Happy New Year!

It's Been A Long Time!

I know, I know - it's been too long. I'm sorry! The holidays seem to do this to me. I love the gift buying and wrapping and baking and card sending and concerts and and and..... anyway, I get so focused on all that and everything else get shoved aside! Plus, someone added me as a friend on Facebook not too long ago and so I've been trying to figure that out. So much going on!

We've had such fun! December is a blur but I know we enjoyed it all. Dylan was in a parade; Lyndsi and I watched the parade; Steve and I attended his staff party; Dylan turned 9; Lyndsi had a Christmas program; it was darn cold; it snowed; we had our annual Cookie and Beer Exchange; we celebrated Winter Solstice; we drove to Spokane - now that was a lot of snow! We celebrated Christmas Eve with Linda and Rod; we celebrated Christmas with my family; we had lunch with Steve's dad; we shopped; we built snow forts; we saw movies; we ate; we ate; we ate; we went to The Swingin' Doors; We rocked out on the Wii; we took 6 hours to get home from Spokane in the snow; we went sledding; I had a pedicure; we went across the street for New Year's Eve..... I guess that brings us to January!

I know I blogged Dylan's birthday and Lyndsi's program but I don't think I wrote about our holiday party. We celebrate the holidays in a slightly different way here in Okanogan. Steve and I put a little twist on the traditional cookie exchange. We ask everyone to bring their favorite or unique beers and their favorite holiday cookies. We put out snacky foods and other drinks and invite everyone we know and then we all eat, drink and be merry! This year we held the party the day after school got out. That was great because I didn't have to worry about work so I could just enjoy myself. I was even ready when the first person walked through the door! I don't think that's ever happened before!

It's always fun to see the varieties of beers and cookies that come and go. Everyone leaves with a nice bucketful of cookies and at least a 6 pack of good beer to enjoy over the holidays. I'm not sure what the favorite was this year but the most unique (and rednecky) was definitely the 6 pack of Olympia beer and package of Safeway sandwich cookies brought by our dear friend, Keith!

We left for Spokane on the 23rd.

What a fun week we had! Robyn, Kim and Erin were all available for entertainment purposes and we loved the time we spent with them. My mom and dad made the holiday special with their decorations and food and game playing. My dad has taken up bread baking on his outdoor brick oven. It looks lovely and I hear it takes wonderful! He has promised to try a gluten-free variety for me!

We spent Christmas Eve at Linda's. It was low-key year because of all the snow - Have I mentioned the snow yer? Wow! Spokane had 61 inches of snow when we left. That's a lot! They've had more since then as well! Sure was a pretty, white Christmas! - so anyway, the Laycock family decided to abstain from our traditional gift exchange and party for the year. Linda, Rod, and us ate a yummy dinner of chili, opened presents and watched "Mama Mia". It was a nice relaxing evening.

The snow in my parents' backyard! It was quite a trek to the swingset. Yep - there's a slide in there somewhere!

Upon leaving Linda's, we headed to church for the Christmas Eve service. Dylan has only been to a Christmas Eve service once and Lyndsi has never been so I was excited to have them take part in the candlelight service of my childhood. I couldn't wait to sing with the choir! Unfortunately, the snow kept most of the choir stranded at home but the small congregation did their best to sound good! Dylan liked trying to out do Erin's rendition of "Gloooooooooooooria" and Lyndsi fell asleep.

Before we got to church we stopped by the Bryan's house. Steve spent a good chunk of his childhood with this family so it was nice to be able to introduce our children to them.

The kids got up bright and early on Christmas morning. Santa and the family spoiled us all - again. Between the 2 grandmas and the 3 aunties - the kids got lots of toys and the family got a Wii system with several games. We spent the day playing games and learning to drum on Rock Band. I'm addicted! I can't wait to try out my Wii Fit!

Steve's dad met us for lunch the day after Christmas. We haven't seen him in over a year so it was good to catch up. He and Steve had a great conversation about high cholesteral and family medical history!

It snowed off and on during our visit to Spokane so it stood to reason that we would encounter a huge storm the day we decided to come home. Our 3 hour trip home took 6 hours but we made it safe and sound.

Since we've been home, the kids have spent a lot of time outside sledding and building a snow fort in the burms on our driveway.

We spent New Year's with our good friends across the street. They had a nice crowd and the evening was an especially fun way to say good bye to 2008 and hello to 2009.

Yesterday we took the kids ice skating in Winthrop. I have only been on skates one other time in my life! I was OK on the ice as long as I had a hand to hold but as soon as that hand was gone, I froze! Lyndsi and Dylan, however, had no fear! Dylan was playing tag before long and Lyndsi was scooting along the middle of the ice, oblivious to the speed skaters racing by her! Them Morrison-Nelsons met us there and Theresa R. came with us. It was a blast! We went back to the MN cabin after skating for some of Gary's fabulous chili. Aaaaah - that's my kind of winter play! Thank you MN family!

Lyndsi and Steve getting their skate feet under them!

The girls with Lynell - she knew what she was doing!

Dylan loved the ice!

Off they go!

So here we are today - a living room full of Christmas ornaments waiting to be boxed away, a few bills to pay AND Christmas cards to still send. Yes, I still have my stack of cards sitting here to put in the mailbox. So.... if you haven't received a card from us, please don't take us off your list for next year! I promise I'll get them out soon!