Tears were shed...

Alex came downstairs for lunch today wearing her large curly blonde wig and kept it on for a good hour before I found locks of hair on my bathroom floor. When she took off her wig my initial reaction was shock, I wasn't prepared for the drastic cut she had given herself. From what I had found on the floor I didn't expect much, later I found the rest hiding in the garbage can under many layers of tissue. I cried and she ran and hid. Brad came upstairs to see what the problem was and assured me that "it's just hair" and not something to get so upset about. Then he saw what she did. Her hair was just below her shoulders and in this picture you can still see a little bit of the hair in the back that didn't get touched. She cut her bangs all the way to the top and gave herself even more bangs on one side. She told me "this is how all the high school kids wear their hair, I think it looks good." I took her right away to get it fixed because I didn't even know where to begin myself. The lady blended in the layers she had given herself and gave her a little under cut. Then parted it on the side and told me to pull it over and put it in a clip until it grew out. While she was getting her hair cut I smile at her in the mirror and shook my head. She smiled back and mouthed "I love you Mom". I love her too of course, I love her enough that I will not let her touch scissors again for a very long time. Here are the before and after shots. Not too bad except for those bangs. Thank goodness her hair grows fast.

This is why I like skiing

Because it's something we can all enjoy together as a family.

Alex amazed me. She was so confident in her skiing and you could tell she really enjoyed it this year. Mostly she enjoyed how independent she could be on the slopes. She proved that she could get on and off the coach's chair lift and ski down all by herself, and do it well. She gave me her own personal tour through the green and blue runs on the other side of the mountain that she had gone on with her teacher and showed off as she went off the usual path to climb the side of the mountain and gain some speed. She can't wait until she's old enough to go up on the buses with her friends and play on the slopes all by herself. She'll have to wait a few years for that though.

Johnny thought it was great that everyone there knew him by name. His name is taped to the top of his helmet for lessons and I hadn't taken it off yet. He loved that he had so many new friends on the mountain that day. As you might expect, Johnny had a little too much confidence. He was great at playing "green light, yellow light, red light" but he didn't like "yellow light" very much. He wanted to go fast, always trying to race you down the mountain instead of follow you through turns and practicing control. He could maneuver his way around with ease and nothing about it made him nervous. He wanted so bad to go on the higher lifts and steeper runs. He wanted to ride the lift all by himself and have the independence Alex enjoyed. Next year I'm confident that we'll all be riding the bigger lifts together.

Every time we went up for lessons I would alter between hot chocolate and apple cider because Johnny is a chocolate fan and Alex loves her cider. This time we brought up a thermas of each of them and they thought that was a real treat. They were excited to go up stairs and eat at the lodge even though they had been having so much fun skiing that neither of them noticed how hungry they were until we stopped to eat. I wasn't surprised at all when Johnny crashed on the way home. A lot of mine and Brad's favorite sports are things that the kids won't be able to really participate in until they get a little older. Skiing is one they can start out in early. It won't be long before we can all go up together and ski casually down the runs together as a family. I'm looking forward to that time.

Life is good.

The yays outweighed the boos yesterday so life is good.

Yay, we had our final ski lesson (sorry for the 4 ski posts in a row. We're going Friday too with Brad so this isn't the last one either.)

Boo, it was a freezing 14 degrees and felt even colder in the wind.

Yay, Alex went down some blue (intermediate) runs with her class.

Yay, I got to follow her for her first run.

Boo, she wasn't as good at turning as the rest of the kids and bolted straight down the slopes ahead of her class.

Yay, she steered herself in the right direction until the slope leveled out for her to stop.

Boo, I dropped my glove on my way down to catch up to her because I had it off to take pictures.

Yay, Alex likes to go fast, if only she could understand that it isn't a race and she needs to learn some fundamentals about slowing down and stopping. This is where I left the group to go find my glove.

Boo, she crashed and hit her nose, giving her a bloody nose on one of the runs.

Yay, I wasn't there for that.

Yay, she didn't let it affect her mood and she still had fun.

Yay, I caught Johnny on his last run. He really wanted me to see him ski today because I missed him last week.

Boo, they ended class early because everyone was so cold.

Yay, for a thermas that keep your apple cider nice and warm while you ski.

