Brrr... in the Cold Utah Snow!

{This post represents happenings from 16-22 January 2011}
Let's just say that the longer you're gone from the cold climate, the more your body dislikes it when you return!  ;o)  My body is very much acclimatized to the warm California sun these days, but we're trying to make a family tradition out of going skiing for a couple days each year.  (I know there's absolutely NO WAY we can really get better and improve only going two days a year, but the kids sure LOVE it and maybe ONE DAY... MAYBE... we can do it more than 2 days, but for now... that's good enough and we sure do have fun!!)  This year, and last, we took a trip home in January after Braeden's birthday to see family, hang out, and hit the slopes.  Last year we did 2 days at Brian Head.  This year we did one day there with the kids in ski school again, and then risked it and went somewhere new the next day.  We rented skis at Sport's Authority from Uncle Seth and headed up to Beaver's resort, Eagle Point.  It was so fun and so nice there.  Hardly ANYONE on the slopes there, and it was great to have a little change.  This year the snow was a little harder and then slushier... and then harder... than last year when we got to enjoy fresh powder, but still well worth it!

I already posted many of the videos on Facebook, so this may not really be a new post for most of you reading this, but... enjoy, nonetheless!

Ella got tot stay with Gma Pam and had LOTS of fun making sugar cookies and using up the sprinkle ration for several years worth!  We ate at some of our traditional places, and had lots of fun!  Thanks to those who hosted and played with us!

**WARNING**  Lots... and I mean LOTS of pictures (and movies) ahead!!

Ella is R-E-A-D-Y to get in the SNOW!  Let me just preface the next series of pictures with a background:  We got to UT late Saturday night and went to church with Gma Pam Sunday morning.  Before lunch after church... before I barely even got in the house, let alone changed out of my church clothes, the kids were already getting their snow gear on.  They could NOT WAIT another SINGLE minute!  They love the snow!!  So... we skipped lunch... mostly... and headed out for a very WET romp in the snow!  Great times and fabulous memories!

What's that in your hand, Braeden??  Don't you DARE throw that very hard, WET snowball at me when the camera is in my hands... or you'll get it!!  (Which is why I try to ALWAYS have the camera in hand!!  Haha!  J/K  I love snowball fights, but I just wasn't in the mood this day... I was just tired!)

Got enough pink on, Ella??  With some purple boots and green gloves... she's got just the right amount... about!

This is what I mean about his smile and laugh being contagious!  Doesn't he just make you want to jump in the wet snow, too?  He just looks like he's having the time of his life!  And he IS!!  I LOVE IT!

Look right above her head!  :o)

Snow angels!

Poor Gma Pam... she had to get a rail put on the porch after her nasty fall.  She's needed one for a long time, but just needed an excuse to get one!  Not a good idea, Mom... should have done it BEFORE the fall!  J/K  It's a little strange having it there, but a good kind of strange!  And it's high enough that we can all sit comfortably under it without hitting our heads!  It's nice!

Cutest snow angel in town!

See??  :o)

Falling backwards...

Lexi had to have a serious time-OUT before being let out to play, so here she is... fresh out the door, and still a little grumpy.  Boo-hoo.

Not only is there enough snow to play in, but there's also a LOT of mud... that ended up, SOMEHOW, all over them... despite the fact that they were ADVISED not to TROMP in the MUD!!  (You won't be surprised to know that Braeden not only had it all over his boots and pant legs, but squished in his HANDS and ALL THE WAY UP HIS ARMS!  Uurrgghhhh!!)

Lexi did give up her grumpiness and went over to help Ella enjoy the swingset!  Yay!

Is that a SMILE???  A-mazing!

Eeeek... RUN!!!!!

I think this is as far as the snowman got.  It was only a half-hearted attempt.  ;o)

After a good romp in the snow it's always nice to put on thermal pj's and cuddle with Gma and watch some TV!

Staying up late and getting up early to go skiing is rough... as you can see!

Braeden can't even handle the morning, BLINDING, sunlight glimmering off the snow!

Ski School Check in...  getting fitted for boots and skis!

Ski School... this year with way too many kids in one class... I guess that's what we get for going on a Holiday, huh?  NEVER again!  Lexi and Braeden are side by side on the R of the instructor.

This was our perfect example of why we will NEVER pay for ski school ON A HOLIDAY again.

Cody and Megan were planning to come up for the weekend and go boarding, so we were able to meet up with them!  They were so nice to do all the wimpy runs with me!!

