Prague Day 3

As I write this, it is New Year's Eve and we are about to head out to make stops at a couple of parties we have been invited to. If we were in Katy, we would be heading over to the annual Craig Family New Year's Party...we will miss hanging out with ya'll!

Kyla has a friend over this afternoon and Brendan is busy trying to annoy them and is doing a pretty good job of it! I guess tomorrow will be his day to have a friend over.

As for Dec. 23 in Prague...our day began with the Grand City Tour. It was partly on bus for a tour around the city with our guide pointing out and telling us about the various buildings and areas of the city. The rest of the tour was on foot around the areas of the palace and and back into the the Old Town Square. Our tour guide was great and as we have found on these tours, can speak in numerous languages! She easily went from Russian to Czech to English and knew several other languages as well! On this tour, we also had a chance to see the changing of the guard at the palace and at the end of the tour, the Astronomical Clock in Old Town where she told us about the symbolism of various parts of the clock. On the hour, two windows open and the 12 Apostles parade through. There is also representation of the vices of vanity, greed, and pleasure. The fourth represents death.

We met a nice gentleman and his son on the tour who were traveling from Washington DC and we enjoyed chatting with them during our tour. They mentioned they had eaten at the Hard Rock Cafe and we were all ears...the tour ended at the clock and the Hard Rock was just around the corner, so we set off for a good "American" food meal. We had a great waiter and we ended up buying the "All Access" card where we can earn points and get discounts at all Hard Rock Cafes...we figured it just might come in handy in other cities we visit!

After our late lunch, we wandered over to Wenceslas Square and checked out a few stores and sights in the area. By then it was starting to get dark, so we headed back towards our hotel. On the way, we actually saw one of the roadside stands selling the Christmas carp! We had read about this and it was fun to see! Carp is part of the traditional Christmas meal in the Czech Republic and they have the fish swimming in tanks on the sidewalk and are cutting the fish and selling it right there! Very interesting! We treated the kids to hot chocolates on our way back through the market area. Then it was back to the hotel to settle in for the night.

Here are a few pictures from the day - the Dancing Building, the carp stand, the palace guards, etc. Enjoy!

Prague Day 1 and 2...

I know you all have been anxiously awaiting our vacation moments...so here it goes...

The weather leading up to our departure was not looking so good. Snow and freezing temperatures were paralyzing airports across Europe and we were just praying it would clear up enough for us to reach our destination - we had been looking forward to our trip for a couple months! Departure day, December 21, started with snow in Stavanger, and not just a little bit!

After checking and double checking and triple checking our flight statuses, we took off for the airport and things were looking pretty good. We checked in, dropped our baggage and proceeded to wait while keeping a close eye on the departure boards and our Blackberries. The flight from Stavanger to Frankfurt was looking good, but then we discovered the flight from Frankfurt to Prague had been cancelled. I proceeded to get in line with dozens of other folks to try to reschedule our flight and figure a way to get where we wanted to go. Spencer went off to try to retrieve our luggage...After a what seemed to be a terminally long wait, we made it to the window and the only option they had for us was to go from Stavanger to Oslo, Oslo to Copenhagen, and Copenhagen to Prague...we took it. Amazingly, Spencer also managed to get our baggage back too! We were back in business!

We patiently waited for our new flight and boarded the plane. Our layover times were tight and we were crossing our fingers. Well, unfortunately, things went sour about this time...our flight was a little late, but we thought we would make it until...the airport halted departures to clear the snow from the runway...crap...and then after 30 minute or so wait for that, we made it over to de-icing - another 15 minutes. Add that to the already slightly late flight and we were screwed.

We made it to Oslo and frantically searched the boards for our flight, but we were too late. So, it was back to the terminally long line to reschedule again...We stood there for a while and finally got to the window and the poor guy took one look at us and at his computer and heaved a big sigh because he immediately knew the airline was going to lose money on us. Four complimentary overnight kits, a hotel room voucher, and dinner for four voucher and off we trekked over to the hotel for dinner and a decent night's sleep. We had early flights to catch...

