American in Norway

We had a fabulous time in Chicago... Not enough time... But it was great... I LOVE that city.... I did manage to get the kids to Sheds Aquarium, Field Museum, American Doll store ...(Dane was really excited about that) Swimming, Hancock Building, Greek Town. I met up with my college friends on Saturday & went to "boys town" Sunday night for some "gay cabaret " I had the BEST time... I realized my children are more European than I had thought. The kids & I ran into the grocery store, while I was paying the "bag girl" started bagging the groceries. Dane looks at her & says... "Excuse me Ma'am , but those are OUR groceries.." He thought she was going to make off with his cereal. (My kids aren't used to baggers ...we have to do it our self in Norway.) Eva is still having a little problem with the ROUND doorknobs here... (we only have handles... I think it is the same all over Europe) So we finally arrived in Kansas City last ni

Ah.., it is so nice to be "home" We made it safe & sound... All of us fighting jet lag... but so thankful to be back in the U.S. We had a change of plans the night before leaving... I was unable to find a train back from Sweden to Norway on the way home, so I ended up having to drive to the airport. Bummer, but everything went smooth. It has been 1.5 years since Eva has been on a plane, so it was really exciting for her. When we finally landed in Chicago I pointed to the big picture on the wall & said... "look honey, there's Chicago!" She looked at me & said " that's it?" like, I have been traveling for over 20 hours for THAT? Then I had to explain that that was just picture of the city... we didn't come this far to see the picture. We made it to my baby sisters apartment & are enjoying the high life .. She has a great apartment overlooking the city & lake Michigan... Today I am going to try to get the kids to Shed&

Here is another shot of the Atlantic Highway... It really is AWESOME... Just so you can see that it does go somewhere... "The Atlantic Road zigzags across 12 low bridges that jut out over the sea, linking the islands between Molde (famous for its annual Jazz festival in July) and Kristiansund in the western Fjords. The Hustadvika is an infamous stretch of ocean and in storm it's fantastically dramatic. In calmer weather you might spot whales and seals" . http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel **Sigh*** To say I am P O O P E D ... would be an understatement! We showed up for Eva's treatment last night... 4:30 in the afternoon & arrived home at 2 am this morning... Mmm Hmmm .. another wonderful family night at the hospital. Her IV was worn out... she had had it for over a week... & despite keeping my fingers crossed.... It just wasn't going to make it for the 4 more treatments she had. So we had another nightmare of a time trying to get the IV's in... thi

Time for Friday Foto Finish Fiesta with Carrie...I am playing again.... : ) Thought it would be fun to do a picture of Norway... as I am the "American in Norway" and haven't really told you much about where I live.... This was a shot shot taken by my sister.. It is the Atlantic Highway in Molde , Norway. As you drive up here, it look like your are literally about to drop off of the edge of the earth. If you ever make it to Norway I would recommend going over to the West side of the country... B E A U T I F U L

Crap... I have no time to blog... SO just going to drop a quick little update so you don't think I have really run away to Italy/Greece. Bjørn is home... yippee... He is doing well, although still in pain. We picked him up yesterday... & get ready for this.... He will be joining us in the states a week later. So he is still missing the Chicago part... but will be there for my sisters wedding.. AND to control my spending. (lucky me) The next few days are going to be CRAZY with the trips back & forth to the hospital with Eva... making sure Bjørn is OK at home, and trying to get everything caught up at work before I take off for 3 weeks. Blogging news *** I got another award, (yippee!) this time from Deb... but I will have to do the post about it tomorrow... as I am off to the hospital yet again... before beating butt over to work... (2 hours late again).... Have to keep telling myself it is all worth it...this time next week, I will have my butt parked at a pool in CHICA

First things First...I would like to welcome all of my parents friends (Mr. & Mrs. Miller, Mr. & Mrs. Johnson...the list goes on....looking forward to seeing you at the wedding! : ) who have been reading my blog...Wow... I had NO idea so many of you were checking me out... really, W -O-W Next... I would like to thank my daddy for passing out my blog to everyone he knows... (bet you are re thinking that move aren't ya?) Now about them HOOKER BOOBS ... (you know they are all wondering, what Tressa has gotten her self into NOW...) I have never been a hooker...nor do I know any hookers.... (but boy, it sure has been a great way to grab them hooker readers from google !) I have never even seen a pair of hooker boobs.... So I really don't know what I am talking about... (Hooker ladies, I am sure your breasts are just fine...so don't come looking for me... I'm a lover (not THAT kind of lover) not a fighter) What started as a post The HOLY SH*T Diet ... then went on to

