We survived Christmas.  That’s about it.  Not sure what it was about this year but I did not feel festive or merry at all, and for a lack of better words, some moments were joyless and downright crummy.  It was nice to spend some quality time with the kids but I felt this constant itch to be doing something outside the house.  I didn’t have time to bake very much, I took very few photos, and I felt like our “Christmas” festivities were too short to mention.  I don’t know. Maybe I was just too busy and stressed out to stop and enjoy this time of year.  I also sent out my Christmas cards very late and now regret that I didn’t do it earlier.  Donating money and giving to our usual charities also didn’t make me feel any better either.  To top off the prize of a miserable Christmas I’ve also been fighting a bad cold.  No fever or chills but I’ve been horribly conjested and I have a very hard and heavy cough originating from my chest.  Two days before Christmas dinner I completely lost my sense of taste and it was a nightmare having to rely on my experience to know that the food would taste ok and was up to my own standards.

At least I’ve been able to spend some time with Magnus and Sophie.  My latest work schedule has been stretching me to my limit and I’ve barely had time for them or Ørjan.  Over the past four days we’ve played with their new toys, eaten to the point of gluttony, and spent alot of time cuddling and jumping in and out of our bed.  They seem to have really enjoyed this holiday and it makes me happy.  Tomorrow I’ll be back at work for an early shift and I just don’t think I’m going to make it.  The past two nights Ørjan and I have been staying up late with wine/cocktails and The Beatles Rock Band.  (Early xmas gift from Ørjan!)  It’s left me exhausted but at least I’ve had more alone time with Ørjan because I think we’ve really needed it.

We received some very nice gifts this year which were incredibly appreciated.  (Cookware and kitchenware!!!)  Ørjan also bought me a sewing machine, what he calls “sexy underwear”, and many other things he probably shouldn’t have.  I was slightly guilty of spending a little too much this year but since I’m making more I wanted to spoil my loved ones just that much more.  I bought Ørjan a new video camera, two Bergans jackets, and other little things that I said came from the kids.  I probably should have stuck to some kind of budget because after looking at some of my receipts I realize I spent close to $3000.  Yikes.  Like I said, our financial situation is great, but I should have kept a budget and saved more money for our upcoming trips this Easter.  (London will not be cheap!)

With the new year beginning so soon I realize that there are so many things on my to-do list and it’s very overwhelming.  At least I have Christmas out of the way and I have an entire year to plan next year’s holiday.  I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season with your families.

We survived Christmas with plenty of leftovers to hold us until the next year.  More later when I get some time.   Happy holidays everyone.

My wonderful kids! (And Ørjan’s equally wonderful sister!)

Sophie was completely pooped out.  She received both the wagon and Drømmehagen figurines for Christmas and she had to take them to bed with her.

With only two days left until Christmas (in Norway we celebrate on the 24th) there’s still so much I have to do!  And trust me, it’s not for a lack of motivation either – I just don’t have the time!  The kids are finally in bed so I’m going to have to bust my butt for the next couple of hours.  Since I work tomorrow I’ve been trying to keep myself motivated to stay on task. Here’s the list of tasks I MUST complete!  (I’ve got 3-5 hours)  I’ve decided I can do this tomorrow.

• Boil stock for the gravy
• Prepare stuffing for the turkey
• Make herbed butter mixture for the turkey
• Find/wash/iron clothes for xmas
• Do laundry x2
• Iron xmas table cloth and curtains
• Wash serveware/serving sets and glasses for dinner
• Decorate gingerbread house?

I’m sure there’s more I wanted to do so I’ll come back and edit this much later.

Tomorrow’s hopeful list

• Detailed cleaning of living room
• Hang curtains
• Clean and organize fridge for dinner
• Last minute decorations
• Bake?
• Dessert?
• Last shopping trip before holiday

I have to be at work for 13.00 but today’s our Christmas lunch so I’ll have to come in earlier.  It’s nice that we have a lunch for us but regretfully I just don’t have the time for it.  Saturday was meant to be my day of baking but since I got called in my plans completely changed and now I’m struggling to squeeze in time for the huge tasks that seemed so small last month. I’ve been working so many extra shifts and although the money is great I realize I’ve been working too much and hope that next year I’ll learn to say no.

I wanted to bake a gingerbread house from scratch this year but now I’ve resorted to using ready-made dough.  This morning I had all the intentions for rolling out the dough and baking the plates but I just couldn’t be bothered.  Instead I’ve been baking baked gingerbread polarbears and moose (to be decorated tomorrow) for Magnus and Sophie and gifts for the kids in this place.  When I go into work this afternoon the first thing I plan on buying is a ready-made gingerbread house kit.  The kids are so young that I think they’ll just look at it anyways.

Luckily Tuesday and Wednesday are day shifts so I’ll be home in the evenings and maybe I’ll find the time to prepare for Christmas.  Incase I never mentioned it we’re hosting Christmas dinner and I have yet to find the time to prepare a single thing!  I have to iron the tablecloths, wash the serving plates/dinnerware, and let’s not forget the food!  I’ll be preparing a Canadian-style dinner so I feel slightly less pressure, but how will the Norwegians receive it?  Ha!

