Winding Down

Tonight was our last choir practice and Weds "church night". Whew - it was a long haul but well worth it. Our church provides dinner every Weds night and we have a program called Christ's Kids that my kids go to AND choir practice - it's a busy night. This spring the choir director, Dorothy Elder, decided to put on a musical for the congregation called Jonah and the Whale (1st - 5th graders). So they've been practicing every Weds night for the last 3 months. The performance is on Sunday.

I love our Weds nights at church but by the time we get home, the kids are wired and I am tired! It's the one weeknight that I drink a beer and enjoy every drop of it! Our church has been having some problems so I've gotten more involved and like any organization undergoing lots of change, it's a bit stressful at times. But I like the people and feel committed to staying.

Soccer is almost done and we have one more month of school - woo hoo! Both kids practice on Tues and Thurs nights and games are on Saturdays. I really enjoy watching them practice and their games. Katerina is more into it than Evan is and she has become quite the star player on their team. Evan is more into individual sports, like swimming and cycling (hmmm....future triathlete???)

I started this blog so that it could be a diary for my kids so I want to record a few things that I'd like them to know someday....Evan, you looked SO cute in your new shorts today. They fit you well (for once) and your sweet smile just made my day. Thank you so much for all the darling love notes that you've been writing me (he'll kill me for writing this someday!). He is THE sweetest little boy in the world!

I went on the most awesome bike ride today...it was 77 degrees and the roads were calling my name. Kurt had the day off so I felt safe riding alone (cause I can call him if I flat). It was soooo nice...everything is so green right now and the flowers and crabapple trees are in full bloom....and there's still some snow on the mountains in the distance - so beautiful.

I took O Street out to Kodak and back. Had a nice tailwind on the way out there but holey-moley was it hard to pedal on the way back! But I didn't care, I just rode at a moderately-hard pace and enjoyed the time alone.

More soon.

YouTube Material?

A few weeks ago the kids were talking about skiing the black slopes for the first time and I happened to have my camera near me so I thought, what the heck, I'd "interview" them about this experience. It was too funny not to upload (but no, I won't put it on YouTube!).

And btw, I have decided to delete my other blog (or put it on hold) and write more in here. I really want a diary for the kids to read when they grow up and this seems to be the easiest way to do it. Plus, anyone in our family can read it too (although I don't think anyone does). So, stay tuned for more episodes of "life at the Dallow ranch"!

Ketchup

OK, it's been awhile since I've posted and there's a lot to write about. First, we went to Ogden, Utah, in early March to watch Kurt compete in the Xterra World Championship Winter Quadrathlon (seriously). It was an amazing event that includes mountain biking in snow, snow-shoeing, x-c skiing (UP a ski slope) and running on snow.

I've never seen Kurt so exhausted in all of our 15 yrs of marriage! It took him over 4 hrs to finish (partly due to going off-course - more on that later) and he was going all-out pretty much the entire time. I'm really impressed that he did it.

We stayed with our really good friends, the Hansen's: Julie (my long-time close friend) and her husband, Rod, and kids, Ruselle and Isaac. Julie is a dietitian from Kansas, just like me, and we've been friends for a long time. She used to live in Ft. Collins and Rod got his PhD in nutrition the same time I did so we have a lot in common.

We had a really good time staying at their house. Julie is a really good runner but this time we didn't get to run together because she just had surgery to remove a benign cyst. But I got in a couple of really good long runs while I was there and we got to go shopping together (Julie is THE best person to shop with!). We hope to go see them at least once a year.

Kurt took the kids skiing on Saturday and then he did the race on Sunday (see pic's below). Julie and Rod came up to watch with me. Fortunately, it was a relatively warm, sunny day because we waited for Kurt to finish for a REALLY long time (like 90 mins or so). We had timed it so that we would get there about the time he would finish but little did we know, he had gone off course. At a key turning point, there wasn't a race marshall there and he missed the turn. So he had to re-do a section of the course and that took an extra half hour. But he finished anyway and was happy that he did it.

I do have to mention how he came across the finish line because I've never seen this happen before....he ski'ed down the hill toward the finish line, just like everyone else, but as he slowed himself to a stop, he just fell and layed there...he didn't get up! We all ran over to him and he just layed there. A medical person came running over too but as soon as I saw a smile on his face, I waved the official off. He was that tired; he just couldn't get up. Later, at the awards ceremony, he was literally laying his head on Katerina's shoulder and groaning. I have never seen him this wiped out before!

