Big Change

For the first time in 4 1/2 years, Avery is not playing High School Fast Pitch Softball. After playing slow-pitch in the Fall, she made the decision to take a break. She is tired and burned out at the moment. I don't blame her. She has missed out on things due to softball over the years and she is excited to finally be able to do those things. I have to say, it is strange to not have to be at a softball field every Tuesday and Thursday night for a game. I will honestly miss it - I love watching all my kids play sports - but I am happy Avery is getting to have fun doing other things. Maybe she will come back in the fall to play slow-pitch her senior year, but if not, I know there will be bigger and better things out there for her. We'll see what happens. God has special plans for Avery and I look forward to seeing what they are. She is a very special girl that has so many talents and I know she will do amazing things. She already is! Terry and I are so proud of her!

Avery  -  Junior Year

New Year's at Crested Butte, Colorado 2015

The end of December and the beginning of 2015, started off with a trip! One of our most favorite things to do! We traveled to Crested Butte, Colorado for the second time,with our friends, the McCoys. We LOVE Crested Butte! We wanted to go back there but when we started checking airline prices, they were $800 EACH! Too much! So we decided to drive. 20 hours. And it was absolutely great!

We left early the day after Christmas and drove to Dumas, Texas for the night. About 12 hours. The kids did great and didn't complain at all. The next day, we drove 8 more hours to reach Crested Butte. Throughout the 2 day drive, we traveled through 7 states - Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Colorado.  The drive through the mountain passes was the hardest. We arrived at the house we had rented and unloaded. The house was awesome! 3 bedrooms/3 full baths, a huge loft with a sofa bed, a big deck and a great view of the mountains. Tanner slept on an air mattress the entire week, but didn't mind at all. The girls had a room that they shared with Anna Mc.

The skiing was fun! We skied for 5 days and had a blast. It was really cold some days, but we pressed on and made some great memories. The kids are really good skiers and have almost caught up with Terry and me. They skied a couple of black runs again this time and looked at ease. They love the tree skiing and finding some jumps.  It's pretty awesome to be surrounded by God's handiwork. I never tire of seeing the beauty there. It's truly amazing.

The last day of skiing, we were eating lunch at the mid-mountain restaurant and spotted Bethany Hamilton and her husband. She is the girl who lost an arm to a shark bite while surfing as a girl and made a great surfing comeback. She's a Christian with an inspirational story! Avery, Anna, Tanner and Anna Mc proceeded to stalk them the rest of the afternoon. Ha! Other than some very sore quads (Avery) and some banged up shins (Anna G), we had no injuries and another successful trip with some great friends!

Tanner and Avery on the chair lift

One of the small terrain parks. The kids loved skiing the rails!

So beautiful

Getting to the top of Painter Boy Lift. We loved the slopes 

by this lift and Prospect and Gold Link Lifts.

Wow!

Anna, Terry and Anna Mc on the lift

The Goggans

Silly

Avery - 17 1/2 years old

Eating at our favorite restaurant - Secret Stash

Terry, Tracey, Lori and Brian

Drinking out of mason jars!!

Eating lunch at the mid-mountain restaurant

Anna, Tanner, Avery and Anna Mc

Beautiful mountains!

Avery, Tanner and Anna

Anna - 14 1/2 years old

So pretty!

Tanner catching some air!

You can't see it very good, but Anna is skiing a mini half-pipe

More air for Tanner!

Anna, Anna Mc, Avery, Tanner and Terry

This was at the top of the highest lift on the mountain that was 

open while we were there - Silver Queen lift. The extreme skiing 

mountain behind us wasn't open yet. We were told it is so steep, 

the snow just rolls off so it takes longer to build up.

Closer shot at the same spot

Anna, Terry, Tracey, Avery, and Tanner

God's handiwork

The McCoys and the Goggans

This is our 5th ski trip together.

Tracey, Anna (9th grade-14), Avery (11th grade-17), 

Tanner (6th grade-12) and Terry

My sweet boy, Tanner - 12 years old

This was the view from our rental house deck

Another view

I love Avery's perspective with her pictures

Another Avery original

Avery shoveling snow from the deck

Tanner and Katelyn joined in

Katelyn(6th grade), Tanner and Avery

We celebrated New Year's while we were at Crested Butte. They

had a "show" on the mountain that we watched from our house.

The red line coming down the mountain are torches that skiers were

carrying. They also had a giant spotlight directed at the very top peak

of the mountain. It helped to see the fireworks.

Torches held by skiers coming down the mountain. Very cool!

Fireworks

Katelyn, Miller and Anna chilling out after a day on the 

slopes! We watched a lot of football at night since all the

bowl games were being played this week. Unfortunately, 

our Rebels got beat in the Peach Bowl by TCU. 

This is what it looked like around the fireplace every day

when we got home from skiing. 10 pairs of ski boots by the fire!

Anna Mc, Brian, Tanner, Anna and Avery about halfway

down International. It was a black run that was really good!

The kids did great on it! I wish you could tell how steep it is!

Another view from our deck

Sledding outside our house

Straight down! 

Anna Mc, Miller, Avery, Anna, Tanner and Katelyn

Anna

Contemplating her day of skiing :)

Avery

Trying to figure out how she can live here some day

In the far back corner is Bethany Hamilton and her husband.

We didn't get to talk to her, but the kids got a big kick out of 

seeing them. They had recently completed "The Amazing Race". 

Me and Tanner

There were ice sculptures everywhere at the base of the mountain.

This was one of them. Very cool!

Anna Mc and Anna G

Some of the drive home. 

This country is amazing!

WOW! God is awesome. So pretty!