Desh's Snacks

Desh comes with me in the mornings when I play basketball since he has afternoon kindergarten this year.  He always comes super prepared with snacks for the day...

 

Lost a tooth!

Mr. Beck lost his very front tooth today!  Love this window smile look whenever the kids lose a front tooth!

 

January in PR

All Josh wanted for his birthday was a trip for just the two of us to PR.  So we found a time that we could sneak down and get some work done just on our own!  After we booked our tickets, our good friends the Browns also wanted to join us so they found some tickets and came along with us!  Josh and I got there a day earlier so we had a day to get a few things prepped before Jared and Nicole got there.  We had Juan Garai, our window and door guy, scheduled to come and put our kitchen window in that very first day.  He does such great work and it was amazing watching that window go in and see how much it added to the space.  So excited for this to be in!  

We also found a friendly snake stretched out in the laundry room by the dryer just trying to keep warm.  We shooed him out of the house but let him go cause he was harmless.  Cute little guy.

Josh trimmed the yard and we checked out the progress of our new plants that we put in last time we were there.  Everything is coming along!

I wish I could say that Jared and Nicole had a really relaxing time while they were with us but they actually got right to work and helped us A TON with some projects.  Last time we were there we had taken the rest of the tile off the bathroom walls.  It was stacked nicely in a pile ready to go out to the garbage and we got to work on that crazy pile.  Jared was a champ and hauled all that tile down on his back while Nicole and I shoveled it into bags for him.  I thought our job was hard enough, but I can't even imagine hauling it down the stairs and out to the street - about a hundred times!  Thanks Jared!

After the tile was out, we hosed the whole house and squeegeed out the water.  And just like that, we're ready for paint next time we're there!  They were such a huge help getting the last big things done for us.  

Other big news: Our water heater was finally installed and after all this time, we could finally take a warm shower!  Josh still prefers the cold water but not me.  I can take a warm shower anytime!  And our friend Edgardo worked hard on our plumbing upstairs.  He's getting the shower and toilet drains all figured out for us so we can get water running up there as soon as we can.  

We did take a fun trip over to Culebra and Flamenco Beach the last day we had with Jared and Nicole.  We love it over there and took our hammocks and bug nets to stay the night.  It was a gorgeous night and we sat out underneath the stars just the four of us chatting into the night.  Josh and Jared had us all set up in a great spot underneath the trees to sleep and we only got sprinkled on for just a minute in the middle of the night.  Not enough to keep us up too long.  Such a beautiful beach with some great friends! 

We LOVED having Jared and Nicole with us on our trip and we got so much done on the house that needed to be done for next time.  We're headed down in February with the kids and hoping to get started on paint right away.  The house project is sure coming along!

 

Ski week Day 5

Our last day of ski week and we were ready to roll bright and early today! We got to crest right as the lifts opened and met up with John Robinson who skied with us for the morning. What a treat to spend the morning skiing with that guy! We stuck to the groomers most and had a fun morning switching off who was in charge of a run and then following them to the end of the run together! I love watching all these kids of mine just tear it up while I’m watching from behind. THE COOLEST. 

After a few runs and right about when we all needed a hot chocolate break, we took one and got back to the cabin for a quick breather. It was time…Brighton Derby year 2 was about to start. 

We laid out the rules (everyone has to ride each lift in the resort, reporting in with Walkie talkies on each lift, no speeding etc) and talked through any minor details we were missing. And then it was time for the lineup! Josh threw a wrench in it right at the end and said that last years winner (Rease) would have a 2 minute delay after everyone goes before she can start her race. She took the news well and everyone planned their strategy how to get through the whole resort the fastest. And then off the hall went! Desh and I stayed at the cabin and waited for each one to check in through Walkie talkie and had fun trying to guess who was in first place and who would need up there! Halfway through I was sure that Liev was going to win. Then out of nowhere Keen pulled ahead and had just the two small lifts to go (magic carpet and explorer). But in a whoosh of flying snow and a tumble to cross the finish line, there was Rease! Taking first place for the second year in a row! She was very shortly followed by Liev then Rhen and then even more shortly after that was Keen, who had gotten stuck in a long line at Explorer or else I’m sure he would have won the whole thing! Dad and Beck came just a minute after and just like that they were all back! It is such a fun and friendly competition for the kids and something they look forward to. Josh made a podium and we had the awards ceremony soon after. Those kids up there on the podiums were so hilarious and funny to watch as they stood there getting their prizes. Nice job to everyone that participated again! Next year we can’t let Rease win again…

Race times for this year we’re:

Rease - 1 hour 20 minutes

Liev - 1 hour 25 minutes

Rhen - 1 hour 26 minutes

Keen - 1 hour 26 1/2 minutes

Beck/Dad - 1 hour 30 minutes 

As we packed up to go and leave this magical place on the mountain we looked around at the beautiful mountains and counted our blessings that this week can be ours once a year. It’s a time for fun and learning, laughing and jumping and snow spraying and most of all lots of memory making. And we’re so grateful that we got to do all those things in just a few short days! Ski week at its finest this year!

