How do you give kids self esteem? Today I took Liesl, Sam, Brinley & Kylea Christensen to Park City Ski Resort for the day. A homeschooler from Orem, Kim set up a package to rent skis, have a 2 1/2 hr. ski lesson, and get a day pass good until 7:30 p.m. for a great price. I drove up last night to bring these four and participate. I thought that Sara & Jakob were going to spend the day with my Mom, but she decided to come skiing, so Keri kindly volunteered to tend them with her Bo! Today she was a hero! She had 3 kids under the age of 5, and when we finally got off the mountain, she had spagetti dinner and homemade cookies waiting for us! Keri is so wonderful! My older kids don't have cousins that they connect with. Gary Harr has two kids, Aric & Breauna. Breauna is Jed's age, but we only see them about once a year. I wouldn't say they were good friends. Keri and Cliff are their good friends though! My boys love to go to the gym with Cliff. He challenges them to contests, and wrestles with them at family parties. They are really friends to all! Keri really cares about my kids - she sent me an email on Saturday that questioned why I was at the office, and said that I needed to go hug Sam! She says that because she knows Sam! She knows that my kids need love, and she cares enough to take the time to ask about them! Thank you Keri! Thank you for making today happen! It would not have happened without your help! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!!
Anyway, today was a A+ day! Tonight everyone of those four kids think they have conquered the world! Liesl and Sam had been skiing before, Sam only once. Liesl was in the intermediate class with about 4 other homeschool students. She had a great day! She traded coats with Granny, and this afternoon went up on higher lifts with Dad. She said she had a great time! She is such a good kid! Mom & Dad left at about 4:00 p.m., then Liesl came back and skied on the First Time run with the others, and challenged them to try the tree trails. They were all smiling and having a great time! I had to twist their arms to quit at 6:45 p.m.. Tonight they think they are all pros and that they could conquer anything! It was a great day, and I am so grateful that I took the time to bring them up!
Brinley hit the slopes after her lesson with her DASH mentality! Granny decided she was not going to wait for me to get back from the car with Grandpa, and she took them right up the First Time lift. Granny reported that she was terrified watching Brinley, as she pointed her skies straight down the mountain, and speed to the bottom - totally out of control. I expected Brinley to need a little instruction, but Mom (Granny) just turned her loose on the hill! When I caught up to them, I had to stop Brinley, and force her to follow me, and make some turns down the moutain. We rode together for most of the afternoon, and had some tender moments as I praised her for doing so wonderful! We had a fun time with all of us in line playing Follow the Leader, taking turns with different leaders.
Sam did great, by the end of the day he is making parallel turns, and slide stops like a pro! I had a tender moment with him, where we embraced and shared a moment of gratitude for opportunities to be here together! I am so grateful to be his Mom!
Kylea had never been on skies before. When we checked out the equipment from the Park City Resort, they didn't give her poles because she was a beginner. Early in the afternoon she asked if she could get poles, but I had my ski boots on, and had made several trips to the car, my feet were hurting, and I didn't offer to go get her poles. Instead, I gave her my poles. She tried them for several runs, as I worked with Brinley and Sam on turns. Finally she realized that she wasn't quite ready for poles, and started listening to instructions on turns. She did a great job, and tonight has a lot of confidence. She hasn't hopped on that higher chair lift, and been carried to the top of the mountian to try her skills, but on that little beginner route, she has a sense of confidence that she can do it! I am grateful!
Tonight as I tucked them all in (finally!) they each tried to identify the 5 minute portion that they will remember forever. For all of us, there are more than one part of today we will long remember fondly! It was a great day! Thanks Heavenly Father for protecting us. Thank you for helping me have the endurance to allow them to stay all day to ski! Thank you for helping us travel to SLC, and then to Park City safely so we could participate today! Thank you for finances that we can! Thank you for tender mercies!
Anyway, today was a A+ day! Tonight everyone of those four kids think they have conquered the world! Liesl and Sam had been skiing before, Sam only once. Liesl was in the intermediate class with about 4 other homeschool students. She had a great day! She traded coats with Granny, and this afternoon went up on higher lifts with Dad. She said she had a great time! She is such a good kid! Mom & Dad left at about 4:00 p.m., then Liesl came back and skied on the First Time run with the others, and challenged them to try the tree trails. They were all smiling and having a great time! I had to twist their arms to quit at 6:45 p.m.. Tonight they think they are all pros and that they could conquer anything! It was a great day, and I am so grateful that I took the time to bring them up!
Brinley hit the slopes after her lesson with her DASH mentality! Granny decided she was not going to wait for me to get back from the car with Grandpa, and she took them right up the First Time lift. Granny reported that she was terrified watching Brinley, as she pointed her skies straight down the mountain, and speed to the bottom - totally out of control. I expected Brinley to need a little instruction, but Mom (Granny) just turned her loose on the hill! When I caught up to them, I had to stop Brinley, and force her to follow me, and make some turns down the moutain. We rode together for most of the afternoon, and had some tender moments as I praised her for doing so wonderful! We had a fun time with all of us in line playing Follow the Leader, taking turns with different leaders.
Sam did great, by the end of the day he is making parallel turns, and slide stops like a pro! I had a tender moment with him, where we embraced and shared a moment of gratitude for opportunities to be here together! I am so grateful to be his Mom!
Kylea had never been on skies before. When we checked out the equipment from the Park City Resort, they didn't give her poles because she was a beginner. Early in the afternoon she asked if she could get poles, but I had my ski boots on, and had made several trips to the car, my feet were hurting, and I didn't offer to go get her poles. Instead, I gave her my poles. She tried them for several runs, as I worked with Brinley and Sam on turns. Finally she realized that she wasn't quite ready for poles, and started listening to instructions on turns. She did a great job, and tonight has a lot of confidence. She hasn't hopped on that higher chair lift, and been carried to the top of the mountian to try her skills, but on that little beginner route, she has a sense of confidence that she can do it! I am grateful!
Tonight as I tucked them all in (finally!) they each tried to identify the 5 minute portion that they will remember forever. For all of us, there are more than one part of today we will long remember fondly! It was a great day! Thanks Heavenly Father for protecting us. Thank you for helping me have the endurance to allow them to stay all day to ski! Thank you for helping us travel to SLC, and then to Park City safely so we could participate today! Thank you for finances that we can! Thank you for tender mercies!