As I entered the door my nephews were climbing over my sister full of energy. For a disclaimer, we have a 'Full House' living situation. She looked like she's had a Day, but still wanted to share the joy of sledding with her boys with me. Spending time with my nephews, especially sometimes mundane moments has become a source of joy in my life.
I began to bundle up since day light was burning and I knew getting home at 5:23 after some of the worst driving conditions of the season left little time for fun. It was probably 5:50 before we even got out the door because wrangling children into snow suits involves also finding missing gloves. Bundled up we left the warmth and safety of home.
Luckily there is a nice sledding hill very close by. We made our way over to Horseshoe Park with a green saucer and a red sitting up sled for my youngest nephew. A testament to the worst driving conditions of the season, we kissed a curb and began fish tailing in the parking lot of the park. She quickly regained control of the van but was shaken.
We looked at the main descent and considered factors like the grade, distance before obstacles at the bottom, and decided the regular sledding hill was wholly inappropriate for children. We made a trek across to our own 'bunny hill' incline where the boys could enjoy sledding. My oldest nephew rocking the green saucer always needed a push to get started but began making his way a lot further. We left our mark on the unspoiled snow.
We were done quickly, perhaps within 15 minutes the cold, wind and wet from rolling in the snow shattered our childhood enchantment with sledding like an icicle falling onto concrete. But once more, for the rush of feeling 'young' I went down the 'way to scary for the kids' hill on the bright green saucer. Covered in fresh powder and a smile on my face, I was happy to call it.
Your nephews are SO lucky to have you and you will be this amazing dad, Jeremy! I love that you took time to go sledding, even with our yucky roads last night. I think that you are absolutely right that the mundane moments are the best-those are the moments that I am the most grateful for.
ReplyDelete" We left our mark on the unspoiled snow." This is always the best and worst part.
ReplyDeleteSo many great lines here. I love the "wholly inappropriate for children" and "shattered our childhood enchantment with sledding." I remember as a child, the cold and snow were somehow exhilarating for so much longer than they are to me now as an adult!
ReplyDelete