Those who know me in person, know I don’t like gifting money in a plain envelope. I feel it’s too impersonal and lacks creativity. So when SweetieS started school this last fall and all the parents agreed that we would give money when it came to birthdays, I went on Pintrest to get some ideas.
So far I have “toilet rolled” a few and made “piggy banks”.
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- how do you gift money?
When DaddyO told me he had a bunch of frequent flyer miles that were expiring very soon, he booked us a weekend trip to London! How sweet. In my 30+ years I have still to experience the city of London. The most I had seen of London was in the nighttime from a bus…
So on Friday we dropped the kids of at kindergarten and headed for the airport. The girls were stoked to be sleeping over at their grandparents while we were away. It was a smooth flight to Gatwick and before I knew it, we were checking in to our hotel located in the Kensington district.
So a few days with shopping and enjoying each others company, we are back a little more rested. I admit I might have gone a little overboard when shopping at Primark….clothes for the kids are really cheap when you don’t have to pay VAT. And if you shop other stuff for more than 30£ and flash your passport, you get a tax refund slip you can show at the airport when going home. Just remember to do that before you check in the baggage.. There’s a 100% chance they will want to see the goods you are taking home.
no pictures of my very full suitcase,
Oh and a last minute tip if you ever visit London…check out Oyster card (there is one for tourists) if you plan on using public transportation in London. Way cheaper options than buying the tourist cards. Eventhough it is a pay-as-you-go card, it is capped at £6.60 per day.
A belated Happy new year dear readers. Hope the new year has been good to you so far…
The past weeks I have been playing a stay-at-home-mom. Kuddos to all you stay-at-home-moms! You are doing a wonderful unappreciated job! Having that said, it’s good to be back to work.
I had a few extra days off work, to complete my latest projects….reorganizing our home. I’ve had time to think over the past few weeks, and concluded that a clean organized home equals a happy home. I started writing a list (me and my lists) over what I wanted changed. And the wishlist wasn’t very short….I started with moving the girls toys from the living room to the attic/play room. Over the holidays we got tired of constantly tripping/cleaning/stepping on toys all over the living room. The girls still have the Expedit in the living room, just with way less stuff. I’ve keep things like beads and coloring stuff. But clearing storage space and making a play area in the attic was the biggest task. The attic has, until recently, been a guest and office room. So it took some time to just repurpose the space.
After an inspiring read on a storage solutions post by Estella (love that she is from Singapore and into much the same things as myself….) and this post to be exact, I was inspire to redo the girls clothing dressers also. This way the girls can quickly get an overview over what they have in the drawers and get the clothes out much more efficiently. As an added bonus, the clothes take up much less space!
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| before… | after… |
I great tip I got from blog reading was the “random cubby”. My OCD prefers that everything has it’s place when being put away. So the random cubby is for the quick clean ups. For when you are in a hurry and don’t have time to find the corresponding parts/place for everything. Just need to find a cute and handy cubby….guess I should plan for a trip to IKEA soon. The list of handy stuff to get is getting longer and longer as I progress in my reorganizing.
After this first wave of reorganizing I have decided to take a break. Let the dust settle and see how well my chosen solution works in real life…
-how to you organize your kids toys?
-have you come over some supersmart organization tips?
A while back I came over a frugal tip on how to “stretch” your favorite liquid hand soaps, on Pintrest of course. This tip to be exact. The past year it has been a very helpful tip, with kids using hand soap like it was free…
The tip is very simple. A foaming soap dispenser, hand soap and warm water. I eyeball about 2-3cm of hand soap into the bottles and fill up with warm water. Leave a couple of centimeters so the bottle doesn’t overflow when screwing on the foaming pump. Swirl or shake the mixture until the soap has dissolved completely. I have so far only used clear liquid soaps, but I have read that the creamy soaps with leave you with a cloudy soap. With a toddler in house I added a dash of Dettol for the antiseptic features. Not too much though, or your soap will have a antiseptic sting to its smell.
Well the other day the girls were playing in the shower with foam and I came to think of the above mentioned tip. Would this work with shower wash too? So I gave it a try….
