Christmas 2013, Part III

The rest of the trip included Scott and Adrienne going cat skiing (where have to hike a while to get to a snowcat which then drives you up to the very top of the mountain and leaves you there).

Riding on the snowcat.

Katie took another day of snowboard school (before eventually switching back to skis) and got to board a 1/2 day with daddy and Whitney.

 

 

 Natalie spent another day on skis and was very excited because these rentals were pink and purple and matched her outfit.

And back at the house, there was much beer drinking and good times had by all...

Pile on Auntie!!!  

2013 Christmas, Part II

We packed up the car and headed to Colorado for a family ski trip.  Natalie did wonderful in the car -- 9.5 hours with no accidents and she happily went potty every time we stopped.  And just like always, she waited until we were an hour away from our destination to take a nap.  But that's ok...

"Go fish"

 

After 8 hours on the road, she's finally out.

Once in Colorado, we met up with our friends the Hilker's and Auntie Adrienne.  On Christmas Eve, we all hit the slopes... Katie wanted to take snowboard lessons so she spent the day in Snowboard School.  We knew Natalie was too young for lessons but we decided we'd teach her anyway.

Miles ready for ski school and Nat all excited and ready for her first ski lesson with
mommy, daddy and Auntie Adrienne.

"This way, Auntie"

Step 1: get skis on feet.  Check!

Step 2: Listen very carefully to Auntie while staring off into distance at chair lift.

Daddy was in charge of helping Natalie on and off the "magic chairs" and mommy was in charge of skiing backwards with Natalie.

At the end of the day, we finally were able to find Katie and snap a quick photo of her.

  

On Christmas Eve, Santa was out on the slopes visiting kids and then walking around the lodge at the end of the day handing out candy canes.  Natalie was finally brave enough to say hello and ask him for some pink mittens.

 

 Once back at the house, Natalie dictated a letter to mommy for Santa.  Katie helped her count out the correct number of carrots (one for each reindeer) and they left cookies and milk.

The house must have been full of good kids because on Christmas morning, this is what the house looked like...

Let the madness begin...

"Mommy, he brought me PINK MITTENS!!!  Just like I asked."

 And after the chaos of Christmas morning, we decided to go sledding...

Looks like all those practice carpet angels she made were worth it.

2013 Christmas, Part I

This year we chose to go the slightly unusual route and celebrate Christmas away from home.  But before we skipped town, we made celebrated with a full Christmas dinner and play time with Grandpa Larry and Gramma Judy...

Nat helps Gramma during a never-ending game of "Life"

Our sentimental skinny tree

Scott, ham-carver extraordinaire

Natalie's First school performance

The kids practiced and practiced to sing songs in their first school performance.  For the weeks leading up to the show, Natalie was very tight-lipped about the songs she would be singing and wouldn't tell us anything about them or sing them for us in advance.  "Wait and come to my show, mommy."

 
She was one of the only ones in her class to do the hand motions.

She got a little excited at the end of the first song and decided to jump up and bounce around and then sit right back down.  Must have had a few ants in her pants.
This is the CLASSIC Natalie look.

Look mommy, I see Santa!

Nat had been talking for WEEKS about meeting Santa.  She was excited and ready to ask him for a pair of pink mittens.  So when we came across a free (!) Santa one night at a Christmas parade, we hopped in the short line and talked about mittens.

Then we were first in line.  I felt the little fingers starting to grip my hand tighter. A little tighter.  And it was quiet.  Something is wrong when it is quiet.

Ok, Natalie ... it's our turn now.

I take a step towards Santa and realize the hand that is clinging to mine is not moving.  In fact, it is pulling me back.  It is TUGGING me back.  I pull forward and the brakes turned on.  The heels dug into the ground and the butt dropped lower to get more force into the backwards pull.  Daddy encouraged her to ask for mittens but the little mouth was clenched shut and yet starting to pout.

This was our ONE chance to see Santa... for free.  So I picked her up and carried her up to Santa thinking this would solve the problem.  We are now kicking and screaming.  I try to set her on Santa's lap but somehow over the past 8 feet, her hands have turned into suction cups and her coat melted into glue.  This kid was stuck to me.

And while I am not a big fan of the whole "let's go see Santa so you can ask him for something that I then have to go purchase while lying to you about who bought it for you" plan that has become the conversation piece of most of December, I wanted her first Santa experience to be as fun as she thought it was going to be.

Then Santa, in all his brilliant wisdom, suggested "why don't you just sit on my lap too, mom?"
 

Funny thing is, he didn't ask me what I wanted.  AND I had to stuff my own stocking again this year.

Bummer.

2013 school photos

Nat (2) and Katie (12)

And Natalie's class photo...