Today

This picture is for Missy! Yes, the rink is at my house...it fills my backyard! This is what I see from my kitchen window.
We had another bunch of kids skating here all afternoon today. Mike has a fire going in his Mancave and they are all outside leaving me in my nice warm house baking cookies with the Christmas tunes playing.


These are the cookies I baked for the cookie swap tomorrow. They are called Raspberry Ribbons and they are buttery and delicious with the raspberry jam in the middle. Yum. I had to lock them up so Mike wouldn't eat them before the swap. He's terrible, and I mean TERRIBLE for eating all my baking. I actually stopped doing cookie swaps a couple of years ago because he would eat it all all by himself. It was extremely frustrating going to the freezer to pull out treats for the company that would be arriving shortly to find the Tupperware containers empty. One year I hid it all in the garage right out in the open. He was so surprised when I had baking out one day, couldn't believe I pulled one over on him!! I don't know where I'm going to hide it this year. Maybe I'll just leave it down the street at Heather's and just go and get some when I need it. He'll never find it there!!

Skating All Night Long

After all the watering that Mike, Mark and Jade did on Sunday, the rink was in perfect condition for skating on Monday. We had kids on the ice from 4 - 9:30pm. They took a 25 min dinner break at 6:30 and then were right back on. Mark and 3 of his friends 'let' Jade and Adam on the ice for a while. Adam couldn't wait to get on his goalie stuff and play on "Mark's hockey arena" (That's what he calls the rink) He's only 3.

I really wish I had the photography skills that other bloggers have. It's very disappointing when you take a ton of pictures and hardly any turn out.

Yesterday Mark and a friend spent another 3 hours on the ice. I think it's worth all the time and effort Mike has put into it this year.

Craig spent quite a bit of time at my house this weekend. Why? Because mom and dad were busy at the hospital with his brand new baby brother! Ryan was born bright and early Saturday morning (4:20am) and he is the sweetest little baby boy. I will take some pictures of him to post soon.

While at my house Craig cleaned out my Tupperware cupboard!

And he kept turning off the Gameboy while Mark was playing it. Mark thought that was pretty funny.

Mike, Mark and Jade all worked hard on the ice rink this weekend. It is ready for skating after school today. This is the earliest it has ever been ready to use. I think this is a sign it's going to be a very long winter.

Mark and Trever playing hockey.

Hockey, hockey, hockey....


Jade having some fun on the trampoline: