things I like lately

from my December 2013 archives // Kodak Portra 400nc, Canon EOS 500N

- making paper snowflakes with Sølve on a Saturday night - yeah, Saturdays look rather different than they used to (we used these instructions - so pretty! Also, these look convenient.)
- these simple DIY Christmas decorations
- Hakkebakkeskogen blir animasjonsfilm og Katzenjammer piffer opp musikken
- these beautiful gift tags (via Ingvild)
- made fiskegrateng (fish gratin) for the first time (using this recipe) - yummy!
- Cappelen Damm Barnebøker (children' books publisher) on Instagram
- Friday morning Lucia procession in Sara's kindergarten
- plans of making saffron buns with Sara and her grandmother (my mother) this afternoon (I'll be using this recipe)
- Anna Emilia's (one of my favorite illustrators) new website (this snow house print is hanging in Sverre's nursery)
- this print - Hverdagskjærester by Lisa Aisato - is on my wishlist
- homemade juice with orange, carrot, lemon and ginger
- this kick start shot of ginger, lemon and cucumber
- fresh sheets
- an unexpected nap
- How to get away with murder on Netflix
- listening to Sara play with Lego - she's really into role play
- watching Christmas movies like The Polar Express and Arthur Christmas - I especially enjoyed the last one
- 11 survival-triks (livsvettreglene) (via Ingvild's Facebook)
- Harvest hakkespettbok 
- we are planning to get our Christmas tree this weekend - first time bringing Sara (and Sverre, of course), so we are cutting it ourselves

- - -

Things I don't like lately

- the constant smell of baby spit up on my left shoulder - it somehow always seem to miss the spit up cloth

randoms, on film

spring 2015 // Agfa Precisa 100, Canon EOS 500N

life, week 49

Monday 5 pm 

December 1 advent calendar activity: paint hearts for a heart garland 

Wednesday 4 pm // traffic, dark, wet, tired, sick // glad there is ice cream in the freezer at home

"It's not good for you, but you deserve it." // I love you too, dear husband.

Glad to see how eager she is to check the advent calendar every morning. Seems like our activity calendar is a hit.

Friday feline feeding duty

hearts garland and clutter // wanted: a magic formula that teaches my daughter to keep her room tidy and organised 

new in: a festive pillow to make our living room a little more Christmasy  

I *heart* hanging out with this little guy

- - -

Week 49: November 30 - December 6

things I like lately

ilex from my 2010 archives // Kodak Portra 400nc, Minolta SRT 101

- the 100 best photographs ever taken without photoshop
- this interview with one of my favorite photographers, Leila Peterson (PS: Leila shoots film)
- the urban outfitters blog
- this advent calendar
- watching "Karsten og Petras vidunderlige jul" with Sara - it was her December 3 advent calendar activity
- just picked up our 2015 Christmas cards - time to start writing! (Confession: I didn't get around to sending out all our Christmas cards last year, so some of our friends are getting two cards this year...)
- Print with Wings
- Sverre smiles more and more each day - makes me fall in love with him a little more every time
- Sverre's first laugh - my heart exploded!
- listening to Sverre talk to the butterfly and bee on the baby activity gym
- The Fall on Netflix
- I know we are pretty late to the party, but we just started watching Downton Abbey and are enjoying it big time
- a walk in the woods - I love the brown fern photo so much!
- red fingernails - it's been a while
- the red amaryllis is in bloom (got it from a friend a couple of weeks ago)
- using an old gift card to buy a few simple Christmas decorations (advent candles, red throw pillows and ilex)
- planning to get out more of our decorations during the weekend // PS: more Christmas related posts
- oatmeal porridge for breakfast - Sara is a big fan
- 10 ting som hjelper mot julestress + 10 advent- og juletradisjoner fra min barndom - I can relate to a lot of this
- hearing Sølve say "our children"
- before I left kindergarten this morning, Sara said "jeg elsker deg" (I love you) and gave me an eskimo kiss

- - -

Things I don't like lately

- both Sølve and I have come down with colds
- hard days of parenting (made a little better with ice cream)
- the darkness and miserable weather are getting to me - I really need to spend more time outdoors during daylight
- the intrusive Christmas busyness at shopping malls - must try to avoid them completely; they make me dislike Christmas

- - -

This time last year. What a difference a years makes!

life, week 48

a freshly made cookie a day keeps the bad bugs away // de er sykt gode @hannemeg!

Rushed Sara off to kindergarten, nervous about the potential slippery roads. Luckily it all went well and Sara got there in time for them all to get ready to go see a theatre performance of Kardemommeby.

a day that never got bright // oh November

first night sleeping away from home // wish I was more relaxed about it // oh the comfort of my own home

Nursing spot view. Plus the smell of bacon.

Sleeping baby on my lap view. Post bacon.

