Lava

The news has been reporting it non stop, one thing after another.

Like Icesave, but a little more fun to read.

With videos and even fox news getting involved, it is fun for everyone.

But just so everyone knows, we are OK. I live more then an hour away and am even considering a road trip next week to check it out myself.

Many people are seeing it from helicopters, but I am too poor for that.

All about food

I once thought the kreppa was bringing out a nicer side of people. That working less and taking time to enjoy life was better for everyone, but articles like this show that there is still a rotten side to some people. 

Some people actually think it is a tough choice. Some people have said that Icelanders should get the help first, then if there is any left, then deal with the others.

I mean, seriously, if I went there for food for my family, I might not get anything because I was not born in Iceland.

I actually have an Icelandic husband and three Icelandic children, but I might not be able to help them?

I bet a lot of these Polish men they are complaining about have Icelandic families as well. I also bet that most of them would rather be anywhere else in the world then spending all morning waiting in line for food. I bet if they had a job, most people would rather be at work making enough money to be able to go to the grocery store after work and buy some grocery's. 

Actually, that is not the point. Someone needing food is someone needing food, no matter where they are from. That is just how is should be.

Anything else is just disgusting. People are people. 

A little makeup can bring out the best in all of us + Cancer awareness

This March, men across Iceland are doing what no one, before this, did in Iceland.

They are growing mustaches to raise Cancer awareness.

After a month of growing, you still couldn't actually see Davíð's mustache, so he added color (my mascara) to help out.

He tried to color in the chest hairs too, but they were just too few.

The sexy mustache man 

The sexy and strong mustache man!

Pillows

Leópold, 5.5 months

With Stefán I was lucky enough to get an amazing breastfeeding pillow as a shower gift. This same pillow came in handy when he was learning to sit alone because it wrapped around his waste and helped avoid head injury's.

With Leó, I borrowed a pillow, and have now returned it because the loaner is due again anytime. (You see, everyone in Iceland is having buckets of babies)

This leaves Leó to learn the old way, by using the pillows on the floor during the day and putting them back on the bed at night. Nothing wrong with that, it worked for Kasper.

Last time

This fabulous Saskatchewan Roughriders shirt was a Christmas gift from my Dad. It came all the way from Canada, and not just anywhere inn Canada, but Saskatchewan. No one ever knows where that is.

Anyways, Leópold was a big baby and hardly fit the shirt from the moment it arrived, but I was stuffing him into it. IT just seemed right, that a football players shirt was a little tight and hardly fit.

Today I packed this shirt away, it was just getting way to small. It was actually looking like a belly shirt on him and it didn't look good. Time to save it for the next one :Þ

But here it is, the picture I always wanted to post, to show my little football star in training.

You may notice his hair is getting rather light now so it is looking like I will still be the only one in the house without yellow hair.

Does anybody work?

While the ban on stripping has no effect on my life and would have passed by with no comment if it weren't for the fact that no one voted on it.
By no one I mean less then half.
There are 63 MP's, 2 refused to vote, 31 agreed to the ban and 30 didn't make it in today so they were not around for the vote.
Almost half of Icelanders representatives in government did not represent anyone today.
How can you vote for someone who doesn't even show up to give an opinion? I mean, even if the other 30 supported the bill as well, I would really think that this is what the country wants. This is the will of the Icelanders!
But they just were not there, making me wonder how much support this bill really had.
Seen in Icenews(practically a tabloid, but it still has news)

Homemade

I admit I gave Davíð something of a hard time when he went out and bought everything you need to brew your own wine.
After all, we do not usually even drink wine.
But with the rising cost of all alcohol, this was an investment.
Tuesday night we got started and now we have 23 liters! of wine brewing away in the closet.
It will be drinkable in one month but taste good in three to six.
So I invite you over this summer for a drink with the midnight sun.
Next week, beer :)

So a-like

Sometimes it can seem a little overwhelming when I look at how different Kasper is from his classmates.
Sometimes I forget that there is a whole world of Kasper's out there.
Today I found the blog of one of there mothers and this post gave me a great idea.
There is always more to learn.