Now I’ve got less than two hours to get myself ready, prepare and plate dinner for Ørjan and the kids, and squeeze in some pilates if I can manage it!  I would like to clean the kitchen and diningroom but it’s doubtful I have time for that.  Ach.  Time, I just need more time.

I took today off thinking that Magnus and Sophie’s Lucia/Christmas breakfast was today but ooops it’s actually tomorrow.  No worries though because I plan to use my last remaining day off to prepare for Christmas and all the insanity it entails.  In Norway we celebrate on the 24th which realistically means I only have a week to prepare the house for dinner, guests, and anything else that I’ve been avoiding until now.  Saturday was a waste because we spent half the day in Mo and then the evening playing Guitar Hero (with red wine!) and it took an extra hour to wake myself on Sunday.  Now I’ve got so much to do today and I’m not sure I’ll be able to accomplish everything.  Here’s hoping!

• Clean fridge
• Clean bedroom/wallpaper last wall
• Wrap last gifts
• Decorate the tree
• Hem the kids’ Lucia dresses
• Laundry x3
• Write remaining Christmas cards!
• Print out photos for daycare
• Upload photos
• Pepperkakehus!  (Gingerbread house)
• Pilates
• Plan next week’s schedule
• Prepare tomorrow’s dinner
• Drag myself to the shop to get foooood! (I hate this weather!
• Prepare camera equipment for tomorrow

Oh, and I forgot to mention that Friday I cut my fingers at work (got slammed between the storage door) and Saturday I fell down the stairs when I missed a step taking out the garbage.  My right hand is sore and my left foot is so tender.  My clumsiness couldn’t come out at a better time.

Since we live in the north of Norway transportation outside of Norway isn’t a luxury.  We planned on taking a 6 hour train ride (the night train) from Mo i Rana to Trondheim and from there take a flight to Oslo (Gardermoen).  About an hour before we were going to the train station Sophie woke up with an incredibly high fever and vomitted everywhere.  With nothing open that late at night Marit raced to get Sophie some meds, we rushed out the door and I slipped on the ice and smacked my head and broke my fall with my wrist, and then Ørjan was almost killed.  That’s right.  We raced to the trainstation and Ørjan was unloading our suitcases from the trunk to the platform when everyone heard a huge screech.  A very senile and likely drunk (there was a definite smell of alcohol) man reversed his car into the trainstation and barely missed Ørjan.  Ørjan was literally TH–IS close from being killed or seriously injured.  Having your husband lose his legs and lower organs on the night you’re to leave for an overseas trip was not anticipated but obviously possible.  Thankfully he wasn’t hit but I know it made him tense from that moment on.  To top things off I was vomitting all the way to Boston and could barely keep my head up.  Being so sick and trying to hold an infant in your lap is no easy feat.  Ørjan had to take on more responsibility and stress and I was so sad but proud of him.

So here we were in Oslo with the confirmation that we’d have to pick up our bags in Boston and go through customs so that the three of them (the kids and Ørjan) could apply for visas to enter the country despite not having any intention on entering the US.  We pushed ourselves to race through the visa line as quickly as possible, raced to pick up our luggage, and managed to find the right bus to take us to the other terminal to check our bags only to find out that woooops – OUR CONNECTING FLIGHT TO TORONTO WAS CANCELLED!  Due to the crazy weather all flights at Logan International were either cancelled or delayed.  Our connection was meant for December 21st but when we arrived to check in (obviously late and missed our connection) we were told the next available flight was on the 24th.  Great.  We were all sick and stressed out, had two diapers and barely enough baby food for the night, and were ready to just give up.  Since our flight was cancelled due to weather it also meant they weren’t liable for hotel accomodations.  All the extra money that I/we had saved had to go towards our hotel stay.  At least one consolation is that the hotel staff was wonderful.  (I plan on emailing them later today to thank them again for their help.)

The only 800 number that we were given to contact Air Canada was impossible to use.  We were never able to get through so decided that we would try to go to the airport and ask/beg for an earlier flight possibly on the 23rd.  We ate breakfast, packed most of our things, and went to the airport thinking that even if we did get a flight that day, it’d probably be late that night.  WRONG!  When we arrived the woman at the counter said a flight was leaving in 1 hour and that we had 20 minutes to get our bags from the hotel and check them in.  WHAT?!  Somehow we managed.  Thankgod for the hotel’s courtesy shuttle bus and the awesome driver because we raced back to the hotel, waited for us to get our bags, and raced us back to our terminal.  We made it though, it’s only too bad the flight to Toronto meant a connection in Montreal and guessed who missed the connection?  Yep.  At least we made it to Toronto a day earlier.  Unfortunately for us by that time we had no sleep, had barely eaten, were sick and stressed out, and had two screaming infants to calm down and care for.  But fortunately we made it home and we had an entirely new hell to meet.

