Everyday life.

I realized as I was downloading my photos that nearly all of them posted today are selfies.

Weird.  I should probably do a better job taking pictures.

 A couple of weeks ago Ryan and I went to my employee work party at Sundance.  In the past we've had a sitter stay with the kids...but Haley is 11 1/2 and we thought, I bet they can take care of each other now.  We've left them alone plenty of times before, but never in the evening for multiple hours.  And I don't think we've ever left all four together at the same time...I've always feared they would just fight the whole time.  

So yeah, back to the date.  In preparation for them being alone, we picked up three (yes, three) movies from the library, ramen noodle cups (or salt cups as we call them), and popcorn.  You know, just the necessities for any child home alone.  My only rules: 1.  Everyone is safe and taken care of.  2.  The house isn't trashed.  And 3.  Everyone needed to be in jammies when we got home.

And I'm happy to report they did great.

The kitchen and family room were clean, and everyone had jammies on when we walked in...oh, and everyone was safe (most importantly!)

So, this has opened a whole new door of opportunities for Ryan and I!  It's a pretty nice feeling when we hit new milestones as parents...like having a child old enough now to watch the younger ones.  Wow...it's kinda weird...but cool too.

Carpooling to work with my little bro and co-workers.  

They keep me feeling young...or sometimes really old (I'm old enough to be some of my co-workers' mother...that's pretty scary!)...but whatever.  Speaking of old (just kidding, he's not old...yet), today is Jeffy's birthday!!  So Happy Birthday little bro!  When I grow up I want to ski just like you!!  Seriously people, he can rip the S#*t out of any mountain!  That's the truth!

 Speaking of ripping it up...Utah has been killing it with all the snow this year.

We took the family night skiing a week or so ago and it was dumping snow!

They met me up there after I finished working so I had a grand total of over 8 hours on the snow when the day was done.  I WAS BEAT!  But the girls had a ball, and there is nothing better than seeing my kiddos ski!

 Misty, the cat that decided to adopt us last Fall, is alive and well.  In fact she has claimed the upstairs (Haley's room in particular) as her own.  She rarely comes down stairs...if at all.  But when she does make an appearance she is the sweetest cat (and I'm not even a cat person!)

In other exciting news (exciting to me anyway), yesterday I hit my goal weight!

I have lost 8 pounds since the end of last summer and I'm pretty darn thrilled I achieved that!

Happy Tuesday ya'll!

The latest.

So what's been going on around here...

 ...my children continue to never where clothes, even when we have arctic temperatures outside.

I was lucky she had a shirt on this time.

 I have been working every weekend on the slopes...and let me tell ya, during the holidays I had to endure some pretty chilly temps...chilly as in below zero chilly!  Seriously, how did I survive?!  And more importantly, how did all those children who took lessons survive?!  Hot chocolate breaks are a must!  

We've been trying to get the kids skiing as often as possible.

Last week we had our most successful ski outing to date.  First off, everyone can ski independently now, which is pretty darn cool!  And secondly, not one kid complained or whined or cried...this is unheard of for our family.  Usually, there is always at least one kid having an off day.  Not this time!  Everyone was pumped and didn't want to stop skiing...we seriously had to drag them off the mountain when it was time to go home.  It was a dog gone miracle!

 Morgan making cookies.  

This girl loves crafting and cooking.

After work smooching.

If you can believe it, Rory snapped this photo.  She was perched up on the counter right beside my phone...so I found this photo along with a photo of our sink and one of our fruit bowl and another of the stove...you get the idea.  But I'll give her credit on this one.

So with that...hope ya'll are having a fabulous hump day!

Christmas 2015

 Ryan and I got to bed around 12:30 after finishing all our little tasks that need to be done Christmas Eve.  As a child I remember being so excited it was hard for me to sleep...and now as an adult, I'm just as giddy...I'm just so excited to see my girls' eyes light up when they wake up and come down stairs.  Christmas is just so magical with children!

After Ryan and I went to bed we got a visit from Morgan about every 30 minutes until morning.  She would come in and say, "I can't sleep.  Is it morning yet?"  And we would respond the same way..."Does your clock say 7:00?  Then it's not morning..."  

Poor thing...I remember feeling her pain when I was her age.  Little did she know, I was just as restless with excitement!

But morning indeed came!

And so did Santa!!

Some top gifts were Penny boards and Polaroid mini cameras for the older girls, and new Razors and dolls for the little ones.

 The girls and I in our new Mexican house dresses.

It's all about the Pit Vipers this year.

We had my family over Christmas evening for a ham dinner and hot chocolate bar dessert...and MORE presents!

 It was a beautiful day!

But we missed my brother, Andrew, who's living in Big Bear.  Bummed he wasn't able to join us...next year, right Andrew?

This year has been loads of fun and I'm pretty sure 2016 won't disappoint!

Happy New Year ya'll!!

Christmas Eve

 The week leading up to Christmas the girls and I would pick a Christmas book to read before bed.  I love that my older girls still love to listen to picture book stories!

Christmas Eve we had plans to load up the kids for a morning of skiing, but with all the new snow we had (over 70 inches in just a few days) the parking lot was already full by 9:30 that morning.  Bummer.

Plan B: sledding.

We have a pretty good sledding hill at the park next to our house.

 Rory's face...it kills me!  I crack up every time I look at it!

That night we had lovely time at my brother's for a Christmas Eve meal.

We drove home with the snow falling and listening to Christmas music.

When we got home the girls opened their traditional Christmas Eve gifts...this year they received Mexican house dresses...I think they are beautiful!  Each one has a slightly different embroidered design on it.  Simply lovely!

Ryan read "The Night Before Christmas" (as always) before we tucked them all in bed.

One week countdown.

Okay...a week and a day really...but either way...oh my gosh...Christmas is almost here!

The girls have been begging Ryan to put up Christmas lights on the outside of the house, so finally a couple of days ago he put some up.

I know this pretty much knocks your socks off! 

Watch out Clark Griswold...we're coming for ya!!

 Also, this last week the kids made some Gingerbread houses...okay, graham cracker houses.

And unfortunately, two days into having them displayed in the dinning room the dogs (really...it was just Etta) already killed two of them.  Damn dog!

 We have been getting snow...lots of snow, and it's been fabulous!  In fact, it supposed to snow every day leading up to Christmas next week!  

And speaking of snow...I have a hunch that the kids will be doing much skiing this holiday break!  That is, we can all stay healthy!  Rory still has a lingering cough and unfortunately she has passed this cold on to me.  I feel pretty crummy, my nose won't stop dripping and I have a perpetual sneeze on deck at all times which is so irritating...but the show must go on!

The passes this year kill me...Haley and Piper's personalities were captured perfectly in these photos!

So, with that...I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Sick Day

 My little Rory has hit the wall.  Yesterday after dropping Piper off at Kindergarten Rory and I hit couple of stores for some Christmas shopping.  However, she was dragging quite a bit so I decided to drop what I was doing and just take her home.  Fever it was...poor little thing.  So today we are taking a proper sick day...lots of cuddling and napping and watching TV.

I've been full speed ahead with Christmas right around the corner.  There is much to do!

And with ski school starting up again, I'm back on the mountain three days a week teaching...so yeah, busy days around here!

 Last weekend we decorated.   

Growing up I had all brothers and they really never helped decorate the tree ( I assume it's a guy thing??)...I mostly remember my mom and I doing it.  So with having four girls there is NO shortage of help.  As soon as I pulled out the boxes they got right to it.  This month is just full of excitement for them...I love it!

On another note.

I received my Christmas present a little early this year!

New ski boots!

For the record, I have never purchased boots before.  The pair I used for the past several years (Tecnica) Ryan actually won in a raffle after a bike race.  They just happened to be my size, but the fit has never been steller for me.  So, Jeff and I drove to Park City and I got custom fit in a brand new pair of boots.

I am now a Lange girl!

Funny, I posted this picture as a spoof on Lange advertising.

You may want to check out the history of the Lange girl.

And my personal favorite:

I mean really...it makes absolutely no sense.

Indian head dress with ski boots??

They take "sex sells" very seriously, ha!  I kept my picture pretty tame...and most people probably never made the connection.

So yeah...I'm super excited to try them out.

Never had a custom fit anything before!

Thanksgiving 2015

I know I'm late with this post, but hey, better late than never!

So as usual we loaded up the 'Burban and headed south to Sedona...except this time we we made an overnight stop in Kanab.  The girls were thrilled to pieces to stay in a hotel. And then we surprised the girls with a visit to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (which is right outside of Kanab) the next morning.  

 This is a no kill shelter that houses around 1500 animals: dogs, cats, horses, pigs, birds, rabbits and so on.  We took the tour they offer and saw where everything is housed and got to pet and visit the cats and dogs.  The girls were in animal heaven!  We were lucky to get out of there without an animal to take home.  I told everyone we were filled to the brim already!!  Four kids, two dogs, a cat and three goldfish...I'd say we're doing our part!

Then it was off to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Some highlights of the week.

We hiked up West Fork and took a photo of the girls on the exact same log from two years prior...

 ...so of course we had to create a side by side comparison.

My babies aren't babies anymore!!!

 We also did a bit of mountain biking.

The trails are literally right down the street...how can we not take advantage of that?!

There is a loop that I have become obsessed with...it's pretty much the only trail that I do.  I am determined to do that entire loop without putting a foot down!  One day, my friends, I will succeed!!  Too bad I can only practice it one week out of the year.  

 Ryan and I would go out on our own for a lap (yes, of my favorite loop) and then get the girls to join us on another lap (you guessed it, of my favorite loop).

I was super proud of them!

They did great!

 We also played a game or two of Sorry...and let me tell ya, it can get pretty fierce!

 And a trip to Sedona wouldn't be complete until we feed the ducks at Talaqapaque.  

The weather was quite crisp this year!

 With Grandma and Grandpa.

And of course, smooshed in there with everything else we ate ourselves silly with a wonderful Thanksgiving feast!!

We headed home Saturday and ran into this along the way:

Yep, winter has hit.

And I'm loving it!