Rileyism

Today's Rileyism:

R: How are you able to do some many things while you have the phone to your ear?

Me: Girls are just born with that ability.

R: Is that why you are able to cook better than Daddy?

Me: Ha! Ha!

R: Daddy can only make stuff that's ready and just needs to be burned...I mean grilled!

Me: Ha! Ha! Ha!

Saying Goodbye

This past December we said goodbye to our sweet dog Penton.  She was 13 years old with dementia, most likely cancer because she lost 8 pounds after weighing 50 lbs for her entire life, arthritis in her hips and had a bladder infection of some type.  She was in bad shape.  

Andy and I adopted Penton when we lived in Albany, NY.  We had her for 13 years out of the 17 we've been married.  She was a huge part of our lives.  We did so much with her.  I use to take her out with my 4 wheeler because she loved running with me while I rode.  We use to take her hiking with us and she loved it!  I also would take her to the local playground so she could do the slides.  She could climb right up one of those straight ladders on the old metal slides and then run down the slide and repeat it over and over again.  She was a loyal dog.  She warned anyone who came to the door that this was her family and her house and anyone she didn't know should be scared of her bark!  

She was so sweet with the kids too.  She tolerated all of Kendall's abuse, and Lord knows there was a lot from Sis!

This is how Sis and I feel about Penton - she was best friends to both of us

Drinking pool water was a favorite way to cool off!

Dogs make a great back rest!

Or a good pillow

One day in Jax, I spilled some formula on the kitchen floor.  Penton thought it was an invitation to try some!

Best buddies

Nap time!

Penton just wanted to be left alone...

Play time!

Snuggle time!

Enjoying the sun

Her favorite time of year was winter.  She'd bark to go out and roll around in the snow.  She couldn't get enough of it!  When we lived in NY, she'd go outside then bark for us to come out and play with her.  When we lived in PA, the neighbor girl would come over and knock on the door and ask if Penton could come out and play in the snow with her!

More snuggle time.  

Penton was Sissy's favorite pillow.

Who knew this could be so much fun?

This is Penton just a few days before we had to put her down.  

Kendall received a gift card for Christmas to Build A Bear.  She took one look at the German Shepherd and decided she needed to have her own Penton.  She told me that even though our Penton was in Heaven, she could still pet this one and pretend it was her.

Penton really was an awesome dog.  Everyone use to tell us that they'd be happy to take her if our situation would ever prevent us from keeping her.  She was so intelligent and had quite the personality. She is missed every day by us.  I don't miss the constant tumbleweeds of hair, but I'd take that to have her back.  I'm hoping once we move and get settled in Jax we can consider getting another dog.  No dog could ever replace her, but it would be nice to have another furry in the home.

My Greatest Invention So Far...

So usually I'm the one taking the two kids skiing by myself during the winter - especially the past two winters.  Typically I'm stuck carrying my skis and poles, Kendall's skis and Riley's poles.  Well now with us eating Gluten Free, I always wear my backpack with our lunch packed in it.  Talk about being weighed down!  I knew I needed something to change.

I had seen a kid at Brighton this winter carrying his skis like a sling with some type of contraption attached to either ends of the skis.  Of course, the light bulb goes on in my head.  Hey, that's a great idea!  I bet I can make them!  So I start to search the web for ideas.  I found a few companies who sell them for $20 or more.  Andy was very against me buying them for the kids with us moving.  That's when I decided to make them for us.

This is Riley modeling his ski carrier in the kitchen 

right after I made my first one!

Here is Kendall at Alta with hers.

Everybody who sees us with our ski carriers comments on what a great idea it is.  No kidding!  I have made a few for some friends here in Utah.  I don't often have great ideas, but I must say, this one was one of my best!  They fold right up and fit into their coat pockets so we have them no matter where we go!

If you know of anyone who wants one, please tell them to email me at schunko@aol.com and I'd be happy to make them for $10 each plus shipping if not local.  

