The Girls Try Skiing (Feb 22, 2014)

After hearing good things about Snowy Range, we decided that we'd try to take the kids skiing. Cory was naturally very VERY into this idea. I was hopeful. I selflessly (ahem...) decided not to buy a lift ticket or rent skis and just hang out to take photos and be around if anyone needed a break. Cory signed the kiddos up for a private lesson, just to give them a chance to learn from someone else (you know, that whole thing about how sometimes they listen so well when the suggestions are coming from someone other than mom or dad).

The adventure begins with renting the skis on Friday night. The minute we left the store, Scout was pretty nervous that she should have some poles but we didn't get her any poles, so we tried assuring her that she wouldn't be needing any poles. Then, of course, there was a little bit of confusion since Scout thought we BOUGHT her some skis as opposed to just renting them... the poor kid thought she was going to be keeping the gear. But, once they brought the skis home they wanted to put those puppies ON! Cory helped them try them out in the living room.

I gotta say, girl can make walking in ski boots look like a piece of cake

Snowy Range is near Laramie. We left around 7 am and it took us about 2 hours to get up there. Roads were rather icy during the last few miles, but Cory didn't seem phased. Saw a school bus have to stop and put on chains, though!

She is PUMPED!

Making faces

...the wait is growing a bit long...

Then we had to wait a bit for the lessons, and Scout was really gunning for a girl instructor. Ruby got a young college student named Annie (who grew up in Fort Collins!) and it did not go unnoticed. Scout got an older guy named Paul, and she told him that she's been "waiting her WHOLE LIFE" to try skiing and he seemed to accept the challenge. (Paul had an accent but neither Cory nor I feel confident guessing at what it was, so let's just leave it as, "Paul had an accent, not discernible, but if I had to guess, I'd go British.")

Annie explains the "Pizza" shape 

Paul & Scout=quick buds

Is it snowing? I love Google

Getting the skis on--a lesson in itself

Testing it out

Meanwhile, on the bunny slope

Look at this girl!!! She's a natural!

Who's that?

Annie lets go!

Scout & Paul are swinging by as Ruby puts on her skis before trying out the chair lift

OMYGOODNESS! My 4-year-old is gonna try a chair lift!

And they're off

 Right about 2 minutes after I can't see Ruby and Annie anymore, the chair lift grinds to a halt. The smart aleck operating things looks at the kid waiting on the chair, and is just like, "Someone can't ride a chair lift." (DUDE, it's the BUNNY HILL. People are just learning, stop copping an attitude, you little punk.) Then he gets a phone call... "Oh someone didn't want to get off the chair lift." My wheels start turning: RUBY!!! So I start making my way up the hill (remember, I'm wearing boots, so I can walk around and stuff), when I see this--

Hmm... kinda looks like Annie is carrying both sets of skis and Ruby is hoofing it down the hill

So, after I catch up with Ruby & Annie, I find out that she was actually NOT the person who stopped the chair lift, but all the same she's cold and tired and she's utterly convinced that she will NOT be coming down that hill on her skis (given that it looks like Mt. Everest from her point of view). So be it. I carry the girl down the hill and we make it back inside to warm up.

Meanwhile, Scout & Paul are still going strong, and it seems Paul has to use the loo. So, Paul asks me to watch Scout and wait with her while he takes care of himself. I'm like, "Sure," and then I promptly forget and walk inside with Ruby & Annie. About 5 minutes later it dawns on me that I am supposed to be waiting with Scout, but it's all well and good because Paul has actually mistakenly thought it was a 2-hour lesson and we've only paid for an hour, so Scout is ready to call it quits as well.

Here's an example of Scout and Paul as they are just beginning the lesson.

Watch a video of Ruby working with Annie.

Here is a video of Scout skiing with Paul.

The whole day was going to be a success--Cory & I decided ahead of time--if the kids made it through the 1 hour lesson and had a good time. Anything else would be bonus. Both kids did well, completed their lessons, and Scout even went out with Cory for another hour or so of time--and made it up the chair lift and down the bunny slope three times. We took a big break to have lunch and warm up (well, not me, but you know what I mean).

The interior of the lodge

Looking out the window from the lodge

Ruby took this one

The truth was, it went well. The drive was 2 hours, and the girls watched a movie on the way up. I didn't have to drive, so all was well and good with me. Cory did all the hard stuff, and I was grateful. The lodge itself is not huge nor overwhelming (though they were experiencing some water pressure issues while we were there, making toilet flushing a bit problematic). Once we schlepped all the stuff (man, I forgot how much STUFF you need for skiing), it was fine. Ruby faded a little earlier than Scout, mainly just due to stamina differences and Ruby is not a cold-weather gal.

But in all of the assessing of the day, I have to say that my favorite part was this: the girls occupied themselves very well in the downtime. They drew pictures, ate snacks and Ruby & I would occasionally peek out the window together. However, Scout grew awful worried when her dad was off on the slopes by himself for a while. She wanted to know if he'd be safe. I assured her that he would be. She wanted to know how I could know FOR SURE that dad was fine... what if he was lost? what if he was stuck? what if he was eaten by a mountain lion??? She even drew this:

Dad, as it turned out, was NOT lost. We made it out of Snowy Range around 3 pm, and made it back home by 6 pm after a stop to return skis and a quick trip to the grocery store. The kids are now sleeping soundly and we're both plenty tired, too. We decided we'd do it again another time... maybe as soon as next weekend, who knows?