ROMA!

Love, love. love!! What a place, we loved it, loved it!!

4 days in the most romantic city you can imagne, with my fantastic husband holding my hand - doesn't get any better.

We had the best time: lots of wine, pasta, coffee, gelato, very long walks and a lot of old, old buildings to look at.

In the end we missed the boys, but it was great. The boys were happy to see us for sure, but right away Daniel said. 'mom, dad to Rome again, me go to visit bedstefar and bedstemor again....' Lovely boys. This was what we wanted when we went back, and we got it. Thanks to Inge and Finn!!!

Daniel went to the cardiologists today. He is doing great. He only has to come back in a year!!!

Daniel turned 2!!!

Okay guys, this is really bad!!! We came back to Denmark just over a month ago and I have contacted hardly anybody. We loved seeing everybody and just hanging out like in the old days. Kids were so happy and we talk lots about everybody.
Danile turned 2 on Thursdag. He was so excited, he is now talking nonstop and had been saying nothin but, 'birthday', 'me cake', 'singing' etc the last few weeks before the big day. I had the day off and we went ti 'Tivoli' in Copenhagen for their Halloween theemed week. It was pretty crowded, but the kids loved it. There are lots of rides and Jonathan went on a few. Frederik, Inge and Finn meet us later on for hotdogs:)
On the weekend we had Daniels Christening. Like in Canada you are usually 3-4 month when you do this, but we had put it off a little. Now Daniel walked up the aile himself, very proudly holding his cousin Emil's hand. He was so great and Jonathan to, after we had a small party(17 people) here for lunch and birthday cake. Great to have everybody here.

In 4 days Frederik and I are going to Rome for 4 days. This is so extremely exciting, it's going to be great. No kids, good coffee, good wine, beautiful place - romantic hey??? We know we'll be gone for halloween - luckely it's not very big here.... Send us photoes from Halloween in Garrison woods - please!!!

Here are some photoes....

Andrew, Gillian and Craig were here

So I haven't written anything in over a month - just busy again.
Andrew, Gillian and Craig just left on Sunday after visiting for a week, it was so wonderful to meet little prince Andrew and hang out with his parents. We had lots of fun, discovered lots of great places in Copenhagen and played Settlers (I'm not saying who won, just that I hear a lot about it....:(
Kids are great. Jonathan had his adenoids removed, ate 12 popsicles and was great and best of all, he is hardly drooling anymore:) Daniel talk tons, and is lots of fun!
We had planned to spend the summer in Denmark, we looked forward to it, but then Frederik was asked to move his vacation time - this made us plan for a wonderful and a little more expensive vacation! We fly in to Calgary on Labourday weekend and we'll stay for 2 weeks. We are totally excited and can't wait:) We are guessing everybody will be home, since school starts - we think. We will make it to Frederik's friend and co-workers wedding and have lots of time to hang out with you guys.... We'll plan more as we get closer.....
I'll put photoes on here soon!!

Greatgrandma's birthday and Legoland

Frederiks grandma turned 85 a few weeks ago. She invited for lunch at this nice restaurant in Frederiksberg have (frederiksberg garden) Such a beautiful place. We all went on a little rowboat ride in the afternoon, such a great day. We had photoes taken of the whole family in the park. They turned out okay (not Janet standard I have to say...) but grandma will be happy.
This past weekend we went to Legoland and stayed at this place where you rent a condo, stay for the weekend and hang out at a waterpark and a great indoor playground there is. It all sound like it's a bit to much, but it's really nice with the kids. We went with my family and we all had a great time. Ofcourse the kids loved it. Legoland in Denmark is almost as great as the one on California:) In the evenings we had mojitoes and I thought of all of you guys.
The blog is weird and I can't write between the photoes. Anyway in the photoes we see Frederiks cousin Line and her daughter Mathilde, Jonathan and Finn. Later on its Grandma, Finn and his brother Lars.
The legoland once are my sister and the kids.



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They make me laugh so much

I wish you all understood Danish, but still if you don't I think you'll find this really funny. Jonathan is aking Daniel his age, saying 'are you 1 hundred, are you 2 hundred....., and the clever ones of you will understand Daniels NOOO, which he uses a lot these days....

