Sweden Trip

 Kelli, my cousin, is celebrating her 40th birthday and it turns out that I'm turning 40 this year also.  She chose me to go on this special trip.  Her brother made sure we sat in row 40!  He was very clever!  It was a once in a lifetime experience!  We are ready to go to Sweden.  It took a full day to get there.

 We arrived early in the morning and chose to go to the Sweden temple first.  We had to take the Arlanda Express and then a train to get there.

 It was a beautiful temple and the people there were so special.  I wish we could've stayed longer. I loved listening to the language in the temple. We even ate lunch in the cafeteria there and learned more about the Swedish people.

 We took a ferry over to the VASA museum.  What an amazing site to see.

 We went to Skansen Village to learn a little more about the Swedish culture.  I love the DALA horses.

 We walked and walked and walked around the city of Stockholm.

 We were excited to meet up with Mark and Mark.  We walked some more around Stockholm.

 This is the Royal Palace.  WE toured inside but we couldn't take pictures.

 My Swedish friend told me to try the Semlas.  They were so yummy.

 We went on a private tour through Old Town.

 This is the narrowest street in Stockholm.

 I loved going to the Nobel Prize museum.

 More pics in front of the royal palace.  We even got to see the change of the soldiers.

 We visited lots of old churches in Stockholm.

 Carrot Cake and Princess Cake are very popular in Sweden so we had to try them.  I love to hang out with my cousin.  I haven't seen him in over 6 years.

 Beautiful Stockholm.  It has been rated one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

 Our first stop at the reindeer farm.  Love these crazy hats.

 We got to learn about the Sami people.

 We are so warm in these outfits they gave us.  The weather was perfect.  Sunny everyday.

 I had fun on the snow mobile.

 I'm a kid again!  Making snow angels with my cousin was so much fun!

 Eating lunch in the Sami tent.

 This is one of the reindeers that gave us a sleigh ride.

 I was holding on for my life.  This reindeer went so fast I thought I was going to fall off or die!

 The meals were fantastic!  I had lots of reindeer and moose meat with potatoes and lingonberry jam.

 We stayed at a few cabins.  I loved this one.

 Our first day ready to dogsled.  We even got to harness them each day.

 I fell in love with my sweet dogs.  Whisper, Hilda, and the J brothers.

 They sure were a great team.  I can't believe how much they love to run.

 This is another cute place we stayed at.  One evening we were able to see the northern lights.  What a miraculous experience.  They hadn't seen them in over three weeks.  I know that was one of the many miracles from God on this trip.

 Having fun in the sun!

 Oh, I miss my dogs.  I loved dogsledding with my team.  There were 11 people altogether on this trip.

 I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to be with for 8 days.

 I honestly stayed warm the whole time.  I sure loved my toe warmers and hand warmers.

 More snowmobiling and sleigh rides.

 The ice hotel was so unique.

 Here is the ice chapel that many people get married in.

 I still can't believe that chandelier is made of ice.

 I loved this ice sculpture

 We even got glasses that were made of ice.

 Cheers!

 It was fun to have another day in Stockholm. We visited a market.

 We enjoyed seeing more churches.

 I bought Kevin a pair of Happy Socks.  This was the original store and now its all over the world.

 This is the city hall where the Nobel Prizes are given out.

 Crazy Dala horse.

 Oh, the beautiful city of Stockholm.

Our last night we toured the city again and ate at a yummy restaurant.

 Meat and potatoes is what we had every night.  That is very traditional where we were at.

 I loved their famous swedish meatballs and of course another kind of potatoes.  Swedish cucumbers and lingonberries too.  Yum!

 These candies are a memory I have of my grandpa Johnson.  I had to get some for my kids.   Lakerol candies for your throat.

 

 I loved snowshoeing on a cold clear morning.  It woke me up.

 

I tried ice fishing for the first time.  I didn't have any luck but nobody did.

 

Here is a group of us who had fun snowshoeing.

I'm so grateful I had this opportunity to get to know my cousins better, my heritage better and also myself!