Just thought I would post a quick update here, as some of the regulars here may be noticing I'm a bit off some of my regular posting schedules and community posts. We are in the midst of our last month or so here in Norway, and are preparing for our move to the UK. We will hopefully sign a UK lease on our new place this week, so a lot of the logistical details are being worked out, but the mental load of everything has fried my brain a bit. So if you're wondering what's up, I'm just sitting around trying to remember what day it is and telling my children that we all need to stop using the word pants 
. My youngest Iona has also promised to line up when they tell her to get in the queue. So clearly we are ready for our move to England, and I look forward to being really, actually settled and not move for a very long time. England will be our fourth country in four years, four different schooling situations for the kids, so we need to stop moving!
I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling that life is a bit much at this time. My scrapbooking has dropped off a cliff in the last month, which is understandable, but I do think I need to get back into it as it does act as an anchor and destress point for me.
If anyone wants to start a little unofficial accountability scrapbooking club, we could hop onto the discord server for some real time chat.
Oh wow, that’s a lot to carry right now. Thanks for popping in and sharing—especially in the middle of a whirlwind like this. Moving is hard enough, but four countries in four years? That’s a level of resilience most people can’t even imagine. No wonder your brain feels fried.
I love your humor in all of it—“pants” and “queue” cracked me up. It sounds like your crew is rolling with the punches, even if everything feels upside down right now. I hope the UK lease goes smoothly and you can finally exhale a bit once you're settled.Keep us informed! I'm living vicariously through your lovely photos.
(note for those that do not know In the UK, the word “pants” means underwear)
I do hope things go smoothly Marisa! I have already mentioned to you how I cannot fathom making a move between different countries. Moving our farm between two states had me quite frazzled and worn out. And we can take our time - as it is we still have a workshop waiting for us to move over.
I did wonder why you mentioned about the word pants, but after looking it up I see the UK uses that term as underwear. I know in the 19th century pantaloons were a pants-like undergarment worn by ladies. I can certainly see why the word went both ways lol!
The dust will settle and before you know it you will be all settled into your new place.
Well, what are pants then?!?!?!?
A UK tip- (from a US girl), my youngest watched Peppa Pig, way too much, and we had to teach her the counterparts.... Torch- Flashlight, but my favorite- she told everyone she hoped the Tooth fairy would give her 5 pounds. I was lucky that my co-worker was a UK native and gave me £1 for her baby book.
Best wishes and sanity for your upcoming move. Thanks for all you do for this wonderful community.
Thanks for the 'note'. Needed that one cause I thought it was the same as Trousers
Wow, Marisa! That’s a LOT to deal with - it’s a wonder you’re able to keep up with anything scrapbooking-wise. 4 countries in 4 years - what an amazing childhood you've created for your children. And with your scrapbooks, they’ll remember the details and the stories when they grow older and really appreciate them. Can’t believe your time in Norway is already done - that seemed to go by fast. Such a beautiful country you were all able to experience.
Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help in the forums while your mind is in a gazillion places right now. LOL
Happy packing!
the different meanings of words between countries has always been interesting and sometimes confusing - the term fanny does not mean the backside to us. luckily young kids adapt better than us in the older generation, best of luck with your move.
Like you, my creative time has been slashed by more writing deadlines. I love the research and writing, but I miss y'all!! I'd be up for a Discord chat
Absolutely love this update—thank you for sharing, especially in the midst of such a hectic season! It sounds like you're juggling a huge amount right now with the move, the kids, and everything in between, so it's completely understandable that your routine (and scrapbooking!) has taken a backseat. Major props to Iona for embracing the queue—sounds like she's got the British transition down already!
You're definitely not alone in feeling overwhelmed—there’s something in the air lately. An accountability scrapbooking club sounds like a fantastic idea, both for the creative outlet and the connection. Wishing you a smooth lease signing and a gentle landing in the UK. Here's to finding some grounding again soon
Thank you for the update! I wish you all the best with the move to the UK.
I understand how you feel about scrapbooking as I feel it too. I have set myself monthly goals with the hope by the end of the year I'll have both recent memories, and some older photos I've been meaning to scrap, will be done. Every layout is a win. Being on the other side of the world would rule out a discord hat for me but I do like the idea of an accountability club.
PS being a Kiwi living in Australia I speak UK Englsh so if you ever need any help with translation heeheehee
Trousers.
And another term for "underwear" is knickers!
I am so envious of you going to England! I loved our 7 1/2 years there! Would go back in a nano-second!
Thanks everyone! Really appreciate all your comments. We were practicing saying trousers last night, although I will confess that it feels very weird to refer to my leggings as trousers. Pants feels like a much more generic word than trousers, but I guess that's just exposure. When I was 12 my family moved out of the midwest and I had to train myself to stop saying "pop". I remember that taking a decent amount of effort and now I just have a more tired brain
I'll be really curious to see how living in England feels. I've lived a lot of places, including places a lot different from my passport country, but nothing quite like the similar but different vibes that an American gets in the UK. Overall, as a tea drinker, the ability to actually get a cup of tea places will probably end up winning out over everything.
