So there are moments that are easy to remember, when you look back and think "That was fun", and you refer to it as "Hey, remember when..." And there's a round of laughter/giggles/snorts/someone is embarrassed. And then there are those moments when you wonder "What HAVE I DONE WRONG?! to make these kids behave like this?"
One Tuesday, not too long ago, when lil C came home after school (lil J rang to ask if he could go play out with some classmates for a few hours, and big J was going to be working late on K's car), we decided to have some "girl time". Lil C decided to make some tea for us both and we sat down and enjoyed some Agatha Christie in the form of Miss Marple and Monsieur Poirot. Each of us in our old lazy-boys and sipping tea.
Another day, lil J and I went shopping for shoes. We snuck in a secret chocolate donut ;-) Then in the car he squished my hand (awww) and asked if he could change gears for me :-P
Little moments with the munchkins that mean so much. A hug here, a kiss there, a squish or a cuddle. These are BIG moments!
That doesn't mean the squabbles are not there.. Such is life. I am not the born referee, but I sure have gotten good at handing out yellow and red cards! ;-)
Friday, November 29, 2013
Less than 2 weeks to day of departure
And guess what?
I haven't lost the 10 KG that I was planning on losing.. Or rather: hoping would magically disappear from my hips.. (who am I fooling, OBVIOUSLY I mean my tummy) ;-)
Let me back up here.. 36 years ago.. Just kidding (well, not really as the story really starts there).. Okay, so 3 years ago we started slowly making plans of going to the beautiful country Peru, back to the roots. After all, it has been 23 years (yep, you read right!) and finally it was time to return! So I told myself I should try to slim off some of the unnecessary "luggage". Especially seeing that the last time all my relatives saw me, I weighed 35 KG (I was 13 for crying out loud!)
SO. I decided that little me was going to lose some baby fat. Yes, baby fat, I had two babies and I got some blubber (that does sound so much nicer than fat doesn't it?? HA!) left behind. Even though, in all honesty, it most probably was not the babies (who by the way are 13 and 11 by now, so "babies" is rather stretching it), but rather it must have been the one summer, about 8 years ago, of ice-cream, crisps and chocolate. But no, surely it could not be THAT. And now, there's no more "sucking it all in".. No, coz when I do that now, it just gets all sqwooshed around the middle area of my body. Niiiice ;-)
Anyway it is now 2 weeks before departure, I shake my head and think "Yeah right! I am perfect the way I am." (Well, not having lost the weight I wanted to, I had to think that, right?) But WHY should I think that I am fat? I am confident.. and padded :-) But fat?? Now why, did it cross my mind that I was fat? Here is my answer: society (and so help me, even certain friends) pressures us into setting a "standard" for beauty. Girls and women all look at a trim person and wish they were like that.
Now I know it is important to exercise, this is healthy. But it is not good to stop enjoying life, coz hey, you can eat and enjoy, healthily and within measure! I will never forget hearing someone say how "charming" another person became because she lost "so much weight". Or another who told me "Ohhh I see you got nice and fat, not like so-and-so who also had two kids and stayed sooooo thin". Excuse me?!? It must be told that it was meant as a joke. But how many people get hurt at these kinds of jokes? I am the kind that replies "Yup, more of me to love". But it still stung!
I now have two beautiful babies (yes yes, we've discussed this already, yes even at 13 and 11) who I cherish and to whom I have to teach to love their bodies the way they are, not the way other people see them and comment on them. And just HOW can I teach them you may well ask?
It's easy actually.
By loving my own body.
I haven't lost the 10 KG that I was planning on losing.. Or rather: hoping would magically disappear from my hips.. (who am I fooling, OBVIOUSLY I mean my tummy) ;-)
Let me back up here.. 36 years ago.. Just kidding (well, not really as the story really starts there).. Okay, so 3 years ago we started slowly making plans of going to the beautiful country Peru, back to the roots. After all, it has been 23 years (yep, you read right!) and finally it was time to return! So I told myself I should try to slim off some of the unnecessary "luggage". Especially seeing that the last time all my relatives saw me, I weighed 35 KG (I was 13 for crying out loud!)
