Blizzard at 7:55am

Here's what we have so far. It's supposed to turn ugly shortly. Everything's closed. Except colleges. Apparently no superintendent wants all the kids to get to school easily, only to have a foot or more of snow fall before dismissal time...

More skiing!

Apparently, we're getting an entire season ( or 2) in in just a few short weeks.

We went to buffalo ski club today with friends. And you can see Nilam as the mama duck leading the munchkins down the hill. And the kids spent a lot of time on the training hill. There was a little jump that was a big hit! Kat did great. She started to add some turns to her snowplow and also, much more importantly, has started looking around her to keep an eye on other skiers.

We can't believe the progress she's made in less than a week. And it was a beautiful day out there, with great conditions. We had a great time out there.

Kat on the big hill

Well, we're finally getting Kat skiing. Turns out KB has their big sale on Saturday w/ the best prices of the season. And so we're going to buy our season passes (that we can use for the balance of this year, which looks to be at least a few more week of decent conditions.). And if we buy ours, hers will be free (as it's free for 6 and under--the age at time of purchase). If we waited till fall, prices would be higher, we wouldn't get free skiing all spring and would have to pony up for hers as she'd be 7!

Anyway, so we got out today and after a few runs of follow the leader on the bunny hill, I decided it was time to make the move to the big hill. I didn't want to wait till her legs were shot and set her up for failure.

She did great!! It was a very long hill in comparison to the bunny hill. She fell several times. She took each of us out at least once--though for me it was while trying to get her back up and heading in the right direction. Most of her falls were stops/falls. And even when she lost it and was crying and spazzing out, she recovered and maintained her snowplow down the hill. Most impressive, even at the end, on the steepest part of the hill, when her legs must have been screaming, she did the best, most controlled snowplow we'd seen yet! And though she didn't want to go back up to the big hill, she then went back to the bunny hill for many more runs.

I think we have a skier!!

Kat skiing

This is Kat doing the whole bunny hill at kb. And, most important, I think, is that this was AFTER she did a run all the way down the big hill. Which I expected would kick her but and make her ready to go home, but no, she wanted to get back to the bunny hill!!

Florida Wrap up

Well, we had a great time!  We got up at 4 am in Jacksonville today.  Flights were smooth and uneventful.  And, when we arrived in Buffalo, we ran into Ryan Miller, Johan Enroth (Sabres goalies who happened to be on competing teams in the Olympics in Russia--only one brought back a medal!!) and another player.  And Ryan Miller's french bull dog "Puck" was there.  He hadn't seen him for a while and Kat was all over the adorable pup wearing a Miller jersey!  No pics, as my phone was still full.  Anyway, it was pretty cool and they looked like they'd been traveling all night.  So we didn't discuss what went wrong in Russia......

So, back to Florida.  We saw everyone, nearly and it seems did everything!!  We had three 80 degree days.  Before we lost the sun entirely.  But that's ok.  We thoroughly enjoyed SeaWorld.  Kat & Dan got splashed by a killer whale's tail.  We fed sea lions & seals.  Saw the dolphin/diver/bird show and the sea lion show.  And the Pets Ahoy show, which is always entertaining.

Busch Gardens was good.  Sea World was better, but we had fun.  Of course, the river ride we all wanted to ride was closed. But we rode the bumper cars w/ grandpa & Grandma.  Kat enjoyed that and also the wild mouse, or whatever they called it.  Dan, Kat & I rode the Tanganika Tidal Wave several times and got good & wet!  And Kat got to feed a baby kangaroo (wallaby?) which was a fave!

Then it was time to swim with the manatees.  Which I highly recommend to everyone.  Even though it was overcast, windy, storms on the horizon and it was cool and highly unlikely that we'd see the manatees, much less swim with them.  But, our fearless captain found us some and we did get in to swim with them!  And even though the turbidity of the water was significant and visibility was about 10 feet.  Or less.  So even though we were often right on top of them, we couldn't always tell where they were.  Check out the videos.  I apologize for the shakiness, but I think they're still pretty cool when the manatees come up.  I think the camera could see them better than we could!

On Saturday, we went to Aunt Norma's where almost all of the Florida family (& Mel & Greg as well) came out for a day of hanging out and dinner.  We got to catch up with the southern branches of the family and Kat played with her little cousins that she met last year in NC.

After a boatride Sunday, 5 of the FL branch, mom & Dad & Mel & Greg and us all went to check out St Augustine.  Unfortunately, it was raining most of the time.  But we had fun, until Kat had an epic melt-down that resulted in her huddling underneath her rain poncho up against the building, looking like a homeless person.  It was all we could do to to not get her a cup.........  We were all nearby, but she wasn't having any of us, so we kept our distance.  And some nice lady actually asked her if she needed help, if she was lost, etc.....Another proud parenting moment!

