Winter Trip 2013: Part 2 Loving the snow in Utah

While we were in Utah the only thing the kids wanted to do was play outside in the snow.  Right after we arrived they wanted to go running out and jump into the giant white piles outside our door.  Of course I was a little on edge because we had just arrived, the kids were running around and we were trying to unload the car.  They didn't want to hear any of my logical explanations about needing to unpack the car because the snow gear was on the bottom and if they gave us ten minutes it would be done.  Instead they just ran up and down the stairs screaming they wanted to play.  Yes I know its a lovely mental picture but hey....that's life with these four.

Once we got the bags out of the car I was able to start dressing them to play outside.  Like I said in my last post, I bow down to all moms who live in the snow because my gosh it takes forever to get everyone ready...then someone has to go potty....then they all have to go potty....then Lilly fills her diaper....then everyone is too hot because we aren't outside yet...oh my  it is just a lot of work. At least I knew it was only going to be five days of these snowy days so I tried to enjoy it.

My little snow buddies all ready to play.

I was worried that we would get outside and they would all freak out because it was so cold and immediately want to come back inside.  Fortunately they really took to playing outside in the snow quite well.  The only time we had tears was when Ray or his dad pegged the kids in the face with snow balls.  While the kids got some love from their momma their dad got a stern look of disapproval all while shrugging, laughing, and saying "Eh...they will get over it.  It's just a little snow."

It seems like everyday we were there we went through the process of dressing and going outside at least five times.  Get dressed, go out, come in for snack, go back out, come back in for lunch, for back out for a walk with grandpa, come back in for snack.  it was just endless.  But oh what fun they had.  James insisted on walking in the deepest snow he could find all the time.   I was so worried that he was going to sink all the way over his head or slide down the hills but he survived.  Lilly insisted on eating and tasting the snow constantly.  I am not sure how much dirt she ate that week but I am sure it was a significant part of her Utah diet.  Nick  got cold quickly but he was a trooper.  He really wanted to build a snow man and loved throwing snow over his head pretending to be Elsa from Frozen.  Joe helped the boy across the street shovel some of the snow off his sidewalk.  It was a new and fun things for our kids.  I'm sure if we lived there they would eventually find that the novelty wears off.

So much Fun.  The kids had to watch out for Grandpa and dad though.  They didn't hold back on the snowballs just because the kids are young.

Since we were in Park City for the holidays we decided to do some fun snowy activities.  Ray's mom really want to take the kids on a sleigh ride.  We found one that had a 30 minute ride in the evening.  So we bundled the kids up tight and headed out to the Park City ski resort.  The kids were so excited to be pulled by horses.  I was impressed that these two horses were able to pull a sleigh with all of us in it.  They stopped and gave the horses a few breaks while they encouraged the kids to sing jingle bells.  Joe was singing loud and proud.  He absolutely loves jingle bells.

The ride took us up the mountain a little bit to a small look out point where we could see the beautiful lights of Park City.  Not only could we see the normal town lights but there were tons of large trees decorated with bright christmas lights.  It was gorgeous.  At the end of the ride We got out and were able to see and pet the horses.  They were so hot they had steam coming off of their backs.  We tried to get a family picture but one of the horses kept trying to nibble on Nick's coat.  Even though we are not all facing forwards in a perfect family picture I still love it.  What an adventure that was.

Our nighttime sleigh ride was a blast

 I think the part that the kids enjoyed the most was inner tubing.  My family was never really that big into snow activities so this was my first time as well as the kids.  I know the Ray and his parents have been looking forward to doing this with the boys since they were born.

The park was great.  They had a small area for the little kids to go.  It had some blocks to play on a tiny hill and a machine that would pull the inner tubes in a slow circle.  Lilly stayed here most of the time.  We went two days and each day Ray sneaked her on to the first of the two big hills.  I stayed at the bottom while he took her so that I could take a round of pictures.  I could hear her little squeaky scream the whole way down.   I think I was more nervous than her.

The boys had a fantastic time.  The first half of the hill has a moving sidewalk that takes you up to the top of the run.  I was just amazed.  The few times i did go sledding as a kid I remember lugging my sled up the hill and practically killing myself to get high enough to make it worth the ride.  This was awesome.  We just grabbed our inner tubes and stepped on the ramp.  The first time we went up Nick did tell me that he was a little nervous because he didn't know how fast it would go but that he still wanted to go.  We went in several groups so that each boy didn't have to go alone. I could hear Joe screaming "THIS IS SO AWESOME!!" all the way down the hill.

After the first time down the shorter hill the boys decided it was time to go up to the second tier.  After getting off the first ramp we had to walk a little farther and get hooked onto this pulley system.  We sat down in the inner tubes and an employee hooked us onto the rope and up we went.  I have to be honest.  I was a little scared.  I don't like the felling of being out of control and throwing myself down a mountain is on my list of things that makes me feel like I am out of control but it was very fun once I relaxed a bit.  James like the smaller hill a little better but Joe and Nick were addicted to the speed of the high hill.  It was a great couple of days out in the snow.

What a great time!

I loved watching Ray with the kids.  We often get so weighed down by our daily grind of parenting that we don't get to truly enjoy all the moments.  This was one of those times where I could tell he was just enjoying the time with the kids.  He laughed as he shoved the kids down the hill listening to their cheers and screams of delight.  It is such a thrill to just watch them have fun together.  Ray had a great time launching each child down these steep hills while my protective mommy side wanted to grab them back. He would just turn around and laugh each time I gasped while we watched our boys soaring down these mountains.  It was just one of those times where I fall in love all over again.  He is the best husband and Dad any of us could ask for and little moments like these make me appreciate him so much.

Next time I will write about all our holiday fun!