Buchanan Family Reunion 2013

We went to Bear Lake in January with my family.  My brother got a deal on a great lodge so we spent 3 days there.  We played pool, foosball, Seven Wonders, hand and foot and Balderdash.  We also went sledding and sat around and talked.  There was a theater room and a big kitchen, both were well used.  It was great to spend time together and to have so much space for everyone to spread out in.

We wanted a new family picture.  This was the fun, run outside and snap picture.

Here is the best one.

Lucie and Ethan.

Grandma went rolling.

At the top of hill, waiting to go down.

(Brooklyn, Mark, Eli, Will, Cherilyn, Charles, Monica, Matthew, Ben)

One of my favorites.  Great picture, Anslin.

Anslin got this picture of the boys.

And then the girls.

Christmas 2013

We had a nice Christmas day at home.  We unwrapped presents and then played with them, worked on puzzles and had fun together for a few days.

Erica's One Direction shirt.  Joshua in his new hat.  Ethan holding sling shot.

Opening a big kite.  (We haven't used it yet because of the cold and snow.)

Joshua's double Nerf sword.

Charles in new shirt, hat and gloves.

Winter Fun

We have had plenty of snow this winter and it is sticking around.  The boys are always willing to play even when it is below freezing.

Here is the snow fort/igloo the boys (and Dad) made.

We all went out behind the house to sled one day.  The kids have been out a couple times since then to sled. Cherilyn and some friends climbed the hill facing our backyard and sledded from there.

After Christmas the kids made this snowman craft.  The cyclops is Ethan's.

Gingerbread Houses

We continued the Christmas tradition of making gingerbread houses.  This year I made the dough and cut out the basic houses ahead of time (The kids helped with the cutting out.)  We also let the royal icing dry after putting the sides together and then again after adding the roof.  We used yummy frosting for adding the candy.

Joshua (and Allison) made graham cracker houses due to a shortage on gingerbread dough and their dislike of gingerbread. 

Cherilyn's broke on the side.  It stayed together long enough to decorate, take a picture and eat it.

Halloween 2012

Halloween

 Allison and Cherilyn were half-awake, half-asleep.

 Eli was an army man.

 Ethan was a post-it note.

 Erica was a witch.

Joshua was a storm trooper.

We carved pumpkins on Halloween evening this year.

 

October Birthdays

October Birthdays

Ethan turned 9.  He got  Knex set that makes a crank fan and a few other things, an astronomy book and the use of his grandparents telecope.  We all enjoyed looking at the moon and jupiter.

Allison turned 15.  Within a couple of weeks she had her permit.  She had to take the written test twice, barely missing the cut.  She hasn't driven much because of the snow and ice on the road.