A Perfect Day

We had a most perfect day skiing at Donner Ski Ranch with the older girls. I owe a HUGE thank you to Nana and Papa for watching Becca and Austin for the whole day! I can't tell you how excited I am that the girls were able to ski with us. I've waited 4 long years to be able to take the kids (or at least some of them) skiing. And this day couldn't have been more beautiful! It was a warm and sunny day. There was hardly anyone there seeing as it was a Thursday. We did however run into our upstairs neighbors...that was fun. At the beginning of the day we put Brooke in a lesson then Mark and I took Kel and Shay up the mountain. Because of my excitement, I totally over looked the fact that Mark has only been skiing a few times before and I would have to help both girls. After taking them both down one at a time, we (I) decided that we had to put Kel in a lesson too. It worked out great! Brooke finished her lesson with flying colors. She was so excited to hear that skiing is in fact a sport and now really wants to move to a place that snows so she can be on the ski team lol. After her lesson, Kelsie's lesson started (they were group lessons, but because there was no one there, they both were one on one with the instructors). Mark and Brooke went on a few runs while Shay and I sat on the patio and had lunch.

It was an interesting experience having Shayna there. She is defiantly going to be the typical "snow bunny". You know the ones...perfect, matching gear with perfect fitting clothes with fake fur on the cuffs and hood. Who doesn't actually ski, but sits in the lodge by the roaring fire. Yeah...thats totally going to be Shay. At first the image horrified me, but then I realized that at least we will always have someone to save a table for us at lunch time ;). She actually loved going down the mountain. It was the putting on skies and going UP the mountain she was throwing tantrums about. Shes young still...there's still hope :).

After Kel was done with her lesson (she did great btw, she can now get on and off the lift without any help), we were able to go on one run as a whole family. It was FANTASTIC! All the nostalgic memories came rushing back. I kept looking back for a big orange jacket (my dad). And a little brown ball flying straight down the center of the slope, seriously, straight down, no turning at all...if you saw that, it would be Tate. :) And I had a pulling urge to start singing "Wipe Out" ;P. What I didn't expect was realizing how much I missed the smell of the mountains (especially since we had just come up to go sledding). I don't care where you are, the smell of snow is unmistakable. Maybe its the trees, wind, sun, and snow all mixed together, either way, its one of my most favored smells. I would be perfectly content to sit atop a snow covered mountain for hours and hours. Just sit, relax, and take it all in. There would be just one problem. Part of my loving the mountains during the winter so much is to feel the rushing wind as you glide down the slopes. So of course, just sitting and relaxing would be difficult. Even though I may not look it, its the only time I actually feel graceful and serene and at peace with myself. I think the reason I was hit so hard with all these emotions on this trip was because I had my husband and kids with me. Imagine the thing you love the most and being able to share that with your family and seeing them love it as much as you (this is where the good missionary starts talking about the gospel ) ;) It was a perfect day. Here are some pics of the day...

Mark and Kel waiting for me to come back up to help her down.

Before Kels class started, she went down the tiny sloped area by herself (Mark was there at the bottom and I was eating lunch with Shay and Brooke)

Brooke, enjoying a break after her lesson.
Can you see Kel and Mark down there?


Here she goes...

When not in skies, Shay stayed in the shade (it was hot) and played with the salt rocks she found.
Kel coming down and Mark ready to catch her.


Kel in her lesson.

Mark taking Brooke up the lift.

Kelsie going up the moving carpet
Here we are making our way up to the chair lift.
Me with Shayna between my legs.
Kelsie flying past Mark. :)
Shay really did like going down...it's everything else she had a problem with.

I had to tell Shay sooo many times that she had to stand on her own...maybe thats why she liked going down, I was practically carrying her half the time >< Brooke and I got 1 run, just the 2 of us.
Videos of Brooke and Kelsie...(keep in mind I'm way up on the patio so sorry its hard to see)