Christmas Letter

2009 Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas from the Bergstrom household! Wow, I can not believe another year has gone by...flown by! It has been a wonderful year filled with challenges and joys just like any other. Here is what has gone on in our lives in 2009

In March Sam stepped down from his job at Forever Granite. It was a step of faith, but we are so thankful we listened to the Lord and our hearts. Sam re-entered teaching for the rest of the school year and made a final decision that he would be done teaching for good. The summer and fall provided great jobs for Sam, one being an internship with our church on the worship team. Sam is in his element with this job. He loves playing guitar and has begun teaching guitar lessons as well. Sam is also now co-owner of PC Gauge Calibration West; a company he and a friend started which will take over PC Gauge Calibrations customers west of the Mississippi. It's an exciting, yet very busy time for Sam, but he is loving every minute of it.

If you have been following the blog you already know all about Søren. He is full of life these days and never slows down. He is really into cars, trucks and trains. He loves to help me cook and clean. Books are a must throughout the day and especially before bed. I am getting a glimpse of what it must be like to have a teenage boy because all Søren wants to do is to EAT! He is definitely a comedian and loves to laugh and dance. He shows his independence more and more each day and will be quick to remind me that he can do it! Søren isn't very affectionate, but that random "hugk", kiss or "wuv woo" just melts our hearts.

I am doing well, just trying to keep up with the boys. They definitely keep me on my toes. This last year I have fallen in love with photography all over again. I am working on making it a business and trying to take my time to do it right. I have focused on photographing families and children, but would love to dip my toes into the wedding industry. I have been involved in mom's group, 2 bible studies and a couples home group this fall and have loved what I have been learning about the Lord.

This Christmas season has been especially meaningful to me this year for some reason. I usually don't like Christmas songs and I tend to be a scrooge about the pagan aspect of Christmas. But this year the Lord has really been speaking to me through Christmas songs. Maybe that sounds silly, but i don't know how often I ever really stopped and listened to the lyrics. People around the world are singing the story of Jesus, even those that don't like to say Merry Christmas. :)

We hope you have a blessed holiday.

We are so thankful for all of you.

Merry Christmas!

22 months!

Two more posts and I won't be posting every month about Søren's life. Promise. That being said, I hope to make a blog scrapbook at some point. This has been a great reference and time of reflection for me.

Søren has had another explosion of language these last two weeks. He pretty much has a word for everything now, but I still feel like an interpreter most days. My new favorite word has to be "pinecone." It sounds something like "pi-koh-nuh-ha". He still says "la-bla-la-bla-la" for blueberry.

*He is really into lights. Its perfect with all of the homes decorated right now.

*He is starting to pretend play. He'll feed me cookies out of a book, cook with bowls and spatulas (he is currently making me a football sandwich.)

*He'll have little conversations as he's playing with his cars, trucks and trains.

*He kicks everything (except for people, thankfully.) 5 minutes ago I had to tell him to stop kicking the Christmas Tree. Maybe he'll be a soccer player like his mommy. :)

*He loves riding the "doo-der" (scooter) with grandpa.

*He is beginning to really show his independence. He'll tell me which clothes he wants to wear and what type of food he wants to eat.

*He has learned his shapes. Triangle, Square, Circle, Rectangle, Hexagon, Oval, Star and Heart. He'll point them all out to you. Maybe I shouldn't admit this, but I have my iPhone to thank for this one. I have an ap that teaches his shapes and gives him stickers.

*He's told me he's had to pee and then actually peed in the toilet. But, I think we're still a long way off from being completely potty-trained.

*He'll ask for a baby wipe and walk around a clean anything he thinks is dirty.

I think that's all for now.

Here is a video of Søren watching the Ellen show and singing along with the Opera Singer.

Holidays

We spent our Thanksgiving in Chicago at my brother's house. It was so great to have the whole family together, well we at least all overlapped long enough to get a Christmas card picture taken.

When we have not been in Chicago for Thanksgiving, tradition has been that we head up to the mountains to cut down our own christmas tree. The last two years we have gone to a U-cut tree farm. Not quite the same (especially price wise...mountain trees are much much cheaper).

Here are some pictures.

It snowed!

The infamous "Sam throwing Soren" in the air picture

Unlce Ethan taught Soren how to catch the ball

Intense piano playing

Yummy turkey!

Sarah's homemade rolls were SO good!

Grandpa reading to Soren

Sarah and Soren

At the Shedd Aquarium

Grandma and Soren

Just flippin' some eggs in the tent at the Aquarium

Photography Workshop

I spent this last weekend at a photography workshop for women hosted by Me Ra Koh and her husband Brian. The range of skill varied a bit within the group, but even the stuff I already knew was a good refresher. I learned a lot about the business side, editing, lighting, using your flash and metering. I have been shooting in manual for a while and never knew about metering. Taking pictures is going to be much easier now with this knowledge!

