New Year's and more

We did take some time to play while family was here.  Wheeling is called the City of Lights because of a giant light display the city park puts on at one of their self sustaing parks, Oglebay.  There are bus tours of people that come to see the lights from places like Cleveland and Johnstown.  We all piled into 3 vehicles and set out to see the lights.

A funny story is we decided after unloading the trucks, we were all too tired and dirty to go out to eat.  Aunt Karen went to the store and bought all the items to make spaghetti, salad, and breadsticks for our large group to eat.  When she got back, we realized the oven would not turn on and there was no mircrowave.  We had no idea how to feed everyone.  We called the Landlord who said her husband would come first thing in the morning, but we still had no way to cook that night. They told me to keep unpacking and not worry about it.  Aunt Karen and Rob set off on a hunt for food.  There is a popular restaurant nearby that everyone we met had told us about- Ye Olde Alpha.  Aunt Karen and Rob had stumbled upon it and told them off our predicament.  They came home with two huge trays of the yummiest greek pasta.  The next morning the landlord's husband showed up with a microwave and a handyman to fix the stove (its just hadn't been installed right).

Jacob thought it was great fun to have Alex there sleeping in his room and helping him unpack and organize it.  As I tucked Jacob in one night I said "Goodnight baby boy".  As I left I heard the followinf conversation
Jacob: Ugh, she still calls me her baby boy.  I am NOT a baby anymore!
Alex: Thats just what moms do. Mima still calls me her baby boy
Jacob: (in an incredulous tone) But you served a mission!
Alex: But I'll always be her baby boy and you'll always be your mom's baby boy.

I was grateful for the uncle who is not to grownup and cool to spend time bonding with his little nephew and having precious teaching moments like this.

Mima, PopPop and Alex were able to stay and spend New Year's eve with us.  We blew a fuse that evening (part of life in an old house I guess) but were eventually able to get it back on to see the ball drop. (That part of the house had a separate fuse box that was not located in the basement but in a very random part of the house)

The girls built a snowman on New Years after the company had left while we continued to unpack.
I thought the lettuce hair was cute until I went to make a salad for lunch the next day and was out of lettuce!