American in Norway

While at Eva's class party this evening... I decided  to host a party for all of the other mommies in the her class... I am going to introduce all of the Norwegian mommies to a AN  A M E R I C A N cookie exchange.... woo hoo I love any excuse to entertain. Ya ya... I know it is nothing new to most of y'all... but the mommies I talked to this eveing thought it was the coolest idea E V E R...    So on the spur of the moment... I decided on a date... and am moving full speed ahead... I need some ideas for some nice girly - christmasy   cocktails .. cute invites... LOOK AT THESE... can you say flipping ADORABLE? Only way to make them better.. would to replace the coffee cups with martini glasses... but then again, maybe I am the only one who has to include the Martini/Cosmo in any event? I would have a party just so I could send the invites out...  I found them over at Christina Studio Designs Blog The only CRAPPY thing about having any sort of Chr...

Yesterday... I was having one of those mornings...  Over tired from a late night working... frustrated with my babies  while trying to get them out the door & to school on time...  As a mother... you know what I am talking about...  Sigh... To say I WASN'T in my BEST MOMMY mode  is an understatement...   a hem.... I was having a pretty CRAP morning... until I went outside to get in my car... There I found a little note left on my car.. by my little man.... Even though he was late for school... he took the time to write this... THIS  is what it is all about... 

As you can guess...I made my flight.. & spent a couple of GLORIOUS days in Cannes... the Côte d'Azur... working my tail off. ( I just like saying... Côte d'Azur ... makes me feel so FRENCH ...) It has been 10 years since my last trip to the French Rivera..makes me wonder why I don't do it more often.. ahem... I could SOOOO live there..sigh... The entire trip was FABULOUS.. even if it was spent running like a crazy girl.. I loved every min. of it. I brought 6 pairs of shoes for three days... & still came home with my feet being a complete wreck... blisters, blisters, & more blisters.... Didn't help that I was the only girl in the gang & none of the lads understood that running through Cannes in stilettos at 2 am was probably NOT a good idea... but I sucked it up.. and ran with the big dogs... Highlight of the trip? Partying like a rock star on top of 1835 White Palm Hotel ..    wow wow wow...   little ol' me.. The soirée wa...

Ya... I SHOULD be in bed right about now..so that I can be ready to leave my house tomorrow at 3:30---for my E A R L Y   a.m. flight to FRANCE. Um..ya.. still not sure I will be able to fly tomorrow because of the strike going on... COME ON PEOPLE:....  Tressa needs to get to the South of France ..like NOW... I am TOTALLY cool if I have to get stuck in Cannes for the weekend.. but not really sure that wil happen... Cross your fingers for me... if you don't hear from me for a few days... I made it... If I don't make it? I will post once I unpack my suitcases & stop crying... :-(

Over the past several weeks I have been reading posts about marriages breaking up over Facebook.. All of this "Reconnection" with LOST LOVES ...doesn't seem to be too good for most marriages..  the world seems to have gotten WAY. TOO. SMALL.. On one blog (wish I remembered the name) a lady seemed VERY distressed that her husband had been looking up his EX on the net... what should she do? She had an amazing amount of repsonses telling her to "Kick him to the Curb" - He was a looser ...Let him leave & see just how good he had it with her! Yaaaa... everyone was hopping on the bandwagon... Drop the bastard ... LOOKING UP EXES on the net is a  DEAL BREAKER. Really? I didn't AGREE..but being the CHICKEN that I am ...I didn't post over there... for fear of being lynched.. I decided to bring it over here... Is this a DEAL Breaker for MOST people? I admit... I have contact with almost every guy I have ever dated.. is that weird?   I never really had a...

Part of my job requires me to be a Human Guinea Pig ....   sigh... it is a rough job.. but someone must do it. I have the opportunity to try out most of the new cosmetics/fragrances on the market.... Why don't I write more about it? - cause there is very little out there that REALLY impresses me... When I had the opportunity to try a few new products from Lancôme...  I agreed..not thinking I would love them... use them... or be willing to by. That's the real test for me... would I be willing to BUY this product? I have very sensitive skin.. & try to use as little as possible on my face... I have never wanted to use a primer...  but was willing to try La Base Pro... From the first little drop on the back of my hand...I was IN LOVE.... La Base Pro Perfecting Makeup Primer Smoothing Effect, Oil Free This amazing oil-free makeup base creates a smooth, radiant and long-lasting canvas for a more perfected makeup look. Exclusive Lancôme Elasto-Smooth...

