The Art of Sledding

Earlier this month we were the beneficiaries of the Great Midwestern Freeze. It snowed enough to actually play in the snow. (The cold temperature to keep the snow around was never an issue.) Megan's sister has a great hill at their house for sledding and were gracious enough to invite us over to use it with them without requiring that we sign any waivers beforehand.

As we starting playing, it quickly became apparent that each person in our family had their own idea of how to have a good time in the snow.

Max's Perspective:
Step 1: Try to be convinced by your father that this is actually a good idea. (Why would anyone go outside in this weather? It's freezing.)
Step 2: Fight tooth and nail putting on your new winter snow coat that Megan bought. When you lose that battle, fight tooth and nail putting on your hat and gloves.
Step 3: With your coat, hat and gloves on, cautiously sit in your father's lap on the sled at the top of the hill.
Step 4: Go down the hill. When reaching the bottom exclaim, "Again!"
Step 5: Repeat Step 4.
Step 6: Repeat Step 4, but get a lot of snow in your face as your father steers the sled into some undisturbed powder.
Step 7: Ask to go inside.
Step 8: Stay inside until everyone else is done.


Kaitlyn's Perspective:
Step 1: Find your cutest skirt to wear.
Step 2: Determine that your legs will get cold and put on some tights. Also find some cute boots to wear.
Step 3: Pose for anyone with a camera.


Step 4: Take some trips down the hill with your cousin and with your mom. Try to avoid crashing into the trees and sheds. Run over your father who is trying to ensure your safety.
Step 5: Go inside for some hot chocolate. Say "hi" to Max.
Step 6: Repeat Steps 4 through 6 until it's time to go home.


Ali's Perspective:
Step 1: Put on your snow pants and heavy snow coat, hat, gloves, boots, and extra layers of sweaters so you can stay outside the maximum possible time before having to come inside due to snow down your back.
Step 2: Bypass the sled action and try to become proficient at the standing sled/snowboard-thing that your boy cousins are using.
Step 3: Devote your entire time and attention to learning how to do the standing sled/snowboard-thing until you have a successful run without a wipeout at the end, nevermind the fact that you have snow caked on you from head to toe.

Step 4: Show your mom how to do it.



Megan's Perspective:
Step 1: Nobody calls me chicken.
Step 2: Take Ali's challenge of using the standing sled/snowboard-thing that she is using.
Step 3: Wipeout.
Step 4: Try a second time and make it to the bottom before wiping out.
Step 5: Successfully make it down the hill sans wipeouts.

Nathan's Perspective:
Step 1: Pretend you are 10 or under again and go down the hill on the sled as many times as you can with Max in tow. (In other words, go down the hill 3 times.)
Step 2: Try to get some other runs in while taking turns with Megan watching and snapping photos of the kids.
Step 3: Blog about it.