Look at our living room in Norway

Our living and dining room is one great big room and I wanted to show you parts from it together with the kitchen. Come join me on this little tour. 

One of my favorite corners of our dining room area. The suitcase was my parents, the black and brown boxes on top were writing cases belonging to my grandparents on my fathers side made by my great grandfather, on top is a small iron from my grandmother on my mothers side. Behind the candles is a small tray made by my uncle, the red box is a heart given to me by my cousin, and on the wall is a clock, currently not working, from my grandparents on my fathers side. In the frame is a record that my husbands grandfather plays on. 

Our TV corner. The three pictures left from right are one a gift to me from the University of Tromso when I graduated, two a gift to Sofie from my cousin and three a native american art piece from my husbands father. The big chest under the TV is my inheritance from one of my favorite uncles who died almost ten years ago. 

The fire place. The lantern was a gift from my aunt and uncle, the milk pail was here when we moved in and the big round pail is my dads old bathtub from when he was a child. 

I like it simple, but my windows are filled with plants. 

The dining room area with the door to the kitchen. 

On the other side of the kitchen door and across from the fire place. My husbands drum set and my book shelves. A little crowded, but I'm trying to organize it better. 

Our kitchen with its one green wall that we will paint as soon as we can. I made a great big magnet wall for all the papers that comes into our house from a metal sheet. It is my favorite part of the kitchen. 

So that was the tour of our living, dining and kitchen. The rest of the house consists of four bedrooms, a bath, a powder room, laundry room and several small storage rooms. 

Thank you for visiting. 

Our Farm house

I thought I would show you all our home. We bought it fall of 2012 and moved in right before Christmas. We really enjoy our home and are trying to find ways of making it more ours. Currently we have no farm animals except of a cat and a dog. And we rent out our land to someone who has horses.
The picture is taken in the fall when we bought the house. It has four bedrooms, one bath and a powder room. Three storage rooms, a combined living dining room, and big kitchen.  In the basement there is a laundry room, garage, and three more storage rooms.
The first part of the barn where they used to have cows at one point.
The second part of the barn where the hay used to be stored. This is how much snow we had the first winter in our new home. I spent a whole day shoveling it out of the way to get into the barn. A winter shot of our home

The last pictures from Norway

Before leaving Norway Isabel got to go with her Godparents to their home where she got to ride on Godmothers horse and sing Abba as much as she wanted.

Sofie and I went with my parents to my hometown and on the way were naps in the car, beautiful landscapes, a ferry and ice cream.

While in my hometown there were some gray weather, bike rides and a walk with my dad down to the new small boat harbor where we got to watch a boat exit the big harbor. I also got to see things before hidden by old harbor walls by the old herring oil factory where my grandfather once worked and which is now part gallery and part concert hall.

The time of the Midnight sun is coming to an end. We finally arrived in Tromsø where I went to College and Jesse and I spent the first three years of our marriage. We came up for my cousins wedding and got to see all our family for a wonderful weekend of adventures and parties.

Paper cranes were hanging from the ceiling. The kids where dancing. Isabel actually kept going till 2am while the rest of the kids left around 10pm. She is a real dancing queen.

The tables were beautifully decorated with subtle colors.

The bride were beautiful, the groom hansom and the flower girl oh so cute. The happy couple is Godparents to both of these young ladies.

The wedding cake. All the animals ended up with my kids and are now all over my house. I believe that all together there were about 12 cakes. We love cakes for all occasions in Norway. The day after the wedding we all met at the place where the party were held to help with cleanup and eat some more cake.

We had such a wonderful time and are so grateful that we got to join them for their wedding. So this was the last week of our stay in Norway and I will not be going back until I move back next year. Till then I will cherish all the memories from this trip.

Temperature Norwegian Style

I was browsing some Norwegian blogs today and came across this one that I just had to share as it made me laugh because I am a Norwegian living in Seattle, with 68 degree Fahrenheit in my kitchen I am feeling cold, maybe a sign that I have been here too long.

My trip home

It was so nice to be on vacation, hanging out with my family and not having to worry about a thing, but coming home was nice too.

I will have to write about Saturdays wedding at a later time, but I wanted to tell you all that it was the best wedding I think I have ever been too. (Disclaimer: I have only been to three, one being my own). Isabel turned out to be a party animal and a dancing queen, when everyone else under the age of 18 had left and gone home by midnight, she was going strong till 2am.

