I took the kids up skiing the other day. It is my favorite thing to do and I so wish we could go more. It's just kindof a huge effort to get Mack watched for the day and rent skiis for everyone and plan ahead etc. etc. But when I'm skiing down those slopes it is SO worth it. And then I want to go everyday. The best part is seeing my kids get better and getting to bond with them while doing something I love! I can't wait till Mack is old enough to come with us and go to ski school for the day... and then of course when he can ski with us too and I'll have all my kids with me. My dream....
Anyway, I took the photo below last time we went. I love it. It's just with my iphone but the lighting is great and the mountain in the back is beautiful. It's a new fave.
I had such a good spring break this year. First of all, I was ready for a week of no school and missing Brentwood's 2 weeks off every March! So I was ready. Second, I planned our entire week and even hung a calendar on the wall with what we were doing each day. Also, I switched things up so that we did chores at night right before bed and I felt like that made our mornings so much nicer.
Some highlights of the week:
Oakland zoo
The big cement slide park in Berkeley ( and getting ice cream afterward).
Tie- dying! It is SO fun! I loved it. Kindof a big mess but really a blast.
and how cute did their shirts turn out?
The purple was actually a blue but when faded looks purple so too bad for Mack that he has a girly shirt.
Uncle Landon the best ever came over one night and did pictures with my kids with flashlights- they thought it was so cool- Landon is such a good uncle they all just love him to pieces.
I got to go skiing at Northstar
Swinging across the creek
We also saw " The great and powerful OZ" and really liked it. We went to sky high but I have no pictures because I hate that place- we only went because friends were going. We were supposed to go into the city one day but the rainy weather ruined those plans. We also went on a couple of bike rides which is a family favorite. Overall it was a fabulous spring break and I am now officially looking forward to summer!
Dear Blog, I love you but I have no time for you. Maybe one day I will find more spare time. Today I am all caught up on my editing sessions so I am going to use my computer time and just go for it!
My favorite day of January was the 2nd. Lexi's birthday and our family ski trip. My kids are getting the hang of it and it's a dream come true for me. They loved their ski class at Kirkwood. I loved getting to ski with Dave. We hadn't been together in a long time! I'm super proud of my kids and cannot wait to take them again. I was worried because I had told them that I would visit them at lunch, and then I didn't. I thought when I went to pick them up they would be tired and whiny but we showed up and they were all smiles and "watch me!" They didn't even want to quit and they'd been going all day. They had a blast. I was thrilled.
One highlight of the day was when Brett and I were at the top. It was a sharp edge to get onto the hill/cliff and we stood there trying to decide which entrance to take. He said "follow me" and just went for it. His ski hit the edge weird and he proceeded to fall and fall and slide and tumble halfway down the mountain, losing a ski and being covered in snow. As he fell I could hear bits of laughter coming out of him. I cried I laughed so hard. Something about seeing someone so helpless is hilarious. I thought to get my phone out and video- I wish I had! Needless to say I did not follow him- I found a better entrance for myself. Some guy collected Brett's ski and we were off again. At the bottom we headed right back up! I love the thrill of a big old steep mountain to conquer and of course my brother is fearless even after a big old spill.
The only downside of a day skiing is a day away from Mack. I missed my baby boy. So thankful he could spend the day with his cousin Parker and Grandma and Aunt Emily!
So in love with my kids.
On the way up! Dying over Landon's turtleneck. But he was warm- that's all that matters.
Mr. Handsome
Before I sign off- in the past I have posted ski videos and I really wanted to do some more this time. BUT I've always used my little canon camera. This time I thought I'd use my cell- well it is harder to film on a cell phone. The shape isn't right in my hand. So the only video I have is this short little one by Brett. And below it, an old funny video of me falling in case you missed it a couple years ago.
OK and one more because I just rediscovered it and I am missing my little kids of the past this week. Lexi and Logan are trying to be hawaiian fire dancers here (ages 4 and 2.5 probably)...
Monday, March 29, 2010
Last week I went skiing with my mom, sis and brother Landon. Landon hit some ice going fast and fell. It was our 5th run of the day and he broke his collar bone. It was really sad. He was in a lot of pain and we were all so dissappointed that our fun day of skiing had ended so early.
He was super brave. I would have bawled my eyes out. He got a ride down on the sled and if you've ever broken your collar bone you know any movement is so painful.
