Winter fun is still not over!

*Click on image to enlarge*

Since this is in my neck of the woods, you better believe that we will be there with our dogs, skis and poles. Can't wait to give winter one last horrah!!

In case you haven't noticed, perhaps you haven't, but I took a brief break from blogging, but now I am back.  This valley is just too cool and my brain can't hold all of my thoughts, so I have to get them out somehow!!

Another great day in the valley

Yeah for all our new white stuff!!

What a great Saturday we have had so far. First we stopped at the Senior Connection in Hailey (across from Roberta McKercher Park) for their old fashioned ice cream parlor. What a special treat.  Single scoop cones (which are mighty big) are only $1.  We opted for some of those and split a banana split. Great ice cream in a cool atmosphere.  Currently they are open on Saturdays from 1-4pm, but will expand their hours come spring/summer.

Then we were off to see the Tortoise and the Hare presented by St. Thomas Playhouse Children's Touring Theatre. We haven't missed a single one their annual performances and always walk away with smiles on our faces.  Be sure to check out this FREE event that will delight the whole family.

Free Public Performances!

Saturday, February 19th       2:00 p.m.     Iconoclast Bookstore and Cafe ~ Ketchum

Saturday, February 26th       10:30 a.m.   The Community Library ~ Ketchum

Saturday, March 5th              12:15 p.m.    Children's Arts Festival ~ Community Campus ~ Hailey

Wednesday, March 9th        10:30 a.m.    The Hailey Public Library ~ Hailey

Ice sculpture fun

The Sun Valley Resort's ice sculptures are better than ever this year.  Just imagine a huge ice slide that even adults can slide down (trust me, I had to try it!).  Your family will have so much fun checking out all of the ice sculptures while creating a fabulous photo op!

While you are there, you could even stop by the pond in front of the resort and feed the hungry ducks. You will be VERY popular!

Things to do around Idaho

We are in the middle of winter, surrounded by snow for a long time.  While you may be enjoying all the winter sports, like we are, you may be itching for something new and cool to do with your family.  This website offers great family activities to do around our neck of the woods and all around Idaho.  I'm already planning our summer activity list!

www.visitidaho.org/thingstodo/

Family night activity

Looking for something rad to do on Friday night with your family?  Then drive on over to the Sun Valley Skating Center (at the Resort) and watch the Sun Valley Suns hockey game. The game begins at 7:00 and tickets are $8 at the gate.

Family time

The family that stays active together, stays together.

If you are looking for our family, or most local families, on the weekends, just head over to Dollar Mountain.  It is the winter social scene.  While our oldest son is partaking in the Spud Ski School (highly recommend it by the way for ages 5 and up), my husband and I ski with our two youngest on either the chairlift or the magic carpet ride.  

SV Company has taken Dollar to a whole new level with their terrain park (and sledding hill). It is still a great family mountain, but now adds more excitement and challenges for all ages.

Since hot chocolate breaks in the lodge are quite mandatory, I decided to sneak away from my family for a really quick snowshoe adventure on the White Cloud trail (awesome nordic skiing and snowshoeing trails). 

So, while I was doing this.... 

it was fun to watch the action on Dollar, where my family was.

Then, it was back to my skiing with the family.  

It's a good life!

The simple things

Christmas break is coming to a fast end.  Lunch boxes are packed (saves me a lot of time and sanity in the morning) and snow clothes are in backpacks all ready for the early morning tomorrow.  That two weeks sure went fast, but as I look at it closely, we sure crammed a lot into that time.  Safe driving to all of you tomorrow on the cold, dark morning.

We are such an outdoor family, but we have recently discovered a new family favorite indoor activity that has helped us during these cold days:  playing cards.  Such a simple and cheap game that has entertained our family for hours.  Every night, we gather around the dinner table and play a round of War, Go Fish or Old Maid.  The best part, some mornings, when the kids would wake up before us (pure joy!), they would stay in their rooms playing cards together.  Heavenly!!

 

2011 is a going to be a GREAT year full of lots of family activities!

Snowshoeing for the whole family

On Christmas day, we took the whole gang (including our two dogs) for a snowshoe adventure around the Whitecloud Trail near Penny Hill and the SV Resort.  EPIC nordic skiing trails and snowshoeing trails.  Seriously, for a trail in the heart of downtown, it is rather amazing. Especially, on a bluebird day and you are on top of the mountain. We were in complete awe!

The kids either snowshoed next to us or were pulled in our sled going up the hills.  As for going downhill, they were thrilled to be sledding down at full speed while the dogs chased after them.

Snowshoeing is not only a great family activity that gets you fresh air, but you can also burn up to 700 calories per hour.  It's like killing two birds with one stone.

