Winter, spring, summer or fall?

It's hard to tell what season it is these days. At times it seems like we have all seasons packed into one day. But, I have decided that I now officially declare Fall of the year 2008 open!

Back to school, ballett and karate.

We're back on schedule and life is busy. No more lazy days. My 7 year old has now entered the world of 2nd grade and is very proud of it. She is no longer the little 1st grader. She is back dancing the night away as well, and is still ambitious to get those tippie-toe ballett shoes. We have added karate to the agenda as well. Hungry for a little action.... HAJIME!

It is definately dark by 9 pm.

My regular walking route has now been moved to a dark-friendlier place; less forest and more street lights.

The leaves are changing colors.

I swear this happened over night. "I looked out the window and what did I see? Yellow leaves popping on the big birch tree!"

I'm craving sweaters and boots.

I love sweaters and boots. It's really not quite cold enough yet, though. The waiting is antagonizing.

Chilly mornings.

The trick is to wear something that's warm enough for the chilly mornings, but not too warm for the warm afternoons. This actually requires some thinking and planning.....

Kids with colds.

Kids everywhere seem to have the sniffles. Even "older" kids. We were ready to throw my super big brother a super Happy 40th Birthday Party over the weekend. But, what do you know, he ended up getting sick! (I think he just made up an excuse to avoid being reminded of the depressing fact that he is now 40.)

The Ikea catalog has arrived.

Splendid! I love Ikea! (I feel sorry for the poor mailman, though. Maybe I should leave him a Thank You note?)

Autumn
by Emily Dickinson

The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry's cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.
The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I'll put a trinket on.

Olympic memories.

I've always loved the Olympics. My parents have always been big Olympic enthusiasts, so they're really the ones to blame. I guess I'm partial to the Winter Olympics since Norwegians do much better on snowy and icy conditions. Did you know that Norway has won more medals at the Winter Games than any other country? To be honest, I'm quite proud of that. And I really don't have any intentions to be humble about it.

Lake Placid, 1980. I was 7 years old. I don't remember too much about these Winter Games, but I do remember very clearly my first real crush. (Kind of scary to think I was only 7!) My golden boy was Robin Cousins. Not familiar with him? I'm offended. He is the British figure skater who won the gold medal in Lake Placid. And I loved him! My childhood friend, soul mate and partner in crime, Nina, supported me in my infatuation. In fact, she has supported me in all my infatuations. She's just awesome! (Her crush, by the way, was none other than the great Eric Heiden, the US speed skater who won no less than 5 gold medals at the games!)
Stardom crushes come and go, and my Robin Cousins crush did not last very long. But he was my first crush, which is why, after all these years, I still remember him.

Now the scary part, my daughter is 7 now!!!!! HELP!!!!!

Goodnight, my angels.

I went to check on my 2 angels before going to bed last night. I always love to do that, because they are so peaceful and sweet as they're getting their beauty sleep. I wanted to capture the moment so that I'll never forget how I love to watch them sleep.

"Goodnight my angel, time to close your eyes
And save these questions for another day
I think I know what you've been asking me
I think you know what I've been trying to say
I promised I would never leave you
And you should always know
Wherever you may go, no matter where you are
I never will be far away

Goodnight my angel, now it's time to sleep
And still so many things I want to say
Remember all the songs you sang for me
When we went sailing on an Emerald Bay
And like a boat out on the ocean
I'm rocking you to sleep
The water's dark and deep inside this ancient heart
You'll always be a part of me

Goodnight my angel, now it's time to dream
And dream how wonderful your life will be
Someday your child may cry, and if you sing this lullabye
Then in your heart, there will always be a part of me
Someday we'll all be gone, but lullabyes go on and on
They never die, that's how you and I will be"

(Billy Joel)

Sick and wrong.

Last night we had vegetable soup for dinner. It was good except for the green beans. I can't stand those things. I don't know why I keep trying to eat them, because they make me gag every time. Here are some other things that in my opinion are sick and wrong:

My husband's protein shakes: He makes these disgusting health shakes that consist of milk, eggs, oats and bananas. He may throw in a yogurt from time to time to spice things up a bit. They are so nasty. He'll even tell you that himself. But, he has one EVERY morning. You'd think he would have acquired a taste for them after drinking them for at least 15 years now, but he still looks like he's going to get sick when he drinks them. Go figure!

Whole bananas: I don't know why eating a banana whole makes me shudder, but nonetheless, I can only eat a banana if it is sliced.

