Sledding Season!

Winter is one of our four favorite seasons! - filled with hanging snowflakes, going for hikes, snow forts, and best of all.....

Sledding!!

One of our favorite sled hills is of course Mr. Reiche's sled run!

Last year the sled run didn't open until mid January, but this year we were able to slip in some sledding before the end of the year.

The initial run was made on December 28th.

That Friday morning run was the beginning but not the last.

Saturday we returned for some quick runs in the dark.

Then Monday we were back again....

This time with a bunch of little ones in tow.

The sled run was used to its full potential, as one after another climbed up and then slid down.

Quick breaks at the fire were taken here and there to return feeling to our cold limbs before jumping on sleds  for more!

If you became tired of sledding, you could run out back where the new attraction at the Reiche resort was installed.

A superb zip line!!!!

Then of course there is the fort to defend or attack!

And if we are along, you just might find a boy willing to become a snow mummy.

We are patiently enduring this short thaw, but as soon as the snow comes again, we will be sitting on sleds waiting to go down and anyone is free to join us!! ;)

~Chs

Last Few Days of 2012

The last few days of 2012 were full of fun games and adventure, and instead of posting each activity or day, I thought I would pile them all together in one gigantic lump :)

On Mom and Dad's day we had a delightful evening playing scrabble of sorts.  We were divided into teams of two and each team was given a set of letters out of which they were to make a verse, or phrase of a song, or group of ideas!

Friday was set aside for Charity, and in the afternoon we all grouped into the kitchen to make chicken garlands. :) 

We strung grapes, radishes, Brussels sprouts, cranberries, and boiled eggs, and then hung them out in the 

chicken coop!

It was the last of the "special" days before our celebrations when we headed out to Whole Foods.  Many things were looked at, some sampled, and some sniffed, and more than expected bought! :)

Finally New Years Eve came and after spending the first part of the afternoon figuring out and preparing the menu, I headed outback to collect decorations for the table.

Soon the table was set, the candles lit and the food served up.  It was a delightful meal, and the only complaint was that there was too much food!!

New Years morning found us tramping at the Sanctuary with Mr. Reiche.  But the above image is the only picture I have from the walk thanks to dying camera batteries :P

Upon arriving home we set out the games and once Josh and Theresa arrived had a fun-filled morning/afternoon with games, laughs and....

FOOD!!

It was truly a delightful two days, not only filled with the above, but also with some wonderful family devotions, discussions, remembrances, and thanksgiving!

"O sweet Lord Jesus, You are the present portion of Your people, favor us this year with such a sense of Your preciousness that, from its first to its last day, we may be glad and rejoice in You."
~C.H. Spurgeon

Josiah's Hike: Second Day

Every year, when it comes to Josiah's day, we always go out on a hike.  This time we headed out to an area we had never been before.

Since it was hunting season, Sadie sported a fashionable orange bandanna!

All ready to hit the trail!

Precious little treasures in the snow.

Rows of pines hemmed us in on our first part of the journey, but it soon opened up into lighter woods, and....

hills!!  You would make it heaving and whooshing to the top of one hill, only to look down a steep chute on the other side and once you tiptoed down the dangerous ravine, you would find yourself once again trudging upwards!  Mumsie and Dad trudged along with the "youngins" quite well!

So many unexpected beauties found in this "dead" season.  It is just as much a stunning declaration of God's beauty and majesty as the other more colorful seasons; you just have to look harder, which makes it all the more special and wonderful!

One of the most drastic hills we surmounted!  Mom took one look at this and nearly turned right around! :)

Even Sadie Rose was properly worn out by so much trekking.

Sledding anyone?  We passed this hill on our path, and immediately claimed it for further adventures, with our sleds.

Delicate beauty

Majestic Beauty

{This is Mount Holly, far away in the distance!}

Simple Beauty

Alright now I must disclose a secret not well known....  We talk to Rocks...

...And trees!  No just kidding. Really, Faith was looking at some exquisite moss on the rock, and Josiah and Sadie were seeing if anyone was living in the hollow tree.  :P 

"A shadowy figure dodged among the trees..."  Josiah forsook the main trail on our way back and decided to jog through the austere stand of pines.

Baby Pine Cones

The only difference between Faith sitting in a tree and Josiah sitting in the tree...

..is the height!

And so the adventure ended back were it began, and the intrepid travelers (in many versions of footwear) piled into their trusty vehicle and made their way homewards!

~Chs

Unique and Unusual

Most all of our snowflakes hanging in our house, are cut out from patterns, but just recently we discovered a whole new world to snowflakes.

A couple days ago Faith stumbled upon this gallery of snowflakes. Take a look at them; they are incredibly stunning!!  Anyways, we were inspired, and while at first we stuck to trying to use her ideas while drawing them ourselves, soon Faith was branching out into her own ideas and creations.

This beautiful butterfly one came first.

Next Hummingbirds flew in.

Then Faith delved into something more dramatic and very detailed.  A garden snowflake, complete with gloves, sun hats, seed packets, shovels, hoes, and more!

Spring bulbs bloomed in the next snowflake.

I tried my hand at a design of my own, with horses and horse shoes!

And finally to go with the season, Faith created this winter snowflake.

Josiah wasn't so sure about these beyond snowflake designs, and so he stuck to real life snowflakes.

A couple he actually did from pictures of really true snowflakes.

So go ahead and be creative, all you need is a properly folded piece of paper, an imagination, a sharp pencil and a pair of scissors.  Draw your design on your folded paper, then cut out the extra parts.  Unfold, iron and voila, a customized snowflake.  

~Chs