Snow Obsession

Truth be told, that while Marshall does enjoy being outside, sometimes getting him outside can be like pulling teeth.  How many times have I said something similar to "Come on guys! Let's go! You are the ones who suggested going (fill in the blank).  We're trying to go (fill in the blank with prior really fun place).  It's not like I'm trying to get you to go to the dentist or something like that!" (Which really does a huge disservice to our cute, highly likable dentist....)

Except when it comes to snow.

The other day when it snowed approximately 3/4 of an inch in our valley and the kids had a snow day (I know, I know), Marshall gulped down breakfast and declared, "Okay! Now we can go play in the snow!"  He raced downstairs in his jammies, donned all his snow gear, and was outside with his sister before I could holler (lovingly), "Mommy is still drinking her tea.  Stay in the backyard where I can see you!"  He was "sledding" down our five foot backyard decline before I even got upstairs to the sunroom to enjoy my moment of peace and quiet.

Ah, we all love snow for our different reasons.

But I digress.

Needless to say, snow is to Marshall's play time what cookies are to his snack time.  The ultimate dream come true.  He can't get there fast enough and he never wants it to end.

Unfortunately, the past two winters have been a bit lacking in the snow department here in the Puget Sound.  But the mountains are a different story.  Just an hour and a pinch away and we get to snow, glorious snow.  So on President's Day, we packed up the kids, all of our snow gear, and our tasty gluten free lunch (oh, and egg free....but that's another story for another time.  I swear, we are becoming that family) and headed out to Hyak Snow Park near Snoqualmie.

These two really do love playing with each other so much.  We are so lucky. And I am not at all foolish enough to think it is due to our fabulous parenting, because honestly, only-child-mommy here had no clue how to handle the whole sibling thing.  It is entirely to do with their personalities.

Weeeeee!!!!!!!!!

Okay, so this is how amazing the whole snow obsession is.  Every time you sledded down, obviously you had to walk all the way back up the hill.  And while Marshall asked to be pulled like we were pulling Josie, we told him we simply couldn't do it.  Frankly, he's just too big AND we knew we wouldn't get out of there until nightfall if we were doing all the work.  But Marshall literally hopped back up every time and trudged his way up  the hill.  And at the top, even when we started hinting that we might be getting tired, he still wanted to go again, and again, and again.  Not once did he say he was tired.  This is the boy that hikes 100 yards with me in the summertime and complains about being tired already.  Amazing.

And when Josie and Daddy had enough and went back to the car, Marshall still wanted to play.  Here he is valiantly trying to make a snow angel in the packed, slightly icy snow.  After this, he insisted we have a snowball fight.  (Which was more like a snow pellet fight due to the consistency of the snow, but was fun all the same)

Posing for the Men of the Mountain 2011 calendar

Excursion picnic! Thanks for the loaner, Grandma and Grandpa!

And,of course, when you are in Snoqualmie, you have to see the falls. (And have beers at the local brewery and ice cream to appease the children, but who takes pictures of that?)

It was so much fun.  I would have to say it was just about the perfect family day, mostly because we are learning when to call it.  A grand adventure was had by all and we were still back in the car by 2:00 for Josie to conveniently nap on the way home. (Excellent, excellent......)