Pagosa Springs...

Completely fabulous...but not for everyone.

We visited Pagosa Springs last week for our Spring Break and had a great time. The boys spent a couple of days skiing at Wolf Creek Ski Resort and Rachel and I spent hours and hours in the water...we figure she spent about 15 hours in the pools over three days.


Jake and Ben at the beginning of day one.


Jake mastering the snowboard.


Ben in huge moguls.

We stayed at The Springs Resort where we had unlimited access to all 18 of the hot spring pools as well as a "cold pool." It was awesome. Our friend Rachel is now actually swimming and she LOVES it. I felt a bit water-logged on Friday after four hours in the pools but Rachel was content to give me a break by following up with a long shower and then a bath. Fish. She's a fish, I say. She was too tired however to walk to lunch so we settled for Frosted Flakes and microwave popcorn. Not exactly a gourmet trip by any means, the Mexican food the first night was terrible. Like maybe-got-food-poisoning terrible. Avoid The Elkhorn Cafe at all costs.

But really nothing says vacation like sugared cereal and jigsaw puzzles. (Except maybe good food and the beach.)

At the end of day two.

Dave worked the boys on the slopes to the point of exhaustion and nearly died on his final run as the boys waited for him in the lodge. We're sure glad he wears a helmet. The drive was not too bad, only four hours, but a bit deserted. And again not too many good food options.

The hot springs were very relaxing and not too stinky (obviously, since Rachel endured it for hours on end) and honestly, I think healing. But like I said, not for everyone. The water was an opaque white in some of the pools and had floaties in almost all of them. The "cold pool" was the only freshwater pool there.

I loved it all but as I hop in the shower now, a week later, there is still the faint scent of sulphur and minerals on my skin. It's weird but I think it gets absorbed into your system through your skin and STAYS. Not for everyone...and those of you I'm thinking of know who you are. I, myself, am up for another visit ANY TIME.

Some Good News, and Some Bad News...

I attended a "special stake meeting" this morning to find out about ward boundary changes. I left everyone at home so as not to have to wrestle people on those terribly uncomfortable metal folding chairs. The meeting lasted a full two hours and when I got to the car I called home to check in. Dave informed me he had good news and bad news for me when I returned home. I asked for the good news over the phone. His reply was that there would be something for me to blog...



That is not exactly "good news", if you know what I mean. He said the bad news would have to wait for me to be here in person. Great.


I immediately considered an injury to one of the boys considering their demeanor when I left, but then realized that they would not have been laughing hysterically in the background of aforementioned phone call if someone were hurt...so I came up with the next most likely scenario, and wouldn't you know it-I was right.

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Dave finally managed to break a window. I thought it would be throwing a football in the house (since one table lamp was already a casualty of such actions) but today it was the highest window in the living room broken by a Wii remote.


If you look closely you can see the remote sitting in a pile of broken glass from the inside pane. The outside pane is intact but cracked. That was done from the loft playing Wii Sports tennis without the strap on. Do you think he was swinging hard enough? No wonder he had tennis elbow a while back...




Oh, man. I can't wait to get an estimate on that damage...good thing it wasn't one of the kids.

Cotillion 2009

It all started in December when I signed the boys up for their first cotillion classes. Ben was in class with Evan and Jacob, while Jake was signed up with Trevor and Will. I don't think I would have made them do it if they didn't have friends signed up too. It was so nice to have carpools for the boys! A week or so before classes started the boys were very keyed up about the whole thing. Almost every dinner conversation revolved around cotillion expectations and Dave's "funny" advice. Dave did cotillion when he was in junior high, plus he's just a good person to give hilarious advice (if you're 9-13 years old, and not a mother). Hilarious.

Come January 14th, we made sure suits were correct sizes and white shirts and ties were clean and ready to go. As with most things at our house we had two totally different reactions/temperaments being exhibited on that first stressful night.

Ben was feeling overly confident and handsome. "Mom, come do my hair." Which quickly changed to "Mom, it's fine already. I want to look GOOD but not TOO good." Every mirror he passed by warranted a stop and comment like, "I could be the President's son I look so good. Heck, I could be the President." This is Ben's way of coping with a new, stressful situation...

He does look GOOD!

Jake on the other hand was working himself up and getting more and more angry and belligerent with me as time wore on. "Why did you sign me up? I'm going to be the worst dancer there. I'm the ugliest person alive. I hate you." A completely different tone. Oh, the drama.

He looked GREAT and luckily someone else was driving him so he had to snap out of it a bit and relax.

Fast forward several weeks later and we have two boys who were enjoying and excited about cotillion. The obstinate 13-year-old of course was not copping to having fun, but as I drove him and his friends and observed class, I found out the truth. He even wanted to practice dancing with me at home so I know he turned a corner somewhere in there.

The "little boys" had a costume night and I really should have taken pictures of the girls. They were so darling.

The banana costume was very original, just like Ben.

After the party and dinner we had to stop at Dave's work. Ben wanted our picture "in front of blood." Weirdo.

The final night parents are invited to attend. I knew that sons would dance with their moms and daughters would ask their dads. What I did not realize was that I would be dancing for nearly 45 minutes. That's a lot for someone who has not been taking dance classes! I was pitiful at the Tango but Jake was very kind to me. In fact, Jake is an excellent dancer. He really knows how to lead and explain steps. Ben had fun with me once he got over the fact that he had to dance with his mom (uncool) and realized EVERYONE was in the same boat.

I wasn't expecting 4 (for Jake) or 6 (for Ben) classes to make a difference for my boys. We did it for the experience really, but the truth is that there is a subtle, recognizable difference in some of their behavior. Here's to holding doors, "sophisticated" conversations with adults, making eye contact when you shake hands with someone, and of course, the Foxtrot.

A much happier, more confident cotillion attendee.


Jake ate dinner at the final cotillion party with his peers while on Ben's final night we attended with his friends and their families and then went to dinner at the Tavern. It was a great couple of nights. I'm so thankful to have boys. There's nothing like the love of a son...except the love of TWO sons. Thanks, guys. Until next year.

Ben cutting loose.