Goats!

I know it's the end of September...and I haven't updated the blog in nearly 8 months!  I'm going to attempt to catch the blog up over the next few weeks. :)

from January '13 ~

cousins Janae and Julia were given pregnant goats for Christmas.

At the end of January, both goats gave birth..just 2 days apart.

The girls are holding "Rosa", the first goat born. 
She is 2 days old here.
We ran over to the cousin's house this night because the 2nd mama goat was in labor and we were hoping to get to see her give birth.

We waited around for about an hour but had to get home and into bed.
My sister (and Janae and Julia) ended up having to help deliver the 2 goats from the 2nd mama...only 1 survived and he was TINY -the size of their teacup chihuahuas!

Rosa nursing with the 2nd mama in the background in labor

isn't she just the prettiest little girl?!

Family Picnic at Sunset

In early January, John had the great idea to take the kids up for a sunset picnic at one of the lookout mountains around here.

(John has such great ideas for fun family experiences!)

We took the whole family ~and everyone had a great time!

 

Christmas Vacation in Southern California

Right after Christmas we headed out to Southern California to visit family.

 

First up was Orange County to visit John's family.

My grandma gifted us money for Christmas this year so we could do something fun (instead of just filling the house full of "stuff")...we decided to take the kids to Knott's Berry Farm!

 

 

Auntie Paula joined us for most of the day!



We waited over an hour to get into the restaurant for Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner. 

Normally we wouldn't wait that long...but it was worth it!!

 



Next up was a belated Christmas family gathering with John's family

 



After our time in Orange County, we dropped down to San Diego to visit my family.

We took the kids down to the La Jolla area to see the seals and sea lions!

 

quite a few of the seals "sunning" themselves on the beach

 



 

 

they really are cute close up. :)

 



 

we never get tired of just watching the ocean

 



Christmas 2012

Christmas Eve we spent with my parents. We went out to dinner and then back to their house so the kids could "open" 1 present.

 

 

This year, we bought the boys "new" bikes (read -Craigslist finds that John spiffy'd up) and asked Grandpa to make each girl a dolly crib.

We had the kids hide downstairs in the basement while we set up the gifts..then blindfolded them for their walk up the stairs :)




all 4 were pretty suprised and excited!!

Christmas morning the kids were up before the sun. :)  We told them not to wake us up until 6:30 and guess what time ALL 4 were in our room?!  yep -6:31 :)

Stockings hung by the pool table with care ~

after stockings comes the unwrapping mayhem!

 

 

hard to tell, but Andrew just opened his air-soft pistol.



 

the girls got certificates for horseback riding lessons. I love Elizabeth's face in this!

after present mayhem and breakfast at our house, we head over to grandma and grandpa's to meet up with the cousins for more present mayhem!



 

Biruk got his air-soft gun too. :)

 



 

every year Janae (and the other big cousins) write a play based on the Christmas story. :)

 



This year we were blessed to have baby Jaxton fill in for baby Jesus in the play. :)