White Pass | 2018

We took our two little snow bunnies up to the mountain this past weekend.

Ryder went to White Pass for the first time when he was about nine months old, and we really wanted Kiley's first ski trip to be just as fun. 

It was a success!

We arrived super late on Friday night and checked into our room at White Pass Village Inn. It took a while to unpack the car and convince the kids, who had slept most of the way, that it was still nighttime, but eventually we got them back to bed. 

The next morning, Ryder was thrilled to wake up and realize that we were at the mountain! 

We could see the ski area and the lifts opening right from our front window.

Ryder was super excited to try snowboarding on his own for the first time this year.

We all bundled up and headed out on the hill just as the sun started to shine through the clouds.

Kiley chose to nap through that first morning snowboard lesson...

Ryder was all geared up and ready to go...

He did such a good job as Stew took him up and down the bunny hill for his first few times!

Eventually, he even tried out the magic carpet.

Even though Ryder was a total trooper, learning to snowboard is tiring stuff, and eventually he just wanted to play in the snow like a little kid.

 

As usual, we were on the trip with the Christiansen family. Baby Jane even learned to ski!

Later that day my mom and sister arrived, and since the weather ended up being so beautiful, a group of us decided to go snowshoeing around the frozen lake in the afternoon.

When we weren't playing outside, we found lots of ways to entertain ourselves in our condo...

Ski Hat Hair.

Ryder was thrilled to learn that he could stand on the porch and feed birds right out of his hand!

In the evenings, we all took turns spending time in the hot pool. Swimming in the mountains in an outdoor, hot spa temperature pool is literally the best after spending a day in the cold.

Our good friends were celebrating their TENTH wedding anniversary, hence the themed pool attire.

The weather the next day didn't turn out nearly as nice, but even though the fog never burned off, we still got Ryder out on the slopes a second time. 

He also did some sledding with Daddy.

Kiley managed to stay awake this time.

Even though taking a ski trip with little kids involves a lot of planning, effort, and a literal ton of gear, I think that being out in the snowy mountains with my family makes it all completely worth it. 

And one of the best aspects of the trip was that we were cooped up in a tiny condo together, which meant we literally had nothing better to do than to get down on the floor and play with our kids. At home these weekend moments are consumed by various chores and errands, but tucked away in the mountains we could really take time to appreciate and reflect on the memories we were making as a family. 

We were absolutely thrilled that Ryder came away from his first snowboarding experience with a positive attitude, and we can't wait to go back again next year... maybe by then it will be Kiley's turn! 

Birthday Solitude

For my birthday this year, all I really wanted was to be left alone.

Not in a bad way.

But being a mother to two children hasn't really given me a lot of solitude this year.

The littlest one has been breastfeeding for most of the year, and has recently decided that she needs to be held the majority of the time. The bigger one somehow almost always ends up sleeping in our bed, and refuses to adhere to societal norms of privacy during bathroom activities. As I told my sister, I'm never alone... not even when I poop or shower.

So in a sign of generosity and understanding that almost made me weep with relief and gratitude, my sister planned a weekend away at the coast for my birthday. Just the two of us, and she said we didn't even have to speak if I didn't want to.

My mom agreed to take the kids for two nights, and I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. Stew seemed to think I had gone a little insane, but told me to enjoy myself.

We stayed in an absolutely adorable little cabin in Seabrook.

We had a private porch, hot tub, and fire pit!

And in an unlikely turn of events for the Washington state coast, the December weather was absolutely beautiful!

Every day we went for long walks on the beach that cleansed and refreshed my soul.

  

This was a particularly difficult birthday for me, because it was the first that I have ever spent without my grandma. 

Her birthday is the day before mine, and we have almost always celebrated together. My sister and I spent a lot of time thinking and talking about her this weekend. And on December 9, grandma's birthday, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds in such a beautiful way that we were almost sure that she was saying hello.

This trip was one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received, and I can't thank my little sister enough for planning it. It was the exact refresh I desperately needed.

Here's to another year older and (hopefully) wiser!