January with ski videos

Nory's most recent ski - a blue run at Steven's Pass

Out with the old, in with the new (bonus points if you can tell which is which).

Caught Red Handed!

Every Friday since the ski areas opened in January I've been taking Nory and Elliott skiing. Nory has lessons and I ski with Elliott. 

Side note: This has made me view the Olympics with an entirely new outlook. BEHIND EVERY ATHLETE is a mother who dragged her kids up a mountain, put on 15 layers of clothing, carried their skis and helmet and gear and sometimes kids, took it all off again to use the potty, put it all back on, and pushed them up the hill to the lift line. Week after week after week. Who deserves the medals? The moms. End of side note.

First week instructor couldn't make it so Justine and I took all the kids.

Cute? Yes.

Waiting out a power outage at Sears.

Dan made me this table for my new...

Washer and dryer!

Donating blood.

Nory's first time on chair lift, with her instructor.

What do you mean I don't get to go?

Girl Day! Hair, sewing, hot tubbing, running.

Super fun team building event for work, Iron Chef style.

More skiing... not a lot of snow at this point in the season (this has since corrected itself).

Selling girlscout cookies!

Taking my bike in for some TLC.

How do they fit in this box?

Finally added bar stools and pendant lighting in our kitchen!

Here are some skiing videos, I put them all at the end but they cover the whole month and maybe even the first part of February. If you only have time for one or two, start at the END. Also, Dan has an amazing video of N on a blue run turning like a champ, if I can remember to have him upload it to YouTube then I'll come back and post it here. [UPDATE: Posted to top]

First Day

Nory on training ropes at Snoqualmie


Elliott learning to turn.


Nory first day off ropes


Elliott and Dan ski jump and lose a ski (Steven's Pass)


Nory doing jumps "by herself" (Steven's Pass)

December - yep, the whole month.

Hunting for our Christmas Tree with Papa and Betty Kate.

Decorating the tree, Angel first!

Brrrrrrr. Cold month.

Making the ugliest cookies ever with help from three cute elves.

12 K's of Kirkland race followed by Kids 1K dash.

Driving to Utah overnight in a snow storm in a minivan.

Utah with Uncle Dan captaining the sledding team!

Snow!

Speed scrabble with fake words.

Hiking with brother and dad - this snow all melted by the end of the week.

Taking the kids skiing for the first time. Yikes.

Daily hike up mountain behind condo.

"Helping" uncle Dan cook.

Christmas serenade in new booster seat.

Resting (Dan L)

Driving home from Utah. Snow mostly gone.

She wanted to do math in the car.

Came home to presents waiting for us!

Picked up the dog from our friends house. He thinks the third row of the van is his.

Choo Choo

From the Los Carneros Train Museum in Santa Barbara.

 

Trick or Treat

WAAAAAY back at the end of October... 

This little Bear and this little Fish went trick-or-treating!

Santa Barbara

We were in SB last weekend. It was way too short and every second was awesome. So awesome that I need to use lots of CAPITAL LETTERS in the post so you know exactly how AWESOME it was.

Except, you know, the kids didn't sleep because they woke up at 6am every day and were tired and cranky and didn't like the ocean and didn't like each other most of the time and blah blah blabity blah.

But WHO CARES because, SANTA BARBARA! 

SUN! BEACH! SUN! TANK TOPS! BOATS! BEACH! MARGARITAS! FRIENDS! BEACH! SUN!

I have a lot of pictures. If you follow me on Instagram you probably got more than you wanted already and can skip this post. But for the rest of you (aka my brother who ought to be getting back from hiking Machu Pichu any second and I'm sure will immediately read this blog).

***

Dan's pictures first, because they are better.

At the Santa Barbara Zoo

I am in love with these Pigtails - can I get an AMEN!? 

Also, even tired travel cranky kids are happy when you stick them in t-shirts and send them OUTSIDE to play.

At the sliding hill at the zoo.

Elliott needed to have one slide with mama fishy before taking off his own for the next few hundred times down the hill.

Love these boys and their grownups. We stayed with this family who was gracious and lovely and friendly and whose mama is one of my FAVORITE people. Nory has asked about Gavin every other second since being home.

Dan might post more real pictures later, he took a ton but he's swamped at work this week so check back after Thanksgiving :).

***

From the phone.

At the airport. It was freezing and they would Not Wear Jackets. Also, this might be the last time they had shoes on.

Airplane change so we get off the plane in appropriate clothing.

Airport to Lunch to Beach in under an hour!

View from Casa de Rutland (where we stayed!)

First run. "Mostly Cloudy."

Sees Candy because, VACATION DIET if you know what I mean!

Butterfly!

In the Eucalyptus forrest. On a log.

Sandcastles with Ewan.

H.A.P.P.Y.

State Street violinist

Ice Cream (Remember VACATION DIET?). Also how come Elliott spills yogurt on his shirt every SINGLE time he eats it, but did not spill even one teeny tiny atom of ice cream?

Train Ride

Baby Nicolas XXXOOO

Harbor view

Harbor run

Great attitude for our Christmas Card photo attempt.