• Tuesday – She was leader and birthday star at school. We had made some cupcakes (chocolate with chocolate frosting with sprinkles) for her to bring for her classmates along with juice and Scooby-Doo plates and napkins.
• Wednesday – Carissa woke up on her birthday with a present from mom and dad. Mid-day, she had a special balloon delivery from Grammy and Pawpaw arrive at Pa’s. I arrived with another gift that she insisted she open right away – she couldn’t wait for her dad! We then all went to Chuck-E-Cheese’s for pizza and games. Ryan and Valerie came and brought her another present. We also brought in another chocolate cake with chocolate frosting to enjoy. She even received a special sticker and birthday crown! She closed the place down and fell asleep on the way home.
• Thursday – Carissa had received a card in the mail from her Uncle Joey, Aunt Loni, and Parker that she opened this morning. It was the perfect card with a big number 4 on it along with two dogs and two cats plus some stickers inside – she was thrilled! Also in the card was a giftcard to Target. Once I explained to her what we got to do with the giftcard, she gasped and grinned and said “You mean I can get a new toy?! Whatever I want? WOW! Let’s go right now!” She has school again today and is planning to take her Chuck-E-Cheese crown with her. She mentioned on the way over to Dad’s this morning that she would really like to stop and show me the new McDonald’s’ playground on the way home because “It is my birthday afterall…” Her words, I kid you not.
• Friday – I am off tomorrow so I’m sure we’ll figure out something fun to do! I had wanted to go to the zoo, but it is likely going to be chilly and rainy. I do definitely foresee a girls’ trip to Target though!
• This weekend – On Sunday is Carissa’s birthday party day. She wanted to have a “Jumping Party” so we are going to be spending some time at Jump-N-Jungle with pizza, a Scooby Doo cake, and loads of bouncing!
She is only four and already has practically a week’s worth of birthday fun! Pretty soon she’ll just take the whole month like her Momma likes to do!
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My baby’s FOURTH birthday is today! Can you believe it?? One part of my brain says that I can’t believe she’s already four, but the other part can hardly remember a time when she wasn’t a part of our lives.
At this time FOUR years ago, I was probably giving Travis the evil eye for getting to eat McDonalds (he did at least eat in the waiting room), looking at the clock wondering where the heck my mother was (she wanted to finish up the school day), and being really confounded at the sensation of no feeling in your lower body due to the epidural (push? Push WHAT?).
In just a few more hours, Carissa will have made her grand entrance and my OB will have made a very lucky catch. I would be left to fend for myself at the nurses’ shift-change (nope, not letting that one go – maybe when she’s 20) while all the visitors who were so attentive on me were all of sudden very keen to be attentive on my mini-me.
Carissa has really grown up so much this year. She is no longer a toddler, but a little girl. She is most definitely not a girly-girl – no pink or princesses in our house! She loves being outside, going to her school, playing with all her stuffed dogs, coloring and painting, baking desserts, digging in the dirt, driving her jeep, and going to Target (heehee!). She is super-smart and has a perfectionist nature, but is also very impatient not to mention bossy! She can talk so ‘grown-up’, but throw a temper-fit with the best of them. She has really turned into a Mommas-girl this year – likely because I give in much quicker and easier than her Daddy. She loves to go on vacation and mentions at least once a week how she’s ready to go on a vacation, preferably back to Disney World to check on Pluto. Southwest Airlines is her airplane of choice and, up until about a month ago, even wanted a Southwest cake for her birthday.
There are days (many days) when she drives me absolutely bonkers… but then she says or does something that makes me completely fall in love with her all over again. She is just the best blessing and I thank God for her everyday.
Happy Birthday Carissa!
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At Carissa’s preschool every week one of the kids gets to be the “Star of the Week”. This week was Carissa’s turn, and she was sooooo excited! She has been talking about Star of the Week and what all it entails since the beginning of the year when the series started.
The week prior, we were supplied a plain, white poster to decorate with her name and pictures, instructed that she bring in some favorite toys for a show-and-tell, and have her plan to tell her friends about the toy and the pictures on the poster.
Carissa and I decided to go to Target (because why go anywhere else to shop??) for the poster board supplies. I clued in on these pretty green letters for her name and a grayish-blue border that would have looked really nice. But, sweetie-pie honed in on some brightly colored, holographic letters and borders that were very flamboyant. Guess who won? The same person who always wins – Carissa. Yes, we went back and forth a few times debating on what to get before I had to chastise myself and remember that this was HER poster to do what she wanted to do with it. *sigh*
We sat down to begin constructing the poster. We picked out pictures of her from Steamboat, a few from Disney World, the park, and her in her Scooby costume from Halloween. We mounted them on colored construction paper and then cut them out using some of my fancy scrapbooking scissors. We affixed the oh-so-lovely holographic letters (reading “Carissa” and “Star of the Week”) and the super-shiny blue border with double-sided tape before moving on to the photo lay-out. We forgot to take a picture of the finished product (yes, bad mommy) but I think it turned out pretty good!
