Outdoor activities...

The birthday party was held a little earlier this year so that the kids could play out on the ice (no snow for sledding). The neat part about the frozen water was seeing all the frozen fish every couple of feet. The kids thought that was pretty neat. Activities included: ice hockey, ice skating, taking an adventure on near by island, ice fishing and just taking a walk on the ice.

Emma dropping the puck for the game to begin. Connor and Max are facing off.

Grandpa Berning and Karley

Karley, Lincoln, John, Josie, Emma and Brielle 

Birthday girls: Brielle and Karley

Carter, Terry and Connor trying out ice-fishing.

Emma deciding to crawl for awhile on the ice.

Emma, Josie, Brielle and Karley taking an adventure.

Grandpa Berning and Wilson joining in.

The kids captured Grandpa and put him under this tree as a jail!

On the other side of the island there was a small lake just covered with  snow so  Grandpa  decides to make a snow angel with the kids.

Grandpa and Josie having a tug-of- war with a stick

Karley's snow angel

All the kids had fun writing their name in the snow.

Grandpa took them all for a snow ride on the ice. They all had fun with this!

Tim and Emma going out for a skate. 

Emma practicing her hockey skills

Connor showing his hockey skills 

Connor, Sam, Max and Carter in action

Jan., Feb., March Birthdays

This year we celebrated the Winter birthdays in the middle of January. It was nice that Kristen's parents offered to host it again. The day was filled with lots of fun, laughter, play, food and family time!

Lincoln, Brielle, Jolene, Dorothy, Karley and Wilson

Dorothy, Wilson. Brielle, Lincoln and Karley

Faces

Random face pictures of cousins from the Winter Birthday party in January!

Cross- stitch

While at the farm one day, the girls noticed that Grandma Berning was working on a cross-stitch. The girls were very interested. One night with G &G Berning came over for piano lessons, Grandma surprised the girls with a started kit. They were excited, but also learned it takes patience and time. Since then, they have been working on them on them.

While the girls were working with Grandma, Tessa and Karley were building blocks with Grandpa.

A little nap..

One morning Tessa was a little out of sorts with a runny nose. She had been up a couple of times throughout the night. This Saturday morning I was taking a getting ready to take a shower for the day and Tessa came in and wanted me. I could hear her crying and I told her I'll be done in a little bit. After awhile, I figured she must be playing because she wasn't crying any more. As I was getting ready to get out of the shower, I found   her taking a nap on the bathroom floor. She got a good 30 minute nap in that morning!

Special Guest

We have a new associate priest at Holy Spirit. His name is Father Alan. He is very young and has a lot of energy and life!! Our kids have really enjoyed him and kept asking when we could have him and Father Thoman over for dinner. Father Alan is a great role model for the kids in his faith but also shows his human side. It didn't work out for Father Thoman to come this day, so we'll have to reschedule that. On this particular Sunday Father Alan and his parents (who where in town) came out to the farm for lunch along with the Oberfoels. We had a nice sit down lunch with some homemade bread and jelly, beef roast, veggies and ice cream for dessert. The kids couldn't wait to have Father take a gator ride and head outside. Father came prepared with a change of clothes and was ready to head out. His parents are also dairy farmers so they were excited about a farm tour! Outside activities consisted of gator rides (riding and driving), farm tour, a snowball fight Father against the kids! It was a fun -filled day and the kids still talk about it. Now they want him to come out to the farm in the summer for a water gun fight/nerf gun fight! Father said he is ready!! We are truly blessed with having him in our lives!

Emma and Wilson... Father and Lincoln