The Maiden Ski Voyage!

Most of the schools around here are on a year-round school schedule. That means the kids go to school for 9 weeks, and then are off for 3 weeks (generally). We are currently "off" track for 3 weeks. Usually that means lots of boredom, wining, crying, fighting and calling the few friends who are also "off" track, to see who can tolerate them another day, because I definitely cannot!

Fortunately, McKay and Makenna are in 3rd grade and that means they are now eligible for SKI SCHOOL!! Yea! Ski school is an all-day, 8am till 4pm adventure up to Snowbird Ski Resort where they are bused up and back, fed lunch, and given ski lessons until they can't keep their eyes open, or feel their extremities (which ever comes first) anymore. The best part about it is they LOVE it! Mom loves it too, because not only are they gone all day for two days of the week, they can hardly move when they get home. It's a dream come true for everyone!

It is their first time ever skiing and so far it's a success! Our kind neighbor who shares in our joy took some pictures of the kids the first day right before loading the "big" bus with the t.v.s. They get to watch "Planet Earth" on their 45 min ride up/down the canyon, and they couldn't be happier. Unless of course they are sleeping!

Sledding

I have been waiting to post for a while because we got a new computer (it's a Mac and I love it!) and I have not been able to transfer all the pictures from my laptop I have been using for the last 2 1/2 years, to the new computer. I wanted to post all the pictures from our fun new years in Cedar City with Tyson's family, but I'm tired of looking at the same post every time I go to our blog, so I'm going to do them out of order.

On Martin Luther King day, we had a pretty good storm here in Draper, so we FINALLY took the kids sledding. We went to a park not too far from our house with a small to moderate hill (for the little kids). It was going rather smooth in the beginning. I sat in the car feeding baby Cooper with some friends, and the husbands were out helping the kids on the hill. I want to point out that I have been the one all winter wanting to take the kids sledding because I actually like to sled myself! Somehow, each time we think we're going to do it, something more important (on Tyson's list) comes up? So, when we finally make our move and follow through, I get banished to the car with the baby! What is that? Turns out, it wasn't a bad gig after all, because when Tyson was peer pressured into actually going down the hill instead of pushing everyone else, he managed to go off a jump and dislocate and break his coccyx (or tailbone, but coccyx is more fun to say)! The poor guy has been in some serious pain ever since. He even gets to carry around a very attractive, red plaid doughnut to sit on. I have a feeling Ty will be hanging out with Cooper in the car next time. I don't know that he'll be celebrating Martin Luther King anymore either? He He! But, the kids had a blast despite the frigid temps and we got some cute pictures out of it too.

Our Christmas Story

So, as you know..
Christmas has come and gone and all the hustle and bustle is over. What a relief!! In keeping up with this years theme of being the last one to get my stuff done, I am just now going to share our Christmas story.

We had so much fun this year. Having a new baby in the house made everything just a little bit sweeter, and a little bit crazier! Santa did not disappoint at our house this year, (except maybe the golf clubs he brought Makenna? I don't think she asked for those, but when we were able to find a new home for the ones Santa brought, and got her new pink ones, thinks looked up.) Watching our kids Christmas morning just keeps getting better every year. There is nothing like having a 3 year old treat every gift she opens like she's been waiting all her life to get it! And the wonderment of the others trying to figure out just how Santa knew all of their favorite things, even if they didn't ask him for them. It was our best Christmas yet. Getting everything I hinted about from my personal angel might have helped too!

With the extremely generous help of family,(my parents) friends,(the Wards)and lots of neighbors,(Rideouts, Saxtons, Haseltons, Enghs, and VanLeuwens) we were able to help a family with their Christmas this year. We had gotten away from this tradition lately and it was so humbling to get to do it again. It reminds us of how blessed we really are and how important it is to remember what this time of year is really about!