Last week on Thursday I found out that my Sunday school duties were cancelled the coming weekend and Reuel and I decided to seize the moment and we made a 2 day, 2 night ski trip to New Hampshire before the snow is all gone (it was already close to all gone in early March...not the year for snow!). Boy, did we have fun. We found a great condo with a pool and a game room that was on a special sale and headed up to Bretton Woods for skiing on Sunday. It was beautiful and sunny! Eden and I stayed on the lower lifts and hills as this was only her 2nd ski, the first being at the end of January, about a half day, and not very fruitful. I anticipated a long, sluggish day of picking up a 4 year old and struggling to keep her interested, but what I encountered instead was the most determined and natural learner. By 3 times down the first bunny hill she was doing just fine. After 10 times, she was a pro. We hit the chair lift and she sailed down the 'Peanut Butter' and 'Jelly' runs like a champ. We must have skiied Peanut Butter 52 times :) She was most of all proud of herself, what a glow! Owen, Asher and Dad conquered the mountain and took in all the blues and greens they could fit in from 8a-4p. Reuel cannot keep up with Owen once he lets him go--he's a natural skiier, handles himself very competently and has no fear of speed. Asher is also very capable, but slightly more measured in terms of speed down the mountain. That's not bad! :)
Monday we headed to Pat's Peak for homeschool ski ($22 lift tickets, can't beat it!), a more familiar peak for us, and Owen decided that he would take advantage of the great discounts and rent snowboard equipment and try it out. I had warned him he wouldn't get very far in a day, and to keep low expectations. Of course, when I say things like this it never pans out for me. Reminds me of the many times I have explained that the claw grabber machines simply do not work and are designed to eat your money and not grab the toy. Once, after many episodes of pleading to try it, I decided to let Owen learn for himself and gave him the 50c. He promptly won a toy. I promised him that it was a fluke. Time passes and we are passing a truly fantastic claw-grabber machine, as big as his bedroom, with a claw like a crane attachment, and bouncy balls 2 ft in diameter to try to pick up. He knows my stance. We pass and I say, "No. Those RARELY work, especially that one that wants to eat a whole $2!!" He walks over to it and just presses the big red button on the front. Someone had apparently fed it money and forgotten to play...the crane moved down, opened up, picked up a giant ball and deposited it in the delivery slot. Owen won a ball and didn't even pay. At that moment, he stopped believing me forever, quite possibly. :}
Anyway, back to skiing, Owen put on the board, and promptly sailed down the long bunny hill without falling. About 5 tries later he is making decent turns down the mountain. Hmpf. So his lesson with an instructor took place on the green hill instead of the bunny and he made it down. The blue did prove a bit more challenging and he finally met his match! By 2pm he was ready to get back on his skis after a really fun morning. He has been so, so, so eager to try a black diamond run this year, but Dad has told him that until he proves he is skiing carefully and controlling his speed perfectly on the easier hills, he is not allowed to try black. Well, Owen is not one to leave his to-do list unfinished (that is, if it is HIS to-do list), so first run back on skis he carves beautiful slow zig-zags down the mountain. Reuel, unaware at that moment of his son's full knowing manipulation of the situation, is duly impressed and after another of these beautiful displays, takes Owen on a black run. So, yesterday ranks as an all-time best day of his life for young master O. By the end of the day Asher was actually allowed to try a black, too (keep in mind, New England blacks are closer to Colorado blues).
Back on the greens, Eden is riding the big lifts all day and powering down the green hills with joy on her face. We all rode together and skiied down together a few times and it was family bonding bliss. I even tapped my inner ski racer and beat Owen down the mountain once, and didn't break any bones! It was a great trip. I was awfully proud of my little skiiers, if bewildered by where they got their skills and bravery!
The boys' have both gotten small digital point and shoot cameras for gifts and they have turned into Japanese tourists. "Stop the car! I need a picture!!"
Mt. Washington in the distance
Eden's first bunny hill of the day
Taking a break on the playground
Mom and Asher selfie on the lift
Owen, snowboarder extraordinaire!
Asher at Pat's Peak, looking like a little ski racer (thanks to a friend for the fantastic snow suit!)
No one there to take a picture for all of us, so Dad is left out!
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