Love at first sight

It's been eight years since the day that changed my life:  The day I met the love of my life!

It was Thanksgiving Day.  My family had moved back to Norway three years earlier, so I had been invited to spend this holiday with my friend Lori and her family.  Lori's high school had their annual reunion this evening at a local bar.  Although I wouldn't know any one, she convinced me to come along.  We were going to meet a few of her friends who had gone to the same high school and then drive to the bar together.

In the door walks this cute guy I had noticed at a karaoke bar a couple weeks ago!!!  I was SO excited!  It didn't take long before we got into a conversation.  His name was Mike and he had moved to Minnesota from California.  He was two years older than me and working as the manager of a country club (where I had been with my roommate because she wanted to apply for a job there).  His dad actually grew up in Minneapolis just a few blocks away from where I used to live, and his twin sister studied in the same program as me at the same college!

When we got to the bar, everyone ran off greeting and hugging friends they hadn't seen in a long time.  Mike, on the other hand, went up to the bar and bought me a drink (a Smirnoff Ice - my favorite at the time)!  What  a gentleman :)  After hours of conversation, I had already developed a huge crush on him.  He was simply amazing!  He was so easy to talk to, and such a funny guy!  At the end of the night, he told me that he had actually seen me at the karaoke bar a couple weeks ago and had asked a friend about me. hihi :)  Too cute!  To skip all of the cheesy details, it was the best evening of my life.  We stayed up late talking and listening to music, and I couldn't wait to see him again!

I knew it was meant to be!  There had been so many events in the past that we had both been at plus we had so much in common, so if it hadn't happened this Thanksgiving, I believe it would've happened anyway!

The following days were so exciting!  We were both falling very deeply and very fast!  Less than a month after we met, I was going to Norway to spend Christmas with my family.  Mike got his passport and came to visit me while I was there.  He met my family, they got along immediately, and... well, the rest is history! :)

How does he do it?!?!

Mike continues to amaze me every day. Seriously, how does he know so much? Where has he learned everything? How does he pick up new things so fast? How does he figure out things he's never done before? Why is he so multi-talented?

I don't think he knows it himself, but the guy knows EVERYTHING! If something is broken, he'll just fix it. If a car needs parts changed, he'll do the work himself. If he has never done something before that needs to be done, he'll somehow learn how to do it. He's amazing!

Our neighbors have even started to ask about him... what he actually does for a job and how he knows how to do all these things! He started out by fixing our cars this summer, then he did some work on my parents' old car, and helped out some friends with theirs. He took some time away from cars to fix the camper we inherited. Once that was completed, he started a few building projects.

After loads and loads of washing baby stuff to get things ready for our new family member, I ran into problems with our dryer. Luckily, I have my personal handyman to come to the rescue. He lifts out the dryer, takes it apart, goes to the store to order some parts, and within a couple days, it's up and running again. Any time anybody has a problem, they've learned to ask Mike for advice to see if it's a quick fix that he can help out with and they can save money on... 99% of the time, he figures out how to help... and best of all, we save so much money because of him!!!

Seriously, I don't know what I'd do without him!!! He's simply amazing!!!

A love story

"An anniversary is a time to celebrate the joys of today, the memories of yesterday, and the hopes of tomorrow."  ~Author Unknown




Five years ago, I woke up thinking it was just a day like any other.  Our morning started out as usual with breakfast around the kitchen table.  Mike seemed especially happy but I didn't think too much of it since it was 4th of July the next day and we were planning a picnic with good food and volleyball with family and friends, which always makes for a fun day.


That afternoon, Mike had talked to Marianne and apparently she wanted to have Elliot over for a visit, so we brought him there to see his auntie.   Mike decided we should get dressed up and go enjoy a nice dinner together, which sounded nice so I was all for it!  Anniken and her friend, Elizabeth, were going downtown and since they had so much to carry, we ended up giving them a ride.  Without thinking twice, we drove them downtown and walked to find a restaurant for the two of us.


