Another set of parents in Sweden

 After lots of planning and re-planning my American parents were able to make the long trip out to Sweden.  And even better: it was on my birthday!

 The first night we had a birthday dinner with my contact person and his family and my second host family! It was a wonderful but early night seeing as my parents were jet lagged and very tired! 

The next day we headed up to a region of Sweden called Darlana.  We stayed in a little cabin along a lake in a small cute town called Rättvik.

 Well they didn't actually serve rum...in swedish sum means rooms like rooming in a hotel...my dad thought this sign was very funny.

 We visited the original factory where Dalahorses are hand crafted.  Then we found a very nice barn that was turned into a tea shop and sat in the sun for hours there!

 Darlana is most known for having red houses with the white trim around.

 The porcupines in Sweden are deadly! Haha no, we just thought this sign was cute!

 Unfortunately for all you reading this I do not have very many pictures because I let my parents take all the pictures so I have no more.  But we were able to spend a couple nights with my first host family and a couple nights with my second host family and let my parents get to know all them a bit better.  We also had a day in Stockholm walking along the old cobblestone streets on the tourist roads. 
For Midsummer (the biggest holiday in Sweden next to Christmas) Swedes dance around a May pole and pluck flowers from their gardens to make crowns out of.  Some people dress in the traditional swedish outfits and others just come in what ever they want.  The Midsummer dinner would include different types of herring potatoes and snaps (along with songs) for those who drink.  Then around midnight (seeing as it never gets really dark out) the young single ladies would go out into the garden and pick 7 different types of flowers to put under their pillow and jump over 7 different types of fences.  Then the boy/man that they dream of that night is their one day husband!!  My parents and I were lucky enough to follow with my host family to one of their summer houses for this occasion.
From there my parents and I went up into Tumba to meet Dieter and Erika.  They are the parents that hosted my dad when he was in Germany for 6 weeks when he was about my age.  Their daughter (who is a few years younger than dad) now lives in Tumba so Dieter and Erika came up from Germany to see our family.  Last time we saw them I was 3 months old and in Dieter's arms!!! It's amazing where time goes!
And now it is time for my next adventure through all of Europe!!