Pathfinder Investiture





Today Miriam and Mattias had their pathfinder investiture. They were both very proud of all the badges they got. Mattias was partiqulary proud of wearing his pathfinder uniform for the first time.
A lovely sunny day, very hot - over 30 degrees celcius... They all went for a very long walk afterwards, up the mountain to some waterfall. On the way down Miriam and her cousin Ylva, manged to get lost in the mountain for a couple of hours...
They are now all safely back home, tired and tucked up in bed! When asked if she was scared at all when they realised they were lost Miriam replied "Yes, we prayed four times!".
Despite the misfortune, the day was wonderful and the kids had a great time!

First football match!
Mattias played his first proper football match ever on Monday evening! The entire family came along to cheer and be supportive. It was quite a facinating site....a bunch of six year olds trying to stay focused and play the ball to one another while at the same time trying to move it along to the opponents goal....think us parents on the sideline laughed as much as we cheered :-)
The result: First match - win: 1-0 Second match - loss: 2-4
I am a proud mummy though and daddy a proud coach :-D

17th May!

A very cold day, but the kids still had a great time!
Miriam even led out in the singing with her singing group from the town hall balcony! She was very pleased about the fact that she got to shake hands with the mayor and received VIP treatment after the procession was finished!
It's always fun to see the children in their national costumes. They were so excited that they were up and dressed already by 7 o'clock this morning.... :-)

Hipp, hipp, hurra for Norge!!

It has been absolutely forever since I last wrote a blog entry and I have seriously considered just deleting the whole thing, but then I do love the concept and in my thoughts and mind I contribute to it more than any of my occasional readers ever will realise! The last few months have just been too mad, with pressure in both work and private life. Things have not eased off much yet, but right at this very moment Victor is glued to the screen watching a "captivating" football match between Chelsea and Liverpool, so, the moment for communicating with "the world beyond" is mine :-)

So, what's new?

• Mattias has started football practise. The highlight of his week these days are Wednesday nights when the leg protectors and football shoes comes on and off he and Daddy goes!
• Because the second new thing that has happened is that Victor is now a football coach! He is coaching the great team of six year old's, desperately trying to get them to pay more attention to passing and playing the ball to each other rather than getting sidetracked by interesting gravel that can be thrown at each other or other fascinating distractions!
• Miranda has now turned five years old and is truly a proud five year old, whose one of her main hobbies include learning to write and do pretend homework! She is also happily spending hours digging and helping Daddy in the garden which has resurfaced after the winter!
• Miriam is her normal, dutiful, good girl. She is an amazing story writer and recently produced a 13 page long computer written story!! It was actually fascinating reading (obviously inherited some of her mothers lively imagination....:-s)
• Miriam is also learning to play the violin, which she is enjoying! She sent me to sleep on the sofa the other day when she was practising and I was resting, it was so relaxing!
• Lulu is gradually growing up and is starting to be able to control herself a bit - a bit less puppy and a bit more adult :-)
• I'm attempting to brace myself for one of the busiest times of my life work wise....not totally sure whether I'm ready for it, but I work on taking one day at the time!

If anybody are still popping by my blog for a read - then I'm sorry I've been so bad, I'll do my very best to make amends :-)

My love language....

I don't know if the readers of this blog has read the book "The five love languages" by Gary Chapman - but just in case you haven't it talks about five expressions of love and it explains how to identify and communicate effectivley in a spouse's "love language". To sum up what the five are, they are as follows:

