The Wonder Years
January 10, 2008 | Filed under: Stuff
So about this blizzard we just had.
The first afternoon, by about three o’clock we had three feet of fresh powder on the streets, and no snow plot. They were all busy trying to keep the highway clear. By that night? Still no plow and another foot. So my three heathens, ever resourceful, poured themselves into their snow gear and grabbed their sleds because the street (with only our house and one other house on it) was fair game. They had some tearing up and sledding to do.
The husband and I finally went inside when I told him that certain parts of my anatomy, some of his favorite parts, were in danger of falling off. We told the kids to come get us if there was blood. Unlike most of the stories I tell that involve Middle Daughter, that didn’t happen, and eventually, when I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore, we called them in and went to bed, except for our oldest, who wanted to stay up with some of her friends. Fine.
My husband woke me up the next morning holding up a rope. “This was on the front porch.”
I blinked. The only reason anyone in this house ever needs a rope like that was when we go wakeboarding, which we did every single day in the summer.
Except . . . it’s as winter as it gets.
“Do you know what this means?” he asked.
No. I do not.
“I’m going to ask the teenager. She’ll know.”
“Why would the teenager know?”
He gave me one of those looks he should patent for its singular ability to make me wish I had just a little of his Bad Boy gene.
“She’ll know,” he said. “Because this rope means that they were sledding behind a car last night after we went to bed.”
“NO!” I gasped, horrified at the thought. “Like . . . like snow boarding?”
“Like wake boarding.”
Behind a moving car. On unplowed roads. In the middle of the night after a storm. True, there were no other cars on the roads, there were three to four feet of snow. In fact, there WERE no roads really, just a blanket of white everywhere, with a gorgeous mountain sky so clear and crisp it was like looking at diamonds scattered over black velvet. The whole thing was too terrifying to think of . . . and yet . . . don’t judge me . . . it sounded like so much fun. “I’m sure you’re wrong,” I told the husband.
I got another of those looks.
And here’s the thing. Much as I hate to admit this to you, he’s rarely wrong.
The teenager took one look at the rope in her dad’s hand and caved. Came clean. Admitted her sins. Sang like a canary. I was so mad, and yet secretly I wished I had tried something like that when I was young and stupid, just for the sheer thrill . . .
Tags: funny, humorous, kids, parenting, romance, snow, story
Posted by Jill @ 1:00 am | Make a Comment
Judy F says:
I am shocked you don’t have a head of gray hair by now. Lordy. Glad no one was hurt.
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 3:46 amStacy ~ says:
LOL, Jill, I was thinking the same thing: how fun! But I’m soooo glad no one got hurt.
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 4:14 amAmy M says:
How dangerous, but how tempting to try it. I would have been waiting in line to take my turn while saying, “children, don’t try this at home.”
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 5:56 amWere they honestly snow boarding behind someone’s car down the road?
Patty L. says:
I won’t judge you Jill because I have tried it. Only not behind a car, a four wheeler and it was wonderfully freeing. Just like flying. I loved it, but of course, if my kids try it I may have to kill them if they don’t kill themselves first. LOL
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 7:01 amBarbara-Jo says:
God, your kids have guts. I think its pretty cool how you and your husband know your kids so well. Someday this will be funny – not so much now…
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 7:07 amDee says:
Your husband is a police detective or a lawyer I’m thinking?! Wow.
I would have had a big ol’ hissy fit, as we say in the south. Then again, we don’t have that kid of snow down here…
Dee
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 7:07 am[I just found your blog - very cool...]
Liza says:
We would tie 2 or 3 sleds to a four wheeler and go all over the area near our house. We never got as much snow as you have, but I grew up in a small town and there were no snow plows. The roads would be covered with snow until it melted.
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 7:09 amLaurie says:
Oh, the little snots. Scary, for sure, but minor compared to some of the things other kids are doing out there. It’s best not to sweat the small stuff.
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 7:11 amCaryn says:
Glad no one was hurt! Though I agree with you–it *does* sound kind of fun. I can understand their temptation to do it.
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 7:14 amSusan says:
I admit to doing the same thing.
We did it with cars, snowmobiles and ATV’s. It was a blast, not that I would recommend it! :no:
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 7:21 amJill says:
Oldest is driving, and so are her friends. That’s where the brilliant idea came in, one of the friends had a truck over here . . . and I didn’t specifically say DON’T BE STUPID after all.
