First Ski

When the mountaintops become snowy in the fall, my family gets thinking about ski season. My husband, especially, likes to go in search of skiing. The search takes place at Mt. Mansfield and hiking is usually required.

After watching her dad get dressed in ski clothes and disappear for a few hours, our six-year-old asked if she could go skiing, too. I think it intrigued her to think of skiing when our yard was still all green.

We explained that we'd have to hike to get up to snow, but Ava was up for the task. We arranged for a play date for our four-year-old and off went Mom, Dad, and Ava.

Ava was running around in circles in the ski area parking lot. She was excited and invigorated by the cold air. About five steps up the ski slope she asked how far it would be to snow. About a minute after that she said that her legs hurt because it was so steep. Then she asked how far again. And, when are we going to eat? So, we chatted and answered questions for a half mile or so until we reached the snow. Then the world transformed into a winter wonderland.

The snow stuck to the bottom of my skis at first and Ava's binding kept undoing itself. It wasn't perfect skiing, but it was a gorgeous day. The sun was out. There was no wind or precipitation. Even though we stopped a lot, we did not get cold.

When we saw our friends coming down, Ava got really excited. She zoomed up to meet them. Then, when we turned around, she skied between Daddy's legs as the cover was unpredictable for coming downhill.

Ava has chosen the experience for what she will talk about at school tomorrow for her Share Day. I'd say that means she was proud of her ski adventure.

Family Ski (All Four of Us)

We had the best New Year's Day that I can remember thanks to our three-year-old's suggestion of a family ski. So far this ski season, we have been splitting up: Mommy skis with Ava for an hour and Daddy "skis" with Julia for about 15 minutes as she loses interest quickly.

Give a little sister her big sister as a companion and BINGO, there's some motivation. Thankfully, on our New Year's outing, big sister Ava was encouraging and patient and got Julia excited for the ski. Tom used his rope tow contraption to pull Julia along. (For Ava, we only used this device on the steep uphills, but Julia needed a little more motivation.)

We had a family train going along the tracks with Ava in the lead, then Tom with Julia in tow, and I was the caboose. We actually made it around a 2K loop and Julia didn't want the tow near the end. She zoomed down a hill near the end and stayed upright for quite a while, enjoying the thrill of the downhill like her big sister.

Best yet, the girls wanted to go back out after lunch and Julia got some good kicking and gliding going on her own initiative. We're hopeful that many more family skis will follow this breakthrough.

Just The Two of Us

When you have more than one child, taking just one of them somewhere is a luxury. There's no opportunity for sibling squabbles and you get to experience  one-on-one parent/child interaction.

So it was that I went skiing yesterday with just Ava during Julia's nap time. We skied side by side in the tracks and talked about Pooh Bear, about friends and relatives, and how it would be a good idea if we went into the lodge after to warm up with hot cocoa by the fire. 

Ava showed off her snow plow on occasion, a skill that she is fortunately acquiring rather than screaming "track" on the downhills as she has in the past. And we did a nice loop without having to drag little sister along protesting in the pulk.

We topped the outing off by playing checkers in the lodge according to our own rules. Sometimes, I wish that I could be five again.

Perfect Ski

I decided to be selfless today -- choosing to ski with my family instead of ski by myself. The sun was out, the kicking was good, and the temp was decent, just a slight breeze and a temp close to 20 degrees F. 

We convinced Julia to ride in the pulk though I'd sworn those days were done. It's our only solution for all getting out together now. Ava kicked up a sizable hill and then came the excitement -- the ride down, where she passed several grownups, and shouted "Track, Track, Trackkkk!" Fortunately, there were no collisions. Yup, we're going to have to give some instruction on getting out of those tracks.

Julia got her turn on skis after -- hopping into the tracks with her strap-on skis, which we reverted to for convenience. Yup, these are the days that make up for those not-so-great days. Hallelujah!

And The Wind Blew

...such gusts that it was a white out at Trapps. The ski patrollers said that it was the worst they had ever seen in that notoriously windy field. There was no way that we could take the kids out there, despite Ava's protests that she could do it. 

Plan B: riding bikes in the school gym. Having a Dad that teaches school and has gym access during vacation is a bonus. 

Exercising Locally

Just when you think that you're doing a good job eating local foods, here's a new challenge -- exercise locally. I've been thinking of this concept after reading of a local Facebook group called Recreate Locally http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=40145583629&ref=mf

Cross-country ski season is the time that my family puts some miles on the car to go to the groomed trails at Trapp Family Lodge Nordic Ski Center (aka Trapps) in Stowe. Okay, we're not  going to give up going to Trapps, but we're getting smarter and doing some skiing across the street from our house this year. 

I have a confession: the land across the street is now being groomed by my husband, so it is a little bit of a luxury, but it takes me about three minutes to complete the loop. I just change my expectation for what my workout will be. Plus, it's great taking the kids across the street to ski instead of always loading them and their equipment into the car. 

