Christmas Day 2010

 
The days when the kids were bouncing out of bed at some unholy hour and begging to open presents are long gone.  We all had a decent sleep and got up around 8:00 to celebrate.  Stockings were perused and presents opened.  This was a scaled down year, so there weren't any huge gifts waiting under the tree.  Still, I think everybody was happy. 

The kids found their 'Santa gifts' hidden behind the tree this year.  They are usually sitting out somewhere more obvious, but Helena got a guitar this year, and 'Santa' was worried the cats would mess around with it, so the gifts had to go where the cats couldn't reach them.

Will is technically in high school now, so the Lego's might seem a bit odd.  We have discovered that you are NEVER too old for Lego's!

The most unique gifts of this year, I think, were the finger-toe running shoes Bill gave me (I had wanted a pair!)...

... and the wooden practice swords that Helena gave to Will.  There are two of them, so he and his best friend can have sword fights and bash at each other (hopefully outside!).

After the presents, Will and I got ready for a Christmas Day Adventure!  Most of Will's presents from us were ski related.  He needed and received his snow pants, his helmet, his goggles, and his balaclava.  Of course, all that stuff called for a trip to the slopes!  Bill couldn't go, for reasons I'll mention in another post, and Helena decided to stay home with her Dad.  So, it was just Will and me!

First of all, can I tell you how foggy, brown, and ugly it was down in the valley?  Then, look at that!!!

It was a GORGEOUS, sunny day on the slopes!  There was hardly anyone there... oh, except for Santa!

Okay.  So.  We got on the mountain and I rented myself some skis.  I told Will to take me to the bunny hill because I am a RAW BEGINNER.  I know.  Scandalous.  Here I am, literally HALF Norwegian (my Dad is a full blooded Norseman)... and I have never skied before.  Criminal.  Shocking! 

Here's a little secret... learning to ski is pretty high on my bucket list.

Anyways, back to the mountain.

Will told me that when Dallan and he had tried to walk up to the bunny hill, they had been yelled at.  He told me we should ride the lift, then just ski down to it.  Here is where the red warning lights and loud sirens should have gone off to warn me.  But they didn't.  Stupid malfunctioning advance warning system!

We got on the lift just fine and I admired the excellent view as we passed the bunny hill and kept going...

and going...

and going...

AND GOING!!!!

AHHHHH!

Suddenly, I was super nervous!  Um.  That is a LONG way down the mountain, dude!

We got off at the first opportunity.  I should amend that and say that Will got off... I fell off.  Right on my face.  I am sure everyone else on the lift got a kick out of that.  And here is where I first realized just how much trouble I was in.

I couldn't get back up.  Those blasted skis are IMPOSSIBLE!  I ended up having to remove them in order to stand back up again before putting them back on.  I know.  Graceful as a ballerina.  That's me.

We started down.  I couldn't do it!  The skis were uncontrollable.  I couldn't steer.  I couldn't stop.

I WAS TERRIFIED!

I will confess now that all the swear words came out as I attempted to NOT kill myself.  We made it half way down the first run.

Now here is the part I am ashamed to admit.

I gave up.

I took off the skis and HIKED back down the mountain to the bunny hill.  That is no mean feat, by the way.  I tried my best to stay off the groomed snow, which often meant sinking down to my thighs in the snow.  Ski boots really weren't meant for walking in, either.  It took about an hour, after which I was really over heated and tired.

And Will?  Poor Will!  He felt SO BAD!  He was mentally beating himself up for it and calling himself the worst teacher ever!  But really, he stayed with me every step of the way and was so kind, patient, and helpful.  When we finally made it to the bottom of the bunny hill and made it to flat ground again, I told him to go ahead and ski down once on his own while I headed straight for the cafe.  I needed a drink! 

No!  Not that kind of drink.  I was just so worn out from being scared and hiking that I was parched!

Will thought that was THE END.  He thought I'd want to leave; that I was done.

No way!  When he got back, we both went back to the bunny hill (walking up to it this time... it turns out the reason they had been yelled at for it last time was that they were walking up the middle of the groomed ski slope instead of the side, grrr!) and he was finally able to teach me a few things about skiing.

By the time I had gone down the bunny hill a dozen times, I began to feel like maybe I could figure out this skiing thing, after all.  I told Will that if I could handle the (rather steep) slope from the bunny hill to the lifts, that I would go back up the lift with him and try again.

NOPE!  Ahhh!  That slope was STEEP!  It was FAST!  I couldn't control the skis on it.

I was done.

But, when I got home, I felt so ALIVE!!!  Turns out, I loved it!  Well, except for the terrifying, swear your pants off part.

I'm gonna have to go again.