POST FALLS - Just a couple years ago, Esther Alme walked the shores of Norway and saw with her own eyes the land of her ancestors.

"We went in the valley where they were from, to each of their places, and we even went down to the water where they got on the boat," she said. "It was such a good feeling to see where all our families came from."

Alme, of Coeur d'Alene, is a member of the Coeur d'Alene chapter of the Sons of Norway, an organization that promotes and celebrates Norwegian heritage. The group is hosting its annual lutefisk (boiled cod) and lefse (flatbread) feast soon, and in preparation, there must be plenty of cookies.

"One of the traditions of Christmas for Norway is to have seven different kinds of cookies," said cultural director Barbara Rostad of Hauser.

"If you're going to make seven different kinds of cookies and they're all made one at a time, you're going to start early."

Rostad, Alme and a few others gathered Sunday in the Odd Fellows lodge in Post Falls to prepare more than 200 cookies - known traditionally as "sandbakkels" - for the upcoming event. A simple recipe of butter, ground almonds, sugar, egg whites and flour creates a dough that is baked in special ruffled tins with room to place goodies such as ice cream or berries in the center.

"My mother made them," Alme said as she gently pressed the dough to the sides of the tins.

The delightfully sweet aroma of almond wafted through the room and everyone visited while working on the cookies.

Ron Hansen of Post Falls has been in Sons of Norway for 20 years. He said he enjoys the camaraderie the members share, as well as learning about the country's history and his own heritage.

"I listen to all the stories and watch any movies that are available, but I've also been to Norway," he said. "It was very interesting, and come to find out, my great-grandfather and I look almost identical. And we got to see the old homestead, the buildings are all there."

Brand-new member Cindy McManus of Post Falls said she has always wanted to join because her grandparents are Norwegian. They were processed at Ellis Island in 1905.

"They actually changed our name when they came through," she said. "They changed it to Lovaas, because Bakken was a farm community and everybody in the community's last name was Bakken. Wherever you were born, that was your last name if you were a farm community. There were so many Bakkens when they hit Ellis Island that they said, 'Oh, you've got to change your name, we can't keep track of you,' so they took my great-great-grandmother's maiden name, which was Lovaas, which is a Norweigan royal name. That's what we were told."

The public is welcome to attend the lutefisk and lefse event from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 21 in the Odd Fellows lodge, located at 200 E. Railroad Ave. in Post Falls. The family-style meal will include all kinds of Norwegian dishes - pickled beets, meatballs, carrots, potatoes and, of course, the lutefisk and lefse. The sandbakkels will be filled with ice cream and topped with tiny Norwegian flags. Reservations must be made by Feb. 17. Prices range from free for those younger than 6 to $45 for families.

For info and reservations, call David Jacobson at 277-6731 or Margret Evenson at 773-4401.