Mr. Collins from the BBC version of "Pride and Prejudice": Everything about him is absolutely ghastly. His greasy hair, his haunting eyes, his slimy voice, his appalling personality....

Hair in the shower drain: The only way to go is bald.

Toes: That's right, I really dislike toes. All toes are ugly and revolting. Except baby toes, they're actually cute.

Finding the missing non-spill sippy cup that was once filled with milk: I don't even want to try and describe how nauseating this discovery is.

These are just a few things I find really repulsive. What are some things that disgust you?

Motherhood.

I'm in a reflective mood today. I've been thinking about motherhood lately and how I can be a better mother. I feel inadequate at times and worry that I'm not doing enough for my kids. I get frustrated with our 2 year old's stubbornness and temper tantrums. I worry about our 7 year old fitting in and making good friends. It's a challenge to have a full time job outside the home, and then come home and try to fit the full time job of being a Mom and housekeeper in to the last few hours of the day. I heard this quote yesterday that really hit home:

"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family. Many are able to be “full-time moms,” at least during the most formative years of their children’s lives, and many others would like to be. Some may have to work part- or full-time; some may work at home; some may divide their lives into periods of home and family and work. What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else...... The joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction." Elder M. Russell Ballard

I love my kids more than anything! Even when my 2 year old throws the fit of the century, or when I have to ask my 7 year old a million times to do something. I love them because they make me laugh. I love them because they give me the best hugs and kisses. I love them because they love me despite my weaknesses. I love them because they constantly teach me valuable lessons. I love them because they are quick to forgive. I love them because they love me. I love them because they complete my life.

I'm so grateful to have these angels in my life. Because that's what they are.

Action hero.

Let me tell you why I should have been Lara Croft:

In the early '90s, I worked in a convenient store. It was a dull evening, and I was just stocking some shelves, minding my own business. This young man walked up to the counter and asked if I could change his 1000 kroner bill to 100 kroner bills. "Sure", I said, opening the till and counting up 10 100 kroner bills. He was going through his pockets, looking for his 1000 kroner bill. Or so I thought. All of a sudden he reached over the counter and grabbed the money out of my hands. Hey! WAIT A MINUTE! Did he just take that money? NOBODY ROBS ME!!!!

The evening was about to turn to anything but dull. I ran after him, only to find out that that weasel had parked his car right outside the door. I tried opening the car door, which, of course was locked. Not really thinking, just knowing that I was not about to let him get away and just acting on my action instincts, I threw myself on the hood. So there I was, staring my enemy in the eyes. I put on my meanest face and hoped that my boss would come to my rescue soon.

The weasel was detirmened to get rid of me, though, so he started driving. Screeching tires and all. At this point my only thought was "how I can stay on this hood while the car is moving?" Windshield wipers, of course. Who would have thought they could be used as handles? Just a minor problem. The driver is able to turn them on. And so the weasel did. I had no other choice but to let go, and fell off the hood. SHOOT! He was getting away! At least I could get the license plate number.... or not. He had them covered. So, he got away.

You may ask yourself if it was worth it over 1000 kroner (about $200). My boss told me sternly it was not. All I can say is that I don't like being robbed.

A few years later, while working in a book store, I attended a "safety awareness" class. At the conclusion of the class, my boss told us to never put our own lives at risk. If he only knew.

So, this is why I should have been Lara Croft. I wouldn't have cost nearly as much as Angelina Jolie. And I would have performed 100 % of the stunts myself, as opposed to Angelina's 80 %.

Observations made out in the free.

Last Wednesday, when going for my daily energized power walk (I have to admit most of the time it's a casual stroll....), I made the following observations:

• There are a lot of trees in Norway. I found this relaxing.
• Despite my efforts to exterminate mosquitoes, there are still too many of them alive. I found this aggrivating.
• A deer. This was really cool because the area is not particularly known for it's wild life. I found this exciting. Unforunately, I was wearing my loud swish, swish rain pants, so he heard me and ran away before I was able to get my phone out and take a picture.
• A man exercising with a cigarette in his hand. I found this quite humorous.
• An old lady wearing leopard print stretch pants walking her dog. I found this a little disturbing.
• The Mamma Mia soundtrack is great walking music. I found this energizing.
• A cute, old man smiling at me. I found this refreshing! I feel I need to enlighten you non-Norwegians out there and inform you that in Norway it's not a common thing to smile at someone you don't know. This was therefore the highlight of my walk. It made me want to stop, pick him up and give him a hug. He was so cute. I grinned excitedly back at him, and probably looked like an idiot.