That sums up the bulk of it.  It was a whirlwind.  We had a great time, saw & did a great deal and left FL absolutely exhausted!!!  I can't wait to go to bed.  And to go back to bed after putting Kat on the bus tomorrow!!!!!

The up-close pics of the manatees are not mine, but are stock pics from the tour guide.  Videos are mine.

Cousins and drunken pirates

siblings & spouses

Cousins

siblings

She wanted to take him home!

brown water snake

street urchin?  or a munchkin who. has. had. enough.

More Florida two

Florida !

Ok. The walrus was definitely not seen from mom & dad's boat. But the snake and the alligators were!

Ready to travel!

Florida here we come!!

Skiing

Sparring!!! Finally!!

So cute to watch. Her first time sparring. She has a ways to go, but it's so fun to watch!

Snow day!!

The kids were here as Derek did not have a snow day (and it really was another COLD) day! They had fun playing here. And the dogs are exhausted from all the love and ball throwing. Course, they've rarely had walks all month. I refuse to walk them if the temp is single digits. And truly I don't think they've gotten out more than once a week. Poor pups!!

Kat's show today

The rope tow.

She did wipe out on it once, but grabbed right back on.

Skiing!

Finally! We decided to do something about getting Kat out there. She took a 2 hr lesson today. She did great. She never made it to the rope tow in class, but she wasn't leaving till she did it.

Tonite's adventures

 Tonite's adventure: We left the house about noon but didn't appropriately puppy proof. I didn't expect to be gone too long. But we were. I put them in prison. But didn't close kitchen doors nor put all of the crap Kat pulled out and left all over the family room. 

So we come home about 6:30. It's about 15 degrees out. Cold. Dark. I'm backing in and have opened the garage door w/ the remote. As I'm starting to back in, I see done kind of movement between the garage & the car.  Deer?  So I stop. Then I jump out of the car as I realize that the movement is two idiot dogs who had apparently let themselves in the garage (when the door wasn't closed tight?). And then came prancing out when I opened the door!!

And they did get all sorts of crap inside. 

They continue to revel in surprising us w/ the most bizarre circumstances that we could never predict.

Our dogs are arsonists!!

Well. I had frosted the final cookies and left them in the counter to harden. Then we were going to lunch with Joan. After putting the idiots in prison, Dan was very cautious about closing the kitchen doors so they didn't break out and eat the cookies. He even put a table in front of one set of doors. And pulled the carpet up tight to the outward opening doors. I thought he was a little obsessed, but didn't comment.

We came back an hour or so later. They met us at the door. Kitchen doors were wide open. Half the cookies were gone. Trays were pushed way back against the wall. And the gas burner was on high! Clicking away. Holy crap!!! And, just last night, after the xmas party, dan had spread towels all over the stove for dish drying.... Hoy. We dodged a serious bullet today.

That's the most serious prank any of our dogs have pulled yet. I thought they were supposed to alert us to smoke/the detectors, etc. not set them off!!!

Sent from my iPhone

Synchro

A new move for synchronized swimming.

Belt testing

Kat belt tested last week and got her high green stripe belt.

Synchronized swimming 'play day'

The girls' (C,G & K) have been taking synchronized swimming since the beginning of October. They're all doing great and learning the basics of synchro. I don't think there will be any actual synchronized (or asynchronized) swimming till next year. Or later. They do enjoy it and are becoming stronger swimmers by the week.

There was a synchro 'play day' Saturday where our level competed in 7 core skills. They all did great. Kat's 8/under age group had just 7 competitors, so she was destined to get a ribbon as one if the top 8. She did place second, which made her very proud. And she got a candy cane, which she was likely more excited about...

Charlie & Gracie did great too! But they faced more numerous and experienced competition, and thus they didn't place. But now we all know what to expect next time. And they had a lot of fun. Mostly goofing around in the cafeteria.....

Santa!

She asked him for a Barbie house, a rainbow loom (she so wants one) and a monster high Barbie. That one isn't happening!!

Kat's new bracelets

Kat trying out a family member's handcuffs. Hopefully the one/only time she'll ever have them on....

Snow!!!!

Snow the day before thanksgiving!! Awesome. I got my car in the garage just in time! Kat & the dogs are loving it.

Happy thanksgiving!

Pic taken by Kat. John and I walked the 5 mile turkey trot yesterday am. It was fun. Next year we might all do it. If Kat's legs get a whole lot longer...

Snow!!

Well, there's not too much snow, but the very dedicated can make a fair number of snow balls if they work hard....

Snow!

