Monica, the youngest of the Norway Ricke clan, loves horses and takes lessons. I was lucky enough to join the family to watch her! 
Anna Maria was getting over her slight fear of horses.
Monica was amazing!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Taking Walks, Seeing Seals
Aunt Bjørg and I have really enjoyed taking walks around the area almost everyday. Often times we have company, my uncle Michael or Monica. and we saw SEALS!
Gingerbread Houses
My mom sent us an awesome Gingerbread House kit. When we read the instructions (yeah, instructions...haha) and put together the house with icing on an evening and then the next day we had a blast decorating our fabulous house.
Anna and I are decorating the roof with all the extra candies.
The finished product. There is certainly no other house like this around!
Randøya
The Island! More beautiful than I remember.
Aunt Bjørg, Uncle Michael, Bjørg's brother Dag, and I headed out to the island, Randøya on Dag's boat. I was there 11 years ago, in the summer. The island was beautiful with frost on the ground (ok, so it was a little chilly). There were a few new things, including a beautiful new deck on Aunt Bjørg
and Uncle Michael's cabin and a new pier down the hill.
and Uncle Michael's cabin and a new pier down the hill. Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! Spending this holiday here in Norway has been wonderful. They have such beautiful Christmas traditions. Everything begins in the afternoon on Christmas eve. The Church service begins at 4:15 with lots of singing and ends at 5pm. Then the church bells chime from 5 until 6. We headed home to a delicious sit down dinner that included baked ribs, potatoes, (a not very sour, delicious) sauerkraut, peas and corn, and meatcakes. My Aunt Bjørg's mother made the fodo for the 13 of us who ate together. For dessert there was a traditional milk rice pudding with berries on top. 
In the large bowl there is one hidden, peeled almond and the person who get the almond (after hiding it in his mouth until everyone is finished eating) shows it at the end and wins a small prize! After the wonderful dinner, in true Norwegian tradition, we walked around the Christmas tree holding hands singing Christmas Carols. Most were in Norwegian (of course) and there is a kids one where everyone stops walking to clap and do a few motions. This scared me quite a bit at first, not being able to actually understand the song and all. It was very funny. After quite a few songs we all sat down and the presents were passed out. Each person receives one of his presents and opens it while everyone is watching. Once each person has opened one gift, the rest of the gifts are passed out. Then the rest of the night is spent with family, drinking coffee and enjoyinge ach others company.
On the first Christmas day (the 25th) I woke up with the sun (around 9:30 am) and then spent time relaxing with family and enjoyed a delicious meal the Aunt Bjørg made. The second day of Christmas (the 26th) is, still a work holiday, is more often spent visiting with friends. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Christmas in Norway
I arrived on Sunday afternoon to beautiful Kristiansand, Norway in order to spend the Christmas and New Year holidays with my Uncle, his family and his inlaws. It is so nice to be here with family! I will work on being more up-to-date with pictures and stories from up north!
We Moved!
Well the last couple weeks in Hannover were very busy. I barely had time to check my email once a day, let alone post anything here. We worked all day renovating and packing. We moved to a house that is a one family house instead of a row house. It is a couple minutes away from our old house, but much bigger. But there was a lot of renovating including taking down walls and putting up new ones, laying floor, taking down and putting up wallpaper, painting, etc. Then on Thursday and Friday last week, the movers came and took everything out of the new house.
I promise to post pictures of the new house, my new room, and everything (but that will not be for a couple weeks because now I am in Norway!!)
I promise to post pictures of the new house, my new room, and everything (but that will not be for a couple weeks because now I am in Norway!!)
Monday, December 8, 2008
A Running Joke
So Matti (the four year old boy) and I have a running joke. We let the other know that he/she is silly. It is often that I just did something rediculous, like pretend to fly. Well, as we were walking home from soccer practice this evening, deciding what it would be like to be dragons, Matti says to me, "Amy, you are so silly". "No, I am not", I replied. "Yes, you are silly, Amy" Matti said and then he whispered "Amy, this is the part where you say that I am silly".
Then at dinner this evening we were talking about who was the silliest in the family, I said quite confidently, "Ich mache aber überhaupt kein Quatsch" (But I never do anything silly.) They all laughed and decided that I am number one on The List. oh man!
Then at dinner this evening we were talking about who was the silliest in the family, I said quite confidently, "Ich mache aber überhaupt kein Quatsch" (But I never do anything silly.) They all laughed and decided that I am number one on The List. oh man!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Living in Busy Town
Thanksgiving and Eichstätt
I spent last Saturday to Monday in beautiful Eichstätt, Germany with Sarah Vikler and her friends. On Saturday we cooked and then ate a delicious Thanksgiving dinner. On Sunday Sarah's friend Anna, Sarah, and I took the 1.5 hour train ride to Nürnberg where we visited the oldest Christkindlemarkt in Germany. It was gigantic and very cool. We enjoyed Nürnberger Wurst, a little marzipan, and bought a few gifts. On Monday I was able to attend one of Sarah's lectures (on Global Governance). It was interesting to visit a lecture in German at a German University. Here are a few pictures:
SNOW!
