Easter 2016

 Many people would have titled this blog "Spring Break vs. Easter" but as I mentioned in a prior blog Mother Nature has been very confused. We had spring but when Spring break arrived winter had returned.

 Getting to San Luis Obispo, Ca from Marquette, Mi in one day is on par with completing and Ironman and a 1/2 Ironman in one day....with less frequent aid stations an more chaotic transitions. We got up at 0400 EST and arrived at ....oh I don't know ..sometime after dinner pacific time. What I do know was staying in my pajamas allay was a wise choice.

We hit up In -N-Out burger. I got a chocolate shake and a hat and got to sit outside. California you do deliver. 

 Immediately upon arrival my cousins and I formed a ferrel pack. We climbed trees and jungle gyms

We colored Easter eggs. 

 Well some of us did...Isaac practiced yoga I guess.

Isaac and Ava couldn't quite keep up with is older cousins climbing trees. We gave them a chance to be king and queen of the castle when we were outside.

 We did Easter up right. Mom dressed Isaac in his best 100% polyester suit. She purchased it just after Easter in 2015 off the clearance rack .... from Shopko....Did I mention the tie is 100% clip on as well

 Note my fabulous boots....Just like cousin Rachel's. A gift from Grandma. Rachel and I are boot buddies forever.

 After church there were wonderful festivities. Donuts, lemonade, and an Easter egg hunt.

 Grandpa helped mw with my pre egg hunt strategy. I'm certain I got the most eggs of all.

 After church we hit the beach.

 Isaac was a handful and ate a handful of sand.

 Who does that? Oh, wait a minute. I was indeed a sand eater.

We celebrated Gramps' 89th birthday. 

 We attempted to get a pic of all of us with Gramps holding still.

It would have taken until he was 90.  Moments to treasure.

 My Mom ran to the track for a speed workout. Congratulations Mom...you made the interval and got the math right.

 Umm...But I think if I had to choose one or the other ...the track or the trail. I'd take the trail, but as Grandma Cindy said best "There is a season for everything in your life"

 Back to the beach at least.

 Sand dollars were a dime dozen

 
My Dad got his surf on while we combed the beach.

 You can't beat fresh fish for lunch.

 Isaac loves to eat!

 And all too soon it was time to go home.

Spring 2016.. The First Attempt

 After a long winter ok so it wasn't too long this year we were happy to see the light of spring

I continued to entertain brother with by making awesome pizza pies and French fries with my skis.

 Brother really wanted to get in on the action. He's limited in his ability to participate because his snowsuit doesn't have wholes near the feet for boots. Actually brother is limited because he doesn't own boots.

 Brother is also a bit limited because he can not yet walk. I tried my best to include him but really his failure to walk is a limiting factor.

 He'll just have to watch me from Mom's backpack.

Speaking of walk and spring

 There may be too much snow in our yard but gold old Lake Superior is actually a "heat sink" and there is much less snow near the beach.

 After a long hard day of Pre K the shores of Lake Superior are where I like to go. I just like to sit and think and find peace.

Skiing, Sledding, Skating and Swinging in the Snow

Those of you following the 2015-2016 winter know that Mother Nature has been a bit confused in regards to winter in the Superior land. I don't know if she is going through "the change" of life/climate or if the parabens and phalthates in her sunscreen caught up to her. Perhaps, she drank too much Non GMO soy but at any rate it has been a season of strange weather.  

December was dry, well dry of snow. Actually most of December was wet with rain. But hey, when Santa brings you a bright pink jacket with an attached compass, get outside and explore anyway. 

 Take advantage of unseasonably warm weather and hit the slopes for some skiing. Man made snow is better than nothing. Often I overhear the question "How do you stay fit with small children?" What? Seriously. How does one not? Who needs cross fit when you are a human pack mule and tow rope. This season I started out with my Mom pulling me up the bunny hill then using the straps to slow me down. Now I can ride handle tow with stand by assist and ski down unaided. 

If not for the I-man I totally could have graduated from the bunny hill but my mom was too cheap to pay for a babysitter for Isaac and a lift ticket for me  we like to ski as a family and share the experience with Isaac.