OK can you say P R O C R A S T I N A T O R ? Look it up...& yes you will find a picture of Moi! First...Thank you to Lauren W ...because girl... You rock! She told me how to save the new header & import it. Yes Kat, I totally am planning on hiring someone to make over American in Norway...as soon as I get back from America.... But just got this wild hair to do something tonight.... Never mind I have 150,000 things I should be doing...(procrastinator...) One of the biggest things I hate about myself...I always put off doing today/3 weeks ago...what I can do at the last min... mmm hmmmm I did get a lot done today...but once again, they are things I SHOULD have done 3 weeks ago. I finally got Bjørn's Green Card returned to the American Embassy... THAT should have been done 3 years ago... & he should have done it himself.... but alas.... The poor post lady had to pry the envelope out of my hands today.... I just didn't want to see that baby go...because that REALLY me

I need some serious teaching on how to do this whole blog thing.... I found this site http://scrapblog.com & I made this.... & I thought it might be a cool header.... but doesn't look like I can stick it there... Hmmm... any suggestions?

There is a new girl in town..... Oh... I was the new girl more times than I care to remember.... After I arrived to my 3rd High school... this time in Wilmington, Dela-where? I remember eating my lunch in the bathroom for the first two weeks until my mother threatened to call the Principal...if I didn't go into the cafeteria.... Anyone who has had to move, especially in High School or Jr. High knows that going into the cafeteria is the WORST part of starting a new school... Where are you going to sit? When I finally braved St. Marks lunch room... I quietly took my tray & sat at the end of a long table... with a bunch of girls I didn't think would mind. The details of almost 20 years has blurred in time... but I know that this was where I had my first contact with Kelly. She came over to the table to asked me to sign her Student Council petition...& invited me to eat lunch at her table, thus... saving me from being branded a "dork" for the rest of my years at

Just home from catching up on some paper work at the office.... & I can't sleep... 2:30 am here in Norway. Driving home tonight it hit me.... in 2 short weeks...I will be in the U.S. with all of my buddies from Western Illinois.... YIPPEE! Yes...I am thinking POSITIVE thoughts... we will make it on the plane...we will, we will we will! Started flipping through the pictures for the slide show/video... that I am now running out of time on.... Sean... Mr. "I have soooo many pictures from the good ol'days .".. came up with umm , 5. Thanks baby.... so I think I may have a 2 min. video if I am REALLY Lucky... Just thought I would share.... a few... Really... I hope you won't think less of me... BUT, OH MYYYYYYYY ! What the hell was this Star Spangled DOOZY I was wearing? I look like a 60 year old woman! & the big puffy people? Ummm ... we owed most of that to HARDY's Drive Thru when the bars closed.... If y'all knew how much time & hairspray I s

There is nothing I love more than following my FEEDJIT thingy to see where my readers come from. & there is nothing cooler than finding out I am on someone's favorite/readers list.... especially when they have never left me a comment. What a nice little surprise. That is sooo cool! Amazing how blogging makes the world seem so small... & I think that is cool... I feel ike the 2.5 months I have been blogging I have met not only friends but family.... I was going to ask if that is weird... but come on... you know you feel it too! I have my "big sister's" lifeinredshoes , Food, Glorious Food...and life in general at home with the farmer's wife , Postcards from the Edge ... who have been talking me down during crisis mode the last few weeks.... (Suzanne even offered to meet me in Chicago to help getting my kiddos through the city..BLESS BLESS BLESS) then the girlies with kids about the same age...who check on me on a daily basis... The Perlman Update , Ang

Friday's Foto Finish Fiesta Check out Carries Blog... I love this woman... (but not in a weird way.) Gonna play today to try to get out of the FUNK.... why this is a favorite picture...cause she's my baby...simple... Family update below.....

