Ringing in the New Year and final days in Maine

I (Mike) wasn't technically supposed to be in Maine for the New Year. I had to be back to work by the following Monday and wanted a few days for buffer in-case something were to happen to my flight and I was postponed. Everything was looking good for my flight which left early on New Years Eve, 6:00 am to be exact. It was going to leave Bangor and arrive in LaGuardia by 7:30 or so. I was going to remain in NYC until 5:00 pm, fly to Atlanta, then get my connecting flight and arrive to San Francisco by 12:15 am (15 minutes into the New Year). I'll be honest, I wasn't really looking forward to it. Who wants to spend New Years on an airplane? Let alone, who wants to spend nine hours in LaGuardia which, according to past experience, is rampant with disease (pigeons and rats all over!). So I checked into my flight online on December 31st, and was good to go. I showed up to the airport at 5:00 am to get onto the plane and head out. I get through security, and onto the plane when I notice that someone is sitting in my seat. I asked the guy to confirm it was his correct seat, which he did. We discussed with the attendants about the situation, and they ended up yanking me off the plane. In talking with the Delta travel agent who was re-booking me for another flight, my online check-in didn't register with their system, and they evidently gave my seat away. So they buttered me up! They booked me for the next day (which meant I got to spend New Years with family!), they put me in first class for the longest leg of the flight (never been in first class before, now I don't know that I could do coach again), didn't have a 9-hour layover in LaGuardia (I didn't contract bird flu), $400 voucher for a future flight (free trip!), breakfast and lunch voucher (immediate comfort food. The one clementine I had wasn't really cutting it), and a voucher for a taxi ride back to Dover-Foxcroft. Needless to say, I was feeling pretty good about the situation.

Madie found a friend in Levi's dog Elvis. It was fun to see them follow each other around.

Levi commented "They are probably at the same intelligence level at this point".

Elvis did topple Madie over a couple times, but I think that Madie got the best of him with her slapping hands.

This was my first New Years with the Conner family, but from what I understand some sort of firework is always involved. Sparklers were the appetizer.

I think I had as much fun taking pictures as the kids whirling around the sparklers.

This one is of Ezra. I told him to let it rip and move it around for the picture, and he did just that!

After the sparklers were finished, we moved onto the main event...

$300 worth of fireworks ignited within a matter of 20 minutes.

While anticipating the New Year, some played cards.

Some watched a movie.

Happy 2011!

Shopping in Bangor. Ezra and Kait.

Jake's face pretty much says it all.

Great face.

Casey and MariLou enjoying the festivities.

Milk, sock-monkey, and Grammy.