Springs at Midnight

It is kind of cool to look at the different stages of the lake. I can't get over how weird it feels to see this much flowing water. It sure is beautiful though!

We went to church in Thayne. I love being able to go to church in random places.

Jorja & Stockton

Look how blue the sky is!

 Maysen accidentally left her church clothes home, so she wore pants. I love church in Wyoming.

Maysen, Mike, Preston

Jorja took a few selfies on my phone. I caught her deleting them. I stopped her in time to save this one. Luckily I found the ones she texted to herself, so I will put those on the post tomorrow.

Jorja

This trip Mike became obsessed with making a zip line. He tried it out first. He fell on a ladder. He insisted it was safe. It wasn't. He told me, "That is why I tested it out first and not the kids." Oh. That makes everything better.

Mike's bruise

 Jorja decided to wear a helmet and coat after watching Mike. She did it though. Crazy kids.

 Preston wanted to try, but sanity prevailed.

 Jorja getting brave and going without protection.

Jorja

Our dinner was leftovers we are trying to get out of the fridge. Stockton had a bowl of meatballs.

Mike, Maysen, Stockton and Preston played Colt Express. Stockton was the marshal and won. They finished just in time for us to go sledding. Mike put flashlights on the sleds and they were so fun! We went down our hill a couple of times and then decided to go to the springs. We had six minutes before midnight. I hurried so fast! I got to the top of the springs right as it turned midnight. How fun to sled into the new year! Mike even let me take the first run down! I was going super fast and rounded a corner about halfway down. I saw a green sled upside down with a white coat buried beneath it. Jorja was way off into the powder. I didn't stop to help, I figured she would be fine. She was.

We went two more times before we headed back to the cabin. Maysen drove once so Mike and I could race. I won. He didn't know it was a race though. We broke three sleds tonight. The hills are fast, but they are starting to get really rocky. We need more snow!

Once we were at the cabin Mike and the kids went down in a train. Maysen really wanted to do that. Trains are so fast and quite scary! They loved it though.

Mike, Stockton, Jorja, Maysen, Preston

 Mike, Stockton, Jorja, Preston, Maysen

 Jorja, Maysen, Preston, Mike, Stockton

I think it was close to 1:00 am when we finally called it quits. Sledding into the new year? So much fun!!! Maysen had warmed up her bed and Preston slept with her tonight. He was quite cold. Jorja made everyone yummy hot chocolate and then stayed up late doing the dishes. She is anxious to get home tomorrow. Hailey is on her mind. Works for me! What a fun trip this has been. I love it here!

Zip Line

I have never seen the lake like this in the winter. Usually it is frozen and covered in snow. It's kind of weird to be sledding on one side of the road and look out and see the water on the other side. It is beautiful though. The temperature warmed up a bit today, which made the sledding not as wonderful. I went out with Rachel, Marie, Mina and Eve for a bit. Grace opted to stay inside and play her imaginary games. I took the girls up to the Springs. Again, not as fast, but perfect for the little girls. Mina was able to go down by herself and Rachel was able to take Eve. Marie was a pro already, so this was no problem for her.

Matt, Sam and Rachel all left the cabin today. This leaves only us. Which left Mike getting into mischief. Yesterday while we were playing Colt Express, Mike decided he wanted to make a zip line. He drew out plans and this morning Jorja took him to the hardware store. He came back with lots of rope and big dreams. We kept watching Mike walk back and forth carrying a ladder over his head. By the time it was dark he was ready to test it out. I begged him to wait until it was light. He didn't understand why he should wait. He was using something he found in the garage to go down the rope. He realized it was the wrong style and would need to go back to the hardware store. Too bad they are closed and tomorrow is Sunday. Mike and Stockton tested it out anyway. Jorja took a video, but I don't think it will upload here. Mike hit the ground before the hill, but didn't hurt himself. Stockton hit a tree, but as Mike pointed out, "It was a little tree." Well, no worries then.

Mike

 Look super close at the telephone pole

 Here . . . I'll zoom in . . .

Mike made hamburgers and rootbeer floats for dinner. We played a game of Colt Express. Maysen was the marshall. She had to get four out of five goals to win. It is hard to win as the marshall. Maysen completed all five goals. I guess it's not hard for her. I taught the kids how to play Canasta. Rummy and Canasta were staples from my childhood. I can't believe I have never played Canasta with my kids, and rarely have played Rummy. Maysen and Preston won that game. We finished off the night by watching Captain Underpants, or something like that. I slept through whatever was playing. Shocking, I know. Speaking of shocking, I showed Rachel and her girls the shocking game the other day. Rachel and Marie both played it. Jeff was fascinated by it. He kept pushing the button and wanted to hold the handle. We played with him but turned off the power to his handle. He loved it. There are only so many times we can play the shocking game though. Jeff didn't understand why we put it away. Marie kept getting shocked. We had the machine turned to level 1. I told Marie that I wouldn't push the button this time. Mike secretly turned the machine up to level 4. I was not expecting that. Mike just laughed and laughed.