Yay, we made it off the mountain in time to catch Brad at the hospital visiting his Dad.

Yay, his Dad's knee surgery went really well.

Boo, I parked a mile away from where I was suppose to park.

Yay, the kids got to ride the elevator a lot.

Yay, Happy meals are half priced Tuesday nights.

Yay, for the little puppy happy meal toys the kids actually play with a lot.

Boo, we got home really late.

Yay, there was a message on the answering machine from a boy in Alex's class.

Yay, I got to watch her act both embarrassed, shy, excited and giddy as she returns his call.

Yay, Brad's teacher let him out of class really early.

Yay, the kids still made it to bed on time. Life is good.

Yay, Brad's coming with us on Friday.

Yay, I get to bring my new telephoto lens and take lots of pictures. I'm crossing my fingers for good picture taking weather.

Morning Star

The fog is still settled over the valley, seeming to be quite happy with where it is. I hope it knows that it's not welcome to take up permanent residence and moves on soon, because I know I have. It has had quite an affect on the plants near the bottom of the mountain though. Eventually we met up with the fog and found that on one side of the mountain every bush and tree limb was covered in a thick coating of frozen fog. Crystal like formations that belong on a string in a science lab. Then on the other side of the mountain all you could see was a white abyss, darning you to test it's depth (I tried not to look in that direction).

After climbing high enough we had another sunscreen, layer shedding, ice melting day on the mountain. No snow was left in the parking lot and there was no ice on the slopes. The picture below is of the cloud-covered valley, if only everyone knew that the sun was hiding just a 40 minute drive UP.

I had a hard time finding Alex today, I found out at the end of her class that it was because she spent the day on the Morning Star chair lift getting her used to steeper slopes and longer runs. She was so tired by the end of the day, but she did great and really enjoyed herself. I cut out a little section of the trail map and posted it below. She's been hanging out at the "Coach's Corner" to the right and yesterday moved to "Morning Star" to the left. She said that she didn't like the lift because it was so high up, I'm just glad her teacher was the one to get her used to riding it and not me. I'm hoping to be able to sneak behind them next time and see how he guides her down so I can do the same when I take her up on my own.

I tried during the week to post a video and for some reason it wouldn't take it. I need to look into that because I have some of each of them skiing as well as some of Alex playing her violin and Johnny with his ukulele that they got for Christmas. If anyone has any tips, please pass them on!

Wish List Granted

Sunshine? Check

Pictures? Check

Alex on the bus? Check

Potty breaks? Check

Better Jacket for Johnny? Check

Backpack? Check

Clear roads? Double check

We woke up to heavy fog laying on the ground outside our house. I grew up with fog and told myself "it'll burn off by this afternoon". I guess fog in the valley is different than fog on the ocean. No wind blowing it on it's way and colder weather keeping it from evaporating. I was relieved when we got closer to the mountain and saw blue skies peeking through the clouds. At the top of the mountain we had bright warm sunshine. We had to take off a layer of clothes and apply sunscreen, beautiful. "It's summer!" Alex exclaims "because we're wearing sunscreen and playing in water". The slush was melting in the parking lots providing numerous puddles for the kids to splash through. As we looked back out over the valley we could see what looked like a huge bowl of marshmallow fluff in the distance. Alex wanted so bad to go down and "touch" the clouds because they looked so soft and fluffy and tangible.

Because of the clear roads we had time to stop at the gas station at the base of the mountain for a potty break and once we got to the top I had a nice big backpack to carry their skis, helmets and goggles on my back making it possible to carry mine in one hand and Johnny's hand with my other available hand. Someone told me I looked like I was practicing to be a caddy and that it looks like I've done this before. I told him "trial and error".

It was so beautiful I spent my entire time on the slopes but did manage to snap a couple of pictures as the kids were finishing up their lessons. I'll get more when Brad and I take them up on our own to have a little fun at the end of the month.

