Winter Randoms

While I was in Denver Greg took the kids to a service project.

Love this little Valentine!

Not sure I understand that cat - Ditten took a little bit of Lily in the middle of the night.

But that cat really is hilarious.

Weekend in Utah with Natali

Last minute we decided to head to Utah to watch Natali's a cappella concert.  Greg's flight home from Mexico had been delayed and he'd spent the night in Texas so he flew in Friday afternoon.  When the girls finished dance we loaded up and hit the road.  Saturday morning Natali lead us around the new music building - Wow!

Her cleaning job at the MOWA made her an excellent tour guide for the art museum. 

Then we met Piper, Gus, and Nani for soap making.  The smell of essential oils walking in was over whelming but we got used to it and had so much fun with our creations.

Then we got to enjoy the concert.  It was so fun.  We especially enjoyed the beat boxing club.  They were really incredible.

Natali's group did a religious song and it was beautiful.  We gave her big hugs and said goodbye making a 10 arrival at Gayles house where we stayed up past 1:00 talking -the girls too!

We were served a fabulous breakfast by chef Ric, caught church and hit the road.  It was a fast but fabulous weekend.  Loved seeing that girl and some of the Easton clan.

Self declared snow day

Snow was in the forecast and everyone went to bed crossing their fingers for a snow day - no luck.  So I declared it a ski day and took the littles skiing at Bogus in the fresh powder.

We had such a fun time and loved the day together.

Our skip day was a practice run for her to go skiing with McConkies on Friday.  She and Payton and Quinn had a blast skiing together.  she pushed herself and some adventures!

I forced Andrew to skip school a few weeks last and drive up to Brundage with me.  We had a fabulous day skiing through the trees and enjoying some powder.  Love that boy but skiing with him all day was a work out!  I was exhausted and enjoyed a hot bath when I got home.

Saying Goodbye to Perdita

Dita had a growth in her neck.  It had been there for months but was getting bigger so Greg had me take her in a get it removed.

She didn't do well after the surgery.  Waking up from the anesthesia was scary.  She could hardly walk and wanted nothing to do with us.  Once she was wide awake she wouldn't eat or drink.  Over the course of a month she was drinking a little and occasionally eating but she started losing weight, stopped grooming herself, stopped going upstairs and didn't seem to be herself.  I took her back in for the bad news that she had lost 1/3 of her body weight and her jaw was full of growths (probably cancer).  The doctor recommend putting her down that day, but Greg was out of town and we needed time to say goodbye.  The doc was headed out of town for the president's weekend so we scheduled for Tuesday the 21st.  I bawled all the way home.

We waited till Friday to tell the kids and they spent the weekend taking turns with sleeping with her.  It was a hard, long, tear filled weekend.

Tuesday morning they said goodbye, except for Emily and Andrew who went with me.

It was painful to watch Emily especially, I tear up now as I write.  She really loved that cat.  Perdita offered her hours of love and peace when her emotions were in turmoil.  She slept hours on Emmy's pillow then came down to sleep next to Greg once Emmy was asleep.  Whenever Emmy had a rough time I would find Dita and put her next to Emmy and knew that would help more than anything I could say.  Ditten is not so obliging.  I guess she will need to be trained 😉.  Thanks for 13 great years Dita!

Denver girls trip

I took off for the weekend to play with my sisters, Keeley, Diane and Janice Beck in Denver.  We enjoyed great food, staying up late, sleeping in, hours and hours of talking, and an incredible 90 minute yoga session led by Sharee.  It was fun to have the cousins there, to learn about them and their families.  

We also spent one afternoon at the WolfMeow Museum - an incredibly strange experience.

We also took a lovely walk around the lake downtown.  It was an awesome trip.  I love spending time with my sisters - I'm pretty dang lucky to half four of them (plus an awesome sister in law and cousins)!

We are all in double digits!

Happy 10th Birthday to my baby!  She is growing up to fast and pointed out that no one is in single digits anymore 😢.

She researched and planned out this cake - filling the middle with sprinkles and decorating it herself.

With some directed sister help (because they just had to touch the butterflies and pearls).

Natali came home for the weekend because she had to have an extra molar removed so that was a fun bday treat.

She got this adorable new sweater that makes her look so grown up.  Every school day we walk to the bus stop together and after school she and I just sit around the kitchen and talk about her day while she snacks.  I love my little buddy.