BIRTHDAY WEEKEND

                           Yes, it was Donna's Birthday bash, and we all helped celebrating her exciting, young life being in the middle of the fifties now. Daniel, Eric, Donna and myself had a head start Friday night with lots of beverages and snacks.
                            Saturday the whole family and friends came over for some Barbecue, organised by Windy and Brian. It was delicious. I contributed some fresh apple strudel with cream anglaise and chocolate sauce for dessert.
                            Last but not least, on Sunday, January 20, it was just Donna and me, babysitting Nitro, celebrating her real day of birth and indulging Champagne and King crag legs.
                            Overall a fantastic Weekend.

Friday

Ready for the weekend to start

We went to a Golf show earlier and decided to start Donna's celebration right after

It looks like we had a great time that Friday evening.

Saturday

A beautiful arrangement arrived Saturday morning

from our friends in Florida, Tony and Amy

Happy Donna is starting a little shrine

Donna is opening some gifts

while Eliana took a nap

and after receiving the birthday gifts 

she took care of Eliana

with enjoyment

Her first Birthday with our new addition Eliana

here is Eric with tremendous pleasure filled by my stupid mistake

burning some chocolate in the microwave.

For a half hour the whole house smelled bad! (Sorry)

Luke is enjoying the barbecue ribs

and so does Gina.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DONNA

                         

NEW YEARS EVE 2012

                                 We just celebrated  the end of 2012, another successful party in our house, with the addition of two first timer, Nicolas and Eliana. We started in 2005 and this is our 8th annual New Year's Eve party.

                                Our protocol never changed. We always start with a few cocktails around 6 pm , then enjoy a upgraded  4 course dinner,  following with playing games, having more cocktails and ringing in the new year at midnight traditionally with champagne and some snack's.

                                 There was just a little change this year, we all took turns taking care of Nicolas and Eliana, and for this reason certain people had to limit their alcohol intake.

                                  Also the photographer was a bit distracted and there not that many picture. I am missing photos of the beautiful dinner table set up. Donna did a fantastic job, everything looked great.

                                  In actuality,  everybody helped to make this party a success and a special thanks to Gina  who came earlier to help me with moving some heavy furniture.

The host Donna

 ready to welcome everybody

New Years Eve Menu 2012

Baked Lobster, Scallops and Shrimp mousse

Creamed Lobster sauce

Butter lettuce, hearts of palm, spinach and avocado

Roquefort crumbles,  creamy Montricher dressing

Roast beef tenderloin, Merlot sauce

Gratin potatoes with shallots and Gruyere cheese

Stuffed zucchini with asparagus and carrot puree, topped with a pastry sail.

Teardrop tomatoes and spinach garnish

Black forest Cake

Cream anglaise

Midnight Snack

Italian prosciutto, salami and cheese platter, iced shrimp with cocktail sauce

assorted chips and home made cookies

******

Eric helped me dishing up the plates for dinner

Everybody gets a baby sitting turn

Grandma with Eliana

Getting ready for dinner

 Preparing the New Year's toast

6 minutes to 2013

Karla is getting ready to celebrate

Checking out the count down on TV from Time Square in New York

The clock is inching closer

Eliana and Nicolas getting ready

Happy New Year 2013

 from everybody

and from Donna and myself

from Nicolas

from Eliana

from Donna, Eric, myself and Karla

and from the new Daddy with Eliana

EXCITING AND JOYOUS END OF 2012

                             We had a great time the last three weeks of the year, starting with Jacob inviting us to he's annual school concert and it was incredible how these kids learn to play an instrument in only a few months.It was an impressive concert.

The beginning of the concert

Sorry, my camera is not really made for videos, but you will get the idea. 

Jacob looks very happy after the concert even 

though he had an accident 

with his skateboard just a week ago.

                          That day we planned a gathering of the family because Donna's nephew Ben came in town, but for flu reasons Daniel, Brian and Karla could not make it. Daredevil Jacob had to try out his new ripstik and had a bad crash on the concrete  One of my nice neighbors brought him home and Windy and Donna took him to the emergency. Needless to say, that party was over.

                          We also had the privilege to have a sleep over of Jacob and Luke in December and we had Nitro for 3 days on vacation in our house.    

Jacob was practicing the saxophone

while Luke painted his garden tile.

Nitro was Judging the Westminster Dog show while he was here

                December 22nd, we all got invited to Sara, Joe's and Nicholas Christmas party.

Eric loves playing with Nick and Eliana

The Party just began

I think we're looking at the TV

Lincoln try to get in the middle of it

Their first Christmas party!

Windy with our grand children

Luke loves his Grandma

                       Finally the Christmas weekend arrived and Donna and I had a great life together, spending prime time with superior food, beverage, music, movies and gifts.  

Cocktail hour before Dinner

A happy, merry Christmas

Friday night dinner, Swiss cheese Fondue

Saturday night Dinner:

Roast pork, Mashed potatoes, dressing, Brussels sprouts and

delicious pork au jus. 

Donna looks like she is energized

it can't get much better.

                            Sunday night I did not feel like cooking and we treated ourselves to some Sushi, spicy rolls and  pot stickers. It was delicious.

                              December 24th, after good old Swiss tradition, "Christchindli" arrives and leaves some beautiful gifts for people who are being good all year, like Me and Donna.

Here my gift is arriving

Great surprise, a Sodastream

In minutes I had it all figured out.

Donna loves her gift

Immediately she started programming her new Ipad.

                            The plan was that the whole family would get together on Christmas day. Again the flu bug got the better of some and Gina, Daniel and Eliana could not attend. I still had Christmas Brunch ready to go and  Windy, Brian, Jacob,Luke, Donna and I had a good time celebrating Christmas. Only one person was so exhausted, he slept the whole time.

Nothing better than opening gifts

If you look to the right, you see 2 pictures on the bookshelf, 

they were painted by Jacob and Luke for Donna and me.

Sleepyhead and Luke with his new mini kindle. 

                     Since  not everybody made it on the 25th, we rescheduled for Friday the 28th. Finally the whole family was together and it looks like everybody had a great time even the sleepyhead in his hat.

Christmas 2012

First one for Eliana

Lets get the party started

Nitro knows his place

Somebody had to take care of Eliana!

Growing up fast.

The best Christmas gift ever

Ready to dance

What a happy family: The Spaldings

Getting younger all the time

Merry Christmas to everybody 

Daniel, Gina, Eliana and Nitro