Monday, March 29, 2010

Hip-pity Hop-pity Easter's on it's Way!









What I'm reading: Suicide by Sugar, A Startling Look at Our #1 National Addiction by Nancy Appleton and my Friend Katrina Snow's new book...can't say more until it is published!


What I am writing: Emmie's Time travel story. I do not have a title yet.



My next door neighbor Christy ranks up there in the top three funniest people I have ever known in my life. The other two are my darling husband Carl and my good buddy from high school Chris Cushing. Christy has a wonderful blog that I like to check in on every once an a while, when I need a dose of the happy stuff. She has such a light hearted way of dealing with everything. She does not have my quick and out of control Irish temper. (or do I get that from the Norwegian side....) This week she was blogging about the mythical creatures our kids believe in: The Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, St. Nikolaus (Living here in Germany we have to keep up with German ones too).


My nine year old is convinced she saw a ten foot easter bunny outside our house in Hawai'i so, she knows the easter bunny is real. The other kids on the block are trying to convince her otherwise. "It's was your Dad" they say. I assure her that there is no way in hell her dad would wear a bunny suit. I could have been the giant rats, my other daughter helpfully adds. "Ewe! No, he was cute and fluffy, not...rat-y"


How long should I let this go on? We have a ongoing debate about Santa Claus as well, but my 11 year old will cut people off at the knees who try to tell her Jolly Old St, Nick is a myth. Should I send her off to college still believing, or should I take care of this problem? You thoughts?



Headed to Norway for my ....eeek....40th birthday!

Ok, so I guess I have to take the 30-smething description off my "About Me" box on my Blog. Not that anyone but my cousin Robyn reads this blog, but still honesty is the best policy. :o)

Three years ago, during the memorial service for my sweet, wonderful, wise, dashing grandfather, my twelve cousins and I decided to meet up in 2010 and go to the 17 Mai celebrations in Norway. My grandfather was Norwegian and it would be a great trip to see all the cousins we had never met, due to the separation of the family for years. The pact was made. Because I was in contact with several of our cousins in Kristiansand and Lillesand, I would do all the planning and all they had to do was save their pennies. Then the economy tanked. All those extra pennies now had to be put towards frivolous things like milk, and mortgages, and diapers for the newest additions to the Nielsen/McDermott Clan. With 17 Mai 2010 fast approaching there are only two left who will be going on the trip, myself and my sister. To be fair, we both live in Europe. I in Germany and she in Italy.

So, off we will go, with my two daughters in tow, for our great 17 Mai adventure. I have visited Norway before to visit with cousins from both sides of my Grandfather's family, but I have never visited on 17 Mai. We will begin our trip in Stavanger to Hike Pulpit Rock and then grab the train to Kristiansand to spend 17 Mai. My cousin will dress me up in his mother's Bunad for the celebration. (My great great Aunt's Bunad). I tried it on once before, and I was afraid I would loose one of those thousand dollar buttons or cuff links. Walking around all day will make me very nervous. Will I have to take out an insurance policy agains loosing any of the beautiful pieces? I have also wondered about the children, should I dress them up in little generic Fest Bunads? Will that be insulting to the Bunad police? I see photos of plenty of other children wearing the little generic Bunads. The authentic Bundads for children are so beautiful. It seems as though it is quite a bit of money to invest in one outfit for one day.

After Mai 17, we take the train to Oslo. My sister does not want to go to Oslo, but my girls would like to see the Viking Ship Museum. In Oslo, we are starting the Norway in a Nutshell tour track. You are on your own for this tour, which is very nice. It takes you by Train Across the country to the Myrdal and the to Flam. Stopping at many beautiful places in between. Once you reach Flam, you take a boat on the Aurlandsfjord to Bergen. We will spend the day in Bergen exploring and celebrating my birthday and then take the ferry to back to Stavanger.
On our last day in Stavanger we will explore the Lysefjord by boat. We will fly home that evening.

I am very excited about this trip, but my girls do not want to go with me. They have their heart set on traveling to Egypt this summer. I told them we may not be able to both, we will have to see how many pennies we can save on milk between now and then. :o)