Adventures a la Snow, 2013

I wrote about our one adventurous ski day back in January, but I need to give 2013 due credit for the fun snow year that it has been so far.  Trying to fit skiing into busy weekend schedules is tough, but we've done okay.  Even if we don't get back up before the season ends, I'm pleased with where we are as a skiing family.  TEC more than fulfilled his obligations of either helping me get out the door with the kids or coming up himself.  I'm grateful that even though he did not grow up skiing much, he is so supportive of my efforts to teach our kids to ski.  He even seemed to have more success than I did getting CAC more comfortable on the hill.  Now she's loving it, and I'm thrilled at the prospect of our family being able to spend time together like this in the coming years.

Here was our first time up skiing after TLC's fall.  Much less eventful, but fun.

CAC's successful second day skiing, with coach Dad.

Here's where I realize that we only seem to pull out the camera on the ski lift.  And I need to be better at snapping pictures of my big kids in action on the slopes.

CAC and I snuck up to Brighton for a ski date while the kids were in school.  Solitude resort seems to jump too drastically from the bunny hill up to its next challenging runs, in my opinion, so it was good to expose her to some easier runs at a different resort.

A couple of weeks ago, TEC sent me off on my own for a couple of runs while he skied with the kids. I decided to ski the summit and snapped a picture, from up on the lift, of the spot where TLC fell back in January.  It's hard to see from the picture, but just to the left of the chair ahead of me was where he started his fall, and in the big tree shadow below is where I found him.  Up at the summit, I ran into TEC's friend James, who was skiing with his dad and boys.  James took the other picture of me pointing to the rope where TLC went over.  I suppose I'm grateful I can smile about it now.

Besides skiing, we experienced some other fun winter adventures.  RVC's class at school took a snowshoeing field trip up Big Cottonwood Canyon.  Several parents came along to help/enjoy the experience.  It was great fun.

Our guide pointing out some animal tracks

lining up for the great fourth grade snow shoe race

my favorite 4th grader

Lastly, I'd like to remember a random sunny, winter day where, as we were eating lunch, CAC suggested that we ride our bikes up to Tanner Park.  

"But there's still snow covering the playground," I protested.

"So we can wear our snowpants," CAC replied.

And though my first instinct was to dismiss her suggestion as too much work, we did get bundled up and headed up the road to the park, CAC on her bike (tricky in snowpants, by the way) and MEC in the stroller, and had a great time at the park.  Slides are awesome with slippery, waterproof behinds.  I love it when my stubborn side gives in and lets a few magic memories slip into my day.

Thanks, SNOW, for the good times.