English speaking mammas in Drammen area

[shari_z]

Thought I'd start a new thread instead of continuing on the "Anyone in Drammen" thread.

 

I'd like to meet up with English speaking mammas, just need to find a time and place that suits most everyone. There have been several who expressed an interest, so if you want to, send me a pm here on dinbaby or barnimagen.

 

A little about me: American, 39 years old, two living children (girl age 8, girl almost 1 year), married to a Norwegian. On October 5th, I will have been living in Norway for 10 years. I am a veterinary nurse but currently at home with my baby. I speak Norwegian just fine, but like to speak English whenever I can, and would love to meet other moms with kids so that hopefully the kiddos will pick up on English! (My oldest didn't speak English before she was 5 years old.)

 

Shari

[rajniuk]

Hei Shari

 

Congratulations on your 10 year anniversary for living here! Doesn't time fly.

 

Thanks for your message. I will sort out my profile page soon so that we can also correspond that way.

 

I would love to meet up soon. However, three weeks ago I was diagnosed with MS and have just finished some steroid treatment. It cam as a real shock as I have hardly ever been ill in my life. This year though has been very tough health wise and it has made me quite depressed. I hate being an invalid doing nothing! The treatment has been good and most of the symptons have gone for now but my left eye is still out of focus which makes it hard for me to go out much. But I have been told the eye can take a while so I have to begin some exercise - not only for this but also to get rid of the baby fat!

 

I hope I will have the confidence to go out properly soon and then really look forward to meeting up with you and any others, so please stay patient!

 

My Chilli is going to be four months on the 10th. Overall, she is an easy baby (which is lucky for me at during this time). Most of the time she has a smile on her face and sleeps through the night but during the days she hates napping and always fights it. I am also finding that she wants to be around me all the time. Even if we put her in the bouncer or lekegrind, she seems to almost get bored! Isn't she too young to get bored? How were your girls? My sisters have both boys and girls and told me that the girls tend to need more attention. I just didn't think it was this soon though!

 

Anyway, I hope we will meet soon and look forward to hearing from you too.

 

Best wishes

 

Rajni

[shari_z]

Hi Rajni!

 

I'm so sorry to hear about your MS! On the other hand, if you have been plagued with health problems, it must be good (???) to have an answer. I will definitely be patient and keep waiting to meet up! :-) Don't worry about confidence with me, though. I am very laid back, not a fancy person at all. My baby weight came AFTER the birth, due in part to a pelvic injury (still not sorted out) that has prevented me doing any training whatsoever. (I feel your frustration here about being an invalid and doing nothing, as that is where I've been, more or less, as well.) I get very sad about being as overweight as I am, but the only thing I can do now is to grin and bear it, and struggle along with the stroller as best I can. The physical therapist is so excited about my pelvic injury because it is so seldom seen, but I just want it fixed so I can go about a day without having terrible pain. Be able to take a walk. That sort of thing. I dont need to be able to do major training, just live a calm life with walks in the forest pushing the stroller.

 

I can't believe Chilli is 4 months! Time is flying by! My baby will be one year on Friday the 16th, and today was actually my termin with her last year. I cant believe that it has been one year. Doesnt seem possible, really. My girls didnt really act bored, to be honest. Maybe I wasnt astute enough to see it? Who knows. I did have to move her from this thing to that, but I thought it was more that she was ready for a change and couldn't do it by herself and needed help to move. I didnt think of it as boredom, more of "Oh, looky there, that thing looks much more interesting. Help me, mommy! I cant get over there myself!". That sort of thing.

 

My baby sleeps at night (except for the last 2 weeks, which have been miserable), but she eats often. Up to 6 times a night. She sleeps from about 8.30-9.00 to around 7am. Naps have gone well, I've let her decide when she is tired and then let her sleep. I found her pattern after about 6-8 weeks, and that helped a lot. I've pretty much always had to either hold her for her nap or lay down with her (we didnt have a crib until 2 months ago, and cant move her anyhow once she is sleeping without her waking up). Now, though, I can put her in the stroller and let her sleep there, and sometimes I can take a walk with her (depends on how I feel that day). And she only sleeps once a day now, seldom twice, so that is nice also. I also have been trying to go to åpen barnehage at Tangen church, and just tried Bragernes for the first time last week. I will continue with those as she really enjoys it, but now she's got her first cold (poor little baby of mine) so we'll be at home till she's better.