Let the foam party being!
- do you have any smart frugal tips to share?
The other day I was at IKEA and came over this box….
to put my used light bulbs…
What is nice about this is that if you return the box with used light bulbs, IKEA will donate 10NOK to WWF.
The box is free. So why not pick one up they next time you are at IKEA?
Read more about IKEAs environmental programs here.
Since joining different planner and pocket letter groups on Facebook, I have gotten so many tips and so much inspiration. The other day I came over a blog post about how to make my own tiny alphabet stickers. Since I had all the tools necessary I felt I had to give it a try.
Here are some of the groups I have joined, these have some wonderful and very creative members:
- Pocket Letter Pals
- planner, Journals and everything in between!
What you’ll need;
- sticker sheets (I bought mine at Staples) like these
- an exacto knife
- metal ruler
Instructions are available in the blog post here. Now I finally have a simple way to create alphabet letters, and I even get the Norwegian letters æ, ø, å.
my first batch
It took some time putting a word file together, with all the letters and characters I wanted. I would up with a table consisting of 25 columns and 26 rows all fitted in a A4 sheet of paper. Let me know if you want the Word file I created as a template and I’ll email it to you. After printing my first batch and using them to make a pocket letter I will make the next letters a tad bit more narrow. Next time around…
Aren’t these cute!
Still need to work out how much pressure to use when cutting the printed sticker sheets. My first attempt yielded full sheets though some more cut than others.
- do you make your own stickers?
Now off to watch an episode of The 100.
A fun discovery we made this weekend. Banana crash as SweetieS called it. While watching Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood on NRK Super they made a fun, frozen desert.
It’s as simple as 1-2-3…
Put a ripe banana in the freezer.
Using a blender, blitz for a few seconds – until you get the crumble consistency you’d like.
Enjoy!
I managed to snap a picture right before SweetieS chowed down…
I did however make some discoveries along the way.
- peel the bananas before freezing them (saves time waiting for them to defrost and then being able to peel them when putting them in the blender)
- use very ripe bananas (the sweeter the better)
Here @CasaR we always have bananas that we end up throwing away when they get so ripe that they feel to mushy to eat. This is a great way to use those bananas instead of wasting them.
Another tip for when you have overripe bananas, make banana bread. Here (from Det Søte Liv – it’s in Norwegian, but Google Translate should do a decent job translating) is a recipe I’ve used a lot.
- do you have any trick to overripe foods?
For those of you who don’t have any overripe bananas at hand..enjoy this vid…
just love these guys…
I know I haven’t been posting much lately. With a new baby in the house I don’t get as much rest as I want..so not much time to write posts.
This week, and the next few weeks BabyS is taking some time of from kindergarten. So have my hands full…luckily DaddyO is taking a few weeks of from work too.
Not much happening happening at CasaR other than sleeping, feeding, burping and diaper changes the last few weeks. In between we’ve had family and friends visiting…and MommyS has had time to do some Ebay surfing. Not much we need, but after joining the Facebook group “<3 Ebay Barn&baby <3” I’ve found lots of items that I found interesting. (a group for Norwegians posting their Ebay buys)
My latest Ebay buy where these mini straws. Perfect for small drink containers like Danoninos drinking yoghurt. Just before BabyS started her summer holiday from kindergarten we were told that BabyS wouldn’t be served milk in the month of July with her meals. So the straws were perfect to send with her lunchbox and a Danonino drink.
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| = | no spill drinking when out and about |
- do you Ebay for your children?
With BabyL coming a week before her due date and BabyS celebrating her 2 year birthday, things have been somewhat hectic the past month. The other day while BabyL was sleeping I finished attaching the decals for her room.
I got these decals super cheap on Ebay. There are SO many beautiful and cute decals available. They are easy to put up and can be changed super easy. This time I went with a pink teddy and a sleeping monkey….
For some reason the decals wouldn’t stick quite as wells as on the walls in BabyS room. After going online, I got the tip to use some watered down wood glue on the backside of the decals. That way the decals wouldn’t be permanent and leave no residue when removed later.