Above picture was taken at the Galena trails a couple of years ago.  That is another great place for family snowshoeing and we are hoping to explore the trails there this weekend.

Here is to a health and happy new year to all of you!!

Free ice skating

We are fully enjoying our Christmas break together as a family and hope you are doing the same! Since watching the Nutcracker on Ice and being honored by a surprise performance by US Gold Medalist and Dancing With Stars finalst, Evan Lysacek, we just had to take the kids ice skating.

 This is my best attempt at taking a picture of Evan, but I was just so excited that I  wasn't able to capture the best photo.  Thank you Sun Valley for this wonderful Sun Valley Christmas gift.  What a great surprise!

Our little family skating at the Hailey ice rink at Roberta McKercher Park (across from the airport and the Senior Center).  Not only is this a fun family activity, but it is FREE!  You can go ice skating at any time and borrow the ice skates for FREE.  They have a large trailer full of ice skates of different sizes and completely on the honor system, you can pick out your ice skates, have fun on the ice and then return your skates when you are done.  This ice rink is well used and made me so happy that our town offers such neat family activities for everyone.

Christmas Eve in Sun Valley

If you want a traditional, old fashion Christmas, then Sun Valley is the place for you! 

 Sidewalks are covered in snow, streets are twinkling with Christmas lights, stores are decked out in beautiful (and not over commercialized) decor. There is a peaceful and nostalgic feeling around town.  You don't want to miss it----we try out best not to.

Our Christmas Eve tradition begins (after church, of course) with the Nutcracker on Ice at the SV Resort outdoor skating rink.  This FREE performance begins at 5:00 pm and the magical Resort even serves FREE cookies and hot chocolate.  Amazing!  The entire performance lasts between 30-45 minutes and is all outdoors.  Be sure to bundle up in lots of layers and bring a blanket to sit on for comfort and warmth.  

Right after the beautiful performance, you can watch the spectacular fireworks and Dollar Mountain torchlight parade.  All of this will definitely put you in the mood for this special holiday.  Be sure to give yourself lots of time to arrive and leave since practically the entire town and MANY tourists also consider this their family tradition.  'Tis the Season.  Hope to see you there with your family!

 Merry Christmas everyone!

Holiday craft project

School is out for the next two weeks and that means plenty of opportunities to take your kids skiing, make holiday cookies, relax, and do craft projects.

This is a simple craft project that kept my family entertained for quite awhile, even the two year old. Plus, it added a lovely addition to our Christmas tree.

Popcorn and Cranberry Strings:

You will need:
bowl of day old popcorn
bag of fresh cranberries (not frozen)
cheerios (optional)
string/thread,
tape
needle
Christmas music is a must-have as well.

String the food supplies onto the string. Voila!

Simple as that!! To make it easier for the kids, I tied a knot on one end and taped it too the table so the string wouldn't move around so much.  This is great fine motor practice for little hands.

The cheerios are completely optional, but make life a lot easier for little fingers

Merry Christmas!!

YMCA Holiday Party

Friday, December 10th is the YMCA's 3rd Annual Holiday Party.  This FREE party is for the entire valley and runs from 3:30-6:30 pm.

If your child still hasn't paid a visit to see Santa, then be sure to mark your calendar for this special event. Santa will be at the Y from 4:00-5:30pm.

The party will also include:

*Bouncy Castle
*Face Painting
*Letters to Santa
*Cookie Decorating
*Make your own music
*Candy Decorating

Sounds like a fun time and after school, I may just have to take the kids for this wonderful event.

*above picture is of my young ones last year decorating our gingerbread house.  Yum Yum!

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Last weekend, we wanted to take the kids to the Soldier Mountain All Stars gym for open gym time.  We found out that you can drop off kids (over the age of 3), so we thought it would be a great idea to get some coffee and do a little Christmas shopping while the kids were burning off some energy.

Plans changed when we arrived at the gym.  The kids were having way too much fun and we just had to join them on the trampolines, the uneven bars and the rope swing.  One hour later, our time was up and we had the time of our lives.  I don't know who had more fun, the kids or the adults.  I can't wait for our next hour of gymnastics family time.

SMAS is located across from Power Engineers in Woodside. Open gym is every Saturday from 10am-12pm and costs $5/per child/hour.  Well worth it!

Sledding adventure

Isn't all of this snow amazing?  I think we are going to have a great winter season.  Just what this valley needs after Castle Rock fire and the recession.  Let it snow!

This weekend, after we stuffed our bellies full, we took the whole family sledding at Rotarun in Hailey.   Not being the biggest daredevil, I was always a little intimidated about sledding, yet have grown to  love it. So much fun! I can do it all day long with my kids.  Just make sure you are wearing proper clothing that will protect you when you face plant it in the snow.  