Johnny's teacher was teaching him to "drive his car" so he would keep his hands out in front of him. So Johnny would take off making motor sounds and gripping an invisible wheel the entire way. It was so funny, everyone's head would turn to see the little "car" pass them up on the "rabbit hill" (that's what Johnny calls it instead of the bunny hill). I ended up putting his old 2T jacket on him which actually fit him perfect still (poor kid) so his gloves stayed on just fine the whole time. If it didn't get dark so soon I would've taken them back out after their lessons for some more skiing, they were both loving it. I just didn't want to be stuck driving down the winding mountain road in the dark. I can't wait to take them during the day so they can show off all they've learned! So in answer to my last impending question. YES, it was worth it!

Typical Tuesday?

Yesterday was not a typical Tuesday for me but I wonder if it will be for the next few weeks?

The kids started ski lessons and this is how the day went. Can I check "yes" to the things I want to repeat and "no" to the things I would like to leave as a distant memory?

7:25, I wake to Johnny opening his door.

7:28, I get up, go into Johnny's room to turn off his light and realize he is back in bed tucked under the covers. I glance towards Alex's door, she's still asleep. What happened to my early bird? Regardless, I head downstairs to start breakfast and shortly after, the smell of hot cakes brings Johnny down the stairs.

7:35, It starts snowing.

7:45, I wake Sleeping Beauty and rush the kids to get dressed and finish breakfast before the bus rounds the corner.

8:45, Drop Johnny off at his new preschool, hoping it'll be worth the change and he will like it. I now have 2 hours to shower, get dressed for skiing, sew the velcro back onto Johnny's jacket, gather & label skis, boots, helmets, gloves, jackets, hoods, goggles, layers for them to dress in as soon as they get home, pack a lunch, charge the camera in hopes the sky might clear for two minutes so I can get at least one shot in (all in vain).

11:30, Pick a very excited Johnny up from school. Then get him bundled up as soon as we get home.

12:10, Meet Alex's bus outside with no Alex on it.

12:10:30, Answer a call from Ponderosa Elementary that Alex told her teacher I was picking her up today so she's waiting at the office. What ever happened to the "no note, no way" rule? So I grab Johnny, our ski bags, her layers of clothes and rush off to the school. She changes in the bathroom and we head up towards the mountain hiding behind a cloud of white. By now it's raining and we're watching for it to turn into snow as we climb in elevation. The kids work on their sandwiches and before long Alex is getting car sick so we drive most of the way with the heater blaring and her window rolled partially down.

1:45, we make it to the Bogus Basin parking lot and finish getting dressed in boots, jackets, helmets, goggles and gloves. Much more work than last year when I only had one kid to get ready. Leaving my stuff behind, I grab their skis and brave the icy wind. It never really did start snowing, I would call it "icing" because it hurt your face when it hit you. Carrying Johnny AND the skis part way we finally make it to the "Mouse House" and get the kids checked in, spirits still high with anticipation.

2:05, I head back to the truck to get myself ready and head to the ski lifts. But after two runs of total white out, not being able to see where I was going or how I was getting there I ended my run down the coach's hill and found Alex turning her skis down the mountain all by herself and Johnny getting off of the magic carpet with his sleeves hanging far too low, his hands obviously not in his gloves anymore. I watched for a little while as Johnny continues to tell his teacher that he wants to go faster and gets a lift up onto the coaches chair lift on his first day. This was also Alex's first time on the chair lift as well, last year she stayed on the magic carpet. Both of them did great and enjoyed themselves.

3:45, I pick Alex up on time.

4:00, Johnny's class finally makes it through the door, apparently it took them longer than they had expected to get down the coaches hill. I avoid Johnny's "I want hot cocoa" tantrum with a promise of Transformer fruit snacks and cider in the truck while picturing myself carrying two sets of skis and a kicking, screaming, wet bundle of clothes to the truck. I hurry to the rental shop to exchange Alex's skis because her instructor told me they were a bit too long. After we got all set up they realize my exchange was for longer than just today so they told me I needed to head down the mountain and do that at their rental store in town. It is raining/icing and the wind is blowing so we rush to the truck, throw our wet clothes anywhere they'll fall in the cab and hurry out to make it to the rental store before they close at 5:00.

4:15, Johnny says he has to pee. "Can you hold it until we get off the mountain because it's wet and freezing outside and there are no bathrooms?"

4:20, Johnny's "pee pee is about to come out!" I pull over at the next slow vehicle turn out and empty a water bottle. Thank goodness he's a boy. Johnny passes out in his seat before too long and Alex tells me that her Dad already made it home before us.

