Ski Trip

When your blog is hopelessly behind, why not start with something that reminds of a cooler time, say, a ski trip?

Thanks, nice skiing guy, but this picture is a little blurry...

I used to ski. A lot. I learned as a teenager in Oregon and then living in Provo I skied some more. I thought my skiing days were over when I married a non-skier and moved to Arizona 10 years ago and figured I needed to be wealthy to take ski vacations out of state. I had always wanted to ski with my kids and this year, I decided to give it a shot. Arizona Snowbowl in Flagstaff, about 3 hours north of us, was a great place to start. I planned a little getaway during spring break and my girls didn't know until Sunday afternoon that we would leave the next morning. I booked a hotel and enrolled them in ski school. Sure, it was the end of the season, spring conditions, but that made the weather more tolerable for the first timers.

The snow bunnies excited to get going

I was nervous about it being just me and two non skiers - that is why I decided to do ski school for them. Just a half day lesson would be enough to get them started and accustomed to basic techniques and learn how to get on and off a lift.

Lindsay's small group lesson turned into a private lesson and she had the best time and really took to it like a fish to water. You couldn't wipe the grins off her face. She learned all about pizza (snowplow wedge) and french fries (parallel) and "skis to the trees."



Caroline was having a harder time. First, her class was a little bigger than Lindsay's lucky private lesson. Second, the instructor changed part way thru and the second guy was not terribly patient with the 5-6 year olds. She said he was mean. :( But she was brave and kept going and going. I never did get a picture of her in class.

While they took their lessons I went by myself to ski the upper bowl. I was a bit nervous - it had been over 10 years since I had been on a black diamond! I rode the lift with a guy from Phoenix who travels a lot to ski and he reassured me that a black diamond at Snowbowl was like a blue in Utah. The view from the top was pretty.

Our first day was a gorgeous sunny day. Look at that happy girl - she loved every second of it.

Back at our hotel we swam in the pool and had a slumber party eating rainbow Twizzlers.

Day 2 was a little more chilly. We had to bust out the beanies. Caroline was a trooper and ready to try again. She was frustrated that she wasn't doing so well but I was proud of her for trying and trying again. As we were on the lift, we looked down at the snowboard classes and I said "I could have enrolled you in snowboard school - but you would spent ALL your time on your booty."

Navigating the lodge stairs in ski boots is definitely a skill that requires a little work.

OK, maybe I am too much of a party mom. Day 2 lunch in the lodge cafe. At home my kids eat broccoli, drink their milk, eat fish, and have fruit as snacks. So when the lodge has options like nachos and fries and cheddar cheese Ruffles and sprite, who am I to say no?

I spent a lot of time with Caroline on the beginning beginner hill and Lindsay rode the lift herself with us and on the advanced beginner hill. After a while I was able to get Caroline to the top of the advanced beginner hill and got a little video of them on the trail off the lift that bypasses the "upper bowl" and drops you off at a more tolerable spot on the hill. Not the greatest but a time I actually remembered to shoot one.

Don't be alarmed - this is just how we finished our day on the mountain. Caroline bit it hard and I think that crashing on her face didn't help. She cried, saying "I am all done skiing!" and stood up, took her skis off, and started walking to the lodge. We had made quick friends during our two day trip with the locker attendant he thought Caroline should go visit the ski patrol office to get checked out. She was fine. Just tired. And done skiing.

I am so proud of my little big girls for trying something new. I am excited to take them again next winter/spring. Lindsay is super excited to go again. Caroline says she is "kind of" excited. I think the second time around will be a lot better for her.