Ingvilds verden

Stillhet for Japan

2011-03-18T10:43:00.003+03:00

Fredag 18. mars markeres med stillhet på alle blogger, og vi sender varme tanker til alle de som er berørte av denne ufattelige tragedien.

Sesame Street: Will.i.am's Song "What I Am"

2010-11-04T10:10:00.000+03:00

En liten marihøne

2010-02-25T13:25:00.005+03:00

titter fram for å ønske deg en god dag.

Ingeniøren er fortsatt hjemme og steller hus og barn - han merker nok kaoset på kroppen nå. Men det er greit at han får "prøvd" seg.
Jeg merker at også ungene begynner å bli "lei" vinteren. Når det er så kaldt over så lang tid så er det begrenset for hva som kan skje av uteaktiviteter. Men de har fått brukt både skøyter og ski i vinterferien. Men nå nærmer vi oss mars og da går det jo bare en vei....snart er det vår og grønne plener. Gleder meg.

Bildet er fra Greengate.

Nok snø?

2010-02-23T15:34:00.008+03:00

Synes du vi har nok snø nå? Det gjør jeg, vi snør nesten ned her. Og så kaldt det ble igjen, så her fyrer vi med ved og koser oss mye inne. Jeg er glad for at snekkerne er ferdig utvendig på huset og kan holde på inne, og vi er veldig fornøyd med resultatet så langt.

Foreløpig har ikke det ene soverommet blitt til nytt trapperom så ungene storkoser seg med å tegne på veggene - da med strenge instruksjoner om at det bare er der det er lov til å tegne på veggen....noe som ikke alltid er lett å få med seg når man er 1 1/2 år og blir veldig ivrig med tusjen...

Snøvær og kulden gjør sitt for at vi må finne på mer inne. I går tok Ingeniøren med seg de to eldste ut på skøyter og når de kom hjem så hadde jeg bakt kanelboller og lagd ordentlig kakao.

Ordentlig kakao vil si at jeg smelter mørk sjokolade, helst 70% (og vi er veldig glad i Sedawi sjokoladen fra Kuwait), og har lettmelk oppi. Den skal være rykende varm med litt pisket krem på toppen. Herlig!

Jeg har forresten vært på Vollywood og handlet litt Greengate vårnyheter - og hvorfor er det da slik at Ingeniøren ikke forstår at slike ting får man "aldri" nok av. En kopp her og en kopp der - joda det blir mange og skapene er fulle men det er jo så mye fint! Jeg prøvde meg forsiktig og si at kanskje jeg kunne få bytte ut litt av servise men skjønte fort at nå var det husbygging som skulle prioriteres og ikke innkjøp av Greengate som stod for tur. Tja, da var det dette med prioriteringer igjen da. Man har da alltids råd til en liten kopp eller et fint lys har man ikke?

Endelig fredag

2010-02-05T11:23:00.007+03:00

Endelig er det snart helg - denne uka har gått veldig fort men jeg har også hatt mye å gjøre. I går hadde Ingeniøren vært utrolig snill og bestilt "litt" ved til meg, som han formidlet over telefon fra solstolen ved bassengkanten - joda flott tenkte jeg for ved-haugen min begynner jo å bli mindre. Men så kommer en gryntende Ved-mann fra Hønefoss som bare velter to svære paller med ved foran containeren og kjører. Herlig - containeren blir såklart hentet i dag og hvis jeg da ikke hadde fjernet og stablet alle veden i går kveld så hadde all veden ligget midt i veien. Så gjett hva jeg bedrev kvelden med i går...satt ikke akkurat inne og slappet av med Grey`s episode, en koselig bok eller scrapping, neida etter at ungene var i seng så stablet jeg ved. Ikke favoritt, men da skal jeg sitte inne med GOD samvittighet når Ingeniøren finner det for godt å komme hjem til høsten.

Legger ut noen bilder for oppdatering av huset vårt:

Og til våren skal heldigvis de flotte kablene legges ned i bakken.

Ja nå har vi et hus med 3 etg og forhåpentligvis nok plass til alle. Jeg mangler bare møblene, men de kommer i containeren til høsten (sammen med Ingeniøren...).
Ungene gleder seg veldig til å få nye rom oppe - og utrolig nok var de enige om hvem som skulle ha hvilket rom (og det er ikke så ofte de er enige om dagen).

