I'm dreaming of a white... Halloween?!?!

A foot of snow fell by Halloween afternoon, and it's still falling every now and again. (and I was looking forward to walking to language school tonight :oP )

It is nippy outside but very beautiful. See for yourself:





Karin just taught me how to make a snow lantern, that photo will be put up soon. :) (snow balls making a sort of lantern/igloo around a lit candle.)

A SNOW LANTERN looks like this from this website. Ours probably isn't as perfect... but it has such a nice glow in the yard at night! :)

Just Cruising

Two weekends ago, Vegar and I rented a fun little VW for a couple of days. We went to a mountain region east of Lillehammer that is called sjusjøen. The changing leaves, the moss, mushrooms, blueberries, etc were all soooo beautiful!



While that was peaceful and refreshing, the real adventure began Monday morning! Vegar and I had to wake a little after 5 so that I could get him to the train station on time so he could get to Oslo by 8 for work. At 6 am, though, my brain doesn't run at full speed and I somehow thought the train left at 630 instead of 615! So, he missed the train... which meant we had to drive him to a town about 45 minutes away so he could catch a local train. We made it in time for the train... with some 15 minutes to spare... So I hopped on the train with him and kept him company before he had to leave. We talked for awhile... and then suddenly an announcement came, 'Doors locking.' I ran to the door, but they were already locked! I was stuck on the train with no wallet, no coat... I had my Crocs (sandals), the car keys, and that was it! Vegar paid for my trip to the next stop, which was the airport train station. He had 10 kroner, and I had some spare change in my pockets... that paid for my return trip back to the train station where the car was parked! I felt so silly... no coat and it was 40F/3C and the sun hadn't risen yet. Brr!! After waiting 30mins or an hour, I finally got back to the train station and RAN to the car! Hopped in and went the wrong direction... delaying my return trip to Hamar by 30 minutes because there was no where to turn around on the highway! And I was on a time schedule because I had to be back to turn in my car by 11. So, rushed back to Hamar... trying to keep it under 50mph/80kmph and actually going more like 62 mph/100kmph. Whoops! That could have cost me $300! And it might still cost me that if one of those cams caught me! I was really trying, but I was sleepy, had no cruise control, and find it difficult keeping it at 50 mph when I drove 75+ every day for quite awhile.

I managed to make it back in time to clean out the car and do some quick errands before turning it in. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to fill up the tank. Finally realized that I had to press the keyless entry button to open the car before the gas tank door would open. Then I had to press it in and it popped right open. Strange.

The car was really cool! Brand new! It had all the bells and whistles... including heated seats! :)

Well, that was the start to my crazy Monday. That day was SO long and busy! By 2pm, I finally had the chance to eat breakfast/lunch! :)

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

"An Inconvenient Truth"

Read film reviews here

Vegar's Review:

There are some movies out there that make me drool. More or less. They make me go crazy about them anyway. Lord Of The Rings; The Fellowship of the ring was one such film. I think I saw it five times in the cinema. This one; AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH is another. If for completely different reasons. There are no special effects. No entertainment really (I did not laugh my head off) and it does not have a cast so full of stars the milky way looks dim in comparison.

However, this movie is one I would say is not a "should see" nor a "warmly recommended" - but a must see.
For anyone who supported Bush in the elections where he competed against Al Gore the movie does contain a few jabs. It seems Al is a little bit bitter about the whole issue. And this pulls the quality impression of the film. After all, it is not supposed to be about who won the election. It is about the current issues of global warming. And regardless of your political or ideological viewpoints this movie is a must. It holds a lot of facts that simly must get 'out on the streets', and these facts are presented in a way I believe will keep the vast majority of the viewers nailed to their seats. Especially if you are American, as this movie - made by an American - contains many facts and pointers that are especially valid for citizens of the USA.

In essence, See the film. Buy the DVD and petition Al Gore to make it available for free on-line. This movie must be seen!

Kelly's Quest for FAIR TRADE

The first time Vegar ever mentioned fair trade to me I was completely clueless. I knew it must have something to do with paying overseas workers more money for their goods... and after quite a bit of traveling, that idea made me a bit skeptical. I have seen the effects of people overseas getting twice as much income as their friends and family. Envy and greed inevitably rule in such settings. On the contrary, fair trade doesn't mean paying the people American salaries for factory work... it means giving them a fair and decent salary for their work.

