100th Blog Post and HAPPY BIRTHDAY THOMAS!!

I guess these are both milestones and worth noting, especially Thomas's birthday. My baby is now 11 years old!! Where does time go? He's always been a mamma's boy..and I love that. All my children have slept with us as babies but when the next baby arrived the first one moved out and into their own bed...but when Thomas came along there were no babies to come and take his place...so he stayed. The nurse at the health center told me not to worry, she had yet to meet a confirmant who slept with their parents- this was when Thomas was 2 and kids are confirmed when they are 15...great only 13 years left I thought!! He's gotten better about moving out when Stig comes home...there honestly isn't any room. I think he'd stay but we can't sleep three of us in bed anymore when he's so big. I asked him once when he was younger what he was going to do when he had a baby someday...."the baby will sleep here with us" he said pointing to a spot between him and me. I said "but honey, where will the baby's mommy sleep??" "She'll sleep at her house!!" He smiled back at me, proud and confident in his answer!!! Hahahaha!!!

He's still a mamma's boy but he's changing...I guess they do that..he's into video games and dragons and flames...anything tough and cool. He thinks I'm one of the funniest people in the world and his laughter is so contagious..it's so high pitched as he hasn't hit puberty yet...I'm going to miss that high pitched laughter someday when he grows up. He and I will joke around in the car and he'll start to get out of hand- making little slide comments about me or trying to jerk my chain. I pull him back to reality by telling him he shouldn't talk to his mamma like that. He thinks I'm still joking when I say that and I go all serious on him...I want to laugh but I DO want him to respect me and not get out of hand with his comments. He usually ends that situation with " I really thought you were joking around mamma.." to which I say "if I was joking around I'd probably laugh like this..."and then I laugh hysterically or something goofy and he starts laughing and we're back to goofing around together...

He doesn't know what he wants to do with his life yet...which is fine..he's still only 11..but I like to tease him that he can live up in the apartment and be my lawn boy when he gets older...yes, maybe that's a little reverse psychology there to spur the boy in the right direction (education and a real job) and it might be working...he just says to me, Nooooo way is he going to be my lawn boy- he's going to be a professional soccer player....or whatever is his fancy at the moment. My dad suggested some day he'll either be a banker or a thief as he is highly motivated by money and would do just about anything for money...much like a labrador would do anything for food....or a lioness for that matter.....ok ok....and me too!! :-))

He's fallen in love- really hard- twice. He came home with a beautiful boquet of flowers once and showed them to me very proudly. I thanked him so much and gave him a hug and he told me they weren't for me...they were for the girl he liked...have to admit that broke my heart...didn't expect there would be any other girls in his life besides me for a long while...but after this girl dumped him after he spent his birthday money on her...he found a new girlfriend whom he also lavished with gifts he bought with money he had and she also dumped him soon after..I was thinking he'd change his mind about girls after these two episodes but he's in love again...I think it's too early and I've told him this...but he tells me "You know mom, I am 11 now!!" ;-))

He's the only one in the family still shorter then me...I love that but I know someday that will change. I try and talk to him like I do with the girls...ask him some personal questions and tell him if there is anything he wants to talk to me about he can...but he doesn't want to talk to me about ANYTHING personal- only Stig. I guess that is natural but it hurts sometimes because he use to come to me for everything...I keep telling him I'm not like other girls- I'm his mom...I've seen him naked, he was inside me..we share a bond...but he ain't budging...he won't tell me anything that has to do with anything personal about his body or such...I'm glad he has his dad though...when he's here.

Thomas looks at Sarah as another mother type figure...not really a playmate...that he has in Julia. Those two are like cats and dogs...they can play so wonderfully together one moment and the next are fighting so bad!! When one is gone the other is bored to death..they need each other but they can't admit it. I keep telling Julia that someday Thomas will be bigger then her and get even for all the times she pounces on him and is rough with him...she just laughs....I guess we'll see who laughs last...

Happy Birthday my darling Thomas...I wish you so many more birthdays, so many more moments of happiness and joy in your life, I wish you health and all good things. Love you so much little man...

And now to my 100th posting on my blog. Who would have guessed I'd stick with something long enough to have a 100 anything...well, you guys are addicting and I get even more inspired to keep writing when someone new shows up!! Can't imagine I have anything exciting or thrilling to write about but obviously there are some of you hanging in there with me...I'll try not to disappoint you on the next 100 postings!!!

