New Years

Over the holidays, I heard mom talk about this place called Ashley Lake and a cabin that existed there. Over New Years I was able to actually go there for the first time! To get there I also flew for the first time. The day was long because we flew first from Oakland to Seattle and then Seattle to Kalispel, MT. Mom was worried that the change in air pressure would cause me discomfort but I was a perfect angel almost the whole time. Ashley Lake was amazing! Grandma and Grandpa Schlenker along with Great Grandma and Grandpa Campbell were so excited to see me again and I finally got to meet more uncles, aunties and cousins. I learned to recognize Uncle Matt’s voice quickly because he talks a lot. He also always had a camera in his hand and I felt like I was in a photo shoot most of the day (Matt just got a bran new fancy shmancy camera). I learned to recognize Auntie Crystal more by her cute laugh. Their son Wyatt is quite a guy. He was so smiley and a fast crawler. I hope I can crawl that fast. He was quite fascinated by me and whenever mom held me near Wyatt he would drop what ever he was playing with and come gently touch my hands and feet. Wyatt is 1 year old. Uncle Derek was also there when we arrived but I don’t know his voice very well because it was always changing. When he did speak English he often spoke with funny accents and other times he spoke another language I didn’t recognize. The day after we got there Uncle Mark, Auntie Laurel and cousins Ashton and Nick arrived. Uncle Mark also talks a lot and is really funny. Mom laughs at him a lot. Auntie Laurel is so sweet and liked holding me. I heard mom describe her as “super mom” because at one point she babysat all 5 boys and made pizza while everyone else was outside. Ashton and Nick were so fun. Many seemed to think there was some sort of magnet attached to me and Ashton and then from Ashton to Nick because where ever I went, Ashton and then Nick were sure to come also. Ashton, who is 3, knew me as “Baby Houston” and loved to “pet” me. Nick, who is 19 months old, referred to me as “baby” and liked to point at me and poke at my eyes. I think we are all going to be great friends!
Early in the week there was not much snow. That soon changed as the week went on. The coolest part about the lake was that it was frozen. The adults played hockey, pulled tubes and snowboards behind the quads and went ice fishing. The temperature was perfect and mom was able to take me outside quite a bit in my warm snow suite. It was still nice, however to come back to the warm cabin and kick my legs on the floor, couch or table while people played with me. The night before New Year’s Eve, I was able to meet some of Mom’s cousins on the Schlenker side. Uncle Garth and Aunt Kim brought their 2 kids, Keira and Nate and we all played Bingo. We also played Bingo on New Years day with our neighbors, the Wallaces. Bingo is grandma Schlenker’s new thing. It is fun but we were pretty Bingoed out after two nights of it.
One last highlight I want to share was something Grandpa Schlenker had been looking forward to for a long time. He had specially ordered Team Canada hockey jerseys for all of his grandsons. One morning before everyone’s naps, we put them on a got some great pictures. I will make sure mom posts all of the pictures from the lake as soon as Uncle Matt sends them. (BTW, Team Canada had a disappointing loss to the USA hockey team in the World Junior Championships… sad day for mom).