Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Taking Winter by Storm

We've been busy. Kamden developed a new dance, patent is pending.

And don't worry, neither the floor nor Kamden were injured in the making of this video. Also, this kid, I just can't imagine our family without him.

Mika
 
My parents (and their dog, Mika) joined us a couple weekends ago to watch Kamden play in a soccer tournament.  They met the same team in the final as the last tournament but this time, Kamden's team won.  It was, to say the least, very exciting. The parents were, ahem, a little bit excited during all of the games.  The boys played so well and it was a proud moment when they won.
 
And life around here is pretty entertaining on a daily basis (related: I love that I get to work from home and be here for these moments).  This is a snap of the boys antics as they head off to school after lunch one day.

 
School antics
 
Pretty much a normal day around here.  Again, I assure you, no one was injured (this time) in the making of the above photos.
 
This past weekend was very exciting for me.  I have hoped for a long time that I could get the boys to strap on the boards and careen down a hill.  Wait, that didn't come out right.  Let me start again.  My parents made me strap them on when I was the ripe old age of 5.
 
Ahem.  That was no better was it?
 
Anyway.  I skied all through my childhood, starting when I was 5.  Living on the Prairies, we had to travel to the Rockies to ski but we did, annually.  I loved it.
 
I have put it off because Jack, well, let's just say trying new things is not an exciting experience.  But he has to go with school in a couple of weeks so... this past weekend, we braved the minus 35 degree Celsius (that is not a typo) temperatures and headed to a hill about 45 min away. It's no mountain but about perfect for beginners.
 

Lesson
 
I had arranged for the boys to take a lesson as soon as we arrived. I might know how to ski but I was five when I started, I don't remember much about how I learned to ski.  I do remember skiing between my dad's legs and him drawing S's in the snow in the futile effort to get me to turn rather than going straight down (now you see why my dad caged me in!).
 
ack, they are on skiis
 
They both caught on very quickly in and in about 5 runs down the bunny hill had mastered the snow plow and were sort of turning.
 
getting the feel of things
 
And can I just say, T-bars, thank be to heavens they are obsolete.  This magic carpet system is the cats ass.  I cannot tell you how many times I fell off the T-bar making my brother have to also get off because he couldn't leave me behind.  I still owe him for that and about 10,000 other things.
 
Going up
 


And Jack, the one who was a bit frighted to try skiing took to it like a fish to water.  He loved it! Being the good mom that I am, I reminded him that I was right about that.  I am mature like that.
 
 Kamden liked it too but the poor kid takes after me and was frozen within a half hour.  We took lots and lots of warm up breaks and after I put those Hot Shot thingys in his ski boots to keep his toes from becoming ice cubes, he was having a blast too.
 
We even went up the chair once but um, that didn't go too well so we stuck to the bunny hill for the rest of the afternoon.
 
I was soooo proud of both of them for trying so hard and braving the ridiculous cold.
 

Happy Skiing
 
I can't wait to go again and maybe old man winter's fury will be a bit less next time.

3 comments:

Mrs. Wilson said...

Looks like fun!! Kaylie goes skiing with her class every year and LOVES it.

Angella said...

Aw, way to go! They're fast learners. SO proud of them!

Unknown said...

That video totally cracks me up!! I'm so glad to know the floor, I mean he was not hurt! ;p

And great job on the slopes, that is awesome but oh man, those temps. I would DIE!!!