Monday, December 29, 2014

Christmas in Idaho Part 3

On the airplane they always remind you to put your oxygen mask on first before helping others.  Apparently this is also true for packing snow coats and gear for going ice skating on the coldest day yet. 

Yesterday my cousin came over with her family to go sledding and after unloading all their gear they realized they had left their son's snow coat at home.  We loaned them one of Ellie's hoodies and made it work and there were many fun trips down the hill. We shared our sleds and they shared their new snowboard and "snow mobile" and many good times were had before tiring out and returning inside for hot cocoa. 


Blast off!


No one stopped long enough for a photo...action shots only zone!

Off they go

Jump launching is my favorite

Sledding the day before in the falling snow!

Today we agreed to meet up again at the skating rink in Moscow and knowing the temperatures were dropping I decided to pack our suitcase with ALL of our snow gear to make certain we could skate as long as we wanted without getting too cold. I even packed extra socks and outfits just in case we wanted to change after.  Thinking I was oh so prepared, I loaded up the trunk and ran back in the house to leave my dad the truck keys.  I was already cold and my hands hurt, but I didn't want to be too hot in the half hour drive into town, so I just jumped in and off we went.  Halfway to town I realized I had forgotten the important rule...I had made sure everyone else had their coats, checked it all more than once and left mine hanging in the closet. Luckily my chivalrous husband offered me his fleece jacket to layer over my wool sweater. 

Josh admiring his comfy skate
We bundled up, strapped on those foot stabbing rental skates and hit the ice.  That is where we would spend the next 3 hours. Mason challenged himself to skate 20 consecutive laps without assistance or falling. First, as all athletes must, they warmed up.

The crew getting warmed up

Practicing

Getting stronger

And they're off!

Hi Mom!

My boy and me...he set a goal for himself and crushed it with a whopping 32 laps! All while dodging the pack of boys resembling the boys from the movie A Christmas Story who kept falling down all over the ice!




A month of sled hill climbing, ice house building, and ice skating and we would all be the most fit we've been in quite some time. Since we can't have that, we plan to pack in as much as we can in these next few days. 

As the temperature fell to 18 degrees on our drive home from the rink, I will be certain to over pack my coats for tomorrow's adventures.

Stay cozy and warm, Cheers! 

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