Just thought I would share some pictures of the kids weekend with their daddy... I was stuck working all weekend..but Bjørn did a fabulous job of keeping the kids busy during their fall break. He threw the camping gear in the back of the van & headed south... First stop Kristiansand ... this is a BIG summer holiday place..  turns out to be pretty nice in the fall as well... They have a zoo.. not sure if this is the only Zoo in Norway...but Bjørn said it was nice.. much nicer than the Kansas City Zoo.. (which I think is the only zoo our children have been to) Added bonus.. there was an indoor water park... have I mentioned both or our children were born with finns? - they are total water babies... Bjørn didn't take any pictures for fear of not having a battery for when they arrived to Prekestolen.. (eye roll..) - so glad he reserved the battery for all 10 pictures he took.. Lets face it... he is more fun.. but I am WAY better at playing photographer. Next day, they m...

Sigh.... yesterday was a really R E A L L Y good day. Nothing special really.... Bjørn took the babies on a road trip for the weekend... The plan was to head down towards to Stavanger & go to Prekestolen...   the family promised me, if it is as good as it looks... we will do another road trip together. Bjørn is such a good daddy.. always finding something fun to do.. Yesterday I was on my own... day off of work. Hubby & kids gone.  No ONE needing anything.. sigh.. I was going to go into the office & catch up on paperwork... but decided to take advantage of the beautiful FALL weather. I have been so preoccupied as of late.. I hadn't even noticed the fall colors on the trees... So I hopped in the car.. driving through the country side.. & ended up at Norways idea of "OUTLET MALL" .. woo hoo...  pretty nice I admit.. actually much nicer then the American outlet malls I have been to.. but remember this is Norway.. so the prices are FAAARR...

I am having a tough time blogging...  I am at a loss for words.. There is a lot going on in my life at the moment ... so many posts I continue to "write" in my head... I just can't get them on to the screen... Posts about loss.. posts about the good things happening... reviews of products..what I am lovin..hate-in.. upcoming trips... England/France if I wrote about everything happening in my life... I may look a little crazy ... My life at the moment is hopping all over the place...  I guess the best way to explain what is going on is just to throw it out there & not worry about how it all mixes on the screen. Three weeks ago I lost a friend from college in Afghanistan. Two weeks ago Bjørns family was touched by tragedy .. His cousin, her husband &a their two children were killed in a horrible accident. The family went away for a fun family weekend... just about an hour away.... They were camping & there was a gas leak in the van.. This past week we burie...

TWO things that DO. NOT. GO. TOGETHER?.... PENCIL SKIRTS & RIB Boats... Last week I had a couple of important meetings.... I was meeting with all of the "BOYS..." The owners of my company... our distributer from Germany & a couple of ...ahem.. A$$'$ I had planned my outfit... I was feeling GOOD... my skinny pencil skirt..pretty new blouse.. & my favorite heels ... The plan was to meet at my office... do a little tour, & then off to lunch at a local hotel... The morning of the meeting I come click clacking into the office.... click click click... My co-worker.. A$$ #1 comments on how nice I look.... Umm well Thank you... (feeling pretty good about myself...) Then he lets out a little chuckle... A #1 :"Ummm.. You do know that plans have changed & we are going out on the owners boat today right? " Me "...

A friend of mine from college was killed this week in Afganistan ... I know people who have lost loved ones during the war... but this is the first time I have been touched by it personally.... I feel like saying Rob was one of my fraternity brothers... because really looking back.. I spent more time at the DU house.. then I did at my own sorority house... I partied with Rob... we all hung out... never thought anything bad would happen to us.. or we would ever get old.... I remember Rob in college "tough as nails" kindda guy with a really big heart.... My heart goes out to his family... and all of his brothers ... a THANK YOU ,will never be enough to repay all of these soldiers that have given their lives for us.... RIP Rob... you were loved & respected by many... Maj. Robert Francis Baldwin, 39, of New Boston, Ill. Baldwin entered the Army in February 1994 and arrived at Fort Campbell in January 2007. Baldwin was an Aviation Liaison Officer assigned to Headquarters and ...

Pisces 2/19 – 3/20 Quickie For once, you don't have to know all the facts beforehand -- just take the leap. "Slow down... your moving too fast.... " but then again, my Horoscop0e is telling me to go for it... eeek. Big changes could be coming my way.... please cross your fingers & toes for me... Thank you for your well wishes... my daddy is doing great... itching to get back to the office.. ( eyes rolling )

First..my daddy is going in for another surgery today, so please keep him in your prayers... I HATE sitting on the other side of the world being soooo helpless.. I wish I was sitting there holding my mom's hand... just to be with them.... instead I sit over here... chewing my nails down & wishing I had a chocolate cake..... HA.. can you say food issues? The party was a blast... the outfit? I played it SAFE as usual... Yummy leather jacket... dark jeans.. & leather boots... but THANK GOODNESS ... 1/2 the other ladies were in fleece jackets with NO MAKE UP ... Gasp.. As Bjørn & I walked into the party I said a silent THANK YOU ... that my 11 year son talked me out of wearing the leather pants.. no matter how GOOD my butt looked in them... (really). I am looking at making some changes in the next few months... BIG changes for me... if all goes well that is... can't say too much about it yet... but I am doing alot of thinking/praying/finger crossing... so wish me luck....

