Sorry about the month-long break

So we are back in China, but since this post is about Norway, I'll write once more in English, and then I might post twice today..

Things you can do in Norway that you would not do in China.
Put your sleeping child on the grass.

Since I last wrote we have been traveling a lot. First we finished up in Oslo. Then we went to Trondheim where we got to see the city where we fell in love and spend some time with friends from that time. We got to stay with our very generous friend, Mari, who let us take both her bedrooms, so nice. Me and Mari love the royal family so it was perfect that they also visited Trondheim with us.

My mum was born in this house.

Then we went up to my mums home island "Jøa". It is my childhood paradise. We spent midsummer there. It only gets dusk at that time of year, and we had lovely weather and got to meet most of Mariannes cousins on her mothers side.

This was my view for a few days.

Enjoying the St.Hans fire.

Kids at the Beach.

My cousin has a studio and he has a rock guitar!

On our way back to Mariannes hometown we went hiking, so much fun to have a couple of days in the mountains. It rained the second day, but we got to see frogs, rabbits, pigs and a beautiful view.

Outdoor toilet.

A break in the hiking.

How beautiful is the mountains in Norway!

Then we had about a week in my hometown before we headed to Denmark, we also got to see our new nephew while we were there. He was so little and so cute.

Oslo, seen from the boat.

Then we went to Denmark to see Mariannes Fathers family. We had a party, and we got to go camping for almost a week. We also went to Lego land two days, and we swam in a pool twice. We also got to go on big ferries both to and from Denmark. It was a nice trip, but it was god to be done with the traveling.

Lego fire-men

There was even a princess there, she spoke with Tobias for five minutes
and asked if they could swap hats.

Tobias in the Frog-hopper.

We even got to sail (!) past The White House.

My sister with son outside of Egypt.

Lego friends.

Duplo for the litle ones.

A submarine made of Lego.

Du du du du du, duplo-time.

A lego city.

We spent one last week at Mariannes parents house. We got to see Steinars siblings one last time. Mariannes siblings had been on the trip to see the family. It was really nice to spend so much time with family and we do miss them all.

Missing home

The last few days Rebekka and Tobias has requested their home again, we all miss China, and we still have a bit over a month left here. It is about to turn busy though. The last few weeks we have stayed in Oslo. It has been nice to live close to former friends catching up and just being with them, but for our kids it has been a lot of strangers.

Rebekka likes her youngest cousin.

Trampolines are so fun.. Why don't we have one in China?!?

We have also lived in two small "dorm"-rooms, meaning that me and Rebekka have shared a room, and Steinar and Tobias has had the other. We do miss proper evenings and just being together (the two grownups). Tobias has also voiced missing mum in the evenings.

Chasing the bunny.

This bunny is about to have baby's so we were checking if they had come.

The last week we have still enjoyed parks, and for the most part lovely weather. The weather forecast has kept all its promises and we have been able to plan indoor days for rainy days and outside days in the sun.

Climbing a tree.

On Wednesday, in a weeks time, we will travel north, it will be good, but it is also forecasted colder weather, and I'm not quite motivated for that. Hiking in the mountains will be nice though.

The coolest tree in all the land.

Picture time

Since I last wrote, we have "moved" to Oslo. We are now living in a student dorm, me and Rebekka in one room and Steinar and Tobias in another. We have a shared kitchen, and a small fridge there we get to share with an other woman. So we are doing excellent. We get to do what we want when we want. Internet is slow in our room, so right now I'm sitting in the kitchen.

Rebekka and her friend putting on a "puppet-show".

Rebekka has learned some marching skilles.

The weather is so amazing, we have had sunny days with just a few clouds here and there. Me and the kids have been out playing, and Steinar has been working, so that is also kind of perfect, since I like to be outside, and Steinar doesn't.

Rebekka and Tobias climbing high.

They got some money from a friend, and this is what they bought (still have some left, don't worry Hildegunn).

The kids have been climbing, running, learning about signs along the roads, taken a subway a trolley and we have been out to see my sister. Rebekka has also made friends, one of the girls she met is from India, and is visiting grandparents in Norway now, so that was kind of perfect.

Playdate at Rebekkas Indian friends house.

Tobias high up.

Rebekka can now ride a bike.

Over to the east

Last week we left Steinars mum and we traveled to my brothers house, there we ate a lot of good food, got to relax for a few days and just enjoy a Norwegian small town with houses all painted white, you can google "Skudneshavn" if you want to see what that looks like, as I didn't take many pictures.. Is rain a good excuse? It was raining a lot (at least for us Chinese people).

We left my brothers house to drive for almost 10 hours to get to my parents again, and the next day the kids were "left behind" while the parents went to a retreat/counselling place for the week. So that is where we are now. You can google "Norwegian woods" if you want to see what it looks like (actually don't do that, that is a Beatles song and a book..). You can rather just imagine a lot of trees, the Norwegian word for this would be "skog".