Cheers folks!!! :-))

Singstar

Ok ok…it’s sideways…and the sound quality is bad…but I’m a proud mamma and I’m posting this to my blog anyways…and I think I might have posted this to You Tube also without actually knowing what I’m doing…oh well- we proud mammas do lots of silly things!!! Enjoy my future singstar, Julia…

I Yearn For…

Enough with winter!!! I yearn for summer days with blue skies and sunshine…

For long warm walks along the woodland roads, picking beautiful bouquets of wild flowers…

Cooking outdoors and eating outdoors on a patio decorated with colourful summer flowers…

Warm and light summer nights by the fire with a good drink…

I yearn for the Captain and his special ways of making me laugh…

Good friends on summer visits filled with good food and fun times together..

Summer my beautiful summer…where for art thou beautiful summer…are you coming soon????

Auction, Car Accident, and A Lovely Walk

Once upon a time a “young” lady was looking forward to going with her very beautiful daughter to the local auction in hopes of finding treasures to decorate her lovely home with…

On the way to the auction they met a BIG red van coming toward them, the “young” lady pulled over as far as she could but the VERY young lady driving the red van couldn’t stop and slid right into the “young” lady’s already old and crappy looking Nissan Primera and did this….

Not feeling in a very auction type mood anymore the “young” lady and her very beautiful daughter scanned the auction local only to discover there wasn’t anything there that really grabbed them and the deer head was a bad idea after we had the morning visit from our neighbour Mr. Deer…don’t want him peeking in the windows and seeing that head on the wall and thinking we aren’t an animal loving family…

So instead of sitting inside and following an auction which didn’t hold anything of great interest, the “young” lady and her very beautiful daughter went home where they met up with the “young” lady’s other very beautiful daughter and sly but charming young son who were outside playing with a very energetic pup…

“Hey- let’s go for a walk in the beautiful weather with the pack of lionesses, energetic pup, and old and cripple white lab!!!” suggested the “young” lady. “Wow!!! Great idea “young” lady!” cheered the very beautiful, sly and somewhat charming children!!! So off they went into the magical woods under blue blue skies and abundance of sunshine and had the most wonderful walk ever…THE END

A Breakfast Visitor

Just had to share a photo of our breakfast visitor this morning...he stopped by and chomped on the cherry tree the mean forrest company cut down and then wandered into our yard and along the house wall and then into the woods behind the dog pen. Waited a good while before taking the dogs out to the dog pen and when I went out with Isabella and Nanna I saw the deer in the woods still by the dog pen, no hurry...just nibbling a little here and there..I yelled "GO DEER, GET OUTTA HERE" to which Isabella instantly became alert and then saw the deer but she stayed completely quiet..then Nanna looked up and saw him and began barking wildly and Isabella did one of her quivering whiny cries and soon both were going at it. I couldn't do anything else then laugh at them and hold on tight!! The deer took off when they began barking together so when I got them in the dog pen he was gone but they were patrolling the side of their dog pen which borders the forrest...what a bunch of "tough" lionesses I have...hahaha..good to know I'm protected from the wild beasts of the woods..hahahaha..

Auction Time!!

It's that time again- AUCTION TIME!!! In my opinion they could have one of these every weekend and I'd be happy as can be!!! My parents use to take us to auctions as kids, I guess it's just in me to like these things. A lot of times there is nothing but junk but I guess the hope is you'll find something totally amazing and get it for almost nothing...that rarely happens in a Norwegian auction- getting something for nothing- but sometimes you can get lucky and that is what we who go to these things live on- LUCK!

Note the age of the people in this photo, which I loaned from the auction site, don't most of these people look old enough to have stuff which would be at an antique auction? What are they doing here collecting more stuff? Will this be me someday...80-90 years old and still going to auctions buying stuff I really have no need for but I just don't want the woman in front of me buying everything so I bid...???? Hmmm....well, that is a thought for another time, today I'm just anxious to see what goodies I can find. The auction list has a stuffed deer head for sale...that might look cool in my "lodge" although I was really hoping for a moose head..so we'll see.. Actually gross to think about any head on my walls but if I'm going for the rustic cabin look (which I'm not really sure which look I'm going for here but think that might be it) then it would look cool with some animal on the wall...

