holiday update

We did not fall off the face of the earth, but did spend a week in a ski condo without internet access. Christmas was relatively smooth, no big, gift related tantrums, nice lazy day in jammies. Then the next morning we headed to the mountain bright and early for the week. Zippy has joined the snowboarding program that #1 is in, so now both boys are off and running with coaches and buddies every day that they are not in school until April. They have both made some really great friends, and we had sleepovers and playdates throughout the vacation. And the best part is that Princess Eee and Cupcake spent enough time on the snow that they can both really ski now. Couple more years of that and hopefully they'll both be on boards too. The Spark tried the alpine program one day because she made a friend (a fellow China adoptee even) in the clubhouse and wanted to ski with the new friend who is in the program. She liked it while she did it, but it's a little too intense for her liking and so far she is opting out. It will conflict next year anyway if The Spark decides to continue with gymnastics since meets are also on weekends.

So some of us are home now with tons of fresh snow on the ground and still falling. I will post pictures later when the boys get home with the camera. Just to give y'all a heads up before the pictures are addded: Zippy has pink hair. He has been wanting to dye it for a long time, so Santa brought hot pink hair dye, and we dyed it on Christmas. He looks totally punkrock and gets lots of compliments and high fives. When he's sick of it, we'll buzz it off like we always do for his haircuts.


UPDATE: here are some photos... Yes, it's pitch black here at 6:30 in the morning.


Here's Cupcake in an outfit of her own choosing playing with her Hello Kitty calculator phone:

A hot cocoa break with Zippy after an afternoon on the slopes:

"Mo kee, Mommy! Mo kee!" (More ski)

Waiting for the shuttle bus, brothers long gone:

Getting ready for our sleigh ride on New Year's Day:

In front of the two HUGE horses, King and Leroy, that pulled the sleigh: