Congratulations to Zac!

This semester, Zac has been busy with school...studying, getting good grades, doing well on tests, projects and speeches, along with applying for the Radiologic Sciences program at BSU. The application process alone consisted of filling out an application, contacting references (some of which were from his days in the Marine Corps) having them fill out a reference form, writing an eye catching application letter and then waiting! The first hurdle was completed. The second hurdle was getting an interview! The beginning of March, Zac recieved a letter notifying him that he was granted an interview. This was very exciting! So Zac prepared himself for the interview, which he had March 17th and then he had to wait. He felt pretty good about the interview and overall felt like he was a pretty strong applicant. Both Mom and Aunt Barb put in a good word for him, but still it was a waiting game. The program is pretty competitive and difficult to get into! This year, 120 applicants applied. 55 applicants were granted an interview and only 23 applicants were accepted into the program. Those statistics alone are pretty impressive and Zac should be very proud of himself! We knew the letters (regardless of acceptance or not) were being sent out Friday before spring break. This way, when applicants recieve their letter the offices at BSU are closed because of spring break. So what a better way to end an amazingly epic weekend of skiing than to come home to an acceptance letter in the mail! So Zac will finish out this semester and have the summer off of classes and then start the program next fall! The program lasts two years and then he will go on for a third year to earn a bachelors in some sort of radiological sciences field. Way to go Zac! Keep up the hard work...it will all pay off in the future and now the future is within reach!

Spring Break!

Yeah for elementary school breaks and college breaks on the same track...at least for Hidden Springs and BSU. Zac and I started off our spring break up in McCall with fresh feet (yes I said feet) of snow for some epic skiing at Brundage!

First run...Zac and Jonathan. Zac skiing!

I think Zac has officially made the switch to skiing! He took his board out because he couldn't resist the powder on his board, but after 2 runs he put the board away and got his skis back out and never switched again! He's a natural on skis! On Saturday, Mom, Cam, Jonathan, Monica, Rob, the Olsens and Zac and I all hit the slopes. Anna stayed back at the cabin with Brylee and Zayden. They played games, watched Cinderella and took a nap.

The snow was amazing! Powder, tree skiing, groomers, no lines and good company made for a great day of skiing! After skiing we made our habitual stop at the mid-level bar for Oatmeal, Kokanie and red beer for Mom and I and then made it down to church just in time. Luckily we sat in the "vestibule" for families with kids, so the only time I had to make my presence with my noisy ski pants was during communion. After church we headed over to Jonathan and Anna's for chicken noodle soup and vegetable soup, which were both delicious after a long day of skiing. The night was rounded out with two brackets of shuffle board and ping pong. Zac made it into both championship games, but beat himself against Trish in the ping pong game and lost to Monica in shuffle board in a game ending play of two puck hangers and Monica's being slightly further ahead. Something has to be said for making it to both championship games! Zac's awesome...what can I say! To give Trish credit...she was amazingly good at ping pong and pretty funny to watch as her competitive edge came out.

Zac and Jonathan hanging out!

Mom and Zayden playing shuffle board. Anna hanging out...not sure why the pictures are so blurry. Still figuring out my phone!

After the two championship games were over we headed back to the cabin to get some much needed shut eye before getting back up in the morning and hitting the hill again!

Sunday morning we woke up to 6 inches of fresh snow with more on the mountain....it made for another amazing day! My legs were shot but the snow was too good to resist! Jonathan took Zac and I on the first run down the trees between old Alpine and the chair. Jonathan was pushing me (brothers have a way of doing that) to push myself and my legs were burning....but what a great feeling! After one run with Jonathan and Zac....I ditched them to meet up with the girls on the bunny hill who had Bry out skiing for her second time. Upon meeting up with them, Bry wanted me to ski with her and take her up on the chair, both of which entails a lot of physical work. But it's so hard to resist Brylee. For those who don't know, skiing with Brylee means putting her between your legs and skiing down the hill with her hanging on, you bending over to hold onto her and an extra 40 pounds of weight. By the end of the day Bry had her pizza down! Can't wait for her to get back out!

Monica and Rob and the Olsens took off around lunch time. Jonathan, Mom, Cam, Zac and I skied the rest of the day away. Cam got a new toy for skiing and dog training, a video camera, which was a total hit. The guys took turns wearing it and we enjoyed watching the day's videos at night. We all took our fair share of diggers....Jonathan included....but when biffing it in fresh feet of powder, it doesn't hurt and everyone gets a good chuckle out of the sight!

Jonathan headed home at the end of the day to pick up Anna and head back to Boise. Mom, Cam, Zac and I headed back to the mid-level bar and closed the place down with beer and artichoke dip. There's something to be said for a nice cold beer after a day of skiing. The two just go together! By the time we made it back to the trucks, the parking lot was empty and we let the dogs out to run around and play! They loved it!

