our "snowblaster"

Carter Man began a months worth of ski lessons at the beginning of January.  He and Kyle have gone up every Sunday with our friends, Jeff and Lena.  Meadows has a great kids program called Snowblasters ~ same groups and instructors for the month provides consistency for the kids.  Carter was in a green group and his instructor was a young guy named Kelby.  Carter thought he was pretty cool.

Carter and Lena getting ready to start their first day of Snowblasters.

Lena has been doing Snowblasters for several years and is a great little skier - attempting black diamonds at the age of 9 is pretty awesome!

Carter started out on the magic carpet, refreshing the skills that he had learned last year.

Oh I love my little skier!

First time on the chair lift

I love this face - equal parts excitement and terror!
Kyle often spent a part of the afternoons with Carter's group, helping out the instructor.  It's a rule that kids under 7 have to ride up the chair with an adult, so extra bodies are helpful. 

Sunday #2 was more like spring skiing

There was an inversion, so it was hotter up on the mountain than it was in the city.  I think it got up to 50 degrees!  It doesn't make for great snow, but it's so much fun!  Such a gorgeous day!

Working on his wedge on Buttercup

It was so nice, he didn't even need a coat.

Beautiful!

On the third Sunday, I got to join Kyle and Carter up at the mountain (thanks Grandma and Papa for having a fun sleep over with Kennedy!).  It was so much fun!  I loved getting back on the slopes and watching Carter ski down the mountain filled my heart with pride.  Skiing is something that I grew up loving, so to be able to see Carter love it, too, is awesome!

He's improving so much and really seems to enjoy it. 
He has already asked for skis for Christmas and wants to do the Snowblaster program again next year.

My friend Sheri decided to learn to ski this year too.  Since both of her girls enjoy it, she figured it would be a fun activity to do as a family.  I was so proud of her and she did great!  It's wasn't the greatest day, condition wise, but she stayed warm and had fun.  I can see many weekends up at the mountain together as all of the kids get into it.  (Kennedy gets to start next year)

I am so proud of you, Carter! I love that you're excited about skiing and working hard to get better.  Each evening when the boys would get home, Carter would tell me all about his day - talking at a rapid pace and giving me all the little details.  It was so fun to see his enthusiasm.  He learned to "jump" a little, was working on getting out of his wedge and making big turns, could get on and off the chair lift with no problems and even did a little trail run through the trees on his last day.  Daddy took him up the face and took him on a blue (intermediate) run - he had a nasty fall and cried a little but it didn't deter him from trying again.  He's like his mama and just barrels straight down the mountain. 

It's amazing how far he's come in four weeks time.  I'm bursting with pride, sweet pea!