So remember my last post about the leather pants... ahem... only a few people commented that I should GO FOR IT.... no one said not to... but I don't know if people could just care less... or they don't want to hurt my feelings... The Oslo girls once again assured me I could pull off the leather pants... but no one could give me any suggestions as to what I should pair them with.... I suggested my jean jacket... where I received a resounding... HELL NO.... Hmmmm... I am still thinking that I kindda like the combo... but then again... seeing as I have been running around in sweats for the past 6 years (kidding) I am out of practice as far as new styles... I have been going "safe" since I got pregnant with Eva.... I found this picture & I am still thinking it is a cute look.... too bad I will not be able to get any feedback before I leave for the PAR-TAY in an hour... but maybe I will try the look for something else... Thoughts?- suggestions? help a mommy out.

OK... I wasn't going to post about this... but I am just sooo excited I have to share... :-) As y'all know, I have um.... weight issues ....always have... probably always will... I don't like to blog about my weight issues cause you never know which ex-boyfriend is reading my blog... (by the way... I am sooo much HOTTER than I was in College...) anyhoo... Diets? - yep... I am on them ALL OF THE TIME.... EXCEPT of course, when I am not.. which has brought me to the point where I am.. /was... I went home this summer...F.A.T ... AGAIN.... I had resigned myself to middle age.. & decided that the boxes & boxes of small clothes in the basement would be thrown away when we returned to Norway.... I even told several people on my trip home... "yes, I am fatter than I have ever been...but really I am happy..." & I thought I was..... UNTIL, went out for cocktails with my BEAUTIFUL Kansas City girls & a couple of them KNOCKED MY SOCKS off.... OMG.... what had...

Party went off without a hitch today.... I think the LUAU theme was a big hit... at least the Norwegians can not say we are not original in our themes :-) Managed to throw together a FLIP FLOP cake at the last min.... I was pretty pleased with the end results.... NEXT year however... I am going to be a bit more organized & start planning ahead of time... hee hee.. (I say that every year) We had ice cream sundaes & I really enjoyed getting to know all of Eva's new classmates... what a lovely bunch of girls. I am PRETTY SURE I FINALLY have some DOWN TIME... S.I.G.H....... Wish I could end this post with something witty... but at this point... 4 hours of sleep, having had 15 kids over & a husband out of town... well my brain is pretty much MUSH.... Night all....

Tomorrow is Eva's birthday party... FINALLY...poor thing... normally I am sooo on top of the birthday party thing... it is one of my favorite things to do... but this year... Well, we have had a lot going on, & we wanted to wait until after school started so that we could invite all of her new classmates... These were the invites... wh ich I was really pleased with.... But it seems I have kinda dropped the ball on the cake this year... 18 hours until the guests arrive & I have yet to decide on a cake! eeeekkk & y'all know how much I like winging a cake at the LAST MINUTE ... So when I should be baking... here I sit...dreaming... of what I would LIKE to make.... maybe in my next life I will have time to take some cake decorating classes I will let y'all know what I end up with at about 2 am tomorrow morning... LOL WISH ME LUCK!

HAPPINESS IS..... I decided to play along this week with Pastor's Girl's Ponderings To play along, just write a post with two things that made you happy this week (or more. If you're rule defier. Hehe.), with a link to Her ...the Happiness Is button. Then come back here and link up! There are so many things that made me Happy this past week.... Wondering around in a foreign country...new city... just snapping photos... My husband doesn't understand why I love taking pictures of OLD Buildings, Street signs.. etc... He doesn't get it.. & that is OK... it makes me happy... I like to play the "just imagine game with myself... "... Just imagine how this USED to look... just imagine all of the things that happened here.... WOW... The thing that made me MOST happy was spending time with my mom & dad... that in itself is such a PRECIOUS GIFT.... Amazing how a girl who loves her family soooo much, could move so far away from them... sometimes I wonder how I...

So my babies started school last week... Dane is in the 6th grade & Eva is starting school as a FIRST GRADER.... We don't have Kindergarten here... so this was REALLY a BIG Deal! So glad my mom & dad were here for the big day.... Both kids are loving their new teachers & seeing alll of their friends again.... YEA!