Wimpy run=Green circle.  We did NOT go for the "Wild Ride!"  Megan, Cody, and Damian

I'm sure you already know this, but I stay on the GREEN circles and BLUE squares... But really mostly the GREEN is GREAT for ME!  ;o)

After a good run... :o)  Megan, Cody, and Damian

A-mazing Southern Utah sunset!  BEA-U-TIFUL!  (By the way... no photo retouch used on this particular photo!  Just natural beauty!!)

We are a rowdy bunch... so if we ever ask to shack up at your house... BEWARE!!  Haha!  Not really!

No more Brian Head for this trip!  Here we are at Eagle Point up the mountain from Beaver!  Mommy and Lexi riding the lift!

Cute boy!  He has so much energy... skiing was just a perfect way to expend some of it!!  :o)

Red cheeks and WILD hair after a full day on the slopes!  But the best part??  SMILES on our TIRED faces!

And some much needed HOT chocolate for our cold tummies!

YIKES!!!!!

I just couldn't resist the beauty that we saw.  Our kids were amazed, too, and so enjoyed the color in the sky!

Then... Wednesday morning rolled around, and it was Gma Pam's time to get the screws taken out of her ankle!  I only wish I'd had my camera sooner... (I couldn't find it for the life of me)... because a video of what she was saying would have been priceless!  Poor girl!  Anesthetics does funny things to our minds!  I will divulge just this:  When still quite a bit "out of it" she says to me, "Does my ankle still hurt?  Can I move it?  Did you know that you can't wiggle one set of toes without wiggling the others, too??"  Haha!  You make me laugh!

2 very expensive souvenirs!  But she was up and going in no time.  We grabbed some lunch and headed home for a good rest!

I rarely take pictures of the places we eat, but since we just LOVE this place...

...and they happened to have in their stained glass windows what we had just done... I couldn't resist!

I'm pretty sure this was Wednesday night.  We got Seth and Gail to go with us!  Around the circle LtoR:  Jonathan, Seth, Gail, Ella, Caroline, Lexi, Braeden?, and Damian

Not super sure this is what the menu is for.

All the girls want the GAMES on the Droid more than they even want dinner!  {Also noted here is the range of hair color!!  Blonde, brunette, and Lexi's hair looks exceptionally red here!}

The next day I took HERMIES yummy food to my friend, Helen, for lunch!  She was expecting her newest addition, Noah, at the time!  And we had fun with William while we were there!  (Just Damian and I... our kids were off with other people... grandparents and cousins!)

Thursday night we were able to catch a T-bird basketball game!!  So fun to catch a college game every once in a while!

We had Uncle Cornell meet us there, since he was in town for work!  Gma Pam at the top, Braeden, Cornell, Lexi, Daddy, and Ella!

Gotta love a little dancin'!

ADMISSION:  I do REALLY miss this view!  This is not a great picture as we were moving on the freeway from Kanarra to Cedar, but it still gives a good idea of the beauty!

SILLIES!

We're gonna get Lexi some gear to wear a harmonica around her neck so she can play that and the piano together.  We're making a good start on a band!  (Haha!  J/K!!!)  This is what we did one of the afternoons we were at Gma Liebhardt's!

Trying to play the piece he played on the piano for my Christmas recital!  {Jolly Old St. Nicholas if you REALLY can't tell!!}

Gma Liebhardt is one of the sweetest gals I know.  She's always so willing to let my kids try things, experiment with instruments, and she always has some candy for them... (like they need it!)  And as you can see here, she's always willing to demonstrate for them if they can't figure it out!  :o)

Why do I always have at least one person spunking for a picture?????

Lovely.  I'll just say that this didn't really help with the spunkiness!  But it was funny!

Friday, our last day, things were looking a little "BORING" so we headed to the craft store, picked up some bird houses, paint, and brushes, and made it a fun afternoon!  Lexi is very serious about it!

Ella... not so serious!

Caroline, also very serious, but we didn't realize at the time that she was starting to feel REALLY crappy.  Poor girl.  By dinnertime, she was asleep on the couch downstairs and had no energy to enjoy the rest of our time there.  :o(

Adult supervision was TOTALLY REQUIRED for this!

Finished products and their artists!  We love these!  They are in our back yard behind the grill... just waiting for a TINY bird to come along!

Saturday morning we headed home, BUT we stopped in Vegas to catch a REBEL game!!

And ran into some family there, too!  Yay!  Damian had seen an update on his Droid that some of the Nelson clan were there, so I texted Angell to see where they were, and they were just a couple of sections over, so I went over to say hi... and then brought her and Ryne back with me!

Very good game!  And very fun for the kids, too!

Final score!  I told you it was a good game!  Had us on the edges of our seats!  :o)