January 2013 - A cold start to the year

Early in January I attended a week long "commercial meeting" in Boston at the Sheraton.  One evening our group ate at the Smith & Wolensky's a short ways away.  Here I'm "horsing" around with a moose head in a very historic room (lots of historic sites in Boston).  The building had belonged to a military group, founded in the 1800's, and whose name I've since forgotten.

 Stretching prior to a large meal.  The fire felt nice that night.

With two of my work colleagues, Dan Nelson (Logan), and Margarita Hunter (Boston area, originally from Russia).  We're in the restaurant atop the Sheraton, overlooking Boston.

Looking from the Sheraton directly across the St. Charles River toward Cambridge.  It's January, so it looks pretty bleak.

 Looking a bit further up the St. Charles River.

 Early January had some snow.  But for several weeks we had bitter cold inversions.  Here's a shot of our Mountainer earlier this month.  We recently finally got some more snow (shoveled twice yesterday and this morning).  We expect more tonight.

Again, we actually have more snow than this now.  About double, in fact.  With more coming overnight.


Alicia got her Acura stuck while backing out of our driveway and a neighbor up the street, Colton Parker, stopped and used his pickup truck and a chain to pull her out.



The girls love sitting on Nana's or Papa's lap for us to read them stories.  Here, when we weren't around, Avril was filling in and reading a story to McKel. 

Rest of Christmas and December 2012

Many visitors came up over the holidays to visit with grandma Joyce and to see grandpa Spencer at the Legacy House.  We saw Carl and Susan and some of their family, and Nancy and Brandon and some of theirs.  And of course Robert and Tracine and the boys.  However, we didn't get shots of all the relatives.  Here are some we did snap over the holidays though:

 We opened gifts with grandma Joyce at her house with Robert and Tracine's family.  Here we are listening to Tracine tell a wonderful Christmas story.

 Sam reads the story of Christmas from Luke as his brothers listen. 

 Brian accompanied us on some Christmas music.

 Arleen, Brit, and Adrian, loving the Christmas spirit.

 Robert and I, basking in the Christmas glow.

 Joyce, Sam, and Tracine, before we opened gifts.

Gayle and Jared.

Spencer L., hamming it up.

 Alicia and the girls came over the next day to open their presents.

 Avril got a princess doll from Tracine!

 And McKel got a cabbage patch doll from Tracine!
 
 Christmas night papa read books to the girls in their new reindeer Christmas pajamas from Jared.
 
 Avril loves books!

Earlier on Christmas day the group went down to the Legacy House to visit grandpa Spencer to sing carols and give him some gifts.

 Grandpa Spencer and Jared at the Legacy House.

 Adrian and family also visited with L. Spencer.

 Spencer L. says hello to L. Spencer.  Spencer K. was not in the shot.

 Ali and Avril visited with grandpa Spencer too.

 Dad got a Naval Academy blanket (we lived there for a year).
 
 Also on Christmas day we opened gifts at our own house.  Here are Brit and Adrian waiting to see what they received.
 
 The excitement was building for the little ones.

 It's almost too much stuff at once!  What to play with?

 Even the big kids had a good time.
 
 Lately the weather has been high pressure with strong temperature inversions and bitter cold.  In spite of this, we took the bundled girls out for a walk around the neighborhood.

 Arleen and Gayle played with the girls in the cold and snow.

 When you wear layers, it's not so bad.

 Arleen and McKel had fun too.  But the snow was too cold and dry to pack for snowmen.

 Oops.  McKel dropped a mitten. It's hard to get them on right!

 I let my hair and sideburns go over the holidays.

But got it cut in time for a business trip I'm taking to Boston tomorrow.