One of the great things about starting this blog is that everyday I now  LOOK FOR all the good and great and fantastic things around me.  I also notice all the interesting and wonderful people around me too.  I guess this is why people who have been there and done that say to keep a journal.  There are things that I always want to remember and I feel more motivated to write about them now that I blog. 

For example, Ali, when we walk somewhere (like into the store or to the car) always slips her hand in mine.  She has done this for as long as she has been able to stand on two legs.  I'm so use to it that I just expect it.  I've noticed that now that she is getting older and on her own more (like at school) she doesn't do it as much.  I will honestly mourn the day she doesn't do it anymore. 

And speaking of Ali, check out these pictures that she and Kate took (one of the best things about digital?  The surprise pictures that my kids take).


Ali being attacked by a stuffed octopus



We brought the kids back these stuffed octopuses from our Oregon trip.  That's the kind of souvenirs that you get when your mom is a marine invertebrate fanatic.  Obviously, the kids have made the best of them.

One more thing about Ali.  Check out this video.  We worked with her for a few weeks before we let her go on her own (unlike Kate who just took off).

The Year in Review



Vacation July 2010

We had a hum-dingger of a year and I got a new camera to document it.  So occasionally I'm going to do a "Year in review" post.  This picture is of our annual trip to the lake.  We spend the days at the pool and the beach.  Everyone is content on the beach. 

P.S.  Josiah wanted me to mention that it was a windy day and his hair is not normally that "pooffy".

Happy Thanksgiving

We are thankful for a lot of things. We know we are blessed AND lucky. We have great families and friends and we live in a wounderous place. yes, indeed, we have a lot to be thankful for.

Between Allen, the kids and myself, our family has been skiing/boarding 5 of the last 7 days.  The snow has been GREAT!  Powder before Thanksgiving- can't beat that.

Heres a few shots of what it's been like. Enjoy!

Blizzard Warning

Blizzard Warning- Music to my ears!  I hope we get a lot of snow.  Although, I can't complain.  November has been pretty good so far.  Lots of powder and even more fun.

First Day on the Slopes

Yesterday we took the kids skiing for the first time this season. Allen and I went on Friday- we had to check it out to make sure it was good for the kids, right? So anyway, we had a blast of course.  Allen and I were surprised that the kids lasted as long as they did.  There was only one run open but they made the most of that one run hitting every piece of powder off to the sides.  Kate tried her hand at skiing backwards.  She did all right but gets too off balance if she tries to look over her shoulder to much so she just goes backward and hopes for the best occasionally looking around.  She wasn't really as dangerous as this sounds because she can't go very fast or very far this way.  After our lunch, the power went out on the whole mountain and we sat on the lift for a few minutes.  Got to hand it to the resort, they had the generators up and going pretty quick and we were able to ski for a few more hours.  Ali and I made a "documentary" about being stuck on the lift.  It was a hoot!  There is one segment posted below- we made many.  

Quick Quote

I came across this quote in a book I'm currently reading. 

It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy course; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt

 

It's Veterans Day.  I can't help but think of three people.  My Grandpa, who served in the Navy during WWII.  My grandma, because I can't think about Grandpa without thinking of her- theirs lives were so intertwined and Allen's sister, Jozette.

First my Grandma.  She was short in stature and tall in spunk and goodness.  Her life was spent in selfless service.  One of my favorite memories was my grandpa telling a story about how someone had ticked her off.  He said with a chuckle "She was one mad, little woman!".

Grandpa enlisted in the Navy right after Pearl Harbour. He was gone for years, missing much of his young families lives.  He thought he was going to die on a few occasions.  Once when the ship he was on was caught in a hurricane for three days he said he expected any moment to be his last.  He talked about how glad he was when Japan surrendered.  He was transporting soldiers to storm the beaches there.  He said he was so relieved that "All those men were going to live".  It was rare to get a story out of him.  He never bragged or even acted like his experiences were anything worth mentioning.  He did what he had to do just like everyone else of his generation.  Yet to us they are remarkable. 

Today is Allen's sisters birthday.  She passed away a few years ago.  She was young and had her own little family.  She did great things and I firmly believe she is still doing great things.  Achievements come in all shapes and sizes and many different kinds of packages. Her love, kindness and courage will never be forgotten.

