Skate Party

The kids attended their first skate party at the local ice rink this afternoon.  The event seemed fitting, since the weather has returned to winter after a few days of teaser spring temperatures.

Sammy took to the ice immediately, no hand-holding required.

Robert, on the other hand, needed a little help.

We don't think he quite understood how to stand on the skate's blades. Sammy was off racing around on her own and did not seem to mind falling down.

It was an interesting experience, though I don't think we ever saw the birthday girl!

Spring Weather

We are enjoying a hint of spring weather this weekend.  Bob, Robert and Samantha loaded the bikes in the car and went to a local state park to ride the bike path.

Robert really enjoys riding the trail-a-bike. Last year, Samantha wanted to have her time on the back of dad's bike. This season, so far, she is content to do her own thing on her pink bike. Her confidence level has grown dramatically.

We hope the spring weather continues. We've had enough snow and sub 30 degree weather.

Mr. Snowshoes

Immediately after we published the last post, Robert decided to try something new: snowshoeing. We didn't want to leave him out of the blog for this month, so here he is taking a break from stomping around the yard.

Spring Teaser

The last few weeks have been miserable with back-to-back snow storms disrupting school and work life. Robert and Samantha have been off from school 4 or 5 days since January, and we were notified after the last storm that the school district was taking back a day from Easter recess to make up for lost days.

Today, however, feels like spring. It's nearly 50 degrees out which means it's the perfect weather to romp around in the snow and explore the backyard. Maybe even make a little snowman…

The polar vortex returns to NY tomorrow and there's the threat of more snow by mid-week. So today is the day to get outside and have some fun!

Bedroom Makeover 2

Samantha's bedroom makeover was completed a couple of weeks ago. Like Robert, she got a new rug and the furniture was rearranged in accordance with her wishes.

We've been working on developing a routine of keeping the room clean and organized. It's rough-going because the girl changes outfits seven times a day and leaves the previous outfit lying on the floor.

We may be imagining this, but there seems to be less getting up in the middle of the night following the room makeovers. 

We are getting our second round of snow this evening and the kids have already inquired about sledding tomorrow. But the day is pretty packed with social obligations, so sledding may not be on the agenda.

Awesome!

We are hanging around the house, recovering and sipping hot chocolate after our first sledding experience.

Today was a snow day from school (and work, for Bob). After spending the morning puttering around the house, we went out in the car to complete some errands.  On the way out of town, we noticed children sledding down one of the hills at the high school. Sammy and Robert, of course, wanted to give it a try but Bob was hesitant due to the crowd of people and out of concern for the kids' safety.

Robert and Sammy have been in a sled before. Bob has pulled them around behind his bicycle and, when they were about 2 years old, we pulled them by hand and let them cruise down a mild bunny slope.  They've never been let loose on anything with an incline. 

During one of our stops in the car, I mentioned to a buddy that we "might" go sledding but probably not because of safety concerns. My buddy called my bluff, reminding me that I wanted to raise the kids to be outdoorsy and that driving them around in a car all afternoon was the opposite of outdoorsy. He was right, of course, and after a quick stop for lunch we raced home to get the sleds.

During that same stop, by the way, Sam invited herself over to my friend's house for dinner---I think. She's such a social being.

My safety concerns were misplaced. The three of us stood at the hill for a few minutes watching the traffic patterns and I issued some basic rules which the kids agreed to. Then off they went up the hill with their sleds.

After maybe three seconds of quiet contemplation at the top of the hill, they launched themselves toward the bottom. Robert instantly demonstrated control over the sled by shifting his hips back and forth. Within 5 seconds, all I could hear was the two of them shouting "This is Awesome!"

On his very first run, Robert made it to the end of the snow and kept on going into the parking lot adjacent to the hill. That's him in the sled on the right, below.

They had the biggest smiles on their faces after that first run, and I knew immediately that coming to the hill and giving the kids this experience was the right thing to do for them. That's what parenting is supposed to be, right…giving kids experiences to learn from.

Sammy did not display the same level of steering control as Robert, but she did manage to find her way to some snow mounds that the older kids constructed as jumps. She hit the jumps a couple of times and caught some air. Robert, meanwhile, was studying the hill to find the fastest route. No kidding: you could see him trying different paths to go faster or practice turning. He may have a future in bobsledding.

We stayed at the hill for about 40 minutes. 40 minutes in 10 degree weather with a wind chill is enough for a kid. No injuries, No accidents. A couple of wipeouts that produced loud laughter. A lot of fun and the perfect way to spend a snow day.

Birthday Party

A picture from dad's birthday party last night. The lighting in the dining room is not flattering to our eyes.

Mother Nature dumped about a foot of snow on us yesterday and overnight. It's hard to tell the exact amount because the wind is blowing it all-around. It's enough to close the schools, however, so we are enjoying a snow day today.