When the stars appear

Supper, teeth brushing, face washing, potty visits, scripture reading, kids book reading, prayer, stuffed animal choosing, hugs and kisses......... and then, finally, singing. In other words, bedtime rituals. Last night was no exception to the rule. But the singing part had a new twist to it.

A while back I introduced Selina to my ultimate favorite song ever: "More than words" (by Extreme). When she asked me to sing it to her AGAIN at bedtime last night, I willingly and happily agreed and did my best without a guitar or someone to harmonize with me. It's just not quite the same. So I got the lap top, pulled up youtube and watched the music video with her, I never get tired of that song. I first heard it back in '91, and I think I can safely say I'm pretty tired of most songs I heard in '91. Except this one. It's a true work of art.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_dN1WXBxuw

Do you hear what I hear?

The thing about ears in an interesting thing in my opinion. Take my kids, for example. I really don't know why they have ears. I guess they have what's known as the infamous selective hearing phenonomen at this stage and will fully develop the use of their ears as the years go by. Maybe by the time they're 18 they will hear all I have to say? Wishful thinking I know.


I am grateful for my ears. I am grateful that I'm able to listen to my kids giggle. I am grateful I am able to hear them say "I love you, Mommy".


I am grateful I am able to listen to music. This is no doubt one of the best things in life in my opinion. Last night was an exceptionally great oportunity to listen to some great music. Link and I joined a few other thousand country music fans at the Toby Keith concert in Oslo. I had no idea that many people even knew who he is. But they showed up in their boots and cowboy hats. It was great!


The concert was beyond awesome. Toby Keith no longer scares me. In fact, after bonding with him for about an hour and a half, listening to him share his experiences about his friends, horses and Willie Nelson, I have the feeling he's a pretty cool guy.

I have one wish, though. He needs to stop doing those Ford commercials. We're Chevy fans in this household.

Gratitude

With Thanksgiving being a week away, I wanted to take some time out of my EXTREMELY busy schedule to ponder about some things I'm grateful for.

I really didn't need to think very long to realize that I have many things to be thankful for. But I'm not much for clichés, and some things, such as family, friends, food, clothes etc, are too obvious. (I'm not saying they're not important to mention, just simply too obvious.)

So I had to think a little harder to come up with something that maybe I don't realize I'm grateful for and take completely for granted. Quite a challenge.... I'm still thinking.....

Got one! I'm thankful for contact lenses. I am blind without them and would be a circus freak with glasses! It's nice not to have to sit face to face with the TV and also not to have to glue my eye balls to a book while reading. It's a relief to be able to recognize my own children when they come running towards me, it's comforting to be able to see the road when driving and it's of course reassuring to be able to see my eye lashes when putting on mascara.

I'll try to think of another not so obvious thing tomorrow. Too much thinking for one day already.

Later!

Freaky

With Halloween just around the corner, I've been reminiscing about times I have been scared. You know, heart-in-your-throat-blood-pumping-scared. (Most of them are for some reason movie related).

The first thing that came to my mind was when I was around 9 years old. I had watched "Jaws", which resulted in me having vivid imaginations of sharks in not just the swimming pool, but also the BATH TUB! How sad is that! That's the mindset of a crazy 9 year old, though.

In the early 80s I also watched "Aliens" with my brothers. I was terrified to be around pregnant women for a while after that. I guess I was half expecting something grotesque to jump out of their belly.

About a year after we got married, Link and I moved in to an apartment in Murray, Utah. It was just the 2 of us then. One of Link's favorite things was to hide somewhere in the apartment and then freak me out. I remember walking around in there, knowing he was somewhere just, waiting to give me a heart attack. He's just really good at that stuff.

One time, Link somehow convinced me to watch "The Ring" with him. Those kind of movies really aren't healthy for me and my vivid imagination. For weeks afterwards I was scared to walk past the TV. (This will only make sense to you if you know anything about "The Ring". I don't suggest watching it just to make sense out of my not being able to walk past the TV, though.)

I was in an AWESOME book club while living in Utah. We had read a book about unsolved mysteries, such as Jack the Ripper, the Lindgergh kidnapping, the JonBennett Ramsay murder etc. The movie "From Hell" (about Jack the Ripper in case you haven't seen it) came out right about the time we were reading this book, and we went to see it in the theatre. I was so scared afterwards. Link was out of town, so I came home to an empty apartment. I had to turn all the lights on in all the rooms and cranked ABBA up on the stereo.

The other night Link had a full-blow snoring night, so I ended up sleeing on the couch. Half way asleep I hear this sound coming from Amilia's room. It sounded like a mooing cow. I know for a fact the we don't keep a cow in Amilia's room. The only explanation for the mooing then is that her Fisher Price farm is haunted. Let me just say that that's not the first toy that is haunted.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

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How in the world did my blog counter jump from a little over 3000 hits last week to well over 11000 hits this week? I'm confused......

