Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Snow much fun!

Snowtubing at Perfect North has become an annual event that my kids really look forward to. Cade had himself dressed and ready to go at 10 AM, even though I kept explaining that we wouldn't be leaving until 3 PM. He kept running around the house telling me how many minutes it was until we would be leaving (OK, so I guess that counts as math for a 5 year old right?). I busied myself making a big pot of vegetable soup and getting together all the odds and ends you need to snowtube.....gloves, hats, snowpants, coats time 8 people! Jay agreed to stay home with Will (you need to be 3 to snowtube)! Our friends, the Lelands, rode with us, it was so great to have another adult to talk to on the long drive!

We got to Perfect North at exactly 4 PM, despite my slight "detour" where I ended up on 74 instead of staying on 275. With our move last spring, it meant a new right to the slopes so I got a bit directionally impaired! The kids were so excited when they saw the hills! The snow was a bit wet but that didn't stop them from attacking the hill!

I had been worried about Sophie but she alsolutely LOVED it. She trudged up the hill and across the snow, little red snowtube in tow. It was pure delight to watch her little face as she went down the hills. She even went to the top of the biggest hill to make a long chain! I was so shocked, she just tackled the entire thing! Every time when we could get to the bottom she would catch her breath and say "can we go again?".

As the night progressed and the temp dropped to the middle 30's, the hills got icier and icier and therefore faster and faster...it was an absolute BLAST! We just FLEW down the hills!

I brought soup, rolls, sandwiches, hot chocolate and a bunch of snacks (fruit snacks, fruit cups, cookies and crackers). The kids DEVOURED every bit of it! Tubing seems to make them EXTREMELY hungry! Next year I will have to pack at least twice as much hot chocolate mix and extra fruit!

On the ride home, Deanne and I talked alot about how people precieve unschoolers. We both have encountered people who think unschooling = unparenting, and that couldn't be further from the truth. Because unschoolers let children follow their passions, they tend to be some of the most involved parents around. Just because they aren't cracking an academic whip over their children doesn't mean they aren't invoved in what is going on. Of course it is always easy to have a converstaion with someone who shares your views!

Photos added 2/26:

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