It's actually happening!!

Here's my m.o.  Blog, don't blog, blog, don't blog, don't blog, don't blog, don't blog.  However, this is so exciting I can't help but break my don't-blog cycle.  

Here's our house.  It's been going for less than a month, and we've made some serious progress.  

(The pictures of the plain holes were terribly dull, but I might add them anyway when I find them to add some ultra "before" to the rest of these "before-and-afters." 

Here are our foundation walls.  John has tried to get a panoramic view of each of the stages of construction.  I have to say, at this stage, the girls were not terribly impressed.  

Then we had a lovely pile of lumber next to the foundation walls.  

 And a wall!  It's a wall.  It happens to be the very important wall between the garage and the rest of the house.

More walls!  Can you see my lovely large windows?  I love those windows.  They are going to brighten my soul during the long, dark, cold days of winter here in the basin.  

 And now some second story work.  Look at those windows!  I love them.  John is more impressed with the garage than the windows, but I stick with what I love.

 And now they've clad some of the walls.  Probably to cut some of the wind chill for those poor workers.  They're even working today--THANKSGIVING--to get things done faster.  We're taking them pie and hot rolls to mitigate some of the resentment they must feel.  (Thank you, framers!)

It's going to be great.

Bella joins the big girls

 Heaven help her teacher.

 And all the rest of us.

 And I can hardly believe how much I already miss her while she is gone.

Thank heavens it's only half a day.

And honestly, thank heavens for that half day.

I can't believe I have a fifth grader

People, my kids are back in school.  With a vengeance.  Turns out, here in Roosevelt, 5th grade is the last elementary grade.  And then my beautiful Olivia is going to be subjected to junior high.  (And not only do I vaguely remember being in junior high, I CLEARLY remember teaching junior high students.  The awkwardness and angst float around those halls like a nearly-visible fog.)  So we're celebrating our last all-elementary year.  

 Bella is going to kindergarten this year, but that doesn't start until Monday, so she didn't want to hold her sign yet.  She also wanted to wear school clothes, but not her favorite school clothes.

 Those skinny-legged girls don't quite realize that my heart is in their backpacks that they carry along to school so casually.  They blithely say goodbye and walk off with their dad to their new classrooms, while I sort of die inside.  (However, last week, I might have told you, in a weak moment, that school could not start a moment too soon.  Turns out I'm a sentimental fool with the kind patience of a grumpy old gnat.)

 Mimi has some good buddies in her new classroom (and she got the teacher we wanted, Yay!).

 Olivia also got the teacher we wanted, plus it turns out that she got creamed by some enormous fifth grade boy on the way back in from recess.  We had some fears of a concussion, but the only real casualty was her favorite new school dress, which suffered some holes from the wood chips on the playground.

 And just when I fear that she's getting too old and mature. . .

Secrets

Portrait of Maddie taken by Bella.  Goofballs both.

Maddie just ran in from outside, clad only in Hello Kitty panties, and whispered to me, "Don't talk about my peepee on the grass." And ran back outside.  Thank heavens the neighbors have no windows pointing at our house.

Ski-Fest-O-rama

I grew up in a small town.  A very small town.  And it was fairly close to a very small ski resort.  Very, very small.  So that's where I learned to ski.  It's a lovely place--not terribly busy with a complete view of the lift and runs from the picnic tables in front of the lodge--and I wanted my kids to experience it.  So yesterday, we did.  Here are some highlights:

1) 20 people on the slopes.  No lift lines.  Each of us probably got 30 runs in.  The snow was great, too.  Perfectly packed with very few icy spots.

2) We decided (since Hesperus has a great lift ticket/rental/lessons package) to let Bella try her luck at the sport.  She looked like a mini X-games athlete, with her quirky hat, her coat unzipped, and her helmet askew.  She spent most of her lessons making snow angels and throwing snowballs at the instructor, so I thought she'd be done after the morning.  Not so.  This child is a demon on skis. 

 3) My youngest brother Dallin's fragile flower of a body let him down after one bad run.  Just like Mom said, "If you get a little bit of snow in your boots, you're going to be a sad little boy for the rest of the day."  Luckily, he had about 25 of those Hot Hands warmers in his gloves and boots, so he eventually recovered.  (Just kidding, Dal!)

 4) John was a champ, with only one fall as he took on a double black diamond mogol run.  (Actually he took a tumble in the lift line and sprained his wrist.  That's hard on his manhood, though, so don't tell him I told you.  Or you can say you heard about the wrist, but say that I said he hurt in doing mega-jumps in the snowboarding park.)

 5) Big G (my dad) took Bella on the "wagon" (the lift) so many times I lost count.  With the tips of her skis hooked together, she was unable to propel herself on level ground, so he had to drag her by one arm.  Watch the video at the end, it's hysterical.

 6) This is Bella's happy place.  When she was asked whether she wanted to ski with her dad or with Big G, she said, "Big G because he's got the science."  He definitely had the enormous task of getting her on and off the lift down to a science. (Thanks, Dad!  You saved me!)

 7) Karen (my mother-in-law) was by far the most graceful non-instructor I saw all day.  That woman can SKI!  Swish, swish, swish, gently and beautifully down the hill.  (In contract, I was more like SNOWPLOW! TUMBLE! TRIP! ROLL! down the hill.  I am not an athlete.)

 8) My dad looked his best when his hat was slipping off.  I like the top-knot effect this creates.

 9) John started skiing again after a good ice session on his wrist.  Luckily for his fragile tendons, he stayed upright for the rest of the day, despite his speedy descents.

 10) A little more X-games for all of you.

 11) Dallin was completely spent at the end of the day, poor baby.  We had to drag him back to the rental shack.  (Just kidding.  He posed here for dramatic effect.)

11)  This first video is Mimi skiing.  She's the hot shot coming straight toward the camera.


12)  This next video is Bella at her best.


13) This one is Bella's last run.  You have to watch for a bit before she comes into view.  She biffs it at the end, so it's definitely worth it.


14) And this one is my favorite, with Big G helping Bella along.  She would just hang from one arm and let him pull her along.  It appears she might be resentful, but I swear to you she was absolutely delighted with her situation all day long.  (Who wouldn't be with Big G ready to take you anywhere you want to go?)

Best Way to Read the Scriptures

1)Open scriptures.lds.org.
2) Find your spot in the Book of Mormon.
3) Turn on the "Listen" option.
4) Snuggle quietly on the floor.

And maybe when I say "best," I mean "most comfortable" and not "most effective way to help your children feel the Spirit and learn the doctrines."

When the babies* are at Nana's House. . .

. . . the rest of us can go SNOWSHOEING!  Have you ever done this?  It's incredibly fun.

 You can hang on a branch.

 You can model your stunning borrowed (the girls') or military surplus (mine and John's) footwear.

 You can pose in front of the gorgeous Uintah Mountain scenery.

 And you can fall on your duff again and again and again.  Favorite quote of the day, "Quit whining, Mimi, and just use your claws."  (This from Liv, referring to the crampon on the bottom of the snowshoe.)

We'll definitely have to get some kids' snowshoes of our own and do this again.  Does anyone want to join us?
*Bella hates it when we refer to her as one of the babies.