"Manureity" by Calvin Klein

Last night I became painfully aware of the fact that I am not a city girl after all. I was out for a stroll, enjoying a clear, starry sky and some fresh air. The fresh air didn't last long, though, thanks to the FARMERS in the area. It started out smelling much like the bottom of your shoe after stepping in dog poop. But it didn't take long before the lethal scent of MANURE filled my nostrils and, to be completely honest with you, it almost made me gag. For the lack of a better expression: HOLY CRAP, it stunk! I could not escape it and just had to accept that contryside living also has its drawbacks.

The combination of the organic matter filling the air and Tim McGraw blasting into my ear drums made me think that from now on I should be puttin' on those boots when going for a stroll in the local area. And I might as well throw in a belt buckle and a cowboy hat while I'm at it. (Actually, hold off on the hat. I have too much hair.)

A couple of other signs that I am indeed a country girl: My favorite movie is "Tombstone" and my favorite music is country. My conversion to country music happened quite a long time ago, back in the mid 90s when I hung out with some country music nerds in Salt Lake. They eased me in to it with Vince Gill's "Whenever you come around". I still LOVE that song.

I've tried to convert my husband, but he's a faithful believer in heavy metal. BUT, he actually thinks Toby Keith is allright. Of all country artists, he had to choose the one I never cared much for. In fact, Toby Keith kind of scares me. I think it's because I once had a dream that he was a serial killer. But I have listened to his music over the past couple of years, and I'm warming up to him. In fact, I'm going to see him in concert in November. With Link. Now, Link coming to a country music concert with me is nothing short of a miracle!!!! YEE-HAH!!!

If Calvin Klein came up with a new scent made specifically for us country folks, I would guess it would be called something like "Manuerity". And I would wear gallons of it to the Toby Keith concert. Just to prove that I'm a true country girl.

My poor Duck

"He can at times be a tease, however, there is seldom any malice in his pranks. He's never out to hurt anyone, and if he ever goes too far in his pranks, he is always very regretful. He is a goodhearted and helpful person, always willing to lend a helping hand. He cares deeply for those around him, and if anyone threats his near and dear, he's there to defend them no matter what. Even though he isn't the most lucky character there is, in fact, he has a tendency to "get stuck with all the bad luck", he never gives up."

Taken from Wikipedia's description of Donald Duck's personality. I never knew my husband and Donald were so much alike! Especially the part about getting stuck with all the bad luck. That's Link in a nutshell. (I'm just grateful Link doesn't walk around with no pants....)

A few weeks ago he had a bike accident. And let me tell you, it wasn't just any old bike accident. His knee turned as big as a basketball. It was so swollen that the doctors had to wait over a week before they could do an MRI. When he finally got it done, the doctor didn't waste any time, got straight to the point and said it did not look good. In fact, HE TORE 3 MUSCLES IN HIS LEG!!!! It makes total sense when I think about how he couldn't move his leg at all and also how his leg was a lovely mixture of purple, blue, black and yellow.

It started out just looking really swollen (right knee, of course).

Starting to get a lovely shade of purple.

Yeah, pretty nasty.



So, surgery time again. (Thankfully not heart surgery this time, though.) He had knee surgery on 18 August, and will proudly tell you that he watched part of it. Just thinking about that makes me light headed and almost ready to pass out. SICK AND WRONG! I swear he should be a surgeon.

Now he will suffer through a very long rehabilitation phase. So I just want to say "I love you, Duck!" (Translation for those of you who don't know British: Duck=honey/love.)

A date with James Hetfield and company

A few weeks after we got back from the States, Link and I packed our bag once more and headed off to Copenhagen to see Metallica. Now, I am not really a heavy metal fan. I'm sure that doesn't come as a surprise to anyone. But, I will say that I kind of like Metallica. I have always found James Hetfield quite fascinating.

The best thing about the whole experience was, of course, to witness Link at a metal concert. He was in heaven. It was awesome!!! I also had a great time and enjoyed sweating in the mosh pit. I'm proud to say I didn't pass out, and when people starting pushing, I pushed back in a true Xena warrior princess like style.

Link getting pretty excited to enter the concert arena.



Me, just excited to be on another trip, really....



They put on an awesome show!



Rock on, dude... or something like that.... (No, I'm not falling asleep from being bored, I'm just not photogenic and tend to close my eyes in pictures.)

Salt Lake City fun

We spent 2 weeks in Salt Lake. We stayed with my wonderful sister and her family. This was the highlight for Selina, I think, who after 1 day there firmly stated that she did not want to ever go back to Norway. Way to break your Mom's heart, kiddo. (To be honest, I could completely sympathize with her.)

We enjoyed spending time with family and friends. And of course some more swimming, lots of running around, shopping and eating out (Training Table is THE BEST!!!) One of our excursions was to Wheeler Farm, an experience that will forever be engraved in my memory. Those of you who know me know that I am a pig fan. After seeing the gigantic pig at Wheeler Farm, I don't know if I love them as much anymore. My husband just thought "bacon". Or maybe it was "pork chops". I can't quite remember. At least it was something related to food.

Check it out!



At least there were some cute pigs there, too.



City girl at the farm...



Best friends! (Selina and her cousin.)







4th of July party with family.



Checking out the fireworks in Murray Park.

Mmmm, cheese fries at Training Table.



Walking on Mars.

Our old house.

Selina and one of her very best buddies.

Our little angel......

