LOAD Day 17

Pics from our family campout at Winchester Lake last summer.

I'm up early and all alone downstairs, which is a treat. I'm usually making cinnamon toast or helping someone find something or putting in DVD's while I'm posting. Ben and I are headed to Spokane for the day with my friend Erin and her son Evan to visit scrapbook stores. And maybe a quick stop at Toys R Us to appease the little ones, who don't really view looking at paper and embellishments as a fun day out. Funny that it sounds like heaven to me!

LOAD Day 16

A little spray paint art in the driveway last summer.

LOAD Day 15

Claire and Ben playing in the sprinklers at the park last summer.

We had an amazing little ice blizzard last night and as a nice bonus schools were running 2 hours late this morning. I heard that over 400 homes were without power in town. Glad to be out here with our nice cozy fire blazing.

LOAD Day 13 and 14

We had an absolutely marvelous time skiing yesterday. It was Ben's first time skiing alone and he was amazing. He has no fear; the fear was all mine as I watched him snow plowing straight down a steep face and crashing into snow drifts. Claire continues to improve her skills and even rode the lift all by herself. It was sunny and the snow was soft and there was lots of smiling and laughing going on. Good day.

Day 13: Ben learning to ride a two-wheeler last summer.

Day 14: A compilation of pics of Claire.

I'm almost half-way through this challenge and I really think I'm going to make it. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you set your mind to it.

LOAD Day 12

Some photos I snapped of Claire when we were out getting our Christmas tree. She really is such a joyful kid and wears her emotions right on her sleeve; you know everything she's feeling.

We're heading out skiing tomorrow. All the snow at our house has melted already, but we're hoping that the mountains will be great. We took the kids out last week on our little hill behind the barn and they both did really well. They're ready for a day on the mountain.

LOAD Day 11

One Little Word: Steps

This layout brings me up to date on the OLW Challenge. I'm even posting it before the deadline! I love this picture of Ben and have been waiting a long time to use it. We were at Wilderness Gateway campground in the late spring of 2006 and the snow melt from the mountains had Boulder Creek raging. I didn't want Ben to go across the bridge without me, but he turned around and stomped off anyway, determination in his steps. It was really the first time he defied me and instead of chasing after him, I decided to let him go and snapped a picture instead. I guess it could be a good metaphor for his life ahead; I don't want him to go because I am scared for him, but he is curious and fearless and goes anyway. And everything turns out o.k.

LOAD Day 10

Erin and me at our scrapbooking retreat last fall.

Had another one of those weird coincidence things earlier this week. I was at the bookstore browsing in the biography section and I noticed that Sarah McLachlan had a book called Building A Mystery. Registered it in my brain, got in my car, started to drive down the highway and guess what? That song came on the radio. I am really starting to pay attention to these little coincidences in my life. Partly because they're just so cool when they happen and partly because I think there's some lesson/gift there about paying attention and being aware of and grateful for all the seemingly insignificant things that happen in our lives everyday.