American in Norway

Have y'all been wondering where I have been? No? Ummm ...OK.. then. Just in case a few of you were wondering... I have been working my tail off doing all of my year end stuff... & Spending time playing in the winter wonderland which is NORWAY... this evening it is -22c. (-2f) & IT IS COLD... I had big ol' plans for a post about how AWESOME 2009 was... but once again, not sure I will get around to it...(my BEST posts never actually make it to my laptop.) Anyway... until I get to the super awesome post...thought you might like to see a few shots of Norway in the winter.... Sunset today at 3 pm--- the days are getting longer yippee... We have been doing a lot of cross country skiing this weekend. The kids are skiing pretty much everywhere...I am sure next week there will be 100 kids skiing to school... (must admit I STILL love seeing it...- how cool is it to SKI to School?) Eva was getting a little help from pappa down the big hill... Our house is starting to lo

Still trying to get caught up after the Christmas rush... Crazy Crazy Crazy here. We had a BLAST at the Christmas Market in Sweden. So worth the 3 hour drive... the lights...the people... the food...the REINDEER... Santa (kinda...he had BROWN hair? - wth?) I will try to post a few more pics in the next couple of days...

I know it must be very annoying when I find something I L O V E... (the greatest thing since sliced bread) & then I act like I discovered it.... What am I talking about? ....my latest addiction... SKYPE... The best gift I received was F R E E... Virtually spending the Holidays with my family on the other side of the world. Are there anyExpats out there NOT using SKYPE? My little sis & I finally decided to download & try SKYPE on Christmas Eve... I think we VIDEO called each other 3 times that night... Christmas Morning I skyped her while the kiddos opened Santa's gifts... It was like she was here with us.... We skyped again when most of the family sat down to Christmas dinner in the US... Skyped with my older sis in Houston... & even sat & had a coffee "together" while we chatted with each other for well over an hour this afternoon.... (Dane skyping with Grandpa & his cousin) The possibilities are LIMITLESS... I am thinking next time the

I KNOW.. I am SOOOO lame. I always have the best intentions of doing cards for all of my friends & family... Really I do. I even thought while snapping pictures in Paris this summer, WOW...this is going to make aa AWESOME Christmas card. Lets face it... I am a procrastinator & a sucky Christmas planner... So dear family & friends... If I HAD sent out a card this year, THIS is what it would have looked like! Merry Christmas from our family to yours! : ) Tressa

So what is the Christmas Season all about? yes, I KNOW what it is all about... Jesus is the reason for the Season... but what is it about the Holiday that means the most to you? What are your favorite holiday memories? Seems I spend so much time worrying about gifts for the kids... but thinking back to my childhood, my favorite holiday memories have very little to do with the gifts we received... I was thankful for everything I received but there are few things that stand out... my Band Aid "Feed the World" album...My "Cabbage" Patch doll... my mother had it made so it would look just like ME.. & my 10 speed bike which I crashed the next morning. the year the 3 of us each got our own JAM BOX... (those alone took up half of the family room) My best memories are of the ANTICIPATION of Christmas morning... Ooooo ...I would get a tummy ache I was soooo excited. From the time my mother starting setting presents under the tree (like Dec. 1st) We would beg & be

I was witness to a CRIME today... A man was caught shop lifting... I have seen a couple of shoplifters caught in the US...it was a TOTALLY different experience. The Shoplifters where chased through the WAL MART parking lot... where the cops would proceed to tackle them.... & cuff them, all the while the SHOPLIFTER is SCREAMING every dirty word in the book...saying that they are innocent...trying to kick the cop etc... Today it went down like this.... Man checks out at the register... as man tries to leave the store... an employee walks up to him & asks... "Excuse me Sir, is that a bottle of Chanel #5 in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" "Oh this little thing? (pulling the bottle out of his sleeve) Hmmm , terrible sorry.. (in my head he had an English accent...but really he was speaking Norwegian) here you go, (smile) no hard feelings right? Ohhhh , there are hard feelings? - sure here is my ID... OH... you are going to write me a ticket? - that

Oh sure, I like the classics...like "Here comes Santa Claus", "I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus" - We wish you a Merry Christmas... But my ALL TIME FAVORITE... idontcarewhoisaround...iamgoingtosingAS.LOUD.as.i.can... Christmas Song is... BAND AID.. .Do they know it's Christmas ....***sigh*** I won't lie... I used to sing it into my hairbrush all the while pretending I was MRS. Simon LeBon and not just at Christmas time... (bet you are thinking I was a PRETYY BIG DORK growing up aren't ya?) I would sing this song ALL YEAR LONG.. I spent Christmas 1984 in the hospital... with my right leg shattered in like, a million pieces... my family decorated my hospital room & tried to make it a little more cheery... My sister Heidi (the best present giver EVER) bought me the BAND AID album & a George Michael poster which was hung on the wall in that hospital room until I got out..... Funny, thats the only gift I remember from that year.... ANYWOO (sorry about

As y'all know I was having a wee bit of a problem with HOMESICKNESS today... I H A T E.. being away from my family for the holidays.. It is hard to believe I am a woman pushing 40, with kids of her own, when I go on & on & on about how much I miss my mom & dad, sisters & brother. It has been 3 years since I have been home for Christmas. Sure, I was home in Sept. but my family is scattered all over the US...Roanoke, Kansas City, Houston... (not counting the cousins & rest of the lot...) So the chance of me being able to see everyone is almost impossible... if I'm not home over a holiday or a wedding. Because of my HS class reunion & both of my parents turning 70 within the next couple of years, the chance of my getting the kids home to the US for Christmas within the next 3 years is next to impossible... When I said that out loud today...not being home for Christmas for SIX years... I.fell.apart. Eva is going to be 8-9 before I get her back...no longer

I thought I would have nothing to blog about today.... then I remembered it was RTT with the Un MOM Hmmm... maybe I could write a Christmas post... (damn- I shouldn't have opened THAT can of worms...) Christmas- the most difficult time of the year.... for "expat" me... Ohh ya...pull up a seat & let me bitch for a few moments.... I want to be HOME... I want to be with my family... I miss MALL SANTAS... I miss all of the kids... (there is one more in the mix now...) all of Bjørns nieces & nephews are grown : ( except one, who will be with her other grandparents this year) *I miss 19 of us staying at my parents house... *I miss the CRAZINESS. *I miss Christmas songs in English... *I miss adopting families & serving others on Christmas... (I have been unable to find any charities in our area to volunteer... - no soup kitchens.. no families in need to adopt... - I guess that should be a REALLY good thing... I just miss giving back.) - maybe we can bake & deli

First time I am playing along with Sundays in the City...(how FUN!) Today we celebrated St.Lucia in our little Norwegian town... 13 th December every year is the celebration of St Lucia (or St Lucy) – a festival widely celebrated across Scandinavia. Girls dress in white robes and carry candles in a long procession and sing the h ymn about Lucia. The candles symbolise the fire th at refused to take St. Lucia's life when she was sentenced to be burned. Traditionally a Catholic festival, it is thought that this tradition survived in Scandinavia because it is celebrated during the very dark days of winter. Some people believe that back in the day when Scandies celebrated Yule (or Jul) at Winter Solstice, it was both a season of giving, kindness and celebration - but also a season of fear of dark forces – the scariest night of all at that time was called the Night of Luss i – Lussinatta . Some believe that the festival of light is from this time to fend off the evil forces. We c

The Christmas show was a success! With almost 100 people in attendance I was very impressed that Eva was able to go through with her solo... Most of the time I thought she looked a little green...not sure if it was due to nerves...or if she really wasn't feeling well... Her "5 th of whiskey & 5 packs of smokes" voice is due to all of the singing she has been doing at the nursing homes this week.... Anywhoo ... here is my baby girl... : ) ( yes, I am just a little proud!) TENN LYS ! ( Eyvind Skeie ) Tenn lys ! (light a candle) Et lys skal brenne for denne lille jord . (a candle should burn for this little earth) Den blanke himmelstjerne , der vi og alle bor . (the shinning heaven stars, where we all live) Må alle dele håpet så gode ting kan skje . (when all share hope, good things can happen) Må jord og himmel møtes . Et lys er tent for det . (earth & heaven meet, a candle is lit for this)

Iceland, Germany, & Hungary... these are a few of the destinations my friends are going for their COMPANY CHRISTMAS party... I told you Norwegians are CRAZY about Christmas & their Christmas Parties. I am working in the wrong office. Just kidding... we had a lovely party& overnight at a great hotel on the other side of the Fjord.... Just saying 4 days in Budapest for a Christmas party would KICK BUTT. Trying to get motivated to make my cookies..clean my house & get clothes ready for Eva's Christmas program tomorrow... (did I mention baby girl has a SOLO in front of like 100 people?-) Mmmm hmmmm ... she likes the attention like her momma ...but gets her voice from her grandmother. Bjørn bought me a new camera in Dubai so I can tape her performance.. (he will be out of town yet again..) So If y'all are nice... I will share a video of her big event... (I know y'all are holding your breath.)

