JH Swimming

Our hotel had a hot tub and indoor swimming pool. Each day when we got in from the snow, we spent a little time in each. Of course, C dressed herself. Check out the goggles and snowboots.

JH elking

While in JH we went skiing, sledding, and swimming. To a 6 year old who is just learning the rules of grammar, what do you call seeing elk? Elking!

We went to the National Elk Refuge on the edge of town on Day 3. They have an amazing visitor center and sleigh rides through the refuge. They can support 5000-8000 elk each winter. Because it was early and there was not a lot of snow, there were about 1000 elk on the refuge with the others still up in Grant Teton National Forest and Yellowstone.

Our sleigh took us across the prairie and right up to the elk herd. C earned a Blue Goose Ranger Girl Scout patch for her efforts that morning. She was pretty proud of her identification of tracks and antlers in and around the visitor center.

JH town

Each evening we went into town for dinner. JH has a wonderful free bus shuttle and a great little downtown. Of course you can't miss the arch park- and at this time of year it is all lit up for Christmas.

C found a gallery ("a museum where the stuff is for sale") with a T Rex in the window. When we went inside (after a Mommy Fun Police talk about keeping "chapel hands" at all times inside) the owner let her touch it. Very Cool! Check out the goggles.

just five more days

Mom, just five more days until I learn to ski!

These were the first words out of Caroline's mouth today. They were followed by,

Mom, I am going to do just french fries (translation: skis parallel for fast skiing). No pizza for me (translation: slowing down). Then she raced around the room swooshing.

I think she is excited!

Bad Santa Pictures

Baby Brayden (my youngest sister Holly's son) is in a bad Santa photo contest- click to the right for more details on how to vote.

Yesterday Santa was in Tiki. He rode down the main street on a fire truck and then held court at the fire station. At 6 Caroline is still afraid of the big man. She has yet to sit on his lap without a pep talk first. Maddy finally led her over and sat with her.

Why is it that we try to teach little ones not to talk to strangers and then all bets are off for the fat man in the red suit?

Now, THAT is a skating skirt

As many of you know, Caroline has been taking Skating lessons and has an interesting sense of style. Now the two have come together for your entertainment.

C goes deer hunting

Caroline, Hunter and I went to his parent's deer lease this past weekend. C helped Hunter build and install "Caroline's blind" in October and she was excited to try it out with him. The blind was everything Caroline wanted and they even "found dinner" as Caroline tells it.

This was the first time C was along for the whole process and she opened the windows in the blind for Hunter to shoot. She loved the tracking part, thought the gutting part was cool and gross at the same time ("his heart isn't really heart shaped it is sort of circle shaped. Isn't that weird?") and was very proud to help provide dinner.