"Oh ya, how do you know that?"
Alex: "I can see what other people are doing in my head"

"You can see what other people are doing in your head?"

Alex: "Ya, can't you?"

Then randomly throughout our drive down the mountain she would blurt out something like.

"Now Daddy's sitting down to watch a show, I don't know what it's called but there is a bad guy in it"

"Now he's getting up to get himself a snack of chips"

"Now he's taking a rest in his bed"

5:05, We pull up to the rental shop and I slip in before they lock the doors and make a quick switch.

5:45, We meet Brad at McDonald's and half priced Happy Meals with "surprise" toys in each meal (ie: we have lots of leftover toys we need to get rid of). I sneak over to Albertson's for some cookies and cream ice cream and a movie before the kids finish their nuggets and french fries.

6:30, Showers, warming up by the fire, apple cider and bedtime, on time.

A whirlwind of a Tuesday and it leaves me wondering what my next few Tuesdays will be like. Can I make a few requests? Sunshine, or at least no rain so I can tack some pictures, Alex making her bus, time for potty stops at a real restroom, a jacket that fits Johnny a little better, a backpack to carry all of their stuff to and from the lessons, no ice on the roads? Can Alex see next Tuesday in her head and tell me if it'll be worth it? I'll ask her when she gets home from school today.

Tid Bits...

A few tid bits I'd like to remember from this Christmas:

Johnny's favorite toy this year?
Remote control car? Very cool, played with it for a good hour I think, but no.
Walking, roaring, head and tail wagging dinosaur? "Awesome" but it didn't take the cake.
How about the Nerf gun? The kid does love his weapons. However he mostly played "hide from my Dad and Uncle as they shoot the balls at me" then he'd go collect them all and return the ammo for more fun. When he first got it he had too many balls to carry but didn't want to leave any behind so he worked carefully to find a spot for every ball including in his mouth, between his knees, under his chin and many in his arms (all while balancing his gun as well) until he had them all safely in his corner to try them out where no one else could get their hands on them.
No, the toy that made it to the number one spot on Johnny's list was.....
the slinky Santa threw into his stocking at the last minute.
We'll remember that for next year Johnny, thanks.

Alex's famous phrases for the holiday?

"I hate the snow, it's too cold! But I still want to go sledding later"

"She walks!" Referring to the horse Santa got her that didn't walk on it's own like it was suppose to for the first day she had her. It's a Christmas miracle!

"How come everyone else is wearing red, which is a Christmas color and I have to wear blue?"

"Can I sing Rodolph the Red Nosed Reindeer for everyone?" She asked this during the Christmas Eve program but when she got up there some how Mom was the only one singing.

"Is there anything I can get for you?" She was acting as waitress to everyone at the cabin taking orders from the treat table. At one point one of her uncles asked for a cheese burger to be funny and she came back with a roll filled with ham and chunks of cheese.

"What does my shirt say?"
-Spoiled-
(Pouting) "I don't want it to say spoiled, I want it to say princess."
-And that is why it says "spoiled"-

Our Christmas Break

What a Christmas Break. Micron took a mandatory 2 week vacation so we've had Brad home more than ever before, yeah! My little sis Sariah flew out with my cute nephew, Hunter.

We took some darn cute pictures... :o)

To see the rest go to my photo blog

We packed up Christmas and took it north to Brad's parent's cabin in Cascade.

Christmas Eve ski trip!

Lots of fun with the family:

Uncle Craig
Tate, Em & baby Aiden
Bret & Jo
Mom & Dad Day
We filled our time with:

Gingerbread houses
Snowmobile rides

Sledding

The best part of the holiday break?
Putting the kids down for quiet time at 1:00 and leaving them with Brad while Sariah and I went shopping, to the movies and ate Italian, arriving home 6 1/2 hours later.
Sariah played "personal shopper" for me, introduced me to tiramisu & "Phish Food" and taught me how to properly use a curling iron. Alex cried for an hour at bed time when she had to say good bye to Aunti Ri and Hunter since they were leaving extra early the next morning. She wrote Sariah a note asking her to "please stay tomorrow". It was a great visit and hopefully soon they will be here permanently so our "good byes" won't have to be for so long.