40 mph

Today was a fun, fun day! We spent most of the time outside. I didn't take any pictures this time though. We also played lots of games. The kids had a great time with each other. It is so fun having Rachel and her girls here!  Bubs and Ange left this afternoon. Ella had a dentist appointment and Bubs had two games to ref tonight. One was Alta. That would have been a fun one to see!

Mina, Ella, Eve, Abby, Amelia, Grace

Marie and Mina helped Jorja make cookies.

 Mina & Marie

Stockton played chess with anyone who would play with him. He has spent most of his inside time up here working on 'Jorja simulator'. That thing is so funny. Stockton loves mocking Jorja about boys.

 Maysen & Stockton

 Eve fell asleep on me when I was playing Dominion with Mike, Matt, Stockton and Preston. I won!

 Maysen spent a lot of time playing with the little girls.

Grace, Anne, Maysen, Mina

 It was so funny! They were playing with their Christmas stuffed animals and the game got pretty vicious.

Grace, Eve, Maysen, Anne

 Parrydise. I love it here.

The most fun we had today was when we put on a Barbie show for the girls. Matt and Sam watched them. My family, Rachel and Marie all went night sledding. It was so dark! We did trains out front for a long time. It was fast and scary! Mike tried to convince them to race in trains of two instead of one long train. Jorja came down with Maysen behind her. They were cruising! Jorja said it was the scariest thing she has ever done. Well......that was until we went to the Springs. We decided to go night sledding up there. Marie said she had never been there. That is so sad! It's hard when you live so far away. Being the kindhearted people we are, we thought she must experience the Springs. Even though it was dark, dark, dark. Mike got the snowmobile and we took that and the 4 wheeler up there. I went down on the first run. Holy cow! It was so fast and so dark! We were racing and it was scary knowing Stockton was right behind me and was waiting for the right time to crash me. It was a crazy fun ride though. Stockton won. We were all laughing hysterically when we reached the bottom. Marie did great! This was the first time she sled this, it was pitch black and super fast. She LOVED it. We took two more runs. Mike got to sled this time. Stockton's sled broke at the top. Luckily I was waiting for Rachel and Marie to pass, so he was able to catch up to me. His sled was unrideable. Boo. Everyone was flying down the hill. I mean F-L-Y-I-N-G! In the pitch dark. Crazy fun. We decided to go one more run down the hill. Mike and I both had to drive the machines down, so we weren't able to sled. I was trying to stay right behind Rachel. I was in 3rd gear trying to keep up with her. I had my eyes focused on Rachel. I hit a giant rock that stuck out of the side. Good thing we have tracks on the 4 wheeler. I just bounced off. Earlier I noticed the mph when we weren't going nearly as fast. 25 mph. They were so much faster this time. Rachel is convinced that they were going at least 40 mph. She said she had never gone that fast before. She was trying to keep up with Jorja who had no fear and was flying down on ice. Luckily no one got hurt, but man was that fun! Maysen, Stockton, Jorja and Preston were all there. None of them had any fear. None of them got hurt. Best night sledding ever!

Mike, Maysen, Stockton, Preston, Matt and I stayed up until 1:00 am playing Colt Express. I won and was quite impressed that I pulled off the victory. It was an ugly victory, but still . . . a win is a win.

Cabin

Mike and Jorja drove to Idaho Falls. Jorja drove both ways. She is racking up those hours. Nice canyon experience too. Mike and Jorja went to see if they could fix Stockton's cell phone. Jorja also wanted to go to DI while she was there. I don't think they found any treasures. Mike took Jorja to Fuji and square ice-cream on the way back.

For us it was just another awesome cabin day. Lots of sledding. Lots of playing in the snow. Lots of games. Lots of pictures.

Matt in the morning

Greg, Anne, Jeff

 Marie & Eve

 Grace

 Preston, Lincoln, Mina, Ella, Abby

 Matt & Jeff, (Sam & Greg)

 Greg & Sam

 Bubs & Ange pulling lots of kids

 Amelia & Abby, Ella & Marie, Lincoln, Preston, Mina

 Sam & Greg ~ Greg fell asleep sledding ~ hahahahahaha!

