Christmas

Chris's Birthday started out our nice long Christmas vacation in Boise. I gave him a rocket kit as a present. Awesome, right? We all had a lot of fun with the rocket. We ended up with another rocket, lots more engines with lots more power, and a mini camera taped to the rocket (with crayons taped on the other side in an attempt to stabilize).

 Steven, Chris, Julie, and I went shooting one day. BRRRR! It was SO COLD that day!

 It was fun to see all the kids for so long. Here is Ryker eating Steven's hand.

 Mom had a great idea. Julie, Mom, and I all made 1 wiseman each out of clay. It was a blast. It took us all about 8-9 hours of straight sculpting. It was so fun. The world kinda disappeared for that whole time.

 For a few days we all went up to Grandma's cabin. The first night we played a game where you have to grab a paper bag with your mouth only letting your feet touch the ground. The bag gets progressively shorter as the game goes on. Chris made it very far... but darn his competitiveness, he pulled a muscle.

 Qanuk got to come to the cabin too. It was fun to go on walks with the dogs and enjoy the pretty sights.

Chris built an igloo on the kitchen porch. The kids loved it, but I think Chris REALLY loved it too!

 Of course a cabin trip wouldn't be a cabin trip without at least one engine! Stoney drove the kids around with chains he put on his four wheeler.

Julie and I took Qanuk snowshoeing behind the cabin. We chased a bunch of elk up the hill, and eventually got above them. It was way fun. 

 Chris was a good sport and the last day we were there took me to Abbott (a pretty good hike in some deep snow). It was beautiful. And of course Chris found ice to break.

 Qanuk kept getting ice balls in between his toes on long hikes. So we tried putting socks on him. He didn't seem to mind at all, but they didn't stay on very long anyways.