{DIAL} Summer's day: Sweet Sundays make me smile

What are weekends like when you're staying in a foreign land? Over here in Europe, most shops are shut on Sundays. It is a day of rest, of time with family and friends. To catch a glimpse of what weekends are like in Sweden, I've invited Summer to share her Sunday with us.

Summer is a media executive turned SAHM, and her life took a 360-degree change when she came to Sweden in 2008. She has a passion for writing and loves to craft. Mum to 2-year-old Angel, she is also currently pregnant with her second child. A Happy Mum is a blog where she shares her joy on motherhood, babies, DIY crafts, travelling and all things happy in life. Her blog has certainly brought a smile to my face!

So how does a Sunday in Sweden look like? Read on to find out!

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Sunday is my absolute favourite day of the week.

The good things about Sundays are that we usually get to sleep in a little later, the hubby is back from sailing, and we have a full day to devote to spending time together as a family with just the three of us.

Yes, living life overseas means that we don't have friends to hang out with or relatives to visit during the weekends. While that may sound a tad boring, it actually allows the hubby and I to bond as a couple and for us to bond with our precious Angel, something that I have come to cherish and appreciate.

Today, take a sneak peek into our life here in Sweden, Karlskrona on a typical Sunday.

Morning - Family brunch in a quaint cafe

Although there are no kopitiams or bustling hawker centres in Karlskrona, there is a myriad selection of cafes for you to enjoy a peaceful breakfast or brunch. On Sundays, we like to explore newly opened cafes, savour new delicacies and immerse ourselves in the relaxed ambience.


























A key difference between the culture here and Singapore is that we tend to do things more slowly here. The people here walk slower, talk slower and yes, eat slower. Which to me is a better way to enjoy the goodness of life instead of always rushing around like a blue-arsed fly. So, as best as I can, I try to take my own sweet time to enjoy every bite of my Sunday brunch.

Afternoon - Outdoor fun and adventure

Since summer is the only season where we can bask in the sun in just T-shirts and shorts, we love to indulge in some outdoor fun on Sunday afternoons.

Here are our top three favourite activities:

























































































1) Fur and feathers

There's no doubt that my girl is an animal lover and come Sundays, we would bring food like bread, biscuits and vegetables to a nearby park or lake where she can have a ball of a time feeding the cuddly creatures. From rabbits, goats, pigs, fishes to ducks, swans and chickens, you name it, we have it.

































































2) Slides and swings 

If there's anything that can charm every kid, it's a playground. If given a choice, we do prefer to hit the outdoor playgrounds here in Karlskrona which are equipped with tire swings, wooden slides and fine sand which enable the hubby and I to reminisce our childhood days too. However, on wet weather days, there's always the huge indoor playground called Lekland which is a paradise for kids. 

3) Wet and wild

It always amazes us how Angel can brave cold waters just to have her share of fun in the swimming pool. Seriously. I would dip my ankle in and instantly raise the white flag. Even the hubby was shivering and his teeth were chattering. But looking at our girl, she could run around, jump and ride the slide umpteen times as if we were in the tropics. 

Evening - Shopping at the supermarket

































































In case you haven't heard of it, shops in Europe are pretty much all closed on Sundays, except for the supermarkets. Yes, everyone needs to rest and have time for their family.

Well, Angel loves to visit the supermarket because she gets to 'drive' her own car or push her own mini trolley. For me, I enjoy it especially knowing that it is Sunday and I don't have to cook, which brings me to my final point.

Night - Delicious dinner in our home sweet home


























Yes, if I don't cook on Sundays, how did these dishes end up on our dining table?

The answer is: Marry a man who can cook.

Yes, the loving hubby takes over the role of the chef on Sundays and whips up a sumptuous meal for me and Angel. If you were to ask me when are the moments I find a man most charismatic, it would be 1) When he's playing the piano and 2) When he's cooking in the kitchen.

So even though the hubby can't handle the piano, he jolly well makes up for it with the wok and spatula and there's no doubt about how it makes me feel so loved.

































So there you have it. My simple but happy life in Sweden on a typical Sunday.

If only every day is Sunday...

Then again, that will make it lose the reasons why it's so special and treasured in the first place, wouldn't it?

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Have you recorded your day in pictures?  If you have, link-up here, and take a peek at the lives of other mums too!