Snowy Times Begin

And so begins our winter fun!  Down here in Walla Walla, folks have been giving us mixed reports.  For example, one neighbor told me that "he built an igloo last year," while another friend said that, "we really just get ice build up on the roads"...."Oh maybe 8-10 inches some years but it never really stays around," says another neighbor.  Altogether it really sounded like a cold icy grey winter without the fun of lots of real snow.  Well not to worry we have found the solution to the wishy-washy reports.  Go UP!  Just about 50 minutes away up into the Blue Mountains we found at least 2 feet of snow and 3 Sno-Parks with sledding hills, cross country trails and pure snow fun.  We were practicing for skiing which hopefully starts next weekend.  After a two trial runs, everyone was having fun in the snow and everyone was warm enough to stay out for over 3 hours of snow play.

Keys to success: Lots of Hot Chocolate in the Thermos.  Lots of snacks. And complete coverage for all body parts especially for Dakota. Stuart sewed him a neck gaiter which covered his face where the goggles did not.  This and the insulated snow boots were essential.

100th Birthday and Philadelphia

We went to Philadelphia over the first weekend of November to celebrate Stuart's Grandmother's 100th birthday.  She is really an amazing woman.  We flew in a day early so we could go visit the historical sites in the old city. Wren is going to study the "founding of our country" this year in school, so this visit made a perfect field study for him.  To summarize our visit and his learning he made a movie.  

After Philadelphia, we headed out to Pottstown for the birthday celebration.  Here is Stuart with his grandma, G. G.

An amazing thing to have all your descendents in one room.  This is the birthday dinner-100...WOW!

 Here are a couple of the great photos that captures the crazy cousin chaos (the good kind of course).

Dakota is Writing!

Dakota has started writing.  He wants to write so he ask me to write it and then he copies it!

Saddle Mountain

We drove up a steep rocky 2 mph road to find this view.  This photo is taken looking west from the foothills of the Blue Mountains.  We are looking down on Walla Walla Valley.  And the town of Walla Walla is in the middle of this photo. 

We hiked up the ridge line through the tall grasses to enjoy lunch and a great game of hide and seek.

The light was beautiful and inspired both Stuart and I to try some more artsy photos.