 

My sisters both say boys are easier as well. My younger sister got her 4th kid this summer, 2nd boy, and said she was so happy to have another boy. Said that as long as he has his sandals and favorite shorts and T-shirt, he's happy. None of this whining in the stores about "can I have this? Can I have that?" He is just content. My older sister has only one child, a boy, and says the same. Now I am really wishing for a little boy! :-) Yes, both say boys are low maintenance compared with girls.

 

Keep in touch. Let me know when you are up to meeting. Maybe others will also want to join us.

 

Take care,

Shari

[rajniuk]

Thanks for your good wishes Shari. It sounds like you do understand the frustration even though it is for different reasons. Sounds very painful and I do hope you are happy with the treatment you are getting?

 

I am feeling much better this week and have even decided to make my first trip to London in two weeks! My eye is still out of focus but I have decided I need to stay calm about it. I also start my injections next Thursday and hope that will help.

 

I wonder if you would like to meet up for maybe an hour for a coffee next week Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday? I can't really do walks at the moment but an hour out is good.

 

It would be nice to finally meet even if it is just for a little while so please let me know. There is a nice place near Papribredden called Elvebredden cafe and bar. I like my cake! And they do a good priced Croissant and brie, although they are not open on Mondays. Or any where you suggest?

 

Hope we get to meet!

 

Rajni

[Alltid usikker+2 prinsesser]

Hello! I know this threat is a bit old now, so probably none of you will see it, but would just like to introduce myself as well and say that I am extremely interested in meeting up with any other English speakers in Drammen.

 

I will have lived here 10 years in January, am a 30 year old American. Married to a Norwegian and with a daughter that is now 4 years old (am currently trying for another).

 

As I mentioned, have been here almost ten years, but have only actually met one other American person in Drammen during the entire time I have been here. Speak fluent Norwegian, but am shy and don't have so very many friends. Am certainly looking to expand my social circle a bit, so if either of you or any others are interested, feel free to contact me!

 

 

 

[shari_z]

Hi Rajni,

 

I'd love to meet up for coffee! Or cake - I am also very fond of my cakes. :-) I can do any of those days, but my problem is that I have to pick up my older daughter at school (Åskollen) 2pm Monday and Wednesday, and I'm not sure what time Tuesday as her class has swimming lessons at Drammensbadet. This week they've been finished at 1.45pm, but I haven't gotten any message for next week. So until I find out, Wednesday looks best for me (if we should go to the Elvebredden cafe, which I've never been to before).

 

I'm actually not too happy with the help and treatment I've been getting as it hasn't helped much. But at least they are trying, and I must give them credit for that.

 

How nice that you get to go back to London! I guess your family is over there? You must be so excited to show off Chilli! Has any of your family met her yet? Will you travel by yourself? Hope you have a great trip. :-)

 

My husband and I have decided that next summer our family vacation will be in England and Wales. He misses England (lived in Reading for 8 years), and I just totally fell in love with the country. Wish we could afford to live there, but good grief it is expensive! Well, so is Norway, but his salary as a nurse is far better over here than in the UK, so we have a better economy here (although far from great). I had hoped my parents would be able to come this winter for my 40th birthday, but I think it is out. My sister had to move back home and can't afford childcare, so they are taking care of her 4 kids. That rather ties them down. I am disappointed, but I also feel bad for my sister.

 

Let me know what day works best for you to meet, I look forward to it. Maybe Alltid Usikker would like to join us?

