Ski Day with Tawny, Mary and Tori

Skiing, 2 bald eagles, friends, turkeys, God's beautiful mountains covered in snow and a lot of laughter.  Add them all together and the sum is a perfect day! Tawni chauffeured us up to the mountain on Monday.  

Unloading time!  Prime real estate for parking and we didn't have to pay.  

 Why is it when I take a selfie my face is always huge?  I must keep practicing!

 We got someone else to take a picture of us.  Do we look happy or what!!!!  Let's ski!

 If you weren't at 49 Monday you missed a day with just a few people skiing.  More arrived later but there was not a crowd!

 Love the hat!  As we were skiing I finally realized that Tawni and Mary did not wear helmets.  I gave them the AS A PERSON WHO HAS HAD A BRAIN INJURY speech!  Wear your darn helmet. 

 Action shots of Tawni!

 Mary is peeking into the picture on the right!

Tawny and I had a conversation about what a gift from God these views are.  People that don't get up to the mountains during the winter are missing out!  Beautiful.

 Yes, here we are.  We really did ski!  Fast and furious.

You will see Tori on the ground a bit.  It isn't because she fell because she crashed.  It is very hard to just stand to take pictures on a snowboard.  This happened more than once and some people in this picture are laughing because of it.  Laughing really hard!

Tori and Tawni!  Super stars.  Well, sort of.  Tawni did clip her ski pants into her bindings.  She didn't discover it until she got off the lift.  Would a super star do that?  You be the judge!

 Tori!  Riding the board!

 Tawni.  I took these pictures into the sun.  It was impossible to see what you were taking a picture of.  The picture I took of Mary was only snow.  Opps.

 Now Tawni knows how to take a selfie!

 I think Tori is in the process of falling during this picture.

 Yes, yes she was!

Lunch time.  Mary was very entertaining during lunch.  She had a very philosophical comment about God.  Our world is God's reality show.  How does she come up with things like that?  I cannot write about the example she gave to illustrate this comment.  Let's just say we were all laughing and I was almost laying in my chair I was laughing so hard.  Thanks Mary for entertaining us.  I was given a new nickname at this gathering.  Jackie Do.  What does that mean Tawni????

Tawni and I took a couple of runs after lunch.  My knee was like a watermelon, Tawni hadn't been skiing for a while and we decided to call it a day.  Mary and Tori took one more run, maybe two.  Not sure.  We sat at a table and visited.  One more story about dear Mary.  She was telling us something and at this point I don't remember what her story was about, in the middle of a sentence she said, "Oh my God!"  We all turned to look at what she was looking at and it was a worker up some stairs putting his shirt on.  Of course we all turned to see what she was looking at while she looked away.  He had 3 women watching him.  She started the story again and continued to be distracted mid-sentence by this man.  Another great laugh!  Not sure what he thought about the whole thing.  

Huge face again.  It was a blessing of a day.  I am so happy to know these wonderful women and to be able to spend the day skiing with them.  I haven't laughed so hard in a long time.  The day was full of joy!  Thank you to Tawni, Mary, and Tori for sharing the day with me and being my friends.  I am blessed!

New Orleans January 2015

My one regret about this picture was Rivers was not home.  There will be plenty of Rivers later.  Our intent was to get a group picture later with Rivers in it but we got involved in food, and fun and forgot.  

And here he is, Rivers playing with all his toys!

When we arrived the fireplace was going.  It was about the same temperature in NOLA as in Spokane for a few days.  There were lots of comments about how cold it was.

Lauren was learning how to use a roller, coached by Blair.  In the process Michel called so she is now on the phone.  I couldn't stop myself.  Picture time.

We headed out for a walk along the bayou!

A huge oak tree!

Gulls all lined up.  I wonder what they were up to! Wish I could get my students in class to get in a nice line like that walking in the hallways.

We took a little shopping trip to get Mike some flip flops.  Never have I seen this in Spokane on the mannequins!

This is Landry.  He is Rivers best buddy.  It was pure sweetness watching them play.  Landry and Rivers are such nice little boys. Landry has the cutest voice.  He told me his name was Wandry!

They are playing with Play Dough.

Now a little light in the darkness!  Mike was making shadow figures with them.

Have you ever tried to blow up a glove and then tie it so kids can use it as a toy.  Almost impossible to tie it.  I think Michel got it but Mike and I never did.

And the result of playing with Play-dough.

Time to watch something on the computer! I just love this picture.  Everyone so engaged.

Friday night we went to a huge get together at the Children's Museum in NOLA.

OK, this is cool.  You put the ring in soapy water on the ground and slowly pull it up and you are surrounded by a bubble.  Rivers kept popping it.  His cousin is behind him.

Now hands down and no popping.

I was a little big for this but I did get the bubble half way up before the popping happened.

This captures your shadow.

Michel and Rivers were playing a video game.

Made out of paper, yes it was!  All paper!

Sean, Finn, Kath and Kyle arrived in NOLA Friday and met us at the museum.

A little grocery shopping at the museum for Finn!

Cute!

Kyle and Steve, brothers!

Steve is watching Rivers play and Mike is watching Steve watch Rivers play.

A tunnel.  Michel and Rivers are in there and I followed.

Taking a little rest!

These boys are builders!!!  Like their dad!

The next day was nicer and there was some outside play!

Bennie and Kyle are planning the evening music.  Saturday night there was a little music gathering at the Gleason's.  We went to the neighbors and watched the playoff games.  Priorities you know!

Kath has a beautiful singing voice.

This is the neighbor's dog Ava.  She is a sweet dog and wanders the neighborhood.  I wanted to take her to the groomers but not my job I guess.

Michel and Kath

Oh yeah! Winnie the Poo and an Astronaut!

We had a family get together on Sunday.  All of Michel's family came over.  Love her family, they are very special as is Michel.  Lots of kids playing and running around.  This is one of Rivers' cousins singing us a song.  Not sure I could have done that in front of everyone when I was her age.

Family!

Anytime Sean got a hold of a rifle or gun this is how he carried them.  Good thing his sweater stretches!

More family time!  I think it is so neat that they do this on a regular basis.  Keeps a family strong.

A little Sean and Landry time.  We were playing a game on my phone.

Rivers decided he wanted to put his bean bag on the top of my head and sit on it. He never quite made it but it was fun having him try! Lost of laughing!

 Landry love!

Not sure how long he could have kept that on it was so heavy for him.

The last day in NOLA Mike and Kyle went fishing.  I was on my own.  Jill suggested I go see an art exhibit that was close by.  It was closed on Monday!  What next.  I think I know where a nice shopping area is with unique shops.  Off I go!

I drove around for about 2 hours looking for this elusive shopping area.  I guess I didn't really know where it was and I didn't even know how to ask where it was.  Every turn I would think it is right around this corner.  I finally gave up and went to a little cafe right by the house for lunch.  While I was at lunch Mike text and said he was on his way back.  It was too foggy to fish.  Yippee!

Burpees!  Michel tried to get Landry and Rivers involved.  They did it for awhile.  Mike didn't have the right shoes on but he never changed his shoes.  I couldn't do them because of my knee.

The boys are done. Mike still has his flip flops on and I still have a sore knee.  Good job Michel.

The next morning we got up at 3:30, cab at 4:00 and off to the airport.  It was a good visit.  It was so great that Kyle and Kath and their boys were there too.  Thanks for the visit Gleasons.  We love you all!