It's SKI time!

When I first met Eric in Highschool, I knew him to be an awesome snow skier, and he was an active in the SKI club.

While I on the other hand enjoyed growing up in the snow, I spent many of my winter weekends sledding at Gma and Gpa's, riding horses "bare back" thru snowy country fields at Dad's, or later cheering at winter Basketball games.

Needless to say, my ski skills were never even close to Eric's.

We lived in Colorado with all three kids and had enjoyed playing in the snow and sledding as a family.  However, up to that point they had never snow skied.

You may ask why, since we lived in Colorado, the most awesome place to ski.  Most of it had to do with Eric hurting his back and physically not being able to ski for alot of years.  I think total, he may of went skiing three times while we lived there.

Eventually his skis, boots and jacket all ended up in a garage sale because he just couldn't take the pain in his back.

So when we moved to Heidelberg in 2009, the boys were really excited to ski and so were we. I hoped they inherited his love of skiing, and they did!

We put them in lessons and they had a blast, and Eric got back on skis that year also.  He definitely doesn't take the slopes like he used too, but he enjoys skiing at a much lower level, and at least he can get out there with the boys.  The first time around, Avery wasn't feeling good so she didn't take lessons that year.

Here is a cute picture of Zach and Nic after a day of lessons in 2009....

So while back in Garmisch, we took the kids to a Spaghetti dinner at the lodge, and night skiing adventure. Having an "all you can eat spaghetti dinner" is awesome, perfert carbs needed for energy for night skiing. Eric and the kids even went back up after skiing and ate again, and we enjoyed getting warm and a live band.  It was a really great time!  Something about cold, lodges, food, loud bands, just love it.

Nicky is all about speed now that he knows the basics, and if I could crop the top picture, most likely his tongue is hanging out curled up around his lips trying very hard to do the ski moves Daddy was showing him.

This would actually be Avery's first time on skis, and she did very well.  Earlier I mentioned  her slight memory lapse  in forgetting what to do coming down the hill to slow herself down.  This was really the only flaw of the night, and even though she scared Eric and I, I think she scared herself enough that she will never let that happen again. I guess that is the best way to learn, but thank goodness she didn't get hurt.

However, it really reminded me of how stupid I was back in my early 20's to attempt German ski slopes the way I did. I am lucky I really didn't get hurt, and seeing Avery fly by me I relived those moments with a cringe!

Eric patiently tried to help Avery the best he could, and show her the basics, but we all agreed the 4 hour instructional lessons are well worth the money.

And looking thru the pictures, this is the only picture I have of Zachary skiing.  He was way to fast to catch in a picture, and usually wouldn't even venture down to where I was, he would just whip back around and go back up the hill.  I think in this picture he is actually showing Avery different ways to slow down,  you can see her standing to the left and Nicky trailing him in the back.  Remember that snowball competition?  They are the same way skiing......

On a side note, I don't know if snow skiing in the states is the same as it is in Europe now.  I have to say the days of skiing without helmets are over as far as I could see, or maybe it was just the Military slopes.  Adults and kids alike now where ski helmets, and I think it is a great thing to avoid brain/head injuries.  I was able to relax so much more watching the kids knowing that their heads were protected from falls.

Thanks to Gpa Brown and G'ma Julie, this fun packed trip was our family Christmas gift from you both!