We ALL Love Skiing!

Since our ski trip to Utah last year, we've been dying to go skiing again.   So during Independent Study Week we decided to drive to New Mexico.  The closest skiing area from San Antonio is in Ruidoso, NM, which is about 9 hours away.  We weren't sure about going because the base was low, but then we discovered that snow bases were low everywhere in the west.  It was so odd.  Since the base was low, not many runs were open, but we figured it would be a good time to take the kids to work on their skiing.

We actually had a little scare right before we left on our trip.  Evie got the flu and she got it bad.  She had a high fever of 105.3F one day and she had a regular fever for 4 whole days.  It was pretty terrible.  We had all gotten the flu shot, but it didn't seem to matter.  Since we were about to leave for NM, we all got Tamiflu (which cost an arm and a leg)...and I guess it worked because none of us got the flu.  Phew!  What a relief!  Now, on with the trip!

We began our road trip late Friday night and stopped in White Sands National Monument the next morning.  It was such a welcome stop and we had lots of fun there!  White Sands looks so out of place, but it is just beautiful.  We bought sleds from the gift shop and headed out to the dunes.  We picked an area that looked steep and just went for it!  The sand was so white and smooth and surprisingly cold.

Then we headed to Ruidoso to our rental house.  The kids jumped right into the hot tub and enjoyed that thing til bedtime.  Every night of our stay, the kids used that hot tub.  It was definitely worth it to have that hot tub there!

We did 3 half-days of skiing at Ski Apache and it was great! 

I liked doing half-days because we didn't feel as tired at night or the next day.  We started all the kids off with a one hour private lesson to get their bearings back.  Then the rest of the time, B and I skied with them.

I was so impressed how quickly and how well the kids learned to get on and off the ski lifts.  They also learned how to turn really well this time too.  Eulee did great, too!  Watch this girl go!

Our first day there was a little crowded, but after that it was so quiet.  We would go up a lift, ski down, and get right back onto the lift again.  Half a day was definitely enough since there was never  a wait!

Other than skiing, we also spent one morning tubing at the Ruidoso Winter Park. We all had a lot of fun there!

Elina and B also had a zip lining adventure on the mountain.  They did the Apache Wind Rider Zip Tour and had a blast!  We all took the gondola up to 11,500 feet and watched Elina and B ride down the first of three ziplines.  Eli could have gone on the zipline, but he decided against it when we bought the tickets.  When we got up to the first zipline to see them off, we wer enjoying the view and I asked Eli, "Do you regret not going with them on the zipline?"  And without missing a beat, he replied, "Naaaahhh, I don't regret anything."  Hahahah!  Evie, on the other hand, can't wait until she's tall enough to do the zipline with them!  Different kids...

We headed back toward home on the day that San Antonio was having an ice storm.  We didn't want to mess with the roads being closed, so we drove halfway to Fort Stockton and spent the night.  Then we finished our drive the next morning.

The kids decided (on their own) that they absolutely LOVE skiing now and want to go every year.  They all remarked how sad they were to live in a place that doesn't have skiing close by.  Elina even mentioned that she wants to choose a college that will be close to skiing.  Ha!  B and I are so glad that we are finally here.  We have been waiting for the day when we can use skiing as our annual family vacation.  We have been waiting for all the kids to be old enough so that we can all enjoy skiing together.  There was a moment on the mountain, when B led all the kids down a run and they all followed him like ducks in a row...I just paused, smiled, and thought to myself, "I can't believe we've made it."  It's a sweet but sad thought...sweet that life has gotten easier...sad that they are growing up.  But it was this euphoric moment that made me so thankful for how far we've come as a family.  I love it!

So what did the kids have to do for Independent Study Week?  We actually finished Eli and Evie's projects over Winter Break.  Eli had to make a tri-fold and give a speech on Croatia.  He also had to bring in a Croatian food.  So when we got back from New Mexico, this boy was baking medenjaci (gingerbread cookies) to take to school the next day.  =)

Evie had to create a costume and give a speech on Sacagawea.  Note to parents out there...Hobby Lobby and Michael's do not sell plain brown t-shirts....we had to buy white ones and dye them.  But the costume came out really cute, so we were happy with it! 

Elina had to do a long translation from Latin to English...which she finished during our road trip.

We're already looking forward to next year!  We all love skiing now!  Yay!