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Life in Sweden

Swedish Lucia with candles

A Very Swedish Holiday: Lucia

December 13, 2016 By Jodi

Today is December 13—better known in Sweden as Lucia. It's a lovely holiday meant to celebrate the bringing of light into the dark, dark winter. It used to correspond with the winter solstice on December 21 or 22, but these days it coincides with St. Lucia's day on the 13th.

With August as a newborn

Maternity Leave in Sweden vs the US

November 25, 2016 By Jodi

In my first post about having kids in Sweden, I laid out the basic benefits of having babies in Sweden: generous parental leave; chances for social connection while home with a baby; affordable, high-quality daycare, and more. Now, I want to lay out a theory I'm developing about the benefits of the generous parental leave policy.

boy-playing-in-boat-preschool-in-sweden

Preschool in Sweden: the Basics

October 7, 2016 By Jodi

Let me start by saying that I never know whether to use the word daycare or preschool when referring to the place where kids spend their early years here in Sweden. I suppose that's because it's sort of a mix of what we know those two places to be in the US. While I will continue to use the word preschool here, do...

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stockholm-archipelago-sailing-sail

Birthday Sail in the Stockholm Archipelago

September 15, 2016 By Jodi

I mentioned that we went sailing on my birthday as part of the weekend's celebrations, so I thought it would be fun to share some pictures. So much blue! We are lucky to live in such a beautiful place and to have such wonderful neighbors.

grona-lund-carousel-swing

Stockholm With Kids: Gröna Lund

September 14, 2016 By Jodi

Normally I'm quite unsure about what I want to do for my birthday. I always have the vague notion that I would like to see friends and eat good food, but beyond that, no clear idea. This year, however, I knew exactly how I wanted to spend my birthday weekend--outside, having fun. 

carl-eldhs-museum-jodi

Visiting the Carl Eldhs Studio Museum in Stockholm

August 24, 2016 By Jodi

Last week I finally had the chance to do something I've been wanting to do almost since the day we moved to Stockholm: I visited the Carl Eldhs Studio Museum. It's a small museum situated near the top of a hill in a park on the northern end of the city. The first summer we...

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Would You Stay at the Ice Hotel?

August 19, 2016 By Jodi

I know it's still summer for most of you but for some reason today I'm thinking about the Ice Hotel in northern Sweden. The hotel is in the village of Jukkasjärvi, north of the Arctic Circle. Every spring the hotel and accompanying art exhibition melts back into the Torne River from where the ice is harvested. And...

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Our weekend on Sweden's west coast

August 10, 2016 By Jodi

Speaking of summer, last weekend we took a train to the west coast of Sweden to spend a few days sailing with our wonderful neighbors (who we call the kids' Swedish grandparents). Henrik has had his boat Maja for forty-five years! We didn't do any actual sailing (we motored around because we didn't have the best...

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Swedish-summer-sailing

Summer in Sweden: the Basics

August 4, 2016 By Jodi

Let's talk about summer in Sweden. The days are endless, the nights almost nonexistent, and everyone is on vacation. After a dark and grueling winter that seems to last nine months, suddenly the world is bright and warm(ish) and lush again. Swedes use this time to get out of the office and back into nature. For us,...

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baby-on-fathers-shoulders-stockholm

Having Kids in Sweden: The Basics

July 14, 2016 By Jodi

This is the first in a series of posts outlining the general structure of life in Sweden for a family.  You've probably heard or read about the amazing parental leave policy in Sweden and wondered if it's true. It is. Maybe you also heard about the affordable universal daycare and wondered whether that's true, too. It is. And while these...

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About Jodi

I just repatriated from Sweden to the US with my British husband and three young kids. I started this site while living in Sweden to build the conversations and community we've had with loved ones around the world, and to create a space to share thoughts about life, beauty, motherhood, and everything else. read more →

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Recent Posts

The Fox and the Bear: Telling Stories

December 6, 2016 By Jodi 5 Comments

Fox and bear storytelling card

You know how some people, when they hear "tell me a story", can rattle one off instantly? With no preparation, no outline, nothing? I am definitely not one of those people. When August asked me recently to tell him a story, I had no idea where to begin (or end). I stammered and said, "I don't...

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Missing My Dad, Three Years Later

October 13, 2019 By Jodi 2 Comments

My dad passed away three years ago today. We were still living in Sweden; I was five months pregnant with Zoë. It was late evening when my mother called, the sea and sky outside our windows dark. I felt helpless, and so far away from everything that mattered.

Do You Use the Oxford Comma?

December 20, 2016 By Jodi 4 Comments

German typewriter

I love grammar. In elementary school, I loved having English homework and doing all the exercises, paying attention to exactly where apostrophes and commas go and how, exactly, to use a semi-colon. (And I use too many of them, according to my search engine optimization plugin.) Which means, of course, that I love the Oxford comma.

Sharing sad news

October 14, 2016 By Jodi Leave a Comment

black and white sea with fog

My dear readers, With a heavy heart, I share the news that my father passed away yesterday. It is hard to be so far away from family in this time, and we hope to be traveling to Michigan soon to share in the love, comfort, and laughter of dear friends and family. Several of my witty,...

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About Dear Sabrina

Welcome! Dear Sabrina is a lifestyle blog for the thinking woman (and man, if men read lifestyle blogs). I hope that visiting this site gives you something to think about, makes you laugh, or shows you something new. If you want to further connect, find me on one of networks below or send an email.
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