Ski Night---Take 2

Another post about Ainsley....I promise I do have other children that are well cared for.  Ainsley just happened to have a busy month!  Every year the fourth and fifth graders at our school get to go up to Bogus for ski night.  I went up with Ains again this year.  And I can't wait to go next year with Owen.

For the first couple of hours Ains took a class with her friends.  And while she did that, I went skiing with my friend.

I convinced my friend Mandy to go with me this year.  We are both extreme beginner skiers. So while Ainsley was getting actual instruction and skiing tips, we headed up the mountain and decided that we would rely on the practice makes perfect method.  We actually did really well.  And to be fair skiing conditions were awful.  Not much snow and a lot of ice.  Ains struggled a bit more this year than last year but I think that was due to a combination of her ski's and the ice.  I'd love to take her up again...but the weather isn't cooperating this year.  I actually did a lot better this year than last year.  I went the whole night without falling. 

Until......I missed a turn and led myself and Mandy to steep hill that we were not skilled enough for.  And with the ice factored in we were completely out of our league.  My stomach seriously sank when I came to a clearing and say 3 snowboarders sitting at the top of the hill who had given up on trying to get down.  Mandy and I inched our way down, sliding with our ski's perpendicular to the mountain.  At one point we couldn't tell which way to go.  Lucky for us an experienced skier came our way and volunteered to show us the way down. Unlucky for me, I decided that I would just go ahead and follow the skilled skier and try to keep up with his pace.  With in seconds of trying to follow him I was flying down the mountain out of control!  At this point I decided that I had to get down the mountain so I might as well stay up as long as I could even though I was picking up speed and knew a hard fall was coming.  Before to long I crashed.  Hard.  Really hard.  My goggles flew off, thank heavens I was wearing a helmet.  And my poles were long gone.  After I realized I was ok and nothing was broken I couldn't help but laugh.  And then a nice snow boarder slid on his bum and brought me my poles.  And then I slowly made my way down the mountain after the initial shock and pain wore off.

I stayed with Ains on the bunny hill the rest of the night and we had a grand time.  She had a few falls but took it like a champ and did a great job.  I truly enjoyed riding the lift up and talking with her and watching her make her way down the mountain.  I was more nervous when a boy (Lane) called to her and wanted her to ski with him.  But she chose me! I was one proud mama!