lyndee's to do list for 2007:

• find out what the heck i'm doing with my life
• become a pro at water skiing
• publish something
• survive a trek in the himalayas
• learn to knit (in an effort to fully understand norwegian culture)
• use my super powers for good, not for evil
• sleep

if anyone has suggestions on how to accomplish any of these, just let me know (i'm especially keen on suggestions for no. 1)!

here are a few pictures from one of our living room windows. we have a great view of skien. on new year's it was particularly nice with the 20 minute fireworks show. the visit with amy was quite nice. we went to oslo for a day and for the first time since living here, i did "touristy" stuff. we went to vigelands parken, a famous park in the center. a man named gustav vigeland sculpted 212 bronze and granite sculptures and more than 600 figures. it's quite amazing. it was quite cold that day, frost covered the ground, so it was a bit magical. i'll put up pictures after i download them.
i am going to scotland (and starbucks) in two weeks! really excited. and at our ywam norway worker's gathering i met the missionaries our team going to india will work with in the himalayas. we are taking an 8 day trek through the mountains, praying, seeing the nature. it's the first time in 3 years that i've been excited to go on a mission trip. i think we'll see great things happen there.

God Jul!

the tree with all the loot

cooking with evan
norwegian dinner at the vestbostad's
the "fam:" mitch, evan, me

Merry Christmas! It's here and has been a great day. I'm celebrating the holidays with Evan and a friend of his, Mitchell, who is taking a DTS in France. We celebrated a Norwegian Christmas last night with the Vestbostads, and a North American Christmas this morning, complete with opening presents and cinnamon rolls. I am trying out my "maternal" (?) instincts and have made breakfast (cinnamon rolls, ham and egg casserole, fruit plate), dinner (ham, rolls, vegetables, mashed potatoes - which Evan really made), and dessert - a chocolate/caramel pie. It's hard work! It was really nice though - great presents and lots of fun. Evan's parents even sent gifts for me - Starbucks! It would be great to be home for the holidays, but Evan and Mitch are great to be with. The only thing that would be better is if my family would call me!! (hint, hint). My friend Amy from college is coming tomorrow night and will be here for New Year's, so I'm looking forward to that as well.
Happy Holidays!

a classic.

merry christmas from my family to yours

christmas is here. i'm sitting alone in my apartment, trying to watch "i dine sko" ("in her shoes") for the third time, and have just finished my first full day of break. it's been beautiful. i played with salome, bought a dress, made a very nice dinner, watched "friends," finished making chocolate balls with evan, and had a visit from my friend rachel (from norwegian class).

it's a bit difficult to have the christmas spirit being on my own here (and might i add for all of you non-norwegian readers, norway does not have snow year round, santa does not live here, and there are not polar bears walking on the streets). my mom has always created that atmosphere in our home, so i'm trying to do all the typical things in untypical, norwegian ways. the christmas tree is up, decorated, presents lining the base. in true lyndee fashion, the tree almost died, but i think it will last until christmas. i've baked for christmas, decorated with the two decorations i have (miniature starbucks city mug ornaments and two homemade star coasters), am listening to christmas music, have watched "white christmas." now it's just time to wait for the christmas feeling to come.

my roomates are gone and as much as i love them, it's wonderful to have the apartment to myself. a week of "me" time is here. norwegian class is done for the semester and no one expects anything from me. let freedom begin!