All has been going well the past few days.  Everyone is feeling better - Sam is slowly getting his appetite back.  The weather has alternated between rainy and gorgeous.  We would sure be sunk without our rain gear.  The folks here in Trondheim take their rain gear seriously - especially for kids.  All the kids wear thick rain suits and rubber boots.  They need to bring them to school everyday, even if the weather looks beautiful.  It's a running joke in lots of places in the US that, if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes and it will change.  That is completely true here (and soooo not true in Texas.)

Family game of Uno.  The picture doesn't show it, but the games get pretty wild. 

My helpful table-setter (always ready for rain - even in the house)

The kids were totally jazzed to find marshmallows in the market.  We have a lovely fireplace in the house, but the chimney needs repairs, so we can't use it.  And the wood stove hasn't yet been put into service.  So we roast over candles.

Roasting marshmallows over the candle flames

The fire-starter

Always happy with marshmallows in hand

The monster has a mouthful

Grace's preschool was closed on Thursday and Friday for teacher planning.  Isaac's was closed on Friday for the same.  On Thursday, all the kids came with me to pick up Isaac.  We had a great walk home, stopping at the harbor in Ila to feed the gulls our stale bread.

The crew riding the tire swings at Isaac's barnehage.  There's great play features in the yard - you can see the ramp in the background that goes around the back side of the upper playground.  The kids love to ride their bikes over that. 

At the harbor in Ila - we searched for the boat that looked most like the S.S. Minnow from Gilligan's Island

Feeding the gulls

We spotted this contraption and thought it must be something for loading and unloading boats at the harbor.  Then we saw it in action - it's a traintrack drawbridge.

On the walk home.  We crossed a different footbridge over Nidelva, and Katie found a great access point to throw rocks in the river.

The view from the bridge

Always bringing up the rear, but usually with a good story playing in her head. 

The two musketeers

At the park on the way home

Sam and Katie love these giant teeter-totter swings

They eventually figured out how Sam could catch some air too, even though he outweighs Katie.

For our Texas friends.  We haven't yet tried it, but it's on tap in our cupboard.

Friday morning, we figured out how to use the blender and made smoothies.

After lunch, we walked downtown to drop off some photos to be developed.   It was a beautiful day to be outside.  However, weather doesn't seem to matter to the folks in Trondheim.  They are out and about no matter how crummy the weather.  

Enjoyed this trio playing on the street.  Check out the giant bass. 

Followed by icecream!

We walked down to the main harbor to see a cruise ship that was docked for the day.

Gigantic 

The main harbor didn't have any inviting places to sit and watch the water, so we walked to the Solsiden neighborhood.  Lots of good vantage points there.

Lollipops on the dock

Sunbathing 

Watching the ducks

Sam read a book to Katie while we lounged 

Knocked out on the walk home

And on the other side of the stroller...