Ski-rrific
Nerves started to set in before we reached the mountain. Both for me and for LatteGirl. In the end she stood strong, got on the skis, went for it, and had a blast. The kids and the adult lessons were on separate areas, so I walked back and forth between the two of them, watching them progress through the lesson. However, I stopped checking on TheWife after a while, because every time I seemed to come back to LatteGirl, she was in the next stage of her lessons already. She blew threw her lessons so fast, she was out on the (bunny) slopes, while the other kids she was with in a group lesson were still 2 step back in the progression to the slopes.
Me on the other hand… well… I opted out. Not solely out of fear of another injury (but I will admit it was part… conditions, granular but icy, were just too similar for my comfort. I may have even had a flashback as I stood there looking up at the mountain.), but also so I could play a supporting role in ensuring that LatteGirl and TheWife’s first trip skiing 
was a pleasant experience. So, I played pack mule, and arranger, and of course photograher, so all they had to worry about was enjoying themselves. And they did.
I have to admit, by the end of the day, part of me (the part that was fearful earlier) was regretting not getting up the nerve to get back on those skis. The part of me that was exhausted just from trying to ensure everything went right with this excursion however, was glad that I didn’t try to do all of the little things that I had to do and try to ski on top of it.
So how much fun did the two of them have? Well, let me put it this way. Next Monday, while I am at work, and they are enjoying a day off (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) they are planning to hit the slopes again without me. I guess they don’t want me and my nerves dragging down their mood. But who knows, as enthusiatic as they are about it right now, they just might be able to get me back on the slopes yet.
Getting back to putting my foot in the horses…
If at first you don’t succeed, try try again. If you fall off a horse, you need to get right back on. Two cliché terms, I like many parents (I assume) use often to encourage, to keep from giving up. Worthwhile sentiments I always thought. But then they came back to get me.
To make a short story long, back in January of 1986 was the last time I could be found on a pair of skis. On that day, conditions were a bit icy under some fresh snow. On that day, that fresh snow covered a sign that showed which path belonged to my green square, and which led down to the double diamonds. I had no business being on the slopes I wound up on. And to keep this story from getting too out of hand, I broke both ankles by the time I rolled back into the lodge.
The slopes never beckoned loud enough for me to ever think about it again. (Insert wavy picture here as we return to modern day). Now, TheWife and LatteGirl have decided that they would like to hit the slopes. I had no real desire, though I agreed to tag along and have the Hot Chocolate ready for when they returned. As LatteGirl pressed me on why I didn’t want to go, without going into details, I told her that I had a bad fall the last time I was skiing.
And that is when she hit me with it. “You always tell me, that when you fall you have to dust yourself off, and get right back and do it again.” No amount of “yeah but”s would deter her, and she pounded me with my own sage advise. (Why yes, I did call my advise sage. Full of myself? Nah!)
So, now backed into a corner, 21 years later, quite a few pounds heavier, and no where near as good shape as I was then, I will once again find myself on a set of skis, since it was obvious that I had to put my money (or advise in this case) where my mouth is, and lead by example (even if I am “leading” by kicking and screaming that I don’t want to the whole way).
Perhaps I should leave somebody with the keys to the blog… you know… just in case.
Frozen Chocolate
We’ve tried it at Easter, we have tried it at Halloween, so it only seemed right that we give it a shop and check out Christmas at Hershey. Of course we made these plans some time ago, but even then at the time, I mentioned to a few friends how we could almost bank on it snowing or something that weekend. I guess I shouldn’t have tempted fate, and now we are getting hit with snow. Here at home, closer to the ocean, we only got a couple of inches before it turned into rain, but the forecast for the weekend in Hershey,PA is not all that promising.
I’m not complaining really, I am really looking forward to seeing the Sweet Lights, a two mile drive through light display, LatteGirl is just about thrilled at the thought of playing in “Christmas” snow (I believe it was the magic of “Christmas Snow” that enabled Frosty to “un-melt” again if I am not mistaken) even if it does mean that Candy Cane Lane (the selection of rides at Hershey Park that are still open this time of year) is canceled , and of course TheWife once again will be treated to an afternoon at The Hershey Spa.
