Shannonogans: January...of our current year...

Let's see how long I can blog about 2013 while it's still 2013. Or before Google Reader shuts down. Or both.

We went on our first ski trip to Deer Valley with three kids the week before school started in January. We invited my parents along for extra hands. They kept saying they didn't like the cold, wouldn't ski, and knew their role while there as babysitters. I kept giggling saying they will probably like the cold more than they realize. They were a huge help with getting everyone dressed, picking up each child in stages, helping with meals, waking up early so we could get a few extra minutes of quiet. Bless them!!

We stayed in the same area we stayed with the Hughes at mid-mountain. Mom walking the trek for the ski in component.

Birdie special - snow with rice milk.

Looking at the eagles off the deck

Birdie reminding us who is always with us

I went to watch the younger two at ski school on the second day. Justin was already all over the mountain and no longer in the ski school area.

Half smile, probably a touch of hysteria wanting mommy to ski while holding her hand.

The Fawn level had one child per instructor for an hour. The patience these sweet instructors have!

We kept telling Lexi that mommy and daddy can't teach her skiing like the instructors. Let's face it, mommy is still trying to master it herself!

Levi on the first day out the door to ski was whining that his feet hurt, he was hot with so many layers, etc. I was fully prepared for at least one child not to like it, and I had pegged Levi as the one since he gets cold. I wanted to whine right beside him but told him life would go on.

He loved it but needed to wait on his feet . His body would try to get ahead of him and he would at times bump into other kids.

Happy boy in the 20 degree weather we were experiencing.

He really started to stop well by the end of the week.

Doing Candyland

One evening we went to Promontory to hang out with Dirk Voorhess and his kids. Emily was at home cooking a baby on pseudo bedrest and it was fun to see Houston friends.

We went to the club and the kids had a blast with all the fun things to do. My parents were night snowshoeing in freezing weather while we were warm inside.

Pinball machines that didn't require quarters - score!

Lexi wanted some photos taken of herself.

Lexi cuddling with Birdie watching the sunrise

Lost another tooth on the trip! Found out later I forgot to put some money under the pillow. Which is forgivable on a trip, plus everyone knows who the tooth fairy is in our home.

Derek went skiing one morning and the rest of us took the day off. Papa & Birdie helped construct this fella.

We found a hill right outside our home to sled.

We did this for an hour and had a blast...or the kids did.

The location of the where you ended up.

Then we started some combo sledding

Papa giving it a go

Found himself prostrate on the ground in the end

Birdie trying the fast slide

This photo makes me shake every time I look at her horrified face.

Too funny

Papa and his bunch

Great attempt

Lexi looks like a hotdog

Brother run

Birdie constructed a detour so we wouldn't go into the street every time.

One of two tries for me

Can't you feel the love?

Thankfully Papa stopped me from going into the street

Then daddy was coming home

Crowding around the celebrity

Daddy loves him some skiing. Luckily there are 4 of us that do!

Everyone present that week

After naps we went to Gorgonzola Park to tube and ride snow mobiles.

This describes Levis personality to a T. Give it all you've got with some pizazz!

The last day there we skied down Wild West as a family. Derek and I both took her down once...about broke my back!

She couldn't really stop well yet and needed some assistance. Derek skied down backwards while I basically held her between my legs.

First ski lift for Lexi

First ski lift for Levi.

Papa photographer

The fellas

I pleaded to get a family photo. Lexi was in the Lodge having hot chocolate and had half undressed. It was getting colder as it usually does in January. Everyone. was. thrilled.

Fake enthusiasm now that mommy was there

It took a few shots

And finally a head swap to manage this.

Loving the hot tub after a day of skiing.

Conclusion made:
*Staying mid mountain for our first trip with three kids was a lot of work. Heck getting everyone with all their gear, plus momma's ski boots hurt to put on due to a curved tongue which made the empathy level a little lower. White people problems, as Derek would say.
*My parents being there...couldn't have done it and still had a smile on my face without them!
*My parents are smitten with Utah and the snow
*January skiing is so cold!
*Everyone kept nervously laughing about how when we went back for Spring Break sans parents that it would be on just the two of us.
*Stayed tuned for March's post on ski trip #2...

And look who got a shampoo at the kennel. She around while we all got a good laugh and then gave her grace and removed the bows.

Two days later Justin was starting a totally different school, a totally different chapter in our family. The middle of December I got an email form Derek stating he had read a 50 page document on the philosophy of this classical school that we knew about since so many families from our church go. He wanted me to go to a meeting and see if there was room for Justin in January.

