Austria Dairy Farm Video Report

SO—we just went to Austria last weekend to teach the kids how to ski and enjoy a weekend in the mountains. We took them out of school for one day, so we tried to make up for it by doing some extra research on dairy farms. They are currently studying dairy farms in social studies and even working on a marketing module with their own dairy based product. Go figure—they each picked milkshakes… Grandma Jackson would be so proud!

They will share this video in their classes along with some Mountain Cheese we brought back with us tomorrow at school.

Bret will hopefully blog about it in the coming days and we’ll record more of the memories from the weekend. Until then, enjoy this little video we helped them make about how milk is processed. 

Brotherly Love

The other night, I was walking out of Shaynie's room when she asked me ""Dad - can I marry my brother?"  I stopped in my tracks, unsure how to answer that.  So I asked her why she wanted to know. She then said "Because I like him so much"

After explaining to her the sad but true realities of why marrying into your own family is  a BAD idea and thus not allowed by law, I kissed her for being so sweet. The kids are at an interesting age in between young adults and children.

On that same note, Shaynie has developed a real angst over being late for school (not sure where that comes from?).  We pick up another boy on our way to school most mornings, and that sometimes makes us late. This has caused more then a few tantrums, fits and loud moaning. These episodes provide a glimpse of the teenage years looming not so far in the hazy distance.  What are we in for?  In any case, I told Shaynie that if she wanted, and was ready really early, I would walk with her to school, so she could be on time. We would let Mom bring Weston and the other boy.

There is nothing wrong with the image above. It is of Shaynie, standing in my bedroom doorway in the wee hours of the morning, fully dressed and ready to go to school. It was pitch black outside. I told her it was still a bit early -and that the school had to actually be open!  Then I asked her to go have breakfast.

However, we were soon on the road (once the sun came up).

She was in a great mood. Chatting the entire way about uplifting subjects and cheerful topics. It was amazing.

All too soon we had reached the gates of her school. Best of all, we were early!

As I watched her disappear into the castle, I felt a pang of sadness at the ethereal and fleeting nature of childhood, but was buoyed by  the positive experience we had just had. Perhaps we will make it through the teenage years after all?  Fingers crossed!

Swederland

January is a cold, dark month. Owner of the most depressing day of the year - 'Blue Monday'.  I was going to be in Sweden for a conference- where it would be even colder, darker and more depressing. I decided to take Shaynie with me to brighten things up a bit.

She spent most of the trip reading some books I had checked out on Norse mythology. Where was my help with the loneliness?

Luckily, when we got to town things changed. We ordered  a local speciality, a hot dog in a tortilla with lettuce and mashed potatoes!  Sounds like something I would invent! 

Then we were off to the old town (a small island in middle of the large archipelago). We had to act fast before it got dark!

We were on our way to the Nobel Museum, to learn about the awards given out every year, and the man who started the foundation.  All very interesting.

Shaynie earned an award (seen below in the arms of her Bunny) while we were there. Unfortunately, it was made of chocolate and did not make it out of the building.

She had more important things on her mind. This was the first time she had seen snow this year. She keep pulling me into parks to try to pick it up and throw it around.

However, I was not interested. It was cold. Plus I was keeping a secret. We were soon heading off to Kiruna (200 Kilometers or 125 miles above the arctic circle). I figured there would be a bit more snow up there.  

I was right. As an added bonus, it  was also even more freezing (minus 32 Celsius or minus 26 Fahrenheit!) When ever possible we tried to find a blazing fire.

We were in Swedish Lapland, home to the reindeer herding people know as the Sami. It is also home to many myths and legends, trolls and ice giants being chief among them.

We had some lunch (which felt like dinner because it was so dark) at a local pizza place. The restaurant selection was minimal. Shaynie ordered a turkish style pizza - because that is what you do in Lapland.

Then we went out to the snow park - to enjoy some home made ice slides (they were fast!)...

...and stand around some more fires.  Everything was literally encrusted in brilliant white ice and frost. It was amazing. But we could not stay out too long. It was that cold. 

So, we decided to check out the local ice hotel of course (that made sense at the time)? This was the original Ice Hotel. There are a few more around the world now. Each year they have to make it anew so every year it is different.

When you check in to the hotel, you are given a huge, one-piece snowsuit to keep you warm. The guests can be seen walking all over the property outside in the dark. I guess it is better then siting in your room (at minus 20) doing nothing with only a sleeping bag?

The reindeer skins on the chairs were the only things not made of ice. It was amazing.

So much detail. We went to the ice bar, but surprise, they did not have any hot drinks. Since the cups are made of ice, that would not work very well. Neither of us felt like something cold, so we just wandered around.

Shaynie tried to stand by a flood light outside to get warm, but it was no use. So we walked down the road to an actual building  - just to remember what it was like.

Before we knew it (literally, it was hard to tell what time of day it was!) we were at breakfast. Shaynie decided to try a soft boiled egg in an egg cup (just to be civilised).

And then were we off on our own adventure. Dog Sledding. Both of us have been desperate to try this for some time. We tried to schedule a trip last year in Iceland - but there was no snow? Go figure.

We arrived, were given a bulky warm one-piece snowsuit ourselves, and shown outside to the waiting dogs. They were going crazy!  It was extremely noisy! (I think--I had a number of layers over my ears.)

The dogs could hardly wait to hit the trail! Shaynie just wanted to play with all of them. They welcomed the attention and love.

We had booked a special tour, which allowed me to drive my own sled. Only Shaynie and Bunny would be along for the ride.

We had a team of 5 dogs. Shaynie took her place on the reindeer skin seat, I stepped off the metal brake, and we were off like a pack of wild dogs! She had to hold on for dear life.

So did her Bunny.

We enjoyed playing with all the dogs that looked like our sweet Kinley. I think she would have loved it! At one point we ran into another dogsled group, heading the opposite direction on the narrow trail. The resulting dog sled traffic jam was so noisy (there must have been over 60 dogs!) and stinky (from the waste of hundreds of dogs) that we almost forgot about the cold!

I had many grand notions of taking pictures and videos of our adventure, but it was not meant to be. Not only was I forbidden from taking my hands off the sled (in case the dogs took off without you --which did happen to a few people), but I could only have my gloves off for a minute or two before my fingers were stinging with pain.

In addition, all of my cameras froze and stopped working!  Multiple times. I had to keep them in my armpit to thaw them out! TMI?

In any case, it was hard to tell who was who?  That is me above, and Shaynie below.  See what I mean?

We stopped for lunch at a small cottage in the woods. We took some time to thaw out while we waited for our fresh salmon stew to cook (it was a solid block of ice).

Then we were back on the sled for the ride home. It was so peaceful and serene. Shaynie said she wanted to do it again, but maybe not until Spring when things warmed up!

A sure sign we had been there too long is when Shaynie sprouted moose horns!

So we jumped into our car (which had to charge all night to stay warm) and made our way to the airport.

It was a beautiful morning when we arrived in Stockholm (or maybe it was afternoon?)

Shaynie found one more opportunity to meet some of the locals at the airport. This included some vikings...

 and Pippy Longstocking. Even Bunny made a friend (Toby the moose). 

Before we knew it we were back in Dublin. Rebekah immediately had us to go to Ikea on the way home from the airport to pick up a few things.  Serious. How is that for Ironic?

Shaynie just wanted to get home to be with her good pals. Weston told his friends that Shaynie was in Swederland. It was clear he missed her too!