Snowshoeing!

Some friends of ours rented a Forest Service cabin in the mountains and invited us up there to spend the day. So we took them up on it! It was a lovely, sunny day, but cold. Something like 6 degrees when we got there, and 2 when we left.

On the way, we saw this bull moose. He stopped and looked at us when I called out, "Hey, Bullwinkle!"

Here is Heidi, Josie, Emma and Bella. Heidi had Emma help pull her and Josie up the hill. Bella hung around amusing herself with angering Emma. A 1 1/2 year old Emma and a 10 year old Bella, both dominant females...did they ever snarl and growl at each other!

Here we are, Annisia, Michael, Quinn, Audra, and Ray, at the top of the hill. Not a mountain, but a fair hill. Jonathan was a trooper! He stomped his way right up that hill. He thought snowshoeing was fun. On the way down, he tried running, which can be done, yes, but a little difficult for a young'un. He kept falling down, face first! He'd lay there and laugh. (which I enjoyed!) One time, he fell right into a patch of powder, and got a face full of snow! He just giggled! I'm glad he had a good first experience on snowshoes. The video below is taken just after Daddy cinched him in and I got the camera out. See, he's a natural!

Office work vs. skiing

Michael didn't really have much trouble deciding where to be, in the office or skiing, but it looks like Jonathan had a little office work to get done.


Michael has been home since the 21st. So the kids and I are getting some quality time with Daddy! We went up to the ski area and sledded one day...Daddy had been there skiing with Uncle Bret for a couple of hours already. It was a cold one, so we did a little sledding then came home. Jonathan is really fascinated with the whole skiing thing. I think we're going to take him up this year and put some skis on him. I think he'll be a natural. The video below is him wearing Daddy's ski boots. He goes into our bedroom, turns around and comes "down the hill". He is really an imaginative little man. Enjoy!

It's Christmas time!

We were to Michael's parents for Christmas Day. We had a wonderful lunch of prime rib and all the trimmings. Here are some recovering after lunch...


"What?! I'm not opening anything." Annisia was pretty fascinated by all the gifts. We do a gift exchange in M's family. Always a fun time...

M's niece Jami enjoying a little time with Annisia.

Jonathan and Annisia love all the attention they get!


Watching Uncle Jon open the first gift. Papa couldn't wait for Jon to open his gift...it was a remote controlled Spider Man helicopter! Man, the guys and kids had a blast with that!

One tuckered out girl, and Annisia was tired too! (ha!)

Jonathan loves playing with Uncle Bret. I have no idea what is going on here...but they sure look like they are enjoying it!

Daddy and Annisia sacked out in the back bedroom at Grandma's. Don't they look sweet?!


It was so fun watching these two...and hearing all the background talk. "What kind of pie do you want?" There were some yummy choices...chocolate cream, angel lemon, pecan...wish you could have been here.

We have a Visitor!

Aunty Leilani is here for a week. Guess what she "gets" to do a lot of? Yep! Reading! Both to herself and to the kids. Yay! She's even said she'll babysit some so I can get some things done. Double Yay!

Sleigh Rides and Sleds!

We went to Michael's parent's ranch a few weeks ago (YES, I know, I am still trying to get up to date!) for sledding and a sleigh ride. Not a whole lot of snow on the ground, but a fun time with great weather!
This is Jonathan and Papa around the bonfire while Michael is waxing the bottom of the toboggan. He wanted to go really fast...(it never really did though, according to those who used it!)
Annisia wears blue well too, doesn't she? The little hot pink furry scarf from Aunty Janice girlies it up a bit. She loves being out in the snow. And she loves sledding. She just giggles the faster they go, and never minds the bumps...they just mean she gets to catch some air! Watch out snowboarders! She's gonna take the slopes!

Papa and Jami in the sleigh. Jami, Michael's niece, is driving.

Jami driving Thunder giving Annisia and I a sleigh ride. He is a gorgeous horse.

Michael and Annisia coming down the hill. "More, Daddy, more!"

Fun in the Snow

Jonathan and Annisia don't care how cold it is...the week these pics were taken, the temps didn't get above about 20 degrees. But, nearly every day before lunch and after naps, we were outside in the snow all bundled up. It's a good thing Jonathan knows when he has to go potty...not once did I get him bundled up only to hear him say, "I have to go potty!" Good boy! He really likes playing with his loader. He had to tow his trike because it got stuck in the snow in the driveway. We found a tow rope, and pretended to be Daisy, the horse in the Usborne Farmyard series of books. We pulled his trike to the front of his loader, loaded it up into the bucket, hauled it to the deck and dumped it! Whew! What a good days' work! Annisia just watches us doing all of this, including Mommy whinnying like a horse, and pushing Jonathan in the loader (because he can't pedal it in the snow), and stoically continues to brave the cold while nearly unable to move because of the bundling!

A couple Saturdays ago, we went over to Michael's parents place to sled. Like I said, it was quite cold that week. I think it was 12 degrees this day...at noon. The kids loved the sledding. Here Daddy is taking them up the hill. Then he got on and held Annisia in his lap while they barreled down the hill. The kids giggle and want more!


You can tell it has been years since I have sledded! What a wimp! Annisia loved it! Watch it again and listen for her giggle near the end...right after we go through the little dip.

Playing some tunes!

Jonathan and Annisia like to play the piano. This was a Sunday morning a few weeks ago. It's nice they do this while we're getting ready, instead of spreading all their toys out on the floor!