Happy New Year

Imagine 5 girls - 1 bathroom!! What chaos!!

Sara had her 3 friends over this afternoon so they could get ready for tonights party. They were going to some other friends house to eat dinner and have a New Years Eve party. So Sara and her 3 friends, plus Leah who was also getting ready for our New Years Eve, took over the bathroom. How long can it take 5 girls to get ready???!!! LONG!! My girls certainly dont take after me in that area - I can get ready in 15 minutes!! (but then I never look as good as they do!)

Finally they were out of the bathroom and all ready to leave. (What beauties...you wouldnt think that all 4 girls are mad about go-kart racing - but even in their racing suits they look good!!)


Anway they left and we were finally able to get into the bathroom to get ready before our guests came. Only one problem....they had used all the hot water!!!! Arghhhhh!!!!! Cold showers for the rest of us!

Kristian wasn´t feeling the best. He thought he was getting over the cold/flu thing but as the day went on he was starting to feel more miserable - so he went into bed for an hour while I got dinner ready.

Our friend Laura and her daughter Mia were coming for dinner,then after dinner we would head over to our neighbours for coffee, tea, and cake - something we have done for the last few years.

After we ate - and by the way the food was delicicous, even if I say so myself, we totally flopped unto the sofa and relaxed. The recliners went back and we sat/lay and watched a film that was on TV, Kristian half slept on the sofa. Just my kind of New Year - no stress.

Leah and Mia were playing happily together in her bedroom.

Around 9.30pm we headed over to our neighbours. Kristian and I decided to have some fun and we took on a couple of wigs to see if it would help our appearance.....it sure gave our friends a laugh.

A little background information about the wigs. I had seen these wigs in the supermarket but they cost £5 each, which I wasn´t going to pay. Now I love a bargin - so I was keeping an eye on them. I knew they would come down in price as they are in the supermarket especially for New Year.

So this afternoon about 1 hour before closing I went to the supermarket and checked them out. Yes - they were set down to....wait for it......50p!!!!! Can you believe it?!!! So I bought 7 different wigs!!!! Don´t ask me what I am going to do with 7 wigs...haha - they were cheap. I got 7 for the under the price of what 1 wig would have cost. Now that´s a bargin!! haha

Well, now for another story....this afternoon Sara rang just as I had come home from the supermarket with the wigs. Winnie and she were up in town and wondered if I would pick them up. I said I would. They said they were in the supermarket and I said I would meet them there.... thats when I got the idea. I would wear one of the wigs and go meet them!!!

So on went the wig with the rollers and I drove up to town, parked the car and walked over to the supermarket -the looks I got were hilarious. I was trying to keep a straight face. I walked into the supermarket just as Winnie and Sara walked out, so we actually nearly bump into each other. " Oh no it´s my mum" shouts Sara, while Winnie and she burst into laughter. It was rather funny...they just couldnt believe I would actually go out in public in a wig like that, especially in the town that I live in!! haha

Well back to this evening.....we headed over to our neighbours and had such a brilliant evening with them. Andrew and their son are best friends and they are the sweetest, nicest people you could meet. (My other friend Rhona and husband were meant to also be there too, but unfortunately they were down with some bug as well. We missed you Rhona and Peng.)

We ate cake and talked and before we knew it was 11.45pm and time to go in and see the traditional TV clip that is shown every year at 11.45pm "Dinner for one" and every year we laugh at the same funny things.

Then it was time to toast in the New Year. Then out to the fireworks. In Denmark everyone buys fireworks for the New Year and at midnight the place goes mad. It´s really beautiful - fireworks going off everywhere.

It was cold!! So it was nice to come into some warm Tortoise Stew - (it´s not really Tortoise - just the name gives the impression. It´s an old Danish dish that has different meats in it and is served with boiled egg.) I had never tried it before and it was really delicious.

The night went by too quickly, before we knew it it was 2am and we thought we better head home. It has been a really lovely New Year.

(Leah with her 2009 glasses)

Happy New Year everyone. I hope 2009 is a good year for you all.

A houseful of friends...

We have had the most relaxing Christmas. For 4 days I have painted, or played beauty/hair salon with Leah. We as a family have watched tons of films....it´s been sooooo relaxing. (and off course ate too much!)

On boxing day Sara left to visit her friend Winnie. They were going to a big go-kart race were there would be alot of international drivers.

