December 2008:

This Christmas we have had no snow, but it started to snow a bit during the night, and some more during the day.

This morning we discovered some Iridicent clouds on the sky. I went out and took some photos. Click on the small photos to enlarge:

I have posted a lot of photos from New Years Eve's earlier years.

I wish you all a Happy New Year!

We have had a nice and peaceful Christmas. We have been wisiting both friends and family. We have also had dinner guest too, where we served both stockfish (Traditional Christmas dish i Norway. Often served with boiled potatoes, pea stew and fried bacon) and elk (moose) roast for those who don't like stockfish.

Yesterday Charles and I went to a Christmas party. It was a very nice party, with excellent music and good atmosphere.

Today I have been doing some laundry, and changed Cecilie and Joakims bedclothes.

Tomorrow I am going to work, but at New Years Eve, I have my day off.

I have got this cute gift from Wanda Lucia! Thank you SO much, my friend!

We had a very nice and cozy Christmas Eve yesterday. But it started to rain, and it is raining today too.

Today we have been wisiting Charles sister for breakfast. (The same sister we spent Christmas Eve with). After this we went for a walk in the woods, together with our  22 years old niece and her puppy.

It was raining and blowing, but we wore warm dry clothes, so we did not get wet. But we believed that we lost Chico on our walk in the woods. Chico run off from us, and we did not find him. We went. looking for him in the woods for over one hour, Calling hit name, whistling and looking everywhere. Finally we heard him whining, and found him by a little bush, where he had fastened by his tail. Chico has lots of long hair, and the hair on his tail has fastened in the bush. He had been sitting there for alomst one hour, and he had tried to chew the bushes around him, to get loose. We had to cut most of the hair on Chico's tail off, to get him loose, but luckily he was not hurt. And the hair on his tail, will grow back.

Later today we are going to a dinner party with another sister of Charles. It is a Christmas tradition that we are eating dinner with them, at the First Day of Christmas.  I think that this is a nice tradition.

Yesterday we got some rain and wind, but not enouch to make all the snow go away. I am very happy about that. It seems we are going to get a white Christmas.

After work, yesterday, I baked biscuits. This was the only thing that I did, yesterday. I still have my cold, and are very tired.

But, luckily our house has been decorated for Christmas since the day before Cecilie and Joakim left for their father. They were helping us decorating the house before they left. (In Noway, it's normal to decorate the houses and Christmas tree's at December 23rd, but we did it almost a week before that, so that Cecilie and Joakim could participate in it.)

Here is a part of our Living room.

After work, today, I have made a kind of Christmas candy (a kind of Christmas candy that I just have to have, each Christmas). Now I have finished with all Christmas baking and Christmas candy, and we are finished with decorating for Christmas. Almost all the Christmas presents were bought before December 1st, so this year we have been clever.

I am going to work tomorrow too, from 8 AM til 12. Then we are going to Charles' sister for dinner, and opening our Christmas presents. (In Norway everyone are opening their presents at December 24th, after eating dinner. I know that in many other countries, you are doing this the next day.)

I WISH YOU ALL A MARRY CHRISTMAS!

I have changed my entrance page for my blog today. I have decorated it for Christmas. I have planned to make som Christmas goodies today, but I haven't felt like doing it yet. I have enjoyed myself by my computer for several hours, now. But I think that I will have to go to my kitchen soon...

Updated at 3.30 PM:

Charles has just gone hunting again. Yesterday he got two rowdeers.

Finally I have been at the kitchen, and made a Christmas chocolate cake. I still have my cold, so I don't think that I will manage to bake any more today. I have been sitting and listening to our Christmas CD's and reading old Christmas magazines of Calvin and Hobbes. Each Christmas the shops are full of Christmas magazines. About 40 different comics (Calvin and Hobbes are one of them) are for sale in the shops during Advent and Christmas time. Here is a couple of stripes, if someone is not sure what I am talking about:

Before Cecilie and Joakim went to their father, we decorated our house for Christmas. We even have a Christmas tree already. Outdoors it has snowed a bit today too, so the Christmas spirit is here. 

I had to stay home from work at Thursday too, but on Friday I was better, and went to work. On Friday, I only worked half the day. The rest of the day, I took off. I drowe Cecilie and Joakim by car, for over 3 hours. They are spending this Christmas together with their father, and he and we drowe both for 3 hours each, and met half the way between where we live. We started to drive at 12 AM. I was home again at 7 PM. Charles and I just relaxed and watched TV the rest of the evening.

