This week was refreshing. Busy, but not too busy. Relaxing, but not boring. Eventful, but with little need for planning. It was nice. The photos/captions below will outline some of our activities. 

The most significant thing would be mine and Rachel's little "getaway." It's nice to have this as a possibility. 

As our kids have gotten older, we've discovered that there isn't nearly as much time or space for us (Rachel and I) to be alone together as there used to be. There are some things (future plans, money, parenting, relationships, etc.) that are nice to discuss without uninvited participants in the conversation. There are shows to watch, books to read, and places to go that are just easier and more fun without kids. But they aren't kids anymore. We can't convince them that they need to be in bed just because the sun went down. Our house sometimes feels more like a college dorm with 7 roommates than it does a family with built-in power structures. They also have friends, make plans, and have needs. Lest we become hypocrites, we can find ourselves guarding this status-quo even against our own selfish interests.

It was really nice then, when we turned control of the house over to the older kids on Sunday afternoon and got in the car together. This wasn't just an ordinary date night. We had bigger plans in mind.

I'll spare the details, but a quick outline of the afternoon would see us first, at a climbing gym. It has been months since I went to a gym, and it was good to see that I haven't lost much in the interim. I climbed out the gym in a single session ;) . From there we got some food, then went up to our house in Wallace to spend the night. The next morning we woke up to a beautiful landscape of some of the lightest, fluffiest snow we have received all year, which was a real treat considering we were headed up to the mountain. After a relaxing breakfast we skied for most of the day, stopping only briefly for a warm cup of chili in the lodge. It was perfect. And we were home just in time for the kids to get off the bus from school.

Hooray for "us" time.

Have a good week!

Rach, Addy, and I went to see the play "Parallel Lives." Parts of it made us laugh out loud, and we all had a great night.

Ev, Addy, Rach, and I skied on Saturday. Perfect weather all day.

We got a little bit of snow at home also. Most people stayed inside where it was nice and cozy- but not Lindsey! A girl after my own heart, she is always one to find more enjoyment from playing in the elements than sitting on a couch. 

Climbing was good

This is what I saw outside of our bedroom window when I woke up. You could have plowed this snow with a leaf blower, it was so light. Perfect.

Warm food, cozy cabin, this view, and nobody around except for us. It was lovely. 

Sun Valley- Resort home of the rich and famous, rife with ski history, posh, remote, and completely confusing. If I had to guess where the first ski lift was built, where America's first destination resort was, or where Warren Miller began his prodigious career, Sun Valley would definitely not even be on the short list. While the skiing isn't bad, it's definitely not Jackson Hole or Snowbird. And though snow is on the ground, it doesn't hold a candle to what's on offer in Utah or Colorado. Finally, and perhaps this is the answer I'm looking for, the accessibility of the resort is...well...not accessible. You have to travel pretty far from the lift to find any major cities- or even minor ones. Heck, even a coffee stand is hard to come by. This place is definitely a "retreat," in every sense of the word.

Once you're there though, it's easy to allow the rest of the world to just fall away and emerge yourself in a place and a culture that seems like a throwback to simpler times. The hotel we stayed in was defiantly on the nicer end compared to our normal Super 8/Holiday Inn repertoire, and the fact that it was adjacent to the resort parking lot made for a very laid-back stay. No early wake-up calls needed this time- just a quick breakfast and out to the gondola. And at the end of the day, a dip in the heated outdoor pool/hot tub with the sun setting against the rugged peaks is better than any movie night we could ask for. It was nice.

As far as the skiing, I can only speak for myself, but I think everyone had fun. We got two full days in, and memorable moments for me were playing on the bumps all afternoon with Ev/Addy/Lindsey, racing down the steeps with Addy in the evening, and cruising the groomers all morning with Rachel and Maren. The weather was sunny most of the time, and while "there is no such thing as bad conditions- only bad skiers," the spring-like atmosphere kept us in good spirits and full smiles the entire day.

*****

Of course, for a trip to really be considered a success there needs to be a good story of hardship, toil, and overcoming obstacles. In this respect, the swanky town, good weather, and mellow skiing couldn't really deliver. No worries though-Idaho Highway 93 happily stepped up to fulfill this facet of our journey. The number or rocks and animals on this road quickly crossed into the absurd, and then went downhill from there. Driving was like dodging land mines while at the same time being dive bombed by elk, deer, or coyotes who spawned out of nowhere- the whole time swerving precariously close to a cliff, trying to get us out of this action-movie as quickly as possible.

For the most part, we were able to navigate these obstacles. There was one instance on the way home, however, when a well placed rock found its way under our car, bucking the entire vehicle and scaring us halfway to Hades. Things were a little tense, but seemed fine after that, and we drove another three hours without incident before pulling into a gas station to refuel. It was then, upon putting the car in park, that the dash board lit up like a Christmas tree and I opened my passenger door to a literal cascade of oil gushing from under the car. I'm no mechanic, so I don't know why the car waited until then, but it's clear that it was bleeding out.

After an hour, a quick midnight jog around the town of Lolo, some tin-foil, and a bunch of JB weld, the situation was stabilized and we made the rest of the trip without any further excitement. Our car is a little worse-for-the-wear, but still hanging in there like a champ. Also, the kids didn't have school the next day, so our later-than-anticipated arrival had minimal effect on them. All told, this brief little hiccup was like a spicy jalapeño hiding in your sandwich- unanticipated and different, but actually kinda tasty.

*****

Most people were pretty tired the next day and took it easy. Maren and I headed up to Schweitzer for a good half-day in the mountains, and Evelyn had a bunch of friends over to hang out. 

Over the course of the weekend Ev actually happened to have a birthday (15), which we will celebrate a little later. I do have to say, she does "teenager" really well. She has good style, good taste in music, good friends, and good grades. She gets moody sometimes and rolls her eyes at me just enough to let me know she isn't a kid anymore, but most of the time we get along pretty well with 90s era music being a point of common interest. I think it's cool that she is the drummer in a garage band, and she appreciates that Rachel and I, even in our "oldie oldie" stage of life, can still hang.

Alright- not much more to say. It was a good one.

Have a good week!

Just because we have a lunch break doesn't mean we stop moving!

This pizzeria had a great music playlist and we were all getting into it a little bit!

Pizza and skiing just go together

Pretty chill morning before heading out to the mountain

Sunshine in our eyes and smiles on our faces. 

This is from Schweitzer when just me and Maren went. It was a super windy day- like, we could spread our arms like wings and just let the wind push us around the flats. Woo!

This is a photos-with-captions sort of week. Enjoy!

First up, we have Maren. She turned eleven last week! She is at a crazy fun age, and is growing up quickly. She is full of personality, spunk, and budding maturity. We love her attention to the many intricate and often-missed details of life and this lovely world we live in.

And yes, I just copied Rachel's Facebook post for that caption

For her birthday she had friends over for a sleepover at our house. They were up until at least 3am- maybe later. That's just the last time I heard them talking. This explains the chairlift picture that I'll put up later in the post.

This cake was well executed, but maybe not thought through all the way. On it's surface, it is a bunny burrowing into the ground. Cute, right?

When we cut the cake open though, there are little pink bunny peeps inside it.
Maren: You killed a pregnant bunny!
Yes, it would appear that we did. Like I said, well executed, but I'm not so sure of the thought process that went into this.  

This is the culprit. We were all laughing pretty hard!

The carrot on the side! This seems like an appropriate reaction to the situation!

On Saturday we all had a great time in Spokane. We called it a birthday thing for Maren and Ev (hers is coming up next week), but really it was just a nice excuse to get out in the great weather we have been having. This first photo is from the movie theater we went to. We also got pizza, went to everyone's favorite bookstore, and walked around the park. Fun afternoon!

We can't just sightsee. We are us. We need to climb, jump, and play on everything we can see.

We stayed local this weekend but a contingent of us still went skiing. Here's a stylized photo of Rachel and Addy. I like it. Addy is, by far, my most consistent ski companion this year. It's been sort of nice.

Here's that photo I promised of Maren. I think that Rach has her arm around Maren's shoulders partially to catch her if she slides off the chair while sleeping. I think the sleepover was catching up to her around this point.

Superbowl party with friends. Most us us watched it in the living room, but I think Addy parked herself in front of the food for most of the game.

Evelyn has been putting so many hours into the drums lately. I don't think she sees it as practice- it's just playing. Drums are, to her, what my climbing wall is to me. Sometimes you can call it training, but it is more often just a place to completely lose yourself in something you love. I love that she has that. She's also getting really good!

Just a photo I snapped on my way out of work last week. No editing here other than cropping. I love living in this place.

Have a good week!

Last week marked the end of big travel for a little bit. Maybe. As a family, we visited eleven different ski resorts last month and I think it will be nice to take a quick breather. As for this weekend, we spent some time in Wallace. We hung out with friends. We played in our local mountains. We relaxed.

One note about the Wallace house- I really like it. Like, more than I thought I would. And we are spending more time up there than I had anticipated. It's cozy and fun and even though it's just an hour away from home it feels like a vacation every time we stay over for a night. Funny how that works. It's also been fun to be able to offer it to friends and family to use when we're not home. It's sort of like owning an AirBNB, but without any pressure or stress to go with it. It's just a house that happens to be in a really convenient location. Also, it still feels weird to tell myself that it is even ours. Kinda neat.

Anyway- have a good week!

Me and Addy-O. She was the only one who wanted to go up to the mountain with me that day, which means we get to have Silver Mountain Pizza! (SMP is $1/slice and is considered the epitome of fine dining by our kids. Like, seriously.)

Just hanging out

I went up by myself on this day. Visibility was a little...meh. I kinda like skiing blind though, so it turned out being a great day and I had most of the mountain to myself...I think.

Ladies night celebrating Jamie's birthday. They were out dancing well past midnight.

 Friday

Waking up in a hotel room has become pretty routine for our family by now. Idaho Falls this time, a quick stop-over on our way to more exciting destinations in Utah. We made our way down to breakfast in small groups: First, Lindsey and me, followed by more kids, Rachel, and finally, Evelyn. It would seem that the closer in age one is to sixteen, the more sleep is required to stave off testy behavior. After we eat, refreshed and ready for the day, it only takes a few minutes to load the car and be back on the road. Like I said- routine.

*****

Lindsey: "Let's go skiing, let's go skiing- yeah let's go skiing...to the bottom of the mountain!"

It's a newer take on a nursery song our kids grew up with, and it has become unspoken tradition for someone to sing it on the first gondola ride up. Usually Lindsey. I love how she keeps things fun. Why can't we all just be 8 years old all the time?

Another tradition is to always do the first run together before splitting into smaller groups. On this morning, however, I think Adalie forgot how to turn. That, or her internal protection mechanism (aka: fear) wasn't fully turned on, because all she gave us was a quick smile before turning downhill and racing for the finish. Low visibility and flat lighting made for an exciting run, and I was only too happy to let her be the crash dummy as we flew over rollers, bumped down moguls, and floated through unseen powder pockets all at "the speed of trust." Trust in ourselves. Trust that reflexes could respond faster than our conscious minds. Of course, I had to pass her at the very end. It isn't in me to "let" people win.

And for the record, we technically still all did the run together. Tradition stands. Addy and I just had to wait for about ten minutes and twenty three seconds for everyone else to get down.

*****

While we were skiing, Rachel was up to a different kind of fun. I'm sure it was equally as rewarding (if not more so), but we missed her up on the mountain. As mentioned recently, her left knee has been pretty swollen and painful and she decided to sit this one out.

It's not like she was doing nothing though. It turns out that we have tons of family in the Salt Lake area and she was able to get some quality time with her brother and sister. Among other things, they went to the aquarium. I'm not sure of everything they did or talked about, but it seems like it was good.

Also, the whole aspect of catching up with family was an unanticipated perk of this visit. We had come, mostly, to ski. The fact that we got so much extended family time was a real bonus to an already wonderful trip.

*****

My grandma and grandpa are seriously two of my favorite people in the world, and are absolute proof to me that age is just a state of mind. Though they don't ski aggressively anymore (they stopped at 88 years old), they still play pickleball several times a week and force you to keep a sharp mind in conversation. My grandpa, I'm pretty sure, knows more sports trivia than any man alive, and my grandma can tell you the birthdays of nearly all of her 50+ great-grandchildren.

Staying with them was an absolute highlight of this trip. The evening conversations we had will likely stay with me longer than any other memory of the weekend, and the homemade dinners were a much appreciated departure from the microwaved frozen meals that we normally have in hotels. Seriously, they are both my heroes. If my life can be even half as rich as theirs has been then I will consider myself one of the luckiest people to have walked this earth.

Saturday

A forced day of rest. That's what this was. We were planning on skiing, but due to road closures, weather conditions, and conflicting priorities, it soon became apparent that it just wasn't in the cards. In the end, I think it probably worked out for the best. Had we gotten to the mountain, we would have only had a few hours left to enjoy the sub-zero temperatures and scathing winds. It turns out that we do have a limit to where "type-two-fun" is no longer a valid argument.

*****

Of course, we didn't just sit around the house either, because the floor is lava! Quick, jump over the seats of the bus! Solve a puzzle, and then link hands to open the next door, but don't let the lasers sense your presence.

What am I talking about? Labyrinth. It's a great little business that we stumbled on a few years ago. Part obstacle course and part escape room, it bills itself as a "living video game," where you are the main characters. It was fun passing off levels, or "rooms," and though we left plenty undone, we did far better than last time we played.

From there, we found a local park where we hung out, hiked around, and ate lunch. It was much warmer in the valley, and the kids had fun playing king of the hill. It got pretty rough for a while, and they all went home covered in mud, grass, smiles, and high spirits. I love these guys!