 

Shari

[shari_z]

Hei Alltid usikker,

 

Your nickname describes me so perfectly! I am just not clever to come up with such nicknames as many have here on BiM and DIB. This thread isn't so old, I keep checking hoping that some English speakers in the area will want to meet. I hope to meet up with Rajni next week, maybe you could come along if you are free? If not, we can arrange a time ourselves to meet.

 

Where do you come from? I'm from Texas, just north of Dallas. It was a hard adjustment to living in Norway, and I am still not crazy about winter, to be honest. But spring, summer and autumn are wonderful. I'm hoping for a looooong autumn this year! :-)

 

We've been living here almost the same length of time! It's now been 10 years for me. I lived first in Kirkenes, but moved down to Drammen at the end of April 2000. Been here ever since. You were quite young, then, when you moved here. What brought you over here so early? I guess your Norwegian is much better than mine, since you were younger and would have an easier time getting the accent right. I cannot for the life of me pronounce "r" correctly. My tongue refuses to do the necessary acrobatics to do that. But everyone understands me, so it's okay.

 

I have met one American here in Drammen, but she just moved away. :-( I've met two in Oslo, but don't have any contact with the one anymore and very little with the other. It's just too hard because of distance, work, family, etc.

 

If you read the "Anyone in Drammen?" thread a little ways down on the first page here, you will find out more about me.

 

Feel free to contact me more. I'm always happy to meet new people.

 

shari

[rajniuk]

Hei Shari and Alltid usikker

 

First of all, Shari said she is not clever enough to come up with such a cool nickname - well I am not clever at all. For a moment there, I was thinking, "What a strange name" until I realised it was a nickname in Norwegian!!! My spoken Norwegian is not so great, but I am able to read the papers and watch tv wiith subtitles in Norwegian, which I often do when watching English speaking programmes just to learn Norwegian! When first tried doing this, I was watching terrible daytime tv like Days of our Lives or reading Nancy Drew, so you could imagine what Norwegian I could string together; things like, "Katten er død. Vi må finner en løsning!" Very useful!

 

Now that I have Chilli, I am planning on going to classes so hopefully I will have the confidence to speak more!

 

Anyway, it would be good to meet you both. Wednesday is good for me at Elvebredden. Just let me know what time - preferably after 12pm.

 

Hope to hear from you soon!

 

 

[Alltid usikker+2 prinsesser]

Hi Rajniuk and Shari!

 

Would love to meet up, am extremely shy though I have to admit. It has been so long since i have actually spoken English face to face with anyone, that I am not quite sure I can even pull it off anymore!

I certainly would love to meet though, if I can get up the courage. I work every day until 4pm though.

 

I am from Ohio, but I haven't been able to afford a trip back to visit my family in five years, but maybe sometime...

 

I met a norwegian on an internet game in 1999, he came to visit me in Cincinnati (where I lived) then I came back with him to Drammen. Almost always embarrassing to say you met someone over the internet iik! We were married soon after and stayed married for 4 years. I am now married to another Norwegian that is the father of my four year old.

 

I still despise the cold winters, even after all this time. Just bought a new purple wool coat to keep me warm, but it makes me look like a giant blueberry (i saw you guys talking about cake earlier, well it certainly looks like i like it anyways). I gained 55 kilo when i was pregnant with my daughter!!! Have managed to get rid of 30 of them, but the rest of it is stuck

 

Trying for the new one now, if i gain another 55 kilo this time i will probably just explode or something.

 

Would really like to get to know you both, you sound like a lot of fun!

[shari_z]

Oh! I think I just figured out *your* nickname! Rajni from the UK? A little bit slow, yes.....

 

I can do Wednesday, but I will need to leave by 13:40 to get the buss to Åskollen to pick up my other kid.

 

As far as language goes, I watched a lot of TV to begin with and thought it was useful with subtitles. And books from the library about things I was interested in (gardening, dogs, horses, etc - basic easy things, not novels) helped as well. And I studied a lot on my own. I finally took classes, well two, and then I was done (passed Bergenstest). I do love your example, though, "katten er død. Vi må finne en løsning!" That made me laugh! It sounds so typical Days of Our Lives. I watched that show faithfully every day from a small child (my mother watched it) until the middle 90's when it just got too ridiculous. When I moved here and finally got a tv, I tried it again to learn language, and found out they are FOUR years behind!!! IS it possible? That was so frustrating. But at one point I was in hospital and my roommate also watched it, and I told her this and she got so excited, wanting to know what was going to happen with Sami. So I caught her up to date.