Tomorrow he has to get surgery to pin the bone back together. I'm nervous about surgery. I don't like it. Good luck Landon - love you!
LANDON- DO NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT.
After he got hurt my mom insisted that my sister and I keep skiing so the day wouldn't be ruined for all of us. We felt guilty but went for it and had a great time. Except for the time we got stuck on the lift in between a guy smoking and another guy drinking. And both being lame. That part wasn't fun. But the rest was.
Then my mom came up in the afternoon after Landon was taken care of. The weather was beautiful. We were at Northstar which, in our opinions, is the best resort at Tahoe.
We hit the backside of the mountain after lunch. It was so quiet and the snow was perfect. The runs are so much longer down the backside- it feels like you just keep going and going. Every cliff you come to you think you'll see the lift below but instead its another great run. It was perfect and such a fun time. I hope my mom will keep skiing with us until she's 85. I know she can handle it and it wouldn't be as fun without her!
The good news is I have gotten to visit the babies two times since they left. It helped my kids feel better. And it helped me feel better too... but kind of sad also.... just always a big mix of emotions. I am glad we get to see them. They are only 15 minutes (or less) away so hopefully it will be frequent.
Also, I got to take my kids skiing which is something I've been waiting for the right time to do for a long time! They were awesome. They did not cry, complain, or whine. They loved it and did great for their first time. I was so proud of them. I'm looking forward to many years ahead of skiing with my kids.
I need to talk about a small traumatizing experience I had yesterday:
I fell off of the chair lift while skiing at Kirkwood.
It is all kind of a blur so I thought I would have my brother Brett give you the story from his point of view.
Brett thank you for guest blogging for me today.
Brett: "Ok from my view this is what happened. My mom, sister Kaley, D-Dawg, and me had just finished a fun ski run down the slopes and were preparing to get back onto the ski lift. We pulled up to the standing spot and waited for the chair to come around and scoop us up.
If you have ever been on one of those lifts you know that they slow down so you can get on, and then speed up as you head for the top. It was going nice and slow and we all sat down on the chair (so I thought). The next thing I see is D-dawg falling off of the lift and onto her skiis! But because the ground was right beneath the chair, it was just pushing Denae along on the snow.
After a few yards the chair started to ascend into the air. In panic, and out of total desperation, Denae tried to quickly jump back up on the lift. She jumped and I grabbed her thinking that I would be able to just pull her up onto the chair, however that was totally impossible because in her attempt to jump, she really didn't go any higher than she already was and the lift kept getting higher and higher. I held her momentarily until she just gave up and got sucked under the lift... literally it looked like she was sucked under.
We then screamed to the guy who was shoveling the snow (instead of doing his one job of making sure everyone gets on the lift). We looked back and Denae was just laying there in the snow. After a few seconds of seeing her lifeless body on the snow we thought she had hit her head. Then she looked up with a huge smile. (We found on later that she was lying as close to the ground as possible, so that she wouldn't be hit by the next chair... which was fast thinking on the part of my sis!) It was so funny and we laughed for hours. It was like one of those fast, panicky moments that ended up just fine!"
All that he speaks is true.
After the lift knocked me down and swooped over me, I was face down in the snow and all I heard was my mom's voice fading away as she screams at the negligent chair lift worker, "STOP THE LIFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I laid there for awhile for two reasons: I was scared to get up for fear the chairs and skiis going over me would hit me, and I was a teense embarrassed (who wouldn't be embarrassed for being the fool that stopped the lift?)
Then the guy came over to me, laughing his head off (thanks jerk), and then I started laughing too and he helped me up and carried my skiis back to the line. I had to trudge through the deep snow, facing the silent, very silent, chair lift line full of people. Awkward. I got on the next chair with a little girl who looked at me sort of sheepishly. I said, "did you see me fall?" And she giggled. It was funny.
I have a few injuries, including a hurt arm (from being hit), a hurt neck (cause my neck is weak and always gets hurt), and a hurt leg (from getting twisted somehow in the mayhem).
Last night as I was falling asleep I couldn't stop laughing imaging what I looked like. Aaaahhh good memories.
My kids are at Grandma's (Dave's mom) for the a weekend trip (it's their spring break) so now I am going to lay on the couch and then go on a date with Dave.
One more thing, I'm not so good at skiing and taking video any more- I totally fell. Here it is:
