The Land of the Great-Greats

I just wanted to check in quick while we are taking a little break from being tourists.

For you it is 9am Friday 25, 2014 :: For me it is 4pm on the same day. We have just arrived in Trondheim and had a beautiful drive through the mountains and along the river!!

Norway is where my great-great grandparents are from as well as my husbands great-great grandparents so this trip has been awesome to see where some of our roots started.

This country is beautiful and I can't wait to see so much more especially the fjords!!

If you would like to follow on Instagram you can do so using the following hashtags :: #StorhoffsInNorway #NomeToNorway

Vågå, Norway :: July 24, 2014

Sometimes Vacation is the Shits

Oh there is no doubt I will be bawling like a baby this afternoon {I'm already getting teary-eyed at 6:30am}. We will be dropping Brea off for 20 days at Puppy Boot Camp. 

I am going to miss this little girl so much, granted we will be on vacation and enjoying new sights and keeping very busy - I know I'll think of her every day.

Pretty sure she knows we are leaving and is already getting stressed about it. This morning she pooped in her kennel for the first time ever and it would have been 'not so bad' if it was solid. Needless to say Steven had to power wash some items this morning and I was busy cleaning up poop instead of packing last minute necessities. 

I can't be mad at her though because I won't see her for 20 days and I want to get as much loving and kisses in as possible. She will be 15 weeks old on Sunday and weighs about 35 pounds; I can't imagine how huge she will be when we get home.

So I hope I got all the poop cleaned up in the house and we don't find any stinky surprises when we return. Along with me, the blog will be taking a little vacation too, unless I decided to post while overseas but I have a feeling I will be too busy being a Norwegian!! 

Pontoons, Wine & Life

I know - I know around these blog parts I have been MIA since the 4th of July; don't worry I am okay and didn't go overboard on the pontoon {but very well could have} 

I feel like I'm just coming up for air this week and before I know it we will be on another adventure! 

I just wanted to fill you all in on life with me before I go MIA yet again << Look I'm warning you ahead of time

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The 4th was a blast at my parent's lake home. Throughout the weekend we had 20+ wonderful friends who made the weekend fly by!!

The following week I hosted a wine tasting party at our house and it was such a fun girls night with WAY too much delicious food! 

The day after the wine party I went with a few girlfriends to a Wine & Art event downtown {because you can never have enough wine} We had such a blast and can't wait to go next month.

This past weekend was spent with much of my husband's extended family at a reunion and you wouldn't be wrong in saying I am completely drained from all my recent activities!! 

At the end of the day though I am grateful to be drained because that means I am taking advantage of every day and living life to the fullest! 

All items from Eva Marie Typography --- check her out!

Salsa me Red White & Blue

I made homemade salsa and guacamole for the first time in my life and it was so super easy so I thought I'd share!

My town has recently been added to the route for the Bountiful Basket program and last week I purchased the firecracker dip pack. I was a little nervous because I hadn't the first idea how to make salsa, thank goodness for Pinterest!! 

For those who need a recipe with precise measurements this is not for you and my salsa will probably not taste the same the next time I make it!

I took all the ingredients of the dip pack cut them up, removed seeds on peppers and then placed them all on the grill drizzled with a little olive oil and sea salt. I flipped the veggies after 5 min and grilled for about another 5 min. 

Once done I took all the veggies put them in my food processor with some sugar and tomato paste and that was it! For the Guac I just took half of the salsa mix and added 3 avocados with a few splashes of lime juice and mixed that together. Seriously so easy and very tasty, the nice thing about it is you can make it all your own and add stuff until it is just right!! 

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I will be enjoying this salsa and guac with a few beers today to Celebrate America and I hope you have a great 4th of July Holiday!!

We Can Do All Things Through Christ...

I started writing this on Facebook and then thought 'no one likes GIANT status posts' so here is an impromptu blog post!

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Over the course of a few weeks I have been attempting to watch this video after numerous times of getting interrupted and pausing & playing it, I finally finished. It is 1 hour and 47 min long and I'm glad I watched every second. 

This is a video showing what a funeral should be like, a celebration of the life lived - and wow, did she ever Live! 

I did not personally know the woman who passed away so it may be odd that I watched her funeral; but I have been drawn to this story of love, loss, faith, joy and cancer since day one. You may not know her either but I promise you'll be inspired by the life she led! 

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I went to college with Leanne's sister, Aimee, so that is how I know of her journey. I have never seen a family more devoted and so certain of their faith and trust in Jesus - it is beyond inspiring, and makes me want to be a better follower of Him. 

Now, I really encourage you to watch the service and I don't want to spoil the whole story but Leanne was diagnosed with breast cancer -while pregnant- at the age of 26 {I am 26} and died at the age of 28 - 24 days before she turned 29 - this is what scares me, the realization that it could happen to me or my best friend or my sister. 

Leanne wasn't scared though, she knew God had a plan and He was in control - His plan didn't end how anyone had hoped but I think that too was His plan!!

You seriously won't regret watching this or having it play in the background while you make supper or play with your dog or with your kids >> CLICK HERE or HERE <<

If you decide not to watch the video at least check out the Team-Chin Blog and take this one thing away:
God is bigger than all of us, He is in control - Put all of your trust in Him! Oh and never pass up a moment to tell someone you love them and know that YOU are Loved!!