March Madness

After a brief hiatus, our GCC March Madness tradition continues!  This year we traveled to Harrisburg, PA area where Josh and LaShae live (with 2 daughters, Adra and Raegan).  Jeff and Angie came from New York (with 2 daughters, Mandy and Hannah).  We met up with everybody at Chick-fil-a on Friday night.  While we were there, another Grove City grad just happened to be there with her daughters!  So fun to have a bonus reunion.  :) 

Saturday morning we decided to drive over to Hershey, PA to visit Chocolate World.  We had fun looking around the gift shop, going on the tour/ride, and trying out some sweets.

Micah, Matthew, Raegan, Hannah M., Mandy, Adra, and Hannah G.

After Chocolate World I ditched the group for a while to meet up with my college roommate Natalie.  It was so great to see her face and catch up!  I wish I had taken a picture, but I didn't.  Let's just pretend we still both look like we did sixteen years ago:

hehe - and here we are with Nat the last time we went to Chocolate World - in 2000!

 Lunch time back at the Willits's house.  It was a rare sight to have them sitting still.

Dance parties and crazy play was more the norm - except for Micah who hung out with the guys watching basketball in the basement.

Skiing

Micah had the opportunity to ski several times this winter through a ski club program with a local school.  The program lasts 5 weeks and includes a lesson each week.  Micah only did three of the lessons, but he moved up a level from where he started.  I could see him improving and really working to keep his skis more parallel.  After the 5 weeks, Micah could use his pass to ski for free on Saturdays.  His pass also includes 4 $10 tickets for someone else to use so either Scott or I could go with him each time.
This is the second winter in a row that we've had crazy weather and not much snow.  We tried to make opportunities to teach Hannah to ski last year, but the weather never cooperated. So even though we had 60-degree weather all week, Micah and Hannah and I went skiing on Saturday anyway.  We met the McKims there so that Micah could ski with them while I worked with Hannah.  (Bonus - since they had two kids in ski club, they hadn't used all their $10 passes yet, so I was able to use one for Hannah's lift ticket and rentals!  Wooho!)

This is what a "mountain" in Ohio looks like.  As you can see, the snow was pretty sparse.

Kayla, Sydney, Hannah, and Micah  

 Hannah lasted several hours skiing.  She mastered riding the magic carpet and was comfortable keeping her balance for long stretches.  She worked really hard and kept a good attitude.  She didn't quite figure out turning and stopping, but the conditions were really difficult to work with.
It was also really sweet to have Kayla and Sydney there.  They spent a lot of time keeping Hannah company and encouraging her.

riding the magic carpet

snack break

Micah riding the chair lift next to us.

I don't have any videos of Hannah skiing.  By the time I tried to take one at the end of the day she was too tired to stay up long enough on her own.  :)

Here is a video of Micah - he kept himself busy on the bunny hill by teaching himself to ski backwards (this was not his best run).

Micah's Birthday

Micah had an orthodontist appointment on the morning of his birthday.  We took advantage of it by sneaking in a little doughnut date with Daddy.  We got good news at the orthodontist that he does not have to have any teeth pulled or spacers right now.  They're hoping to be able to wait a few more years before starting any work on his teeth.

The day after his birthday he celebrated with a few of his friends at a place called "Zip City".  It's a trampoline park that also includes zip lines and a rock wall.  It was the perfect place to keep four nine-year-old boys busy and happy.

Micah designed and decorated his own cake.  The oreos are trampolines.  The gummy bears are kids jumping, and the sour patch kids are parents watching.  It even has two zip lines.

the bears on toothpicks are mid-jump

The boys played a little badminton before we had cake and presents.

Zip City!

You have to be three years old and 35 pounds to participate.  They pulled out the scale for Matthew, and he was 35.8 pounds.  Phew!  All he wanted to do the whole time was whatever the big boys were doing.  Even zip-lining!  I kept checking with him as he got ready to see if he wanted to change his mind, but he had no fear!  He did it at least four times.  :) 

Click here to see a video of Matthew on the zip line.

Carter

Hannah

Micah

Matthew

We had to force them to stop playing to eat some dinner, then they were back at it.

Noah

Owen

The boys loved playing dodge ball on the trampolines.  For one of the rounds, Micah was the last one left on his team!