Leland Snow Park

I woke up in the hotel this morning around 6:00 am to see one of my boys missing. Where was Liam? I look around and find him in the closet playing his Nintendo DS. What a way to start a day, with a mini-heart attack! He's been an early riser since he was a baby....averaged about a 5:00am wakeup time since birth. That hasn't changed a whole lot. The boys headed over with dad for the hotel's complimentary breakfast. I, on the other hand, had my usual stomach issues so I stayed behind. Blah!

When they returned we headed to Leland Snow Park in Strawberry. We each picked up our day passes in the lodge. We decided for the 'All-Day tow-up' option where it pulls you and your innertube up the mountain. It was well worth it because they went up that hill, as the boys would put it, a buzzillion times. They first started with the snowmobiles, though. What a fun option! It was for the 5-12 year old age range, but they said although Loren was within age range he was just too tall for the little snowmobiles. :( Poor guy....what a bummer! Sometimes it's not great to grow 'em tall! Liam and Landon had a little instruction from the man running the snowmobiles and then they put helmets on and hopped on. I was a little concerned that my 5 year old would steer right through the orange fencing, but he managed to stay on track. It was Liam who went a little bit off course and almost toppled over with his vehicle! He had to put his leg out a few times during the turns since he didn't like to slow down around curves! They were supposed to go around only 10 times, but the man running it was generous. I think they could have stayed with it all day.

After snowmobiling, they got in line and were towed up the hill. There was no fear in any of them, and they flew down the steep hills over and over and over again. They had a blast! I couldn't believe how warm it was today, either. I didn't even wear a jacket, the sun was bright and the sky was a gorgeous blue. Although the boys were lathered with sunblock, it was I who ended up with the sunburn. That always happens to me, I worry about them and then don't put any on myself.

We spent some time just playing in the snow next to the frozen lake as well. Gary and Landon built a mohawk snowman and the mohawk fell off. Then the snowman just ended up looking scary and creepy. ha ha Loren made an arsenal of snowballs while Landon made snow angels. Liam chose to go back down the innertube hill a couple more times and we went to buy drinks for everyone when IT happened. Some little boy at the top of the hill lost his footing while Liam was heading down the hill on the tube. The boy fell down the hill and ran into Liam. Liam came to us in tears with a fat, bloody lip and a sore neck. I thought to myself "Is this going to be the third time he breaks that front tooth?". His tooth was fine but he described a sort of whip lash sensation and later on had a headache too. Aside from this event, the day could not have been any more beautiful.

We headed back home to make it home in time for youth group. Landon and Liam quickly fell asleep while Loren played on his iPod touch. On the way back we woke everyone when we stopped in Oakdale (Loren thought it was called Oakville) for a lunch/dinner of Taco Bell. :D Healthy, huh? Not quite. Then our exhausted bunch (including mommy) arrived home and collapsed after this wonderful weekend.

I CHOSE THIS BLIP PHOTO AFTER THE MILLION SNOW PLAY PICTURES I TOOK BECAUSE I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE LOOK OF JOY ON LIAM'S FACE WHILE HE DRIVES HIS SNOWMOBILE.