Goodbyes and Newborn Lambs

The last few days of my parents' visit to Norway passed by quickly. The weather was cold and rainy so we stuck quite close to home.  Maarit enjoyed playing with Grandma and Grandpa and relaxing. We did venture out to see a few of the museums around town and we were especially lucky to visit the Viking Sheep just after several lambs were born.

Grandma and Grandpa flew back to Wisconsin on Tuesday morning after spending a bit of an afternoon with Maarit in her PS 3B classroom. Maarit was so very proud to bring her grandparents to school, show them her classroom and have them meet her friends.  It was the end to a very nice visit and hopefully a memorable trip for my parents.   

We are now getting back into our routine and  enjoying just a slight bit more warmth to the weather.  The days are growing longer and longer.  We have come to call the afternoons when school is finished "2nd Day" since it does not get dark until well past 9pm.  It is amazing how quickly that change has happened.  Maarit has been having a bit of trouble falling to sleep at night.  She says, "Mommy it's still morning time!"  The problem is compounded by a family of birds that nest outside her window.  They sing until the sun is completely set, and although their song is lovely it is quite loud for a sleepy girl.

Here are a few pictures from our wanderings around Stavanger.

At the Oil Museum Maarit enjoyed her first 3D movie all about the production of oil.

And Mommy and Daddy modled oil rig safety suits.

Here is our future drill operator:

We discovered with Grandma and Grandpa that a Mute Swan has made a nest in the lake downtown.   She has 3 eggs.

At the Stavanger Canning Museum, Maarit practiced sardine packing just as they did in the late 1800s-early 1900s in Stavanger.  Before there was oil there were sardines packed in oil.   ewwwww.

Maarit took these pictures around town.

And we visited the cathedral in town.  I am not sure that I have previously noted that it was completed in 1125.  It is Norway's oldest Cathedral.

 Maarit feeding the "Compass birds".  (The pigeon on Curious George is named Compass).

And the highlight of my week:  We walked up to the Viking farm on Sunday with my parents and happened to discover that many lambs had been born very recently (my Dad thought some were only hours old).   Newborn lambs are one thing- newborn Viking sheep lambs are the most ridiculously cute creatures on earth with all their funny, speckled curls and bouncy little feet.  We had such fun watching them.

And here is a proud Maarit with the table she set for Grandma and Grandpa's last dinner here with us.  She did such a great job!  With her jeans and t-shirt she looks how I imagined she would look in kindergarten.

Sometimes I can not believe she is only 3 and sometimes I can not believe is is already 3.  She is the sweetest, funniest and smartest girl I know.

We are looking forward to a few weeks of family time until my trip to Athens in the beginning of May. Justin is excited about learning to sail with our friends Aaron and Anne and we plan to check on our new lamb friends quite often.  Hope you are having a happy spring time.