Sara had been asked by one of the sponsors to go into the airport and meet 5 of the lads who would be driving. Two were from England, one from Belgium, one from France, another from Monaco. (One of the guys she was meeting is a possible upcoming formula one driver, who is good friends with Lewis Hamilton) so Sara was really nervous about going to meet them. (They are the Elite of go-kart world)

I have never seen her soooo nervous. (She was wondering what to do when they came out from arrivals- should she shake their hand or hug them.) Turned out she didnt have to worry, they were all really nice lads and really easy going and funny. (We got a phone call with a very relieved Sara on the other end saying how sweet they all had been and how appreciative they were that she had helped them.) She followed them into Copenhagen and got them on the right train. She then met up with them again at the race.

(We asked her what she did when they came out from arrivals, as this was the big worry!! - hug them or shake their hand....well, she shook their hand, but was rather surprised when she got kissed by the French guy - off course it was on both cheeks, just the way the French do!!)

So today Sara came home and brought Winnie with her. Winnie will stay here until New Years day.

Yesterday Kristian was meant to go back to work, unfortunately he was feeling rotten - a bad cold and fever. So he spent the day in bed. I went off to visit my friend Laura so he could have some peace. Leah was going to play with her daughter and so while they played Laura and I had a good natter.

Then today I went food shopping again. Time to stock up the cupboards. There were sooooo many people in town and in the supermarket, but there was also lots of bargins. So I had fun looking around bargin hunting. I didnt buy anything though - only food.

Kristian was off work today again. He had no fever and was feeling alot better but still not up to going to work. So he had an easy day lying on the sofa. At least he made it out of bed today!

Then we had our friends Jette and Philip over for dinner. We always have a cosy Christmas get together with them were we exchange some silly gifts and just have fun. (We were both so busy before Christmas that we decided to do it after Christmas.) We had a great evening with them.(especially their wee son Jonatan, who we are all wild about!)

Just after dinner one of our neighbours popped by, that was really nice. He has been a sponsor for Sara the last 2 years, so he came by to wish us a Happy New Year.

So we really did have a house full of friends.

I have caught a bug....

....I have caught a bug - a painting bug. All I want to do is sit and paint - and since I am off work that is exactly what I have been doing today, or at least for part of the day.

This morning Leah and I went to town to exchange her wick dance mats that I had bought her for Christmas. We got our money back without any problem at all. Then we went around the shops for an hour, to see what we could buy with the money instead. (We didnt find anything.) We weren´t really in the mood for shopping so we just decided to head home.

I then spent this evening painting. It has been so relaxing and soooo much fun. I am not totally satisfied with the result but I really dont want to use anymore time on it. I´m ready to move on to another painting. (I think the problem with big canvases is that it takes sooo much longer to paint and then I get a bit impatient....the smaller ones work better for me!) Anyway I thought I would give you a look at what I did....any ideas how to improve it let me know....on second thougths - dont, cause I really cant be bothered fixing it up! haha

Boxing day

When I was a teenager Boxing day was spent out in the cold playing hockey!! (Anyone remember those days??)

How I loved getting up early and meeting down at the church with a bunch of my friends. We would drive off to the hockey/football fields. The boys and men of the church would play football while us girls played hockey (although if we were truthful, our minds and eyes were more on the boys playing football than the hockey game that we were meant to be playing - there was always some boy out there playing, that one of us fancied! haha) Ah, those were the days!!

Now days I dont think I have enough puff in me to run around a hockey pitch and play a game!! So it is just as well that my Boxing day was spent in a much more relaxed manner.

We spent the day each doing his and her own thing. Leah was busy with her hair salon, Andrew was playing some games, Sara downloading music to her new ipod, Kristian was racing cars in his wee cupboard.Then later in the day the kids all watched DVD´s together. I spent the day sitting in the living room painting. I thought I would put my new canvas´s to good use. So I had a wonderful relaxing afternoon painting. Below is the results..... WINTER WONDERLAND....

Happy Kids...

Christmas morning and the kids slept till 10am!!! (Wonderful having big kids!!) But as soon as they woke it was all go....they wanted to see their gifts, and they were really excited.

Leah got some girlie stuff - curling tongs, a new mirror, creams, soapbag, some DVD´s and a game of DEAL- NO DEAL. She was very pleased.