Not only is sledding loads of fun, but it provides a great workout as well.  I have to admit that I'm a little sore today from lugging the kids up the mountain over and over again on their sled. 

To get to Rotarun, turn at Bullion in Hailey and head out to Croy Canyon. The mini ski mountain will be on your right hand side off of Rodeo Drive.  A little hidden treasure in Hailey.

Snow sports time!

With a winter storm warning in effect until tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon and 8-30 inches (holy moly!) of snow expected to come in, I am thinking about what to do with my family this weekend.

Perhaps a little sledding...

Or snowshoeing around Galena...

Or some skiing at Dollar...

even ice skating at the Resort...

or snowmobiling.

The winter possibilities are endless. Let the real fun and hot chocolate drinking begin!

Hailey Turkey Trot

Lace up your shoe laces, start stretching your hamstrings....the annual Hailey Trot is coming in one week!  This yearly family tradition is such a fun time for my family and many other families.  Dogs, strollers, walkers, costumes, and serious runners are all welcome and encouraged.  It's a great way to start your holiday and get ready for your big feast!  It's a quick 5 K (3 miles) and you run/walk through neighborhoods and the bike path.  Great course and lots of socializing with the community!

*my handsome crew at last year's race. The weather was just perfect!*

Race date:  Thanksgiving --Thursday, November 25

Race Time:  10:00

Start/Finish:  CSI campus in Hailey.  Next to the high school 

Fee:  Until November 25th---$15/individual, $40 /family

         Race day--$30/individual,  $70/family

Hope to see you there all bundled up!  We will bring our stroller or wagon, a bike or two and belly ready for turkey!

(proof that I actually rock climbed to the very top!)

Yesterday, we went to the YMCA to help them celebrate their 3rd anniversary.  There were lots of various events going on and we honed in on the free rock climbing.  It was loads of fun rock climbing as a family.  My oldest son and I rocked climb on the big rock wall, while the two younger kids practiced their bouldering skills.  Fun physical activity for the whole family!

(rock climbing is perfect for little monkeys like mine!)

This is copied from the YMCA's webpage (for other rock climbing activities, click HERE):



Afterschool Climbers at the YMCA
Join us Mondays and Wednesdays from 3-4:00 for some climbing fun. Ages K-5th graders will learn about bouldering, climbing, knots and more with our excellent kid-friendly instructors. All equipment is included. There is limited space each month so sign up now!

Contact Kat for more information 928.6718 or kat@woodriverymca.orgMember: $60 per monthnon-Member: $75 per month

Hemingway Halloween Party

(just another great excuse to show off my darlings in their costumes from last year)

If you love Halloween, then the Wood River Valley is the place for you!  So much to do during this holiday and so much candy.  Life couldn't be sweeter.

On Sunday, October 31st from 1-3pm, Hemingway is hosting its annual Halloween party.  This is a FREE event for ALL children.  

Pumpkins, games, spook alley, crafts, cookie decorating, candy galore and more fun, fun, fun!

Come dressed in your best costume and be prepared to have a great time.

It is a free event, but donations are accepted and appreciated.  

Happy Trick or Treating!  

Hailey Halloween Hoopla

This is yet another amazing community event that my family attends every year.  Boy, if feels like I keep saying that over and over again.  Thank goodness we live in such an active town!

The Hailey Halloween Hoopla will take place on Friday, October 29th from 3:00-7:00pm.  This is a fun family event and caters to the young and old.  Dress up your kiddos and yourself (if you desire) and enjoy Trick or Treating all over downtown Hailey.  While collecting goodies and checking out all the adorable costumes, you will probably run into everyone you know.  It's the cool thing to do!  Plus, I get a quick peek into all the stores while my kids are filling their Halloween bags. Fun for the whole family! See you there!

Halloween at the Boise Zoo

If you are looking for a road trip or will already be in Boise, be sure not to miss Boo at the Zoo on Saturday, October 30th from 10:00am-5:00pm.  It's a great family activity at the Boise Zoo and will definitely get you in the holiday mood.

Dress up your little darlings in their cute costumes and enjoy trick or treating around the zoo, plus a costume contest, a bat toss, pumpkin patch photos, and face painting all while checking at the animals at the zoo.

Cost is $7 for adults, $4.25 for children (ages 4-11), $4.50 for seniors (62 and over) and free for children under age 3.  Of course, if you are a Friends of Zoo Boise Annual Pass holder (highly recommend it for the future) you may enter free and have a special entrance gate!

We went to this event last year and our kids had a blast.  There will be  A LOT of people there, so plan ahead.