Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. Love from Minnesota

Dear Lerhol Family and Friends,

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from Minnesota.

We have a lot to blog about so you may want to grab a cup of coffee, while you settle in to read this...we also have a special blogger today too.

A Christmas note from Sondre:

 

Merry Christmas or God Jul to all of the people reading this blog about me!

My experience so far has been extraordinary! I have met a lot of new people, played in sports I never thought I would ever play. Football is probably the most memorable experience that has meant most of the sports so far! I was privileged to have played on the Minnetonka Football Team, but look forward to two more sports: Nordic Skiing and Rugby!

Being in the US as an exchange student is something I would recommend to everyone! The amount of people you get to know, the different cultures, is an experience you can bring through to for the rest of your life.

Living with the Colehour's has been an 11 out of 10 experience (10 is the best), they are a very different family, but in a very good way! :) It is strange to think about that I am halfway through my stay here! I have mixed feelings when I think about it.  I think how fun it would be to see my family and friends back home, but it’s also sad that I’m leaving all my friends and family here.

Celebrating Christmas away from my home, makes me appreciate all of what I have back in Norway, but celebrating Christmas with the Colehour family, I think about how lucky I am to be a part of another wonderful family experience! I have gotten a lot of new cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews too. :) 

Plus, I get to spend time with family here in Minnesota.  I consider the Lerol/Weiss family as my close family, even if we are distant relatives on our family tree, I feel like just as close to them as I do my grandparents, aunts and Uncles in Norway.  So I am lucky to say that I have a bunch of people that I think of as my family!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Love,

Sondre

Nordic Ski season...a star is born: 

The ski season is in full swing and Sondre is really skiing well.  Considering he has never skied competitively, it makes his efforts even more impressive.  He has had a couple of meets over the last few weeks and has had special guests at all of them.  At a recent meet in Dresser Wisconsin,  some of Sondre's relatives (Mike and Marilyn Carlson) were able to make the trek to cheer Sondre on in his first Nordic ski meet.  While Scott and I have not met them in person, they sure seem to be very warm and caring people.  I was not able to “connect the dots” on how they were related to you so I asked Mike:    

A note from Mike and Marilyn Carlson: 

We were happy that we could connect with Sondre last night.  When we last visited the Lerhol’s

in 2007 Sondre was a handsome young man who ferried us across Vangsmjosa in a runabout

that Jon and he had purchased.  Now, from your blog, I see he has grown up into a tall and strong as well as handsome man! 

Marilyn and Sondre's relationship is actually a double one.  I think I have this right: Jon Lerhol's great, great great grandfather, Knut Jonsson Lerhol (1791-1865) in 1813 married Anne Helgesdotter Remme (1795-1845)  Anne was Marilyn's great, great grandfather's sister.  The Lerhol and Remme farms are only about 2 kilometers apart.  Anne and Knut's son, Jon (1819-1878) farmed the Lerhol farm from 1846-1878.  Jon married Berit Tomasdotter Remme (1825-1901).  Berit was Marilyn's great grandfather, Anders Remme's, sister.  So, if we understand this correctly, Marilyn and Sondre's relationship is a double one and Jon and Berit were first cousins.  The relationship is on the Lerhol side and not Sigrun's side.  Berit and Ander's brother, Helge, farmed the Remme farm and he had no children so the Remme farm was sold out of the Remme family to his second wife's brother in 1880. The Remme farm had been in the family from approximately 1665 to 1880.

Since we first met the Lerhols in 2002 they have been very gracious, welcoming, and warm people.  Marilyn, her siblings and their spouse, and I all feel very fortunate to have met such

wonderful relatives!!!

All for now, Mike & Marilyn


AFS Party

Last weekend Sondre attended an AFS party at the home of one of the other AFS students.  Here he is “hamming it up” with a couple of the girls.  Anna (far right) is in his AFS chapter and also attends Minnetonka High School too.  She is from Italy. 

Christmas 2011

Scott, Sondre and I have been working on getting the house ready for Christmas.  Sondre was very excited to show Torstein and Knut the house in person, so he would not let us post any pictures.  We have included pictures in this blog. 

Christmas Cookie Exchange

Last Sunday night Sondre remembered he was participating in a Christmas cookie exchange and needed 7 dozen cookies for Monday morning…yep the next morning.  J (That is when I realized that all teenagers, regardless of country, are the same!)  I am not sure if you do cookie exchanges in Norway but the idea is everyone makes a large amount of one type of cookie and then exchanges with others so that you get a nice variety of homemade cookies. 

Fortunately,Courtney had a great recipe to make toffee that is super easy and without much effort we were able to bake and package the cookies in time for Monday morning. 

Here is a picture of the final product of all of the cookies he got in the exchange…really ended up being worth the effort. 

The tray of cookies is WAY bigger than it looks here!

Toys for Tots

In the US there is a program called Toys for Tots where there is a big “drive” to gather toys for children who are far less privileged than we are.  Scott, Sondre and Alex went to Target (my favorite store) and each picked out a bunch of gifts that we could donate to the Toys for Tots program.   Such a small gesture in the grand scheme of things…but hopefully it makes a few kids have a merrier holiday season.  We have been beyond fortunate to have such a wonderful life…a great family, friends that are like family, good jobs that we love and good health. 

The Norwegians arrive in the US

Knut and Torstein arrived in the US a few days ago.  Yesterday they were able to make it to Sondre’s ski meet at Elm Creek Park Reserve to see him ski for Minnetonka High School.  He is strong like a bull and came in 2^nd overall in the JV race.  Very impressive. 

Sondre and a couple of the skiers on the girls team.

As Sondre was skiing by us the boys were cheering him on in Norwegian and I think that helped motivate him.  One of the other spectators heard the boys cheering in Norwegian and was very excited to speak in his native language with them.  Apparently, this gentleman came to the US for medical school and stayed in the US.  His son skied for Eden Prairie. 

Last night we had Knut, Torstein, Kristoffer, Hilde, Kelsey and Kyle over for dinner after Sondre’s ski meet.  We had a great time catching up with everyone and look forward to spending more time with them over the next few weeks. 

At this time of year we are thankful for so much but especially thankful for the wonderful gift the Lerhol’s have given us.  Sharing Sondre, Knut and Torstein with us for Christmas is the best gift we could ever imagine.  

One thing that would make this holiday better would be if Billy were home with us.  Christmas is his favorite holiday….He is out on deployment serving in the US Navy and we are very proud of him.  However, we  very fortunate though that Pam and Jackson are in town and will be celebrating with  us.  Below is a picture of the day 8 months ago Billy left for his deployment.  He will be home in about 4 weeks....YAY. 

We are only 3 months away from the birth of Maxwell August Dirks...Amelia will be such a great big sister. 

All of the kids are planning to sleep over on Christmas night and then we will open presents with our little family the day after Christmas. 


 Merry Christmas and Happy NewYear to you all. 

Love, Alix and Scott