So I didn't tell you about our first visit from Canada. It was so great though, we loved it. Jonathan hardly said a word in english(have I not written this before, I'm so stressed right now, my brain has stopped working again.... I need a beer at The Garrison, right now....)Wierd about Jonathans ebglish, but I think that is how it is, makes me want to visit Calgary as soon as possible.
Nynne, Erin and Oscar stayed with us for 6 days I think, we had lots of good times together in between all the visits they had to do (I remember thoose bysu-Denmark-visits...) Jonathan loved hanging out with his buddy and they just had a blast together. Nynne and Erin had Jonathan one day and they all went to the Copenhagen 'calaway park'. It's a very old park in the middle of Copenhagen, very pretty and fun ofcourse. We had lots of beers and the guys watched a lot of hockey during the week.
We said no Thank you to the daycare spot. I think the decission is right, eventhough it makes me exhausted thinking about all the time we spend on transportation. But the teachers where Jonathan was going to go, seemed no good and said he probably wouldn't fit in. It made me so mad that they would say that. If you want to work with kids, you have to teach them that everybody is welcome to join the group. I talked to the boss of the daycare to hear what their thoughts on integration of new kids are. We had a good talk and I feel somewhat better, but still I don't feel like moving J. And also after his vacation at the grandparents, he finds new kids that he wants to bring home for playdates, all the time - and they want to play with him too:)
Frederik is comming home from London late tonight. He is going to bring and pickup kids from daycare tomorrow. I feel totally stressed out about work and the bring-pick-up of kids that has been my job for the last 2 weeks. I'm so behind at work and I keep forgetting things. Today I almost started crying because I forgot to cancel a patients transportation (not a really good reason to cry I guess, thinking about it in the bigger perspective, but I am really exhausted and stressed out.....)
We have had the first cardiac checkup here in Denmark (ofcourse it came while F was in Calgary) Daniel is still fine and good, but I just don't like all the maybe's, I guess you get used to it over the years.
We went to the ENT-doctor here about Jonathans droowling(how do you you spell that), right away he decided to do surgery, because he finds it obviously that Jonathan's adenoids are enlarged (I still don't like that doctor at the childrens and now it seems that he was so wrong and Jonathan has struggled with something that can be helped with a tiny little surgery. Dr. D not a good doctor....)
Here are some photoes from a trip to our good friends place. Malene, Mads, Karl-Emil and William. Yes we did go the the sea, I love the sea and Daniel is sitting in the water (maybe that's way he has a cold now, but it was 25 C)My hair is really short these days.
The one with Daniel in the cardbord is for you Sheri. We love the 'guess who I am' game. Especially Daniel who I guess is always a gost:)

Home for the weekend

Frederik came back from Canada, all tired and not sure where he wants to live. What did you guys do to him.....:) He said he had a great time in the hood and loved seing everyone of you. We have to all try and come back as soon as we can.
Thanks for all the shopping you have done for us and all the hello's. Jonathan now loves Lego Starwars and he misses his friends a lot anfer all this talking about everybody. He also wants to eat maccaroni cheese all the time:)
It's a long weekend here and we are trying to relax lots before everything gets busy again. Frederik is off to London tomorrow morning and I'm alone with the kids - again. (one day I will find the great OT work where I can get an escape once in a while, or what about that trip all my Canada girlfriends and I are going to have, lets start plan soon, so I feel I get to go away:))
Ofcourse I have Inge and Finn to help out(and they really do) - but still. It seems to be never-ending-busy over here.
We now finally got offered a spot for Jonathan at Daniels daycare, which we had hoped for in the first place, but now we can't dicide if we should move him or not. He has really had a lot of moves over the last little while. He is settling in at his daycare, not fully and he still have days where he doesn't like it there. To have them in the same place would make life so much easier, we think they would enjoy being together during the day (no we don't think, we know) But we are not sure the place in itself is better and it wasn't easy starting in the first daycare. What would you guys do???

