Date Night at Senteret

Had a pretty good turnout  for our first "date night"  - 8 couples!

Some of the YA's had never been on a date.  Too much

hanging out going on instead.  Everyone had a fun time!

Bishop and Ida McFadzean led a "dating workshop" before

they all headed out, 2 by 2 for a 2 hour date.  Afterwards, they

came back, reported and enjoyed dessert.

 Atle and Carolina (visiting from Finland).

Frederik and Jennifer, Jaime and Belle, Jocelyn and Mats

Even and Christine

 Isaias, Henok and Salma

Jocelyn and Mats

Also, participating were Åse and Hans, and Tor Edin and Miaa.

A fun night - brought back memories of fun times in the E.G. ward!!  Don't know if any "forever couples" were made - but you never know!

Spring is Bustin' Out All Over!

Love the flowering trees!
Wish they lasted longer!

Dandelions! 

I have never seen such huge and healthy
dandelions as are here in Norway!  

We finally stopped and took a picture
of this rock bridge on the way to Mandal.

Have I mentioned how much water there
is here?

Tulips in Oddbjørg's rock garden.

(The hill is rock)

Many homes have real rock gardens.

A unique flower pot

Spring green is the best!

All kinds of new life.

Airing out the dynes.  If we lived in an upstairs

 apartment, I would be airing ours out too.

Syttende Mai

Every country has a national day but probably very few of them are so enthusiastically and uniquely celebrated like May 17, in Norway.
Parades, children, flags, hot dogs, ice cream and bunads
are all part of the celebrations!  Everyone dresses up - men in
suits, women in bunads or other dresses.
(It's about the only day that the missionaries don't stand out.)

The streets were so crowded!  These
people had a bird's eye view of the parade.

Bunads - the national costumes.

There are many different bunads -
 depending on which area of Norway you are from.

They are all very beautiful and very expensive!
The silver jewelry, buttons and decorations
 alone, cost about $3000.00

This is a picture of Elders Drage and Dalton,
in Oslo, with girls wearing bunads from several
areas.

We were invited to the Torjesen's for

breakfast and to the celebrations in Søgne.

We love this family!

We attended the flag ceremony first thing in the morning.

Bishop and Ida McFadzeans with Åse
and three of the cute McFadzean kids.


May 17, was a Sunday so only Sacrament Mtg.
was held.  It was so fun to see so many dressed
in the national costumes.

Miriam and this cutie!

Carlos.  Love his toothless smile!

Tone, Ingvild and Emma
Ingvild made these beautiful bunads
for herself and her daughters.

Ingvild and Emma

May 17th is also the last day of Russ. Russ is the monthlong celebration for those in their last year of high school.
They all dress in red overalls and have freedom to do 
whatever and act however they want to.  We didn't witness  anything too bad - just a couple of girls "walking" dead fish
 down the sidewalk.  
We hear it can get pretty crazy sometimes.

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Lilacs are in full bloom! 
 Lilacs always bring back memories of Memorial Day
 because growing up in Ephraim, Mary and I would pick lilac blossoms, put them in quart canning jars and decorate the graves with them.

Haylie, Macie, Tate and Cade
decorated the graves in Arizona.

Mandy was in Idaho and took a drive to
Hyrum to decorate Mom's grave.


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Loving Springtime in Norway!

Roadtrip

That's right, we took a vacation, well, just a little one.   I might have felt a bit guilty about the whole idea except President Evans encourages the senior couples to see as much of this beautiful country as they can.  I still felt a little guilty until I realized - the young elders and sisters are transferred all over the country, seeing and experiencing  many areas of Norway so why shouldn't we do a little traveling?  Thus, Jim and I had a wonderful 3 day road trip, first to Drammen, to attend Stake Conference and then we traveled up the beautiful Numedal Valley, where some of his ancestors came from. 

