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!