Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!!!!

Another year drawing to a close and a new one about to begin! This year we are having a quiet night at home! Sara and Alessio are out at a friends house. Leah has a friend over and they are having fun playing games on the Wii. Andrew has his old faithful computer to keep him company! As for Kristian and me, well we have been lazying around on the sofa watching some good programmes on TV. Thankfully this year we look nothing like the two people in the picture above! haha (Thought I would put that in to give you a laugh - it was taken way back in 2003 when we had a small New Years party here at home!!!)

Only 1½hours until midnight...I wonder if I can stay awake??? I am dying to curl up in bed with my electric blanket and a good book, but I suppose that dream will have to wait a few years to be fulfilled - at least until all the kids are grown and its only Kristian and me at home, then we wont have to stay up for the fireworks - I know we are pretty boring when it comes to New Year!!!

Well whatever you folks are up to this New Year, I hope its something you enjoy. Thanks for following my blog in 2009! Its been great being in contact with sooo many of you again. Happy New Year - may 2010 be a great year for us all!

Happy Birthday Jette....

Meet my lovely mother-in-law! Today she turned 74 years old - doesnt she look well!! I have just been sitting thinking about how "lucky" I am to have a mother-in-law like her. She really is a wonderful person. From the first time I met her I knew we would get on! Way back then she could only speak a few words of English and I could speak no Danish at all, but never the less, we got on.


Jette is such a caring person. She has a big heart. I always feel that I could tell her anything without her being judgemental or condemning. She has always given me sound advice, but not in an annoying, interfering way. Her advice has always been there, I could take it or leave it, and if I left it, she never did get offended. She has a wonderful sense of humour and through the years we have had a few laughs together. She has a calm and a confidence about her - you just feel good being in her presence....yes, she really is a wonderful mother-in-law who I love with all my heart:-) Happy Birthday Jette!


So it being Jettes birthday we were up early for a change. Sara had to go to work for a few hours but the rest of us, Alessio included, headed down to see Jette and wish her a Happy Birthday!


Kristians two brothers and their families were there when we arrived, so it was nice to catch up with them too. We had brunch there - delicious:-) However our visit was suddenly cut short. Sara rang! We had forgotten to put the key in the normal hiding place so she could get into the house when finished with work. Ooops - she was not amused - hahaha - she was cold (it was a cold day here) she was hungry and she just wanted into a warm house. Instead she had to sit ½ hour on the steps waiting for us to get home!!

When we got home we decided it was time for the Christmas tree to go. The new year is approaching and besides that, the cat had the tree wrecked! So down came Christmas tree and decorations - bit sad really, its so much fun putting them up! But on the bright side - I now have a nice clean organised house again - ready for the New Year!!

Books, books and more books....

One thing a girl can never have too many off is BOOKS!! (although my daughters, son and husband would not agree!) I am the only book worm in this family! But there is nothing better than snuggling down in bed at night with a good book. Nothing like getting totally absorbed in another persons life, their dreams, their problems, their mistakes, their failures or even their successes. Its wonderful!!


I mostly like to read romantic books, or funny books, or some sort of teaching book on some theological subject (nothing too deep though!! I have a simple mind!!) or a practical book that will help me live out the Christian life.

Well I have spent a good part of today reading. One of my favourite Christian writers is Adrian Plass.


Through out December I have been reading The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass aged 37 and 3/4. I have read this book about 7, maybe 8 times and I literally roll around in bed hardly able to breathe because I am laughing so much...I usually end up crying too from all the laughing. I always try to read the hilarious parts to Kristian, (that is, when I have got myself together again)so he too can be in on the fun, but he only looks at me and says "so whats so funny about that?"


So after reading his first diary, I then read the follow up - The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass - Christian speaker aged 45 3/4..... He also has a third book in the series, which I too have read, (but unfortunately I didnt get it fitted in to this Decembers readings!!)



Today I just finished reading Adrians - Stress Family Robinson nr2 book! I enjoyed the first one sooo much that I bought the 2nd one as a Christmas present for myself - a real bargin it was too. A used book in good condition going for 5p - they could nearly just give it away! (BUT I had to pay £3.75 in postage - did you ever!!)

So why am I telling you all this?

Probably because I am feeling a little bit sad that I dont have anymore Adrian Plass books to read at the moment. He brightens my day! His charaters are in some ways soooo like me!! hahaha He makes me laugh and yet his writings make me think too. So I suppose I just wanted to recommend some fun reading to those of you who love to read. A few books to help get you through the depressing winter months with a laugh and a smile on your face:-)

Now I´m off to check out amazon to see what other books he has!!

Its been so relaxing

....we have relaxed so much over the last few days. We have literally locked ourselves away in our own wee world, here in our apartment. It has been something we all needed - just time to be us!

