Happy New Year!!! Part 1

Michael and Rebekah came over New Year's Eve to celebrate the new year with us. William and Jack were able to "meet" via webcams. The joys of modern technology.

Picture time with the "neph"

Michael helps Pa and Micaiah brainstorm on what path to take for Micaiah's future

So many options!!! For the past 5 years or so we have watched Pride and Prejudice until the new year, but some in our family were rather tired of it and wanted some variety... we ended up watching Northanger Abbey and Sense and Sensibility.

How we watch a movie: Some cook, some bake, some take pictures on iphoto (a novelty at our house)...

... some cuddle the grandbaby...

... or exercise with the baby :-)

Midnight arrives... we missed the ball drop! The timer was set wrong. Our annual call from the Flynns lets us know 2010 has arrived!

Followed by the annual hugging, kissing, and singing
"For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne"
Happy New Year!!!!!!!

New Year's morning has us at First Beach in Newport, ready for the Polar plunge.
Mom asks if pictures will be posted on the blog... "Yes?"... count her in :-)

Michael tries to do a little warm up (yes, that whiteness is snow)

Us and our two comrades of the cold, Stephanie and Tabitha (The only other two were... uh... crazy/fun enough to join us :-)

And off we go...

Faster, faster... oops... I slipped and fell. I guess that's one way to get totally wet!

Micaiah hams it up to make it look like it IS winter...

While Matthew makes it seem like a nice summer swim.

Pa stands by ready with Mom's towel

Way to go, Mom!
(and you must remember Mom does NOT like the cold!)

One more group picture of the "after" to show we did it.

Apparently once wasn't enough for Michael...

...Or maybe he didn't think he got wet enough

Proof that it was freezing... though it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be... probably because it wasn't windy

After putting on some warm, dry clothes we decided to head over and watch the big group that was gathering take the dive

Reheating with some nice, hot coffee... a rare sight since the thought of coffee can get me hyper (besides the fact that water is cheaper and better for you)

The Things taking it all in

Michael had this great idea to get a better coverage for his blog (as well as this one, since he let me take the pictures from his camera) Thank you Mello's for this picture. For more awesome photos check out their blog: http://ofaknightand5maidens.blogspot.com/

The view from up high... quite the sight!

New Year's Day part 2

Back at our house we were joined by the Axbergs and Luekens for some games

The masterminds try to "check" their opponents move (nice pun, huh?)

Take two!
I love word games where you make your own scrabble board and race against the other players to use your letters first

Yo, Ho! A Pirates Life for me... aka A pirates version of the game Life

Next a new, old game was brought out... Diplomacy.
Instructions were read...

...Orders for the troops written...

...treatise and truces made...

...troops moved...

... and territory won or lost.

Though it is only for a certain number of players, it was just as fun watching them... or spying for certain players ;-)

Meanwhile some kind of dominoes game is started on the other table

Looks like someone did good!

I think Emma has that "special touch" with babies

In the evening we had a time of reading and praying...

...and worship. It was great having the boys be able to play the guitar and drums together.

To end the day, we watched Homeschool Dropouts... a documentary pointing out the six sins our generation faces, how much our parents have done for us, and whether we will drop the ball or further that which we have been given. I would highly recommend it... and it is currently on sale for those who are interested: Homeschool Dropouts

The end of our faithful van

Sunday morning on the way to church our van spun out of control on the icy road and did a 180º into a telephone pole on the opposite side of the road. The impact shattered one of the windows and crunched the door. Micaiah was holding his cinnamon roll then after the crash he looked down and his hands were empty... instead there was glass everywhere as well as Mom's coffee.

Another view from where I was sitting. I think we were all rather shocked... Matthew lost his memory of what happened for about an hour (he still doesn't remember taking this picture), but is better now (or at least back to "normal" :-])... everyone is just sore all over.
"For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone." Psalm 91:11-12

A view from the outside.. none of the doors on this side would open. Praise the Lord it wasn't any further back or it would have been where Micaiah was sitting and further forward would have been where Matthew was.

We have been so blessed to have this van for over 8 years and thankful for the many miles it has lasted (we added almost 200,000) and multiple places we have been able to visit by having it.
"The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the LORD."