 

Is there good stroller parking at Elvebredden? My kid nearly always sleeps at around 12-12.30 for a couple of hours and the stroller will be necessary.

 

And tomorrow my baby is ONE YEAR OLD! I can't believe it. One year ago I was in labor, sort of, and so mad that no kid was coming out. Very frustrated, really. And now a whole year has gone by.... It goes so fast.

 

Well she's screaming and ready for bed, got to run.

 

Rajni, you decide how long you feel up to being out. I am a talker, so you may have to tell me to shut up so you can go home. :-) But I need to leave by 13.40, so just count back from there what time you want to meet.

 

Look forward to next Wednesday!

Shari

[rajniuk]

Hi again Shari and Alltid Usikker

 

Shari, next Wednesday will be great. Would it be okay if I came around 12pm or 12.15 at the latest? Then we have over an hour before you need to go on the school run.

 

Elvebredden has lovely big sofas, which we try to monopolize when we are there! And I get very cross if someone else has taken them! There is enough room for strollers, I usually park my giant of a pram in there and so does a friend - both at the same time. And no need to go upstairs and a good sized changing table for baby in the bathroom. It's never usually that busy. Don't know why, I find it very cosy and relaxing.

 

Happy Birthday to your little one! How time flies, hey!!

 

Alltid Usikker, it would be really nice for us all to meet up too. But it may be a bit tricky for me next week to meet after 4pm, so I hope you don't mind if on this ocassion Shari and I meet up? Perhaps you and Shari may arrange something though? I am going to London for a week the following week, but maybe we can arrange something after then? I am back on 3 november. Don't worry about being extremely shy. I am pretty relaxed and I get the impression Shari is too. Oh and by the way, I need some tips on how you lost all that weight!! Even when I lost my appetite for a while as I worried about the MS, I still didn't lose a nano inch!!!

 

Shari, just let me know if that time is okay.

 

Rajni

[Alltid usikker+2 prinsesser]

Sure thing! seems like you two know each other pretty well already, so i would most likely feel like i was horning in in any case.

 

About the weight loss, i have sooooo much left to go even after four years that i don't feel qualified to give tips about anything!

 

You are so lucky that you get to go home for a bit. Although of course the UK is much closer than the US. Hope you will have a great time!

[shari_z]

Alltid usikker og Rajni

 

Alltid usikker: well, it just seems like Rajni and I know each other well, but we don't. We've never met, just written on this forum a bit. So you would NOT be an extra person at all!!!! Please dont feel that way, I want to meet more English speaking people, which is why I made this thread. I'll be honest and say that I am very shy and unsure in new situations (sosial angst, actually), but after having "talked" with someone online like this for a while, it gets easier for me to meet in real life. So far I've made two really nice friends from Bim, in spite of my shyness.

 

You and I can find a time to meet up after you are home from work - that's no problem. Well, I say that. I will have to have my 8 yr old with me most likely, and need to get home early enough to get her in bed, but other than that, it shouldnt pose any problems for me.

 

Do you speak Norwegian with your daughter also? Since you said it is so long since you spoke English face-to-face with someone? Makes me a bit (read VERY) nervous to speak Norwegian around you! :-) I speak English whenever possible, even if the other person speaks Norwegian to me. And my husband and I have always used English together.

 

Speaking of husbands, I met my husband on the internet as well! Agree that it is embarrassing to say it, so I try to avoid that topic when I can. But since you've done the same thing, I can admit it.

 

I also want your weight loss tip! I have gained all my weight AFTER having my babies (always lose weight while pregnant), and I get so sad about my appearance. I am about 35 kg more than I should be.

