Ski Season

We just finished up our second ski season as a family!  The boys took lessons again through SKIBACS (the Boeing ski club) for about 6 weeks at Snoqualmie Summit.  We decided to do private lessons similar to last year to allow them to learn together and to help build up their confidence.  They made so much progress this year!  We spent 1-2 Saturdays on the green runs where the instructor worked with them on technical skills.  But it didn't take long for the boys to be ready to go on blue runs and once we started, we stayed on blue runs the rest of the season.  I think the boys liked the challenge and variety of the longer blue runs. 

January lessons were sunny and warm (one weekend even felt like spring skiing!) as shown through these photos.  Although it was beautiful and easier to be warm, we were a little concerned that the snow wouldn't hold up through the season.  The slopes hadn't gotten much snow since December and it was starting to get icy.  There was no need to be worried.  February brought with it some very unusual and crazy winter weather.  Lessons were even cancelled one Saturday because a snow storm came through the area.  We still braved it and had a great day together as a family though.  By our last weekend (see video below) there was tons of wonderful powder on the slopes!

Both boys definitely built up their confidence and improved technique this year.  They are both skiing much better with their legs together and more parallel.  And they are getting more competent with their turns.  They still aren't using poles so they have good balance.  More than anything they enjoyed it and had fun and felt good about their progress which is our whole goal to begin with. 

Similar to last year I loved doing skiing every weekend as a family.  Even though it's an investment, I love that it gets us outside in the winter to be active and enjoy God's beautiful creation in the mountains.  It also teaches our boys about resiliency, perseverance, and courage.  Plus it just provides good quality family time for us.  Even Aunt Jacky came up skiing with us a couple weekends which was really fun!

Already looking forward to next season!

Christmas 2018 Memories

This Christmas season was probably one of the most fun and magical we've had yet since our boys are at such wonderful ages.  They both fully believe in Santa and all the magic of the holiday season and of course they were super in to all our traditions and fun activities of the season.  I know the window for them believing is limited so we are soaking it up as much as possible.

Here were some of our favorite memories from the Christmas season starting with the weekend after Thanksgiving:

Black Friday spent downtown with Nana and Pops visiting the train at Macy's, riding the carousel, starting Christmas shopping and visiting the gingerbread houses at the Sheraton

Annual trip to Molbaks to see the poinsettias with Nana & Pops

Visited Santa and had dinner with Gramma and Grampa & Nana and Pops

This year's turned out with lots of smiles!

Got our Christmas Tree at our favorite place: Keith & Scott Tree Farm in North Bend

The boys were in our church's children's Christmas play. Nathan even had a speaking part as the character "Little Billy."  And Cameron was a shepherd...finally after many years of being a sheep.

Got to see the Lion King Broadway musical at the Paramount!

Our favorite Christmas tradition: riding the Santa Train from North Bend to Snoqualmie.  Freshly baked cookies and hot cocoa, visiting Santa, and dinner at North Bend Bar & Grill

Christmas Eve with the Warners

Laila's 1st Christmas!

My favorite photo of the season!

Christmas morning at our house

Santa came!!

Christmas dinner at the Spauldings'

What a busy and fun-filled season it was!  I love looking back on all the memories and moments.  So grateful for family and the chance to celebrate and reflect on our most meaningful and important gifts.  

Another New Family Member

Our sweet niece/cousin, Laila Marie Warner was born on Thursday, September 20, 2019!  And we are absolutely smitten.  Isn't she adorable?  We are thrilled to finally have a little girl in the family!  Carly and Ryan are amazing parents so far and it's been so fun seeing my brother as a dad.  Laila just gets cuter and cuter every day and it's been so fun to love on her.

Nana and Pops with her the day she was born

I got to visit just 2 days after she arrived and was in heaven holding her for a couple hours to give Ryan and Carly some much needed rest!

Finally a couple weeks after she'd been born Nathan, Cameron and James got to meet Laila.  It's darling to watch the boys around her because they are so calm and gentle.  Cameron is just drawn to her--he definitely loves babies.  Eventually though they get restless and I think they want her to just get up and play with them or start talking to them.  ;)

Of course Ryan has captured some amazing shots of her since she was born:

Love this family photo!

The name Laila is Carly's middle name.  And Marie is Carly's grandma's name.

I personally am so excited to have a niece and to finally get to be an auntie.  I'm excited for our bonding times and to be the source of support and fun that Ryan and Carly have been to our boys.  It will also be such a joy to watch the cousins play together and build relationships.

Congrats Ryan and Carly!  Welcome to the world baby Laila!!

Cameron's 4th Birthday

Cameron is 4 years old!!  Wow!  I just can't believe it.

We celebrated his birthday this year at the Si View Park in North Bend with family and lots of his friends from school.  His party theme was Disney Cars.  The entire summer had beautiful weather and then of course on the day of our outdoor party, we had clouds, rain, and cooler weather.  But we didn't let that stop us and luckily our guests were great sports and made the best of it.

In true Cameron fashion, he didn't want a cake for his birthday...just a maple bar doughnut.  ;)

And another maple bar on his actual birthday! 

Here is what I want to remember about Cameron at 4 years old:

• He is luckily still our major snuggler.  He always wants us to snuggle for a long time at night, sit on our laps to snuggle, be carried, etc.  I'm trying to soak it up because it may not always be that way.  
• He really likes vegetables!  Especially carrots, broccoli, peas, and cauliflower
• He is his brother's shadow and his brother can drive him mad sometimes.  I guess it's the normal tension of a brotherly relationship.  But the boys truly are buddies and really love being together.  They take care of each other and complement each other's strengths.
• Cameron can write his name by himself
• His a rough and tumble kid still.  He loves to wrestle, play sports, and be physical
• If the kiddo could eat one thing every day, it would definitely be Mac n Cheese 
• He has his own little posse of friends already thanks to school.  His most loved friends are Vander, Daniel, Evelyn, Anavey, Keaton, Avery, Charlotte, and Zachary.  
• Cameron loves to ride his bike, play Legos, read books, color, "do homework" while his brother is doing homework, watch shows, play make believe with Nathan, play baseball or soccer in the house, and have dance parties.  He has quite the little dance moves!
• He still hates chocolate and doesn't like many sweets in general.  His weaknesses though are doughnuts and anything gummie
• Cameron is brave and pretty independent.  Nathan is playing soccer this fall and while he plays, Cameron jumps on his bike and rides around the park by himself just in his own little world
• He is our little fashionista.  I swear he changes his clothes at least 3 times a day every day.  It's either he wants to be in shorts, wants to wear red, wants to be a superhero or in a costume, or just feels like changing just for the sake of it.  He also loves to dress up fancy--anytime he can wear his little clip on tie or dapper cap, he will.
• He LOVES the color red
• He is very curious and loves to be in conversation.  He also likes to talk about God a lot and what God is like or why He makes us do the things we do.  :)
• Cameron is pure joy to our family and we love him!!