Man... these Norwegians are CRAZY about Christmas.... 2 Christmas parties, a Christmas concert & a cookie exchange hosted by MOI...all before Friday. I am worn out & haven't even started to shop. (are y'all feeling bad for me?) Wish I had something witty to write... but I got Nada.

The girls from SITS are starting the celebrations early.... We are all working on our Holiday cards... (this may be the only one I actually get done)... Thanks for the push SITStas .. : ) From our family to yours, Wishing you & yours a very blessed Holiday season...

Have to admit I am starting to get just a little OVERWHELMED with all of the "Holiday Hoop-la" sooo much to do & sooo little time. Where to begin? Decorate?..bake?...shop? took a deep breath... went to the computer & I noticed this post on my little linked in widget thingy... This is a repost... but still one of my favorite Christmas memories... REPOST.... 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 weeks photo is inspired by my new friend over at The Cottage Cafe' & her post My Heartfelt Thanks Since becoming a mom, I have tried to look for ways to show my children what the Christmas Spirit is all about... We have adopted families in need... Dane has gone with me to serve Christmas dinner to the homeless... but one of the best experiences I /we have had w

My girlfriend Margot sent me this.... (thanks Margot!) If you have babies who are waiting for Santa in the next couple of weeks... you HAVE GOT TO check this out... this was the email video Eva received tonight... http://portablenorthpole.tv/watch/f0f1e855a59d1377284beabe2950a474 (I think she is still kind of FREAKING out!) Works even BETTER when you have another child who may not have been as good... hee hee hee http://portablenorthpole.tv/watch/c2c25e53979bea2281c3844e8b402576 Don't worry ... Dane was in on it... so he will not be scarred F O R E V E R. Pulled out the Christmas decorations today... I asked Bjørn if he wanted us to wait until he returned from Dubai... he assured me to GO AHEAD without him... THANKS honey! You know you are an expat c elebrating the holidays abroad... when your 10 year old can BLOW UP the Christmas tree by having the converter on the wrong setting... It didn't catch on fire, but it did blow all of the attached lights... ( that's what I

I left the sunny warm skies of Argentina to come back to the freezing darkness which is Norway... Norway is starting to grow on me...but the winters...man... the winters kill me. After a 16 hours in the air & a lay over in Frankfurt I made it home to my babies & Bjørn ... I was able to spend about 9 hours with hubby before he left for Dubai... when did life get this crazy? You know what they say...absence makes the heart grow fonder... (we are really pretty fond of each other by now..) So about ARGENTINA... WOW .... 5 stars... all of the way talk about being SPOILED .. Some of the highlights of the trip... San Rafael: San Rafael is a warm and vibrant city in the heart of Mendoza province, the most important and extensive wine region in Argentina. San Rafael retains much of its old world charm from the days of the European immigrants from France, Spain and Italy who brought their viticulture skills to create a wine growing oasis. We were able to visit (hang out) at the Bianchi

This is my last night in Argentina....makes me sad. What a WONDERFUL ..W.O.N.D.E.R.F.U.L time I have had.... I already told the people I am traveling with not to be surprised if I break down BAWLING when we touch down in Oslo....I am just not ready to go back to the DARK NORWEGIAN WINTER.. But I do miss my babies and hubby....so return I must. I have a ton of posts / tons of pictures to share... will have to get busy when I get home this weekend. I am DREADING the 14 hour flight home but it was so worth it. Thank you to all of y{all who offered to guest post... my computer time is very limited... so I am just reading the comments now...sorry... But thanks again... I will get some of y{all to guest post very soon... I still haven{t got the hang of these keyboards at the hotel so bare with me... OK off to enjoy my last night ... and maybe learn a little Tango... Ciao for now.... Be back soon