Things I've learned after 3 weeks in Denmark

After two weeks of nearly perfect weather -- cloudless skies and tons of sun, the real Danish weather appears to be back.  Rain, rain, rain.  Sometimes, even though it looks like it should be raining, it doesn't...and then when it looks like it won't rain, it does!  Best advice, just carry an umbrella or rain coat with you at all times.

Lots of pretty butterflies (sommerfugl) are all over the place. 

Google translate's camera function on the app is only partly helpful -- this is my clothes washer -- maybe I should use the central government cycle? Haha

There are two buttons for flushing -- the flush on the right is for 'heavier business' and the one on the left is for 'lighter business'.  Our toliets at home are reversed.  The boys love the 'poop and pee' buttons as they affectionately call them.

This coffee machine is AMAZING.  Seriously amazing.  It makes the best cup of coffee I have ever had in my life.  And, while I never was a fan of the one cup coffee makers this one has me sold.  It doesn't use any of those stupid plastic cups, and it grinds the beans fresh before every single cup it brews.  And it brews the cup in 30 seconds.  Plus, it can heat water or froth milk if I want it to.  This thing makes a Keurig look like child's toy.

Learning the trash system here has been interesting.  We have two small trashcans outside our house.  Inside are two paper sacks.  Each week the trashmen come and will remove the paper sacks from inside the metal trash can and then will stick in two fresh paper sacks for the next week.  We have learned by default that they will not take anything that does not fit in that paper sack.  Don't even try it, they will pick it up and the throw it on the ground right in front of your trash can as if to say 'ha, take your trash back!'  

I am used to separating all my glass, paper, plastic, etc.  We have found certain stations throughout the town where you can recycle paper and glass, and any plastic or aluminum cans that are marked with an "A" or a "B" can be taken to a special station (usually inside a store) and you get money returned for those (similar to certain areas in the US where you get your deposit back).

We are still trying to figure out the system, but in the meantime I have learned to not leave any empty beer cans where Benny can access them...he seems to have a certain affinity for beer, LOL.

There are snails EVERYWHERE.  Tiny snails and even these huge ones!  The boys are in heaven finding them and watching them and trying to build snail cages and traps in the yard....

Then there are these slugs, or dræbersnegl.  They are disgusting, gross and all over the place.  Ben likes to run up to them and scream EWWWW!  We pay the older boys 1 kroner for every 5 slugs they pick up in the yard.  Then we pour salt over the slugs.  Gross gross gross.

Despite moving across an entire ocean, Sam still cannot eat without getting his food all over his face.  It's like a hidden talent he has.  When he eats a sucker, it ends up on his forehead.  When he drinks a cup of milk, it ends up on his nose, his cheeks and his chin.  This is what happens when you eat a piece of toast with some Nutella spread on it....

This house is right up the street from Sam's school.  I love seeing it every day.  I love the traditional roof and how it is round around the second story windows.  We would never see something like this back home.  I love that it is just up the street from me.

There is so much history around every corner here.  This is the kirke (church).  Behind it is where the Hirscholm castle used to stand.  It was left to deteriorate on its own and now all that is remaining are the castle gardens and a few pillars from the castle walls.  It is a pretty path around the castle and the boys and I walked it once, and it is on my regular running route because I love that you can feel the history as you run through the grounds.

There are hidden treasures around every corner -- like this fun fountain in the middle of the Horsholm Midpunkt (basically the mall).  We discovered it on a hot day, so it was a welcome surprise.  Max and Ben stuck with getting their feet wet...Sam eventually just stuck his whole body in and was soaking wet. He was having so much fun that a gathering formed around the fountain to watch him...his excitement and joy were bountiful and spread to everyone watching him. 

  

There are also tons of walking/biking paths and open areas for people to enjoy...hidden within the city streets and housing areas.  We discovered this little forest nook on one of our after dinner walks.  The boys loved it.  I'm sure older 'kids' are using it for other purposes when the sun goes down, but it was a fun little hideout for them that afternoon...

My husband can still climb trees (yes that's kinda sexy)....

Babies will get all thrown off their schedules with time changes and different time zones.  So we just sleep when we can.  This was one of those times...we were just snuggling in the bed and then I looked over and he was passed out.  Such a cutie...too bad it ended with him rolling off the air mattress an hour and a half later....

Reading through grocery ads has become a challenge for me.  What is this stuff?  How much will it cost?  What will it taste like?  Did I buy the right thing?

Take this for example...Bagepulver is how google translate translates both baking powder AND baking soda....so which is it?  Well, I did a little test and the Bagepulver fizzed in water whereas the Natron did not. So we have Natron - baking soda, and Bagepulver - baking powder.  Mystery solved.

Apparently here you can rent a cow.  Ha!

Almost 4 weeks in, and we are loving our time here in Denmark.  We have seen so much already and everything has been wonderful.  The people have been friendly and nice.  The public transportation has been easy to figure out and use.  School has been going well for the boys.  We honestly couldn't be happier right now.