Homeschool ski

Last Tuesday we went to Bogus for Trevor's homeschool snowboarding lessons.   While he is cruising the mountain with his teacher and trying to link some turns, Joel and I got to hang out with the Jennings who are all total rippers. 

We even rode the high speed quad that day!   This is a monumental step.  No more cat tracks and bunny hills for us!  We can ski with our kids and our kids can ski with us.  People have told me that when the your kids catch up to your ability in a sport, it lasts for about 6 months.  While he's not quite there yet, I'm hoping that stage lasts  a little longer. : )

Having Lyla and Joel follow me down was overwhelmingly cute.  I shall keep it my heart for a long time.  I will remember asking Lyla who passed me a little faster than she wanted to be passing, "Were you a little scared or a lot scared?"
"A lot scared, "  she answered.  Then two minutes later, "That's was fun! Let's do it again!!"

Lyla and Joel ski with their tongues out when they ski and it's so cute.  So cute I had to make a Haiku about it. 

This is what happens when your mom gives you an undercut and you take your ski helmet off. 

Looking off the back of Bogus.

Winter Carnival

 We walked to the fireworks Friday night.  Joel said to me as I held his hand," I wish the fireworks were for my birthday." 

"Joel, they ARE for your birthday!" I smiled back. 

They shoot them off down by the lake so we can walk there from Papa's house.

After a full day of skate skiing, parade time, sledding, and more skate skiing, we soaked at Zim's hot springs.  It's certainly not as pretty as Gold Fork, but it's easier to get to and it's still hot!  Scott says very little has changed since he was a kid.  I like their heated cement floors and pool tables.  Trevor was my partner in our game of 8 ball.  He was sooooo into billiards that night.  On our way out in the car he said, "Next time I want to go to Zim's and I might not even bring my swimming trunks."

Zeesa showed Joel the game.

Beeeee-you-tiful.  After weeks of inversion-ness, blue skies were soul quenching.

I'm guessing some day I'll call this one "The last day I could keep up with the boys."

One of the sculptures featured a bunch of mini-sculptures of different landmarks-- like Multnomah Falls.

The Sphinx

 

 

 

Inside the Sphinx

Since Joel's birthday is only 4 days after Trevor's, we decided to spread out the cake time.  Joel asked for a "Minja" Cake.  I told him I couldn't do it, but I could make him a minion cake.  He agreed.  It turned out awesome and the boys got to make it with me. 

This sculpture had a slide. 

Blue skies and more sunshine.  Scott took me to Ponderosa for my first skate skiing experience. I was happy to wear shades!!! 

Zeesa and I grabbed some beads from the parade.

The boys got more.

This parade entry had sass.

Post parade shwag.

Again,  I enjoyed more sky.

I married into a very athletic family.

Pretty view from the top of Brundage.

One thousand four hundred forty-six

That's how many items I've checked out of the library since 2005.  I can tell you MOST of them were books from the children's section. 

It's paying off.

winning

Trevor was adding up his savings and calculating what needed to be added.  He wants to buy a Lego Castle (which he admired at a friend's house-- Thanks, Greg!)

The castle is about $100.  He thinks he has $60 saved up from chores, Christmas, and his birthday.  He said, "Hmmm... I need to win four more $10 bets...............(long pause).............  or do work."

I'll take credit for helping Trevor learn math since I do spend a fair amount of time teaching him the numbers. And we'll thank Daddy for the wagering part.

Fierce

 If at all possible, I don' take the boys to Nordstrom Rack.  It's a bad set up.  But we were meeting Scott there who had to find some pants.
I always check the hats section first-- near accessories and my fashion helpers got started.

Trevor: "Mom, if you were more fierce, I'd totally get this for you."
It was a necklace with pointy gold teeth-like dangly things. 

Joel : "Mom, if you were more fierce, I'd totally get this for you." (Repeating at least 3 times.)

Trevor: "Oh, actually, I'd get this for you!" (Finding the huge glittering pink circus elephant.)
Of course. I'm more circus-y than fierce.  He does know me pretty well : )

 He totally cracks me up.

Last week Trevor tried to wear one of his clip on ties to church with jeans and his favorite felt fedora.  I told him it didn't work and he needed to wear a tie with a button up shirt with a collar, "...also, the shirt needs long sleeves-- those are the rules,"  I added.

A few days later he asked, "Mom how do you bend the style rules?"

I told him he needs to know the rules first : )  I love how he thinks!


We also saw this crazy tote at Nordstrom Rack.  I dig it. 

Metal head

Last Friday we sat down to watch the Olympics as a family on our little sofa.  Scott is an Olympics super fan and his enthusiasm had spilled out of his heart onto Trevor and Joel.  When enthusiasm spills onto our 5 and 7 year old they don't sit down.  They run around.  Sometimes they get giggly and chase each other around. That happened.
That night Trevor chased Joel into their room but slipped on the hardwood and hit his head on the striker plate.  I knew he was hurt bad because he doesn't cry about much but was crying this time.  His pain tolerance seems ridiculously high to me.  When I hugged him and saw the blood on my hands and the curved cut, we decided to take him in for stitches. Before he left with Scott he said, "Please don't watch the Olympics without me! Please!"
When I tell anyone who knows him how it happened, the response is the same as mine: "Really?  Of all the things he does?"  I'm thankful his first accident trip to the urgent care was so minor. 
Three little staples are in right now.  He gets them out on Friday.  He can't wait, because there isn't any helmet that doesn't push on those staples and cause pain and he wants to go out and jump on his scooter.