Winter Vacation to Priest Lake

Once again, we headed up to Priest Lake for the annual vacation the week after Christmas to play in the snow and be with my family.  It had snowed a TON the week of Christmas and the pass had been a total mess and closed several times during the days leading up to our trip, so I had wondered if we were even going to be able to make it.  However, the weather calmed down after Christmas and my entire family was able to make the trek over there with no problem.  There was about a foot of new snow at the cabin, so we had so much fun playing in it all week long.  Since we no longer get a big snow storm where we live each winter (like we did when I was a growing up), I am so grateful for the opportunity to bring my kids to a place where they can experience snow every year.  For me, this is such a fun part of being a child.  So, once again, I am so grateful to my parents for building this wonderful place for our family to enjoy--both in the summer and in the winter!  Since Ron was still recovering from his awful cold/flu, he only ventured out two of the mornings we were there to watch us sled for a few minutes.  We were just afraid that he would get worse being outside in the cold air.  But this turned out to be a good thing as Baby Ella did not love the snow like the bigger kids, so Ron was able to take her back inside the cabin and be with her while I frolicked in the snow with Logan and Lia.  I'd say it was a win-win situation except for the fact that Ron didn't get to have much "outside fun" this week.  Oh well, there's always next year...

Logan did not like wearing his pair of black gloves as they were "too hard" to get over his fingers, so he opted to wear Lia's old, lavender mittens all week long which was kind of funny.  So, here is my boy and his lavender mittens experiencing the snow the first morning we were there.

Ella standing unsure in the snow before she burst out into tears.  Luckily, I was able to snap this picture before she started crying.  She looked like such an adorable snow bunny this week!

Lia takes a break from sledding to take a picture with her sister.

All three of my kiddos decked out in their snow gear!

This was the first year that Lia was totally comfortable sledding on all of the hills with her big cousins.  She really has grown up in the past year and gotten so much braver at doing this (just like last summer when she finally started swimming in the deep end without a life jacket).  Here she is getting ready to slide down the steep hill in front of the cabin.

Down she goes!

And finishes with a smile!

Logan and Trenton spent many hours playing together all week long.  I'm so grateful that these two have each other!  Here they are testing out the snow together.

The boys and Baby Ella hanging out on the road above the cabin.

As always, Spencer was such a help with the little kids.  I am going to miss him so much when he goes on his mission this summer.  Here he is taking Logan down one of the two big hills in front of the cabin.

And, they're off!

I was able to take Ella down the big hill a few times one of the mornings we were outside.  She actually did okay and just sat quietly on my lap the entire ride down.

And, here we go!

Like previous years, the older cousins got a kick out of wandering around the other cabins on our road looking for gigantic ice cycles to break off and bring back home.  Here are Brynn and Kelsey with the biggest one they found all week.

Ron and Baby Ella.

An attempt at a family photo.  Little did I know that both Ella's and Logan's faces were being covered by their hoods.

Lia and the snow.  Look at that winter wonderful behind her.

Giving Ella some love before she called it quits and went into the cabin for the rest of the day.

Silly Logan barely giving me a smile for the picture.  

The view of our deck, the icicle collection, and the lake from the kitchen.  It is so pretty up here in the winter!

As always, Lia had the time of her life playing with the "triplets" whenever they were in the cabin.  Although all three of these girls are turning twelve in the next few months, they still will bring up their American Girl Dolls and play a few times with her.  I am so grateful for this and dread the day when it all stops.  Here are all four of them playing school on the stairs.

Lia's new doll, McKenna, with Elizabeth and Lanie.

Aunt Rebecca was kind enough to read to the boys a few times while we were up there.  Here are Logan and Trenton completely engrossed in a dinosaur book she was reading to them.

The triplets and Lia always make blanket forts to play under with their dolls.  Here is Lia and McKenna with Sarah in the background.

Ella spent most of the week running around the cabin like a crazy baby enjoying all of the attention from the older cousins.  She especially loved wearing the McDonald's backpack.  Here she is up on my bed ready to go!

Another day of play in the snow!  Spencer sending the two, little boys down the driveway in their own sled.

And down they come!

We tried a second attempt at a family photo another morning we were all outside.  I think this one turned out a little better.

My boy, Logan, hanging out on the steps.

We called Logan back down from the steps for one more pose.

And another photo before...

the big group one that Rebecca took with her camera.  I thought it turned out quite nice!

Lia heading down one of the long, sledding hills by herself.  So brave!

A picture I took of her after she past me.  Look at how beautiful the trees looked that week!  I just loved it.

Ron holding Ella before heading back inside that morning.

Chris and I taking Trenton and Logan down the big hill together.  It was so fun sledding side-by-side with them.

And here we go!

Grandpa also helped out several times by reading to our boy.  I just love how Logan is draped all over my dad while he was reading this book.  So cute.  Logan sure loves his grandpa.

Trenton got in on some of the story time, too.

As always, the older cousins were crazy and did the Polar Beat plunge on New Year's Eve Day.  Here they are getting ready to jump into the freezing, cold water surrounded by snow!

Kelsey and Brynn ready to go!

A freezing Sarah and Callie wait for the go ahead!

And, they're off!  Kelsey, Spencer, Sarah, and Callie running into the water (Brynn took the easy way out and just jumped off the dock and immediately hopped back up on it again).

Spencer leaping backwards into the water!  He's insane!