Francesca Olivieri's blog

Ahh, the lure of the couch on a cold winter day. The TV on, the kids quiet, could it get any better? Well, actually, yes, as I recently discovered. Staying indoors is certainly tempting on frigid days, and I certainly do it often. But there is great fun to be had outside.

Father and daughter enjoying Scenic Hudson's recent Winter Fun Day.

A couple of weekends ago, I finally pulled myself up off the coach, bundled my body and my children's bodies with numerous layers and headed outdoors for a sledding adventure extraordinaire. We were upstate. It had just snowed about six inches, and the conditions were ideal give or take a wind chill factor of -5. But regardless, how had I forgotten just how much fun it is to fly down the mountain on a sled? I completely lost myself in the fun of playing in the snow, sailing down a hill on a sled and even the drudgery of pulling my four-year-old up the hill for the hundredth time. Even with the wind whipping around, I didn't hear any whines or complaints from the kiddies. It was an all around blast, and the time flew. And of course, you can't forget the sheer joy of coming inside, pulling off the wet mittens and drinking some hot chocolate. Read full post »