Sledding on Ice

The day before the hill side was still fresh and powdery, but the second day it was all packed down and icy. We didn't sled very long because it was too fast and it was also a lot colder the second day.

Say Cheese!

Those are some amazing red cheeks Hunter. Ashton getting ready to head down the hill in the background. What are you thinking?

Ashton on his way back up the hill. Is that a happy smile, a scared stiff smile, or a "my face is completely frozen" smile. Knowing the temperature I think it is the last.
Dave looking glamorous in his "Men in Black" sunglasses. It was more fun to watch from the top of the hill than to actually put your life on the line and speed out of control down it.

Look into my eyes!

Rachael and Catherine--half crazy! It was so cold Rachael's glasses were fogging up even while we were still outside. Actually she is a space alien in disguise, Catherine probably is too.

Antarctica

Catherine brought snowshoes. We felt very extreme crunching across the frozen tundra in our fancy spiked snowshoes. Ignore the houses in the background--we are in Antarctica. Who knew Antarctica was so inhabited.

Along the coastline of Bear L---heheemmm--I mean Antarctica. We aren't really smiling...our faces are just frozen that way.

We claim this land for US--as in the Ashton, Day, Speirs families.
Land, beautiful land!!

Note: Dave is the strategically placed shadow.

Dance Dance Revolution

James and Paula own a Wii and we had a great time competing against each other in DDR and the other sports games.

Here Niel and James, two of the better players, in a super intense moment of DDR.

Dance little Leprechauns--DANCE!

Catherine and Joy--less intense but very entertaining!
April and Jens getting ready to rumble.
The champions, Neil, James, and Paula, smugly watching as the rest of us make fools of ourselves.
Sweet, sweet Loryn watching all the madness from the safety of grammy's lap.

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning at the condo was really fun. Everyone packed into the little livingroom with presents piled everywhere.

Kristen and Loryn were mostly in a state of confusion and awe.

Rise and Shine Kristen!

Loryn wondering what all this stuff is. Allison sitting amidst her gifts.

"What is all this stuff again?" asks Loryn.
As a trick on Jens the tags for his and Rachael's presents were switched. This is Nielson's reaction to Jens receiving a yoga mat. Of course Jens's face was twice as good. He was very confused but trying to pretend to be thankful. Shortly thereafter Rachael, who was in on the trick, exclaimed, "I think this is actually your present," as she handed him an iPod Nano.

You have got to be kidding!

Ashton and Allison enthusiastically help the very tired and less enthusiastic Loryn open our present from Catherine. It was a great dominoes set.

Rip it!

Christmas Eve Nativity Play

Our traditional nativity play starts with Mary (Allison) riding on her donkey (Niel) with Joseph (Ashton) walking beside her.Ashton holding baby Jesus (Kristen) with Allison and the faithful steed, Niel, watching.
Shepherds ( Hunter and Joy) are visited by the angel and go to worship Baby Jesus.
Wise Men (Hunter and Joy) arrive to see Baby Jesus. The angel (me April) in the background.
Brooke and the alternate Baby Jesus (Loryn). Every good production should have an alternate baby.

The INDOOR Pool at Bear Lake

They had a very warm and welcoming indoor pool at the condos we stayed at by Bear Lake. It felt sooo good after being outside earlier.



Everyone took turns holding the babies. They seemed to have a great time playing and splashing around. Dave is holding Kristen and Niel is holding Loryn.


Before I even got into the pool both Allison and Hunter had tried to drown. Hunter had somehow done this in the very shallow kiddy pool to the side of the regular pool. Allison recovered quickly but Hunter, though only under for a few seconds, was traumatized and stayed on the steps except for when we forced him to come with us out into the deeper water. He had a pretty good death grip on us though.

A few people (Paula, James, Brooke, Rachael and my parents) didn't bring their swimming suits. Paula, James, Brooke and Grandma Robin sat on the sidelines for a while watching. Come to think of it now...we should have thrown them in.
Hind sight is 20/20!!!

Ashton enjoyed playing with his uncles and practicing his swimming moves. As he says he can swim under water, it is the swimming above water he is still working on.
Niel throwing Ashton through the air to Jens.

Fly, little birdie. Fly!



Allison loved the pool. Despite trying to drown herself at the beginning, she practiced swimming all over the shallow end.

Smile Princess!



The hot tub was especially great. You felt like a lobster in it about to cook. The sign said the max temperature was 104 but it felt warmer than that. Niel, Jens, Ashton and Dave boiling away in the hot tub.
LOBSTER TONIGHT

Sledding at Bear Lake

For Christmas this year we went to a condo at Bear Lake. We had a wonderful time sledding.
The one bad thing about sledding is that every time you go down you have to come back up again. Jens, Catherine, and Niel making their way up the hill with the beautiful lake and mountains in the background.

Almost there...Huff, Puff...gona' make it!

We Love Snow Clothes!
Hunter loved sledding, except the time he went down behind Catherine on his back. Here he is showing off his new gloves and wearing the Big Bird hat from when I was his age.
Allison going down the hill with Niel.


Hang on Tight!

Joy, Paula and James... It's ok Paula. You can open your eyes. You haven't gone down yet.


"Race ya to the bottom!"

Ashton speeding down the hill. (Be sure to click on this one for a closer look of Ashton's face.)
At the bottom there were some snow banks, then an asphault road, and then landscaping with two trees and a light pole. Several people hit the road and a few (Paula & James, Cath & Rachael) actually met the trees.

"aaahhhh!!!"