Hiking up Days Fork

Our smoldering guide, Dug, who took us up Main Days.

Jaynann, Kim, Dug & Dad

Family ski day is happiness!

Disappearing up the trail

Dad & Jaynann

Kim & Dug

Dug

Jay, in a race, because it's always a race.

Jay, winning the race.  She can't help it, she is just fast.  
Fast hiker, fast skiier, fast biker.  
I love feeding off of her energy and envy her ability to always go all out!

Dad finessing the mountain.  He's a beautiful skier! 

Dad

Kim has Dad's finesse.  Her turns are beautiful!

One, two, three, go...

Smiles all the way down!

It wouldn't be early season without some bush whacking at the end! 

Another great family ski day.

Early Out Day

Last Monday was 45 degrees and sunny, perfect for family skiing.  I finally decided to take advantage of Tatum and Seth's early out day and headed up to Alta with the kids.  We picked up my Mom, Kim and Holden on the way.  Sometimes skiing is so overwhelming with everything there is to pack up.  Last time I went without Rick I forgot Tatum's jacket and brought the wrong skis for her.   This time it was much smoother.  I think I got all the boots buckled and jackets zipped, etc. in less than twenty minutes- our goal.  

We had such a great time.  Brandee was up there with her boys.  Seth was in heaven following Breckon and Holden through the trees.  When Tatum went to follow Grandma through the trees, Sage announced she wouldn't be left behind and demanded to follow.  We went over some of those little rollers, there were about ten in a row.  Sage was laughing so loud, she couldn't stop.  It was hilarious.  She is a little speedster.  Everyone had a great day.  Being in the mountains with my family is one of my favorite memories.  On the way home I told my kids one reason I wanted to take them skiing is to help them learn to enjoy the way exercising makes you feel.  Seth said, "skiing is exercise?"  Exactly! 

Valentine's Day

Rick gave me the best valentine this year.  He found a sitter, packed my backpack, loaded my skis in the car and guided me up the best run of the year so far.  We hiked up Scotties but instead of going around like we have in the past, he said, "let's hike up the gut of it."  Of course he knows I'll follow him anywhere in this life.  Skiing with Rick is one of my favorite things and I relish each time we get out together.  So up we went.  It was all good until the very top.  It got really steep and deep and the kick turns weren't looking so good.  Then I thought of my sisters and how they are never afraid to work hard for something they want.  Inspired, I kicked a few more out, and before I knew it, we were on the ridge.  The smile on Rick's face was perfect.  We had 7 or 8 inches of fresh snow, and the mountain to ourselves.  Here are some pictures I stole from his blog.