Norway and Dublin

Hey everyone! I hope you braved the storm and most of you are getting power back! If not, head over to the Fletcher's we have a generator!!

Last weekend, I spent the weekend just outside Oslo, Norway, visiting one of my old au pairs, Helene! It was sooo great to finally be able to see where she lives and meet her family and friends! I arrived Friday evening and we spent the night catching up and eating real food!! Saturday, we spent the day in Oslo! We met her sister, Hanne, and she walked around in the pouring rain with us all day! We did some shopping, saw the castle and walked around the harbor! I think Oslo may be the most beautiful city, despite the cold rain! Saturday evening, Helene's mother and brother came over to watch the kids and we went to a great little restaurant right on the water. We had lobster and sushi ...something I have been craving since I got here!!

On Sunday, we walked around her town and then went to her best friend's son's third birthday party. I was able to see how the Norwegians celebrate birthdays - much like our birthday partys - with a pirate themed party! I also got to talk to a lot of Helene's friends and saw one that had come to visit Helene and lived with us for a week!

It was so great to be able to spend the weekend catching up and seeing Oslo, I will definitely be going back to Norway!!

Helene's daughter Julie

Helene's son Emil

Helene and I :)

We also went through some old pictures from when Helene was with my family ....

Fletcher family at its best

This past weekend I went to Dublin with my friend Devin! We spent the weekend sightseeing and experiencing the culture. We hopped on the hop on, hop off bus and went to St. Patricks Cathedral, Kilmainham Jail, the Guinness Storehouse and Trinity College. We also got to experience some of the culture, exploring several different pubs and trying Ireland's best beers!! I wish we had more time to be able to explore some of the countryside .... next time!

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Kilmainham Jail

Guinness Factory

I am hanging around Edinburgh this weekend and then headed to London next weekend to see another au pair, Linda, and do some Christmas shopping! It will be great to see how Edinburgh does Halloween tonight ... I will keep you posted!