We enjoyed a lovely dinner and a nice room and set our alarms for 4 AM. We had to be back in line to check-in for our flights by 5 AM. We arrived at the airport at 4:45 AM hoping the early flight time would be in our favor and it wouldn't be crowded...ummm, NOT! The line for check-in was wrapped around and around...we panicked because we had no time to spare! Watching the minutes tick, we finally got to the front of the line to find out there was a problem with our tickets...through all the rescheduling, somehow an important number was left off and the guy took off to try to "get it sorted out." More minutes ticked by and by this point we are thinking we are going to miss our flight out of Oslo. Frustrated would not even begin to describe it! Eventually the guy returns with all the necessary slips of paper (by now, I have multiple boarding passes and slips of paper and an array of other documents I am trying to keep track of.) We still have to get through security with another huge line and our flight is being called to the gate for boarding. We make it through security and take off for our gate with just moments to spare.

We heave a sigh of relief and start praying we get off the ground and to Copenhagen in time to catch our next flight. Thankfully, it was only a few minutes behind and we somehow ended up in first class which means we got a little breakfast! We get to Copenhagen and rush to our next gate with a few minutes to sit and take a breath! Once we got on this flight and the wheels lifted off the ground, we knew we would be able to salvage the trip with only one lost day and tour! WHEW!!!

Oh, and imagine in all this chaos, me trying to call our tour company's emergency line to let our ground transport know of all the time changes and when we will arrive so they will be able to meet us at the airport...cancel one of our tours (the one I had specifically planned for Spencer - the Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour) and make sure our hotel would not be cancelled...yep, fun times!

Our next order of business, try to find our luggage...the fates must have aligned...we landed in Prague and immediately went to make a claim for our luggage figuring it surely was now lost...we looked through all the bags lined up...not there...I get to the window and start trying to explain when I see Spencer coming with not just 1, but all 3 of our bags in tow! What a shocker!!! They arrived on the same flight we did! Things were looking up! We head out of the baggage claim and YES! Our driver is there waiting for us! We have a vacation to get to!

The driver is great - points out some sights and tells up some tips about the public transportation - and drives us to the front door of our hotel who has our rooms ready to go! Yes, I said rooms...harder to find "family" rooms in Europe, so we had two rooms this trip which worked out okay. We dropped off our bags, bundled up, and set off to make up for lost time! First order of business, lunch!

We walk a little bit taking in the sights and come across a restaurant that looked good, served beer and traditional Czech food, and had a only a short wait...we got in the queue! AHHHHH...yummy Czech food warms the soul and lifts the spirits! We enjoyed a hearty lunch and then took off for some more wandering!

Right near our hotel was the Old Town Square and a big Christmas Market. We headed over there and took in the atmosphere and much to our delight, found horse and carriage rides there in the square. Kyla had been promised one since we didn't get to in Salzburg, so that was at the top of our list! We enjoyed the tour around town via carriage and then spent a little more time in the square before heading back to the hotel for the night. We were all pretty tired and needed a good night's sleep! We had a tour the next morning...!

Attached are a few pictures. Lots more to come...so stay tuned!

Snow and Sledding!

Greetings to all!

The past week flew by - it was a 3-day school week for the kids and then our Christmas vacation was here!

Brendan's school party was Wednesday and it was a movie, cookies, and cocoa party, so pretty easy to help out with as a room mom. Wednesday was also the Juletrefest at the school where all the kids make a series of rings around the tree and walk around the tree while singing Norwegian holiday songs. It was quite an event!

Spencer made what was probably his last trip to Oslo for a while on Wednesday because he will be taking over his new position in January. We also had Dan, Shelia, and Ella over for dinner since they were heading off to Texas for the next several weeks. It will be weird without them around!

Thursday, Kyla headed off for a playdate while Brendan and I did some errands and shopping. Friday, I took the kids over for lunch with Daddy at work.

Our other big adventure...sledding! Yes, it snowed again this week - Thursday we had several really big downfalls! I had bought the kids a sled, so we took it our for a test run a couple times on the gentle little hills in the playground area right by our apartment. I even took a spin on it! I think we will be looking for some bigger hills soon!

Friday evening, we hung out at Helen and Peter's house with a few other friends for a casual gathering with drinks, food, and conversation.

Today, we had a super lazy day with no where to be and nothing planned - a rare and wonderful event. Tomorrow, we plan to head to church and I will start getting serious about packing! We head out Tuesday for Prague!

I am attaching some pictures of the snow and a few of the kids sledding.

Hugs,
S.

2010 Christmas Letter

Greetings from Norway! God Jul to you and your families!

Well, I can honestly say 2010 has been an eventful and life-changing year for the Beard family!

