Hitting the Slopes

 My title is "Hitting the Slopes."  That is both literal and figurative for some of us.  We spent 5 days in Ellicottville.  We rented a house with family, and met up with more family later.  

It would be an incredible underestimation if I described the children's skiing as "good."  They are amazing.  They have become so skilled in such little time.

They ski circles around me, and five times faster.  We skiied Saturday night and all day Sunday.  There were 16 of us in all.  Skiing together, down the hill.  

On Monday, we took a day off and hiked the Black Snake trail in Alleghany.  It was one of our hikes for the Winter Challenge.  Jeff's cousin and husband joined us.  It was a beautiful day!

When we came back, we rode the sky mountain coaster.  We all met up again later and Justine and family even paid us a surprise visit!

We finished the week with a goodbye party to some of the family.  The next day we skiied the whole day.  Then today we headed home.  

No broken bones.  Sore muscles soaking in the hot tub.  Warming up in the sauna.  It was a nice weekend.  

February Blues

 We all knew this day would come.

I had nightmares...

Woke up with cold sweats...

Yelled out randomly at students in the middle of the night....

Yep.  Time to go back to work.  

It sounds easy, not even the whole "teaching part," but the family part has become complicated.  

Dyleva is virtual every other day.  So...that means my nanny is about to receive a big pay increase.

And the dog.  The stinking dog I wasn't ready for, I now have to arrange for neighbors to come let him out.  

It is still, not bad.  I mean, technology is and will always be (with me) a challenge.  But I have 4 students.  The minute they get silly, I give them the evil eye.  Then they are like, aw cocos.  She means business!

My babies are growing up.

It's so sad.

Eva wears contacts.

Dylan wags his toe.  Don't ask.

Neither of them really need me anymore.  

Hmmmph.

A New Tradition?

 With the desire to be outside, and the lack of family gathering this holiday, we may have begun a new tradition with our family.  Our cousins, have a local fire company that picks Santa up and then drives around the neighborhood.

On Christmas Eve morning.

So.

Bright and early, we got up and went to their house.  Got a drink and listened for sirens.  

The ninos chased that firetruck for blocks.  Up and down the street.  We had a great time.

After, we returned to the house and exchanged gifts.  

It was a lovely morning.  A wonderful way to begin the day!

Winter Hiking Challenge

    The spring hiking challenge was important to me, for us to complete.  It was the beginning of a pandemic.  We were suddenly all home together.  No yoga.  No hockey.  No school.  We needed to get outside.  We had a lot free time.  

    We did a lot of hiking.  Everyday, not even just for the challenge.  I think we took off Easter, just one day.  

Anyway, we finished!  Successfully!

    Since then, they have begun a winter hiking challenge.  This one is much shorter in duration, only three months.  There are fewer hikes.  There are 8 to be completed.  

Genesee County Park

January 3, 2021

Lockport Nature Trails

January 1, 2021

February 15, Black Snake trail, Alleghany

Chestnut Ridge, February 7

Knox Farm, January 18

Reinstein, January 9

Hunter's Creek, February 27, 2021

College Lodge, March 7, 2021

And we finished!!! Nice job Wagners!  My little hikers!

Holiday Cheer

New Year's Eve taco table!

holiday fun

Damn Tia Jenna

Got her laptop

Rise up!

Shoot!

Oh boy...

Christmas Eve

 

The Ice Rink

    It's always something.  His timing is impeccable.  Jeff waits until the week before Christmas before deciding to build an ice rink in the backyard.   Because NOTHING else is going on.  We are not busy or anything this time of year.

    Anyway.  It is kind of awesome.  The unfortunate thing is that the weather has been hovering at the freezing mark, and not consistently.  

    Dylan has gotten out there one morning.  He skated for about two hours, but then it started to rain.  We will have a lot to look forward to in the dead of winter!