Polar Bear Plunge 2013

We did our annual dip into Lake Goodwin on New Year's Day.  We'd planned to jump in at noon but we pushed it back to 12:13 (for 2013) to give everyone a chance to assemble.  I'd invited everyone at the co-op plus posted it on Facebook to see if anyone would join us.  We got one taker, Karen Lindauer whose son Ivan joined us.  It was 26 degrees when we woke up that morning but it had warmed up to around 40 by the time we jumped in.  I was dreading jumping in all morning but I realize that sometimes it's tough to be a cool mom (that's what separates the cool moms from the rest, right?)   That bench above was on the dock we jumped off of.  Does it look like swimming weather?

We often joke that William has no pain receptacles. Case in point, my outfit while we waited for everyone to be ready verses William's.

Our group heading down the dock.

Everyone assembled.  I love how standing in the cold about to jump into the water puts a smile on everyone's face!

More smiles and laughter.

Dode offered $1 to the first person to jump off the dock and make it all the way to shore.  Ivan jumped right in, before his mom even made it to the end of the dock to watch him, and rushed to shore.  He played in the water at the edge for a while, then walked back through to water to the dock to retrieve his award.  That's one tough polar bear!  He still had a full body shiver going 15 minutes later while wrapped up and trying to drink hot chocolate.

Ivan on his return trip.  He's only in elementary school but he walked all over those teenagers for bravery.

Jared and Isaac take the plunge.

I held onto William so I could pull him back onto the dock after he went under.

Lainey and Elizabeth still in the "thinking about it" stage.  Elizabeth had a few false starts before she was finally brave enough to jump in, right after me.  Once I surfaced after jumping in, she hollered down to me, "Mom, wait for me."  I said, "Sorry little girl but I'm getting out!"

Allison and Anastaya head back in for their second jump!

It was Jenna's first year to take the plunge.  She took a long time deciding if she could really do it while we stood around dripping wet offering encouragement.  Dode thought it was ironic that Sheri was telling her it wouldn't be bad, while fully bundled up with no plans to jump in herself!

Isaac made a half hearted attempt to pull Jenna off the dock but let go before pulling her in.  Jenna later proudly told her mom that she is stronger than Isaac since he couldn't pull her in.  In the end, after lots of encouragement, she jumped in all on her own!

Ellie was an observer.

Last year Miriam wore her swimsuit and dipped a toe in.  This year she didn't even bother changing out of her PJ's.  She'd broken her toe at Grandma Sharon's house Friday night so that was her excuse for sitting with a book instead of participating.

Trying to warm up with hot chocolate after the plunge.

After the polar bear dip, we headed home where the children jumped into the hot tub to warm up. Once the water level got up to the top, we had to tell the remaining children they'd need to wait until someone got out.  Eventually everyone got a nice long warm soak, everyone but me that is!  I was busy making lunch for everyone.

Dode went for a bike ride on the Centennial Trail with his brother Randy and his wife Lisa and I stayed home with the 14 children.  All of mine, all of Randy and Lisa's and Sheri's two!  And to be honest, I was right where I wanted to be.  A house full of children having fun verses a cold bike ride?  I'll choose the children any day!  I made a big batch of spagetti and I think 13 of the 14 children actually ate it (Miriam was the one hold out).

I still believe that someday we'll have a crowd of brave souls join us for the Polar Bear Dip.  Maybe not the hundreds they get in Seattle, but there have to be dozens of people who want to start the new year off in a very refreshing way!