February Ensign

Have you ever picked up the latest Ensign and felt it was written just for you? Last night, I read cover to cover and just felt that it was a real answer to some prayers I've had lately. As I laid in bed reading (with a night-light until almost 1am) I just felt the Spirit and felt a surge of knowledge that what I was reading REALLY applied to me. I haven't had (or taken) the time to really pour through the Ensign for several months, and it felt like "coming home".

How grateful I am for inspired leaders who prayerfully teach us what the Lord wants for us. The Ensign is such a lighthouse in my life. What a gift.

Does that make sense? I may be a month late for resolutions, but I've kind of mapped out in my head some new resolutions, set new priorities, and given myself some new challenges for self-improvement in several areas of my life. Nothing huge or dramatic, but I've "taken a look in the mirror" and see some need for improvement. What's a new year without new goals? 'Nuff said.

97 Day Book of Mormon Challenge

Last night our family accepted a new challenge. We are going to read the Book of Mormon in 97 days, in honor of Gordon B. Hinckley, who lived to the age of 97. This equates to 5-1/2 pages per day. So in roughly 3 months we will have finished it (...again, as Kevin puts it). I heard about the challenge via email and went to www.hinckleychallenge.com to sign up. It gave our family a real purpose in reading the BOM again. I am excited! Go the the site and check it out. It's a great way to pay tribute to our late Prophet.

Kevin's Hunt

For those of you who may not know, Kevin was chosen to go on a Life Hunt with BUCKMASTERS and the Jackie Bushman show. He went hunting with 10 other hunters. All the hunters had life-threatening illnesses or disabilities. There were a few kids with different kinds of cancer. A little girl with kidney problems, a boy who is a burn victim (who we later found out has cerebral palsy and a heart problem... breaks your heart, don't it). There were also two "wounded warriars", soldiers who were wounded in Iraq. The kids just had a great time getting to know eachother and sharing their love of hunting.

Kevin got to meet celebrities Jackie Bushman and Mark Chestnut, as well as several important people in the hunting industry. Troy and I enjoyed spending time with the Buckmasters staff and parents of the hunters. There were ARMY personnel that we got to know pretty well. We came home feeling pretty patriotic. Those guys left quite an impression on us.


On the final hunt on the last day, Kevin shot his deer. A 3 point buck. We were all so happy... not to mention relieved. He had a camera man there with him, so he might be seen on the Jackie Bushman show on the Outdoor Channel in the upcoming season. The deer head will be mounted and sent to him later this year. It will hang in HIS ROOM.

Ski Season Opens for the Bairs

Well, we made our debut up at Bluewood Ski Mountain this weekend. We spent Friday and Saturday skiing. The kids were ecstatic. We were pretty excited, too.










In the morning, Troy was loading skis, boots, and poles in the van. I was packing our lunch and rounding up all the hats, gloves, scarves, goggles and other important stuff. What we didn’t know was that our kiddos were impatiently waiting in the van, completely geared up and ready to go. By completely, I mean hats under their helmets, goggles, scarves, coats, snow pants, gloves, and ski boots. Did I mention they were ecstatic? Talk about a role-reversal. We are usually waiting for them when it’s time to leave for somewhere.

Kevin is pretty sure he is the best skier on the mountain. Troy mentioned that an intermediate lesson on technique might be a good idea for him. Kevin was almost offended. He doesn’t understand how his dad could think such a think. I suggested, sarcastically, to Kevin that he might want to teach lessons this year. Kevin agreed that would be a good. A very healthy ego, indeed. Actually, in reality, Kevin is really a remarkable skier. He has good form, and isn’t afraid to try anything. He would love to be on the ski team, and would probably excel at that. If only we lived closer (It’s a 1hr 45min drive each way).

Stacy was my ski buddy. I promised her that I would stay with her and at her skill level. I don’t feel the ‘need for speed’ like the boys. We spent quite a while on the bunny hill at first. Then I bribed her with a package of fruit snacks to go up the chair lift, to the easiest hill, called Country Road. It didn’t start off so well. First, she fell off the chairlift at the unloading point at the top. She had forgotten how to get off. She fell on her pole at hurt her back a little. She was more mad than anything. Then we skied down successfully. She had a great time! She went up Country Road 3 times Friday and twice Saturday. The first time Saturday was too powdery, so she fell a lot, and was frustrated. She did, however, end on a good note. She had a great time.

