To sum up our trip, Norway was nothing short of amazing. I got to do so many different things and enjoy beautiful scenery and weather. Neither of which we get in Houston, TX…especially during the summer. Prepare for a bunch of pictures from both my iPhone and Nikon. I needed to capture everything! Above is the view of Lillehammer from across the lake on our way in to town!
Day One:
We made it safe and sound to Norway on Thursday morning around 10:00am which meant we had a full day to stay awake and keep going so we didn’t get too jet lagged. We started off running some errands and stopping at some of the cutest shops in town.
Next up was sunshine, outdoors, games and mimosas. Siri came over and we all just enjoyed the beautiful weather. After dinner we decided to jump in the hot tub! The tv was moved outside, so we watched the first half of Wolf of Wall Street until we were pruney. The rest of the day was very chill. The sun doesn’t truly set during Norwegian summertime. Around 11pm-midnight it is about dusk and stays that way until the sun begins to rise again around 3:30am. Luckily, I am used to going to bed when the sun is still out (hello 8pm bedtime and 4am wake up calls!), so I fell right to sleep.
Day Two:
We started the day nice and slow. Naturally I was the first to rise, so I enjoyed coffee and a book out on the patio before the rest of the crew joined me. We had quite a full house since we were celebrating Anne Lise’s birthday, all of her kids (Chris, Charlotte & Stefan) were home 🙂 That morning the girls went to the mall to pick up some goodies for the party and groceries for desserts! Before we knew it, Charlotte, Ole, JP and I were off to Gjovik to visit Ole’s parents!
Before dinner, Ole took JP and I on a 9K trail run…it was actually a bit longer as it took about 4 minutes to run to the trails. The weather was wonderful and I found myself wishing I lived there so I could enjoy running this time of year!
After our run, we enjoyed some wine and one of the tastiest dinners I had in Norway! Ole’s mom made us the best of the best pan fried salmon, roasted sweet potatoes and bean salad. To top it off we had strawberries and cream for dessert…and a little more wine of course. It was wonderful meeting Ole’s parents after knowing him for so many years!
Day Three:
Saturday morning we were busy bodies all morning in preparation for the big birthday celebration! It was a Texas themed party out at a barn on the lake just outside of Lillehammer.
The venue was simply gorgeous. I couldn’t get over what a perfect day it was for the party. Someone was watching out for us that’s for sure!
Naturally, upon arriving, we needed a photo shoot before the shenanigans were to begin!
The barn was actually an Icelandic horse ranch. I tried to feed the horses a flower, but they said no.
Inside the barn was an open area with plenty of space for both tables and dancing! There was also the most perfect bar area which our boys set up and manned for most of the night. They’re so good!
Again, more pictures from our necessary pre-party photo shoot. Check out these rockin’ Texas themed costumes…
In case you didn’t get it, I’m a Texas flag. Yes, I realize the white part is missing, but you get the drift. Pretty much I wanted an excuse to wear a tutu, let’s be honest.
These are just a few of the MANY pictures taken. I had to break the party up in two parts as to not bombard you with too many pictures or tell too many stories. Part 2 of our Norway trip coming tomorrow! Get excited, some of the most beautiful shots from our Norwegian road trip to come!
