Peter's Birthday Extravaganza * Part 2

February 7th - The Big Day of Skiing

I'm dreading even writing this part because it started so bad.  So bad.  So frustrating.  But in the end, we are victorious.  Just remember that.

We (two moms and five kids) got up and left the lodge at 7:30am to drive two hours south to the ski mountain.  Two stressors here:  Peter gets carsick nearly every time when we travel in the mornings.  And, it's snowing.

We arrived in good shape at 9:30.  I never envisioned this next part going so poorly.

We were told to meet at this one spot.  Our leader decided to meet somewhere else without telling us.  And, we don't know what she looks like.  So I wandered around asking strangers, "Are you Stephanie Caldwell?"

Found her, got our lift tickets, and like cattle, hundreds of us went upstairs to the stinky, stinky boot room.

 "Now what?" I ask my friend.  We don't know what to do.  Total chaos.  Using our keen observation skills, we eventually figured out how to find boots and get fitted for skies.  Hundreds of homeschool kids and two workers fitting skies. 

   It took us two hours - TWO HOURS - to get boots and skies for our little group of seven.

At 11:30am Peter quietly said to me,

"I'm ready to go home."

Super Momma Powers of Endurance and Positiveness... Activate!

 Ahh, there's a happy skier.

But wait.

Not yet.

We were told we would have a group ski lesson.

Totally counting on this since Peter has never skied before

and it has been nearly two decades since I have.

Not to be.

They announced, "No group lessons today.

Just go to the Discovery Area and move through the stations."

I can follow directions.

We go to the Discovery Area and the instructor tells us

to go back and have lunch and then come back.

That would really help her out a lot.

Cue Tears of Frustration.

We have been here two and a half hours and have not yet skied.
I'm trying so hard, yet feeling so weak and clueless.

But we say okay and head to the lunch area.

Hmm, how do we get our meal?

I ask a worker and she says we have to wait

until our appointed time, find our group leader,

and get our meal from her.

Our lunch time is 12:30.

It's now 12:00.

So we go back to the Discovery Area in hopes of getting a bit of instruction in.

The same instructor greets me,

"Oh! You've eaten and are back."

"No, we can't eat until 12:30.

Can we start going through the stations now?"

"Oh, um.  No, you will need to come back at 1:30."

We still have our skis in our arms, turn back around,

and head to the lunch area.

To wait.

Three hours and no skiing.

But, I'm trying my best to be

Super Happy, No Problem Momma.

Look here.

You'd think I love hot dogs.

I detest them.

Every single thing about them.

But I ate and I smiled.

You know, it only takes about seven minutes

to eat a hot dog lunch.

It's 12:37.

And we have to wait until 1:30.

But, alas, I am done waiting.

"Peter, this is how you ski.

Point your toes in, dig down a bit

and that's how you stop.

Point right to turn right.

Point left to turn left.

If you get going too fast, just fall down.

Ready, go."

And that's what we did.

We went down the hill...

...and came back up again.

Peter proudly announced to our friends,

still waiting at the top of the hill for lessons of some sort,

"My Mom is the best ski teacher!"

Thank you sweet boy.

So up and down we went.

Two little people in matching Uhaul hats.

The first time we rode a big chair lift,

I was so concerned about Peter getting off

that I forgot to get off.

Nice lift worker stopped it and helped me down.

And when the Skywalker Trail got too steep,

he booted down.

No problem.

But the next time,

he skied down.

He loved it.

He said to me several times,

"Mom, I think you should go skiing more than once every twenty years."

This is Midwestern skiing,

random ski mountain

surrounded by dormant corn and soybean fields.

Let's post that smiley picture again...

 We skied until early evening, when my knees said to me,

"You have averted death so far today, Stacey.

Well done.

It's time to stop.

We can't take any more."

So we left.

I can follow directions.

I'm all emotionally drained after replaying that day.

So let's go to the next day.

February 8th - Heading home

Reuben was dressed and ready to swim again by 7am.  The water park opened at ten.  So the kids watched a movie and played.  Then they swam some more.

On our way home we stopped at a lovely Turkish restaurant.  Mmm.  So good.

 

We lounged on floor cushions at short tables.

It was fun and unusual for the kids.

Onward to the drive home.

Do you know what this is?

Steve probably does.

It's an Alexander Calder sculpture.

Right here in our state,

just two hours from our house.

We studied Mr. Calder and his work earlier this year.

Paul spotted this sculpture as he drove

through this college town

and recognized it from what we've learned

about Calder's style.

I have learned so much as a home educator.

I love it.

So there it is.  Uber amounts of fun and frustration and more fun.  Trip #1 done.