Friday, January 14, 2011

Snapshots from Christmas, part I.

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View from our front porch

We had a wonderful Christmas this year!

Our family went to my parents' house in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for a week where we enjoyed a great holiday. Vivian was perfect traveling up there and back (well, except for one complete meltdown at the bottom of the airplane stairs that temporarily blocked other passengers from exiting the plane, but other than that...). Christmas morning didn't seem to overwhelm her as it sometimes has in the past.

Will brought a friend from TCU with him, and they really enjoying snowboarding together. His friend flew home on Christmas Eve. I held my breath that the friend would make it back to his family in a timely, uneventful manner (he did). I would have hated for him to hit some sort of weather snag and have to spend Christmas Day in the Salt Lake airport or somesuch place!

I haven't downhill skied much since my mom quit skiing several years ago. I am wholly uncoordinated and unathletic and very timid on the slopes, and my mother was the only other person in our family who preferred the same level of downhill skiing challenge as I did (minimal). Others will ski with me, but I feel like I'm always making them wait. Also, if I go skiing, I have to leave my mom home with Vivian, and that can make it hard for her to run errands or get other things done. So, I generally stick pretty close to the house, which I really don't mind since at home I spend so much time running here, there and yonder.

This year my dad taught me to cross country ski, which can be done on a track that he grooms around their property, hence involving much less time than a day at the ski village. I loved it! Surprisingly, I didn't find cross country skiing that difficult, though I'm not very fast. It is great exercise, and the experience is very exhilarating.

Here are a few pictures from our Christmas. I hope that you and your family had a merry holiday as well!

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My dad (in Rudolph antlers) pulled Vivian in a sleigh while Robert pushed from the back. She seemed to enjoy the ride!

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A bundled-up Vivian

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What a way to travel!

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My mom's sister also has a house in Jackson Hole, and her family came to dinner one night (left to right: Will, my mom, Will's friend Ty, and my Aunt Judy)

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Dots holding down the fort at the kids table

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Looking out the window at our front deck. There was a lot of snow this year!

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With my dad on my first ever cross-country ski outing

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Dots in the snow

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Ty and Will at the ski village

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Vivian, who prefers to stay inside and in her pajamas whenever possible!

Coming next: Christmas Day pictures

6 comments:

Tote said...

Great pictures! Looks like you had a good time!

Kate said...

1. Merry Christmas. And Happy New Year. It is purely delightful to see Vivian so healthy and happy. Remarkable...and I am so happy for your family.

2. SOMESUCH...my new favorite word Thankyouverymuch.

3. Cross country skiing as per my college "Fundamentals of Physical Education" professor is THE BEST cardiovascular exercise. For the record, I tried it once on a machine and ended up a tangled mess on the floor. But WTG to you! (and if your dad recommends it...who wouldn't listen???

Jessica Ryan said...

What fun pictures! I felt as though I was taking a mini vacation!

bevy said...

Love the beautiful pictures. We had snow in SC, but nothing like the beauty you are blessed to see every year!

Linda@ Lime in the Coconut said...

Looks beautiful and full of family love! I soooo miss skiing and snow and holing up in jammies after a good day of skiing!

Susan at www.ugogrrl.com said...

Always love your pictures! What a beautiful place! I am so impressed with your cross country skiing. I have never done it but always thought it seemed much more difficult then down hill skiing!

Can't wait to see more of your holiday pictures!

Susan