Still have a few things that need to go into BabyLs room…but with the decals up, I’m one step closer to personalizing this nursery too.
- when did you finish decorating your babys nursery?
- do you use decals?
With friends having their first baby left and right, I‘ve been asked for tips of baby must haves. These are just my tips from my experiences with BabyS…all babies are different and some things works better than others.
Dry wipes:
BabyS bottom didn’t like the “chemicals” in wet wipes, so we changed to dry wipes to use with plain tap water. Even with dry wipes there are tons to choose from…from normal priced to very cheap…
| Brand | Mesoft | Vidi | Dermica | Unik Sensitiv |
| Picture |  |  |  |  |
| Comment | Available also abroad…just ask for non-woven swabs | Vitus apotek have offers on this brand often: 5 for 100 NOK | Bought these 50% off,haven’t had a chance to use them yet. | Tried these at a friends house, just like the Vidi ones. |
| Approx. pricing | 30 NOK | 29 NOK | 28 NOK | 18 NOK |
| Available @ | Most pharmacies | Vitus apotek | Apotek 1 | Kiwi grocery stores |
All these come in 100 wipes per package and measure 10 x 10cm. Also great for using with baby oil.
The above dry wipes I used while BabyS was very sensitive to everything that come in contact with her skin. As she got more “sturdy” we changed to a more coarse dry wipe. Mostly because these were better to use when her poo was harder to wipe away.
| Brand/Name | Smart 365 | Softstar | Coop X-tra |
| Picture |  |  | |
| Comment | (Couldn’t find picture of the packaging – so here is the logo) | Been ages since I bough a packet, after hoarding “3 for 2 offer” | Like these better, as the have “grooves” – better to wipe off food left overs. |
| Approx. pricing | 40 NOK | 35 NOK | 20 SEK |
| Available @ | ICA grocery stores | Rimi grocery stores | Coop stores in Sweden |
The packages come in 250 wipes per package with a guesstimated size of 15 x 17 cm. Please note that these wipes have a more coarse surface…so not suitable for a newborns sensitive skin.
“Personal care”:
Diaper cream/ Zinc cream: After using different brands, we prefere “Dr. Greve Pharma sinksalve”. Just the right consistency for us.
Diaper cream: Bepanthen ointment by Beyer. Great for a serious rash.
Foam soaps wash out faster than regular soaps. Great when you have a impatient baby waiting.
Medela Purelan – lanolin ointment for mommy's’ soar nipples (from breast feeding). I bought the smallest tube and had more than enough for my usage.
Liquid bile soap: natural and can be used on the most delicate clothes. Worked wonders on our wool and bamboo clothes.
Clothes – for baby:
- Bodies that can be wrapped instead of pulled over the head was great for first timers like us. A newborns body sometimes feel like jelly, and placing a baby on top of the body and just wrapping around…And when your baby does a poo-volcano (poo is everywhere!…from the diaper, up the back, all the way up to the neck) it’s very relieving not having to pull the crap over baby’s head. Or like my colleagues tip, using scissors to cut of the body.
Of course what clothes to put on your baby depends on the season/weather. Always dress your baby accordingly.
- Mittens…Babies have the smallest nails and easily bruise their sensitive skin. Socks can also be used in a pinch 
For mommies:
A while back I posted about my newfound love for Pierre Roberts wool tops. Great when nursing and keeps the chest nice and warm, at least when the temperature in Norway start dropping below 10°C.
Large gauze towels. Super absorbent and multi use. We used our to cover up when feeding, washing, wiping, as bibs, padding, blankets….pretty much everything. We bought our super cheap @Jysk, but they discontinued this line since we bought ours. I bought a new batch when I was in Singapore. I have later also found them on Ebay, just search for ‘gauze towels’ or “gauze diapers”. Just remember to check the size. Ours were pretty large, measuring a 72 x 72 cm.
Water bottles – filled and stored in the fridge. Important to replenish when breast feeding.
Some tips to start with.
- what would be you tip about?
