Wedding in Minnesota and Jonah's Photo Shoot

Cousin Ted with Jonah and Calvin

Jonah and Mor Mor on the dance floor

We visited Minnesota for a quick weekend to celebrate Kyle's cousin Claire and her husband Mikes wedding. For such a quick trip it was full of family and friends. We stayed with Jeff and Danielle where we got to experience the X-box 360 complete with a game that let us have a dance off until all hours of the night. My stomach hurt from laughing so hard at our dance moves.
Prior to the wedding we spent the afternoon with Kyle' s extended family. What fun it was to be with the whole Anderson crew. It was a real party with the kind of joyful chaos that only a family of around 30 can create. The wedding reception was delightful and held in an old theatre complete with a great stage for dancing and tasty treats to munch on. Jonah really danced for the first time he even sat down on the floor to stomp his feet to the music. It was such a joy to see him taking in the love from his family in Minnesota.
Somehow with all the fun I did not take too many pictures. But here are the ones I walked away with.
Best of all Steph Bloom one of Kyle's cousins is a professional photographer and she took these very sweet and candid shots of Jonah while we were there.

New Years in Yosemite

Bringing in the New Year in the Yosemite Valley was about as good as it gets. Ice skating on Tenaya Lake in the middle of a giant granite bowl was in the top 20 experiences of my life. As we skated along the edge of the lake we could see through the ice like it was a window. It gave you the feeling of flying. I could not get enough of it. It was such a special moment to share with Kyle. While we were skating Jonah was getting his first taste of rock climbing with my parents who joined us in our burst of spontaneity. That first night was New Years Eve and we slept in a heated wall tent. Kyle and I went to the Ahwahnee Lodge to sit on the benches that are inside the fireplace and I got to eat a great chili-dog as my last meal of 2011. Sad to say we did not make it to midnight!On the second day we rode our bikes all around the valley while Jonah slept in the trailer Kyle pulled behind the bike.  We also climbed 3/4 of the way up the hike to Yosemite Falls. We had a great lunch some serious sunshine and views straight out of Ansel Adams view finder. If you have not been to Yosemite, I suggest putting it high on your list. On the way home we stopped to hike down to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia. These trees blow your mind! Between their age and size and I have to say "spirit" they leave you- well speechless.

Jonah and Granny with the popsicles we made from the grape juice from grapes grown in their yard.

Jonah sharing the popsicle with Granny.

Christmas Cheer 2012

Kyle and Jonah at the Festival of Lights

This year we got to host Christmas at our house. To start things off we cut down a giant tree from the forest that took up half of our living room.  It was so big at it almost did not fit on top of our truck. It was a scene right out of Christmas Vacation. I had a lot of doubt that we could get it to fit and even threatened to post it for free on Craig's List, but it turned out to be the most beautiful tree we could have imagined. 

See below for my Christmas 2012 Top Ten although the pictures speak for themselves!

Amy with Autumn and Jonah during the Christmas tree hunt

Both sides of the family! What a treat.

The tree on the truck

Our beauty

John, kari, and Ellie on our sunset Gondola Cruise

Hiking with Papa

Jonah and Kelsi at the beach

Hiking at Echo Lake

Christmas morning grin

All because two people fell in love!

• Christmas time is about gifts and I don't mean the material kind. Here is the list of my most favorite gifts from this year. 
• Ellie, John, Kari, and Kelsi Erkkila all arrived safely and we got started right off with all the Christmas feasting. You can't believe the cookies that Ellie can make. 

• My brother Ty and his faithful companion Boone were able to drop by en route to visiting family in the San Francisco area. We once again ate some yummy food and took a couple nice hikes. 
• Christmas Eve was spent at the Unity Church here in Tahoe. We sang carols and got to choose a Christ like "power" to carry with us into the new year. 
• Seeing Jonah with his family. Sharing his books, stacking blocks, and driving his toys around. Every toy for him is a car or truck it seems.  He pushes them along and says vrooom. 
• Skiing (there is a bit of man made snow) and after enjoying a Bloody Mary in the bar. 
• Riding the Gondola to the top of Heavenly Ski Resort to watch the sunset together. 
• Being together with family to enjoy some down time and recharge. 
• Hiking at Echo Lake sharing the expansive beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Walking and Bath Time Fun

Ice Skating

Kyle enjoying a frozen sunset

We are in the midst of a pretty dry and cold winter. Sure you could think of a million down sides to this (the biggest being that we have NO SNOW). But you know the Erkkilas and we are a glass full kind of crew and we so we started ice skating on the frozen lakes and ponds around the Tahoe basin. It is such a beautiful feeling to skate in the alpen glow of these short days. 

Kyle skating at Grass Lake

Our great buddy Spencer and his dog Martha out on the ice behind their house.

Thanksgiving

 We celebrated Thanksgiving this year with Mark, Marie, Jeff, Danielle, Tyler, and Boone. Jeff and Danielle were visiting from Minnesota. They are so great that they did not mind sitting on fold-up chairs and eating off mismatched plates and silverware. Tyler stopped in on his way between picking his dog Boone up in L.A. and Jackson Wyoming. It was a meal filled that filled our bellies and souls. Just the way it should be.

This pic is not from Thanksgiving but it does have a food theme. This is Jonah eating his first In and Out Burger. He liked the fries best.

 Jonah continues to LOVE dogs. Despite his trip home from New Zealand Boone the dog was up for some little kid pets.

Pretty much any visit with Jonah involves a reading or two of "The Foot Book" By Dr. Seuss

1st Birthday Celebrations!

“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” Shel Silverstein

 

On your first birthday Jonah you love 3 things dearly. 

1. Having stories read to you 

   The Daddy Book by Todd Parr

   The Foot Book  by Dr. Seuss 

2. Opening and shutting any door or cabinet you can find

    

   3.  Your blanket that you stuff in your mouth and suck on to fall asleep or calm yourself

   
   

   And in turn you are loved higher than the highest mountain and deeper than the deepest sea by your family and friends. 

    

   You are loved so much that you had two birthday celebrations. First with the Erkkila's and the Rhodes.

   

   You blew out your candle like a champ.

   
   

    

   Loving your first cake ever.

   
   

   
   
   
   
   
    For your second birthday party your Granny and Sir were visiting along with Uncle Ty and his dog Boone. We also had some of our dear friends come over and have a little chili and cake. Cristi did an amazing job making you a robot cake! (I can't get the picture to import the right way) She has some serious talent!
   

   

   Enjoying your robot cake with Dad