SO. I decided that little me was going to lose some baby fat. Yes, baby fat, I had two babies and I got some blubber (that does sound so much nicer than fat doesn't it?? HA!) left behind. Even though, in all honesty, it most probably was not the babies (who by the way are 13 and 11 by now, so "babies" is rather stretching it), but rather it must have been the one summer, about 8 years ago, of ice-cream, crisps and chocolate. But no, surely it could not be THAT. And now, there's no more "sucking it all in".. No, coz when I do that now, it just gets all sqwooshed around the middle area of my body. Niiiice ;-)
Anyway it is now 2 weeks before departure, I shake my head and think "Yeah right! I am perfect the way I am." (Well, not having lost the weight I wanted to, I had to think that, right?) But WHY should I think that I am fat? I am confident.. and padded :-) But fat?? Now why, did it cross my mind that I was fat? Here is my answer: society (and so help me, even certain friends) pressures us into setting a "standard" for beauty. Girls and women all look at a trim person and wish they were like that.
Now I know it is important to exercise, this is healthy. But it is not good to stop enjoying life, coz hey, you can eat and enjoy, healthily and within measure! I will never forget hearing someone say how "charming" another person became because she lost "so much weight". Or another who told me "Ohhh I see you got nice and fat, not like so-and-so who also had two kids and stayed sooooo thin". Excuse me?!? It must be told that it was meant as a joke. But how many people get hurt at these kinds of jokes? I am the kind that replies "Yup, more of me to love". But it still stung!
I now have two beautiful babies (yes yes, we've discussed this already, yes even at 13 and 11) who I cherish and to whom I have to teach to love their bodies the way they are, not the way other people see them and comment on them. And just HOW can I teach them you may well ask?
It's easy actually.
By loving my own body.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Exercising is fun.. I think
Yesterday I did something I have not done in years. Real exercise. Not your jog-around-for-awhile or go-for-a-brisk-walk kind of thing.
No. This was the real McCoy. The kind where the gym instructor is the 'I-will-make-you-want-to-stop-and-then-make-you-go-on-for-more' kind, while she easily flies through her sit ups, leg ups and all kinds of ups. 'Cause that is just the great trainer she is. Thank GOODNESS she is human and she is sweating. Profusely. No ladylike perspiration here.
L, the trainer, leads the group, which consists of ladies only. L is a bouncy active lady who most positively thinks we (I) can keep up. The group is called Spekk Vekk. Literally: Blubber (as in fat on whales, bears and elephants) (thank you Google, I needed that) Away. Niiice ;-) Uhh.. I almost died after 10 minutes.
It started so well "RIGHT FOOT C, RIGHT FOOT" (she said with a great big grin, to me of course. I was the only one starting off on the left foot... Of course).
Now, I do love my body. But now, at the age of 36, it jiggles and juggles as never before. I figure that my body, in order to love me back, must have some more of that real exercise. Otherwise some parts will start complaining or malfunctioning in about 10 years.
However, I think my body hated me after those aforesaid first 10 minutes. But after I caught my breath, and swallowed back down my lungs, liver, heart (you name it), with a swish of cold water, then I found I could go on!
I fuddled up lots of the exercises, skipped over a few of the high knees and leg lifts. L saw me of course. No hiding from her eye. I think she felt pity on me, there were pauses. For two seconds.
Today however, I can proclaim to the world that I have LEG MUSCLES. And THIGH MUSCLES. And all kinds of muscles that I'd almost forgotten I had. And also I cannot climb stairs without hobbling the first few steps (ok, ok, all of them) (thank goodness there is also an elevator at work hey!).
Next week, my sis-in-law K is planning on coming along to give me moral support. And maybe catch me if I faint (ha!).
Yes you read correctly. I am going next week and the week after and the week after. Like I said, it was FUN :-) and THAT my friends is the most important part of my story!
No. This was the real McCoy. The kind where the gym instructor is the 'I-will-make-you-want-to-stop-and-then-make-you-go-on-for-more' kind, while she easily flies through her sit ups, leg ups and all kinds of ups. 'Cause that is just the great trainer she is. Thank GOODNESS she is human and she is sweating. Profusely. No ladylike perspiration here.
L, the trainer, leads the group, which consists of ladies only. L is a bouncy active lady who most positively thinks we (I) can keep up. The group is called Spekk Vekk. Literally: Blubber (as in fat on whales, bears and elephants) (thank you Google, I needed that) Away. Niiice ;-) Uhh.. I almost died after 10 minutes.
It started so well "RIGHT FOOT C, RIGHT FOOT" (she said with a great big grin, to me of course. I was the only one starting off on the left foot... Of course).
