Paris Here We Come...

Eache year for our anniversary we take turns organising how we are going to celebrate it. This year it is my turn, but Tom had promised 3 years ago to take me to Paris one day. So the other week he said that if I organised it all we could go to Paris for 3-4days for our anniversary. It will also be our last chance to have a overseas trip together before the baby arrives. So I have been spending lots of time surfing the web trying to find the best deal of flight & hotels. The flights were pretty easy, but the hotel was a lot more difficult & stressful as most of the cheap ones didn't get very good reviews. It was also compounded by the fact that we have a budget of 5000kr all up for the trip. Anyway, finally I found a hotel last night at a reasonable price that had fairly good reviews. So now we are booked. Would gladly welcome any advice on attractions, food etc.

Winter Wonderland

We have had some decent snowfalls over the last week & it has transformed the landscape into a beautiful white.

Dartanian LOVES playing in the snow too.

There are more pics on Flickr

Half way over the hill

Well this weekend saw me celebrating my 30th birthday. I had a party on Saturday night with 25 of my friends from various areas of my life (school, Bible study, family). I was trying to have a bit of a BBQ theme as that is what I would have had if I'd been in Australia. So we ordered salads & BBQ flavoured chicken & pork´, & kebab sticks from a catering company. Then Tom & his mum made some cheesecakes for dessert. But with having to hold it inside as it was snowing & too cold outside, the atmosphere just wasn't the same. Though with 28 people crammed into our livingroom it certainly gave the warmth!!

Tom was full of surprises on the night. First he made a choc-peppermint cheesecake for dessert with 2 different layers. It turned out quite good & I think was quite a favourite as it disappeared quite quickly.

Then he had made a photo slideshow complete with speech bubbles/comments. It was quite funny & well put together. I will try to see if I can get it up on the net somehow so you can see it.

Finally he gave me a Nintendo Wii. Though I'm not sure exactly who that was most for...me or him!!!

Then on Sunday (my actual birthday) all Tom's family came for breakfast. Then we had church & after lunch the whole afternoon was spent playing with the Wii.

All in all it was a very memorable & great 30th birthday.

I will post more photos of Flickr

Big news

For those of you who haven't heard via Facebook, email, word of mouth....
I'm pregnant!! We found out 2 days before Christmas. A really nice Christmas present & really brought a new dimension to the Christmas story.

The baby is due the 29th August. So far I am doing ok. Just very tired & the past couple of week the morning sickness, which seems to last all day has set in.

And now it is Christmas...

Today is Christmas Day. We celebrate Christmas here on the 24th. In Tom's family the day goes as follows:

9am- everyone gathers at Tom's parents & we eat breakfast together.

10/11am - We all put on our warm coats & hat & gloves & scarves & boots...pile into the cars & go to a Christmas tree farm to pick & fell a Christmas tree. This always takes a while as there is dicussions over what size, which has the best base, top, branches etc. But finally a choice is made & the men go about cutting it down while us women stand & watch & laugh & take pictures.

12/1pm - Lunch

2-5pm - Sleep, play games, Tom's dad decorates tree & places presents under

5-7pm - Prepare for dinner...take a shower, put on your finest clothes.

7-9pm - Christmas dinner of turkey, potatoes, red cabbage, caramel potatoes, beetroot, & veges. Then wash up.

9-12 - Walk around the tree singing carols, open presents, eat Christmas goodies.

Sometime between 12 & 3 - go to bed