Yesterday, I hit my breaking point.... I knew it was coming... I have tried to snap myself out of this FUNK... out of this homesickness... of just wanting everything to back to normal. Dane also hit his breaking point... and unfortunately we hit it together.... what started as my asking him to turn the TV off...& putting his laundry away... all of the stress of the past 3 weeks came spewing out.... from both of us... Sometimes it is hard to for me to remember that he is 9... that he doesn't want to be, or can't be a trooper for his mom.... sometimes it is hard for me to remember that it is HIS daddy in the hospital... or him being dumped at grandma's AGAIN...so mommy can be at the hospital with Daddy / Eva... & this summer has seriously SUCKED for him. Just when we had hit the breaking point...the doorbell rang.... OH Sh#T, GREAT .... this is really what I need right NOW..... so I answered the door with my big puffy swollen face from crying.. & it was my br

I stand corrected... it is LYME disease...not Lime.... I would like to blame my poor spelling on all of the stress I am under... but seriously, I have a learning disability.... not sure what it is called... but I am a HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE spellar . (just kidding about the spellar bit.) I have searched the Internet...& have yet to find a name for this disability...But is very real... I would like to thank my father, for calling attention to my spelling mistake in a private email...rather than posting it, like my baby sis normally does. I am admitting my mistake publicly, rather than going back & changing my previous posts.... cause I am just too bloody tired at this point. Oh...P.S. your granddaughters name is EVA...pronounced Ava, but not spelled that way.. mmm hmmm . as promised... the post as to why my DEAR, DEAR MIL is driving me crazy......... When I called to tell her Eva (Ava) had been admitted to the hospital, and probably had LYME disease... she asked if I had read

OK Sean... did you get that? Need a full 5 ooo cc's . of Martini waiting for me in Chicago when we land.... We are HOME thank you lord... Things are looking up. Eva was a real trooper... cause when you are 3, Hospitals are scary places... she endured like 20 blood tests... a CAT scan, a Spinal...(worst for me... I guess both of us...) The Dr.s are pretty sure it is Lyme Disease she has contracted...won't know for sure until tomorrow... but at this point we are praying that is what it is. & it looks like we caught it early.... just wondering how I could have missed a tick on her little body. I think my lucky stars that Eva got sick +facial paralysis at the same time... or I may not have taken her to the emergency room as fast as I did. Her face wasn't so noticeable 2 days ago.... only when she was crying... I am hoping that it is getting better instead of worse.... but I am not sure.... The Spinal tap showed bacteria/infection... Lyme Disease is treatable wi

Taken from the file of : "You have got to be FRIGGEN kidding me....." Finally.. FINALLY... I felt like everything was going to be ok ...( it will ...I have faith..) My brother in law asked to take the kids to the cabin from Thursday thru Sunday... OH yes... sigh of relief... I was going to be able to work & get everything caught up before I leave for home in 2 weeks... I noticed over the weekend that it seemed like Eva had been giving me the "stink eye" she looked like she might be up for a game of Pirate.... Argggg Matey... shiver me timbers.... (I have to make myself laugh to keep from bawling...AGAIN) There was something a bit off.... but not so off, for me to worry about it... I picked her up from daycare this afternoon & we were on the way to see daddy in the hospital when she got sick...REALLY sick all over the car...in my purse... all over the dashboard/radio... yes it was like something from the Exorcist.... Of course I am trying to get through tr

Today I had an A-HA moment.... Growing up in Texas we had a crazy neighbor "This is Martha* from next door"...(she said, EVERY TIME she called to rat us out to our parents ) She was the stuff legends are made of, as far as NUTTY mothers go. She did some far out things like: vacuuming her daughters hair instead of washing it ...(I SWEAR...ask my mom.) Her daughter, who I was friends with at the time, loved her long hair... so when Mrs. "Martha *from Next Door".... ran out of ideas for punishments... she decided every time her daughter was bad, she would cut an inch off of her hair. By the end of the summer, poor little Jenny* with the long beautiful locks, looked like RAMONA the PEST ... But was most shocking , was at how stressed out she would get.... she would just go BONKERS... & would often run into the house crying.... It was not unusual to find her crying about something or other... or trying to find a babysitter for their DOG. (hello?) Today, after about

OK... I am not one to enter contest/give aways...mainly because I never win anything... but that is OK...I figure I am lucky other ways... HOWEVER.. the SITS girls The Secret is in the Sauce are at it again... & gosh darn it...THIS time... I want it. They are giving a $100gift card to TARGET...oh yes TAR-JAY... (lets say together shall we?... TAAAARRR - JAAAYYYY dosen't that just feel goooood ?) Reasons I should win.... I haven't been to Target in almost 2 years.... (that alone should be a good enough reason.) They don't have Tar Jay in Norway so I have been really missing out. After the last couple of weeks... I am totally in need of some retail therapy.... I'm Turning Norwegian.. I really think so... think... I haven't entered the other contests because if I did win...it would be a total nightmare to mail it over the pond... but a cute little gift card... no biggie....better yet.. they can just send it to my mom's cause I will be there in a couple of