A friend of ours is a textiles designer. She works with women in southeast Asia. They make the most magnificent silk scarves! Her women make FAR less money than we make in a given day... Just a few dollars a day... but that is more than the big corporate factories pay. They must work longer hours in sweatshop conditions for maybe half the income in these Walmart type sweatshops. It is amazing to me that one thing I valued about American shopping is the cheap sales... unbeknownst to me... those cheap prices were very costly.

Most large corporations in America take advantage of free trade agreement and expose many to horrible working environments and unfair market value for their work. They pocket most of the profit and even walk away from these villages having used up natural resources or polluted water systems. Coca Cola has even ruined the water supply of a village in India, for example.

WHAT CAN WE DO?
Well, think about it... We buy 5 tshirts from Walmart that cost $5 each (*cough cough* ahem... Dad. ;) Nah, the example just went that way, I am not pointing fingers at Dad just because he is known for his Walmart shirts :). So, these shirts probably won't last many years because, to be honest, they were poorly made out of fabric that is laced with chemicals. So, you spent $25 on some shirts that won't last long, may irritate your skin, and encourage unethical working conditions/wages. Instead, you could buy an organic cotton shirt from the wonderful cotton farms in your own state (there are several in Texas), you could buy bamboo fabric shirts which last a very long time, don't hold onto odor, and keep you really cool in hot summers, or you could buy a hemp tshirt that will last for many years and supports village women who are making a fair living.

I have started buying fair trade, ethical clothing. It is really awesome to know that village women in Nepal made the headband I have on right now... or that my cardigan is good for my skin AND helped people in Romania earn a fair living.

We live in the richest nations in the world. WE are responsible for making a difference in the world! We have the money to spend, so let's spend it wisely and carefully.... in a way that will make the most difference.

One of the neat things about Fair Trade is that it's such a good way to do missions. Many missionaries work with villagers to teach them a trade or skill. Then they teach them how to market that trade... and thus they create a sustainable business! That's what it's all about-- equiping people living in poverty to make something of their lives. No one WANTS to BEG. We CAN'T simply send money! Supporting these village initiatives really makes a difference in developing these communities! Once people have the basic physical needs met, we are able to point out their spiritual needs as well... Just as Jesus met physical needs, it is crucial that we support these groups who are meeting the needs of villagers around the world.

Some things to think about...
Our Ministry Tshirts... what sort of conditions did the 'made in china' ministry shirts promote? We buy them cheap so we have money for more ministry... but isn't it a part of our responsibility as Christians to care for the hopeless and defenseless? We may not directly force people into these sweat shops... but our money supports their continuation. Did you know that organic cotton shirts, made in Texas, aren't very expensive at all? Why not put in a few more dimes per shirt to ensure that we are living ethically.

Cheaper does NOT mean better... The next time you need to buy socks, underwear, clothing, etc... Let's buy fair trade! What will you get? a higher quality garmet that is healthier for your skin, better for the environment where it was made, and provides a fair job for the person who made it!

Written in the Coffee... Starbucks uses Fair Trade coffee. :) Next time you are looking for fresh grounds, make sure it's fair trade. It just costs a dollar more but makes a huge difference!

An Ethical Christmas... From the time we are babies, we are given so many things. How about a really unique gift in the form of a donation to a charity, mission group, or actual physical gift for someone who really needs it more than we do. For example, if you know a couple getting married who wants to make a difference in the world, a nice gesture would be buying wedding goats for a couple in Africa. This allows them to start their married life with two goats that will provide offspring and a way of income and food for this new family that has so little. :)

Just some things to get you thinking:
*Fair Trade Certified-- What you can do to make a difference
*Do Something Ethical-- Creative ways to live ethically, especially geared for young people
*Make Trade Fair-- activism
*Creative Gifts that are given to someone overseas with a card sent to the person whose event you are celebrating
*Womans Missionary Union's WorldCrafts-- Gifts that not only support village crafts but also missionary work!
*Global Exchange-- An Amazing Fair Trade Online Store with loads of gifts for every occasion and even care packages and gift baskets!

You can buy almost everything fair trade... food, clothing, pencils, pens, lighting, cleaning supplies, decorations, jewelry, accessories, and the list goes on and on. Email me if you have any questions or are looking for something in particular! :)



My Fair Trade Organic Cardigan that feels SO comfy, cozy on me! I LOVE IT! I can feel the difference between this and most of my synthetic clothing. It breathes SO much better. :)

My organic cotton fleece jacket. :)