Now, I do love my body. But now, at the age of 36, it jiggles and juggles as never before. I figure that my body, in order to love me back, must have some more of that real exercise. Otherwise some parts will start complaining or malfunctioning in about 10 years.
However, I think my body hated me after those aforesaid first 10 minutes. But after I caught my breath, and swallowed back down my lungs, liver, heart (you name it), with a swish of cold water, then I found I could go on!
I fuddled up lots of the exercises, skipped over a few of the high knees and leg lifts. L saw me of course. No hiding from her eye. I think she felt pity on me, there were pauses. For two seconds.
Today however, I can proclaim to the world that I have LEG MUSCLES. And THIGH MUSCLES. And all kinds of muscles that I'd almost forgotten I had. And also I cannot climb stairs without hobbling the first few steps (ok, ok, all of them) (thank goodness there is also an elevator at work hey!).
Next week, my sis-in-law K is planning on coming along to give me moral support. And maybe catch me if I faint (ha!).
Yes you read correctly. I am going next week and the week after and the week after. Like I said, it was FUN :-) and THAT my friends is the most important part of my story!
Monday, September 9, 2013
The day I did NOT vote
My day in a nutshell: I DID NOT VOTE!!
This post is meant mainly for the Norwegians who excitedly await the outcome of the elections today, I woulda voted if I'd been Norwegian but seein' as I ain't, I didn't (hey, it's my blog, I can woulda and ain't all I want! :-) )
Not that my day was otherwise uneventful!
Superhero efforts:
07:25 Performed bread producing magic (no, seriously!) after freaking out because of lack of said bread.
08:30 Lil J calls in desperation to say I forgot (me or him?) his class was going out fishing and he had not packed his stuff. This produced a round of calls, all in vain as the driver-dad saved lil J's day by driving home first to pick up said forgotten stuff.
09:30 Saved a (luggageless) person (colleague/guest) by providing transportation to buy necessities at a nearby shopping centre.
12:30 Stopped a fire (I kid you not) by pulling a napkin away from a flame.
16:15 Sat outside on our new veranda for 5 mins for a 5-min-chat with lil J. Went inside to make myself a sandwich before rounding up the kids (yeah, "ALL" two of them :-P ) and making sure they took music sheets, guitar and tabletennis racket along. Before rushing off with the munchkins for their lessons.
16:50 Dropped of lil J at the table tennis club
16:57 Arrived at the music school. Hanging with lil C until her singing lesson. We run thru her homework song with YouTube help ;-)
17:20 Lil C dashes off to her lesson. I sit and wait.
17:40 Lil C is back.
18:15 I dash off to pick up lil J so he can make it on time to his guitar lesson. I remind lil C of her piano lesson at 18:20
18:23 I'm trying to make eye contact with lil J.. "Time to go" I try to mouth the words across the roomful of little boys and the swish of rackets and "tock tock" of balls hitting the tables.
18:26 We're back at the music school, but of course MY nice parking spot is taken. So I have to park a whole 10 meters further away ;-)
18:30 Lil J saunters off to his guitar lesson, while momma looks for a different good spot.
18:33 Sitting down and in my happy place when suddenly I realise I don't have leftovers at home and even worse, I have no idea what to make for dinner today...
Anyway, Happy Election Day, Norway!
This post is meant mainly for the Norwegians who excitedly await the outcome of the elections today, I woulda voted if I'd been Norwegian but seein' as I ain't, I didn't (hey, it's my blog, I can woulda and ain't all I want! :-) )
Not that my day was otherwise uneventful!
Superhero efforts:
07:25 Performed bread producing magic (no, seriously!) after freaking out because of lack of said bread.
08:30 Lil J calls in desperation to say I forgot (me or him?) his class was going out fishing and he had not packed his stuff. This produced a round of calls, all in vain as the driver-dad saved lil J's day by driving home first to pick up said forgotten stuff.
09:30 Saved a (luggageless) person (colleague/guest) by providing transportation to buy necessities at a nearby shopping centre.
12:30 Stopped a fire (I kid you not) by pulling a napkin away from a flame.
16:15 Sat outside on our new veranda for 5 mins for a 5-min-chat with lil J. Went inside to make myself a sandwich before rounding up the kids (yeah, "ALL" two of them :-P ) and making sure they took music sheets, guitar and tabletennis racket along. Before rushing off with the munchkins for their lessons.
