Saturday 13 September 2014

Longleat Part 2 - Segway Time!


So a highlight of the week for Tim was the chance to have a go on a Segway. He has wanted to do this for a number of years, so when he saw it on the activity list it was his first choice.





We signed the oldest 3 boys onto the course - I wish I had signed up to do it too, but I may have cramped their style!.






Helmuts, knee and elbow pads were secured and they were off!



They had to do simple training manoveres in an enclosed course and then they went on a 30 minute tour of the parc!






They thought it was great fun!

Summer catch up - Longleat part 1


Ok, I am seriously behind documenting our summer. We spent most of it in England with my family. We did actually get away for a 'proper' break for a week in the middle of it too.


We headed to Center Parcs in Longleat!



Lots of planning and organisation went into catering for everyone from 5 years to ther 70's for our five days there!!



We had so much fun. My sister and her 3 youngest, my mom and the boys and I headed down south in two teams. I got to have the two 13 years old with me on the train and my sister drove the others and a car packed with all we needed for a week.


We stayed in a cabin in the woods and made good use of all the fresh air and facilities that were on offer.







It was Ah-Mazing:)



What can I say #happyboys = #happymummy

No cars on site, so transport was walking, scooters, piggy backs, bikes or the land train which circled the whole forest area - this was my mothers and Tae's  transportation of choice!












Lots of indoor activities too!






Saturday 6 September 2014

Tae's Class Teddy


Last Friday I had a very excited 5 year old when I picked him up from school.

Tae had been chosen to be the first child in his class to bring home the class Teddy!!

He had told the teacher he was going to a cabin for the weekend and as it sounded exciting, she thought it would be fun for him to be chosen first. From next week, a name will be pulled out of a bucket to decide who has Teddy for the weekend)

Erm, fun for Tae - pressure for this Mamma;)

It is a very Norwegian thing. In Grade One each class has a teddy. Each week a different pupil takes him home for the weekend and completes a journal entry in Teddy's book with pictures or photos about what they had been up to. I fondly remember doing this with Tim. The class Teddy usually does the rounds repeatedly throughtout Grade One and Two.

So, I picked Tae and Teddy up and we headed straight to our friends cabin in Hardanger for the weekend!

So here is our weekend as written in Teddy's Book!!

This weekend I have been home with Tae. This was my first visit home with somone and I was very excited. Tae was very excited too! Straight from school Tae went on a weekend trip to Hardanger!



First, we drove for a long time, we then took a ferry, drove some more before finally taking a little boat to a small island where we would be staying.





On Saturday we ate breakfast on the terrace. Afterwards I went on a fishing trip with Tae, his big brother Tim caught two fish.






That evening we had a bbq with two small whole lambs, they tasted very good.

On Sunday we went on a walk in the woods, we talked with the cows and drove a little tractor. 







After a delicious lunch we had to travel back to Tae's home.
Everything was fun!!

I have been given a new red bag to travel in when I visit everyone else:)



Big thanks to Tim for writing the original text and taking some of the photos for me because:
1) I have been sick 
2) My written Norwegian is rubbish.

Tim's Original Text:
Fredag 28. – Søndag 31. August
Denne helgen har jeg vært hjem med Tae, det var min første gang på besøk hos noen og jeg var veldig spendt. Tae var veldig spendt også. Rett fra skolen tok Tae på en helgetur i Hardanger! Først måtte vi kjøre veldig langt, da tok vi en ferge, kjørte litt mer og tilslutt tok vi en liten båt til en øy som vi skulle være på.
På Lørdag spiste vi frokost på terassen . Etterpå så gikk jeg på fiske tur med Tae og storebroren Tim, han fanget to fisk. På kvelds tiden grillet vi to små lam, det smakte godt.  På søndag gikk vi på tur i skogen, snakket med kuene og kjørte med en liten traktor. Etter en deilig lunsj måtte vi reise hjem.  Alt var veldig gøy! Jeg har fått en ny rød sekk til å reise med til alle!


Tim Starts Grade 8


Tim had a slow start back to school after the summer.

He was due to start his new school (Ungdomskole) the same week as Tae back in the middle of August.

Due the the Norwegian teachers striking and his school being one of the first school pulled out, he did not actually start until last Tuesday (2nd Sept).

Although he was excited to start his new school, as a typical 13 year old, two weeks extra summer holiday was quite a postivie outcome for him.

He did however have to turn up to school on two occassions to collect all his text books and then to have his photo taken for the school yearbook.

They have a serious amount of books this year!



So on his first venture out, I tried to take his picture...





He was not feeling the love and did not cooperate as he really didn't wish his picture taken. But with a little persuasion I did get this..



Ahh - the joy of being a mother to a teenager:)

I managed to snap some shots of him riding off down the drive with his two friends who called for him on the way to their first day.





On his 'official' first day - the one where he actually stayed all day and lessons started he humoured me by allowing a few shots in the driveway.


He was very pleased with his trendy Superdry backpack too!



So a new era with a high school student begins - Lord help me!!!