Now What?

Warning- this post is a bit cathartic for me...I apologize in advance for any rambling or topic shifting that may occur during your reading.  So the girls and I have been back in the Chicago area for a little over three months (my husband returned about 6 weeks ago) and in some ways it feels very comfortable and easy, but it also feels a bit strange after our whirlwind adventures in Sweden and Norway.  To be honest, the whole "transition" is a bit more challenging than I had anticipated.  I had big plans of continuing this blog, sharing the "American" stuff which might seem weird (or cool or even amazing) to those who don't live here.   For example, shopping at Target, driving (not walking or biking) everywhere, and finding almost any kind of food you want whenever you want it.  I am not saying all of these things are good (or healthy)...it's just the way it is.

You get the idea...

However, I have found my life focused on a couple of things other than writing about the interesting differences between living here versus Scandinavia.  One is getting the girls settled in their new school and letting them find an activity that they enjoy.  Looking back, we were so fortunate to have had such welcoming kids in the girls' classes (and some great moms, too!) while we were in Scandinavia.  The girls had a really easy time assimilating into their (several) new classes while overseas.

Birthday Party Fun!

The second area that is taking up a lot of my time and even more of my mental energy is the question of my career and "What do I want to be when I grow up?" (here comes the potentially rambling part!)  I am finding that our time abroad has changed how I view work and has clarified (at least a bit) for me the kind of work I want to focus on moving forward.  When we moved to Sweden, it was difficult to give up a good job in Chicago, not knowing what, if any, opportunities there would be for me to work.   Although I was still "me"... I didn't realize how difficult it would be to lose my professional identity and to be viewed mainly as the caretaker of home and children.  It was challenging to feel like I wasn't "pulling my weight", especially in a country where pretty much all of the women work.  Yes, yes...I understand that we moved for my husband's job and no one was expecting me to work...but that didn't change how I felt about my situation.  On a positive note, I now have much more appreciation for my own mom and other moms who stay at home with their kids...

It doesn't??  Someone should have told me...

Before you start feeling sorry for me (which is NOT the idea), I must say that the overall experience of living abroad was amazing and a HUGE learning experience for our entire family.  I'm so glad the hubby was eager to take that opportunity and that I found the courage to jump on board.  In addition to the travel opportunities, some cool work opportunities came out of this adventure.  After a lot of networking, I DID find a job while in Sweden and met some amazing people.  I even started a small business (we moved to Norway shortly after I filed the paperwork...but going through the planning was a great learning experience).

My company logo....thanks Kelly :)

My business idea from Sweden was not as viable in our small Norwegian city, so I decided to move in a different direction and completed additional courses to strengthen my skills as a coach.  Coach?  Like soccer or T-ball??  Not exactly- although there are certainly some parallels to coaching sports.  Rather I work with people who take their professional (and personal) success seriously.  These individuals realize that they can reach their goals more quickly with a supportive strategic partner who holds them accountable.

Now that the family is settling in...husband at the new job, kids at the new school, it is the time for me to figure out how to incorporate this work of developing others into my own business or possibly within a larger company.  I have always loved helping people get better in different ways, so let's see how this all comes together.  This particular blog will take a hiatus and I will get a new one going that will be more focused on my professional journey and things I learn along the way.  I hope that you will join me.  Stay tuned.....

Meet the new gym...(not the) same as the old gym

Those of you who know me, or who read this blog occasionally, know that working out is important to me (and my sanity).   There was even a time (a long, long time ago) that my career was in fitness.  Even though I'm currently in transition after moving back from Scandinavia and living in "temporary housing" (aka my folks' house), it was important that I find a place to work out.

I remembered that my brother's friend worked out the CrossFit gym here in Plainfield, so I thought I would ask him about it.  He LOVES it and said it's a great training environment.  Of course I had heard of CrossFit before (I had been living in Norway- not under a rock!), but I had never tried it.  To be honest, I was a little intimidated at first, conjuring up images of elite athletes tossing around tires and squatting 1,000 pounds.  I'm accustomed to going in to a new gym and being reasonably familiar with most of the equipment and how to use it.  However, when I walked into CrossFit Plainfield (CFP), there was no "regular" equipment...instead I was greeted by a large warehouse with barbells, medicine balls, stacks of weight plates, etc.

Enter if you dare...

On the morning I walked in to check out the place, I was greeted by Coach Scott.  He explained that I would receive 4 introductory classes where I would learn some of the exercises included in the daily workouts (THAT was a relief!).  He also informed me that all memberships are month-to-month.  I'm typically not concerned about committing to a gym, but under the circumstances this was just what I was looking for!

