REAL COAL RUN BBQ....We have people coming over for game night and I want to BBQ....

Well at least one member of our family loved his time in the sun today!

Here is Jake's idea of what to do on a warm spring day!

What Would I Do For A Klondike Bar!

2008-05-07T06:43:00.006+02:00

I'm missing American food....I mean the real stuff...Taco Bell, Sonic, Krispy Kream...The stuff that makes the US the FATTEST nation in the world.....Yesterday I treated my self to Burger King....Something we don't do very often since we are on weight watchers....It was good but what I would do for Steak with a baked potato, green beans, a salad and a big piece of Chocolate Cake....Yes I suppose I could make this at home...but its so much better at Coco's,Denny's or a place I love in Torrance called Texas Lucy's...Plus last week I used the last of my chocolate chips to make muffins for our guests....and the worse thing is the American Store they have here in Malmö is up for sale and if its not bought then it will be gone and it will be very sad. What will I do???....Its the only place in Malmö I can get a Hersey bar, pop tarts and yes I will spend 5 bucks for a bag of chocolate chips if needed.

Last night I dreamt of a breakfast with Donuts and Apple Jacks...

Well now its back to reality and the fact that I have a test in a hour and even though Ive studied I'm still not 100% sure I will pass...I only need 50% to pass. I have to take this class again next term but I still want to leave with a passing grade on the reading,writing and understanding sections...I hope that my swedish improves in the next 3 months.....Wish me luck!

Maggie:)

I've been tagged by my sister!

2008-04-30T07:29:00.005+02:00

I'VE BEEN TAGGED BY MY VERY DEAR AND EXTREMELY MISSED SISTER NANCY!

If you think you know about me...read this and see if you're right! :)

4 JOBS I'VE HAD:

1. K.F.C.
2. Sears
3. Rob-May
4. Macy's

4 PLACES I'VE LIVED:

1. Arcadia, CA
2. Thousand Oaks, CA
3. Torrance, CA
4. Malmö, Sweden

4 SHOWS I WATCH:

1. BBC Food
2. CNN
3. CSI
4. Lots of History channel,Animal Planet.

4 BLOGS I READ REGULARLY:
(In all honesty I surf through blogs everyday. I love stalking, (Oh! I mean reading ;0) ) other people's blog. So if you're linked to one of the blogs listed below than I most likely have read your blog too! Yeah... I know... I need to get our more. LOL!

1. Misfit Duck
2. Shazzer
3. My sister
4. Celebrity Gossip Blogs

4 FAVORITE FOODS:

1. Ice Cream
2. Tacos
3. Pizza
4. Anything from home...I miss American Fast Food....I know its bad for you but its so good!

4 PLACES I'D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:

1. A tropical island
2. A Day Spa
3. The British Museum
4. Anywhere... As long as I get to see my little sis!

4 FRIENDS LIKELY TO RESPOND: (THIS MEANS YOU'VE BEEN TAGGED BY ME).

1. Angel
2. Nicole..maybe
3. And I think that is it!
4.

4 THINGS I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS YEAR:
1. School ending in a month
2. Strawberries
3. Days that last forever...sunshine from 4am till 11:30pm
4. Possibly Going To America¨in 2009 to see my family and to do some serious shopping!

Whale! Wow!

2008-04-29T15:45:00.004+02:00

When I first met the swede I was obsessed with Sweden and what there was to see there...I remember reading in a travel book about a museum in Göteborg that had a stuffed baby blue whale. Well since Ive been in love with whales as long as Ive been in love with The Ricker..If you know who the Ricker is then I give you points for useless 80's trivia? Which my head is full of!

So anyway...Last month we went to Göteborg for the weekend. Paulus was busy with his gaming convention so I thought I would site seeing a bit and took a bus tour in the snow and visited the great museums they have there. I saved the Natural History Museum for that Sunday! Plus it was super cold and the snow it was a blowing!!!

Link to website.... www.gnm.se

When I got there I was so excited to see the stuffed whale....There were signs everywhere about him so I walked around and saw the other stuffed animals ,had some lunch and talked with a older women about spiders you find in the USA.

So finally I make it to the Hall of Mammals.....There next to its skeleton was this large stuffed baby blue whale....He was stuffed in the late 1880's and he just looked so sad.....I really felt bad for him. He was not caught and killed for the museum but washed up on a beach outside Göteborg and he was then cut into 4 pieces and stuffed...I remember just standing there reading at account of his story and how in the 1900's they thought it would be a good idea to open his mouth, add some walls, wallpaper,carpet and some seating and have fika in the whales mouth...(Fika is Sweden's version of high tea) I cried!

But you have to remember its was a different time and people didn't know what they know now....But at the same time its was fantasizing. I could not leave and I just thought this is the closest that I will ever get to a blue whale and I don't regret going. I even plan on going back one day and see it again!

Maggie

Spring time in Skåne

2008-04-29T09:57:00.007+02:00

A few weeks back was our first REAL spring day in Malmö.The sun was shinning,birds chirping and it was warm...In the high 50's is warm for April. Jake and I thought it would be a good day for the park and a ice cream.....So we hoped on the bus and took the 20 min ride to Slottsparken (Castle Park). We walked around for a while looking for the dog park and when we found it Jake ran and played. Then we went for a walk and I people watched while Jake geese watched. It was a nice afternoon.....After all the hard work of strolling through the park we stopped and had a ice cream with chocolate sprinkles....Usually Jake loves to share with mom but for some reason he only had geese on the mind! He missed out! But he will have plenty of changes to get his own ice cream this summer.

Here are some pics from our day in the park!

For My sister!

2008-04-29T01:07:00.000+02:00

Hello all.....
My sister keeps telling me that I should keep a blog. I have tried this once in the past but I got too lasy to keep it going.....Well school is out in a month and I will have lots of free time to write on here....We have a few things family wise that are happening this summer..there are people in our lives moving into new homes, there will be another child to spoil rotten and the swede and I will travel a bit around the south of sweden. So I will do my best to keep you up with our news....

Hope you will read my blog from time to time....I cant promise that all the words will be spelled right and I will try to keep them short and interesting.

Kram och Puss (Hugs and Kisses)

Maggie

Avoiding Homework!

2008-04-28T18:13:00.004+02:00

I hated school.....I liked my friends,recess and lunch....Grade school was the worst for those of you who knew me then....But in High School was OK.....I never was taught very good study skills and was a VERY LAZY student. Well now many years later I'm back in I guess you would say 6th grade and trying to learn how to read a write the backwards language called Svenska. I have homework every night and I know it needs to get done and I have the time to do it.....I'm not that busy..I don't have kids,a job or compilations keeping me from it....I'm admit I'm lazy...I would rather watch TV, read something of my choice in English or sit at this contraption. Like High school I'm doing my homework last minute.Whether its at the breakfast table,on the bus or the 20 min I have before class starts. I do the reading part at home...because I can read swedish ...Its the writing that I put off....Like now....I have to talk about something...Anything for 3 mins on Wed...I thought cool I could talk about a book I love.....Easier said then done....Here I am with a book I have read 15 times and for the life of me I cant write about it in Swedish....I know what I want to say....And of course I knew about this assignment over a week ago...But I put it off and its due on Wednesday.

I have made a promise to myself that next term....Starting August 18,2008...I will live,breath and speak Swedish all the time....How Nancy will love that next summer.....:)
Well Ive written a whole 7 lines of this speech in Swedish so I think I might be one a roll...But the swede is home soon and I'm sure once he has made his corrections I will be back to square one!

ME