Riley's Christmas

We noticed a trend in our camera this year as all the pictures were of Riley only.  I'm always behind the camera and Matt avoids getting his picture taken so I guess it's really no surprise.

 Riley loved helping decorate the tree this year.

 The one time it snowed up here she got to help daddy shovel the driveway.  She was very excited to finally wear her "snow man pants"!  It took quite a bit of coaxing to get her back inside.

 Christmas at mom and dad's was a lot of fun.  It was great to see her get excited over her stocking and presents.

 Stickers apparently were a big hit.

 When we got home she got surprised with a new play kitchen! She loves it and plays with it everyday.  We've been having a lot of pretend sips of hot chocolate and apple juice.

She was also surprised with a a Little People barn and play house.
Thank you to everyone for a wonderful and memorable Christmas!

Sledding at McDonald School

 I could put a caption on each picture but I think the smiles speak for themselves.  Everyone had a great time.  The weather was cold and the snow as actually ice which made the sledding fast but no one seemed to mind.  I amazed myself that the pictures turned out so well as they zipped past.

 Even big boys like to swing!!!

I thought this was a cool picture of the sun just about to score a basket as it went down.

 

Matt, Kimbre, and Riley stopped Thursday on their way home from Boise.  Kevin, Lisa, and family arrived Thursday afternoon so we all ate and had a good time.  Kevin and family stayed until today to go to church.  They will head home after diner this afternoon.  They visited and played games with several families they became friends with when they lived here this summer.  Have a good week.

Ice skating

Yesterday, I took the older kids on our annual ice skating outing.  The weather was a lot warmer this year and we ended up skating for almost 2 hours until our legs were worn out.  It wasn't as crowed as years past, and I think the kids had fun.

 Katie was a little woobly at first...

 ... but then she got the hang of it.

 Aimee

The whole crew.

-Brant

Christmas 2013

Grandma always comes up with a project.  We all painted ornaments for the tree/house.  There were varying degrees of creativity.

Here are the ornaments before being hung by the chimney with care.

The living room with it's usual array of presents.

Baby Jesus with a couple of the gifts brought by the wise men.

No, it wasn't really that warm.  The sun was shinning on the thermometer although it was a beautiful day yesterday and today.

We're singing Christmas Carols for FHE.

Sometimes during vacation everyone is on their own for meals.

The Walker Cheese ball. We made two of our own and are we're working on them now.

Grandma making the usual Christmas Eve enchiladas.

Christmas Eve Dinner.

The stocking were all hung by the stairway with care.

The luminaries were there too.  Thanks to Seth and the boys.

This is the  latest contingent of shepherds, wise men, Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus.

 

We had a wonderful Christmas.  Thanks for all your thoughts, gifts, phone calls, and cards.  Hope you are all enjoying yourselves.  We love you all and wish for the very best in the coming year.

 

Dad and Mom

December Activities

The boys bought air soft firearms (actually they should be called springarms, since no gunpowder is involved) about a month ago.

We had some friends over a week ago to make graham cracker houses.

Kanyon's school class took a boat tour on Lake Coeur d'Alene to observe bald eagles. I was surprised with how many we actually saw (probably more than 50).

Can you spot the eagle?

More eagles.

Gingerbread houses

-Brant

The hills were alive...

Merry Christmas this week, everyone! We tried to run up the stairs like Julie and the kids, but the gate was closed and locked. Maybe next time. 

This week was my last week of classes. I have a few homework things to do and then we're taking a quick trip for Christmas. Kelly got called to help in the nursery today. She quickly realized that in order to survive, she will need to learn nursery rhymes, hymns, and  baby talk in spanish, english, portuguese and a strange 2-yr-old mix of the three.  

Kelly found a new friend at the Christmas fair (her long-lost twin?)

Two places at once: me straddling the prime meridian at Greenwich

 Official clock and measurements at Greenwich