Temple Square was wonderful as always!

Beach bum and pit bull

We also hit the beach in California. Of course. I love the beach. The beach bum that I am. The water was pretty cold, though, so I mostly lied in the sand like a stranded, pale whale desperately trying to get a tan. I at least managed to get a tan line, which really doesn't mean a whole lot considering how white I was when the tanning started.

Here's a story: We were in the car when all of a sudden we hear Selina scream at the top of her lungs. This was one of those authentic I-am-in-pain screams. Well, Amilia had dug her teeth in to Selina's finger and would not let go. She was like a fierce pit bull. Finally Link got her jaw unlocked and Selina's finger out of her mouth. After scolding Amilia for a while, Selina quietly makes a comment about them playing the biting game. Now, what kind of game is that? I know for a fact that we don't play that game at our house!

Here's a picture of that crazy Amilia-Bedilia!



Of course we enjoyed some awesome pool time at the various Marriotts we stayed at. I guess you could say that working for Marriott for 7 years has made me a picky hotel guest. Only the best for me and my family.

Hasta la vista, California! We'll be back!

To be continued.....

The Happiest Place On Earth

Of course we went to Disneyland. How could we not? The massive hoards of people didn't scare us. We were determined to join the crowds and be the Happiest People in the Happiest Place On Earth. Even though the lines were eternal, the food sucked, the money seemed to disappear and Donald Duck walked away as we got ready to add his picture to our 1 billion other pictures, we had a brilliant 2 day adventure.

We started off with the kiddie rides in Fantasyland (which pretty much took the entire day because of the lines.) After a while Selina was ready for some more action, so we headed for the Matterhorn. I wasn't quite sure how Amilia would do as she is only 3, but she loved it. So when we headed over to Space Mountain, I felt confident that nothing can scare that crazy kid. I didn't hear crying or detect panic attacks of any kind during the ride. However, when it was over she firmly stated that she wanted to go home. And she repeated this statement over and over like a broken record for the next 10 minutes. So maybe Space Mountain was a little too much? Well, she was tall enough.....

I really displayed my love and devotion for Selina when I was willing to wait 70 minutes in line with her to go on Splash Mountain. All that for a 3 minute ride and wet clothes. She'd better never forget it!!!

Of course there was crying at the end of the 2nd day. Poor Selina was so tired, but didn't want to leave Disneyland. We could have easily spent a day or two more there because there was still a lot of stuff to do, but I think Link was Disneyed out and our checking account was quickly getting slimmer by the minute.

California dreaming

Summer. 1988. California. I was 15 and flew to LAX all by myself like a big girl. I spent the entire summer (almost 2 months) with my friend, Julie K, and her family. (As well as some time with a new friend....) I have loved California ever since. In fact, I adore California. So when we decided we would take the kids to the US this summer, I told my hubby we have to go to California. I didn't even have to twist his arm once, he agreed immediately!

We left a cold and wet Norway on 17 June only to arrive in a wet and chillier than normal Salt Lake City. We spent a few days with my lovely sister and her family before we hopped in the car and drove west.

It's quite a drive from Salt Lake to Anaheim. Especially with a 3 year old who is crazier than ever in the back seat. In order to keep our sanity, we stopped in Las Vegas and spent the night there.

Now, I'm not one of those people who likes to take something for everything if you know what I mean. On the other hand, I don't care so much for kids puking in the car either. So when you have an 8 year old who always ends up getting car sick on road trips, you cave in and give her something for motion sickness. So, we decided to introduce her to Dramamine. I'm not that familiar with it, really, since I've never had to take it and when going on road trips in Norway we give her some Norwegian drug. Had I known the following possible side effects beforehand, I probably would have reconsidered:

"The auditory/visual hallucinations coupled with the ensuing confusion and short-term memory loss often leads to mild or intensive paranoia among the users. Though auditory hallucinations are more common than visual hallucinations, the visuals of a "Dramamine Trip" can seem very real."

OK, so we didn't give her a high dose, just half a pill as instructed on the label, and therefore she didn't see any frightening creatures, such as zombies or insects, and she didn't have conversations with non-existing people. HOWEVER, the poor kid was drugged. Once we got to Vegas, she looked a little confused and said "Mom, I just don't feel like myself." It was actually kind of scary. I guess even half a pill was too much for a very lean 8 year old. I swore I would deal with the puking in the car the next day when we left for Anaheim. But, she did just fine without it. Thank goodness! I think it's because the roads in America are bigger and better.

I did consider giving something to knock our 3 year old out. She was a terror in the back. She is a trouble maker, that one. At one point I told her if she didn't knock it off, I'd tie her to the top of the car for the remainder of the drive. I was able to enjoy a few minutes of silence before she declared, full of anticipation even, that she wanted to be tied to the top of the car. I just don't even have a comment for that. Thankfully, we all made it to Anaheim in one piece.

This was the first part of my travel description. Rest assured that there will be more. I have lots more to share about our wonderful vacation.

Here are some Las Vegas pictures:

I guess they did get along in the back seat as well.


Amilia driving. Scary thought!

Amilia doesn't quite know what to think of Elvis.

She loves the M, though.