Sara had wished for an IPOD in red. It was impossible to get a red one in the shops so I had ordered it over the internet. Then one day while I was at work this very friendly postman came with the parcel. Sara opened the door. He gave it to Sara and said "Here´s an IPOD for you" Stupid postman!! Sara rang me at work totally delighted "I have got an ipod - the postman told me - can I open it" Off course I said NO!!

You couldn´t see from the parcel that it was an ipod. So the postman must have had a delivery note with the contents of the parcel written on it. So he spoiled that surprise - but we got Leah to tell Sara that the Ipod was yellow (and sara just did not want an yellow/golden one!!) So one day when Leah was talking to Sara she let it accidently, on purpose, slip out that the Ipod was yellow. Sara really believed her. So she was totally delighted when she saw it was red. Just what she wished for!! We had another very happy girl.

Andrew had wished for a mini cooler/fridge for his room. It´s one that holds 6 tins of coke - so he was totally delighted to get that, filled with 6 tins of soda, as well as some DVD´s and a few new sweatshirts and jeans. A very happy boy.

I was in desperate need of a new bath robe. So I was very happy to get a new one (yes it´s PINK Pauline!!! but I just love it!) I also got new canvases to paint on.....I was one happy lady.

One thing we always look forward too is our Christmas dinner and this year was no exception. It was delicious!!! After dinner the rest of the day was spent relaxing and having fun together.

Leah and I played around with her new hair styling set. You could curl the hair, straighten, crimp, - so we tried crimpling...and then set it up. What fun we had!!

Then we tried out her new dance mat. It was really wick. (We had a bit of a laugh at how bad it was - so she wasnt disappointed, it wasnt anything she had wished for just something I picked up in a sale and thought it would do as a surprise. Basically it was cheap dirt and I fell for it and bought it!!) so we are going to take it back on Saturday and get our money back.

Christmas Eve

What a wonderful Christmas Eve we had....

It started with a bit of a lie in, then up to a wonderful breakfast of toast, bacon and eggs. It was then time to get ready for the days activities. We had to be down at Kristians brothers house for 12 midday.

We made it - but not quite for 12 o´clock!! When we arrived there was a hive of activity. There were family members everywhere!! Some were in the kitchen starting the preperation for dinner - others making sweets from marcipan and others were arriving just like us. The idea was that we all came early so we could help with the preperations...like decorating the Christmas tree, making the food and sweets, setting the table etc.

Going into the living room, the first thing to greet us was the Christmas tree....

Ehhhhh.....not quite what we were expecting!!! This is what happens when a finanical crisis hits Denmark!!!

At first we thought it was a joke, but then Sara and her cousins were given the job of decorating the tree. They got going and Kristian´s brother Anders, didnt stop them. He just let them hang balls and hearts and tinsel on the tree. When the kids were allowed to decorate the tree I was sure that this was our real tree for the evening....and since Anders is crazy (in the best possible way!) - it was just like something he would do.

Even with the decorations,- it just didnt seem to help, the tree didnt look any better. The kids asked if they could have an axe so they could go out into the forest and chop a tree down!! Finally Anders let us in on the joke and went and got the proper tree, which had been sitting outside the window the whole time but none of us had seen it!!!

What a relief - now we could all help get the proper tree decorated.

Late afternoon it was off to church, then home to a delicious dinner of duck and pork served with boiled potatoes, small caramelised potatoes, red cabbage and warldorff salad. We ate too much (as usual!!)

After dinner we played some silly fun games!

Then it was the time that I always look forward too. Singing carols while walking around the tree. It is a really special tradition that the Danes have and I just love it. It is so cosy and it puts focus on what Christmas is really all about - the birth of Jesus.

After singing, Anders read the Christmas story for us. Then we ended off with one more carol. It was really special.

Then it was time for one more tradition, - dancing through the house singing one of the silly Christmas songs. We started off by going around the tree - then out through the house, around the garden and over into the barns to visit the animals....all the while singing "Now its Christmas again!" It was sooo much fun. Well why not take a look for yourself, we made a small video, the video starts just as we enter the barn.....

Then it was into the house to exchange gifts. We had agreed that each person should only buy one present. A man bought a present for another man, a woman for another woman and a child for another child. It worked out really well.

