Today is Maya’s family night. She chose to prepare a macaroni and cheese casserole from the Emeril Lagasse children’s cookbook she received from her grandfather for Christmas. Nico is shown spooning on the final layer, but Maya did the bulk of the work including preparation of a special spice mixture called Baby Bam.

Mattison Field is just down the road and from this scene you would not know it was the middle of winter here.

Maya started another session of swimming lessons today. I would not say this is something she looks forward to, but want to make sure she is an able swimmer.

Today was an all day strategy team meeting followed by dinner, including spouses, at the Evenfall in Bradford, MA. Regrettably, Jeanine could not join me, as she was attending her first meeting with a group of three girls she will be mentoring from our church. On the drive home, I was delayed by an horrific crash which reduced traffic to a single lane. As I drove by, I took this photograph in next to no light. Obviously it did come out very well, but somehow it reminded me of the scene so I am posting it as a reminder to drive safely.

Jeanine surveys progress on the new construction. The shed is framed in and the rubber roof is on. The joists for the screened porch are just beginning to take shape.

This evening I dined at the Kansas City Steakhouse in the South Hall of Fanueil Hall with the senior sales staff, our new GM and his family. The food was out of this world.

Today we hosted a small gathering of friends for a New Year’s Day party. Jeanine created a PowerPoint based game of Jeopardy which we projected on the big screen TV in our living room. The game was a great success, as was the party. Our guests included the families of two members of Kyle’s band.

The year ended with the first snowfall of the season. Although it did not last very long, there was plenty of time for the kids to get out and frolic.

I was unable to photograph a complete waffle due to the rate at which they were being consumed, but I did manage to get this remnant before it too was devoured.

We left Indiana very early this morning to arrive back in Concord by mid morning. Jeanine treated the crew to Belgian waffles putting her new waffle maker to the test. The results were delicious. Please note the small head in the lower right of the photo. Maya studied every aspect of the process.

Erica has turned into quite a beautiful woman.

Luke, unsure how to respond when attacked by a by one of the zoo animals.

Maya, with Bradley in tow, had to check out every last layout and could have stayed for another hour.

We finished the day with a trip to the Indianapolis Zoo which features a huge model train layout during the holiday season.

The Basile’s asked if I would take a family portrait. I was more than happy to oblige.

Nicolai let me photograph him as I set up for a family portrait of the Basile’s. I wanted to make sure that the aperture I selected would throw the background out of focus and was pleased with the result.

Gabriel reading to his son with Maya just out of frame listening in.

Jeanine and I enjoyed a nice long walk to the Meridian Hills Country Club.

This morning I got to hang with my man Bradley.

With something like 47 people staying at Lauren’s house, Maya was asked to sleep in Bradley’s crib. She fit perfectly and reported the next day that it was the most comfortable bed she had ever slept in.

Later in the day, Aunt Susan treated Maya to her first real manicure. Naturally, I had to capture the results. For the record, Maya is not dead, just posing peacefully for her father.

I did not have my telephoto lens with me, but I did manage to sneak up on this cardinal.

Before leaving Larry’s house, Jeanine and I went for a birding walk around Lake Holiday.

The park’s features were formed by the recession of the glaciers and include many deep gorges and overhangs. All totalled, I think I covered about eight miles and took hundreds of photos.

Today, I made a solo venture to Turkey Run State Park for several hours of hiking and photography. This suspension footbridge takes you across Sugar Creek into the heart of the park.

Lauren quite pleased with one of her better rolls.

No visit to Indiana would be complete without a game of Greedy. This game, played with 7 die, was a favorite of Eunice. You can roll the dice as long as you want, winning points for certain combinations, but if you do not roll a one or a five you lose everything. This year featured not one, but two epidsodes of passing the dice to the next person by way of their filled drink cups.

Today we travelled to Lake Holiday in Crawfordsville to spend a few days with Larry.

Two and half year old Bradley was the center of attention. He is the sweetest little boy and at that perfect age for enjoying the wonder of Christmas.

Gabriel, our other nephew and father of Bradley, featured in the next photo.

Our niece and nephew, Erica and Luke, with our brother-in-law Bob.