Snow House

We returned to the original Snow House this year for another lovely visit. Dave, Dad, and I skiied together for the first time in 2 decades. That was a great thing.

Mark, Janett, and Isabella took ski lessons for the first time. Mark summed up the experience in an apres ski art therapy session. The flipping elephant is Mark getting off the chair lift. The turtle is the wise ski expert (Dad) explaining his various techniques for making it down the mountain. Dora is Isabella (no poles and arms outstretched). The two yellow critters are me and Dave, brother and sister team, skiing and catching up. Dr. Seuss is Janett, in an impressive ski display, making her way down the mountain to the ski lodge. The palm tree represents the desert, because without the man-made snow, it would have been like being in the desert--a mountainous, barren desert.

Wise Ski Expert

No poles, arms outstretched

Impressive skiing by first-timer, Janett.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then there was this gem. That would be my backside. 

I had the wonderfully frustrating experience of guiding Isabella down runs after her ski lesson. It started out great--so fun to see my little girl on pair of skis! Then came the reality of navigating fatigue and ski gear and exiting chair lifts with someone much shorter than you and figuring how to dislodge skis (both mine and hers) from icy patches without bending my knees and back in ways that they are not supposed to bend.  I confess to threatening to leave her on the mountain. I didn't mean for it to sound so harsh, but the reality is you are up there FOREVER with a temper tantrum, or you get yourself. Down. The. Mountain. (I think she forgave me.)

We took turns making dinner and each meal was delicious! Example: Dad's polenta served with his chicken cacciatore.

Isabella entertained us with her enthusiasm for all things snow: "Look at the snow! Do you see ALL THE SNOW?!" she excitedly pointed out on our drive up the mountain. In reality there was hardly any snow at all on account of the drought we are having, but who are we to burst her bubble?

She also showed an impressive ability to slip out of her snow gear without leaving much of a trail behind her.

Our family made a day trip to Reno to see friends who moved there from Napa. There were bouncy houses and fast cars.

 and cute kids.

All in all it was a great time. Mom got sick. I got sick. But that was just all par for the course, because if there is one thing that has defined our winter break from before Christmas to even now (two weeks back at school) it is illness. Mark got sick once we were home, as did Matthew (for the third time) and Dad. Hopefully we are done now and on to new adventures in 2014.

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning. Santa made it clear which presents were for whom.

 Isabella got a stocking full of art supplies.

Matthew got an "I Owe You" letter from Santa. (Read by Isabella.)

Apparently there was a backlog of orders this year at the North Pole.

 Isabella got a Magic Fairy cookie making kit (the dough! turns! pink! when water is added).

and

 Squigez - clever little rubber suction things that stick anywhere and pop when you pull them apart (also good for developing fine motor skills--man, that Santa knows just what Isabella needs!)

Matthew got a box of hardware: locks, light switch covers, the boingy things that prevent a door from slamming into the wall...
If you are thinking that Matthew got the short end of the Christmas stick on Christmas morning, you would be right. But that's the beauty of being two. (I like to think of the first two years of your child's life as forgiveness years. They'll never know how much you didn't have your act together and therefore won't hold it against you when they are 30.)

And really, Matthew was done with Christmas and ready for breakfast after about 10 minutes.
Now lest you think Santa was cruel and heartless when it came to Matthew (giving the poor boy a box of hardware?!) allow me to explain...

The hardware was to be used to make...drum roll please...

The coolest busy board ever! Now Matthew can boing the boingy things, lock and unlock locks, put a ball thorough the PVC pipe and watch it go! AND the best part was the Mark decided to actually wire the light switches to a battery pack with a little LED light. I suggested covering the battery pack with an old toy tractor. So now when Matthew flips the light switch, the tractor lights up!

My favorite gift was the fort building kit Santa found for Isabella and Matthew, who just happen to LOVE forts. Unfortunately the gift was a dud and had to be shipped back to the North Pole.

The Magic Fairy Princess made her cookies, frosted and sugared them. Heavily. I think the thing I loved most about this gift was that is was the only thing Isabella asked for in her letter to Santa. That's it. That's all she wanted. Simple. And since it was a mix, technically she only got to use it once. But she was so happy that she got what she wanted.

 We did get to actually see Santa on Christmas morning--a visit arranged by our landlords.

 The kids were a little unsure of him (and confused) in the beginning,

 but the presents helped.

Nana and Papa came a little later that morning and brought Christmas #2. (Which turned out to be bigger than Christmas #1).

It was perfect though and we ate soup and had a salad and it was low-key and lovely.

The most exciting gift, was the Disneyland ticket that Aunt Christa and Buddy and Jack gave Isabella. She has no idea what Disneyland is yet, but boy is she going to have a fun time celebrating her 6th birthday this Spring at the happiest place in California or the earth? or is it Anaheim?
 Yay! Thank you Christa, Buddy, and Jack (and baby James).