A Buddy and a Helmet

We joke about my childhood that you could do anything you wanted as long as you had a buddy and wore a helmet. We really have all survived some really stupid things amongst my siblings. Emily and I were often paired together since we were the two girls closest in age. We had a lot of fun, but got in a lot of dangerous situations as well. We thought we had matured since we are now older, but, alas, the two of us together still proves to be a bit risky. For example, we attempted to let Suzy experience the joys of sledding while at her house last week during the snow. Here, Emily is loading all three of the toddlers on the sled. Hmmmm.... should I be concerned? Nah, they've got buddies.

As she is about to let go of the rope, (I thought she was just going to pull them) I ask if she's sure about this hill. She assures me (jokingly - which unfortunately I missed all together and thought she was serious) that the trees will stop them. Now, sarcasm aside, even if I did know that she was kidding, why did that sound like a good solution to me? In what situation would that be a "good thing?" Oy, vey. Sometimes I wonder how I am as successful as I am. People pay me to think... if only they knew... ;)
Suzy was sooooo excited. Here they go on their first big "sleigh ride!"

This is the "hill" that we placed our dear toddlers upon. It's really just a little ridge with ghastly ravines on either side. On the left, is a pond, the right is a small creek bed. What were we thinking?
The last photo taken before the camera was hurled into the snow as we chased after our poor screaming children who were plummeting to the bottom of the ravine.
I took this photo the next day to show the path of the sled. Apparently, the trees did NOT stop them.

Andrew fared the worst. We were most concerned with Anthony, since he wasn't moving when we first got to them. But, he was fine. You can't really tell completely here, but Andrew's entire forehead and nose are very swollen. I've never seen the likes of a worse goose egg than this. Praise God he wasn't hurt more severely. Emily's husband went down the next day to retrieve hats and gloves and such and discovered a small tree that had been freshly broken in half. We assume it was Andrew's poor head that caused it. He should have been wearing a helmet.....

Suzy fared fine. She was pretty sandwiched between the boys and walked away with only a knock to her tooth. It's a little chipped, and she may lose it eventually, but overall, it wasn't too bad. Anthony was suspected to have a broken leg, but is cleared after X-Rays and fine now as well. Praise God for his protection of our little ones. I hate it when my life lessons are learned at the expense of poor little Suzy. Again, how did we think this would end well???? I guess some things never change when you get me and Emily together. Although, looking back, this may not be as bad as some of the other "adventures" we went on. Say, for example, the time we got in a van without windows with a bunch of locals in Grand Cayman who were taking us to a "really cool party". I was actually re-thinking that decision while still in the back of the van. Oddly, my brother ended up sneaking out as well that night and was at the same party! Crazy.