Thursday, April 29, 2010

Who decides your name?

Well, I've just given myself a new one.
During the last couple of weeks I've been very strict to myself when it comes to chocolate and soda.
I used to eat and drink it every night when the kids were in bed. But for more than two weeks now, I haven't had any. I actually felt (and still feel) dowd 'cause my body doesn't look good and nothing looks good on me.
Moreover there's nothing negative about better health eighter.

To make the long story a little bit shorter: I hoped to loose some weight. Shouldn't I've lost some now? I step on the balance and it shows the same as the last moths... To bad!

But then I come up with the solution - of course. There has to be a good explanation! I've got it!
My arms are building muscles these days - because I'm limping around with my crutches!

And because of that I got myself a new name: Mrs. Armstrong!

Today I've been proud three times

First the boy's teacher came running after me on my way home from school this morning.
She had forgotten to tell me my sons were having awards at the flag ceremony this morning. Luckily she reached me in time and I stopped by for the ceremony.

S was first. He had an award for good citizenship - "For being helpful". I was really proud of him!
A was later. His award was for an achievement - "For super English". I was very proud again!

And then - after school. We were almost there. We met our neighbour and I chatted with her for about a minute. Then, off goes the fire alarm! And guess who trigged it? You're right! That was my son... I felt like the very best mom and were prouder than ever of my very smart son that had to pick on that alarm trigger.
Luckily we prevented the fire engine from coming...

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Pickles

I just wanted to let you all know that pickles are not good.
Why do they always have to put them in the hamburgers? Even the veggie hamburgers or the chicken burgers are soiled with the yucky stuff that gives a strange taste to the whole thing.
Pickles are not good.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Relaxing

Today we have mainly been at home, relaxing.
Well, if having three kids making an unknown level of noise is relaxing.
Actually today the kids behaved as close to perfect as my very innocent little ones are able to.
Even at the store where we bought the tube for one of their bicycles they behaved very well.

We spent the morning cleaning up the entire bedroom of their's. We sorted and systematized all the toys that were scattered as by the wind all over the room.
Knowing there really has been an earthquake, I'm still shocked it is possible to spred out all kinds of toys that well.
These children have great skills when it comes to scattering!

We also had a great time in church today. And we made some appointments for tomorrow :)

Friday, April 23, 2010

Only-only

A good friend of mine back in Norway used to teach me som "good" English.
Like as we say in Norwegian: It's not "only-only". (For the record it's like saying: "It's not that easy."
Or when you're running out of topics for chatting: "Yes-yes".
Well, the truth is I'm thinking of my friend every time I se some of the trafic signs around here.
I have to bring my camera next time to capture one of them and show you all.
And I have to tell you I love being reminded of my friends.
Like every time I think about how wonderful it would be to have some chocolate and soda, I always think of an other very good friend of mine.
Friends are valuable!

Monday, April 19, 2010

Always good for something!


This foot thing is not as bad as it could seem and feel. All our friends are so thoughtful and so kind to us. They all want to help us, and are so careing! We really are blessed.
And look at this beautiful bouquet of flowers we've got! The warm, yellow colors remind me of the sunshine our friends bring into our lives. Thank you all!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Most accidents happen at home.

Yesterday night I was standing on our bed trying to fix the blanket and cover I was changeing. Suddenly I slid at the edge of the matress. The pain that drove trough my foot was almost unbearable. For the next couple of hours I was trembleing with pain. And I couldn't sleep at night.
Well, this morning I ended up going to the ER. I spent almost 5 hours there. Luckily nothing is broken. But it's a spring/sprain and they gave me one of these big, black velcroed boot and cruches. It's going to take 3-6 weeks to heal.

When I was sitting on my bed at the hospital, the kids were playing at the balcony right outside my window. They came by every now and then to check out how thing was going.
And Elisabet asks trough the closed window: "Skal du bruke parykker?"
Let me translate a little. In Norwegian cruches are called "krykker" and wigs are called "parykker". She couldn't tell the two words apart so she said: "Are you going to use wigs?"
I could nothing but laugh, she was so cute.

Friday, April 16, 2010

1 og 2 og 3 og 4 og

Norwegian
Takt og rytme. Bli med å klappe!
Hele, halve, kvarte og åttendedeler, med hale og uten hale.
Jepp, Nick gitarlærer kom hit igjen i dag. Siden de har jobbet med navn på notene og hvordan de spilles på gitaren, var de nå klare for litt mer informasjon.
Det var på tide å lære notenes verdi. Tell og klapp!
1 og 2 og 3 og 4 og. Fire firedelsnoter i en takt. Eller en halvnote og to firedelsnoter. Eller kanskje en helnote. Klapp! Spill!


English
Measures and rhythms. Clap along!
Whole, half, quarter and eighth, with tale. and without tale.
Yep, Nick guitar teacher came over again today. Since they've been working on the names of the notes and how to play them on the guitar, they were now ready for some new information.
It was time to learn the length of the notes. Count and clap!
1 and 2 and3 and 4 and. Four quarter notes in one measure. Or a halfnote and two quarters. Or maybe a whole note. Clap! Play!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Utelekser - Outdoor homework

Norwegian
Jeg tror jeg har til gode å oppleve at barna får lekser som må gjøres utendørs i Norge. Kanskje det er været som begrenser det?
I dag kom guttene smilende ut av brakka der de har klasserom.
"Mom! Our homework has to be done outside today!"
Da vi kom hjem, gjorde de seg raskt klare. De fant frem hvert sitt teppe, penal og tok med seg leksene ut. De fant hvert sitt tre, la ut teppene sine og satte i gang.
De klemte trærne, beskrev hvordan de føltes, hvordan de luktet og hvordan de så ut.
Det var rent idyllisk å se hvordan de koste seg med leksene - liggende på magen på hvert sitt teppe.
Noen ganger er det utrolig godt å være mamma!


