American in Norway

Will be getting on the bus to the airport tomorrow morning... 3 :30 am to be exact... Starting the 18 hour trip HOME... to celebrate my daddy's 70th birthday. 70...WOW. It doesn't seem possible... when I think of my dad I still see him as his 50 year old self... is that weird? After the health scares /pace maker we had this year... we appreciate how blessed we are to be able to come to celebrate his 70th. We will all be gathering 4 children, 4 children in law, my mother- his wife of 48 years.. 8 grandchildren... uncles, aunts, cousins.... to show pops how much we love him... I CAN*T WAIT! I will try to post while I am away, but we all know how lame I have been as of late... In another news... my on again, off again blogging has paid of in 15 min of fame... : -) Bjørn & I were contacted to do an episode for American TV about moving from the US to Norway... HOW COOL IS THAT? We will be filming in Kansas City & then do the rest when we get back to Norway.... I will keep yo...

Maybe this is old for y'all... but today was the first time I had seen it. LOVE IT... Brilliant... Funny... I want a mini-van!

Been trying to think of a title for this post... One bad apple..."No more Mrs. Welcome Wagon" I am seriously BUMMED today... I have always been very open about my life as an expat. I have always tried to be as helpful as possible.... helping other expats getting adjusted... I was let down in a really big way by someone I went out of my to help... Its my own fault really... I put myself out there to people I don't know. Thank GOODNESS it was only myself who was professionally mortified ... I think the reason I do this is because I WISH I had had someone to help me through the transition of moving to another country... advice.. telling me all of my mixed emotions are normal. Many of us expats go through this identity crisis... Yes, you may have had a good job at home... you may have a good education.. you may have had many great possibilities at HOME... but that means nothing when you get to a foreign country... you play by their rules. You can't tell people how ...

Summer has arrived to Norway....kids in the pool, water melon..SUNSHINE... I sure hope this lasts.

Came across an article today about Joran van der Sloot being arrested for yet ANOTHER murder... I am sure y'all remember him from the Natalee Holloway disappearance in 2005. This time playboy Joran was picked up in Peru where he had been for a poker tournament for the past two weeks .... I'm not one to critcize others parenting skills (at least not to your face ) but COME ON ... Your 18 year old is accused of MURDERING another 18 year old... arrested TWICE ... basically gets away with MURDER... & you just get on with your life ?... pretend nothing has happened & foot the playboy murders bills & let him lead a jet setting life ? Until he kills another young girl? I really really HOPE that this kid gets what he deserves & is LOCKED UP for life in PERU... bet it won 't be near as cozy as the jail in ARUBA would have been .... Had to get that off of my chest ... s...

I don't think I have EVER posted about a sale... but this was such a great deal.. I got a little excited... I decided to get on line to try to buy some summer clothes so I would be ready for my vacation when I get to the states.... (in less than a MONTH..woo hoo !) Found out Cold Water Creek has a 50% off on E V E R Y T H I N G until Sunday www.coldwatercreek.com I only wish they had clothes for the entire family... Sigh... I have forgotten how much I love to shop... Now I am a little crazy looking for Memorial Day deals... Anyone?... point me in the right direction people.. (thanks! :-)

I KNOW y'all must be getting tired of my going MIA & then begging for your forgiveness ... You probably think I am just sitting around on my big patootie ignoring y'all---- really I have been MISSING you... promise. But really I have been up to a LOT while I have been away from you... We have had concerts... Eva had a solo in front of almost 200 people... WOO HOO ... & may I say she ROCKED it! Been spending time with my precious babies.... Been BUILDING... Tree houses And Garages.... We celebrated Norway's Constitution Day or " grunnlovsdag ," commonly known as " Syttende Mai" or the 17 th of May My daddy was put in the hospital & ended up getting a pace maker... Oh how I wish I could have been home... My sister being the smartie that she is, brought her laptop to the hospital so I could talk to my dad before he went into surgery.... What did we do before SKYPE ? My beautiful "baby" boy turned 11... (our traditional panca...