American in Norway

I MAY have some very EXCITING news for ya'll - But i am waiting for a little confirmation ..... as soon as I know for sure....I will spill the beans.... In the mean time..you are going to have to settle for a LAME-O Monday post... where I complain... A LOT-.... I complain about how TIRED I am.... (Eva konked out about 5:30 this evening....) Maybe too much fresh air over the weekend... We all pooped from the weekend I complain about it being FALL breakfor the kids and not going anywhere AGAIN... Yes, I do feel like we need to GO somewhere anytime the kids are out of school... Living in Europe...I feel like we should just be able to hop in the car & go to France for a long weekend.. & then I remember...oh ya, we live in NORTHERN Europe... & unless I want to go to Sweden or Denmark... we aren't going anywhere ..... AGAIN.... (are y'all feeling bad for me yet?) Did I mention that hubby leaves for Dubai next week? He just returned from Germany last

Sunday... FUN-DAY, Another family day..... Because we had such nice weather, (never knowing how long it will last) we decided to take another family hike.... (2.5 hours....) around the be ach. It is funny, each week, each hike, I see changes in our family....less whining (on my part) & more time learning, enjoying our time together....Bjørn who usually gets irritated with all of my picture taking, is stopping to find things to take pictures of...appreciating colors, nature etc. Dane is less squeamish...touching & picking up all of sorts of things he finds along the hike.... Today we learned about Jettegryter or "Stone Pots" these huge rock formations from the ICE AGE .... pretty cool... these holes are formed by pebbles/gravel being aggitated by water, over thousand of years.... WOW..The holes on our local beach date back to 15,000 years.... the kids had a blast.... & wanted to stay much long

Your Gonna Miss This Moment Play along with this new meme! You're Gon na Miss This .... I am hooked.... I LOVE the whole idea of posting the moments you are going to or already do, miss the most..... go on over for more info.... I could do a thousand miss this moments regarding my kids.... As I see them grow each and every day... But sometimes the moments that I miss the most .. are those of my younger, wilder, care free days... those days of not knowing what you were going to do with your life.... What would you be? Who would you marry... backpacking around Europe... months of free time to spend with your bestest friend in the world... all of the fun, & the tears.... I miss this day... this trip ..this moment in Paris with Kelly Song for Whoever when we were 22.... Kelly & I have been friends for 21 years now.... OMG ... & considering that for 19 of those years, we have lived on different sides of the country or even earth... I would say that is an amazing feat..

It's Friday, It's Friday, Thank Goodness it's Friday!!! YIPPEE!I'm playing Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Fiesta Finish again this week .So after you're done here, go over there and check out who's playing this week!!! Of course the pictures I wanted to posted are GONE...GONE...G O N E ... (for now at least...) But I like these...& didn't want to lose them...so I am posting all of my favs .... This is the Norwegian Traditional dress.... Eva's is a childs version...called a festedrakt .... My gorgeous niece...pictured with Eva is wearing the real deal... these dresses are called BUNAD In Norway, it is common to wear bunad as a costume at various celebrations, especially the May 17 National Day celebrations. In recent years, its use has reached far outside folk dancing, folk music, and particular holidays. Accepted as proper gala attire, it is increasingly co mmon to see people, and especially women, dressed in bunad . This is from my Nephews

Oh where to start? is it Friday yet? Mommy needs a drink! What a week... i am over the computer drama.... it is still broken, but nothing I can do about it until next week.... sigh*** it has been a CRAZY week .... Bjørn is off gallivanting around Europe, & I have had my hands full with work & the kiddos. (not to mention computer & camera drama) Today was picture day for Eva...I laid out her prettiest pink dress with her a big pink satin bow.... I knew we would be running short on time this morning so I decided to pull out the PINK SPONGE ROLLERS... Not sure if this was an 80's thing or a Texas thing.... But believe me... One look at Eva this morning & you KNEW her mommy was N.O.T. NORWEGIAN ... Oh ya...baby girl had some big ol ' 1980's Texas hair going on.... ( so much for trying to BLEND in... ) I did take pictures of her hair... (but the cable to my camera is not working...go figure...) So after about 15 min of trying to make Eva NOT look like eve