Spencer continues to work for ConocoPhillips...he started the year back in Houston on the project he had originally been hired on with called Yanbu and after a series of unexpected events, namely the project being cancelled, our move to South Korea was no more. After the cancellation of the project, Spencer was sent to Borger, Texas in the panhandle to work on a refinery project temporarily until a permanent position became available. Amazingly, within just a few weeks of being there, we received word that he had been selected for a project in Stavanger, Norway! It all happened very quickly! Yanbu was cancelled in late April, Spencer went to Borger in early May and was there two months, and then we moved to Norway in mid-July! It has really been whirlwind!

We have now been in Stavanger, Norway for over 5 months and I can honestly say the adjustment has been relatively smooth! Certainly, there are some benefits to being in Norway - the big one...many people speak some amount of English, so the language barrier is much less of an issue! Other perks...traveling in Europe is relatively easy! We have made a couple trips so far with more planned in the near future! Our first trip was a long weekend in Bergen, Norway. Then, over the fall break from school we traveled to Salzburg, Austria and Munich, Germany. This holiday, we are visiting Prague, Czech Republic. We hope to visit Italy in the spring. I also did a girls' trip to London in early December and will be heading to Budapest, Hungary in February with the COP Spouses' Network!

Brendan and Kyla took to their new school with great ease! The International School of Stavanger has been great! It is truly an international school with dozens of countries being represented. They are both in Norsk class and learning the language (and teaching Spencer and I a bit too!) They have wonderful teachers and the curriculum seems to match fairly well with what they would be learning in the US. They have had many neat opportunities to experience new things and meet all kinds of people and that has been such a blessing! I think the biggest highlight for Brendan was the 4-day trip to Leirskole at Gullingen! Kyla has definitely been our "social butterfly" and she has more friends than we can keep track of! Brendan played soccer in the fall and Kyla participated in a dance class at the school and joined the Girl Scout Brownie group.

We had one big scare with Brendan and that resulted in us getting a taste of socialized medicine. He fell and broke his arm at school in early October and spent the night in the hospital and had minor surgery to set it and cast it. Luckily, the cast came off just in time for outdoor school!

We have made many new friends here and are enjoying spending time with their families. Several arrived about the same time we did, so we have a lot in common and can share our successes, frustrations, and helpful hints about things we have stumbled across, good places to find desired items, and just hang out.

I am filling my time with numerous activities and have joined two organizations - People Who Connect (PWC) and the COP Spouses' Group. I also walk with friends once a week, take yoga, volunteer at the school, and find time to enjoy lunch and lots of window shopping around town (too expensive to make too many purchases though!) I am a Room Mom for Brendan's class and help out with numerous activities with Kyla's class. I can definitely say I am not bored and I am still behind on all my hobbies, although I have read quite a few books on my Kindle!

We are currently adjusting to the short days and longer dark periods as well as the cold, ice, and snow. We are getting all the gear figured out and realize that you just can't get by or do without proper winter gear! The ice and snow are definitely new experiences for us Texans!

I guess the latest news is that Spencer has accepted a new position as a Sub-Sea Facilities Manager that will keep us in Norway until at least the end of 2013! We are pleased with the prospect of staying here and are considering whether or not to actively search for a slightly larger furnished apartment or house. We actually love the location we are at now and the convenience it offers being less than 5 minutes from the school, near a shuttle bus stop for Spencer, and walking distance to the grocery store and mall. We all agree it would be hard to give that up!

I guess that about sums up our year! We, unfortunately, are not sending out the traditional photo cards we usually do this year, but I did want to do a Christmas letter. We sincerely hope it finds you all well and ready for a new year to begin!

Here are the ways you can reach us or read about the "adventures" of our family:

Pouch Mail:

ConocoPhillips
Spencer Beard
Stavanger, Norway Pouch
P.O. Box 4569
Houston, TX 77210
(this requires just a regular US stamp, but will only handle flat mail and a smaller size padded envelope, perhaps)

Our apartment:

Spencer and Shauna Beard
Madlastokken 1, Apt. H0701
4042 Hafrsfjord, Norway
(this would be air mail)

Email: srbeard180@gmail.com

Skype: shaunabeard or use my email address to search

Blog: katybeardsadventures.blogspot.com

Facebook: Shauna Beard


I realize I do not have emails for everyone on my usual Christmas card list, so feel free to share my email or blog site if someone asks about us.

Again, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas (God Jul) and a Happy New Year! We hope to hear from you soon!

The Beard Family
Spencer, Shauna, Brendan, and Kyla

London trip and COP Christmas Party

I feel like I have not written a blog in a while! It has only been a week, but it was a busy one!

