A Good Day

You know it was a good day when you hit the car and this is what immediatey happens to your kids.

We headed north and met the Weber's for a day of skiing. Dave and Darren headed windward for kite skiing, while Norene and I took the kids and headed for Soldier Mtn. It was a gorgeous day - sun, sun, and more sun.

We ended the day at Jim Dandy's, the best pizza parlor in Fairfield. Come to think of it, the only pizza, and probably, the only restaurant in Fairfield!

Girls Only

Every year Pomerelle does a program for women. I have been wanting to do it for years, and finally, this was my year. Every Tuesday in February my friend Raquel and I got to ski, without kids! The program includes all day lift tickets, ski clinics, and lunch - served to you! They break you into groups based on how you ski. Each time you go there is an hour and a half lesson. I learned so much! Even Darren was impressed with how much I had improved. It even had him convinced that he would enjoy some lessons!

I tried to pass on my new found skills and drills to my kids, but surprisingly, no one would listen! I did get Paige to "wave at the trees" and she practically stopped snow plowing... but it was short lived. How could mom possibly know what she is talking about?

I can't wait until next year! Great idea Raquel!

Game On!

Paige loves to play monopoly. Darren doesn't. Monopoly was banned at his home when he was growing up. Too intense, Ellis making up rules as he goes... you can imagine...

So we indulged Paige tonight. It turned out to be such a good game that we just tucked it away for the night. To be continued...

Update

Nope, still hasn't washed his face.

What Darren does...

I finally have some pictures of snow kiting. This is Darren's new obsession, and he is OBSESSED.

This weekend there was a big event for kiting at Fairfield. Demo's, races, etc. There are never this many kites out, but they were expecting around 300.

Darren's view while taking a break.

Darren ripping it up. They did 40 miles on Friday.

We were all set to ski at Soldier today while Darren kited, but alas, there was no wind. At least not enough, and not from the right direction. East winds are no good, too unpredictable. 7- 10 is sissy stuff. I know more about wind than anyone should ever have to know. I feel bad for the people putting on the event. How can you know the wind won't blow right? Responsibility without control - stress! Kind of like being a parent.

Brady and Paige woke up NOT wanting to ski today anyway. I don't blame them, they skiied yesterday. Then, when Darren decided to stay home too, he came up with OTHER things for everyone to do. Like work. As I walked out the door to a meeting I heard Paige crying, "But I would have gone skiing!"

Justin, whose dirty-ski-face is darkening by the day- we really need to remember sunscreen - was more than disappointed with this sudden turn of events. But he took it in stride, and guess what happened? Friends called, and he is night skiiing at Pomerelle this very minute!

Guess Who

If you know who is in this picture with my mom and me you are possibly as cool as I am. (My brothers are green with envy seeing this!) Any guesses? One hint: 1990.

President's Day

For President's Day we got together with friends and skiied at Soldier Mtn. just outside of Fairfield. It was a beautiful day and we had a blast!


Justin and Brady during one of the few moments they stood still.

The high speed on the GPS showed 49.2 mph. I don't even try to keep up anymore!

Paige's new nickname is "Bomber"

Paige and me at the top of Soldier.

Boys

All the pants must have been muddy. This suspicion was confirmed when I walked into the mud room and saw them all lying on the floor.

I didn't have hot dogs so they wrapped Li'l Smokies in tin foil and threw them in the fire! Every friend that leaves our house does so with a plastic bag full of muddy clothes. Mom's may soon stop answering our calls!

This smelled lovely. I give up on clean.

Darren is wrapping up after his latest excursion to the ski kite capital of the US, Fairfield, ID. He didn't return until after midnight. When I finally talked to him he was still in search of his buddy, and said he could sell his rights to "I Shouldn't Be Alive." I was glad he was alive, and then I was just irritated. He could hardly walk the next day and has blisters the size of quarters on his ankles.

This is par for the course around here. There is always some form of gear laying out to dry in every corner of our house. Ski boots tipped upside down over heat vents, other vents are taken up by wet gloves, coats laying out in front of the fire, and yes, huge ski kites with yards and yards of line spread out all over the place!

I have no hope of ever having it clean. No one will ever just stay inside and watch TV like normal people.....:)

Saturday is a Special Day....

Everything we enjoy doing involves dirt or water, and all too often the two get mixed together.

ARGHHH! Dirt galore! Our road is not paved and it is a mess this time of year! I had job lists a page long waiting for my kids when they awoke. Today our mess was a family ordeal! I told them their lists for the basement should take at least an hour. My kids are early risers so by the time D and I even got out of bed they had the basement cleaned! At least I hope it is, they spent an hour and a half down there. I could hear the vacuum humming along. I'm not even going to go check. I'm in one of those hurricane cleaning moods that if I see that it is sub-standard I will go ballistic and we'll be down there for the next 3 days.

Pull out the sunscreen

Only 12 and already a 5 o'clock shadow by noon! People comment on his face all the time. Two days of skiing a week will do that to a kid!

Justin had another ski trip on Friday, then both boys went to Pomerelle with friends on Saturday. They kept watching for Darren's kite. He was going to hike in to the back of the mtn. and kite ski. At the last minute, the wind at Fairfield kicked up and he headed north instead.

Fairfield is supposedly the best place in the US for kite skiing and boarding. According to the GPS he skiied 20 miles.