Lutsen 2012

Here it is springtime in MN with 50 - 60 degree weather and the snow has fully melted and April showers have already begun. However, just a little over 2 weeks ago in the northern mountains of MN, Camp Clark got to savor a 4-day getway to Lutsen and we picked the absolute best weekend for it (and probably the last of good ski conditions). We drove up Thursday afternoon after school conferences and hit a snow storm just outside Duluth; complete white out conditions and we were forced to drive 20 mph. Needless to say, when we arrived at our destination, we were SO thankful we made it safely. But best of all, it was AWESOME snow for the next day, our first day on the "mountains". 

LTD were ecstatic and could hardly wait to hit the slopes at 9am. They did SO GREAT! No major wipeouts or issues, other than when Dad jokingly went down the bunny hill and accidentally took out a "character gate". He lost control and the children in the area laughed at "that silly man". Very comical! He also took out a fence on another slope but we won't talk about that one :)

The sun was out the entire 3 days of skiing with 25 degrees the first day, and 45 degrees the last two days. Our condo was located right in the main Lutsen village and was a ski-in, ski-out condo. Perfect for eating breakfast at our condo in the mornings and taking a break and grabbing lunch mid-day. It was such spectacular weather and the snow was pretty good except the last afternoon (Sunday); it started to get a bit slushy towards the bottom. At the end of a long day of skiing, we thoroughly enjoyed the indoor/outdoor pool and whirlpool which was very relaxing.

Dave and I had to laugh because we pretty much skied all 3 mountains and spent 3 full days on the slopes with the munchkins. The kiddos mastered the blue runs pretty well and we moved on to some black diamonds which were challenging for them but very rewarding and they kept asking, "let's do it again". Bottom line, we skied it all including the Terrain Park (this included jumps that LTD had to try, of course) and enjoyed taking in all the different chair lifts and the gondola to the top. Dylan really enjoyed taking the chair by himself so he could buddy up with strangers and chat their ears off. One nice man came up to me after we unloaded at the top and asked if Dylan was our son. He laughed and said, "he sure is a friendly little fellow - I really enjoyed talking with him!"

The views were absolutely spectacular, as you can see from our photos. Lutsen overlooks Lake Superior and the views are simply incredible. Please feel free to check out our Kodak Gallery link in the right-hand column of this blog for lots more photos of the area and Camp Clark in action. 

We look forward to going back again next year. A fun time was had by all and it was one of those vacations that will remain in our memories for MANY years to come. On the drive home, we even got to witness "triplet" deer standing in the road just taking their time as if they owned the road. The kiddos got a big kick out of that! Nature at its' finest :)

 

 

 

Look out "Mountains", Here We Come!

LTD recently finished up their downhill ski lessons and are revved up and ready to take on the "mountains" of MN. We will make sure to post photos and videos of these little squirts and their fearless approach and newfound skills. Pretty comical and the best part is, they absolutely LOVE it. Dave and the kiddos went skiing this past Sunday for the day (while mom cleaned and worked - fun fun) and we are heading to Afton Alps this weekend; Lutsen next weekend. Let's pray there are no injuries :)

Just yesterday, they told me they want to try snowboarding now. Yikes!  They just got the hang of skiing for the love of Pete! Yesterday after we got some snow, they and the neighbor kids were snowboarding in the back yard "hills" and they had a blast with just a few minor falls. I know one thing, I am staying on my two skis, thank you. No 911 calls for this girl. Although, Dave wants to take on snowboarding alongside LTD. Does this surprise anybody? Go get 'em Dad, and his 3 little sidekicks!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

And this would be a "Mom Post". A little over a week ago, I had the opportunity to share in the experience of a super fun birthday celebration with 7 of my favorite friends. The celebration was held at Camp Clark and was prepared by 2 gourmet chefs from The Italian Gourmet of Mpls. FANTASTIC! WE had 3 birthdays to celebrate so we decided to skip the gifts, skip the loud, expensive restaurants and indulge in an intimate,  gourmet chef prepared meal right in the home. Let me tell you, it was the next big thing to actually being in Italy. Of course, there was plenty of wine (as you can see from the photos). Our  two chefs, Antonio Cecconi and his fun assistant (name?? - have a little more wine, Tina)  kindly showed us how to make pasta and prepare an authentic Italian meal and a delicious, chocolatey dessert. FABULOUS! We had such a nice time and ended the night with our standard human pyramid, PLUS 3 varmints who slipped in before their bedtime. Too bad their mama was sheepish about kneeling on the two backs of her partners in crime - it would have been so much better to just GO FOR IT even if it meant an ER visit. Why not end the night with a little excitement? Next time :)

Dylan Wins Big at Cub Scouts Pine Derby Races!

