goggle tan.

So Facebook kindly reminded me of this memory from nine years ago exactly. Makes me reminisce what that weekend must of been like nine years ago....we probably slept in (since there were no early-rising whining Little People), packing up for the day probably didn't take complex calculations of how long we would be gone and how hot/cold/hungry/whiny the kids would be. We probably just drove up all care-free, hiking in snow, holding hands while the whiskey jacks sang their love songs.

OK so maybe it wasn't exactly like that but a lot has changed in nine years.  There was no sleeping in, Little Brother's special Gro-clock (which I love) tells him it's OK to wake up at 7:00 am and promptly at 7:01am, I can hear on the intercom "Mommmmmy, it's MORNINNNNNNG TIIIIIIME!" I tell him he can get up and play in his room but to no avail I hear "Noooooo, I neeeeeeed you to help me peeeeeee." So I stumble into his room and 'help' which means just watch him go because if I actually try to help, I get an angry "NO! I can do it by MYSELF!"

Packing up for skiing with Small People takes infinitely more logical planning and effort. My sister comes over and helps us load skis, boots, poles, snacks, and oh right, Small People in the car. Both kids didn't eat  breakfast while Simon and I were running around madly trying to find goggles and ski passes so as soon as they are strapped in the car, they are hungry. I brought scones that was supposed to be my breakfast on the drive but they neeeeeed a snack so I relinquish my scones to the starving children. I'd like my mother of the year award now. (or just another scone please)

At least everyone is stoked when we get to the parking lot. I forget one of Little Bro's gloves but its already 15 degrees at 9:00 am so after some coaxing, he is OK with having no gloves.  We finally get up to the top and get our goggle tans on! Big Sis is a rock star.  Auntie Rainbee, Super Dad and Big Sis are crusin' down the Cut hitting up every jump they can find. Big smiles because skiing in a tank top is pretty wicked cool.

Little Bro struggles a bit with the slushy snow and asks for 'regular snow' and is a bit choked that the entire mountain only has snow of the slushy variety. Little Bro also falls a few times and touching the snow with his bare hands brings on loud wails and complaints that the snow is SO COLD. I want to yell, 'suck it up princess' but I take a deep breath and try to tap into the inner reserve of patience that always seems to running low and convince him to wear Big Sister's pink gloves. A bit more coaxing and we are cruising. A few more falls on the slushy snow but reinforcing good attitudes/bribing with Star Wars gummies proves to be effective and we cruise down Screaming Eagle twice.

so not impressed

Then we see that the "World Famous Lumberjack Show" is starting and we ski over and carve ourselves out a great seat from the ski run. The kids loved the lame banter while Simon and I wondered how the script has stayed exactly the same for so many years but we both admit that it is pretty cool to watch the show from the ski run.

 We try to find the Grizzly Bears after but they are hiding in the trees and now that we got off the ski run we have to hike it back to the chalet.  Its getting pretty hot now and the kids are walking slower than hibernating bears so Super Dad taps into his inner Beast-Mode reserve and hauls his snowboard, two pairs of skis, skis poles and Big Sister on his back and powers back to the Chalet. Little Brother decides he can walk after Auntie Rainbee gives him her poles. We reward our efforts with overpriced pizza and enjoy the bluebird view of the city.

So yes, things have changed in the last nine years. It is more chaotic and less care-free but two things that haven't changed is our love for the snow and our love for each other. Maybe no kisses in the sunset but there's a deep admiration and understanding that we wouldn't change this crazy for anything else.