Skiing with the Uni Bomber

More catch up blogging.

Some friends of ours arranged a New Years Eve skiing trip to the Black Hills and invited us to join them. They had rented a house near one of the ski resorts and it was big enough to fit all of us in....with a few kids bunking on the floor here and there.

Craig and Stacy came from Kansas with their four girls and Byron and Tresa came from eastern NE with their four kids. The celebration was multi-functional, we would ring in the New Year, celebrate Stacy's birthday and Tresa's big 4-0 birthday too. We were ready to PARTY!

We all arrived at the house on the 30th...which was Stacy's birthday. The driveway to the house was steep and winding and had been cleared recently but the van just couldn't make it. It was too slick and steep and we were even stuck for a short time. Byron and Tresa had brought their van as well and they too were unable to make the climb. Fortunately Craig and Stacy had hit a deer with their van a few days earlier (not that hitting the deer was fortunate) and had brought their 4 door, 4x4 pickup. We had to load everything on the back including the kids and some adults, and Craig had to ferry us to the house. It was a private drive so Byron and John were able to just pull our vans off the highway into the mouth of the driveway.

It was worth it. The house was comfortable and homey and perfect for our group.

The next morning we all loaded onto the pickup again and he ferried us down to the vans and we convoyed to the ski resort. Everyone had to get boots and skis and our group was large enough that it took awhile to accomplish. The day could not have been more perfect. No wind. The sun was shining and fresh powder was ready on the mountain. We all enrolled our kids in ski school.

Cole was not excited about skiing but he was a good sport(mostly). You see we had taken him skiing once before and it hadn't gone so well for him. Hence, the lessons.

He was outfitted pretty well with sunglasses being a must....I totally thought he looked like the uni bomber. :)

John and the other guys had a great time skiing. (Johnny below)They were easy to pick out on the slopes. (John and Byron below)

The kids caught on quickly and had a great time too. (Craig and Kiley below)

Kenda, Kiley and Craig (below) doing a few family lessons.

Connor (below) wore an aviator cap and when he got to going fast the side flaps would stick straight out and you thought lift off was imminent.

Connor boy---down but not out! (Below) Kenzi with Braden right behind her (below)
Braden (below) did so well that the second 1/2 of the day he pretty much skied with the other cowboys.

Craig, Braden, Byron and John....and yes, they were the only skiers with cowboy hats on.


But before he could do that he had to break in this lift....

It toppled many a skier including yours truly.

Kaitlyn (above) she did really well too....

Even Cole, with a few spills and bumps here and there, had a good time.

Cole (above) yes he is walking down the mountain and carrying his skis. If you have ever been skiing, you have either done the same thing or strongly considered it. But he regrouped and kept trying and ended up really improving over the day.
Cole wasn't the only to abandon his skis, Kenda (below) -

and Mattie (below) also had moments where walking looked more attractive than skiing.

But perhaps most importantly the birthday girls had lots and lots of fun.


Stacy (below) the younger of the two birthday girls.

Tresa (below) trying to tell her age....you now have to count all her teeth (32) plus her fingers (8).

(Below) Craig and Stacy.

Doesn't Craig look happy? He does doesn't he. Well, this was before he side swiped a large pine tree backing out of the driveway of the house we stayed in and broke his passenger mirror all to pieces. You knew we wouldn't just have all fun right? There always has to be a little drama!

Good Times.