December Fun and Christmas

 At the beginning of the month Casey was blessed with a motorbike.  He is very excited about riding the trails in the area.  Casey and my Dad modified the back foot pegs so Zane can ride on it with him.  They are both excited about the many adventures to be had in the future.  The best part was Zane's first ride, when they got back he told me they went "SSSSSOOOOOOOO  FFFFAAASSSTTT!!!" Casey never left first gear!

He couldn't stop smiling

Going Fast!!

Casey and the new bike

We didn't have  any snow until the end of the month but it was cold in the beginning of the month and the pond was frozen over.  When it was drained for the winter it left some amazing sheets of ice to slide around on.

Zane and I made a Christmas wreath for the front of our house using a wreath and Christmas ornaments from the thrift store.  All you need is a hot glue gun and you have a great inexpensive wreath.

We were blessed to have some time with family over the Holidays.  My parents came over a few days before Christmas and stayed a week and my brother and family came for a few days after Christmas.  Zane and I did a hike with Grandpa on the Sunset and Eshom Creek trails here at Hartland.

Enjoying the view

Crossing the creek

We had a fun Christmas day celebrating the birth of Jesus.  Zane choose to use some of his personnel money to buy some fruit trees for families in need in another country.  It was a blessing to us as parents to see his desire to help a family out that isn't as fortunate as him, and to pick something that will benefit a family for years to come.  

Zane got lots of Legos

Presents

More Legos

Nana and Grandpa enjoying their gifts

Casey got a new chainsaw helmet

Zac, Jen, Keanan and Kyla arrived the day after Christmas and we did a family hike to Pierce Pond.  The sun was setting and it was so beautiful.

All the kids checking out the ice on the pond

Cousins

Sunset over the pond

The sunset made the trees look like they were on fire

On the last day of everyone's visit we got about 5 inches of snow!!  Lots of fun was had by all.  Even the ones that didn't bring pants to the mountains when they knew there was a chance of snow.  

Kyla and Zane

Casey

Zac

Grandpa and Nip

Zac and Kyla

Snowball Fight

Getting Uncle Zac

Uncle Zac, Keanan and Zane built an igloo

On New Years Eve, Zane and I hiked up to the cross at Hartland.

We are very thankful for our month of December.  Time with family was such a huge blessing.  May you all have a very blessed New Year.  

Pismo, Snow, Hiking among the Giants, Thanksgiving and Advent

 We started November off at our annual Staff Retreat at Pismo Beach.  This was a pleasant surprise for all of the staff, due to this years circumstances we didn't think we would be going.  We feel very blessed to have this time together as a staff.  The weather was great and we spent a lot of time at the beach.  We purchased some Boogie Boards this year and Zane had a great time playing in the surf.

Zane, Evie and Hemi at the Beach

Sawyer, Parker and Zane

Sunset

Boogie Boarding

Buried in the sand

Boogie Boarding with Pops

Boogie Boarding

Three days after we got home from the beach we had snow at Hartland!!!  It's the first moisture we've had since late spring.  Much fun was had playing in the snow while it lasted.

One weekend we headed up into Sequoia National Park to hike some new trails.  We did the Congress Trail that loops around the General Sherman tree.  There were so many giant sequoias.  Their size and resilience amazes me every time I hike among them.  They can be burned, split in half and have large chunks missing and they just keep growing.  We also hiked out to a Cabin that was built in the 1800s out of a fallen Sequoia.  We  even got to drive through one.  

The Senate

A big leap, and he made it

The House

McKinley Tree

Root Ball

Walk through tunnel

General Sherman Tree right behind Zane, the biggest in the world

Buck

Zane's crawling over the Jeep

A very large stump

Cabin made from a fallen Sequoia

We spent a quiet Thanksgiving at home sharing a wonderful meal with the Anacker Family.  The next day we went out and cut down our Christmas tree.

So the church we were attending, Gateway, before covid has an amazing children's program.  This fall they started providing monthly kid boxes that go with each virtual Sunday School.  For December it's all about Advent.  We made a wonderful wreath and lit the first candle that represents Hope.  

Hope

Something else that happened this month, Zane lost his first two teeth.  When he lost the first one, it got swallowed, he thought Pops had put crunchy peanut butter on his bagel instead of creamy!!

Missing teeth

We continue to pray for everyone as we navigate the holiday season.  God Bless