Today on my date with dad for Festibond we went ice skating and we went to lunch. I had a great time.

First we went ice skating at the Portland Ice Arena. They only take cash but dad only had two dollars in cash so we had to find a ATM machine. It was hard finding a ATM machine. We had to walk a long way to find a ATM machine and it was cold. ‘Fun’ can not possibly be the correct word for finding a ATM machine. When we found a ATM machine we went back to the ice skating rink and rented some skates.

Once we got on our skates we went out onto the rink. I held my dad’s hand tightly so I wouldn’t fall. Daddy seemed to just be pulling me around the ice so I was just gliding around. I enjoyed ice skating a lot. I asked dad many questions about hockey, like where they put the net, if he played hockey as a kid, and if he ever saw his friends fall on the ice while they were playing.

Hayley and Dad at the Portland Ice Arena

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This year Hayley wanted to go ice skating for our Festibond date. Which was great, because I wanted to go, too.

Unfortunately, when we arrived at the Portland Ice Arena we discovered that it’s a cash-only operation and I only had $2. We walked down the hill to a credit union with a drive-up-only ATM. So we walked a bit further and found an ATM that would dispense the cash we needed. It was a chilly walk that took time away from skating, but it was nice being together. I gave Hayley a piggy-back and shoulder ride much of the way, which she enjoyed.

Hayley and Brent

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My Festibond date with Jenna yesterday was wonderful. She asked to go bowling, then to dinner. So that’s what we did.

We bowled at Bayside Bowl for an hour. Jenna used the lane bumpers, but got good enough that she wasn’t using them much. She asked for lots of bowling tips, and I gladly gave her my best advice. One thing I love about Jenna is her dedication to perfection and perseverance. Many times she made her approach only to stop, reset and try again. She makes me very proud.

Brent's perfect bowling form

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I always look forward to Festibond, and the preparations add to my excitement. My sisters and I baked goodies with mom, and we all spent time writing thoughtful letters to each other. I used the thesaurus a lot for my letters, not wanting to use many boring and overused words. I discovered some new words such as “hankering” and “gratify.” I enjoyed expanding my vocabulary while writing my letters.

Family Photo for Festibond of 2011

I absolutely love our annual Festibond family tradition. Nothing generates closeness, love, and enjoyment like this holiday we created a few years ago.

In preparation for Festibond, I did some baking with the girls. Each of them picked a treat they liked, and I baked with them each individually. Of course we also spent a lot of time writing our special Festibond letters to each other.

Sweethearts in love!

It’s been five years since we stopped celebrating Christmas and made up our own tradition: Festibond. While our Festibond activies have evolved over the years–we didn’t give each other gifts this year–we have kept true to the intent: maximize family bonds through quality time, letters of affection and lots of hugs. Festibond 2011 has been all that and more.

Yesterday morning we started Festibond at Cracker Barrel in South Portland. It was less than awesome, but we enjoyed being together. After breakfast I finished writing my letter to Kirsten while she and the girls made final preparations of the bounty of tasty snacks.

Skye and Kirsten share a hug

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Festibond this year was on December 27. We went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast, like we did last year. It was really loud and distracting. I ordered cinnamon streusel French toast with bacon and eggs. The streusel tasted like cinnamon rolls. It was very delicious. I also ordered hot cocoa. The food was good, but we didn’t enjoy Cracker Barrel very much, so we’re planning to go to Sea Dog Brewing next year.

Breakfast at Cracker Barrel

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This year on Festibond we had a blizzard. We had a hard time driving around.

We went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Their pancakes were awesome! At Cracker Barrel they had a game called “Pegs” that you could play while waiting for food. It was extremely challenging and fun.

After breakfast we went to Staples to publish our Festibond booklets. Then we wrapped presents at home. We were prepared to bond.

Putting together the Festibond booklets

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Kirsten and I finally have a weekend to spend together without scheduling conflicts. Best to take advantage, and take advantage we have done.

This morning we all went to our favorite local breakfast joint, Palace Diner in Biddeford. The food is wonderful, service exceptional, and prices reasonable. It’s really a jewel of Biddeford. Our family took up about a third of the barstools at the counter.

Hayley waits for French toast

Last Friday Richard and Patsy sailed in from Canada on the Crown Princess cruise ship. I took the day off of work and we drove up to Mt. Desert Island Thursday evening. It was very nice to see both of them. We walked around Bar Harbor, ate lunch at Geddy’s and enjoyed each other’s company. It was a nice few hours.

When they got back on the boat in the afternoon we drove up to the summit of Cadillac Mountain where we took pictures and ran around the rocky slope.

Jenna Loves Whales

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