I won't bore you with all of the details, but suffice it to say that the four days of instruction were designed to get me ready for the Workout of the Day (aka WOD).   The WOD is posted in the gym and is also provided on the website ahead of time (I NEVER look beforehand...if it looks too scary, perhaps I would be more likely to oversleep).  I'm now entering my 4th week...and I still need someone to translate the WOD.

What does this all mean??

Luckily, all of the trainers/coaches are fantastic and explain every part of the day's workout....including the warm up, mobility and the specific exercises in the WOD.  They also walk around to make sure you are doing things correctly.

In addition to lots of squats (that cheesy rhyme was completely unintentional), I have been jumping more rope than I ever did in grade school.

Jump ropes and bands (for pull ups)

Don't let the pretty colors fool you...these jump ropes are ridiculously unforgiving when they hit you in the back of the legs.  And this happens a LOT when trying to do double unders (where the rope makes two passes under your feet instead of one).  My current best is 2 DUs in a row...I guess I have some room for improvement.

Although there are absolutely some super SUPER fit members at CrossFit, there is also a wide range of shapes, sizes and fitness levels.  And more importantly, everyone is welcome and encouraged (at least from what I have seen so far).  The coaches are more than happy to give you a modification of an exercise based on your fitness level or limitation due to an injury.

For those of you who haven't seen my most recent gym experience in Norway, seeing some of the differences (beyond the language) might provide a bit of entertainment   http://ourfamilyinsweden.blogspot.com/2014/03/feeling-at-homeat-gym.html 

Socializing or catching their breath after the WOD?   Perhaps both.

On several occasions while living in Norway, I would bring in "American" cookies or cake for my gym friends to enjoy post-workout.  Was I trying to bribe them to be my friends?  Perhaps.  Did it work?  Hell yes it did!  I'm not sure if baked goods would have the same effect here at CFP...

Yoga and Kids Cross Fit are also offered at CFP.   I haven't yet tried the yoga (although I would like to) and my girls are interested in trying out the kids class.

Looks like fun, right?

I'm a bit sad that I will soon be moving and will need to seek out another gym...CrossFit or otherwise.  For now, I will enjoy getting my a$@ kicked at CFP a few times every week!

Happy 4th of July!

For those of you who did not know (and were wondering why my posts had been few and far between over the past several months), we are now back in the U.S.  Now that I am in familiar territory, I think it might be fun (at least for a while) to write about special events as well as everyday occurrences that might seem funny or interesting to those outside of the states, especially my Scandinavian friends.  I think the 4th of July would be a great place to start!

We were fortunate to have been in Norway for this year's National Day (17th of May).  It was certainly interesting to see the differences in how different countries celebrate their Independence or National Day.   If you are curious about what happens on "Syttende Mai", you can check out my take on the experience: http://ourfamilyinsweden.blogspot.com/2014/05/17th-of-may-norways-national-day.html

The girls and I prepped for the 4th of July weekend with last minute pedicures (something that we had not indulged in during our time in Norway)  As a point of reference for my Norwegian friends, we paid the equivalent of about 420NOK (total) for our pedicures...a real bargain!

The girls chose a patriotic look!

There are many options as to how to spend the 4th of July weekend.  Many cities have their own festivals where carnival rides, junk food, and fireworks are common elements.   We attended a fest on the 3rd of July that covered all the bases.

Spinning pumpkin ride with Nana!

Gotta love a mini dragon roller coaster!

Part of the fun of this evening was that we were joined by some friends who had just moved here from Paris (for the record, they are Danish...not French).  I can only imagine the culture shock they experienced!  If nothing else, some of the food options were unique.  In addition to the super-sized lemonade and a pork chop on a stick, we introduced them to the fantastic-ly deep fried "elephant ear".

A few bites shy of the whole ear....didn't take the photo fast enough!

Beyond the standard fest activities, this festival had hot air balloons (for you Chicago area folks...yes, we were in Lisle for "Eyes to the Skies").   Depending on the weather, there are two balloon launches each day and a "balloon glow" in the evening.  We were lucky enough to see the balloons lit up this year.

Highlighting the US bank balloon was not intentional...

As far as fireworks, some cities set them off on the 3rd of July and some on the 4th.  To cap off the junk food eating, carnival ride riding and balloon watching on the 3rd, we decided to let the girls stay up to enjoy the fireworks.   My four year old nephew added to the entertainment by screaming, "That one is my favorite!"...after each explosion.

Fireworks are definitely something to experience in person!

After a late evening, I woke up the girls early the next morning so we could have breakfast with friends then watch a parade.   Unlike the 17th of May that we experienced in Norway, there was only 1 parade (not 2) and participation by the kids seemed to be limited to the marching bands and outside of school activities (soccer, dance, etc.)   In the U.S. there is also a strong showing of emergency vehicles and the military.

Fire trucks, police cars and ambulances...oh my!

Much respect shown for the veterans!

Attire on the 4th of July is certainly a far cry from the suits and bunads that we saw on Norway's National Day.

For those of you wondering about a bunad...here you go!

4th of July- cute and casual!

It was great to have experienced the 17th of May in Norway...and then to have made it back to the U.S. for the 4th of July.  Just don't ask me to pick which celebration I enjoyed more...that would NOT be a way to keep friends!

My "Job" at Galleri Flood

For the past few months, I have been helping out at an art gallery on the outskirts of Sandefjord.  Me...working at an art gallery?  Those that know me are probably scratching their heads...maybe thinking that nothing about that sounds logical...just try to stay with me!  Several months ago, a friend of a friend had mentioned that the owner of this gallery, Maja Flood, was looking for someone to help her prepare for an upcoming exhibit.  The discussion was mostly in Norwegian, so I was doing a lot of nodding and smiling...not completely understanding what this work would entail or if I was remotely qualified to help.  Out of curiosity, a few days later I drove out to meet Maja at Galleri Flood.

View from the gallery...certainly a great work environment!

Following our discussion in a mix of Norwegian and English, I understood that (if I would like) I could come in once or twice a week and support Maja with various things in the gallery...arranging the displays, helping with some of the ceramics (the less "mission critical" steps), among other things.  In return, I could learn a bit about how a lump of clay transforms into something beautiful...and even attempt to make some things myself.  Coming from someone that does not consider herself artistic, I thought this could be quite an interesting experience and agreed to start the following week.

Maja's specialties (from what I have seen) are working with ceramics and porcelain.  It is really inspiring to watch someone who finds such joy in her work.

Doing what she loves!

Some of the finished products

Maja also makes some special porcelain pieces inspired by a painting called "Vinternatt i Rondane/Winter Night in the Mountains" by Harald Solberg (1869-1935).

The inspiration...

Watching her create these special pieces helped me to truly appreciate how much time and effort goes into each and every one. On a couple of occasions, I helped make the mountains that Maja would place on the bowls and coffee cups.   Granted, I am not exactly a professional (huge understatement) but it took quite a bit of time for me to do what (seemingly) was a minor part of the project.

My work area... 

Maja's finished product

As I mentioned earlier, I have the opportunity to work on some things of my own.  Maja encourages me quite a bit, even though I am a bit reluctant to put my lack of artistic ability out there for others to see!   In spite of my clear lack of natural talent, I have had a lot of fun trying to create things...and the time spent also has a very calming effect (which I could use every now and then).

Coffee cup? Candle holder?  What is it?

Definitely one of a kind...and I love it!

Maja also presents other artists' work in the gallery...if you live in or near Sandefjord, I would recommend taking the scenic drive out to Galleri Flood.  Here's a link to her home page for directions and more information http://www.majaflood.com/galleriflood.html

I LOVE these lights!

New paintings....best seen in person to really appreciate the cool details!

I am so grateful for my experiences at the Gallery....watching Maja work her magic and having the opportunity to be a little creative myself is fantastic!

17th of May - Norway's National Day

I'm almost not sure where to begin when writing about what the Norwegians refer to as "Syttende Mai" (17th of May).  Norway's National Day is a big BIG day!.  We had been hearing all about this holiday since we moved to Sandefjord last fall, and we were excited to experience it.

Let's start with the dress code for the day.  EVERYONE dresses up (okay...perhaps not everyone...but those who missed the "no jeans" memo stick out like a sore thumb!).   This is a far cry from the typical 4th of July "picnic couture" collection seen in the states  (aka shorts and T-shirts).  Adults and children are often wear traditional Norwegian clothing...called a bunad (pronounced something like "boo' nahd").   If you do not have (or choose to wear) a bunad, then a dress or suit is strongly suggested (I have never seen so many teenage boys wearing suits!).  The bunads have elaborate embroidery and may also be adorned with handmade silver or gold.   Young women may given a bunad as a confirmation present...quite a special gift as they typically cost several thousand dollars (yes, thousands of American dollars!).

Some of our friends in their traditional clothing

We were lucky to have Norwegian friends who loaned us a bunad for each of the girls

"The hills are alive...

...with the Sound of Music"

Bunad? Check.  Norwegian flag?  Check.

