WASHINGTON

Okay, so the trip that Mom and I took to Washington to see Tony, Kristen, and Madison went great. While we were there, we celebrated Madison's 1st birthday. Kristen posted pictures of her "wearing" her birthday cake (thedearmonds.blogspot.com).

However, the crowning glory of our trip was Mt. Baker. We went snowboarding to celebrate my birthday early and it was amazing. Kristen and I were the only girls that went, but Tony and a few of his buddies (Dawson, Thor, and Flournoy) went which made it incredibly intertaining. Mom stayed home with Madison so they could have a day to themselves and also so that Madison would have some freedom instead of being cooped up in the lodge all day.

I have always wanted to go snowboarding, it's always been on that list of "Things To Do Before I Die." Well - now it's done. It was so much fun. I used more muscles than I even knew I had (which made the plane ride home a little stiff). I was able to stand up and get going on the board, my only problem was the stopping part. The only way I knew how to stop was to . . . fall. Well, apparently whenever I fall on hard-packed snow I don't just land . . . I bounce - and flip - and tumble. I don't regret it thought. All the pain is gone and I have great memories - I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Those boots are not only hard to walk in but also difficult to get off the board.

That's the tow rope that took us up the "bunny hill." Looks easy, right? No - it's not.

That's me in the middle (the horizontal black line) - flat on my face.

I finally got the hang of staying upright.

But, this is the only way I could stop.