Monday I took care of some last minute things to hopefully help things go smoothly while I was away. Wouldn't you know...two later afternoon meetings were scheduled for the two afternoons I was going to be gone...luckily, Spencer managed to arrange to telecon in from home so he could be here when the kids arrived off the bus. Spencer and the kids drove me to the airport to meet up with Helen and Peyton about 6 PM and we got all checked in, through security, and over to the gate to start our "girls' trip." The flight was only about 20 minutes delayed and we managed to get into Gatwick, through the passport check, and over to the train just in time to take us into the city. We stayed at the Crown Plaza near Blackfriars for those that are familiar with London. The room was great and we were starving, so even though it was late, we set out in search of food. Luckily, just a couple blocks down the road, there was an Indian restaurant that was open so we took advantage! It was actually my first time to have a full Indian food meal and I was pleasantly surprised! Helen ordered for us and chose a variety of dishes and it was delicious! We headed back to the hotel with a plan for Tuesday...shop till we drop...

First thing Tuesday, I get a message from Spencer - an 8 AM meeting was called (first one ever) and he had to drop the kids off at school extra early...fabulous...why does this kind of stuff only happen when it is the most inconvenient? Spencer still ended up being late to the meeting because of traffic. He is used to taking the shuttle and this is the one time he is driving the car. Go figure...!

Tuesday morning, we headed over to a nearby coffee shop called Costa which is similar to a Starbucks and grabbed a quick bite to eat. Helen had a hair appointment, so she pointed Peyton and I in the right direction with plans to meet up with us a little later. Peyton and I hit it hard and quickly started gathering up the things on our lists - and the best part - all English, products we can't get here, and seemingly better prices (although I have a pretty good notion that some of the prices weren't THAT good...) Pretty soon, our bags were getting heavy and it was time to meet up with Helen and find lunch! We hit a nearby Italian restaurant and enjoyed a leisurely lunch before we took off to finish tackling our shopping lists. We hit a couple major department stores - Selfridges and Marks and Spencer - grabbed a taxi, made one last quick stop to pick up a final item, and headed over to the hotel to get changed for our outing to see Mamma Mia!

We made a quick drop-off of goods and a quick clothing change and set off to grab a taxi to the theater. Wouldn't you know, there was not a taxi to be found so we set off on foot hoping to find a cab as we walked. Finally, we waved one over and made it to the theater with just a few minutes to spare. The tickets were waiting for us and we found our seats - not the very best, but not bad! The show was fun and entertaining and the music was great! It was a good one to see with friends for sure! I was amazed at all the theaters and the number of musicals playing - tons to choose from and I would have loved to see another!

After the show, we went in search of a late dinner - Chinese was the flavor of the evening since we were right by London's China Town! We found a great restaurant right near the theater and our menu consisted of aromatic duck (which was so yummy!) and a couple other dishes. After dinner, we intended to catch a taxi back to the hotel, but apparently everyone else in London had the same idea...we got the next best thing - a rickshaw being powered by a man on a bicycle! Helen and Peyton weren't so sure, but I was all for it! The guy quoted us a price and we squeezed in! It was a crazy ride through busy streets, down slight hills, and up a few inclines (we were concerned the bike or the guy driving might fall over at any time!) I was cracking up, Peyton was praying out loud and Helen was cold from the draft coming in around the plastic cover - it was hysterical! We obviously made it back to the hotel without incident and got to work on re-packing our suitcases with all of the purchases we had made. Now that was a sight!

Wednesday morning, Helen was up and out early for a trip over to Windsor to meet up with some friends. Peyton and I had spa appointments at the premier spa in Covent Garden - The Sanctuary Spa! We hit the nearby Starbucks and got a taxi over there where we spent the better part of our day enjoying the amenities of the spa and receiving our "treatments" from our "therapists." I had a much needed hour long massage, a luxury pedicure, and a manicure...all I can say is AHHHHH, SO NICE!!!

Helen met up with us around 3 PM and we grabbed a quick bite and headed back to the hotel to get our bags and catch the train. We were all pretty tired by this point and we ended up at the airport a little earlier than anticipated, so we hit several of the duty free shops for some last minute shopping and had another quick bite before boarding the plane. The flight home was blessedly uneventful and Peter, Helen's husband, picked us up from the airport and dropped us off. Bless his heart - by this time it was well after midnight! It was a great trip with 2 great ladies! What a blast to get away for a couple days! And, Spencer and the kids survived. I think he took them over to the mall for dinner both evenings and they managed just fine. Spencer was waiting up for me to get home and apparently Brendan tried to as well...I think they may have missed me just a little bit! Oh, and it snowed both days I was away! We came back from London with several inches on the ground! And I won't lie, I didn't take a single picture in London...this was not a sightseeing trip for sure!

