my little skiier!

last week, lynn went skiing, for her first time, with her grade.

they were lucky enough to go to snowbasin and have a two hour lesson, then free skiing afterward.

I was lucky enough to head up, have lunch with her and spend the afternoon doing some runs with her.

it was my first time on the mountain in 4 years, and 15 since I have been to snowbasin.  they made many improvements for the 2002 winter olympics, and I had yet to enjoy them.

lynn, she’s a natural.  I will lay claim on her natural skill with my mayes genetics, knowing full well there are pitcher’s who enjoy skiing too..  she was just so good! 

I got there in time to see her finishing her first run.  I thought it was her fifth or sixth the way she came down that hill…  when she got to me I praised her for how well she did and asked her how many runs she had done.

“that was my first time coming down!”

holy.  crap.

we did a few runs on little cat, ate lunch, did a couple more runs on little cat, and she was bored.  she wanted to head up another lift and tackle more of the mountain.  (brave kid, again, it’s the mayes in her!)

we headed up the needles express gondola, and started at the top of the mountain.

there was one steep area that was all powder.  she had a hard time staying up, but she made it down!  we took the easy way down the rest of the way, taking sweet revenge to slo ride, and met back up with little cat.  she LOVED it.  but didn’t love the first part enough to do it again.  we played the rest of the afternoon on little cat, and stayed until they shut it down.

she was phenomenal, and I only fell 4 or 5 times…  not too bad!

I can’t wait to take her again!

I love being able to document these things, many thanks goes to my wonderful iphone, I have great video too thanks to this.

I used liv’s latest T + Mini Vol. 3 – Documented kit, split it so it is a one page layout of our fun day.

this kit includes all the goodness below:  the bokeh, the scratchy overlay, the paper, the scribbles, the frames, and masks..  liv includes it all and does it up right.

looking forward to catching up on project life!

Baby it might be cold outside..

But it’s not too cold to play!

Peyton and Ashley had a blast playing outside while I was painting the other day.

The snow was a non-deterrent.

A different kind of fun..

It has been snowing like it should be here, and we went to have some fun in it today.
Grandma called and started a snowman making contest.  Each of us would build a snowman at our own houses, and we would receive prizes for them later.
The girls played while I shoveled (because we work, then play around here..) and I enjoyed some ibuprofen with my lunch later.
Their play wasn't exactly how I remembered having "fun" in the snow..
Lynn was attempting to get out every ride on in the garage, and take it out the un-shoveled part of the driveway.
Have you ever tired to ride a trike in 8 inches of snow?
Turns out, she really wasn't having all that much fun.
So I threw her in a snowbank.
She still wasn't having fun.
Ashley was busy burying and then rescuing the ornaments I forgot to bring inside after our Christmas card photo shoot.
It was complete with sound effects and a rather convincing script.
Peyton was trying to copy the snow angels she saw Ashley do as soon as she set foot in the snow earlier.
The only difference:  Peyton was making angels in the dirt and oil of the garage floor where Merrill parks the truck.
I finally got the shoveling done, and we started our attempt at building a snowman.
Needless to say, the snow was too powdery to pack, and there were no snowpeople rolled in my yard today.
We drew one instead.

I think we might just win the award for "flattest snowman".
But I did get some "traditional snow fun" pics...  without the snow clothes, because those got "boring".

SNOW!!!!

We love it..
Peyton is also in love with her (hand-me-down) snow bibs.

They had a good time out there!

Peyton discovered that underneath the trampoline, there is still an oasis of grass.  She crawled to it, ten feet away from the trampoline was her starting point.  She enjoyed herself under there for a while, but then decided to leave.  Her hood ended-up getting caught on a spring, took off her hood and her beanie, so she wasn't happy.  We got her happy again, only to have some event transpire in which she began crying again, and Lynn began yelling at Ash..  so to sum it up, who knows what happened..
Lynn was so loving and helpful, she tried to carry Peyton inside, but only accomplished tripping repeatedly, with Peyton in front of her, whitewashing her poor sister with every stumble.
I am glad they both managed to survive.

So Much to Say....

