Redemtion...Holiday style

Happy New Year From the Edge's
Look...a Family photo!!! We are off to a good start!
(OK, so this was Christmas eve, but since we didn't send out Christmas cards, this will have to do.)

We were lucky enough to get a nice little blizzard this week that has helped to keep our kids occupied.
This girl loves the snow but refuses to wear gloves...burr.
The boy showing off his skills on his new pogo stick. He was pretty disappointed on Christmas morning when his mom could pogo better than him. He is now working on showing me up.
Also not pictured, the boy decided to try out his new super awesome sleeping bag by sleeping in our freezing cold sun-room on a night when the temps dipped into the single digits...thanks grandma. He said he stayed warm!
Poppy wearing her new Rapunzel hair and dress...oh, the indulgent grandma, what would she do without you??? You certainly have the knack for knowing exactly what she would love. I do however win points for getting her a bead/creative box that has been getting pretty good play time too. Pretty sure that Rapunzel didn't have that in her tower!
Hazel didn't even have to ask to know that the barn and animals were hers. From the minuet she walked int o the room she had them in her hands.
The girls were pretty content with their pre-opened gifts prior to breakfast. We generally don't let them open gifts until after breakfast. This way they get to play with whatever is out on the floor and the other gifts come after.
Poppy was happy being Mary for our Christmas Eve nativity.Our good friends Helen and Justin came over for Christmas eve. We made our annual gingerbread trains. I was delighted by the fact that Oscar and Poppy are now old enough to handle the frosting themselves. They are really getting independent!
Christmas Eve I told Rick that I wanted him to take the kids out while I cleaned up the house and got it ready for Christmas. He then told me they were going hiking and I decided to forgo my plan...no way are they going without me! The bonus was that I got a awesome Family photo out of it. BTW I consider any photo that has my entire family in it-with them all facing forward a success. This may just go on our mantle.

(Oscar wore his cycling hat as a winter hat. Funny thing is, it doesn't cover your ears. I lent him mine half way through.)

Oscar did the extra two mile section with me. I always love it when I can hang with the o-man. He always has such great ideas and thoughts that come about when we are one-on-one.

Well, there you go, my first post of 2011. I am hoping to redeem my blogging self with the new year. I would love to catch up on the ups and downs for 2010, but then I get overwhelmed and don't know where to begin. So, lets just say I'll re-commit to do better this year than last. It shouldn't be too hard to do. Happy New year Blog world!

Missing the Mountains...and my boys

Back in the day...Oscar on daddy's back

Oscar's First Hike, a few weeks old

Another one of his first hike, see how protective I was...can certainly tell that he was my first baby. The others would have been placed in the bjorn, and we would be on our way.

This is a picture of Ricky backpacking when he was about Oscar's age(from the side profile it looks like it could just be Oscar), wearing the same pack that Oscar is wearing on this trip...thanks grandma and grandpa! (Bet you didn't know back then that your grand kid would wear it.)

This picture may be about what he looks like today...well at least earlier today when they were actually hiking, and not right now when they are probrably snuggled into their tent sleeping (which is most likely what they are doing, that is unless, they are telling silly jokes and making farting noises)...

Here's another "oldie but goody" of Ricky and Big Rick. What good look'in guys!

Yesterday my boys left on an expedition to the wild wilderness of the Willowas.
As I sit here at 9:30pm at night, with my two girls in bed asleep (one of which is sleeping in MY bed, as a special treat), I can't help but really miss the mountains. I want to smell the crisp fall air, feel some rocks beneath my feet, a pack on my back loaded with all sorts of trail friendly foods, sit on a summit and stare off into the world beyond...I want to be hanging with my boys doing one of the things I love most, spending time outside.
I'm not saying that I haven't had a fun weekend with just us girls, on the contrary, we have been having lots of fun. We went to the fair last night and I successfully wore them out and they both crashed in their beds by 7:45pm. We have played at the farmer's market, cleaned the church, went swimming, had ice cream (including a gummy worm topping), I even rented Poppy a "Barbie musketeers" movie, and even painfully watched 75% of it with her (now that is love). We really have had some great time just being together, sans the boys.
All that said...I still am missing those mountains.
I therefore have a job for all of you out in blog world who are near some of those pretty, monstrous piles of rock and rubble. Do me a favor and take a hike. Be in nature and let me glean a bit of that exposure off of you.
In a couple of moths I'll get my fix. In the meantime, I'll settle for some freshly harvested wheat fields and some pictures that Mark Feltis is going to have to take, becasue our "Olympus Tough" camera wasn't' as tough as it was supposed to be, and suddenly quit working without any real abuse...more on that topic later... but I'll hopefully get a re-cap and my boys back tomorrow.
Oh, and I'm missing my boys too. Things seem weird and not so balanced without them. Too much Estrogen in the house right now. But then again, Grandpa Edge is used to that.

