Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Snow Workout

This weekend we had a perfectly timed snowfall. It started snowing Sunday night and continued into Monday morning. We ended up with between 5-7 inches. The best part was that my husband and I were both off work for President's Day. I was super excited because we hadn't been sledding for a couple of years. The snow always seemed to arrive on a work day or made the roads too dangerous to drive out to my in-laws farm. This time it all worked out.

My nephew and niece were out of school too. With a group of their friends we headed out to the farm for some serious (and not so-serious) fun in the snow.
 Millie loved running through the snow spray and the chasing the sleds down the hill.
I, however, did not love the snow spray. For the record, there is a legit reason not to sit in the front of the sled. I was happy to get my sister on the sled with me - even though I got stuck in the front.
At least we made it safely to the end of the ride :)
 Out of this squealing mess....
 ...emerged this group of snow covered goofballs.
I think my niece was the only one who liked (maybe loved) being in the front of the sled. I think she has dreams of becoming the next Abominable Snow Monster.
My husband was the designated pusher. I didn't realize until I was looking at the pictures how many wipeouts he took at the top of the hill.

Naturally, my husband had to take sledding to the next level with a little "snowboarding."  No broken bones to report :)
We took a turn down the hill together. It looks like he is just giving me a push, but he is actually crouching behind me on the sled. I am supposed to be steering..ha!
The hill was not super steep, but we got going pretty fast after the first few runs. And the sled would travel farther and farther.  Read: A long trek back up the hill.
 Our landing spot on one of the longest rides of the day..
 Me and my honey.  Why can't winter wear be a little more slimming???
It sounds like play, but sledding is a serious workout! Between sledding and taking pictures who knows how many times I trekked up and down that hill. Not to mention the 1/2 mile walk to and from the sledding hill. Six inches of snow makes it all the better to work those leg muscles. I do love when a workout is disguised as play. Full disclosure: I ended the day with aching bones. It took a warm bath and a hot shower to soothe the aches enough to get a good night's sleep.

Our silly Millie pup loved her day in the snow. She definitely got in touch with her inner maniac.





 She even took a ride on the sled.
We ended our adventure back in our in-laws farmhouse kitchen devouring chili and grilled cheese sandwiches - and by devouring I mean I had a small bowl and one sandwich (and some chips - I lost count). Sledding works up an appetite!!  I am happy to report, even after my "ice cream break" on Sunday, I did not have any of the chocolate cake or orange sherbet...both looked yummy.

I am extra glad I didn't have cake and ice cream after sledding. So I didn't feel guilty about having a two bite piece of King Cake yesterday. A co-worker brought it to work and since I had never had it before I decided on a little taste. My big Fat Tuesday indulgence.
This is exactly the reason I want to limit random sweets - so when a unique opportunity arises I don't feel guilty. The cake was not quite what I expected after hearing Desiree and Mary's description of the ooey gooey deliciousness of authentic Louisiana King Cake. This one was apparently a Midwest version that was more like a slightly sweet bread with a glob of super sweet icing on top. I could seriously not get the sweet taste out of my mouth the rest of the morning. Good news it is a temptation I will not face again...unless I get a chance to try it in Louisiana some day.

Time to finish strong for "no sweet February". Weigh in tomorrow...I am feeling hopeful.

And now that I have had my fun in the snow, I think I am ready for spring.
Weigh In Wednesday

16 comments:

  1. Oh man, I LOVE your snow pictures. what a fun workout! Doing anything in the snow burns more calories than it would, plus you are wokring your core trying to keep your balance. Go you!

    I think we all need to plan a future trip to New Orleans and try some real king cake!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep, I am totally counting it as a workout :) A trip would be great fun...do you think Desiree could handle us??

      Delete
  2. The sledding pictures are fantastic and I love the picture of millie with snow on her face! I haven't ever been sledding and really wanted to go Monday, but it didn't work out. Hopefully we get another good snow this year!

    And I have already decided that if I am going to have King cake, it is going to be the real thing! (Although there are a few bakeries in Soulard that apparently make king cake that is to do for!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For sure my next king cake will be when my Louisiana connections approve it :) The sledding was fun...hopefully you will get a chance yet this year.

      Delete
  3. OMG I am so jealous! Your sledding pics look so fun. I have never been sledding, womp womp, and would love to before I kick the bucket. I bet Millie slept really well that night, the pictures of her running in the snow are so cute. I thought about y'all last night because I made my king cake and it turned out SO good. It made me wish I could send it to people so that they know what it's supposed to taste like. It's nice to know that I can make one and not have to pay $50 to get one shipped from New Orleans, because I really do miss them. The key is the lemon and orange zest and minimal glaze, that's what keeps it from being cloying.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Millie was wipe out! She had such a great time. Glad you got your king cake fix - maybe I will check out a recipe for next year - which one did you use?

      Delete
  4. Your sledding day looks like so much fun! I haven't been sledding since I was a kid, and now that I live in CA there is very little chance of me ever doing it again. Those were some fantastic pictures.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Some days I would love to be California, but I sure would miss the snow!

      Delete
  5. Ok that settles it. I need to move up north! I loved your pics! I want snow like that! All we get is the brown mushy stuff that melts once it hits the ground it seems. About once ever 10 years we actually get white stuff. But it doesn't last more than a few hours!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Be careful, Tiina and I might call your bluff. You know that fluffy white stuff is COLD - especially when it is blowing in your face. That being said it is super fun and you should definitely visit!

      Delete
  6. You look like you had so much fun! I haven't been sledding in YEARS. We haven't had all that snow here in Indy so it's such a stark contrast from last year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We did have a great time. I would have thought Indy would get pretty much what we got. This has been our most significant snowfall of the year..and I secretly hope the last.

      Delete
  7. Looks like you are having so much fun. Glad to see someone is enjoying the snow.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It has been a long time since I enjoyed the snow like that. If it weren't so cold I would want to go again.

      Delete
  8. I love the sledding! We haven't had much snow in Oklahoma City. Still, I am looking for spring even if I missed sledding. If you'd like to say hi, please email me at estherdavison@gmail.com. Thanks and I loved your photos!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Esther. Now that sledding is out of my system I could not be more ready for spring.

      Delete