I need a vacation

I'm insanely jealous of my cat.

Bitterness wells inside of me each time I see him laying comfortably on our kitchen bench, body sprawled out as he soaks in the sun peering through the window. Seriously, how would it be? You get food, water, you poop in a box, it gets cleaned out for you. You just lounge around all day, sleeping here, sleeping there. Actually, that sounds a lot like an old-folk's home, doesn't it. Hmmmm, old and decrepit or young and somewhat vibrant? I guess I'll just enjoy where I am for the moment.

So, just when my car finally starts smelling somewhat normal, and not so much like a garbage can; Cameron drives the car to mutual and fillets a dead dear in the road with my bumper. We're talking guts, blood and hair caked all over the underside of the car. Every-time the car is stopped at a light, the smell wifts through the vents and I start dry-heaving. It's one of those smells where once you smell it, you can't get away from it. You think your hands smell like it, you walk in the house and smell it, it's everywhere! Bleh! He washed the car immediately afterwards, and today I took it back to the car wash and used a jack to pump it up high enough to get underneath.....but it still smells like dog food. Any suggestions? (aside from several air-fresheners--I've already shoved cinnamon-scented pine-cones under all the chairs)

Joshua

Josh has taken up swearing. He's blurted out "Oh my Go#" and "Shi@" this month. I've realized that I need to tell him which words are swear words, and which are okay. "Josh, shi@ is a bad word. Let's not say it, okay?"

This month Josh was able to use dad's Christmas gift to him, and tread his new skis! He did great, and only used his "edgy-wedgy" half way down the first slope, then was good to go without it. Go speed racer!

Daxton

Daxton accompanied us on the slopes and went skiing for his first time! Although the temperature at Powder Mountain was about 6 degrees, he still had a great time. We strapped a harness on him, which made it easy to hold him up, and off he went! The mountains echoed with his "Weee's" and "Woo-hoo's". It was great fun.

Daxton also had surgery this month. He had his adenoids removed and the giant hole in his eardrum patched. We are anxious to see if this helps with Dax's speech, since he has had hearing loss in his right ear since he began talking.

Ella
Ella with her cousin, Jack-a-moe.

Ella is first class super-sass. On our way to church last week, we were singing the primary song they are learning for the month, and Ella kept yelling "Stop singing!" Cam asked her, "Ella, be nice," to which she replied, "Quiet, Dad!"

I'm afraid we have a fiery red-head on our hands.
Shera made this dress for Ella for Christmas (out of an old curtain. She's a modern day Sound of Music Maria!)
Cam

Cameron is on his way to New York at the moment to meet with a guy about a business opportunity that Cam is seeking out. It's with a ski company, ZAG. It's exciting, and scary, and this trip is the "make or break" to see if Cam wants to go for this, or not. We'll keep ya posted.

Cindy

Cam and I were able to spend some time together this month, just the two of us, back-country skiing. It was beautiful! The snow was fantastic, the sun was shining, the crisp, pine-filled air was exhillarating. And even though I am still learning how to ski in powder, and fell nearly a dozen times, it was a blast.

While we ski'd, the kids stayed with Grandpa Glen and Grandma Holly. Not only did Cam's amazing parents babysit the kids, but they took them all sledding, and to McDonald's for happy meals! How awesome are my kids' grandparents?!