The kind of evening we all love; the best food, wine and good talks. Plus the first playing of Händel's Messiah of the season.

such a happy little morning baby // totally in love with the dimple on his left cheek

windy and cold, but oh so refreshing

[Insert funny caption about dinosaur in bathroom cupboard. The ex-copywriter has lost her mojo.]

Sunday evening family home cinema time looks something like this. (We saw Minions. It was fun, but the Despicable Me movies are better.) 

- - -

Week 48: November 23-29

our Stavanger home, on film

spring 2015 // Kodak Portra 160, Canon EOS 500N

things I like lately

Speaking of disco balls; how about a disco dog? Photo taken for the Artist Diner project // Kodak Portra 400c, Minolta SRT 101

- en måned, to uker og en dag (via Draumfarir)
- this Swedish home
- this makes me want a disco ball
- a clutter-free advent calendar - we are planning a similar type advent calendar for Sara; activities, not things (Sorry! I just lied. She will be getting things too. Her grandfather already got her a Lego calendar. So, twice the fun this year then!)
- dagen vår - love posts like this! (here are some similar posts from my archives)
- a Saturday spent with a group of our closest friends and their kids; playing, chatting, cooking and eating
- homemade vanilla ice cream (using this recipe - no ice cream machine required) and rhubarb (from my mom's garden; frozen during summer) strawberry crumble
- the first day of below zero temperatures; six below and not a cloud in sight - such a gorgeous day
- meeting our friends' four months old baby (we haven't seen her since she was newborn) - she was all smiles and happiness
- freshly made liver pâté from the local butcher (Idsøe) - on ciabatta, with crispy bacon and cucumber on top
- checking things off my to do list whilst Sverre naps - it's all about clutter management - which I find highly satisfying
- clearing out my outerwear closet and donating several winter jackets to Fretex (The Salvation Army's second hand outlet)
- a little meet up with seven new baby friends (all lined up on my living room floor) and their mothers
- a freshly made chocolate chip cookie for lunch dessert every day - because it's just the right remedy for all the November rain
- seeing all the Thanksgiving happiness on my Instagram feed
- a visit to work to let my colleagues meet Sverre - it was so nice meeting them again, yet I'm so grateful for maternity leave
- Sverre eats well - he's already 6,8 kg! No skimmed milk in my boobies!

- - -

Things I don't like lately

- have not been out walking this week
- after that one gorgeous sub-zero (Celsius) day, the weather turned to its usual wet, grey state again

- - -

Answers to questions in the comments

Sylvia asked on this post where I got my hanging fruit baskets. I bought them at Åhlens.

Beth asked about the pacifier tree on this post. I don't know how it started, but it is basically a tree by the lake (a popular running/walking route) where toddlers/kids hang their pacifiers when they have quit using them.

life, week 47

his arm around my neck // my heart explodes 

Exploring new sides of life. And time to be even more careful of where we put him down. Also, so thankful for inheriting piles of baby clothes from my sister @marihagen

*giggles*

Please excuse this badly lit photo on this very dark and rainy day, I just want to share this yummy salad that I made for lunch. Alfalfa sprouts, avocado, cucumber, shrimp, corn, fresh ground pepper and lemon juice. Next time I'll add fresh coriander too. In the meantime I hope Sverre decides it's time to have that nap soon so I can finish my lunch.

He finally fell asleep, not in the pram (in the hallway; did not at all feel like going out in the pouring rain and howling winds today) but on my lap. I wish I could simply just enjoy this. Instead I look at the pile of laundry, the dirty dishes and other chores on my to do list, and feel like I'm stuck getting nowhere. I need to work on changing my attitude on this. Having a sleeping baby on my lap won't last forever. I should pause and enjoy it.

Her birthday gift from us; a Lego police station. I suspect pappa Sølve bought it a bit (or a lot) for himself too. 

She still loves the swings - just like she did when she was little.

hanging out with this poor feverish kid today - and her baby brother who thinks proper naps are so last month // an iPad detox is in order when she is well again

Hanging out with my favorite four year old today too. Luckily the fever is gone, but she has to stay home - kindergarten rules. Trying to cut way back on screen time today, so we're playing bingo whilst Sverre enjoys the activity gym. Her lunch: fish cakes, my lunch: salad of mixed baby leaf lettuce, chickpeas, tomato and an egg.

post lunch snack 

This guy slept seven hours straight last night! Pardon the bragging, fellow sleep deprived parents, but this record had to be recorded.

I'm a real big sister now, right?

She has discovered the camera on the iPad, which makes me quite happy. Maybe she will become fond of photography too?

I was surprised to see that see did the puzzle all by herself. 

because frost is pretty

There are lots of ducks, swans and other birds by the lake. This was actually the first time we brought food for the. She loved it. 

that lovely late autumn, early winter light 

first day of below zero temperatures - and a gorgeous day it was

- - - 

Week 47: November 16-22 // scenes from a november weekend