Snowmobling Fun at the Blue Beaver Lodge

 We have spent more time at the cabin this year than any other, and we have had a ton of fun.  Cliff and Karen, Brian and Kelly and the kids came up for New Years weekend.  We didn't spend any time out on the actual trails but we had fun eating, playing games like "hide the blankies",  and going in the hot tub.

 Karinda tried out the ice skates for a bit, and everyone went sledding and knee boarding behind the snowmobile.

We have some neighbors renting the place next door this year too.  When Karinda saw that little boy riding around the lake on a little snowmobile she decided that she was big enough to do that too.  Grandpa took her out and showed her how to drive, and she gained a lot of confidence.  Out on the lake she didn't really need the brake but that would have been a good bit of information for when he let her drive it up to the barn between the cabin and all the trees.  Thankfully she came close but didn't hit anything.

Sometimes the sled doesn't have enough room so we tie another one behind it.

 Popcorn and movies with grandpa and grandma.

 

The first weekend of January Eric and I spent in Nebraksa for the NCP Christmas party.  I ended up having to go alone because Eric was sick in bed, it was fun but it just wasn't the same without him.

 

The following weekend we had the PGP Christmas party on Friday, and then quick drove back to go to the ZFS Christmas party on Saturday night.  It was a whirlwind weekend but very fun to meet new people and catch up with some others I haven't seen in awhile.

One weekend we went up just as a family, and another weekend Eric went up with his dad, brother, and a friend.

The first weekend in February we were going to have the girls miss school on Friday and we left Thursday night.  We completely lucked out with the girls having a snow day for school and we were already up there.  Just Carter and Brian came up to ride with us that weekend.  This is just in from snowmobiling trying to warm up under the blanket together.

 Friday night we talked the kids into riding at night and they did really good.  Saturday was a beautiful day to be out on the lake.

 The guys went out and did some things in the morning one of which was making a fire to warm up by.

 We didn't like these tubes for the water very much but they work pretty good out on the snow.  Kylie is lying on the tube, Carter looks like a race car driver inside his tube.

 Karinda and Kylie go for a ride.

 Brian just pulled Carter in the sled while they were waiting for their turn.

 They just fit!  Uncle Brian was such a good sport, and Karinda likes it in the back by herself.  I think they went around like this for 5 times.  Kylie and Carter just chatted away the whole time.

 Karinda waited patiently for everyone to have a turn sledding, tubing, and knee boarding but what she really wanted to do was ride "her snowmobile."  It is really grandma's but somehow since she has now driven it around the lake it has become her's as well.

This weekend I looked at Carter and realized Karinda was his age the first year we bought the cabin.  We have been doing this for 5 years.  The first year they were so little and could hardly hold themselves up.  I remember going down the trails with the Schuts and Kylie's head would hit the "kill" switch and shut it off.  As they have grown it has become more of a challenge with them in front of us.  We have been looking for a "2-up" snowmobile for a few years now, but good ones are hard to find.  We finally lucked out and found a good deal!  It is so nice to not have to look over the black dome of the helmet in front of me and be able to move!  As the girls grew and got taller it got harder and harder to manouver around them.  The back seat has heated hand grips and everything.  We can fit all three of us on it, with some complaints from one or the other that is, but it is a step ahead, that is for sure.