The sunshine makes everyone look better.

I really believe I am in my best form when I'm covered, head to toe, in sunshine. I'm more likely to smile, to exercise, to be social. The weather has been beautiful the past several days and I couldn't be happier.

Below, random bits of my life, at its best.

To: Me.

To my head: I'm starting Norwegian classes next week and well, head, I'd really appreciate if you could just soak it all in and become fluent in a couple weeks. How cool would that be!

To my body: this new gym pass is no lie and I'm amazed at seeing what I'm capable of. Body, you are certainly being pushed and you like to remind me for days of that. But it's so cool to know that these limits I think I have are only temporary.

To my heart: my boys birthday is coming up and birthdays always make me reflective (and a little sad). Jan has been above amazing this past year, being so supportive of me during this move. When it comes down to it, we are all just one big heart.

And then you'll be sore for days..

Saturday was the day, my friends.

The highly anticipated, long awaited day. We won the Lott...hehe. No, we went cross country skiing!!!!

It was so many different things all rolled into a high adrenaline, four hour event. Everyone says "it's just like walking!" Let's be real, it's nothing like walking. Nothing. It's a full body workout and your body won't forget it for days. It was stunningly beautiful out; thick powdery snow with a constant, fresh layer coming down. The trees, the hills, the peacefulness of being just a tiny part of the bigger picture. I love the nature here.

Going down hill is pee your pants scary. You have these tracks your skis are meant to follow, but to slow down you need to lift one foot out of the track and make a v. All the while going too fast for comfort. Lets just say I fell. Three times. Hard.

It's an amazing experience and I will definitely be going again. Just not anytime soon...

I'll have mine homemade, please

Yesterday, me and my other-sissie baked. And we chatted over tea. And then we ate everything we baked. It was perfect and I don't want to forget it.

Later that evening, I met this perfectly sweet family who wants me to help watch their TWIN new born babies once a week. I know, it's not full time but ill take anything at this point. All I'm sayin is its hard out here for a foreigner!

Yes everyone in Oslo speaks English and yes I have a degree. But unless your an engineer, it's really not relevant. You have to learn the language moving to Norway.

Tattoo that on your body.

That time I got a gym pass

Yesterday I joined Jan's gym. I joined because maybe, a little part of me wants to participate in Oslo's half marathon this September (this is NOT me committing to it, btw).

I ran 2 km, which is liiiike, a little over a mile. YAY! I have never, ever liked running and I was positive there was no way I could run a mile. But I officially can. I could have run longer but it gets so boring running on a treadmill. Now I see why people freak out over their marathon playlists.

A half marathon is 21 km so I'm one tenth there. That's not bad considering I have 8 months left (also, NOT me committing)?? I'll just be proud of myself if I stick to going with the gym. I don't know about every other human on the planet, but this one has issues with getting pumped up to get in shape, joins a gym, then only going for a few weeks.

It's really cold here.

Weekend Bits

The weekend is my favorite for all the same reasons its yours. PLUS, it means I get to be with people as opposed to spending most weekdays alone, job searching and depressed. Please, feel sorry for me. This weekend was no exception.

Friday was spent staying in with a bunch of friends, eating chocolate and watching Django Unchained. Great movie. Quentin Tarantino knows his shit. Perfect balance of crazy and dramatic. He makes me understand art. Work with me. It's like gathering all these separate elements and then providing a reason.

Saturday we spent with Jan's family. Shopping at ski storsenter (see that? It's me writing Norwegian words. Fancy) with Lisa and Chris and the kids. Fun times. Benjamin got to pick ANY toy at the toy store as a late Christmas gift from a friend. He's two and he got to have any toy he wanted. Pandemonium ensued. Then we had a salmon dinner with the family, my favorite. Maybe my hair is more shiny from all this fish we consume? Then we went out.

Today we went ice skating! It was great. This is long.

Xx

we hope, because we can

Its snowing outside pretty regularly now. I absolutely love it. Its refreshing and clean and it reaffirms my feeling. That each day is a new day, blank slate, and anything is possible.

I have always hated new year resolutions because who actually looks at them past...new years? I mean, I have never held myself accountable to those resolutions. But you know what?? I'm going to write them again, like I did last year and every year before. Because in that moment we write them, they are our greatest hopes and even if we don't live up to them, deep down, we know we could if we tried.

So, 2013! You already look much different than the last! And to me, thats a pretty wonderfully exciting start.

1. Blog regularly. Like, 3 times a week at least? I would love to have a documentation of my life to look back on. Also, blogging reminds you to record all the positive things you have in your life, because no one likes to read depressing stories. they just dont.

2. Travel to 3 new cities! Barcelone, Prague, Dublin, Berlin, Malta...the list goes on.

3. Get a JOBBBB

4. Learn basic Norwegian.

Maybe Ill add more to it later?? We'll see. Its Friday and thats awesome because the weekends here are the best. We might go cross country skiing (it would be my first time ever!) and we'll definitely visit Jan's parents to play with the kids. For now, I'm sitting here watching season 1 of Girls straight through and its basically the best thing ever.

xxx