Here we are once again, taking a moment to step back and reflect. I look outside and the leaves have turned and some snow is on our ground. We are in that in-between season teetering between total weather bliss and an all-out white snow wonderland, and all the perks and challenges that come with it.
We continue to count our blessings and be grateful for the combined lifestyle of work and play that balances us and allows us to thrive and drive forward professionally and personally.
Exhibit A for an adventurous mountain lifestyle is a quick look at our hospital bills. With our highs this year, came some lows for injuries. In February, Palmer back-flipped on skis and broke both of his knees (Palmer would like you to know that he landed his flips, but hyperextended his knees on the landings.) And just like that, his ski season was over and his race schedule abruptly stopped.
Within that disappointment were life lessons and growth opportunities (as much as a 13 yr old boy can learn) along the way. The good news is that Palmer got back on snow around May for some end of season powder, trained on ski simulators over the summer, and was able to return to a European glacier for training in Austria this fall. All signs indicate that the knees have healed, his growth is not impacted, and he is likely still a dumb middle school boy who will continue to use his heart and not his brain for tricks. Patience for mom and dad is needed during these testosterone-filled years, please...
Speaking of our first-born child, Palmer continues to ski race and enjoy all the joy and discipline that comes with that lifestyle. He spends his "dry" months doing overall conditioning training with the team and then switches to 6-days/week on the snow when the snow hits for the whole season - likely in late November. We spend a lot of time as a family at various ski resorts throughout Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana for Palmer's ski races during the winter, and enjoy skiing these unique places (many of which you've likely never heard of - like Tamarack) with other racing families. When not skiing, Palmer enjoys golfing, mountain biking, goofing off with his buddies all over the town doing Lord knows what. He is applying to different high schools in Salt Lake and assessing his future plans for the next four years, with a focus on college prep.
Grace is our happy theatrical entertainer. She is an absolute joy, completely over-dramatic, and only knows the truth she holds in her mind. In addition to her passion for dancing with her competitive dance team, Grace has taken on private voice lessons and classes in musical theater. Watch out, Broadway, this girl has big dreams and a decent work ethic. She is beyond excited to host the real Glinda on Broadway's Wicked at our house in January and has been planning for duets during the visit! Grace enjoys friends, loves playing outside, and is generally up for whatever the day brings. As social as Grace can be, she enjoys time to herself, whether playing pretend "house" or digging her nose in a book.
Rick cemented his location in Park City by somehow helping convince his national law firm to open an office on Main Street, Park City. It seems this is the hot place for other firm lawyers in the country to join and may have already outgrown their leased office space just a few months in. He is always a trend setter, whether intentionally or not. His work continues to be all over the country and with that comes a lot of travel, but now time in town can be split between our home office and downtown. When not working, Rick continues to enjoy all the outdoor hobbies that the mountains bring - including a new outdoor sauna and cold plunge that Rick goads others into giving a go.
And I am the other sore loser of the family injury roster list. Around Halloween, I rolled my ankle in some chunky heels on some steps and proceeded to break my ankle. A steel plate and four screws later, I am the new owner of a bionic ankle and a few months of non-weight bearing life complete with crutches and a knee scooter. It's just a perfect life for an active mom who lives with snow outside around this time of the year. When not hobbling, I've really dug into some leadership positions with the kids' school PTO, play tennis and mahjong regularly, love hot yoga, and spend a lot of time managing my (as of now) winning fantasy football team. I am also a professional kid taxi driver from 3-8pm every evening.
We like to prioritize travel in our family and focused on exploring Alaska and learning about the 49th state added to our union. We brought back nearly 20 pounds of freshly-caught Alaskan salmon, explored fjords and melting glaciers, stayed in cabins on the blue rivers, experienced float planes to remote and scenic spots, and convinced ourselves that the Alaskan weather is more hard-core than even the Jordans are.
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