Kates first crush- Charlie



 Kate fell in love this summer... with Charlie.  I think it was love at first sight.  The first time they got to be together it was like magic.  He is a Kawasaki 50 (KZX 50).  The first time she rode him, she just took off like she had rode a motorcycle a million times before.  It was amazing- she's amazing.  She had a pretty good spill when a grasshopper jumped up and landed on her shirt (she was in a hayfield with lots of grasshoppers).  She took both hands off the handlebars to swat at the grasshopper.  I can't blame her, grasshoppers are creepy. I know they serve a valuable function in the ecosystem but you've got to admit, they're just plain creepy.  Anyway, she went down, rolled a few times, jumped up, ran back to Charlie and pushed the off button.  She learned not to swat at the grasshoppers after that, but occasionally when we are out riding in the fields, I'll hear her scream and I know that another grasshopper just jumped around her.  It's quite funny. I have no idea where the name Charlie came from or Senior and Junior (the names of the other motorcycles).  Kate just started calling it that.  She will call Bapa to ask how Charlie is doing (Charlie lives at Bapa's). She even writes really creative stories involving Charlie and Bapa's cat, Catty.  They have a love/hate relationship (Charlie and Catty that is).  Charlie has been one of the best things that has happened to Kate.  She really enjoys riding and seems to get a lot of confidence out of it.  Thanks Bapa!



Joe on "Jr"., Kate on "Charlie" and Allen on "Sr."

 

Happy Halloween Pizza Pizza!

Halloween is always fun around here.  We head to a neighborhood "Trunk-or-Treat" where there is fun, loud music and everyone we know to socialize with.  Then we go through the neighborhood for good ole' fashioned door to door knocking.  We always see friends and its just fun (with A LOT of candy)!!!  Josiah dressed as a "punk snowboarder".  How does this differ from normal you may ask?  Well, for one thing, Josiah NEVER wears his pants dangling around his knees with his underwear hanging out.  (for the record, even on Halloween, his underwear wasn't hanging out, it was a pair of plaid pajama pants).  I noticed that he pulled them up to walk around.  Function over fashion- Go Josiah!  Second, he is not a punk.  He is a great kid who likes to have good, clean fun!  Sure he can tease like nobodies business, but he keeps us all laughing.  Kate, the ultra-creative one, wanted to be the Little Caesars guy.  Ya know, "Pizza Pizza!".  I can honestly say that it was the first time I had to make a toga.  She looked great and I was surprised how her costume appealed to all genres and generations.  Lots of comments on that one.  Ali was the cutest witch I have ever seen.  She had the classic green face and when she cackled, it was perfect! 

P.S.  Dad and Mom, You grow some fantastic pumpkins!

Autum Colors

We live in an amazing place.  Our scenery is AWSOME!  Every year the changing leaves surprise me.  Not that they change, just how beautiful they are.  I can never get enough of it.  Our family likes to take trips into the local canyons to see the fall foliage.  This year we found a new little trail.  It started out wide and then narrowed.  The trees formed a bright red arch over the trail.  We could hear a river most of the way.  Eventually the trail merged with the river (more of a stream this time of year).  The kids loved moving from rock to rock with the water trickling around them.  We had an incredible view down the canyon and the canyon wall on the other side was bright with colors.  The whole time I was saying things like "WOW!  Look at that one.  It's sooo RED!".  Or  "I love the way the yellows and the greens and the reds mix right there."  My enthusiasm got pretty annoying but I can't help it.  I LOVE the changing leaves!  And our canyons really are AMAZING, no matter the season.  

Flakes for all seasons

It's not just snow that we get flaky for.  Really it's water in any form.  For example, on October 15 we dropped all plans for the day (including a time sensitive tax return) and went BOATING with some friends.  Yep, that's right, boating in October.  The air temp was trying to hit 70, the water- a brisk 61.  The sun was shining and we were dressed in swimsuits and hoodies.  We had a BLAST!!!  Ali was the first to submerge, but of course it was Kate that we couldn't keep out of the frigid water.  She would have taken a dip off of the dock if I would of let her.  Josiah got up on the wakeboard and went in and out of the wake.  But the real show of the day was Allen.  He was actually EXCITED to get into the cold water to wakeboard.  He had a great showing and managed to keep his hair dry!  Great company and lots of fun.  What more could we ask for?

P.S.  The tax return got done later...a lot later.