Happy Snappy

Niccolo is Kynan's nephew. When i came to Malta he was about 7 years. Now he's heading towards 20, is well over 6 feet tall and a cool dude! He just left for Milan, to study architecture. So his loving mother, Juanita, organised a farewell bbq at their flat in Nadur, Gozo. A great afternoon, one of those last summer days, when the water is getting cold but the sun is still hot. Here are all the cousins, except for Milla and Maja.



Now that is what I call a view!

Kynan had just had his b'day, so Juanita made him a cake - how sweet is that!? For you who don't know Juanita, she works an average 25 hours out of 24, plus takes care of husband and kids, so it just amazes me how she can find time for things like actually baking a cake!



Charmaine obviously grasped the opportunity to attack Kynan with a water gun when he was focusing on the cake. Oh she loved splashing him down!



Look at that face! The greatest pleasure is getting at your obnoxious little brother!

Anyways, Nics, we are all soo envious of you. Make sure you have fun! And when you come back home, please design my house with all cool things you picked up in Milan!

I had doubts that this day would actually come...
SCHOOL HAS STARTED AGAIN!!!

And i am not sure who was most excited - me or the girls...
Aren't they sweet, posing outside school!??! Here with Esmee who is in Maja's class



The school grounds were abs chaos for both drop off and pick up - as it is every year for the first week. So we just hanged around, kids so excited they did their homework there and then



Meanwhile, in another part of Mgarr, Milla spent the day dreaming about being big. Much bigger than 3. So big she woudl actually go to school.



Which she actually will, this Thursday. And boy will she regret wishing leaving her mama, when the school gates close behind her and forever closes the first chapter of her life: innocent childhood spent carefree with your parents...

We have an old abandoned railway behind the forest, near our house in Sweden. Perfect place to take photos. But difficult with the light as it is filtered through the trees. And full of mosquitos.. Had to bribe the kids in the end as they got fed up with looking scenic and natural and just wanted to go home to Bullibumpa...

This is beyond cool - it's just amazing! Crank up the volume on your speakers, makes it even better!

What a great idea! Wish i had done something similar from all places i've been to!

... her name is Christina. Or Kicki as i know her. She's been my best friend since 1989, quite a long time. We went to university together, lived together, went to Denmark together to study. We've had highs and lows, met someone, started families. And inevitably we hit middle life together... So now we can share the ups and downs of that together... For her big day, I wanted to make her an art photo. I got the opportunity when she and Livia zoomed down to see me in Lyrestad this summer (she loves taking that train: from Stockholm C, she has a couple of changes until she is on the tiniest train ever which actually stops on our godforsaken platform in the middle of nowhere...) .



The photos came out nice, but i got really blocked of what to do of them. Which one would she like?! But then she called today, and just put it all in the right context. You do it as you want it, i trust you, she said. And i've been thinking about that tonight when i've been going through them again. And slowly it came to me: exactly how i wanted it! But that's going to be a surprise for her, so will not put it up here!



Grattis vannen - e sa glad att jag har dig!

Today Maja looked abs fab! Really funky, in cool 3/4 pants, bright turquoise shirt and very funky sunglasses. Her hair was up in a very flattering, scruffy pony tail, and those eyes... I looked at her and said:
-But how come, Maja, is is possible that I got such a beautiful daughter? It's funny, don't you think, esp since I am not that good looking??
Maja thought for a second, then answered:
- Maybe you were good looking when you were young?

Gotto love 'em...

Ah there is hope... the flower generation is still alive!!

... you got to love Sundays like this... Spent it w friends by the pool at Selmun Hotel. Wow is it a forgotten jem! Abs fantastic surroundings, fab pool, nice kids' pool, quiet&tranquil. Can't believe I have never been before - lived here so long and never discovered it. Will def go again!

Maja and Linni spent their first week in Sweden at sailing camp. One week of sailing optimists in fantastic summer weather on the lake of Vaenern!



The lake is actually the third largest in Europe, it's huge! And it's fresh water, a nice change for the girls to swim in!



The camp is organised by Emma, a fantastic instructor, here in red life jacket next to Linn. She does an abs AMAZING job - the kids adore her. Hurra for Emma!
And how they sail! Have you ever been in an optimist? I have, and i thought i was going to die! The boat is ultra light so the slightest move makes the boat react instantly! But the kids just take off and soon it's like they've sailed all their life.





Well soon they have, this is the third year Maja is doing the camp...



Doesn't she look cool! Such a pro! And Linni is just as good!



And here comes Isabella at the helm, sailing with Elin



Here is a group photo of the 2009 Sjotorp Summer Sailing Camp!


Milla, jihasra, had to stay with me while the girls were sailing.



And i managed to come 5th in the parent sailing! But boy did i have to work hard for it! My body was so soar the next day from trying to be hear, there and everywhere in a space the size of an armchair while avoiding being knocked by a mast, and not flipping the whole thing over and end up wet and humiliated!

We just came back after three really nice weeks in Sweden. It was as it should be: mostly sunshine, some bad days, a few rainy days. I have so many photos to sort out, so don't be surprised if you get summer updates well into christmas time...

Summer holidays in Malta are 3 months long... A very long time to keep kids entertained. And if you are like me, not too keen to constantly dump them in front of the TV or the computer, then it can feel even longer at times...

My kids go to sailing school twice a week, which is great, they love it. So that keeps them busy for 8 hours out of 168. What to do for the rest 160? Our main source of entertainment is obviously to swim, swim and then swim some more... So number 1 rule if you live in Malta is to teach your kids to swim! My record is having a 3 year old swimming away without floats. quite cool!

Yesterday I managed to keep them happy for hours with first letting them shower themselves and the dogs with the garden hose - they loved it! The whole yard was soaked but I managed to cook food while they looked like brazilian street kids.

I then peeled loads of fresh fruits, put it on cuttingboards and asked them to do fruitsallad. With VERY small pieces! They loved, it, kept them busy for another hour and afterwards we all had a yummie fruitsallad to eat. With ice cream.

Malta is in full festa swing... Every village has one - a reason for the people of the village to go out, socialize, for local umpa-umpa-brass bands to play on the village square. It's all based on celebrating the patron saint of the village, and has been going on every summer for some 200 years. I like it - it's part of culture. But then again, I am hidden deep in Ghajn Tuffieha, an enclave too small to have a patron saint and am thus safe from being woken up by what sounds like canons being fired at 7 in the morning. The picture is from San Gwann, and in a way summarises Malta today.  A society clinging onto a very traditional form of Catholicism but flooded by modern culture...

I love this photo. I was photographing a brother and sister, who then lived in Mosta, Malta. The boy was first a bit shy and his father picked him up and was rewarded with a tender hug. I was so happy for having my camera with me! Right place, right time...
I wish i could have aphoto of one my children putting their small arms around me and just giving me a hug, as a memory of the magic of having small kids. I hug them one million times a day, i try to catch them when they run pass me. But sometimes there is that amazing moment, when they just reach out, put their tiny arms around me and give me a hug. Like tonight: Milla couldn't sleep and when i for the umpteenth time went to put her back to bed, she put out her arms, hugged me tight and said goodnight. Ooooh magic!