Bluewood closes each day at 4pm. On Friday, the boys were LITERALLY the last two skiers off the mountain. Troy, Stacy, and I came down our last run at 4:02. We saw Kevin on his way up the chair lift for a final run, with a huge smile on his face. The lift operators had the CLOSE sign up, but flagged us through for one last lift up the mountain. Troy went up to ski down with Kevin. Stacy and I headed for the van to warm up and prepare hot cocoa. The boys said that halfway up the mountain, the chair lift stopped moving for almost a minute. They were a little concerned that they might have to spend the night on the lift, until it started back up again. Stacy and I waited 20 minutes in the car until we finally saw our boys, escorted by the ski patrol, coming down.

The first day, Kevin ate an early lunch on the way to Bluewood. He started skiing at about 11:45, and was finished just before 4:30. His gloves were not the best gloves, so his hands were cold and wet. He was almost in tears and said this was the 2nd coldest he has ever been in his life. We had other gloves in the van, but getting them would have meant stopping skiing for awhile. So, he skied non-stop the whole day. He didn’t stop to eat, drink, pee, or anything else. He said the only time he stopped was to ride the lift up the mountain. Saturday, we mandated a lunch break, and had gotten him nice, new gloves. What a sport!

The Nutcracker

As is tradition, Stacy, Rachel and I attended the Nutracker yesterday. This year, Tana and Meredith went with us. So, for the 5th year in a row, we gathered at my house, got all dolled up, donned tiaras (little girls only), and went to the show. It was lovely from our front row seats. Then on our way to DQ for ice-cream, the girls sat in the back-seat and grossed out/giggled about the man in the super-tight tights. Of course, I had to remind them that if they are so grossed out by the man in tights, maybe we would have to sit in the back-row next year. They quieted down a little. Everything was part of our tradition: dressing up, tiaras, front row, DQ, grossing out, me threatening back-row next year... I guess they were just keeping up with their part of the holiday tradition. Actually, Merdy just sat there and listened. She probably didn't even notice the obscenely tight tights. What a fun day!

Poems

Stacy wrote this poem in her Washington State History/Writing class.
When I read it, I could almost picture being there:

SKIING IS A BLAST!

Washington, my home, is a great place to ski.

My hair flies behind me, crusted with snow.

My eyes scan cautiously for other skiers.

My voice booms, "Watch out!"

My hands grip tightly to my poles.

My legs ache.

I rarely fall going down steep hills.

I remember when I went down Country Road and fell.

I hope the snow appears early this year.

I swoop, soar, and glide down the mountains in Washington!

-Stacy Bair, 4th grade

Kevin had the same assignment. Kevin is a minimalist:

SKIING IN WASHINGTON!
Washington, my home, is a great place to ski.
My hair sweats under my warm black hat.
My eyes sweep the snowy slope for turns.
My mouth shut firmly.
My hands grip my poles tightly.
I rarely wipe out.
I remember to jump carefully.
I hope I make turns better this year.
I love to ski in Washington!
-Kevin Bair, 6th grade

You can tell that our kids have skiing on the brain!

Busy, busy, busy...

Do you love our new Holiday Music selections? They were picked out personally by the kids! Isn't Chewbacca talented (He's the one grunting Silent Night... I hope no one is offended by him)? HOMESCHOOL - I can't believe it is December, and Christmas is right around the corner! Earlier this week, we finished school early one day and had a homeschool-crafting-afternoon! The kids LOVED homeschool that day! We made cards and treats for their teachers at school.
Today, we went to the Kennewick library for a craft-day with other LDS homeschool families. It was fun to meet other families that we have stuff in common with. The kids made little gifts for grandparents and other relatives. I don't know whether it was more fun making the stuff or hanging out with new friends.

SKIING - We found out that BLUEWOOD ski area opens Sunday. The kids were so excited. Kevin actually had tears in his eyes and a big smile on his face. He was emotional that it would finally be time to ski! Silly kid!

CHRISTMAS - Last weekend Troy and I went to his company Christmas party. They had several $20-$100 gift cards and had an impromtu talent show to compete for the cards. The first competition was for people who would sing their High School Alma Mater. I humiliated myself by singing AND doing the B-E-A-R-C-A-T-S! part... including the cheerleading motions. I have no pride. But I won 100 bucks! I would have done it wearing a clown suit for 100 bucks! Then they had people sing Christmas carols. I redeemed myself this time by singing Silent Night. Troy wasn't so embarrassed by that. And again, another 100 bucks! That was the easiest $200 I have ever made. Also the most embarrassing.

So when we got home and told the kids, Stacy asked if I had sung Silent Night like Chewbacca (the one that is on our attached playlist...). She was dissappointed that I hadn't. She is such a goof-ball!


I'm pretty much done with my holiday purchases. At least my checking account looks like I'd better be! The kids opened a shipment of gifts a couple months ago, so they know what some of their gifts are. I made up a story about the stuff being for someone else, but they didn't buy it. Oh well, good thing they don't believe in Santa anymore.