Nine Years Later and it's Still Northwoods New Year's Eve

Friday

With us moving next week, we had plenty to do before heading up to the cottage for New Year's. We left Friday morning instead of going up Thursday night. We also purposely moved our closing date so we wouldn't miss this year.

Did you really think we'd miss our favorite cottage weekend of the year?

As soon as we arrived we had to pick out a Christmas tree. I think we chose a pretty good one this year.

It was super cold outside, so much of our weekend was spent in front of the boob tube.

My aunt had gotten us all Christmas ornaments.

Right away we added them to the tree.

This New Year's was going to be a little more chill than last year. With my cousin getting married on New Year's Eve it was just us, Blake and my parents.

We didn't have plans for dinner so we decided to go out for Friday Fish Fry at Bonnie's Lakeside.

Even with the wedding G.G. and grandpa made the trek up for a few days of cottage fun. Gail was overtired from work, but the rest of us went out for the fish fry.

The food was pretty good.

This was my first time at Bonnie's. Not the best Northwoods fish fry, but it's the closest fish fry to the cottage. And you also get fried chicken, which was really good.

Meadow went with her usual mac and cheese. Boring.

She's been super picky recently.

Of course we all had to try our hand at the claw machine. Unfortunately none of us had any luck. Or maybe that's a good thing. Meadow has way too many stuffed animals.

Scott fixed my parents Wii and brought it up to the cottage. Now we need to get more controllers and Mario Party.

All we have is Animal Crossing and Tiger Woods golf. So, we mostly just made Miis.

Saturday

Of course Santa came. We had my dad open his present first so he could use it for breakfast. It was a batter bowl. He usually uses a 4 cup measuring cup, this way he can make a lot right away.

Before breakfast we each took a turn with Meadow's new Story Cubes game. Brooke's coworker was nice enough to get this for Meadow for Christmas.

The batter bowl came in handy for our morning pancakes.

Then it was present time.

Blake and Scott were spoiled this year.

We are supposed to be comparing our tape measurers. Blake and I pretty much got all the same things.

This year I got a wooden chime kit and new slippers.

Meadow got play dough, two puzzles and a teeny tiny doll set. She loves playing with my old Polly Pockets at my parents house.

I got a small utility light, lure, fish mouth spreader and bike light. At this point Meadow had already taken the tape measurer for herself.

Blake and Meadow made a Christmas tree with her new play-doh.

Then Meadow and I did her puzzles together. I kept asking her if she wanted to go outside, but she said no.

Despite the negative temps we all needed to get some fresh air.

You know it's actually cold when Blake wears outerwear.

We had to catch up to Brooke who had taken off already. No snowshoes needed this year. The snow was compacted and perfect for winter hiking.

I had already started on a walk when I saw the guys behind me. I waited for them to catch up. Once we turned onto the next lake the wind was pretty brutal on our faces.

I wanted to check out the strange shed house that recently sold, but Brooke and Blake wussed out.

There's usually someone there so I didn't want to trespass.

Instead we cut through this darling cottage that's still for sale. I really want to see the inside.

And then it was back to the cottage. It was too damn cold.

When we returned Meadow finally agreed to go outside with my dad.

He took her on a snowmobile ride and then they flew a kite.

We had grocery shopping to do, so we left them to their grandpa-granddaughter time.

We had to run to town to get pizza and king cake ingredients.

By the time we were back Meadow was slurping down hot cocoa.

Blake had picked up some things to make me some mocktails. Thanks Blake.

I made our go-to pizza dough and then a few hours later everyone made the pizza of their choice.

After dinner I worked on my new annual tradition: King Cake.

This year I actually had the appropriate colors.

Sunday

My parents left after breakfast to head to my cousins wedding. Today was much colder, but we still made time to play outside.

I'm not sure about much colder, but it was overcast.

Zissou stayed still just long enough to get a picture. Poor guy isn't a fan of the cold.

We even talked Meadow into coming out again.

I rode the snowmobile around the lake until the wind became unbearable.

It was too cold by the lake so we did some sledding on the septic tank hill. Meadow and Zissou raced.

It was very difficult, but even I tried sledding.

Brooke's an adventurous pregnant lady.

Meadow got some swinging in before deciding it was time to head in.

Brooke and Blake went for a walk while we warmed up. When they got back Blake and Zissou read to Meadow.

Scott and I went outside one more time before it got dark.

I wish it was in then 20s. I would've spent the whole weekend outside.

Before heading out for New Years Meadow and I worked on my wind chime kit.

Every year there seems to be a Culver's coupon that's only good at the Minocqua location. Brooke decided we should get our dessert first and we did.

My parents had a buy one get one free medium concrete mixer that expired today.

While eating our frozen custard there was a firework show behind us.

Wish we would've known.

Our orignial plans were to go to Three Sisters Saloon. Since Mr. Mike really wanted to go there, we postponed that stop for another year. Instead we went back to Spang's for some Italian-American goodness.