Tubing!!

In January 2008, I had my first opportunity to go tubing with the youth group. We have a ski resort just north of Kansas City called Snow Creek where they create their own snow. They have ski lifts and runs for skiers and snowboarders but the very best part is the tubing! I had no idea how much fun it would be! I can't believe I wasted so many years NOT taking them tubing! What was I thinking???
So once again, we went tubing! This year we did it right. We went on a Thursday night when you get four hours of tubing for the price of 2 and we packed a picnic supper of hotdogs, chips, smores and hot chocolate. They have a large bonfire next to the tubing slopes where you can get warm but we figured it would be a fun place to cook supper!

We would break long enough to roast a hotdog and then we'd hit the slopes again! We would ride the moving sidewalk up the hill carrying our tube and then get as many people together as we could to try to go down together. I kept ending up on the side closest to the barrier and a couple of times I went across the barrier and had to let go of the group before I snagged my ski pants on a giant chunk of ice!
It was exhilarating! My favorite part of the entire evening was when a lady sitting near the bonfire asked if we were a church group. She said she could tell by how kind we were to one another and to strangers. Apparently, several members of the group had invited them to share in our feast. I have never been more proud! I can't wait to go again next year!

(note: we were so busy having fun this year that nobody took any pictures so these pictures were from tubing in 2008. The faces may be different but the looks of joy & excitement are the same!)