Winter 16-17

We were at Grandma's for Thanksgiving - this is the kids coming in from a round of playing outside.

 Aaron with Julia :)

 Aaron and Gideon playing with Lincoln logs -

 Anna, Melita, and Esther -

 The girls and Aaron playing with Julia like a doll!

 Aaron built some bookshelves this winter - we love them!

 We met some of Aaron's family in WI for an early Christmas this year - one afternoon they had a birthday party for all the grandkids that were there -

 A balloon bouncing game -

 Julia :)

 Esther got a little guitar as her birthday gift -

 We visited a cheese-making place while we were there -

 A family picture -

 The children in front of our Christmas tree -

 A family picture at Grandma's house -

 Opening gifts at my parent's -

 I tried to get a picture of everyone before we opened gifts at home, but once again, I couldn't get everyone to look at the same time...

 Julia -

 Julia opening a gift -

 Aaron with some of his new gifts -

 The girls with some gifts the "Grandma in TN" mailed!

 Aaron Joseph helping make his birthday cake -

 3 years old!

 Julia ended up opening her stocking on another day -

 A new sippy cup!

 Aaron Joseph got some tractors Aaron D. had in his things -

 Julia playing with a box at another get-together -

 Hannah brought some beads and string along and the girls absolutely loved it!

 Anna's first tooth she lost -

 Julia and Aaron Joseph having a snack of cheerios under the counter while I did school with the girls-

 Esther and Anna doing some school :)

 Another co-op picture -

The girls doing a geography club report -

                                     
 Esther and Verily -

 We had a two year anniversary service at church at the end of January -

 Leah's birthday party -

 Julia and Lily -

 Anna's 5th birthday in GF - We had leftover frosting from Valentine's day for her cake -

 ...And since we didn't have candles with us on the day, we saved part of the cake until we got home and blew out candle's then -

 I don't remember why, but the girls wanted me to take a picture and everyone ended up jumping in it-

 Esther and Anna decorating cookies - they're getting to be pretty good kitchen helpers -

 We thought this was so funny to watch - Aaron's been doing push-ups and Julia got down on the floor and was trying to "work out" too :)

 Aaron took the children out to the woods to see this tree that a woodpecker was having a meal out of-

 The kids on a wood pile -

 Laying down on a frozen river -

 They told me it was a lake-

Julia all ready to go in one of our favorite sweaters - This post had so many pictures, that I decided to put the fall ones in a separate post, so keep scrolling down:)

Fall 2016

 Last fall we went to Steinbach to the Heritage village - this display in the museum was one of the girl's favorites.

 The pioneer woman -

 Esther and Anna watching a lady make butter -

 This was the girls favorite house - when we got home, they noticed that we live underground too!

 The monument to the Heppner uncle...

 Anna at the petting zoo -

 Esther the bunny with the bunny :)

 Aaron Joseph -

 We went on a wagon ride -

 Me on the windmill "deck" -

 Everyone in the "public" school -

 Another picture of the sod house -

 Aaron and Anna in one of the churches -

 Aaron Joseph hanging out in a window sill in the church -

 We went over and saw the piece of the Berlin Wall -

 The kids at the corn maze -

 We spent a lot of time last fall hanging out at the "corn box" -

 Aaron filled in giving hay rides one afternoon -

 Julia in her stroller :)

 The girls doing the obstacle course -

 In the corn -

 We had a family picnic at the maze one day - it was so fun to see all the little girls :)

 Aaron and the kids camped out in the yard one night!

 Another picture on the bale mountain -

 Aaron and Aaron Joseph checking out the equipment -

 Going on a hayride -

 Esther and Melita taking part in a water balloon toss -

 We put an outdoor boiler in last fall - and I really mean we - Aaron had me out there "helping" dig the ditch and pour cement :) We've had some quirks to work out over the winter, but we really enjoy keeping the house warmer without burning propane!

 It was one of the last nice days, so we were all enjoying being outside.

 It's so hard to get everyone looking at one time -

 Julia -

 Anna -

 Aaron Joseph -

 Esther -

 We made Columbus boats a.k.a. twice baked potatoes for Columbus Day - the girls enjoyed making the flags.

 Another maze picture -

 This is at a Norwegian Heritage Village - Aaron got to do a wedding for a couple here!

 Esther had a tea party for her birthday - with cousins from both sides :)

 She was embarrassed when we sang "Happy Birthday" :)

 A few days later, Julia had her first birthday -

 She was a baby last summer, but over the fall and winter has learned to walk, eat, say some words, and thinks of herself as one of the big kids!

 Aaron and the kids went fishing with Isaac and had a great time :) They still talk about it -

We've been doing a homeschool co-op at church. This is the girls (and I) doing a report for geography club.