Monday we were supposed to pack up and head home, but upon waking up and seeing fresh snow at the cabin we had to see what the snow report for Brundage was! 14 inches of snow overnight! Without thinking twice, we got ready and hit the slopes for a third day in a row (4th for Mom and Cam...they're die hards with their season passes...gotta get their money's worth, they say!) We went straight to Lake Side and were skiing in untracked snow, thigh deep! It was crazy! It was so deep you didn't have turn, except in the steep terrain! It was unreal! Of course I had to make Monica and Jonathan (especially) jealous by rubbing it in....but without a doubt the snow conditions were amazing! Probably the best skiing I've ever had!

I'm not sure that we'll make it up again this year, but it would be fun! Overall, it was a fun weekend of pure skiing! I'm not that sore, but I am finding muscles that are sore in random places, like my jaw and neck and my fingers! My legs, butt and arms are fine!

Cam and Zac and Zac and Em....last run of the day! It was hard to stop and we just wanted to keep taking one last run but finally, we all agreed we were tired, our legs were jell-o and nobody wanted to get hurt from being tired and negating technique.

Cam and Mom...45th Parallel.

Dogs running and playing!

Until next time.....

Happy St. Patrick's Day and Happy Birthday to Us!

Zac and I decided to host our own birthday party this year at our house! It was a good time, full of green...green food, green drinks and green cake! Both of our families were able to take part in the fun, along with some of our good friends!

Zac and I decided on a gift together and went out and got an Xbox Kinnect. It definitely makes for a good time and a good work out! By night's end people were playing it and providing plenty of entertainment to watch!

Kyle and Cam

Grandma Truxal and Zayden.

Anna and the girls...Audriana (Nick's daughter), Brylee and Hannah.

It was a fun night and I'm certain this 28th year will bring us lots of love, happiness and joy together. It's already been good to us in the few days it's provided!

A few days before the party we had Bry and Z over for some play time! Z and I hung out and played with race cars and trucks, while Zac and Bry cooked chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and banana bread. I think in 3 1/2 years Zac and I will be ready for our own!

Zac and Bry making cookies....Bry's face doesn't reveal it, but she informed Zac that her mom and dad let her eat cookie dough! She had her fair share...how can you say no that sweet face!

Here's to lots of good times in this year to come!

The Girls' Baby Shower

It's crazy that nearly EVERY girl I know and am friends with is pregnant!!!!!!! (Everyone except Kirtley and I...at least we can still enjoy our wine together!) Kaili and Kristin (two of my very best friends from McCall...many know them as "The Girls") are/were pregnant (Kaili had her little guy this past weekend....Owen Michael Moss). Kristin is due the end of April. Anyway, they had their baby shower together up in McCall in February. Mom, Anna and I went and had a great time. As you can see in the picture, all three (Anna included....since she's pregnant also) are all super cute prego Mom's to be. Nothing but belly. That's my goal to gain only the baby belly! Not suggesting anything...Zac and I are about 3 1/2 years out still!

The baby shower was a blast seeing old friends and familiar faces, even reconnecting with some college friends, playing games and watching the girls open their gifts.

Then after everyone headed out, Jonathan came and met us once the guys (Levi, Matt and Craig) got home from ice fishing then we picked up Cam and the big group of us headed off to the Shore Lodge to watch the BSU-Idaho basketball game. Of course only our family were the BSU fans with the rest of the crew rooting on Idaho. There were some hostile moments...but luckily BSU came out with the victory! It was a fun evening to cap off a fun day!

I can't wait to meet little Owen and Kristin's bundle of joy. Kristin and Levi are keeping the gender a surprise! As always it was fun spending time with the girls and GaMo (Maureen's name she will go by as grandma), Craig (not sure what he'll go by...probably Papa) and the dad's to be! Hopefully next time Zac will be able to make the trip. Unfortunately school kept him home for studying purposes! But it pays off...he's doing very well in all of his classes!

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! Zac surprised me for Valentine's Day! He drove up to Hidden Springs and decorated my car with puzzle pieces reading "I love you," balloons, roses and a Carmello (a favorite candy bar of mine). It was so exciting coming out to my car and being so surprised! He managed to get it all done without me seeing him! What a romantic and creative husband I have. I'm not sure if the puzzle pieces had any correlation with sending Zac letters on puzzle pieces while he was deployed to Iraq...regardless I loved the display! I didn't think to take a picture until after I started undecorating my car! I forgot that my phone can serve as a camera also! Needless to say, the balloons are already down and filling up the back of my car!

Bry turns 4!

Happy birthday to our favorite 4 year old...and of course our favorite niece! Nice job on the cake, Monica! A made from scratch princess cake for Princess Brylee! Monica you're kind of setting the standards high! What's Zayden getting for his 2nd birthday? Bry getting ready to blow out her birthday candles with her friend Tamson. Where has the time gone! I can't believe Brylee is already 4! It seems like just yesterday Monica, Jonathan and I were sitting in a class on how to be Godparents and Monica was probably just pregnant with Brylee. Anyway....Bry is at a really fun age and way into princess, castles, dolls, fairies and everything girlie. She had a good birthday and whipped through opening all of her presents! It was a fun night!