Deer Valley '11

Derek came home from the one day of skiing in Oregon and declared that he was going to plan the First Annual Michaelis Ski Trip.  I weakly smiled, as my past two experiences of skiing wasn't exactly top of the list.  I am athletic to the point that I love to workout daily, but me and the cold just don't get along for long periods of time.  But I did love the company I was with.

Since this was going to become an annual trip, I was not allowed to borrow clothes but instead buy some that will keep me warm.  And no whining allowed on the family ski trip, so buy wisely.  With a salute to the head and a "Yes sir!" I went to work.

This was officially the first trip ever that I didn't make a single decision on.  Derek did everything - researched where we were going, what we were doing, etc.  It was such a stress-free trip for me, and Derek bent over backwards to make sure this became an annual trip that ALL of us looked forward to in the future.  He decided on Park City, Utah, and the wheels were set in motion.  We went the last part of Justin's spring break which made me relive spring breaks of old.

First stop upon arrival was a lunch at the nearest In-N-Out. 

We stayed at the Lodges at Deer Valley, which was about 400 yards or a quick shuttle ride to the base of the mountain.  Perfect for us basically first time skiers and a 4 year old.

After a full day of travel (flying on an airplane, driving an hour to Deer Park, going and getting our ski gear rentals for over an hour, etc), we decided to go to Park City's Main Street and scout out some dinner.  This is how we get a smile around here.

Tickling, and then maybe some form of threatening. 

We were dropped off by the shuttle at the top of Main Street and started the steep decline walk down to the bottom as we checked out the restaurants.

We spotted this colorful moose on the way.

As well as a little Sic 'Em.  My Rice Owl wouldn't get in the photo.  We decided on the Wasatch Brew Pub due to the wait length as well as the menu.  We were stunned by how delicious Derek's trout was as well as my fish tacos.  We were also stunned at the lack of ability from our son to sit still and obey.  Which then led to a the lack of patience from mommy.  A long day of travel with a 8pm dinner time don't mix.  We reevaluated with a little more wisdom the rest of the trip.  Nothing that a good quiet time can't fix!

The first day of skiing Justin went to Bambi school at ski school for kiddos.  He loved it!  This was the only day we signed him up for school as Derek and I had a full day of private ski lessons. 

I had started a new scripture memory verse that day for the scripture memory team that Living Proof is doing on their blog.  After picking a verse that spoke to me from the Isaiah BSF homework, I chose Romans 10:14-15.  It says, "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?  And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?  And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can they preach unless they are sent?  As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those that bring good news!'"

I prayed that I would bring good news to someone that day.  Enter in K, our male ski instructor.  From the start K made me laugh with his infectious laugh.  My Spirit was constantly burdened as we would jump from ski tips to purposeful conversation about his life, his beliefs, etc.  As we would all three go from ski lift to ski lift we would spend every other time going from, "OK, Shannon, remember to lean on your toes and bend from the waist" to me asking him, "So how have you seen the Lord's goodness in your life?  Here part of my forever long story of the season of infertility I am in and how the Lord is being glorified in it..."

It was quite comical.  But that verse was memorized that morning for him. 

At the end of the lesson, which I bailed the last hour to go put Justin down for a late nap (yes, I am STILL that mom), I literally spilled my guts as my heart was pounding in my chest.  Telling him the wages of sin was death with the powerful and healing name of Jesus and the cross.  I asked to pray for his wife, and he shared some issues for us to be in prayer about.  And that was it.  I skied down to the bottom of the mountain, retried my son, and went on my way.

After Justin napped until almost 7pm, we decided to go to the hot tub that he had spied the day before (which started the grumpiness before dinner as he wanted to do it right then!).  We put on our swim suits, ate some Fritos twists, and went to battle becoming undressed in 32 weather.  With wind.

It was so much fun.  There we were watching our steamy breath come out of our mouths while roasting in the hot tub. 

Derek had found a little grocery store nearby and had decided we would buy as minimal as possible on the groceries and eat at home.  First we had to take a bath with the jets on....while eating Frito twists.  I only buy these on vacation because on the lack of self control Justin and I both have when eating them.

