Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to our friends and family!!  We spent the week at home and made sure to get outside during our stay-cation.  We hope that everyone is happy and healthy for 2023!!!

The 5th grade class with Ms McDonald and Ms Robyn.  Amy's friend and colleague gave a presentation on what it is like to be an Endangered Species biologist :)  The kiddos were reading the book "Hoot" about a burrowing owl and how the owl's habitat was going to be destroyed.

Addie's holiday concert - she is in the second row and all the way to the right :)

The village holiday scene that we received from Annie and Bob.

The kids opening the gift from Grandma Pat and Grandpa Roger - thank you!

Thunder is very interested in the pet stocking and cat nip!

Ayson really wanted a watch

While Addie's main gift was a cross between a cat and a peacock - a peacocat :)

Ayson checking out the Virtual Reality headset while Addie built a new Lego set.

We went to Green Lakes State Park on Monday

On Tuesday, Amy went with her friend Kate to help get the 15 year old daughter of Tabaro and Benigne ready for school that starts on January 3.  Kate and Amy braiding Deborah's hair:)

While Amy was with Kate, Adam took the kids to the "Tippy top" at Labrador Unique area.

Adam made a spaghetti sauce on the new stove and he is loving the counter tops and oven/stove!

We had a bit of galivanting on Wednesday and the kiddos REALLY wanted to go to the Chinese Buffet restaurant - so we did!  The kids were very happy!

On Thursday we went to Green Lakes State Park.  By the end of the day, the temps were in the high 50s and we lost all of our snow :(

A hike at Lime Hollow on Friday in Cortland

Thunder lounging on the stairs

On New Years eve, we all went ice skating at the same rink that Addie's takes lessons.  Addie has greatly improved and loves to skate! 

We hiked at Tracey Lake on New Years day after getting a few chores done around the house.

Snow Day and Dinner with Friends

The week went by as a blur: Adam was in Belgium, Ayson had a concert Tuesday night, Amy a meeting on Wednesday AND no school on Friday for the kiddos due to SNOW!!  We had a holiday dinner with Annie and Bob on Sunday and Adam finally got to try out our new stove!!!  We hope that our family and friends are healthy and enjoying time with close friends and family!

We made chocolate mound drop cookies on Monday :)

Luckily, the kids are easily impressed by simple treats.

On Tuesday, we went to Ayson's band concert - the kids did a great job!

Friday was a snow day for the kiddos!  The both played outside and made snow people.

This is the same child that hates being cold...

She said she was warm enough!

Last session of of ice skating lessons for 2022.  Addie will start again in January - she has much more confidence on the ice!

Adam was in Belgium last week and he came home with yummy chocolate!

The snow was not good for making big snowballs but Addie persisted!

Addie had two sticks going through her snow person and she even added leftover tomato sauce for blood.

On Sunday, Adam and the kids decided to test out the new oven and they made an apple pie!

Look at that smile :)

We had a date with Mr Bob and Ms Annie and we took the pie as a treat!

The kiddos watched Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer while Adam  gave a run down of his trip to Belgium to the adults in the greenhouse.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja turtle (Ayson gave Ms Annie the red one many years ago) is still in the greenhouse.

Adam testing out a chop stick invention that Mr Bob developed

The pie!

After dinner drink

Ms Annie and Mr Bob gave us all gifts: a hand drawn picture of the chipmunks for Addie and meditation balls for Ayson (he likes the ones in the greenhouse).  PLUS the kids received a snowman kit complet with hat, scarf, buttons, and carrot nose.  Thank you!

AND Mr Bob built a fire bellows for us - thank you SO much!

Fun with Friends

We hope that our family and friends are enjoying time together this holiday season!  The kids frosted cookies with Ms Annie and Mr Bob AND Ms Annie took Addie to ice skating lessons while Amy and Ayson helped a friend (and made new friends).  We are sending good thoughts to all!!!

The kiddos went to Ms Annie and Mr Bob's for their annual holiday cookie frosting event AND they had grilled cheese and home made chicken soup for dinner.  Thank you, Annie and Bob!  The kids had fun :)

 

The moon in front of Annie and Bob's house 

A little holiday piano time for the kiddos

On Saturday, Ms Annie took Addie to her skating lesson as both Adam and Amy had other commitments that morning.  Thank you, Annie!!!

The ladies!

Addie is ready to skate!

The kids worked on skating backwards and Addie did a fantastic job listening to her instructor.

Afterwards, Addie went back to Annie and Bob's house for hot chocolate and lunch while Amy and Ayson were helping a friend.

Amy's friend Kate assists a refugee family from Congo: Grandma, Dad, Mom and 4 kids: 13 year old girl, 12 yo boy, 10 yo girl and a 6 yo girl,  On Saturday, Amy helped transport the family to a clothes donation event in LaFayette where the family could pick out clothes.  After the clothes event, we stopped by the house to pick up Ayson so that he could meet the family and play with 12 yo Roberto while Kate and Amy helped unpack the clothes.

The 10 yo daughter, Nini, wanted a picture with Kate next to our tree:)

A picture with Mama (Benini), and the 6 yo daughter.

While the ladies were sorting clothes, Ayson kicked a soccer ball around with 12 yo Roberto and then the husband, Tabaro, and Ayson were going over Swahili and English words as Tabaro is learning English.  Tabaro also speaks French (and at least 15 other languages - most from Africa) and Amy can't wait for Adam and Tabaro to meet each other!

Happy Birthday Adam and a Hike at Labrador

We celebrated Adam's birthday on Thursday and Friday and even the restaurant we order dinner from on Friday nights wished Adam a Happy Birthday!!   We hope that our family and friends are staying healthy and enjoying time with family and friends!

Shadow trying to figure out how to get to the "fin!"

On Saturday, Addie learned how to skate backwards!!!   After ice skating lessons, we headed down to Cortland so that Addie could attend a birthday party at an indoor water park!  

We still have NO snow.  BUT we made it out to Labrador Unique Area on Sunday for a hike :)

After our hike, we picked out our tree :)

and decorated inside and out