American in Norway

Home after a FANTASTIC week in paradise... (Yes... it is hard working for ORIFLAME ...but someone has to do it. lol) I have traveled to Thailand before... but in my 20's working on a cruiseship, I didn't have time to much more than lay out on the beach & party my butt off. this trip was less seedy & more about the beauty. There is something about having a camera in my hands.. it makes me notice the smallest things while traveling. It makes me take the time to look around and really see things.. the beauty, the people... KAMALA BEACH (Kamala Beach lies just north of the lights and noise of Patong and is a quieter stretch of sand with a more relaxed feel. This well-enclosed bay and fishing village surrounded by forested hills is one of the most beautiful places in Phuket.) TUK TUK back to the hotel I have been to a lot of wonderful places...  and there are a lot of places I hope my children will be able to see... But THAILAND is o

One my way to the airport... but I just had to SHARE this... Look what Eva spotted in our backyard this morning... Man, that kid has a good eye.   She ALWAYS runs in to Moose... - me - not so much... I have never been this close.. So instead of driving her to school right away.. I throw on my Wellies... - yes with my PJ's .. and start trying to get a good picture--- All the while trying to figure just how fast I can run through the mud, if mama decided she wanted to charge... As they build closer & closer to our house... I am uncertain of how many chances like this I may get... Just wanted to share...  Now I have a plane to catch...  17 hours to Thailand.. UGH... wish me luck!

Are y'all getting sick of my photos yet?    Sorry... only a few more from . THIS. TRIP... bruuu haa ha ahaaa.. I still have to tell you about Croatia & the rest of my adventures from the U.S. & then on THURSDAY... I am off to THAILAND.. I am excited about the trip... but I have been on the go a lot lately.. as soon as things slow down.. you know I will be itching to travel again. OK, so without further ado... here are a few more shots from our German Break Little Miss Eva... more like her mama everyday... - told me she just wants to travel around & take pictures when she grows up... (I think she heard me say that a couple of times.) Yep.. I am looking just a tad bit tired here- but this is after driving around 2000 km in a week.. between work & vacation... A Giant THANK YOU.. to Kelli over at Mads & Kelli for sending me over to the castle... I wasn't sure what to do with the kids.. gotta love Facebook in the time of

I had better get writing before I fall even further behind with my adventures... Germany ended up being a WONDERFUL time... I have figured out a much easier way to get down to Germany.. Ferry from Larvik down to Denmark and then drive the rest... Not much faster.. but a much easier trip if I am driving alone. I know now, that I CAN road trip with my kiddos by myself... no need to sit around on quiet weekends wondering what to do... ROAD TRIP. My poor babes were in the car most of the trip & they did FANTASTIC. they were the ones insisting we go to the next stop...  which we did. After our little fiasco trip to WESTERHOLT.. (without the castle) we drove on to Blasheim.. were my fathers family lived last before moving over the to the US. I have a cousin who knows EVERYTHING.. about our family-. A quick Facebook message.. and she sent me all of the info I needed. This is the church in Blasheim where my great great grandparents were married..

Yesterday was ONE.OF.THOSE.DAYS. just an ABSOLUTE shit day.. Working too much... traveling too much.. putting up with crap from a spoiled brat diva... missing my kids.. and trying to find the balance as I get in the car for another 12 hour day... I stopped about two hours into my drive to get a drink... upon returning to my car I noticed something in the FLITH on my car. (no, I haven't had time to clean my car...or my house...) I love you...  Have a NICE DAY... Yep... I had to take a picture of my car in front of all of the construction workers... and then I got all teary  - had to throw myself into the car before I started with an full blown UGLY cry... Not sure what I did to be blessed with my two wonderful babes... but it must have been something good. I am so blessed. Hope you all have a fantastic weekend... I will be spending it with my kiddos...

Must admit, I feel like Chevy Chase today. It was like a scene out of European Vacation. I piled the kids into the car & set off across Germany to see where my family got their name bla bla bla I have always wanted to go there- dreamed of it as a child - I told the kids as we drove on & on What I didn't count on was that there was more than one WESTERHOLT Germany. So after a 4 hour car ride in the pouring rain, with the kids screaming Drive Faster, Drive Faster because we were on the Autobahn. We arrived ummm ya. Not the WESTERHOLT with the castle. Nope the one with two street lights. You should have seen Dane's face as the tears came rolling down mine. I don't remember the last time I have laughed so hard. Poor me

Made it to Germany with my babies. The eight hour drive felt a lot longer than it should have. But I am sure that is do to all of my traveling this week. Here are a few shots so far.

Holy smoke... where does the time go? it is first of October & I still haven't caught up from the summer. if I don't get my tail in gear... I will already be on my next adventure..  & NEVER be able to catch up! :-( I have been working like a CRAZY woman... I keep promising hubby, that things are going to slow down.. (yes, like I keep promising y'all I am going to catch up on my blog.) I probably seem like a big,fat, liar at this point. I can't even tell you where I have been over the last 2 weeks... - but pretty much all over the South of Norway. I have two more days- until I head home (for about 10 hours - & sweep the kiddos off for a long weekend in Germany) Yes.. me & my fantastic ideas... sounded like a good idea at the time... but after driving over 1500 km this week... the thought of driving through Norway,Sweden,Denmark to Germany in ONE day... is sounding a little less appealing. Baby girl may not be tha