In the midst of our busy winter days, Adam was not about to let me forget that it's ski season! This winter has been delightfully (and ridiculously) mild, which meant that when we saw what was potentially our last opportunity to go skiing before the weather really warmed up, we had to take it! It was so cold on the day we went, but we had to go night skiing because the warmer weather meant the lifts were only open for part of the day. But we weren't going to miss out on our annual ski date. And this year, we took three extra ski babies with us! We didn't have school on Friday and tried our hardest to guilt Daddy into joining us, but he had to stay behind to work. What a bummer.
But Noah, Emma and Leah were all up for joining us this year- no small decision since they haven't been skiing since we all went in Utah back in 2019. Man, I'd love to say that I was patient and calm as their teacher, but after three trips down the bunny hill Adam and I were more than ready to get on the chair lift and make our way to the top of the hill. So off we all went.
We all still laugh about Emma jumping off the ski lift in Colorado back in 2018, and, determined not to get stuck on the chair again, this time Emma zipped right off the lift and fell into a heap on the ground. Not a great start.
When Leah, Noah and I got to the top of the hill we realized just how steep even the green runs are for scared beginners. Leah made her way down okay, Emma followed Adam and made it down, but Noah and I were basically stuck on the hill as he tried his very best to do something completely unnatural and so scary. We were about half of the way down the hill when Leah came around again and, in her loving, patient big sister voice comforted crying Noah and politely but insistently dismissed me to go find Adam while she helped him get down the rest of the way. Bless that child.
Leah gets ALL the props for the success of the three beginner's day- with her help Noah made it off the run
and the three of them made their way back over to the bunny hill and had an absolutely delightful time over there for the rest of the evening while Adam and I zipped down the blues and black runs over and over and over again. I don't want to forget that he put his arm around me on the lift to try to keep me warm, or that he was always happy to go on whichever run I wanted to go on, or that we talked about whether skiing would be a good date to take a girl on. I just love skiing with him!
We all met up in the lodge for hot cocoa and snacks before heading out again, then skied as long as we could until the freezing cold- 6 degrees!- and the sharp ice that was shooting out of the snow makers drove us back inside for good.
I am so proud of all of these skiers! Leah, Emma and Noah took great care of each other (and enjoyed scoping out Brians on the bunny hill!) and the whole experience just made me wish that we were somewhere out west were there are longer runs to enjoy instead of just the one literal down-hill option we've got here in Iowa. But they had fun!
And I'm so grateful that we are a family that can support each other in our strengths and help each other out in our weaknesses. I'm far from a perfect parent and I'm grateful that I've got kids who can help fill in my many gaps with their strengths.
Almost as exciting as the skiing was the hard earned and delicious stop at Culvers on the way home. We were all so tired but were so happy to be together.
Also, a heart-shaped cheese curd! The perfect symbol of a mostly very happy winter day and memory in the making.
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