30 Adventures for my 30th Birthday

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Yesterday I turned thirty.  I know, I’m old.  (This is the point when everyone younger than thirty nods in agreement while everyone older than thirty rolls their eyes.)

I don’t feel like I’ve passed some great milestone, I feel basically the same way I did the day before, only sleepier.  It could be that thirty makes you more slumberous but my guess is that I’m sleepier because little g consistently screams for me in the middle of the night while Big E weasels his way into my bed.  Seriously, the one request I had for them was for them to sleep all night in their own beds.  Did this happen?  NO. Instead Big E and I got so mad at each other it ended in tears…for both of us.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect a good day for your birthday.  In general people treat you kindly and you get a free pass on chores you hate (no dishes for me, YES!).  Apparently that concept does not matter to a three year old, however because when I asked Big E to stop playing on the computer and come eat lunch he screamed, yelled, cried, pushed his plate across the table, pouted and ended up in a 20 minute time out in his room.  I know it’s bad when I’m holding grudges against a 3 year old child.

An actual quote by me, “No, I will not make you nachos because you’re being so mean!”

While he was crying, yelling and pouting I put little g down for her nap and in the process she hit my face with a book breaking my glasses and once again making me cry.  Less from the emotional drama and more from the pain in my eyeball region.

Because of this I have declared BIRTHDAY WEEK! for the next seven days. Instead of doing all the celebrating on one day I’m spreading it out over a week.  This way I get all the things I want – a night out with Mountain Dad, a Ladies night with friends, a pampering pedicure, a nap – and I don’t have to try to squeeze it in to one day. As part of my BIRTHDAY WEEK! I am also giving you a gift, blog readers.  I have decided to list 30 adventures I’m planning to have in the coming year.  Thirty things to try with and without the tots in an effort of getting outdoors more.  Are you ready?  Here goes:

1. 360 on my snowboard
2. Front side board slide on a box
3. Teach Big E downhill skiing
4. Try cross country skiing with the tots

5. Snowshoe excursion up Provo Canyon
6. Snowmobiling trip to Island Park, Idaho
7. Hike to Stewart Falls with Big E walking the whole time (2 miles round trip, do you think he can make it?)
8. Visit a National Park
9. Have a neighborhood bonfire where we burn our dry Christmas tree (Fire = Awesome)
10. Try canoeing with the tots
11. Bike ride road trip
12. Hike to a mountain top
13. Explore something new
14. Go to the beach
15. Go camping
16. Watch a caterpillar change
17. Mountain bike down a mountain…without the tots
18. Grow a garden
19. Teach Big E to swim
20. Hike to a waterfall
21. Go fishing
22. Visit Italy with Mountain Dad (This has always been on my bucket list and since I turned 30 this year it seems like the right time to plan it.  Plus we have over 200,000 frequent flyer miles built up thanks to spending too much money with our Delta Skymiles card.  Curse you Home Depot!)
23. Explore Portland, Oregon
24. Go boating
25. Swim 200 meter freestyle without stopping
26. Yet to be determined
27. Um…
28. I’m not sure yet
29. Stop pressuring me people!
30. (sigh)

So maybe 30 is an ambitious goal, whatever.  If you have suggestions for a possible adventure that would be appropriate for Me, Mountain Dad or Big E and little g by all means let me know.  If not I hope you enjoy reading about the adventures we do plan on having.  Happy reading!

Happy New Year

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Dear Blog Readers,

I began this blog one year ago with the purpose of encouraging me to get out and do fun things with my kids.  As I reviewed the past year I think I’ve accomplished that goal. Now I’m looking forward to another great year, hopefully even better than the last.

This year I want www.mountainmomandtots.blogspot.com to:

1 – Help me be a better mom.  As we speak I am ignoring Big E as he desperately vies for my attention by grasping my arm and jamming his head into my clavicle.  This year I hope to NOT ignore him, except when he does things to intentionally bother me, and instead go on grand adventures with him and little g.

2 – Help me be a better writer.  I enjoy writing and would like to do more of it.  I would eventually like to be paid for it, and having a good blog will help but only if you leave comments dear readers.  Please follow and like me.

3 – Help me have more adventures.  Life is so much better when I get outdoors and enjoy it.  This blog inspires me to do those things, even when doing them with young children is difficult.

These are my motivations.  I hope you enjoy the ride along with me.

Thanks,
Mountain Mom

Powderhound

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Opening weekend for Sundance Resort hit hard with heavy snowfall all weekend long. You know what that means – powder time! The posted photos do little to capture the glee I felt floating through the snow. Run after run of powder up to my mid calf, sliding down the mountain as if riding on a cloud; that’s what joy feels like. I hope this coming holiday and ski seasons bring many powder days and joy to all of you.

 

 

Sundance Resort Opening Weekend

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It finally snowed a good 8 inches and it was glorious. Shoveling the deck and figuring out how to use the snowblower, two awful tasks in my opinion, were actually pleasant this morning because of the beautiful blanket of white on everything. Now, snow in and of itself isn’t actually that amazing – its what you can do with it that truly inspires. Snowboarding!

Sundance Resort opened this weekend with limited access. Ray’s Lift to Midway and the tow rope were the only lifts open. I’m a back mountain rider so normally the limited access would have dampened my snowboarding spirits. But not today. The wait had just been too long from last season, plus the weather was perfect.

The flakes fell fat and slow all day, leaving powder caches along even the bunny slope. Strapping on my board for the first run of the season, I felt the nerves building. Would I remember how this all worked or would I find myself sprawled out on the snow like a newbie?

I took the first few turns nice and slow. A smile came unbidden to my face and could have giggled with glee at the feeling of sliding down the mountain again. My speed picked up and my body remembered all the movements it had no use for since April. Soon, I felt like an old pro, the queen of the mountain. I had forgotten how much fun it is to snowboard.

Now I’m hooked once again to this crazy sport. I’ve gotta say, I’m looking forward to a great season!