Birthday Extravaganza!

Another birthday has come and gone. This year we made a weekend celebration out of the darn thing! I woke up to my house totally decorated with balloons, streamers, and princess banners. My boys went all out - they're the best. Aaron gave me the "ultimate girls' day" package. Massage, pedicure, $ for shopping, and a gift card to my favorite lunch - Pardise Bakery.

Friday night we drove up to Park City and were hooked up (by some very good friends) with an executive suite at The Yarrow Hotel. The Olson family also rented a condo that weekend and arranged for their cute girls to watch all the kids while the "adults" (I use that term loosely) went out for dinner. We ate at a delicious restaurant that I can't remember the name of right now . . . (Ann, help) but everything was awesome. Then we went back to the condo and swam and relaxed in the outdoor hot tub. Birthday cake and games topped off the night.

Saturday we took Ashton skiing for the first time! And I taught myself how to snowboard. Ashton did great! We were worried about temper tantrums, giving up, being too cold, too hot, etc. But he listened to Aaron and got that snowplow down. He loved it. When we stopped for lunch in the lodge, Ashton gobbled up his food and said, "Come on, let's get going!" His best buddy Zach Olson also learned to ski. While they were riding up on the lift together with their dads, Zach hopped off the lift a tad too early . . . and fell off the lift. His dad bailed off after him. It freaked Ashton out pretty good. Zach and his dad were totally fine - Zach hardly seemed dazed. His dad was another story. Ashton is VERY careful on ski lifts now.

I had a great experience snowboarding. After three or four runs on the bunny hill I thought I had the hang out it and was ready for a challenge. Abby Olson and I took a big lift, way way up. When we got to the top there were no green circle runs. Uh oh. Long story short, I fell in ways I never knew I could fall. I totally know why snowboarders wear a helmet. My bell was RUNG. But I survived. Abby laughed at me the whole way down! Several strangers laughed at my wipe outs as well. But I loved it! I will definitely try snowboarding again!

Saturday we were supposed to head home, but we were having so much fun we just couldn't bring ourselves to leave. We went and ate at Red Rock for dinner. Then we went swimming and hot tubbing again. We shared a hot tub with about 10 guys from Scotland. They had thick Scottish accents and were a little buzzed. They would get out and roll around in the snow for a while and then get back in the hot tub. They were good entertainment. We were all so beat from skiing that we went to bed early!

It was such a great weekend with great friends and my two favorite boys in the world!