how to spell "ski" and birthday report.

dad took me skiing today.
mama nacho took the kids.
it's the first day i've been gone from max for an entire day.
she didn't know i was gone until i walked in the door around 5.
then she would not let me out of her sight.
i loved it.
i spent every weekend from 1st-5th grades skiing.
mom had us on the mountain for the first groomed run,
and we closed it down on the last lift of the day.
at deer valley.
i had a season pass.
and a super cool helmet.
really,
SUPER cool.
it was white.
and i had bright pink ski goggles.
well, just the band was hot pink.
and if you had a helmet,
it meant you were really good.
i haven't been in 6 years,
but dad was right.
it's just like riding a bike.
i had to have dad help me buckle my boots b/c apparently i am not very strong.
but i can carry 35lb. brennan all around.
i just can't buckle a ski boot.
my parents had me on skis (how do you spell that???) at age 3 in the park city ski school.
there's a picture somewhere...
and then when i got older and graduated from ski school i got to ski by myself with my friends.
it was the big time.
i always met mom for lunch.
when i skied with dad,
we didn't stop for lunch.
wait,
yes we did,
but it had to be fast and furious.
it used to really bug me as a kid.
but today, it was great.
i didn't even want to stop.
i realized it's just more work if you stop.
b/c you have to ski to the lodge.
take off your skis (seriously, how do you spell that???),
hang up your poles,
walk up about 100 stairs,
wait in line,
find a table,
eat,
get all relaxed,
warm,
stomach full,
and then figure out a way to motivate yourself to go down the 100 stairs you walked up before,
in ski boots,
walk out into the cold,
carry your skis (really, this is just annoying now),
and your poles,
sometimes up a small hill,
which is exhausting when your tummy is full and you are warm,
then put everything back on,
readjust your hat,
gloves,
goggles,
boots,
which you have probably unbuckled during lunch and now have to re-buckle,
hunched over,
with a full tummy,
and warm body,
and then sit on a cold chair lift,
feeling all tired.
let me just say,
there is none of that when you don't stop for lunch.
we did however stop for hot chocolate.
dad got a latte.
we pulled out the mountain map.
talked about where we wanted to ski.
there's an entirely new part of the mountain now.
it was really cool.
i ate the last 1/4 of an old cliff bar he found in his coat pocket.
we skiied (what about ski in the past tense, did i spell that right???)
i think it's skied.
but that just sounds like sky-ed.
i'm only getting thrown off b/c of ski in the action verb.
skiing.
i think it's the only time the two "i's" are together.
so we skied until 3:30pm.
then we returned my skiis/skis (?) and poles.
boots were mine.
missed the shuttle to the parking lot.
so we walked back.
to lot 5.
which is the very last and longest lot away you can park in.
b/c we got a late start.
which i liked b/c there was absolutely no line at the rental shop.
it was one of my favorite days i have ever spent with my dad.
the snow was great.
10 inches fell last night.
the sun was out.
and the lift talk was good.
he taught me how to roll my ankles into the turn,
be directly over my center of gravity,
and lean down hill,
planting my pole before i turned,
and bring my arms in when i turned.
all of this i had forgotten.
but it came back.
and it felt really great.
i think he's training me for kootenay heli skiing.
which i told him is out of the question,
but if he wanted to take me skiing again,
i'd do the mogul diamonds with him again.
all of those years on the slopes paid off.
b/c today was really fun.
thanks for a great daddy/daughter day dad.
i love you:)

  

 ...

some photos of max on her special ONE day.

she didn't really eat that much cake.
in fact,
she didn't know what to do with it.
she ate a bite or two.
i think it was two.
then really started enjoying squishing it around between her fingers.
grandpa gibson set up the tripod and got it all on video tape.
then she realized she just wanted to go to bed.
it was her party.
she can cry if she wants to.
and brennan blew out her candle.
b/c she doesn't know how yet.
he thought it was great.
then he burst into tears b/c his piece of cake wasn't as big as max's.
he ate a bite,
and realized it still tasted like good cake.
it was funny.

  

the end.