Introducing, the newest biathlon team! We decided at the last minute (literally decided the night before the race while we were cleaning up the branch Christmas party) that we would compete in a biathlon on the Air Force Base. The team required 3 runners and one biker. I actually rode the bike, despite my lack of experience, due to lingering knee problems. I have been diagnosed with IT Band Syndrome and am on no-running torture for 4 weeks...it's killing me because running is when I clear my head and have time to think and be alone and this time of year is so crazy that I need my running time now more than ever. I've been going to a spin class but long for the chance to just wake up and run without having to think. But that's another story... this one is about the fun we had doing the race! Randy and Melanie Ball ran with us and were awesome! Melanie nursed her baby, sprinted to the starting line, ran a fast leg of the race and got back to take her baby again so I could get ready to race! It was serious mom power! It was fun and we hope to do it again!

I know this is long...it's a tribute to Danica brought over from my other blog...read it if you want...

Danica turned 4 on December 12 and we had a fantastic day. It started with a birthday party with 9 little kids who were all well behaved and we had a great time! Danica picked The Little Mermaid as her theme and we made necklaces, painted underwater art, searched for dinglehoppers, and then ate fish shaped jello, chicken nuggets and crackers (and carrots and oranges). At the end we went fishing for prizes to fill the goodie bags, Danica says this was her favorite part.


She spent the afternoon playing with presents and talking to grandparents on the web cam and opening the gifts they sent. In the afternoon we went to our favorite park, appropriately named by us “the slide park.” It was nice going just as a family and spending that time together. It was a really fun day for everyone!



Just as a record I want to share a bit about Danica. Before she turned 3 she was incredibly, painfully shy. Then one day I found her hiding under the table because she was shy about grandma being on the webcam...that was the last straw. I had idea and just started telling her that she wasn’t shy anymore because now she was 3. It worked! Whenever she started acting shy I would just remind her and she would stop. She started talking to people, making eye contact and just having fun! It’s made for a fantastic year with a truly delightful girl. She is quick to smile and if she’s in trouble she’ll just sit there smiling at me in hopes of changing my mind. This works the other way around too, when she is grumpy about something I can just smile at her until she cracks and starts laughing with me. She is a great big sister and loves to play with Alyssa and is quick to help her with anything. She was invaluable when I was potty training Alyssa and thought it was so fun to help! I don’t know what I’d do without her! Alyssa copies everything she does and it’s great because Danica is such a good example!
Danica loves the color green and loves The Little Mermaid. She loves to sing and dance to the song “Celebrate.” She likes making up names for everything and everyone, she’ll ask me someone’s name and if I don’t know she’ll saying something like “I think it’s Inglebog.” Right now I always hear her saying things like “I’m totally serious, really!” Or I see her running around yelling “I’m losing my life!” She loves her gymnastics class and her preschool and always tell me “I had a great day mom!” When she is happy or excited she claps her hands together and scrunches up her shoulders trying to hold in the excitement, it’s really cute! It’s easy to make her happy, sometimes all I have to do is give her a clementine, she loves them!
Before she leaves to go play at our neighbors or goes into preschool or goes to bed she always insists on lots of hugs and kisses. If she walks away without them she'll come running back for a kiss and hug. She loves to play with babies, play hide ‘n seek, or jump on the trampoline. Danica is an amazing little girl and delight to have in our family!

I figure this is the best place to keep up to date with the family on our holiday plans. I am happy to say that my proposition to my boss to switch days next week to get the Christmas eve half day off was a success. I plan to participate in the "nog run" so far, and if it isn't too late in the morning, Brent will be able to do it too and then go into work the closing shift. So if anyone knows of the time for this thing then comment please!

Taylor did really well, despite being completely doped up on cough medicine.

I guess I'll post here on my last full day in Oslo. I am in my practically empty room having visions of my first days here. All my friends have already left and it is freezing outside - everything covered in snow (that part was missing from my first days in August). I have my last final tomorrow morning after which I immediately leave on my Europe-hopper flight from Oslo to Milan to Dublin where I'll meet up with Caitlin and her Australian friend Sarah for five days in Ireland. I am definitely ready to go. The past few days have been pretty boring with only packing, cleaning, some studying and surviving on delicious boxed pasta...yum...

While in Ireland we are going on a three-day tour of the Western part of the country, which I am really excited about seeing and really glad we decided to do. Then I'll have two days in Dublin by myself because Caitlin has to fly back to Oslo to get all her stuff since she is leaving Europe from London. Then we are meeting back in London on Wednesday when she flies back in and I take my ferry and train ride down the countryside. We'll be in London for Christmas Eve, Christmas and a couple days after. Then Caitlin leaves to Bali (she is going to work in Australia for four months and is stopping for a short vacay in Bali first) and I go back to Oslo to pick up my stuff and jump on the plane for the States!

So crazy that it is just about the end of my time here. I am definitely ready but I will also definitely miss certain things about being here and about Oslo specifically. What an experience this has been. I feel like I won't really know how much or if I've changed until I get back around you all and my friends since I've been with myself the whole time.

Well, I did brave the weather and get out the other day to take some shots of Oslo at Christmas time. Got about an hour in before the sun started to set at 2:45pm <-- not something I will be missing. Here are some shots...

Not too late, we hope. I know it is approaching the bewitching hour and you'll soon be on your way to your next year together. Sorry we missed calling you before bedtime. We love you both as we do all of our children. Hoping this finds you planning for another great year together. And, we look forward to our visit this spring. Love you both. Mom and Dad

http://www.myzeo.com/

Here is an example of a friend's experience with it. He is the one I heard about it from and thought of you.

Mikey, we really do care about you. Wish you weren't so disturbed by our being in your life. L and B