With a new baby coming along in June this year I thought I would take the liberty and get me some free stuff. Using my trust blog and a previous post, I thought I would save some time. But my list/post of free baby stuff is obviously alittle dated (being over 2 years old – or “lightyears in www-time”). So I thought I would put together an updated list – for myself and for you.
If you are intrested, you can find my previous post here.
Sorry to my international readers, shipping/pick-up is in Norway only.
This time I’m getting these:
And these I for some reason don’t need ...
No longer available
Think that is it from me for this time. Now off to send this blog link to a few pregnant friends
Have a wonderful Wednesday!
As I mentioned in my previous post, we spent our Christmas and New Years in Singapore. Being BabyS’ first trip abroad and travelling so far I was expecting the worst. Everything from a screaming baby from Oslo to Singapore to BabyS not handling the heat. As they say, “Hope for the best, expect the worst”. The long flight went beyond expectation and BabyS slept most of the flight, wohoo!
Arriving safely at our destination we went to a department store to stock up and get an idea of what was available. Especially stuff we have never bought in Singapore before, like diapers and babyfriendly food. Along came our first shock….diapers in Singapore are expensive! I know that the “war” between department stores here in Norway has left us spoiled with diapers costing next to nothing. But wasn’t prepared for such a big leap. I had been warned that BabyS size might be hard to find, especially in countries where potty training starts early. Size not a problem….especially since BabyS is quite small for her age.
An issue we had to find a solution for, was a stroller. Do we bring our own? Rent? Borrow – from whom? With a well-stocked cousin I got to borrow a stroller for BabyS. Thank you Janet! After a few days use I did notice a few things when it comes to use of strollers in Singapore.
- There are elevatores everywhere, just expect to wait for your turn. The elevator is always full up! Escalators are a good option.
- Public buses require you to fold up your stroller before boarding. (So not used to that from Norway! In Norway you can just roll onto the bus, provided there is room – which is up to the driver) Having money for a taxi is an option as taxis are cheap and always available.
- Most eating places we went to had high chairs for toddlers. (You know, the cheapest one from IKEA – called “Antilop”) If they didn’t have a high chair they could stack chairs to provide the hight needed – but not a very safe option if you have kids that don’t sit still while eating
. We have a Sack’n Seat – but we didn’t always remember to bring it with us.
This is turning out to be a longer post than I initially thought….so I think I will bring to a halt here – or I’ll never get this post out. Let me know if there is anything you want to know about my experience with bringing a 19 month old to Singapore. After fire weeks I think we covered the basics.
- How do you prepare for a long haul vacation?
- Have any experiences you wish to share?
As I mentioned in an earlier post….baby blankets for all my friends who have given birth lately. A few have still yet to be given their rightful owners…but I thought I would post these pictures while BabyS was sleeping and I don’t forget…
| The pattern | The result |
| I used my favorite blanket pattern by Pickles http://www.pickles.no/p-veg-helseteppe/ Knitted in Babyull by Viking |  |
| I wanted to make a stars and stripes blanket, but couldn’t find a pattern. As I couldn’t decide which color I wanted as the main color I wound up making this one a reversible on, like the one I made for BabyS. Also knitted in Babyull by Viking |  |
| I’ve wanted to try out the pattern for Mor Signe blankets – knitted diagonally in stead of strait up… While surfing, I came across this beautiful blanket. Knitted in Ullteppegarn by Gjestal. |  |
| And my latest creation, a simple blanket for sweet baby Maja. This is a reinvented version of Garnstudios pattern Bundle of joy. Instead of the blackberry pattern I stayed to plain garter stich (I think it’s called) To make the name part, I found a cool font on my computer, typed up the name and saved it as a picture. I then converted the picture into a pattern with knitPro – this is a super online tool! Makes a pattern from most pictures. Don’t remember who tipped me, but thank you! |  |
Hope the newly made families appreciate the blanket they receive. After making so many blankets the past few months I’m taking a break from my blanket producing days. For some reason I tried out the game Candy Crush Saga and I’m totally hooked!
- have you knitted any blankets lately?
