Patterns by Katie

Katie is studying patterns in school.  Tonight, she took these pictures of patterns around the house.

Snow!

The kids woke us this morning to cries of "It's snowing!"

Our backyard 

They rushed right outside to play before we went to church.

Sam gave Grace and Isaac a ride down the street on the sled.

Snow angel 

First stage of a snowman 

Sliding down the hill around the corner

Walking through Bakklandet on our way to church

Crossing the Gamle Bybru

In the afternoon while Grace and Isaac napped, Sam and Katie went sledding down by the base of the Festning.  Dave went to check on them to make sure they were dressed appropriately and Katie yelled at him to go home.  They were having far too much fun to have a grown up hanging around.

Since it was the first Sunday of Advent, there were some neat things going on around town.  At church, the kids got to go up to the front and each carried a piece of the nativity set in the procession at the end of the service.  They then assembled the set in the stable.  At the Festning, they lit up a giant candle that you can see all around town.  And there are Christmas markets going on in all the neighborhoods.  Beautiful time of year here.

Bowling submarine style

On Saturday, Sam went to a birthday party for Adrian at a bowling alley.  The alley is in DORA1, a former submarine base and bunker built by the Germans when they occupied Norway.  It's a gigantic concrete structure.

A climbing gym in the DORA next to the bowling alley.

The boys setting up their lane.

Sam has been requesting a tie for a few weeks.  Finally, I got around to cutting one out of some extra material.  He's looking snazzy. 

The bowling alley is just like an America one.  It had the requisite snack bar with overpriced goodies and lots of video games. Perfect for 8 year old boys.

The view from outside the bunker.

On the fjord side, where the submarines accessed the bunker 

A sign Sam and I saw on the walk to the party.  

Air hockey is universal.

Norwegian Thanksgiving

The whole crew around the Thanksgiving table

Katie brings in the squash pie.  The squash I baked yesterday made two pies - one with a crust and one without.  

Sam had four pieces of pie at the meal, followed closely by Katie with three pieces.  By evening time, there was only a third of the second pie left uneaten.

Dave added to the ambience with some fancy candles.  Grace, being in a birthday week frame of mind, saw them as a blowing-out challenge.

There's no football to watch after the meal, so it's time for some cards.

"Watch and learn, my young protégés."