This is one of those posts where I have a lot to catch up on. Let's dive right in:

Gondola at Silver: I have been meaning to write about this little observation for a while. Silver mountain is our home ski resort. It happens to have a long gondola that brings you from the parking lot to the lodge, which takes just under 20 minutes. To many people this ride is an annoying part of the day and a waste of time. Every once in a while, on a really windy day, the gondola will not be able to run. And for some, all of this is enough to turn them to a different resort altogether. But here's my take- the gondola is actually a magical portal that takes you from the normal world of responsibility and rules to a whole different plane of existence- one of laughter, speed, soft snow, and good times. Where the only thing your cell phone is good for is playing music and taking pictures. Where you are officially on vacation. Kinda like dying and going to heaven. And obviously it's not really all these things, but it feels like it. Like, that ride is a definite threshold to a different kind of feeling. Something a mere walk across a parking lot can never achieve. And then, on the way down with the people you were with that day, there is nothing to do but soak in the last few hours- to talk and tell stories and just be together. It's great. To me, the gondola is a feature.

Casual date on the gondola. Great spring skiing- coats optional.

Addy concert: Addy played her saxophone at a school band concert. She had a few solos. She did a great job. It was obvious from watching her that playing music is something that she genuinely enjoys, and will probably stick with for some time even if she doesn't have to.

Ev concert: Evelyn played drums in a school band concert. I wasn't able to go due to prior arrangements, but it sounds like it was pretty good.

Maren voice: Maren started voice lessons, and she loves it. She is working on the song Mamma Mia, and when she sang it for me I was genuinely surprised. Maren is usually a pretty meek little girl with a voice to match, and I legit did a double-take when she started singing just to make sure the sound I was hearing was actually coming out of her mouth. For those who get the reference, think Sister Mary Roberts from Sister Act. That is Maren.

Maren and Schweitzer: Speaking of Maren...I went to ski at Schweitzer the other week with some friends and invited Maren to come along. Now, these guys are some of the better skiers that I know, and they hadn't skied with M before. To start out with, they suggested a little groomer, and asked if she would be okay with that. She replied softly- "Sure- whatever you want," and then nearly straight-lined the entire run from top to bottom, blowing everyone away. From that time on, the four of us skied wherever we wanted, all keeping up with each other, and whooping all the way down. They were obviously impressed with Maren's skiing, and went out of their way to tell her so on every run. I think that was cool. At larger resorts I usually spend most of my time with the older kids, and it was really fun to have this day with Maren.

Ev concert: Ev went to a metal concert the other night in Spokane with some friends. When she arrived back home near midnight and announced that she had spent the past four hours in a mosh pit, and that she couldn't hear very well any more, I'll admit to mixed feelings. My first was a parental protective response- are you ok? What can I do for you? And my second was one of near admiration- that's pretty hard core. You are so much cooler than I was when I was 16. I didn't say any of this out loud, but I really do think it is rewarding to watch how kids turn out. So far they have made it fun and easy by mostly making choices that I would agree with. Ev will officially be driving on her own in the very near future, and is talking about getting a summer job. These things are rites of passage than come with new levels of freedom, but I have all the same mixed feelings about them as I did when she walked in the door that night.

"I bought a cassette- how do you use it? It doesn't fit into my player."
Evelyn was genuinely surprised when I flipped open the case and handed her the actual tape. She didn't know that the case was a thing. Sheesh, kids these days.... 

Jackson Hole: We spent some time during our spring break to ski at Jackson Hole. It was so, so good and refreshing. We have obviously skied a lot already this winter, and there is a part of me that was feeling ready for spring. That was quickly put to rest though as Addy, Evelyn, and I skied the steepest runs we could find, hitting little cliff drops all along the way and then racing back down to the lift for another run. Also, I have to mention skiing with Lindsey and watching her blindly jump a cat-track onto a different run- how she let out a fearful scream in the air, and then disappeared from sight- and how, when I caught up, I found her laying down and laugh/crying since she had cleared a bunch of rocks and nearly landed herself in a creek with running water. Lastly, I'll mention confidently racing down several runs with Maren that, last year, she was scared to even get on. I think this is her year.

Waffles at Corbet's Cabin for lunch

Snow King with Shannon: Half way through our weekend we took a break from the big mountain to ski at Snow King- the "other" resort at Jackson. I haven't been there since high school, and it sure is interesting how perspectives change over the years. Anyway, we took this little break because Shannon (Rachel's sister) and her family came up to ski with us. Some of them have never skied before, and they had been up earlier to get used to the mechanics of the sport. We spent the day split between skiing with them and exploring the hill, and at the end I think everyone had a good time.

