The Elf Arrived...

My Elf arrived and put some lights on our home. I love to have lights on the house for Christmas. Here at the ranch in the cold winter it is a big project!! But we went to town and Steve bought himself a ladder for Christmas and it worked perfect for putting up the lights, (in the future it will be great for changing out batteries in the fire alarms, painting the house, painting my dad's barn etc.)

Here is the elf all bundled up and using the new ladder!

Check out the new ladder. He is so excited he can hardly stand it. They say that any project is do able if you have the right equipment!!

Notice how little snow we have on the ground. Well it started to snow two days ago and we now have at least one foot and 1/2 and it is supposed to snow today another 9 inches. It is to continue to snow for the next several days. My Dad is hoping we get snowed in here for the winter!!

We're ready!!

A couple of nights ago we decorated our Christmas tree. It looked naked with out the decorations. I wasn't sure what I would do for decorations this year. We have only spent one Christmas at the ranch before and so I didn't have any decorations. My step mother offered up my Mom's decorations which were many little wooden toy ornaments. Grandpa and Grandma came over for dinner, our daughter played silent night on the piano, and then we did our usually family tradition... We each put and ornament on the tree and as we did we told of something that we were grateful for. Then one of the angel ornaments was put on the top of the tree.

I wrapped the staircase with greenery and light and you can see just the corner of the stockings at the top of the picture. We don't have a fireplace so the ledge in the kitchen had to do. Everyone's comment when the walk in the door is how is Santa going to fill those stockings when they are that high up.

This is the front entry table. I was going to buy some really tall candles, but a wonderful lady at the store suggest hurricane lamps. That way we can use them for emergencies if we needed to. They now have a orderless, smokeless oil that you can burn in them. It gave us a really country look.

Wreath that will greet you at the front door.

No lights on the house yet maybe an elf will come tomorrow and do something special for me?!?!

Whose land?

When we first came to this land we wondered whose land is this. It is so beautiful.

There must have been a very loving hand that made it.

From the mountains to the waters it was all breathtaking.

Even the valley had a very peaceful feeling.

Then one day after we arrived we knew whose land it was because we saw that his terminal was between Sola and Bryne!!

Yup, you guessed it we knew we had landed in God's land and that he had his hand in making it while else would he have his own terminal here!!! We are so thankful for all of his creations. But you do have to admit he really out did himself on this country and it beauty!!

Farewell to...

The International school where our daughter has spent 5 1/2 years, our son played rugby, I worked with some wonderful people, and in a school of 600 there was 49 different nationalities. We will miss the diverse life.

Alex will miss the luxury buses that took her to school and home everyday. Now she will have to ride the YELLOW school buses. OR!!!!... get her driver's license!!!

Icy sidewalk and frosty mornings!!!

My kids

I have had these kids in Sunday School and Seminary now for a couple of years and I love them with all my heart. I went to Seminary this morning so say good bye.

What an awesome group!!

They were playing a scripture mastery game where they had to take one a sheet of paper with the picture off the board, attach it to a remote control car run it down and the 2nd half of the team had to decide which scripture reference it went with.

Check out this ones slippers, she was getting into the Christmas spirit this morning!!!

It was the boys against...

The girls. I think the boys won. I was supposed to be helping the girls but I was too busy taking pictures!!

As each one was leaving they lined up and each gave me a hug. They are such an elect group of kids. My life has really been blessed in working with them.

It is almost time

My bags are packed ( no not really everything that is to go by suitcase is shoved into one corner so the movers don't pack it up, am I am stressing wondering how I am going to fit all of it into my suitcase) I'm ready to go (not quite yet, actually Steve has made me lay down for a nap but I am blogging instead, and I still have to close bank accounts, pick up Alex's record, drop off some pans at church, take young Women stuff to the new leader...) I am stand here outside the door... I can't remember the rest of the song!! But things are moving right along with the packing. They will finish boxing and wrapping everything today. Tomorrow the truck comes and by Thursday everything will be gone and on it's way. To hither and beyond!!

I may not be blogging for a few days as our internet will come to an end this evening maybe I can't remember I will have to go to my notebook. But wait did they pack my notebook!!

OK I had better take a nap none of this is making sense. See you back when I am state side.

A beauty and It's Real

Alex had her Winter Formal dinner and dance this past Saturday night. She and a friend got ready together her at our home and Steve took them to the dance.

