It´s finished!!!

Yes, we achieved what we set out to do at the start of the weekend. We got Laura´s living room painted, Kristian built a divider/wall in the living room too and we got the furniture re-arranged. It felt sooo good to accomplish sooo much. The living room looks so bright now, it is amazing how much lighter the room is after painting the ceiling white!

 

 We were finished yesterday around 3pm, earlier than expected so I decided to do a bit of gardening before making dinner. I often forget about the bit of garden we have at the other side of our house. It is only a small patch of garden under the window were we have a few rose bushed but the weeds were almost growing past the window. I took an hour out there and got the whole thing weeded and organised. Another job to tick off the list!

Before picture above....

After picture below....

 I then made dinner and invited Laura and Mia over. We had such a great evening together hanging out here, then we, once again, headed over to her house. We helped organise the last few pieces of furniture before we all said goodnight and just collapsed into bed. 

It´s been all go......

I can´t believe it´s the weekend already!! We were off work today, the last bank holiday for this season. The next time we have days off are for our summer holidays in 4 weeks time! Soooo looking forward to that!

 

So this week has been a good week. It started with a visit to Ikea with my friend Audry. It was our girls night out. We had a great time as usual. There was only one slight problem, the living room that we love to sit in and have a wee natter had been changed. Before it had been a real girlie room in pastel colours so this was very different. We decided we could live with it even though we weren´t sooo wild about the poka dots!

 

When Ikea closed at 9pm we headed over to McDonalds for our treat. It was past midnight when I got home! I had a great evening!

 

Wednesday after work I decided to have some ME time. All the Family were doing something that evening so I would be the only one at home and the only one for dinner, so I decided to take myself of to my favourite cafe. I was in the mood for Big Tiger Prawns cooked in Garlic sauce and served with a salad and bread. I really didn´t want to cook dinner for just myself.

I had a great time! I ordered my meal and then settled down with my Kindle. I spent the next 1½ hours relaxing in a corner of the cafe. Just me, my food, my Kindle, my Bible and God!! It was just what I needed. I was then able to head home without having to think about dinner. I love not having to cook!!!

Thursday afternoon, after work found me out with my colleague Inge. She has just moved house and still needs a few bits and pieces for her new place. Since she doesn´t have a car I volunteered to be her taxi driver. We visited every furniture shop in the town so she could see what the different shops had. Furniture shopping just gives me soooo much energy. I love it. We had a great day out together.

So today we have been busy helping our neighbour Laura. As I said, we have been off work today and it has been wonderful. We slept long, I then got the house cleaned while Kristian went to his sister´s house to get some tools that we needed to help Laura with her project. At 2pm we went next door to help her paint the ceiling in her living room.

Kristian was in the garage cutting up wood to make a wall/divider for the room. It is going to look soooo good when we are finished. For years I have been telling Laura to paint her ceiling as it would really brighten up the room. She has never been ready to take the step, until now.

So today it was all go in her house.

We got the primer/base coat on. Kristian got the wall/divider ready and it also got its first coat of paint. Tomorrow we will continue with the project. At 9am will be ready to put the second coat on the ceiling. Then we have the walls to paint. I can´t wait to see the finished result!

A yearly get together......

Every year for the last 23 years we have been getting together as a family (the whole of Kristian´s family) the first weekend after Pentecost, for a picnic and day out. Years ago we all lived in different parts of Denmark and so those that lived furtherest from each other didn´t get to see each other so often, so having this picnic day meant that we all got to see each other at least once a year. Even though we now all live closer to each other, and have done for years,  we love this tradition and have kept it going all these years.

Since Kristian has 5 siblings each year a different sibling has been in charge of planning the day. This year it was our turn. We had a great day planned down by a lake, those that wanted could go out rowing and the rest could relax by the waters edge. Unfortunately we had to change our plans as the weather looked terrible for Saturday.

So the day started home at our place. We served breakfast to the 31 family members. Everyone was there except one niece!!

Everyone gathered in the kitchen to say good morning to each other. My tiny kitchen has never been sooo full! For some unknown reason the kitchen was packed with people and the living room was empty! I think people didn´t get any further than the kitchen before they were lost in conversation with each other.

