Turning Into...

…Martha Steward

We have a red currants bush in our garden.

Ready to be picked

I’ve got some berry pickers at hand.

Chloe & Jeffrey in action

They’ve got the tool.

The berry picker...so Norwegian!!

They were way too much fruits so Chloe decided to treat some of our neighbors.

Would you like some?

Last year we picked the fruits just a few days after we moved into the house and we froze most of them.  This year I was a little more prepared and I decided to go all Martha Steward and make some jam. Well actually my mom used to make tons of jam and jelly when I was growing up and we would enjoy them all year round at breakfast. Not sure my two batches will last the whole year (or if it’s any good even) but it’s the thought that count, doesn’t it?

Ready for some serious breakfast 'tartine'

Patience Is A Virtue…

…In Norway More Than Anywhere Else

A few months ago (January 28th to be exact!) I posted this picture:

Bye bye Tamron Lens

And I explained that it was the last picture my 18-270mm lens took as it was taking a plunge to its death.  Well I’m happy to report that it survived the crash and I finally got it back…

Welcome back home 17-270mm.

Yes you counted right it’s been 7 months (well 10 days short). Who says that there is no customer service in Norway... You just need patience!  Of course since then I bought a couple of lenses. I also learned to zoom with my feet and my other babies are much faster, but I still like my Tamron zoom, it’s the easy lens, the lens I grab when I don’t want to haul & juggle with 3 different lenses.

My three babies

Back To School For The Kids...

...Back To 'Me' Time For Celine

After 2 months of vacations spent in 2 different countries we are back home and ready to start our 2nd year in Stavanger. Chloe will start 5th grade and Jeremy 1st grade. I used to joke that’s it was my turn to be on vacation once the kids finally started school in August/September but it’s not as true now since my jobs as an Ayi and Driver have been renewed  for another year.

We still had a Woo-hoo Coffee with some friends. That’s the happy version of the boo-hoo coffee when you leave your kids at school for the 1st time!

and a little comic strip...because that could totally be something Jeremy would say!

comics.com

His Majesty…

...The King’s Guards

We went to see His Majesty the King’s Guards perform their routine. They were in Stavanger a couple of days ago but we missed them, thankfully they were doing another exhibition of their talent in Sandnes, just a couple of miles south of us.



A little background:

Hans Majestet Kongens Garde (HMKG) (lit., His Majesty The King's Guard; the Royal Guards) is a battalion of the Norwegian Army. The battalion has two main roles; it serves as the Norwegian King's bodyguards, guarding the royal residences, and is also the main infantry unit responsible for the defense of Oslo. […].

The Royal Norwegian Company of Marksmen was established on 1 November 1856 to enhance security around King Oscar I in Stockholm. The company was renamed His Majesty The King’s Guard in 1866, and was transferred to Kristiania (now Oslo) toward the end of the union between Sweden and Norway. Since 1888 the King’s Guard has been on duty at the Royal Palace and other Royal residences 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The changing of the guard ceremony in front of The Palace takes place at 1330–1400 hours every day. The dark blue dress uniforms have remained virtually unchanged throughout the regiment's existence. One noteworthy detail of the uniform is the plumed bowler hat, which was copied from the hat of the Italian Bersaglieri troops—a regiment that so impressed the Swedish princess Louise (the great grandmother of HM King Harald V) that she insisted the Norwegian guards be similarly hatted in 1860. The regiment's cap badge is a rosette in the national colours of Norway, with the royal cypher of the current Norwegian monarch on top. In addition to performing guard duty, the Guards is also on parade whenever important state events take place in the capital. These include the annual opening of parliament by HM the King, visits by foreign heads of state, or anniversaries of major events in the history of the nation.

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Check out at the 2.45 mark and around 6.07 mark!

We’ve Got to Go…

...Back Home

Or as Jeremy sighed this morning: “Back to rainy days”… You’ve got that right buddy!

It seems that it would take us 24 hours and 21 minutes and only require crossing 4 countries… ok I think we’ll opt for the plane.

I'll take you with me in the plane TomTom, don't you worry

My Back Yard...

...Back 'Home'

I was determined to take more pictures of my home town village and our new adopted village (distanced by 10km… You can take the girl from her small town but cannot take the small town from the girl!) but I got caught up with friends, lunches, dinners and doing nothing. So once again I forgot to take pictures of everything I take for granted. Well until next time, here are some pictures of the “Noyers” … Grenoble is the French Capital of Walnut after all!!

Between St Quentin/Isere & La Riviere

Walnut trees are everywhere

Rite of Passage…

...For Chloe

Chloe wanted to get her ears pierced for a while and I told her she could when she'll turn 10. She got her wish in France.

So proud of herself.  Another milestone

Take That…

...Norway

When asked how I like Norway, I mostly complain about the weather (not good for my hair and my sense of fashion!), the cost of living (how much did you say?) and the lack of cultural outing (that’s how cultural as it gets!) but I always end up by saying “But the country is very beautiful”. Well I tend to forget where I grew up… so take that Norway!

Serre Chevalier Valley in the background

It’s Only Been…

...12 years

Well the boxes from China were awaiting us since last summer. They got delivered on the same day we received our shipment in Stavanger and since I don’t have the ‘don d'ubiquité’ (I do not have the gift of ubiquity?), I couldn't opened them before. As I was rediscovering the furniture we purchased in Beijing and unpacking our souvenirs from our life in China, I thought I may as well start unpacking some of the boxes that have been piled up high in the corner of our kitchen (waiting for the remodeling of said kitchen, which hasn’t happened yet!) and tackled the task.

