Sporty Week

Josh has been playing intramural basketball with some good friends of his. Wednesday was his last day of playing (the championship is Monday but his team is not playing in that game).  We had to take a picture to commemorate his fifth grade friends. Nick, Josh, Jack, and Aden (left to right)

Also from Wednesday -- the fifth graders got to go to the Ennis Fish Hatchery for the day. They are going to grow trout in the science classroom.  

Luke is the "star of the week" in his classroom.  He gets to fill out this poster and talk about it in front of class. I love his answers.  (The Sid is a funny dance they do during inside recess, it's based on Sid from Ice Age.)

Luke plays suffocating defense.  Hands up at all times.  I pity his opponents. 

Luke's YMCA team is sponsored by Rib and Chop House, so we decided to go to Livingston for lunch on Saturday. This is his pose when I asked him to smile and show me his sleeve.

  We drove all that way for a corn dog and a BLT, but at least Mike and I had delicious pork chop sandwiches.  

Sunday ski day!  Here is Luke landing a jump in the terrain park. 

Here is Josh mid-air at the terrain park.  

And look at this beautiful sight -- my darling husband bringing me beer to the patio.  thank you!! 

Luke and Ty are ski buddies. 

Fast week

Wednesday was Josh's last Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby tournament.  He got some badges and got to shake his cub master's hand for maybe the last time.  

His car was designed to look like a remote control.  it was very cool, and he actually won 3rd place in best in show!

Saturday morning was Luke's first basketball game of the season.  He played well and they had fun, which is all that matters. 

I had a lap companion for my Saturday night TV watching.  Champ can be sweet when she wants to. 

The boys have been sleeping in the guest bedroom because there is a heated mattress pad on it.  They like the cozy warmth, even though they sleep in their undies.  Aren't they sweet when they're sleeping? 

Sunday ski day! the boys think it's so cool to ski to the back of the pickup.  

Luke had a little rougher approach, but still made it.  

Low Key Week

This is my first picture for the week, from Friday morning. Oops. It was SO pretty out Friday.  Sunny and freezing cold! 

Friday after school we went to U-Swirl and Luke came back from the bathroom saying "My picture is on the wall here. Come see."  I thought he was joking, but he was right!  U-Swirl sponsored his basketball team last year!  This year's sponsor is Rib and Chop House, so we'll have to go look for his picture there (nummy!).

Thursday afternoon the fifth graders had a field trip to the ice skating rink.  My friend Elizabeth was brave enough to chaperone, and posed with her son and two other crazy kids. These three boys are thick as thieves.
 Josh snuck into this photo at the last second, that's why the big smiled. 

Saturday Josh and Daddy went skiing, so Luke and I went to the Western Cafe.  Luke really wanted to go there to show daddy the big deer hanging on the wall. 

Goof ball selfies are my favorite!

Since Luke woke up at 11 AM (!!!) we went for breakfast for him and lunch for me, the best combo of brunch ever! We had huge, delicious meals in this "before" picture. 

Luke wanted an "after" picture too...clean plate club!

After we ate, we went to the Museum of the Rockies.  Luke had a dream about going there and seeing a buffalo, so we decided to go make his dreams come true. ;) 

Saturday Josh went skiing with Daddy and two guys from work. He held his own!  One of the co-workers actually said "that kid is crazy, I'm following him!"

The Ridge!  Top of the world!

See that ski boundary sign in the background?  they're pushing their limits!

He's a maniac!  Nice jump form, Joshy!

Sunday afternoon we went skiing while the kids had lessons.  Little different vibe when it's mommy and daddy alone.  We had a beer at the lodge to take a break from our 2-hour session. I was so impressed that Mike brought these from home in his backpack.  We were in line for our first kid-free lift and he said "I brought two beers in my backpack so tell me when you're thirsty." My heart burst with love for this super smart man.  

And then he blew our minds with a new appetizer dish, totchos.  Instead of tortilla chips, we used tater tots for the base of nachos.  Delicious!  

Snowy Week

Monday was a no school day, and it was snowy so the boys each had a friend come over to play in the snow with them. This is Luke's friend, Rogen, who is the son of a high school friend of Jennifer and Mike from Great Falls. They worked on the fort in the backyard for an hour!

Ruby was missing Mike Sr taking her for walks, so I took her for a neighborhood walk to get her spirits up. 

One day after school, I could hear the boys giggling, but couldn't see them.  I found them here, playing on the iPad in the guest bathtub.  When I asked them why, they said "why not?"  

Friday after Luke's early dismissal we went to the Gallatin History Museum again.  He loves this place.  

Saturday morning he got a special trip to Ennis with daddy alone.  They bought the .410 shotgun that he was hoping for!  He was SO excited!

After they bought the gun, they stopped to get some sacrificial pop cans.  They stopped and let Luke shoot them with his new gun.  This is Luke with his "kill" and his one finger for first shot.  

So happy with his destroyed mountain dew black or some crazy energy drink cans. 

Josh and I went to the Hyalite area and went cross country skiing.  It was absolutely gorgeous up there!

This is my attempt at being artsy with my pictures. 

Trees covered with snow are so pretty and so peaceful. 

Josh was a maniac on cross country skis, finding jumps and going down hill as fast as he could.  He even tried to ski on his knees (like Dorf!) because you can bend your ankles in cross country ski boots. What a novelty!

He fell a lot, but he was doing a lot of shenanigans.  He was happy falling.

Even in the parking lot, he wanted to do a "last run" off the snow berms. 

Such a fun day for us!

And Ruby!  She loved it, all but the ice balls in her paws.  She'd go back again, ice balls and all.