Wordless Wednesday - Homework Time (or copying big brother;)

Just a T-Shirt

Here it is......

....... just a regular t-shirt, how be it cute one, right??

However, it stands for much more than that.

Everytime I get it out of the draw, it reminds me of how much Tim adores and loves his little brother.

He may sometimes complain that Tae can be slightly annoying when he is trying to press all the keys on his computer, but that doesn't stop him from always being in his corner.

This can be from playing with him, helping him or finding toys, cute outfits and treats that he 'knows' his little brother would love and need while we are out shopping together;)

Tim showed me this t-shirt in the shop. I explained that I had spent quite enough money on Tae's clothes and he had plenty.

However, Tim was inisistant that this t-shirt was REALLY cute and trendy and his brother needed to have it!!

So, do you know what he did? He used his whole weeks pocket money and bought it for him himself.

He did it without a second thought, and trust me, the boy loves collecting his own money!!

This is not the only time my kind, selfless boy has spent his own pocket money on his little brother.

Only this summer he used over one third of his whole holiday allowance to buy Tae a small toy car that he knew he'd love.

All his thoughtfulness come with the best quotes:

"It feels so much nicer to give a present to someone that really appreciates it than to get them"

"Mummy Id really love it if one day, Tae could eat cheese again" (me.."why is that?") " because it used to be his favourite thing in the whole world, just like a lollypop and I know how much he'd really like to eat it again"

So, yes this is just a t-shirt, but it also an example of my gorgeous boy and how much he loves his little brother.

Almost Wordless Wednesday - Back to School & Pre-School

Excited to be a 5th Grader!!



Moving into the Deer Forest Group!!

......and yep, I did send them in matching jumpers:)))

End of the Summer

The end has finally arrived. We have had 8 weeks of fun and travels, but now the rain has returned and its time to start a new school year.

I officially started back at work last week to plan and and get ready for the students. However, they have their first day of school tomorrow. 

That also means Tim is back to school too!! I can't believe he will be a 5th Grader. Time has certainly gone fast!!

Unfortunatley that also means, for a while at least, there will be no more flights...

Gruffalo has been placed in the attic:(

No more hanging out at our favourite local beaches....

No more boat trips.....

...... basically goodbye long lazy days spending time together with no agenda.

So, here we are, headed to life at a different pace, with all the activities, layers of clothing and fun opportunties to look forward to:)

This weekend has been a last minute rush to get organised and get everything ready. Due to going away last weekend (when I was suppose to get organised;) I had lots to do.

It has been a whirlwind of decluttering, vaccing, mopping, laundry washing, ironing on labels, packing school bags, and nail clipping.

We did manage to squeeze in a bit of family time including playing the Wii and watching a film together once Tae was in bed.

So by Sunday afternoon noone felt like cooking and we didnt feel like heading into town to a restaurant, so for the first time this summer we visited the place of the yellow arches!!!

It is not our usual choice, but Tim thought it was a great treat and an appropriate way to celebrate the end of the summer holidays. Mr Tae also appreciated the idea too.

Now Im getting used to the idea, I am quite looking forward to autumn days, log fires, candles and a bit of skiing once the winter kicks in;)

To cap it off, here are a few of my favourite pictures of Tim & Tae as they enjoyed the summer of 2011.

Going Potty!

Now....... I'm talking about Tae here, not me, OK!!!!

I had decided that although Tae was getting close to two and a half he really was not ready to give up the nappies. He has never shown any interest in going to the bathroom and the few times we encouraged him to sit on the toilet before bath time nothing has ever happend and he would just say 'down mummy'.

However, I took the spur of the moment decision to have a go a few days before we travelled to England. I thought I'd plant the idea in his head to give up the nappies! If he showed any interset or ability, my plan was to train him properly when we got back.

Im a pretty decisive person, so having decided on Friday afternoon, when Tae came home from nursery, I decided to kick start it straight away at 3pm. I was not organised, but hey, I thought Id just roll with it.

I explained to him that he was going to be a big boy and we were taking off the nappy and going to use the a potty. I removed said nappy and ran up to the attic to bring down the potty (I did say it was a spur of the moment decision;) When I came down, I glanced around and couldn't see him. I found him in the downstairs bathroom standing on his tip toes trying to go like a big boy:0 Nothing this time, but it did make me realise he was obviously more ready and understood more than I gave him credit.

So, the no nappy approach started, I placed the potty on the floor of the living room with clear orders (...erm instructions) of what he needed to do. After about 15 minutes I was on the phone to my mum telling her of my plan and as I walk out of the kitchen into the living room, who do I see standing over his potty!!!! YAY,  result!!!! Very shocked, yet proud mummy moment. I then had to go searching for a sweetie (again, I will mention I was not organised for this event).

So............ fast forward to our return to Norway and my only week home with the boys before Tae was due to go back to Nursery and my last chance to get the house clean before I started a new school year.

I had to take my friend to the airport Monday morning and decided I would start as I intended to go on!!

So I took off his nappy, put on his big boy pants, explained no more nappies and off we went!!

The first few days we did everything as normal. However, I had to entice him with Skittles to sit on the potty every few hours, but he did amazingly:)) We even went on a 2 hour shopping spree sans nappy.

I quickly learnt that the boy can seriously hold it in!!!! His record was 7 hours without going!

Basically, my little super star started yelling 'mummy potty' after 3 days. Since then we've not looked back and have had very few accidents - as I type this, ZERO in the last 8 days:)) He also naps without a nappy too. He is very proud of his underwear selection, especially his Thomas boxers!!

The only problem is that he is so tiny, even the 18mth to 2years are a little baggy on him:))

He has now been back in nursery for 2 weeks and is very excited to be rapidly collecting gold stars on his car poster there:)

It's the small things in life that makes this mummy smile  - like walking in the door each afternoon and seeing him in the same pants I put on him that morning;)

Wordless Wednesday - Farmor Time:))

Weekend in Hardanger

The last weekend of the summer holidays was an unexpected weekend away in Hardanger.

It was great to have a final weekend of relaxation together before school begins and we all start our normal routines again.

Tae loved the swing on the front porch, especially when he got to hang out there with pappa.

Our friends G & I had spent the afternoon grilling a whole pig on the bbq!! They never do things by half! It was delicious.

Tim enjoyed toasting the marshmellows on the bbq afterwards.

Once it became dark, the adults relaxed on the terrace and the children had fun playing Uno and the iPad inside.

Both boys loved the rope swings. Well .... Tae likes swinging them as opposed to sitting on them;)

Putting small stones into the large water container provided great entertainment for someone!

Tim and O chatting away while taking in the scenery on our way to a neighbouring island for another evening of good company and yummy food.

Tae enjoying being on a boat. This summer he has been on 6 planes and he kept asking to go on a boat too!

Beautiful Hardanger!!!

Tim exploring.

Tae relaxing before walking up the hill to the cabin.

Tim loves fishing and was very happy to catch 2 small fish.

Have backpack will travel. Mr Tae on his way back to the boat to start our trip home:))

A fabulous weekend of great company, wonderful food and a few bubbles too;)

Wordless Wednesday - Splashing in the Stream!