Met folks yesterday who want a female pup from Isabella. I'll retain breeding rights on the pup though. They were great people, run a farm with horses, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs, mini pigs, and goats. Are often up in the mountains and their German Shepherd is always with them..so the pup will have wonderful chances to be out in nature and experience other animals and have a great life. So I'm very happy they want a pup from us.

Have a great Sunday folks- I'll post photos of anything I buy today- tomorrow!! Amy :-))

Raising A Human…

Raising a human has to be one of the most difficult jobs ever. 

They come into your life totally helpless. A clean slate with which you can mold and develop into the kind of people you think the world needs and then there comes a point where your influence becomes less and the world around starts to take over more and more.

Whoever came up with the comment- One step forward two back must have been a parent…that is how it is to raise a human life..you win some and you lose some..you try new things and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. You draw upon all the thing you learned as a child and all the things the world has taught you and you try and pass this on. You hope your child will be better then you.

I never stop to marvel at the people who are developing before my eyes. I feel honored to be a part of their lives..to watch them grow from little humans who could only cry or gurgle to express themselves to being opinionated, funny, irritating, dramatic, inquisitive, sensetive, bigger people. I love when they share something with me that I didn’t know..or when they share something with me that I hadn’t thought about in a long long time and when they discover it I get a chance to discover it again also-through their eyes!!

Yesterday Julia sang a song in front of her entire school and got a standing ovation afterwards!! Sarah filmed it on her cell phone and I’d post it if I was talented enough- but I’m not and besides that the sound quality isn’t that great. I had talked Julia into singing the song for me when we were alone in the car the day before she performed for her school and I was surprised she could hold a tune..my family isn’t known for their musical talents so where she got this I have no idea..she could have been louder but I wasn’t hurting in my ears and she was just as surprised as me that I liked it!!! hahahaha…

They never stop amazing me..what Julia did yesterday has blown not only me away but her sister who couldn’t believe she would dare to stand up in front of everyone and sing by herself on stage…it just didn’t seem like Julia but she showed us that she is a project in development…her potential is huge and for my sake I hope she continues to surprise me and amaze me in such a positive way as she did yesterday.

I had an extremely busy day yesterday and was at work from 7-1 then had a meeting from 1-2 then had another meeting from 330-430 and then another meeting from 430-7. So I wasn’t home until after 7 and was exhausted. Sarah had come and entertained Jenny while I was in the meeting from 1-2 and then both girls took all the dogs for a walk yesterday and when Thomas and I left to meet with his teacher and attend a meeting at my work (which Thomas had to be come along for because the meetings were back to back) the girls had picked up the house and made dinner for us when we got home. Yes…I know I’m extremely lucky to have such great kids.

Have a great weekend folks..it’s going to be a busy weekend here- I’ll try and post if I can, I’m going to an antique auction on Sunday…woohooo…

Until next time..

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

Today is my beloved Dad's 60th Birthday!!! He reads my blog (as often as he can) and I just want to let him know how much I love him and wish him the very best day!! This is one of the pitfalls of living an ocean away- not being able to celebrate special days like this with loved ones. Would give anything to bake my Dad a coca cola cake and make him a great meal! Hope you have a super day Dad..I love you so much!!! I wish you many many more birthdays!!

Until next time folks...

Things Jenny’s Learning…

Here she is almost ten weeks old…getting prettier and prettier for everyday!! But this isn’t just a pretty face folks…this girl is sharp.  She’s been coming with me to work the last days. She stays in her kennel in the car when I’m inside with the children but when we are outside from 9/930-1030/11 she is outside with us and then again when I get a break for thirty minutes she and I take a walk.  She’s learned in the two days at the daycare that children don’t pay attention to where they are standing and if she doesn’t want her tail stood on she needs to move quick when a kid comes near her. She has also learned that the doll strollers have very annoying wheels and she has tried to nibble on them a couple times to see if she can keep them from rolling toward her with a giggling toddler behind the “wheel”.  She’s learned that the ice chunks the toddlers lick on are pretty good for a puppy’s teeth also.

Jenny’s learned other things at home also- like lying low when one of these is running toward you…

Walking a lioness on a leash is much safer..

