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!