We did manage to do some sliding for the camera.  Buzz style.

Some a little more boisterous than others.

Day two - Justin is begging to do the ski school again which had no openings.  Derek and I, who had yet to ski on own own due to being with K all day the day prior, were deciding not only what we could handle but what we could handle with Justin.

Last minute, as all of us had our ski gear on and we about to hit the slopes (and hoped to be safe), I called and got Justin in to Bambi school on a cancellation.  Hooray for everyone!

Derek and I got to basically have a date and ski together all day.  Which was fun since for the first time ever we were on the same plane athletically. Which was so fun.  In fact during our lesson K kept telling Derek why being so tall made skiing harder and more meticulous in remembering the basics.  I learned so much, and the biggest tip was to keep tightening your ski boots as the day went on.  Huge difference!

I am still laughing at how after lunch I told Derek that I needed more of a challenge.  Let's go do a blue.  Which I might add is all I had done in the past with no knowledge of what the heck I was doing.

After the familiar sensation of the burning thighs, the sweat on my upper lip as I looked at the steepness, and me trying to think positive as I made it down the step incline, I told my husband that maybe skiing crazy greens were just better.

My ski instructor told me that once ladies had children and became mothers they turned into a totally different skier.  Much more cautious.  I did keep thinking, "What would I do if I fell and broke my leg?"  Well I didn't.

I finally busted out the camera at the end of the day on the 2nd day of skiing.  I rented the Canon 135 mm f/2.0 L lens.  This lens was fantastic!  Lightweight, zoom, sharp photos.  Loved it.

Why I am so intense and not smiling is beyond me.  Wanted to stay in the realness of the pose, which means no smiling as I concentrate on how to ski the right was as well as not falling.

Here's an attempt of a smile.

Derek riding the bunny lift to ski for the camera.  Trooper, not complaining once about photos.  AND we did the photos with the professional photographer at the top of the mountain.  Trooped of a husband!  And yes, we bought a 5x7 of us on top of the frigid mountain.

The wind was fierce on the second day, and lots of the lifts were closed.

Derek smiling.  How pleasant.  And his form - quite good.  I am so technical, telling myself the things to remember. 

Then we caught a glimpse of Justin and Mr. Brett.  Pronounced with the force of a T that you would be slathered in spit, according to Justin.

It looked like a lot of work to get on the lift with two 4 year olds. 

As we skied with our instructor the first day I realized how many cranky instructors were on the slopes.  Especially the ones with six 8-year-olds and one getting fearful.  My instructor would help that one down, normally a girl, and we would just follow.  I kept praying Justin was with a kind, loving, fun instructor. 

He was!  I ran into Brett and Justin several times without any of us realizing it (normally a hot chocolate break) and Brett was fantastic.  He was the loudest encourager on the bunny runs.  I loved him.  As did Justin.  Brett with a hard T!

I had never seen Justin ski.  The first day he had an edgie wedgie to keep his ski tips at a point like a pizza wedge.  And he could stop but not get up yet on his own.  The second day he could get up on his own and didn't need help with the pizza wedge. 

What would I have done without Amanda Stewart letting us have these ski clothes?  Well, I would have bought them, and the next year he would have grown out of them.  Such a blessing to have this gear, and such a good color to see from far away.

It was amazing to watch Justin do something so naturally.

The kids are fun to watch as they ski so well since they are low to the ground. 

Lori stressed to get good googles, and with the wind and it snowing the last two days, we are ever thankful for the eye wear.  Gone are the days of perfect hair with a black headband and fun sunglasses.  Now are the days of the helmet and the goggles.  No other way around it.

Justin in concentration.

Red light.  Stop!

Bless the sweet people that got the privilege of my camera talk when I handed over the beast.  And bless the crop icon in Photoshop.

Derek skied later and harder runs as I took JT and myself back to take a nap.  During naptime I was flying through The Twelfth Imam by Joel Rosenberg.   Couldn't put it down!  Loved how the nonfiction was spread through out the fiction.  I learned so much about what the Shiite Muslims believed.  And since the Lord has burdened my heart for the Muslim neighbors I have.  Praying for boldness through my encounters with them!

