Winter Wonderlands: Mammoth to Park City 2009-2010

SNOW DAY ACTIVITIES...

Oldest one teaching the youngest one how to vacuum the cabin...this is good.

After a day of skiing

Sledding Time!

CRAZY!! Fly Fishing in the snow...AND you have to wear snow shoes to hike to the hole? Sounds so fun, huh?! Only Kirk

Christmas Commotion

Christmas Eve at Disneyland really was magical!

A Laid Back Christmas Day

The Annual Christmas Puzzle
Christmas PJ's

Kirk, (I mean Santa) got Austin a fly-fishing vest. (The brainwashing has begun)
DA Presents....

Thankful Moments

And in this pic you see Josh and Greg glaring at Austin (because bigger brothers are supposed to tease and toughing up the baby of the family, RIGHT?) Meanwhile the rest of us think he is rather cute. Typical

Now Josh DOES adore this girl!

Quick Family Pic for Christmas Card...Thanks Matt!

My brother Matt and his beyond adorable family!

The Meal is beginning to come together.

The Dorough Gang (My side of the family)

My Mom, Sister Holly and her children Alex and Roxanne Wilson.

How many Dorough girls does it take to check a Turkey?

Apparently THREE! And we all had a different opinion about it too, which would be not be unusual :)

Fall has Fallen...and I LOVE it!

Feeling Festive
The Birthday Girl and Boy

My sentiments and love for Fall: When I was younger my Father would take us for drives to see the change of color leaves to admire their beauty. Making hot chocolate is a tradition started on these "Weekend Drives" and is still one I do today with my kids. I've always loved wearing sweaters, jeans and sweatshirts and bundling up and still do. When we were a "younger married couple" we would get together with our dear friends the Klepingers for Halloween, Leann and I would cook chili, soup and corn bread. And off trick or treating with our young families. Those are simply ordinary things but I have such fondness of those memories. Added to my love Fall is that is the season my two older kids were born 1 year apart in October. Tiffany, October 6th and Josh, October 26th.(That's a Happy B-day shout out by the way guys) For me, October means Birthdays, Falling Leaves, the Crisp Air, Football Games, Decorating the House for Halloween, Candy, Gourmet Hot Chocolate, Soups, Picking out Costumes and the Fragrance of Pumpkin everywhere. One gripe I don't like in recent years is that once Labor day is over, I feel the Fall season is rushed through, to start the Christmas commercial season. Don't get me wrong I love Christmas too, but for me I want to slow down and just enjoy this fall. Now that I am all old and wise (HA) and the kids are growing, I am actually realizing it really is the simple things in life that matter most. So Happy Halloween and Thanksgiving Everyone!

Summer Lovin...Had Me a Blast...Summer Lovin...Happened So Fast!

June 2009- With the "Older Kids" in the Bahamas

Swam with the dolphins that were rescued from Hurricane Katrina

A view from the room in the "Cove Tower"
T&J...Just like when they were 1 and 2. They were fighting over the tub to get warm after they got caught in a thunder storm. Some things never change!
Big Kiddos with Pops
All growing up so fast
July 4th, a typical swim-BBQ with the Baker Clan
Brynn and my beautiful niece; Oh and my husband...adding so much to this pic!
Makenna looking so festive
Da Pool...And these scenes are typical from our gatherings

Austin with his cousins, Trevor and Braden...getting ready for a nerf gun atttack
Josh and Greg trying to be like superman flying off the diving board, while trying to catch a football while Kirk or one of their uncles throws it. This can be quite an intensive and competive event.

Austin Baptism Day, July 11th...Is he really 8?

Mammoth...In August.

Every summer I would go when we had the Baker Family condo (I miss that place). We still go every winter to ski, but this was the first time in 5 yrs I went in the summer. I am a real beach person, but I forgot how much I love the mountains too, nothing like fresh mountain and blue sky's.

The boys down the canyon on their annual back packing trip.

After the back packing trip, we met up with them in town

This is a view from the top of Mammoth Mtn, where we usually ski from.

Still snow left for a summer snow fight.

Josh and I on a hike near Devil's Post Pile.

With Brynn, thanks for the cute Pic Matt.

Lake Mary...Brynn's first time to Mammoth.
-------------------------------------------------------
Then, In a day we from the Mountains to the Beach.

For our Annual trip to Newport/ Laguna 2009

( I just love California even though it is broke)

Tiff flew home after summer school finals; she got her skim boarding on with "Daddy" just like the good old days

Kirk teachimg his 4th and final child how to skim board

Greg, being a sweet big bro and helping Austin looking for crabs

Back at the hotel at Newport Coast, I just love it down there. Almost had my husband convinced to move there...Then the Economy tanked, that ruined that idea (at least for now). I guess it just makes it more special to visit (grumble-grumble), especially since my brother Matt lives there.

Kirk: "Hey boys if someone told you to jump off a cliff (into a blow hole) would you do it?."

Boys: "Ya Dad since you did it!" Kirk is thee Biggest kid.

So after Kirk Austin jumps...grrreat
Then Greg...Looks fun now. I was down the beach unaware of these events, but after looking at these pics, well that is the way it should have been.

Steph and Josh...Thanks Stephanie for joining us, and for dinner you little STINK!