THANK YOU all of my bloggy friends.... My camera is OK... I took the lens off A G A I N... & all of a sudden...it worked.... Big ol ' sigh of relief... I was hoping things were going to change & go in my favor & the computer would all of a sudden just start working... Ummm ...NO such luck... There is power...it just seems that the plugs/Ports are not working... ANY OF THEM.... I ran desperately to the trusty laptop to see what I had backed up..... I do, back up from time to time... what did I find? 5,000 DUMB A&S photos... photos of my sisters wedding? NO... photos of my kids with my parents...NO... all of my nieces & nephews... ARRRRGGG NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO .... Learn from my mistake...go & back everything up right now.... if your computer dies tonight... you will have no regrets..... WHAAAA ... OK, so ya'll get ready for lots & lots & lots of pictures...cause I am going to be downloading them EVERYWHERE...just in case... I know there is a

Let me just get this off of my chest... CRAP.. CRAPPITY ... CRAP..... CRAP! CRAP! Anyone who knows me...knows that CRAP is not really not my first word of choice... but as not to offend my "nicer" readers... I will just say CRAP:::: It all started on Sunday during our family outing/hike my camera stopped working.. yes my brand new BABY... that i adore... the Auto Focus just stopped working... will not focus...will not take pictures.... (it will take pictures with M/F..but impossible to get good shots with MF ) I went into denial... maybe the camera was just "tired" just acting up because I take so many pictures? Maybe the battery was low (although it said I still had 1/2 battery left) we came home & I drained the battery & then charged it over night.... Turned it on this morning.... STILL NOT WORKING..... WTF ? I haven't had it for 2 months. I PROMISED i haven't dropped it... I have done everything right.... I put my little baby back i

Your Gonna Miss This Moment Play along with this new meme! I am not sure how I stumbled upon this blog You're Gon na Miss This .... but after a bit of reading I was hooked.... I LOVE the whole idea of posting the moments you are going to or already do, miss the most..... go on over for more info.... I have been having the most emotional week when it comes to .... All of a sudden, he is no longer a little boy.... This week he have finally agreed that he no longer has to go to the after school program at school... he can come home on his own & get started with his homework..... when did he get so big???? This is a picture of him going away for his first camping trip in the mountains today.... without mom & dad..... (not by himself..silly...) WHEN did he get so BIG? OK... I am getting to the "moment" .... yesterday when I got home from picking Eva up from school... I called up to Dane, to let him know that

It's Friday, It's Friday, Thank Goodness it's Friday!!! YIPPEE! I'm playing Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Fiesta Finish again this week .So after you're done here, go over there and check out who's playing this week!!! This is Eva & the little neighbor boy right after he moved in.... this was the beginning of them being "BEST FRIENDS" ...

So the man is " Un -Shunned" .... we all knew it wouldn't last... To be honest... I like to hear myself talk.... & it is much easier when I have someone to talk to.. Besides... my irritating Nanny Fein voice is probably a worse punishment.... (my co worker thinks all Americans sound like the Nanny) So he has been un shunned..... Funny thing is...he didn't even know he was shunned..... ***sigh*** But before you think I am a total WUSS... and caved & am no longer upset... with the man... not carrying his weight.... he. is. going. to. get. his ... I used to do the whole "mommy is on strike "thing however, I found that only comes back to bite me in the butt.... the mess doesn't bother anyone but me.... if people come to the door... I am the one who looks like a PIG... & I end up doing it all in the end ANYWAY..... so instead, I throw all of his crap/clothes in the corner.... (lets watch daddy dig for a clean shirt.. ) Childish or not...it makes

ARRRRGGGHHHHHH .... So I had a bad day.... (you know the song...I changed it from you to I...because darn it... I HAD A BAD DAY ...) Ok .. I admit, it could have been worse... but still..... Just a few days ago I was ready to post a sappy sweet post about how adorable my hubby is/ WAS... bla bla bla bla GAG... (he did get some kick butt tile put into our kitchen...however i will save that for another post when i don't feel like bitching) But today... not-so-cute .... You know how it is ladies... once a month, everything you let SLIDE all month, comes to a great big giant head...ready to erupt.... today was that day... POP Most of the time, i am very thankful anytime hubby steps in & helps with his children... but sometimes... he just screws everything up...and at certain times of the month...I can just no longer let it slide. (you know what I am talking about) Today was the first "parents soup" (Norwegian thing...) at Eva's new preschool... the kiddies mak

