Girl Guides Sleepover

Last weekend Tay and I stayed up at The Hills Health and Guest Ranch

 ( http://www.skithehills.com ) with the Girl Guides. I was a helper Mom! We had 6 little girls, Tay, Zoe, Miah, Harmonie, Jaci and Laura. They were all so good and had so much fun. We did countless crafts, helping with meals and dishes, watched movies, singing and tubing!

Doing dishes after spaghetti dinner

Sing song in the Teepee. We had smores and hot chocolate too!

Tay and Zoe singing together, Zoe was helping Tayler read the songbook

Big bright moon before the eclipse. Unfortunately it clouded over so we couldn't see it. Did you?

Our little tree and a socking for each girl, they were so excited the next morning - where did these come from?

Popcorn and cranberry strings

She loved the tubing it looked so fun. I decided not to go as I had  taken quite a tumble down the stairs the night before and was still a hurting unit - figured I should not make it worse by tubing ! 

We went on a hayride to the Teepee

Tayler getting her Sparks Pin with her Pathfinder buddy Kelly. She was getting very tired at this point and starting to act silly .

On the hayride back to the barn she fell asleep and I couldn't wake her up once we got back to the barn. Thank goodness one of the dads was there and drove us back up to the chalet (whew it was a 15 minute walk back all up hill, with a sleeping little one!)

Kids Christmas Party in The Grove

December 11 The Forest Grove Volunteer Fire Dept had a childrens party for Christmas, it was great. Lunch was provided, games, sleigh rides (except there wasn't enough snow so we went on a wagon ride) Santa visited and had a present for each child there. 

Wagon ride was provided by Ruth Lake Lodge, isn't it beautiful. The Perchrons were huge they had already pulled the wagon for an Hour from the lodge and then took all the kids for a little ride too.
 I complained so much that only the kids could go that they said just get in! Teehee talk about an excited Kelly! 

Dylan and Mike (his best friend) 

Happy Mommy to join the Kids! 

So Beautiful! 

Whohoo Santa Arrived! 

Russ receiving his little gift 

Tay Tay with Santa

Dylan with Santa a little too Cool to sit on his knee! 

Checking out the Fire Trucks! (such brave firemen to little a bunch of kids in the trucks! )  I asked a  friend of ours  who is the Deputy Chief if they provided Child minding while all the parents went on a wagon ride he just laughed! 

Christmas Cutie!

December 3 and 4 we were invited to two church dinners by friends to enjoy the amazing spread of food and the childrens service and LOTS of singing! 

I couldn't catch the boys to get a picture but Tay was more than happy to pose for a picture!

Its hard to see but the bracelet she is wearing my grandma bought me when I was a bit older than her, she was so excited to wear it! 

The little childrens service was so cute they were all dressed up as little wise men and Mary and Joseph lots of sheep and cows and angels. Then they sang some song and one little guy was just belting out the tune at the microphone! 

Tree hunting with Friends

At the beginning of December, Jayson and Bev and their girls and Frank and Loretta and their grandkids came over to find a tree. It was a beautiful day as you can see! 

Is there a kid up there?

Deception Mountains they were so clear! 

Jays helpers as he saws.

Perfect Tree! 

Crazy weather

I took these pictures a couple weeks ago. The sun was just coming up it looked so beautiful! So I was snapping pictures at about 7:30 in the morning Ed woke up saying WHAT ARE YOU DOING???

Looking across the valley towards Forest Grove 

Then a couple hours later this is what the weather turned into- absolutely pouring rain! I went out and locked Spice in her corral and threw some hay in the trees to try keep her from standing in the downpour! 

Then it started to snow and snow and snow, the kids and I went in by the fire and listened to Christmas music and drew pictures. At this point Ed was out at the Sawmill, once the weather let up and the sun came out again we all walked his lunch out to him (Spice too) he was soaked so we didn't stay long and walked back home 

Christmas Parade!

Every year Forest Grove School enters a float in the Christmas parade. 

This year we set the trailer up to look like an attic bedroom with all the kids in bed with nightcaps on and one of the kids posed as grandma in a rocking chair reading them a story. Tayler was over the top with excitement she came running into the kitchen when I got home one evening with her permission form that would allow her to ride on the float, the boys however were completely opposite - they wanted nothing to do with it! 

Tayler is the 4th person in but hidden behind Nicole and Cole

The front of the float with the candy cane stripped truck! 

Snowmobile float

These dogs were so excited they had trouble keeping them on the float to begin with, this float is to advertise the dog sled races in January - on the to do list again!  

I loved the little guys here to pick up after the ponies in the parade. Just before the parade started the three riders were walking up a slight hill to get up onto the road and into position and one of the ponies slipped and fell on its kneeds poor thing but seemed good after 

 

This float was funny - I think it was put in by the Canim Lake Band - the guy on the sleigh at the front was yelling give all your presents (he was the Grinch)

As usual it was a really nice parade and Santa was following everyone at the end wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. The boys were very excited about all the candy canes and candy they got and Tayyaler got off the Float so excited that she had wishes "LOTS" of people Merry Christmas! 

Presents too!

The tree was full of presents, it looked so beautiful, with the new ornaments and snow in the background and then the kids dove in and it was hard to keep track there was paper flying everywhere and happy gasps of new treasures!

Before mass confusion

Look what I got!

Rip tear- oh ah!

Yeah - Lego

It was actually mass confusion, though I did have to go back through the mountian of paper looking for an envelope with a specail gift in it - SLOW DOWN!!!

No really they were good and very quiet for the rest of the day playing with their new treasures.

Making ornaments

Mom brought up all sorts of craft making supplies and kept the kids busy everyday making a different ornament to decorate their own trees in December - when we celebrate Christmas again!

Grandma had everything ready for the kids when she arrived, all three of them were right into it!

Here are two of their 5 different ornaments - Coloured wooden ornaments, Little Moose Guys - they also make little pillows with wildlife silouettes, Mice on Candy canes and scarves.

Showing Off their Handiwork



Christmas scarves

MMMMMMMMM Gingerbread!

 

A Christmas is not complete without a Gingerbread House - that is if it makes it to Christmas without being eatten first. I'm sorry to say that this gingerbread house didn't make it 3 days after our November Christmas but it was fun to decorate and fun to eat!

Everybody jion in we are making a gingerbread house

Adding their personal touches

Caught in the act - I bet they don't go on the house!

All done - so cute! and oh so yummy!

Christmas in November (1 of 4)

Yes we had our first of two Christmass - it was so much fun! Dylan, Russell and Tayler were over the top with excitement!
Why you ask would you have two Christmass - well because my parents came up for a week and since we are not going to be with them at Christmas in December we decided to have a special one while they were up visiting.  We did it all  finding a tree (easy to do when they are all over our property), putting up hand made decorations, Gingerbread House, present opening and big ham dinner for "Christmas Day" November 13!



Perfect Tree!



Thstorm clouds that brought thunder and lightning, rain, WIND and snow! We got back to the house just in time!



Carrying home!




Cute Tree covered in handmade decorations and filled with presents!





Walking in a winter wonderland

Winter has arrived and is here to stay, though the weather websites are saying we will have plus temperatures next week and rain - holy wow that will be messy - disasterous for driving too! I am a believe when I see it person so I am very sceptical at this point - today is minus 16 (so far no wind thank goodness - that makes it REALLLLLLY cold outside!) So plus 2 or 3 by Tuesday or Wednesday - hummmmmm I'll let you know!

These were taken last weekend, we have a bit more snow now - its very beautiful