I'm willing to share the experience.  He can have my skis and boots next year. They will be far too small...but don't even ask me to share my "warm" chocolate. He's allergic anyway. 

My Mom signed me up for ski school. I think we might have made it off the bunny hill if we weren't having so much fun sliding backwards and being silly snakes lying in the snow.

There is a great race program at our hill. My Mom said there are a few things I need to be more comfortable with before I'm ready. She said I have to be capable of getting on and off the chairlift solo and trustworthy to stop and turn at higher speeds. If you  have seen Charlie Brown you understand when Charlie speaks Snoopy hears. "wha wha wha" and then he what wants to hear. I heard "wha wha wha...comfortable at speed" and got out my sled. Sledding is fun. I like to go fast! It was my idea to wear my helmet and goggles.

My Mom and Dad are hooked on this "new"sport. Nordic skiing. My Mom has a secret life when I am asleep. Personally, I find cross country skiing just a tad bit boring...but the dogs on the trails are fun, and the birds are cool and I usually can score some hot cocoa. It's mot too bad. 

I think maybe her the light, illuminates the trail and her soul. 

 

 Once in a while when I am at school she brings brother. There may have been an attempt this season to pull both of us. The story would make a great AP physics test question. It would read something like this....

51kg female pulling 11kg trailer + 3kg of apparatus, 19 kg child +10 kg baby + 3-4 kg of winter boots, clothes, and various necessities unnecessary toys and snacks.

• At what percent grade descending will the children overtake the mother in front?
• What percent grade of incline with the individual fall over backwards?
• At what interval will various snack and pacifiers be needed?

Mom's night out is looking pretty good.

 My Mom still does like to run with brother a lot in the Chariot. Sometimes he get's out.

 Owning lane one!

Brother is doing a fairly good job keeping Mom healthy and fit while I am at Pre K.

Don't even think of running hard without a dynamic warm up!

Isaac knows all about stretching. I taught him pretty well.

I was far too busy getting an education and practicing important things like being St. Elizabeth of Hungary. A woman who built hospitals and gave food to the poor. Helping Mom stay fit is one thing but feeding the poor and building hospitals is a just a wee bit more important. Isaac does what he can though to contribute. You can't fault him for that. 

 I learned to skate this winter.

 Brother's chariot came in handy indeed.

After about 3-5 minutes of skating I would insist the above netting/goal was a lion cage and we were at the zoo. This lasted approximately 30-50 minutes while my Mom sufficed as zoo keeper and tried not to freeze. 

Funny...It seems Mom and Dad spend plenty of time in the snow wearing far less clothing. 50 K of skating and they don't get bored. They call that race "The Bear Chase"  I'd be in the woods try to track the bear and wake him up. Seriously, what is the point of chasing a bear if there is no bear? 

Anyway Grandma and Grandpa played with Isaac and I while the parents had their fun. Behind every picture in this blog there is a backstory ....and a good one liner.

If one line could sum up a season with a great one liner it would be...

 "What's a girl got to do to buy some quality wax around here?" 

Hint...Somebody may have been told that the wax she was intending to purchase was a waste of money for her ability,  unless she was going to be on the podium for being a winner of the whole "damn" race.  After race #2 my Dad said "Well good maybe now somebody will sell you some wax so I don't have to leave the OR to go and get it. ...Seriously the gender equality is lagging in endurance sports. No sales person would ever not sell a product to a man because he wasn't good enough.

Just like Grandpa Dan said to my Mom when she race downhill as a kid...."Let your skis do the talking and your boots do the walking."

 It's all good because in this town the trails are open whenever there is snow and you are always welcome.

 If you ski at night you can trust your vehicle not to be vandalized or your stuff stolen from the warming hut

 You might however find something waiting upon your return.

 Sip and have sweet dreams of the next wonderful ski to come. (Extra credit if you can diagnose the phenomena show in the above hand...nice display of red, white, and blue) 

You probably think poor Isaac gets left out of all the fun. 

Think again.