And my husband, for those who asked, is a general contractor and the original bad boy of all time. He knows everything there is to know about getting in trouble. That’s why we have 3 daughters. It’s karma’s way of getting back at him for his wild youth.
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 7:38 amJill says:
P.S. Still loving seeing the new faces! Welcome! Hope you grab a comfy spot and stick around awhile! (could I use more !!!!?? I think I can!!!!!)
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 7:39 amdevon ellington says:
We used to call it “skitching”.
Of course, in those days, car bumpers were big and one didn’t need a rope — you caught on to the bumper as the car drove by and there you went!
It’s really stupid and I’m glad I survived.
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 7:59 amVal Cox says:
great story and lovely photos! Your husband is pretty smart to have figured this one out!
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 8:02 amCourtney says:
LOL. I love hearing about your family’s exploits Jill. And frankly, looking back, that totally sounds like something I would have done as a teenager.
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 10:23 amAllie says:
I have never done that, but when I was little my dog would pull me on my sled, both up and downhill. That was great! Of course the danger level is much lower if it is just a 50-pound dog pulling you and your parents are standing at each end of the road!
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 12:17 pmDonna M says:
First of all I’m so glad your three are all okay. Second, it sounds like a blast but so many things could go wrong! :shocked: As teenagers we just don’t think it will ever happen to us. No wonder people with children get gray hair! I’ve earned every one of mine!! Love the pictures.
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 12:23 pmCryna says:
So glad that no one was hurt, but it does sound like fun. Funny that your husband could figure it out so quickly……….
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 3:56 pmBrandy says:
I’m with you, it was dangerous and scary and, and sounded like fun. I never did anything wrong when I was a teenager (well, not dangerous) but hubs, oh jeez he was a BAD boy. *g* And then has the utter stupidity to tell our kids what kind of trouble he used to do. I’d smack him, but he had more fun than I did. *sigh*
How badly was your Daughter grounded? *g*
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 4:39 pmAsthmagirl says:
It does sound dangerous. Husbands are good at discerning what teenagers have done. We have three daughters as well, and I don’t think any of them ever fooled their dad once. Sometimes I let them think they fooled me and then confronted them about a year later. So fun!
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 6:45 pmJSL says:
Hi Jill,
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 7:23 pmOh my goodness. I’m glad they’re all ok. How… insanely and stupidly dangerous. But I feel the same way you do. I’m so very jealous. Also, I love how you described your husband’s reactions.
Wendy says:
I should try this, it sounds fun! Let’s see, I’m already young and stupid. I do have a truck so I only need rope and snow. Too bad I live in such a sunny state!
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 8:53 pmShari says:
Wow that brings back lots of night time in the snow memories, yes I did it when I was a teenager growing up in a snow belt area in Canada! But know as a mother, thinking back – OMG! thank god I live in a place where there is no snow!
Posted on January 10th, 2008 at 11:53 pmI am new to your blog – and enjoying the reading…..thank you for bringing us into your world!
Shari http://www.thefriendshipstone.com
PamN says:
It IS fun (speaking as a former 16 year old) and dangerous (spoken as a current grandmother)…that’s the eternal conflict between generations!
Posted on January 11th, 2008 at 8:54 amnaomi says:
Loved sledding behind a car or a snowmobile as a teen. Loved it! Dangerous, yes. But oh so fun! So was parasailing behind a truck in a corn field, lol! Yes, I did that. Soooo much fun!
I’m glad I don’t know your daughters. I think I would get them into even more trouble.
Posted on January 11th, 2008 at 9:16 amrivetergirl says:
This story reminds me of the time a couple of years ago, we were visiting my parents in Truckee and we got a couple of feet of snow. The plows were all on the highway and my dad got the dangerous and highly illegal idea of using his snowmobile to pull my husband up and down their street while my husband was strapped into his snowboard. Definitely not the smartest thing they’ve ever done, but that had a great time doing it. Where was I while this was going on? I was riding backward on the snowmobile videotaping my husband and he boarded down the street. Yeah, I’m not that smart either.
Posted on January 11th, 2008 at 3:50 pmKristi says:
Oh. My. Word. I have not laughed this hard in a long time. What a blast! I was thinking at first that I hope your daughters don’t read this or your liable to have trouble, but I think your OK if they do. Now if the hubby reads it? LOL. Cooked goose coming up!
Posted on January 12th, 2008 at 11:05 am