Our trip home started already on Saturday July 30th when my aunt and uncle took Isabel with them up to their home in Senja, we would later meet up at the wedding in Tromsoe. Monday August 1st my parents took Sofie and me to their home in Melbu. Wednesday August 3rd was my dads 67th birthday and my parents took Sofie and me to Harstad where we said our good byes and took the boat up to Tromsoe. Thursday Sofie and I went shopping. Friday we did some shopping and then hung out with family. Saturday was the wedding. Sunday we hung out with family and said our good byes before packing.

Monday (Norwegian time) was the big day for flying home. The trip from leaving the house we stayed at in Tromsoe till we walked in the door at home took altogether 18 hours which is a new record as my plane is usually delayed or something else just happens, (record for longest trip was 29 hours). So in US time we left at 11:30 PM Sunday and came home at 6:30ish PM Monday.

Isabel and I didn’t sleep at all going home, but at least I got Sofie to sleep four hours. Having to hold Sofie on my lap the whole time was hard, specially when she was screaming refusing to fall asleep. All I could do was just hold her and wait till she fell asleep. Thank goodness that we had a very kind grandmother sitting next to us who was very understanding.

Isabel kept herself entertained by playing on her DS and watching kids shows on the airplane TV. I am so grateful that they have enough kids shows to last the entire flight. Still don’t know why I had three carryon’s as the only thing the kids touched was Sofie’s babydoll, the snack, and the DS.

When we got home we went to bed at our regular bedtime. Tuesday morning we got up at our regular time and started doing or regular stuff like laundry and picking up around the house. Later we went to a park and met up with all of our friends.

I am happy to report that the only one really experiencing any jetlag is Sofie, but all things considered that is nothing.

So we are finally home and I will be back to regular posting again pretty soon, trying to get some crafts done in between. Just have to get my craft stash back as it is now in storage at my sister in laws house in wait for our future move.

Have a great weekend you all.

Cheese Sandwich

I found this little kitchen tool in a storage area while I was going through a few things trying to find something to use for decorations.

It doesn’t seem to be too old and even though none of my parents ever remember ever seeing it or even it being used, but it has definitively been used.

One day I decided to try it by making myself a cheese sandwich of some store bought bread and some cheese that we had.

While you butter up the bread and put the cheese in there you have to let the iron warm up on the oven for about 10 minutes. You get it evenly heated by turning it around after half gone time. Then you place your sandwich in there and let it sit for 2 minutes on one side and another 2 minutes on the other side. After this you open it and check to see if it is done.

Nice and crisp on the outside…

And nice and gooey on the inside…

Embroidered kitchen set

We are on our way home now to the US. I just wanted to share this with you.

In the mid 90’s I embroidered a nice kitchen set that I wanted to keep in Aanderbakkan. It took me 3 – 4 years to get it all done.

I still love the colors and the design.

Grateful Sunday 33

Yesterday was the Wedding day of my dear friends Grete and Frode. Grete and I are related as sixth cousins and my moms younger brother and her moms younger sister are married, so we share an aunt and uncle too.

Grete has been a part of my life since I was 11 and she was 5. She would come and spend time with me when I was going to college and I always enjoyed our late night chats.

When I first met Frode about 10 years ago, I instantly liked him. He is such a great guy and my husband enjoys spending time with him too.

I am so happy that they met and that they yesterday got married.

CONGRATULATIONS GRETE AND FRODE!!!

I am so grateful

321. for having such good friends as Grete and Frode.

322. for Grete not listening to my advice of not getting involved with this much older man that she met many years ago.

323. for them being like an aunt and uncle for my children and for becoming Sofie’s God parents.

324. for always having an open door for us when we come.

325. for coffee and cakes enjoyed together at our favorite restaurant.

326. for long chats and advices given back and forth over so many years.

327. for always being so positive and spreading joy to everyone around them.

328. for including us into their family.

329. for the love they have for each other.

330. that their wedding turned out so beautiful and special and that I was able to come and celebrate this day with them.

Pictures from our fifth week

Every afternoon after dinner while my parents takes a nap my kids get to watch a movie, ever so often this is what I find when I’m done with the dishes.

At the local store for our weekly icecream.

I really didn’t get many pictures this week, but here are a few from our hike on the beach of the rock formations. I would think a geologist would love it out here.