I helgen skal jeg prøve å få lagt inn en tur innom Vollywood, en utrolig koselig og flott butikk. Men ikke egnet for mine 4 søte små på slep! Kanskje vi skal sette en bolledeig eller noe, Emmeline hadde en spennende ny oppskrift forrige søndag som jeg tror er verdt å prøve.

Her er bilde av gutta mine, den eldste syntes forresten det kunne være en god ide og bytte ut Ingeniøren med snekkeren - det er jo mye tøffere å være snekker (iallefall i hans øyne). Jeg spurte snekkeren om ungene hans hadde samme formening, men nei, der var det motsatt. Er det ikke rart, vi ønsker oss ofte det vi ikke har. Sånn som med krøller og rett hår. Anne-Lise ønsker seg sånn hår som bestevenninnen, dvs krøller og mørkt, mens venninnen skulle gjerne hatt slik som Anne-Lise har, lyst og linjal rett. Er det ikke rart....

Kaos i kaosheimen!

2010-02-03T13:02:00.006+03:00

Har liten tid til blogging og andre ting om dagen. Mistet både telefon og internettforbindelsen når husbyggingen begynte, men endelig kommer Telenor i dag og skal se på det. Så i kveld håper jeg og kunne snakke på skype igjen og være online...
Kaoset er altoppslukende om dagen, og sånn ser det ut ved inngangen:

Og legg merke til at dette bildet er tatt før alle materialene ble levert - nå er det enda verre.
Så bare se for deg min balanse kunster om dagen - når jeg håndterer fire unger ut og inn og all parkasen som skal være med til barnehagen og skolen. Det er nesten underholdning for håndverkerne som frekventerer boligen.
Og hva med været vi har om dagen - jeg tror aldri jeg har vært så mye kald. Det snør, blåser og temperaturer ned til minus 23 er ikke ok i min bok. Nå har til og med ungene begynt å klage litt og sier at de savner vinteren i Kuwait, den var veldig mye mildere....men i neste minutt hopper de i vinterdressen og vil ut på ski eller skøyter. Bare i natt har det vel kommet nesten 20 cm med snø så det er ingen tvil om hva jeg må gjøre i kveld (hvor er den Ingeniøren når man trenger han, han sitter vel på en solstol på bassengkanten i Kuwait og nyter en Starbucks).
(Dette bildet er fra juleferien - da fikk Ingeniøren måke...for hans bestevenn er jo snøfreseren)

Her kommer bilde av jentene ute i snøen (bilde av gutta får komme senere) og obs - bildene er ikke behandlet/redigert - dårlig med data om dagen....

Håper du har en fin dag og ikke fryser (ja jeg vet at dere Aussies koser dere i varmen).

N is for New Year

2010-01-01T15:33:00.007+03:00

Happy new year to all of you

Did you have a nice celebration yesterday? We spent the day with some good friends that came over for the day. We had lots of great food - Pinnekjøtt (a traditonal smoked lamb dish from Norway). The kids love having friends over for a play and yesterday was no different. But we are "paying" for it today because everybody is tired and a little bit grumpy! Anne-Lise and Martin insisted on being up at 12, but had to go to bed around 9 to get a few hours sleep before. It was cold and snowing when we went outside at midnight- but we enjoyed watching all the fireworks.

Today we have started getting the house ready for the extension work (emptying the loft and all storage area, Martins bedroom and our bedroom) the builders are going to start on January 14. So imagine between working, juggling 4 kids and ALs after school activities, housework, and also having the house full of workers....not really looking forward to this month. But so looking forward to the finished result.

It is getting close

2009-12-22T13:45:00.004+03:00

Yes! it is the day before the day before the day...Only two more days! The children have their last day at school and kindergarten today and they are all very exited about the holidays. We have had the last two christmas` in Kuwait so it is very nice to have a white christmas this year. Martin wants to pull out his skis everyday.

Last night I was making cupcakes for Anne-Lise`s class, and of course Martin thought it was VERY unfair that he could not bring in cupcakes, so I ended up with making 60 cupcakes last night. And tonight we are also making Aprille`s rice-crispi-treats (Anne-Lise insisted).