Time has been spent playing games together, seeing films, talking, and eating far too much food and sweets! Today I even got a chance to paint. I must say, it has been such a great holiday - a great Christmas!

(Above are the three paintings I got painted this afternoon and evening)

This evening Alessio arrived. Over the next few days there is a big go-kart race event in Copenhagen so Sara and Alessio are heading off to that. That also probably means that over the next few days we will have more than one or two young people popping by - dear knows how many will end up sleeping around the house! So its been nice to have these few calm days with nobody but us around.....who knows how long it will be before we get to experience that again!! haha (but if the truth be told we actually like it that way - people popping in and out and lots of things happening around us!)

Its all over....

...yet another Christmas has come and gone.

We have had a lovely Christmas. It all began yesterday on the 24th December with a lovely brunch of bacon, eggs, and special Danish bread. Then it was off to church for a short Christmas service. (Nice to take time out to remember the real meaning of it all!) It was then down to Krisitans brothers house for a family gathering. Not all the family were gathered this year, but we were 14 gathered for dinner.

We had such a cosy evening. The kids enjoyed playing with their wee cousins (2 year old twins), while the adults got dinner ready.

After a delicious meal we gathered in the living room to sing carols around the Christmas tree.

Finally we ended the evening by exchanging gifts. Another wonderful Christmas....

I must say the highlight of this Christmas was not the family, or the food, or the carol singing or even the presents!! The highlight for me this year was.....well, why dont I just show you, rather than explain it.....

Today we held our own Christmas. The kids slept to 10am!! (sometimes there is benefits in having big kids! haha) Then it was up to open our presents. The kids were delighted with all they got. The highlight being a Wii machine that we all got from Grandad! - many games of tennis have been played today! Its been a lovely relaxing day!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Shadow and the whole Rasmussen family!!

The shops are now all closed in Denmark, - today is the big day here!! I am so looking forward to seeing friends at church and then being with the family for the big traditional Danish dinner. I love singing carols while walking around the tree and off course the fun part of exchanging gifts.

I hope that you all will have a wonderful, blessed Christmas with your family and friends.

I have just been thinking about the amazing truth of the Christmas story, because of Jesus we can peace with God and peace in our lives no matter what our circumstances are. I hope you will know His peace this Christmas. Merry Christmas!!

4 days to go!!

Its the final countdown.....Christmas is getting closer and closer!

Tonight my friend Laura H (as we call her) popped by with her daughter Mia. It was great to see her again. Its been ages since we have talked together, so there was a lot of catching up to do.

We exchanged a few small gifts.....

and the girls were so happy to see each other again.

Laura was able to ask Kristian a whole lot of technical stuff about computers and digital signals to the TV. I thought it was funny to see Laura sitting on the floor talking away to Kristian who was standing there answering all her questions....it really looked like she knew her place - at the mans feet!!! hahaha

So only tomorrow to go and then I am off work for nearly 2 weeks!!! Yipieeee!!!

5 days to go!!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

A few pictures taken around the area were we live.....there is something very beautiful about snow, even though it makes life that little more awkward!

6 days to go!!

Well done Rhoda - the right answer was 1995!! and I even remember that Christmas!!

So that was the end of the Christmas quiz for this time:-) Sorry I didnt organise a prize for the winners.... maybe next year I will do just that! All the people who answered right could get their names put in a hat and a winner pulled out. The winner could get a trip to Copenhagen to stay with The Rasmussen family for the weekend!! hahaha Now that could be fun!!!

So do you want to see what you could be in for if you were to spend a weekend with the Rasmussens?? Well click on the links below and come spend a day with us!! haha

(Warning: The videos are mainly on here for Sara and my dad - you others might find them rather boring - sorry!!)

8 days to go

....hope you all have started your Christmas shopping!! Only 8 days left to get it all organised - not that I want to stress or panic anyone.

So back to our Christmas quiz....well done Rhoda, she was the first one to answer the question. You have a great memory, imagine remembering way back to 2004! haha - yes 2004 was the correct answer!!

So now for todays question.....

When was the last white Christmas in Denmark??

Well it looks like we might be having a white Christmas this year. Yesterday we had a snow storm. (Looks like the climate top meetings in Copenhagen are doing some good! The weather is acting the way it should for this time of year!! haha) It really has been a beautiful day, but what a bother all the snow is!

This was what it looked like outside our kitchen window last night! This morning it took me an hour to get to work! By the time I got my frozen doors opened, shovelled all the snow away from the car so I could get out, and scrapped the ice of the windows ½ hour had gone by!! Then it took me ½ hour to make the usually 15 minute trip.

