Christmas

We had the extra special fun this year of sharing our Christmas morning with Sage. It was so fun to wake up early together and discover what Santa had left in the stockings!

One morning very close to Christmas, I nonchalantly asked Adalie what she thought Santa was going to bring her for Christmas.  Without even looking up from her breakfast she quickly replied, "a BB gun."  Caught off guard and not sure I had heard her correctly, "What was that you said?"  Again, in the most even of tones... "A BB gun..... a pink one."  To which my only response was "Really?" 

Well, Adalie must have that Santa Claus wrapped tight around her little pinkie, because low and behold a pink BB gun was left with both girls' stockings!

The rest of the day was fun, food, play, gifts, and family...... it is a blessing to have these cousins together!

Last but not least, we hung our Ducey Girl's stocking next to the others one last time!  A sweet poem we read gave us the image of Ducey waiting patiently on a cloud for us to one day throw her frisbee for her again.  It is not goodbye then!
Merry Christmas 2011!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve has become a fun Waltner family time filled with traditions. It seems each year we had onto our list of activities, but some things always stay the same.... time in Yosemite Valley ice skating and picnicking, time at the Tenaya enjoying the decor and mailing off our Santa lists and the rest is up to the weather. This year with no snow, we spent some time hiking in the Valley, we tossed rocks into the river, experimented with ice sculptures, ice skated until we could no more (Adalie's favorite was the night time skating), slept in the tent cabins, and enjoyed the sunshine!

Sleep tight everyone Santa is on his way!

Cookies!

I am beginning to think there is nothing Daddy and his girls like better than COOKIES!  They mix them, roll them, bake them and make them pretty.  It is just the beginning of our family Christmas traditions!

Merry Christmas

The Polar Express

North Fork School's very own rendition of the Polar Express.  These girls were awfully cute in their Christmas jammies singing and dancing with their classes.  Josiah even got to speak a line in the microphone, oh my!

A Day with Amma

It has become a sweet tradition, for Amma and her girls to shop for their Christmas dresses, gussy up and attend a production of The Nutcracker.  And this year the best of all things happened.... they got to take their picture with the Sugar Plum Fairy herself! 

Thank you Amma for loving all things girly!

All Star

All Star Soccer 2011!

Unlike years past where coaches have recommended players for the All Star League, this year they were scouted and recruited.  And low and behold, both Adalie and Josiah were chosen for their age groups. 

Adalie's league consisted of just one game day, and she might have been the smallest peewee out there with little legs not quite as fast as the bigger girls, but she and her famous :elbow" were a force to be reckoned with!  

Josiah's age group participated in several games, playing the best teams all over the valley.  Josiah was definitely stretched; playing for a coach that wasn't her Daddy, and playing with and completing against the best of the best.  Her favorite part was the friendships she got to nourish with friends from across the mountain!

Adalie 6yrs playing for the under 8s.

Josiah 8 years playing for the under 10s.

Christmas Parade

Don't blink, you wouldn't want to miss this parade!  Josiah, Adalie, and Kaiya rode in the 2011 North Fork Christmas Pararde with GiPa in his 1919 Model T Ford.  They tossed candy, waved to the crowd and just looked all around adorable!

Merry Christmas North Fork!

(Josiah 8yrs, Adalie 6yrs)

Tree Trimming

This year we had a new tree debate; "gigantic" or just "extra large"?  It certainly was a split vote, but the newness "of extra large" eventually won out.  I must admit, it was difficult picking out and driving off the lot with such a puny tree!  But putting it up in the house was a dream!  Comments like "Wow, the two of us can carry it so easily!" and "Hey, we don't need the chain saw to trim it!" or "That's odd, it fits in the stand!" and my favorite "You can almost reach the top with the ladder!" could be heard throughout the evening. 

We decorated until it was perfect, each branch trimmed with ornaments that hold a special memory.  Then we sat back with a Christmas Cookie and enjoyed our handy work!

This is going to be a fun Christmas....

Christmas is Coming

Christmas is coming and excitement is in the air!! 

 First things first, we need a Christmas card picture!! 

So here we are, Christmas 2011 at Bass Lake. 

Our favorite memories of 2011:

Tent Cabins, hungry bears and ice-skating on Christmas Eve in Yosemite.

Over-night snowmobile adventures to Strawberry Mine and Beashore Meadows.

Ski team races (and lots of medals)

Jumping and jumping on our trampoline

A week in Haiti with Living Waters

Vacation to Tahoe with Aunts, Uncles and Cousin Sage

Great snow storms and losing power for 1 week.

