Happy New Year!

This was the 20th year of the New Years Sparktacular...a fire works show off the West Ridge at UAF. For the last ten or so years I've been going to the bottom of the hill where a good-but-not-to-be-named friend makes a maybe-not-so-legal fire. While hundreds of car line up and sit idling in the -20 temperatures about 50 of us stand out in the crisp air around a hot fire listening to the boom-boom ringing in of a new year. Here you can see Olivia, Emily, Elijah, (Dawson) and Nicholas. Lucas was asleep in the van...he missed it all!

For the life of me I cannot take a photo of the moon where you can see the shadows. I've got to read that manual!

Elijah rode the snow machine ten miles to the bonfire. I said it was too cold, but he's 14...he knows everything. He wasn't too thrilled about the ride home as he was cold. Too bad. Anyhow he ended up slamming into a culvert and flying over the handle bars disconnecting the throttle. He rode home on the back of his friends sled. Homer ended up riding the broken sled home. Really...with the luck I have it is fitting to have the sled busted up on the first day of a new year. LOL He banged up his knee and is damn lucky he didn't break his neck. Boys are so wild.

Look at that smile! Surrounded by family and friends is a great way to ring in the new year.

On the first day of 2010 Dad and I went in to town to boost the economy. It was a bit chilly.

I had -14 at the house. Our purchase? We found a wood stove on clearance for half price! Yes! Soon I'll have wood heat. I can't wait.

I leave you with a shot of the Wee People with their mound of thousands of Lego's. Our children are the center of all we do, and we are so thankful for every moment we spend with them.