Mike led me to Jonathan Mat og Vinkjeller and over to a beautiful table set for two (I still didn't realize it had all been set up!).  We enjoyed the best dinner I had ever been served at a restaurant, followed with a delicious dessert.  After a long meal and great conversation, Mike thought it'd be nice to go on a short walk.


As we were approaching Gamle Bybroa, Mike took a walk down memory lane and started talking about his first visit to Norway.  He remembered me taking him sightseeing around Trondheim and stopping at Gamle Bybroa.  Then his romantic side took over and he started reminiscing about how we met and how he knew from day one that I was the one he wanted to marry.  We were just stepping onto the bridge when Mike started to walk slower.  Gamle Bybroa was crowded with tourists, who all of a sudden seemed to be starring at us.  Mike kneeled down on one knee, put his hand in his pocket, and told me that he will never stop loving me.  In his hand, he opened a pretty little box with a beautiful ring!  I was in shock!!! I couldn't stop smiling and my eyes started getting cloudy.  He asked me if I wanted to marry him and let him continue to love me forever!  I jumped into his arms and said "yes, of course!"  After drying out the tears, I opened my eyes to see a circle of tourists surrounding us with cameras while they were clapping and saying Congrats.


It took me a few minutes to understand that this wasn't just a dream.  The man of my dreams had just proposed to me!  I looked down at the beautiful diamond ring my fiancé had just put on my finger.  It was the ring I had pointed at once in a jewelry store when we lived in the States.  The ring I had told him was simply a dream and more than I would ever expect!  A year and a half later, he bought that ring and had it shipped to Norway!  He's simply amazing!


Happily in love, we decided to head back so we could get in some more comfortable clothes and shoes.  Mike insisted on walking the long route back towards our car.  I was on cloud nine so I didn't really notice or mind whatever he wanted to do.  He wanted to stop in at the Royal Garden hotel, where my parents got engaged many years ealier, just to take a look around.  He even walked up to the receptionist, which I thought was strange but being newly engaged, I didn't really spend too much time questioning things.  We walked around the hotel and up a few floors.  I was looking at the pool and smiling at all of the hotel guests, not noticing once that Mike was glued to his phone text messaging.  All of a sudden, we're standing in front one of the hotel rooms and Mike takes the room key out of his pocket.  I looked at him, smiled, and said, "no???  really???"


We entered the hotel room.  It was a beautiful 2-story suite!  Our suite!!!  There were rose petals on the floor.  Candles were lit.  On the table stood a bottle of champagne, roses, and a frame with a picture of Mike and I standing on Gamle Bybroa from his first trip to Norway.  The path of rose petals continued upstairs, where there was a beautiful bed covered with rose petals and a bath tub decorated with pink tea candles in the shape of a heart.  Simply amazing!  


I was speechless!  Once I finally dried the tears and was done giving him a huge hug and many kisses, I had to know how he pulled this off.  He takes out his phone, calls Anniken to tell her and Elizabeth thank you for decorating the hotel room, and then calls Elliot to say good night, because apparently he was sleeping over at Marianne's.  I was still in shock because I never thought I could be surprised like this.  I can't believe he was able to plan everything without me suspecting a thing.  He even packed bags for both of us and Elliot without me noticing!  He's incredible!!!


Mike has always been a romantic but this topped it off.  He is so wonderful and I am so lucky to have him in my life, now and forever more!!!

I'm in Mike-withdrawal

I feel so pathetic because it's been less than a day since Mike headed to the airport, but I miss him already! He's going to be away for two weeks! That will be the longest we'll ever be apart from each other since the day we met, and that includes my trip to Norway a couple weeks after I met him (he traveled to Norway to see me while I was here....hehe). I am going to miss him so much!

Aiden and Elliot miss him A LOT too! They've asked about him ALL day! Aiden keeps asking me to bring back his daddy. At one point, he ran to the window to see if his plane was coming back yet. Elliot is just full of questions, both about the loss of his Grandma and how many days he still has to wait to see his Pappa. Neither of the kids understand what's going on (well, I don't think I've really grasped it yet either) so it's going to be a long two weeks without our Mike here with us.