 

The longest I went without going home for a visit was one month shy of 4 years. I am not kidding you when I tell you I started crying when the plane landed on American soil. I was so happy to be home again! Now it will be about every 2-3 years I think (hope). My parents are getting older and I worry about them. Always hoping my next trip home isnt for a funeral.

 

But I'd love to mee up with you, let's find a time that works for both of us - preferably sooner than later! And, silly question, but what's your name?

 

-----------

 

Rajni, 12-12.15 on Wednesday sounds great. I will be there. Have you got a profile fixed up yet? Thought maybe I'd give you my mobile number just in case, but I dont want to just post it here for the whole world to see. Otherwise I'll give you my regular email address.

 

Looking forward to Wednesday, then! Umm, how to recognize me? Tall, overweight American with long (waist length) brown hair (usually braided) that is unfortunately getting streaked with gray. I'll most likely have a 3-wheel stroller with me, a dark blue BOB. And a very cute baby girl with dark brown, chin-length hair. :-)

 

Looking forward to meet you both soon!

Shari

[Alltid usikker+2 prinsesser]

HeHe I am also a good 20 kilo or more more than i should be! Is why i would feel like a hypocrit giving anyone tips. i lost a bit but then just got stuck.

 

I know what you mean about crying when the plane lands, it is amazing the feeling you get just to be home. My mother is very ill so I hate being away so long myself, and my grandmother is getting up in years as well. Am a bit worried, if anything happens, my husband's passport is out of date, my daughter doesnt have one, and mine is invalid since i got married last year (need to get a new one with my new name).

 

I went to norsk kurs when i got to the country ten years ago, learned a lot more in university after, but didnt really start speaking it until my daughter started to talk (was like you, spoke english to everyone, and they spoke norwegian to me.) The odd thing with my husband and I is that we only speak norwegian to each other now, but if we ever write emails at work or sms to each other, its ALWAYS in english.

 

My daughter is 4 and seems completely uninterested in learning english. I tried when she was little but she refused to acknowledge me when i spoke english, so it is mostly just norwegian now.

I slip in a few english words when i can, and she has learned a some, but when we talk to my mother on Skype, I always have to translate everything they say.

 

I have also had sosial angst, so i know what you mean there as well. Hell, what do i mean HAD, i mostly still do. Makes work difficult sometimes. Would be very nice to meet up somewhere, i work in Gulskogen but live out in the country almost, cant drive myself, so would also have to be home a bit early cause my husband would have to pick me up before my daughter goes to bed.

 

Oh and my name is Bethany by the way and my daughter's name is Bailey. (Bailey was my second choice of name for her haha. I wanted to call her Pippa Ekaterina, but my husband's family almost all died of apoplexy!! they didnt even like Bailey until i put an Elizabeth after it.)

 

Thanks for writing back, look forward to getting to know you

Bethany

[shari_z]

Hi Bethany,

 

Did your daughter just have her birthday recently? I just saw a Bailey in the newspaper, a young girl around 4 yrs old, and thought to myself, "Yes, there is another English-speaking person around here somewhere. I wonder where they all are? Probably working..." I think Bailey is a very nice name, and I have always loved Elizabeth. Very pretty together. I am going to go look through my old newspapers now and see if I can find that little girl.

 

What sort of work do you do? What kind of education? I am just a SAHM, but am dyrepleier. I will likely not work as that again, at least not in Norway, so have to think of a new education to take. You'd think that at my age, I'd have figured out what I want to be when I grow up. :-) I think it is so hard, though, to go to school and be a wife/mother at teh same time, so who knows what we will do.

 

Maybe we could meet on a Sunday afternoon sometime instead? Saturdays for me are generally busy with church activities, but am often free Sundays. Otherwise we will find a time and place that is convenient for you. I have a car and so can drive. I'm happy to just take a walk, for example, along a country road or whatever. Doesnt have to be at a cafe in the town center.