Martin and Trond is of to the movies today - this is the movie they are going to see Julenatt i Blåfjell (Christmasnight in the Bluemountain):

a real boys night out with first Mc Donalds (of course) and then movie (Anne-Lise has already seen it), and then over to Tronds sisters to deliver the presents.
The girls are staying home to finish up the house and baking. Maybe we will have a christmas movie on dvd.
Have a wonderful day.

M

2009-12-19T23:50:00.002+03:00

M is for merry christmas!

Finishing up this years christmas cards. I simply do not have time to make individual or scrapbooking cards like I normaly do - but what is a fulltime working mother of 4 to do - she makes it digitally! So just need to print a pile, glue them on red cardstock and write a SMAL note to everybody. Yeah - I love everything I can tick of my to do list.

Have you finished everything and are you ready for the holidays?
We are almost there. Just a few more bits of this and that....is is not always like that?

L

2009-12-07T23:06:00.007+03:00

L has to be St. Lucia - a day that we celebrate in Scandinavia on December 13.

Drammen Svømmeklubb (swim club) had their annual christmas show on sunday and it was a really nice time. It finished with a St. Lucia march from all the girls and Anne-Lise was picked to be St. Lucia in front - with lights in her hair. She was very proud and happy about that. It was an amazing sight to see all the girls doing their routine in the water, and it must be very hard to swim with one candle in each hand but they all did a wonderfull job.

Lucia day is a celebration to remember Lucia that was a catholic saint from Sicilia in the year 300. This is always celebrated December 13, which also is the longest night in the year. It has been said that when she was killed a young stabled boy saw the murder on Lucia, and he was also killed. So it is these two that we remember when the children go their Lucia procession, first with Lucia and followed by her “star girls and boys”. And they sing the traditional Lucia song. And we serve the traditional lusekatt.

K

2009-11-30T10:38:00.003+03:00

K - the letter k can be so many things - Kuwait (where we have lived 4 years), kilobyte, kodak, kungfu, kelloggs, kids, koalabear (never seen one but when we travel to Australia to meet our friends I am going to see one), and kiwi. But I have to cheat this time and do a norwegian word - katt (if you did not get it it means cat!).

Because on friday this little guy came home to us, the one in front,

They named him Rocky and he is 10 weeks old. And the kids love him, and sometimes the twins hate him. Because he jumps everywhere, he runs very fast, and he scratches. But Anne-Lise is really happy and she begged not to have to go to after school club today, so we bargained and she have to go there half the time and then home to play with the cat (and hopefully do some homework).

And today we have snow - late last night it started snowing and now it is beatuiful outside, and so much lighter. It really helps on the christmas spirit, and a norwegian has to have snow on the ground before it is really christmas....
Martin has never jumped out of bed so fast as he did today - and he was ready to go outside in his p-js. You gotta love that energy.

Hope you have a wonderful monday!

Do you need a laugh?

2009-11-26T14:15:00.002+03:00

This is so funny - so if you have not seen it yet you should really watch it.

And here is the follow up

J

2009-11-25T11:03:00.003+03:00

J is for journal. Every December I follow along Ali Edwards December Daily journal, and I have done it for 3 years now. And I am very exited to start this one as well. I have not taken a photo of mine yet, but here is a picture of Ali's

It works like this - you prepare a small album and gather all your christmas papers and stickers, ribbons, flowers, rub ons and stamps - and you put togheter a basic album with the numbers 1-24 and you are ready to journal. It is about documenting you traditions and how your family prepares for the holiday. Some days I just have a picture, other days there will be more words, maybe a recepie for our favorite christmas cookies or I will have the kids write their letter to santa.

This is a great way for documenting the familys traditons and preparations for the holiday. And the kids love to loock at last years journal and see what we did.
I have also done Project 365 this year, but I really love December Daily. I finished my pages this weekend, the twins were sick so I had to stay inside with them and it gave me some time to scrapbook. So the book is ready, and just waiting for December 1. to come. Not many days now.

Thank you for internet shopping.....