They had a very formal dinner of Tacos!!!! Yes it was a Mexican dinner. Alex and all of her friends had booked dinner at the same table to it was a fun relaxing evening.

This is the true Alex!!

She had a great time. Danced for about 1/2 and then decided that was enough so a friend had brought some cards and they spent the rest of the evening chatting and playing cards at their table.

This is my house today. The movers were here at 8:30 and have not stopped all day. They are really fast. They will definately have us packed up by tomorrow and will probably start to load stuff into the big crates on Wed and Thurs. Then transport the crates to the boat and airplane and thats us finished!!
Steve and I will probably goof off on Friday (not really a house will have to be cleaned oh well wishful thinking)
It is hard to believe it is all coming to an end!!!

My Final Journey

At 11:30 yesterday morning I decided it was such a beautiful clear day that I wanted to make my favorite drive into the mountains. I knew that my days of doing that were almost over. So I dropped everything and just went.
In the middle of my journey is the Candle Factory, and here is it's story...

There are three parts to it. This is the entrance to the restaurant where you can get a wonderful traditional meal. It used to be a creamier. Back before they built the tunnels getting you up into the mountains, you would take a boat to a landing about 10 miles from here. Then you would make your way up into the mountain area where there were big farm and still are today.
So all of the farmers would bring their milk to here and they would buy their cheese and etc. Well when the tunnels came along they turned this into a candle factory. (Now a tourist place)

These are a special Christmas candle. Hardly any of the candles here have scent. Below you will see the lady who works at the factory putting the special design on each candle individually. This candle takes about 4 different colors, so she has to put one coat on and let it dry and then another and so on...

They have a dipping vat for kids. Kids can pick out a candle and then make their own outside coat with their own special design and colors.

These candles had been dip and were dry she was taking them and putting them in bundles.

You asked why a candle factory. It gets so dark and dreary in the winters here that everyone burns many candles. In the late afternoons and evenings you see candles burning in people's windows, on their tables and in the their living areas. It just makes it more cozy during those long winter nights.

A Beautiful Morning

Remember this picture that I took out of my window a couple of weeks ago? Well this morning at 9:30 I am looking at this view. What a difference. Hey when the sun shines here life is really good. Now that we are getting close to the shortest day of the year. The sun is peaking up at about 9:30 am and going down about 3:30 to 4:00.

Things are moving right along with the move. We have now sold both vehicles I might add for a big loss, but like a friend said a couple of days ago with things the way they are here we are lucky to sell them at all. So I am definately counting my blessings.

Tomorrow I hope to be able to share with you about a wonderful Bread here that is everywhere during Christmas. That is of course if I get my list that has to be done today so I had better get going!!!

Auntie this one's for you

Contest

I have decided to see how well my non speaking Norwegian friends (Uncle Gunt we consider you Norwegian speaking also!!) can read these signs. Ok get ready set go read the sign then comment on what you think they mean. (I am not sure I know what they mean, but don't worry our daughter is the Norwegian speaking expert in our family so if in doubt I will refer to her!!)

Some of my favorite Photos

This is one of my uncle's. My aunt died and this was her funeral. She and my uncle shared such a special bond. My heart just ached for him in knowing that he had lost one of his best friends in the whole world. I really felt this picture speaks a thousand words.

I took this one because I loved the contrast of the tree. The old dying and the new coming up around it. It is similar to life.

This is my Honey Bun

I just love watching my son with his horses. He so easily becomes one with them.

We have a family tradition that each one of our family carves their name in a tree in a special spot on the ranch. Each year it is fun to go back and watch the carving get older but also get higher as the tree grows.

I love this picture of my daughter. She is walking in the rain after a funeral. She just loves the rain. Everyone else had either gotten in a car or had a rain coat. She just loved not having a coat on and staying out in the rain.

After the long dark winters in Norway, I just love spring and what it brings.

This one was taken by my daughter. I love her style of photography she has such unique angles and perspective.

My daughter took this one of my dad. She entered it in a contest and won best of show with it. He hated it he felt he looked like he was dead!! I think he just looks really peaceful. We were up camping and that is only time that he relaxes in the summer.

This is my wonderful aunt who I love sooooooooo dearly. She is always full of surprises and so much fun. I just love her positiveness. She is always so full of life. She loves me dearly and takes such good care of me. She and my uncle had come to see us. We took a trip to do some sightseeing. We stopped to get some pictures and it was pouring rain. We all jumped out and I turned around and she had a bag on her head with this great smile. She said I didn't want my hair to get wet.