A nice long weekend

We are just finishing a great long weekend. The boys and I have been of since thursday. I took one of these day offs with the kids, that you get as public hired in Denmark (I have 2 days of per child per year, on top of my 6 weeks vacation - no wonder there is no money left en good old rich Denmark) Anyway we went to the doctor for some shots and a referel to the cardiologi clinic here in Copenhagen. Jonathan went to the toystore with his great grandma to get a late birthday present - very exciting! He ended up chosing moon sand, that he remembered Lucas and Ben had. And ofcourse he said, 'when are we going to visit Calgary'.... He knows that Frederik is going in two weekes, but is taking it quite well. I'm so jaloux though, I so much want to go. Anyway, I don't know who knows, but Frederik is comming for some work and will hang around the neighbourhood on the Saturday and Sunday the 15th and 16th. On the Thursday we also had a good playdate in the afternoon. (we have had a lot of really good playdates lately) Also Jonathan plays a lot a lot with Mark next door. On Friday we were all of for a Holiday (it's called big praying day - sounds pretty silly when you translate it, but hartly anybody prayes these days, and we judt had a great day of. The weekend has been pretty productive and great at the same time. We feel we are moving forward with the old house. NYnne, Erin and Oscar are comming next monday and staying for some days, so we want it to lokk somewhat nice here.
We hung out we the neighbours on both side of us and they all seem really nice (not the cul-de-sac, but still)
Getting the everyday life to go smooth is still a strugle. It takes us over an hour to get both kids to daycare and then to work and the same in the other end. Frederik and I feel everything we do, we do it running, but it will get better we are sure..... The kids like daycare much better now and that makes the drop off and the thought of leaving them there, much easier.
Anyway here is 2 videoes and some photoes. Jackie is asking for photoes from the house, I'll try to get more soon.
Here is Daniel enjoying some good danish desert (koldskål) it's a sweet buttermilch, and I think he likes it.....:)
By the way, he talks so much, so what he didn't have in his feet I think he has in his head.... We hope:)
Jonathan, Daniel and Frederik being creative in the livingroom (we hope to knock down the wall you see in the background, pretty soon, to get a canadien kitchen-living-everything-room.
Is't Jonathan great with his language school. His englkish is fadeing, while he is trying to learn the kids danish, it will be exciting to see what will happen when Oscar and co are here.

Spring is here

Jonathan, cousin Villads and Uncle Anders in our yard.
I love spring time. We are outside all the time, and I feel more energetic. It's sad we don't hang out with wonderful people on the streets here in Vanløse, but anyway. We had Frederik family over today for lunch, and itøs great to feel that we can host people in this house after we started out being very disapointed in the house. I made a lot of 'dinner with julie food' and they liked it, that made me happy. Anyway a photo and a video for today.

Daniel in action in the back of the house.

Settling in and walking for real!

Allright, here we are. Almost two weeks in the house, two weeks of daycare for Daniel, one week of work for Bettina and one week almost of of work for Frederik(taking Daniel to daycare and doing one million things around the house) - we are so exhausted now!
But I have to say one thing we are doing really good. I totally like my job and I enjoied leaving the house this week knowing things were taken care of at home.... I coworkers seem so great, the job is very interesting. Working 32 hours and biking 15 minutes to get there. Pretty perfect I think.
We have seen (frederik has) such a change for mister D at the daycare this week, he started of crying so, so much monday and today i stayed for lunch and his nap and was great, we are so relieved. Jonathan is doing better and better and really likes hid daycare and he is finding some friends. Next door here at home is Mark, he is almost 4 and they like to play in the afternoon when we all get home. Almost like at home (Garrison)
And the house. Had it not been for my parents, we would still not be to happy here, but they are truely amazing. They just left today after a week og hard work. Lots of cleaning, lots of gardening (in the very small yard we have). Now it is beginning to look like a house again. I'm sorry to say Jackie, our house didn't look to good and there were and are so many things to do and fix.
Daniel is walking for real now. He got really close to 18 month, but yes he made it. Here are a few photoes of the house and the kids. I'll post some from Norway and other stuff soon. Have a good weekend.

Back home!

Okay we arrived home from Norway Monday morning. Got the house in a pretty bad condition that afternoon and got our stuff in the container yesterday. The house needs some loving hands to care for it and time. We are both really exhausted after these few days. At the same time Daniel started daycare yesterday and Jonathan is strugeling quite a bit at his place.
On the bright side I got a job, starting on Monday. It is really exciting and it will be great. Everything is now happening at the same time :)
Thanks for all the birthday notes for me - it's great to be 34 :) I'll write you all when we have settled in some more.

Of to Norway

We are leaving for Norway this Friday. 10 days of skiing, Cross country and downhill. It is going to be so great and we are quite excited. Jonathan is counting sleeps - now only 2 left! I have to say though that I'm getting really excited about getting in to our house again, see how it looks and just get settled back in. But that will all happen right after Easter. Also after easter Daniel is going to go to daycare - lets se how that goes. Jonathan is not as thrilled about his daycare this week as he was last week. Some kids are saying that they don't want to play with him, which is probably totally natural, but not very nice. Also today he said that some kid was hitting him. I really hope it's just a little something, but he kept talking about it, which for Jonathan is not a good sign.
We got the dvd with all the goodbye's on, thank you so much everybody, it's so nice to have and even though it makes us sad and we cry a little, we really love it. We will watch it lots. So thank you again, you are such great people.
Happy easter to everybody, we hope the easter bunny comes by your places (or the park)

Family photoes

I just looked at the last photoes Janet took of us just before we left. I enjoy them every time. If you want to see them, here is the link
http://www.photobiz.com/slideshowbiz/slideshow.cfm?slideshowID=116394&photographerID=998

