We have maintained a white December all the way through, even getting a fresh coat of snow the day before Christmas. Zane has loved spending time in the snow every day, whether he is shoveling or sledding or throwing snowballs at Mom when we are out for our daily walks. In mid month we headed a few miles up the road to find a good sledding spot, which Zane enjoyed, but he enjoyed wrestling Casey, digging and getting buried in the snow more.
Sledding
More sledding
Wrestling
Getting buried
Family fun in the snow
For Christmas my parents came over from sunny Arizona, Mom wasn't a big fan of the snow, but we did get her out in the white stuff for a short walk. My brother and his family came for a few days before Christmas. It was good to have family around us for the holiday season and the kids really enjoyed the snow. We enjoyed some time climbing the rock wall at Hartland and taking the Jeeps out in the snow.
Keanan
Kyla
Zac
Casey
Zane just liked being pulled up and swinging in the air
Cousins in front of the tree
Mom and Dad
Our white Christmas
One of Zane's favorite gifts was a digger
He spent most of Christmas day digging the snow all around the house
We are spending a quiet New Years at home, going to bed early. Thanks for following us in our adventures and we look forward to more this next year.
In the beginning of November we headed to Pismo Beach for our very special staff retreat with all of Hartland. It is such a great time of fellowship, relaxation and rejuvenation. There was much time spent at the beach, even when it was foggy and cold. Casey rented a surf board for the time we were at Pismo.
View from our room
Getting ready to surf
Playing in the water
He's up!!
When you're cold just wear a stocking hat
One of Zane's favorite parts, the candy bar for the kids, note the ziploc baggies to take some home.
Zane riding the board
For the Thanksgiving holiday we headed to Nana and Grandpa's house in Arizona. The weather was very pleasant for our visit. Zac and family also came and we got to spend some time jeeping in the desert.
Building things with Nana's clay
Digging a hole for the new pond
Zane loves Gus
Digging in Grandpa's yard
We did two different days of Jeeping. This first time we did a loop that took us past a bunch of old abandoned copper mines.
All of us and our Jeeps
Jeeping through the Saguaros and Cholla cactus
Dropping rocks to figure out the depth of the mine shaft
A large mine shaft
Zane and Kyla
The second trip was with my parents and most of the trail/road was through desert washes, which most had some water running in them from the rains from earlier in the week.
Amazing Saguaro
This child and his love of water
Enjoying the water and the view
Driving through the wash
It was a great time spent with family, especially my Aunt Linda, who Zane hadn't seen in three years.
Grandparents and Grandkids
Great Aunt Linda
When we arrived back home it had snowed at Hartland the whole time we were gone and Zane was excited to play in the 2+ feet of snow. May you all have a wonderful December.
Our Halloween looks a little different than most. Due to our isolation in the mountains there is no trick or treating and dressing up. Instead we have chosen to keep it simple and visit a pumpkin patch and carve pumpkins for our holiday.
Vossler Farms Pumpkin Patch
Silly picture in a tractor
They had a kids corn maze, Zane led us in many circles
Running in circles
On top of the hay bale mountain
Zane was very excited to carve his own pumpkin this year and to be able to use a knife, not sure Mom and Pop were as excited as him.
He really didn't want to stick his hand inside to clean out the guts
Carving the nose
All done
Glowing in the dark
For Casey's birthday we celebrated with cake while my brother and his family were here for the weekend. Casey, Zac and Keanan made a few trips down the mountain bike trails that are around Hartland. Zane also enjoyed playing with his cousins.
I had fun making Casey his super chocolate cake
Casey
Keanan
Zac
Zane and Kyla made a teeter-totter
Another celebration for Casey's birthday was the three of us climbing out to the end of Big Baldy. Last year for his birthday we went to a closer section but this time we made it all the way to the end. It was an almost 7 mile round trip and Zane did 6 of those miles on his own two feet. He is turning into a great hiker and mountain climber.
Big Baldy that we see on our way up the mountain. We hiked all the way out to the lower nob(if you are able to zoom in you can see that there is a higher and lower nob)
Hiking on the rocks
Casey put Zane in the carrier for safety, it was a long ways down on both sides
Panoramic shot
Casey and Zane all the way out on the lower nob
Looking back at the upper nob, that we hiked down
Casey and Zane
Family photo
A rugged old pine that was so much larger than all the others
Zane and I got to spend some time at the Fresno Zoo, while Casey ran some errands around town. The dinosaurs were at the zoo for a limited time and Zane loved them, especially the ones that spit water at you.
Brushing the goats at the petting zoo
Feeding the giraffes
Riding a warthog
Dinosaurs
Gigantasouras
This next week we head to Pismo Beach for our staff retreat.
