Family Fun

This last Wednesday it snowed a little (it's been a really low snow year for us) and Brad and I just happened to have the day off.  This, along with cheap lift tickets due to locals day, presented us with the perfect opportunity to pull our children out of school and head up to the ski hill for a day of family fun together.  Now, lest you think I am a terrible parent who does not place the proper emphasis on the importance of school, our children do have to have a 3.6 GPA or higher to be able to accompany us.  Last year Jordan had to miss a day of family skiing because his grades did dip below that.  He was really bummed when he had to attend school for the day as we pulled the rest of the children out.  It made for a great teaching moment before his grades starting counting in high school.  Our philosophy is if you don't get good grades you won't be able to attend college.  If you don't attend college you won't be able to have a good job.  If you don't have a good job you won't be able to pay for fun things like skiing.

It was a great day.  McKenzie, Jake and I stick together.

Jake because he's still young, and Kenzie and I because we're cautious skiiers.  Even though Kenzie's faster than me, I think she and I will always ski together.  Jake will eventually move up with the other boys.  He already is faster than both me and Kenz.

Riley, Ben and Jordan all follow Brad.

They all know that if you go with Dad it means going down black diamonds.  Brad is never phased by anything the ski hill has to offer.

Jordan, who has been following Brad since fourth grade, looks pretty comfortable with whatever Brad chooses to descend.

And while Ben and Riley don't have the best form yet they follow Brad down everything.

Because he takes them down such difficult terrain both of them are pretty good at finding small jumps and catching some air.

While there is NO WAY that you will find me jumping ANYTHING big or small or going down anything harder than a blue I am comfortable enough now on snow skis now that my heart doesn't beat heavily as I get off the lift and sometimes I even look like I know what I'm doing.

I go slow but try to constantly work on my form and it's paying off.  Kenzie and Jake on the other hand just want to make it down the hill as fast as possible.

 

When we all get together someone always ends up in the snow.  And being the empathetic and kind family we are, we always get a good laugh at that someone.

That day Kenzie and I ended up being the last off the hill getting lost for a moment.  We took a trail that was called "Okey Dokie" which was NOT Okey Dokie and lucky for us we found our way to the lift that took us to the base just in time before the attendant left.  He scolded us and told us to go straight to base this time...and we did.  Now the joke between Kenz and I is Okey dokie is not okey dokie!