Our life

Officially, I've been writing a term paper today. And I have gotten a lot done. My method is setting my timer for 30 minutes, working like crazy, taking a 15 minute break, and then working for another 15 minutes. It works for me, and slowly but surely a paper is emerging.

But, during my breaks, I've been reading entries on a blog I just discovered recently. Another Salt Lake City mom who writes about her family. I check out these blogs every morning when I turn on my computer. And they inspire me to write more about my family. I want this blog to be something we can all look back on to remember how things were in April, 2008.

So,here's how things are today, April 30, 2008 -

It's about 5:30 in the evening. We haven't had dinner yet. We used to eat dinner pretty early when the kids were younger, but now we rarely sit down before 6, and usually it's closer to 6:30. Today we're going to have baked breaded cod fillets, homemade baked french fries and peas. A few years ago I had a subscription to Cooking Light and starting in January this year I decided to start using those magazines which I've saved and try to make all of the recipes in them for each month. I don't manage to make all of the recipes, but it's a fun way to try out new recipes. They're almost always good and relatively healthy. And the idea that I have to make recipes from this month's magazine appeals to the nerd in me.

Espen went to Gaute's parents after school today. For the last two years, he has gone over there every Wednesday and done some work for them. Things like vacuuming, taking all of their old newspapers to be recycled and stuff like that. They pay him about 10 dollars a week and make his favorite dinners for him. I think they both like the arrangement. They get to spend some time with him - unlike Anders and Johan he's not that in to going over there and hanging out anymore. Gaute and I are happy that he makes some money so we don't have to give him any :-).

Anders went to his afterschool football academy today. I went up and watched the last half hour. They have a really fun time. The boys in the 4th grade are a pretty tightknit group, especially the ones who are into football. He doesn't go to his regular afterschool program on Wednesdays and Thursdays when he has football academy, but comes straight home when school is over at 1:30. He changes into his football gear, grabs a water bottle and rides his bike up to the football field. We are so lucky to live so close to the school and to the football field, the two main focuses of the kids' lives!

This whole school year, Anders and Johan have been walking home together at 3:30, when they are finished with their afterschool program. I've had to pick Johan up the last few weeks when Anders has been at football academy, however. Today Johan really wanted to walk home alone, though, so we let him do it. He ended up walking home with our neighbor who goes in the same class, but he was really proud of himself. He even has his own key now.

Gaute's been working hard, as usual. He goes to work every day - he is officially a consultant for Guard Systems - he and another guy have made one of the tracking systems they use. But, Gaute being Gaute, he has many, many things he is working on on the side. If you look here, you'll find some of the stuff he works on in the evening. He spends a lot of time on all of that stuff, and although I do complain at times, I don't complain too much, because it's all starting to produce a pretty good extra income (did I mention that we're headed off for a week in Paris this summer?)

Well, dinner's almost done. Time to go down and set the table. Espen has football practice from 7 until 8:30, and then there's a very important Championship League game between Liverpool and Chelsea that I can't wait to watch.

And tomorrow and Friday there's no school - Labor Day weekend!!!!