Tim's School Ball

Tim is growing up fast. 

Quick lesson on the Norwegain education system....

In the Norwegian education system children attend 'Barneskole' from Grade One to Grade Seven.

Barneskole is split into two sections. Grade 1-4 and Grade 5-7. They have different start times and expectations in each department. Each section is led by a deputy.

After Baneskole, students go to Ungdomsskole, (Highschool) for Grades 8-10.

So, as this is his last year of Barneskole there was a Skoleball, aka - School Prom.

So exciting (perhaps for me, more than him;)

Trying to be a good mum I signed up to make a cake. As the baker in our family was Stig, this was quite a challenge for me.

However, I am lucky to have amazing friends. Therefore my friend Karen came over and helped me produce a fancy pants, lets go all out for his prom cake:)

He was very proud to take this with him!

He was not loving me taking his picture outide our house before I dropped him off.

He was even less impressed when I made him pose with two of the lovely ladies from his class!

Love him - but would also love to slow down this growing up lark!

Tae's End of Year Sleepover!

There is a tradition in Norwegian daycare that before the oldest children leave to begin school they have an overnight experience with their teachers!!

So, last Tuesday night Tae had his turn.

He was very excited and not at all nervous (perhaps like his mother;)

We got his special bed ready and packed his faithful Gruffalo suitcase with his Pj's, toothbrush, towel and clothes for the next day and dropped him off at the daycare building at 6pm.

They had a blast!

They went on a treasure hunt and played inside and out.

They ate hotdogs and muffins.

They finished the evening with popcorn and the movie Frozen on a huge projector, whilst they watched from there beds.

How seriously cool is that.

Wordless Wednesday - First Swim of the Summer - Brrr!

Bonding Time!!

I have been trying to consciously do things with the the boys individually and with the three of us together.

I feel it has been important. 

Tae is quite easy to get that individual time with - he is 5 years old - he loves his mummy - enough said.

Cosying up on the sofa, bedtime stories, bathtime, painting, puzzles, driving to and from daycare even tidying up together.

These moments are happening naturally everyday.

Tim on the other hand is becoming more of an enigma.

He is either off with his friends, on the laptop, xbox or iPad!

Add to that, he is now a month away from being 13 years old - he may love his mummy, but she is totally not cool - enough said;)

So this Mamma took action....

I decided that Tim and I needed to turn off the technology and get in the fresh air. That is where operation get fit together started.

Step 1

My first step was to sign us up for a local 5.5km race. It would mean practice runs to train and the event itself.

Hmm, great in principal. We kinda let time get away with us and never actually got around to the training part. However, on 26th April in 21c heat, we rocked up and did our thing!

We were a team, stayed together the whole route, cheered each other on and finished.

Tim made me chuckle - I may have had to do alot of encouragement two thirds of the way through to keep him going, but we stayed together. 

Once the finish line was in sight, the boy sprinted off... seriously like lightening to the end, leaving me in the dust.

However, you can not take away the pride on his face once we stood together at the finish line - one very happy boy and mum:))

Step 2

Now, we do not do things by half. The next mission I signed us up for was a four mountain hike!

Yep, four mountains in one day.
Mountain 1 = 640moh, Mountain 2 =400moh, Mountain 3 = 560moh, Mountain 4 = 417moh (moh=metres over sea level, I think;)
This may be easy for the superfit people I know, but for my boy and I it was certainly a challenge. 

(Keeping it real: I bribed Tim with a new Hollister hoodie to get him agree to do it;)

We did the walk with my lovely active friends L, her husband R and Tim's friend O.

I was not feeling the love from my mother when I chatted to her her on the phone a few days before the event. She told me she had been sat wondering how on earth we could manage 4 mountain in one day with no training.

Where was her faith!! Although we had not 'trained' we live quite an active life. I did a 6km hilly walk a couple of weeks ago and both Xander and I are used to weekend mountain walks, skiiing or bike rides. 

We may not be superfit, but we are okish!!

My mentality when signing up to this was simple:

Yes, it would be a challenge.

Yes, it would be hard,

Yes, at times it would be painful,

Yes, we may whine and shout at each other during the day.

So, where is that different to my new daily life??

I figured, if we could survive the last year, we could take on anything - 4 mountains included.

and do you know what.....

WE DID!!!!!!!

It was tough, very tough, but with encouragement along the way with my lovely friends L & R we rocked it:)

Getting the final mountain stamped on his card!!

P.S. now it is over, I am curled up on the sofa and VERY happy to have survived 7 and a half hours of endurance!

Wordless Wednesday - Picking Wild Garlic in Hardanger

National Day 2014!

Hipp Hipp Hurra!

I dag er 17. Mai!

Norway celebrates their consistution on the 17th May and today it is extra special as it is the 200 year anniversary.

17th May has always been a big thing in our house. It's a time to celebrate our norwegianess and we always spend the whole day as a family.

Even though (or maybe more so) our main norwegian influence is not with us this year I wanted to keep it special for the boys and I.

It was a tough day to experience without him, but we did it with smiles!

My MIL gave me her 'bunad', Norwegian national costume last October. This was the first 17th May I wore it. It means a great deal to me and I was proud to wear it.

The boys and I began the day relaxing at home and having a quiet breakfast together. We then got all dressed up and headed into town.

There is always an insane amount of people in our town on national day. We pushed our way through the crowds to meet up with the lovely G & I and family to eat lunch. 

On the way I had to stop and buy Tae a balloon - he was very happy with his choice. 

After all, National day is all about children having fun. 

After a delicious long lunch we headed back on the bybane (electric train) to our district. I want a t-shirt that says 'I went on the bybane on 17th May with 2 kids and SURVIVED!' It was crazy packed. 

I then dropped Tim off at the meeting place for the parade. He walked with his class and Tae and I drove over to the school to wait for them all in the playground.

The playground was packed. We caught up with lots of friends and ate yummy cakes and ice cream. It is tradition that children are allowed to eat as many ice creams as they want on the 17th May - Tae managed 3.

I didn't see much of Tim, he was off with his friends the whole time - a sure sign he was having a good time.

Tae completed all the fun traditional activities.

Hammering a nail into wood.

Walking on stilts.

Potato and spoon race.

The sack race.

He took it all very seriously and was so proud to have all the ticks on his card and recieve his medal.

A very busy, tiring, but fun day:)

Wordless Wednesday - Waterfight time!