Did you know that the sun is an important factor to our health and well being?

Vitamin D sufficiency, along with diet and exercise, has emerged as one of the most important preventive factors in human health. Hundreds of studies now link vitamin D deficiency with significantly higher rates of many forms of cancer‚ as well as heart disease‚ osteoporosis‚ multiple sclerosis and many other conditions and diseases. You’ll get natural vitamin D production through regular, non-burning sun exposure. Between 10 an d 20 minutes with exposing legs and arms in the sun, depending on your skin, the darker skin the longer time you need in the sun.

© Monika Elena Photography -our favourite fashion photographer and one that understands the importance of the sun
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What do you do when it’s time for you? Time out and time away from being a mum. Time for you and your partner to have some careless, relaxing and good quality time! The blogger Southrivermum challenged me to share; “Yes, just your partner, getting to know him again after the madness of colic, sleepless nights (and not in a good way) and feeding schedules when all you wanted to do was slouch in front of the TV when you had any spare time. There comes a point when it’s actually time to take your head and body out of mummyville for a few hours and reconnect, relax and ideally have some fun with your other half.”

So what do we do in the Scandinavian home when we need some time for us?

Well first of all I have to say that we are way beyond the baby and sleepless night stage with our two girls already being 6 and 10 years old. Or maybe we are in a in-between sleepless nights stage as I’m sure it’s not long before they start hanging over at friends into the early hours… But for now they brush their teeth and say good night around 8ish leaving us with several hours of adult time every night. But even so it’s nice to do get a babysitter so that we can leave the house and just be us once in while.
One time friends came to stay and we went for a couple of nights to Paris. That was just amazing. 2 hours with the train and then you walk hand in hand down the cobbled streets of Saint German.
But we don’t have to go to Paris to feel that we have time for each other and time for nourishing the relationship. Having a babysitter to come over for the evening is fine too. The girls loves their babysitter and can’t wait for her to arrive (and us leave!?) So what do we do out? Dinner at friends, dinner at restaurants, parties and clubbing. It’s exhibitions and talks, fairs and events. Sometimes I wonder if the absolutely best time for us is when we on a rainy autumn day asks our neighbour to watch the girls for an hour, leaving the house hand in hand, walking through the misty woodlands whilst talking and ending up at our local pub with a crackling fireplace. Finishing a half pint of favourite beer before giggling deciding to have another before we disappear back into the night -happy and on our way home. Because sometimes less is more, with the simple things in life making us happy.

© Little Scandinavian. The Scandinavian Dad and Mum on a ski trip to Trysil in 2008, photo by Little B age 6.