Yards of Fun

Before the snow came we had some spring yard sprucing done.

 

Reed and I barely looked outside.

Kyle never came in.

He took every step they took.

Every step.

 

 

My little Mulch Face.

Sigh.

It's April 9th.

It's 15 degrees. The wind chill is 2.

 

That's right. Two.

 

These pictures were taken today. April 9th.

 

I have no words.



Tongues a Waggin'

Just in case you were thinking JR's the only one that uses his tongue to think/write/run/play/do most anything...just check out these two.

 

 

Fashion Fabulous Friday

 

I'm always so proud of the packing job I do for the family. 

Everyone always has underwear, socks, bathing suits, shirts, and pants.

 

Oh wait.

 Did I say everyone always has pants?

 

I somehow completely and totally forgot to pack Kyle and Reed pants for the spring break trip.

 

They didn't even have a pair on their body since we left Wednesday and went straight to the mountain...they were wearing their ski pants.

 

So that's why they're wearing their pajamas while out-to-eat.

 

Sorry guys!

I promise I'll remember to pack you full outfits next time. 

Upside Down and Flat Out

Now least you think (after yesterday's pictures) that we're a family of amazing skiers, let me clue you in on the truth of it.

 

We all had such spectacular falls over 3 days that if any had been videoed, we'd surely be the next YouTube sensation.

 

 

Jason wins for falling while doing absolutely nothing.

He's definitely the best skier in the family, but he was literally just skiing along (doing nothing)...and then he was on the ground.

 

He knocked the wind out of himself so badly that he couldn't even answer me when I asked if he wanted me to call ski patrol. 

 He rallied and was able to ski on for the rest of the trip, but his shoulder and ribs are still sore.

 

 

 

Kyle and I win for most embarrassing fall.

Kyle and Reed are still so little they aren't tall enough to just sit down on the ski lift. 

Jason and I have to lift them on using the handles on the little backpacks they wear. 

 

 I saw the lift coming, and lifted Kyle up, but I didn't get him up high enough. 

I felt the lift hit him in the back of the legs, and then...well, that was all she wrote. 

 

It knocked us both down. 

 I was lying face first, spread eagle, thinking: this lift is going to hit me in the head...and then I'm going to look even more ridiculous in front of this crowd of 200 people!

They had to stop the lift, take off my skis for me, pick me up. 

Total humiliation.

 

 

JR wins for scariest fall.

We have begged him and begged him to stay out of the trees. 
You couldn't pay me enough to ski through trees (trail or not).

 But he doesn't listen. 

 

You know what happens when you ski through trees? You hit them. 

 

Thankfully he hit a tree with his shin and not his head. 

Thankfully he was able to ski away (after tears and dramatics), and with only a bad bruise. 

This one could have been a million times worse.

 

 

 

And most photo worthy fall goes to Reed.

Jason was skiing behind him and said he cartwheeled. 

 By the time I skied up, he was shaking the snow off and asking me to take a picture of his skis. 

 

Which I did, of course.

 

It's hard to tell at this picture angle, but the ski closest to Reed is actually sticking straight up out of the snow, ski tip down!

 

 

 

Thankfully the season is over, I'm not sure our bodies could take anymore!

Spring Ski

We were able to easily entertain our pack for the rest of spring break with a ski trip. 

Though "easy" might not be the right word since they officially wore Jason and me out!

 

 

I was sooo excited for this trip because we met Gary and Anita (our Beijing friends that live in South Carolina) there. 

We had a rotating group of kids to ski with, and we were always trying to remember if we had the right number of kids for that day/time.

Thursday was our smallest group (at Keystone):

Kyle, Reed, JR, and Madison

 

 

JR and Madison have always been good friends.

Here they are in July of '08

And in February of '10

 

 

But now they're wayyyy too cool for me, and decided they need to ride the gondola alone.

So here's my view of them in their own "mom free" gondola.

 

 

 

By Friday we had added kids, and traded kids (at Breckenridge):

Madison, Emily, Reed, Kyle, Meredith

Gary and Meredith came in a day later, and we traded JR for Emily. (The Stengers were also there skiing.) 

 

 

Scott took JR and Anna off to the top of the mountain where it looked like this.

 

 

And they did these kinds of runs.

 

 

 

And finally, I have one video from the first day we skied.

(Don't worry, I don't expect anybody to watch my kids ski, it's for the grandparents.)

 

Kyle comes in first from the left side, slightly falls and then skis backwards for awhile. Reed comes in after that, and you also get to hear JR get on to me for "missing his jump".

 

Bunny Brunch

The kids woke up at exactly 7:01 yesterday excited to see what the Easter Bunny left.

I tried to play down the Easter Bunny thinking they'd sleep in, I guess my effort bought us 1 extra minute of sleep.

 

 

 

The excitement continued when we were able to get an Easter picture with all the kids looking at the camera and make it to church with time to spare.

 

The Stengers and Granny Sherry came over for Easter brunch.

(Though Debbie brought most of the yummy food.)

Just check out those plates: bacon, sausage, french toast, quiche, biscuits, and cinnamon rolls!

 

We then participated in the Easter traditions of our "cultures".

 

We introduced the girls to the awesomeness of cascarones (confetti filled eggs).

 

 

Look, you can actually see the yellow egg in flight about to hit Anna in the stomach.

I think this is what's referred to as "brotherly love".

 

 

 An "after" group shot.

 

 

 Then the girls showed us the Easter tradition of their homeland...microwaving Peeps.

 

Crowding around the microwave

 

 

 Faces of amazement

 

 

In case you were wondering, they look like this.

 

Gooey Peeps goodness.

 

Now that's some gourmet food!