But all in all, it was a good trip. Even the drive there and back (8 hrs, with stop for lunch), the kids did really well (thank God for DVD players!). We played the alphabet game for the first time, read books, sang, and had our first taste of a road trip with the kids. Hope to go on more in the future.

Close Call

It all happened so quickly. I didn't even hear anything...I just remember turning around and seeing him there in the water...arms frantically waving.... and then it was like someone turned up the volume and I heard him screaming for me.....it was surreal, like a nightmare.

We went with a church group up to Beaver Meadows Resort and Ranch (northwest of Ft. Collins) to do some fun winter activities. They had tubing, snow-shoeing, x-c skiing, ice skating, etc.

When we first got there, I saw lots of kids on the frozen pond sliding around. I knew that it was frozen solid because Mike, the guy who organized the trip, told me that they had told him it was 18 - 24" thick. So I wasn't worried. Tyler, Mike's son, asked me if I wanted him to take the kids over to the pond while I got us registered and paid for. I said sure.

My mother came with us and she was sitting in the lodge by the fire, which was really big and producing lots of warmth. I was standing there talking to her when Tyler brings the kids in and Evan is sobbing. I look down and he is soaked from mid-thigh down. Just soaked.

He apparently had been walking near the edge of the pond in an area that is shallow and fell through the ice. We calmed him down, took his wet clothes off (fortunately, I had brought an extra set) and hung his bibs and socks by the fire. He would need the bibs to go tubing.

Finally, everything was dry and we headed for the tubing hill. What fun! There was not much snow so the tubes were kind of slow but the kids had fun anyway.

Then it was time to go ice-skating. I love to skate and grew up skating on our pond in Kansas. Evan didn't want to skate but said he would walk around by the pond. Fine. That's when he fell through - AGAIN.

Only this time, it was worse. He fell in up to his chest! A group of teenagers heard him screaming and went to pull him out. I got there as they pulled him out and have never seen a child so upset. He was sobbing uncontrollably, as any child would be having fallen through the ice twice. But he could've slipped under easily and/or not be seen for awhile and as cold as the water was, he would've gotten hypothermia.

But it all turned out well. He's fine and now has a healthy dose of fear that will hopefully make him think twice about walking on thin ice again. But I will say this: it wasn't his fault, really. When Kurt went over to the area he was walking in, it looked like a snowy bank, not a part of the pond. I could see why he didn't know there was ice below him.

More soon...gotta sign off now but have more updates to write.

Birthday Boy and Ski Trip

Silence.....is golden, they say. I'm enjoying some of that right now while Kurt took the kids swimming. We are up at Winter Park on President's Day and I'm lounging in one of the nicest condo's I've ever seen.

We came up Sunday afternoon to ski on Monday and Tuesday. The kids have Monday off (Pres Day) and we are taking them out of school on Tuesday to ski. How fun! This is the first time we've ever taken them out of school and we feel a bit heathenistic but oh well!

First, let's catch up a bit. Evan's birthday was on Valentine's Day and he is now 8 yrs old. We had a party at our house (pic's coming soon) and overall, we had a great time. He had 8 kids over and they played inside and outside. He invited two girls, Haley and Mara, but as can be expected, the girls separated from the boys. But it seemed to be ok with everyone.

Unfotunately, Evan got into a little trouble during the party and I lost my cool with him. We had a rough week this last week with the kids (more on that later) and I was in "last straw" kind of mood. He knee'd Haley in the eye (on purpose), causing her to cry, and I sent him to his room. I was pretty calm at that point (disappointed, but calm) and told him to put the fort that he had made in his room away. Well, he went ballistic! He cried loud and hard and I got pretty angry at him. Long story short, I reminded myself that this was his birthday and I let him go early but it wasn't pretty for awhile.

Kurt set up the race car set and all the boys huddled around the table. Then we went out to do the pinata. The pinata wouldn't break but the plastic handle holding it up broke so the whole thing fell to the ground, without breaking apart. So we let the kids take turns bashing it in with a big stick! It was pretty funny.

We had cake and ice cream and sang happy birthday. Evan opened his presents and fortunately, he got a lot of cool stuff. He would have been upset if he hadn't, considering how upset he was earlier. Kent and Kendall called, which was very nice too.

