BOYS!

Caleb left the pantry door open . . . Gideon found the Honey Nut Cheerios box. He's on a growth spurt, so I guess I can't be too upset!

Kauai Hawaii

We (Josh, Gideon and I) just got back from a week in Kauai Hawaii. Josh had the opportunity to preach in a URC church plant on that island. His entire trip was paid, so all we had to pay was my airfare and food. It was a great deal and wonderful trip. It also happened to fall within a few days of our 10 year anniversary. The arrangements for the kids worked out fairly well. We drove (7 hour drive) to Ripon, CA in a rental car. There we met Josh's parents and left Eliyana and Caleb with them. Then we flew out of Sacramento Airport to Kauai through San Francisco. Apart from missing our connecting flight in San Francisco, all the travels went smoothly. We flew back to San Diego and Josh's parents drove down with the kids the day we returned. Then they stuck around for a few days and attended a conference at Westminster Seminary. We're so glad it all worked out with the children, otherwise I don't think we could have taken the advantage of the opportunity.
I'll post a few pictures here, but for more pictures with details see our online slideshow here:


http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=b7e06oj.4e169v4r&x=0&y=-enknp2&localeid=en_US

Christmas Travels

Where has the month gone? We've been very busy these last few weeks. We enjoyed Eliyana's school Christmas concert before we left for Pennsylvania on the 20th. She was so excited to sing the songs she had been practicing all fall.

Eliyana getting ready for her Christmas concert

Our flight to PA didn't go as planned as we had a 5 hour delay in Las Vegas. But we ended up taking a bump and getting 4 free round trip tickets. We arrived at my parents house exhausted at 4:30 AM and without any of our luggage. The luggage was delayed 3 days, but I enjoyed spending the US Airways compensation money at the Hershey Outlets when we visited Joel and Heidi.

It was great to see all our family. All my siblings were home for Christmas this year. It was the first we've been together in 3 years. There was a little snow to greet us but it only lasted a couple days. It was just enough for the kids to go sleding behind my parents home.

Josh Sleding with Caleb

On a walk with Opa


Heidi's Family - first picture of all of us in 3 years

Oma enjoyed feeding Gideon his bottle

We also made it to the Annual Yoder Family Christmas gathering this year. It was great to see everyone and to see our children playing so well with my cousins' children. Matthew joined us for the second half of our time in PA. Unfortunately he didn't get to see it snow, but he did see a few snow piles before it all melted. This was his first time seeing and touching snow.

Matthew's first encounter with Snow

While in Hershey visiting Joel and Heidi, we took the kids to Chocolate world. They enjoyed the ride, the singing cows and the samples of Hershey chocoloate! We went through the ride twice because they enjoyed it so much . . . and to get another chocolate sample! While with my parents we took the kids through Cabela's and on the Strasburg Railroad ride in Lancaster County. We saw quite a few Amish out driving their horse and buggy and plowing their fields with large teams of horses.

Joel reading a story to all the kids

Cabelas

The Strasburg Railroad

The 11 days in PA went by very quickly and now we are back in California. The kids are still adjusting to CA time. This morning they were both up at 4:30 AM ready and convinced it was time to get up. The 2nd night we were home Caleb left the dinner table and a little later we wondered where he was (it was way too quiet!). We found him asleep on the couch. He was exhausted.

Caleb exhausted, asleep on our couch after getting home.