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....