Play Hooky = awesome

When I was growing up.....my life was urban.  I didn't know that the mountains were at the edge of the city...and just beyond Fresno's last stoplight was an adventure waiting to happen.  Living in Vancouver British Columbia...and having adventure-mentors like Jay, Trevor, Dave, Steve, Dan, Oliver and others taught me how to LOOK for adventure and PURSUE it.

The lesson to look for and pursue adventure continues to be an enduring axiom.  

Fresno has been in a terrible drought....which has resulted in the worst snow year in 40 years.  The local ski hill has been closed all winter....except for this last weekend after a HUGE snow apocalypse.

Our desire to look for and pursue adventure meant that sometimes it's OK to play hooky from school and take the kids for some "outdoor education".  I can't tell you how rewarding it is for me to ride with my oldest two on a ski lift and ski a thousand feet down the mountain side by side.  I'm FILLED WITH JOY!      

I asked Elizabeth...."why do you like skiing?"  She simply said, "I feel happy."  That's an important lesson in life...take time to do the things that make you happy! 

Look for and pursue adventure.

....do that, and joy is right around the corner.

These are good days.

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Best.Day.Ever

This past winter was one of my best days ever on the ski hill.  Our ski hill, China Peak, is only 1.5 hours away.  It's not difficult to get our kids there.  It does take effort...but we're not afraid of effort. Thankfully.  Otherwise we would have missed out on one of our best days on the hill! 

It wasn't about skiing hard...it was about skiing together.  For the first time, we found ourselves on the same lifts as our kids, on the same slopes.

....it was my dream since having kids that we'd be able to ski together one day...and that they'd actually like it.  My dream came true!  Pure joy! 

These are good days.

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Skiing as a family

We don't blog about it every time.  

That would get old.

With 4 kids under 7...getting out of the house is always a miracle. Can I get an amen?

But nearly week we ski.  Our 7 year-old and 5 year-old are skiing greens now and Noah our 3 year-old is just figuring out how to stand up on his skis.  But he's trying! 

How do you guys do it, people ask?  People give us hi-fives at the ski hill when they see us walking around with our mob.  But there are some trade secrets that make this possible.

Here are our top-five tips:

1.  Keep everyones ski clothes in the car.  Seriously, stay locked and loaded.  Packing and unpacking is a joy-killer.

2.  As parents, we rarely ski on the days we bring our kids.  When we bring the kids up...the older two go skiing, and the younger two play in the snow with mom and dad.  One day we'll all ski together....that season is about 5 years away.  Suck it up, mom and dad....make the day about them.

3.  Don't spend all-day at the kill.  Thinking morning to lunch.  Anything longer is a bonus.  

4. Pack extra everything -- extra gloves, extra lip balm, extra socks, extra...you get the idea.  Kids are the ultimate loosers....they loose everything. 

5.  Bring friends who don't ski.  Hangout friends are a great addition to a ski-day.  First, you always treat your kids better when your friends are watching and you usually have more fun being a parent when you have parental support!  Plus, your kids will appreciate having another friend to hangout with.  

^^ a selfie on the way to the hill

^^ God's nectar on the way to the hill

Josiah's first season skiing greens all on his own! 

Noah's still our little snow bunny

.....and Joel will start remembering this next year.

China Peak, our local ski-hill is a great ski hill.  We have MANY days that look just like this!

Skiing together is one of our family traditions. 

It's always tough to get out of the house...but if you can make it happen, the reward is always worth it! 

These are good days! 

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Skiing as a Family

Since having kids, 7 years ago.....a dream of ours has always been to ski together as a family.  We've always said, as soon as the kids were able to carry their own gear....we'd teach them how to ski.  Elizabeth learned a little bit a couple years ago...but this year was the year that Josiah and Elizabeth really started to get serious about learning. 

They got the stoke.

We knew that the stoke was growing because in the last few months....all they've wanted to watch on YouTube is skiing videos.  We can dig that.

It was so rewarding to see THEM want to learn how to ski...not us trying to "get them to learn".  Wow....so.incredibly.rewarded for us watch.

Sharing a passion with our kids has always felt very healthy for our family.  We hike together each week and climb together during the rock climbing season.  It felt amazing for us to see them get PUMPED to learn to ski and add another passion our family can share.

They both were such great learners.  Within the first hour...they were skiing on their own, going from parallel skis (french fries) to slowing down and stopping (pizza slices).  Their lift tickets included a ski lesson...which was OK...not great -- there were lots of kids and only a couple inexperienced teachers.  But it didn't seem to bother them.  They were happy to be on skis. 

After 4 hours of continuous skiing on the bunny hill with us...they asked us to simply watch from the bottom so they could do it on their own -- i.e. get on the lift, exit the lift, position themselves at the top and ski down the bunny hill.  For the last 20 minutes of the day...we watched them lap the bunny hill all on their own!  So proud!  We hope they'll be huckin' themselves off some rad jumps and descending some gnarly lines in the near future.  Go kids go! 

At the end of the day...a little snack felt well deserved.  They LOOK happy, don't they?

Today has been a real dream for us...to see our oldest two share a passion with us that they genuinely look forward to and are ambitious to learn....it is so satisfying for us.  We can't wait for the day we get to be on the chairlift with them....side by side...talking about life, and getting ready for the adventure that awaits at the top of the hill.  

