Quality Time

We got some long and overdue alone time with our two oldest kids this weekend. There would be no diapers, bottle feedings, or dealing with the tantrums of a two year old. There would just be quality time and catching up on who our big kids are as people, outside of our big crazy family!

Our First Family Ski Trip

I didn't realize how much I had missed the mountains.  I didn't realize how much I had missed skiing with Don, we went 15 years ago on our Honeymoon, and then 5 years every year after. I wasn't sure my body would remember how after 10 years! Fortunately it was like riding a bike...picked it right up! It is the one thing we both really enjoy doing together. We ski at about the same level and we can laugh together when the other does an embarrassing wipeout! 

This would be the first time we took the kids. I prepared for the whining that would take place over the uncomfortable ski boots, dealing with the cold wind, and the fear that would come with the ski lifts!

This would be the lift Molly would fall off!
She scooted her butt too soon and fell in the mound of snow right before it flattens to exit!
Poor thing about gave her Dad and I a heart attack!
The lift had to stop and the worker had to help get her out!

I didn't expect my kids to love the sport so much. I didn't expect them to pick it up so fast either. We stopped to check on them while they were in ski school and Grant shouted "Ski School is Awesome!"  Molly waved and smiled. She made sure to tell me all about the girl in Ski School with her, Grace, who cried because her hands were "FREEZING." 

Little Ms Fearless
She was mad at me when we found a trail that wasn't straight down.
She had Don hollering at her to "slow down"

The views were priceless. I kept bugging my kids to "look at what God made"...

Look at the way the clouds sit on the mountain behind us!

I learned on this trip that my job in "training" my children is far from over! About 24 hours into the trip Don looked at me and said, "I thought it would be easier with these two!" Yes!!! I thought it would be easier. I mean they don't wear diapers, they don't do a limp noodle tantrum when you go to a restaurant, and you can tell them to go back to bed when they get up too early! 
Grant is our question asker, always has been. Molly is our planner, likes to know what is coming...not just in the next hour, but the next 24 hours. This resulted in NONSTOP questions by both of these kids. Hundreds, possibly a thousand questions over 4 days! Ridiculous questions and the antagonizing that these two do with each other is like something out of a sitcom with two very old unhappy married people! Molly was commenting how Grace won the Pig Races at School. Grant said, "which Grace?" Molly sasses back, "you know which Grace, Grant." Grant, "I know 2 Graces." Molly, "you don't know 2 Graces, Grant!" Grant, "yes I do." and so it goes back and forth and then Grant says he knows a Grace from Molly's Ski School! Molly is so annoyed at this point that she starts telling him how that doesn't count, he doesn't know her and he wasn't in School with her, she was! I finally intervene (this kind of dialogue happens every 30 minutes, so I ignore until it starts to get ugly!)...Grant you need to look at your sister and tell her, "I was wrong, I only know 1 Grace!" That boy couldn't look at her and wouldn't say "I was wrong." It was a mumbled, "I only know 1 Grace." 
I have to remind myself that my kids are now more like grown up people. They aren't toddlers arguing and throwing themselves down because I won't let them eat Oreo's at 8am. It is my job and Don's job to correct their character, teach them manners, respect. They can't just act and respond the way they want, they need to think about what they are saying, doing, the words they are speaking.  We are consistently telling Grant, "the words you speak can't be taken back." When he said, "I don't like to swim." on the ski lift ride, he  might want to think about it in his head before speaking it out loud! When Don said, "then you won't be swimming in the pool this summer?" Grant got all frustrated and tried to talk his way out of what he said, without just admitting he shouldn't have said it!!! Hard for us adults...to admit when we are wrong! What makes us thing it is easy for kids...they are people in little bodies!

My kids talked and exchanged names and information with the two kids in the Hot Tub.
They are from Kearney! Same age as my kids, and girls name is Molly.
Later Grant would refer to them as "their friends!" ...That was a question he asked,
"Can we ski with our new friends?" "Can we walk around the halls with our friends?"

We stepped away from skiing to enjoy a Dog Sledding Ride. These beautiful Huskies started to go crazy when we stepped up to the loading area. They were howling and wagging their tales and jumping.  The minute their leaders started taking them to rope them to the sled they just got giddy! I enjoyed watching the dogs more then I did the views on the sled ride! Once we started they didn't want to stop running. The team that pulled Grant and I were "younger" and our guide said this is what Huskies are created to do....run! They each had a name and she could say commands and they would listen as they pulled. It was quiet, and peaceful, and an awesome experience. 

 Overall, we all missed the "little ones" left at home. Molly commented on how she wanted to see Austin and Grant wanted to squeeze Heidi! I thought I might have some thoughts about what life would have been like if we hadn't added two more kiddos to our family. For 5 years it was just the 4 of us. Heidi has only been in our lives for 9 months, but every one of us missed, talked about, and dreamt about future ski trips, with our Austin and Heidi. It was obvious that a part of our family was missing! 
This picture seems like a lifetime ago! My older kids were so little! Amazing what 3 years can bring...

January 2010

With that thought, as to the changes three years can bring, today is my 35th Birthday! It is the first Birthday that I didn't get excited about, or want to celebrate. Celebration is balloons and "YAY!" I'm not feeling that this year. I'm halfway through my thirties. When I was in my twenties I admired women in their thirties. I looked forward to being in my thirties. I feel like Jessica and I were just celebrating our 30th Birthday at Upstream! Nope, it has been 5 years. The fastest 5 years of my life. It went so fast that I can only think that the next 5 years will go as fast, or faster. This makes me sad. It has nothing to do with getting older, but knowing these years are going so quickly, and I can't get them back. I can't slow it down. I didn't have anyone sing to me, except 2 verses sung off key by Susie, no cake or candles. Instead I went to Costco with my baby, bought her a 1st Birthday present, and picked up Molly from dance and heard about Grant's night at wrestling practice! I have super sweet cards from my kids and a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Don and 75 messages of Birthday wishes on FB! Knowing your thought about and loved is what a Birthday should be all about...not a celebration of the years passing by!