Last week, Steve spent a couple of days at Sugar Mountain with Nathan’s family
Nathan’s love of skiing goes way back to Steve’s dad, Ken, who skied until he was 75. Ken took Steve and his brothers to the slopes as children, so Steve grew up loving to ski. When Nathan was old enough, Ken and Steve took him skiing together.
And now a new generation of Smiths has hit the slopes.
Madison and Noah went for the first time last year and absolutely adored it. Meagan bravely tried it for the first time this year and, apart from running into Nathan and tumbling them both into a mangled mess of skis and sticks, made good progress. (Nathan made sure to tell us it was his only fall of the trip.)
Steve and Nathan each worked with Grayson throughout the day– just as a certain dad/grandpa had worked with them decades earlier. (Andrew decided he didn’t want to try it yet.)
Meagan became famous among her family and social media friends when she posted this video. I love a daughter who can laugh at herself.
I know Ken was smiling up in heaven as this photo was taken.
Saturday night, we celebrated Gage’s 31st birthday. One of the highlights of the night was when Andrew discovered our label maker and made a strip of miscellaneous letters and numbers that was about 3 feet long. He then presented it to Gage and asked him to read it out loud. Gage, never one to back down from a creative challenge, accomplished the task admirably.
As you can see, his performance of the “script” produced great merriment among his audience.
Andrew also got to build something with Grandpa so his joy was complete.
Sarah made a delicious ganache dessert for Gage.
When Gage had finished blowing out the enormous number of candles, he collapsed in utter exhaustion.
Gage adores board games, so he brought a few along. (You see Steve working diligently in the background, cleaning up the kitchen. That’s my kind of man!)
The card I made for Gage.
Singing happy birthday with lots of warbling harmonies.
Our lovely granddaughter.
Steve is pretending to give his two sons a lecture; they don’t seem overly worried.
I was showing Sarah and Meagan some pictures of different hairstyles on my phone. Doesn’t take much to make us laugh.
I am so thankful for my daughters and the friendship we share. We laugh a lot when we get together with the family, but we also love our times with just the three of us when we can share the more serious things going on in our lives. Daughters and friends. The best combination.
After all the family celebration was over and everyone had left to go back to their own homes, it was just Steve and me and the dogs–grateful for the old memories that live in this house and even more grateful for the new memories that are always being made.
What about you?
Share something that happened last week or something that’s going on this coming week.
Do you live anywhere near or in the huge snowstorm in the northeast? How are you faring?
Last week I spent at a friend’s house in Ormond Beach, FL after spending the previous week in a condo at New Smyrna Beach. Now I am back in Kansas where it is unseasonably warm. Sunday we may get some winter weather though.
The pictures of Madison remind me of a young Sarah.
Phyllis,
You’ve been quite the globe trotter recently, with all of the weather that goes with it. I know we are all looking forward to spring!
Yes, I agree. Madi and Sarah do look like each other. A very good thing!
Both last week and this week are pretty routine for me. A Freddy’s Frozen Custard opened nearby and we went for lunch this past weekend and as always it was yummy – I absolutely LOVE their fries! (Prior to this opening the nearest one was over an hour away).
I’m not in the winter storm, but the town I grew up in in West Virginia is under a winter storm warning (and the internet shows a current temp of 18 at 10:57 pm with snow.
Wishing you all a wonderful week.
SueEllen,
I have never heard of Freddy’s Frozen Custard but I know I already like it with the words “frozen custard” in there! Definitely exciting for you guys to have one closer than an hour away since you love it so much.
This blizzard has been absoutely unreal for our northeastern folks. So thankful that our recent snowstorm wasn’t worse than it was.
Tried skiing when I was a young teenager but didn’t really enjoy myself – I like to be warm and being out in the cold was not my idea of fun. Glad the kids are enjoying themselves and that they have grandpa to help. Loved the card you made for Gage. He is so artistic, so this does confirm what he can do with cards. Happy Birthday (late). Your last picture looks very quiet after a busy day!
Sharyn,
I’m right there with you about not being out in the cold. I’ll watch someone else ski all day long–as long as I have my hot chocolatge nearby!
Yes, Gage is one of the most artistic people I know; wish I had one tenth of his talent. But we all have our own gifts.
And yes, the quiet house at the end of a busy day was lovely!
Nothin’ like some Smithellaneous Monday Morning Merriment to get this old gal’s week started off right! Those videos were fabulous. Kudos to Meagan for her courage and fabulous skiing display and to Gage for his considerable linguistic skills! 😅
Gage’s birthday dinner looked so fun. I love seeing how all of you enjoy being together from young to old, umm, I mean mature. You guys give family a good name! 💕 And I think you and Gage should start a greeting card company. Your card for him was marvelous.
I’m so happy you all are continuing to fill the homestead with life and memories! Ken and Vernie are no doubt giving a huge heavenly thumbs up.
Love, Deb
Deb,
I always appreciate your chipper comments! Glad to provide some Monday Morning Merriment for you. (Although I don’t really think you are an old gal.)
Yes, we always enjoy our time together since our schedules don’t let us get together as much as we would like. We are definitely blessed with fun folks in our fam.
Hugs.