Our Favorite Winter Activity ⛸️

Almost every winter, there are a magical few days when it is cold enough to freeze over the creeks that run through the ranch.

Every morning, our kids will rush out to check the ice to see if it's hard enough for their favorite winter activity: ice skating.

Once they get the go-ahead from mom and dad that the ice is thick enough, they load up their skates and head down to the creek to start having fun.

Hours of ice skating begin.

There’s a sense of urgency because the freezing temperatures may not last. Even if it stays nice and cold, a brief warm spell can affect the ice rink's perfection, so every minute must count.

This year, we were fortunate to enjoy nearly a full week of perfect skating temperatures. With six children eager to hit the ice, it felt a bit cramped on the creek, leading to several collisions. However, most of them just bounced back up with a laugh and carried on.

Our four-year-old and two-year-old struggled to keep their balance, so their big brother and sister devised a fun system of pulling them in a sled up and down the creek, allowing them to join in on the fun.

After many hours of skating, with bruises from falls, sore shins, rosy cheeks, freezing fingers, and well-worn ice skates, the temperature changes and the skating season comes to an abrupt end. We are left with countless memories of our favorite winter activity.