Zero Degrees

Over New Years I took a trip home to Idaho to spend some time with part of my family.  We managed to get 22 of us together, and had a great time.  New Years Eve (which was the first day I arrived) had a bit of everything.  We started off at my brothers house for four wheeling/sledding in the cold winter weather.  I was glad to be lent some warm gear and of course had brought a scarf, hat, and gloves, although, I think my nephew definitely wears them with more style than I do.

New Year's Eve Dinner was more homemade pizza than we could handle, and a white elephant gift exchange complete with an original gift passing story starring none other than Charlie and Judy Henry - I ended up with a string of colorful pop beads that made several appearances throughout the weekend (although rarely on myself).  
Next it was on to my Grandparents house where we had some delicious dessert and played the player piano.  Something I don't remember doing much as an adult, but certainly have fond memories of pumping the pedals hard as a kid.  For those who might not know, this style of player piano is powered by foot pedals that spins special reels of paper marked with the notes for the appropriate song.  It's quite entertaining to feel like you can play some of the great piano classics with just some good leg pumping.



After everyone had a turn we returned to my parents house where I was introduced to the magical adventure of playing Perpetual Commotion.  Super Fun game if you've never tried it.  I'm going to have to put it on my wish list for sure.  We rang in the new year watching the ball drop then went to bed not long after - we had a whole weekend still to go and since babies don't sleep in and since I (being the last to arrive) was banished to sleep in the "Harry Potter Bed" (the bed in a little alcove in the downstairs family room that is basically situated under the stairs) I figured I wouldn't either.  Saturday we mostly just played with the kids, I think this was when the "group exercise sessions" started. 

Good thing my Mom has a decent supply of hand weights.  Some more perpetual commotion, a discussion about our upcoming family reunion and some late night chatting rounded out that night.  Sunday it was off to church then home for dinner and later some homemade donuts and an impromptu concert by my little niece and nephew.  The weekend came to a conclusion all to quickly Monday morning though when we made a mass exodus within just a couple of hours of each other making our way through frozen landscapes back to different states and even a foreign country (O Canada. . .) But like they say, all good things must come to an end.