More photos from the winter survival fest!

Our Winter Survival Day in Hastings started out with the dogsledding truck and trailer sliding off the road and having to get pulled out by "Uncle Broken Dreams" and his tractor. Everyone in the family agrees that Uncle Matt can drop the "broken-dreams" tag if he wants. He sure delivered a fun day and came through with the dog sleds, igloo building, snow-mobiling, 4-wheeling and bonfire. A big giant thank you to Matt, Kelly, Brooke and Becca! What a day!

Peter being buried by the girls!Jack in his new Christmas Eve hat from "the game" and Will ready for the snowday!
Brooke, Hannah and Holly
The Francis Boys and Richard in front of the hobo fire!
Riding the tractor after getting the dogsled truck out of the snow bank!
Matt and Kelly's Ranch and Stable.
There were a lot of cooks in the kitchen trying to get the truck out of the snowbank!
Will, Jake, Jack and Uncle Jimmy cooking up some chicken!
Cozy central in the motorhome/warming shack! Juliette, LaVonne, Lydia, Josephina (pinky), Joanie and Brooke!

Hasting House

Matt and Kelly have the most gorgeous ranch house in Hastings, complete with stables and real live horses! Kelly says it has a "horse and hunt" theme! She loves the horses and Matt loves to hunt!
These are some of the planters that Kelly created during our girls night extravaganza at Zivicks nursery.

Winter Survival Day in Hastings!

When the temperature drops to 8 or 10 degrees, you wear whatever will keep you warm including this lovely "cooder" suit as we call it! Boy if my friends at Design School could see me now!
Mike and Bonnie!
Brooke and Hannah
Doesn't this look like the cover of the Beatles White album but in the snow!
Richard and Jack on the snowmobile!

Many thanks to Matt and Kelly who invited us all to a winter survival day at the ranch. They treated us to dogsled rides, igloo making, bonfires and hobo junction complete with chicken on the grill. Due to the warming temps the previous days, lots of the snow melted, but there was still plenty on the ground to play and ride in. The kids and adults had a fabulous day in the cold and snow! Hopefully we get to do it again next year!

Real dogsleds!

Joanie helping with the dogs on the first sled.
Jack holding the dogs on the second sled.

dogsledding

Brooke and Claire
Two sleds on the trail
Uncle Matt the musher!
Auntie Maureen having fun!
Kelly on the return trip. The dogs are starting to run out of energy!

snow igloos and bonfires!

Our Hosts, Matt and Kelly Francis
A few of the gang on the new fench!
The snow cave made by Uncle Steve and the girls.
Now that is what you call a bon-fire!

21 Cousins in 2009

I never know what to get my Dad for his January birthday, so last year I made him one of those calendars customized with your family photos. He loved it, so I am making him one this year. He and my mom treat us to a week at the lake with the entire family, so this year I am using our "I love summer at the lake photos". Here is the cover with a shot of each of his grandkids! We've got 2 more coming in April and May! 

Peace on Earth

Upon returning from the not so silent night at the Francis Home, we found a little treat on our snow covered front lawn. Our neighbors, the Philips made us this beautiful ice ring with berries, twigs and a little glowing candle in the middle. It was like a beacon in the night, our very own little shining star! Merry Christmas to all and Peace on Earth!

Silver and Green

Grandy and Grandpa's house looked very festive for the holidays with a silver and green theme. Bonnie helped put it all together and it looked very clean and fresh.

The not so silent night!

The annual Francis Family Tradition..."The Game" took on a life of it's own last night. There were some very popular gifts this year, but I guess the favorite was "The Coat"... We received a pink duffle bag, a George Foreman Grill and a game! Merry Christmas and starting on the 26th we begin our search for the gifts for Christmas Eve 2009!

Winter wonderland

Just when we think we have it all shoveled, we get another 2 inches! It is white and does it look beautiful!

Macaroni and paper mache'

No glass bulbs for the Elliotts this year. We unpacked every box of ornaments the boys ever made and every single one of them is on our tree this year! It looks superb!