Bryan and Rachel sort of pulled a fast one on me.  I say sort of because Rachel filled me in as soon as Bryan gave her the details.  They planned a Spring Break trip to Colorado!  Bryan and Rachel had been talking a lot about winter sports and skiing, so there was a lot of anticipation and excitement for the trip.  I wasn’t excited.  I think terrified is a better description of my feelings. I was terrified because it seems like everybody and their brother gets hurt while skiing.  Also, a ski vacation seemed like too much of a luxury trip for us – something for rich people.  It didn’t matter.  Bryan had booked the trip and there was no turning back.

Rachel and Sarah had a nice flight there (and back – despite my crankiness about our seating arrangements…).  Rachel was so jazzed up.   I told Bryan that she looked like she was going to a Lady Gaga concert!  It was about a two-hour drive

We’ve arrived! Rachel looks thrilled. Sarah, not so much!

to the ski park, and the drive up the steep and curvy mountains was really pretty.  Rachel insisted that we take pictures.  After finally arriving, we explored the park and Rachel and Bryan played in the snow.  You would think that neither one of them had ever seen snow.  It was cute to see them having so much fun.

While Bryan and Rachel played in the snow, Sarah and I explored the area.  This place was really hippie-chick.  All the shops were blaring 60’s and 70’s music, which was really cool.  I guess that seemed fitting for the laid back atmosphere of the place.  I laughed to myself after seeing several young adult types that looked like throw-backs to a hippie commune.  Of course they weren’t real hippies – real hippies can’t afford/wouldn’t wear Columbia sports wear.  I was also surprised to see so many restaurants/shops selling Pabst Blue Ribbon beer (or, PBR) – on tap!  Now, you guys know that I don’t drink beer or other such things, well except for a margarita after I defended my PhD – oh yes, and a hurricane after Rachel’s dance recital a few years ago.  I had to deal with some very upset dance mom types, and Bryan insisted that a hurricane would do the trick….  Anyway, I told Sarah Amelia that her Grandpa Wooton would have the time of his life at this place –   beautiful mountains and LOTS of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

This was one of many places that sold PBR

Bryan signed us up for ski lessons.  I tried to talk my way out of it but to no avail.  Bryan and Rachel did GREAT!  I did terribly. I did so terribly that a snow patrol guy named Hans had to take me down the mountain, because I was holding up the rest of the students.  I tried to tell Bryan that like the many other adventure sports that he tried to make me do over the years  – roller blading (I wound up flying down a hill, landing on my head and eating dirt), ice skating (that one was not so bad because Bryan didn’t do great either), and rock climbing (Bryan swung into me while I was belaying him and nearly knocked me unconscious) – skiing just wasn’t for me.  Again, Bryan refused to let me give up.  The next day, Rachel woke up with nasty GI symptoms, so I stayed with her while Bryan went skiing.  I was sad that Rachel wasn’t well, but I told Bryan to go enjoy his day on the slopes.  Like her dad, you just can’t keep Rachel down for long.  Wednesday, the two forced me up  the bunny slopes. Haha – Rachel of course was confident and awesome.  This blog is heavy on bragging, but wow she impressed me.  I am sure that all little kids that go to ski school for a day are just as capable, but I couldn’t help but to be amazed!  Below is video – hopefully you can make out the little Rachel dot.  These were taken on the “bunny slopes”.

Once Rachel showed us her stuff and Bryan insisted that I was capable enough to go down the easiest slope, we were off.  Let’s just say that Rachel and Bryan did a lot of waiting for me as I slowly (wedged) down the hill.  At one point, I followed a group of kids that were with an instructor  – Rachel was mortified.  “MOMMY – don’t go down the hill in stop position.  Let your skis go faster!!!!”  I did try.  At one point, I almost cried from feeling so completely inadequate. The next day, Bryan and Rachel raced down the same hill 3 times!  Don’t worry, I was back on the bunny slopes, working on my turns.  They wouldn’t let me stay in the room with Sarah Amelia, because “you can’t give up”!

Despite my personal feelings, it was so cool to see Bryan and Rachel bond over a common interest.  Those two were like two peas in a pod.  They were truly in their element.  Bryan  told me that he was worried that Rachel was going

Two peas in a pod 🙂

down the hills too fast.  During one trip down the hill, he fell as he was trying to get her to slow down.  She skidded to a stop and turned around to help her dad.  It’s a good thing that I didn’t see that – I would have had a stroke for sure!

We ended our adventure by making a snowman, which is something I can do!  Rachel thought our snowman was too skinny, but it was freezing and her little sister needed to get warm!

Our snowman

We certainly made a lot of memories.  I can just hear Sarah Amelia and Rachel talking about it 30 years from now – “hey sis, didn’t mom ski down the green slope behind the kiddie ski school during that trip to Winter Park?”…..