We finally left for home around midnight. It really was a wonderful Christmas eve.

If you want to see more photos from Christmas eve just click on the album below:

Christmas Eve 2008

Merry Christmas Everyone

It´s finally here - Christmas!! If you´re living in Denmark and haven´t bought your gift by now...well, it´s too late, all the shops are now closed until Saturday!

It has been another busy day. I was up early this morning, together with Kristian. He had work today, so I was driving him there so I could have the car to shop for food. I thought getting to the shops early would mean no people and no queues - how wrong I was!! The place was packed. But I wasn´t stressed so it was actually really cosy and people were even talking to each other in the queues - I had a nice natter with quite a few people. It really makes shopping so much more pleasant.

After a few hours of shopping, it was home to put everything away. A quick tidy up of the place (I had cleaned it all at the weekend) and then I was ready to go and visit one of my old people from my time in HomeHelp. I keep in touch with a few of them. Those who dont have any family. So I went by today with some small gifts and had a wonderful few hours.

Then I went shopping again....I just cant get enough!! Actually I just went to pick up Sara from work, but I was ½ hour early so I had a quick wander around the shops. When we came home Kristian had dinner ready.....I feel so relaxed, everything is so under control that it feels weird....I surely must have forgotten something???!!!

After dinner we decided to make sweets with marcipan and nougat. A Danish tradition, which we love doing. So on went the Christmas music, and out came the marcipan and nougat.

Andrew just ate the marcipan instead off making sweets. Everytime he cut a piece off it just seemed to make it´s way into his mouth!!

Sara got very creative and made a Lewis Hamilton face.

And I made a snowman. Ahhhhh! However some of our other attempts were not just as creative - or they just didnt turn out the way we wanted!

But we enjoyed making them, and eating half the marcipan and nougat while doing it!!

So tomorrow is the big day over here. We are soooo looking forward to being together with all of Kristian´s family. We all really enjoy being together, and that is a real blessing. To have a family were literally everyone gets on really well with each other is such a privilege. It´s always a pleasure to get together and something we look forward too.

I hope that you and your family will have wonderful Christmas. It has been fun keeping this blog. Thank you for following our lives here in Denmark....MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU!

Almost there....

....only a few more days to go till Christmas!! (and only 1 more day at work!!)

What a busy weekend it has been - but it has also been so productive and good.

It all started Friday night....now what did happen on Friday evening??? I can´t remember right now - it seems sooooo long ago and I wont even try to think about what we did, my brain might go into overdriver and explode!!

Then there was Saturday - now that I can remember!

We were up at 7.30am...now that is a very rare happening in our family, on a Saturday morning!

Kristian and I were going off to clean the church, it was our groups turn. We were starting with breakfast, so I needed to be there at 8.30am with bread and coffee.

We spent a few productive hours at church getting it cleaned. Then off to town Christmas shopping. Lots of people everywhere, however they all seemed to be in a good mood and people were actually talking to each other while standing in the queue waiting to be served (now that´s a rare happening in Denmark!) Rather cosy though. I rather enjoyed it!

Kristian and I had split up as we needed to buy Christmas presents for each other. However I kept bumping into Kristian....and I honestly wasnt following him. In one shop I bumped into him and he had to hide, behind his back, a potential present for me. The sales person came over and asked if he could help us with anything, to this Kristian replied "Yes, please get my wife out of the shop!" The poor sales fella didnt know what to do. (I left of my own free will!)

Then our church was meeting to carol sing in the middle of town, while typical Danish Christmas treats were handed out to those passing by, along with hot chocolate. After singing for half an hour, we left. It was out to buy a Christmas tree.
Now what a job that was! Can it really be so hard....yes, believe me, it can!! We couldnt find one which we really liked, they were either too tall, or too small, too bushy or too skinny. HONESTLY!! Well in the end we just bought one. It´s not the nicest tree we have ever had, but hey, it will do the job! (The cat will probably have it torn to pieces within the next few days anyway!)


Late afternoon we came home and I started to clean and organise. I cleared out cupboards and wardrobes and under beds. I cleaned every nook and cranny. WOW it felt good. By midnight most of the house was finished and I was feeling very pleased with myself.



Then after church today, Kristian and I decided, along with my friend Laura and her daughter Mia, to go and visit the ship LOGOS HOPE. It has been in Denmark since the summer. They were having a theme "'Christmas around the world" so we decided to go and check it out. We had a brilliant afternoon.