There is neat stuff under the snow and if you kiss up to a lioness she might show you how to get to the neat stuff under the snow…

Jenny’s learned that she doesn’t have to follow all the footprints in the snow which can sometimes be a challenge to walk over for tiny puppy legs…she can RUN on top of the snow….WEEEEEEEEEEEE…

Bathtime isn’t fun…but something all good girls have to do once in awhile…

Walking in the woods around the house is better then staying in the kennel in the car…

And finally….life on beautiful Helgøya is pretty good and she thinks she will stay with us… (We’re so happy about this…)

Until next time folks……

Luxury Problem

So with the Captain going out 20 days early there will be a little extra cash coming which will give us the possibility to take a vacation this year outside of Scandinavia. There is tons of different package deals out there so we’ve been looking around at what is available. There are however a few problems to be worked out before any decisions are made.

Problem number one: When we can go- if Isabella becomes pregnant then we will possibly be expecting puppies in mid June. Stig won’t get home until middle of May. Puppies won’t be able to go to their new homes until August and Stig leaves around the middle of August and won’t be back until beginning of October. So we are looking at end of May or beginning of October as possible dates. All of this has to fit with our dog sitter’s availablility and Sarah’s exams in the spring if we choose the spring option.

Problem number two: Where to go? Julia and Thomas want sun, swimming, and cool pools. Sarah and I could think to have some exciting experiences along the way, sightsee and do some shopping, go to street markets, and enjoy local foods. Stig wants to make everyone happy and as any good Norwegian he is neutral in his wishes..he’ll go where the majority of us will be happiest. GRRRRR…that neutral thinking of his gets me sometimes..Julia said all her friends say Greece is the place to go- specifically Rhodes.

However, for the price of one week in Rhodes you could have two weeks in Sunny Beach Bulgaria!

BUT…it doesn’t stay as warm the whole year in Bulgaria as it does in Rhodes. There is another option (in my opinion) and that is my beloved Italy….I adore Italy..we were there for two days picking up Isabella and I could have stayed two weeks…it was heavenly…wonderful food, quaint villages, beautiful landscapes, warm weather, wonderful food…oh, I guess I mentioned that part already…hahaha…I found a place on the Italian Riviera which we could rent for two weeks at a reasonable rate, everything looks and sounds great about the place- there is no pool but within walking distance to the beaches..you are 1.5 hours from Nice which is the closest airport to fly into- so you have to rent a car to get around, but then you could visit Nice and other places in the area.

I read it was only a 30 hour drive to this area of Italy from Norway…and we’d have our car with us. Stig just laughed at me…but hey, I’m sure we could drive down there for a lot less then the 12,000 kroner round trip tickets to Italy for all 5 of us. But Julia wrinkled her nose when I showed her the place- no cool pool…

So what to do? Where do we go where everyone can be happy and Mr. Wallet doesn’t have to stretch himself to the very limits?? We’ve also looked at Thailand and Maldievene Islands..but I think we’d have to win the lottery to afford to go there. So those destinations will have to wait until the kiddos can pay for themselves..hahahaha…

I suggest Karlstad Sweden…ok, are you done laughing???

We spent a couple great summers here at Bomstad Baden camping outside of Karlstad Sweden, the beaches were great, live music every Wednesday in the month of July, Ikea, Biltema (a big car parts store for Stig), seven day a week open grocery stores…but of course there was my key word there- July…that is really the month to visit Karlstad and we will be busy with pups this year in July…so that idea is out…and the kids are all wiping their foreheads in relief…still…I love that place..I’m easy to please!!!

Got word today that Kelli, Mads, and Jess ( http://madsandkelli.blogspot.com/ ) are going to stop in for a few days visit this July before they head to Texas to help Jess get ready for college start. I always appreciate it when people take time and spend money to come visit us and hopefully we can show them a great time while they are here. Anyone else who would like to spend some time here on the beautiful Helgøya should just let us know..we’re taking reservations for the summer now ;-)) hahaha…

Ok, time to make some dinner- have a great Sunday folks..

 

Mascot Delux

I’m really pleased to announce that Jenny has really taken her mascot duties seriously….

She’s a quick learner and not at all above a little kissing up to get her way….

Jenny has also learned in her short life that all work and no play makes for a very boring mascot….

At the end of the day any good mascot knows it’s important to get your rest and the best place is in mommy and daddy’s bed…..

Goodnight folks…