By Erin Eriksson, Co-Founder & COO, Hedgehog Dryer

May is magical for our family. It's chaotic, it's soggy, it's full of milestones, and I wouldn't trade a single muddy moment of it.

We Said Goodbye to Snow in the Best Way Possible

Last weekend, Hemsedal Skisenter closed for the season, and we sent it off in style. Hedgehog Dryer was proud to partner with the Bang Slalom snowboarding event at Solheisen, and we also got swept up in the Splash event. If you happened to be at the mountain and spotted an inflatable hedgehog careening down the slope and into the melt-water pool...yes, that was our CEO (and my husband), Bjørn Holte.

He pulled on an inflatable hedgehog suit (inflated with our very own Hedgehog JET) strapped on his snowboard, and launched himself down the hill, across the pool, and into the freezing water with the kind of commitment that makes you wonder whether he was showing off the product or just really enthusiastic about spring. (Probably both.) The crowd loved it!

It was a perfect send-off to a wonderful ski season. Now the lifts are still, the snow is retreating up the mountainsides, and the waterfalls are full of ice-cold water. Hemsedal in the transition between winter and spring is breathtaking and fresh. If you've never seen it, put it on your list!

Five Kids, Longer Days, and Zero Dry Shoes

With the snow gone and the days stretching longer, our house has shifted into full spring mode, and with five active kids, that means motion.

One of our youngest is learning to ride a bike. Three kids have soccer/football, which means cleats in, cleats out, cleats inexplicably muddy even when it hasn't rained. Everyone is on the trampoline after school, with flips, tricks, laughter floating through the door while Bjørn cooks dinner. The two smallest and I have been spending hours at the neighborhood playground, and our newest ritual is after-dinner strolls: walking, talking, spotting birds, picking up pinecones.

The Puddle Problem (That We Secretly Love)

Here's the thing about spring in Hemsedal: it can be wet. Some days I pick up the kids from daycare and find them sitting – literally – In the middle of a puddle, scooping water and beaming like they've discovered treasure.

From personal experience, I can say that our Hedgehog Buddy 4x4 has been indispensable. We have it running constantly, because there is a never-ending cycle of wet shoes, muddy cleats, soggy boots, and soaked gloves coming through our door. It dries fast, so we get through all the wet gear in the evening and have everything ready for the next day. It's one of those products I didn't know I needed until I couldn't imagine life without it.

Celebrations Galore

May is packed with celebration. We have family birthdays, and one of our kids has their confirmation, a big, beautiful milestone that calls for all the tradition and festivity Norway does so well.

And of course: the 17th of May, Norwegian Constitution Day. Parades, bunads, flags everywhere, ice cream before noon, and children at the center of it all. In a small mountain community like Hemsedal, it's intimate, genuine, and spirited.

This is the month that reminds me why we do what we do: building products for active families, for outdoor life, for the beautiful mess of raising kids in a place like this.

With love and hedge-hugs, Erin