Parade #1 was the Barnetog (which means Children's parade or "train" when directly translated).  After a short presentation (with a few speeches, songs and dances), the children marched through the city together with their classmates.   Marching bands were also included in the first parade.  Full disclosure....the following two photos were taken beforehand...the girls moved too quickly during the parade to get good pictures!

All the kids buddy up...safety first!

And they all wave a Norwegian flag

Many MANY Norwegian flags throughout the parade

After Parade #1, it was time for some ice cream.   Several Norwegian friends informed us that on the 17th of May children are allowed to have as much ice cream, sausages (i.e. hot dogs) and soda as they want.   To me, that sounds like a recipe for disaster!

I LOVE Norwegian traditions!

Yes...I see that you have eaten the WHOLE THING!

After a brief rest back at home, we headed back to town for Parade #2 which was for the sport clubs and other organizations in town...called the Borgertog.  

Looking very official!

Post parade...

We headed home right after the second parade (before the children thought to ask for more ice cream).  Some friends were kind enough to invite us to dinner which was our final event of the day.  It was wonderful to sit and enjoy a "proper" meal after all of the junk food we had consumed.  Of course, we managed to save room for dessert afterward....my friend made an amazing chocolate mousse cake and I baked an angel food cake (angel food cake is quite unique around these parts- perhaps a new Syttende Mai tradition??)

Of course I had to sample a slice of each!

After a very eventful day and evening, the whole family pretty much collapsed.  It was a great day in Norway with friends, family, and beautiful weather!  I don't know if I could suggest anything that could have made the day more exciting....well maybe I have one small suggestion...

Easter Break 2014

Yes, I realize that I am a bit slow in sharing our activities from Easter break.  Since we are only a week away from a HUGE Norwegian Holiday, it's pretty much now or never with this post! Easter Break, known as Påske Ferie here in Norway, was the full week before Easter plus the Monday after.   Since we had not planned a "real" vacation for the week (and my husband was traveling for business), I decided to take a road trip back to Sweden with my girls  (For those of you new to this blog- we lived in Sweden for about 18 months before moving to Norway).  Last year we were invited to a very traditional Easter in Sweden- follow the link if you would like to check it out. http://ourfamilyinsweden.blogspot.no/2013/04/our-easter-in-sweden.html 

For this trip, we were fortunate to find three different friends to take us in for a night or two.  You never want to wear out your welcome in any one place, right?  As Benjamin Franklin once said, "Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days".  So true!

Our journey started with a 2.5 hour ferry ride from Sandefjord (where we live) to Strømstad, Sweden.  The ferry was pretty crowded, but we managed to find seats and settle in.

iPad and the fuzzy blanket...life is good

This was the first time I had made the trip to Sweden, or any trip which included a ferry, without my husband.   The driving is no problem for me, but I had one big (possibly unrealistic) fear about driving onto the ferry... that I would forget where I parked!  I have seen those people...wandering around looking for their cars.  Luckily I paid close attention and we found the car upon arrival.

Our five days in Sweden were VERY relaxing.  Note to self: my children are much more relaxed when their mom is not stressed out, worrying about a schedule and/or multitasking.  Coincidence?  Perhaps not.  These days away also helped me to realize how lucky we were to have met such wonderful people in a relatively short time.

First stop....such sweet girls!

Chilling out....we LOVE vacation!

Visit with our first neighbors!

Awwwwwww!  

The younger sister....showing her strength

I'm regretting that I didn't take more pictures of the kids and me with our friends.  I realize in these moments that I wish I were more like my mom who tries to bring out her camera at every opportunity.  At the time, this is often met with groans and eye rolls, but later you're so happy to have the photos!

After the whirlwind trip to Sweden, we still had three whole days left before we returned to our normal schedule, school, etc.   We celebrated Easter with some traditional American traditions...

We colored some Easter eggs...

and were paid a visit by the Easter Bunny!

I really hadn't planned on creating a traditional Easter Sunday dinner...it was just the four of us and no one was really interested in the work involved....so we started a new tradition of "Easter Tacos".  The girls had a Norwegian friend over for dinner who was quite amused by our dinner menu.  Okay...maybe Easter tacos will be a short lived tradition,  but at least there were no complaints and no leftovers!

An extra bonus was that the weather in Sandefjord was fantastic during the break!  We spent an afternoon with friends riding bikes and hiking in the woods.  This was followed by a picnic lunch at an old Viking gathering place (there is probably an official name for this place, but I'm not sure what it is).

The rocks are arranged in the shape of a Viking Ship

Happy girls enjoying nature

All in all, it was a fun yet relaxing week, enjoying time in Sweden and in Norway (while including a couple of American traditions).