More Winter Adventures

A couple weekends ago now, we took another winter adventure to Mad River Mountain - to take the kids skiing for their very first time.  I was not 100% on board with the whole deal - it was cold, expensive and I woke up feeling quite cruddy that day.
After we got up and moving though, it turned out to be a great day (and still way expensive)!
Ella and Silas started with 2 hour ski lessons.  First time on skis and the instructors showed them how to do all the basics.
While the kids were in their lessons, Justin forced me to go down the hills too. I would have been happy to sit inside and read.  We started on the easiest of the  non-bunny hills.  I did fine, though I'm sure I looked as confused going down the hill as I look in the photo below...


The 2nd time we went up on the lift...it didn't go as well for me.  I was concentrating so hard on "keeping my tips up" as the sign says...that I forgot to "unload" - and had to jump off (which basically was fall out) of the lift seat before it headed back down the hill.

We were able to watch a little of the kids' lessons as we'd ski/fall down the slope by the lesson area. 

Ella and Si were both awesome - both were totally ready (mentally) to hit the slopes as soon as their lessons were over.  And the lessons didn't really cover that much.  They didn't use the lifts, didn't go down anything but the bunny hill and really didn't even learn to stop all that well (as Silas proved on his first run down the hill).
Ella was really amazing - she had no fear at all and was doing the expert runs after about 4 or 5 times down the green runs (the ones that I was still doing). 
I definitely imagine that we'll be back here a lot next year. Especially if the weather is like this winter!

After getting back from the skiing, I ended up over at Hayden Run falls to check out how frozen they were. A photographer friend had taken an awesome pic on Monday and by Tuesday, they were already starting their thaw.




By the way, you may have forgotten that we actually have a 3rd kid - Mason has been busy with work (he's working at Meijer in the deli and they are working him quite a lot) and with school.  In May he will finish his first year as a college Freshman.  It's been quite an adjustment (probably for all of us) but that will have to be saved for another post...

If You Can't Beat it...Join it

This winter seems to be never-ending. It continues to be so cold and snowy. So finally, this past weekend we bundled up and went sledding. It wasn't TOO terribly cold out...around 25 degrees I think, which compared to the zero and negative temps we've had, that felt pretty good.

We went to the Battelle Darby Creek park and it was great. Not too crowded. We hadn't been there in years.

Ella started off wanting to stand on her board going down. She actually did a pretty great job!

We ended up in the van for a hot cocoa break. Good thinking Dad!


I even went down the hill a few times, mostly with Justin but with Ella and Silas too.


The scenery was pretty.


Ella's wipe-outs weren't so pretty.


I wish I had gotten Silas going down on his belly in a Superman pose. It was pretty good.








I think we're going to try our hand at Mad River Mountain this weekend. That may be a bit much...for me at least!!