I am just hoping that I can actually get to the store this evening through the ice to pick up my new camera, to photgraph these travels, as I am hopeful that the snow will make for some great shots, because my current (hunk of junk) Kodak is just not up to the task.
I can’t help but wonder what I was thinking scheduling this so close to Xmas. I have shopping to do, and work to be done, and I don’t have time for this right now. It is frustrating in a way, and it seems like it will add more stress later, but the more that I think that I scheduled this at the “wrong” time, the more I also think that this is exactly the kind of break from the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
Making her day
The road to The Little Mermaid on Broadway was obviously bumpy and tense for us the past week. After getting so excited when when we first got tickets back in September, LatteGirl had been counting down the days.
For the past week though, I have been slowly trying to break it to her that it didn’t look like we were going to be able to see the show. It is not easy to a child how the show is “there” but not “open.” And trying to explain why the stage hands went on strike, and what a strike is.
Overall, I guess I had it easy. I mean, the day they first went on strike, I watched on the news, and saw a woman being interviewed. She had driven 4-1/2 hours that day up from Maryland with her two kids to see the show. I can’t even imagine the stress that must have induced, both on the mother and the poor kids. It was really heartbreaking.
At this point, I was really ready to give up, but just as I have for the last two weeks, before heading off to work, I stopped and checked to see what, if any updates there were on the strike, and saw that they finally came to an agreement and the strike is over.
I don’t know who was more excited. Me, getting to tell my daughter that we would in fact be going to NYC to see the show this weekend, or her bouncing down the hallway to tell TheWife that we were in fact going again. Her smile, radiated so brightly that I swear we no longer needed lights on in the house this morning.
So, we will now once again make plans for a trip into NY, try and find a place to dine that won’t bankrupt us, but still will be able to get into with this being tourist season and all. It should be good and mobbed this weekend around Times Square, and it really makes me question my sanity at the time I purchased these tickets. But, at the same time, LatteGirl’s smile this morning makes any of that aggravation all worth while.
(I will of course be reviewing the show, probably on Sunday).
Be careful of what you wish for…
So despite what I have written recently, we really did have a decent vacation. OK, I had a decent vacation. TheWife had a fun time. LatteGirl, however had an all out blast.
Last Year, we enjoyed going to this place, but one of the few problems we had was LatteGirl and her being shy. It was like she was attached to our hips the entire time. She wasn’t interested in playing with or getting to know the other children at the resort, and we had to keep her “entertained” the entire time.
We were detemined to try and help her get past this when we went on vacation this year. We planned, we schemed, we had everything all set and agreed upon so she couldn’t play one parent against the other. We accounted for every possible scenario. Or so we thought. There was one situation we had not taken into consideration, and it took us by surprise.
As it turns out, she was ready to spread her wings and start embarking on her own adventures. No prodding necessary. As a matter of fact, we had to strain a bit to reign her in, as she started to show some signs that she was actually getting annoyed and felt we were “cramping her style” and wanted us to just “leave her be.” I had to actually restrain (no not physically) and occupy TheWife at times to keep her from constantly “checking up” on LatteGirl. TheWife wanted LatteGirl to find some friends and be more social, but she was not prepared for this and it showed. (OK, full disclosure. I am not sure I am(was) ready for this either, but I was certainly better prepared for what we encounted than TheWife was.)
Suddenly, the little girl that wanted us to play games with her, and swim with her, and had to have us within an arm’s reach, no longer cared to have us around. She did crafts with one set of friends. Played sports with another. Karaoke made her one of the most popular kids on the resort as everybody wanted to borrow her High School Musical Karaoke Disc, and at the evening “dances” the only time she wanted to know we were there was when she needed something to drink. Heck there was one evening when we were tired, and she told us we could go “home” (back to our room), and she would “see us later.” No, we didn’t allow that… not at 7 (TheWife says not for a few more years, I say not for another 20 years)
So in the end as the old adage goes, be careful of what you wish for… you just might get it. And if it involves your child growing up… you might get it far sooner than you hoped for.
-
Sponsors