More later…

It’s amost 8pm and now I can honestly say I feel better.  I’m lying on the sofa trying to catch up with 1000+ unread feeds while Yentl is playing in the background.  We just finished a late dinner, Sophie is finally sleeping, and I’m doing even more online shopping.  With the lack of time and opportunities to shop for our family I just found it easier to do most of it online.  Ebay, Delight, Roots, and a few catalogue shops have made it such a relief instead of a last-minute headache.

Today was a hard and very trying day as Sophie slept less than two hours (since 6am) and her teething is making her such a crankypants.  At least Magnus had a good day and he’s been much more independent drinking directly from a glass and feeding himself lunch.  We took away his bottle cold turkey and he whined for a couple of days, but now he’s so interested in drinking just like adults that I don’t think he’ll ever want a bottle again. Now if we could only get him potty-trained!  He’s not even two yet but we’re starting to see signs that he’s able to communicate his business.  With so little time to myself today I managed to eat a small bowl of rice for breakfast, an oatmeal cookie at noon, and small bowl of couscous for lunch.  I’d hardly call it nutritious but it was all I could manage.  Not only was I hungry, but I was dirty!  It was after 3pm when I was able to get myself into the shower.  Seeing as how my previous shower was 6am yesterday morning and I had worked out while Magnus ate lunch I was feeling extremely shitty.  No food, no shower, and a house with two screaming kids – Wonderful!  Not everyday is so frustrating but today was particularly rough.

To make matters worse my period is causing such major discomfort.  I know it’s to my IUD but the obscene amount of bleeding, clotting (golfballs!), and the pain is really getting to me.  I almost passed out on the floor yesterday while making dinner.  I’ve been trying to get control of my anemia but lately I’ve been careless.  I can never seem to keep track of my periods either since they come every 6-8 weeks and last anywhere from 8-12 days.

I think Ørjan’s been seeing just how miserable I’ve been and has been so helpful without me even asking or nagging.  He’s been helping with the kids, tidying up after dinner and before bed, and has even let me squeeze in a nap twice this week.  I tell you it’s not nights of crazy passion but it’s the small things that really make you realize that you married the right man.  Now if only this crazy weather would settle down.  In the past week we’ve had two huge snowfalls that have melted away after a day of rain.  Everything is covered with a few centimetres of snow and the skies still have flurries as I write this, but who knows whether it’ll be here tomorrow.  Walking and pushing the babywagon in the snow is a bit harder, but it’s better than being splattered with slush when cars drive by carelessly.

I’ve been in a really horrible mood lately and it shows.  I have no energy, no drive, and certainly no patience for the things I can usually tolerate and tackle.  At least I managed to get out samples of my Christmas Cookies for this year.  I’ve done so much work planning and managing how big this could be, but sometime I turned into a huge chickenshit and started to consider just dumping the idea since we’ll be pressed for time this year.  I made spreadsheets, revised my budget and inventory, and even made and froze the dough so that I could bake the cookie samples quickly, but with so much accomplished I still felt like I was missing something – the drive to actually do it.  I really want to get my goods out this year but my mood is really dragging me down.  Hopefully when my period is over I’ll be back in full-force and ready to take this on again.  I’m completely committed to this, but it’s been such a rough week that I wish I could go back to two weeks ago when I was so excited.

It’s going on 9pm now so I should probably head off.  Magnus had a longer nap this afternoon so he’s still up but at least sitting quietly next to me looking at a book.  I love that he can sit for an hour just looking at his favourite books without making a sound.  I also love that I have a husband that can sit so quietly doing genealogy archiving without making a sound.

Oh, and this year I’m really considering getting a spark.

Before I write what I had planned I just have to get this out now – Congrats America!  I’ve purposely avoided talking about anything related to the election and American politics and now that it’s over (for now) I’m overjoyed.  Ok, that’s enough.  On to what I was going to say…

I can’t believe we’re already into November!  Earlier this week I already started making sample batches of my Christmas cookies to be sent out and I’ve been trying to revise my budget as much as possible due to items being sent from Canada.  I hope to have everything ready and sent out during the first two weeks of December because we’ll be leaving on the 20th for our Christmas vacation home in Canada.  I am sooooo excited to be going home and finally celebrating a Christmas.  I know I’ve already mentioned this a million times before but I can’t help it.  It’s been 5 years and it’ll feel so good to be back in a city (cities) where I lived and grew up.  I’ve already started making wishlists for items we can’t find in Norway as well as some more luxurious items that are just a heck of alot cheaper over there.  (To give you an idea we pay almost 3x more for goods here.)  I’ve already started searching for items to gift and plan to make send some online orders later next week.  This just might be the first year where I’ll do most of my shopping online and most of the items will be green (eco-friendly), handmade, or fun things from Norway or Japan.  The weeks go by so quickly and now I’m worried that despite how much I’ve planned I still won’t manage to accomplish everything before our trip.  But again, this is always the case in my situation.

On a totally unrelated note here’s a fun video for your enjoyment.  I caught this the other day on Letterman (thank god Danish tv runs current episodes) and couldn’t breathe by the time I saw Spiderman walk by.