So during the basketball season-end tournament, Dave had to run across the hall between games, weigh his and Dylan's car in and race it in it's first race while Dylan played ball. Good thing mom and the girls were there to keep cheering on Dylan at the game. He was so excited to learn that his car not only won it's first race, but it was voted "Fastest Looking Car" of the entire group. Why am I not surprised, considering Dave had a BIG hand in creating the car, the Red Bullet. 

Dylan almost jumped out of his pants when he won even more races to clench first place in his Den and third overall in the entire Pack. This means he gets to go to Districts at the Mall of America in March which we just found out is the same weekend as our ski trip to Lutsen. Dave and Dylan just may have to leave the Red Bullet in someone else's caring hands (Ethan and his Dad - they are going too!) and pray it does well without the loving touch of Dad and Dylan. Stay tuned!

Basketball Season Rolls to an End

Dylan just finished his basketball season last weekend with a season-end basketball tournament. He had a really great time together with a few of his Aspen classmates. Their coaches were phenomenal and so great with the kids which makes all the difference in the world. It just so happens that his tournament corresponded with Dylan's Cub Scout Pine Derby Races (across the hallway at the school) so Dave had to rush off and race Dylan's car while Dylan played ball. Good news: Dylan won his first race....stay tuned for next post!

Finance 101

This past Friday, I picked the kiddos up from school and went home and had them grab their piggy banks. I had planned a field trip to the local bank so they could open up their own savings accounts and learn a little more about "finance".

They have been saving up for quite a while and have these really neat little "ABC" piggy banks that feature three banks in one: A is Giving (tithing); B is Saving (goes directly to the bank); and C is Spending (for themselves, gifts for others). Whenever they receive $, they usually donate a certain amount to each section. The banker was very impressed with the amount of money they had saved up which was collected from a combination of gifts, allowance, lemonade sales and a few garage sales. The best part is they got to help count the money, see it deposited into their accounts and see on the computer how much they each have and how it will continue to grow as they add to it monthly. Oh boy, how exciting for them!

Dave and I try our best to teach them about the value of money and why it's important to give to others in need, save for their futures and spend wisely. Now that they can go on the computer and see their account values increase each month, it has become even more interesting and motivating at the same time.

Ski Bunnies

We get to add another first to our list of Camp Clark adventures - LTD took their very first downhill snow skiing lesson today at Hyland Hills. To put it in their words, it was "awesome", "amazing", "so cool", "super fun"......I think you get the drift. They absolutely loved it! Those squirts have absolutely no fear and had a complete blast! What a riot watching those little bodies maneuver and come down that bunny hill with smiles plastered on their faces from ear to ear. 

Dave and I had to partake in a mandatory parent meeting for about 15 minutes or so and when we came out to continue to cheer them on, here Taylor had already advanced to the next level! Our Little Peanut (Crash Kemmet II) was moved to the next class due to her "advanced skills" according to the instructor. Dave and I burst out laughing because she is typically "accident prone". Not this time! Dylan and Lindsey weren't far behind and were advanced as well about 15 minutes later which they were really happy about. Next lesson, they get to try out the chair lift which should be very interesting. Let's hope they don't fall off the ski lift like their mom did in high school at Red Lodge, MT!

Dave and I are super excited to ski with our little munchkins in the next few weeks to prepare for our ski trip coming up. In March, we are headed to Lutsen for a 4-day weekend. We rented a ski-in/ski-out condo complete with an outdoor hot tub and an outdoor heated pool. We cannot wait! The kiddos are even more excited and are looking forward to their next few lessons before they "tackle the mountains" :) What a great sport to be able to share with our kiddos.

Absolutely no fear!

I was born ready!

This is AWESOME!

Getting ready for their first ski lesson

Taylor swishing down the bunny hill

When do we go to the top of the mountain - I am SO ready!