Snow Time

We started a new tradition this year and went to the snow for Christmas. We had a ton of fun! We headed up to a cabin on Christmas Eve morning and stayed for three days. There was the perfect amount of snow outside the cabin for the kiddos to play and sled in the snow.  When they were tired, we'd drink hot chocolate and get warmed up for the next round.  Bill built them a sledding area behind the cabin - complete with a little hill to stop them at the end.  They thought it was great.  And of course we had "Pie in the Sky" Pizza for dinner on Christmas Eve!  We read the Christmas story, acted out the scenes with Jesus at the manger and talked to the kiddos about the true meaning of Christmas - Jesus Christ!

On Christmas morning we had breakfast and opened some presents.    We then went out to do some sledding on some bigger hills.  It was such a beautiful day!  We didn't need our jackets at times. 

Heading up to the mountans was a spur of the moment idea which Bill thought of, and we liked it so much we are thinking of doing it again next year!  What great memories we made!  What a blessing!  I praise God for all that He gives us and the joy we have as a family!!

Bella and Will building a snowman on the lower deck.

Sledding on Christmas day!

Winston liked sitting with me watching the action

Going down the hill!

Win Checking out the scene

The kiddos went up and down the hill, hauling their own sleds, they loved it.

Robbie in his Lightning McQueen snowsuit

Bella and dad

Will, either resting or waiting for his dad to fling him down the hill as fast as he could!

At the cabin, Winston is the blur who ran out of the picture.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

In just a few days it will be 2010! Where or where does the time go? I taught the kids to say, "See you next year" to our friends and family that we will see after the 1st. They didn't get it at first, but when mom explained, that's all they want to tell people now. These kiddos crack me up!

Well, as you can see, I have been very behind in posting... my vision was to get caught up by posting three months worth of activities in order, with their individual post. The reality? I will probably not get it done without putting it off longer and thus not posting a thing. So, I am going to just jump in with some current pictures.

First is our Christmas pictures. We headed out the Stanislaus State after Thanksgiving and shot some photos for our Christmas card. Reed Douglas took our pictures for us and did such a great job. He had a lot of patience for 5 wiggly kids on a windy day! Overall, we ended up having a fun time, the kids especially, who got to climb and jump on rocks to get to places to take photos.

My favorite pictures of Winston




Robbie

Will

A family shot... but Winston is contemplating something...


His sister's hair looked so tempting to pull. But Bella is a trooper, she kept smiling.

Jumping rocks


Bella


Winston





I loved this picture in the leaves, but it didn't quite make the smile cut.




I also loved our candid shots


Happy New Year Everyone!
May God Bless you and keep you,
The York's

Bella's Birthday!

Today is Bella's 8th Birthday! Wow, how time flies. I can see her growing into a young lady before my eyes. It seems like yesterday, she was my first little baby who I got to dress up, take numerous pictures of, and of course learn from! I am posting some pictures of her throughout the years and am amazed at how many photos I have, I took pics probably every week, maybe daily at times. They are titled, Bella, this and Bella that... I had to include some of her first year pictures, they are too cute! I Praise God for this sweet girl, I am very thankful for her and enjoy her immensely.

1 Day old and already decked out in pink!

She was a teeny tiny little thing!

With Nana, more pink!

Playing with some dolls

Working with her Grandpa

Working with her dad

She worked at the office a lot!

Look at that room! Number 5 is lucky to have a space in the corner right now!

Her first photo shoot, already posing!

What a cutie!

Photos with her Cousins Ava and Boston

I love this photo, she looks like a little elf

With her Papa and cousin Ava

Bella's first birthday

One year old and no hair! First Birthday photos


Skipping ahead a few years!! These could go on and on!

Bella's 6th Birthday

7th Birthday


This past year...
Bella and Geneve

Flower girls! She is getting so big!!!

Back to School

We have been slowly starting up our school schedule and have finally got into full swing. I have to say, those lazy summer days are nice, but the precision of a school day schedule that has the kids in a routine is soooo nice. I have been working and working on prep work to get this year's curriculum printed and ready to go for our 3rd and 1st graders. They now have a check off sheet with their assignments for the whole week... now when I hear... "Mommm what do I do"... I sweetly say, "Did you check your assignment sheet?" and they answer, "Oh yeah!" So nice. It's also nice to hear, "Mom, I am almost done with my assignments!!" Oh, the joy of all my hours pulling all our curriculum together has paid off!

Now I had to share this one from the other day... I am working on a word problem with Will. I give him the following scenario - Little Brian has one cat. His uncle brings home 7 more cats. How many cats do they have now? Will looks at me and blurts out, "1" without really thinking about the problem. So I probe and ask him..."Well William, what happened to the other 7 cats?" He quickly answers me back with, "They ran away!!"

Oh my! I could not hold it in. You know when you don't want to laugh at your child for saying something so honest and sweet, but I was cracking up! They ran away! Where did he come up with that? So funny. He started laughing with me and said, I know mom they have eight cats. He and I laugh at his cats running away now. So cute! I could fill pages with the funny things they say! Praise the Lord for giving us these sweet children!!
Well, back to work... I am printing up their tests for Friday.