Wrapping Up Winter Part I

We've seemed to finally hit summer here in Ashland, weather in the 80 degrees.  Seems to make sense then that I wrap up winter in one mega blogpost.  But as I worked my way through and looked at the time, a mega blogpost isn't going to happen.  Sleep needs to happen to.  So it will be a multi-part adventure.

New Year's Eve Day we headed to Duluth and checked out the Train Museum.  Both girls were kind of reluctant at first and unsure about the whole place (to their credit, it was in the basement and kind of dark and no one else was there besides employees at the time).  But once they got comfortable, they enjoyed checking out the trains and played for an incredibly long time at the fake farmstead.

What kids do to stay entertained in the car.

My brother and I used to look for these along the tracks
when visiting our grandparents in Two Harbors 

Sorting mail in the mail train car

This is the funeral train car that brought Lincoln's body across
the country after his assassination. 

And these are photos from the imaginative play that took ages to end.  I swear we were there for hours, but I am sure it wasn't quite that long.  But the girls had an awesome time and played really well together, so we'll take it!

Then on the drive home, a ship in the frozen lake (taken from the car at 55 mph).

Imagination is not in scarce supply at our house.  The imaginative games the two play together are great.  More and more we are left out of the loop and the two just play in their world together.  It is pretty awesome.

I don't even remember what she was imagining here, but
this still makes me laugh.

Greta's snowmobile

Singers performing on stage

Greta lead a yoga class at her daycare

Ringmaster in the circus

And the lion

The lion and a napping dad

Nick would often wake up ridiculous early on Saturday or Sunday mornings in the winter to drive up to Mt Ashwabay to ski.  The higher elevation results in much more snow and they have great skiing trails that are well groomed.  In return for staying home with the girls, Nick would stop by on his way home and get me a vanilla latte (now that is summer, he often gets up early to paddle and does the same thing :) ).  Here are a few views from his ski trips.

Lilly also participated in Canski this year, a 4-H supported cross country ski lessons that eventually builds up to be the high school competitive team.  She loved every minute of it, although it was a major rush for Nick to get to Tree Top, pick her up, get her ready for skiing, and get her to practice in time.  She certainly learned a great deal and probably will be out skiing me in a year or two.

Not much of a competitor, Lilly doesn't like races where people win or lose, but will, with some encouragement, participate in some kid races.  We just have to reassure her that no one wins, it is just about going out and having fun.  (At the same time, she will totally kick it and ski/run faster if other kids are coming up on her or if she can pass them).  She did two ski races and Greta did one.

Ski practice:

Art work - our family skiing up a mountain:

 Nick out skiing:

Nick skiing on Lake Superior

 Mt Ashwaybay Ski Race:
Nick did the adult race and my parents were up for the weekend.  We all went up to watch him and the girls ski.  Greta decided to bow out of the race, which was probably a good thing, there was quite a hill.

Start of Mt Ashwaybay Ski Race.  Lilly was the youngest racer 

One of my favorite pictures

Prizes at the race are baked treats.  Lilly gave Greta a cookie
and she enjoyed her brownie.

One of the major ski races in our area aside from the Birkie, is Book Across the Bay.  It is a ski race that starts in Ashland and ends in Washburn, skiing across Lake Superior.  It has turned into quite a popular race where thousands of people either ski, snowshoe, or walk across the lake, depending on the conditions.  Nick always waits until the day of to decide if he's going to do the race, it all depend on conditions for him.  For most people, it is a casual fun ski across the lake, stopping by all the aid stations along the way, chatting, and having a great time.  For Nick and a handful of others, it is a race.  At the finish is a big tent with live music, beer, food, and everyone hangs out all night.  Not Nick, as soon as he finishes the race, he is walking to the car and driving back home. 

One of the local stores, Solstice Outdoors, hosts a Kids Book It race.  A cute little event with penguins handing out medals to the skiers at the end.

Greta wouldn't do it on her own, but did ski most of it with
Nick's dad and Nick

Okay, that's as much as you will get tonight!