We are back!

Okay, so it is my goal to get better at posting to our blog. It has been a fun way to journal our adventures and I miss the things I didn't write about last year.

So we start off with another skiing adventure.

A friend gave us their old kids' skis a few years ago when only Abby and Caleb could ski. I was a little wary of the downhill skis. It costs money to go to a ski resort and I was afraid the luxury of a ski lift would spoil them for cross country skiing. Well, I was right. We haven't been cross country skiing for a couple of years now. However, we found something I wasn't expecting. First, the ski resorts...especially Grand Targhee...have specials and deals that make it easier to take everyone. Second, it is alot of fun without the grunt work!

This time we decided to be brave and we rented skis for Grace. Even the smallest pair were too big for her but they worked. Then Steve and the kids caught one of the first chairs up and I prepped Grace. I was seriously worried because she was not excited to get everything on and then put the skis on. When I finally clicked her boots into the skis she just slumped over the top of the boots. There was no way I was going to get her to ski down a hill. I simply did not have the skills. Steve showed up and took her while I went to ski with Abby and Seth. When I came back she had skied but without much enthusiasm. After lunch she fell asleep in the lodge for two hours! Highly unusual. When she woke up she was a different girl. She asked to put her skis on and happily went for 3 or 4 runs. She still wasn't strong enough to stand the whole time but she loved it! She was very sad when I explained we couldn't go up again because the lifts had closed. It's always nice when they are sad to leave!

The other kids are simply amazing skiers. Hannah finished her lesson by skiing backwards down the hill. The instructor had great things to say about her skills. Seth and I ski at about the same level but Seth is far braver and he never takes a break! Caleb is the mystery. He skis with Seth and Steve but is also very happy to take a break and spend time with Hannah on Shoshone. He witnessed Hannah's first "air." Abby is so good we didn't even get a picture of her! She swoops off to the black diamonds and meets me at the bottom.

The best part was that night. As we prepared for bed we knelt for family prayer. After the "amen" the kids just started to talk about the day. Sharing their stories, swapping crash details and laughing. This is what family is all about and isn't that worth alot?