And the Flour Flies!

   Any willing person is given a job at the lefsa rolling.  Here Erik is gently rolling out those delicacies.

   I'm not sure what Ken's job description is.  I guess that is supposed to be a lutefisk on his hat, altho no living person has ever seen one alive!

   Amy and Dana are laying out lefsa to cool.

   Ardell is buttering lefsa, adding brown sugar and then rolling them up to feed the hungry multitude.

   Here's our Kim...probably wishing she would have worn an apron!

   Julieanne and Mariah defending their turf!

   Leah looks a little surprised.  See that little tool in her hand?  It is actually a golf ball in a washcloth secured with a rubber band.  This is used to wipe extra flour off the burners.  (We've been at this a long time and have come up with some of our own "inventions")

   Another foreign exchange student getting some good old American culture.

   Pastor Joe always lends his hand to rolling.  I think someone else had a hand in "flouring" his face.

  Nancy, Gina and Suzanne taking a break.  Probably laughing.

   I know this looks like the "swallow the goldfish" trick, but Dave is actually downing a lefsa. (at least that's what they told me)

   The "giggle" sisters...Claire and Jasmine!  Someone brought lots of cans of pop to encourage the kids.  It does wonders!  These girls were good help!

   Darla taking a turn at frying. (or as we say....burning) lefsa.

   Sweet Morgan.  I think she was one of those who was keeping a running tally on a board as to how many lefsa were made. 

   Grandpa Glen holding Isaac.  What a cutie!  (take your pick at which one I mean!)

  Ben doing a great job.  It's not easy being a stick man.  If they ruin a good one...woe to them!  Then we have to eat it.  It is amazing that we do get so much done and have so much fun doing it.  Our next project (besides baking at home for the bake sale) is Thursday when we make meat balls.  I better not forget the camera.  Course one of these days they're going to figure out what I'm doing and not let me take pictures!  Friday they peel potatoes and Saturday make klub.  That's another whole story!  If you're not Norwegian (or married to one) you'll never believe it! 
  Mark your calanders...Sunday February 6...1-6 Lutefisk supper at Dell!!!  (then we air out the church for a month to get rid of the aroma!)
    Jolyn

Stick Men

   Oh yes, we have to have people taking pictures of people taking pictures taking.....  thanks Garrett.

  And here are our stick men.  They grab  take the  freshly rolled lefsa and put it on the burners.  This is Joshua.  They can get very possessive of their burners and sticks!!

   Our Brandon working two lefsa on one grill.  It seemed to be a deed worthy of mentioning. 

     Shawn  I don't know--that looks more like a defensive maneuver. 

   Aaron's Tae Kwan Do lefsa attack yell. 

   We imported Nils from Norway. 

   Uncle Charlie.

   Jim with Erik in the background. 

   Gerhald frying those lefsa.

   My very own... or was he just talking?  (Now I'm in trouble...actually we all do a lot of talking....and laughing.)

  Just to show we don't restrict this job to just the males...Hannah doing a fine job!


  It does take the whole church working together to pull this off.  More lefsa pictures coming soon to a blog near you.
   Jolyn

Gettin' Ready!!

   Sunday after church the fun begins.  First a few of the ladies have made dinner for all of us.

   Jane and Amy serving the sloppy joes.

   We started making the lefsa after church as we get a better turn out...one less trip for people.  Having a meal furnished is a big plus too.

   Anybody that wants to roll gets a chance.  Ashlen already has years of experience.  We start them young!

 Amanda doing her thing.

   Mary Lou handing out balls to each roller.

   Suzanne hard at work

   this is Julie's first try at it and she quickly passed the test and rolled all afternoon.

   My prodigy!  I coaxed her to come try it and Dana finally gave in and then she didn't want to quit!  I had a hard time getting my rolling pin back!

   And Erik seemed to get more flour on himself than some.  He probably had help.

   Another old pro, Glen.

   And thank goodness for dish washers!  We use everybody...right Julie?

