Steamboat 2018

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Steamboat 2018 certainly did not disappoint!

 It was a day of trains, planes and multiple automobiles from C'ville, to DC, Denver, then the mountains, but we are so glad we decided to go all the way to Steamboat Friday night. 

Our evening hang out ain't too shabby!

 Always our first purchase - cheers to Mary Kathryn & Henry Wood's creation!  Just wish we could have toasted with them again this year.

Rentals procured and Little Man couldn't wait!

First stop this year = tubing!  SOOOO. MUCH. FUN.

 Tubing, when the videographer gets ditched!

FAST tubing train.

 Tubing!!!

Ski Day 1

 Not our typical blue skies, but I'll take it!

 Emily came up to ride with us!

 First trip up together after the kids finished ski school, which did wonders for all of them and gave us our first ski date in 11 years!

 

 Here we go!!!

 My buddy the first afternoon:-)

 Now HERE was our bluebird day:-)

 We were thrilled with how much each of the kids had progressed with just one ski lesson.  But what surprised us even more was how much terrain we were able to do as a family.  We assumed we'd be splitting up with Andrew and Matthew, allowing Margaret to join whomever.  But then we just ended up skiing together.  On the lift up, we'd make our plan for the next run (keep in mind they can go on for miles, requiring multiple turns to continue on the appropriate slopes for your skill).  One adult would lead and one would pull up the rear in case anyone needed anything. 

I don't know why we didn't anticipate what actually happened.  Matthew would just take off...and absolutely flying.  So the only one who couldn't read was in the lead and not caring to look back for the rest of us!  So it turned into, "You go catch up with Matthew and the rest of us will find you!".  That said, he did a remarkable job on the blues and we enjoyed some great powder in the trees while keeping the kids in site.  Loved how much skiing we were able to do together! 

 Last day, the Terrain Park piqued everyone's interest. 
"Lil' Rodeo" was a huge hit.

Matthew in the Terrain Park

Andrew conquering parts of Lil Rodeo

 Shopping in town...no snow on the streets or sidewalks, but cute hats to be found!

Fish Creek Falls - A favorite family hike.

 Can you see it??

 Ski goggles doubling as sun glasses.

 He wanted to hike all the way to the lake....15 miles I think?  
Some day...with snow shoes...some day.

 While Mommy shops for art in town, they ride horses....why not?

 Strawberry Hills Hot Springs - a favorite stop for all ages.

 A swim through a FRIGID pool is required to get the HOT waterfall 
that's showering their backs here.

 We were too busy gabbing to get a picture of the crew this year, but Ken and Peggy Carlton were amazing to host us at their Steamboat home again.  They go back with Michael more than half his life now and are simply amazing people with an incredible life. 


Next stop = Vail!

 Cool interactive children's museum in town, which was a great stop since it hadn't snowed yet in all of our days and the mountain conditions were dwindling by the day.

 Swinging paint

 Gondola time!

 Thanks to John and Amy Hughes, we had a large, LOVELY home to stay in - our kids are so spoiled to the SPACE that we are afforded when in the CO mountains.

 Emily is always such a gracious aunt!

Last stop = Denver, and our first visit to Union Station downtown since it was finished.  
Quite impressive, indeed.

 Always have to show the kids our old house, and play in the park at the end of the street.  Miss having the dogs there with us......if only we allowed ourselves to remain children all of our lives. 

 Cammie and Buck Latta were SO gracious to host us again after last year's near all-nighter.  Andrew and Buck are like soul mates:-) 

Missing a few dear faces, but these friends are some of our lifelong buddies.  
Cheers, Family Ties veterans!

 And our midnight departure, yet again, finally took its toll on our way back downtown.

 I don't even know how it's possible, much less comfortable.

 Every elevator in our hotel was a unique scene, so we had to ride and ride and ride them.

 While the big boys enjoyed a beautiful afternoon of DU lax, M&M and I took in the Science Museum---always an impressive place with more exhibits than you could possibly enjoy in one day.

 Pictures don't do justice to the scene outside of the museum.  It's a stunning view of the beautiful downtown buildings and the snow-capped mountains. 

 Ah, there we go.

And the game....typical February day...65 and sunny.

 

And then off to the airport, to backtrack...figuratively and literally.  And another wise decision to drive home from DC even if not home until 1:30am.  And after such a wonderful, but dry trip, what did we wake up to the next morning??  You guessed it!

So grateful to Bill and Donna Barker for the opportunity they provide us in Steamboat, and thankful that God has provided us fun, active children that love the outdoors the way we do. Can't wait until February 2, 2019!

Matthew's 5 ?!?

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5 - oh, my!  There are pros and cons to having a snow day on your birthday.  On the one hand, you get to "sled" with your siblings all day.  On the other, you miss the hype at school with your friends.  But the big bummer is being SICK on your birthday and missing cake altogether!!!  More later...

Thankfully, we had previously celebrated at JUMP and shared "Steamboat" dessert with our friends.  (Round 2 singing, for the video, was a little less enthusiastic:( ).

 Sweet Ella Weiglein at Matthew's party---she and Margaret can't get enough of each other!

 

Grandma's Goodies...

We opened presents about 4:30 and while playing with his new LEGOS, Matthew announced he had a headache and slumped to his bed.  WHAT?!?  30 minutes later, he was vomiting, followed by stories from A&M about how he crashed sledding across the street twice and hit his head badly.  So, with moaning, headache and vomiting, we were off to the Dr.  Zophran instead of cake on your birthday really stinks!  

Poor kid was sick every Wednesday in January....two stomach episodes (which have now been diagnosed as migraines), one flu-like case of strep with high fever, and one 5-day stretch of nightly fever and hives.  Nothing nearly like what he had at 9 months, but disturbing none-the-less. 

 

  Joint Matthew-Dody birthday brunch in Richmond---SO.MUCH.FOOD!

"My very own Life of Fred books!!!"  Matthew was SO thrilled for his own set of homeschooling materials just like Andrew and Margaret's.

 Birthday hugs and prayers for the sick kid:-(

 ...but it had been a fun day until then!

 The squeezy stress-basketball was the most fought over gift!

 Right after presents:-(

 Diligently doing AWANA every night on his own accord.

 Thanks, Em, for the 4-part John Deere puzzles!  They have been HOURS of entertainment!

 Rewind to his first birthday, carefully not blowing the candle up his nose like we did Andrew.

  So very thankful for a strep diagnosis over the flu, but scary to have his temperature continue to rise every hour despite medicine.

New Year's Eve 2017

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We started our NYE celebration with our annual year-in-review slide show that Michael spends weeks putting together for us all.  He compiles both funny and touching videos and pictures from the last 12 months to remind us of exactly how far we've come, how much they've grown, and how grateful we should all be to have one another.  The kids talk about it all year and cannot wait for it!


 The Ochs' were gracious hosts to friends who were all in for "Minute to Win It" family games----absolutely hysterical!

When it's in the teens, the outside bar works beautifully!

A mad man!!! Matthew's dance moves to WIN the "get the ping pong balls out of your kleenex box" game.

Celebration #1....9pm version

We stopped at our neighborhood party for an hour and then home as everyone was determined to stay up until midnight.  Andrew bailed at 11:00pm declaring, "I don't want to be a lazy bum tomorrow."  Wise beyond his years!  

I called Matthew at 11:25pm, but he had begged to see the ball drop, so I got him back up.

But this little party girl stayed up with no trouble at all!  Thankfully, she happily bounced off to bed at 12:05pm

No, he doesn't remember that I got him up.

Andrew and I watched some video clips tonight of Dubai, Hong Kong, Syndey and Moscow wondering why on earth we ever bother watching New York!  These cities provide the most spectacular light shows!  Here's to a happy and healthy 2018 filled with met goals and more family time.