We've had a good amount of snow this month, and since Nordic opened so early this season, a lot of our outside time has been in the form of skiing. But we've got other outdoor activities, too, including walking, hiking, skating, and . . . ziplining!
2 December: Nordic Ski Day
Sam and Gregg got a few laps in at Nordic on an early December Friday morning.
6 December: Solo Walk to the Old Highway
Just a lovely afternoon walk down to the lake, me and my podcast.
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| Cutest cows on the block. |
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| That lake is a loooong ways away from the road these days. |
7 December: More Nordic
Another ski day for Sam and Gregg.
While the kids were in STEAM club at the library, I popped in my earbud and took a long walk through the quiet streets and neighborhoods of Huntsville. Looks like they're getting ready for the ice rink at the park!
12 December: Nordic again
Back at it on the ski hill with some fresh snow!
14 December: Another Day at Nordic
More new snow - time to ski! (And apparently only take a walking-through-the-parking-lot-to-the-lift photo.) Only legs were so wimpy I could only to one run! So Gregg took each kid separately up Apollo (since the triple Crockett wasn't open yet) and I waited at the bottom and then we all went home. Sheesh. Time for some serious wall sits to get in shape!
I'm really liking this tradition of dropping the kids off at the library for STEAM club and then wandering around Huntsville with my podcasts. This time I made it to the trailhead that cuts through the old Jefferson Hunt Campground so it felt extra naturey and peaceful.
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| Checking on the ice rink conditions - plenty of turkeys about! |
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| Seriously, this is for real someone's street! |
17 December: Neighborhood Solo Walk
I'm pretty sure it was only 14 degrees when I went on this walk, but that sky and sunshine (and plenty of layers) kept me going!
18 December: Our Backyard
Icicles, anyone?!
19 December: Old Highway Solo Walk
Another bluebird day and I just had to get out and about in the fresh air (while the kids played minecraft at home).
21 December: Skiing at Nordic in a Snowstorm
Sam was determined to ski, and Gregg was good enough to take him up for a few runs in a wild storm. Cal and I stayed home to craft and bake instead.
bonus video!
22 December: Nordic with the Fam
Apollo is open!! Finally! A few fun milestones on this visit: Callie rode the lift by herself (and also with a stranger)! Sam skied the black diamond run Falling Star that follows the liftline from top to bottom! And I skied six runs without my legs feeling like they'd fall off! (Wall sits really work!) We even ate lunch in the lodge to celebrate such a marvelous morning.
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| That's Cal on the lift all by her little self! |
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| Here are Sam and Gregg coming down the last bit of Falling Star. |
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| Such a perfect day for skiing! |
23 December: Nordic Again, Three Days in a Row!
We got up there right at opening and had first chair on Crockett. The sun wasn't out like yesterday, but it was still nice. And then after two runs on Crockett and two runs on Apollo, the rest of the world showed up! The lines were crazy long - longer than we've ever seen them. The parking lots were packed - all three! We decided to call it a day after 45 minutes and headed home. But that's the great thing about having passes and living seven minutes away. We can do that because we know we'll be back next week when the crowds are gone and the snow is good. What a life!
25 December: Huntsville Ice Rink
Sam got to try out his new skates and Cal honed her skills.
bonus videos!
29 December: Backyard Shenanigans
Racoon prints on the fresh snow - haven't seen one of these guys for a while! And then, a project: Gregg had a 40-before-40 goal to make a zipline for the kids, so he wrapped up the supplies and surprised them with it for Christmas. The sun was out, so we spent the morning rigging the thing up between two trees in the backyard and it works like a champ! (And little do the kids know that they're burning tons of energy running the seat back up to the start after their ride - win, win, win!)
bonus videos!
30 December: Back at Huntsville Ice Rink (and also home)
Turns out the kids get tired a lot quicker skating when they are out there before their Minecraft play for the day (we make them read aloud and play outside before they can play on the computer each day - when Gregg took them earlier in the month (before Sam's Christmas skates) they played and slid for hours, but it was also later in the afternoon after they had already played Minecraft). Hmmm . . . But bringing hot cider in the thermos was a good call - we'll need to replicate that move.
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| Icicles, anyone? |