Super Dad

Here you can see Davíð making every kid in the neighborhood green with envy.
Kasper and Davíð built a catapult, and it works, kind of.
It shots things about 4 meters, but still, it was pretty cool.
Notice the gathering of a fan club?

The begining

Twice a year Rósa loses all her fur, my allergies drive me crazy and I get buckets of exercise from vacuuming twice a day.

Today marked the beginning of the spring shedding session with waking up to a cloud of fur in the air.

Educational toys

The problem with Educational Toys is that they automatically cost more because they might actually be good for you to play with.
Some sort of snob appeal, like you can pay more for toys to make your kids smart.
Not why I bought them.
I was just feeling a little rich,
just kidding.
Actually I was thinking about these shapes and how, as a child, I spent hours at school making patterns and designs.
These flat little shapes were probably some of my favorite toys, so naturally, I had to get them for the kids.
I did felt a little robbed leaving the store, but as suspected, my kids love playing with them too.

Not so tasty

Plan A was to wait the full 6 months before giving Leópold food, but 2 weeks early I gave in, the kid was just too hungry.
So we started out with the baby rice cereal, just like your supposed to, and he hated it.
I guess the stuff doesn't taste so good, or he is a really fussy eater.
Following the suggestion of a friend, we sweetened it up a little with apple juice, he seemed to like this much better.
I guess he has my sweet tooth.

This one about sums it all up

Smelly Dog

And she wonders why we do not like to let her off the leash.

Stefán and Einar

mr. bubbles

Date Night - The long version

After months of discussion, Davíð and I deceided that we seriously (by 'we' I mean 'I') need to go out more.

I had not really left the house without the baby since New Years, and that was only while he was sleeping.

The time had come, we needed a date.

After searching high and low, we found people to take the kids. Kasper would stay with his friend, Stefán would stay with his friend and Leópold would go see some grandparents.

Last night, Friday night, was the night, so during the day Kasper and I went shopping.

I had to buy mascara because the stuff at home was actually expired, as bad as that is. Kasper says if I am going to buy this stuff I should use it and maybe go out more. He does not like the idea of wasting money on something that will not be finished. He also asked to sue the rest of the old stuff as paint. I can not see why not.

I also got my eyebrows waxed, looking good.

Then I made a quick stop at the grocery store because they are having a big sale on cleaners. I stocked up, filling up my backpack and under the stroller before catching the bus home.

Next: The Unimaginable.

The lid came off one of the bottles of bathroom cleaner in my backpack and poured out, leaking through my bag, soaking my coat and pants.  Running down and burning my freshly shaved legs. I was considering crying. it hurt, a lot.
To make matters worse, the bus was packed and everyone was staring at me and smelling around, all anyone could smell was ammonia.

It was possibly the longest 20 minute bus ride ever, but I did survive.

After getting home, re showering and panicking over everything, we finally left the house, only 2 hours behind schedule.

We got Leópold to Davíð's parents, then drove to Reykjavik.

After an amazing meal at Shalimar we walked around down town, stopping for a game of foozeball and ending up at a couple of Davíð's friends house for a few (1.5) Easter beers (some special version of beer that only comes out for Easter).

It was here that I had a moment of realization into exactly how boring my life might seem to someone else when asked what was new, all I could think of was how my legs hurt when the cleaner was burning away at them on the bus.
Maybe not boring, but tragically uncool.

I am OK with that, don't worry.

We had planned to go and see the new Alice in Wonderland, but that didn't work out. I guess it makes more sense to see that with the kids anyways.

By midnight we were ready for sleep. We went back to Davíð's parents, where we slept, had a great breakfast (Robert made scrambled eggs with bacon on toast) and left from in the morning.

I now feel great, refreshed, and ready for nearly anything, even if I stay home for a few more months, I might wear that mascara just for fun.

Free Pancakes

Kasper and his friend, both 9, decided to do some baking today.

Pancakes.

Then they wanted to set up a pancake shop, giving out free pancakes.

And this is how I really got to know all my neighbors today.

The boys made a sign and hung it in the kitchen, then went around invited people over for some free pancakes.

The next thing I knew, my living room was full of guests. I was making coffee, a lot, Kasper was serving people, bringing out jams, syrup plates (basically being a great host) and his friend stood in the kitchen flipping pancakes,

For most of the afternoon.