Lunch break at the car. Potato chips in a bun for this one.

And just a plain hot dog for Addy. Man, our kids are weird.

We found a fort at Snow King

Rachel and Shannon

Rexburg stay: After our last day at Jackson, Ev and I got in the car and drove home. I had to work, and Ev was going to a concert (see above). The rest of the family stayed behind to hang out with my parents. They went bowling, did some shopping, went to a potato museum (yes, you heard that right), and watched movies. It seems like a nice break. We all reunited last night when they pulled into the driveway, and we're already planning our next trip. 

Today at work, my office manager asked me if I ever like to just, you know, NOT do anything. Like, do you ever stop to just relax? I had to admit, I am not the best at that. To me, movement, change, and exploration is relaxing, whereas stopping to "rest" feels more like stagnation and wasted opportunity. I think that most people in our family would agree with this sentiment, though probably not to the same extent. We definitely like to get out though, and I love the times we spend together on these adventures. 

It's been a fun spring break. Have a good week!

Sometimes I feel like life is an all-you-can-eat buffet, and I am loving it. Here is a recap of our week:

New Car: Rachel finally got her dream car. She has been waiting a long time for this. She doesn't actually love driving a mini-van, but it is difficult to argue against the sheer practicality when it comes to family trips- and we do a lot of those! Our family needs a van. She doesn't love driving the Durango. It is big and loud and clunky, and the suspension feels like a trampoline. She likes the Subaru, but it is my dream car and not hers, and so I am the one driving it most of the time and it still doesn't quite fit her style. And then there is this- it is cute, and a little bit flashy, and also super practical for someone who drives as much as she does for work. It makes sense, and I am excited for her to get it. Go Rachel!

 

Here is the car on the lot. 2022 Prius Prime plug-in hybrid. "If I were a car, this would be me." -Rachel

Math Is Cool: Lindsey is in a math club thing at school, and this week they had a big competition against a bunch of other schools. Her team didn't win, but they spent the whole afternoon geeking out together and just having a good time. She is very enthusiastic about it and it's fun to watch her.

Study Club: Speaking of geeking out, I had my study club this week. Two days full of shop talk, surgeries, lectures, and presentations. I was involved this time in a demo surgery, and things went well. It seemed like a really good session, overall. I really like this aspect of what I do.

The Rat Problem: Yes, the saga continues. We still have a bunch of pet rats that we don't actually want. They still cause health problems for Maren. And she still loves them all like they are her babies. We have some answers on the horizon, but for now we are just dealing with it the best we can.

Ski Trip: We went to Mission Ridge this weekend. I love this little resort. It skis big for a small mountain, it's relatively close to home, and the logistics of travel and lodging are easy. Also, I think our family has officially outgrown a single hotel room. We got two rooms this time, it worked great, and will probably become the norm for us. Of course, we still all crowded onto the same two beds in the evening to eat pizza and watch movies. After all, what would a ski trip be if not for the pizza?

 

There are some runs that become benchmarks for progress- runs that flow a little better each time you do them over the years. This is one of them. Once a test piece, next an easily surmountable challenge, and now a playground/race course for most people in our family. It is fun to watch.

The weather cleared for a while and we got some great views. The typical photo op at this resort is looking the other direction at the Cascades, but the valley and the river were equally impressive to us on this day.

These next two are Ev and Addy dropping into hourglass chute. It's another one of those benchmark runs. I don't think anyone does this one with amazing form (yet), but at least we're keeping the sideslipping to a minimum.

Addy carving a deep turn before the drop. She refuses to use poles which has also led to a form that sometimes makes it look like she is surfing. It's pretty unique and doesn't seem to hold her back. She is definitely one of the more advanced skiers in the family.

Alright- that's it for this one. Have a good week!

"I like you quite a bit."

That was maybe the first way that Rachel and I said "I love you" to each other without actually saying the words. And now, even though it's been about twenty years since we met, I still find myself saying the words on a regular basis. I know that all relationships are a little bit different and special in their own way, but I am just really glad that Rach and I are still so much "in like" with each other. Like, I think we really enjoy each other's company. We enjoy a lot of the same things and we do a ton of stuff together. When we hang out it still feels like we are just two college kids trying to make the most out of the short time we have together- running up to rock canyon between classes, catching a quick bite before a busy day, reading out loud in the evenings from classic works of fiction, or going to every school dance and football game that there is, partying the whole time in the best way we know how. That hasn't changed- and I love it. 

Eventually, "like" transformed into something much more profound and durable. But it didn't disappear. "Like" is still very much alive and well in our relationship. And though the time we have together is a little bit longer now than a single summer on a college campus, it still doesn't feel like enough. We still take advantage of all the moments, do all the things, and share all the feels along the way. As sappy as it sounds, we're still pretty much best friends. Personally, I wouldn't have it any other way. I think it's cool.

