Family Snow Trip, 2013

We want to expose our kids to the snow. I look forward to the day when they are old enough to go to ski school all day and I can sit inside by the fireplace and read a book and drink lattes. But until then, we have to expose them to the snow so that they like the snow and want to go to ski school in a few years. With our trip to the US this year, we could not really do a full week in the snow, so we opted for a 24 hour family fun night with our family friends from Oz. Don't you love how I call it Oz now? I have been around them way too much - by the end of the 24 hours I was calling "sledding" "tobogganning." Who knew that a toboggan is actually called a beanie in Oz. Anyways, we went for just 24 hours. Our goal was to let the K Man play in snow and let Miss M put skis on. She did, for a little bit, and did a small amount of skiing with daddy. But she was more interested in sledding, or tobogganning, and having snow ball fights. On Sunday when we got there, after lunch, we immediately hit the snow...well everyone but myself and the two babies. I stayed in the play room while the K Man played and baby D napped. I was not complaining. Daddy got to do some skiing on his own while our friends graciously played with Miss M in the snow. These friends are like aunts and uncles to our kids in Tokyo. My kids will climb up in their laps and watch videos or go down on sleds with them. Such sweet friendships that I am so thankful for. After getting the kids in bed, the mamas got to enjoy the onsen. I love the Japanese onsens. At first I was a bit skeptical, but they are so relaxing. I was amazed that at 9PM at night a mother was in the onsen with her baby exposing her to the hot baths. But, when in Rome....well, no, not so much will I take a baby to the onsen, but I liked watching the little wee one experience it for the first time. On Monday everyone went to the snow for a play. We took the K Man down on the sled and he cried/screamed the entire time. We tried again and he just sucked on his fingers the whole time. Progress. At least he did not scream. Miss M enjoyed climbing up a tiny "mountain" with her friends and coming down on her rump. I went on the sled with her a few times but she said I went too fast. She preferred going with daddy. Little does she know, I am quite alright with that. I opted to voluntarily take the K Man back inside since he did not seem to be enjoying it that much. Let's just say, I am not a big fan of snow...I like to look at it, from inside by a fireplace, but when it comes to being outside in it, I just simply do not like being cold. And I can never seem to get my hands and feet warm when I am out skiing. It was a fun weekend, just so nice to get out of Tokyo and have a change of scene.