This is my favorite Foto for Friday.... it was the 4 th last year. We American mothers (3 of us) took our kids down to the 4 th of July Celebration in Oslo. Huge festival where Americans from all over the Oslo area get together & listen to Norwegians sing country... watch pee wee football & eat LOTS of "American" food. Unfortunately, we had to miss the party this year... but we did spend the day at the pool... WOO HOO.-... This is the first time I have been to an outdoor pool since moving to Norway. wasn't too bad. Hope everyone has a safe & wonderful 4th... maybe next year we will be home for it.... (A girl can hope)

This week I have had to be at work by 7 am... thus meaning I need to drag little Miss Sunshine out of bed by 6 am. (she is NOT a morning person..) So this morning we had a full blown fit at 6.:15... I tried to do all of the things a good mommy should... I hugged her, I apologized for getting her up so early... I promised we would do fun things when mommy got home ... She was not buying it... She was in hysterics at this point... and as we all know... MOMMY is at a breaking point.... So I did something I have never done before... I asked her if she would like some soda with her breakfast... " HUH? WHAT? " sweet S- I- L- E- N- C- E. OMG ... give the screaming monster something it wants & I get sudden peace... Wow... that worked so well, I asked if she wanted some chewing gum to go along with it.... She thought that was a SUPER DUPER idea.... So I have now hit an all time LOW... I gave my 3 year old Coke & Gum for breakfast.... & made her pinkie promise not to te

After a good long cry on the phone to both my mom & dad...(HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY! I so wish I was there...) A couple glasses of wine... a little Hanna Montana (in English...way to go Disney Scandinavia...) I thought I would give you an update on Bj ... Yesterday he went in for a marathon surgery... almost 10 hours... I only knew he had gone down in to surgery after the 15 th time I tried to call him on his cell with no answer... around 11am I called the nurses station. Where an overworked, RUDE, witch answered the phone... I will save you all of the details & just say the conversation ended with me apologizing for being a worried wife, & saying that when I called the next time, I hoped there would be someone a little nicer on the other end. CLICK. (I know really mature.... but I just HATE the way things work here...) Finally about 7pm last night, recovery was nice enough to call & say he was out of surgery. I talked to Bjørn for a few min... & he said not to both

I had a nice conversation with a co worker yesterday. She told me she dreamed of going to America one day... but with all of the guns & serial killers, it made her a little nervous....... ***sounds of crickets*** Ummm what do you say to that? I told her that I have never owned a hand gun...or known anyone who owns one. Nor have I ever met a a serial killer..(luckily) I could see her face relax a little, thinking... maybe... just maybe.... she could do the ROUTE 66 trip without being killed. So how do a lot of the Norwegians I encounter, see the U.S? Many of them think everything in the U.S. is BIG .... yes... I agree.. why not? Americans... depending on who you ask... are regarded as "Hollywood FABULOUS"...(guilty) or fat & frumpy... (Norwegians who have not been to the states before, form many of their opinions from TV... Sex in the City, Jerry Springer, Forensic Files... N-I-C-E ....) America is convenient... with stores open 24 hours a day & a shopping MECCA

Remember that commercial... where everyone was so nice to each other. I MISS that, I want that, I need that ...N I C E N E S S For the most part...Americans are nice people... WE ARE! Despite what the rest of the world may think about us... we are generally nice people & good neighbors.... My dear friend Leanna an American also living here with me.... made the kids & I a casserole this weekend... so it was just one thing less I had to think about with Bjørn in the hospital... I meant a lot ... Not just because I didn't have to think about dinner... but because it gave me a little piece of home... Not easy being away from home when bad things happen. Not a single neighbor has been by to ask if Bjørn is ok .... Only ONE neighbor came out to be with my kids while their daddy was sprawled all over ground bleeding waiting for the ambulance. Is that weird or is it just me being sensitive? We moved to Kansas City from Norway when I was pregnant with Dane. We didn't know an