Christmas in New York and Ephraim

We started off Christmas at home with our ugly Christmas tree in Ephraim. On Christmas morning, the kids unwrapped their gift: Wicked Tickets in New York! We flew out on the red-eye that night for 4 days and 3 nights of pure New York City.

But before we left, we had a fun afternoon with our new friends in Ephraim. We had Christmas brunch at the house, complete with 3 kinds of quiche, gazpacho, breakfast casserole, grapefruit, and fruit sangria. Then with full stomachs we embarked on a four-wheeling and sledding extravaganza. It was bitter cold, but we had a great time.

We came home just in time to leave to New York in the SCARIEST storm of the season. I was crying, saying the rosary, you name it. Just get us to the airport in one piece! There were 8 of us crammed in the 4 runner with our luggage on our laps to the ceiling. I'm convinced the weight in the car was the only thing that kept us on the road.

In New York, we took in fifty degree weather while we shopped, saw musicals, ate until our insides screamed, and stayed up til wee hours of the morning. We ate New York pizza at Angelo's, Sushi at Ruby Foo's, Brazilian and Italian food, and even street vendor kabobs and hot dogs. We went to 2 musicals: Wicked and In the Heights and we roamed the streets of Soho, Little Italy, Chinatown, Broadway, Central Park, 7th Avenue, and Times Square. It was an eye opening experience for the kids. There were more people living in one building than live in the entire city of Ephraim.

Now we are back and need the vacation after the vacation to recover. But no complaints. It was great.

Getting Ready for Christmas

Whitney and Hannah

The Boys Together at Last

Our Charlie Brown Christmas Tree (great til we had to cut 2 ft off the top

Yes, the dog's tail really did get spray painted red

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

One dog with a tail spray painted red
Three boycrazy teenagers
Four strings of lights that went out on the tree
Five doctor appts. in one week
Six kids coming to our house for Christmas (YEAH!!)
Seven presents that were returned to sender instead of forwarded to Ephraim
Eight loads of laundry in one day
Nine trips to the Athletic Center for swimming and racquetball
Ten strings of lights Kevin hung outside
Eleven basketball games Hannah cheers in during December
Twelve foot tall Christmas tree with a 10 foot ceiling in the house

Recovering from the Bowl Game

Where do I start? Are we sad because the touchdown that was in bounds was called back? Because the field goal kick hit the post and bounced OUT? Or because the blocked field goal became a live ball when we touched it in the endzone and the other team scored a touchdown? Or because we somehow lost a critical 10 seconds off the clock when it was restarted at the end of our run in the 4th quarter?

Well, I know one thing. Those boys played their hearts out! In a double overtime loss, Snow College lost the National Championship by (as Maxwell Smart would say)..."just that much". But I have nothing but praise for the team. What a class act.

Kevin looked the part. He was meant to do this job. We had such a ball at the banquet and watching the game with family and friends. We got to have dinner with Dave Checketts and we were treated like royalty with our box seats and great food catering from start to finish. What a fun tradition.

All I know is next year...WATCH OUT! This is our title to win.