Hitting the Slopes

We enjoyed the long MLK Jr. weekend with a trip to our favorite Canadian skiing spot-Big White, BC.  We skipped this annual trip last year as we were on our 'Husband student teaching budget plan' so it was nice to get back and enjoy this yearly adventure.  It was also a GIANT FIRST for the Sackman family as we all skied!  In years past I'd stay behind with Finny and/or Beau in the morning and then skied in the afternoon while Husband stayed with the little kids.  This year Finley and Beau enjoyed ski school in the mornings (While the adults skied with the older kids) and then the little kids skied with us in the afternoons!

Now, I've said it before and I'll say it again-vacationing with children is not relaxing...at all.  A ski vacation with children is the furthest thing from relaxing in the universe!  Not only does it require the most extreme organized planning, preparing, and packing...the total amount of 'stuff' required for a family ski trip in order to ensure everyone can tolerate the cold weather is insane! Thankfully I suffered through this with my two BFF's who also had to pack for their children, so we made sure we had a large supply of beverages to thaw us out after the long days on the slopes.

Overall, it was a super weekend-we skied, stayed in a beautiful penthouse, enjoyed a lot of fun with our friends, and left feeling really proud of all the kids!  Our goal is to get the little kids on the slopes a few more times so they don't totally forget all the stuff they learned, but this winter weather hasn't exactly been 'snowy' and TJ has a full schedule of Saturday basketball games...so we will see!

 Cannon, Finley, Taylor, Coley, Beau, TJ, and Brayden!  Getting this crew dressed and out the door was an act of God..our condo was a disaster zone!

The Sackman, Christoph, Meyer Crew

 After a hard day of ski school...a smile!

 "LET'S GO!" Tanner had a ball skiing and had little patience for his slow mom!

 Beau waiting in line for the chair lift!

 TJ, Mommy, and Husband enjoying a morning at the top of the mountain

 Sissy getting a tow from Husband

 Zach, Taylor, TJ, and Jodi

 Sissy marching in after a morning of ski school

 Zach and Husband

 Manny & Minny did so great at ski school-both moved up levels!

 Finley, Cannon, and Brayden dethawing after a long day! 

 A snapshot into what it takes to get 7 kids and 6 adults out the door...

 Yes...someone must cry.  Today it was Finleys turn!

 TJ and Coley playing Farkle

 Now this is what I call relaxing!

 Coley and TJ anxious to get going!

Finley's ski school class

We all commented that we hope the kids realize how lucky they are that their parents 1.  Have the sanity to take them skiing 2.  The funds to take them skiing 3.  The patience to take them skiing.

 If they don't realize it now...they will someday...when they are wrangling their own children into their ski bibs, boots, gloves, helmets, and jackets...while sweating profusely and cursing under their breath!

Welcome 2012!

We enjoyed our fourth annual trek to Lake Chelan to ring in the new year!  Not really fancy or exciting, but for our children, swimming is a luxury during the winter.  The adults enjoyed some beverages, Phase 10, and hot tub time. 

Happy New Year!

Mama and her favorite girl!

Bobbing Beau Beau

TJ & CJ

 Finny and Paityn were wrinkly raisins before the night was over!

Movie time...as we tried to play cards next door.  The kids room looked like Tommy Lee and his band had blown through it.  What a mess!  But if mess=fun, they  had FUN!

Beau is so charming!

We are going to make it to midnight..we are...we are!

Sleeping with their eyes open!

And The Oscar Goes To...

In my household full of thespians we do a lot of acting, pretending and dressing up...I throw out an emotion or action and the kids act it ..This started when TJ was maybe a year old and we'd try to get him to sleep with, "Show me sleeping" and he'd close his eyes and play opossum; it turned into a giant game that all 3 of them get a kick out of  (and it never actually helped us get TJ to sleep).

Show me sad

Show me happy!

Show me MAD (We call it the Ms. Hannigan face)

Show me surprised...yes, my kids love Home Alone!

Show me scary

Show me crazy!

Show me Mixie (Mixie is one of Finny's countless nicknames with an unknown origin).  If she's having a fit I will say, "Show me Mixie!" and she stops, tilts her head and does this sweet face.  This is also the signature move of pageant demons on Toddler's and Tiara's.

Show me sleeping

When one door closes...

About 4 years ago the door that connects our kitchen to our laundry room was broken...in one of those mysterious kid related accidents that we (adults) will never really know the truth to...but I'm fairly certain Beau was swinging on the door like the two year old monkey he was..and broke the glass to the bottom window frame.  A few months later TJ broke the other window and there we had it...a door with two glass-less windows.  So what does Husband do?  Well, he covers the holes with cardboard and duct tape...of course!

And it shortly became another one of those projects that we just forgot about...and the kids really enjoyed crawling back and forth through the two holes (after the cardboard and duct tape came off), Finley even referred to it as her "doggie door!" 

Husband really must  have a bee up his bottom because he managed to complete the bathroom AND replace the door!  What a guy!

The old door with a cardboard and duct tape covered window-the other window is empty.

Off the hinges...no going back now!

Go Husband...Go!

Sorry Finny...no dog door!

Christmas Eve!

In our family, Christmas Eve tends to be a bit more hectic than Christmas Day...it's the day we are preparing food, visiting family, getting all of Santa's gifts ready, etc.  This year was no exception...it was a busy and very fun day!

The kids enjoying their favorite Christmas Eve breakfast tradition...Eggs Benedict.

LOVE!

Kisses...which turned into WWE wrestling about 3 seconds after this was snapped.

Holy Cow..Santa is on Papa's front door step..holding a red plastic Solo cup that..sniff sniff...smells like whiskey?!?!?!?

TJ still believes in Santa...or he's just pretending to believe because of Beau and Finley...or because he doesn't want to break his mom's heart...or he's afraid he won't get any gifts.  But my gut says he truly does believe.  He's a sweet kid who has just a good enough imagination to think this magical man must be true. I tried to test his Santa theory a few times this year with some questions and he did tell me, "Mommy I know all the Santa's we see aren't real...they just work for the real Santa!"  I LOVE THAT!  I also love that he still calls me Mommy!

Two out of three Sackman's isn't bad.  Beau was hiding in Papa's closet...literally. 

All the grand kids...Sackmans/Downeys/Boyds

 Beau emerged from the closet to see Santa. He was really nervous!

Sackman's 2011

 Santa group hug! We LOVE YOU SANTA!

Santa was one of Husband's old high school football players who went to Linfield after graduating from Omak.  Husband adores Derrick and his entire family, and we were so happy they stopped by.  Though after he left, Diesel (green shirt) laid down in front of the fire, "Looking for Santa" all night. It was so cute!

All the grand kids listening to Papa's gift opening instructions...

Still listening...deep in thought...

Still listening..."Can we open our gifts yet Papa?"  No pictures of the actual gift opening because it's somewhat of a madhouse..organized chaos.  But fun.

This is how Husband and I capped off the night once the children were nestled all snug in their beds...mommy and daddy drank a hot tottie and watched TV.