Playtime!

It is December, but no snow at all. The temperature was plus - minus around zero. Rain, snow or sun - we had to get some fresh air.

Phillip is the taxi-driver no. 1. So for Christmas he got some new ones to his collection! His first blue taxi, is well used - hardly any paint left, front window broken, wheels a bit unbalanced....

Had to find the kids gardening stuff that mormor and morfar have been keeping in the garage....spiderweb and dust, but we are tough!

Ooppsss, what happened her?? Not always the brightest!

Reni came at lot and played with the boys. They went to the playground, or outside the house or played with the toys at mormor and morfars. The boys really love having her over!

Morfar and Thomas playing with some of uncle Fred's old toys! Race-trek with a loop - Which car was able to do the loop?

The aquarium in Bergen

We needed to keep ourselves busy and to get out of the house during Christmastime, so we decide to take a trip to the aquarium.

Outside they have a big poll divided into two, where the penguins are on one side and the seals on the other side. The kids loved looking through the glass to see them swim.

Inside they have a little water pond where you get close to some fish, sea stars, crabs etc. Thomas and Gunnar are discussing the names of all the different creatures.

The aquarium have also a tropical part, where we saw crocks, turtles, monkeys etc.

The snake section!

On our way home, after some lunch of course!

Christmas eve 2008

In Norway we celebrate Christmas eve and not Christmas day which Gunnar found a bit odd. Gunnar is staying with farmor/mormor and farfar/morfar as an exchange student this year, to see and learn the language from were his Dad's from (uncle Fred).

Everybody is ready for the big dinner - pinnekjott (dried and salted sheep meat)! Because of the younger kids, dinner was served in the kitchen this year! Cheers everybody!

The kids are really taking after both the Australian and Norwegian genes ....chewing bones is a big favorite!

After the dinner we finally got to the presents. The kids had been waiting a looong time!! In the background the nice christmas-tree that we shopped ourselves and the kids decorated!

Gunnar too was very eager to get to the presents too!

Then it was time to play with all the new toys! Gunnar helped the kids get going. (Mom got a new camera, but why did this picture get so yellow? Have to start reading the instructionbook I think!) While the kids were playing, we enjoyed our cakes and coffee!

Smalahovetunet on Voss, Norway

On Sunday the 21. of December 2008, we set of to Voss in two cars - Mormor, Morfar, Gunnar, Thomas, Phillip, Mamma, Daddy, Renathe and Reni. Mormor and Morfar had invited us all to a Smalahove fest at Voss - which is translated to: Sheep head-party!

We were all quite excited to taste - except the kids, Gunnar and Daddy, they had sausages and "normal" sheep meat = pinnekjott! We sat in an old stabbur fra the 1700 something - it's sort of the house were they kept the food in the old days. The sad part, was that this is the only picture a took before the battery went flat!

This was one of the "nicer" pictures I found of the sheep heads on the net. It didn't taste bad at all, but at lot of "work" for very little food. They say the the eyeballs are the best - and you have to ask Renathe and Morfar about that!

After we had finished our dinner and dessert, we had a guided tour around the farm to see how the sheep heads are prepared. This is the machine were they burn the wool off, and brush the ash of, later they were washed and cut the head in two, than hung to dry and then later steamed to be served!

Bye Bye Grandma & Grandad

After two week and a few days, Grandma and Grandad had to say good-bye. Thomas and Phillip was really sad to see them go.They were both very eager to go to Emrald, and than they cold see the dog and the cats....and Thomas the Tank Engine....and Puffing Billy - YES!

On the ways back from the airport picking up Grandma and Grandad, they got some cool red Ferrari's, and there is a lot of ways to play with them!

Ice cream at Ben & Jerry after playing at Go-Go Bambino at Dempsy.

Reading time with Grandma. Thomas and Phillip really loves it when people read to them,. Grandma had even bought a new book, so the excitement was even bigger!

Thomas taking pictures of the grandparents - love you, and we will miss you, but hope to see you soon!

Boat-trip on Saigon River

When traveling with kids one has to try to make everybody happy. In stead of eating at a regular restaurant, we decided to take the dinner on a river-boat. That way we could also see Ho Chi Ming City from another angle!

A pit stop in the lobby of our hotel, before we went on the boat. And I do think the boys manage to persuade Grandma for a piece of chocolate.....again!

The dragon-head in front of the boat!

The trip started with some local entertainment and dancing. After this the chaos started - people rushing off to get food! As always we are a bit more relaxed and polite! The owner was from Germany, so mixed with local an Asian food, of course you had bratwurst and a man in his lederhosen!

The gang! I think we had the best seating on the boat! Table by ourselves, overlooking everybody else that sat quite jamed. Good work Grandma and Grandad, as Thomas would have said!

Walk-about in "Saigon"

Before we went to Vietnam, Grandma was told that crossing a street here wasn't the easiest. The trick was to just walk, don't stop, but just keep on going and the bikes, mopeds, motorcycles and cars would go around you - hopefully!!

I'm glad we knew a bit about the traffic before we came. A pedestrian crossing does not mean just walk - look for a gap, and walk!!

Way have a bed when you have a moped!

Notre Dame Cathedral. Just walked pass, and took the picture - kids a bit impatient so needed to keep on moving!!

What a wire system! How do they find the right one to fix??

As always, we end up eating! We stopped at the Majestic Hotel, just next to Saigon River. The hotel dates back to 1925, and has had a major renovation done to it. They have tried to keep the Colonial architecture, and it really looked fantastic. We sat at the roof-restaurant/pub, and had a fabulous view of the river.