We are enjoying ourselves, and we are missing China and our kids all at the same time.

Traveling

We have finished celebrating 17th of May! If you haven't heard of it, it is Norways national day, and it is a mix between childrensday, 4th of July and the Disney-world parade.. Do you think I must be exaggerating? Well, "bu keneng".

An old firetruck got to start off the parade.

We have also gotten to reconnect with some of our old friends from Kunming, as we watched their kids over the holiday that was last weekend (you have heard about Pentecost?, yes we get a national holiday out of it!). But since we have "every day" off, it didn't make much difference.

Norwegian barbeque, it was like 10 degrees outside.

One thing we are feeling being back here is that Norway is a beautiful country. We do enjoy the nature, and the freedom of sending our kids outside to play while we do other things.

Have you ever seen such a blue sky?

Snow on the mountains, a quiet road at grandma's

So back to 17th of May. We started off with a breakfast including salmon, and egg. Then we went to church, then to the parade (we ate our first ice cream watching the parade), then we went home and had some sour-cream-porridge, and some meat (see picture). Then we went to a school and played some games, before we went home to relax, and had lasagne for supper.

Walking to Church, see the band to the right.

The priest, and the flagg.

Our niece marching, 2nd on the right line.

Children are the center of the parade.

The "russ" are also important. High-school graduates.
In Norway they spend the month before exams partying and acting silly. 

Kids collect their "cards", personal "buisness-cards" with jokes on them.

The meat and biscuits that go with the porridge.

Potato race..

Happy 17th of May.

The weather has changed

We started off last week with wind, rain and cold'ish weather. It made me miss our lovely Y spring, but now we have caught up! Sun, shorts and skin that is starting to get that red'ish color.

Playing with ropes.

How do we get up this big rock?

We made it to the top! Hurra!

This week we have not done much. The kids and I have been on a hike with grandmother, and we have walked around a bit. But the last two days we have just stayed around in the neighborhood playing and bathing!! (It was like almost 20 degrees).

Dinner outside.

We have also been shopping. The kids got 500 kr each and Rebekka wanted a blue Cinderella dress. Tobias got some toys. So here you se Rebekka in her new clothes, a "leather" jacket and a blue Cinderella dress. 

A cool princess.

Celebrations

This last week, our favorite Dad had a big birthday (at least in China standard). He turned 36, and got a cane... Candy cane. He was very pleased, and gladly passed the day over to his nephew who had a Confirmation.

Old man, new cane..

A very nice ceremony.

So Saturday we all put on beautiful clothes and went to celebrate our oldest nephew. He had a great day, and so did we.

Our oldest nephew with family.

Yes, we all have national costumes (but the kids ones are borrowed).

Rebekka has had one more birthday celebrations where she got even more dresses. So her mum thinks it is enough now, but Rebekka feels like she is still lacking a few dresses. especially a blue Cinderella dress.

Rebekka in new clothes, opening yet another dress.

Two things are a bit hard here in Norway, one is avoiding snacks, we get snacks all the time. The other is that we have turned the time to much.. We wake up between 8 and 9 now, but we feel we should get up at around 7 (since Steinar should start work at 8..). Oh well.. We are also more international when it comes to dinner-habits and eating routines in general, so when my mother in law wants to put dinner on the table at 3.30 in the afternoon, I don't always feel ready for it, but hey, somebody is cooking us dinner, so we better come eat.

One of the games played at the Confirmation-party.

Back in Norway

Are we out of jet-lag? No, but we are getting there :)

Last week we got to meet up with some friends, have dinner with others, and then finally pack and leave for Norway. For the first time ever our luggage was checked all the way from Y. to Oslo, and for the first time ever we wished it wasn't.. (We would have missed our flight if it hadn't been checked through, 1 1/2 hours on each airport)

On our flight from Y. to Beijing. Rebekka managed to spill coke all over her self. So she was wet. Ofcourse we had packed an extra pair of pants for Tobias, and since Rebekka and Tobias are only 2cm apart (meassured yesterday) she could just wear his clothes. But, no, we had only packed underwear, and no pants... So Rebekka had to stay wet. We convinced her that it would be ok, and promised that on the next flight she could just sit in her underwear with a blanket.

On our flight for Beijing to Sweeden Tobias had a bad tummy, so his seat got stained, and some even dropped out in the aile. Luckily we had wet napkins. He was wearing a diaper, but it got out! Luckilly we had another diaper and he had boxers on top, and then he had mums sweater wraped around like a skirt.. Jepp, a perfect flight.

In Norway we have had lovely weather, but it is cold, it has even snowed.. Hilt, you can tell that to Will and Ryan, they will feel so sorry for us. Yesterday we went to the health station and the dentist. Rebekka has two loose teeth, and other than that they are fine. Tobias is tall (over the 97 procentile), so nothing new there. Next time we will have pictures.