BUT, I can't be egotistic in a situation like this. I am so happy that Mike was able to head to the U.S. to be with his family! He has missed his family a lot, so it'll be really great for them to see each other again. They will have to face some tough times together and go through a lot of emotions surrounding their mom, but I know they'll be able to help put a smile on each other's faces as well!

Surprise date

I am so excited for this weekend! I'm planning to surprise Mike with a date, just for the two of us. I've already arranged for a babysitter and now just have to plan the details.

Mike is a big fan of movie theaters, while I would rather spend money towards something (anything!) else and watch movies at home. But, since this is going to be HIS day, I know a movie will be the perfect thing. I don't know which one yet, but I've heard Avatar is really good so maybe we'll try that one. We don't go out often... alone, that is... so I'll have to make the most out of our time. Maybe we should go to a coffee shop or go out to eat? Or is that to boring?!

I don't know. I'll have to plan something good! But then again, we're not very picky so as long as we get to go out together, I know we'll have a good time.

I can't wait!!!

Love at first sight

It's been seven years since the day that changed my life:  The day I met the love of my life!

It was Thanksgiving Day.  My family had moved back to Norway three years earlier, so I had been invited to spend this holiday with my friend Lori and her family.  Lori's high school had their annual reunion this evening at a local bar.  Although I wouldn't know any one, she convinced me to come along.  We were going to meet a few of her friends who had gone to the same high school and then drive to the bar together.

In the door walks this cute guy I had noticed at a karaoke bar a couple weeks ago!!!  I was SO excited!  It didn't take long before we got into a conversation.  His name was Mike and he had moved to Minnesota from California.  He was two years older than me and working as the manager of a country club (where I had been with my roommate because she wanted to apply for a job there).  His dad actually grew up in Minneapolis just a few blocks away from where I used to live, and his twin sister studied in the same program as me at the same college!

When we got to the bar, everyone ran off greeting and hugging friends they hadn't seen in a long time.  Mike, on the other hand, went up to the bar and bought me a drink (a Smirnoff Ice - my favorite at the time)!  What  a gentleman :)  After hours of conversation, I had already developed a huge crush on him.  He was simply amazing!  He was so easy to talk to, and such a funny guy!  At the end of the night, he told me that he had actually seen me at the karaoke bar a couple weeks ago and had asked a friend about me. hihi :)  Too cute!  To skip all of the cheesy details, it was the best evening of my life.  We stayed up late talking and listening to music, and I couldn't wait to see him again!

I knew it was meant to be!  There had been so many events in the past that we had both been at plus we had so much in common, so if it hadn't happened this Thanksgiving, I believe it would've happened anyway!

The following days were so exciting!  We were both falling very deeply and very fast!  Less than a month after we met, I was going to Norway to spend Christmas with my family.  Mike got his passport and came to visit me while I was there.  He met my family, they got along immediately, and... well, the rest is history! :)

More in love than ever

I am in love. Truly in love! I have been for years now, but recently, I'm more in love than I think I've ever been.

Something just hit me. Mike makes me so incredibly proud and I am so lucky to have him in my life.

I still can't believe he chose ME! I mean, this is the sweetest, nicest, and most caring guy ever. A guy that every girl dreams of. And he chose ME!

I'm writing this blog for my own use. I want to write it to remind myself how lucky I am, and that if there's ever a little petty thing that I'm upset about or complain about, then I can look at this blog and remember why I have no reason not to be happy.

Of course life has it's ups and downs, but you can't see the ups if you don't have the downs.

So friends, remember that life doesn't come in reruns, so lets live and love to the fullest while we still can! <3

Daddy's little helpers

Aiden and Elliot are so lucky to have such an incredible daddy! I had to work a few hours this morning so Mike had the boys home with him.