Kell , at Song for Whoever tagged me with this question and answer meme. & since there is nothing I wouldn't do for kelly....I am playing along... 1. Where were you 10 years ago? 10 years ago I was living in Norway...pregnant with Dane preparing to move back to the U.S. 2. Whats on your to-do list today? As my day is now over...I will tell you what I did.... We had a super family Sunday starting with a yummy breakfast Bjørn made. We headed to an old fortress here in town where they had family day.... The kids built boats...trained for the circus... & ate waffles. After fun at the fortress, we saw an old German mine left over from WWII... Watched an African Warrior show in town & went out for Chinese.... (very international day today..) I am POOPED! 3. What if you were a Billionaire? We would establish trust funds for the kids. Pay off debts. Buy a huge boat & sail around the world...Travel....Travel...Travel.... & of course charity... I would have to put some

Ah... just in case ya'll are getting sick of having to look at pictures of MY kids.... thought I would share a picture of my goddaughter..... She is sugar sweet.... So nice to have another "baby" around... so I can get some good sugar .

I made it... & they said it wouldn't last... But I am here... 1.0.0. First, I would like to say a prayer for everyone in the path of IKE ... including my sister & her babies.... This brings back so many memories of Hurricane Alicia back in 1983... Where we lost power for how many weeks? Had trees crashing into our house... the most memorable thing about the storm was my them 42 year old mother (which was REALLY OLD at that time) ... overdue with my baby sisiter.... Baby Alicia was born 3 days later.... Here is hoping there are some who will also receive blessings after the storm..... Dang... I was planning a huge big OPRAH style give away for my 100th post... but with the Hurricane & anniversary of 9/11 this week... I am feeling sort of Blaaaaaaa... Crap... guess we will have to wait until the big 2 0 0---- for the Lax & Lefse give away... I know ya'll can hardly contain yourselves! P.S. OH... because it is my 100th post...(big deal for me....) I would totally

Latest Obsession... ***Oh sigh***... it is an OBSESSION because NOTHING can only be 1/2 WAY WITH ME.... I run home from work... only to jump on the computer... (yesterday I went into my office, BEFORE I said hello to my family....I KNOW,... how BAD is that ?...) It isn't my blog.... (that was last months obsession/ADDICTION) it is FACEBOOK AKA ... FB ( for those of us on the "in" ) I admit it...I am ADDICTED ... I should also admit, I am also being a little bit "whoreish" with my new addiction.... I added 30 friends yesterday.... I know it is wrong...but it just felt SO...RIGHT. "Do you want to add so-so to your friend list?" ME: "Sure...why not?" Maybe THEY have someone on their list that I might want to be friends with??.... I connected with people from my graduating class.... my neighbor who I used to play Flashlight tag with.... a long lost cousin in Germany...(same last name...) friends from our Cruise Ship days... my teenage niec

OK...but only because you BEGGED But first a big ol' HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my BFF from way back when ... Song for Whoever go share her some go' ol' bloggy love... HUGS KELLY! REPOST*** Wow... after 10 gallons of water & 12 hours of sleep I am ready to share my big night out. Now keep in mind....going out in Norway is NOT like going out in the states.... Norwegians are not as outgoing as Americans...meaning, you generally don't strike up conversations with random people at bars/clubs etc. You hang out /talk to the people you go out with..... so if you are going out with only one person it can get kind of boring... With drinks between $10 (beer) $20 (worst Cosmo I have ever had---) you can pretty much forget about anyone ever offering to buy you a drink. (Unless you are my friend Leanna... that girl has some serious MOJO going on...) I have to apologize in advance... I don't have any good pictures from Friday night... t he IPHONE camera...NOT SO GOOD... waiting to

