With the snow storm last weekend, I learned how to start a fire in the fireplace. I've watched other people make fires on occasion but never been very confident on doing it myself. But now, I'm like Prometheus up in this joint. 

After learning how to make fire in a controlled environment we then upgraded to the outdoor fire pit. And from there, we were fortunate enough to get a beautiful set of coals. I'm interested in doing some outdoor cooking in a fire pit soon, and I'm excited about the new tools at my disposal. 

In the meantime, I sat by the fire with a glass of wine while the children ran amok in the darkness and dropped more marshmallows than they successfully roasted. It was pretty great. I've met some new parents. Ian has found some new friends. And we all agree on the protocol of ignoring our children unless there is blood or near starvation.