DA-DA-DA-DAAAAA

My year end numbers are in, and we had 85 closings this year. I guess that's why I've been such a bad friend this year. Sorry to all my friends, and to my husband who rarely has a wife.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas 2009!

Our traditional walk through the neighborhood looking at all the beautiful luminaries that lined the streets brought us to one neighbors house who had this Santa and Elf posing in the front yard.

This is my favorite pic of the night.

On Saturday we drove down for the McDougal Christmas Party, which as usual is always a good time. This year we made a Santa Claus ornament with candy cane legs and arms, and we posed for our family picture.

Acker Night in Prescott

This was the third year we went to Acker Night in Prescott. It's so fun! Although, it was a lot colder this year, and we got there a bit late. We still enjoyed lots of music by local artists, and lot of treats, and cider. We haven't made it to the tree lighting at the Courthouse yet, but one of these years we will!

Our Christmas Tree

We added a few new things to our tree this year AND we got a 9-1/2' tree! I love standing right next to it. It's so tall! Usually we get our tree from WalMart, but they didn't have a very good selection, so we went to Home Depot and to the WalMart on Gail Gardner. Finally we ended up at the Fry's parking lot and got a HUGE tree! We were taking a chance because it was so cold the tree was frozen and we couldn't pull down the branches to see if we would like it. But we bought it anyway. I didn't think the tree was that heavy until it was only Kenyon and I bringing it in to the house. When I first started to hold it I thought my spine was being crushed. Once we finally got it through the back door and into the tree stand we had to wait a couple of days for it to thaw. It turned out to be a beautiful tree!....i love Christmas!

It's beginning to look like Christmas....finally

This year we made our own gingerbread house with butterscotch windows. It's been a long time since I've made a gingerbread house, and I realized it even more when I put the house together. The roof would not stay on! and I was more than a little frustrated. Finally, I put it away and got ready for work. When I got home that night Kenyon had put the roof on for me. Good thing he has a lot more patience than I do, and he's a great husband!
Front

Side

Back

Catching up...

Kenyon in front of the Met

On top of the Empire State building

In Central Park

Near Radio City Music Hall

My wonderful, caring, safe husband decided that we should walk through central park at 9:30 at night. Oh don't worry, we passed at least 3 other people walking through the park that night.

Did you see us at the Macy's Day Parade?

Here we are....

Why is it so dark you ask?

well, that's because we were SLEEPING! We are so lame. We flew all the way to New York for Thanksgiving and the Macy's day parade and we slept through most of it! oops! We had a long day the day before. We did watch some of the parade on tv from the flat in SoHo and then we got off the Subway at 34th Street, but the exit was blocked. We had to stand by

Madison Square Garden, and this is what we saw of the parade.

THANKSGIVING Dinner...

I kept telling Kenyon that dinner was going to be $65 per person....we were in New York! He ony heard $65, so when we got the tab for our dinner and 28% gratuity was automatically included I thought he was going to have a heart attack at the table. And the funny thing is he wanted to have Thanksgiving Dinner at The Plaza...we were so totally under dressed.

This is before he got the bill :) hehehe)

Macy's Balloon Inflation for the Thanksgiving Parade

We arrived in New York the night before Thanksgiving. After finally making our way to the flat in SoHo that we rented and grabbing a quick bite to eat we headed out to brave the crowds at the Macy's Balloon Inflation.

Once we got off the Subway, the NYPD were already posted everywhere, and sidewalks and roads were already blocked off. Tons of people were walking up and down the roads to look at the filled balloons that were tired down in the streets. So much fun seeing all the balloons up
close...not so much being packed in like sardines not being able to move.

The first street we walked down it was really easy to take pictures next to the balloons. The next street with the rest of the balloons was a different story. We couldn't even get close to the balloons, you can see how far we were, and while we were there we heard at least two announcements for missing parents from children.

Quad Riding in Florence

we had so much fun quadding...kinda by Florence. It was beautiful and such a fun ride. Good times with the Banfield Boys and their families!

Finger Food

I was asked to bring a finger food to a potluck at work tomorrow... I hope this is ok

Sunbeam Halloween Party 2009

Here is the picture we got of almost everyone. If you would like more photos from our class party, email me and let me know.

Food we ate in Hawaii

Shave Ice from Island Snow...i love Island Snow
mmmm....manapua from Char Hung Sut.

this is where we purchase it from in Chinatown. They are always busy

We ate at this Chinese restaurant for Chinese New Year in 2006 before we got married. Kenyon, who cares less about food, really enjoyed the crab. So, of course we stopped at Ho-Ho Chinese Cuisine for the Chinese Buffet with huge crab legs, and prawns.

Yummy! Chocolate Caramel dipped shortbread cookies from Big Island Candy Company

Papaya in Hawaii is A-MAZING!

Guava, Taro, Mango Sweet Bread from Punalu'u Bread Shop on the Big Island.

Korean Pears...Kenyon hadn't ever tried this before. It's kind of a cross between an apple and a pear.

Our Big Island Adventure

Sunset on the Big Island....

This is where we stayed the Fairway Villas at Waikoloa. If you are looking for a great place let me know and I will send you contact information. We used Vacation Rentals By Owner - vrbo.com

Pu'uhonua O Honanau - The City of Refuge. In ancient Hawai'i, if someone was in danger of being killed for breaking one of the laws, they had to make it to a City of Refuge and find forgiveness from a priest. Once they made it here, they were no longer in danger.

Hapuna Beach

In front of Akaka Falls

Kenyon in the Lava Tube

Over looking Kilauea

View of the lava flowing into the ocean...can you see the speck of red?

just after the helicopter ride over the Volcano on the Big Island