2nd-3rd Concert & All Kinds of Other Singing!

Click here to open in a browser so that videos will appear.

Margaret's 2nd-3rd Grade Concert was very sweet and, as usual, Mrs. Gary did a spectacular job with the kiddos and song selection.  

 Much bigger group of kiddos this year.

 Margaret and Colleen are sweet friends.

 Margaret started off the evening introducing the first song.

 "2014 Fifa World Cup Anthem"

 "Each of Us is a Flower"

 "Roar" - Quite a few of the instrumentalists were not there for the evening performance, so the accompaniment is a bit shaky:-)

"Wavin' Flag - 2010 Fifa World Cup Anthem"

 Kids' Choir at Church

The Killians have been deemed "the pillars" of the choir.

"I Have Decided to Follow Jesus"

Bonus Selection - Granddaddy's "Thank you For the Music" from Mamma Mia. 

So grateful for all of the music in our lives and those that work so hard to bring it to us.   As Ephesians 5:19 reminds us, "Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord."

Steamboat 2019

Click here to open in a browser so that videos will appear.

Always look forward to our (hopefully) annual trip to Steamboat, trading cold, gray winter days for snow and blue bird skies.  

First purchase for our Denver hotel room is always Upslope.  Bummer not to see Mary Kathryn and Henry this year, but thankful for their continued dedication to great beer.

Long flight out---we sat on the runway in Richmond for over an hour de-icing.  The kids befriended local C'ville kids sitting in front of them so the time passed quickly, but then Matthew "went down" as we descended.  Once again, he had a headache and was sick within minutes... multiple times, in the airport, and finally in the rental, he hit the floor of our room and was out cold immediately, and rebounded in the morning as if nothing happened.  (Apparently Matthew's our plane/airport sick kid and Margaret the hotel room kiddo. So Andrew's my favorite traveler right now:-)  


In between barf bags, I was getting texts from our house sitters.  The very first time they checked on Molly, the fire alarm was going off.  Fresh off a friend's death and missing his services, we firmly declared that it had not been our week, but we were determined to start fresh Saturday morning.

  After stocking up in Denver, we swung through Vail en route to Steamboat.  Emily has such a sweet set up with her walk out apartment, lake, amphitheater, mountain view, and a great playground.

  "The guys" bought some land just off of 70 on the river and built (with their own hands) a "fishing house" as their weekend (or wife??) get away.

 It's basically a tiny house, only BIG!

  Matthew and Em's Lacie exploring the Big tiny fishing hut.

 Exterior decor

  Finally in our happy place...with Henry's new Citra Pale Ale.  Refreshing!

  The kids were in ski school Sunday, so we hit (free??) Howelsen Hill for the first time.  With a bit more terrain than we'd realized, it was fun to be viewing the Steamboat slopes on our date day.

 "Caution" - NO!!!

  These were our last smiles before an impressive storm tackled us in impressively fast fashion, ending our adult runs.  We knew it was forecasted, but one run we could see the whole valley, the next we were being pelted and blown over.

Our first day skiing together and Emily's skiing (or riding) with us, too---and she's improved a lot!

 It was an extremely bittersweet day.  As we started our first ski day, our dear school family was starting a funeral. Brian Heath was a truly amazing husband and Dad who spent his weekends at Massanutten riding with Brody and Sophie (Andrew and Margaret's friends).  Our vacation painfully timed (but pre-paid), it was difficult to be on the snow, where he died of a massive heart attack only a week before.  #makingthemostoflife

Day 1 on the mountain:  

Andrew's doing awesome---impressive improvement.  

Matthew keeps us cackling---zero trepidation, much better skill than last year, and loving every minute.  

Margaret, remembering her fluke of a twisted knee last year, is more cautious  than we'd hoped.  

So we split up part of the morning.  Michael had a Daddy date with Margaret while Em and I took the boys up and back----apparently to all double diamonds!

 Reunited for the afternoon, we hit our favorite few lifts on the backside with a plethora of blues that suited us all---fast centers, mogul edges, perfect trees (Matthew's new delight!).  

A new adventure, Michael hiked up Vogue----
a steep, perfect exercise start to the day.

 Fish Creek Falls!  A favorite local hike, we visit annually for the various views---overlooks, bridges, and wondering when we can make it back in the summer for the 10 mile round trip hike to the lake.

 Can you see the bridge??

If not blinded by the blue skies, can you see the frozen "falls"??

 Can't wait to get this falls shot in the summer!

 

 The Strawberry Park Hot Springs, about 15 min from town, are another favorite tradition.

 A stunning, private setting.

 The various pools range in temperature dramatically.  The coolest pool is FREEZING compared with the others, so the kids always challenge us to swim across it (about 25 meters) to the hot trickle that spills into it.  In two groups, we all made it again this year...

 ...and I will admit that my heart was beating faster than it does for a half-marathon to get across that icy cold water to the hot trickle we now pose in front of.

 My people...

 ...my love.

 Ken and Peggy Carlton, friends of Michael's since his college lax days, were gracious enough to have our crazy crew over again to their stunning mountain home.  Such a delightful couple, we thoroughly enjoy hearing their stories of their annual European bike trips with 18+ people, their ski days with local friends, and their on-going shenanigans with their family.  A beautiful couple and a beautiful life.

 First run of our second full day - chilly but gorgeous.

Margaret flipped some sort of switch and was like a new skier Wednesday! She stepped it up so much that we all stayed together enjoying nothing but blues---and then some challenging mogul-only black diamonds for Little Man!  There was NOTHING that kid would not try:-) 

 Here we go!

 Those are our peeps up there...

Wednesday was absolutely amazing. 6" of fresh powder was just perfect. The kids learned how that means different technique, but they all loved it, especially our tree runs---Mom and Dad's very favorite!

 

 All we did was look up.  Thank you, Lord.

 

 Speed jumping out of the trees is the best!

 Happy Mama:-)

 Everyone successfully jumped the rock, too!

 The Rock Jump

Part of the Winter Carnival is night racing and jumping at Howelsen Hill, the local training park that can boast 89 Olympians.  What a fun event!

A chilly -12 at the base on Friday, it was a balmy 3 at the top!  Get your body working hard on blacks, though, and your heart just pounds with joy.

 Black Diamond powder - Matthew thought nothing of it and just helped himself.

We are definitely now a blue/black family.  We have arrived!!!  The blues are fun because each offers its own variety of terrain, but we've learned that blue/blacks are even more fun---more exhilarating to conquer.  And when we find ourselves on a black, we all take it on knowing that we can do it, even if it's hard work. 

That said, M and M still enjoy terrain parks, skiing through buildings and teepees, and anything unusual they can find.

The Half-Pipe on the Lil' Rodeo Terrain Park - didn't capture the jumps.

Once, again, our gratitude is to Bill and Donna for providing us their sweet suite in the Grand.  What a blessing to have such space for our downtime.  

 

Saturday morning Winter Carnival festivities

Snow Sculpture competition---only one day to carve

Always sad to leave Steamboat, it's easier when Denver is next.

Matthew was fixated on the train (Mom's old Light Rail) that kept coming by.

An unusually hazy day, we could still see the mountains in the distance from the Rooftop bar---must be spectacular in warmer weather.

Elevator Shenanigans

Sweet memories from 2004-2009, including being carried over the threshold, bringing Andrew home, painting the house and doors, updating the kitchen, and painstakingly putting in the retaining wall to save the front yard.

Once again, Cammie and Buck Latta so graciously hosted our church family Saturday night.  I miss these couples so badly and was touched to be given their time.  

(Some of) the ladies---sorry we shot so late, Margaret and Becca!

Another great trip in the books.
Another bittersweet reunion.
Another year the kids say they want to live there.
Another year I remind them that I woudln't home-school and that they wouldn't ski daily and live in the Grand:-)
But I like the way they think!