New Years

This year for New Year's, we decided to go visit our good friends in upstate New York, Jon Paul and Summer, and their 2 kids, Jude and Ronan. Aminah is in between the 2 boys age-wise, and it's always fun to visit with them. They live in a winter wonderland, on the side of a mountain, in rural New York.




They have a dog, Blue, who Aminah adores, and Aminah has become less and less afraid of her, the more we visit (and maybe the older she gets). Aminah was interested in giving Blue massages throughout the day, and went back and forth from massaging and petting her, to running away from her if she was caught off guard, or not quite ready for her. We went sledding, and warmed up by their wood burning stove. We ate delicious food, prepared by all, and even the kids helped to set the table.





We arrived late afternoon, New Year's Eve, and unpacked the car quickly. After dinner, we had a snowy bonfire (or as Aminah calls it a "camp fire"). We took turns pulling the kids in their sleds, and enjoyed the warmth of the fire, while the kids played with flashlights and lanterns. Jude and Aminah took apart an igloo, in preparation to rebuild one the next day. The kids went to sleep late, though before midnight. Us grown ups stayed awake talking and relaxing by the cozy fire, until close to 1am. Well, to be honest, Chris had had a late night the night before, and slept next to us grown ups, and then went to real bed when we did as well.










We took time both mornings to put on a dvd for the kids so we could sip coffee and chat for a while before heading out to romp in the snow. On New Year's Day, we started to build a huge igloo, the kids helping a little, in between sledding and being pulled on sleds around the yard. We came in to warm up, and then the menfolk went back out with the kids to get the fire pit ready and to play while Summer and I made dinner. We all ate, and went back out for an early bonfire, until all the kids started to fall apart due to exhaustion. In again to warm up, and put the kids to bed, though Ronan never did quite fall asleep until we all went to bed.

At some point during an inside time, we play Left, Right Center, and I accidentally took some video of Jude asking about Aminah's camera. Here it is:



While Jon Paul was doing his best to get their boys to sleep, Summer taught me how to knit in the round. My mom had taught me how to knit, but it was more frustrating to me than crocheting, so for years, I have stuck to making washcloths and dishrags. I am in the process of making a winter wonderland to take out every year in the winter for Aminah to play with, and so I am making trees for it. I really wanted some knit trees, so I was determined and excited enough to give it a try. It's simple in one way, and very complicated in another. There are lots of sticks in my way, but I was able to make a tiny mouse hat in my effort.

Our last day was cold--in the teens--and windy. After our breakfast and coffee chatting, Summer and I went to go pick up their milk, and Chris and Jon Paul sledded with the kids. When we came back I sledded as well, though my gloves were synthetic and I was cold. Aminah and I came down fast, and as I was steering, I jammed my left middle finger really hard, and went inside to recover. I also packed up our stuff and enjoyed talking with Summer. We left later that afternoon, and drove through their snow, in the cold, with our car barely warming up until about 2 hours from home. Brrr! Luckily, we had blankets in the car. I completely feel rejuvenated from our trip, and was thoroughly satisfied with how we rung in the new year. I do hope to make it something of a tradition!