Christmas on ice

The days before Christmas were wet and wild.  

Each outing out the trail ended up with a pile of sodden gear on the porch.  Each night was spent drying gear.  And, this whole saga was repeated the next day. 

So, our best Christmas present was the cold clear weather. 

We've celebrated the parenting hurdles of diaper-free days and solid night sleeps.  This year, we celebrated skating with the kids.  They still crash and don't have the stamina we have, but they can cover ground at an OK pace, and best of all.. they love it.

We spent 6 out of our 9 holiday days on ice, and it was wonderful family time. 

A day at Sheridan the weekend before Christmas

Aaron and Hasan 

Laura, Aaron and Hasan

Lagoon tidal ice jumping at dusk

Early evenings, and putting up the lagoon lights with Karen and Paul

The storms brought down several trees in the lagoon, and we used the top of one for our Christmas tree.  It came complete with many cones. 

Getting ready for Santa

The boys dressed up for Christmas Eve services and not cooperating for a "nice" photo

Santa did make it

Playing hockey and exploring the sloughs at Alaganik on Christmas Day 

Peter testing out my new fat bike

I squeaked in a couple of rides over the holidays and am looking forward to exploring new habitat with my new wheels

Boxing Day.  

A sunny day back at Alaganik 

We met Casey and her friends.  The boys have grown up with this amazing group of friends and adore them.  They took off with Peter on a skate, and ended up sunning themselves on a large beaver lodge. 

Sunning beavers

Do we all look sun-starved?

Some portages between sloughs and ponds

Dustin and Peter skating a parallel slough to Leif and I

Stunts on ice..

Meeting up with Anita and Dana for a wonderful round circle

Lights of the creek in the lagoon

A lagoon bonfire, with everyone home for the holidays

Another day at Alaganik.. with more kids on skates!

Short days, long shadows

Still loving Aaron's kick sled, it's such a great platform for family travel on ice

Melonie visited for a few days, and we had another glittery day at Sheridan

Leif at full speed

Curvy tracks

Not sure who's pulling who

Leif and Peter still purposely crash.. again and again.  

Advantages of skating when you're young and closer to the ice. 

Back at home, and Melonie helping make a tornado in a bottle

Another Day.  Skating on the Delta.  

Different light, glassy conditions, endless ice. 

Skirting around beaver damn to keep skating

Stopping to watch the fish under the ice.  Hard to leave this spot. 

Thanks for coming to visit, Melonie xoxo