Celebrating Josiah's 8th Bday skiing and boarding at Badger Pass

Mother's Day playing at Avila Beach

Another great year of Gymnastics

The girls learning to ride (and race) motorcycles

Kindergarten Graduation (congrats Adie!)

4th of July w/ friends and family at the lake

Swim, swim, swimming

Adalie learning to double ski and wake-surf solo

Josiah mastering the single ski

Boat camping at Mammth Pools

Rafting the river in Yosemite with our Norwegian cousins

Adalie losing lots of teeth (all at once!)

Braving the rapids in Grandpa's handmade canoe

Stewart family vacation to Mammoth Lakes (climbing, riding, hiking and fishing)

Starting 1st and 3rd grades with great new teachers

Celebrating Adalie's 6th birthday at the lake

Braving Dinkey Creek water slides

Substitute teaching

Fancy footwork at the girls' soccer games

Girl's day with Amma, GG and cousins to High Tea

Welcoming brand new cousin Libby on Thanksgiving Day!

Who she is....

Josiah was so disappointed this morning when the Tooth Fairy did not come. You see these girls don't lose a tooth and immediately put it under their pillow. They will put it under their pillow days or even weeks later. I'm not sure what happened to the Tooth Fairy last night, but I am sure she was unavoidably delayed in some way. The best part however was WHAT she put under her pillow for the Tooth Fairy. Mind you, it's a secret message that was not shared with any members of her family. It was for the Tooth Fairy's eyes only. So shhhhhh!

It read; Dear Tooth Fairy, I just found this tooth! It has been lost of almost 2 months! I was wondering if instead of quarters, I could get something to give to Mommy or/and Daddy or/and Adie. If you would I would be soooooooo grateful. Your friend, Josiah.
When I read this, my heart melted! This is who my Josiah is in her heart of hearts. I know that one day she will probably become a rebellious teenager, but I hope that she will come full circle and remember the little girl who would ask the Tooth Fairy for a gift to give someone else! Until then, I will continue to admire her sweet spirit!

Thanksgiving a Little Different

This year we celebrated Thanksgiving a differently! With the arrival of our little Cousin Libby, we found ourselves surrounded by family in Bakersfield. The weather was warm and beautiful which lent itself to lots of outdoor time. I spent most of my days in the hospital with the new family soaking up all I could of Libby's sweetness!!

Libby

The call came at 4am Thanksgiving morning. I don't know exactly what my brother said, but I knew a call this time of night meant only one thing.... baby is coming! In a split second, I was out of bed, the shower was on, and I found myself grabbing a bag from the closet and throwing clothes in. As soon as I hung up, Adalie peaked her little head up from behind Seth and said, "Is the baby coming?" And Josiah, who would sleep through a hurricane, came into our room, took one look at my half packed bag, and ran to her room shouting "I'm packing!" So, we all jumped into high gear and were on the road in less than 1 hour. The excitement in our truck was uncontainable as we got updating messages.

At 8am we were the first ones to meet Jonathan in the hallways of the delivery room. Electricity seemed to be in the air as all the family arrived to wait together for the delivery of this special and long awaited for little miracle.

Just 2 hours later, she took her first breath and we heard her first cries!  She was perfect and beautiful. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. To be given the gift of being present and experiencing this miracle with Jon and Jen was completely overwhelming. To come full circle with them from the very beginning and then to be standing in that place, given the privilege of providing encouraging smiles, and words of strength.... words cannot describe the joy! 
I am overwhelmed.... Thank you!

Cousin Slumber Party

The 4 girls had a fun sleep over night. Of course not much sleeping actually happened, but at least we had alot of kicks and giggles....
Josiah and Piper (8yrs), Ashlyn (7yrs) and Adalie (6yrs)

Last Game

Last game of the 2011 soccer season! Thank you Daddy for coaching both girls' teams. We are so thankful to have a Dad who puts such great priority on his girls!

We love you coach!

Us

In Yosemite I often find myself more introspective than usual. Perhaps it is the majesty surrounding me, or the quiet escape from the noise of life. Today, I saw these trees and they struck me so that I had to try to capture them (despite never being able to do them justice). Two trees that seemed to lean into one another. Close up they were still two distinct trees, different in size and structure. But, from afar they looked like one tree, full with branches and leaves. And I began to think of being made in His image. I see these trees as Seth and I, different and yet the same, leaning on one another for support, growing together while still maintaining our own selves, covering one another's backs, each reaching for nutrients and sunlight separately and yet together, standing together because without the other they each would fall.

I love this image..... my trees.

Happy Halloween

Trick or Treat 2011!

