seeing sweden

We went to explore Stockholm, Sweden last weekend and can I just say....such a cool city!  Land of the vikings.  It is basically a city of a bunch of islands with roads connecting them so we were close to the water most of the time.  I just loved it.  It was modern, and so many design oriented shops, and everyone spoke English.  Its the first city that I've been to outside of the states where I thought, yep, I would definitely live here as opposed to just a cool city to vist.  

It was quite the trip to get there though.  From my apartment to the hotel in Stockholm, its not that far but it took all day because the cheapest way meant taking every type of transportation available.  We took a trolly, then a bus, then a plane, another bus, metro, bus and then walked a little because we were lost :)  (even though the bus dropped us right in front of the hotel, awesome)

We walked around their Old Town the first day.  And for lunch we had the most amazing food ever! I say the most amazing food ever because I have potatoes at every meal in Lithuania and so it may have seemed like a piece of heaven to have something different....but even still!  Holy holy crap.   We went at lunch to cutest candle lit place and you get to have SALAD and BREAD.  And then for the meal I chose this seafood dish that was salmon, shrimp and mussels in this creamy tomato-y soup.  WOW.  That lunch alone just might be why I heart Sweden.

Home land of Ikea so of course we had to.

The second day we spent most of the day heading out to see the temple. I wouldn't recommend visiting Scandinavia in November because the sun started setting around 3:30. We didn't have much daylight so we couldn't get as much in.  But still, such a cool city. And we had some beautiful sunsets.  I'd definitely recommend coming in the summer when everyone is kayaking around the city.....swimming.....and there's a fun theme park on an island that has rides coming right out over the water.  

This is how we rearrange the hotel room when all three of us need outlets.  We are a technology generation fo sho.

From the airplane looking out over the Baltic Sea.  Love this place. It was the most expensive place that I've been to yet in Europe (eastern), but love it still.

simple goals

Although there is still 2 months before I need to start making my new years resolutions, I'm suddenly in the mood for something new to focus on right now.  Maybe its because I have too much time on my hands.  Maybe its the cold, wet rainy weather that's giving me cabin fever.  Instead of waiting until January 1, I thought I'd start now.  Actually, I'd like to make it a habit of making new, simpler goals that I can actually finish before I move onto other goals.  Two months to hurry up and grow a little in 2012.

Emotional
While we're teaching here in Lithuania with ILP, I only work half the day, starting at 3 pm. Mornings are all mine.  Well time to sleep in, my natural love of staying in bed cuddled up, added with the fact that all my roommates sleep in, plus the cold weather outside is the perfect storm for the habit lately of staying in bed until noon.  Staying in bed feels amazing, but its doing a number on my mental state.  I'm tired.  I'm unmotivated.  I'm sluggish.  So my goal for the next 6 weeks of my time here is to get out of bed at least 3 times a week and go for a walk in the morning.  Explore a little bit.  Does the fact that I have to make a goal to get out of bed make me sound incredibly lazy?  Eh. My next goal will be to stop caring what people think.  

Spiritual
Mom gave me this 25 days of Christmas reading list a few years ago and I'm embarrassed to say that it's been sitting in my inbox, unused, all this time. I'd love to read it this year though. And since I know myself soooo well....daily goals only last about a week.  So I'm going to start my 25 days now and that seems pretty doable to get that done before Christmas eve.

25 Days of Christmas Scriptures

1.   JST Luke 3:4-11; John 1:1-14; 20:31    “That Ye Might Believe in Christ”

2.   Luke 1:5-25    Gabriel and Zacharias

3.   Luke 1:57-80   John the Baptist

4.   Luke 1:26-56    “My soul Doth Magnify the Lord”

5.   Matt 1:18-25    Jesus’ Birth

6.   Luke 2:1-17    “Unto you is born a Saviour”

7.   3 Nephi 1:4-21    Signs of Christ’s birth appear in the Americas

8.   Matt 2:1-15    Wise men

9.   1 Ne 11:1-23    “Behold the Lamb of God”

10.  Luke 2:18-38     Simeon and Anna

11.  Luke 2:39-52    “About my Father’s business”

12.  Matt 3:1-17     John and Jesus

13.  Alma 7:10-16; Hebrews 2:18; 4:15  He will loose the bands of death

14.  John 8:12-36     I am the light of the world

15.  Mark 10:17-30     What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

16.  John 17:1-26     The Great Intercessory Prayer

17.  Matt 28:1-20    “He is not here for he has risen”

18.  John 3:16; Romans 8:38-39   Love of God

19.  Matt 9:27-31; Mark 7:31-37; 8:2-26  Healing the Blind

20.  JSH:1-18; Matt 3:17; Moses 4:2  “This is my Beloved Son”

21.  2 Nephi 31:5-20  “Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ”

22.  Helaman 5:6-12    “Remember, Remember…”

23.  3 Ne 17:5-12, 20-25     “Behold your little ones”

24.  Moroni 4 & 5    Sacrament Prayers

25.  Moroni 7:27-48    “Come Unto Christ”

Physical
I've been on Pinterest quite a bit lately (again with the plenty of free time).  Knowing that my typical new years resolution is to eat healthier, I'm thinking I'll get a jump start on that one.  I'd like to compile two weeks worth of yummy, healthy meals that I've pinned.  I want to come up with a cookbook of my fav meals eventually, but I'd say two weeks of meal plans is a good start. Especially after being on an eastern european diet of potatoes, potatoes and more potatoes...my body is craving some healthy detox. 

And.......that's what I'll be doing until New Years.  

the halloween party

 Little baby lion photo bomber got us in this one.

Happy Halloween!  Halloween isn't traditionally celebrated in Lithuania, though people know what it is.  Some of the younger kids are starting to pick up on it.  Anyways we figured we'd have a party since we are an English class and all....gotta teach some culture.  I was a bird and  Stevie faux hawked my hair.  I was the best looking bird around.  Well, there was one of the students' little brothers that didn't think so.  He's about 1 or 2 years old.  He came walking happily around the corner until he saw me with my mask on and I just saw the terror register on his face and then instant tears. So some Lithuanians are still coming around to the idea of Halloween.  We got lots of confused, upset, amazed stares while walking to and from school.  

But, we let the kids know that they could dress up and bring some food cause we were having a P.A.R.T.Y.  

I was pretty skeptical about if any of the students would actually wear a costume....and if they'd even get the concept.  But they got it. And their costumes were legit.  They put my bird hair to shame.  We had a feast of treats and the kids loved it and it was the best. I think Lithuania has some hope yet of bringing the Halloween notion around. Our work here is done. Mission accomplished.

birdy

I've been loving Birdy lately, especially this song.  Its the perfect kind of song for these cold winter days.  I was on the bus the other day with my head phones in and just listened it on repeat for 20 minutes.  A little much but I just got in the zone of her voice....beautiful. 

And tomorrow is Halloween. And I'm going to be an Angry Bird.  The red one :)  I even made a mask and everything. This is a big step up from my typical 80s attire every single year.  Even though I look super rad in 80s attire, it's time to mix it up.

And the next day is vacation to Sweden day.  

Yay!