Snowy Weekend Getaway

A number of weeks ago, my brother and his family suggested we plan a weekend getaway together in the mountains. A fun chance to get away, hang out, and play in the snow (assuming the weather cooperated). For the record, BOY! Did the weather cooperate!

Eric, the kids, and I packed up the car Saturday morning and trekked east on I-90 to the cabin my brother's family had rented for 3 days. (We caught the tail end of their long weekend.) The drive was easy, even though Snoqualmie Pass was rather snowy and there were some crazy semi drivers along the route.

Much of the weekend was spent playing in or admiring the snow... sometimes both at the same time! The kids had snowball fights, built one heck of an igloo, and made sure to construct quite the snowman in our time at the cabin. By the time it was getting dark yesterday, the kids were pink-cheeked, rather wet, quite tired, and smiling from ear to ear!

Annika cuddling up with a snowball

Annika and Ian planning out their next snow-based project

Digging, digging, digging

Yup! Pretty sure he's having fun!

I kid you not - he tried to bury her alive.
Their mom is NO fun and put an end to that without any further discussion. (I suck!)

Even Buca got in on the snow action!

Constructing the igloo

Yup - there's a little snow out there

Conor the igloo model

That's MR. Snowman to you!

While the younger set took advantage of the wonderful snow outside, we older folks enjoyed catching up and even pulled out some cards and poker chips for a bit of 5 Card Draw. Thank goodness we had Internet access, because we needed cheat sheets to remember which hands were better than the others. When then kids weren't outside in the elements, they busied themselves inside playing games, watching movies, and enjoying a slower pace of life. Catching your breath is critical now and then!

Cousins playing video games together

Poker party!

Good buddies!

Kat says "You kids have fun in the snow...
I'm going to stay inside where it is warm and watch The Sound of Music!"

Troy making Sunday morning pancakes

We wrapped up our fun day with a wonderful dinner and then family movie night. We all curled up on a couch or chair with a loved one (or more!), snuggled up under blankets, and had fun just being together... often jumping out of our skin at the loud crashing sound the snow made whenever it slid off of the roof. (Quite the experience!) Aside from those crashing moments, the snow was quiet and tranquil ... and plentiful!

Before we headed home this morning (amid quite a snowfall!), the kids and Eric headed back outside for a little more snow fun before returning to civilization. What's the point of being in the mountains if you don't get as much snow time as possible?? Conor and Ian even invented a new game - Snow Shovel Ball! (See video below for demonstration) The kids also realized that the igloo they built the day before was structurally sound enough to double as a small sledding hill. Bonus!!!

4th Grade Auction Project

Each year, our kids' school hosts an auction and class projects are auctioned off (in addition to other itemms!). For the past number of years. we have volunteered to help one of our kids' classes with their project. This year, we helped the 4th grade (aka Annika's class) with their project and I am proud to announce that we finished it this weekend. (insert round of applause here) It was an all-hands-on-board project for the Olson Four.

I take no credit for the initial idea; I found a similar cross on Pinterest. That said, we put our own spin on the project. I had the 4th graders identify words or phrases found in the Bible that meant something to them. Last weekend, Eric cut 3x3 blocks (curly maple, cedar, and padauk) and came up with the overall design. After Eric and the kids sanded the blocks, I used a wood-burning tool to write the kids' Bible references (or excerpts from them) onto the blocks. (In all honesty, I expected the burning to be an easier and faster process.... major props to people who burn designs into wood as a hobby!) This past weekend, Eric glued the blocks together and got them mounted onto a piece of plywood. Last but not least, he and I put teak oil on it to bring out the grain, color, and words. Today, the cross went to the kids' school and is in the very capable hands of the auction coordinators.