Rink rat Christmas

It has been unseasonably mild yesterday and today.  This has put a damper on the skating fun we have been enjoying lately.

We've been on three different rinks the past two weeks - starting at Dwayne and Janice's.

They have a natural rink out on the corn field.  So in addition to exchanging gifts, filling up on a yummy brunch and taking lots of fun family pix, the kids and uncles had a great time playing hockey for an hour or so. The rest of us enjoyed our wine and watched them through the windows.

Some family pix from that day:

Back in the city, Rob, Leah and Carson built and leveled a form, laid plastic and flooded most of our backyard.  The result, a cool little skating rink that up until the warm weather hit yesterday, has seen lots of action. 

Carson and her boyfriend were out with Leah one night for almost 2 hours. Another night she had some friends over for a skate. We weren't surprised to learn that one of Carson's many Christmas gifts from her boyfriend was a pair of hockey skates:

Uncle Adam and Avry have been on the ice as have cousins Liam and Brandon.

On Boxing Day we met a dozen or so cousins in Hamilton at a rink by the Bay.  Shelley and John braved the bitter cold to stand and cheer on their kids who have had little opportunity to skate.  

That was a beautiful rink, but man it was COLD!

Thankfully mom had hot chocolate waiting for us. We spent a few hours getting caught up with the cousins (and switching the tv channels from the world jr. hockey game and NFL football).  

We caught up with most of the gang again the next day at Aunt Pat's. I love watching Leah and Jake connect so easily after being apart for so long. This cousin thing is magical.

I was able to spend a few hours in Toronto yesterday with friends and tonight will be with friends and family.  Not a bad way to spend the last day of what I think will be known as "That Year".  

Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life. Bring it on.