2009-11-17T12:35:00.006+03:00

I do not have to tell you that with 4 kids alone (husband is still an expat overseas) I do not really get a lot of time in shopping malls or other shops for that matter. So I am glad that internet makes it possible for me to just sit at home, in a quiet house after the kids have gone to bed, have a cup of tea, snuggling in comfy clothes and wollen socks (I do not like cold feet ;o) ) and pull out my visa card and shop.... how easy is that....
So yesterday I logged on to Pottery Barn, love a lot of things there, and soon I will be getting these:

The kids are getting a new stocking, with their name on it this year.

I love this daily system, and for a organization freak like me this is perfect - gives me the control I need. So I am getting a few parts from this selection. Ok, I guess you have to be organized with 4 kids - or I would lose control (and I do not like that).

And this lovely star lamp is going to be outside on my " new" terrace when the rebuild of our house is finished. Love it!

I wish we had Pottery Barn i Norway....

Happy birthday Alix

2009-11-12T11:06:00.005+03:00

This gorgeous aussie lady is turning 40 today

and I wish you all the best. I hope all your family and friends spoil you rotten today. Alix, you deserve the best, and I really wish we were closer so I could give you a big birthday hug and have a nice lunch with you. We will do it next time we meet, was it in Thailand you said????
Your present will arrive with the christmas box that Anne-Lise and Martin is working on....

Konkurranse

2009-11-11T16:43:00.005+03:00

Gårdsromantikk i Havsvigen har en flott konkurranse hvor du kan vinne denne flotte kandelaberen:

Bildet har jeg lånt fra Lantlif.

Klikk her så kommer du dit.

I

2009-11-11T15:30:00.004+03:00

I has to be me, Ingvild, or....

maybe it should be influenza, that is what is on everyones minds these days

I am debating about we are going to take the flu-shot or not. It would not be a dream to be sick, and have 4 kids to take care of. Trond is not coming home before christmas so we will see. We still do not know when the vaccine is going to be available for everyody so time will show. Have you had your shot?

Anne-Lise is home from school today, felling a little down. Has a fewer and is snuggling under the blankets on the couch watching her favorite DVDs. Hanna Montana is one of them (how many times it is possible to watch a movie).
I am trying to get ready for Martins party on saturday, He has specific ideas for how everything is going to be, the food they are going to eat, cakes and the games. Hope everyone stays well.
I am also trying to finish up my christmas shopping. I like to finish everything before December, but not sure if I am going to make it this year. The calenders for the kids are finished, imagine wrapping in 96 small presents.... 4 kids x 24....

H is for Halloween

2009-11-02T22:13:00.007+03:00

We had a great Halloween party on saturday. Anne-Lise invited all the girls in her class, and Martin invited all the boys - so we ended up being about 20 kids her. It got a bit wild at one time - especially when we played the mumie game - just to let you know; our intire house was covered in toilet paper afterwards. I just managed to rescue one roll from becoming cover for a mumie! But we had so much fun and all the kids love to dress up.
And there where lots of kids trick or treating at the door as well - and I had to refill my candy bowl three times!

Trond left to go back to Kuwait yesterday, so I am on my own again - the only good thing about it is that there is nobody that grunts when I want to look at Grey's Anatomy or Desperate Housewives etc....

Destination Mykonos

2009-10-28T15:11:00.006+03:00

The exclusive event, for just 75 participants, will be held from 19 - 25 September 2010, inclusive, at the luxurious Hotel Kouros on the island of Mykonos, Greece,
Cocoa Daisy Destinations: Mykonos includes all of the following:
Classes and follow up sessions with all three instructors, Ali Edwards, Jenni Bowlin and Karen Russell
A deluxe buffet breakfast each morning
A pool side social hour with drinks and appetizers each evening
All dinners (Greek & continental cuisine)
One evening out in a small group with all three instructors at a superb restaurant
Mini workshops with 3 of our Daisy Divas: Christine Drumheller (Memory Makers Master ’09), Ronda Palazzari (Memory Makers Master ’09) and Sue Mylde
Nightly Make-n-Takes and Crops
Boat trip to and a tour of the picturesque island of Delos
Greek Night with live classical Greek music and Greek dance lessons
Goodiebags, lots of special extras surprises and pampering all in an intimate, luxurious and supportivesetting with unique opportunities for personal interaction with the instructors
LOTS of giveaways!!!

