Weekend Getaway Cont.

Location: Flagstaff, Arizona

After I had finally fallen asleep for the night, I awoke to Anden poking me in the cheek "Moooom it's morning time. Wake up!" He was right! We had in fact survived the Rodeway Inn to see another day!! We couldn't pack up fast enough to get out of that place and back into the snow!

Here's some pictures of the drive up to the sledding hill. Yes, every house looked like that!

We went to a snow play area called West Wing. You pay $10/car at the booth and then you're free to roam. We dressed the kids and got geared up for 15 mins in the parking lot. Then we trudged our way to the hill dragging sleds with excited kids halfway atop of them. Then we trudged and panted while hauling the sleds and children up to the top of the hill. Then we sat and caught our breath for 5 mins. Finally the excitement was killing Anden so he flew down the hill before I could tell him to wait for me. WHOOSH! I grabbed Taylee with me and we flew down after him. Jer brought up the rear. So much fun! Taylee just kept laughing the whole time! Anden valiantly grabbed his own sled and marched back up for Round 2! We followed. He was much faster than us! He got to the top and then noticed big kids marching up further to the "big hill" (it really was a HUGE hill). You know Anden, he immediately followed them with me yelling at him from behind to stop. Nope, he was at the top ready to go while I was still scrambling to get up that dang hill. He jumped on his sled and started down the hill while I literally dove for the back of his sled to catch him! I, admittedly, was a bit nervous about this big hill. How could he not be scared too?! So we watched a few kids FLY down the hill while most crashed and tumbled 5 times at the end. That didn't deter Anden one bit. He was determined to go! So I had him lay down feet first in the "safer" of the sleds (one with sides instead of a flat board) and prayed he would live. Jer was at the bottom ready to perform CPR upon his arrival. I slowly pryed my fingers away and off he went! He was like a bobsled rocket!! He went further out than anyone else that we had watched. Jer had to backtrack, while holding Taylee, and run to catch up with him. Crap, now it was my turn to go down. I pushed off and in 1.6 seconds was at the bottom too! Wow, now that's a rush!!

Luckily he was content to find another hill to go down after that. We hiked another 100 yds to find a smaller hill on the other side of the park. For whatever reason, that's the one Anden wanted. Halfway through the hike I realized that sledding is NOT what it's cracked up to be. The return on investment for the energy spent vs fun earned is not a favorable ratio! This is exactly why we used to sled with snowmobiles at the bottom to bring us back up! :-) By the time we got to the new hill, I was sweating with cramping legs. I ripped off my jacket and gloves and fell to the ground. I was content to sit right there on the top of the hill the rest of the day! lol Jer and I were laughing at how out of shape we were!

Making it to the bottom of the medium hill

Taylee's ready to go by herself!

Before Jer shoved her off by herself (w/o me knowing!!)

She survived & loved it so we sent her again

Anden always eating the snow

Taylee found lying face down was the easiest position to eat the snow

Anden exploring out of bounds

Jer hurrying to rescue Anden and got stuck and fell!

Where's Waldo? Stuck thigh deep in snow!

Exhausted kids!

No he's not dead, although he looks like it! lol

Post Sledding Snack Time!!

Jeremy convinced me Taylee loved sledding by herself. I was a tad nervous! He told me to video her. I'll apologize now for the scared running motion as she bypassed me and I couldn't figure out whether to drop the camera and catch her or chase after her! lol

After a fun filled EXHAUSTING day of sledding, we loaded up and slowly made our way back home! What a great weekend!!