Bowling for New Year's

Pretend New Year's Day,  we did our traditional bowling on

Saturday because New Year's falls on a Sunday.

First we went to Boston Pizza for lunch.  Brad, Heather and Courtney,

ready to eat their yummy food.

We are looking forward to our food too.

Courtney ordered pasta, and the rest of us ordered pizza, yum!

Then we went BOWLING.  We have been bowling on New Year's

for years thanks to the Murray family.  The only thing

missing, was our other children and the Murray's.

Heather thinks she's nailed it.

Brad has the perfect technique.  

Courtney, looky, looky, see how it's done.

I've never seen so many colorful balls, still doesn't

make us better bowlers.

Brad and Chris are good because they can throw

the bowling balls so hard.

I got a spare, cute picture huh?  Couldn't be uglier, right?

Final score, not that great but at least we were all pretty close.

Heather won by one pin over Dad, with Courtney a close third

also by just one pin.  Then there was me and Brad, oh well.

Heather took a picture of us on our way out.  Fun day,

and the day is still young.

Skating on Thin Ice!

We found this box in the garage with a missionaries name on

it and what we found inside made Brad's day.  It was a pair of

men's ice skates and they just happen to be Brad's size.

So he put them on and took them for a little spin.

He had a ball, he and Heather went over to the lake and

played on the ice.  We walked over to have a little look see.

This is the lake, complete with a hockey goal.

Brad's quite a little skater, who knew?

Too bad the rest of us didn't have a pair of skates, we just had to use our shoes.

Yeah, that's me the smart one, checking to make sure the lake

is really frozen, even though we are already standing on the lake,

the snow has just been cleared back so far, duh!

Don't we look cute?  NOT, I actually have a blanket

wrapped around my head because I don't have a toque.  

Heather did some sliding.

Her shoes look like skates, figure skaters skates.

Oops, didn't see this until we were on our way back to the house.

I would like to know just how deep the ice gets.  We'll have to 

inquire about it and see if anyone knows. 

Happy New Year!

Courtney had a special date with Jordan, dinner and then

 they came back here for a minute and then went out to ring in the 

new year with Jordan's sister and husband.

We stayed home, on the other hand, ate lots of good food, 

watched some tv, played some cards and toasted in the

new year with sparkling cider.

Brad and Heather were good sports to stick around with the old farts. 

 There were fireworks at 8:00 over at Festival Place, but we didn't 

hear them until they were practically over, we only saw about three 

of them.  Heather couldn't even get her camera out fast enough.

Then right before midnight, around 11:30 we decided to do something

strange and unusual. . . . .

I cooked up our one and only batch of the year, of opera bar.

smoooooth pink,

chocolatey chocolate,

and creamy vanilla.

We were stirring when the clock struck midnight, but it was all worth it.

I made it with love for Courtney, she asked for it specifically and

I just had a hard time getting around to making it any earlier.

I'll wrap it up tightly and send some home with her.

Dinner At The Smith's

 Tonight we were invited to the Smith's home.

We just wanted to have a sing-a-long around their new grand piano,

but they insisted on having us for dinner too.  They are just too kind.

The dinner was delicious, stuffed chicken, root vegetables, bread and we

brought a green salad and Courtney's favorite pretzel salad.

Heather loved to love Raya.  She was full of smiles, Raya that is.

This was the delicious and elegant dessert Cindy served us.

As pleasing to the eye as to the palate.

Isn't she adorable.  I mean Raya, not the grand piano in the background.

We ate a lovely dinner and then sat around the piano and 

sang some belated Christmas carols.  Nathan asked the

girls to sing a special song, just for him.  

He loves Courtney and the other Courtney (Heather) and he

always requests that they sing for him.

Lights, Cameras and Hot Chocolate

After dinner, we went to the lights, again.  We wanted to show Brad and

Heather.  They've never seen them before.  Jordan met us at the house

and we took him with us.

They've added this beautiful sleigh for people to have their pictures taken in.  

It is a real life dream of mine to own a sleigh and go for long horse drawn rides 

in the winter time.

This is Maisie's, the same place we took the boys to a week ago, so the

pictures are similar but Heather's camera takes a little better shot.

bushes, Santa, polar bears

closer look at the bushes, these are new, I really like them.

In front of the garage, snowmen, Santa, penguins, snowflakes and nutcrackers.

The front door complete with another Santa, icicles, poinsettias

and presents, lots and lots of presents.

Charlie Brown characters and Mickey Mouse

Each window looks into the house and shows another full display

The side of the house is complete with deer, candy canes and trees wrapped

with thousands of little lights.

We asked, "where are the nativity's?"  Well, they're here too.

several of them

And, best of all, the most wonderful little village.  Complete with trees and

details that would blow you away.  I love it!

A train that goes 'round and 'round.  And so many houses.

It's a chilly night at Maisie's Magical Christmas House.

Chilly enough to go home and have a large mug of wonderful, 

flavorful, hot chocolate.  With chocolate covered stirrers.

What a treat!