AND I AM GOING TO BE THERE.....YES! THIS WILL BE THE ULTIMATE HOUSEWIFE-HOLIDAY I WILL EVER HAVE (especially after being alone with all 4 kids for 1 year.....) So when Trond finishes his year i Kuwait next september and comes home, I am going to Greece. YES, YES, YES - SO EXCITED.

G

2009-10-27T23:30:00.004+03:00

G is for Guri - my best friend in the world.
Guri is the kind of person that will always put her friends and family before anything else. She lives in Kuwait with her beautiful family, husband Adeeb and children Sara and Mishal. And they are lucky to have her. Well, everybody that gets to call Guri their friend is lucky and blessed.

When Trond came home on holiday last thursday she almost filled one of his suitcases with things she sent me. Loved all the things - she has even embroidered a camel for me, and framed it. She is one of the best crafters I know - she sews, scrapbooks, paints, makes jewellery, and has a big production of chrismtas cards going on right now. And she is a great cook, she has always something home made or home baked at hand. And I think she must be one of the few people I know that has to bake at least 7 different kinds of christmas cookies (that is an old norwegian christmas tradition)- sounds like she could doubble for Martha Stewart. How she finds the time for all her projects I don't know.

When I lived in Kuwait we met up, at least, every monday. We then went around to all the craft stores we knew of - and we always ended up with lots of meters of ribbons, and buttons, and crystals, and letters etc. I truly miss our weekly "dates", and are really looking forward to next summer.

I know you are going to kill me for putting your picture up here Guri....

F

2009-10-25T17:47:00.005+03:00

The letter F means family and friends for me.

This weekend we have spent at Tyrifjord Hotel celebrating my father-in-laws 70 birthday. We had a great time meeting everybody and enjoyed some really nice food.
But of course we are soooo tired today. Even the twins stayed up later then they usally do, and they go to bed around 18.30. But we are having pay-back for it now - everybody is tired and grumpy. And because we have daylight savings time today we have to keep the kids up for an extra hour. Wonder why I am at the computer blogging right now...... (Trond came home on thursday and I have not changed a nappy since).

All the pictures are from our photoshoot in august with the photographer Guro

Hope you all have had a wonderfull weekend and are ready for a new week.

E

2009-10-12T14:04:00.004+03:00

E is for Embrace Imperfection
I have learned this from Ali Edwards - she is a great scrapbooker and a huge inspiration.

It is important to remember that our lives are imperfect, and that we should embrace the imperfect in our lives. It is ok to be imperfect. Especially us women are struggling to be super mums. And it is hard - we can not possibly be everything all day, every day for everybody in our lives - work, children, husband, friends and family. We need to do things our way, not what we think that everybody thinks we should do - our lifes do not have to be perfect! I am at the stage where it is impossible to be perfect or have a perfect home - I am managing 4 kids alone (husband is in working in Kuwait)and it is not easy, sometimes it is not very fun, but it is always rewarding. Ok - I am going to be honest - it is almost always rewarding! Especially having twins changed our family, and we are all trying to adapt every day. It is very consuming caring for the twins and it breaks my heart sometimes when I see how the other two tries to find ways to get and keep my attention. My role as a mum has brought out the best and the worst in my parenting skills, and the best and the worst in the childrens behavior. It is an ever changing journey, and we are trying to embrace the experience.

Embrace your life! Regardless of how you live it, just as long as you are happy with your choices.
And give your kids (and husband) a big hug today and tell them you love them.

D

2009-10-07T21:37:00.020+03:00

D is for decorate. I love to decorate around our house. Especially for the holidays, and then I mean all the holidays - Easter/spring, summer, halloween/fall, winter and christmas. Christmas is my all time favorite.

But this time of year the kids are really looking forward to Halloween (maybe they are very exited about it because they know that Trond is coming home end of october). Anne-Lise and Martin has already asked when we are going to start putting up our halloween decorations. I have also promised, silly me, that they can invite some friends over at halloween to have some food and games, and of course lots of treats.... Anne-Lise has already 11 girls on her list - we will see (our house is a mess because of the building that is starting soon - but maybe that is a good time - the kids can run wild without me having to worry about somebody braking something ;o) )

I hope you are having a great day!