I hate driving in this kind of weather and yesterday I had to go and speak at a kids club (about a 35 minute drive from here) I was a nervous wreck, not because I should speak to the kids, but because of the snow. I got there and home in one peice - what a miracle that was!! and we had a great club too!

Sara is in Belgium. She left Monday evening and comes home again on Tuesday afternoon, just in time to unpack and get ready for the Christmas Eve celebrations! She seems to be having a great time - yet again!!

Kristian is away on a course again with work. He left this morning and comes home tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. I just talked to him and he is a bit of a nervous wreck himself - not because of the snow, but because he has a 3 hour exam tomorrow morning!! The poor man!! What a family of nervous wrecks we are!! Ah well, it wont be long till Christmas and then we can lock ourselves away in our wee home and forget about exams and snow!!

12 days to go!!

It been a while since you heard from me!! but here I am back again with lots of things to share....but first the answer to the last question. Yes Lisa and Angie got it right - it was Good King Wenceslas !! Well done.....and now for todays question.... "When was the last official white Christmas in Britain?"

So we had a busy weekend but it was full of Christmas spirit! (and I dont mean the alcoholic kind!!haha) Its been really great. Check out the two videos below and you will see what we have been up to.....

Our neighbour and his kids came to see the Christmas play with us, then they came home and ate dinner with us. We had a lovely Saturday evening with them.

So its been a great Sunday too!

15 days to go....

....its really starting to feel like Christmas!! ONLY 15 days to go!!

The answer to yesterdays question - "What is the date for St. Lucys (Lucia) day in Denmark?" is 13th December...well done Lisa and Angie!!

St Lucia was a young Christian girl who was martyred, killed for her faith, in 304AD. The most common story told about St Lucia is that she would secretly bring food to the persecuted Christians in Rome, who lived in hiding in the catacombs under the city. She would wear candles on her head so she had both her hands free to carry things. Lucy means 'light' so this is a very appropriate name.

Now for todays question: "Which Christmas carol does the following sentence come from....Brightly shone the moon that night though the frost was cruel?"

So today I went shopping again!! haha

This time I was looking for something to wear at my works Christmas dinner tomorrow evening. I found nothing!! The style that is out is just not me! Looks like I´ll be wearing my boring black pants and some sort of blouse!! (Must check out what Sara has hidden in her wardrobe - doubt that I can fit it though!! haha - just wishful thinking!)

Then this evening it was up to church. Leah had a dress rehersal. Tomorrow the kids from the church are preforming a musical about the Christmas story. All those involved have invited their class to come and see the musical, so around 120 kids will be their tomorrow. Leah cant wait and is excited that she got the day off school. Her classmates will be there to see her. On Saturday they will preform for family and friends.

Thought I would let you see a picture of our Christmas tree at work....we acutally dont have room for a Christmas tree in the room where we hold our breaks, but that doesnt stop us. We chopped the tree in half and stuck it up in the ceiling!! hahahaha

We finally got it decorated, so now all our breaks are taken in half darkness, cause we turn off the "big" lights and we turn on the Christmas tree lights. Then we light lots of candles around the place! We sure know how to be cosy!

16 days to go....

ooops life suddenly got busy!!! Now there is only 16 days to go!!!!


So the answer to the last question - "How many wise men were there?" Well the Bible doesnt actually tell us how many wise men there were. (There were 3 gifts but no where does it say there were 3 wise men.)


I love Angies answer though, and I quote - " a WISE man DOESNT exist!!!" hahahah Good one Angie!!


So now for day number 16s question. (You might have to do a bit of research for this one!) "What is the date for St. Lucys (Lucia) day in Denmark? "


So what have we been up to?


Well on Saturday Leah was away for the day. She was in at the studio making the puppet show for the childrens TV programmes. She had a brilliant day and totally loved doing it. Next time is in January!






On Sunday after church we had our friends Jette and Philip over for dinner. We had a great afternoon with them, especailly with the two small kids. It was just great having small kids around the place:-)

Its been all go this week. The kids have been wanting to go Christmas shopping, so on Monday I was out with Leah and Andrew. Tuesday I went shopping for one of the elderly ladies that I visit. Then today it was Saras turn!! off we went for 4 hours of shopping after work!! I have not been home anyday this week before 6pm!!! Ah well, not long to the Christmas holidays!!

19 days to go!!

So the plant that was in yesterdays quiz is called Anastatica or in English - "Jericho rose". Another name given to it is "The Resurrection Plant".

I had never seen them before I came to Denmark. In our school we have one. It is taken out every Christmas and set in water...within a few hours it opens up and stays that way until it is taken out of the water.

When it dries up it curls into a ball again and can be stored away until next Christmas. They are not pretty, but I just think its rather amazing that a thing that looks so dead can still have life in it!! Google Anastatica or Jericho rose and you can read about it yourself.....

