Thanksgiving family dinner-date

Living here in Innvik (population 700, one convenient store/gas station, one clothing store - now a big chain but originated here in Innvik, one cafe, and one hotel), without a car, has meant we don't get out much. Like, at all really, except for when my mom was here this summer.

So when we got the village fall/Christmas write-up in the mail box of what's been going on and what is planned, and saw that there was going to be a traditional American Thanksgiving buffet dinner held at the hotel Saturday and Sunday of last weekend, where it would start at 5pm on Saturday and 3pm on Sunday, we didn't have to really consult much between the two of us to agree that this is something we were up for.

I mean, it is hard to get more perfect than that when you have kids who usually are in bed by 6:30-7:00pm, have no car, and no income (so to speak) - a 3pm start (we arrived at 4pm), walkable distance (15 min or so), and reasonably priced (NOK290 per adult, and the girls were free).

It was wonderful!! The food tasted delicious---most of it at least, and since Norwegians are not a fan of dark meat we got to eat oodles of it from the turkey. There were mashed sweet potatoes, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, potato wedges (girls love it), carrots (E loves it), several different kinds of salads, bread, and then several different kinds of cakes and puddings.

Then there was the fact that the atmosphere was great too - candle-lit tables and surrounding environment. The girls were in heaven - we've been house-bound for a couple weeks now - so we were not only not at home, but we were inside where it wasn't cold, and they could run around as we had a back-corner table beside a large open area where they didn't disturb any other diners.

And Leona got to eat some cake. When she heard there was cake and she was going to get to eat some, she almost immediately said she was done eating dinner. We said she had to eat more dinner before she could have cake (it was just a few minutes into the meal), and she complied - ate lots more potatoes and then she was done. Judge asked if she was full, she said no, so he asked if she wanted more of this-that-or-the-other, she said no, and it went back and forth a few times before I explained to Judge that she thinks that if she is full, then she shouldn't eat cake, so she is not full, but she is done eating dinner and more than ready for desert. What a cutie!

So we went and checked out the cake-get-up, and she chose some chocolate pudding and some white sponge cake with marzipan on top. Didn't like the marzipan, but looooooooooved the rest.

Home by 6pm...what a perfect - and sorely needed - night out for the four of us.

[bottom two pics:

trying to keep Eliana still enough for her not to be blurry]

[waiting patiently for us to finish eating and get some CAKE]

.