Pictures are from Country Living

C

2009-10-06T22:09:00.008+03:00

This letter only means one thing : CHOCOLATE

Imagine that something that looks like this:

Can turn into this - a favorite treat:

My favorite chocolates are Freia Melkesjokolade (norwegian milkchocolate), Patchi, Godiva, Twix, York, and Kit Kat. What is yours?
And imagine all the goodies you can make out of chocolate - cookies, cakes, hot chocolate, chocolate spread on a sandwich - am I the only one that is getting a craving for some chocolate now?

And ok - I have to mention christmas. Someone at work reminded me today that it is "only" 2 months until december. Christmas is defenitly my favorite time of the year. And I think this is the only month that the kids stay good all the time ;o) Have you started planning for christmas?

It is getting cold here, and the kids are wearing lots off wollen clothes these days. Martin has already made a huge hole in his new woll-stockings, and I asked how it happend. I don't know, he said. Well I am not sure if we can afford a new one, so I guess you have to be cold on your legs then, I replied (sarcasticly without him knowing that ofcourse). His reply came quickly: you can just take the money you need from my piggybank because I have a lot! Thanks - I will remember that.
Hope you all have a great day.

B

2009-10-06T09:43:00.004+03:00

Okay - a new day with a new letter. B - do I have anything in my life that starts with a b? I have never been to Brazil or Belgium, I do not play baseball or basketball, I have never met Barack Obama or Bob Dylan, but I love brownies, bavarian doughnuts and bolognese (funny how these things work - the only thing I could think of that I like with a b is something eatable!).

But one thing that is very current in my, and the rest of the family's, life is the building of our house. You can call it a rebuild or a makeover. We started with some ideas with our architect in 2007 to do an extension. Everything was drawn and the building application was almost ready to be sent in. And then in the beginning of 2008 we found out that we where having twins! Okay - change of plans, major changes, and now we are adding a third floor to our house!

We are really looking forward to this. And we are just waiting for our carpenter to start - hopefully before christmas. And don't you think it is going to look good! The kids are very exited about this - because the new floor is going to be their domaine - so four bedrooms, one bathroom and one living- playroom. And I am looking forward to not having Madelen and Olivers cots next to my bed.
And it is like they say - out of sight out of mind.

And yes, when this is done we are looking forward to having lots of visitors from close parts and overseas - now we have a proper guestroom and lots of space. Anne-Lise has already made plans for her, Tilly and Aprille.....

And to give you some other ideas - my great friend Julie and her husband Mike is doing their version of this- they are having dates from A-Z. Sounds very exiting, imagine having all these dates (Trond - maybe someday we can have time to do this.....well at least we need to be in the same country).

A

2009-10-05T10:26:00.011+03:00

A - I have many important A's in my life.

I have to start with my beautiful girl, Anne-Lise. She turned 8 in August and is growing up fast. She is strong and she knows what she wants - I think she has a great deal of Girlpower. She is a social person, and loves to make friends - and after 4 years in Kuwait she has friends from all over the world. Her two best friends, Tilly and Aprille (another one of my A's) are from Australia (another A) and Anne-Lise is saving all her pocket money to travel there.

But, of course she is saving for something else also - my uncle and aunt from Hitra (outside Trondheim) came on a visit this weekend and he gave her some money before they left, and asked what she was going to spend it on: the answer came quickly - highheeled boots of course. Yes - at this age she could spend a lot of money on shoes and bags - she loves to dress up and her dad is a little worried about how this is going to turn out when she is a teenager!

She is such a great swimmer, she joined Rekrutt 2 at Drammen Swimming Club when she came home.

It might be hard at times being the oldest one of four, but she is a great help for me (especially now when Trond is still in Q8). But I have to say she drives me mad at times... the attitude that these girls have, well I was probably the same way when I grew up, but still - she drives me mad. She came home from school the other day and asked me why I had to work. Well - I said, because I like it and becuase I have to earn some money for our family. Her reply was this: I am not going to work when I grow up. I am going to marry a rich husband so he will have enough money for the both of us........ okay ;o)

Two other important A's to me are two gorgeous Aussie girls - Alix and Anna. How I miss you two.... it is so bad that we live so far apart.