The other women in the group were wonderful. They were so open, honest and vulnerable which helped me tremendously. Me Ra has an amazing gift of making women feel empowered. It was so great to be able to get one-on-one help from someone whose skill level is at the top.

We had family models come in for us one afternoon. This was one of my favorite images.

21 months

Søren is 21 months today. He has been nothing but a comedian lately. I think most kids do something funny unintentionally, people laugh, kid sees reaction and does it again and again.

Søren seems to know what is funny beforehand. I don't know how to explain it. He does this eye thing too. It's almost like a pause at the right time or the punch line to the joke.

His vocabulary is getting too large to keep track of. He is really, really into books lately. I think I read the same 6 stories to him at least 5 times a day. I can recite "Trumpety Humpety" if you want me to. :)

He is my helper around the house. He loves to sweep with his little broom, throw clothes in the washer, carry the laundry from the dryer and we are working on picking up toys at the end of the day.

Søren does not sit still, ever! He is constantly on the move and I have a good feeling he is going to be one of those kids that asks "why" about everything.

Hunka Chunka Chewy

Yesterday was the first time I really let Søren help me in the kitchen. It's taken me this long because I've been too paranoid he'll fall of the counter or grab a knife. I prepared things as best I could, meaning that I moved all sharp objects out of the way and got all ingredients out first, so I wouldn't be running around the kitchen. I told myself I wouldn't worry about the mess or care if he ate some chocolate chips. I put on my apron, and he too wanted to wear one. (I only have a little girly apron, I think I'll have to make him a masculine one.) We had so much fun! I'll have to do this with him more often, for sure. We made the "Hunka Chunka Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies" from the cookbook Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey Treats for Kids.

Mustache

Søren wanted to show you his new shirt.
Don't you just love it?!
Oh and notice the new shiner on his head?
That's a common occurrence in this house.
He has a matching one on the other side of his head too.

Little Skeleton

We had a great Halloween. The skeleton was the way to go for us this year. Nothing too heavy he would be sweating in and nothing he had to try and keep on his head! I wanted to post a picture from last year. I just love seeing how much kids change in a year.

Voila!

I honestly have not forgotten about my quest to make a new meal each Wednesday night. I just have not had the desire to do so. Sam has been working most Wednesday nights, so I find it pointless to make a new meal for just Soren and I. We all have those nights where we want something semi-healthy, but either don't have the ingredients, energy and/or the time. I have discovered Birds Eyes "Voila!". All you do is take it out of your freezer, put it in your skillet, cover and in 10 minutes it's done! I am not one to promote frozen meals (except pizza, of course), but this is really yummy and it's filled with vegetables and we all hit up the freezer section at the store at some point. I don't know about you, but I'd rather eat frozen vegetables than none at all. Bertoli makes meals similar to this as well and they are just as yummy! Oh, and for you parents and caregivers...Søren eats it! Except the carrots, he's not into those. :)

Busy October

October has been one busy month so far filled with a new job for Sam at church, starting to get a photography business up off the ground, family visitors, caramel apple making, lots of time outside before it gets too cold, 3 bible studies a week, 2 pumpkin patches, 1 halloween party and a partridge in a pear tree. Whoo! And there is still one week left. Here are some pictures. Hopefully I'll get the rest posted to SamandLinnea.com soon enough.

Happy Birthday Sarah!

Happy Birthday Sarah! Hope you have a fabulous day. We love you!

Visitors

We've had some visitors these last 2 weeks. My mom came out for 5 days followed by my brother for the weekend. I love that even though they live thousands of miles away, Søren can still know my side of the family.

Bergstrom update

Seems like the only person I write about in our household is Søren. I thought I'd give an update on the rest of us as well.

Here's a little update on our 20 month old! I can't believe he is almost 2!

New words:

door

yeh-yo (yellow)

doggie

book

eyes

nose

mouth

ears

hair

We got him a new bike and his excitement has been over the top. He hasn't learned how to pedal yet, actually he refuses to pedal, he would rather have mom or dad push him around the house.

He is really into his soccer ball and kick ball. He likes to throw them in any open container and yell "Gooaalll." We have found this to work with food he won't eat. The food is the ball and his mouth is the goal. Works like a charm. :)

Sam was just hired on at our church as the Worship Intern. He developed and lead his first Sunday service last week. He did an amazing job. I am so proud of him. Myself and others are so excited about what he has to offer and what he will bring to the life at Believer's Fellowship.

