Snow Play

EDIT: I updated the blog layout format, so a few of these pictures are getting cut off now since I used a different uploader than usual. To see the full image, just click on the photo and it will open up the whole thing. Thanks! :)

Today we took the boys to play in the snow for the first time! We loaded up all of our snow gear last night, packed a lunch and headed to Yuba Gap Sno-Park about an hour or so up the mountain. Last night Sawyer was so excited to go to the snow that he woke up around 10:00 pm just to check in and make sure that we hadn't decided to leave and go without him while he was sleeping. Needless to say, his excitement translated this morning into "Are we here?" "Can I play on that mountain?" "Can I play on that mountain?" "Are we ready?" "Are we here?" for over an hour non-stop. When we got to Yuba Gap he was about ready to squirm out of his carseat on his own and jump into the white powder, so it was a huge bummer to learn that the road into the park was being shut down because there had been too many accidents this morning because the road was so icy. Thinking quickly, Granddad suggested that we head up to the snow park at Boreal, so we ended up driving about another 20 minutes before we finally unleashed the restless kiddos and let them run around in the snow.

It was a bright and sunny morning, but it was deceptively hiding a well-below-freezing 18 degrees outside - BRRRR! It's been quite a long time since I've been that cold, and although I had a great time playing outside with my family, I hope the next time we decide to go sledding that it's at least 20 degrees warmer. I was paranoid that Sutton was going to get frostbite because he wasn't thrilled by the snow, and he wasn't really playing or moving around to warm up all that much. Sawyer, on the other hand, loved the snow and couldn't get enough of it! He's so crazy - even in 18 degree weather he quickly took off his beanie (Mommy compromised by making sure he wore his hood instead) and wanted to take his coat and gloves off too! I swear, that kid really has something against layering and wearing jackets! He had a blast sledding with Daddy and Granddad, but he was a little disappointed that it was too cold and too powdery to make very good snowballs with the snow. He settled instead for making snow angels. I decided that there was no better way to show how much fun we had than to post a gazillion pictures, so here you go...Enjoy!







In love with the cold stuff from the minute we got there



First sled ride!


Load 'em up...


...and goooooo!



"I wanna go on my tummy!"

Sutton appears to be thinking "What in the hell are we doing here?"

All bundled up

Granddad with the ever-present video camera and Gigi freezing her booty off!

Getting a saucer ride from Granddad - now that's traveling in style!

Sutton beginning to realize that there might be some fun to be had in this snow junk after all

Granddad and Saw ride the flying saucer

Nope, still just freezing cold

Toboggan Races: Mitch & Sawyer vs. Jeff & Sutton

Yay, we won!

...and still freezing. I think at one point his runny nose was actually freezing to his face, poor kid.

Sawyer had just kicked up a face-full of wet snow on his last run down with Granddad

Is that Sutton smiling!?! Ah ha, so he likes it when you go fast, eh?

Sawyer trying to avoid another face full of snow and bringing back a souvenier...

Exhausted from the largest snowball he could carry! "I'm taking a rest."

Self portraits in the snow - proof that Heidi and Rhonda were here too! :)

Pulling Sutton in the toboggan

Oh my gosh, he LIKES it! Yay!

Let's go fast!

Somebody is finally having a good time!

Finding a snowball as big as himself

Okay, I think I'm ready for lunch now!

The only people strange awesome enough to have their own card table in the snow