Skiing for the First Time

The girls' first time skiing was a fun family event. In Boise, we have the fortune to live 20 minutes' drive from Bogus Basin. It was a crime not to get our girls into lessons. And they had a couple of friends who wanted to join them, so we have our own little private lesson group.

It took Rachael and Rebecca a little time getting used to skis -- stiff boots, - sliding backwards down the hill, learning how to stop, and learning how to get up. In the end they were fearless despite the falls and near-misses.

Take a look at the photo album to see the girls in action. 

Rebecca's 4th Birthday

As you might know, Rebecca's birthday is on 3/17. Yep, St. Patrick's day. While I'm sure she'll find plenty of creative ways to spend her birthday, like, in college, we're still planning the kid-oriented parties. Last year's theme was Tinkerbell, this year it's My Little Pony.

She did the birthday thing in class, but left the real party for afterwards. Rebecca invited all of her classmates, and a few other friends, to Elm Grove park for an after-school lunch party. Everyone showed up and the parents stayed around chatting, snacking, etc. Then the pinata game was started. That thing worked like a champ and stood up to everyone's pummeling at least once (15 kids).

Of course, our planning was a little off. The pinata goodies were tiny My Little Pony rubber thingies and Tootsie Pops. After the scramble for goodies, we found that the kids could have cared less about the ponies. So, after everyone consumed their Tootsie Pops, it was time to boost our sugar intake with cupcakes. Plenty of energy left for everyone to hit the playground equipment for 15 minutes before going home.

Check out our photos.