Snow.  Such a majestic thing, though not sure it will be around in millenial kingdom according to Isaiah.  Something to be appreciated while wearing warm clothes!

One of the lodges had an elevator that traveled on the outside to get you to wear the rooms were.  Not sure why we didn't stay there?!  Oh, the price.  That's right.

Justin did fall a few times.  He would tell us of each one.

Not as many as Z, apparently.  :-)

Green light. Go!

And we fell.

But, a good way to practice getting up again on our own.

I could watch him ski everyday. 

On the second day Justin skied in the afternoon versus the morning since he was a last minute add in.  But he had Mr. Brett again, and apparently the other child had to leave.  So solo lesson. 

Justin loved skiing Candyland, and obstacle course with fun hoop and bumps.

The treat on the second day was bumping into K one more time.  We as a family prayed for him and his wife, but I wanted some closer on it.  Sure enough on a tough green (believe me, ski snobs, it was tough for me), I heard the infectious and delightful laugh of our ski instructor.  I called his name, and apparently with all the ski gear around my face Derek said I screamed the entire time.  Couldn't hear.  But he told us how his wife cried when he told her about us praying for her and she already felt better. I told him how wonderful it was the day before spending all day with him and how we as a family lifted them up last night.  It was wonderful and such a delight that the Lord orchestrated us running into him on that big mountain.  The Lord is faithful!

Day three was us skiing as a family.  I have to hand it to Justin - he skied as much on that whole day as we did the day before with just Derek and myself.  We forgot a snack for the little guy, and at 11:30 he was so exhausted, hungry, and needing to potty all in about 2 minutes that I had to carry him to the bathroom.  He skied his heart out that morning all over the mountain.  It was so fun to do that as a family, and I could NOT have done it without my athletic husband with the one bad fall Justin had.  It's hard enough to get up on an decline much less help your kid.

Me, my boy and my crazy reflector goggles.

Family fun

The wind was fierce again that day.  Mostly felt on the lifts.  Justin finally got a few minutes of playtime in the snow before naptime.

Throwing snowballs is a necessity

Maybe just not right at the camera.

We checkout out a sled from the front desk and after nap we went right outside our condo and sledded on the hill.

It was snowing.  It felt like Christmas.

This photo...makes me chuckle.

I mostly say and took photos.  One of the two times I sled I lost control and nailed Justin on the way down.  It was hilarious - we all were laughing.

My 215 pound husband had a hard time getting momentum down the hill.

Justin had a blast.

Woo-hoo!

Derek told us at this same age he would go outside for hours and sled in Ohio.  I this day and age no kid goes outside for hours at age 4 and plays without their mother knowing where they are.  Much less in snow if you live in Houston.  But it made Derek smile that his son could have the same experience.

Don't get caught in the snow.  It was deep.

Standing on our porch looking at the boys having fun.

I would walk 10 miles in the snow uphill to school everyday....

Making a Frosty

The beauty of weather turning water into ice.

I felt like the ice was starting to melt after the end of my fertility shots.  The new grass was like the new warmth and direction in my soul.  I'll touch on that sometime soon.

That last night we showered and cuddled up to watch Bambi.  Justin had been a Bambi in ski school after all.  We giggled at Thumper and headed off to bed.

If I could let go and let Derek plan every trip I would.  Though he has to be enthused enough to do it himself.  I loved this trip.  Such great family time, and we cannot wait to do it again.  Being athletic and everyone enjoying it together was a blast.  Being on the same plane as my husband (which may only be this year) was delightful.  Having a private ski instructor changed my skiing career forever.  As I talked with staff and other people I would come in contact with, I would always ask how I could pray for them.  Some blew me off, laughing that they were fine.  To which I would always say they were lying.  But some would soften their eyes and pour out their requests.  Utah needs Jesus as much as any other state.  Lord, may you reveal yourself to a hurting, confused people.

Lastly, I leave you with Justin skiing via Derek's phone.  Mostly for the grandparents.  Michaelis annual ski trip #2...bring it on!