I've been taking my kids sledding every winter to Rock Canyon Park since Jake and Jen were little. Now I just take Julz, Jess, and their friends since they are the only ones who still get excited about it. I used to slide down the hills with them on my own sled when each child started learning how to walk. The hike back up seemed challenging for a little one after a few runs. To make the experience fun for them, I would take their hand, as well and their sled, and pull them back up the hill. It was exhausting, what was I thinking! But as time went on, and the older kids got bigger, they would take turns helping me.
Now I just go to watch and relax. We like to go earlier in the day since Rock Canyon is such a popular place. When we first arrived, we noticed the picnic tables had an array of broken plastic sleds from the day before. I prefer tubes or padded saucers if you happen to hit a small jump.
Sledding is one activity I've always wanted to make sure to be present at. I have witnessed some pretty bad accidents. Today a two hundred pound dad went down on a little plastic sled with his three year-old daughter. He decided to take her on the steeper part of the hills where my girls were located. Sure enough, they hit a bump and from what I could tell some of his body weight landed on his little girl. She cried for a long time, but fortunately she was OK, and I noticed the father was much more careful with his choices.
One year I took a bunch of cub scouts when I was a den leader. I got very nervous when I noticed how crazy the boys were getting after we had been sledding for a while. My personality changed that day and I became the wicked den leader of the snowy hills. I promised myself never to do that again. Luckily no one got hurt.
Today when more people started showing up I became a helper for Jewels. She had so much energy that there were a few times she didn't notice the on coming sled traffic. My job was to yell down at the bottom of the hill and tell her to move over when a new sled started going in her direction.
Over all it was a fun day to be outside.
I love winter! Who knows maybe some day when we don't have missionary funds or other extra after school activities going on, I may take those who are willing to a ski resort.
Mean while, sledding and tubing will be our winter fun when the snow is great!