Well, It is barely snowing, but that was enough for Kat to get all bundled up, and head outside! So, well there's not enough snow to actually play in, she decided she could swing in the snow and the wind in all her snow gear! She's having a great time, as are the dogs! I managed to make enough room for my car in the garage, so I'm ready!

Kat's performance

Kat's singing performance

The Macarena

Well, she didn't know this dance at the beginning, but she got much of it by the end.

Party!

The Oral Deaf school celebrated its 10 year anniversary with a party for all of its graduates.

It goes without saying that we had a great time! Some of us danced all night!

Every direction I look is North!!!

This is Chris's email from the South Pole. Not enough to be in Antarctica, but this year the South Pole!! He seems pretty excited about it. 

Hey Gang...

 

I'm writing from the FREAKING SOUTH POLE!!!

 

Got in two days ago...it was minus 49 degrees with a minus 81 deg wind chill!!!

To be fair it only takes a breeze of about 10 or 15 miles an hour to drive that kinda windchill. I really didn't feel it cause I was too stoked on adrenalin. At about 10,000 ft elevation and didn't feel that either... same reason...

 

Yesterday was my first day of work... adrenalin gone, welcome to reality... Damn it's cold and I'm outta breath. Went to wrestle a sled out of a snow bank and within 45 seconds was bent over gasping for breath. Cold isn't so much an issue cause I'm wearing so many layers and so active at my job that I'm staying warm. Just gotta be careful cause this is where people get instant frost bite from exposed skin touching super cooled metals or solvents. (Awe man... I don't wanna have to THINK on the job)

 

Absolutely loving it.

 

Hope you are all well, and I will try to get you all some kinda cool souvenier or send you something from the pole.

 

I have phone and internet in my room, which is a big bonus compared to McMurdo. We don't always have satellite coverage for phone or internet but will try to stay in touch...

 

 

Chris

Trick or treating!!!

We had a lot of fun. It's really great to go out as a pack of crazed munchkins!!

The recording studio

Love the wooden baffles in there! This place was so cool!

Kat's recording debut

Her music school is recording a fundraising cd at Robby Takac's (a Goo Goo Doll) studio. So cool!!

New belt and she joined the champions black belt club

Belt testing

The starting point?

Or is it the ending point?

The massacre

Poor dog

I know it looks like blood. But it's worse. Bright red nail polish! I don't know what role he played in the bottle getting launched from Kat's hand, hitting him in the eye and then rolling across the floor. But I'm guessing he played a part....

And yes, it's all around and likely in his eye. The vet I talked to said this was a new one...

Canoe

First thing they did was paddle the canoe. I let them go on their own. I didn't see them run aground, but I hear they did! Oh well. They had a little trouble docking, but did quite well as far as I could tell.

Back on stage

Cheyenne actually got the honors, but passed to pirate hat to Kat to go on stage! Such a nice cousin.

The swings

Our last visit to fantasy island. We took Cheyenne. And since she had a partner, I let her rude the swings for the first time ever!

First day of school

Only Kat went. The dogs and I took our first walk since the last day of school.....

And she's off to first grade

Gromit & the giant pb jar

Friggin terrier. Talk about obsessive....

Kat on stage

I parked Kat on a bench in front of the pirate show and went to find her friends. I was gone maybe 90 seconds. When I came back, she's on stage.... The lighting is tough. She's the shorter one in the pink/purple striped dress. The kids were slaying the monster/pirate. I think.

A slightly hyper mermaid...

Our mermaid

One of Ariel's sisters.

Kat's show

After a week of theatre camp, the kids did a great rendition of 'Little mermaid, Jr'. I've never seen the senior version, so can only assume its an abridged version. Regardless, it was extremely cute. Dan's phone has the rest, I just have the curtain call on mine. I'll get the rest today.

Kat's swim lesson

The girls on the swing

Me & Kat

Adorable pandas

3 pandas. Or are they monkeys?

Cheyenne, Kat & Shawn at the TO zoo.

Petting the alpaca

Toronto zoo zoo mobile ride

The yak walked right next to us. I could have reached out and touched it. But I didn't.

Kat as Princess Leia. For her show.

Kat's 'prom' dress from her show

Egg toss at the Vikings

These two girls did far more bowling than throwing. BUT their egg was indestructible! At least until Dan & I used it for a while and I wound up wearing it! They took second place and won $5 w/ their rubber egg!! Dan & I did not place!

Jet ski?

Well, hard to say what's been the most fun. This ranked high....

On the beach!!

This was Kat's idea. Note that she's not in peddling position. It looks like more fun than it really is!!

Tubing!!!!

Such fun!!

Silly cousins!!

Horse in assateague.

One of them stole our bread!!

5 siblings

Kayaking on Mel's lake

Do you see a problem here?