Today I have been in our town, shopping the ingredients for some Christmas goodies that I have planned to make. But I am not well yet, so I am not sure if I will make the Christmas goodies today. Perhaps I will try to do this tomorrow, on Sunday. We'll see.

While I was in town, this morning, it started to snow!

During the entire December, we have had some snow, and ice on the ground, but the last few days, it has rained a lot, and all the snow was gone. The Christmas spirit disappeared when the snow melted. I am very happy that we got some snow, again. The Christmas spirit is back!

Today I had to go home from work. I had a terrible headace, felt sick and dizzy.

But, Kia and Zeno surprised me with giving me a free sigtag! Isn't she cute! Thank you so VERY much, Kia and Zeno!

The Christmas party together with Charles and his collegues was very nice. And the food was delicious! I eat a lot of Norwegian homemade Christmas food.

Charles and me.

On Sunday, I baked a kind of doughnuts that is common to bake in Norway, for Christmas. I don't think that our doughnuts is like yours, but I don't have another word for it.

Yesterday Cecilie, Joakim and I went to buy Christmas presents from Cecilie and Joakim, to their friends.

Today I have been baking Christmas bread and chocolate buns with rice.

Advent Hugs from Bente

Yesterday was Cecilie's 15th birthday, and we celebrated her day with guests, coffee and cakes.

Tonight, Cecilie is going to have a party together with her friends. First they are going to eat dinner with us, in our barbeque house, and then we will go indoors, in our house, and they will enjoy cakes, Coca Cola and other goodies.

Tomorrow I am participating on a Christmas party together with Charles and his collegues. We are going to enjoy delicious food, on an old farm, where they serve the dinners, and coffee with cakes, in their own home. The style in this house is old, and very nice and cozy. It's always very lusty to come to this farm and enjoy the wonderful homemade food and drinks.

Tomorrow it's Lucia Day.

Click on this old photo of Cecilie and Joakim to see my Lucia pages, where you may find my Lucia gift for you:

This photo was taken at Lucia Day, December 13th 1996.

Joakim 1 year and 3 months old. Cecilie 3 years old.

I have posted several new photos of our purple Advent decorations,  on my Advent pages.

Advent Hugs from Bente

Today we have sent our Christmas cards in the mail. (Almost 60 Christmas cards).

Today I had to go home from my work. I got sick, a bad headace and I felt lousy. I have spent the day on our couch, and during the evening, I started to feel better. I hope that I will be well tomorrow.

Down at my page with our barbeque house, I have posted a new photo of our barbeque house, with Christmas lights.

Yesterday we put a joint of moose (elk) into brine, in our refridgerator. It's going to lie in this brine for a week, and then we will boil the meat, and get delicious food that we may put on bread to make sandwitches during Christmas. (This is typical for Christmas time, in Norway.)

Cecilie, Joakim and I also were bakeing gingerbread cookies yesterday:

Joakim is taking advantage of the opportunity, and tastes our gingerbread cookies...

Advent Hugs from Bente

Today I have started baking our Christmas cookies:

Charles have been hunting for row deers today too, and today he got one, but when they were fixing the dead animal, Charles cut himself in his hand with his knife. We had to go to the doctor. The wound was pretty deep, and had to be stitched. Charles was lucky and did not hurt his hand badly, so he will be okay again. He hurt his left hand, and Charles is right handed.

Tomorrow Cecilie, Joakim and I are going to bake gingerbread cookies, play Christmas music and enjoy ourselves.

Advent Hugs from Bente

Now it's December and Advent. I have to admit that I don't do much after work, nowadays. I am tired, and tries to relax after work, then I will have to see if I feel like doing anything during the weekend, instead. The only thing that I have done, is to decorate our home with purple decorations, curtains and candles, and our two Advent stars and two other window decorations with lights on, and the little tree with lights on, in our garden.

We have bougt all the Christmas presents, and I am very happy about that, and the Christmas cards, with a photo of Cecilie and Joakim on, is finished, but it's a bit early to send the Christmas cards yet.

I have got several Advent gifts from my internet friends.

Here is a photo of Cecilie and Joakim enjoying a ride on our ATV, in our garden: