Fun in the sun and snow

After a few weeks of illness in December, we've had a fun January. The highlight was going to the southwest for a week. Ryan and I spent 3 DAYS in a beautiful mid-century modern home celebrating my dear friend Heather's 40th. I love 40. So much fun around this birthday. The kids were with their grandparents who were completely spent after three days. I understand the feeling. When I returned to my normal life, I felt a bit punished by it. It's not always easy to have two little people making demands on you during all their waking minutes. Parenting is a lot more than that obviously but the day-to-day of it can be a shock to the system after a break.

Poolside

hike in a canyon

my dear college friends

Sonia at the pool

 During my visit to AZ, I also watched my nephew for a day and night. He is so darn cute. 9 months old and a fierce ball of energy.  A few months ago friends of ours came to dinner at our home with their newborn. They were exhausted. They commented that they bet I was happy now that the newborn sleepless part of my life was over. I told them I wasn't really.  I felt a little sad about it.  The great news is that after watching my nephew for the night, I no longer feel that way. He woke up every few hours -- probably because he was in an odd place with an odd person. I felt awful the next day but slept very well the following night. Thank god.

Sonia and Beaux

A few days after returning, we took the kids to Meany Lodge near the Snoqualmie Summit. It's a lodge owned by the Mountaineers.  It's pretty unique -- the sleeping is dorm style and everyone pitches in to cook and clean. They have their own mountain and rope tow.  You can't drive to the lodge, you have to take a snow cat. The coolest thing was watching the snow cat tow about 40 skiers behind it on the way back to the parking lot.  We continue to try to teach the kids to ski and we did lots of sledding. Jack is open to skiing.. Sonia not really. We hope to go back to Meany soon.

the snow cat

sledding

skiing with leashes