Butt Cold

Word is this could be the coldest week of winter. The wind chill is -25 right now...

Monday

• Shoveled the driveway. Wow, it's cold.


• Addressed and packed our Christmas cards. We might even get them out before Christmas.


• Rode the rollers while Holly rode the trainer. Did the CC "Climbing" video.

Tuesday

• Made a visit to MRS in Anoka over lunch. Seems nice.


• Played "The Princess is Dead" and "Santa Claus" with Lilly.


• Skied 1 hr at Elm Creek. New snow was nice. A little bit of packed powder on the man made loop and a few inches of slow stuff (on top of ice) on the Northern Lights loop. Cold temps (~0 deg) but I was able to stay warm.

Wednesday

• 2" of new snow. Shoveled early AM.


• Reading buddy. Fredrich doesn't like Mc Donalds. well, except for the fries and Mc. Chicken sandwiches.


• Lilly's last swim class. Morgan was a great teacher. I swam a half hour during Lilly's class.


• Our traditional Christmas picture in front of our tree:
  
  
  


• A little work from home.

Thursday

• 7 mile run at lunch w/ Todd, JVD and Brian. Todd broke off for a shorter run and JVD pushed it. Something about me having a fast time on the "Matlock" loop.


• Lilly's gymnastics class. They got to play in the big kids gym.


• Waxed the skis for this weekend. Setup a little bench in the basement for waxing our skis.

Friday

• Snow was predicted she didn't feel well so Holly stayed home with Lilly for a Mom and Lilly day.


• Day 1 of the "Early Bird" ski trip w/ Todd, Eric and Scott. Todd got me into skiing and skis a 2:40 Birkie. Eric had skied once previously. Scott is an elite wave Birkie skier. We drove to Hell's Kitchen in Duluth for breakfast and then continued on to Ironwood (UP, Michigan). Skied ABR for 2 hrs. Tight and winding like Elk River. I was toast after we did the hard loop as the last loop. On to Scott's parents' cabin in Ontonagon, MI.

Saturday

• Ski trip, day two. Wokeup and hit Syl's for breakfast. Skied 2 hrs at Sweedetown. Hilly. I had some heart flutter type thing going on that made me feel winded all the time. Not necessarily out of breath, just a super fast heart beat. I wrote it off as either caffeine or a chest cold. On to Michigan Tech ski trails for a HARD 1 hr ski. Super hilly. Pizza at The Ambassador in Houghton. Very cool place downtown overlooking the river and DH ski area.


• Holly and Lilly went to The Nutcracker ballet. Lilly loved it.

Sunday

• Ski trip, day three. We headed down to Seely to ski the Birkie trail at OO. It wasn't groomed! Frustrating. We tried and Mosquito Brook and same result. Hiked in a "quarter mile" to the cabin Scott is building. It is right on the trail at Mosquito Book. Wow. Headed back to the cities. 6.5 hrs in the car. Ugh. Great trip with some great guys.


• Came home to a cookie decorating party with Lilly and Kelsie. Grandma Shonna, Kalie and Kelsie had to stay an extra day because of the weather in southern MN / northern IA.


• Did an hour on the elliptical and finished The Hunt for Red October.