Ski Trips and Grandpa's Birthday

This is our third year doing the whole family skiing together thing. I'll be honest and say I don't love skiing. I hate being cold. I hate being out in the snow. But I do it every year because it brings me more joy than almost anything in the world to see my kids having fun on the slopes. It just makes my soul happy. 

We pretty much have gone every weekend except the last two, plus lots of times during Christmas break. The kids also all did lessons again this year. Hard to believe we started Jay when he was just barely 4. He and Ari were in level 3, Hailey in level 4 and Scott in level 5.

I always say Jay is such a baller. I dont' know where that came from but he really has no fear. Unfortunately that also means he didn't pass his ski level this year because he just flies down the mountain and doesn't listen to his teacher. Oops lol.

I think our favorite day so far was Santa day. I think it was Christmas Eve, but everyone who dresses in a full Santa suit gets a free lift ticket. You can see a few in the background in this picture of Jay. I think Jay counted over 30, but I'm pretty sure there were 100 Santa's skiing that day. It was an absolute blast!

Hailey's signature helmet hairdo

I said it in a previous post, but Scott has really taken to skiing. I was telling him he started the latest. Where Jay was barely 4 years old, Scott was 11 so he did get a late start but it has just came so natural to him. It's been a great thing to watch him succeed at it. He's even got a few tricks up his sleeve now and can definitely do circles around me!

Scott and Jay live for skiing. The girls are kind of like me....you have to drag them up there, but once they are there they have a great time. LOL 

So we were cruising down our favorite run and all of a sudden Jay just ditched out into the forest and didn't come back for a while. Apparently he was doing this sort of thing the time before with his Dad. He was telling Kevin how skiing was boring because it's the same route all of the time. So Kevin introduced him to this whole other world inside the trees and oh my, it was a game changer. It was never boring for him again. So funny. 

Here's a short clip of Jay

One time in this same area Jay wasn't coming out so I yelled, "You Okay Jay?" And then he yells back, "Yup, just took a little tumble" lol. He is such a crack up this kid. And fearless.

Because skiing all day isn't enough snow time, the kids LOVE rolling around before we load up in the truck.

As much "rolling around" this girl does. I told you I hate being cold! 

Because this is a ski post, I have to add my Dad's birthday weekend. Scott was ordained a teacher on my Dad's birthday which was almost a year early, but since he turns 14 this year he got to do it early. So my mom and dad decided to zip up here to spend the weekend with us. The kids were sooooo excited to take Grandpa skiing all day for his birthday!

Grandma and I stayed behind. I was happy to give my Dad my spot in the truck and take a break to hang out with my beautiful Mom! And make a yummy German chocolate cake for Grandpa.

Then we celebrated Grandpa with a little party Riggs' Family style

It was a quick trip, but we always have such a great time when they come for their weekend trips. Wish we got to spend more time with them! But it was fun to get to give my Dad a little love on his birthday since we don't get to do that.

Some pictures from Sunday 


I'm not sure why we take pictures in this room the lighting is horrible- oops!