Our newest addition

Introducing Ruby, our 12 week old little white fluff ball. 

She came to us all the way from Georgia just last week. I gave in after endless begging and pleading from my husband and 4 kids. I feel like I've been thrown back into new motherhood with an infant. She wakes me in the morning, she pees and poops on my floor and she puts everything in her mouth. But I do admit, she is as adorable as dogs come and I think this time will stick. (we have a bad track record with keeping dogs....our longest stretch is 2 months) My four year old, Ryan, says we'll keep her until she dies. Hopefully that means about 14 years. 

She loves to play! She can run faster than anyone in the family. She can't even keep up with her own speedy little legs. She usually ends up doing a somersault. She's so little and light, only about 4 pounds.  She nibbles toes, she chews shoes, and she drags everything from dish towels to bras around the house. She is a Havanese, which are very social, affectionate dogs. That also means she wants to be with us ALL the time. She cries in her kennel but hasn't ended up in our bed at night. YEAH! My friend, Kath, has a new pup and warned us about that. She loves to be wrapped in a blanket and snuggled on the couch. It has forced me to stay home and slow down just a bit.

My kids are completely in LOVE!

Skiing Sunrise, Chillin' in Greer

Travis and I spent the weekend at Greer Lodge Resort with some great friends, Kelee and Robert. We had a gift card to use at this charming resort from Travis' dad and decided after one year, it was time to redeem it. We stayed in our own little cabin amidst snow and icicles. It was literally freezing and I loved it! 

My darling husband on top on Sunrise Mountain...he was a bit nervous about how the skiing would be since the surgery. He struggled a little with his balance and coordination. It took a little while, but it came back to him quickly.  At first I was out skiing him, but an hour into our day, I was having a hard time keeping up!

Whoa! Action shot:

Me zipping down the mountain:

Kelee and Robert in the lodge at breakfast:

Our cabin was right next to the Red Setter Lodge where we were served breakfast each morning. It was delicious! 

It was a quick weekend, but so enjoyable. I loved curling up in sweats, wrapped in a blanket, drinking hot chocolate, watching movies, and visiting with some of my favorite people. I loved skiing again after an 8 year break. It wasn't too bad...kind of like riding a bicycle. Although, 3 days later, my legs are still feeling it! I definitely need to get back on the mountain sooner next time. 

A couple funny moments on the mountain.......I took a wrong turn and ended up at the top of a black diamond run (for experts) about an hour into my day. I made the decision to remove my skis and hike down the hill until I could handle the slopes. I did NOT want to go home in a cast!

It was humbling and a bit humiliating, but I know my limits. I wasn't about to push it. From that point, I paid close attention to the signs.

Towards the end of the day, while on the lifts, Travis' feet went to sleep. When it was time to get off the lift, Travis went spread eagle and landed on his face. His skis fell off and he laid there for a minute. The operator asked if he was okay. Travis said, "My feet are asleep!" We all started laughing and he got up and put his skis back on and away we went.

Fabulous weekend. We need to do more of that.

Travis update: We continue to have friends and loved ones wondering what the latest is concerning Travis' health and the tumor. Travis has an MRI at the end of the month to see how the tumor looks since radiation ended in November. Life has moved forward for our family and we don't dwell on or think too much about all of this. We love life and enjoy spending each day with one another and our kids. We continue to feel strong and positive about the outcome. Travis is doing great and feels wonderful.