After we left this past summer, Utah just lives in us. Our time here together, what we did, how we did it, the adventures we had - just all of it, is present within us while we are back in Wisconsin. Coming back to here is a driving force where we justify doing without, working long hours, and planning ahead to be able to come again. Our school has a little winter break in mid February and we thought that would be a wonderful time to come back to this home away from home.
The kids were amazing on the trip out. Truly, Scott and I just kept looking over at one another wondering when the bottom would fall out, but it never did. So, we were grateful our kids were so well behaved. They even earned themselves two compliments which earned them a special treat later that day. It was no wonder that Scott and I were probably the most exhausted when we arrived.
It is a long day of travel to get here. But once you arrive, the fun really begins. We have to take a snowmobile up to the cabin, so the question has always been, "How do we get all this luggage up there on the snowmobile?" That is where the old hood comes into play. So, once we arrived at the shop, and for those of you who were curious, Scary Cat came out to greet us with her two feline friends, Cookie & Grease, we started to load up the hood and strap things down.
I must admit, I am a really great packer. All the kids clothes, outer gear, my clothes and snow pants all packed into the same suitcase...am I amazing or what? I must have saved us $50 of luggage fees (which Katie and I intend on using to treat ourselves to a pedicure while we are here).
Then, after that is all set, we adventure out into the field and start heading to the cabin. I followed Scott, who was pulling the hood, while he road with Hunter in front of him and Katie rode behind him, facing backwards, to watch for the suitcase, carry on's or whatever to fall off the back. Benny road with me.
Such Beauty! Just everywhere...all around. The tip of Mount Nebo was hidden behind the clouds but the blue sky and warm sun shone down on us, welcoming us back, embracing us like an old friend. The mountains surrounding were filled with snow, each tree gently dusted with this white magic. The kids faces were aglow and just filled with excitement. It is great to be back!
I watched Katie for most of the trip up, mostly making she she did not fall while she was watching to see that none of the bags fell! She smiled ear to ear the entire way, throwing in a thumb's up every once in awhile. As I watched her spirit just come to life, I wondered to myself how does one help introduce the beauty of the world to their children so that they will actually see it and it will matter and make a difference. Do you tell them? Point it out with comments? Or do you just see and feel the beauty yourself and then they see that in you? I certainly do not know the answer to that, but know that what we see within our kids when we immerse them in nature is like a spark that ignites when we arrive here being surrounded by these magic & mysterious mountains.
We were lucky because this time we arrived before dark and before the snow (unlike last year when we had to blaze the trail in the dark and the snow!) Katie gathered wood and started a fire (with a little help from dad) while the rest of us unpacked and explored.
The little tote of toys we left from the summer was like a long lost treasure! They pulled out all the items in the tote and just dove in! It was great to see the kids just enjoying such simple toys, toys were they really had to use their imaginations to make them fun.
So, I did not want to admit this yet, it seems too soon, but I really... honestly... in all sincerity... DO NOT care for snowmobiling. Really, at all. I am so white knuckled, especially trying to control this machine with a child either holding onto me or sitting in front, that I cannot remotely take in the scenery because I am concentrating so hard on not falling over or going over a cliff. I just want to clear up any misconception anyone might have about me. I like to go about 11, maybe if I am really feeling brave, I might, just maybe, go 15. I cannot tell you how many times Scott will drive off and disappear and have to wait for me coming around the bend. He comments about how he does not know what happened to me - that I used to be so fearless.
So, with that being said, I have dumped over twice already and have only been on it three times. Those odds are not too good. The first time, I was with the boys. Ben was in the front and Hunter behind me. The snow out here is deceiving. Just by looking at it, you might think it's a foot or two, but if you actually go stand in it, it is up to your waist and that is not even the bottom. Do not even get me started talking about what an actual snow drift out here looks like!
So, the snow outside the trail (oh, did I mention yet that~there is no trail, just us, we are the trail makers)but the snow outside the trail is evil and just wants to suck you down into it. The machine just keeps going in that wrong direction despite your best efforts, which I always feel that mine are awfully puny in comparison to the weight of that sled!
So, we just got sucked in and fell over. We were all fine, the boys did not even panic. I was not really panicked either but just overwhelmed by the situation. For me, riding a snowmobile is like just waiting to tip over, you just never know when that will happen. Scott assured me that it will take a day or two to get used to it, it is like anything he said. He is so good for me! I know he is right, but it was not too much farther up the trail when we fell over again.
This time, the sled was completely on its side, I mean, completely and my foot was trapped underneath. I am laying there asking the boys if they can move, Scott is running back down the trail (remember, the one we are blazing) to come and rescue us and I am thinking, "It's really pretty here, I am glad we stopped." So, with some heaving and pushing and pulling, we got the snowmobile unstuck. Really, in record time. So, that was enough fun for me for one day. Could we just go to the grocery store now?
So we did. But not before Scott got stuck with Katie and Hunter. Hunter did not want to ride with me anymore. That kid! He woke up this morning at 5am and the first thing he asked was if him and Scott could go over a jump!
And last but not least, Scott took a pretty bad (but rather funny) fall off his sled this afternoon. He's pretty sore. And I can imagine because he heard a crunch after he flipped over the front of the sled. He thought he broke his shoulder yet could not feel any pain. He thought that maybe the adrenaline had kicked, so he just laid there a bit.
Maybe tomorrow we will just snowshoe.
Tomorrow we are headed over to see the cattle. There was another baby born last night and we are eager to see them all. As of this afternoon, there were 6 so far. There actually were 7, but one did not make it. They thought maybe a coyote got it. That adds more excitement for Scott because he wants to shot one. Katie already has bids on it because she wants to make a hat!
It was an early bedtime for the kids. But as we were sitting having dinner together, the moon rose up over the hills (which are more like mountains in comparison to WI). It will not be full until tomorrow night, but we all did stop what we were doing, walked to the window and just gazed at its beauty. There is nothing like the sound of a child saying, "WOW...that is amazing" to make you realize just how beautiful the world around really is and how grateful we are to be a part of that.
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