- which model is your favorite?
So off to get me some Candy Crush….
Once again I have been playing around with the design of this blog. This time I added a signature file to every blog post. Played around with a few fonts and colors and wound up with this signature…Like it?
While playing around, I came over a new site for free fonts, a nice collection of some cool free fonts. Have added more than a handful of new fonts to my already bountiful collection. Can’t hurt to have too many fonts?
Doesn’t hurt that Windows 7 makes it so easy to install new fonts either. Just open a .ttf and there’s a Install-button on the top left side of the window. Can’t complain about that. How many fonts will you install???
When I come over blog widgets I like, I try to implement them here.
Two widgets I have added to my blog is inLinkz and LinkWithin. They are easy and simple to connect to Blogger. Check out their Support pages for step-by-step instructions.
inLinkz described on their website:
“…a widget that is inserted in your blog and allows you to receive link submissions from your readers”
I added this widget to keep track on products used when crafting. Many of the scrapbooking blogs out there have similar widgets…
LinkWithin as described on their website:
“…a blog widget that appears under each post, linking to related stories from your blog archive”
snagged from the LinkWithin site
I liked the thought of being able to link to blog posts in the same category when reading a post. Still trying this widget out, but like what I see so far.
If you have a blog,why not try’em out?
Breast feeding a baby is a fulltime job (don’t let anyone tell you otherwise). A few days in between she does require feedings every other hour (babies need more nutrition to grow 
In Singapore my family have always had a baby hammock hanging for all the babies that have gone thru their house. When we were in Singapore last year we bought one to bring back to Norway. And now we finally have use for it!! The rocking motion soothes the baby right to sleep…
And here is a little lullaby to go with the rocking…
Rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall
And down will come baby, cradle and all
My sweet sister-in-law recommended a youtube video months ago, in preparation for the coming baby. I watched it then…and after Sophies arrival I watched it again.
Recommend everyone expecting a baby to watch it….helped me A LOT!
For those of you who don’t have time to watch the whole video, here is the essence:
After several weeks of red tape I think I am finally finished with the chaos that is NAV forms.
Given this is my first pregnancy there was a lot of confusion for me. So I thought I would sum up what I learned from the process. Hopefully this will help clear up some issues for others that are in the same situation…in Norway of course (as this applies to Norwegian citizens only)
In Norway a few benefits are a given in relation to giving birth (given that you have been occupationally active and have had a pensionable income for at least six of the last ten months before the benefit period commences);
- You can receive 100 percent of your parental benefits for a period of 47 weeks or 80 percent of your parental benefits for a period of 57 weeks. These weeks are divided as follows.
So receive parental benefits there are a “few” forms that have to be filled with NAV (The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration)
1. “Application for parental benefits or a paternal quota for a birth” for the mother.
(2.) “Application for parental benefits or a paternal quota for a birth” for the father
Then there’s the curve balls…
Since both me and my husband are employed at places where the parental benefits are paid by our employer there are MORE forms. PS: that our employer pays out out benefits IS a good thing…
3. “Income and tax information for employees” for the mother
4. “Income and tax information for employees” for the father
To ease the transition from maternity leave back to work for me, and from work to maternity leave for hubby - we decided to go for a graduated parental benefit solution after the joint period. This means practically combing work with maternity leave, thus prolonging the maternity leave period.
We are planning on 5 weeks I work two days a week and my husband works three days a weeks, and then vice versa for another 5 weeks. Then it’s back to work full time for me.
Again this means ANOTHER form…
(5.)“Postponement or graduated parental benefits” for the mother
(6.) “Postponement or graduated parental benefits” for the father
*The forms with numbers in brackets are forms don’t need to be filed until the maternity leave for the mother begins.
Not all the forms have been filed yet on my part. But at least now I know what forms are needed for our maternity leave to go smoothly…
Phew….that’s it for me this time. Now that the paper mill has begun rolling, that’s one worry less for me to think about…
Forms mentioned above are available @www.nav.no
All I can say for those of you who are at the beginning of this paper mill:
Good luck!!!