Have a good week!

This was really fun. The resort hosted a "retro ski-bum prom night." After dropping the kids off in Wallace we went back and skied a few runs under the lights before heading in to dance the night away with good food, fun company, and live music.

If you look closely you can see Addy on the ridge. You can also see blue skies, crystal clear air, and the tracked powder of one of the best days of the year. I feel like at Snowbird a couple of weeks ago something clicked for a lot of us and our skiing leveled-up another notch. That, combined with the continuous steeps at Silver and the ideal weather had us taking up huge chunks of the mountain with every turn, just flying with exuberance. What a weekend!   

Reel Rock. I look forward to this event every year and it never disappoints. It's a bunch of climbers just getting together for a big party before settling down (barely) to watch climbing movies and bask in the culture of a sport. It's a good time. 

The whole family went to see the Spongebob Musical, but this picture of Addy and Jace is the only photographic evidence we have of the night. Though I don't think I'll see it again, I do have to admit that the show exceeded my (low) expectations by quite a bit. It was fun and entertaining, and mildly insightful in the shallow sort of way that one might expect from the title. Overall- I'm glad we went.

Have a good week!

We don't have any pictures this week, so I'm just going to share a few things and my thoughts about them:

1) Evelyn played drums in church again. They did some of the oldies, including "Get Together" by the Yougbloods. That was fun. She really does do a great job and always gets lots of good feedback from the people who are there. I am also impressed at her preparation. She does a lot of things, and puts in the time that it takes to do them well. It's pretty cool.

2) We are picking up the Durango from the shop today. We got new tires on it and got everything fixed up to turn the keys over to Ev. It's a little bit scary. I've been driving with her to school every day and she does a pretty good job, but there have been a few minor incidents that make me worried about turning her lose on the world. I guess we all have to learn though.

3) Remember when Maren got rats a couple of weeks ago? Well, it turns out that unbeknownst to Rachel, she bought a pregnant rat. Now we have 13 of them. I try my best not to think about it, but when I do I find myself a little bit put out. Also, Maren possibly has an allergy to the rats and can't sleep in the same room as them or else she breaks out in a rash. This whole thing is turning into quite the fiasco. I'm not sure what a happy ending would even look like at this point. Happy or not, the status quo can't last much longer.

4) A lot of people in our family have been dealing with a little bug with cold-like symptoms. It's been sort of yucky, but I think it's pretty much behind us now. This has also led to a confounding factor in trying to figure out what is going on with Maren (see above).

5) We had a storm come through our area, which led to some of the best skiing of the year. I was at Schweitzer with a friend on Sunday, and then Rachel and I headed up on Monday for more silky smooth turns. I know it is pretty much every week, but I honestly can't think of a much more joyful activity than skiing. It fulfills something deep. 

6) Jackson has committed himself to learning how to snowboard. This means that he gets left far behind everyone else, and he has already taken some pretty nasty falls, but so far he has stuck with it. He has two whole days under his belt. 

7) On Saturday night, Rach and I went out to dinner with some friends, and then they invited us to a club afterwards. I feel pretty comfortable in a lot of different settings. This club was not one of them. The dinner and the company were nice though.

8) I find myself feeling very grateful right now for the life we get to live. We are all healthy, and able to do things that we like and that fill our lives with meaning. We spend a lot of time together as a family- usually on the weekends-  but we each also have our own friends and interests to pursue. I love having teenage kids, and coming home from a ski trip the other day to a house full of friends and activity led to a feeling of deep satisfaction. 

Well, that's about it for this week. No pictures. That happens sometimes.

Have a good week!

It snowed 14 inches during the day on Friday. It snowed 8 inches more overnight. We woke up on Saturday to bright blue skies and warm temps. We were at Snowbird- my favorite resort ever. It was one of the best ski days of our lives.

We were actually up on the mountain Friday and Sunday as well, and all the days were wonderful. But Saturday. Oh my.

Besides skiing, we saw lots of family and celebrated birthdays for Maren and Evelyn. 

I feel at a loss for words here. Let's do some photos:

Everything about this day was just joyful. Jubilant. Euphoric. 

The Snowbird tunnel is worth the visit. We didn't spend much time in Mineral Basin- preferring instead the runs off the cirque traverse, but the museum quality of this magic carpet lift is really neat. It feels like an old-school Disneyland ride. 