So I will try to start where I left off.. not blogging daily (or multiple times a day..) is hard!! My fingers are out of practice when it comes to typing, and I am misspelling a lot..
Life has been quite busy, and it has definitely taken a toll on us.. we are trying to recover.. Peyton has trouble sleeping alone, Ashley is, well, Ashley.. and Lynnie-lou isn't feeling well and sleeping a lot.
I began to tear apart my craft room last week, thinking it would be quick.. not so. I have many things to get to many people, and I would, if I could find them in the mess that lies therein.. it is cute and will post pics when it is all the way completed.
Diamonds in the color of fudge (which make me very hungry by the way..) do exist on this wall now.
It was tricky, and not so quick, considering I was doing that while doing many other things, most of them at the hotel..
Friday I went snowboarding for the first time in seven years.. I remembered how to do it all, like I never stopped! My first crash came as I was goofing off.. I promised Merrill that I wouldn't venture off into the trees, and do crazy stuff. I did manage to return home with all appendages intact. It was a lot of fun, I think Christie and Julie had more fun..
Casey and I did go down the face for our last run on that foggy night.. there were multiple crashes there.. but that was the funnest run of the night!
The only sore spot on my whole body the next day, was my shoulder, the one with the arm that I use to steer myself as I fly down the mountain.
I was far more sore after cleaning the hotel...
I had to get a new phone.. my old one was like a gadget out of the 1900's.. "can you hear me Watson?"
It needed to be held by two hands to be remotely affective. Oh, and the antenna didn' t want to stay where it should. It also like to hang up on people just for the heck of it.
New one, much smaller, and it's a slider, not a flipper, not that "flippers" are bad.. (eh Juju and JFreeze ;D?!)
For our RS birthday social, I did a cake decorating demo (more pics on the other blog..) like I could think of three other women far more capable than I in this department... but it was fun.
After that, we went to the hotel, to bust our behinds some more, to prepare it for the QA (quality and assurance) walk through that took place the next day to ensure we were ready to open..
It was a miracle as Merrill would say..
So Friday, he wore his new accessory to his new job..
That's right, it says "General Manager".. I am so proud of him!!
There will be some more adjusting to come.. it's a 24/7 job.
Friday was also Hallie's 11th birthday!!!
Happy Birthday Hallie!!! (and Levi too!!)
..and because I had fondant to be used, I decorated a cake for her..
Last night, we enjoyed dinner, with Mer at the hotel.. then we enjoyed a swim. That spa.. oh my goodness.. I wanted to fall asleep right then and there..
The lights are turned on, and I have to admit, I got teared-up. It's been a road.. an emotional one these last couple of weeks. I am so thankful for such good friends and family to have helped us out so much!! Love you all!!!!

A couple of days worth..

It's been a busy couple of days..
Yesterday being the busiest..
We spent just about the whole day OUT.. Peyton's doctor appointment.. errands.. sledding.
We had SOOOO much fun!! Thanks Julie!!!
Today we have spent at home.. creating and having fun! Playing with some new toys found on our errands yesterday ;) Lynn didn't go to school, but that is another post on a different subject..
Peyton's doctors appointment went well.. she got 4 shots (ouch!) but she is doing well, in fact, they have mellowed her out!! Think of that.. I don't need to hold her at ALL times!
The doctor is concerned, still, with her hips. Despite the visit we had down at Primary's.. the clicking sound is in both of her hips.. which I am not concerned about.. but his real concern lies in the fact (?) that she hasn't grown very much. She isn't quite 20 pounds.. her head circumference went up a bit, but her height has remained the same.. the question mark comes into play, because we don't have the same nurse every time, thus not consistent measuring methods. She shrunk in length and head circumference from birth to one week, if you can imagine that.. He wants to check her again in 6 months, and if there is still no change, he wants her back at Primary's to have those hips checked again..
So not worried.. Merrill and I were/are both smaller..
She is doing many fun and new things..
- cleaning up her toys.
- gives me the "no nos", gives me things that she shouldn't have. :)
- gives hugs and kisses.
- blows kisses better.
- is saying a few things: "whas dis?" = what's this "his" = this and the staples, "mama" and "dada"..
- she loves to play with us, try to scare us and tease us.
- she has also cut another tooth.
She is just the sweetest little girl! She comes and gives us hugs, patting us on the back, for no reason..
We love her!!