Skiing Fun and Pain

Here is your warning: I am a long-winded story teller and here is more proof. So, if I don't see any comments I will know that you ran out of "blog-stalking" time and didn't make it through to the end.

Our friends, the Christensen's, talked us into going skiing this year and bringing our two oldest girls along. It was the first time for Emma, Mady and myself. Drew had gone once or twice in his tween years, but was not recollecting much. It was all excitement leading up to the actual skiing itself, as both girls had seen the episode of Phineas and Ferb where they build a ski slope in the backyard (and if you know what I am talking about you are as cool as I am) . Once Mady realized that skiing wasn't just riding the chair lift as shown on the show, she was done. She mostly rode inbetween Drew's legs, occasionally practicing the pizza wedge on her own.

Lisa and Gary are both really good skiers, so they were teaching both the kids and us. Below is a picture of them with their daughter Karly. Notice how much fun she is having. She and Mady were on the same page.

This is the only picture I have of Kaleb. He has been skiing many more times than I have and he took off on his own. Every once in a while our paths would cross.


Emma was able to pick up the wedge quite quickly, but got tired and started racing straight down the hill the second time down. I was slowly making my way down after her, due to my lack of skill and technique, yelling "wedge, Emma, wedge"! She crashed quite comfortably in some fluff, but I was traumatized. I saw her life flash before MY eyes. She did so good for it being her first time. I know with a little more instruction and practice she will be a pro.

What I learned that day:

Do not take your kids skiing for their first time on your first time

Put your kids in lessons-the instructors are paid to have patience

The pizza wedge hurts=Ashly's Thighs Burn

Sunscreen

You must lift your kids onto the ski lift (Emma almost didn't make it one time)

I wish I had learned all of my lessons that day. But, the story continues......

At the beginning of March Drew's work had a ski day up at the Deer Valley Resort. We invited the Christensen's not only as potential clients, but as our personal ski instructors. They arrived ahead of time to get some quality skiing in before they were saddled with us. So, Drew and I are riding the ski lift up to meet them when, oops, I DROP MY POLE in the middle of some very nice powder. Well, great, this day is starting off quite nicely! We get to the top and Drew being the knight that I married said that he would attempt to retrieve it. I was to ski down the run adjacent to this area and meet him.

He takes off as I try to talk myself into going. It was steep! I attempt to start and just as quickly I fall over on purpose to avoid doing an Emma. I try it again, but I am terrified, and I just sit down. Someone asks if I need help, probably because I look so pathetic. (Drew says, in my defense, this was a blue run, and I had never actually skied, unless you yourself consider the pizza wedge skiing.) I gladly take the help of 2 wonderful angels who literally talk me down the mountain. I can't remember their names, but I wish I could. If it weren't for them I would still be sitting there today. Anyway, Drew waited at the bottom for at least 15 minutes until I slowly arrived.

We finally met up with Lisa and Gary. I was ready to call it a day. But with some assurance that we would go on easier runs I agreed to try it one more time. And to my amazement I really started to enjoy myself. It was fun! I still fell quite a few times.

A couple of hours later the lifts were closing so we headed back. We were getting off the final lift to do our last run down when KERSPLAT! I fall pretty much face first off the lift. Well, I kind of fell on the side of my body with my head making some pretty hard contact. It hurt, but I wasn't going to be a complete wuss after that. I mean, really, who falls off the ski lift? So we finish the run, say our good-byes and head home.

My neck was pretty sore and suddenly I started seeing black spots in my vision. And then I started getting nauseous. And I realized I probably have a concussion.

Needless to say, the ER doctor agreed with me and after some pain meds, a week of rest, and physical therapy I can honestly say that I am feeling better and planning on going skiing again......just not this year. Oh and the irony was that as we sat waiting for the doctor there was this poem on the wall

Learning to Ski

by Roz Rosenbluth

It's a long way down

From the top of this hill,

And I'm terribly frightened

Of taking a spill.

But all of a sudden

I let myself go,

And I find myself flying

Through wind and through snow

The trees all flash by me;

The wind burns my face.

I lose track of time

And I lose track of place.

But I land on my feet

And I'm laughing with glee.

It's a wonderful feeling--

I'm learning to ski!

MORE lessons learned:

Do not attempt a blue run on your first "official" time skiing unless you want to cry like a baby

(I was very close to this)

If you are short, you must scoot yourself forward ahead of time in order to GLIDE OFF the ski lift

( I did not do this, hence the falling off the lift)

Orem Community Hospital is not only a good place to give birth, but they also have a great ER!