Skiing

 

After six seasons away from winter, it's been wonderful to be back on the slopes.   Getting up there every week required a lot of effort, but was well worth it. We didn't get much snow this season but teaching Samara how to ski has been a tremendously rewarding experience.  When Samara turned two-ish she became very strong willed and contrary.  As a parent, you are supposed to teach your child (right?) but I often don't feel like I've taught her much.  I simply don't have the patience/gusto to force most things.   Skiing is the one thing I have ample experience teaching and a good bag of tricks.  Teaching Samara and watching her overcome fears, stubbornness, and attitude has been very gratifying.  Plus, we've had so much fun this winter.   Our new motto is "I can do hard things!"

 

Little Lizzie started coming with us in the Bjorn the last month and she LOVES it.  As soon as we pull in the parking lot, she says, "more.  more.  no (snow), gaves (gloves), hat, boots." She is a girl who loves to be on the move.  The moment you stop she starts signing/saying "more".  Her little chubby gloved hands signing "more" are adorable.  When you ask her if she had fun or likes skiing she answers "Yes" with a lisp and smile.  I'm thrilled she already likes being up there so much.  Though the boots slide right off her feet, we still needed a photo and I wanted her to at least get a feel for actually skiing.  Lizzie has got to be the cutest thing on two skis!

I didn't get great video footage.  Here is the best we have from the season.  Notice how Samara tells me I'm going to crash and, at the end, that she will teach Lizzie how to ski. :)

 

Last Friday, we had our final ski day for the season and Ben got to join us.  We went to Deer Valley (where I worked for a gazillion seasons) and loved having papa along.  Ironically, it was the most wintry day of the season.  After lunch, Ben went ahead and stopped to wait for us, Lizzie started insisting, "more. more."   Two minutes later she was out cold.  He turned her around and got a rare snuggle.

 

Taking Samara to all the fun little runs that I took my cute students on in the past was so neat.  My last couple seasons as a ski instructor occurred while we were trying to have kids.  I felt so blessed and grateful, on our ski day last week, to be enjoying it with my girls.

I wish I'd written down more of the funny/cute things Samara said throughout the season.  At Sundance, we often had to take the shuttle from an upper parking lot to the base.  The other people, on the shuttle, were always cracking up at her jabbering and observations.  Here are a few things I remember:

While carrying her skis on her shoulder, "Look mom I'm carrying my skis like a teenager.  Can you believe I'm a teenager at the age of four?"

While riding on the ski lift you can occasionally see underclothes and beads that people have thrown into the high branches of certain trees (something to do with mardi gras).  Samara would ask "why" almost every time we passed the tree.  One day she said, "I just don't get why people throw their breasts (bras) in the tree.  It's so weird."

"I love the lift so much better than the tow rope.  The scenes (views) are so much nicer."

(photos courtesy of Jeanne and her awesome Holga camera)

After seeing me ski down, Samara said, "Wow, mom.  I want to ski side-to-side just like you."  Probably the best compliment she's ever given me!  :)

 

A little cookie tug-of-war.   We may or may not have finished most days with a little cookie. :)

I am one proud mama and look forward to many more seasons with my cute little snow bunnies.