Skiing

We bought Ben a 5th grade ski passport for Christmas and have just been waiting for it to snow so he can use it. We got a whopping three inches a couple of weeks ago and Nate decided to take advantage of the fresh powder to let Ben get some use out of his pass. They had a great time together. Ben picked up right where he left off last year. To hear him tell it, he is pretty much a professional. In the real world, a better description would be competent. He can make it down the hill without falling and is getting better and better at turns.


Another storm passed through last weekend and dumped a full twelve inches of new snow at the resorts. Nate was brave and took both Ben and Emily at the same time. This is the first time he has tried taking two kids at once and it was a big success. They all came home just beaming. The first thing Ben told me was that he rode the lift to the top with Nate and skied all the way down. He was so proud of himself. I asked Emily what she was doing while they were conquering the mountain. “I went down the smaller hill three times by myself.” What?!? I couldn’t believe that Nate left her alone on the mountain. He said that he felt better about that than about leaving her in the lodge. I guess it is a good thing he is in charge of teaching the kids to ski. I worry about them going even when he is right with them. The thought of the kids riding the lift and skiing down by themselves totally freaks me out. But, they were fine and had a fabulous time. Nate says it is good for them to develop confidence that they can do things on their own. They were certainly proud of their accomplishments and their increasing skill level. The best part for me was that Ben and Emily had a ton of fun together. We are in the “how many ways can I annoy my sisters/how many things can I whine about” phase of childrearing. It is nice to see them actually enjoy each other’s company for a few hours.