This is my second post today.... I posted all of the gory details from last night.... (it will make you all want to get up a tad earlier next weekend won't it?...) SO after I posted, I was going through my blog roll when I overheard Dane talking to his classmate who had come over to play. They were playing battleship (remember that game?) when I hear Dane say... OK I will be the American Navy... & you be the Iraqi navy.... DAAAANE ! I yell from my office... mortified... see, the little boy over playing is named Mohammed & he is an Iraqi refugee... Of course Dane didn't think about being from Iraq... nor did he mean anything about it... He saw Mohammed like all of the other boys in his class. But seeing not all Iraqi's are happy with the situation... & not knowing where Mohammed's familiy stand on things(pro or anti American... I thought it better that the boys didn't play war. Iraq war... (I have seen his dad & he looks like the police guard from

Last night I felt like I 26... today I feel like I am 106 I will keep it brief...because frankly, I am HURTING today.... I will just leave you with this... ***12 girls ***free shots ***3 cop cars *** Best night I have had since living in Norway.... Post pictures later....

After spending my entire morning TRYING to catch up current affairs in the U.S. I thought this FOTO was FITTING for Candid Carrie 's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta... No? ... Little Americans in Norway.. (Oh goodness NO, they are not all mine...) But we are a happy little family of Ex Pats living here in Norway. The only English speaking News I am able to get at my house is the BBC... Not that the BBC isn't great... but for my American news... I prefer something... AMERICAN.. Thank goodness for www.y outube .com ... I have been watching the speeches all morning. I have a lot of thoughts... but I will save those for another post. go check out the other players at Candid Carrie

I don't watch much TV... but every once and a while ...if time & schedule permit, I will indulge in a little Oprah & Dr. Phil. This past week , I have had the opportunity to indulge. Last night... I once again had the chance to watch OPRAH.... It was about some girl with a phobia of edges & corners... ? (hello?) Luckily Dr. Weiss, a guest, was there to explain that she was afraid of sharp edges because in her past life... she had been an Indian ... (**Native American for all of you PC folks...) HUH? It suddenly hit me.... I have had WAAAAYYY tooooo much Oprah time this week. Don't get me wrong... I love me some Oprah .... I believe in Angels & spirits & all of the other good stuff... but I am pretty sure I haven't been reincarnated... & am also pretty sure that if I have been reincarnated, I probably was NOT a member of the Royal Family, or an Indian Warrior... I was more likely a housewife from Skokie ... who spent her life cleaning house & w

Yesterday I spotted my neighbor across the street..... She was walking in her not yet finished house... trip trapping across the drive, with her perfectly clipped hair... tiny size 2 body.... (bio- tch ) ....with delicate boxes... you know the kind of boxes from nice department stores.... (we don't have any department stores around here... mmmm , yet another mystery) Must be something really nice.... It appears she is starting to move in... room by room... placing everything just so ..... the way.... I wanted to move into my new house... Not ..... by throwing all of our crap in plastic garbage bags, in the last min. & dumping it in the middle of our unfinished family room.... ***Sigh**** Bjørn told me he saw her out in talking with what appeared to be a pair of interior decorators.... (Bi- otch ) " Oooo , I am dying to have a look in her house...." sitting there drinking my coffee with hubby... Bjørn: " Mmmm hmmm "...... Then I happened to mention .. &quo

This weekend I ALMOST felt like I had my old life back... With so many things on the agenda , it felt like the good old days... Thursday I kicked the weekend off a little early by going to this great little French restaurant,Brasserie Blanche in Oslo. We had a "meeting" with our co-workers from the other side of the Fjord.... One of our distributors treated us to a night out... after dinner & about 5 different wines, we headed for a little night cap at a bar around the corner... Can you say COSMO.... *sigh*... I can't remember the last time I had a cosmopolitan... .... in Norway, probably N E V E R... On Friday, Bjørn & I headed to the other side of the Fjord with the kiddos, to the oldest town in Norway. Tønsberg ... The city has about 35.000 inhabitants and lies in the county of Vestfold . Tønsberg is also surrounded by some of the countys major tourist attractions like old viking graves and museums. (this info is stolen off of the internet .... thought I w