Family updates

It looks like it has been more than six years since my last update. I blame Facebook for most of this, but I want to let any readers know what has happened in the last six years.

Shortly after Lena's birthday party post (almost makes me cry to think back that far) I lost my faith in Mormonism. My Mormon wife completely freaked out about this and began treating me very differently. I guess she thought that I had suddenly become a bad person since I no longer went to church. I tell all about this painful story in an interview I did for Mormon Expression Voices podcast. The story ends with me moving out and eventually getting a divorce. The wife would have nothing to do with me once I no longer shared her faith. To me that seems cultish, but I guess that's what kind of hold a religion can have on some people.

Lena is now 19 and has graduated high school. She is working at a daycare and saving money to move into her own place.

Kelvin (17) has one more year left of school. He and Thomas (15) live with me at Majorstuen in Oslo, Norway.

Emili (12) will hopefully soon move in with me but currently lives with her mum.

Amy (soon 8) lives with her mum and for some reason doesn't want much to do with me. I am guessing it is her mother's influence, or her relatives (mother's side) or church influence. But I figure some day she will come around and figure out what she is missing. Hopefully it won't cause her to hate her mother too much.

I started a production company, making films and music. It's fun but so far only a hobby.

Follow me on Twitter or FB to keep in touch. I may not make another update here for a while.

Lena's Surprise Party

Lena got what she's (secretly) always wanted: A surprise birthday party!

For her 13th birthday we decided to take matters into our own hands and invite her whole class (it's pretty small) as well as the students from last years class who now go to other schools. In all about 22 teens.

Luckily, all but 5 or 6 of the students showed up to surprise her. It went great! Here's a short video clip filmed about a minute or two after we walked into the room and everybody yelled "Surprise!"



See some pics from the event at my Facebook album, here (friends only).

Presents from Grandma and Grandpa!

Lena and Emili got a package from America with some nice birthday presents inside!

Here's Lena on the phone saying thanks. She's wearing the Oregon University hooded sweatshirt she got from them. You can see more pics of them both at my Facebook album here.

Some recent pics

As you can see from the picture below, I really gotta lose some weight! He he. This was also before Lena got makeup tips from a babe at the Body Shoppe, so now her makeup looks much nicer (not quite so much around the eyes).

Parental internet tips for surfing kids

I found this interesting, informative presentation about how to raise your children with healthy internet habits:


http://www.slideshare.net/dlevin/parenting-the-myspace-generation

Amy stumbles around

Amy's first steps

Amy takes her first steps. This is from about a month ago, right after her first birthday.

Best Practices for Form Design

I found this on the web and was very impressed with the presentation. Great tips and design patterns for online forms! :)

Thomas' 9th birthday pics!

Thomas had a birthday party with a pirate theme. The kids divided into two groups (5 girls vs. 5 boys) and each designed their own pirate flag.

Here are some pics of the groups holding their flag, and of Thomas pirate ship birthday cake that Irene and I made out of chocolate cake and frosting.

Kelvin dressed up as a pirate ghost and the kids had to "swordfight" him to find out where the hidden treasure (chocalate coins) were hidden.

Thomas Birthday song!

Thomas invited his whole class (10 kids came) to his 9th birthday party! Here they all sing to him in English:

Make your own Harry Potter wand!

I just found this very cool site that gives instructions on how to make your own wand out of a sheet of paper, a glue gun and some paint!


These could pass as film props. Check out the amazing quality!



I gotta try this myself and post some pics. Until then, enjoy the above pics of wands made by various other people who followed the instructions found here.

UPDATE April 1st 2009 (No, this is not an April Fools Joke): It looks like they started charging to download the instructions. Only $1.25 or so but still not too cool since I've been advertising for them for free all these months. Well, be warned but the jig is still pretty freaking cool, and not too expensive considering..

How does your brain see color?

Just found a great test for the eyes.

Check it out here

You may be surprised. :)

Find me on Facebook

I started a facebook account. Visit my profile here.

I've been uploading loads of pics since it's a heckofa lot easier than through Blogger.

So, check out my Photo Albums for some great pics of me and my family! :)

Cheers,
Rich

Happy First Birthday to Amy!

Amy's first birthday!

We're singing the Norwegian Happy Birthday song.



She turned one year old on July 30!

Amy gets clean

We recently entered Amy into a contest for most photogenic soap baby. Hopefully we will win the $3,000 travel money so we can go to the states next year! :)