Hoping some of our UK members show up and give me some tips. We will be setting up our house from scratch when we get there. We have shipped over our keepsakes, but nothing practical like pots and pans etc. So any tips on where to shop to set up a house would be appreciated. We'll be living in Winchester, in southern England. Also, good day trips to the southern coast? Any tips?
I usually do my scrapbooking in the evening, but lately I've become obsessed with playing the board game Forest Shuffle on Board Game Arena. I really need to get back into doing a least a little bit of scrapbooking, so I don't fall too far behind on some of my projects. I may have to go with the old timer method and make myself do it for five minutes every day.
That sounds like so much, Marisa! Wishing you the best with the move, and as a tea lover, I’m slightly jealous that you’ll have a much easier time getting a decent cup on the go than I do here in the US.
It definitely feels like things have been super busy lately. We did wrap up our homeschool community for the year, but the couple of weeks leading up to it were so busy with a project I needed to help my oldest with. I still have 22 required days of attendance left for state requirements (but who’s counting?!) and need to finalize a plan to keep my kids from backsliding on their reading and math/spending their entire summer on screens. Especially without me having to spend my entire day entertaining them! And I’ve got a lot going on for community orchestra for the next couple of weeks, too.
I’m trying to keep up with crafty stuff, but it’s hard. I’ve been trying to better balance my scrapbooking with my sewing lately, because I have not finished a single clothing project this year and that’s the sewing that brings me the most joy. Scrapbooking is usually the easier one to fit in for me, but somehow I’ve gotten further behind in my yearly album than I usually am at this point. And I have older albums I’d like to make progress in, too. I honestly kind of forgot that the Discord chat existed, but I’d be willing to hop back on there for accountability!
Marisa!
...... I don't speak English. 
What courage to travel to 4 countries in 4 years! What a fatigue to make so many moves!
But what a joy to see so many beautiful countries and to offer your children such a diversity in life and in learning at school, it is very enriching for them and they will remember all their lives!
I do not know England but this country would please me a lot, especially the old England,
Good luck to move to the United Kingdom and I hope you stay there at least several years.
Hi Marissa,
Sarah from the UK here. I live in the Midlands, but we have relatives in Winchester and have travelled there, regularly. Well done on figuring out pants and, well, pants!
What do you need to know? Most UK supermarkets will sell a selection of cookware but if you are looking for a specific retailer, then Lakeland has the edge as well as Ikea! Winchester is a beautiful city - Jane Austen is laid to rest in the cathedral through one of her brothers and you can visit Chawton Cottage where she lived some of her life and Chawton House as well for a history trip.
Another favourite trip for us as a family has been to Portsmouth where you can see Naval ships, a Naval museum and the Mary Rose, a 16th century Henry VIII gunship which sank in Poole harbour and was raised to live in a museum. It is now fully treated and is part of an amazing exhibition.
There are lots of lovely beaches round there and a quick search will find some interesting ones. For me, history is even more interesting as you can tell. Try Lyme Regis for fossils or even a trip to the Isle of Wight on the ferry.
I hope you soon feel settled in and at home in the UK. Please do post any more questions that you have.
Thanks Sarah! I will check out those spots. We have some friends visiting right after we arrive and we're trying to figure out where to go.
It all feels very chaotic right now when I'm simultaneously considering what pots do I need, where will the kids go to school and can I pass the drivers test, among other things
But we are having absolutely stunning weather here in Bergen and I'm trying to remind myself that in a few months all these questions will be worked out.
@Becky: I still have not done a bit of scrapbooking, despite thinking about it a fair amount. Somehow I need to break the barrier, but haven't found the way yet.
Dear Marisa,
I think to myself that you're probably modern "nomads." You also talked about Asia before you had children (?). I really take my hat off to you, because managing such long distances with children, the logistics, the travel method, the luggage, the organization and unpacking at the new place of residence, the bureaucracy of the various registrations with the authorities. You must have nerves of steel.
We moved four times within our hometown before, without children, but with a dog, and with shift work at work. I know how exhausting that is, including cleaning the old apartment.
The last time we moved into our now condominium, I was sick for 14 days afterward from exhaustion! But there are also advantages: you learn a lot (personal development), gain an understanding of other cultures, and hopefully find it enriching.
In any case, your moderators are doing a great job here and keeping the forum running, including the technicians in the background.
Then I wish you and your family a safe and blessed journey to your new home.
Thank you so much Doska. I will cherish the blessing of "nerves of steel" as we go forward. I don't feel that I have nerves of steel, but I think I am more use to a certain kind of chaos than some. 😅
the luggage 😱😱😱
Your welcome Marisa!