Rhubarb!!

Yesterday morning, Dave led me out to the backyard to show me a wonderful discovery - rhubarb!  We have tried to grow this in our yard in Texas, but it can't take the heat.  There is rhubarb crisp in our near future.

Grace displays the dessert-to-be

In the afternoon, the kids and I set out for a visit to Isaac's school (barnehage).  He is too young to attend the international school where Sam, Katie, and Grace will attend, so Isaac will be at a Norwegian childcare during the day while I am working.

We are headed for the church steeple you can see in distance to the center left

It is just around a mile and half walk to Isaac's school.  Most of the walk is along the river, which is currently lined with blooming rose bushes.  We made two pit stops at parks along the way. 

Here's the crew working the swings at a cute park hidden among some hedges.  Sam and Katie are demonstrating the versatility of the swings - you can sit on the front, back, or go tandem. 

This contraption was awesome.  It goes up and down like a see-saw and around like a merry-go-round.

Crossing the river Nid

We had a nice visit to Isaac's school.  Children from babies to age 6 attend.  There is an awesome backyard with two levels, connected by a slide.

Isaac's barnehage

The slide connecting the top playground and the bottom playground

Almost all the playgrounds we have visited use the surrounding hills as part of the equipment.  The slides are built into the hills, instead of free-standing.

On the walk back, we stopped to get ice cream and play at another playground.

This park had a zipline.  Katie hopped right on with her ice cream still in hand.  To her credit, she did not drop the ice cream cone when the zipline snapped back at the far end of the ride.  It gave a pretty significant whiplash.

Sam on the zipline, Katie on the platform 

Grace and Isaac in the sandbox 

Here you can see the whole zipline - Katie is riding in the middle.

On the walk back home - another pedestrian bridge over the river.  Grace is knocked out.

Sam and Katie were great walkers.  No complaints from them.  Katie was carrying a dead bumblebee she found.

Back at home, watching a video clip on Lego.com