Snow-Boarding: Lesson 2

I stayed at Summit Central with the boys while they had their lesson (and finished reading the 1st Percy Jackson book!), while Daniel took Carly to the Tubing Center. They had a great time.

Sam decided he wasn't ready for the chair lift, so he stayed on the beginning slope and practiced.

Gabe found a friend from class and they were having a blast on their boards. Here they are on the chair lift.

Here's a video of Gabe snow-boarding. He falls a lot at first, but gets a good ride at the end. Looking forward to Lesson 3!

Valentine's Dance

Our stake had an adult Valentine's Dance. It was fun to go and try and re-create our dance moves from the eighties! Me and my Valentine:

Snow-Boarding: Lesson 1

Gabe's birthday present was snowboarding lessons. The Summit at Snowqualmie has a special EZ 2 Learn package that includes 3 lessons, gear, and lift passes. Gabe invited Sam, and here they are for their first lesson:

We arrived early, so they messed around for a while on the "bunny slope" before their lesson. It was pretty cool, and had a kind of flat escalator to get the skiers back up to the top.

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Once they started the lesson, the instructor taught them how to get back up when they fall, let them go down the learning hill a few times, then took them over to the chair lift! I know they were nervous, but excited. Daniel and I hung out by the fire pit, watched a little of their lesson, then moved on to read in the "lodge" area.

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Can't wait to see how much they improve after lesson number two!

Gabe turns 14 years old!

Gabe decided to have his birthday dinner at Red Robin this year (he loves the tower of onion rings), and will be going snowboarding soon to celebrate his 14th birthday.
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On the way home from dinner, we talked about the day he was born-- how we planned to name him Daniel Robert (D.R.), and it was only the night before his scheduled c-section that we changed it to Gabriel Ty Martinez. I told him how he ate all the time, how he spit up all the time, how he had night terror, and how he loved to sleep on my chest and would cry if I put him down in his crib.

1997

Now he's fourteen years old! That means I'm fourteen years older, too. I'm no longer a newlywed and having my first child. I have a fourteen-yr-old son! I can't believe he's grown up so fast. He has man-hair on his legs! NOOOOOO....

2001

I remember when he cried because he had to give up his binky, when he would watch Barney videos one after the other, when he was so helpful toddling over to get diapers for his new baby brother, and how much he loved to be rocked to sleep.

2004

How quickly the time goes. Two more years and he'll be driving. Four more years and he'll be graduating. How long before I have grandchildren? Grandchildren. I'm not ready for that. I still feel young inside. I'm still adjusting to motherhood, getting to know my husband, and planning our future together.
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2006

I am so blessed to have Gabe as my son. He is bright, comedic, sensitive and challenging. I look forward to sharing every joy, hardship, and milestone he'll let me be a part of in his future life.

2009

We love you -- Happy Birthday, Gabe!

Merry Christmas 2009!

December has been a busy month as usual. Just weeks after our tri-ward Super Saturday, we had our Relief Society Christmas dinner. As the 2nd counselor, I get to plan all the parties (with lots and lots of help -- especially from our Enrichment leader, Julie Wells). I am blessed to serve with these friends, and love the example they are to me. Here is a picture of our hard-working presidency:

Melanie DelToro, Sherida Bird, Jeannette Hill, Me

We also had a Ward Christmas party, and the kids didn't mind posing with Santa. Well, they didn't mind posing. Notice they're not really showing him the love...

Carly, Sam, Santa, Gabe............................. Carly and her good friend, Alyssa

I once again procrastinated with taking our Christmas picture, and we were doing our traditional pose in front of the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve morning! I quickly downloaded the one picture that wasn't hideous, and our Christmas cards were picked up at Costco that afternoon. Thank you, Costco. You're awesome.

Next year, things will be different. I vow to plan ahead! To be organized! To do my Christmas card 2 weeks before Christmas-- or at least 2 days before Christmas.

Daniel, Sam, Gabe, Carly, Jennie

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We spent Christmas Eve at our house with Aunt Ruth and Grandma Martinez. It was nice to have them here for the holiday. Ruth made a lovely meal, and the kids really enjoyed opening the wonderful gifts from them-- the highlight of their season!

Ruth & Sam ........................................Arthur & Dolores

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A friend of mine shared one of her family traditions with me, and this year we incorporated it into our Christmas Eve activities. We each wrote down what our gift to God would be during the upcoming year. Without reading each other's, we put the papers into a Christmas box. Next year, we'll re-read what our 2010 gifts were, as we again celebrate our Savior's birth. My hope is that every year we'll add new gifts, and try to keep the real spirit of Christmas alive all year long.

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"He whose birth we commemorate this season is more than the symbol of a holiday. He is the Son of God, the creator of the earth, the Jehovah of the Old Testament, the fulfillment of the Law of Moses, and Redeemer of mankind, the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace..." -- Gordon B Hinckley