American in Norway

Managed to get up at 3 this morning... just to check & re check I had everything in order.... I am always so afraid somthing is going to go wrong when I am on my way home..... Passport (check) Credit cards (check) tickets (check, check) Everything else I can buy when I get to America.... I am always worried that I am going to look suspicious flying overseas with 2 GIANT EMPTY Suitcases... SO far soooo good. Made sure I had outfits laid out for the kids for the next 10 days, threatened to divorce Bjorn if Eva's school picture outfit is messed with AT.ALL. (yes I am talking to you...very involved MIL - who always feels the need to ruin Eva's adorable outfit with some x-tra, ugly, screen print t-shirt OVER. said chosen outfit.... or adding some crazy ass socks to a pair of sandals... DO NOT DO IT... or your son will be moving in with you!) : ) My gosh... I am really HERE (almost halfway home) ALONE..... Have to admit I got a little teary this morning as Bjorn was dropping me ...

WHAT does A MAN WANT...? That is really my question... not a statement. Bjørn is turning 40 in November... my old man is now going to BE an OLD MAN... (no offense to those of you already heading down the other side of the hill.... I still have a year & a 1/2 & I am hanging on to everyday with dear life....) I need ideas.... What the hell am I going to do for his FORTIETH? We are going to have a party including his mother & rest of the family... he has requested a NORWEGIAN cold board ( food )...I tried to talk him into TEX MEX & margaritas ...but it is HIS party... so I am going to have to do Norwegian... Fish & aquavit... mmmmmm I need a GIFT idea.... something that says.... YOUR FORTY... YOUR OLD ... but I am still crazy about you .... Hmmmm . A co worker suggested a gift card to the local home improvement store... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz A friend suggested a STRIP TEASE.. & vibrating panties... I think it would go a little like thissssss .... I need somethin...

Eeeek ... I have BUTTERFLIES in my BELLY BIG TIME! In just a few days I will be on my way HOME...HOME...HOME... Can I get a great big Woo HOO ? Going home is just like Christmas Eve for my kids... CAN NOT WAIT.... I have been bee- bopping my way around the office all week telling anyone who will listen I am heading home... (yes... I really do be-bop ) I have had a couple of co-workers cock there head to the side & ask "HOME?" as in "isn't THIS your home?" Ummm ...No... (sorry) Is that weird? I have been here for 4 years & still don't think of Norway as home.... not sure I will ever be able to stop calling USA home... but who cares right? (Norway has been getting better & better I must say... thanks to some good friends who keep me on my toes..) So as excited as I am to go "home" my tummy has been doing flip flops.... I am going to be away from my babies for 10 days... I don't know what I as going to do with myself... ...

So we have a visitor from the U.S.... Kat's daughter sent Flat Stanley for a little visit to Norway.... (Flat Stanley is such a GREAT idea...) WELCOME TO NORWAY STANLEY! Dane & I decided to spend the day showing Stanley around.... (I spend so much time MOANING about not being in the U.S. - I forget about all of the really cool things that are practically in our back yard.... First stop on today's tour... Begby Helleristninger Begby's Major rock carving site. About 3,000 years old, (Bronze Age)with clear, well-defined carvings showing varied motives, among them ships with prows in animal shapes and a large human figure. Many of the carvings have symbolic religious significance. COOL.. NO ? I have driven past this site for over 4 years & never stopped to see what it was... OK, WOW.. (I didn't realize how much I have missed exploring our surroundings) on to HUNN .... HunnSeveral stone circles from the first centuries after the birth of Christ, most consistin...

I have only known for about a year I was going "Home" to Texas...for my 20 year reunion.. (how is that possible?) In 12 very short days I will be on the plane homeward bound... & I have a million things to do. Not only do I have to get everything in my office ready... I need to get everything ready for Bjørn to take care of the kids for 10 days without me...: ) Can you say WOO HOO ? The detailed shopping list I was going to have ready before I went?...not even started... well except Dane's wish list... Sloppy Joe Mix & Cheez itz ..??? I have 10 short days in the U.S to see E V E R Y O N E 5 days in Houston & 4 days Kansas City. (I am going to need a vacation from my vacation!) 3 days doing reunion stuff... CAN NOT WAIT... 2 days with my older sister.... 4 days with my mom & dad all to myself... (can not remember the last time THAT happened) So now y'all know why I am M.I.A....

Dropping Eva of f at preschool on Monday, I notice my adorable little neighbor cycling with her two little ones... in the rain ...at 6:30 am...to the same preschool.... Poor thing! As I passed her in my car on my way to work, I rolled down the window & said ..."Oh hon... you know, I am always here if you need me to take your kiddos to barnehagen (preschool)... She kind of laughed as the rain dripped down her face & the kids squirmed in the bike cart thingy.... "I just look at it as a free work out before I go to work... but thanks.... when does Eva start early again?" I told her Friday... & she said thanks...& that I could drop the kids off for her on Friday.... I should have gone over & told her last night that Eva was sick & would not be going to barnehagen ... But I didn't have the heart.... Bjørn asked me where her car was...I had no idea, but poor little thing has been riding in the rain every morning this week. I assumed her car was in...

With Eva being sick my plans for the week have been rearranged.... I had BIG plans to go on an all out shopping spree to IKEA with Caroline Return to Norway ... She assures me she doesn't think I am a HUGE FLAKE... but this is the second time in as many weeks I have had to cancel due to family illness.... But come Monday baby... I am off to buy tons of crap which I probably don't need... but I LOVE picking up every time I make it to my favorite GIANT BLUE store..... I spent my day having quality time with baby girl & cleaning out drawers.... Should have seen the amount of junk I through away...(pretty sure you would be PROUD of me!) Picked up the CRAPPY 2 month old laptop yesterday ... ACER ... (ya, don't ask.... the IT guy at Bjørns job told him it was a lot of bang for his kroner.... WHATEVER...) So pick the piece of crap up only to find that they had done a recovery on it.... (although they said it was a power/battery problem) They didn't tell us they were g...

Thank you ALL for all of your wonderful/helpful suggestions & advice.... First I just have to say that I in NO WAY..think Dane is a genius... (Some of the people who reached out to me are parents to TRULY gifted kids....) Dane is SMART..& above average...but not on his way to University in the next 6 months... So I had my meeting on Friday with Danes teacher & it went GREAT... she was absolutely LOVELY. Right off of the bat she wanted to know what SHE could do for Dane to have a better experience. Bjørn & I agreed that I wouldn't storm into the meeting insisting our child was a genius... but state the obvious... in English for example... he is bored out of his MIND.... I asked what Dane did during the 3 hours of English each week... I was told that Dane was allowed to read anything he wanted while the other children did the lessons.... Dane is a LOT like his mamma ... & likes to be in the middle of things... I explained that while it was a nice idea...(being a...