Busy Weekend

This past weekend we went all-out. No grocery shopping, no house cleaning, no laundry, no chores... just play. Why? Because Monday (presidents day) is the one day of the year that Andy and I have off work but the kids both have school. I suppose we could have had a normal weekend and then taken Monday off to do something fabulous or romantic by ourselves, but instead we decided to play hard with the kids and do all the dirty work on Monday. The weekend's activities included tennis, swimming, skiing, tubing, campfires, the science museum, and korean food. Quite a bit for two days, and the kids were definitely tuckered out by the end.

We tried out Pats Peak in Henniker instead of our usual standby Mt. Sunapee- they have Saturday night skiing and tubing that runs from 3-10pm. It was a good time, though I had forgotten how icy night skiing can be once the sun's rays aren't helping to soften the snow any. Aiden and Andy skied together with the McVrankens, and Sonya and I took Haley and Finn to the bunny hill. After 3 forced runs up and down the magic carpet slope, Haley pointed to the chairlift and said, "I want that, Momma". That girl knows what she wants (she's been asking at Sunapee every time we've gone there too, but I kept making up excuses). Finally, i relented. Besides having to physically pick her up to get her on and off the chairlift, and needing to keep a death grip on her while we rode up since she's tiny enough to easily slip under the bar, it was a cinch. She loved the ride, and then skied with the harness all the way down from the summit. In the end I have to admit she was right. I liked the chairlift with her better too, since the bang-for-your-buck ratio is far better... more skiing time for only minimally more effort. Actually I'd say the magic carpet is harder to maneuver for Haley than me just picking her up and onto the lift. So, we've found a new way to ski.

Aiden with giant cookie at Pats Peak

Haley roasting smores

Aiden and Finn on the car ride home from Pats Peak

Girls at the bar

Tubing was also an adventure. The tubing lanes had to be pure ice (think luge, but on an inflatable sled) and the guys were hauling down at at least 60 mph. At the end of the run there is a huge upward ramp to slow your momentum, and we were seeing people skim off the top of that like they were Shaun White in a half-dome. Needless to say, Aiden and Andy loved it. Aiden has been begging to go back to Pats Peak ever since we left, though that may also have something to do with the candy bar and the video games right outside the bathroom (genius, according to Aiden).

Sunday was a something-for-everyone day... swimming at splash park (for haley, but Aiden loved it), the Leb Pet Center (for Andy, but Aiden fell in love with a baby rat), lunch at Yama (for all of us- we each have our absolute faves there), and science museum (for Aiden, but guess who didn't want to leave because she was having way too much fun). The kids will undoubtedly want to know why every weekend can't be this awesome, but once a year is better than never!

Montshire Museum Fun

This is what Kimball did all weekend...