Day 13 NEW YEARS EVE

The Day started off cold.. Haley, my niece and I took off first thing this morning to go hit the slopes.. at -4 degrees we froze our fingers and toes and screamed and laughed as we rode up the chair because the freezing air gave us an instant headache.. BUT the groomed trails and the clear air and of course the time we spent together made it all worth it.. As the day came to an end my other niece, Hannah and I made some Amish cupcakes.. which is our New Years Eve dessert.. The Fireworks were amazing and I hate that the majority of the time I was trying to take a picture for 'the picture of the day' BUT the memory card was not in the camera AND of course the battery was dead.. So thanks to Amelia.. You get to see some fireworks.. The kids are down in the theater room watching some movie while all the big people are playing games.. Ella is asleep and I just want to read the Hobbit.. New Years Eve.. What will 2011 bring us ? Bless all who look at this silly blog with happiness..health and a new year to remember..

DAY 12..

Ella playing with her Uncle Ben and cousins.. Hannah and Lily

DAY 11 A VERY WINDY DAY

Ross and Rickey braved the high winds and low temperatures..

Rickey

Ross and his ice beard..

Ross helping the kids put on skies so they can say they skied in -13 below.. That is with the wind chill.. and the winds 30 mph..

Kay and Lily... showing how cold it is!.. They braved the storm.. Today I stayed inside.. too windy and too cold.. a 15 year old girl died today in a tree well.. not sure the details.. ( NEWS FLASH! JUST LEARNED THIS HAPPENED AT A DIFFERENT RESORT.. )

Day 10.. 8 inches of fresh snow!

My Brother in law Ben in his jammies..!

For some reason this family is obsessed with watching zits being popped on utube!..

It started last night and once again being continued making sure everyone has seen the zit exploding.. Thanks to Tom Friedlob for showing my husband this video now has been seen by almost everyone in this household.. Minus me.. I can't stomach it right now in my life.. SO BACK to day 10~ Woke up with fresh powder.. Ross, Rickey, Amelia and I headed out at 9:30 to hit the slopes.. 8 inches of fresh powder and holiday crowd made the normally groomed trails very difficult so we took off into the trees!.. Its a little bit of heaven back in their.. The word that kept coming to my mind was velvet.. the snow was amazing! My legs shook insanely BUT it was so worth making my own fresh tracks in the snow..

DAY 9.. AND the skiing has begun

Kay and I ventured out this morning.. Kay in her new boots and me just still getting used to the snow.. Our first true run was green run on the back It was such a winter wonderland.. I wish a picture could show you truly what I saw.. After some skiing I headed in while Ella napped and then Ella and I headed off for a snow hike.. the weather was perfect.. I bundled my darling up and off we went.. we saw 1 mule deer and 2 bucks.. SO close up!.. Such a wonderful moment.. Day 9 was a exciting day.. My sister in law Brandi, and her three little munchkins are heading this way tonight.. So tomorrow will be full of fun and adventure..

DAY 7 Christmas Day...

Happy Christmas from the Shoes.. We woke in a hurry.. Our plan was to pack up and head out by noon to surprise Ella's Me Me.. I made some homemade cinnamon scones which ended up tasting like a cinnamon roll/cinnamon cookie..! Ross didn't mind.. We drove 4 hours south to Burnt Fork Ranch.. Ross called his Ma right when we pulled on to Ranch property to ask her if she would like to Skype.. and to let her know what we have one today.. ( We both went out for a ski run to say we skied on Christmas) and to throw her off a bit.. We pulled up just as she was about to go in the house.. It was a perfect surprise!.. a wonderful Christmas day!.. ( We forgot the camera and computer so that is why I was not able to update..)

DAY 6 Christmas EVE in Whitefish, Montana

DAY 5

Today has been a lovely day.. Ella helped me make some Elk Stew.. Which Ella and I ate.. Ross had a hard time with stew. but he ate it anyway! =) This morning started with such beautiful skies and then a snow shower followed by amazing sunshine!.. Ross been working on Puzzle.. I read some book while the Ella napped.. And then Ella and I took off for a small hike up the road.. Great to get some fresh air and exercise...

CHICKEN PARMESAN with KALE

I am excited about this recipe...I have been baking a lot and have not been coming up with meals.. This turned out very yummy and healthy.. Clean Eating for the Shoes..

DAY 4..GUESS THIS MOVIE.

After a rough night.. and hard morning we headed into movie room Ella woke up at 11:30 pm and screamed like someone was killing her until 2 am. then up at 5am!.. I tried to get her back down but by 6 both Ross and I gave up. the only thing that sounded sane at the time was morning movie.. Went for a walk only 10 minutes into the walk she wanted to go to sleep.. SO we headed back so that she will nap!.. Though its hard to see the picture.. can you guess the movie we are watching?

Art Azurdia - Unequaled Greatness

It might be 8 minutes but SUCH a POWERFUL message...

DAY 3

Ross has completed the border of a 3,000 piece puzzle.. with NO help.. day 3.. a sunny day.. I went out for a ski run first.. My goal was to do all of chair 2! Of course my first run was a black which got my legs nice and warmed up for the rest of the runs!..

DAY 2

WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY.. I do love my sweet girl but it has been a long time since I have had a date day with my husband... My sister in law came up for the day to watch little Ella. Today consisted of Skiing.. hot cocoa.. Christmas shopping... Buckwheat Crepe with lemon juice.. it was 13 degrees at the top of Mountain.. My husband and I tried to ski the whole back side but I don't think my toes could have taken anymore.. we did all but one run.. The snow was just right.. and IT WAS SNOWING.. and the best part of this day Ella had a wonderful day with her Aunt B.. Ahh that made it so much easier to enjoy the day!

DAY 1

We finally have arrived in our home away from home.. the mountains an snow is just breath taking I don't know if I could ever get used to the view. It has been spitting snow on and off all day on the Mountain. day in the village its nice and sunny! My room for the next month is 33 stairs to the kitchen and let me tell you I feel the burn every time I come up.! I come up and then realize I forgot something and back down again only to face those stairs my legs dread.. but oh that burn should do some good!.. Tomorrow I will be 18 weeks pregnant.. my stomach official looks like I have either gained weight in the stomach area OR I have a baby bump coming along.. the next few weeks I should really be showing.. well this is it for today.. Ella has officially woken up from her nap.

4 generations

What a wonderful visit to Boston, My sweet Gigi was there.. She came out to visit the family for a month and what a beautiful time we had together!..

Life as we know it

This piece of artwork sums up my life.. My child not quite dressed, me, still in my pajamas and cleaning my tea cup just to get some more.. Being 17 weeks pregnant and running after a VERY active 13 month old.. is exhausting. I clean and I clean, I say NO and I say no.. I chase and I chase.. over and over and over.. some days I don't think I can handle any more of it.. And then God pours his grace on me and reminds me that all of this is for a reason.. All this is what I have wanted since I was 2 years old! How often God tells me 'No' and chases after me over and over and over.. I am so very thankful for my family, I am thankful I have a healthy child and the fact I can be at home with my daughter.. and care enough to say 'no' and chase after her.. I am thankful I have a home to clean and clothes to wash.. I have money to cook and bake.. SO I can very easily get caught up in the exhausting life of a homemaker/ MOM.. no sleep.. breaks are far and in between BUT God has been so good and blessed me over and over and over.. I can look at this painting that my husband has done and it will remind me of life as we know it and this life its a wonderful life..