…for some carpel-tunnel in your fingertips because we went to Utah for spring break and my finger is still sore from being on the shutter button for so darn long.
I kid a little bit, because Dave wouldn’t let me bring my big camera on the slopes. It goes without saying that it’s not nearly as fun for me to take pictures with my little camera as it is with my “sixth child” (my big camera). But I still didn’t spare any freezing icy fingers to capture quite a few moments in the snow.
We packed in not only some ski time, but also some great time with extended family. We stayed with Dave’s sister and her family the first couple nights…and kidnapped a few of them from school to go skiing with us.
I was mostly Claire’s partner as she got quickly got her bearings straight with skiing again.
By the end of the trip she was practically skiing circles around me.
It was a good thing that that girl is flexible….
She was smiling like this pretty much the entire time.
Max and his cousin were pretty great partners too…at least I think they were because they left me in the dust from the very beginning.
These guys loved the gondola at Snow Basin.
What a nice brother.
…and what a nice husband.
Just as I have a dream to traipse around India with my children all in tow some day, Dave has a dream of having all our kids flying down the hill with him some day (Dave will be embarrassed I’m saying this but he is a GOOD skier). And at the rate they are going, the flying down the powder with smiles stretched across all their faces will certainly happen.
Except I think I will be sitting in the lodge sipping hot cocoa because they’re all passing me up fast. Maybe Lu will hang with me…
We got to celebrate cousin Isaac’s birthday with him and go to one of his games.
We got to hold and snuggle baby Macey and go out to dinner with Julie & Seth who we adore.
Then it was on to my sister Saren and her family who have moved quite freshly into a new home in Ogden. I wish I would have taken a picture of their cool new house, but alas, I did not.
I did, however, take a few right after we surprised their kids:
(my kids were excited as could be to not tell them we were coming and just show up in their world unannounced…I must admit that was pretty fun…)
And I caught some pictures at the cool tree house museum we went to:
(are those twins cute or what?)
At the Tree House museum we participated in a rodeo:
dressed up as characters from Alice in Wonderland:
put on a full-fledged princess play:
…and even visited the Oval Office:
Lucy loves her cousin Ashton who takes such great care of her:
We played a riling game of “Pass the Pig,”
and had a great dinner together:
Love that Saren…
…don’t love that camera so much.
One morning we skied with just our kids (except for Lucy who I begged to take along to see if she could handle ski school until Dave looked at me like I was a crazy woman. About the seventh time I got that eye-roll-you’re-crazy look I gave in. She had so much fun with cousins and her Grandfather while we skied).
I can’t really explain how my heart melts to watch Dave teach these kids a thing or two. We all fit on the ski lift together.
And I just really, really liked being together.
But I must admit it was also nice when we met up with friends.
There’s nothing like a little peer pressure to help kids throw their hesitancy to the wind and just bomb down those hills.
Grace had so much fun with her “pink” friends who were all skiing through all the trees they could find by the end.
Dave and I didn’t give in to any peer pressure to snow board though…
But I wouldn’t be surprised if Elle tries to sweet-talk us into it next year.
One night we got to go out to dinner with friends:
…while our kids played some fun games:
No doubt about it, Utah is beautiful any way you look at it.
(Except for the train track areas around the airport but we won’t talk about that right now.)
We had to break out the sleds at Grammie and Grandfather’s house too.
I had to sweet-talk Lu to come out with us, but it didn’t take her long to fall in love with the snow.
Literally. She ate gallons of it.
Max was enjoying the sledding and snowman-making from the inside of the house while sipping hot cocoa, but he joined in the next day:
My parents have a lamp post from Wellesley College thanks to my brother Jonah.
It seems fitting since they have three daughters who graduated from there and one who named her daughter Wellesley (that’s Elle for short).
The girls imagined they were mermaids in my parents’ huge tub.
They thought it was one of the best parts of the trip.
Ok phew (how the heck do you spell that??), that’s a LOT of pictures. Believe it or not, I have more, but right now I’m late for a meeting and must run.
Plus I’m sure your fingers are ready for a little break. 🙂
Looks like FUN!
My 5-year-old daughter was viewing with me and she said, "Are they real?" Yes.."Can we go visit them?" HAHA 🙂 Thanks for the fun post
Looks like fun! I have a question, I understand if you are too busy to answer but…How do you edit your pictures for your blog? My camera takes BIG pix (16mpx) I have to edit the picture then resize to a 5×7 b4 I can post to the blog. Do you have an easier way of doing this? It takes all the fun out of blogging when posting 1 post takes an hour.
Thanks a million. Love your blog!
Hazel is sad she didn't get to be there with her group……she misses those girls. and boy is she ever jealous of claire's gappy grin. she wiggles her stubborn teeth everyday.
looks like so much fun! can't wait to see you soon!
Where is that tree house museum??
Email me at lovecrft@gmail.com please!
That looks great.
Thanks
Michelle
Awesome pictures!! Ah, I miss snow. The picture of your dad and Lucy is especially fabulous!
After reading your post about Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, I finally made myself order the book – I sat down today and read the whole thing and then blogged about it in one sitting!
Oh man Shawnie….that is one cute family. I love the bright colorad against the white snow.
Uhhhhhh….where exactly can I get one of those great big tubs?
So fun! Where did you ski in Utah? Haven't been really skiing in over 10 years, but would LOVE to go again for reals (not just for 1-2 runs after stealing my sisters pass)
I've been following your blog since I first saw your video on mormon.org and for some reason I just fell in love with your energy and love for your family. You remind me so much of my seminary teacher Sister Shumway. She was my favorite and somehow made seminary enjoyable at 6 in the morning and for some strange reason your video reminded me of her.. I am so grateful for your pictures, and I am so truly grateful for the messages and spirit you bring into my home just by reading your blog. Thanks so much! -Debbie
Aawwww. We missed you guys up there. We had to get back home mid-week.
Let's schedule some photo time! I just got a light green background & I thought it would be fun to do a spring-y, Easter-y shoot just for fun. Do you know anyone who has any live bunnies we could borrow?
I need to just call you…..
I love your and Elle's Ski jackets…Who makes them?
I cannot believe how much you packed into one tiny spring break. I am exhausted just reading about it. Looks like you had a great time.
What great family memories! I love that you shared all those pictures!
Yeah, my fingers hurt ; ) I can't wait till my kids are old enough to go skiing! I am sure they will be passing me by while I am pizza pie-ing it.
so cute!
Great post (they all are) and great photos (they all are). I just love your blog… but I really, really, really love Claire's teeth right now. Every picture of her makes me want to squeal with joy at her adorable little mouth… such a moment in time… precious.
SO FUN! My favorite pic is you with your girls and the snowman or snowlady I should say! What great memories!!
How positively wonderful to see all I missed! So fun to see through your eyes with whatever camera you have in your hands. It was almost as good as being there, except I'm so sorry I missed you. Glad I was having fun with that new baby or I would have been in mourning. GREAT pics!
I just saw your mom and dad on Mormon Times. And I must say, you look very much like your mom. 🙂
Loved the post. Such a happy site to see you all having such a wonderful time. Thanks for the smiles!
dying to know where that girl in the pic with elle at the bottom got her cute jacket and crochet headwamer. love them!!
Shawni! Please share where you and Elle got your fabulous ski jackets? I have been looking for a new one and love the colors! Let me know the brand!!
Loving the pictures, as always!
Anne
I'm from Kansas, but we lived in Ogden for about a year and the Tree House museum was the best!! (Actually, I really loved Ogden in general…)