Warm Adventures: A True Winter Wonderland

Brrr

As I sit here on a Sunday morning, there is a beautiful light snow falling. And I find Erik and I just staring out the window watching it. In fact it's been snowing quite a bit since we arrived home two weeks ago. I'm wondering if it's ever going to stop. This has been by far the most snow we've seen since we moved here. And a big change from the warm weather of Florida we had been in since mid- December.

But I can honestly say we've been enjoying it. Yes it takes a long time to get the kids geared up and I've learned some valuable lessons along the way but for the most part we are finally getting out and enjoying it. That's not to say that some days are miserably cold and windy and we end up staying inside all day, as I still am a native Floridian and a bit of a wuss.

The day after we arrived back from Florida, we went sledding on a nearby hill. I learned that Alison didn't quite have the proper snow gear. For some reason I thought she could make do with her snow pants from last year. Not so considering they are about 6 inches too short. Oops, kind of kicked myself for a week for not getting some good inexpensive ones back at the Columbia outlet in Orlando (literally lost sleep over it). Luckily everyone here is also selling all of last years ski clothes and I ended up getting her a good outfit for less than 30 francs. Score.

Ice skating lessons

We came back from Florida just in time for the 'sportferien' aka ski holiday. The two week winter break from school where every Swiss person goes snow skiing. Alison had her first skiing lessons last Saturday and did great. Classic story, we are running late (as usual) and when we get there (the mountain) Erik takes Alison immediately to the resort to get her skis and sign her in ski school. Meanwhile Miles and I take our time getting bundled up in our many layers. We are finally geared up and heading toward the gondola when he decides to you know what in his diaper. Erik wondered what took us so long to meet up with them.

Ski school (Ali is in turquoise)

Then this past week, Alison and 2 of her friends attended a 3 day beginners ice skating class. Again funny Miles story, I am in a hurry to get two kids geared up for the cold weather and out the door, and Miles is standing at the elevator of our building trying very hard to tell me something important. "Mom, I don't have, I don't, I, I don't have any shoes on!" Yes I guess that would be important. Again the girls had a good time learning to skate, while the Moms and little ones froze our bum bums off watching them.

Sledding or Sledging as they say here

Earlier that week we had a really fun play date at a friends house who has a great hill for sledding. The kids had a blast and it was my first time driving in some really thick snow. And although it was something insane like 28 degrees outside, I wasn't freezing as there was little wind and the sun was shining. We also had another snowy play date at another friends house who had an outside playground complete with an icy slide. The first time Ali went down you could just hear her and see her going super fast. Oh how I wish I had the video camera on for when Miles went down feet first on his belly. I am pretty sure he caught about 2 or 3 feet of air and landed quite a ways from the end of the slide. He just sat there in the snow for a bit. After my friend and I stopped laughing, I asked him if he was OK. His response "My face is in the snow mommy". He was fine. Good times.

1st day back and snow on the porch

Seriously we've been having a blast. There is a somewhat scary looking snowman out in the garden yard of our apartment complex that the kids (and Erik) built last Sunday. He is so hunched over now but still sorta kinda standing. Miles thinks it is hysterical to be belted with snowballs and/or buried in the snow. The giggles that come from him are priceless.

It's hard to believe we've only been back here for two weeks as we've done so much in those two short weeks. I will try and catch up on all our fun times back in Florida last month and blog about our Christmas. When I find the time.