Sunday, February 24, 2019

Fun for G

Grant and four of his buddies went to the escape room on Friday - and escaped!  They had nearly 15 minutes to spare! Atta way, boys!

This crew got to dine on steak and tator tots and cookie cake!

On Saturday, Grant's K-Life small group of fellow 8th grade boys participated in the dodgeball tournament as an annual fundraiser.  They beat a team and then lost to that same team in the finals - aw, shucks, but they did have fun! Pictured is the small group and their two college leaders, Luke and Caden.

 ...and the team prayer and huddle before it began is the most important thing about that day anyways!  Proud of these young men!

Thursday, February 21, 2019

Monarch Mountain

Off we go to Monarch! We drove 7 hours after work.


Our first views of snowy peaks!

The cool thing about this part of the mountains is the far right peak is the mountain Grant and I did a mission trip on with our youth group in 2016!  It was neat to go by in the winter - different look! 
First run up - glad we took a picture on this day as the following day was snowy and gray, and the last day Reid was sick!  Yes, yet again on vacation, Reid got a fever! We knew Saturday after lunch he wasn't doing great when he had tears.  102.7 when we got back to our house!  So, Reid and I hung out the following day and read books and napped (it was just fine with me!).

Monarch isn't the biggest mountain but the view from the top is spectacular!

Even Grant falls... :) 
Reid did so much better this time than last on getting on and off the lifts, and he became a lot more confident in his skiing ability.
The playroom in our house - they had fun. This was their first activity.
Jason noticed it - our assigned locker sure had a great number combination - 5/18!
Kyle needed a break (emotionally) so we grabbed some hot chocolate just as the snow was moving in on Saturday morning.
Visibility coming down the mountain on Saturday
Down in Salida, the snow never arrived on Saturday.  It was a great afternoon (at this point, Reid was much happier than on the mountain and I hadn't felt his head for a fever - but, he had one!)

This is the Arkansas River and the ramp on the left is where we put in our raft in 2017 for our overnight camping/rafting trip.  That was part of what made the darling little town of Salida extra special for our family.

  Our house was FOUR levels and this was our view

The parents went pub-hopping while the kids watched a movie.  It was super fun and just down the block from our house.


Jason, Grant and Kyle had a ball on Sunday skiing.  They said it was colder but without the windy snow, it felt a little better.




We met up with the Streeters, who were also at Monarch, for dinner.  Reid was still a trooper, but had to be sitting away from the other kids.


 This was the view from the master when we woke up to leave on Monday! 
WHAT!
Beautiful
This was our drive for about 3 hours.  Take in to account the snow and ice, but then add wiper fluid that was a frozen, and a muddy windshield, it became slow-going for a while.

 We are thankful for another fun trip and safe travels and many new memories with our little Walker crew and our trails we leave behind.... 

Thursday, February 14, 2019

End of January and February

Baskeball season ended up great for the 8th graders. They went 7-1!
 
These three have played many years together!

Blue Devils, led by Coach Jason Walker, won their league, with it coming down to the very last game!  It was huge!

Big 12 year old!

 
Reid's airplane he made after we got home from California. Very detailed.
 
Kyle's birthday dinner - Morrison Café.




 
the game of basketball "clicked" for Reid the last 2 games of the season.  He was the only guy on the team who had not previously played, and for four games, we weren't sure he would again.  Then he missed 2 for trips and being sick. It was then that the lightbulb clicked on and he was a great defender and would drive to the goal a little and try to shoot.

jumping big!

Grabbing the ball....
then taking it and and dribbling...




 
KLife Progressive Riot
 
the little Blue Devils only won 2 games but they did have a lot of fun!

 
team party at Braums

 
cuteness!
 
birthday party time for KYLEE (as he is called by his friends - so we made his cake pink!)
 

 
They slept great... in a row looking like a bunch of hot dogs.
 
Kyle didn't want gifts this year - he instead asked for donations and made a donation to the Stillwater Humane Society.  He loves going to play with the animals.

 
Reese drew him this amazing picture which he framed and hung above his bed!
 
My littlest Valentine at MY ONLY VALENTINES PARTY!  When did we get this old to only have one in elementary!?!  ah!
 
special memories of love...

ice cream with Bubba
 
Grant is still my cuddler... even in public!