Whenever there’s no school on a Monday, it throws me off big time. I keep thinking we have church tomorrow because school-free Mondays feel just like Saturday. That illusion was heightened today because I stayed home from church yesterday (we think Rose has pink eye). Even though Rose’s eye was sick, we didn’t think it would get any worse if it looked at some snow today, so we loaded up the van and headed for White Pass. We made this trip over Christmas break too, so we knew the 2 hour drive would be worthwhile. This time we had to go all the way to the top of the pass to get to the good snow. When I was growing up in west Tennessee, if it didn’t snow in our town we simply didn’t get to play in snow. There were no mountains nearby. It’s great being able to go find snow here—I love the diversity of good ole Washington state.
When we arrived, I fed and changed Amber in the van while Jeff got Jay and Rose snow-suited up. Then they all traipsed off down the road a ways with Grama Leslie, Grampa Dan, and Toby the dog to find a suitable sledding hill. When Amber was ready, I clipped her into the carrier underneath my coat and went in search of the family.
It was a beautiful winder wonderland. [photo credit: Dan White—I mooched his good pictures off of Facebook]
The trees made it difficult to find a good sledding hill near the parking area, and there was a “no sledding aloud” sign on the nearest trail (cross country skiers had priority there. We saw a group ski past and I totally want to try it now—downhill skiing is too fast for me but I think I could get in to cross country skiing). We made due with this funny little side hill. There was another family there sledding too.
The sledding turned out to be rather slow going in the soft deep snow, but it packed down enough for some low-velocity sledding.
Here comes Rose! [photo credit: Dan White]
Going back for more. [photo credit: Dan White]
That white marshmallow is me with Amber hidden under my coat. My marshmallow coat is usually too boxy in the middle (drafty!), but it’s perfect for warming a baby. [photo credit: Dan White]
Jay, taking on the hill.
One second Jeff was up on the hill and the next thing I knew, he was flying through the air—he jumped and landed into the snow drift up to his waist!
Eventually, Jay, Rose, and Dan started snow-jumping with Jeff. Even Toby the dog had fun plunging around in the deep parts of the snow. There wasn’t much I could do with a baby strapped to my chest, but I did take Amber on one sled ride down the hill. One word: OUCH! The snow was bumpy, and I had to lean back because I was holding Amber, so all the bumps crunched me in the tailbone through the thin saucer sled. Amber slept through it, but I decided once was enough and watched everyone else after that.
[photo credit: Dan White]
Jay’s snow-jump
Can you see Jeff hurtling through the air? He’s right above Jay, well camouflaged against the trees.
Rose preferred to snow-roll and snow-slither.
After nearly two hours of snowfun, one of the moms in the other family there took a picture for us (Dan and Leslie left before we did so they missed the family photo). Jeff artistically stuck the sleds into the snow. It’s so symmetrical!
Then we walked along the side of the road back to the van.
Goodbye, snow. And happy Martin Luther King day!
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