Skiing

We have 17 different ski resorts where we live.  (Yes, you should come visit!)  I put the kids in lessons and Ian (after one lesson) was already telling everyone the "sweet jumps" he went off of (on the bunny hill, mind you.)

Girls' weekend in Scottsdale

Jean, Wendy and I went on our annual girls' trip to Scottsdale, AZ this year.  We had so much fun!  We stayed at Wendy's parents second home which is absolutely fabulous.  We shopped, ate, talked, watched movies, shopped and talked some more.  Not one diaper was changed the entire weekend!  Not one child cried the entire weekend!  We didn't clean up any child made messes the entire weekend!  We were not woken up early the entire weekend!  We did not have to shlep any children around the entire weekend!  It was fantastic the entire weekend!

(Special thanks to the men folk who did all the diapers, loving, cleaning, and shlepping for the entire weekend.)

Cheerleading

Megan is like all about cheerleading and I am like so totally not about cheerleading, but whatever.  So we totally went to the BYU basketball game and she was like so happy when she got her picture with the BYU cheerleaders.  When the game finally started she said "This is so boring!"  Silly girl.

Hunter's bday

Our little guy is three!  He is . . . well . . . precocious (as my mom likes to call it.)  We adore every little inch of his cute little crazy self.  We went to McDonald's for his bday lunch.  He talks about basketball, spiderman, and lightning McQueen all of the time.  He got big boy golf clubs for his birthday (no more of those little plastic ones, he's all grown up now.)

My sorry attempt at a spiderman cake.  At least it didn't fall over like other cakes I've made!

  I have searched up and down our little community to find any sport for him to be in, but there is nothing for a 3 year old except swim lessons.  He had his first lesson this week.  He cried the ENTIRE lesson, would hardly get in the water, and screamed when the instructor put out her hands to try and get him to go with her in the pool.  When the lesson was over and I was getting him dressed, he exclaimed "That was AWESOME!  I did so good, mom!"  He went on to tell his siblings, his dad and I repeatedly how much fun his lesson was and how good he did.  Crazy kid.

Update on Hailey Bug

Our little heart patient is doing great!  We were just at the cardiologist and everything is shaping up nicely.  She is on two medications three times a day, hopefully by her next appointment she will be able to get off her high blood pressure med.  Her favorite things to do are: (in order of frequency)

1) Scrunch up her nose (no less than 100 times/day)

2) Play Peek-a-Boo

3)  Say "Uh-ohhh!"

Here is Jenn Lang-Ree, the Nurse Practitioner that found Hailey's heart problem.  

Forever, forever grateful for this women!

Meg's bday

Our little Meg turned 6!  Here is her Birthday lunch at, you guessed it, Taco Bell.  We are so South of the Border.  It was just the two of us, and I realized how much I really like just being with her.  She is a delight!  She keeps herself very busy, lots and lots of tap and jazz class, swimming and reading.  She is also preparing for her very first triathlon this summer!

At G&G's house for her first little party:

"If I had $100.00 I would buy makup."  Yikes.

She had two friends over for a little birthday party afternoon playdate (I learned my lesson after last year's birthday extravaganza).  We don't go overboard anymore.

Another American Girl doll!

Christmas 2012

Christmas was lovely this year.  This was our first Christmas not at either G&G's house, so Kevin and I really felt the pressure to make it a good one :)  We really tried to take the time to enjoy every moment.

Cosmo (the BYU mascot) always sends gifts:

You can't see it, but that is a BYU bow.  Dar. Ling. 

 Keepin it real, folks, keepin it real.

 Each night we read a different Christmas book.  I wrap all the books and the kids take turns opening them.  We have been doing this since Ian was a baby.  One of my favorite Christmas traditions.

 Settlers of Catan Junior.  We are big game players around here.  Qwirkle, Settlers of Catan and the Great Dalmuti are our favorties.

 The very last gift we open is nerf guns for everyone!  Kevin's parents did this growing up.  It is all out war.  Many shelters and shields are made from left over wrapping paper and boxes.

Rudolph stopped by.

 We had lots of friends over for Christmas Eve and made Gingerbread houses and trains.

 We had a talent show, sang Christmas carols and played the pass around game:

Snow, snow, snow!

We get a lot of snow in these parts.  A. LOT.  In fact, I would pretty much put our snowfall amount up against any of you!  We live in the mountains, which we love.  But Geesh!!  I've gotta make sure I have plenty of food storage!

 Yes, that is our mailbox.  Yes, we also have a PO Box, otherwise we might not get much mail.

 Kevin got a new snow blower and quickly put Ian to work!  Love that free kid labor!