*****

Rachel, meanwhile, was hanging out with her family again. The major activity for her today was attending the gymnastics meet for the University of Utah. I guess the team is doing pretty well and her mom has season tickets or something. It was crazy to me later that night how her and my grandpa were able to talk about the ins and outs of this particular meet, as well as about the entire college gymnastics scene- a world which, to me, was nonexistent until about twenty-four hours ago.

*****

A couple of blog posts ago, I included a quote from Addy. We were riding a gondola to the top of Lake Louise, and in a moment of quiet reflection she mentioned that "One day, when we are all grown up and live in different places, we will still have this with us." 

I have a lot of good memories from my own childhood that we "still have with us." I have four siblings and we did a lot of the same things together that our family does now. I particularly have memories of doing things with my brother, who is closest to me in age. Man, the stories we could tell. Remember that one time we cut a hole in the tent because the zipper was frozen shut? Or backpacking, when bears ate all our food? Remember climbing the Grand Teton together, or running the Salmon River? 

We are all grown now and live in different places with different circumstances. And sometimes it seems like a lot of the things we share in common reside mostly in the past. That is why it is so good when we have a chance to reconnect- to form new memories and to find new new ways in which we remain relevant in each other's  lives.

It really was a treat to have Griffin (brother) and Courtney's family (sister) drive up to hang out with us in the evening. Eating, talking, and playing games with them gave us time to remember. It gave us a chance to see Courtney's growing kids, and to catch up with events that are shaping their lives. In short, it was good.

Maren fell instantly in love with her new cousin, Annie.
Quote: "When I am older, I want a baby like this"

Sunday

If I had to choose just one place to ski for the rest of my life, I wouldn't even have to think about it. Snowbird. I could seriously ski a hundred days a year there, and forty years later I would still feel the nervous excitement of getting on that first chairlift. Why? I can't say exactly. Some say it's the snow. Others mention the diversity of terrain. I have even heard mystical theories regarding the geology of the area. Who knows? Maybe it's just a self-fulfilling prophecy, but whenever I am there I feel more "amped" than almost anywhere else, and I think it shows in the way I ski.

Today was no different. A smaller group than normal went up (Maren and Lindsey wanted to stay home with Rach) and we were standing in the lift line before it was even running. We had eight inches of fresh powder, enough visibility to make the best of it, and energy going through us to power a small country. Every turn was dynamic and speed was a friendly ally. I was "on," a living, breathing personification of what people talk about when they say the word "flow."

*****

Up until very recently, I have found it useful to distinguish between two different types of ski days: The ones about people, and the ones about performance. Neither is better than the other, and sometimes I have been able to divide a day so that each gets a turn. Very rarely, however, have both been able to happen at the same time. That is, until recently.

Sunday was one of the best ski days of my life. The mountain was a playground. A dance floor. A big, intimidating monster who had come out just to play. And playing, as always, is much more fun with friends. Evelyn, Adalie, and Jackson took a day that was already pretty amazing, and then sent it out of this world by skiing every run with me. Each person came down in their own way, but we went the entire time with very little need for waiting or coaxing. Run after run, we just flowed down the mountain like water, playing off each others energy. It was magical. Seriously.

The only photos we have from the day are from Jackson goofing around at lunch time. The rest of the time we were just cruising.

*****

Football, food, and family. The three happen to go together really well. While the four of us were playing in the mountains, the rest of the family went over to my aunt Jill's house for a casual afternoon together. From there, the party followed Rachel back to my grandparent's house where some of her family joined us for dinner and games.

It was a great day.

Monday

Alta or Snowbird? That was the question. We all know what my vote would have been. At the same time, Jackson had a "bucket list" run at Alta that he's has been wanting to do since last year, and we weren't sure if we were going to be back again any time soon. It took a little bit of friendly debate along the way, but in the end we found ourselves pulling into the parking lot of Alta. And man, I'm glad we did.

Jackson's run he wanted to do involved a lot of traversing, side-stepping, a boot-pack, and a sketchy part with fixed ropes...and that was just getting to the top of the run. The entry to the run itself is a bit of a steep drop into a tight area before opening up into a beautiful runout in steep powder. It was a cool line. And great skiing. One of the best single runs of the year, for sure.

Contemplating the drop-in. It was a little bit intimidating!

*****

Rach skied with us today! It has been a little while, and she finally said her knee was up to the challenge. She didn't allow herself to stray off the groomed runs, which I think was wise, but she did ski the whole day and at the end said her knee was feeling tired, but not sore. That is major progress! Before we know it, we are going to have our Rachel back!

*****

The drive was uneventful. We arrived home at 3am. I set my alarm for 5:40 and fell asleep.

And now here I am, back at work. It feels odd, in a way. Almost like I can't tell if the past few days actually happened or if it was only a dream. It could have been. 

What a weekend. What a life!

Have a good week!