The last couple of weekends...

Time to catch up with a new blog entry as it will probably be several weeks until the next one. We are taking three weeks of holiday starting next week (local here in Norway), and I probably won't be blogging much.

We have spent the last couple of weekends in Feda (shocker!).

This pic is Lexi and Tim catching a fish two weekends ago. Lexi thought it was fun until the fish started flipping around in the bucket on the boat (final spasms, etc.) and there was blood underneath him. She got some splatter on her and she really just wasn't sure about fishing any more. The next day, when she and Tim went out to catch (and release) some crabs, she asked "Do crabs have blood inside them like the fish did?". So, it obviously made a big impression on her. Today (nearly 10 days later), she explained to me that Pappa had stuck something in the fish (a knife) and then the fish was dead. So, she has now accepted the facts...

We had the pleasure of having a "girls" weekend this last weekend. Our friends Deb, Elita (3-1/2) and Lailah (almost 2) came to visit from England and we met-up with local friends Jacinta, Grace (3-1/2) and Rachel (almost 1) for a fun few days. I confess that I did not have my camera out very much; so, I will wait for Deb or Jacinta to send me any good group pics. Deb and the girls arrived Wed afternoon and spent Thursday wandering around Stavanger with Jacinta and her girls (I had to work and Lexi went to daycare). Thursday night was a grill party at Jacinta's where Tim and Joe were invited (needed the men to man the grill) and Friday was a fun day at Metro Lekeland (indoor play place). Friday night, we headed to the boathouse in Feda for the rest of the weekend. The guys mysteriously declined to come....

Here is a pic of the older girls at the boat harbor in Feda

(Grace, Elita, Lailah and Lexi)

Lexi would only "cheese" for me and my camera...

The three "three year olds" walking down the street

(Grace, Elita and Lexi)

Another fun package!

Aunt Brenda sent Lexi a package and it arrived yesterday! Lexi loves to receive packages; so, when I picked her up from daycare, I had the little notice from the post office in my hand. Talk about a motivating factor to quit playing and head out! She is normally one to keep playing or take ages to gather her stuff to come home, but yesterday it was lightening fast. We were going to our local grocery store / post dispatch to pick up her package!

Aunt Brenda, Cousin Jennifer and Cousin Jonathan sent a huge goody box with loads of arts and crafts type activities. Lexi had to try everything last night! The video clip of her opening the package is below, but I didn't manage to get the camera back out in time for every "activity station".

Here is the end result of her painting...

Here is her new book stand with one of her books on it...

Here she is tryin out her new chalk and chalk holders....

Here she is drawing with the "magic" markers (see second video clip below)...
Here she is stencilling...

Balloons from Grammy & Grandpa

Lexi received a balloon (or ba-balloon) bouquet from Grammy and Grandpa on Tuesday afternoon. It was an early "Get Well" since she was going into the hospital Wednesday morning to have her tonsils and adenoids removed. All went well with the surgery and we are home recovering. Her appetite is starting to come back and she was in better spirirts this evening. She will be home from daycare at least 5-7 days. We'll just have to see how it goes....

The Dolphin Show at Mundomar in Spain

As mentioned in the main Spain blog entry below, here is a video clip of Lexi during some of the dolphin show at Mundomar in Benidorm. I merged three little clips together and had to compress it quite a bit; so, the quality isn't the greatest, but... Lexi was really into the show for a while (she was quite the clapper), but then she got bored and needed to run off some energy. Enjoy.

Spain 2010

Firstly, let me say that my sister nagged me recently to update my blog, but HELLO! she has like 6 blog entries for the whole of 2010! So, Kris, you better get busy uploading some new pics of MT!

Now, I know that this blog entry will completely defeat the purpose of a blog, but I seriously could not narrow down the pics any more. We have so many great memories from our recent 2 weeks in Spain that I decided to upload a whole batch of photos. We spent our first week in Spain with our good friends from Flekkefjord, Morten, Ann-Britt and their two boys Sander (nearly 7) and Dani (5). They left after a week and we had a couple of days on our own before our good Irish friends Joe, Jacinta and their two girls Grace (3) and Rachel (9 months) joined us.

Here are some of our favorite memories...

The princess in the sand....

Always on the run...

Lexi and her Pappa
Cheese!
Sander, Dani and Lexi

A very round Bran (finally lost some water weight while in Spain :) ) with Tim and Lexi

PS - for those that haven't heard, we are expecting baby #2 in November and I have been feeling pretty poorly for about 8-9 weeks now. Lack of excercise and eating regularly to ward off the headaches caused me to gain some weight pretty fast! Hence, you won't see many pics of me....

Lexi, Morten, Sander and Dani

Dani, Sander and Lexi

Tim and Lexi with a view of Alicante

Bran and Lexi

Ann-Britt and Dani

The Princess poses

Gotta love swinging...

Bran and Lexi watching the sea lion show at Mundomar in Benidorm

Lexi entranced in the dolphin show at Mundomar in Benidorm

Hard to see, but there were dolphins. It was a pretty entertaining show! Will have to upload a video clip later of Lexi.

Lexi made friends with a penguin

Sander and Dani buried Lexi in the sand

Sander and Dani digging Lexi up

Tim & Lexi, Morten & Sander, Ann-Britt & Dani in Torrevieja

Always on the run...

We went from playground to playground...

Miss Fashion Statement (Tim bought her the glasses - not me!)

Collecting seashells on the beach

Grace finally arrived and brought Lexi a present of a new dress!

Fuzzy picture, but it showed Grace and Lexi in their dresses and crocs

Grace, Tim and Lexi

Again, always on the run...

Tim & Lexi and Joe & Grace petting a camel at Rio Safari in Elche

Lexi and Grace on the trampolines

Lexi and Grace waiting for Tim & Joe to buy Go Cart tickets

Lexi's first Go Cart ride

Joe & Grace

Jacinta and Rachel

Who's passing who?

More beach time...

Jacinta & Rachel

Always on the move...

Thanks to all for a great time!

Easter blog entry #2

Well, some would say that we are mad, but.... for the third year in a row, the January 2007 birthday girls have managed to meet-up. Lexi and I met Jacinta, Grace and Rachel at Stavanger Sola airport on Easter Sunday evening. We flew to London Gatwick and then stayed overnight at a nearby Holiday Inn. The next morning, we took the train to Chichester where we invaded Deb, Elita and Lailah's house. 5 girls -three and under- was definitely excitement at all times and three days was probably the max amount to invade Deb's lovely house. Here are some pics of the fun...

Lexi, Lailah, Grace and Elita hopping on the trampoline...

Grace and Lexi enjoying Elita's backyard toys...

Lexi and Grace again...

Elita and Lexi at the local playground in "the baby swings"

Miss Fashion statement herself....

Beautiful Lailah...

Deb and the girls being blown away on the boardwalk in Bognor Regis

"No fears" Elita had to have her picture taken with Diego. The other girls only wanted to watch.... (We spent Tuesday at Butlin's - which is a family fun park - both indoor and outdoor - in Bognor Regis)

Gorgeous Rachel

Elita and Grace riding the cars....

Lexi insisted on riding by herself....

Again, "loner" Lexi wanted her own teacup while Grace and Elita shared one...

We finally prevailed - all three in one ladybug

And all three in one teacup!

On the Merry-Go-Round outside.... (Elita, Lexi and Grace)

Lexi, Bran, Jacinta, Rachel and Elita on the Merry-Go-Round

Playing dress-up at Elita's house...

Dancing at the ball...

Thanks Deb for being such a wonderful hostess! Looking forward to July :)