littlepieceofheaven: March 2014

We've never gone on a trip for Spring Break and I can't say that I was "excited" about this trip my husband put together. Anxious would be a more appropriate word. Why? For starters, I've never skiid. My girls have never skiid. My just turned 4 year old has never skiid. Add to it that we have had a frigid winter, the thought of driving 10 hours only to unload into more snow and cold, strap long flat things onto our feet and slide down a snowy mountain over and over again, hauling endless gear for myself and the kids, listening to "I"m cold!" or "I can't do this!" or "I don't like this"....it just didn't sound like the Spring Break of my dreams. This is exactly how I imagined it...sort of (add to it a few major wipe outs by me, possible sprains, breaks, etc.) Man, I'm an optimist! But this is how I imagined it. For weeks.

I tried not to share my vision with anyone else, pretending to be SO excited. We got all packed up, borrowed all kinds of cool ski stuff from our friends, the Ebys (who make skiing sound and look so cool!) and got ready for what I knew was going to be a slight disaster. But, here we go...let's give this a try and then we'll know we aren't a ski family.

Wrong. Proving once again that I can dream up quite a "worst case scenario". Must I do this all the time?

I learned several things.

1) Kids can learn to ski, quickly, and without much fear. Not just my kids - all kids. I was amazed at my little rock stars, feeling so proud....then I looked around the bunny slope and could see that most kids were skiing quite well. It was the tall people, like me, on the bunny slope that looked tense, awkward and nervous.

2) I did not wipe out (not in a major way, anyway!) And it's great. Really fun.

3) Ski instructors are patient, at least ours were anyway. The kids are easy - it's the adults! Wow, are they patient!

4) I must be careful not to transfer my fears to my oldest daughter. The other two are fearless by nature and pay me absolutely no attention. Kate watches me - closely.

Anyway, we had a great time! Loved Red River - great place for beginners - so friendly, easy access to everything, not crowded. We will be back...and maybe we are a ski family! Learned that too.