On the second week of Christmas

It is now Friday morning, January 4, and I am sitting in Mom and Dad's kitchen looking out on a beautiful scene of snow-covered trees. It is in the 20s here, with bright blue skies.

We've had a great visit here so far--definitely feels like winter! Our Rhinelander visit has been packed full of activities. As you saw in our last blog, we initially opened gifts with mom and dad. Friday night, we visited our good friends Brian and Michelle Bennett and their son David at their Rhinelander home.

My sister Lisa, her husband Jon, and their kids (Susan, David, Michael, Emma, and in-utero baby girl) came for a visit on that Saturday. Kenny and Beth had a ball playing with their cousins--and a real treat--their first snowmobile rides ever!

Jon Hurlburt brought his snowmobile over, and a small covered sled he can tow behind the snowmobile. Jon took them out for several laps, then since the kids were having so much fun, he let me pull them around our woods a few more times...



Their visit was not all action--we had some quite time (first picture--Stephen being held by Emma; second picture--Jon, David, and Susan watching TV).



Lisa and her clan left early Sunday morning. Hope and I took the kids up to Beecher and Barb Skinner's beautiful little house on Muskellunge Lake near McNaughton so we could watch the Packer season finale against the Lions. Joining us were Kevin Skinner, a long-time friend, and his son Coty Skinner, one of the best BMX bike racers of his age class in the state. We enjoyed a much better game from the Pack this time. We then returned to Rhinelander by dinner time, and met up with the Bennetts again for supper at the local Chinese buffet. Hope then watched our kids at the Bennett house while Brian, Michelle, and I went to the new Will Smith movie "I Am Legend" (good movie, but definitely not for kids).


Monday was New Year's Eve, and we took a short driving tour around the Northwoods with mom (up to the old Bayer homestead near Arbor Vitae, then through Woodruff/Minocqua, and then to Hazelhurst). We stopped at my cousin Joel Bayer's bar (The Watering Hole) in Hazelhurst with the hopes of a quick visit, but he had made a run for food, and was not there. That evening, I went out with my buddy Kevin and stayed at his place to watch the Wisconsin Badger bowl game the next morning.

Stephen and Grandpa shared a lot of "quality" time...

Wednesday was pretty quiet, with Hope and mom going shopping. On Thursday, my brothers Bob and John came up for Madison for an overnight visit. We went to the local sit-down Chinese restaurant for another delicious supper, and in the evening I went to visit my buddy Jon and his sister Julie at his apartment. The next picture is of brother Bob, Beth, and Stephen.


Beth and uncle Jo-Jo show their pearly whites...

That brings us to today (Friday). Later today, we'll start packing the minivan, and tomorrow morning we'll depart for Madison. We'll visit with sister Laurie and her husband Mark, and we should see brothers Bob and John again. After lunch and a visit, we'll hit the road again, and should be in Monticello by Sunday afternoon.

Whew! Another whirlwind northern visit!

Comments

Lisa said…
We enjoyed your visit to Wisconsin! Have a great 2008!
9:10 AM
Anonymous said…
i have yet to go on a snowmobile ride! another winter - bill
3:16 PM
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