My kids have been skiing for years, and I've been blogging about their journey along the way. Now Emily is 11 and Brennan is 9 and they have zipped right by me in just about every aspect when it comes to skiing. This year, Emily is in 5th grade and will help promote the 5th grade passport program. The program is a great opportunity for 5th graders to ski at every Utah resort for 3 days for FREE! With that said, Emily and I will spend some time together this year visiting Utah's ski resorts. She is also a member of a ski team, so I don't get to ski side by side very often.
I had an eye-opener as Emily and I shared my first day on the slopes atPark City Mountain. Utah's resorts starting opening the doors over the past couple weeks with the help of Mother Nature. I had mentioned that November would go out with a bang, and it delivered a huge storm! The blocking high pressure has been pushed and the winter pattern has taken over. A big storm is enough to jump start the season. The resorts are brilliant at their jobs of building a strong base for the season. When these big storms come in, grooming them down for a solid base covers the rocks, bushes and smooths the terrain.
With all that said, I dusted off my gear and hauled the kiddos up the mountain. Brennan headed out to join his team while Emily and I got sorted. If you have kids, you know that you're the last one to get anything new. You wear your old jackets, pants, and anything you can find in the closet. Kids grow every year, so they have the latest and greatest of everything.
Things I need to work on according to my know-it-all 11 year old:
1. "Mom, your skis aren't even scraped. Look at the wax all uneven" . Ok, Emily, I was busy sharpening and tuning your racing gear the last 2 weeks that I was lucky to bribe someone to throw some wax on these so I wouldn't come to a stand still on the snow.
2. "Mom, you have a gaper gap, slide your goggles up!" Yep, what is that you ask? I guess my goggles don't go right under the top of the helmet and that "looks ridiculous". All right, miss know it all was adjusting that.
3. "Mom, why are you using your poles across the flat part? Use your legs and skate across, that's why we have leg muscles". Note to self, why am I so out of shape right now? Probably because I need to be running kids all over constantly instead of working on my lovely physique.
4. "Mom, no wonder your head is cold, your vents are open on your helmet" Well, we were in a rush to get our skis on and I didn't have time to check.
5. "Mom, why is your hand bleeding?" Let's see, I was in a hurry shoving things in my pockets I cut myself and now I don't have a band aid. Note to self, pack band aids next time.
6. "Mom, please don't embarrass me with another picture. Let's stand way at the side and go quick, you're in the middle of the slope" OK, not winning this one, I'll take as many photos as possible because I don't have to fear my battery running low with a charging station at the Summit House.
7. "Mom, why do we need a map?" Oops, I guess there is an app I can download to give me all the info I need!
8. "Mom, put your skis closer together, you'll go faster; you're so slow!" Really, I'm not like you "racing" down the hill! This is my "in control comfort zone"
9. "Mom, your boots like they're from 1890". Yes, they are. My ankle hurts and the liners are completely packed down so YOU can get new boots every year.
Sounds like I have a lot to work on before I ski again. Please feel free to share your "know-it-all" stories as well.
