Ski School

When I told people we were going to Colorado for the holiday break...they would excitedly and immediately say, "Oh fun...are you going skiing?"  I would nervously answer and sound excited..."Yeah!"  ha!

Do I look like a natural skier? 

{Don't answer that!}

I'm not athletic...and I'm not comfortable trying to be athletic, so skiing makes me terribly uncomfortable!  And leaving Ellie with a strange babysitter in a strange place made me even more uncomfortable...but in the end...I had a pretty good time!  I did enjoy it once I got the hang of it...even with a rip in my ski pants and a pretty green bruise from my knee to my thigh!  It was worth it!  And Ellie had a great time with Megan, her sitter!  No worries!

Sure I'm all smiles before heading up the mountain...trying to look cool and calm!

Emily truly was cool and calm...she couldn't wait to get up there!  She loves it...and proved to be a natural even the first time we tried two years ago!  I have so much to learn from her!

But once we met our instructor Mollie...she put me right at ease...she was super nice!

{all the instructors meeting before their individual lessons with other scaredy cats like me!}

There is no way to convey with a picture just how many skiers do gather at the bottom of the slope...it's really an amazing atmosphere...and the sound of the ski boots on the sidewalk is all you hear!  When the lift and the gondola open at 9am...it is just swarming with skiers and snowboarders!

I loved the woman in the pink hat...she was in the ski shop with her husband at the same time as us getting our ski gear...and she let out a big sigh as she was putting on her ski boots and said, "I would much rather be getting a massage at the spa."  I said, "Me too!" 

Alex is the best sport I know...he definitely has my personality!  Even though I push and encourage both kids to do their best and never to give up {when inside I want to quit immediately!}...Alex was having a hard time learning the turn and was ready to head back to the hotel by 10:30...me too!  But we took a water break and he had a big cookie and a bag of Doritos...and when we went back out to try again...it was like a light bulb went off...and it just clicked!  He just got it...and has never looked back...except to see me lying in the snow on my back!

It was a great first day, and I'm so glad Dan encouraged me to keep going too.  The three of them stayed for the rest of the afternoon, while I had a great excuse to leave to get back and take care of Elizabeth!

I was so relieved I was done...even though I had fun...and when Dan said we should all go back for the second lesson on Thursday that he booked for himself...I felt the anxiety welling up in me all over again!  We weren't sure if the sitter was available that morning or not...and I thought for sure she was going to be busy...but she was so happy to tell us she could watch Elizabeth...{gulp!}

And once again...I was so glad I had another lesson! 

I graduated the Cat Cave...

...which you ski through the cat's mouth and at the end...you come out and ski off a little jump...straight down a hill...say what?  Look out!  I think Mollie our instructor had to stop me with her little body...bless her heart...but I'm not sure...I blocked some of it out!  She really was the best instructor!

Next...I even graduated to the chair lift...

This was actually my favorite part!  I did fabulous...which interprets into...I didn't fall once!  And this was about the same time that the wind picked up and was blowing freezing wind and snow pellets in our faces...but the views were worth it up there!

Dan, Alex and Emily stayed again for another full afternoon of lessons while I headed back to the hotel to rest my old aching muscles tend to little Ellie.  I am actually looking forward to the next time we get to ski as a family...and it is our hope to make it a holiday tradition!  I may never keep up with the rest of them...especially Alex...he became quite the skier...but it is worth all the anxiety I have to create these awesome traditions with the family...and Elizabeth will eventually be right up there ahead of me too!

{this picture made me laugh a little because of the person down below in the snow!  Not because they fell...but I can only imagine what picture someone may have of me with my skis all sprawled out underneath me! ha...oh my!}

Ski School = B+  Beginner