New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve we decided to show Matt's parents his work lab and then to drive up to the base of Mount Spokane to play a little in the snow. Matt was dying to use his new snowshoes, and he found that they really worked great! We even found a map at the trail-head we chose (110) that showed all of the other snow-shoeing trails on the mountain.



Matt's mom used a hiking pole to check out one of the trails, and Tillie even got to romp a little in the snow.













Matt and his Dad went up the trail about a quarter of a mile to see how the snow-shoes would do.















Look at me; look at me!!


















The scenery was really gorgeous. It always amazes me how well the snow muffles sound!











After our adventures in the snow, we stopped at Krispy Kremes and got "some" donuts (we were buying hungry), and then came home and made dinner.

Matt and his dad pulled the bar-b-que out back, and, after much ado (blowdriers, coleman fuel....singed hair), finally got the charcoal going so they could cook lobster tails. Matt's mom made their traditional potatoes with olive oil and kosher salt, and Matt and I contributed our favorite salad that has crumbled Wensleydale cheese with cranberries, roasted pine-nuts, and pomegranate seeds over mixed greens, topped with a raspberry walnut vinaigrette. Needless to say it was yummy. After dinner, Matt and I made apple pie which was served warm with ice cream. We were all full and tired!

Matt's dad napped until a few minutes before midnight, and the rest of us watched some of the Planet Earth DVD that Matt got me for Christmas (while Matt put together his new Lego set). Tillie slept on Mary's feet (because she had the blanket), and both cats kept trying to get attention. The cats and the dog kept milling about hoping some food would drop!

My mom called at 11:00pm our time because she is in Utah to wish us a happy new year, and at midnight I spoke with Dad and Kristin. Shortly after, we all went to bed!

We wish everyone a happy new year!