 

When everyone had arrived Kristian called us outside to say welcome. We also had a surprise for his sister Signe and her husband Kim. They have been married 25 years this month so we had gotten together as a family and bought a small gift for them. We wanted to give it to them. Kristian´s brother Søren would hold a speech for them and then give them the gift. He did a great speech . They were totally taken by surprise.

 

 The gift was a glas bowl made especially for them with colours that they like.

They then were made to dance the wedding waltz.....it was great fun!

It was then time for breakfast.....

 We had put tables and benches in the garage and we had a heater going, so it was really warm in there.

 I had been up at the crack of dawn to bake bread rolls for them all. Freshly baked and warm, they were delicious. even if I say so myself!! :-) They went down a treat!

The garage wasn´t the only place filled with bodies...the living room and dining room were too. It was all really cosy.

After breakfast we decided to head out on a walk in the beautiful nature that surrounds us.  We had planned a 4km walk through the forest.

The good thing about walking is you end up walking with different members of the family along the route and get to catch up with them and their lives. I spent some time talking to my nieces new boyfriend. He came and met the family for the first time and he was just lovely. I think she has found herself a keeper there!

Half way through the walk the heavens opened and we had to try and find shelter in among the trees. The rain didn´t last long but it was heavy while it was on. After about 5 minutes it was over and we could see some blue skies! Yes!!!

But even the rain could not dampen our spirits.....there was singing in the rain!

By the time we got back home the sun was out, there was blue skies and we were all feeling tired and hungry!

 Out came the picnic, we had all made something for the buffet, we hadn´t arranged what exactly to bring, it was "Potluck" - just bring something to share with us all, and nobody made the same thing. There was a huge variety to choose from and everything was delicious!

 Some found a place in the garden to sit and eat their food.

 

 

 

 Others sat in the garage.....

 My mother-in-law was enjoying her spot in the sun......

 Some of the family played badminton, others rugby, others bowls while others played Uno. But most of the afternoon was just spent relaxing and enjoying each others company. We all just enjoy hanging out together. 

We usually always end up singing and so yesterday was no different. Those who love to sing, sing their hearts out and those that don´t just listen and enjoy!

At 5.30pm people started to pack up and head home. It was such a great day together.

Sara´s home again.....

.....for another wee while!
 
Sara arrived home on Thursday evening. She was off work Friday and since she and Christian were coming over for "The Rasmussen Family Fun Day Out" on Saturday, a yearly event with the whole of Kristian´s family,   she decided to come a few days early.
 
It´s been sooo lovely having her here. It has been really special just being the 5 of us again.
 
Sara requested Irish Stew as a treat for dinner on Thursday evening, so that´s exactly what she got. The boys were not so happy (they hate Irish stew!) so a couple of pizzas kept them happy while us girls enjoyed our stew. We have so enjoyed having Sara around the place these last few days!

This week has also been an interesting week with my nose!! I woke up on Monday morning with such a huge bump on it. It looked like my mole had grown back - only worse!! We had such a laugh about my big pimple! It was hard for Kristian to talk to me for a few days. He was literally sitting on his hands!! All he wanted to do was squeeze the thing!  Thankfully it is starting to disappear again and my nose is starting to look good.

 Today we have been busy getting ready for the yearly Rasmussen family outing. This year it is our turn to arrange the programme.

We had planned a day out by the lake near our home but last night when we saw the weather forecast we were in a bit of a panic!! They had promised rain and a lot of wind for Saturday! As if that wasn´t bad enough, we got a leaflet in the post telling us that our roads would be closed on Saturday from 9am to 4pm because there would be a bike race!!! WHAT??!?!!! We have 33 people needing to get into our place on Saturday!!!

Kristian rang the organisers today and found out that the road will not be closed. It will just be a one way system....you go out one road and in another. Phew - we were relieved, the family could still get to us. That was one problem solved.

The problem with the weather is a little out of our hands. We have been praying for the weather to change and actually today, the forecast has improved greatly. It looks like we will only get a little shower of rain tomorrow afternoon.  To be on the safe side we borrowed some benches and tables from one of Kristian´s friends, got the garage tidied up a little and have a heater out there to take the chill out of the air. There is room for 16 people out in the garage and sitting arrangements for 16 others here in the house. Hopefully the sun will be shining and we wont need to be inside at all but if we do, we are prepared.

