Christmas Break

Rock has been begging for us to take him to Echo Valley ski area every day and night. DeA finally loaded up the kids and sherpa'd them up there. 

 Before you ask: No, I'm not in the picture and I didn't go. I mistakenly stayed home after I was told that I didn't need to go. You would think that I would know better than to stay home after being told to stay home, but I screwed up and stayed home after being told to stay home. Trust me when I tell you that I paid for my mistake.

 Rock is ready to shred the slopes.

 Ryker took a little more time and patience to get ready for the ski hill. That was part of the reason I was in trouble for staying home after being told to stay home. 

 Almost there.

 "I have to pee"

 Jens was a little easier to get out the door, but that is partly because she doesn't need all the cool gloves and helmets and googles that her brodders require.

 It was a long and...well, we'll leave it at long, day. DeA crashed for a few hours in the middle of the living room, despite D-Rell, MadBum, and her own monsters making all sorts of noises around her. That was another part of the reason I was in trouble for mistakenly thinking I could stay home after being told to stay home. It was a rookie newlywed mistake.

 DeA took the kids to her Mom's for about a week and a half. I stayed home and entertained D-Rell and his family until Nick and Emily showed up from England. 

 We all spent New Year's together frying things, getting mad at each other over board games, and trying to convince the kids that it was time to yell and scream and go to bed, even though it was still light outside. 

 Dad drove me over to Spokane to surprise DeA and the kids when they landed. It was good to see the kids, and it was nice to avoid another mistake of believing DeA when she said I didn't need to come help her drive home.

 Jens thought it would be best to freshen up her makeup before the long drive home.

 See, so fresh.

 The kids all crashed in the car, but at least that made Doxie's Cafe nice and peaceful.

 Rock jumped right back in to shredding the slopes as soon as could talk someone into taking him up there.

Jens and I preferred more sophisticated sporting endeavors, so she helped me pop clay pigeons. 

 She can even reload them into the thrower for me.

 The youth had a sledding activity, since DeA and I both had to go we took the kids with us. Ryker had a ball burning marshmallows and then lobbing them at random peopl.e

It's always "safety first" at these activities. It might be Central American level safety, but it's still a form of safety.