Roaring Run hike

We have been fortunate to have some beautiful winter days recently!  =)  Yesterday was one of those days.  The air was cool and crisp, the sun was out and we had nothing do to...so we went hiking! 
One of our goals this year is to do more hiking so we can explore the Valley a little bit better.  We found a new hiking place just outside of Eagle Rock (which is 20 miles from where we live).  This place was pretty!  The two we did were both a little over a half mile each way.  There were also a 3 mile loop, and a 5 mile loop (and, according to the park map, if you combine the 3 and 5 mile loops, it made a 8-9 mile loop....which eventually I'd like to try out too).
Here are some pictures of our day out!

the entrance to the park...just beyond it to the right was a picnic area and then the trail heads

on the way up, we were along side the river...it made for lots of pretty pictures!

jaden said "hey look!  a log just for me!"  and crawled in =)

the waterfall at the top of the hike

sled riding in PA

Pennsylvania got a few feet of snow while we were visiting, so we went sled riding!

snow angels

Jaden thought is was fun to fall into the snow and eat it

jaden and lexi

Yorktown and Pennsylvania Christmas 2012

Later Christmas day, we drove from my mom's to Yorktown to celebrate Christmas with his family.

I love this picture!  Derek was playing with his camera while Jaden was opening presents.

Derek's family: Derek, me, Pam, Bob, Josh and Jaden

We also got to visit with Derek's family in Pennsylvania for a few days over the holiday break.  This is Derek's cousin Amy and her husband.

Jaden and his second cousins: Brandon, Lexi and Allison

The Pennsylvania posse

Spotsylvania Christmas 2012

Christmas morning at my mom's

skype with my dad (he's overseas)

Uncle Robert

and Aunt Bobbi...they came over from Washington state to visit

posing with our new hats and purses

the quads

james, annette, my mom, me, and theresa

our family early Christmas

we celebrated Christmas together just the 3 of us early this year since we were traveling over the holiday.

waiting with much anticipation!

a letter from Santa

presents! =)

Christmas tree hunting

we hadn't intended on going after dark to get a tree....but we forgot how long it took us to get to the tree farm so it was dark when we got there....thankfully we had two huge flashlights!

jaden got to pick the tree

team work!

jaden thought it was fun to help cut down the tree  (last year, he had to watch)

catching up

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  Did anyone else feel like December flew by?  It's like you blink and BAM! its 2013 and the holidays are over.  Crazy.
*We had a super fun Christmas vacation visiting with all our family and friends.  Lots of driving and traveling....but we were blessed with zero traffic everywhere we went and Jaden was in a great mood too.  It never is fun to leave family to come back home, but it definitely feels nice to be back to "my own".  I'll post Christmas pictures in a few!
*This morning Jaden ended up not having preschool so he helped me clean our house. And boy, does it feel good to have a clean house!  We also put away the Christmas decorations except the cinnamon pine cones...because they still smell so good. 
*This year I made one resolution: to keep track of the miles I walk/run.  I have a few friends that did that for 2012 and it sounds like a fun idea.  I figure this resolution I might actually stick to because I can write the miles on my calendar and I only have to remember one thing =)