On some weekdays/weeknights, I'm getting in a quick ski instead of staying home eating cookies. Lots of bonuses -- environmental, time saving, changing your fixed routine.

Think about it.

Family Race Day

Today was a first. Ava skied in her first cross-country ski race ever. Tom skied in his first of the season. I skied in my first race in a few years and Julia participated, too, between Daddy's legs for the downhill and on his shoulders on the way back. Yup, three separate races in one morning.

From a parenting perspective,  separate men's and women's races are great for sharing childcare duties.  I'm not usually up for all the hype and preparation for ski racing, but I figured if my four-year-old was going to race, I could muster up some energy to do a race. Plus, I knew they'd be able to play in the indoor pool with Daddy while I raced inconspicuously on a tame course without a lot of spectators.

I have to admit that I'm a little envious of my preschooler's composure for races. She's relaxed, she moves along, and she manages to pace herself. Me: I get anxious, I have trouble riding a flat ski, and my heart starts pounding like mad on the uphill. 

But, I think I might be up for another race, especially if we find another kids' race. It's a cool feeling knowing that we all raced. And the girls loved their prizes -- lollipops.

Pee Ski

Fortunately, it didn't happen on my watch though I was probably to blame. Just as I skied across the field at Trapps, away from my husband and kids, free at last, Julia peed right through her snow pants. She told me she had gone to the bathroom before we got in the car, but I guess I can't trust everything that a two and a half year old says.

The good news for Daddy was that after changing Julia into dry pants, he convinced her to ride in the pulk -- a major feat these days. Looks like we're in for some challenges this season as little sister wants to be on skis like big sister but doesn't last long.

As for me, I got in my solo ski. It's great to see the kids making strides on their own skis but there's nothing like being on my own, high in the hills, where it is oh so quiet. 

First Ski, Worst Ski

My husband said "this is the worst day of my life" when we were out for our first ski. That was when we were in the moment, the moment of kids whining, of a toddler who didn't want to stay in the ski pulk and a preschooler who was experiencing her first falls of the season.

The screams aren't fun. I felt like a horrible parent pulling a screaming child in a pulk. 

But back in the car we recovered. My preschooler said that she had a good time. My toddler was tired and taking her out of the pulk to take our holiday photo and then trying to put her back in wasn't our smartest idea.

We remembered that this is how ski season starts. You have to get used to it all over again. The first skis are the ones where you have to look for the snow. They lack the comfort of the touring center. You have to start from a cold parking lot, where there are no bathrooms or hot cocoa.

Looks like we'll have to try for another holiday photo as we're squinting in this one. Maybe we'll even get Julia on some skis for the next take.

Going on a Leaf Hunt

Today, I thought that I would combine work and play (exercise) by dropping off my books at the Trapp Family Lodge Nordic Center/Gift Shop and then going on a trail hike with my girls. Well I forgot the books, but my girls found some discounted toys in the gift shop -- a bonus for them as there are usually only skis and chairs in that area in the winter time. 

We quickly hit the trails, bringing our border collie along with us. The whole gang was excited to be out roaming the trails that we usually visit in winter with cross-country skis on.

We stopped at the first trailside bench, not too far in, to have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, some fruit, and water. The minute my toddler swallowed her last bite, she was running down the trail. She is usually the one to say, "I can't walk. My legs hurt." My preschooler was a little upset that I made her finish off her last couple of bites, but abided then fled.

We soon hit a section of trail that was sprinkled with colored leaves. The girls were excited. The leaves haven't changed so much down where we are in the village over. Ava suggested that we go on a leaf hunt and we all started gathering our favorite picks from the ground. Ava had a whole bouquet of leaves and Julia figured out that she could just tuck them into my pack rather than carry them. 

The next thing to entertain the girls was animal scat or in their terminology, "poop." Yup, for a young kid poop is about the best topic out there. We saw lots of it as horse and carriage rides operate on this trail. We also saw droppings from a fox or a raccoon. I took an educated guess and figured that offering a couple of animals would get my girls curiousity going.

After we crested a long uphill, my toddler asked to go in the pack that I had been wearing. I was so proud of how far she had come and figure that this might be the mode for her, which is to have her walk a ways and then get into the pack. My older daughter always wanted to walk and we wanted to get in some miles first, so she rode first and then we let her out near the end of our hikes. It interests me how as parents you really have to figure out what makes each child tick.

We continued up a steep hill to a chapel hidden in the woods. We had never been there on our skis so the girls were fascinated. Julia wanted to get out of the pack and I quickly unloaded her from my sweaty back. When it was time to head back down, Julia was eager to be on foot and to be the leader, something her older sister always brags about from preschool. Well, I had never seen that toddler be so proud to be going down a trail on her own. And luckily her older sister was a good sport (with some guidance from me) and took the back position despite her competitive personality.