 Greg

 Amelia

 Beautiful Rachel and Eve

 Eve, Anne, Jeff, Grace

 Anne, Stephanie & Eve

 Jeff, Eve, Stephanie

 Mina & Stephanie

44

Today is my birthday! My kids all woke me up right at midnight and sang 'Happy Birthday'. Haha. I love them. Today was a great day. I read, worked on Eve's stocking, played games, went sledding, watched old family movies, ate cake. All fun things. I love having my birthday up here.

Preston, Mike, Stephanie, Maysen, Stockton, Jorja

Jeff and Amelia

Sam, Jorja, Stockton's legs, Maysen

My Porge

Maysen

Ange, Amelia, Anne

Ella & Jorja

I think it is funny how it looks like Ella has white legs. You can't even see Jorja in this picture.

There she is!

And she broke one of my favorite sleds. Also, proof that Bubs had nothing to do with the broken sled.

How did she manage to break it that bad?

Anne & Amelia

Jorja Porge

Apparently she wants me to stop taking her picture!

Finally!

I love it when Jorja doesn't wear any makeup. She's so beautiful.

Stockton and Bubs. Different sleds. Racing. Looks like Stockton won.

Maysen

Bubs, Matt, Abby

Matt & Bubs

Jorja & Ella, Maysen, Ange, Amelia's tiny head, Abby, Stockton

Stephanie & Jorja

I wanted to get a picture with all my kids one by one on my birthday. That didn't happen. I did get one with my Porge though.

She is standing on a slope, that is why she is towering over me.

Jorja & Stephanie

Bubs walking, Jorja, Sam and Ella on the 4 wheeler, Matt, Stockton and Maysen being pulled behind.

Abigail

Maysen

I convinced Stockton to ride up backwards with me. You can't see him, but I got to hold him the entire way up the mountain. It was the best! Abby went up backwards with us too. I think Maysen's feet are on the left.

Stockton went inside to take a shower while the rest of us went to the Springs. We were able to go three times before we realized the four wheeler was almost out of gas. The first run up to the springs we were following a razor with tracks. They had a tiny girl pulled behind on skis and some kids in a sled being pulled behind as well. About half way up, the tiny girl fell. The sled ran over her. The razor kept going. I thought the razor would stop for her, but it never did. I ran up to her and asked if she wanted a ride. I carried her and put her on with us. She was probably about six years old. We got to the top and the razor was gone. I don't know if he went back to look for her. The tiny girl said she didn't know how to get her skis on. Mike and I helped her and sent her down the mountain. She was there when we got down, so that was a relief.

Stockton brought out our old home movies. Movies from when I was little. We watched those for a few hours. It was cool to see my mom. Stockton said he had never heard her voice before. The kids laughed and laughed when my dad was secretly videoing Mike and I on our sweethearts date. There were also lots of funny things my brothers did. I recorded some of them on my phone. I'll have to post them some time. The connection here is way too slow to do that today.

Rachel and her girls arrived tonight! Yay! It is so nice to have them here. Especially to know they aren't on the roads anymore. Rachel brought me presents. She gave me an electric can opener. That was funny. We told her how we got one for our wedding and made fun of it, then we started using it and loved it. We were sad when it broke. So, she got me another one. She also got me a small food processor. I can't remember what she was making at my house when she wanted that, but it will be nice to have one. Especially when I make cranberry sauce. Jorja made my birthday cake. She made an Andes mint cake and it was delicious.

Jorja

Jeff & Stockton photobombing Stephanie, Ella and Abby in the back.

Stephanie, Jeff, Stockton

Not the prettiest picture, but it sure was delicious!

I asked the kids to play a game of rummy with me. We played that all the time at the cabin while I was growing up. I hardly ever play it with my kids. They weren't the happiest about it, but they played with me anyway. Jorja was winning most of the game until the last hand where Stockton pulled ahead.

We were laughing about how everyone loves Camille's mug and multiple people will use it a trip. Sam and Amelia love it the most. While we were talking about it, Preston decided he would use it the rest of the night.

Preston

Mike forgot my birthday cards at home, but my present from him was to get weights. I have wanted new ones for awhile. Hopefully I can get back to working out now that I've had several months off. Yikes! My dad also gave me a dna test. I laughed because that is when Scoop and Cori gave us. Six tests, one for everyone in the family. I remember now my dad asking me if I would like something like that. I think I told him that it sounded interesting, but something I would never buy for myself. Hahaha! Now my birthday is over and that is sad.