Do you ever make a plan to make a memory? For example, have you planned a trip with your family with the idea, "This is something the kids will never forget!" Does it work for you? Because it sure doesn't for me.
To me it's one of those "best intentions" scenerios. We want it to be perfect, unforgetable, inspiring (insert your adjective of choice), but for some reason, good times are kind of like relatives. You just don't get to choose.
This weekend, we created one of those unexpected good memories. It was just another trip for us. We headed to Elk River to go snowmobiling with the kids. They each have their own snowmobile now, and they can head down the trail to a destination (albeit not very fast). We can go for a ride as a family. It's a big milestone for us. We have looked forward to the time we could go for a ride with minimal whining and not take all day to get where we were going. Mission accomplished.
We went on our family ride Saturday, then spent a lazy afternoon in Elk River walking through the streets, playing in the snow and eating huckleberry ice cream. On Sunday, Elk River hosted the snowmobile drag races. We were planning to watch; the kids and I hadn't seen them before. Ryan raced a couple of years ago and got a trophy, and we think that's pretty cool.
Sunday morning, we were hanging out waiting for the races when someone asked if the kids were planning to race. "It's free! It will be fun!" and before I could make a mother's objections (Bleaaahhh! My baby! Danger! Help! Run away, run away!), they were signed up with numbers on their sleds.
It must have been so exciting for them. The start had pre-stage and stage lights, and a tree with yellow and green lights ("watch it closely," Ryan said, "yellow-yellow-yellow-green and go!") for the start. They had to ride through a little gate to get to the starting line...and Matt was in the first heat. He sent that little snow scoot out for all it was worth, but alas, it is a snow scoot with a top speed of 25 mph down hill. Still we were so proud.
Emily was intense. She was so focused that when Ryan walked up behind her and touched her on the back to tell her it would be a minute or two..she jumped. Her sled spun a little on the start, so she was late getting out of the gate, and at the end, she lost to a much bigger person on a bigger sled. It was over, but they seemed to enjoy themselves, so it was worth it.
We didn't stay for the awards--it's a long drive home from Elk River, especially when you have gear to unload and showers to take. But that evening, we got a phone call from our host. Emily had won first place in her age group (7-12) and received a trophy. Apparently, the young guy she was racing was in a different class and the winners were based entirely on times.
We were disappointed that she hadn't been able to pick up her trophy in person...I would love to have THAT picture...but still, she was so proud. It's the little victories that make us who we are. And that was a little victory.
And so our kids both have their first race under their belts. It wasn't what we expected, and honestly, I don't think we could have planned it any better. Of course, now Matt has to have a new snowmobile because he can't win on the Scoot, but overall, I would say it was a victory for all of us. We made an amazing memory.
To me it's one of those "best intentions" scenerios. We want it to be perfect, unforgetable, inspiring (insert your adjective of choice), but for some reason, good times are kind of like relatives. You just don't get to choose.
This weekend, we created one of those unexpected good memories. It was just another trip for us. We headed to Elk River to go snowmobiling with the kids. They each have their own snowmobile now, and they can head down the trail to a destination (albeit not very fast). We can go for a ride as a family. It's a big milestone for us. We have looked forward to the time we could go for a ride with minimal whining and not take all day to get where we were going. Mission accomplished.
We went on our family ride Saturday, then spent a lazy afternoon in Elk River walking through the streets, playing in the snow and eating huckleberry ice cream. On Sunday, Elk River hosted the snowmobile drag races. We were planning to watch; the kids and I hadn't seen them before. Ryan raced a couple of years ago and got a trophy, and we think that's pretty cool.
Sunday morning, we were hanging out waiting for the races when someone asked if the kids were planning to race. "It's free! It will be fun!" and before I could make a mother's objections (Bleaaahhh! My baby! Danger! Help! Run away, run away!), they were signed up with numbers on their sleds.
It must have been so exciting for them. The start had pre-stage and stage lights, and a tree with yellow and green lights ("watch it closely," Ryan said, "yellow-yellow-yellow-green and go!") for the start. They had to ride through a little gate to get to the starting line...and Matt was in the first heat. He sent that little snow scoot out for all it was worth, but alas, it is a snow scoot with a top speed of 25 mph down hill. Still we were so proud.
Emily was intense. She was so focused that when Ryan walked up behind her and touched her on the back to tell her it would be a minute or two..she jumped. Her sled spun a little on the start, so she was late getting out of the gate, and at the end, she lost to a much bigger person on a bigger sled. It was over, but they seemed to enjoy themselves, so it was worth it.
We didn't stay for the awards--it's a long drive home from Elk River, especially when you have gear to unload and showers to take. But that evening, we got a phone call from our host. Emily had won first place in her age group (7-12) and received a trophy. Apparently, the young guy she was racing was in a different class and the winners were based entirely on times.
We were disappointed that she hadn't been able to pick up her trophy in person...I would love to have THAT picture...but still, she was so proud. It's the little victories that make us who we are. And that was a little victory.
And so our kids both have their first race under their belts. It wasn't what we expected, and honestly, I don't think we could have planned it any better. Of course, now Matt has to have a new snowmobile because he can't win on the Scoot, but overall, I would say it was a victory for all of us. We made an amazing memory.
No comments:
Post a Comment