flashback friday…

when husband and i were married on february 1, 1996,
we went on our winter honeymoon to tahoe.

south lake tahoe.

undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful places in the world!

we spent our days skiing…at heavenly.


{not sad at all that those random red gloves went missing! in fact, thank the lawd all of that ski get-up is missing…oh. this picture cracks me up!}

i did not grow up snow skiing.

in fact, the first time i went skiing was on a date in high school.

then, when i was at college in southern utah, cedar city gets an insane amount of snow, and we lived near a ski resort, where husband {while we were dating} was a kids ski instructor…

since we were engaged, they allowed me to also have a free season ski pass too! {score!}

…and we spent many an afternoon skiing together.

which is why, it was totally appropriate to take a skiing-honeymoon!

long story short, we still love to ski as a family. in fact, our favorite way to enjoy those beautiful utah mountains is skiing with our kids. it’s a LOT of work. but totally worth it.

it’s one of our places.

it’s where we yell, have fun girls! as kiana & myla race off down the slopes together… myla and her devilish grin…determined to win.

it’s where we get extra smile lines from grinning ear to ear as KJ goes up that mountain once and comes down as fast as he can… boys.

it’s where the kids scream, look at me! and hey! watch ‘dis!

it’s where husband and i, sneak a glance at each other on the way up the ski lift and think, this-right-here-is-good.

but, in the past couple of years.

we’ve gotten picky.

we don’t like to ski when it’s cold, anymore.

so, we skip december – january – february…

and, somewhere around March 1st, we start spring skiing.

and, guess what?

spring skiing is rampant right now!

everyday, the kids watch the weather reports & right after a big night {or day} of fresh snow, then the sun is shining — they all start begging to go!

husband has taught all four of our kids to ski, he is such a great teacher.

he goes down the runs backwards the entire day if he needs to {i can go backwards for about two hills then my legs are screaming at me!}, and they feel so secure. they master their pizza slices, and french fries, and before you know it – they’re off skiing on their own!

in fact, it’s so fun to have miss thirteen making her own weekend-social-plans to go skiing. i love over-hearing her call friends to make plans.

we are very fortunate to live within minutes of some of the worlds best snow.

so, if it must snow during march, april, may…

we will ski.

do you ski? cross-country ski? snowboard? snow-shoe? if you haven’t skied before, does the idea scare you? because, i’ll be honest…husband takes me to the tops of those mountains with black diamond runs & moguls & i get terrified!!! i’m a happy-to-ski-with-my-kids-green-blue-skier, who also loves the chili & cocoa at the lodge-kind-of-girl! what about you?