Winter Carnival in McCall...

At some point when I was growing up, probably 5th grade or so, we went to McCall for the annual Winter Carnival. I loved it. McCall is awesome in the winter, it always seems to have deep, fresh snow, huge icicles and when housed in a cozy cabin with a hot fire, winter doesn't get any better. I think we went to the carnival only once, the other years we visited during Christmas break and we skiied at Brundage, in McCall. I learned to ski there and only ever skiied in WA at night because that is when it was affordable. Our friends the Staffords (went with them on our anniversary cruise to Alaska) are big winter sports people.

We talked about this trip maybe on the other trip and they said if we put them up in the cabin, they would bring the snow toys...FOUR snow mobiles...two adult size and two child size. We stuck to our plan and went during the winter carnival. We were only there three days and in the car two, and I think one more day there would have been nice, but what time we had we really enjoyed!

The snow plows a huge pile of snow down our little street, and so in front of our cabin was a pile probably 20 feet high. The kids had a great time digging tunnels in it and sliding down, etc.

Oh my girls. I love them! I love this picture!!

Betsey is in a phase where she likes to make silly faces for the camera. It's funny because it reminds me of a teenager or something. With each sound of the shutter, a new face.

Daddy and Bets.

The toy hauler.

Notice that on day one, it was pretty warm, even rainy...so the snow all fell off the roof and there were no icicles. It kind of stressed me out because we'd come all that way, but that night the snow was back and it was back to stay. That is our little cabin!

All ready to go snowmobiling!

Chris got to ride Lori's snomobile...pink!

Ruby riding with Taiya.

Ru, Brynne and Taiya being pulled by Aaron on a sled.

Alice took to driving herself around on the smaller snowmobile. In heaven!

Lori and Halle ready to ride.

Alice, Bets, Brynne and Taiya...

Ruby taking a turn driving...

On day two, it was Sunday. We got out the door an hour before church to check out the happenings in town. We watched this cute dog race for awhile. I particularly liked this pup because I want a labrodoodle next time we get a dog.

Look...I'm in a picture!

We ended up attending church in our snow clothes. We didn't have time to go back and change. The kids were HORRIFIED, but we were all fine, sitting there stripping off the layers.

That night we went after dinner to see the snow sculptures. Here is Chris with Aaron, both of their little ones on their shoulders.

Our family in front of one of the top three award winners. It is actually a slide, you climb up one side and then slide down the other.

This was first place. They had some snow and some ice mixed...the cool part was the ice in the middle of the inside that had colored lights in it.

The kids slept in the bunkhouse (not Bets or Halle), and in the morning while we slept in, they would play games out there and leave us alone...bliss!

The last day we were there, Chris took the girls skiing for the first time. I stayed at the cabin with Bets and Halle and the other three adults and four kids went to the ski hill. I would have liked to watch the toddlers in the lodge, but Halle was sick and Bets had thrown up the night before...so it was too risky. I feared that it was going to be a long, hard day of misery with kids losing skis all over the mountain, etc. I WAS WRONG! Chris didn't want to go at all, and wound up thoroughly enjoying himself. He said that they took right to it and hardly fell at all, and when they did fall...the skis tended to stay on. Amazing. Not what I remember from my learning AT ALL. YAY! I am so thrilled that they liked it so much and next time we go, I hope I can go with them (not so much being pregnant).

Eating lunch in the lodge.

We had such a great time. We ate yummy food at the cabin, big breakfasts and big dinners and played games, and mostly just exhausted ourselves with each day's activities. I don't have any pics of the kids sledding, but they did a lot of sledding down the hill that slopes toward Davis beach. They slid right onto the lake. The drive was fun because the kids and Chris listened to the series Fablehaven and I read a Nicolas Sparks novel (I don't like fantasy). We had clear roads both ways and it was just an ideal trip!