We're back

A great little get away to VT.  We drove up on Wednesday night after watching snow showers here during the day-it was 4 C or something so nothing stuck. 

Thursday we hung out, me reading (my number one holiday activity-to read a book ALL DAY), and the kids playing in the icy snow that's left.  They got out some of the outdoor furniture from under the deck and out flew a tiny little bat.

Actually it kind of hopped.  It was so cute.  We stayed well back because they can carry rabies, but we watched this little bat on the snow-it's little tongue coming out and lapping at the water.  So cute.  Eventually (after I'd tried to take some photos of it) we carried it into the woods on a sled-we didn't want Honey to try and eat it.

It was kind of sunny and a bit warm, but of course, Oscar had to go around in shorts, t-shirt and sneakers-sigh.
Here you can see how the snow has melted on the sunny side of the yard.
Our friends arrived Thursday night, and they went skiing with Matt and the kids on Friday.  It was warm and sunny (still coolish breeze).  I took Honey for a walk for about an hour, and then met up with them for lunch. It was warm enough to sit outside-at least when the sun was out, but when it went in and the breeze picked up it was back on with coats and hats.

Here's Kit trying to ski across a puddle (he's in the blue), and that will give you both an idea how melty things were and what pond skimming is.  By about 2, everyone had had enough of trying to ski (Matt said it was like running in sand) and we went home, and dried out boots and gloves.

On Saturday, after a late start, we thought we'd take the dogs for a walk.  It was another fairly nice day, so off we went.  It actually turned out that we did nearly a 3 hour hike up to a waterfall...we had water, but no food, and we weren't really dressed for it.  But it was LOADS of fun and so pretty.

There's lots of photos of Ella as I walked up the back with her.

I think in this one, Oscar has just stuck his hand in the water and is saying "that's COLD!!!"

A fallen log led to some competition jumping.  Oscar first...

...then Remi

There were lots of rolls of bark everywhere-Kit was pretending this was a scroll.  He was probably reading a royal edict or something.

We finally reached the falls at about 3.15- and we had some tired and HUNGRY kids.  And we still had to walk all the way back down.

We stopped for good ol' Vermont fudge and cheese on the way back and had a bit of a feast at home.  Then we went out for dinner which was lots of fun.  Oscar and Remi wanted to stay and listen to the band...but Kit and Ella were pretty tired by then.  

On Sunday, after the kids had stuffed themselves full of easter eggs, we went back up the mountain to watch the Pond Skimming.  I have to say that Sunday was FREEZING.  Bitterly cold wind.  And the pond skimming (which my kids ALL want to have a try of) consists of skiing down the hill and trying to get across a "pond" on your skis/snowboard.  Now the specifically made pond was 90 ft long....and many, many people did not make it.  I have NO IDEA what could compel anyone to go near water when it is that cold, but they did and in they went.  It was fun to watch, although we didn't stay to the end and Ella and I needed a hot chocolate break halfway through.

I walked up the hill to get a better view...

Matt took these up close shots-the snowboarders had a much better chance of getting across.

Lots of people dressed up for the occasion-they got really cold though and all the contestants were huddled together at the top of the slope waiting for their turn.

It was fun, but I was so glad to get out of the cold and go back to the house where our friends had cooked us a nice hot roast.  MMM.  And the Easter bunny had come again and made an Easter egg hunt for the kids when we got back.

We got home late on Sunday night and we are all still pretty tired.  And of course we've hit the ground running with things on all this week for me and the kids back into all their activities- one week's holiday is just not enough.