Skiing...Family Style

We asked the kids if they would rather go skiing as a family for a few days, rather than get a big Christmas present. They were unanimous, and us parents were quite pleased with their decision.

(Poppy wanted a knife full of cream cheese with her breakfast...Oscar was showing his disgust)
We opted for Silver Mountain in Kellogg, ID with a handy little resort at the bottom of the Gondola that takes you to the top of the mountain. The condo was delightful with the added benefit of an indoor water-park. It was pretty sweet!
Especially because we had Auntie Rosa to accompany us...(aka our nanny) It was really nice having her to take care of Hazel while Rick and I spent some time on the slopes with Oscar and Poppy. It was also a bonus that she could keep an eye on the Popster when she earned a good break on her first day. We all enjoyed her company! Thanks Rosie for coming with us!
Oscar took to the skis like a pro. Although, I inadvertently took him on a lift that may or may not have been a good idea. Needless to say, he and I made it down...it may have involved some tears, prayers and a good deal of coaxing that his mother did indeed KNOW where we were on the map. Yes Oscar, one day when you read this you will laugh.
Hazel hung out with Rosie in the lodge...she liked being bundled up in her suit.
Poppy was very happy about her hot chocolate on the gondola.
Here is Rick Oscar and Poppy on the magic carpet.
Does this look like the face of a girl who is having fun?
I love this picture...click on it so you can see the humor in it. Oscar was taking his lunch break( yes, Cheetos were the lunch of choice)Hazel liked the gondola too...it took about 30 minutes to go up or down. It was pretty relaxing though.

Rosie hanging out on the gondola...
Poppy's little spill and Oscar's snowplow...
Daddy and Miss P stayed together most of the time.
Oscar and me moments before loosing my favorite sunglasses off the lift. Ok maybe nit but it was sometime before I lost them...
I think they enjoyed the gift and will remember it much longer than a gift that could come in a package.

October...Catch up style...

Grandma and Grandpa Edge came to town just before Poppy's birthday. I believe this may have been the first time in many years that grandma Edge has had her toenails painted. Poppy was pleased to have her undivided attention. It was great having them in town for a few days.
How I missed blogging about Poppy's 4th birthday I don't know, but she had it. She is now a four year old. Which basically means she gets to eat four bites of her dinner, instead of three. It seems to be working...she suddenly has now grown out of the clothes I just bought her last month. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the four bite rule...
Auntie Rosa has come to live with us for a while, and followed Poppy by turning 18! We had a grand ol' party to ring in her adulthood. It's been fun having her around. It's always nice when you have one more reader to read books!

Grandma and Grandpa Dilworth came to town to bring aunt Rosie's stuff. The kids enjoyed getting to see them for a short little visit. I think we need grandparents to come visit more often! (hint...hint)


Oscar in now officially a hillbilly...he's sporting his new look around town. I can't believe he is 7 1/2!!!! He is such a great kid! Who ever thought that I would have kids that actually loose teeth?? It seemed like it would never happen to me!
More Documentation that the girls are loving having auntie Rosa around.

Ummmm...chocolate chip cookies...

Hazel has managed to make it to her 7th month! She is eating real food, loves drinking water from my glass, can semi-crawl, gives some great belly laughs at her siblings and the dog, and is such a fun girl. And she has mastered the stand on hands trick.
Oscar is in his last week of fall soccer and although he is going to miss his awesome coach and really fun team, I am pretty ready for soccer to take a break. It's getting colder and darker outside, and it will make getting homework done so much easier!
This is his first year where I think he has really learned to love playing soccer as a sport, rather than a recreational playtime. One more sign that he is getting older...
Overall things are going well, busy but good.