....and I have to mention Adam - Alix husband (you are also a good A)

And yes I have to mention Ali Edwards as well - I love her way of scrapbooking. I am taking here class Yesterday & Today now and I am loving it. She is a big inspiration.

Fresh start

2009-10-04T21:01:00.018+03:00

Can you belive it is October.....

Ok - last post was done in May, and it really shows how time flies.

I have been so busy the last months that time at the computer, or my scrapbooking desk, has been downsized to a minimum. After we got back to Norway in august we are slowly getting back to the "norwegian-way" of doing things. And we are all not sure where we would rather be....either here or there!? And what do we miss the most - our friends (and the weather, not included +50 in the summer and the dust storms).

But now I have decided to embrace a fresh new start, I have even decided to delete the last 3 years of posts (sorry).
I saw this great idea to post something on every letter in the alfabeth at Drømmen om en eplehage
- and I really liked the idea. So I am going to push myself back into the routine
of blogging and work my way trough A-Å (yes, we have 3 extra letters in norwegian).

And here are some random pictures from this weekend:

The kids went over to our neighbour Ole and come home with apples and grapes - they were so exited.

And here is a mood picture from our livingroom - wishing you all a good night. See you back tomorrow for my start on A.

Can you belive it is already May?

2009-05-09T18:34:00.010+03:00

Just some random pictures from the last week. The kids are happy outside playing in the pool and enjoying the warm weather (before it gets to hot).
It is getting close to summer and kids beeing of school for over 2 months - what to do in Kuwait at that time - especially with temp. running over + 50. We will see....

Kids are looking forward to this thursday, because their grandparents are flying out from Norway. Tronds parents are coming one last visit before some of us are leaving to go home this summer. And we are really glad they are taking the trip.
And yes, I said some - not all, looks like Trond will be staying longer. For how long we do not know. Imagine how it is going to be - "singel" mum with 4 kids....I am going to be mad... LOL!

2009-04-01T11:15:00.002+03:00

Martin loves to share everything he eats with Oliver (and Madelen) - and the idea that he can eat something else than babyfood. So this morning he was sharing his youghurt before school and they had a wonderful time.

2009-03-31T19:42:00.005+03:00

The day is suddenly here - the day we had to say goodbye to our very dear friends. And we are all so sad - this was to sudden and to fast. We knew that this day would come, but it is so hard to say goodbye. Anne-Lise has been crying a lot today(and so has I) but Alix we are going to keep our promise and meet up in Norway, Australia or in the middel some day (hopefully that day want be to far away). We wish you all the best back home. And thanks for letting us be a part of your life in Kuwait - Aprille, Robert, Alix and Adam.

Ferdig med nasjonaldagen og ungene er tilbake på skolen.

2009-03-01T09:54:00.010+03:00

Martin i farta. Han og Trond er på banen to ganger i uka, og han stortrives. Han vil ikke hjem og skal bare kjøre en runde til.....

Martin og Oliver har en kosestund.

Anne-Lise med plaketten hun fikk for Swimmer of the month i februar.

Oliver

Madelen

Kuwait har akkurat feiret nasjonaldag og frigjøringsdag. Og den feires ved å kjøre Gulf Road opp og ned i tre dager til ende.... og tute, spille musikk og sprute ned bilene med skum eller silly-string. Vi kjørte en liten tur og en "pøbel..." sprutet ned ruta og vippet opp viskerene. Da var spørsmålet hvem av oss hadde lyst til å åpne døren og legge de ned igjen - ikke jeg (da er man et klart mål for skummet, både seg selv og inni bilen)! Men noen "snille" ungdommer kom til unnsetning og la de ned. Men Anne-Lise og Martin synes jo det var kjempe kult når noen sprutet på bilen vår ;o)

Martin og Anne-Lise fikk bare lov til å sprute i et "lukket" område (les. trampolina) og hadde det kjempe gøy. Greit med silly string for den setter seg ikke fast, som skummet.

Oliver, 6 måneder, og Trond.

Madelen, 6 måneder, og Trond.