I loved this puzzle Jeff got me for Christmas – and we were really thankful to have it for the time we spent inside when the weather was so brutally cold 🙂

Jeff and mostly Jackson have spent the past couple of weeks upgrading our bathroom – installing a walk-in shower and high toilet, painting, new plumbing and light fixtures – the whole thing. I am absolutely loving it. I got this picture of Jackson unloading the shower the week before the work actually began.

I got these pictures a few weeks ago during Adam’s first church league basketball game of the season. He played really good, even though they didn’t come out on top. Next time! He’s #1 in the white.

Luckily Jeff got me some puzzles for Christmas, so we have had something to do to keep us busy while this brutally cold weather we’re having is keeping us inside. Here is the first one we worked – 1000 pieces.

During our ice storm last week our trees were so beautiful – especially since the electricity didn’t go out during it :-). I wish the pictures had turned out better.

Our home base for the weekend was Brookwood Inn, an old school motor court owned by friends of Boo and Shea’s. They gave us a fantastic rate on the rooms ($60, to celebrate Boo’s 60th birthday), and it was such a cool place. It was so cold while we were down there that I forgot to go out and get any pictures of the outside, but it is on the National Registry of Historic Places. I did get a picture of our room right as we were checking out Sunday morning.

On Saturday, the day of Boo’s birthday party, we all got up & met at a pancake house for a yummy breakfast. Then Jeff & I drove around a little bit before going back to the motel, and found the venue where the party was going to be held. We were so excited to see the sign on the outside, & I got this picture. Alas, apparently it used the very last bit of my camera charge, because when we got to the party that night, my battery was dead – so no pictures of the actual party. Sigh. It was a fun, fun time, though.

The night before Boo’s birthday we met Boo & several of his friends at a restaurant named Russells. It was a really good time. I got this picture of Boo with Sherri & Gary’s granddaughter Jade.

After we finished supper we headed to Boo & Shea’s friend Lorton’s house to keep the good times rolling. I got this picture of the three of them there. Fun times.

The Gardens were beautiful in a whole different way at night. We came upon the cranberry bog, which was very cool, and very festive. The Gardens aren’t open during the day while the light show is going on, but the lady we talked to said that in the middle of the day, when the sun hit it, it absolutely glowed. Wouldn’t that be something to see?

Sherri and Meg walking through the lights – magical.