There are two stakes in Norway, the Oslo and the Drammen stakes. The area way up north is a mission district.  Kristiansand is in the Drammen stake.  Drammen is a city about 4 1/2 hours drive away and this is where Stake Conference was held.  We were so impressed that nearly 500 people were in attendance with most of them traveling 4-6 plus hours and spending the night to be able to attend.  The local members open up their homes to those who come and I know of one family who welcomed 12  to stay with them. Conference was broadcast to the different ward and branch buildings  but many made the trip to be there in person.   Jim and I wondered, how many of us in the States would do this. I was talking to some of our YSA's, telling them how impressed we were and they said it's just what they do.  They love gathering, meeting friends, catching up and fellowshipping.  Just exactly like we in the States do - we are just privileged to do it more often without so much traveling.

WOW!  110 kilometers per hour! 

The highest speed we have seen.

66 miles per hour!

Spiralin - a spiral tunnel, inside a mountain
Check out the video -

http://youtu.be/aG-B659WZfY

Norwegian tunnels are fascinating!

We understand, near Bergen, there is a tunnel
 with a round-a-bout in it.
Can you imagine?

On top of the mountain - a cute entrance

to the cafe.  Yes, those are trees growing 

out of the roof.

Views of Drammen from the top

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Kongsberg

We stayed one night in Kongsberg,
situated right along this river 
with the falls in the center of town.

Great statue!

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Numedal Valley

Besides attending conference - this
was the reason for the trip.  Jim's great-grandfather, 
Thore Torstensen, (Tora Thurston)was 
born in Veggli, Norway in 1819.
His father, Tosten Torstensen,
 was born in Nore, Norway in 1750.

Veggli Kirke - Veggli Church

Thore Torstensen was christened here.

The cemeteries are always on the church grounds.


Nore is the home of one of four Stave churches
in the valley

A Stave church is a medieval wooden 
Christian building once common in
northwestern Europe

This one in Nore, dates between
1100 - 1200

Spectacular views along  Numedals Lågen,
 second longest river in Norway

I am fascinated that so many old barns

are stable, built on piles of rocks.

I guess, we are still country folk at heart - 
we love the old barns and out buildings. 

 Hytta, (hut), with trees growing on the roof

Flesberg Stavekirke

Built in the 12th century,

reconstructed in the 18th

 

Hearts are everywhere!

Fence around the churchyard


If ever you get the chance to visit 
Numedal Valley,
be sure and stay in the Lampeland Hotel!
It was delightful!

Lamp does mean lamp but we were told 
that this area, once a large farm,
called Lampeland where
parcels of land were rented out.

We were 2 of 3 people there for breakfast
the first morning.  

Beautiful "spread" on beautiful antique
furniture as well as delicious home made
food.

Several warm and cozy sitting areas.
This is one charming hotel!!


The Thorstensens, changed to Thurston, farmed 
many areas in this valley.  Some of the farms
had signs with family names on them and we had
 hoped to find some of "ours" but there was a detour 
on the stretch of road where we were most hopeful, 
so could just take pictures from across the river.
There were beautiful farms - very possibly the
same ones the Thurstons lived and worked.

I'm sure we passed at least 50 
"Moose Crossing" signs --- didn't see even
one moose but we did see these creatures.

I think he was looking at us.

Uvdal Stavekirke

Originally constructed in 1168

The exterior walls were paneled  in 1760

The WC for visitors

Buildings on the grounds


Rollag Stavkirke 

Probably built in the second half of the 

12th century

Rebuilt around 1660

Engraved on many of the headstones
was, "Takk for alt" which means
"thanks for everything". 

Old sheds/barns built up on rocks

Modern sheds built up off the ground - 
just not on rocks. This style is seen all
over Numedal Valley.

Even a mailbox built in the style.

A beautiful new hytte with a grass roof.

Leaving Neumedal Valley, we continued to 
travel through gorgeous country back to
Kristiansand.

One more Stavkirke - 

in Heddal -

This is a 3 knave church,
 the largest in Norway.

Notice the animal carvings.

Constructed at the beginning of the
13th century, with several reconstructions.

We met a sweet woman watering flowers
planted in front of many of the headstones.  
Aren't they so pretty?  This wouldn't
work in Arizona.

Traveling home, we ran into snow, sleet, 
hail, rain, wind and sunshine.

A beautiful sunset to end the day and
a wonderful trip!