After stopping my spinning head, I went to the meeting, met others there that I already knew as we kept all asking why on earth we were there when we all were at great schools. And the same answer came out of everyone's mouths;" I don't know the, Lord just led me here."

At the end of the meeting I nervously asked if they had room and was told there wasn't any. Somehow I was a little disappointed and relieved all at the same time. Until the next day when I got an email saying there was an open spot. Did we want it?

The short version is, we said yes, I got trained in two hours, we ordered books on Amazon, and got more excited as the days grew closer to begin. We now have a totally different schedule that all three kids will do in the fall. Trinity Classical School meets all day Mondays and Wednesdays and then they give us all the work that we teach from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Fridays are free days until 4th grade. And yes, to fill in the blanks, I now homeschool two days a week. Nuts! Something I laughed at and would chuckle that it wasn't for me has become a new love. We all love it, and all the kids get so excited to see each other more. Levi and Lexi go to school on the days I teach JT at home which has been a nice transition that Derek wisely foresaw before I go headfirst with all three.

The chaos of my life has literally slowed down. I am at home more which is where I needed to be. Running errands without kids resulted in less being in my home. I had the same routine - go make purchases on one day, and then the next go return what little I didn't want to keep. It was a dangerous and ridiculous cycle. No kids always meant a way to find something to do away from home, though I desperately needed to clean out closets, meal plan, pick through the piles. It's not for all, but right now it's perfect for us. Thank you Lord for another 180 in our lives!

Justin wearing his uniform. Quite different at first being so formal but a nice change. So easy to pick out what to wear!

Schedule for me to remember. I got to read to the class one day and ended up spending a lot of time that day. It was refreshing to watch the kids in their setting. Justin had some transition in a different setting with different kids, but now he will tell you that he loves his mommy teaching him as those are his favorite days! Sweet boy. Who knew?

January 12th we had a shower for my bestie Mariana before they journeyed to China for their two kids! Mariana has shared and walked in this journey of infertility, and I thankful the Lord provided us each other to lean on. I had many helpful helpers and feel like I just opened my home.

Kasey and Dinah made these paper maches.

Audra made these cupcakes with Chinese toppers. What??!!

And they actually meant like brother, sister, etc. So impressed!

I was in charge of flowers and knew that tulips were a fave. Let's just say my first and last struggle with tulips has been noted. They seemed droopy from the start and I feared I was killing them! But Melanie kept reassuring me they were fine and giving me tips on arranging them.

Some adoption books we found, some with a Chinese flair and others people had given me that we loved. As well as the paper fortune cookies.

We had a baby guessing game. It was actually pretty hard.

Sweet Sutton and Hudson

These dolls I found on Show Hope that helps support the ministry and also has little Chinese dolls!

Prayer cards for the favors

The younger crew with their fans

Audra found these for little cake toppers. Loving everyone's Chinese ideas.

We had a sweet prayer time for Mariana before we began.

The hostesses with the mostesses

The girls were so cute sitting up close watching the gifts being opened.

I called Derek and told him to bring Lexi home to share in the girlie fun. So she came straight from the jumping place to the shower. And then proceeded to cling to my leg. Next on the list, learning how to act at a shower. So many things I have to remember don't come naturally to my new kids.

Everyone signed It's a Small World book

Lexi was unusually frightened by Mariana's dad at first. Something definitely from previous times triggered when she saw him. He reminded her of someone. Eventually his persistence and sweet nature won her over, and now they are fast friends.

Our hostess gifts were orchids in these adorable bags. Take me to China with you!!

And will you water my orchid?

Love the Hughes and their obedience to the Lord. Love walking this journey of adoption with so many families!

We took the kids bowling for the first time. And the Baylor basketball game was on as well. Double wammy!

We at times used the contraption to help us roll the ball. Whatever it's called.

Justin went and read to his old school, Holy Cross.

We took a new fave, The Important Book, by the same author as Goodnight Moon. Trinity gives us lots of great books to choose from which makes this reading family thrilled.

Maddie, our precious babysitter, took the kids to Chuck E. for their Christmas present.

My heart fluttered a moment as all three of my kids rode off in the same car that I wasn't driving. Doesn't happen much.

This next set of pix are from my phone of none other than Little Miss.

Drinking smoothies in just a tutu.

ON Wednesdays I have alone time with each Levi and Lexi while they do their therapies at the house. SO my time with Lexi was playing dress up, and she even got me in her Halloween costume.