A Successful Ski Day!

A Successful Ski Day!

Today Henry, Nola Mae and I hit the cross-country ski trails at Iola Winter Sports Club for the first time this winter.

When we started out I was thinking it was going to be the worst day of skiing.

Then I reminded myself of a few facts:

• We are on the trails for the first time this winter,
• I am trying to ski with a 3.5 year old and a 6.5 year old,
• It is normal for a 3.5 year old child to flop on the ground screaming after  only 10 minutes on skis,
• I ski with kids to teach them a life sport,
• We just had a snack and it is almost lunch time,
• It could be nap time for Nola Mae,
• It is 24 degrees and the wind feels cold, and
• Once I get Nola Mae in the sled I can actually get my workout in, so BE PATIENT!

 

Not far on skis for the first time before the body flopping began.

Things started looking better:

with a little bribe of a snack once she got into the sled,

a boy who wanted to do all the black trails,

a boy insisting on going down Nose Dive.  My kind of boy!

A napping girl!

A bit of sunshine on the trails!

A real workout!

Henry and I skied on the blue and black trails for an hour.

We went in the chalet for lunch and ended the day with Nola Mae skiing almost one mile, giggling on the downhills and she was loving it.   I had to beg her to go home.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have the camera with me for our second time out.  There is always tomorrow!

 

Snow!

Twelve to fifteen inches of snow was predicted to hit our town on Monday, December 28th.  The snow fall was heavy and the winds were blowing.   We filled the mudroom with firewood, ate dinner and settled by the cozy fire for the evening.

In the morning the local news station said that we got 9 inches of snow, it didn’t seem like that much.   The wind made a few big drifts in our yard and left some bare spots too.  I am thankful for what we have!

I plowed the driveway, loaded more firewood into the skid steer, sent Henry out to ski around the yard.   Nola Mae was feeling sick and napped most of the morning.  In between her cat naps she told me she was going skiing after lunch!

  It didn’t take much convincing her to ride in the sled.  I snowshoed, pulled her in the sled and Henry skied behind us, until he ran into the sled a few times.

I asked Henry to ski ahead of me.

When you are skiing so fast and you drop your pole you have to keep going!

When we came out into our field Henry noticed the nicely groomed trail.  He asked, “Who did this for us?”  I wish it was for us and we had our own groomer!

Finally, the snow has arrived!

 

 

December 2015

We have had a crazy start of winter.

The first snowfall was pretty lame.  Nola Mae was excited with the dusting of snow, so much, that she wanted to harvest all the snow so she could eat it.

Then it disappeared.

We hiked at Iola Winter Sports Club.

The boys wanted to walk to school, so I dropped them off at the high school when I dropped Robbie off for band.

I started the school year caring for Bailey while her parents work.  Occasionally, my friend Jack comes.  In December, temporarily, I started caring for a 23 month old.  My house was full when the three of them were here to play with me and Nola Mae.  It was a wonderful day and I had so much fun!

The next day, I spent on the couch.  They whipped me good!

A little flexible!

Gifts for Christmas:

Henry made zombie guys for his siblings.

Robbie made a fleece soccer blanket for Charlie.

Cookies for Christmas.    

My Frozen inspired cape.  I made one for Nola Mae and Bailey.

Nola Mae tells me it is supposed to drag on the floor.  I may attempt to make some adjustments.

   

Our annual family profile.

Spring is here!

We celebrated two birthdays last week.

Nola Mae loved her Peppa Pig.

First paddle of the year, Lake Iola, on a very windy day, April 12th.

My paddle with three kids in the canoe didn’t last very long.

We paddled into the windy part of the lake and got blown to the shoreline.  My strategy of paddling in this wind was:  paddle really hard for as long as you can, get blown to a shoreline, aim the canoe to where you want to go, paddle really hard for as long as you can, get blown to a shoreline, aim the canoe to where you want to go.  Repeat until you get back to where you started!  Charlie and I aren’t ready to paddle to a campsite in the Turtle Flambeau Flowage this year.

Our first hike on the River Walk Trail in town.

Snake Watching:

(There are NO snake pictures on this post!)

We have seen the first snakes of the year. One the other day by the garden woodpile and today by the deck. I try my hardest to not show fear and disgust when seeing snakes.  I have accepted the fact that we have to live on the same planet as each other and I still dislike them very much!   I must be doing well at this because Nola Mae has no fear of them. She is curious and knows to give them space. Today the sun is shining, it is warm outside with a slight breeze and the deck is a nice place to snake watch.

I was amazed how long this kept Nola Mae occupied.

This doesn’t have much to do with springtime, just a cute photo I took of Nola Mae, who fell asleep in my room waiting for me.