Boxes from Buenos Aires, packed 10 years ago; Aberdeen, packed 5 years ago; Pau, packed 4 years ago and from Beijing, packed 1 year ago

treasure in waiting

And now I can open a restaurant with all this glassware!

I might be set for a while!

And I made a very happy Jeremy with endless hours of fun (trust me he was happy!)

Double room, double entry... a luxury townhouse for Jeremy

Good Food...

...Good Company

What I like most about spending time in France is that I get to eat all my favorite food, and my mom makes sure I get a lot of supplies.

'Faiselle' or 'Tome Fraiche'  from the local farm

I'm Home...

...Time to Relax

Remembering Beijing at my little piece of paradise…

Relaxing before the madness starts:

Love 'my' new kindle -read Chloe's Kindle :-)

Happy Bastille Day...

...14th of July in France

We’ve got to celebrate French ‘Independence’ day, or as we say in France ‘La Fete Nationale’ , ‘Le Quatorze Juillet’… well not really independence, we are only celebrating the fact that we got rid of the monarchy more than 220 years ago!!

Didn’t get a chance to take pictures of the beautiful fireworks from my little hometown (forgot the camera at home, so unlike me!) and I was too busy anyway mingling with all my childhood friends (same people, same place, different year!) and drink “Marquisette”. This was also my sister’s last day in town before going back to her dreamy island.

Hello France…

...Or Maybe Not

Apparently the new thing in France is to have the big American pick up truck. Yes I know gas price is way higher in France than it is in the USA but I have seen tons of those pickups around town.

My brother in Law is no better than the others!

Good Bye America…

...Hello France

After doing my part to save the US economy with some serious shopping, we are now on our way to save France’s economy, while Jeffrey is back to Stavanger for a few weeks to fill up the accounts…I make a lot of sacrifices, I’m totally aware of it!!

I’m also officially on a month long detox from blogging, emailing, facebooking, etc… at our house in La Rivière.: Pop. 450 ; +3 or 4 from July 10 ‘til August 12 and no internet connection. I’ll have to rely on old fashion mode of communication such as land line phone (we upgraded to cordless phone a couple of years ago!), and snail mail (we stop using smoke signal a few years ago!).

What am I going to do without my Google mail, calendar, reader, translate, etc, etc...

Jeremy’s Prepping For…

...A Rock Star Life

Mastering the guitar on daddy’s Rickenbacker.

Sweet Melody

Trying to raise some funds:.

Full house

A Few Toys…

...For The Long Days Back Home

Shopping is almost over but I've got myself a few last pieces of equipment…

I’m the proud mommy of a new 28mm f/1.8 and a 85mm f/1.8 which joined the 50mm f/1.8 in the camera bag.... yep I like to zoom with my feet!!  And hopefully the 17-270mm is still being repaired

My new found love...

85mm

the 'old' nifty fifty

One Year Ago…

...One Way Ticket

A year ago today we were taking the Beijing-Paris flight for the last time and closing the China Chapter full of memories of good times and great friends.

Facebook Profile Picture update:

Bye Bye Beijing... we had a great time together

A few weeks ago while looking for Time-lapse photography I found this little video of Beijing... Brings back great memories

My little Beijing from mycosign on Vimeo.

Grandpa Don…

...Comes For A Visit

Jeffrey and Todd’s dad came from Colorado for a chance to see his grand-kids (well and his boys too). We took the opportunity to go to the Strategic Air and Space Museum.  Don used to be a photographer at the Air Force Base in Omaha...

...and, one of my favorite, going for lunch and a stroll at the Old Market in Downtown Omaha

Love the architecture in downtown Omaha

The Cousins

Three is company

and finally a snapshot of Don & Jeffrey

Click on the pictures to enlarge

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Vacation Is...

...Hard Work

Making a Special 4th of July gingerbread house:

Boat rides:

Golfing:

Jet Skiing:

While Maman relaxes by the pool:

Peace and Quiet @ Dee

But the real vacation starts today because cousin Wyatt (with dad Todd and mom Wyoming of course!) arrived from San Diego:

Let's the fun begin

Better Enjoy It Here…

…Than Back Home

Somehow I don’t think this would do well in Norway!

Color only visible in the sun...  Wouldn't happen often in Stavanger!!

What Do You Mean…

...It Also Rains In Omaha?

Ok I left Stavanger thinking that my rainy days were well behind me for at least the next 60 days but yesterday night around 11pm we were evacuated from my in-laws’ home. Since they live on a lake and on top of it being right next to the Missouri river it was indeed not the best place to be with this heavy rain. Danger were deemed not as serious around 3am and we got to go back home. Jeremy slept through the whole deal and was surprised when he woke up the next morning to find he was already all dressed… he had no idea what happened!!

I shouldn't complained about rain in Norway because it's nothing compare to Nebraska!!

Let’s party like it’s 1999 11.35!

Not the way I envisioned meeting the neighbors!

Here are a few pictures around the lake:

Roll your mouse over for explanation

Roll your mouse over for explanation

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Ladurée in…

...Nebraska?

My favorite Ladurée Macarons made a surprise visit to Lake WaConDa via a special home delivery in the name of dear Husband!

Had to share them this time!

And since the son has now arrived, an official update had to be made:

I'm finally acknowledged!

Saving One Store…

...At A Time

Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, Mangelson’s, JoAnn Fabrics, etc... just got a boost on their weekly profits…. I do what I can to help the economy.  Next week I will help the clothing industry then the electronics industry.

This is just me, I’m a giver. Next month I will spread my goodness in France!

So many things to buy, so little time (funds?!)

This Is What You Get…

...When Your Grandpa Is A Lawyer!

Grandpa likes to cover his back

THE rules:


THE license: