I have taken my kids skiing several times this year. That's right, me with a 3 month old baby in tow, and two beginner skiers! We have actually had quite a bit of success, so I was really looking forward to our whole family spending a day on the slopes. The day started off taking an amazing amount of time just to get ready! I think we started at about 9am with breakfast, then getting dressed, (several times in order to make the under clothes and socks feel just right,) and a stop at the ski shop to fix Tom's snowboard and get the kiddies skis fitted just right.
We finally hit the slopes at about 11:30am at which time the Saturday ski traffic tripled the usual weekday crowds. We got started on the Magic Carpet, but the 'foot traffic' Nazi was out, so I couldn't help Brooklyn while Tom helped Brody. That left Tom with a two to one ratio, in addition he had Brody on the snowboard, determined to keep him 'pure'. Brooklyn was spanking them both getting in two runs for every one of theirs.
After Brooklyn's third run, which she actually completed without falling once, she was cold and ready for some hot chocolate. Elliot was getting heavy in my arms, Brody was getting nowhere fast on his board, Tom kept glancing up into the snowboard park with a distracted fantasy stare, the Manager of Wolf Mountain was out on the kiddy run yelling at everyone who was walking with their kids in tow, and despite the sunshine it was a getting a little cold. (For Elliot, not for me of course, I am invincible to cold!!!) Tom and I are also determined to avoid Hot Chocolate breaks as often as possible, we don't want our kids to get the wrong idea about the purpose of going to the mountain. Don't get me wrong, I'm not entirely opposed to buying overpriced, mediocre food. However, I'd just as soon stock up on hot chocolate at home before making them think they have to go through the ski escapade in order to get some. So after only spending about 45 min. at the mountain, we decided to put the day down in the books as 'experience' and try it again during the week. We ventured through the canyon and down to the Barnes and Nobles for a warm, quiet afternoon of reading, also a potentially disastrous activity to do with the kiddos, although this time it turned out for the best! I imagine if we had had to travel an hour or so, and spend a fortune on lift tickets and rental packages, my kids would have spent the afternoon skiing whether they liked it or not! Thankfully, Tom and I were able to maintain cheerful attitudes through the entire endeavor and our kids won't have to overcome a permanent aversion to skiing!!
We are grateful that the proximity of the resort leaves us brave enough to do it again, and again, and again, until our kids understand the joy that comes from a full day on the slopes!!!
ay! That-a-boy, you show us the real man in you!!! 