 

You know your daughter will have to have both American and Norwegian passports, right? Take her with you to the Embassy sometime and get yours and hers straightened out. Her American one is good for 5 yrs; her Norw will be good for only 2 yrs, so I'd wait on that one. You can get all the paperwork off the internet and have it filled out before you get there. And your husband will either have to be with you to the Embassy or sign in front of a notary public that he agrees to let her have the American passport (it's a rule to prevent international kidnapping). You can try taking your own pictures, but if you dont, then you can use Sjøwall down the street from the Embassy for the pictures. That's what I did (they arent cheap, I think 250 kr per person) because after taking about 1000 pictures that werent right, I gave up.

 

I think you are brave to come here so young and take an education over here and just start life out new without your family around. I think it has been sooooo hard, and I havent been exactly successful with regard to working.

 

Oops, baby is wanting attention now so guess I'll go play with her for a while. Maybe she's hungry - that could also be it.

 

Find some times/days you think could work for you to meet. Maybe we can meet sooner rather than later.

 

Shari

[rajniuk]

Hei Bethany

 

Shari is right, we have never met! But after writing a bit, I do look forward to meeting her.

 

You know, it's funny, but I am not really very good at making an effort to actively meet people! I really hate all these social networking sites and hate the word networking! I do have an account on Facebook and it is rather embarrassing when everyone else has a gazillion friends and I have five or ten! But I really don't like calling people you have met once or acquaintances 'friends'! So it sounds like we are all the same on that front!

 

I do hope we get to meet when I am back from London.

 

________

 

Hei Shari

 

We also speak English at home here and I tend to talk back in English even though I understand most of the Norwegian so long as people speak clearly.

 

I did get frustrated after Chilli was born though with everyone here going on about her learning Norwegian over English!!! It wasn't such a big deal before then but obviously everyone gets very protective of the next generation and keeping their own culture! Well of course she will learn Norwegian since she will be schooling here! But fluent English is a must and it would also be nice if she could also understand the Indian language from my childhood - just from a singing Bollywood songs point of view if nothing else!!

 

Anyway, see you Wednesday then! I will sort out my profile now so please send me your details after you have read this.

 

I am a short, temparily round (well, I can only hope it is temporary!) Indian with dark messy hair and will have a ridiculously bulky beige pram!

 

See you!

 

Rajni

[Alltid usikker+2 prinsesser]

Hi! sorry have been away from the computer for awhile. Yes, the Bailey in the newspaper was my daughter, she turned four on September 24th. I was really hoping she would be picked as "dagens mini" and was pretty disappointed when she wasnt.

 

It is so nifty that you saw and remembered her picture!

I had no idea about her needing both passports, why is that do you know?

 

I remember when i was in the hospital to have my daughter there was actually an american woman next door to me (had forgotten all about that) I was so so angry and jealous because her family came to be there with her when the baby was born. Mine couldnt afford it.

 

Sometimes i really want to go home, but my husband says the economy is too bad right now, plus together we have 270 000kr in student loans, and is pretty hard finding a job over in the states where you make enough to pay so much money per month.

 

I REALLY REALLY miss all the good TV channels, kentucky fried chicken, pizza hut, taco bell, mountain dew, twinkies... errm i'm not ONLY interested in food mind you!!

 

Either of you on facebook?

 

Bethany

[shari_z]

Bethany

 

TACO BELL !!!! And Dr Pepper !!! I miss those two things so much! I know I can get DP at Ultra, but good grief it is so expensive. So I get like two a month. Otherwise I do not drink sodas. Taco Bell is soooo goooood! I eat there all the time when I'm home, never do get tired of it. I wonder why they dont have taco bell here? I mean, as much as Norwegians love "taco" (I like ??? how they never make it plural, tacos - or even taco-er).

 

So cool that it was your daughter I saw! I couldnt find that newspaper (I have recently made a trip to Lindum), so now I'm going to go look at the library). I also wanted my kid to be picked for dagens mini when she had her birthday a week ago, and was disappointed when she wasn't. A couple years ago my older daughter was dagens mini and ukens mini, but I think that was "plaster på såret" because they forgot to put her in on her birthday, even though I had sent them the info on time. They just didn't put it in at all. Well, until a few days later, when I sent them another email asking why they hadnt put her in.