Whats going on with me? I have been so busy lately and I couldn't really even tell you what has occupied my time besides the obvious of chasing Søren around. I am getting more and more into photography. I am taking a workshop in November and can not wait for all I know I will learn. I am so thankful to my friends who have allowed me into their homes and into a bit of daily life of their family to take their pictures.

Marrowstone

He loves to be outside.

View from the deck. You can see Mt. Adams.

Part of Ft. Flagler.

Sunday after church Sam, Søren and I headed up to one of our favorite places, Marrowstone Island. It was a perfect 24 hour get away. We spent our time at Sam's grandmas house. Grandma Betty passed away last November, so we spent some time remembering her. Sam made her famous swedish pancake recipe and we ate lunch at her favorite spot, The Chimacum Cafe.

I saw Fort Flagler for the first time. I was never really that excited to see it, but I have now fallen in love with it. The scenery is unbelievable, the barracks are gorgeous and you can just feel the history. I was amazed by it and can't wait to go back.

I feel as though it was the perfect way to let go of summer. The weather was amazing, sun shining and just warm enough to be comfortable. As soon as we left the clouds rolled in and the cold set in.

For lots more pictures check out www.samandlinnea.com

Lily Bug

My dear friend Maya asked my friend Allison and I if we would make an outfit for her daughters 1 year birthday party. We were happy to take on the challenge.  In the midst of making the outfit I joked with Allison that I was pretending to be on Project Runway. I wouldn't have wanted to be partnered with anyone else. We wouldn't have been one of those teams that always fights and throws each other under the bus. 

The birthday party was a bug theme. Lily was a lady bug and her cousin Spencer, only a few weeks younger, was a bumblebee. Here are a few pics from the event. 

Happy Grandparents Day!

    This was the day that I had enough of Soren's long hair. :)

This entry is a day late in posting, but in case you didn't know, yesterday was Grandparents Day. I have to admit that Søren has the best grandparents in the world. They shower him with love, whether it be from 10 miles away or 2,000 miles away. Thank you for how amazing you 4 are with Søren. Sam and I could not be more grateful for all you do for him. 

Boy with Manners

Isn't he just the cutest?! Now that one of Søren's teeth broke through he is back to his normal self, and then some. He has been talking so much lately. Saying things like: "more peease", "boo-boo", "whyee?", "dirty", "'scuse me", "tank ooo", "bye-bye", "love you", "yeah, yeah, yeah", "bus", "hey", "shooes". I mean, seriously, where did this burst of language come from?

He makes me laugh so hard and I know people rarely see this side of him. My father-in-law, Dan, picked him up from the nursery on Sunday and the nursery worker, Karen, asked him, "Doesn't he ever smile? He's so serious. " Dan replied, "Of course he does. Want to know what else he can do?" Karen of course wanted to know.

Dan: "Soren, can you laugh?"
Soren: "Ha Ha Ha."
Dan: "Soren, can you burp"
Soren: makes a belching sound.
Dan; "Soren, can you say excuse me?"
Soren: puts his hand over his mouth and says "'scuse me."
Karen: "Oh, honestly. Only you could have taught him that"
Dan: "You have to teach him what to do wrong in order to teach him manners."

Soup for the Toothless

I opted out of making dinner last night because I had a wisdom tooth pulled yesterday. So, eating a normal meal was out of the question for me. Soup sounded perfect, so today for lunch I tried to make one of my favorites. Broccoli-Cheese Soup. I was a little skeptical of the recipe I found, but I picked it because I had all the ingredients on hand. This soup was SO good and super creamy. Salt and pepper were not even used and it still had lots of flavor. Here is the recipe.

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup(s) onion(s), minced
16 oz frozen chopped broccoli
29 oz canned chicken broth
4 oz Kraft Velveeta Light Reduced-Fat Pasteurized Processed Cheese Product, cut into cubes, or similar product
1/2 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup(s) water
1/4 cup(s) cornstarch

Instructions
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes, until soft. Add broccoli and broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 3 minutes, until broccoli is tender.

Reduce heat to low, add cheese and stir until cheese melts; stir in milk and garlic powder.

Whisk together water and cornstarch. Add mixture to pan and simmer 2 minutes, until thick. Serve hot. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

Design Star

All Design Star and Color Splash fans raise your hand! My friend Allison and I spent Saturday afternoon at Ecohaus in Seattle listening to David Bromstad share his work history (anyone know he started out at Disney?) and give design advice. He also painted a picture for a lucky raffle winner to take home. Allison and I were very impressed by David's demeanor, personality, skill and humor. We, of course, had to get a picture with him after.