English
I think I have yet to see the kids having homework that has to be done outdoor in Norway. Maybe the weather limits it?
Today the boys came smiling out of the portable where they have their classroom.
"Mom! Our homework has to be done outside today!"
When we got home, they rapidly got ready. They brought out their blankets, pencil holders and homework. They found a tree each, let their blankets out and got started.
It was quite beautiful to se how they enjoyed their homework - lying on their bellies on their blankets.
Sometimes it's incredibly good to be a mom!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Tilpasning

Norwegian and English version:

Norwegian
Mange ganger har tanken streifet meg. "Hva kan vi greie å tilpasse oss til?"

Det er jo en kjennsgjerning at vi ikke lever i hermetisk lukkede samfunn. Vi lever hele tiden under påvirkning, og langsomt tilpasser vi oss endringer og ting som skjer rundt oss. Vi innfinner oss med at vi kanskje tenkte mye, men at ting ikke ble som vi hadde tenkt likevel. Men når tankene om store forandringer trenger på, virker de skremmende.

Når jeg tenker et år tilbake i tid var noen av de ordene som opptok mest hjernekapasitet ord som tilpasning, startvansker og barrierer.
Tankene surret og sjelen fikk liksom ikke fred.

Til tross for at jeg elsker naturen og liker å bestige fjell og topper, føltes disse toppene overdrevent høye og ugjestmilde.
Jeg snur på hodet, ser tilbake og kjenner på mestringsfølelsen. Følelsen av å ha lyktes. Det er godt. Vi bestiger fremdeles topper!

Jeg, vi, hele familien, har taklet omveltningene utrolig bra.
Vi rykket opp en del røtter, men var nøye med å la mange stå igjen. Det er tross alt lettere å få blomsterbedet til å se vakkert ut når det er igjen noen løker og røtter til en ny vår.

Dagen opprant, vi sto forventningsfulle på Værnes og lurte på hva som ville møte oss i andre enden.
Da vi entret leiligheten vår, tenkte jeg i mitt stille sinn: "Huff, hvordan skal vi greie å gjøre dette til et hjem?"
På veggene henger "kunst" trykket i utallige opplag. Ikke er det særlig vakkert heller. I vinduene er det persienner - ingen gardiner. Det tillates ingen spikerhull, ingen skruehull, ingen tapemerker eller lignende på veggene. Gulvet er teppelagt, og det føltes direkte ubehagelig under føttene.
I dag er denne upersonlige leiligheten hjemmet mitt. Stedet der jeg slapper av, der jeg har familien min og ting jeg er glad i. Det er godt å komme hjem hit. Huset i Norge omtales som "Hjem-hjem", vi er alle enige om at "hjem" er her, "hjem" er nå.

For et år siden var et år lenge. Nå er det snart over. Og hadde noen kommet og sagt at vi får være to år til, hadde jeg ikke trengt betekningstid et sekund. JA! Så klart!
Bare sørg for at vi får litt besøk av venner og familie fra Norge også. Vi ønsker ikke at de flotte røttene vi har plantet der skal dø.

I løpet av et år har vi fått stelt blomsterbedet her godt også. Røttene gror dype, det mange blomster i ulike farger, vakre blomster som vi vil ha med oss hjem i hjertene våre. Gjett om vi kommer til å savne dem!

English
Many times this thought has crossed my mind. "What can we manage to adapt to?"

It is a fact that we do not live in hermetically sealed societies. We live constantly under influence, and slowly we adjust to the changes and to things that are happening around us. We accept that things were not as we thought it to be. But still the thoughts about the big changes seem scary.

When I think a year back in time, some of the words that filled my brain were words like adaptation, initial difficulties and barriers.
Mind and soul were occupied as if no peace.

Even though I love nature and like to climb mountains and peaks, these peaks seemed excessively high and inhospitable.
I turn my head, look backward and the feeling of mastery shows up. The feeling of having succeeded. It's good. We still climb mountains and peaks!

I, we, the family, dealt with changes, and we did good.
We pulled up some roots, but was careful to leave many behind. After all it's easier to get flower bed to look beautiful when it's left some bulbs and roots behind for another spring.

The day arrived, we were excited at Værnes airport and wondered what would meet us at the other end of our trip.
When we entered our apartment, I thought: "How can we manage to make this a home?"
On the walls there were "arts" printed in numerous editions. It's not even particularly beautiful. In the windowsells there are the blinds - no curtains. The hosts allowed no nail holes, no screw holes, no tape marks and so on on the walls. The floor is carpeted, and in the beginning it felt uncomfortable under my feet.
Today, this impersonal apartment has become my home. The place where I relax, where I have my family and were I'm happy. It is good to come home. Our house in Norway is referred to as "home-home", we all agree that "home" is here, "home" is now.

A year ago, one year sounded as a long time. Now it's almost over. And if someone told med that we could stay here for two more years, I would leave no doubt. YES! Of course we want to stay!
Just make sure we will have some of our friends and family coming over from Norway (France and Madagascar too). We don't want the great roots we planted there to die.

Within a year we have grown flowers here too. The roots grow deep, there are many flowers in various colors, beautiful flowers that we will carry in our hearts. We will miss them all!

Jeg blogger i full offentlighet

Dette er begynnelsen på noe som jeg er usikker på om vil fungere.
Bloggen har ligget her lenge. Jeg har vurdert å ta den i bruk, nå gjør jeg det.

Gratulerer til meg selv med ny, åpen blogg. Det fortjener vel en blomst :)