SUMMER HOLIDAY IN NORWAY

A few of weeks ago, Steen and I started our 2 week vacation. The first week we spent in Norway with my family, the other week we stayed at home and fixed thing in the house and in the yard.

Now I am going to tell a little bit about our trip to Norway. It was so good to get off work for a while and get the oppurtunity to go a way from our normal life for a little while. And it was so good to see all of my family again, and spend some time with them!

Playing volleybal at Hove.

Barbecue in my parents yard. I think we ate hamburgers.

My "little" brother Morten.

My mum had prepared so much delicious food for us. This is my favourit Norwegian summer food. Steen thought is was kind of weird to serve a meal like this, but this is a Norwegian speciality. It is often served at summer parties. It takes a lot of time to peel the scrimps, so its pretty social too!

Privacy settings

I havn`t written any blogs in a very long time. I have been busy with the new job, and a lot of other things. And I think I didn't really like the thought of sharing my life with all the world. It's good to share pictures, thoughts and ideas with family and close friends. But I didn't like the though that "everyone" could read it..... Thats why I am not a big fan of facebook anymore. Facebook is good for some reasons - but it's to "open" for sharing more privat stuff. Today I finally found out I could make my blog open, only for invited friends - that made me want to start blogging again. Not every day, but once in a while!
Today has been a good day. I was supposed to work this evening, but they called me and said they didn't need me. I won't loose any money, I have some hours to use. (We don't get paid for overtime work and weekend work, they let us get days off instead) I don't know if I like it or not. I could definitely use some more money. But to have an extra evening at home is very nice to once in a while!
I am sitting outside, its not even cold. The sun is on its way down, but its not dark yet. Its very peaceful and quiet. I am enjoying the moment :-)

NORWAY

Last time I visited my family at home was April 2009. Thats close to one year ago. Since that I have met my parents and my siblings several times, in Sweeden, in Denmark and other places in Norway. But I havnt been home in the town and the house where I grew up... So I really felt it was on time, when I went home the last week of February. Steen was going to work, so I went alone.
I went by the ferry from Hirtshals to Kristiansand. Thats the easiest way to go to Arendal from Denmark. It was a looong trip. I started early morning, and arrived Arendal at 5.15 pm. I met my brother Jon in town, and we went to get something to eat together. They have a Subway in Arendal, so of course we went there!
It was good to be at home, to see and spend time wth ALL my brothers and sisters. I appriciated that. Even Espen and Tone was home for a short period of time. It was branch conference, and my brother Jon was going to become an elder. So we were all there because of that.
I love to spend time with my brothers and sisters, and this was no exception. But things has changed a lot the last years. Many of my brothers are teenagers, and they are playing computer games most of the time. And they are working a lot - at Rema 1000 and McDonalds. So I didnt spend as much time with them as I used to... But I got to see them all, and that was good :-)
I got to se my grandmother too, and spend some time with her. She is cute, and I loved spending some time with her.
I thought we had a lot of snow in Denmark, but I was wrong.... These pictures are taken from the main door in my parents house:

Date :-)

After we had painted the walls, Steen asked me if I wanted to go out and eat dinner at a resteurant called Bones. Of course I wanted to do that!!!!
Bones makes amerikan steaks, spear-ribs, chicken, and they have a big salad-bar (I love that). They also have an ice-cream bar for those who likes desserts!
Since it was saturday evening, and since it was a long time since last time we went to a restaurant together, we decided to dress up a little bit, and make it kind of a date. That was fun! I`ll post a few pictures from when we made ourselves ready for the date....

Painting walls

We have been working on painting the walls in the hall. It used to be kind of a light green colour. Actually I dont think it looked to bad. But when the carpet is dark red, green is not the best colour for walls. So we decided to paint the walls. We got some good advices from a friend called Maria and her mother. They own a paint-shop, and knows a lot about colours, and how to put the colours together to make harmony.
We actually had some left-over painting from when Steen painted our bedroom. We decided to try this colour in the hall too. And I like it a LOT. I didnt really realize how bad the light green colour was before I saw the new off-white walls make a contrast to the green walls. Then I was really happy we decided to paint it.
So no the walls are off-white, and to make the windows look more light, we have used a normal white colour around the windows. It looks pretty good, I like it a lot. Here are a few pictures from the time we painted.

Family Hope Center

I used to be a Glenn Doman fan (www.iahp.org). Now I am fan of the Family Hope Center.
Last week I went to a 3 day seminary with the FHC. We started at 8.30 in the morning, and went on with lessons until almost 7 pm. It was very intense, but I think I have almost never learned so much during 3 days. The seminar was called "how to help your child with special needs", and was all about brain-injured children. I learned a lot about brain-injuries ans how to train the brain to get better. I learned about food, how a special diet can help the special need child, and also the rest uf us. I learned about child development and how a normal child is suspected to develop, and what are the factors that prevent a child to develop normally. We were told about kraniosakral-therapy and myofascial-release. And we also learned different ways to teach children to read, and also about raising a child and teach them to behave in a good way.
Family Hope Center was founded by Matthew and his wife Carol. Matthew has been working with doctor Doman at the iahp for many years, and he and his wife had also trained two of ther own children with the Doman-methode. They healed their brain-injured children who are now mastering life on their own.
Later they found out that there were other methodes to be used together with the Doman-training. So the program they are now offering to the parents are much better than the old "Doman-program".

Winter, snow and snow

I am starting to get tired of the winter. I feel it is snowing every second day. Its not fun anymore. Snow is good for christmas, and up in the mountains for skiing. But my skies are in Norway (never thought I could get a chance to use them here) and seeing a person on skies would propably make most people laugh.... So its probably for the best that I left my skies in Norway.
Steen has got a new hobby, that I dont like. He is playing with the handbrake everytime he is driving a car, and of course the car is sliding sideways on the snow and ice, making it very uncomfortable for the passengers.
Finally we have started to make greeting-cards from our wedding, - its about time !
In the end of february I will attend a very interesting 3 day seminary on "how to help your child with special needs". Its provided by the Family Hope Center: www.familyhopecenter.org
Its going to be very interesting. The family I am working with, went to this seminary in November in the states. They are just so nice to me, and let me go and learn more. I am looking forward to it!
And I am also looking forward to take a few days of work and go home to Norway and visit family very soon. Steen is not going this time. But next time, he will come with me! That will probably be in the summer, I hope so at least...!