Happy New Year!

Okay, so it's a little late, but better late than never!

2008 has come and gone. Overall it was a pretty quiet year... a few bumps along the way, but nothing to either extreme. We rung in the new year in true Maple fashion... we stayed at home, which is really the only place we want to be on New Years Eve. We let Joshua join in some of the festivities, roasting marshmallows and making smores in our firepit out back. He has been talking about wanting to do this ever since he found out we did it with some friends over Thanksgiving. I guess he really felt like he missed out on something, so we decided that New Years was a great time to do it. He loved roasting the marshmallows, but he didn't like to eat the roasted ones. I guess it's an acquired taste. So I let him roast mine (he did a pretty good job, and they can't be burned enough for me anyway!) then he ate regular unroasted ones. After enjoying our fire for a short while... we had planned on longer, but the wood wasn't burning very well... I put Joshua to bed, and then Andrew and I played video games for a while. We finally have a second nunchuck for the Wii, so we were able to box each other, which was a lot of fun. We'll have to remember that when we next have an argument! After feasting on some jalepeno poppers and other junk food, as is our tradition, and all the Wii bowling, tennis and boxing, I was pretty wiped out. I didn't even make it to midnight for the first time. I was in bed at 11:30. Andrew stayed up all by his lonesome.

On New Years Day we decided to take the kids over to the McCormick Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale to spend the morning. It was really fun and not overly crowded. The train ride was really long and most of it was decked out in Christmas decorations. They run the train at night over Christmas time and everything is beautifully lit. We were sorry to have missed our chance to see it at night, but now know to make sure that gets on our list of things to do next Christmas.

I got Friday off of work and was able to get together with my best friend, Gabrielle. Her two boys are the same ages as my two, so everyone had a good time playing at the park. Unfortunately, our visit was cut a little short since, while we were at the park I noticed green goo in Ben's left ear. That's right. Another ruptured eardrum. So I got him into the doctor that afternoon. Thankfully this one isn't too bad and after 10 days of Augmenton, he should be good as new. Poor guy.

So now the holidays are officially over and everything is back to normal. I wonder what 2009 will bring...