Happy New Year

The 2010 New Year was off to a good start with a great family dinner! Brandi, Nate, and Ava, were up visiting. As a treat, Devon (our resident chef) spent the whole afternoon of New Year's Eve day... cooking a Prime Rib. WOW. Was it good!

The day before, Devon and Brandi spent the day in the kitchen "test driving" the new/old cookbook that Devon bought Brandi for Christmas. It was the very same book that his dad bought for him, when he was just starting out on his own... 20 years ago.

It took the father/daughter chefs a very long time to prepare this Chinese Feast, but everyone agreed that it was well worth the wait.

Everyone tucks into a fantastic meal.

To earn his supper... Joshua consented to hold Ava.

Just for a second! She found Uncle Josh hysterical.
Maybe it was the Mario t-shirt.

No winter trip to Logan is quite complete without an afternoon of sledding. So everyone bundled up to ward off the cold and headed to the hills for this snowy event.

Uncle David & Ava ready to go sledding!!!


Nate and Devon all bundled up.


Despite being a Flagstaff resident now,
Brandi still found Logan pretty chilly.

David dragging Ava around in our sled.

Ava is not quite sure about this.

Of course, yours truly stayed home. With my history of tailbone and/or back injuries, sledding is no longer on my list of "fun things to do". So, in my opinion, if you "can't join them", the least you can do is stay home and read a good book. Which is exactly what I did.

After the troops arrived, little Ava hopped up on my lap to get warm. It was long before she was in la la land. This is what happens when you rock a toddler by the fire.

Me and one conked out toddler.
Coco is not too far away... keeping toasty warm by the fire.
She chose to pass on sledding too!

The rest of our visit with Brandi, Nate, & Ava was spent playing cards, board games, watching movies, and eating! We all dedicated a lot of time to keeping Ava amused. I think we had every single music-like instrument in the living room. The best "toy" by far was the tiny musical piano we have. Kept her smiling for hours.

Grampa Devon and Ava.

Brandi, Ava, & Devon.
Brandi is expecting baby number 2 in April. It's a boy!

Ava ready to head back to Phoenix.
"C'mon, let's get this show on the road!"