American Dog Derby

Saturday dawned a beautiful blue sky day. Never mind the mountains of snow still gracing every inch of our yard and driveway. This was the perfect day for...going to the oldest dog sled race in the country. The American Dog Derby has been held every year since 1911 in Ashton, Idaho, only 25 minutes from our house. So we got up and bundled everyone in their finest snow gear and were off for Ashton. Not just to see the dogsled races. This was a family affair, including the fairest dog of them all-Jackson. While the crowds waited to cheer the dog teams onto the finish line, there were lots of activities to keep everyone and their dogs warm....


No, you are not seeing things. This really is a picture of Jackson in a harness, ready to pull Ryan in a SKIJORING race. Nifty word, eh? This event had 13 entries. The idea is for the dog to pull you while you cross country ski, or skate ski. The other competitors had sleek, trained, sled dogs that started sprinting as soon as their owner said go. Jackson is a purebred golden retriever. That about says it all. Bred to retrieve. To hang out his tongue and pant. To cuddle and nuzzle and be your best friend. To run along side you. Not to pull you, to be ahead and lead you. Ryan found that going on a nearly 4 mile ski can take a lot longer with a curious puppy who likes to sniff other dogs poo in the middle of the trail. It was fun for him though. He did pass the lady who had some sort of little chiuahua trying to pull her.



All the kids entered a snowshoe race for their age group. Here is Spencer all lined up ready to go. He did not win, but did have a fun time. Lindsey also ran and did just fine.



We found that Porter might have a talent... For the 5-6 year olds, there were 4 heats with about 5 kids in each race. He won his race (with a nice gap between him and the 2nd place kid. Actually, at the beginning of the race, he fell down, got up, caught up, and passed everyone). So each winner ran a final race to see who the top 3 were. I was totally suprised when he won the final race with ease and grace (hee hee) and got 1st place out of 19 kids!! His prize was picking out a fleece hat from the vendor who was selling outside. So I had to put on a video of the final race. He told me later that one of his snow shoes fell off in the middle of the race, which might explain how he pulled ahead a little. But of course, mommy knows he would have gone just as fast with the snowshoe on, right? You might want to push mute if you watch the video, I was kind of excited and was cheering kind of loud for him.



And last but not least, we entered the Mutt Race. Spencer, Lindsey, and Porter each took a turn racing Jackson hooked up to a sled. They weren't timing the races for competition (it was all kids), but they sure did have fun!! This shot is of Lindsey. Notice the gasps as she runs into the sled in front of her.(She forgot to put on the brake like she was supposed to).

It was also fun to cheer as the real sled dog teams crossed the finish line. They had run either a 40, 60, or 100 mile race. We read the book Call of the Wild a couple months ago, so it was cool to see an actual dog sled team, with the dogs all lined up and running.

Check out www.americandogderby.com for cool pictures and information. And as for next year...get your dog harnessed and practicing, because you have a place to stay!!

Winter Fest

Every year the city holds a Winter Fest Celebration at the park. We've never gone, but this year decided we'd brave the snow and have some fun. I'm not sure who had more fun...Ryan, or the kids! He met up with an old friend, who was in charge of making snow sculptures in the middle of the park. He asked Ryan if he wanted to help...one carve with the shovel, and Ryan was hooked! He spent a long time, and really enjoyed himself!










The kids had fun, too...


going on a sleigh ride...



digging for "treasures" in the snow..


and snow painting!



They also tested their snowball throwing skills, went sledding on a cool steep hill, and the crowning event... I got to take Kami to the bathroom,where we successfully undid 3 or 4 layers of snow clothes and then put them all back on again!!

Kids Do the Darndest Things

I love kids. Leave them alone for awhile, and they come up with some pretty original ideas to occupy their time.


Take Porter for instance. Today he announced he was going to start up his chain making business again. (Last week he spent many serious moments "chaining" and selling.) So this morning he was at it again, and then proclaimed that chains were for sale. I was able to purchase a very fashionable decoration for my bedroom, for only 25 cents! Anyone interested, please contact Porter.

The kids all spent some time today in sewing mode. They get out the needles and old pillowcases and sheets and create very interesting articles of clothing. It keeps them quiet for a long time!


Spencer made this hat for a resident dolly.

This was actually from the other day...Lindsey made a uh..dress, or is it a nightgown, or maybe a hospital gown...it was her own creation anyhow.


I had to take this picture...Kami was so proud...I let her make pancakes for a snack all by herself, and she was beaming, and feeling so important to check the pancake, make sure it was done, and flip it.


Lindsey's new friend she built today.

Well, this next one was the winner of the day. Lindsey and Kami decided to set up their own radio station. I have an old Karoke machine from when I was in high school...They set the karoke machine in the hallway turned up very loud, and then I found them with the microphone shut up in the bathroom. They then proceeded to broadcast to the entire house. This afternoon we've heard a variety of primary songs, stories, some violin, whistling,flute tooting, and my favorite- "And now Kami is going to sing I am A Child of God...wait, I'm on the toilet!....loud flush ringing through the house...ok, Im ready." So I had to break in and get a shot.