The Luckiest

I may be the luckiest girl in the whole wide world.... after soccer games on Saturday, we headed up to Yosemite to soak up the fall colors. How is it that each time we are in Yosemite, it takes my breath away? It is the place I feel so near to my Maker, grateful for his attention to every artful detail.
We rode bikes, ate pizza, played games, hiked waterfalls and explored new trails.
A perfect get away!

Love It

Oh, how we L.O.V.E. soccer! Watching these girls work together as a team, using one anothers' strengths, improving each week ..... oh, it is so much fun!

Mommy's Bday

I know it sounds corny, but my favorite birthday celebration is just being with my family. Which is exactly what we got to do tonight. We dressed all up, headed to the school Fall Festival, played some fun games, screamed our way through the haunted house, and home again for birthday cake surprise .... carrot cake of course!
Josiah (8yrs)dressed as the beautiful black crow. The idea sprang from wanting to wear a cute tulle skirt of course! For Adalie (6yrs), after last year's guilt, I was ready to make whatever costume she came up with. So when she once again said she wanted to be a pencil .... pencil it was. Making your own costumes is SO much fun and they look SO cute! Adalie enjoyed all the booth games while Josiah ran through the haunted house for the first time ever!
FUN! Thank you for a great celebration!

Pumpkin Carving

We picked our pumpkins and then carved them to perfection!

Red Ribbon Week

The girls had a ton of fun getting into the spirit of things during Red Ribbon Week.

Western Day, Twin Day, Red Day, and more!

My Sister

At church today Josiah was asked to create a rock naming the thing she was most thankful for.... "my sister".

I needed to snap a quick picture of this rock, in case it was lost under the bed or in the cracks of the car seat. I wanted it to be a reminder to them both over their lifetime .....

through smiles and tears,

cherish your sister!

Grammy

Just one of the things we love about Grammy is how she LOVES to play!! After Saturday soccer games, Grammy found herself at Josiah and Adalie's "beauty shop" followed by a "photo shoot"! Doesn't she look just marvelous!

Soccer 2011 Begins!

Soccer season is upon us once again. And Seth is coach for both girl's teams - oh boy!!!

Adalie's girl's under 8 team, the North Fork Thunder, consists of Adalie, Kaiya, Ashlyn, Gracia Ellis, Scarlet, Pria, Clover, and Chloe. They seem to be a force to reckon with!

Josiah's under 10 girl's team, the North Fork Stompers, consists of Josiah, Kaia, Dahlia, Rylee, Tatum, Carrie, Luna, Marissa, Heather, Halle, and Brooke. Although they have 5 brand new soccer players, they are a team that knows how to have fun together!
Go Girls Go!

Smile

There are moments in life when I wish I could just burn them into my memory forever! Moments that take your breath away, moments you want to linger in, moments that make your heart sing, moments that will bring a smile to your face.....

Today, when I saw Adalie's face as she laughed, I wanted to freeze time. I wanted to forever remember her toothless grin in a laugh that threw inhibition to the wind!

Labor Day at Shaver

It's was Labor Day weekend and we headed up with some of the family to Shaver Lake. The plan was to ski, surf, swim, relax and game. But watch out for Daddy and Uncle Jon.... you never know what craziness they will get you into. Highlights of the weekend were Josiah and Uncle Jon's skiing duo exhibition, Aunt Jen surfing the Baby in utero, climbing on Daddy's shoulders (nothing new, but fun nevertheless), humongous surfing wakes, body surfing, Josiah surfing solo and Adalie's gymnastic swings from Uncle Jon's boat tower!

Dinkey Creek

It has been an epic year for water. Yosemite, which we just enjoyed a few weeks ago, has been rushing, lakes and rivers are full to their brim. But there was another on the list.... somewhere Seth has fond memories of as a child. Dinkey Creek. We packed a lunch and headed off for a new adventure! After a couple of miles hike in, we found the spot Seth remembered. The water was at the perfect height for sliding, jumping, and swimming. We were all a bit tentative at first, but it wasn't long before all inhibitions were lost and girls were sliding down slippery rocks and jumping off enormous waterfalls!!

Josiah, our try anything once girl, made a daring leap off a beautiful waterfall (8years old)

Adalie, always says "(sigh) oh fine!" and finds herself sliding over and over into her favorite pools (5years old).

First Day

First day of school again! As always the girls were so very excited! They looked adorable in their cutsie Justice outfits that Amma found for them! And this year we have the best of teachers again; Mrs. McPherson in 3rd grade for Josiah and Mrs. Lemmon in 1st grade for Adalie. And lucky for Adalie... the first day of school also happen to be her 6th birthday! You know what that means, cupcakes, birthday songs, and line leader!

Such a special day and Mommy didn't even cry until they were each safely in their new desks!

I am getting better... I promise!