No, we didn't have some crazy freak snowstorm hit our area suddenly, causing panic and chaos. What we did have a family day with some friends a few hours drive from our home where there really was snow, and lots of it!
This picture of Bethany is before she got hurt.
Elisha went down a steep hill that already had a sled path on it and had a blast. Bethany thought she would try it too, but didn't fair as well. Needless to say she had a painful day, but was a trooper and did not want to leave as we had only arrived a half an hour before.
Since we live in the Bay Area where there is no snow, except for on the mountain tops, we had virtually no snow gear. Only nice thick jackets, but no gloves, boots or snowpants. Our friends had pants to fit Yohn and I, and gloves for all members of the family. Yay!
We found snow pants on clearance racks at Sears and Sports Authority for the kids, paying more than 50% off both times. Unfortunately we struck out on the boots. Our friends had a pair that fit me. Yohn had boots I swore he told me were waterproof. Bethany also had boots I thought were waterproof. But our poor Elisha we found nothing for (not on short notice anyway, the internet would have come to our rescue should we have had the time to have them shipped).
You can tell in this picture she is in a bit of pain. She hurt her tailbone on that very first sled ride (I don't have a picture of it).
By the way, I did not take any of these pictures with my "obnoxious" camera. I used my bloggy touch which is made for taking videos. It's small and fits in my pocket. I took a lot of video and a fair amount of photos, mostly of Bethany because she stayed close by. The only draw back to the bloggy is that it is made for outdoors, which was good for a day like this, but not for recording or photographing indoors.
We stayed fairly warm all day but when stopped to have our picnic lunch we got a little cold from lack of movement. It was at this time that both of my kids had a meltdown as their feet were freezing. Elisha only had his tennis shoes with extra socks and lining and Bethany had her boots which weren't water proof after all. But when faced with the decision to go home or stay they both decided they'd tough it out.
My boys thought this picture of them was pretty funny!
Elisha attempting to make a snow angel.
At one point in the afternoon there were several small rainbows in the sky.
Bethany's injuries included a bruised tailbone, and a stiff neck the next day. Then Monday her ribs starting hurting after she played her clarinet and went to worship team practice. Thankfully, after an x-ray the doctor concluded that they are just bruised too and she should be feeling much better by the end of next week. Poor baby! I wish I had the sense not to let her go down that hill in the first place. She still said she had a blast and did not want to leave, even when the sun was setting and we had to call it a day.
Elisha had the best "run" at sledding but was only able to do it once. Here he is at the top, and was able to cruise several feet through trees and small hills down into a clearing. When he tried to do it again he wasn't as successful and kept skidding sideways. I wish I would have recorded it for him, as he was so excited over his victory!
We attempted snow men at the end of the day, but the snow wasn't really the best for packing. Still we pulled off several snow ball fights through out the day. This snow man really is quite tiny, despite how he looks in the picture. :)
We decorated the trees too!
Since I wasn't in any of the other pictures, Yohn took this one of Bethany and me on the way home.
It was a great, exhausting day and we all went to sleep early that night. Too bad we had church the next day because I am convinced we all would have slept until noon!