16:50 Dropped of lil J at the table tennis club
16:57 Arrived at the music school. Hanging with lil C until her singing lesson. We run thru her homework song with YouTube help ;-)
17:20 Lil C dashes off to her lesson. I sit and wait.
17:40 Lil C is back.
18:15 I dash off to pick up lil J so he can make it on time to his guitar lesson. I remind lil C of her piano lesson at 18:20
18:23 I'm trying to make eye contact with lil J.. "Time to go" I try to mouth the words across the roomful of little boys and the swish of rackets and "tock tock" of balls hitting the tables.
18:26 We're back at the music school, but of course MY nice parking spot is taken. So I have to park a whole 10 meters further away ;-)
18:30 Lil J saunters off to his guitar lesson, while momma looks for a different good spot.
18:33 Sitting down and in my happy place when suddenly I realise I don't have leftovers at home and even worse, I have no idea what to make for dinner today...
Anyway, Happy Election Day, Norway!
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
The joys of book papering aka the first day of school
On Monday, lil C and I had a bookpaper moment. Yes bookpaper. As it was the first day of school after the summer holidays, the munchkins came home with new books. Lil C came home with a bagful. And when I say bagful and I really really MEAN a BAG FULL of books.
Lil C's first words were literally "I got a TON of books ma". And that was her reply to how her day at junior secondary school had been. Curious as I am, I wondered what her class was like, what her teacher was like, did she have a nice classroom, and a hundred other questions. To which my munchkin answered "Ok" and "Fine". What had made the hugest impression on her was that she brought home 12 kilos of books. She had actually weighed them on the scale (yup, I know because the scale was still in the middle of the hall... of COURSE).
So for the first time since lil C started school, she offered to help. Well, I asked.. Ok ok, I said (nicely) "If you fold the corners and tape them, I can cut the paper" :-) and she agreed :-) We had a great time, I showed her the accuracies of laying the corners flat and carefully folding so that the paper would not bubble when she put the tape on. Showed her how to cut the paper and fold it down so that the book can open and close neatly.
I admit it PROUDLY. I am a bookpapering nerd. It seems my girl has inherited a bit of that gene. Not as yet sure if this is a GOOD thing ;-) She placed and replaced tape, wrote the labels out and re-wrote a few as they were not as perfect as she wanted.
When my lil J came home with his bag of books, he said "Mum, I got new books today. Not all though, just half of them. You don't have to have them done until Friday", before running outside to play with his friends.
No one saw my lil happy dance (thank goodness!) as I mentally clapped my hands in glee, HOORAY!! MORE BOOKS TO PAPER!! :-)
Lil C's first words were literally "I got a TON of books ma". And that was her reply to how her day at junior secondary school had been. Curious as I am, I wondered what her class was like, what her teacher was like, did she have a nice classroom, and a hundred other questions. To which my munchkin answered "Ok" and "Fine". What had made the hugest impression on her was that she brought home 12 kilos of books. She had actually weighed them on the scale (yup, I know because the scale was still in the middle of the hall... of COURSE).
So for the first time since lil C started school, she offered to help. Well, I asked.. Ok ok, I said (nicely) "If you fold the corners and tape them, I can cut the paper" :-) and she agreed :-) We had a great time, I showed her the accuracies of laying the corners flat and carefully folding so that the paper would not bubble when she put the tape on. Showed her how to cut the paper and fold it down so that the book can open and close neatly.
I admit it PROUDLY. I am a bookpapering nerd. It seems my girl has inherited a bit of that gene. Not as yet sure if this is a GOOD thing ;-) She placed and replaced tape, wrote the labels out and re-wrote a few as they were not as perfect as she wanted.
When my lil J came home with his bag of books, he said "Mum, I got new books today. Not all though, just half of them. You don't have to have them done until Friday", before running outside to play with his friends.
No one saw my lil happy dance (thank goodness!) as I mentally clapped my hands in glee, HOORAY!! MORE BOOKS TO PAPER!! :-)
My lil J
My lil J is my handsome lil boy..
AKA:
(lol)
Having grown up with 3 lil brothers, I thought I knew all I had to know about lil boys..
But oh, not so! :-)
Thanks to B and N Designs for this picture.
He will always be my little boy :-) (thanks to More Than Sayings for this picture)
(lol)
Having grown up with 3 lil brothers, I thought I knew all I had to know about lil boys..
