In Like a Lion

With only 19 more days of winter, Mother Nature has finally decided to grace us with some a boatload of the fluffy white stuff.  We have 8 or so inches and counting right now, and when it's all said and done, we're supposed to end up with a foot or more.  The boys are home today, and after some snowshoeing this morning, we're all hunkered down and cozy.  But Ben will have a chance to put his hardly-touched snowblower to the test tonight, as he clears the way for us to leave at some ungodly hour tomorrow for a week in Florida.  It is fitting to get this dumping right before we leave, making our longing for sun and heat even stronger.  But I must say I am just a little sad to miss out on our first real Maine winter weekend of the season!

Luckily we did get a quick taste of winter fun last weekend, with our annual pilgrimage to Bridgton for the World Four Square Championships.  In addition to watching Ben and his dad crush the competition, the weekend is always filled with some cross-country skiing for me, a little birthday celebration for Ben, and lots of good food and company.  With the boys dying to show off their new skills on ice, we added a trip to the town rink to this year's activity roster.

The big event was, as always, zany and wild.  There is way too much going on to be able to follow any of it, let alone take any pictures.  Furthermore, imagine taking two boys to a gym filled with people batting balls around and telling them they have to sit still and watch.  Torture!  So my hands were very full for the hour or so that the boys and I spectated.  

But here is a shot of all the participants:

Then the semi-finalists:

Then the finalists:

 Then the top three:

Ben came home runner-up for the third year in a row.  He was disappointed, but I was thrilled we once again dodged bringing home an enormous, garish trophy.

On Sunday, the wintry weekend got even better, as we left the boys with Grandma and Grandpa and whisked away to Jackson, NH for the night.  This was our home for the night, the Forest View cottage at the Inn at Thorn Hill:  

In addition to a little x-country skiing, some hot-tubbing, quite a lot of fine dining, and catching up on some sleep, we did a whole lot of this:

It was an incredibly rejuvenating and restorative getaway, with no agenda whatsoever, in a setting that fosters rest and pampering.  We found ourselves instantly relaxed, knowing that the boys were only an hour away and in very good hands.  

Where there is a new puzzle to conquer, there is a happy Ethan!

Playing in the snow fort they built with Grandpa

Finding a huge uprooted tree on their snowy walk in the woods

Thanks again to Grandma and Grandpa for all the fun, hospitality, good food, ski company, and babysitting!  It was a weekend that will not soon be forgotten.