Then, on Sunday, the kids and I went to church. I taught Sunday school, which I really enjoy. I don't get into all the biblical details but I really enjoy being with the kids. I had 3rd and 5th graders this time. I've known these kids for several years now and look forward to seeing them all grow up. I really believe in the vows we say out loud in church during the baptism ceremony....the vows that say to the congregation something like "do you promise to help raise this child in the church.....?" I take them seriously. I want all of the kids that I know in church to feel that I'm another adult in their lives watching out for them.

OK, I digress....anyway, we left for Winter Park later that afternoon. Sasha, our exchange student chose not to go with us and I have to say that I was glad. I like having Sasha go with us and she is an excellent skier but we haven't had family time (with just us) in a long time. We really needed this time together.

And, the cool part is, this condo is sooooo nice! It's gorgeous. It's close to the ski area and surrounded by forest. The view from all the windows is beautiful. The furnishings are very nice. I want to get a condo so bad! Now that the kids are skiing, it would be a worthwhile investment. I love being in the mountains - more than ever. We have a lot of kid years ahead of us and I would love to have a place to go to once a month or so. Kurt likes the idea too so we are looking into it.

So here I sit, in this gorgeous condo, feet propped up on the coffee table, laptop on my lap, mind dulled by the margarita I just drank an hour ago, contemplating life. I feel happy to have such wonderful children and a good husband and such a "cush" life....but also sad that Evan and I have hit a rough patch lately. But one of the reasons I decided to write this blog is to record our family life, warts and all. I'd rather be honest and "aunthentic" than fake and gushy. So there you have it!

And to Evan, who may read this someday: I love you very much and I'm sorry for getting so short with you lately. I know I've hurt you and I'm sorry for that. But in some ways, I feel we're getting closer. Just hang in there with me, kiddo, and we'll do just fine!

Pic's from Ski Trip

Ski Trip (pictures coming soon!)

We went skiing last weekend in Winter Park and had a great time! This time we rented a condo in Frasier, which is a lot closer to the slopes than where we usually stay - Snow Mountain Ranch.

We went up Friday night and came home on Sunday, during the Super Bowl. We thought it would be less crowded on I-70 because of the game but it wasn't! We stopped in Idaho Springs to eat at Beaujeau's Pizza and watched the game there.

But the skiing was great. We had fabulous weather - we actually got hot! Blue sky, no wind, and lots of powder. You can't get any better than that!

The kids did really well. They are getting to be really good skiers. Katerina is much more cautious than Evan. He tends to race down the hill and is not always using good form. But I am proud of him and how fearless he is. And guess what? Kurt entered both kids in a race! They started in the blocks, just like in the Olympics, and raced down the hill, weaving around hurdles - I'll upload a short video I took of them next time - it was amazing. They finished without crashing (my major concern!) and even won a medal.

Sasha was with us and she did well too. She is a very good skiier. It was nice to have one more "adult" to help manage the kids.

Kurt and I went for an awesome run on Sunday morning. Our condo was way up on a hill so we had to run down into town. We took a few side roads that went through the woods and ran for over an hour. The sun wasn't all the way up so it quiet and serene...the snow on the mountains looked so pretty.

I felt really good and kept on running after Kurt turned off to get the kids ready for skiing. I cranked up my Ipod as soon as he left and charged up the hill. I felt really strong. When I got to the long driveway, I turned off the music and just looked out over the valley...the sun coming up over the mountains was spectacular. I could see my breath in the cold air but I was warm and toasty from the long run. I said a prayer and thought about all that I have to be thankful for....two wonderful children who were anxiously waiting for my return, a hard-working, honest, funny, and kind (most of the time!) husband, and so much more....it's times like this that I appreciate so much.

We did have some rough times this weekend. The kids were fighting nonstop (it seemed) and I lost my cool in a big way. I screamed at them, which is something I haven't done in a long time. It definitely quieted them down! Kurt was a little too hard on them too. He has high expectations of their ability to get themselves ready, packed, and out the door. This was all on Saturday so the wonderful run we had on Sun morning really relaxed me....it was like a long yoga session.....and I needed it to deal with the kids!

But we made it back in one piece. The pizza was good at Beaujeau's and we enjoyed watching Bruce Springsteen's halftime performance (although we couldn't hear it!). I was rooting for the Cardinals and was SO bummed to hear they had lost it in the last few seconds. Oh well....maybe the Bronco's will be there next year!