Ski week awards:

Rease - North Star award for staying true and constant to the way she skis

Rhen - Poser award for striking the best jumping poses

Liev - Zen award for being in the zone and just getting it done easily

Keen - Mommas Helper for sticking by moms side this week

Beck - Flying squirrel award because he looks just that way as he flys down the mountain with an open ski jacket

Desh - The Ripper award as he just rips down the mountain with now fear. And also ripped his ski pants. 

Dad - Captain Kirk award for keeling this ship of ours headed in the right direction

Ski week day 4

Day 4 came bright and early and we were ready to ski this morning! We started off with a run through My-oh-my then to Candyland where the kids wasted no time getting into their jumps. They are awesome and fearless!  I got to sit in the coveted chair #1 today and got proof of it. I think that’s a first for the week!

We took a bunch of runs down snake creek, through the trees (always) and down the slide. Sometimes through the ditch and other times over to Candyland again but always fast and furious and being all sorts of crazy! Keen skied so hard he got a bloody nose so we took a small break at the cabin until that was under control. Then back to it we went!

Before lunch we rode over to Great Western and we always love the view from there. It is absolutely incredible! Keen took me on a ride through Thor and Thunderhead while the others took another route. He was so sweet to stick with me and show the the way that was easiest for me to get down.  

After a few rides on Great Western with ultra short lines, we finally took a lunch break at the cabin. I love that we have a place to take a rest. And by rest I mean a nap :) I may or may not have fallen asleep for an hour or so before we headed back out. It was just what the doctor ordered. 

Back out to crest, powder hollow, pee-wee (or as Desh calls it, Kee-wee), and always down through majestic terrain park whenever possible. We spent the afternoon wearing ourselves out on runs! 

One particular run we went through Candyland and Rhen and Liev had this incredible sequence of a jump that both of them cleared one right after the other and I happened to catch it on video! They were amazing and jumped this like it was no big deal. Although Rhen did hurt her feet a little as she landed but it looked good from my end!

The evening was gorgeous as the sun was going down and I couldn’t help but feel so much grateful for this week that we get to spend in the beautiful outdoors. My kids inspire me and I look up to each of them for what they do. They aren’t afraid to do hard and new things and love spending time together. This is a week that we all love and look forward to and I love that we all love it equally. One of my favorite things is to loom down the mountain and see all my kids skiing one right after another. It’s a heartwarming moment for this mom and I’ve been able to witness it many times this week! 

Ski week day 3

Day 3 and today is Sunday! We are taking a day of rest and enjoying it. We zoomed into our church meeting and Beck and Desh entertained themselves with a game of “orange bowling” while we all listened. Grammie and Papa came up last night and spent the whole day with us today. After church we spent most of the day playing games, napping, watching movies and hanging out in the warm cabin. We taught the kids how the play spoons and it was a big hit! We had to squeeze in a giant game of settlers and everyone laid out their own games of solitaire across the big kitchen table. 

By late afternoon/evening we were ready to get out of the cabin for a bit. We dressed warm and took a walk over to Great Western to get some fresh air. It was a gorgeous night and we got to see the sun set and the huge moon rise behind us! It has been such a fun day and we enjoyed our down time and the company of Grammie and Papa with us. 

Ski week day 2

Today is Saturday and the first day of ski lessons for the year. The boys were excited to get into their classes and the girls were happy to have the morning to ski with Josh :) I headed down the mountain for the baptism of my triplet nieces so I got a full run down of the morning when I got back! Andy came up and skied for the day and the girls and Josh and Andy had a great morning together “rippin it” down the mountain as they described it. Thanks to Josh and his filming skills, we got some awesome footage of them!

The afternoon was filled with lots of jumps, fast runs and continued learning from the morning of lessons. Desh told me when I got back that he learned how to “spray”. A skill that is definitely a must in this family! Mike McCarlie came up for afternoon and night skiing with us and we loved having him. We had a full day and night of skiing and now we’re all tired from the labors of our day!

Ski week day 2 in the books. 

Ski week Day 1

Our favorite week on the mountain started today and it could not have been a more gorgeous day to start us off! We got to the ski cabin late yesterday afternoon and after hauling all our gear up the hill we were tired but also ready for a week of skiing. Some of the kids and Josh went out for a few runs last night but today was the official start of one of our favorite weeks of the whole year!  We had a good breakfast of oatmeal and Sunny Boy, revealed our Walkie talkie call signs and met up with our good friends Brad and Sharon Baldauf for the first run of the day. Luckily we’ve had quite a bit of snow in the past month so the coverage up here is good and I always love being on the groomers first thing in the morning. The kids had no trouble getting into the groove and before we knew it we were headed on a triple terrain park route followed by a run on snake creek, down the slide and back up to the top. We skied hard and got chilled by about 11:00 when we took our first break for hot chocolate. After a quick break along with a quick clean up (Beck pulled vacuum duty today) we hit the snow hard again before we stopped for lunch around 1:00. Brad and Sharon are super fun to ski with and are game for whatever we want to do and wherever we take them! 

The view from the top of snake is one that I never tire of and I’m always in awe at the landscape surrounding us. We are sure in love with this state of Utah. We took a few more runs after lunch before the Baldaufs headed home and we said goodbye. We did take some time in the cabin after they left and slept a little bit, read, played games and hung out in the warm cabin until this evening. The kids love skiing at night so it wasn’t even a question if we would go back out when it got dark. We had some good runs under the lights tonight and boy oh boy do our kids LOVE to ski and ski fast! One of my favorite things to see is all my kids trailing after each other down the mountain. Starting with the girls that just rip it and ending with Desh who just wants to (and does!) keep up with all the others. 

I just absolutely love this time we have together! What a first day! 

Call signs for the week…

Desh - The Runt

Beck - Flamin Hot

Keen - Oingus

Liev - Leever Weever

Rhen - Tweedle

Rease - Shadow

Mom - Mominator

Dad - Sunny Boy

2nd term - Desh Kindergarten

 

2nd term - Beck 2nd grade

 

2nd term - Keen 4th grade

 

2nd term - Liev 5th grade

 

2nd term - Rhen 7th grade

 

2nd term - Rease 9th grade

 

DARE

Liev got to participate in the DARE program this year and had the best experience doing it.  He loved officer Jake and loved the graduation ceremony after.  It is so cool to see these kids learn something so great and love it!

 

Yearly calendar

I usually get one of these cute calendars every year from one of my kids and this year Mr. Beck made me one!  I love having it hang in our house and know it was made with lots of love :)

 

Josh's Birthday

We love celebrating Josh's birthday!  Mostly because we've been partying for a week already and love that we get to just keep right on partying for one more day!  Josh always likes to go ski on his own for his birthday and then we have panini sandwiches together at night.  This year we got to have a big crowd join us and that's just what we love.  Josh is easy to love and we all wish him the happiest year ahead!

 

Early season ski

We've had such amazing snow so far this year, we couldn't help but sneak up to the mountains today to ski.  It was worth braving the crowds just to be there!  The snow was great and a day on the mountain this early in the year for us was such a treat!  We'll be back soon I'm sure.

 

Christmas 2021

We love Christmas and love that we have family around to celebrate with us!  This year my grandma Iverson came to town and spent the holiday with us.  We were so happy to have her!  It has been a lot of years since we've had here in Utah, so we felt so lucky to spend this year with her.  On Christmas Eve, Caleb and Hayley and Grammie, Papa and Great Grandma Iverson came for dinner and all the Christmas Eve festivities.  We did the nativity and had french dip sandwiches which are traditional at our house.  It's so fun to see the kids all dressed up and acting the story out.  

After we opened pjs, all the kids crowded into the same bed like they always do on Christmas Eve.  They are always so excited and can barely sleep in anticipation.  A couple of them try to stay awake to hear Santa, but eventually they all drift off to sleep.  

Christmas morning is a whirlwind of fun and wrapping paper!  We try to keep a little control and open our sibling gifts first which is always super fun to see what everyone got each other.  Then we open just one gift at a time so we can watch what everyone got.  With a few extra people in the house it took some time, but it was so great to have a houseful!  It's so fun to see who gets excited about which gift and which thing ends up being a favorite.  I love this morning so much!

While the kids were busy trying to hear Santa on Christmas Eve, Josh, Papa and I were playing Santa's workshop downstairs in the boys room.  We have been thinking about doing bunkbeds in their room for such a long time and decided this was the year we would actually do it!  So along with the signs we've been collecting for year and the beddy's that I've been waiting to use forever as well, we finally got this room done and put together for their Christmas present.  It was definitely a win!  They were so excited about it and I know this room will take a beating in the years to come.  But for now these boys are excited about it!  Merry Christmas to all!

 

Christmas party in Delta

Justin and Steph invited us all down to their new home in Delta for a Christmas party.  It was the perfect way to get all the cousins together and exchange gifts...and eat of course! Their house turned out so nice and we were excited to get to be there with them.  We love being so close to family and just cherish the chance to get together with them when we can!  

 

Christmas lights

We took the young women to see the Christmas lights at a light show in South Jordan tonight.  We all crammed into the back of Stacie's truck, drank hot chocolate, snuggled under the blankets and enjoyed the show!

 

Sub 4 Santa

This year as a family we decided to do Sub 4 Santa.  We found two families that needed a little extra for Christmas and chose them to be able to help out.  It was so fun for all of us to be able to buy gifts for the kids in the families and then wrap them together.  We all loved knowing what ages and how many kids were on our minds as we shopped!  We set out to deliver the presents tonight and it was super special to be able to place all the presents under their tree and see how excited they were about it.  Such a cool thing to do together as a family and get to know these cute families throughout the process! Merry Christmas!

 

Covid shots

We took the plunge and got the kids their covid shots today.  With us traveling back and forth to Puerto Rico so much it makes it so much easier to have the shot than to have to test every time we go.  The kids were on board so we did it!  And they were champs about it.  No covid for us!

 

Too Small

I think this one has outgrown his ski clothes from last year...

Or did he just somehow fit into a younger brother's clothes?  All I know, he's getting too tall!

 

Snow

The snow we have gotten the last couple days is just incredible.  And that sky to go along with it?  Just what winter dreams are made of.