Sunset tonight in Banff National Park, as seen from the road to Johnson Lake.

HOW...FREAKIN'....GORGEOUS...IS...THIS.

Liz and I had to show off our amazing figure skating style last weekend on Lac Beauvert at the Jasper Park Lodge. Who knew - both of us from small Manitoba towns, both of Icelandic heritage, and both figure skating whiz kids in our youth. Unfortunately, it had been years since either of us had laced on the blades, so we had to keep the double-axels for another day. To her credit, Liz did a few wee jumps - but the place that rented us the skates at the JPL hadn't sharpened them since the last ice age. Mine were so bad that I couldn't hold an edge for a figure-eight - nevermind anything with any speed! Dull skates and rusty skills don't mix. And is it my imagination, or are they making ice harder these days?

Anyway, we had a fantastic time & took Izzy and Gemma for their first skate ever. Okay, so we put skates on their feet and shuffled them across the ice. It counts, right?

When my brother and sister-in-law were visiting just after Christmas, we did the usual post-Christmas thing - sat around and played Scrabble. Of course, there was a considerable amount of red wine involved, which brought back memories of the time that my brother and I tried to beat Grandma at Scrabble by getting her tipsy (didn't work - she played even better than usual). Anyhoo... We coined a new word, which I want all of you to work into your daily lives: "Banfftastic" It works just like the word "fantastic" except that it applies to things that have to do with Banff. Being, as we are, the centre of the tourism universe, I think this term is long overdue. Let me help you start using the word with an example: "Q: How was the skiing on the weekend, Laurie? A: It was Banfftastic!!!" See how easy that is? Now you try...

See the entry from December 31 for the full story... but here I am with our erstwhile Environment Minister, Rona Ambrose, back before Christmas. She's tiiiiiny! (or I'm huge...) Mom, Dad - what were you feeding me?!? 

My friend Wendy from Canmore has a team of horses & she's trained them to pull a sleigh. So last week she called me up and we donned fantastic historical Hudson's Bay coats to take the horses for some exercise before they are sent to pasture for the winter. I know it looks snowy, but it was actually about 4 degrees and raining while we took this tour.  

Here are some HOT MAMAS in my kitchen on New Year's Eve. I had a happy house-full with visitors from E-town and Montreal. Miss Kerri and Miss Reka and I had our 10-year reunion dinner on the 30th. There's nothing to make you feel old like celebrating a decade (except maybe the next 10-year reunion with these chicas). See Miss Nix's site for photos of our big day out skiing near Cascade Mountain: www.ninedoorsdesign.com/Banff/Site/Banff%20New%20Years.html After the snowy adventures we had a nice soak in the hot springs and mandatory nap time. Yes, I said NAP and it was FABULOUS. So there.

Swedish meatball, anyone? I rang in the New Year with some of my best friends on this earth. To those of you who were not here for the party, I wish you a very happy 2007. (Photo credit: www.ninedoorsdesign.com )