Trip up North

One week ago we were up North in the land of Canadians...It was my Mom's family reunion and it had been nine years since I had been up there. That may not bee strange for most of you considering that Rick had never been across the boarder, but to me, it was a visit long overdue. Growing up my family would make the yearly trek to Canada for our Oertli reunion. We would often travel through Glacier National park and camp along the way.
It was strange needing passports to cross the boarder considering that when I was last there all we needed to do was state our business, a few questions and we were on our way. That was in the pre 9/11 days.
We would typically stay at my Aunt Rosemarie and Uncle Heber's house. It was this huge beautiful log cabin house that my uncle built himself. The house was close to the old man river and we would spend plenty of time jumping from the train bridge or riding the zip-line from the bridge down into the river.
We would also frequently go hiking and packing with the horses into the mountains. Rarely did we leave Canada without a fun-filled summer experience. This was largely in part to the hospitality of my Aunt and uncle and other fun spirited family.
I should also note that we typically did the journey in our trusty old Travelall car (the pre-suburban)...my parents would put int he coolers sleeping gear and clothes and then we would all pile in on top of the mattress they would place over the top. I'm talking serious car cramming. We also often had a flat tire or car trouble of some sort...but that is a whole other story.
My aunt Rosemarie passed away while we were living in Ohio and since then my other aunt Sylvia had passed away too. The log house has long been sold and much of the things I loved about our trips are no longer accessible to us now.
It was strange driving those roads filled with wonderful, beautiful memories and when we arrived, partiality due to poor weather and the time/life that has taken place since then, it was a whole different experience.
The last time I was there was the spring before I got married, my Grandma had passed away and it was a trip for a funeral and not the usual vacation variety. That Fall I was married and in the past nine years a whole lot has happened. Not just for me, but for everyone.
I felt like I was going home. I loved seeing the people and catching up. I loved seeing their kids that I have never met and just sitting back a watching how life moves on.
On many levels it was sad too. I miss my Aunts, I miss the continuity that existed from year to year. I missed hiking those hills, and playing in the river. I wanted things to stay just the same...

(Hazel sporting her Montana shirt Mark Feltis gave her, Hey mark...here she is in Montana!!)

We left Wednesday night after Rick got home from work and traveled into glacier National Park. We set up camp at 12:30 am in a down pour of rain. We tried to find a hotel and had no luck finding any vacancies. I had come down with a whole body illness (later to discover that it probably was mastitis)...We set up tent and crashed. It was wet and cold. Not the vision of the great glacier trip where we could hike into some back lakes and do some fishing, or nice so that I could ride my bike up Logan pass...no it was wet and cold the majority of the time we were there.
We woke the next morning and the boys attempted some fishing in Lake McDonald in the rain. Poppy and I tagged along but I really felt like every piece of my body just wanted to cave.

(Don't be fooled by the picture...it was raining)

We decided we would ride the transit system through the park (which took up 4 hours of our day) to be able to see the park, but not out in the rain. My head was throbbing and the bus kept going over bumps since there was a bunch of construction going on in the park.


That evening by the time we got back to camp thing cleared up for a short period of time. We decided we would go get something warm for dinner that we didn't have to cook ourselves. After dinner we were greeted with a nice sunset and the kids got to skip rocks into the lake.



The next morning i amazingly woke up to feeling much better...My head still hurt but my body wasn't hurting so bad. I was still holding out hope that I might be able to bike up the pass...that is, until there was a bit more rain and fog.
We drove to the top of the pass and decided that rain or not it was time to take a little hike.

We took the highline trail, very pretty but there are some serious drop-offs and some hose/chain that i made the kids hold onto for safety sake.

Here is poppy holding on, if you look close you can see Oscar ahead of her.
By the time we got back to the car the fog had rolled in and there was no way i was going to bike down the back side with little visibility. We decided it was time to head to Canada.

We were some of the first to arrive and it was great getting to see my Aunt Verena and Uncle dean. She and My mom were the two who put together this reunion. We set up our tent while the rain was still holding back and then we did a bit of shopping. It was delightful getting to buy salt and vinegar chips in a box as well as ketchup flavored potato chips...those go back to some of my earliest memories of Canada. We went through three boxes...
We stopped by the Cardston Temple and were sad to see that it was closed for updates. It is such a pretty temple. We were even lucky enough to see an own perched up in one of the windows...if you look at the picture he was in the upper left window.

Saturday Morning began with a big family breakfast with loads of cousins... many we were meeting for the first time. We cleared away the tables in the lodge and played a bunch of indoor games. It was fun seeing all of the kids together. The only good thing about the rain was that it forced us all to be in fairly close quarters...well, some of us would have preferred a bit more space...but I'm just saying that if you want to get to know people again, nothing like some close quarters will give you reason to get to know each other.
Poppy got her fill of Auntie Rosa time...She was quick to make friends and to snuggle up to the cousins. Oscar too, found some to play with.
I sadly didn't take more pictures...I guess it was because I was busy being with everyone.
I would sit back, watch and just be dumbfounded with the amount of change that can take place in what seems a fairly short period of time. I yearned for the past. We looked at pictures of times ago and realized that they were great times. We were/are an eternal family. These people are the posterity of two really wonderful people who immigrated to Canada from Switzerland sixty years ago. This was their legacy.
On so many levels this trip was less than ideal, especially int he sick/weather departments, but on the other hand it was a coming home for me. I was once again back into the country of my mom and of my grandparents. It may not have been ideal but I now have a sense of peace. I hope to go back again, maybe with more favorable conditions (would someone please stop the global warming???), and although things won't be the same, i still want to be connected to my past and for my kids to know their heritage.
Ricky was a good sport and went with me to the land op north to see a bunch of people he didn't know and endured it well. I may have to go solo next time...we shall see.