Recently, my kids had four full days off school. One day off for President’s Day, two for the weekend and one for something their school calls a “pupil free day.” *I’m guessing this is some kind of staff development day, but I like to think that teachers and admin use it for self-care. In my imagination, they all get at-home spa days and order takeout and catch up on season two of the Gilded Age.*
So, we used the long weekend to go skiing in Montana and had the MOST incredible time! Becoming a “ski fam” is a recent event (only about two years old), but it’s one of my favorite things we’ve ever done as a family. Here’s why!
Family Adventure is Our Fave
Our favorite family times are whenever we’re all together laughing, playing, eating in a new / different environment. Once I realized our “secret sauce” for incredible family memories, I began building our years around those kinds of trips. Seriously. I’ve always loved staying active and luckily my family does, too; family vacations with physical activity and lots of opportunity to laugh is our jam— so skiing is a perfect option.
We Were ALL Beginners
With the exception of my boo (who is European and therefore an exceptional skier by birth), the rest of us had no idea what we were doing. As much as it was daunting to learn to ski at 39 (I was about as graceful as a drunk baby rhino!), we were all in it together.
It’s been so cool to progress as a team. In the beginning, our conversations were all about how much we fell. Now our conversations are about how fast we went or which runs were most challenging for us.
Everyone Can Go at Their Own Pace
Before I started skiing, I had no idea that there are different paths for every kind of skier based on their skill level. This means that Noah and I can do simpler runs together while my teenagers work on blues and my boyfriend does a black diamond.
Everyone works their way down the mountain in a way that’s most fun for them. Then we all meet up for hot cocoa or coffee at the bottom to discuss our runs. I love that there’s something on the mountain for each of us and we can all experience it in different ways.
Maybe the coolest thing about skiing is that I never – not in a million years – imagined I’d take it up or that our family would adopt it as a pastime. While downhill skiing might not be for everyone, I think it’s worth considering how we can remain open to new adventures.
I bet your life 10 years ago is so different than it is today. So if you’ve changed so much over the last 10 years, what makes you think you won’t continue to change, adjust, grow and flourish over the next decades? It’s fun to imagine what the future version of you is into that the current version of you hasn’t even discovered yet. I hope whatever it is, is full of adventure and makes your spirit come alive.