Big Bear - Snow Summit Ski Trip

Emily and I spent 2 ski days at Big Bear. It is one hour and 40 minutes from the house but the windy roads were very scary. I really wanted to look at the beautiful scenery as I was driving but did not dare unless we pulled over. We pulled over several times to let cars go around us because I was driving so slow (not my cup of tea). The weather was perfect and the cabin we rented was on Big Bear Lake. We walked 3/4 of a mile to dinner on the first night and then around the lake. Thursday we both took lessons - me skiing and Emily boarding. At first Emily struggled but by the end of the second lesson, she was happy and wanting to go another day. Friday she took a 2 hour private lesson and now she's an expert beginner as she calls herself and insists on me learning to snowboard the next time we go. Her Daddy would be so proud to see her snowboarding and having so much fun with it. I liked the fact that my toes weren't cold and I didn't even need a jacket. We had a really great time.

This is a picture we took on the way up the mountain.


This is from on top of one of the lifts with Big Bear Lake in the background.

Emily on the ski lift.


My camera was on a weird setting.

This is Emily and her instructor - CC.

Catching on to time as it flys by.

OK, it seems these days that time just flys by so quickly. It seems every night I ask myself the same questions - Wow, where did the day go? What did I do today? So yesterday, I wrote down everything I did. It was actually pretty cool because when I retired for the evening, I could actually look back and relive the moments. Here is my day:
Got up and turned off the alarm, did the teeth brushing thing and then downstairs to get my coffee. Next Bible Study, a favorite time of mine. Next I finish 6 bows and get a package ready to ship 30 bows to Black and Pink and one web sale acknowledged, packaged and labeled. By now Emily is up and ready for breakfast. After saying 'no' to ice cream and making myself a second cup of coffee (my one vice), I make Emily breakfast. I then check email and Facebook while Emily watches TV and eats breakfast. Next Emily and I walk to the park behind the house. We play jump rope and super hero for about 30 minutes. After getting home we put together a super hero suit - She is Zebora. You guessed it - Zebra leggings and a black shirt with a Big felt Z on the top and a cape that she made entirely herself with the exception of the Big Z on the back. Next I remove the bedding from 2 beds and wash. While that is washing, we get ourselves presentable and go to the Post Office to get a money order and get it sent in the mail. I forgot my 2 packages at home so that will be another trip later. Next to Sam's for gas and groceries and a stop at McDonald's for Emily some lunch(I think she only eats there for the toy). We then stop at a sporting goods store to get Emily some mittens for skiing. When we get home, I fix myself lunch. Now to take down the Christmas tree and Thomas train and pack up for next year. Change clothes to dryer and put in another load. Emily bikes while I get in 3 miles running. Showered quickly. Baked some pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. Folded a load of clothes, put in another load to wash. Called Lois to check on her. Next I cleaned the entire house up and down. It needed it after the holidays. Rearranged my rugs and showed Jessica the dog her new doggy bed we bought at Sam's earlier. She liked it. Back to the post office to drop off packages I forgot earlier. It is now getting dark at 5:15. I have a bike ride in the morning so I get my bike gear ready and air up my tires. Fixed dinner for us then finished laundry and made beds. Getting tired. Put Emily to bed at 8:30 at which time she reminded me we needed to clean the fish tank. Ugh. Did that, got Emily settled in and went downstairs and sat down with a cup of chai tea hoping to watch some TV. Too tired, checked email and Facebook, went to bed at 9:30. I missed a few things but all in all, I would say I stay too busy. After reviewing this, I feel like I am spinning. I hope I learn something from this.

Running with Mike Sheehy - Cures Rock!

This morning our group met and ran the beginning of an ultramarathon. Mike Sheehy is with Team-in-Training running an ultramarathon every day (17 days) from San Diego to Phoenix, AZ and will end up with a marathon at the PF Chang's Rock and Roll Marathon in Phoenix. Here is his website if you would like to participate - http://curesrocktour.com/. It was a lot of fun and for a great cause - the battle of blood cancers.

Our running group: http://www.meetup.com/murrieta-runners/photos/795711/12481593/