Hannover's first snow fall of the year was beautiful. We got almost 8
inches of snow! It is not only early for Germany to get snow but also somewhat uncommon. For the last two years they have gotten almost no snow. What a wonderful surprise to wake up to. This picture is take out of my window. The left hand corner is our back yard.
I was in the Newspaper...yes, here in Deutschland!
So as I was walking down the street in the city a woman stopped me and asked if she could take my picture and ask me a quick question. I was a little hessitant, I mean, it was in German. But I had time and she seemed nice, so I said yes. She asked me what I was giving for Christmas and what I recomended to give for Christmas. Here is a picture of the newspaper.
It says: "Ich werde meine Geschenke an meiner Schwester in die USA verschicken. Darunter Bücher und Schmuck. Noch aber habe ich nichts gekauft. Mein Tipp: Schmuck oder Schal und Handschuhe verschenken."
("I am sending my gifts of jewelry and books to my sister in the USA. My tip: give jewelry or a scarf and gloves." note: I was on the spot. I am actually not giving my sisters jewelry or books...haha)
Flat Stanley
I was sent a flat Stanley so I took him into the city and took some pictures of Hannover's Christmas decorations. I am copying what I wrote and the pictures because it is a good explanation.
I had a lot of fun with Stanley today.
We headed out on my bike for the 30 minute bike ride to the city center. So many people bike here in Germany as their only form of transportation. For example, the family I live with only needs one car because both of the parents bike to work everyday (even in the snow!). It is really nice to bike here because there are special lanes all over the city just for bikes. That makes it much safer. There are several good things about riding a bike everyday: it is good for your health, it is good for the environment, and it saves money on gas.
The next picture is of Stanley and I right in the city center. Everything is decorated for Christmas. It is so beautiful. Stanley and I are in front of a gigantic German Christmas decoration: Weihnachtspyramide or Christmas Pyramid. Normally these pyramids are much smaller and are a popular and famous Christmas decoration from Germany. When the candles are lit the the fan on top spins. Inside is the manger scene with Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus on the first level, the kings on the second, and the angels on top. The inside spins too!
The last two photos are of Stanley and I at Hanover's Weihnachtsmarkt or Christmas Market. Almost every city in German, small or big, has a Christmas Market. You can find some pretty Christmas decorations and gifts and get something warm to eat and drink. Hanover's Christmas Market is set up right in front of the beautiful main train station.
I spent last Saturday to Monday in beautiful Eichstätt, Germany with Sarah Vikler and her friends. On Saturday we cooked and then ate a delicious Thanksgiving dinner. On Sunday Sarah's friend Anna, Sarah, and I took the 1.5 hour train ride to Nürnberg where we visited the oldest Christkindlemarkt in Germany. It was gigantic and very cool. We enjoyed Nürnberger Wurst, a little marzipan, and bought a few gifts. On Monday I was able to attend one of Sarah's lectures (on Global Governance). It was interesting to visit a lecture in German at a German University. Here are a few pictures:
SNOW!
Hannover's first snow fall of the year was beautiful. We got almost 8
inches of snow! It is not only early for Germany to get snow but also somewhat uncommon. For the last two years they have gotten almost no snow. What a wonderful surprise to wake up to. This picture is take out of my window. The left hand corner is our back yard.I was in the Newspaper...yes, here in Deutschland!
So as I was walking down the street in the city a woman stopped me and asked if she could take my picture and ask me a quick question. I was a little hessitant, I mean, it was in German. But I had time and she seemed nice, so I said yes. She asked me what I was giving for Christmas and what I recomended to give for Christmas. Here is a picture of the newspaper.
It says: "Ich werde meine Geschenke an meiner Schwester in die USA verschicken. Darunter Bücher und Schmuck. Noch aber habe ich nichts gekauft. Mein Tipp: Schmuck oder Schal und Handschuhe verschenken."
("I am sending my gifts of jewelry and books to my sister in the USA. My tip: give jewelry or a scarf and gloves." note: I was on the spot. I am actually not giving my sisters jewelry or books...haha)
Flat Stanley
I was sent a flat Stanley so I took him into the city and took some pictures of Hannover's Christmas decorations. I am copying what I wrote and the pictures because it is a good explanation.
I had a lot of fun with Stanley today.
We headed out on my bike for the 30 minute bike ride to the city center. So many people bike here in Germany as their only form of transportation. For example, the family I live with only needs one car because both of the parents bike to work everyday (even in the snow!). It is really nice to bike here because there are special lanes all over the city just for bikes. That makes it much safer. There are several good things about riding a bike everyday: it is good for your health, it is good for the environment, and it saves money on gas.The next picture is of Stanley and I right in the city center. Everything is decorated for Christmas. It is so beautiful. Stanley and I are in front of a gigantic German Christmas decoration: Weihnachtspyramide or Christmas Pyramid. Normally these pyramids are much smaller and are a popular and famous Christmas decoration from Germany. When the candles are lit the the fan on top spins. Inside is the manger scene with Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus on the first level, the kings on the second, and the angels on top. The inside spins too!
The last two photos are of Stanley and I at Hanover's Weihnachtsmarkt or Christmas Market. Almost every city in German, small or big, has a Christmas Market. You can find some pretty Christmas decorations and gifts and get something warm to eat and drink. Hanover's Christmas Market is set up right in front of the beautiful main train station.
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