Norway!!

Well, We did it again.

We made the trip across the pond but this was the first time we were out numbered.

Thankfully, our trip over there was really nice.

The kids were great, Thea slept almost the whole time, and everyone was amazingly friendly and helpful.

Several passengers even commented to us after the flight how amazed at how good and the kids were and telling us they didn't even here a peep from them.  

(so thanks for your prayers, friends! because if you know our boys, that was a miracle from God!)

and we owe some of that credit to the ipad too.  

BEST PURCHASE EVER.

Preben joked that we should just keep having kids so that we are always treated so nice at airports. 

(letting us go first in lines, special blockades made for us, helping us get settled on the plane, etc.)

We felt like royalty.  :)

The flight home was a different story, but I'll get to that later.

Here you have it:

Our Norway trip in December:

-as always with a big trip, there are lots of photos.

sorry for the OVERLOAD!

On the way to the airport! 

we were hoping they would save some of that sleep for the plane.

when we got to the airport, Liam woke up and asked, 

"are we in Norway??"

If only it took an hour to get to Norway little buddy.

Not bad for 2 adults, 2 kids and 1 infant huh?

ipad for life.

perfect baby in the bassinet on the plane

our biggest challenge.

still won't watch a movie and wanted to get up all the time.

He also looked out the window and kept saying, 

"scary! scary!" 

so we were happy when he was out.

We arrived in beautiful Norway.

When we woke up the next morning, and looked out the window, Noah saw the snow and said,

"It's Christmas!!!!"

he sees the all the Christmas movies where it's snowing during the holidays, so he assumed if there's snow, it's Christmas.

(The one in the photo above is Liam) they are starting to look so similar.

ready to hit the snow!

Pappa teaching his boys the proper snowball technique.

They loved the snow!

Jet lagged

Pappa and his Little Princess

We met some of our favorites!

Thanks for having us Thor-Erling & Kjerstin!!

Shoveling the snow with Pappa

Thea's first "Cakes & Coffee" experience with Oldemor. (Great-Grandma)

She enjoyed it.

a very happy Odemor.

(her 3rd great grand-daughter)

Here's what Norwegian Babies look like before they go out.

Oh how they loved this!

Liam

In Norway the kids have to ride their bikes in the snow.

They sure are some tough little cookies.

Good thing my kids are half Norwegian.

Noah

Sledding!

Snow bunnies.

sleeping beauty.

She loved the cold air.

Unfortunately, Noah had a fever for 5 days!

Such a bummer!

but he made himself cozy in front of the fire to warm up.

Noah thought Thea wanted to watch "The Train Movie" (Polar Express)

Thea ready to hit the road to visit her cousins!

She loved Tante (Aunt) Hege.

Liam loved playing kitchen with cousin, Mari.

Mari's face is all red because she got into her mommy's makeup :)

Noah cozy with Farfar (Grandpa) when he was sick.

Fun night at our friend's Hilde and Marcos.

Thanks again for such a fun night guys! 

And all those who came!  I didn't manage to get a picture of everyone. :(

Hilde helped put Thea to sleep :)

Some of my Norwegian ladies.

The boys love playing with their Great-Onkel Roy!

Onkel Ronny was throwing snowballs at the boys on the window.

They still talk about this.

The kids really had a hard time getting adjusted to the time change.

Liam's love language is physical touch.  He always reaches over to hold Noah's hand in the car or when we read books or watch movies together or whatever.   Super sweet.

We loved waking up to this every morning.

The kids basically napped through Norway.

Typical Norwegian Excursion. 

Cooking hotdogs over a campfire

followed by hot chocolate.

They loved it of course!

snow angels!!

We went to watch  cousin Mari sing in the local church's Christmas song show.

(She's the cute one in the front in the purple.)

Her fan club.

(brother Petter, and her Momma, Hege)

Afterwards all the kids decorated gingerbread cookies!

so much fun!

Can I eat it??

Yum!!

Even Santa was there!

We had a family Christmas party with all the extended family and played the famous present game.

-sorta like White Elephant, but not really.

Noah got the most presents of anyone.

-Probably because people were too afraid to steal from him :)

Uncle Roy is so fun with the kids.

I think he looks like Harrison Ford. Anyone with me?

Santa came to this party too!

and brought his horse!

There were of course cakes and Coffee.

I represented the Americans and made Chocolate Chip cookies, which mysteriously disappeared at the end of the night. 

Who took all of them, Norwegian Cousins??

We managed a group shot of all the 2nd Cousins minus Petter.

It looks like it's night, but it's really just the late afternoon since the sun goes down so early there in the winter :)

Noah climbing up the snow then sliding down

Farmor (Grandma) and Thea watched from the window.

This was the few pictures we got of Anne Turid, (Preben's mom)

I was really bad with taking pictures this trip.  Maybe it's because I have 3 kids?? :)

We had a family Christmas party where we exchanged our Christmas gifts.

Noah with cousin, Mari

Santa came to visit us there too!!

He sure gets around in Norway.  I guess because it's so close to the North Pole.

The boys were skeptical.

Onkel Ronny holding his new niece.

So pretty. I love it.

Farmor & Farfar (Grandma & Grandpa) have these statues of wooden cats in their hallway and Liam kept moving them.  He called this one "the nice one"

and he put "the scary one" in the closet every day.

I mean, can you blame him?  Look at those freaky eyes.

We had a girl cousin night of making Christmas treats agin!

So many yummy things! :)  and sweet girls.

At the airport saying goodbye

On the way home, we had a late take-off from Norway to Amsterdam due to icy runways which caused us to get to Amsterdam late.  

We saw our plane leaving the gate after doing the Home Alone Run to the gate.

This included Liam falling out of the stroller during the quick race to get there in time.  :)

ANYWAY.  we got stuck in Amsterdam which was a pretty big bummer since we didn't have our suitcases and only packed enough diapers/formula/clothes for the ride home

- we did have an emergency stash but it wasn't much.

we have said we've always wanted to go to Amsterdam OUTSIDE the airport since we've been IN the airport like 100 times.

they put us up in a Hotel for the night 

and we caught the plane the next morning.

Finally heading home....well to Detroit...then to Houston.

We were exhausted.

Thankfully we got home safely!

And THANK YOU, Engers for such a wonderful visit and for hosting us for so long in your house with our loud children.

We miss you and hope to see you again soon!