I´m afraid no-one got that one right, so heres an easy one for todays question....

How many wise men were there???

20 days to go!!!

So the song from yesterday was called - My grown up Christmas List. If you want to hear the full version click the video below. It is such a beautiful song!! - one of my favourites. Well done Rhoda for guessing that one!!

And now for todays question.... What is the name of the plant in the photo below??

It starts out looking like nothing - see the photo above.....put it in water and it opens up to look like the photo below??

And one more video clip to put a smile on your face.....

21 days to go!!

So what carol did that line "Light and life to all he brings" come from??? Well Lisa you got it right, it was from Hark the herald angels sing!! Well done:-)

Now for todays - what is the song in the video below?

The weekend is here, and that always brings a smile to my face!! But just in case you need a little help getting a smile on your lips, here are some silly jokes below. They at least made me smile:-)

- Who is never hungry at Christmas? (The Turkey, he is always stuffed!!) hahahaha

- Whats the best thing to put into a Christmas cake? ( Your teeth!!) hahaha

- What Christmas carol is a favourite of parents? (Silent night!) hahaha

- What did Dracula say at the Christmas party ? (Fancy a bite?) hahahaha

- What kind of candle burns longer, a red candle or a green candle? (Neither - a candle always burns shorter)

- How do you make an irish man laugh on boxing day? (Tell him a joke on Christmas Eve!) haha

The Bible tells us that a merry heart doeth good like a medicine - I so believe that, so go on, do something fun this weekend - laugh and enjoy life.

22 days to go!!

So the answer to yesterdays songs is...."I´m dreaming of a white christmas" (Its the introduction to it - if you dont believe me listen to it below..) Sorry Lisa you got it wrong:-( Kristian got it right but he cheated!! He only got it right cause he heard it playing while I was clipping the video!!

Now for todays quiz question.....

Which Christmas carol does the following sentence come from - "Light and life to all He brings"?

We had a few guests visiting today. My "old" colleague Dorthe and two of her friends were here to see Leah. Dorthe works with Child Evangelism Fellowship here in Denmark. She is planning to make TV programmes for kids. These programmes will be shown on a Sunday morning at 8.30am. Statistics show that even the worst made programmes shown at this time reach at least 4000 children. Well Dorthe is planning to make programmes that are of a high standard. The programmes will use puppets and there will be a Bible story. It is all rather exciting.

Leah has said yes to help with the puppets. Dorthe has a group of teenagers that she is training to use the puppets. Leah is new to it all, so Dorthe came home to show her some of the basic steps before she goes to meet all the others on Saturday. They had a great afternoon practising. Leah is now soooo excited about it all.

23 days to go!

Now for the answer to yesterdays quiz question.....

Who was the first British monarch to broadcast a Christmas message to the nation? It was George the Fifth in 1932! Well done Dad! You were the first to guess it right! haha (and Ronnie did a good job confirming what you said!!) You both are very clever indeed!!

Now for todays question.....

What song is being played in the video clip below?

(Answer will be posted tomorrow)

So its the 2nd day in December - 23 days to go!!

Today I met up with an "old" friend - Rhona. We both have just been so busy and our schedules never seemed to match but today we managed to grab a few hours together and catch up. We met at our local cafe for hot chocolate. It was delicious and just what we needed on the first really cold day of winter. (We had our first frost night, it was minus 5 this morning!)

Well we had a lovely afternoon, the time flew by as it usually does when your having fun. (Thanks for a lovely afternoon Rhona! We have to do it again in January!)

Let the countdown begin!!

....24 days to Christmas!! 24 days to get organised! 24 days to get all the shopping done, the presents wrapped, the food prepared - OH HOW I LOVE IT!!!

So its December and I thought that through this month I would make a Christmas quizz for you to have some fun with. Every day, (ok maybe NOT every day)....but when I update my blog I will post a question or a puzzle - something to make you think!! You can write the answer under the comments (if you wish) and the day after I will post the answer on the blog. Now does that sound like fun??? hahaha

Today I was off work. I had planned to have a day at home to recover from my trip to Sweden. However the two big kids didnt start school till 10am so I ended up being a taxi driver for them. Then to my surprise I discovered that Kristian had also taken the day off. When he didnt appear in the kitchen by 8am I thought I better go and wake him....thats when he told me he had taken the day off to spend with me - Aaahhh.

So my day didnt go as planned but it was a really nice day. We ended up going out shopping, to see if we could get the last few Christmas gifts in.

Before we went out I decided to make rice pudding for this evening....if you want to see how that went, just click below!!



Well it went well last year - I think I´m just out of practise - I will have to try again another day!!

So now for the Christmas quizz question of the day:-

1. Who was the first British monarch to broadcast a Christmas message to the nation? (Answer will be posted tomorrow!)