It was back to business on Thursday morning - kiosk volunteer day, groceries, laundry...and later that evening, the 3rd-5th grade Christmas program. I am including a few pictures. Brendan was exhausted by the evening and didn't crack a smile the entire program, but he sang every song! He looked so sweet up there!

Friday mid-day was Kyla Winter party at school, so I dutifully went to lend a hand there and then headed over to the mall to meet up with Wendy for a quick lunch. We ran into a couple other COP wives (Ronda and Michelle) and lunch ended up not being so quick...so a leisurely lunch it was!

Friday evening was Spencer's work Christmas party. Now here is a story...we got off to a bit of a late start to begin with dropping the kids off in Tananger. The weather is not great - raining and melting snow, and lots of ice so very slick! We headed back to the apartment to catch a cab across the street where the taxis always hang out and once again, never a taxi when you need it...so after several minutes of trying to call (later found out I was calling the wrong number) and a very helpful attendant at the Shell station - NOT - we managed to flag a taxi and make our way into Stavanger. We make it to the hotel, the Radisson Blu, ask where the party is, head up, only to find out that we are at the wrong Radisson Blu. We need to go to the one up the hill...well, crap! Mind you, the sidewalks are treacherous - super slick with ice and it is still raining. We are in our "nice" clothes and not wearing proper shoes for walking up a hill on icy sidewalks. What would normally be an easy 4 minute walk required another taxi that cost us almost as much as the first from Madla to town because of the "minimum fee" - seriously?!?!? So we walk in and the speeches have already started and we are waiting at the back with a few others. Eventually the speaker stops and says, "I see there are about 10 of you in the back. There is a table here up in the front if you would like to take a seat." So we (all the tardy people) make our way to the front...nice...

The dinner was really quite nice - a traditional julebord - drinks, entertainment (although the comedy act was in Norsk...), and live band that was very good, dancing...we visited with several friends and co-workers of Spencer's and called it good about midnight and headed home.

Today, we had a fairly lazy day and Kyla had a birthday party to attend this afternoon. Whew!

Tomorrow, we will go to church in the morning and we have invited Nola and Z.T. up for dinner. They are both currently here without spouses, so we figured they may like some company.

That's about it for now, I think. The kids have 3 more school days and we are gearing up for our Christmas trip to Prague!

Egersund Christmas Market

We took off early Saturday morning and headed toward a town called Egersund about an hour and a half away. They have a market there every year in December called the Julebyen. I had heard about it from several people so we figured it would be worth a look. The weather has been very cold as I mentioned and Saturday morning dawned cold with a bit of snow that fell overnight. I bravely took the wheel and off we went!

The drive was beautiful and we passed several lakes that were frozen over that now also had a layer of snow on them as well. The scenery was gorgeous - grassy fields white with the layer of snow, boulders and mountain areas with a dusting...just lovely! When we arrived in Egersund, there was snow on the ground and it was "real" snow - not the Texas, very rare, icy kind! The kids thought it was great!

We walked around the market and enjoyed the atmosphere. Many of the booths were crafts and local goods, but one of the big draws is the food and drink! Hot drinks (julebru) could be purchased from an order of monks (with or without red wine) and the monks also sang carols and entertained with traditional songs. Spencer and the kids enjoyed sausage hot dogs (polser) and I tried the traditional and very popular rice porridge (grot suppe) with butter, cinammon, and sugar - oh, my, so yummy! I got home and went to the store to buy some - I can only hope it is half as good! It was a fun day and another beautiful drive home!

On the way home, we saw a couple areas where the locals were out in force ice skating on the frozen lakes. I actually took a quick look for ice skates when I was out Friday, hoping to find the "cheap" ones, but could not find the sizes I needed for the kids. We may just go out there in tennis shoes and slide around!

Saturday night, we babysat Ella for Dan and Shelia so they could attend her group's Christmas party. Ella stayed the night with us. The good part...they are returning the favor for us next week so we can go to Spencer's office party. We ended up over there for a good part of the day today (Sunday) because Spencer and Dan were smoking lamb, pork, and chicken. The kids played and Shelia and I watched a movie. It was a relaxing day overall!