   This is our goal....nice and round. When someone does roll a "perfect" one, there is always lots of cheering.  (They don't get to quit, but a perfect one is always a goal.)  Some people also like to announce when theirs looks like Asia or Mickey Mouse or even certain people.  Like I said, lots of laughing going on!

  But...sometimes this happens.  Even so, we always have people willing and eager to eat the "strange" ones.  In one afternoon we got all the lefsa made for the supper, bake sale and of course for us eating!
   Jolyn

It's Beginning to Smell a Lot Like...........

  No..no..no...not Christmas!  It's our Lutefisk Supper!!!  For over 25 years our little country church has hosted a Lutefisk Supper.  Usually about 600 people indulge.  It takes weeks of preparation.  Besides the planning, shopping, hauling, you name it...lots goes on before we even start getting together to actually make things  The night before these pictures a group had gotten together and mixed up the lefsa.  Earlier this morning others got together and added the flour.  Starting Saturday afternoon we started making the balls.

All willing hands are used.  Laughter is guaranteed! 
All profits from this event are divided between a number of missions.

 We stack them on floured trays and then someone ...in this case...Gina, hauls them to our refrigerated room. ( a Sunday school room with the window cracked open...it was below zero outside)

  And here's part of the stash...there was another table with more trays.  The plastic cups in each corner make it possible to stack trays if we need to.  There are over 1200 balls waiting to be transformed.  These will cool down until the next day....just you wait and see what happens next!!! 
                    Jolyn

Family Time (or Brag Time)

   Guess what Taylor got for Christmas?  Grandma thinks he looks pretty sharp!  That's what Grandmas do.  He's a Sophomore at our local high school, plays quarterback on JV, basketball, track, guitar and trumpet in the band.  He's also good at washing hog barns. 

   And here's Brandon with his Great-Grandma Girardin, my Mom.  Brandon had a Basketball tournament in Preston where my Mom lives, so we stopped and picked her up.  We parked so she didn't have to walk very far. (Truth is..it was for me as she walks so fast with her walker that I can hardly keep up!)  Brandon is a 7th grader...plays football, basketball and trombone.  They won both games and Mom really enjoyed getting to see him play.  She and Dad always enjoyed going to see my nephews (who lived near her) play in sports.

  This little cutie is Chara Beth and she belongs to Dan and Rachel.  They were our first hired youth directors and we all fell in love with them.  Chara is involved in smiles, giggles and lots of words!! They now live in Wisconsin...closer to their families.  We miss them!
     Jolyn

Snuggle Time

  Don't you just want to snuggle these two?  Morgan and Vivvi !!!  Such a picture of cuteness!  Our granddaughter and great-granddaughter!!!  I miss those days with our own kids.
  Enough said!
  Jolyn
 (click on the picture for an enlargement)

Comfort Food

 In the winter, nothing warms or comforts like food!!!  Made just a small dish of apple crisp.  Would have been better with ice cream. But then, anything is better with ice cream.

   Home made rye bread and Chicken Hot Dish.Both are found in our brand new Dell Cookbook.  The rye bread is found on page 114 and the Hot Dish on page 12. 

   And this is "Monkey Brains".  I don't know where my kids ever got that name, but it has stuck and is a quick easy way to add a side dish to a meal.  Wash and core a cauliflower, cover with saran wrap and micro wave until done...anywhere from 8-15 minutes...depending on the size.  Mix about 1/2 cup mayo and a squirt of mustard and coat the cooked cauliflower and then cover with shredded cheddar cheese.  Might have to microwave again for 20-50 seconds until all the cheese is melted.  They say it's really good.  My idea of good is the following:

  This is Wayne's version of Hula pie!  Gerhald's good chocolate sponge cake, French vanilla ice cream and chocolate topping!  Just shut your eyes and listen to the waves on Kaanapali Beach.  Mmmmmmm! Now I'm ready for Yogurtland!!!!     and warmer weather!!!!     and little kids throwing sand!!!!
                                       Jolyn