He had taken the boys outside to help him get some work done on some building project he's working on. Both of the boys had their own tool-belt on with their own little tools placed in all the little pockets and loops. They were so cute!

I'm so proud of my three working men! <3

We find out soon...

... if Mike gets the job or not! I'm so nervous and excited for him! He really deserves this job and I really, really hope he gets it! I cannot stop thinking about it. I don't think he'll find out for another week or two, but hey, he's waited a long time now so hopefully the time will go by fast.

You see, he's working full-time but it was just a temporary position while they tried out a lot of people to see who they want to hire. Pretty much it's been a 3-month-long interview. I think there are around 20 people who want the position, and only 3 available spots. Mike is a really harder worker who gets along with pretty much anyone, so I truly think he deserves this job. Of course I am biased and I have no clue who the other guys are, but I know that Mike would do a great job for that company and I hope they see that too!

Good luck, my love!

This picture has nothing to do with the text, but he's so cute in it that I couldn't help but to post his happy little face for you guys to see :)

Mmm yum!

Mike is an amazing cook and since I've been home taking care of our sick sons the past few days, he said he wanted to make me a good dinner tonight. He makes a lot of good food so I was quite curious what he was going to make this time.

Well, I've been talking about making sesame chicken lately but I was waiting to get my friend Erika's recipe because hers is delicious! Meanwhile, Mike had found a recipe online that he decided to try out. He always finds random recipes and adds his own lil' secrets to it to make it the best tasting meals ever.

So for tonite's dinner we had sesame chicken, rice, and a nice little salad. It was incredible!

My sister, Anniken, is coming over tonight to hang out with us. She's moving to the States in a few weeks to study so we're trying to see her as much as possible before she leaves. With work and all, we just haven't been able to see her that much, which really sucks cuz we're going to miss her SO much!

Mike is really into the show, Entourage, so Anniken downloaded a bunch of them for us. So if she brings her laptop, we'll probably end up watching that tonight.

That's all for now. Have a good evening folks!

Romantic evening w/ the sunset

Tonight was the perfect evening. It wasn't too cold (for once!) and the sun was soon setting, so Mike and I decided it'd be the perfect evening to sit outside on our deck.

Mike made some delicious food for us, while I got everything ready for us outside.

I was so lost in my happy little world that I forgot to take any pictures, so I'll post some old ones from other nights out on our deck :)

Have a good weekend everyone!

The love of my life

Here comes my first cheeeesy blog and it probably won't be the last. Mike just sent me a text message to remind me how much he loves me and to wish me a good day at work. The message was so simple, yet it made my day :) He makes me so incredibly happy and sending me these little cheesy notes that makes me all gitty as if I'm falling in love for the first time... AGAIN! :)

Mike and I have been together for 7 years, which I guess isn't that long considering we've moved to Norway, bought a house and have two kids ages 1 1/2 and 5. What still amazes me is that I can still be so head over heals for this guy. I used to be the master of getting bored of boyfriends quickly, but for some reason, I just can't get enough of Mike. We do have our moments of disagreements of course and there are plenty of things that we could improve, but seriously, I couldn't be more content and it's all because of him!

Mike is an expert on how to make a long-term relationship work the best. He always finds ways to spice up our life together so we don't just fall into a rut of the same old, same old. We make sure to take turns going out once in a while so that we can still have that social part with our friends and not just sit at home because our kids are in bed. We do go out together too, of course, but I love going out for coffee with friends while he loves going fishing with the guys, so it works out perfect. We go on a lot of fun adventures as a family and seeing each other with our kids, just makes us fall that much MORE in love with one another.

One thing we're not as good at is taking time to ourselves, without the kids. I love spending as much time as possible with my boys, but I know how important it is for all of us that Mike and I get that alone time too. Maybe I should try to plan a date for the two of us? We're together at home every day, but it'd be good for us to actually get out of the house together again. It's been a while. Now I just need to plan a fun date for a guy who totally deserves it :) Any suggestions?