This evening we decided to eat dinner in the garage just to see how it all worked. It was actually really cosy.

 

So now we are all set for the invasion of the family tomorrow!! Christian will arrive sometime in the morning too and stay until Sunday when he and Sara will head back to Århus.

 

Busy week....

It´s been another busy week!

 

My colleague was moving house this week so I was helping her move along with some of her family and other friends. She has found herself a lovely apartment close to work. I hope she will settle in quickly and be very happy there. On Thursday we had a trip to Ikea as she needed some things for her new home.  She had no trouble convincing me to drive her in - I was more than willing!!

 

Friday Kristian went over to visit Sara and Christian in Århus. Sara´s Christian was racing in Århus Classic Grand Prix and my Kristian was hired to be the offical photographer for the race. That meant he got a free ticket and was allowed "backstage" in all the areas where others were not allowed. He had a great time doing what he loves - taking photos of cars!!

 

Sara´s Christian´s car in the picture below....

 

Sara´s Christian was doing really well throughout the day and on the last heat of the day - the one that counts, he was starting in first place. It looked like he would win but unfortunately he got driven off the track by another driver and so didn´t finish the heat that really counted!

 

So since my hubby was away for the weekend, and is often away on gocart weekends, I decided to make a new man to keep me company!! haha

I started to make him on Friday evening and the real reason was to use him at a birthday. My sister-in-law Lis was holding her 50th Birthday party today (Monday) so I decided to make something for a bit of entertainment and to give her a laugh.

My Friday evening was spent trying to get my fake man made....I had sooo much fun! (What is wrong with me?!!!) haha

In the end I finished him and called him Frank and all weekend he scared the life out of me! I forgot about him and put him in the corner of the dining room so when I came in from the kitchen I would notice this figure in the corner and jump!! Honestly!! But Frank was ready, my costume was ready and I had a song all ready for the birthday too.

Here was the finished result.....

This was taken today (Monday) at the party. Since it is Pentecost we are all off work and Lis had her party. We had a lovely day with her and the Family and I was her Irish Leprechaun brought along by Frank to the party, to help her through the crisis of turning 50!! We had alot of fun with it and since Lis loves Abba a birthday song written to the tune of Super Trouper went down a treat.

But I´m getting ahead of myself!! Back to the weekend.

Saturday I spent cleaning up the house. It was badly in need of a good clean! Andrew and Leah were both at work so I had the place to myself and got it all cleaned and organised within a few hours.

Laura (my neighbour) came over and invited me over for a smoothie and we spent a little time together planning our day. We decided that we would go to the garden shop and buy new plants for the garden and have a fun day out together, so that´s exactly what we did. We had a blast! We bought the plants we needed, we did some food shopping and we headed home again. My wee car could hardly hold anymore stuff - it was bursting at the seams with plants and food!


Saturday night and I had a clean organised house, food shopping done and plants ready to be planted in the garden. Andrew had a date with Camilla Saturday evening but Leah and I had a planned a girlie night in.

When she got home from work we made a delicious dinner and sat and enjoyed it together. Then we picked a girlie film to see and just relaxed on the sofa together. It was really lovely.

Sunday was a beautiful day. Sunday afternoon found me out in the garden. I decided I would surprise Kristian with a lovely flower bed. The flower bed has been empty for the last year. It has just been full of soil. I had no idea what I was doing...I hate gardening but I was determined to make this small patch nice.

Our fence desperately needs changed too, but since I am not able to do such jobs I decided to scrub the fence down and see if that would make a difference. It did!!

 

 A few hours later and this is what I had.....

I was sooo pleased. I wondered if Kristian would notice - and he did!! It was the first thing he mentioned when he came through the door that evening! He was sooo pleased with it too. (Let´s see how long the plants live!!)

So even though it has been a busy week, it has been good.  I feel like I accomplished a lot and I love that feeling.

The video above is of me being an ejit (as they say in Ireland) I was showing Kristian the costume after he came home Sunday evening.  I still had a few things to do to fine tune it and I needed his advice. You can see Leah had some friends in - our neighbour and her boyfriend and they totally ignored me! haha can´t blame them! :-)