This week promises to be a busy one! I am heading off on my girls' trip to London tomorrow evening and will be gone until Wednesday night. Spencer will be on Dad duty - I am sure he will be exhausted by the time I get back! Thursday evening is Brendan's Christmas program at school and Friday is Spencer's office party. The week is going to fly by!

I am including a few pictures from Egersund and also one of the view from our apartment - basically the same shot I took in the summer when we arrived! What a difference ice and snow make!

New Job

Well, there is actually several things to chat about this go round...

I guess the big news is that Spencer has accepted a new position - a promotion - and it means we will be staying in Norway longer then anticipated! We are now expected to remain here until the end of 2013! Spencer's new job is called Sub Seas Facility Manager and he is looking forward to the new challenges and opportunities the job offers. It was a difficult decision to leave his current job - he was enjoying the project, liked his boss and co-workers - but this was an opportunity he could not pass up. We now, of course, have a few things to reconsider such as the possibility of moving to a larger apartment and whether we will do an additional shipment to be sent here. Housing is very hard to find here, so we aren't in any big hurry, but have asked the relocation people to keep their eyes open for something in this same area (Madla) that is furnished. I have to say we are all spoiled to our current location with the easy access to shopping, the school, bus stops, etc.

In other news, the temperatures here are staying well under freezing (in the teens for the most part or -5 or lower in Celsius) and the lakes are freezing over. They have actually declared several lakes safe for ice skating and such! We have actually already seen people skating and I expect it will be busy out there this weekend. Luckily we have had sun every day this past week but there is still a heavy layer of ice on the ground that keeps getting thicker. The roads and sidewalks are in pretty good shape still, but definitely a new experience for us Texans!

Kyla had her school Christmas program this evening and it was really very cute. It was Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade and they did a little musical called Robin's Christmas Sing Along. Kyla was a "dancing star" and she did a great job. We actually saw her blowing kisses to all her "adoring fans" at the end...yes, I am serious! She was on the stage bowing and blowing kisses toward the parents in the audience...such a goof!!! Brendan's program (3rd, 4th, and 5th grades) is next Thursday.

Our "sardine party" last weekend was a great success - fun and sardines were had by all! We actually 11 folks (3 were kids) and were able to catch up with our new neighbor, Nola and another COP guy, Z.T. who just arrived here last Saturday. They were able to join us and meet some of the others.

Our Monday evening guests ended up coming on Thursday instead, but we had a great dinner with Steve, Cheri, and their girls. They are NATO folks who will be relocating back to the states (Kentucky) early next week. We will miss them - they are a super family and Spencer and Steve really hit it off as did Cheri and me.

My latest challenge...boot shopping...the kind you might wear with leggings or a skirt - tall, black, sleek...(the kind we would call "hooker boots" - tacky, I know, sorry! I only got the ones that go to just under the knee instead of your thigh.) Anyway, it is what everyone wears here and I quickly found out why when the only shoes I had to wear with my nicer black pants were open toe sandal style...in -5 degree C weather. You can imagine my toes were quite numb after the walk from the parking garage to lunch downtown. Plus, we have a semi-formal occasion coming up for Spencer's office party, so I was really getting desperate. Okay, getting to the point, my legs are NOT shaped for these kind of boots. I already knew that, but now it is truly official. I must have tried on 20 pairs and couldn't zip a single pair over my ankles or calves. Finally, I got a tip - ask for "wide-calf" boots. Yes, they make them and in all of Stavanger, there is one shoe store that has a selection...of about 6 pairs. I actually found a pair today and paid an outrageous sum of money for them (almost $200 USD) but desperate times call for desperate measures. I can honestly say that is the most I have EVER spent on a pair of shoes! Painful...! And the really bummer part, they are only okay...I don't LOVE them and they are not incredibly comfortable.

Just where did I go for a lunch downtown you ask? Ah, yes, the COP Spouses' Network Christmas luncheon and gift exchange was Wednesday. It was a very nice lunch and lots of fun!

Tomorrow (Saturday) we are planning to head over to a place called Egersund for a Christmas market. It looks pretty neat and we have heard about it from several people so we thought we would check it out.

I guess that about covers it - I am attaching a couple pictures from Kyla's program. I will get out soon and get some pictures of the frozen lakes too - just haven't yet.

Cheers!