SKIING!!!

We went skiing last weekend (a week ago)!!  We took the kids to Mt Crescent, Iowa to a little ski resort that makes it's own snow.  It was just a short hour and 15 minute drive from home, northeast of Omaha.  Grandma and Grandpa Stohs came up to watch Emmett for the big day.  I have to say it was a little unusual to see this snowy hill in the middle of nowhere when there was no other snow in sight!  Garrett and Avery both had 1.5 hour private ski lessons.  The resort recommended private lessons only for their young ages and I have to say it was well worth the money.  They both had amazing ski instructors; probably better than the ones I had as a kid in Colorado!  Margot taught Avery and Hugh taught Garrett!  Greg and I took advantage of this time to whiz down the slopes while we were free of young kiddos.  The resort has 2 lifts, one which takes you to the main green run or the blues and blacks, but they did not have any snow pushed over to the blues and blacks.  The unusually warm weather was impacting their snow-making ability so only about 1/2 the runs were open.  There was only one black open which was probably more like a blue in Colorado.  But we didn't mind.  It just felt good to be on skis again.  Just the familiar click of my boots into my skis made me smile!

Since the resort was so small, we got to watch a lot of the kids' lessons.  Since Avery was so young, they took her straight to the ski lift and up the "mountain."  Learning by doing is the best at that age.  Garrett learned and practiced many skills on the gentle slope by the lodge before heading for the lift, halfway thru his lesson.  We were able to watch them frequently as the lifts run right by the main green run.  We could often see them going down as we were riding back up, then we would ski right past them and stop to snap their pictures!

After the kids' lessons, Greg and I got a quick lesson on how to continue helping them.  At this point, they were both skiing with someone just skiing next to them!  They also needed help on/off the lifts since they are so small.  We were amazed at their skiing ability!  Garrett would fall down occasionally and Avery only fell twice all afternoon.  Garrett already had great form, with his weight forward in his boots and Avery is fearless.  They would whiz down the slope and for the most part we would just ski down and hop right back in the lift line to go up again!  Avery needed a few reminders to slow down and stay in control!  They are both built for speed!  We were so proud of them and we had SO MUCH FUN!

The kids are already asking when we are going again!  They asked when they next lessons are (as if we would go weekly!).  We decided this will be an annual family event!!  On the way home I was chatting with my Dad on the phone.  He asked if we had as much fun as we would have at a resort in Colorado.  I said, "Absolutely!"  What a fun family activity and a great (and less expensive!) way for the kids to learn to ski so close to home!