These are good days.

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Skiing with my students

Some students of mine invited me to go skiing with them.  It always makes me feel awesome when students invite me to hang out!  I love hanging out....talking on the chairlifts....rippin' it up and celebrating our descents together......SO FUN!

And this type of hanging out is especially fun!

It was a beautiful day on the slopes with the buds

These are good days...

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5 Reasons you need a Joy Inducing Activity

Here are 5 reasons why everyone needs to ski.  But if you don't ski....that's fine!!  Just go have an adventure and consider these 5 reasons as you get after whatever activity brings you joy.

#1 Skiing facilitates conversation.  When you're stuck on a small ski lift with someone, legs tired from skiing down, the heart has a way of opening up.  Find an activity that facilitates relationships. 

#2.  Skiing brings you to see beautiful things.  Expressive clouds, wind whipped trees, pillowed snow, and so much more.  Find an activity that brings you to see the amazement of creation.

#3  Skiing makes you smile.  A real smile follows what's happening in the heart.  Sometimes when I ski I am smiling so much that when I get to the bottom of the run....my cheeks (ahem: on my face) hurt!  Find an activity that makes you smile!  

#4  Skiing makes me tired.  Sometimes you just need to stop and take a break.  There is a profound sense of accomplishment when you've moved your body to break a sweat.  Find an activity that gets you moving.

#5  Skiing is supported by my family.  No need to choose activities that put you at odds with the people around you.  Better to find something that your spouse supports.....or best case....does with you!  Find an activity that you don't have to fight people to go out and do.  

Hope these tips were helpful!

These are good days....

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A very supportive wife

I have a really supportive wife
I know that.
And you, blog readers, have never ceased to remind me!

The other day....she said, "I'd like to ski Whistler....so would you be OK driving us there and then taking the kids so I can ski?."  My answer to this will NEVER be "No".  It can never be, no.  Why?

....all those climbing trips
....all those ski trips
....all those hiking trips
....all those man weekends

If this woman wants to ski....or do anything....I am going to say "go get em' tiger".

But, that's not where the story ends.  In typical Heidi fashion, she continued.  She said, "Ya know...if you'd like to ski the afternoon.....I'll call it quits mid-day and take the kids so you can ski.  Would you like that?"

Wait.  What?  She has the opportunity to ski an entire day.... sans kids.....hanging out with people.  And she wants me to ski too?

I love this woman. We agreed.

   wicked cold but full of joy

And back home...

I slept

satisfied with a half day of skiing and a half day of intentional kid time

These are good days...

and Heidi makes them even better

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Elizabeth skis for the first time

She just turned three and it she kept asking for us to buy her some gear.

So....a jacket and pants on sale

some skis from some friends

some used boots

and a new helmet and goggles (to match her jacket...as Elizabeth insisted)

she was ready

She practiced in the house

putting her gear on

sliding around on the carpet with her skis

but then came the day

Whistler

the big league

lots of people around

her parents camera ready

and she got discouraged

maybe it was the pressure to "do it"

maybe it was all the attention

but after a minute or so....

she was READY! 

Josiah watched

and then....(video below)

Success! Good first go! 

Victory picture! 

Josiah....you're next dude.

Game on.

These are good days...

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Ski Touring - Paul Ridge, Squamish

Monday's are my sabbath and Oliver, my adventures-of-all-sorts friend, invited me to backcountry ski tour in the Elfin Lakes area outside of Squamish, BC. 

Paul Ridge is the area we went to and had a GREAT time doing it!  The Avalanche Forecast for the area we were in was favorable, so off we went!  It was snowing on us much of the time, but only lightly, and there was a great powdery layer to enjoy.     

Ever wonder what I typically bring on a trip like this?

My kit usually includes:

An avalanche beacon

Shovel

avalanche probe

skins

water

food

whistle

an insulating layer

first aid kit

extra eyewear

gear repair kit

emergency kit

extra clothing

Oliver LOVES the mountains and enjoys the simplicity of good conversation + hard work going uphill + the fun work of going down hill

...and yes, even when our wives text us....there is ALWAYS time to get back to them...when there's cell reception.

When you get to a particular hill that is representative of the one you intend to ski, it's important to analyze the snow pack through a variety of tests which help us know the potential for avalanches. 

Today's multiple tests went well...so after a short break....it was time to ski!  

Ever wonder what I typically wear?

It really depends on the weather....but usually it's some variation of:

Upper Wick Layer: Long or short shirt

Upper Wind Layer: Jacket

Upper Warm Layer: Soft shell

Upper Precip Layer: Gore Tex Shell Jacket

Lower Warm Layer: Long under wear

Lower Precip Layer: Gore Tex Shell Pants

Gloves: Warm gloves + thin liner

Toque or Sun Hat

Helmet + Goggles

Ski sock

Touring boots with Intuition liners 

After a fun time through the trees and finding the fresh stuff.....it was back to the car park for the most dangerous part of the day....the ride home.  Logging roads wasn't too bad (I've been on that particular logging road in TERRIBLE conditions....and today was good!).  But snow tires plus chains plus Oliver's awesome driving skillz got us back safely! 

Once we were back in Squamish....it was time for coffee.  

I love coffee.

These are good days....

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