We're thinking a lot about you guys

I feel I don't write everybody enough or not at all. We really miss you guys a lot and talk a lot about you. But it is really taking a lot of energy to settle back in and get started here, which we really have to do right now. Jonathan has had one week in the børnehave and really likes it, eventhough he finds it hard that he doesn't have good friends from the beginning, all the other kids have been there for a while. And he says that he misses canada. We know it will take a while, but the fase is not so nice. Anyway this afternoon and night we had some old friends and their kids over and we made them maccaroni and cheese. I made a fancy one with spinach, but that was not a success for the Canadiens and Jonathan got upset because it wasn't like he was used to... The guests liked it and we made lots of fun about our new North American habits..... I have to take more photoes, it really loked good. Of course a Julie reciept.
Yesterday Jonathan and Daniels Cousin turned 6. We went to this really nice cafe, you would all like it. There is a great play area for the kids, the cafe is trendy and cool adn the food is organic and decicius. I really like the place especially because my sister payed yesterday - it is not cheap at all, but a great experience. Who ever comes to visit, we will take you out there....:)

Børnehave/daycare

Okay, week three seems much better then the others in Denmark. Jonathan had a great trip to my parents place and Daniel and I joined him on the weekend, which was really nice to. Frderik stayed at home in Copenhagen and bought us a car. Jonathan got a spot at a daycare/børnehave and started Monday already. He really likes it. Frederik is taking him today and they are both excited. We took a photo before Jonathan went the first day and a photo of the daycare. Also Jonathan wanted to show you all the local toystore, it's the one called BR. There is a little video of Jonathan. We call it Jonathans mini school. You can learn some danish words, maybe we will do some more soon. After daycare today we are going to visit Lani's friend Melanie and her kids, they live close by and are here from Calgary for 5 years. I'm so excited to see a canadien and speak some english and talk about canada:)

Not in english

So I didn't know how to do it after all....

Now in English

Thanks for the comments, I didn't know that I could change this, but here we are in a English version.
First Danish week is over and I have to say one thing - we miss you all like crazy! I remember I thought when we moved to Canada that it was probably good for people like us to try how it feels like to come as a stranger and try to figure out all the systems in another country, I thought that would make us better and more open-minded people. I think that is all still true, I felt like a better person after our time in Canada. But comming back 'home' to Denmark has turned me into an old, grumpy, frustruated woman. After three years of telling everybody in Canada about our great danish system, I have to say - there is truely something missing. When Danish people arrive home like us, we a like we never existed in the system (that is not quite true, but how it feels) I can't get any money from my union and the government, because we have been out and I have payed them lots of money all the time. And all that talk about daycares, We now have a spot for Jonathan mid May, which means that until then I can't really get a job. So much for the social system....! I do sound frustruated, hey!!
Alright I just need a few days and then I'm back. Jonathan is in Jylland at my parents, and is having a great time. Frederik is home tomorrow (he'll try to be home once a week until the kids have daycare, so I can look for jobs) Frederik and I are going to a concert tomorrow night (with a really cool danish band called 'nephew' - so some things are pretty great.
Daniel is still not walking, but is of course as happy as can by. Jonathan is totally canadien, talking to everybody he meets on his way, playing with everybody on the playground. On Saturday we meet a dad and his son and Jonathan said 'I'm from Canada :) He is doing great and settling in so well.

Grey table

Jonathan just want to let everybody know that the table in the picture is his big cousins. You can play fuseball, airhockey and a pool table. It is pretty cool. Unfortunately we lost the puck, otherwise we would play airhockey all the time:)

The Horns have landed

Hi guys
I guess we better start right away. We arrived in Copenhagen 3 days ago already and right now we mostly just try to get through the jet-lag. We've been up at night ofcourse but Monday Jonathan and I slept till 11.30, pretty nice!
The flight went okay. Everybody slept on the long flight but by the end Jonathan got sick and was sick in London and on the last flight to Copenhagen (throwing up). He also got a good nap and when we arrived in Copenhagen he was full of energi for visiting with grandparents, cousins and aunt + uncle. It was busy at Bestemors and Bedstefars place, but thats how we like it and Jonathan and Daniel loved the attention. Daniel wasn't scared at all and likes to hang with bedstemor and bedstefar without mom or Dad. At midnight bedstefar and Daniel are getting in to a habit of hanging out together for an hour or two.
We are now officialy Danish again (feels a little weird) and have healthcare and all that again.
Here are a few photoes of our place. Jonathans room and the house (Jonathan didn't want to be in the picture)
We miss everybody lots right now, but are also happy to se family here at home.