Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Enjoying the winter....

*****warning. Post is super heavy on the picture content******

We took last year off so this year the kids are back on the slopes. Excitement!!

Especially from our first time skier. She loved it. I spent that whole first day, after her one hour lesson (aka: my coffee break), running up and down the bunny hill. She's get to the top of the toe lift and fall down or get half way up and fall down. It was a good day of hill training for me. Ha. And warm! We all had our shirt sleeves on. Amazing!

Jan 16th all suited up and ready to start....

The next time we went (Jan 23rd) she barely even needed a hand! Which is kind of nice because it was considerably colder! She still wanted me out there with her though;) No sitting in the lodge with a book and a coffee for me!


...and these two remembered like they'd never taken a year break from the slopes....Maddy and Emilee took a lesson that first day...

and hopped right onto the chair the next Friday...


Isaac decided he's done with skiing forever. One day of boarding and "that was the best day ever! When can we go again?!" was all I heard.

Isaac and Wylan on day 1


Isaac and Wylan on Friday #2:

It was so amazingly warm that first Friday, Grandma and Auntie Randa could sit outside on the deck in the lodge, watch, tan and chat. VERY NICE!

Levi and Amelia after their second Friday of mount Baker. This is my fav photo because, check out the poor guy in the background!!!!

Amelia needs to be in every shot. Here she is with biggest cousin Josh after a long hard day of boarding for him....

We even brought friends. Dom and Danny came both days...

Dom's brother Clayton came the second Friday (and Grandma didn't boo hoo)
Here is is goofing with Emilee after their last run!


And here's what the madness looks like inside the lodge. We are able to bring our own food and use their hot water at the ski hill so it really cuts down on the cost. Can you imagine buying food for all these hungry hyenas?!?!? No? Me either! We'd only be able to go once rather than every Friday until the season is over. (yes. We know they have a very nice life!)

And my nephews enjoying their post-snowboard snack....


Here's what my sister-in-law got to do while I was hoofing it up and down the bunny hill

Gives me hope I tell you! :)

If you made it this far in my post, thanks! You must be related to us! We are truley blessed to be able to do this for our kids and to have such a wonderful affordable ski hill accross the boarder from us.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Fifth Birthdays and the fourth child...

Well, I guess you know that you have 4 kids when someone finally asks you when you're going to post those birthday pictures and you realize they're still in the camera. In my defence, it has been an especially busy week. In reality, it's just kind of what our life is like these days.

So here goes:


Amelia Lillian turned 5 on January 21. My baby is five. FIVE! Wow!

I had no idea how I was going to squeeze a birthday into an already crazy week so I put on my thinking cap and...had an afternoon party, just with family AND pulled the older boys out of school. She was delighted!

(here are Maddy, Amelia, Isaac and Emilee decorating for the party)


She had one request and it was to play this balloon game we'd played at a friend's birthday, so daddy dutifully blew up 100 balloons the night before (don't worry about his lungs, there was a compressor involved!) and the kids went for it. It was a hit!

Maddy and Emilee in front of the hallway of balloons:


Here's Emilee hunting for candy in all those balloons.



Opening presents....

Yes that is a Camp Rock Barbie but before I get any snide comments, she loved it! AND it was cheap. HA!



Gramma and Amelia checking the balloon prizes out...


And it's cake time....(Isaac decorated it)



Each year that goes by adds to my amazement at God's rich blessings in our lives. We have 4 kids who truly love each other. (No. sorry they still fight. We aren't perfect! Sheesh!) and 3 cousins who are more like siblings. It's pretty amazing to look over and see my 15 (almost 16) year old nephew who looks more like a young man than a kid every day, taking time to spend with his 10 year old cousin or to snuggle with his (now) five year old Cuz. It's pretty great actually! And to see the two 13 year olds really enjoying watching and filming their youngest sib/cousin getting her presents. I am struck by our riches that have nothing at all to do with money. Thank you Lord!

....and happy fifth birthday baby! I thank God everyday for the surprise blessing that you are. He knew that we needed you in our lives!