Girl Power in the Smith Family

Today was the final Cyclocross race in the series we have been competing in. Paige and I were the only ones in our family to race in it today. Go Smith Girls! The race was held at a jr. high and the weather was amazing! in the 40's - in January! This made for mud, mud, and more mud!

Paige at the start line getting advice from Brady. Notice the Hero Cam hooked on her handlebars.

Darren took this on my second lap. This part was unrideable. I tried to ride it on my third lap, but my tires just spun in place. I needed to make forward progress!

The course wound around trees, through sand, over barriers. I love cyclocross! I borrowed a cyclocross bike for the race in December, but didn't have it for this race. Most people here just rode mtn. bikes like I did. This sport is just a lot of fun!
There was a great turn out. There is quite a cycling community here now, and it is growing. It is fun to see this town get stuff like this going here!

We're Homeschoolers (Sorta)

We joined a homeschool ski group. Every friday in January we homeschool. For school we go SKIING!

It is an awesome program. For the kids and I to ski four times, with an 1 1/2 hr lesson each time it cost us $128! That is $8 a day! I love the lessons. They watch you ski then put you in a group with others who ski at your level. I have improved already. Some of the things our teacher has us do are pretty challenging!

On the first day when Brady was skiing to see which group he would go in someone called out "Who's kid is that?" (Brady is an incredible skier). It was one of those feel good mom moments when you jump up and down and let everyone know you are his mom! I love those moments. I'm a proud mom, and not ashamed of it!

The boys with a friend, who is also homeschooled on fridays in January. I was so happy when they watched me ski and put me in their group! They are just fun to be with. Plus it is the only time I see them all day. I'm just not a terrain park, high jumping kind of skier!

Paige and I ski most of the day together, after the lesson. I am very quickly becoming the slowest skier in the family. They keep me on my toes and don't let me slack off.
I love how when I ride on the lift with Paige she always has some snack or goodie in her pocket. She is always prepared!
She doesn't complain and is always wanting to try steeper runs and find the powder. I often wish Darren was there to take her the places she wants to go! She is a fun-seeker and always game for anything!

New Year's Day Hike/Run

OK, so it was SOOOOOO cold on New Years Day. The boys had skiied the day before and FROZE! We were not too motivated to ski. So we stayed home and CLEANED! It was awesome! I had everyone's help to recover from the holiday craziness!

Of course our kids are always needing some kind of fun, an adventure. They kept asking what we were going to do fun that day. Some felt like a movie, (we really only have one movie goer in the family), but there were no other takers.

Darren saved the day and came up with a run/hike into the canyon to a place we had never been.

It was a really cool place. But did I mention it was COLD?

Brady, Paige and I came walking up the trail to find Darren and Justin waiting for us. Darren asked us how many eyes we thought were looking at us. It took us a while to see this little guy in a nearby tree. We named him Mr. Needles. He was not very fast moving away from us through all the branches.

I learned that Porcupines don't shoot their quills, you have to actually rub up against them to get poked by them.

Justin took this picture of a spring in the bottom of the canyon.

We circled around and ended up at the top of Twin Falls Grade. I headed straight for the truck. I was way too cold for a picture. I had come prepared to run the rest of the way home, but quickly nixed that idea. I could not warm up!

We dropped Darren and Justin off a mile from home to run the rest of the way, and Brady drove Paige and me home. He did really good for a 12 year old, except for the looking down to check where the brake was! He later said that dad was a lot more fun to drive with, he didn't get so worried! I guess it's just my job to worry.

Christmas 2010

Here are a few pictures from Christmas 2010. The kids were so fun this year. We just really enjoyed being together and doing some of the fun things were do every Christmas.

Best discovery of the season - hot glueing the gingerbread houses together! They actually stay! And who eats the graham crackers anyway? It's the candy we all want!

Justin's annual candy animal. Last year it was a Sugalo. This year a Chocolo.

Christmas morning Paige found a seven meter ski kite. Somehow I don't think it was meant for her, at least not yet!

Paige made a now infamous Christmas list this year. She originally sent it to Grandma H, who forwarded it on to her sisters all over the country. The last item on the list was, you got it, Caesar Salad. Talk about easy to please! My mom had me buy her a salad kit. I wrapped it and put it in the fridge until the morning. It was seriously her favorite gift!

As the smile shows, Justin was excited about his Pillow Tie.

He put it to use right away.

Super cute girl who got a pink Green Machine. We all have had fun on it!

From Sun to Snow

We had all of Darren's family visit us over the past week. This included cousins from Arizona and Hawaii! They couldn't wait to hit the slopes and experience this cold stuff we call snow! We were all bundled up and ready to night ski at Pomerelle. Justin, being the responsible kid he is happened to look up Pomerelle's website - CLOSED! Due to the storm and blowing conditions! So glad we didn't drive all the way up there!

We changed our skis for shovels and sleds and headed to the South Hills instead!

Paige is "icing" her nose. She and Kate bumped heads while sledding over an unforeseen jump! If you know us, you know we are anti-sledding. I know we take our kids to do some crazy stuff, but we honestly hate sledding because it is dangerous. This is why! We thought for about an hour she had broken her nose, it swelled, changed color and had weird spots on it- and she was crying HARD!

She calmed down eventually and it all turned out OK!

Justin and Logan digging a cave.

Justin is STANDING up!


Brady hiking his skis up the sledding hill. Smart kid. No sleds for him!



Hang Loose from Diane.

Darren putting snow shoes on the only blonde Hawaiian we know!

Me thinking way too hard about trudging off into the snow.

Cute Arizona cousin.

Darren and Brady taking turns digging. Between Darren, his brother and the kids they connected to caves with a tunnel about 12 feet long! Now they want to go back up and sleep in it!

I'm not going!

Sew Cute!

Paige got a gift certificate to the Quilt Barn for Christmas. She bought some fat quarters and a panel of dolls to be sewn and stuffed. She made a doll and a pillow all by herself. She picked out the cutest fabrics. Of course, everything at the Quilt Barn is darling!

Then she started in on clothes for the doll. She loves this stuff! I can sew, it just frustrates the heck out of me! And frankly, I don't really enjoy it. I'm glad she does!

My High Flyer

Brady made me promise that sometime during Christmas break I would take him to the South Hills so he could build a ski jump. Not at a ski resort, just out in the mtns somwhere. Justin kept telling him it would be too much work. Hike up ski down. Hike up ski down. He would not be dissuaded.

With new telescoping snow shovel in hand he went to work on the side of a sledding hill at Diamondfield Jack.

Cousins Brooke and Logan, Arizonans, looked on in anticipation and support.

The first 360 was attempted.

Dad came in with adjustments. We were shaving the jump, steepening it, telling him to go FASTER, look over his shoulder harder, ride the jump longer....

The cousins were looking at us like, "You are the weirdest parents we have yet encountered."

We were just so proud.