Maren is actually much sweeter than she looks with her ski mask on

If a photo is worth a thousand words, this is it. Because of all the snow that fell during the day (Friday), getting out of the parking lot at Alta was quite the ordeal. Rather than hold up traffic with our little minivan, we opted to have dinner in the car and watch a movie while things cleared out. It then took us some digging and several runs up the ramp to finally make in onto the main road. I thought it was fun. I'm not sure that everyone agrees though. The next day we made sure to put chains on our tires.

Poor Lindsey felt sick for the entire weekend. She did one run on Friday, and then sat in the lodge for the rest of the day. She didn't even go up with us on the other days, opting to spend time resting and playing with her cousin instead.

Also, Lindsey being the charismatic kid that she is, came off her day in the lodge in good spirits. She said that she made a lot of friends while sitting on the couch, including with a girl named Kara. Apparently they had both traveled a lot for skiing and they talked at length about their favorite resorts. It was only on the drive home when we were talking about Jackson Hole that Lindsey piped in- "Oh yeah. My friend Kara lived there and she won the Kings and Queens contest." Wait- what? It checks out- Kara Munsey is a mild ski celebrity who sat on the podium in 2018 and now lives in Salt Lake and works as a nurse. That's pretty neat.

Shannon did a nice birthday party with family for Maren and Evelyn.

This is the cake she had made. Pictures of Ev and Mare are printed onto the frosting, and the cake decorator custom designed a bunny (for Maren) playing the drums (Ev, obviously). 
How neat is that?

Family, travel, skiing, food. What a great weekend!

Have a good week!

This is one of those weekends that already feel like a dream. Yesterday at this time I was sipping coffee, looking out the window at snow-covered peaks, and getting ready for an epic day of skiing. This was day three in our little condo that had served perfectly as a home base for our adventures, sitting just minutes away from the lift. We had already explored most of the mountain, and since this would be the last day out there, we each had a few specific objectives. Maren and Rachel raced the steep groomers that were used for world cup training. Addy had her best runs- maybe of her life- on the moguls. And Evelyn hit the steeps with the cool headed composure that can only come from years of experience. Lindsey and Jackson...made a snowman...maybe? Panorama is one of those "perfect" resorts with something for everyone, including big mountain terrain formerly only accessible via helicopter. We loved it, and I think it is unanimous that this was the best ski weekend of the winter so far. 

And then this morning I dropped Ev off at the high school and just drove into work as if nothing had happened. We'll catch up on some super-bowl stuff tonight, and celebrate Maren's 12th birthday. I'll pick up some groceries, and maybe go to the gym. Life goes on- but for a little while it will feel different as we come off the high that was the weekend.

We had space to spread out a little compared to our normal hotel rooms. Here we are getting ready for the day.

The condo was next to a big frozen lake

Speed queens

 I spent most of my time with Ev and Addy in steeper terrain

Movie nights are a pretty normal part of these weekend trips.

I have no idea what is happening here. They found a large letter A? Ok. In this picture they are posing like Moses is supposing. Also, this reference will not be lost on these kids, even if they weren't thinking it in the moment.

Getting ready to drop. A little bit lower coverage than normal made these runs extra spicy.

The view out our window. The mountains up here are unreal.

Have a good week!

It has been such a fabulous, refreshing week. I don't even know that I could fully explain why. Just, a lot of good things all adding up together. Here are some photos:

These two little girls have joined our family. Tito and Daisy. They belong to Maren. She loves them so much. And they are much more manageable than rabbits.

Evelyn and Josh have officially been "dating" for a year. They are booth goofy kids, both great musicians, and both fun to hang out with. Josh had never been skiing before. They spent a good day hanging out in Wallace together, and then went up to the resort with the family. Evelyn was a very patient teacher to an eager student. The rest of us had a great day higher up on the mountain.

Ev is also part of the ski club at school and has been doing trips with them. The last one, she said, was one of her best ski days of the season so far.

The obligatory Silver Mountain picture. 

It was about time I get a photo of this. Every time we go skiing, we all have to wait for Rachel to do her leg swings before we can do the first run together. We kind of give her a hard time about it, but I guess an extra two minutes in the morning is worth it for good knees. 

Ev and Josh

I never thought of myself as the kind of person who would own a nail gun (or any other kind of gun, for that matter). Well, I guess sometimes we surprise ourselves. The Wallace project is in full swing right now. I have all the same feelings as I did when I was a kid building forts and treehouses. Rachel and I went up without kids on Sunday and got some stuff done. We also went out to dinner, spent the night in Wallace, and had a great breakfast the next day. We even got a few ski runs in before heading home. As for the kids, they got themselves off to school and never really even missed us. It was a great getaway.

I didn't take any photos during our little local getaway, but I sure like hanging out with Rach and I made her take this selfie with me to signify the time we had spent together.