But oh, not so! :-)
Thanks to B and N Designs for this picture.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
My lil C played the guitar in church
So today lil C played the guitar to a song she wrote when she was only 5 :-) proud mommy that I am, went and 'you tubed' it!! She decided then and there, without having practised (and without having sung this song for a while!).
See here
She sang in Norwegian but I've translated the text.
She has a second song. As yet unrecorded, so this story is to be continued..
Did I ever mention she also played the piano during song service when big J was playing (the piano) elsewhere?...
Well, now I have ;-)
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
A Package here a Package there, sent with love from Samaria
Well, for those who have read previous posts, you know about the Packages from the Heart of the World that Lev Ha'Olam send monthly from Samaria and Judea.
Right now, we're on Package #8. I can hardly believe it!! We were really wondering if we could even afford ONE! I know Who is providing, for it is by His Grace only, that it is possible for us to support our friends in Israel. We just had to step out in faith. The result? I like to call it 'Blessings back and forth', as we are helping our friends sell their products, so they are being blessed, while we are buying beautiful products and being blessed by getting to know more and more about God's beloved people.
So it is time to update the photos of the Packages
Package #3
Package #4
Umm.. OK.. I remember giving many of these things away as gifts (though it almost broke my heart to give away the chocolate!).. Spreading the word about Lev Ha'Olam's work is so important to me! MOST unfortunate that I did not take pictures BEFORE sharing these treasures with others!
So we gave away lovely soaps, Havdala set, cd and chocolate.. And I suddenly remember that I ate the dates and apricot leather ;-)
Package #5
Package #6
Package #7
And last but not least: Package #8
Right now, we're on Package #8. I can hardly believe it!! We were really wondering if we could even afford ONE! I know Who is providing, for it is by His Grace only, that it is possible for us to support our friends in Israel. We just had to step out in faith. The result? I like to call it 'Blessings back and forth', as we are helping our friends sell their products, so they are being blessed, while we are buying beautiful products and being blessed by getting to know more and more about God's beloved people.
So it is time to update the photos of the Packages
Package #3
 |
| Finally... |
 |
| Lots of goodies.. |
Umm.. OK.. I remember giving many of these things away as gifts (though it almost broke my heart to give away the chocolate!).. Spreading the word about Lev Ha'Olam's work is so important to me! MOST unfortunate that I did not take pictures BEFORE sharing these treasures with others!
So we gave away lovely soaps, Havdala set, cd and chocolate.. And I suddenly remember that I ate the dates and apricot leather ;-)
Package #5
 |
| Perfume, face gel, lip balm, science box, mouse pad, marzipan challah and CHOCOLATE :-) |
Package #6
 |
| Olive oil, chocolate (!), a beautiful necklace, a little cork board, a miniture ark of the covenant and dried fruit |
 |
| Oil on oven baked potatoes |
Package #7
 |
| What do we have here? |
 |
| Scarf/hat.. Lil J ended up using this as a hat instead |
 |
| Passover Haggadah, wine goblet, delicious tea, neck warmer, chocolate powder, dried mushrooms and chocolate ;-) |
And last but not least: Package #8
 |
| T-shirt and flag |
 |
| Spices, face cream, music cd, key ring, chocolate (of course!) |
Surprise presents - the best kind!
A few weeks ago, I found a package in the mail.. It was addressed to me!
It was not my birthday, nor any special occasion that I could think of, and, had it not been that it was addressed to ME, I would have thought it to be a mistake.
But no, this was a pay-it-forward gift from a sweet friend of mine V. It was a rice pillow that can be warmed up and used to soothe aching muscles, or cooled down to use for aching heads :-) COOL!!
I had almost forgotten that I have to pay-it-forward to some friends.. Almost forgotten.. But well reminded now :-D
This is what I had posted previously on my Facebook wall: "."
It was not my birthday, nor any special occasion that I could think of, and, had it not been that it was addressed to ME, I would have thought it to be a mistake.
But no, this was a pay-it-forward gift from a sweet friend of mine V. It was a rice pillow that can be warmed up and used to soothe aching muscles, or cooled down to use for aching heads :-) COOL!!
I had almost forgotten that I have to pay-it-forward to some friends.. Almost forgotten.. But well reminded now :-D
This is what I had posted previously on my Facebook wall: "."
 |
| A rice pillow - good for aching muscles etc |
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