So, 3 hours later,( yes, really!) the radio is still going, and I had to post this picture...looks like we've progressed into a modern hanging microphone, complete with a sound man(Spencer is involved now,too) up top in the tech hall. Lindsey has been performing a flute/vocal duet featuring herself and herself.

January Blues

Usually January is kind of a cold, blue month, stuck in doors with cabin fever. Not this year! The bluest thing this past month has been the sky!! We have had so many sunny, blue skied days in a row, with NO wind!! Yes, cold, but we've acclimatized, I suppose. So we've had some fun times getting out enjoying the sun and snow!! Ryan and I have been able to get out together and cross country ski alone ...Spencer is almost 12, and old enough to hold down the fort long enough for us to ski out at both the sand dunes and the golf course,which are only minutes away, for a nice little work out.


The kids having a shooting contest


The girls having fun skiing in our yard/pasture

Bear Gulch back country skiing...what a FUN trail, with lots of ups and downs to keep the kids moving and challenged!

Martin Luther King Day found us at Harriman State Park. Beautiful groomed trails with a lot to explore. The sun was so warm...it was a perfect day to be out with the little ones!!

Kami and Dallin enjoy the free ride. If anybody out there is looking for an awsome cross country ski vacation, come visit soon and you'll get free meals, room and board, and the most beautiful ski trails around.

Happy New Year!

We had a wonderful, very white, Christmas! We even had a few cozy days where we were snowed in...our long drifted driveway + our little mini van and it's non- snowtires = getting stuck!!It's ok though, because the kids have had many a fun day sledding on the neighborhood hill with their friends, and cross country skiing up and down the road.

This year for Christmas Eve eve, our neighbors invited us over for a Jerusalem dinner. We sat on the floor, and ate by candle light, with our hands...salmon, chicken, cous cous, pita bread, artichoke dip, grapes, olives, grape juice (which Porter decided to spill and make a new decorative splotch on their rug). They had each of us tell our favorite story of Christ...it was a special night, and I think we've got a new tradition I want to carry on!

On Christmas Eve, our other neighbors invited us over, including a couple other families. We each brought a pot o soup and a treat to share. The kids had fun playing some games, and some families shared a Christmas story. Then all the kids acted out the nativity (with Lindsey, Porter, and Dallin starring Mary, Joseph, and Jesus) while Ryan read out of the scriptures. So we had a fun little evening before we came home...and the kids opened their jammies from Grandma. They were tucked into their beds with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads I'm sure.


Christmas dinner...dutch oven something as usual...this year it was turkey with potatoes, carrots, and yams.


Ryan and the 4 older kids spent the entire day Christmas eve in the garage...and ordered me to keep out- which I willingly did. When I woke up Christmas day, this bench is what I found! Ryan let the kids cut and sand and help out. What a nice suprise! In fact, Ryan is busy sneaking around in the garage right now, hinting that he's working on something for my anniversary gift! (Jan 3rd). I don't mind staying out of the garage...can't wait to see what's next!



The other fun thing for me this Christmas was sewing aprons for Lindsey and Kami. The funnest part is seeing them use them! These pics are of Lindsey helping with Christmas dinner.


Today the girls decided to be Spencer and Porter's "servants". The boys are in bed sick, so the girls took lunch up to them in their room. Yes, that's shrimp in those cups. I had a fun time with Spencer going to the annual New Years Bash at Aunt Halli's last night....they sent us home with some yummy shrimp! The party was really fun, and Spencer and I were up until 1 am! I think that's why he's in bed with a headache today!

I didn't have time to make Kami a chef hat before Christmas, but she was happy with her princess apron.

Chief Ryan

Well, we've enjoyed lots and lots of snow these past couple weeks...so Ryan decided it was time to go check up on his wiki-up and give it an overnight test. He and his buddy Jeff decided to ski into it at 8:30 in the evening. (Ryan only does things extreme, never sane). They had to break a trail, so it took them 3 hours to go 3 miles. Around 11:30 they arrived at the shelter. They cleared out the snow that had blown in, and gathered pine boughs to make beds. Then they built a fire. The wiki-up worked pretty well but got drippy as the fire warmed it up. (Which felt good since it got down to 0 degrees outside). The report says it was fun, but not fit to take little ones up until Spring. Over the summer Chief and his little wild Indians plan to chink the wiki-up so it will not drip when warmed up so that the kids can sleep in it next winter.

Ready for Christmas!

Lindsey was reading Treasury of Christmas Stories in her bed tonight, and called me up to read me a poem she liked. I thought I'd post it because it is really cute, and pretty much sums up what we've been up to lately!

Day Before Christmas by Marchette Chute

We have been helping with the cake
And licking out the pan,
And wrapping up our packages
As neatly as we can.
And we have hung our stockings up
Beside the open grate,
And now there's nothing more to do
Except
To
Wait!