For her favorite toys, she wanted to take her stuffed dogs (all fifty of them), but was talked down to two – Scooby and Henry. The problem was that Henry had been missing since Sunday. We looked everywhere for it on Sunday to no avail; we turned the house apart looking again on Monday; we called Grammy to be sure it wasn’t left at her house; etc.
Then, I remembered an old story that Carissa’s Pops likes to tell that happened oh, about twenty five years ago that involved a missing remote control and a little car with a trunk that Joey had when he was little….
I asked Carissa if she had maybe taken Henry for a ride on Mater. Her eyes lit up and she laughed with an ‘Oh! Yeah, I sure did!’ Yup, Henry was found in Mater’s trunk and the crisis was averted.
The next morning our Star of the Week proudly loaded up her poster, Scooby, and Henry. Dad said that all the kids were ooo’ing and ahh’ing over her poster when he dropped her off so it sounds like it was a success. Carissa will not tell me anything about it. Our conversation was the old “How was your day” --- “fine” ---- “How did your friends like your poster?” ---- “fine”---- “Did Mrs. Kathy like the pictures?” ---- “yes” ---- “Can you tell me some of the questions she asked?” ---- “Um…. not right now, maybe later.”
Stinker.
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**Monday**
On Monday, we all decided to have another ski day. Valerie and I had to go back to the rental place to get our equipment again. We went back to the house and skied down to the gondola area. Carissa tried it again, this time with her momma. She did just fine, but that was enough for her! She was ready to call up Grandma! We tried to talk Valerie into heading up the mountain, but she really wanted to do the bunny-slopes a few more times. Travis and I split a drink at the café, and he finally talked her into going up.
Poor thing was so nervous the entire way up the gondola! We took some pictures at the top and started off down the trail. Valerie was skiing just fine on the bunny-slopes (which is a nice, wide run where you can always see the base area), but was spooked up at the top. The trail is wide enough for a beginner, but it does have a drop-off into the trees on one side and the mountain-wall on the other side. Valerie was scared that she would either fall off the mountain or crash into it on the other side and just herself locked up. We got about halfway down when a very kind ski instructor helped her down to another lift that would take us back up towards the gondola. A snowmobile then took her the next hundred yards do the gondola, and she rode down. Travis and I met her and Ryan at one of the bars to have some lunch and drinks! I think the Bloody Mary really helped the situation!!
We all turned our skis back in to the rental shop (boooo….) and returned back to the condo. We played in the snow some more and did some sledding down the ski run in front of the condo. We then did our usual evening routine of cards, games, and dinner (chili and cornbread!).
**Tuesday**
Time to pack up and head home! Carissa was definitely not ready, especially since it really started to snow today! She insisted on putting her ski clothes back on and going out to play some more. We did the ‘two-more-minute’ game about twenty times before we just had to bare the temper-fit and make her come back inside. We stuffed all of our clothes back into the suitcases and loaded up the cars.
We had some time to kill before heading to the airport, so we went into the old-downtown area of Steamboat to browse the souvenir shops and eat some lunch. We got a recommendation for Creekside Café from one of the shops and decided to check it out. WOW! Was it ever good! Everyone enjoyed their plates. Travis had something called the Wafflelaughagus. It was a sweet, Belgian waffle topped with spicy sausage gravy, melted cheese, two eggs over easy, crispy bacon, and potato hash. O-M-G! It was incredible! It was a perfect mix of sweet and spicy.
After our bellies were stuffed, we headed back to the tiny Hayden/Steamboat airport to catch our flight home… Double-Booooo!
I think we all agreed that Steamboat was the place to go, and we would love to come back again. Other than Carissa and Travis having a terrible cough and cold the entire time (which they still do!), it truly was a fabulous time! Travis is even “dream-shopping” for houses in Colorado! Ha!
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Here is the continuation of our ski trip…
**Saturday**
Valerie had decided to go ahead and have a second day of lessons. Carissa, as mentioned before, refused to go back to ski school. I think she would have really gotten a lot out of the second day, but it is vacation and the number one rule of vacation is you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Travis thought that he could maybe try to help her a little bit and see how that went.
;)
So we all (us, Ryan, Val, and my dad) strapped on all of our gear and skied out of the condo towards the base area. (If you click on this link of the trails and zoom in some, our condo was in the second group of houses directly to the right of the ‘Right-o-way’ green trail before it gets to ‘Headwall North’. You had about a five minute ski down to the main base area – so perfect!) Travis worked a little bit with Carissa, but she was still really nervous. Primarily because she was literally JUST learning the wedge and how to stop at school. But, we did eventually make it down to the base area. And, she declared that she was done and ready to go back to the hotel with Grandma.