 

We also want to go home, or I do, but we cant afford to move. My husband has the same student loan as you (I think it's around 300 000), so that does make it hard. And he's a nurse, so you know how little they earn in the states. He actually does better here than there, to my surprise. But you're right, the economy is miserable. And they talk about it all the time back home, so I feel like it is affecting them more than us.

 

I feel so sad for you that your family couldnt come when you had Bailey! My parents came last year when I had Sissy and were here for a month, it was wonderful. Now they are taking care of my sister's kids, so I guess it will be a few years before they can come again. I will be 40 this winter and really hoped (silly me) that they would come for my birthday.

 

What sort of work do you do? Have I asked you that? Sorry if I have, I'll go back and re-read the thread, but my memory is crap these days. I dont work at all. I did for a few months, it didnt go very well. I got fired because I had to pee too often. Yes, you read that right. So now I'm just home with my kid.s. I want to get a new education, though, just dont know in what or how to pay for it.

 

About the passports, Bailey has dual citizenship (or should - call the Embassy to double check) because you are an American citizen, so she "inherits" from you, and because she has a Norwegian father and was born in Norway. Persons who are, or have the right to be, American citizens can only travel to the U.S. on American passports. So Bailey will need an American one to get in to the U.S. She'll need a Norwegian one to get back into Norway because her American one won't have (for obvious reasons) bosettingstillatelse in it. So she uses her Norwegian to come back. It's a hassle, really, but I am so glad my kids have both citizenships. I really hope they one day want to live there, or that we can move there, but who knows? At least they have that option.

 

Right now I just took a break watching my baby drop a spoon into the end of a 3-ring binder and then try to figure out how to fish it out again. It is hilarious to watch these kids grow up, to watch them explore their little world. And who would think a spoon and a 3-ring binder could provide such entertainment???

 

I never watch tv, but now I'm going to go down and watch that show, shall we dance, or something like that. ANd eat ice cream. I also miss american ice cream.......

 

Have a nice evening and weekend!

 

Shari

[shari_z]

p.s. No, not on facebook. Or any of the similar ones.

[rajniuk]

Merry Christmas Shari and Bethany!

 

Shari - Chilli dribbled on my phone and it is now broken! It had your number in it. Did you go to the carol service? I didn't manage to in the end as Christian went to Dubai for work on that Tuesday.

 

We are now in London for a week celebrating Christmas with the family! I think Chilli enjoying herself but seems to get tired quite often. Too many people fussin over her! But she loves it.

 

Anyway, hope to see you in the new year!

 

Rajni

 

[shari_z]

Happy New Year Rajni and Bethany!

 

My computer is dead (boo-hoo, I am almost in tears over a stupid computer!), and everything on it has vanished to never-never land, never to be seen again. Very sad me, all the lovely pictures of my girlies are gone, gone, gone. :-( That's the only thing that upsets me - that I've lost my pictures.

 

And my phone is on its last legs; I'm supposed to get a new one for my birthday, but now I think I'd rather have my computer fixed, use money to see if someone who knows something can save my pictures. But I'll send you a pm with my phone number again.

 

I did go to the English Christmas service, and it was really lovely. I'm not Church of England (it is they who do it), but appreciated the service so much! I plan to go again next year, try to make it a tradition.

 

I tried something new just before Christmas - Babykino! That was fun! But made the mistake of seeing a French film. The mistake is that I dont speak/understand French so had to read subtitles all the time, which made it hard to watch my little girl - who refused to sleep. But I will do it again, that's for sure.

 

Bethany, how's the pregnancy going? Think I saw you on 1. tri that you were there. Hope things are well with you. It'd be great to meet up sometime!

 

Rajni, hope we can meet again! Try coming to the åpen barnehage at Bragernes church sometime. Chilli is younger, but there are also babies there and it is so cozy. My girl just loves it!

 

Hugs from me!

Shari