Hitting the Slopes

Who needs a Fountain of Youth? Just take your kids sledding one afternoon and you will feel 20 years younger! (Of course, that feeling only lasts until the next morning, when your sore limbs and shoulders make you feel 20 years older).

I talked David into taking the kids sledding with me on Sunday afternoon. I always envision a Norman Rockwell moment of family togetherness. Why didn't ol' Mr. Rockwell ever include the before pictures of kids and parents hollering, trying to round up 3 sets of snow gear, then tackling your 19 month old to get him shoved into everything while at the same time laying down the law to the other two kids that they WILL go potty NOW before any gear is put on.

All of the preparation chaos was forgotten, however, as the crisp air breezed past our faces on the way down the hill. It. Was. Fun. And whom do you think was the first family member down the hill...to "test" it out and make sure the bumps weren't too dangerous? Yes, the same man I had to beg to come with us in the first place!

Two of my little snow bunnies.

 

Heading back up the hill for another go 'round. Reese lasted about 5 steps, then dropped the rope and ran off.

 

Tate's first real snow adventure. And he is one lucky little guy that his hand-me-down snow pants from Reese just happened to be from the year that Target was out of every other color, and I had to buy her black. Otherwise, his little legs would have been adorned in pastel pink or lilac.

 

The girls mostly went together, then took a few turns each by themselves. It was the ultimate example of Parenthood and how sometimes, you just have to hold your breath and let your kids go without being in control of what happens next. Scary, scary feeling. I just knew Drue would careen crazily into the tree that was 20 yards away from where we were sledding, or that one of them would hit the small bump in the hill the wrong way and fly off into oblivion. I was the only crazy freak mother running down behind them ready to throw myself in the path of the sled, should it decide to keep going 50 more yards into the street.

I took Tate down a couple of times and he had a blast. Then I sent him and David to go purchase another sled. Of course, they came back empty handed as every other family in the Midwest had the same idea. Tate decided the sled wasn't a necessary tool and would sit down on the actual hill, itself, then wonder why he wasn't moving.

I wasn't looking forward to ending their afternoon, but we got lucky on that note. Reese kept saying her feet were getting cold (she just had on rain boots) so I sent her back to the van to warm up with the boys. Drue and I went down one more time together, then as we were heading back up the hill, she said, "Um, I think I am getting tired...from all this walking." So we made a detour back to the van, also, where David had a thermos of hot chocolate, three small cups, some marshmallows, and some Christmas cookies.

Now that, my friends, was a Norman Rockwell moment...