I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I saw the bookshop!! Poor Kristian, Leah and Mia, they were tired waiting on Laura and me....we went a bit mad. (to say the least!) Everything was sooo cheap. The pile of books I have only cost me £20!!

Then it was around to see how they hold Christmas around the world. Met this guy from Australia - some weird looking people from down there!! haha


Leah and Mia got to try and hold Christmas on the beach like in Australia


Just had to get my photo taken at the United Kingdom one!


Then it was off to the coffee shop for hot chocolate and cake. Ice cream for Kristian and the kids.


We ended the afternoon with a tour of the ship.


Then when we got home we had a quick dinner and then it was time to get the tree decorated. Finally!!


Roll on Christmas!!

Just for you...

When I go through hard times and trials, God at times can feel so far away. One thing that helps me is music. I love to play songs that speak truth to my heart, that encourage me and remind me of Bible truths that I can so easily forget when in the middle of the furance.

For anyone who is in the furance right now - this next songs for you. (It´s a bit country and western, - bear with it - the words are fantastic!)

I have a secret admirer

Yes, it´s true....I have a secret admirer. I only found out about him today, quite by accident. But I must say, he is rather a hunky fella. I just didnt realise I had had such an impact on him when I met him. Check him out for yourselves and see what I´m talking about....just press the link below

http://www.acapela.tv/Cartoon-bba08a6a4096-bba08a9a6636-bba08ab1fa37-4-5-4

Earthquake hits Denmark

Honest - we had an earthquake at 6.20am and I missed the whole thing!! Talk about being disappointed!!

I only found out about it when I came to work. Everyone was talking about it. Some of the teachers woke up because of it. It felt like someone was shaking their bed. Apparently the earthquake hit the area north of Copenhagen, where we live, and measured 4.7 on the Richter scale.

Sara rang me at work and asked me if I had felt the shaking. She had woke up and wondered what was happening. Her bed was shaking and she could hear things on her shelf hitting together. She couldnt work out what was going on, she sat up in bed and then the shaking stopped, so she thought she must have been dreaming and went back to sleep again.

What I would like to know is how on earth I missed it???? At 6.20am I was brushing my teeth and drying my hair (at the same time.) I know this, as I looked at my clock at 6.18am and thought I better get a move on...I still had wet hair and needed to leave in 6 minutes. So I had the hairdrier in one hand and my toothbrush in the other. I must have been sooooo involved in what I was doing that the earthquake passed me by.

Anyway you can be sure it was the talk of the school. Glad to say that we all lived to tell the tale.

Party time!

It has been a weekend for parties.

Friday night was our works Christmas dinner. We had a brilliant evening with delicious food and lots of fun, games and laughter. I really have a wonderful bunch of colleagues.

Each year the Christmas dinner is different. Last year we had a theme, it was "OLD PEOPLES HOME". Everyone was to come dressed as an old person. What a laugh we had. People really got into it. I had a blast dressing up as an old man. This year we were a little bit more normal!! (Well as normal as we can be!) - we still had a great night!



Saturday I was able to squeeze in an hour of painting. I was just in the mood to play around with colours.

Then Saturday evening we were invitated to my friend Jette´s 30th Birthday. We had a really fun night with her,her family and other friends. Thanks Jette - we really enjoyed the night.

Then today our niece turned 18!! I really cant believe it. I remember when she was born and going over to see her for the first time. She was so tiny and I was allowed to hold her and give her her bottle. I was so amazed at this wee tiny bundle. All the more so because I had just found out that I was pregnant with Sara . I just cant believe that is 18 years ago!!

So we were invited to dinner today. We had a lovely afternoon there and got, once again, delicious food. (I could get used to this!!) I get on sooo well with Gitte - she is such a great girl.

And even though she is 18, she is never too old for a kiss and cuddle from her old aunty!!

Now there is only 10 days left to Christmas. (HELP!!!!!)

We didnt buy our Christmas tree this weekend, as we had planned - so we need to squeeze that in sometime during the week! Plus, I still have a few presents to get. Ah well, we still have 10 days of shopping left. (Well, actually I only have 9, we hold Christmas over here on the 24th - so there are no shops open on the 24th!! No panic - we always make, why should this year be any different.)