Over a cup of hot chocolate and a plate of bacon at one of the little restaurants at the resort’s base, we again tried to talk her into another lesson or to work some more with daddy. She was having none of it so we called Grandma. I think Travis and I were both a little disappointed that she didn’t want to try again, but she is still just three years old. And, a very cautious three-year-old at that! (Hmmm… wonder where she gets that ‘cautious’ trait from?)
My legs were so sore from the day before (Remember my telling you about the slow skier I am? I literally stay in a permanent wedge position the entire way down which rakes havoc on your knees, thighs, and calves!), that I told Travis he should go ahead and go up the mountain to do his blue and black runs, and I would take Carissa back to the house with mom. I got to spend the morning reading on the balcony, drinking hot tea, and playing with Carissa – a great day in my book! Travis had fun doing the more adventurous runs that I refuse to try.
Mid-afternoon, I did venture back out again with my dad. We went up the gondola (where he of course made new friends during the seven minute ride) and went down the ‘Why Not?’ to ‘Right-o-Way’ back to the condo. My legs were literally BURNING! I’m so out of shape!
That evening, Valerie and I decided that we were going to take a break the next day so we turned our equipment back in. Val then began researching some different options for the next day – something other than skiing! We also made a Walmart run for a sled and some beer, where I learned all about the Colorado 3.2 law from the helpful Walmart lady. After hearing they only were able to sell the 3.2 beer at Walmart, I told her we’d just go next door to the liquor store instead! Which worked out great – I got a great sampler of local-Colorado beer and Ryan and Dad found some PBR! Class-say!
We had delicious spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread for dinner, played more games, and went to bed.
**Sunday**
Valerie made a ton of phone calls this morning, and, based on what was available, we settled on snowmobiling and tubing at Saddleback Ranch. The price included a 12:45 pick up at our condo so the boys even got in another morning of skiing! While they skied, the rest of us played in the snow with the new sled with Carissa which was a big hit. I attempted to make a snowman, but it didn’t turn out that well as the “champagne-power” snow just doesn’t stick together!
The bus showed up right on time with a cowboy driver, and we loaded up. Ryan, Val, Travis, and I were doing the snowmobiling and Carissa, Mom, and Dad were planning to meet up with us at the Ranch later than afternoon for the tubing. The first adventure was that the bus they brought up was too big to turn around at the condo. The cowboy tried everything under the sun, but kept sliding around on the ice!! Valerie and I were just a tiny bit nervous that we were going to end up sliding down the mountain! He did eventually get it turned around, and we were on our way listening to some great country tunes on the radio.
Once we got to the ranch, we were outfitted with helmets and assigned to snowmobiles. Travis and Ryan wanted to drive, and Valerie and I wanted to ride – with the understanding that the boys would not try anything crazy or stupid, drive too fast, try to knock us off, etc. After all the stipulations, I think the boys were wishing that we would have gotten our own snowmobiles!
Away, out the gate we went on the two hour ride through the ranch. About halfway through the ride, the leader let us loose in a big pasture to ride freestyle. He outlined a couple of boundaries and asked if we had any questions. My question was: “Can I get off and let him play?” The leader said of course, and Travis and Ryan got their fill in of crazy driving.
Travis pulled up and asked if I wanted to try it. I hesitantly said yes and took it down the hill. Yeah, I didn’t care for it. The snow in Steamboat is very powdery and you literally felt that the snowmobile would sink. I was on my way back up the hill to give the machine back to Travis and was making my way to make a large loop and bring it in… when I flipped the stupid thing. And, Travis got it all on video.
Jonda Flips Snow Mobile from Michael Cherry on Vimeo.
We finished the ride and headed back to the ranch-house for cookies and hot chocolate. We then rode a bus over to the tubing hill (the ranch is over 8000 acres!) where we met up with Mom, Dad, and Carissa. We got our passes and headed out to get the tubes. There were a ton of red tubes… but one blue tube which sweet-pea quickly zeroed in on. There is an automatic tube-puller-upper thing that takes you to the top of the hill. Carissa rode up with Travis and we all followed in our own tubes. We unloaded and went off down the hill. It was a lot of fun – a little too fast for me, but I felt safe enough!
The bus came to pick us all up and take us back to Steamboat after about an hour-and-a-half of tubing. We had discussed going out for dinner when we got back into town, but after the bus ride, we were all exhausted and settled on KFC take-out instead. Never has a piece of crispy chicken tasted so good!
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