[talk: Bye Bye 2008]

I'm away with my family and finally got the Internet running. Is there anything more calming than big windows overlooking the ski hills and the fireplace roaring ... and the sheer quiet of it all? My hubby's outside skiing with Mattias while my parents spectate ... and I'm all cozied up while Josiah has his nap.

I'm finding myself SO behind with all that's been happening around here. There is so much to tell - but I think I'll go in order ...

First: New Years Eve.

Oh my WORD. How much FUN did we have??? Nineteen people bustling about, preparing their contributions for the fondue. We had the BIGGEST table ever - and eight fondue pots. There was steak, chicken, prawns, meatballs ... and there was beer batter for zucchini, onion rings, mushrooms and cheese. I made a bunch of dipping sauces including chipotle (you know, the kind you get with yam fries), honey mustard, Japanese steak sauce, plum and teriyaki. SO yummy. And it only took a day to fumigate the stench out of our home *grin*.

The most entertaining thing that happened? Well, that would be the annual hockey game with "mini" sticks. There was far too much testosterone in our basement, and simply too many people ... so it was inevitable that this would happen.

I was upstairs putting our boys to bed when I heard yet another rip-roaring rendition of "Praise God To Whom All Blessings Flow." I KNEW something had happened, and quickly ran downstairs. The guys were trying to keep me from seeing the damage ... and when I finally did, I just looked around the room as they all stared at me, and walked back upstairs.

Ah well, it's totally fixable. And these guys are good for it. But they had to think I was a BIT upset, otherwise they would've just kept going ... soooo - it made for a monumental moment at our New Years party ... ha!

Then, it was Josiah's birthday on New Years Day ... and now we're away. So, many more pics to post later.

Hope you were able to ring in the New Year with those you love. I know, for us, it was simply fantastic.