Game One

Ellea's 5th grade basketball team had their first game last night. It was a close game. The score almost always had only a 2 point spread. The gym got louder and louder with everyone yelling enthusiastically as it got down to the wire! Sadly the other team won, with a final score of 20 to 18.

Ellea didn't have the opportunity to make any baskets, but she played very well and did everything her daddy-coach told her to!

Skiing Sistas

The girls got to go skiing last Friday with the school. Fourth, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders all got to skip classes all day and were bussed up to the ski hill here in Cottonwood. I know nothing about skiing, but I know the price is right. Only $10 for the lift ticket and $10 for rental.

The lucky ducks got to go skiing again yesterday. Ellea's Uncle Dave (and Godfather) bought her a punch card so she could go a few times this season. Now if the snow will just stick around, she'll be all set!

Giving each other a hand.

The good old T-Bar pulls them up the hill!

This was only Ellea's fourth time going skiing, and I'm glad she's enjoying it so much. I tried going skiing once. That was enough for me! A friend offered to take me with her to Schweitzer after we got free lift tickets for being on the Honor Roll. She proceeded to put me on the ski lift at the bunny hill and give me ZERO instruction. She and her dad thought I could just point my skis down the hill and away we'd go. I wasn't a big fan of that plan after about 20 feet. I'm not much of a daredevil and stopping or slowing down were my priority needs! After taking off my skis halfway down the hill and hoofing it to the lodge, it occurred to them to get me a lesson. Lessons?! Lessons would be good!

It wasn't so bad after getting some instruction, but I already had that bad taste in my mouth. I'll just stick to watching and taking pictures, thanks anyway!

My Hubby

The logger.

The farrier.

The cattleman.

The teacher of all things forestry.

The referee.

The coach.

The lover of all things piggy.

The runner.

The farmer and daddy.

The carpenter.

The fun-loving parent.

The hay hauler.

The dancer extraordinaire and my best friend!

For these and all his many other talents and gifts I am forever grateful.

I love you, Glenn!

A Bend in the Road

We attended a motivational talk last night sponsored by our Church youth group. Matt Potratz, from Lewiston, Idaho, showed the video from an avalanche he was caught in while snowmobiling. They were shooting film for a snowmobile movie at the time. He ended up in a coma with zero brain activity and the doctors said it would take a miracle to save him. With lots of prayer, a miracle came, because after 88 straight days in the hospital, he was able to go home. He now walks and talks and is doing quite well except for his paralyzed left arm.


It was a great inspirational talk. He had lots of words of wisdom. He told us having a positive mental attitude was crucial to getting through life. Despite all he's been through, he is just grateful to be here and passionate about living life to its fullest. While he can't ride like he used to (he still rides a little bit--with one arm!), and his life has been turned upside-down, he chooses to live his life very deliberately.


My favorite quote was one of the last things he said:

"A bend in the road is not the end of the road....

unless you fail to make the turn."

Author Unknown

Missing Boy

We had a minor scare this week with a "misplaced" child. Morgan had instructions to ride the bus home if Glenn wasn't standing there to pick him up after school. When I realized he wasn't on the bus, I assumed he was with Glenn. I called and Glenn denied having picked him up, so I went looking for him at his school. It was mildly disturbing that he wasn't there either!

It made me incredibly grateful that we live where we do. I can't imagine if I lived in a bigger town that I would keep my cool if no one knew where my child had disappeared to! The teachers were frantically calling bus drivers and the other elementary building in town. They were very apologetic and felt badly that he was "lost." I was 99.9% sure that he was safe somewhere. I know a child can be kidnapped in even the smallest town, but thankfully we finally located him at the other school.

I was relieved and annoyed when I found out where he was! There was no reason for him to be on the bus that went to that school. He claims "he forgot" where he was supposed to go after school, but I don't buy that. He's had a stern talking to and won't be pulling that stunt again if he knows what's good for him!

We should hug our loved ones every chance we get and say a prayer for their safety. They're so precious and irreplaceable.

Even if they do silly, annoying things that drive us crazy sometimes!

Mini Sledding

The kids have been desperate to get some sledding in this winter. We've had hardly any snow. After the snowstorm last week, Morgan and Ellea made a point to go out and play in the snow after school.

The snow disappeared quickly. We still have some snow and ice but yesterday it was in the 40's so it's disappearing quickly!

They were especially delighted that Glenn made a big pile of snow with the tractor when he plowed the driveway. It's not much, but I guess they'll take whatever they can get!

This is one of the few times when sledding that they have to walk back up to the top of the hill! They catch a ride when we sled on the big hill. Guess that makes it nice that it's only 8 steps to the top!