from air force academy weekends in breckinridge to smoky mountain slopes with five kids: musings on my 39th birthday
A Legacy of Adventure // Yesterday, I celebrated my 39th birthday. As I look toward my 40th year, I’ve found myself reflecting on the "adventures of then" versus the "adventures of now."
A few years ago, I wanted to get out of town for my birthday and do something new and adventurous. We had three young kids and an infant at the time, so it needed to feel doable, be affordable, and within driving distance. We took the kids to Helen, Georgia, for a scenic hiking trip. We stayed only a night, the waterfalls and Alpine charm were exactly what my soul needed. Two years later, I wanted to push the boundaries a bit further. I’m feeling capable of doing more these days, so I wanted to take my five children skiing for the very first time.
The "Paint Engineer" on the Slopes // I didn't grow up skiing. I actually learned to snowboard during my time at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Back then, other cadets and I would make the three-hour trek up to Keystone or Breckenridge all the time. It was really the only thing to do during the harsh winters! I was self-taught—it was a grueling, bruised-up first day, but I managed and then spent years enjoying the slopes while stationed in Colorado and then Cheyenne, Wyoming.
All these years later, I wanted to give my children that same experience of grit and outdoor, cold air hitting your face exhilaration, but at a younger age so that it might come a little more naturally to them!
The Undertaking: 5 Kids, 1 Mountain // Taking five kids to the slopes in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, is no small task. It required the same level of research and logistics I bring to a live wedding painting event—hunting for family discounts, sourcing used gear for weeks, and booking the perfect, yet economical, VRBO with a hot tub, rushing stream, and fire pit for smores (which, let’s be honest, are all musts with five kiddos). Optimistically I figured the kids would take a ski lesson on the first day, and maybe, just maybe, they would be proficient enough and have enough fondness for the activity to want to do it again for a half day on the second day, then we would head home.
The result was everything I hoped.. By the second day, my oldest two boys were racing down runs and venturing onto the lifts by themselves. I’ll admit, I had a hard time keeping up with them. My "risk-taking" threshold has changed, and after a 15-year hiatus from snowboarding, my knees are officially "shook."
What does skiing have to do with Live Art? // You might wonder what a family ski trip has to do with Fig and Font or live wedding painting.
I’m still figuring that out myself, but I think it comes down to Intentionality. I have always wanted a big family and to fill our days with adventures together. I want a life of abundance—not just in business, but once rich in experience and rich in love. My days are full. Full to the brim. They are long sometimes and tiring, but they are so so rich. Just like a wedding day, it doesn’t have to be a grand mountain home up in Steamboat Springs to be memorable. It’s about the creek running alongside the cabin, playing Yahtzee and Cranium late into the night, and the soreness in even my tiniest muscles that comes from a day well-spent.
Reflections on Wealth // As I head into my 40th year, I know I am insanely wealthy. Riches aren’t only found in bank accounts; they are found in the people you get to surround yourself with and the experiences you create together. And yes, the brides and event hostesses who invite me to be a part of their most intimate moments and sacred spaces are a part of that abundance for me. Fig and Font fills me up in creative and entrepreneurial ways that I’m very grateful for.
Whether I’m navigating a mountain with my kids or a crowded ballroom with brushes in hand, I am choosing a life that is full to the brim and richly abundant. Thank you for being part of this journey with me.
Follow more of the journey on Instagram @FigAndFont