Ski Lesson Wrap Up

Another year of ski school has wrapped up at Snowbird this year.  Both kids were in Adventure Team school.  Riley's been enrolled for the past three winters.  This was Kendall's second season but first time going out all day for lessons.  Both kids did really well this year.  Riley has improved in his confidence as well as his skill level.  He has been doing jumps in the terrain park, taking any possible trail through the woods and even dared do a black diamond with me!  He loved Regulator Johnson and got to go up the new Little Cloud lift!

Kendall did just as well this year.  She is capable of making parallel turns, but she'd rather not - go figure!  She did Chip's Run to Rothman's Way to Lower Bassackwards this past weekend.  All BLUES!  It's one of the longest runs at The 'Bird and she did it with little to no stops!  This was the note from Kendall's instructor at the end of her 5 week session.  

Our Gluten Free Journey

We have been trying some new things with Riley for his ADHD.  One of those things is to change his diet.  We have now become a GLUTEN FREE family.  It was trying at first because that meant he had to give up Goldfish, favorite cereals, and rolls.  Once we got over that - and my friend who hooked me up with an awesome flour mixture, we've been smooth sailing.  

We found two bakeries that do gluten free and we go to one regularly.  Eleanor's Bakery is in Sandy and it's near Riley's chiropractor.  We stop there every Wednesday before his appt. to stock up on bread, brownies, cupcakes, cookies, etc.  Her bakery is completely gluten free and it's delicious!

The other bakery we've tried is One Sweet Slice.  It's located in West Jordan, just a little further west from Eleanor's.  They do gluten free on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  OSS was the winner on Cupcake Wars.  Those cupcakes and flourless chocolate cakes were out of this world!  

Here is Kendall sampling a chocolate cupcake.  Notice that she ate the icing first!

It's The Theme For This Winter

While the kids and I have been freezing our butts off in one of the coldest winters on record in Utah, this picture depicts Andy's life in Florida.  He seems to make it home on the very few days the sun actually shines (meaning we don't have an inversion) and misses any cold weather in Jax.  Somebody got a good deal this winter.  I have used the snowblower so much just since January that I've filled it up with gas already!  Our driveway is a pain to shovel, but it's not THAT big!  Next year...

He's Ready to Move

Riley had free dress day at school last week.  This is what he chose to wear:  his Jags jersey.  I think he's ready to move back to Jax now too!

Daddy's Little Princess

Every year SMCC puts on a Daddy Daughter Princess Ball around Valentine's Day.  It's a great opportunity for dads to show their little girls what they should expect out of a future suitor.  Andy goes all out with Kendall.  We get her a new dress, do her hair and nails, and this year he gave her a necklace I made for her.  She got the special treatment and she felt special for sure!

The princess ball offers dinner, dancing to live music - and yes my little ballerina got up on stage with her girlfriends and danced with the band, a craft and a professional portrait.  I can't remember the last time Andy did that for me!  She's one lucky little girl!  :)

Snow Tubing = Sledding at it's best!

When I was a kid, my mom would drive us over to Comet Field (our school's large athletic field complex) to go sledding.  There was a HUGE hill we use to sled down.  We got great speed and usually built a few jumps during the day.  For those of you who played field hockey or soccer at PMHS, it's the same hill we use to sprint up during the season.  A killer to go up, but tons of fun on a sled!

Snow tubing is even better than that hill because these are groomed trails and a tow rope to take you back up the hill!  You sit in your tube while it pulls you up the hill.  Genius!  There are two here in Utah we've been to.  Solider Hollow claims it's got the longest runs so we went there this year.

See, told you it was great being pulled up the hill!

Little Man having fun!

Andy and Riley going double

Kevin and Cara with their fence crashing speed!

My handsome little guy

Enjoying the ride!

Fun, family, friends and the sun!

I'm BACK!!!

Life has been crazy to say the least.  We are trying to sell our house so we can all live under the same roof again.  Andy's taken a job transfer/promotion with his company in Jax.  He moved there in January and the kids and I have been living in Utah by ourselves.  It's been lonely to say the least, but I'm thankful for my friends who have been holding me up during this transition.  

Andy tries to come home twice a month.  This weekend he was home and we spent Saturday on the slopes.  We had a beautiful day to ski and great conditions.  I will miss these family ski days, but we'll replace them with family beach days.

Here is some video and pics of our day at The 'Bird: