We Southerners get made fun of for our love of "Dippin"… well friends, my children are true Southerners! They LOVE to dip everything. If there is ketchup, tartar sauce, mustard or ranch dressing - they will dip their food in it! Tripp prefers a bit of food and a whopping bite of sauce! We stopped at Frank's hotdogs in Summerville on Saturday afternoon and the kiddies were in "dippin" heaven!
Tripp's new bag of tricks is "re-locating items"… upon opening the drink drawer this morning this is what I found… because of course an IPhone and a crayon would belong in here right?
Well "Fuzzy" has been getting actual hair it seems! So much so that this morning Fuzzy woke up with what my Dad use to call when we were kids "A Rat's Nest!" We all got such a kick out of it this morning especially his Sissy!
The not so tame "Rat's Nest Look"
And then we have the tame, later in the day look!
The baby may have hair after all!
AND… speaking of naughty Fuzzy… look what I caught him on my camera in my room trying to do during his "Baby goes hushabye"… this should be an interesting next few months!
Well this is always such a special trip... however this year was the most special! Juliette came out for her first skiing adventure. It was honestly the best four days I could have possibly hoped that it would be!
Juliette was all eyes as she was looking out the airplane to find amazing views of the Rockies right before her eyes!
Since our morning started off at 4:00, she was out before the van could even get us to the hotel.
She piped up though quite quickly and was ready to get geared up!
Her first morning lesson with Ms. Kelly. Her ski school began at 8:45 and ended at 3:30 each day. She was part of the "Mogul Mice." To be honest the first day I thought that they would stay on the magic carpet at the bottom of the mountain to get some good footing. Nope, off they headed straight up the mountain in the gondola. She was sure the night before that there would be three boys in her class and her. How right she was! She looked the most excited of all of the boys. As I watched her get on the gondola I could see her dancing with her skis.
The end of day 1 and a huge success! Don and I went to the part of the mountain where the lessons are and were able to find her. I took several videos and it was such a proud happy moment to watch her doing it!
Here are some of the little ones getting ready to head up the mountain
I had my best three days of skiing yet. I feel like my nerves and fear have now subsided over the years and I can really enjoy and trust my abilities. Along with my abilities, I had the most enjoyable skiing year as well.
Do you think this little girl had the life?? She is lying down exhausted in the lobby by the fire playing on her Daddy's phone drinking hot chocolate.
After picking her up from ski school her second day she told me "Mommy God made me to be a ballerina but I don't know if God made me to be a skier..." Hilarious!
Here was her class the second day - three little ones cruising down the mountain
Each afternoon after class and right before the slopes closed the hotel had smores for everyone. We roasted our smores while Juliette enjoyed hot chocolate from hotel lobby and me a glass of Prosecco
The utter enjoyment of that smore!
Of course I had promised her that we could skate as well. I thought she would forget but of course not... WE Southern girls are a hoot on the ice and we'll just leave it at that!
Our hotel the Park Hyatt - it was just amazing!
Don got to do his annual cat skiing day in Vail Pass where they take you through all powder all day by a cat... pretty cool!
The crazy foursome for dinner!
We already cannot wait to go back next year! AND by the end Juliette was convinced that God made her a skier too!
We continued to ring in the new year with a traditional oyster roast at Mima and Grandpa's house in Beaufort! It was so much fun and the Bluffton Selects and the Stump Island , NC selects at the recommendation of my brother were amazing! It was so much fun to hang out in the backyard on the water with good country music, some cold weather, a bon fire and oysters, bloody Marys and beer! What more could a Southern girl ask for? Oh one more thing... Texas Pete on my oysters.
Tonight we are blowing all records out the door. We are supposed to hit 17 degrees here in Charleston. I just went outside to feel what that temp feels like.... damn! Quite cold! And to think we leave for Beaver Creek to ski next week! I need to sit outside all evening to get my body in gear!
The men getting ready to tear into some oysters!
Sissy always trying to make her brother laugh...
Love this picture - Mom, me and Juliette for our three generation shot and my adorable Dad relaxing with a beer in the background!
Juliette and Tripp could spend hours in the sandbox?
My Dad and me
Trippy loves his Doh. Dad has always been accused of scratching all of my hair out since I was a baby.... do you see a pattern? Some how Juliette's hair did not get affected by Doh's scratching.
Aunt Kathleen and Uncle John
Mr. Clarke, my brother-in-law's father and the children
The children and I woke up Sunday morning and headed to the backyard where they wanted to play in the sandbox and I kept a beautiful fire going in the chiminea. It was a gorgeous Southern January morning.
I mean could my Gracie girl be any sweeter? I caught Tripp teasing her with the lollipop in his hands... she would not even take a lick unless he let her... dogs can be SO patient! Something we could all take a little lesson from...
Once again caught climbing onto the table to jingle the camel's bell around his neck... Dangerously close and with that my friends we close out the season!
We had the 6th annual cutting of the collards in Doh's backyard! They cooked down all day and were absolutely delicious with the black-eyed peas. A Happy New Year to everyone. My wish is for a happy and healthy year for you and yours!
