A Butter Blizzard Tradition

Last year's ski trip.

A year ago, I took Satchel, Carson & Reed skiing for two days during Ski Week (officially "President's week" but who does the school district really think they're fooling?). And it snowed, and snowed, and snowed on us. But we showed our true colors, and skied anyhow - we also learned on that trip that it really IS cool to have 4WD, even if it's a cute little Rav4 "chick car" - one that plows right over snow banks...

So this year, I planned another trip to the snow for during Ski Week. It was tough to pull off - I had to work all weekend to get enough done so I could get away for two days. By Tuesday I was exhausted. Then Will decided he couldn't come with us because it was just too much (he'd have had to do a one-day trip, driving his own car), and then Satchel came down with my killer cold and did the smart thing and decided to stay home too. It seemed like the trip was going down in flames (or ice, as it were.) But we pulled through - my mom agreed to come along and be the extra adult, and I went for it.

And THIS year's trip.
Not quite as much snow,
but plenty cold!

And the weather cooperated! No wimpy sunshine for us! We had our traditional Butterfield Ski-Week BLIZZARD! Once again, my kids showed their mettle, skiing down the hills in a virtual white-out, coming in for hot-chocolate looking like the abominable snow-kids, and skiing until the last run of the day. I missed the older two a lot, but I really had fun with the little guys. My mom stayed in the lodge - but this wasn't HER first snowy ski day! She found the only table by a heater vent and parked there, rigging a mini-clothes-rack out of two chairs and Reed's ski poles, and every time we came in to warm up she quickly dried our things. How cool is THAT?

Another huge milestone: Reed graduated from the Bunny Slope! Hurray! I've spent most of my ski days, since Carson started when he was 3, skiing on the Bunny Slope. I won't miss it! Now I hope that I have a few years where I can still keep up with Carson & Reed, before they ditch me for the double black diamonds like the Satchel has.