New Year's in Duluth

We are so blessed to have the most wonderful friends in Duluth. Many of these people have been part of our lives for over 10 years. We decided it would be fun to spend the New Year's holiday up north. My good friend Julie and I have a tradition of going skiing on New Year's Eve and then enjoying a beer in the parking lot. This year we skied under the moonlight. Later that evening we went to Alison's parents place. They had recently renovated their home to include a hot tub and sauna. We were happy to sample them. We got so excited playing Outburst that we missed midnight and had to do the champagne toast a few minutes late. New Year's Day started off on a chilly note. Julie and Alison have been jumping in Lake Superior for 15 years to kick start the new year. Jon decided to join them last year and this year was no different. I went along for moral support and to hold the towels. There was so much ice on the lake that we had to clear a place for them to jump in (see the photo in the slideshow). We were out on a small point and the wind was really howling. Julie said it was the coldest dip in all 15 years. Burrrrr! After warming up went for a wonderful ski with Alison, Ben, and her parents. Ben skied over an hour...not bad for 4 years old! Friday we decided to go skiing with several friends at Korkki Nordic. There were 6 of us out enjoying the day when we encountered a large and tricky hill. There was a 4-person pile up at the bottom that resulted in a bloody nose, a broken pole, a badly bruised leg, and some bruised pride. But a trip to Korkki wouldn't have been complete without a crash. Leah and Jere hosted us for one night. We enjoyed a blizzard-like ski at Magney Snively and good food at the Brewhouse. Finally we were able to visit Rachel, Matt, and Jace. Rachel is 9 months pregnant so I think she appreciated the entertainment for Jace. Jace is such a wonderful little boy and very excited about sports. Everything revolves around hockey and football (or "42" as he call it). Thanks to each of you for your hospitality and friendship.