Mountain Views

Chip took these one evening with our "real" camera just a few minutes from our house.  They came out pretty amazing.  Check it out.

randoms I forgot

Skiing at Canyons.

Ruby is NOT afraid.

Love this selfie of me and my ski girl.

We celebrated Oma's birthday a few weeks early with a coldstone cake, Nana and Papa, and SLC DuRoss'.  Mindy was supposed to be there too...but, she bought a new car instead! :)

Ruby loves dress up.

Oma got a fun new bath toy for Ru and OT.  Good thing they don't do this on any other walls. :)

One more project before Oma leaves.  Capes!  A birthday cape for Aunt Mindy too. 

A visit to the Aviary with friends on a sunny and warmish day this winter.

Pond skimming at the Canyons with Oma.

A rare overlap day.  Lucky kids- almost all of their grandparents here at the same time!

More Winter

 

Nana and Papa watched Ruby and Owen for their first night away from both mom and dad. This was part of my Valentine's gift to Chip.  I finally felt like it was time for us to get a night away so we did a little staycation in Little Cottonwood Canyon and the Hyatt at the base of the canyons. The best part of waiting to make steps like this is that I was SO ready that I didn't worry about them once or second guess what we were doing.  Total confidence, total bliss.  It helped that we had such competent care takers for our most precious little loved ones. Thanks Nana and Papa!

It really was the most incredible day.  A 3,000 ft climb up Argenta to the most breath taking views.  I think this is one of the best view points in the Wasatch- just sayin.  I felt strong, alive, and full of joy and gratitude.  All good things, especially since I was prepared to feel exhausted, emotional (this is close to where we lost our beloved Craig about a year ago), and scared since really, this was my first time in the backcountry in three years aside from quick laps in the back yard.  Thanks to my amazing husband for finding a way to validate my fears and resistance and get me past them to...here!

A banana shot for Owen.  He loves them.

I mean, seriously!

Love this guy.

 

And, what better way to satisfy the hunger created by such an adventure than to visit Lonestar for fish tacos.  

Alright, on to a few other leftover winter outings that I haven't yet archived.  More skiing at the Canyons.  I love this Instagram shot Chip captured.  Fun.

Some serious power wedges.

Oh yeah, baby rode in Ruby's jacket this time.

We got a day of skiing in with Nana and Papa during one of their visits.  They have been in and out quite often now that they have a condo just a few miles down the road from us for the year.  Yahoo for that!

Abby came over for a play day and Ruby got really excited because she noticed that she and Abby have the same shoes!  Ruby is pretty into shoes.  Not sure where she got that, and it is so not me, but it is still pretty stinkin cute.

LOTS of swimming this winter.  And, it is paying off.  Ruby and Owen can swim for quite a while, Owen can tread water, and when they want to, they can both do a nice back float.  Talk about peace of mind!

Oma Time

Alright- more catch up.  Love hugging kids.

The Aviary has $1 Wednesdays that we have taken advantage of a few times this Spring.  It is an amazing little spot with a fun bird show and tons of great feathered friends to check out.

We use a lot of condiments at our house, and many of them are purchased at Costco.  So, our counter regularly cluttered with these during meal time.  And, the other day, I realized they are all red!  Ha!

If you haven't gathered from the previous posts, Oma has been in town!  She visited from the end of February to the end of March.  We did a MILLION things and accomplished a boat load of tasks at home too....as usual.  It sounds like a crummy month weather wise to be here, but it was beautiful- lots of sun and snow, giving us opportunities to get out on the striders a lot and also on the slopes!

Swimming is kinda huge for us right now.  We get in the pool two to three times a week.  Once a week we do lessons with our AMAZING instructor, Jamie.  She is SO great with Ruby and Owen.  She is cool, but not cold.  Warm, but not too motherly.  She gets about as excited as I do when they take a step forward, and she also just left the Park City area.  She will be teaching in Sugarhouse though, and I am thinking we may make the trek to do lessons with her ever so often still- that is how much I like her.  Ruby and Owen swim under water with confidence, can back float on their own, wear their goggles consistently, and just LOVE the water.  Owen swam the width of the pool on his own the other day and knows how to tread water.  Ruby likes to dive for rings in the shallow end and asks to be "pushed down" cause she is still figuring out how to swim down.

Borrowed swim caps from the lost and found bucket.  Owen loves his skull and cross bones.

Oma got Ruby a new bathing suit, which she desperately needed.  So cute!

During Oma's visit we would swim and she would stay out and take videos.  I need to post some.  Owen and Ruby would watch them over and over when we got home.  

Oma reading the German books that Ingrid and Lens sent us.  Oma would translate them and read in English and Ruby and Owen would tell her to read it in German. :)

I have vivid memories of my mom teaching me to ride a bike in the culdesac and her holding the back of my seat just like this. :)

Making cookies! The facial expressions in these pictures tell the story well.

This picture makes me laugh and mad at the same time.  Owen was being mischievous, Oma thought it was cute, which it was, but then Ruby joined, the energy rose, and next thing I know I am chasing them across the window display into the corner, wrestling with mannequins, antd trying to set limits unsuccessfully.  Sigh.

The cow cookie.  Park City, UT.

Finally, snow dense enough that we could build a snowman.  Literally, this was the first time all year!

Oma, enjoying her new jacket and the freedoms it allows her.

I LOVE this picture.  It summarizes Spring to me- Owen in his sleeveless shirt and shorts riding down the muddy trail followed by Oma in her DOWN jacket.  Opposites existing at the same time.  Awesome.

Oma is gone now, and we miss her a lot!  I am sure she is enjoying the slightly less chaotic existence of living with two toddlers.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your help, energy, and time.  We love you!