1. Quality time
2. Words of affirmation
3. Gifts
4. Acts of service
5. Physical touch
   

Being one who has been part of developing a relationship course and running marriage seminars , this is one of the books which was a "must" to read. The fact that others had read it and "had their lives transformed" as the doors were opened to their understanding of their own needs and wants from a spouse, and had amazing revelations when they realised what their partner needed and wanted, meant that my expectations were rather high before I sat down and read the book.
This happened a while back, a couple of years ago now I believe...but I have never really been settle about this topic since. For as I was reading the book I thought, I need this, I want that...etc. So, much so, that at the end I though I must be the most demanding woman ever - for I must have not one love language, not two love languages, but FIVE love languages!! Because I liked and needed them ALL!!!
Talking to my dear husband about this did not help greatly, he just put on his "ever suffering expression" and said "imagine what my life is like, having to live with this". So, realising that he was just using it to his advantage and for gaining sympathy I did not consult him anymore.
But now, finally the breakthrough has come, I have realised after a lot of soul searching what my primary love language is...
PHYSICAL TOUCH
I know I need the others too, but if it is one thing I could not be without it is hugs and affection shown in a physical way. So, for people who love me - the best way to show it is through a hug!
- but that does not mean that I won't appreciate a small gift this Christmas along with the hug ;-p

My Father's 70...
the past august my father turned 70th and as a present my and my sisters gave him and my mum a weekend trip to England joined by us girls and husbands. So, with the ten kids we have between us left behind at home (with decent babysitters, just for those of you who were worried..), we set of early Friday morning.
Arrival in England was at 8 o'clock in the morning, so, it was time for both a visit to Leeds castle and a quick stop in Canterbury before heading off to our B&B. The B&B was a lovely old manor house.
Victor and myself got to sleep in a 400 year old four-poster bed (this only happened after Victor had reassured me that the mattress was NOT 400 years old!!)


Saturday we went sightseeing into London, since my father with all his visits to this amazing country, has never ever actually been to this buzzing capital!

Sunday we finished off the trip with a quick stop by at Thurrock lakeside shopping centre before heading off to Stanstead and back home to cold and icy Norway... :-)

It was an excellent trip. The first trip together as adults of the family since the offspring's started popping out a few years ago...

What I have been contemplating ever since my dad's birthday in August though, is the concept of age...just a couple of days after my dad's birthday I myself, turned 35. Time goes so quickly. I see my kids starting school and growing up. More grey hairs appearing for each time I glance into the mirror (never spend too long, looking too closely these days..). More weariness and tiredness. Where does youth, energy and enthusiasm go?? Maybe the answer is simply this: "Gryne, get your butt out of the sofa, start exercising and cut down on the chocolate intake!". This would at lease help on the energy front :-)

I have also come up with some advantages of getting older (for me at least):

• I have realised and accepted my shortcomings (and to be honest and not make things up..)
• I have realised and accepted my strengths (this took a lot of work...)
• These two in turn have made me more confident and better both in my work and privately
• I am actually happy with who I am (most of the time at least :-))
• I am happy with what I have achieved so far in life
• I have a wonderful husband which means no stressing trying to find the perfect partner
• I have three healthy, great kids
• I am more open and relaxed
• I am in a different place now to what and where I was 15 years ago ;-)

A lot has happened since I last wrote, and I guess the summary of it all is more or less as follows..

• Very busy first weeks of the summer with, pre-camps, camps, programs and rain... BUT it was GOOD!! It was wet, tiring, but extremely rewarding and fun!
• Managed to fit in a summer holiday in this year! Hurrah!! Went to UK - a few days in Grantham visiting mother-in-law, before we headed up north to Scotland with Russell, Jacquie and girls. A good and much needed break!
• The autumn was also rather event full. Firstly, Mattias started school! He was very ready for it, but it was also a bit scary to begin with, but these days he seems to have settled in nicely :-) Secondly, my husband seem been away more than his been at home - but that's the nature of the job... :-) Thirdly, one of his travels involved me and the kids as well :-D Had 10 informative, warm, exciting days in Greece! Oh, how I LOVE warm, sunny countries, especially after our wet summer....
• In the middle of all our business we manged to finish the flat in our basement, so, now we have a tenant!! Kids are very excited about it and I just feel a great relief to finally have the basement done...!!!
• Lastly - I have, for some strange reason, butterflies in my tummy when I think of Christmas - have not been so excited about Christmas for a VERY long time! Think I am looking forward to spending it at home, in our own house. And before that I am planning to bake cookies and make Christmas decorations with the kids, FUN, FUN, FUN!!