I have to admit that I felt shiver and cringe when they told me the plan for today, but no I have to admit that it was fun and now I really know my neighbors.

Thanks to the boys and free pancakes.

Not so free

I miss the Canadian health care system.

Davíð broke his nose yesterday and went to the doctors. It would cost 5000 for the doctor to look at it and more if he wanted it fixed. 

So he will just let it heal on its own.

Not that we dont have the 5000 ikr, but it is the principle. 

I dont believe anyone should have to pay for Health Care.

Besides, what if he paid the 5000 to have it looked at, only to be told it would be 10000 to fix it? Then it would have been a waste of 5000 because we most likely would not have paid another 10. 

On a bright note, Kasper's Insurance discount card came in the mail today, so his medication will no longer cost 20000 a week, and better yet, I can get reimbursed for what I already paid. Yipee! 

On less time online

In an effort to save myself from wasting away in front of the computer reading things that make me anger or playing games that wither my brain, I am putting limits on myself.
Facebook check in: twice a day
Farmville: Once a day.
Gamesknot: Once a day.
This should give me buckets more time to write to you,
and rearrange my kitchen cupboards.

A very busy Kasper

Decorated himeself

Kasper - Stefán

Tower of Math Learning Aids, remember those cubes?

Working on it

Kasper, very proud of his work, after adding Geomags

Leópold, the baby

Rósa taking care of her puppy

Cooking play

Sleeping on his Daddy

Practice

Perfect way to spend a windy Icelandic day.

Not really event-full, yet I am still tired

Starting with last night I decided to shave my legs. I nearly never do, they are not particularly hairy and razors cost a lot of money here, so I tend to consider it a luxury I can do without.
Anyways, I decided to do it, after seeing some razors on special at Bónus (the cheap grocery store).

After nearly slicing my leg off, I now see why they were on special. Last time I do that! Or at least last time with those beasts.

Davíð's parents also came over with pizza and beers, to visit and watch the election results. The pizza was great, but our Internet was being far to slow to see the results, but everyone knew it would be No.

I still have not double checked, but who needs too?

Then today when I remembered that we were going swimming, I nearly had a nervous breakdown.

After living in Iceland for nearly 4 years I consider myself well adjusted to getting naked and showering with people, but today I really did not feel up to it.

I dont think the 15 bandaids (plasters) on the side of my leg helped the self esteem.

But after crying a bit, or a lot, I did go, and I survived. Guess it was not worth crying over. But the chlorine water was a little painful on my new scratch.

Leópold had a great time in the water, as usual.

Davíð's sister and family were with us. After the swim everyone came over to my house where we ate buckets of bakery goodies.

The kids played for a few hours and the next thing we knew, it was time to get them to bed.

I need to go to bed.

Looking Back

As a way to move forward, I have decided to hide the archives on my blog, as well as the Link Within, leaving only the last 10 days of posts available.

After all, we should move forward.

Right?

So Busy

I dont know how I manages to work, or how I will manage to do it again with three kids.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday every week, Kasper has light treatment. The dermatologist now thinks all the skin problems are from a lack of UV. The nurse jokingly suggested that we live in the wrong country.
Every Monday Kasper also has Occupational Therapy. We have explained to Stefán that it is like lessons for him to learn to play nicely.  This is actually in another town so it takes some traveling. Basically, Mondays are gone.
Tuesday nights I go out and play Pathfinders with some friends. Thursdays Davíð goes out to play Basketball. Basically the only nights out.
Other days are sprinkled with immunization appointments, dermatologists, regular pediatricians, dentists, eye doctors, hearing tests, parent teacher interviews, phycologists (bad spelling I know)....
The list goes on.
At least 2 hours a day goes towards homework. Kasper says I am mean and no one else has to work this hard. Maybe I am mean.
This is all on top of laundry, cooking, shopping, cleaning and caring for everyone.
With all this, an constantly feeding a baby, it is no wonder I get about 5 hours sleep a night, am always tired and have to schedule myself a shower.
But dont be fooled, I know exactly how good my life if and am incredibly grateful :)